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
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
treasure which is Christ and apprehend him in our heartes by Faith although we feele our selues to be full of sinne These words therfore of the Apostle that vve might be iustified by faith and not by the vvorkes of the lavve are very effectual and not in vaine or vnprofitable as the Scholemen thinke and therefore they passe them ouer so lightly Hetherto ye haue heard the wordes of Paule which he spake vnto Peter wherein he hath briefly comprised the principall article of all Christian doctrine which maketh true Christians in deede Now he turneth to the Galathians to whom he wryteth and thus he concludeth Since it is so that we are iustified by faith in Christ then by the workes of the lawe shall no flesh be iustified Verse 16. Because by the deedes of the lavve no flesh shall be iustified Flesh in Paule doth not signifie as the Scholemen dreame manifest and grosse sinnes for those he vseth to call by their proper names as adultery fornication vncleanes and such like but by flesh Paule meaneth here as Christ doth in the third chapter of Iohn That vvhich is borne of flesh sayeth he is flesh Flesh therfore signifieth the whole nature of man with reason and all other powers what so euer doe belong to man This flesh sayth he is not iustified by workes no not of the lawe Flesh therefore according to Paule signifieth all the righteousnes wisedome deuotion religion vnderstanding and will that is possible to be in a naturall man So that if a man be neuer so righteous according to reason and the lawe of God yet withall his righteousnes workes merites deuotion and religion he is not iustified This the Papistes doe not beleue but being blinde and obstinate they defend their abhominations against their owne conscience continuing in this their blasphemie and hauing yet still in their mouthes these execrable wordes He that doth this good worke or that deserueth forgeuenes of his sinnes who so euer entreth into this or that holy order and kepeth his rule to him we assuredly promise euerlasting life It can not be vttered what an horrible blasphemie it is to attribute that to the doctrine of Deuilles to the decrees and ordinaunces of men to the wicked traditions of the Pope to the hypocriticall workes and merites of Monkes and Friers which Paule the Apostle of Christ taketh away from the lawe of god For if no flesh be iustified by the workes of the lawe much lesse shall it be iustified by the rule of Benedict Fraunces or Augustine in which there is not one iote of true Faith in Christ but this onely they vrge that who so euer kepeth these things hath life euerlasting Wherefore I haue much and often marueled that these sectes of perdition raigning so many yeres in such great darknes and errours the Church could endure and continue as it hath done Some there were whom God called by the letter of the Gospell and by baptisme These walked in simplicitie and humblenes of heart thinking the Monkes and Friers and such onely as were anoynted of the Bishops to be religious and holy and them selues to be prophane and secular and not worthy to be compared vnto them Wherfore they finding in them selues no good workes to set against the wrath and iudgement of God did flie to the death passion of Christ and were saued in this simplicitie Horrible and vnspeakeable is the wrath of God in that he hath so long time punished the contempt of the Gospell and of Christ in the Papistes and also their ingratitude geuing them ouer into a reprobate sense in so much that they blaspheming and denying Christ altogether as touching his office in stede of the gospell haue receaued the execrable rules ordinaunces and traditions of men which they haue deuoutly adored and honoured yea and preferred the same farre aboue the word of God vntill at length they were forbidden to marry and were bound to that incestuous single life wherein they were outwardly polluted and defiled with all kindes of horrible wickednes as adultrie whoredom vncleanes Sodomitrie and such other abominations This was the frute of that filthie single life So God punishing sinne with sinne inwardly gaue them ouer into a reprobate minde and outwardly suffered them to fall into such horrible abominations and that iustly because they blasphemed the onely sonne of God in whom the father would be glorified and whom he deliuered to death that al which beleue in him might be saued by him and not by their owne execrable rules and orders Him that honoureth me sayth he I vvill honour Nowe God is honoured in his sonne Who so thē beleueth that the sonne is our Mediatour and Sauiour he honoureth the father and him againe doth God honour that is to say adorneth him with his giftes forgeuenes of sinnes righteousnes the holy Ghost euerlasting life Cōtrariwise They that despise me sayth he shall be despised This is then a generall conclusion Because by the deedes of the lavv no flesh shal be iustified The law of God is greater then the whole world for it comprehendeth all men and the works of the law do farre excel euen the most glorious wilworkes of all the Meritmongers and yet Paule sayth that neither the lawe nor the workes of the law do iustifie Therfore we conclude with Paule that faith only iustifieth This proposition he goeth about to confirme in this maner Verse 18. If then vvhile vve seeke to be made righteous by Christ vve our selues are found sinners is Christ therefore the minister of sinne God forbid If this be true sayth he that we are iustified by Christ then is it vnpossible that we should be sinners or should be iustified by the lawe On the contrary if this be not true but that we must be iustified by the lawe and the workes of the lawe it is then vnpossible that we should be iustified by Christ One of these two must needes be false Either we are not iustified by Christ or we are not iustified by the lawe But the truth is that we are iustified by Christ therefore we are not iustified by the lawe He reasoneth therefore after this maner If then vvhile vve seeke to be made c. That is If we seeke to be iustified by Christ and so being iustified we are yet foūd sinners hauing neede of the lawe to iustifie vs being sinners If we haue neede I say of the obseruation of the lawe to iustifie vs so that they which are righteous in Christ are not righteous but haue yet neede of the lawe to iustifie them Or if he that is iustified by Christ must yet further be iustified by the lawe then is Christ nothing else but a lawgeuer and a minister of sinne Therfore he that is iustified and holy in Christ is not iustified or holy but hath yet neede of the righteousnes and holines of the lawe But we are in deede iustified and made righteous in
minister of sinne is nothing els but a lawgiuer or a Scholemaster of the law which teacheth good works and charitie and that a man must suffer the crosse and afflictions and follow the example of Christ and of the Sainctes He that teacheth and requireth this is a minister of the lawe of sinne of wrath of death For by this doctrine he doth nothing els but terrifie afflict mens consciences and shutteth them vnder sinne For it is impossible for the nature of man to accomplish the law yea in those that are iustified and haue the holy Ghost the lavv of the members fighteth against the lavv of the mind What will it not then do in the wicked which haue not the holy Ghost Wherfore he that teacheth that righteousnes cometh by the lawe doth not vnderstand what he sayeth or what he affirmeth and much lesse doth he keepe the law but rather he deceaueth himselfe and others and laieth vpon them such a burthen as they are not able to beare requiring and teaching impossible things and at the last he bringeth himselfe and his disciples vnto desperation The right vse and end therfore of the law is to accuse and condemne as giltie such as liue in securitie that they may see themselues to be in daunger of sinne wrath and death eternall that so they may be terrified and brought euen to the brinke of desperation trembling and quaking at the falling of a leafe And in that they are such they are vnder the law For the law requireth perfect obedience vnto God and condemneth al those that doe not accomplish the same Now it is certaine that there is no man liuing which is able to performe this obedience which notwithstanding God streitly requireth of vs. The law therfore iustifieth not but condemneth according to that saying Cursed is he that abideth not in all things that are vvriten in this booke Therefore he that teacheth the law is a minister of the law Wherefore it is not without good cause that Paule in the 2. Cor. 3. calleth the minister of the law the minister of sinne For the law sheweth and vttereth sinne which without the law is deade Now the knowledge of sinne I speake not here of that speculatiue knowledge of hypocrites but of a true knowledge by the which we see the wrath of God against sinne and feele a true tast of death terrifieth the heart driueth downe to desperation killeth and destroyeth Rom. 7. Wherfore these Scholemasters of the law and works are called in the scripture oppressors and tirants For as the taskemasters in Egypt did oppresse the children of Israell with corporall seruitude so doe these lawgiuers and taskemasters driue men into most miserable bondage of soule and at lengthe bring them to desperation and vtter destruction These doe neither know themselues nor the force of the law And it is not possible for them to haue quietnes and peace of conscience in great and inward terrours and in the agony of death yea though they haue obserued the law loued their neighbours done many good works and suffred great afflictions for the law alwaies terrifieth and accuseth saying thou neuer diddest accomplish all that is commaunded in the law but accursed is he that hath not done all things contained therin Wherefore these terrours remaine still in the conscience and encrease more and more And if such Scholemasters of the lawe be not raised vp by Faith and the righteousnes of Christ they are driuen downe headlong to desperation This also was notably figured when the law was geuen as we may see in the .19 and .20 of Exodus Moses brought the people out of the tentes to meete with the Lord that they might heare him speake vnto them out of the darke cloude Then the people being astonished and trembling for feare fled backe which a litle before had promised to doe all that God had commaunded and standing aloofe of sayd vnto Moses VVho can abide to see the fire and to heare the thundrings and noise of the trumpet Talke thou vvith vs and vve vvill heare thee but let not God talke vvith vs lest vve die So the proper office of the lawe is to leade vs out of our tents and tabernacles that is to say from the quietnes and securitie wherin we dwell and from trusting in our selues and to bring vs before the presence of God to reueile his wrath vnto vs and to sette before vs our sinnes Here the conscience feeleth that it hath not satisfied the lawe and that it is not able to satisfie it nor to beare the wrath of God which the lawe reueileth when it bringeth vs forth after this maner before the presence of God that is to say when it feareth vs accuseth vs and setteth before vs our sinnes Here it is impossible that we should be able to stand and therefore being thorowly affraid we flie and we cry out with the children of Israell we shall die we shall die Let not the Lord speake vnto vs but speake thou vnto vs c. He then which teacheth that faith in Christ iustifieth not without the obseruation of the law maketh Christ a minister of sinne that is to say a Scholemaster of the law which teacheth the selfe same doctrine that Moses did By this meanes Christ is no Sauiour no geuer of grace but a cruell tirant which requireth such things as Moses did which no man is able to performe See how all the meritmongers doe take Christ to be but a new lawgeuer and the Gospell to be nothing els but a certaine booke which containeth new lawes concerning works as the Turkes dreame of their Alcoran But as touching lawes there is enough in Moses The Gospell then is a preaching of Christ which forgeueth sinnes geueth grace iustifieth and saueth sinners Now whereas there are commaundements found in the Gospell they are not the Gospell but expositions of the lawe and matters depending vpon the Gospell To conclude if the lawe be the ministery of sinne then is it also the ministery of wrath and of death For as the lawe reueileth sinne so doth it terrifie a man it sheweth vnto him his sinne and the wrath of God and striketh into him a terrour of death and damnation For thus the conscience by and by gathereth Thou hast not kept the commaundements of God therefore God is angry with thee And it thinketh this to be an infallible consequence I haue sinned therfore I must die And so it followeth that the ministery of sinne is the ministery of wrath and condemnation For after that sinne is reueiled by and by ensueth the wrath of God death and damnation And hereof it cometh that many which are not able to beare the iudgement and wrath of God which the lawe setteth before their eyes doe kill hang or drowne themselues Verse 17. God forbid As though he would say Christ is not the minister of sinne but the geuer of
children and such like we say it is a blessing but in his degree that is to say in this life present But as touching life euerlasting it is not enough to haue corporall blessings for the very wicked doe therein abound moste of all It is not sufficient that we haue ciuill righteousnes or the righteousnes of the law for therein also the wicked doe specially flourish These things God distributeth in the world freely bestoweth them both vpon the good and bad like as he suffereth the Sunne to rise both vpon the good and the euill and sendeth raine vpon the righteous and vnrighteous for he is liberall vnto all And to him it is a small matter to put all creatures vnder the feete of the wicked The Creature is subiect to vanitie not of his ovvne vvill Rom. 8. They therfore which haue but onely these corporall blessings are not the children of God blessed before God spiritually as was Abraham but they are vnder the Curse as Paule here sayth VVhosoeuer is vnder the vvorkes of the lavv is vnder the Curse Paule might haue sayd by a generall proposition Whatsoeuer is without faith is vnder the Curse He sayth not so but he taketh that which besides faith is the best the greatest and most excellent among all corporall blessings of the world to witte the lawe of god That lawe sayth he in deede is holy and geuen of God notwithstanding it doth nothing else but make all men subiect to the Curse and keepe them vnder the same Nowe if the lawe of God doe make men subiect to the Curse much more doe the inferior lawes and blessings And that it may be plainly vnderstand what Paule calleth it to be vnder the Curse he declareth by this testimonie of the scripture saying Verse 10. For it is vvrytten Cursed is euery man that continueth not in all things vvhich are vvrytten in the booke of the lavve to doe them Paule goeth about to proue by this testimonie taken out of the 27. of Deuteronomie that all men which are vnder the lawe or vnder the workes of the law are accursed or vnder the Curse that is to say vnder sinne the wrath of God and euerlasting death For he speaketh not as I haue sayd before of a corporall but of a spirituall Curse which must needes be the Curse of euerlasting death and hell fire And this is a wonderfull maner of prouing For Paule proueth this affirmatiue sentence which he boroweth out of Moses VVhosoeuer are of the vvorkes of the lavve are vnder the Curse by this negatiue Cursed is euery one that abideth not in all things c. Now these two sentences of Paule and Moises seeme cleane contrary Paule sayeth whosoeuer shall doe the workes of the lawe is accursed Moses sayth who so euer shall not do the works of the law are accursed How shall these two sayings be reconciled together or else which is more how shall the one be proued by the other In deede no man can well vnderstand this place vnlesse he also know and vnderstand the article of iustification Paule no dout being among the Galathians had before more largely entreated of this matter for else they could not haue vnderstand it seeing he doth here but touche it by the way But because they had heard him declare the same vnto them before they being now againe put in minde thereof doe call it to remembraunce And these two sentences are not repugnant but doe very well agree We also doe teach in like maner That the hearers of the lavve are not righteous before God but the doers of the lavve shall be iustified Rom. 2. And contrariwise They that are of the vvorkes of the lavv are vnder the Curse For the article of iustification teacheth that whatsoeuer is without the faith of Abraham is accursed And yet notwithstanding the righteousnes of the lawe must be fulfilled in vs Rom. 8. To a man that is ignoraunt of the doctrine of Faith these two sentences seeme to be quite contrary Wherfore aboue all things we must marke wel whervpon Paule entreateth in this place wherabout he goeth and how he looketh into Moses He is here as before I haue often sayd in a spirituall matter seperated from policie and from all lawes and he looketh into Moises with other eyes then the hypocrites false apostles do and expoundeth the law spiritually Wherfore the whole effect of the matter consisteth in this worde to doe Now to doe the lawe is not onely to doe it outwardly but to doe it truely perfectly There be two sortes then of doers of the law The first are they which are of the workes of the lawe against whom Paule striueth throughout all this Epistle The other sort are they which are of Faith of whom we will speake hereafter Nowe to be of the lawe or of the workes of the lawe and to be of Faith are quite contrary yea euen as contrary as God and the Deuill sinne and righteousnes death and life For they are of the lawe which would be made righteous by the lawe They are of faith which doe assuredly trust that they are made righteous through onely mercy for Christes sake He which sayeth that righteousnes is of faith curseth and condemneth the righteousnes of workes Contrariwise he which sayth that righteousnes is of the lawe curseth and condemneth the righteousnes of faith Therfore they are altogether contrary the one to the other He that considereth this shall easely vnderstand that to performe the lawe is not to do that which is commaunded in the law in outward shew only as the hypocrites imagine but in spirit that is to say truly and perfectly But where shall we finde him that will so accomplish the lawe Let vs see him and we will praise him Here our aduersaries haue their aunswer ready saying The doers of the lavve shal be iustified Rom. 2. Very well But let vs first define who be these doers of the law They call him a doer of the law which doeth the workes of the lawe and so by those workes going before is made righteous This is not to doe the lawe according to Paule for as I haue said to be of the works of the law and to be of faith are cōtrary things Therfore to seeke to be iustified by the workes of the lawe is to denie the righteousnes of faith Wherfore these Iusticiaries and Lawworkers when they doe the lawe euen in so doing denie the righteousnes of Faith and sinne against the first the second and thirde commaunment yea euen against the whole lawe For God commaundeth that we should worshippe him in Faith and in the feare of his name These on the contrary make righteousnes of workes without faith and against faith therefore in that they doe the lawe they doe cleane contrary to the lawe and sinne most deadly For they deny the righteousnes of God his mercy his promises they deny Christ withal his
selfe same works saith he which the other Apostles did notwithstanding because the person was reprobate the iudgemēt of reason peruerse therefore his workes were hypocriticall and not true as were the workes of the other Apostles how like soeuer they seemed to be in outward shewe Wherfore they them selues are constrained to graunt that in politike and externall matters workes doe not iustifie vnlesse there be ioyned withall an vpright heart will and iudgement Howe much more are they compelled to confesse the same in spirituall matters where before all things there must be a knowledge of God and faith which may purifie the hearte They walke therefore in workes and in the righteousnes of the law as Iudas did in the works of the Apostles not vnderstanding what they say or what they affirme And although Paule saith plainely euery where that the law iustifieth not but causeth wrath vttereth sinne reueileth the indignation and iudgement of God and threateneth euerlasting death yet notwithstanding reading these things they see them not much lesse doe they vnderstand them Therefore they deserue not to be called hypocrites but visours and shadowes of disguised hypocrites moste miserably bewitched in that they dreame that they are made righteous by the workes of the lawe Wherefore as I haue said this worde Doer of the lavv as they define it is an imagined terme a very monster and no where to be founde Wherefore when Paule proueth this place VVhosoeuer are are of the vvorks of the lavv are vnder the curse by this sentence of Moises Cursed is euery one that abideth not in all that is vvrytten in this booke he proueth not one contrary by an other as at the first sight it may appeare but he proueth it rightly and in true order For Moises meaneth and teacheth the selfe same thing that Paule doth when he sayeth Cursed is euery one vvhich shall not doe all c. But no man doeth them therfore whosoeuer are of the workes of the lawe keepe not the lawe If they keepe it not they are vnder the curse But seeing there be two sortes of men that are doers of the lawe as before I haue sayde true doers and hypocrites the true doers must be seperated from the hypocrites The true doers of the lawe are they which through Faith are the good tree before the fruite doers and workers before the works Of these speaketh Moises also and except they be such they are vnder the Curse But the hypocrites are not of this sorte for they haue this opinion that they will obtaine righteousnes through their workes and thereby make the person iust and acceptable For thus they thinke We that are sinners and vnrighteous will be made righteous Howe shall that be By good woorkes Therefore they doe euen like as a foolish builder which goeth about of the rouffe to make the foundation of the fruites to make the tree For when they seeke to be iustified by woorkes of the woorkes they would make the worker which is directly against Moises which maketh such a worker subiect to the curse as well as Paule doth Therefore whiles they goe about to doe the lawe they not onely doe it not but also denie as I haue sayd the first commaundement the promises of God the promised Blessing of Abraham they renounce Faith and they goe about to make them selues blessed by their owne workes that is to say to make them selues righteous to deliuer them selues from sinne and death to ouercome the Deuill and by violence to lay holde vppon the kingdome of heauen And this is plainly to renounce God and to set them selues in the place of god For all these are the workes of the diuine Maiestie alone and not of any creature either in heauen or in earth Hereupon Paule was able easily to foreshewe out of the first commaundement the abhominations that were to come which Antichrist should bring into the Church For all they which teach that any other worshippe is necessary to saluation then that which God requireth of vs by the first commaundement which is the feare of God Faith and the loue of God are plaine Antichristes and set them selues in the place of god That such should come Christe him selfe foretolde when he sayeth in the xxiiii Chapter of Mathew Many shall come in my name saying I am Christ So we also at this day may boldely and easily pronounce that who soeuer seeketh righteousnes by workes without faith denieth God and maketh him selfe god For thus he thinketh If I doe this worke I shall be righteous I shall be a conquerer of sinne death the Deuill the wrath of God and of hell and shall obtaine life euerlasting And what is this els I pray you but to chalenge that worke vnto him selfe which doth belong to God alone and to shew in deede that he him selfe is God Therefore it is an easie matter for vs to prophesie and most certainely to Iudge of all those which are without faith that they are not onely Idolaters but very Idols which denie God and set them selues in the place of god Vpon the same grounde Peter also prophecieth when he saith There shal be amongest you false teachers vvhich priuely shall bringe in damnable heresies and shall denie the Lorde c. and make marchandise of the people And in the olde testament all the prophesies against Idolatry sprang out of the first commaundement For all the wicked kings and Prophetes with all the vnfaithfull people did nothing els but that which the Pope and all hypocrites alwaies doe They contemning the first commaundement and worship appointed of God and despising the promise of Abrahams seede euen that seede in whom all nations should be blessed and sanctified ordained a wicked worshippe cleane contrary to the worde of God and saide With this worship will we serue God and set out his praise which hath brought vs out of the land of Egypt So Ieroboam made two golden calues and saide Beholde thy Gods O Israell vvhich brought thee out of the land of Egypt This he saide of the true God which had redeemed Israell and yet both he and all the people were Idolaters For they worshipped God contrary to the first commaundement They onely regarded the worke which being done they counted them selues righteous before god And what was this els but to deny God him selfe whom they confessed with their mouth and saide that he had brought them out of the lande of Egypt Paule speaketh of such Idolaters when he saith They confesse that they knovv God but in their deedes they denie him Wherfore all hypocrites idolaters goe about to doe those workes which do properly pertaine to the diuine maiestie doe belong to Christ onely and alone In deede they say not in plaine wordes I am God I am Christ and yet in very deede they proudly chalenge vnto themselues the Diuinitie office of Christ and therfore it is as much in effect as if
Scriptures of the Fathers Prophetes and Kings how they wrought righteousnes raised vp the deade ouercame kingdomes thou must remember that these and such like sayinges are to be expounded as the Epistle to the Hebrewes expoundeth them that is By faith they vvrought righteousnes by faith they raised vp the deade by faith they subdued Kinges and kingedomes So that faith incorporateth the worke and geueth it his perfection And this the aduersaries if they be wel in their wittes can not denye neyther haue they any thinge to saye or obiecte againste it In deede they can cry out that the scripture speaketh oftentimes of doing and walking And we alwaies aunswer them againe that it speaketh also of faithful Doing For first reason must be lightened by faith before it can worke Now when it hath a true opinion and knowledge of God then is the worke incarnate and incorporate into it so that what soeuer is attributed to faith is afterwardes attributed to works also but yet because of faith onely and alone Wherfore in reading of the Scriptures we must learn to put a difference betwene the true and the hypocriticall the morall and the spiritual Doing of the law So shall we be able to declare the true meaning of all those places which seeme to maintaine the righteousnes of works Now the true Doing of the law is a faithfull and a spirituall Doing which he hath not that seeketh righteousnes by works Therfore euery Doer of the law and euery holy morall worker is accursed For he walketh in the presumption of his owne righteousnes against God whiles he wil be iustified by mans free wil reason so in doing of the law he doth it not And this according to Paule is to be vnder the workes of the law that is to say that hypocrites do the law and yet in doing it they do it not for they vnderstād this word Doing according to the literal sense of the law which in true Christian diuinitie is nothing worth In deede they worke many things but in the presumptiō of their owne righteousnes and without the knowledge of God and faith as the Pharise did Luke 18. and as Paule did before his conuersion therfore they are blind and miserably erre and so remaine vnder the Curse Wherefore againe I admonish you that such sentences as the aduersaries doe alledge out of the scriptures concerning workes and rewards therof must be spiritually expounded As if they alledge this sentence out of Daniel .4 chap. Redeeme thy sinnes by almes deedes thou must not here expounde these wordes after the morall sense but after the meaning of the Gospell So shall thou see that this word Redeme signifieth no moral but a spirituall Doing that is to say it comprehēdeth faith For in the Scriptures the worke as I haue said requireth also a good will and right iudgement of reason to goe before not morall as they would haue it but diuine and spirituall which is faith By this meanes thou shalt be able to stoppe the mouthes of these peuish Sophisters For they them selues are compelled to graunt and so they teach also out of Aristotle that euery good worke procedeth out of mans choise or free will. If this be true in Philosophie much more must this good will and righte iudgement of reason guided by faith goe before the worke in Diuinitie and diuine matters And this doe all wordes of the imperatiue mode that is all such wordes as are commaūding signifie in the Scriptures all such words also as teach the lawe as the Epistle to the Hebrewes doth plainly declare By Faith Abel offred c. Now admit the case that this solution is not sufficient although it be in deede most sure and certaine yet notwithstanding let this be the argument of all arguments and the principall mirrour of Christians to beholde against all the tentations and obiections not onely of the aduersaries but also of the Deuill him selfe namely to apprehend and to holde fast the head which is Christ Moreouer admitte that the Sophisters being more craftie and subtill then I should so snare and entangle me with their arguments which they bring for the maintenaunce of workes against Faith that I should knowe no way how to wynde my selfe out which notwithstanding is impossible for them to doe yet wil I rather geue reuerence and credite to Christ alone then be perswaded with all the places they are able to alledge for the establishing of the righteousnes of works against the docrine of Faith. Wherfore they must be simply and plainly aunswered after this māner Here is Christ there are the testimonies of the Scripture touching the law and works Now Christ is the Lord of the Scripture and of all works He also is Lord of heauen the earth the Saboth the temple righteousnes life wrath sinne death generally of all things whatsoeuer And Paule his Apostle sheweth that he was made sinne and became accursed for me I heare then that I coulde by no other meanes be deliuered from my sinne my death and my malediction but by his death and bloudsheeding Wherefore I conclude that it properly appertained to Christ him selfe to ouercome my sinne death and malediction in his owne body and not to the workes of the law or mine owne workes And herevnto reason is constrained to agree and say that Christe is not the worke of the lawe or my worke that his bloud and death is not circumcision the obseruation of the ceremonies of the lawe and much lesse a Monkes cowle a shauen crowne abstinence vowes and such like Wherefore if he be the price of my redemption if he be made sinne and malediction that he might iustifie me and blesse me I care not if thou bring a thousand places of the Scripture for the righteousnes of workes against the righteousnes of Faith and crie out neuer so much that the Scripture is against me I haue the author and Lorde of the scripture with me on whose side I will rather stand then beleue all the rablemente of Lawworkers and meritemongers Albeit it is impossible that the Scripture should be against this doctrine vnlesse it be among the senseles and indurate hypocrites but among the godly and such as haue vnderstanding it geueth witnesse for Iesus Christ his lord See therfore how thou canst reconcile the Scripture which thou sayest is against my doctrine As for me I will sticke to the author of the Scripture Therefore if any man thinketh himselfe not well able to reconcile such places of the Scripture or aunswer vnto the same sufficiently and yet notwithstanding is constrained to heare the obiections and cauillations of the aduersaries let him aunswere simply and plainely after this sorte Thou settest against me the seruaunte that is to say the scripture and that not wholy neither yet the principall parte thereof but onely certaine places as touching workes This seruaunte I leaue vnto thee But I come with the
his chiefe end and office it humbleth a man and in humbling him it maketh him to sigh and grone and to seeke the hand and aide of the Mediatour and maketh his grace and his mercy exceeding sweete comfortable as is saide Psalm 109. Thy mercy is svveete and his gifte precious and inestimable And by this meanes it prepareth vs and maketh vs apte to apprehende and to receaue Christe For as the Poete sayeth Dulcia non meruit qui non gustauit amara that is He that hath not tasted the things that are bitter Is not vvorthie to taste the things that are svveeter Hunger is the best Cooke Therefore like as the drie earth doth couet the raine euen so the lawe maketh troubled and afflicted soules to thirst after Christe To such Christe sauoureth sweetely to them he is nothing els but ioy consolation and life And there beginneth Christ and his benefite rightly to be knowne This is then the principall vse of the law namely when a man can so vse it that it may humble him make him to thirst after Christ And in deede Christ requireth thirsty soules whom he most louingly and graciously allureth and calleth vnto him when he saith Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauy loden and I vvill refresh you He deliteth therefore to water these dry groundes He powreth not his waters vpon fatte and rancke groundes or such as are not dry and couet no water His good things are inestimable and therefore he geueth them to none but vnto such as haue neede of them and feeling the greate neede they haue thereof doe earnestly desire them He preacheth glad tidings to the poore he geueth drinke to the thirstie If any thirst saith Iohn Let him come vnto me c. He healeth the broken harted c. that is he comforteth those that are brused and afflicted by the law Therefore the law is not against the promises of God. Verse 21. For if there had ben a lavv geuen vvhich bringeth life surely righteousnes should haue ben by the lavve By these wordes Paule signifieth that no lawe of it selfe is able to quicken or geue life but onely killeth Therfore such works as are done not onely according to the lawes and traditions of the Pope but also according to the very law of God doe not iustifie a man before God but make him a sinner they doe not pacifie the wrath of God but they kindle it they obtaine not righteousnes but they hinder it they quicken not but they terrifie Therfore when he sayeth If a lavv had ben geuen vvhich could haue brought life c. he teacheth plainly that the lawe of it selfe iustifieth not but that it hath a cleane contrary effect Although these words of Paule be plaine enough yet are they obscure and vtterly vnknowne to the Papists For if they did vnderstand them in deede they would not so magnifie their freewill their owne naturall strength the keping of the Counsels the works of supererogation c. But left they should seeme to be manifestly wicked plaine Infidels in denying the words of the Apostle of Christ so impudently they haue this pestilent glose alwayes ready wherby they peruert the places of Paule concerning the lawe which reuealeth sinne and engendreth wrath that is to say the .x. commaūdemēts that Paule speaketh onely of the ceremoniall and not of the morall law But Paule speaketh plainly when he sayth If a lavve had ben geuen c. and he excepteth no lawe Wherfore this glose of the Papists is not worth a rush For the lawes of the ceremonies were as well commaunded of God and as streitly kept as the morall lawes The Iewes also kept circumcision as precisely as they did the Sabboth day It is euident enough therfore that Paule speaketh of the whole lawe These words of the Apostle are song said in the Papacie and in all their churches and yet notwithstanding they both teach and liue quite contrary Paule sayth simplie that no law was geuen to quicken and to bring life but the Papistes teach that many lawes are geuen to bring life Although they say not this in plaine words yet in very deede such is their opinion as their Monkery doth plainely witnes besides many lawes and traditions of men their workes and merites before grace and after and innumerable wicked ceremonies and false worshippings which they haue deuised of their owne heads and those onely haue they preached treading the Gospell vnder their feete and assuredly promising grace remission of sinnes and life euerlasting to all such as should kepe obserue the same This that I say cā not be denied for their bokes which are yet extāt geue certaine testimony therof But contrariwise we affirme with Paule that there is no law whether it be mans law or Gods law that geueth life Therfore we put as great a difference betwene the law righteousnes as is betwene life death betwene heauen hell And the cause the moueth vs so to affirme is that plaine euident place of Paule where he sayth that the law is not geuen to iustifie to geue life and to saue but onely to kil to destroy cōtrary to the opinion of all men for naturally they can iudge no otherwise of the law but that it is geuen to work righteousnes to geue life saluation This difference of the offices of the law and the gospel kepeth all Christian doctrine in his true proper vse Also it maketh a faithfull man iudge ouer all kindes of life ouer the lawes decrees of all men and ouer all doctrine whatsoeuer and it geueth them power to trie all maner of spirites On the other side the Papists because they confoūd mingle the law the gospel together cā teach no certainty touching faith works the states conditiōs of life nor of the difference of spirits Now therfore after that Paule hath prosecuted his confutations and arguments sufficiently and in good order he teacheth that the lawe if ye consider his true and perfect vse is nothing else but as a certaine Scholemaster to lead vs vnto righteousnes For it hūbleth men maketh them apt to receaue the righteousnes of Christ whē it doth his own proper worke and office that is when it maketh them giltie terrifieth and bringeth them to the knowledge of sinne wrath death and hell For when it hath done this the opinion of mans owne righteousnes holines vanisheth away and Christe with his benefites beginneth to waxe sweete vnto him Wherefore the law is not against the promises of God but rather confirmeth them True it is that it doth not accomplish the promise nor bring righteousnes notwithstanding it humbleth vs with his exercise and office and so maketh vs more thrifty and more apte to receaue the benefite of Christ Therefore saith he if any lawe had bene geuen which might haue brought righteousnes and through righteousnes life for
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
sawe not the condition that was annexed If ye kepe my commaundementes it shall goe vvell vvith you c. Therfore Agar the bondmaid bringeth forth but a bond seruaunt Ismael then is not the heire although he be the naturall sonne of Abraham but remaineth a bondman What is here lacking The promise and Blessing of the word So the lawe geuen in mount Sina which the Arabians call Agar begetteth none but seruauntes For the promise made as concerning Christ was not annexed to the lawe Wherfore O ye Galathians if ye forsaking the promise and faith fall backe to the law and works ye shall alwayes continue seruaunts that is ye shall neuer be deliuered from sinne and death but ye shall alwayes abide vnder the curse of the lawe For Agar gendreth not the seede of the promise and heires that is to say the lawe iustifieth not it bringeth not the adoption inheritance but rather it hindreth the inheritance and worketh wrath Verse 25. And it ansvvereth to Ierusalem vvhich novv is and she is in bondage vvith her children This is a wonderfull allegorie As Paule a litle before made Agar of Sina so now of Ierusalem he would gladly make Sara but he dareth not neither can he so doe but is compelled to ioyne Ierusasalem with mount Sina For he sayth The same belongeth to Agar seeing mount Agar reacheth euen to Ierusalem And it is true that there be continuall mountaines reaching from Arabia Petrea vnto Cades Bernea of Iurie He sayth then that this Ierusalem which now is that is to say this earthly and temporall Ierusalem is not Sara but pertaineth to Agar for there Agar raigneth For in it is the law begetting vnto bondage in it is the worship and ceremonies the temple the kingdome the Priesthoode and whatsoeuer was ordained in Sina by the mother which is the lawe the same is done in Ierusalem Therfore I ioyne her with Sina and I cōprehend both in one word to witte Sina or Agar I durst not haue bene so bolde to handle this allegorie after this maner but would rather haue called Ierusalem Sara or the new Testament especially seeing the preaching of the Gospell began in it the holy Ghost was there geuen and the people of the new Testament were there borne and I would haue thought that I had found out a very fitte allegory Wherfore it is not for euery man to vse allegories at his pleasure for a goodly outward shew may soone deceaue a man and cause him to erre Who would not thinke it a very fitte thing to call Sina Agar and Ierusalem Sara In deede Paule maketh Ierusalem Sara but not this corporall Ierusalem which he simplie ioyneth vnto Agar but that spirituall and heauenly Ierusalem in which the law raigneth not nor the carnall people as in that Ierusalē which is in bondage with her children but wherein the promise raigneth wherin is also a spirituall and a free people And to the ende that the lawe should be quite abolished and that whole kingdom which was established in Agar the earthly Ierusalē was horribly destroyed with all her ornamēts the tēple the ceremonies c. Now although the new testament began in it so was spread through out the whole world notwithstanding it appertaineth to Agar that is to say it is the citie of the law of the ceremonies of the priesthoode instituted by Moses Briefly it is gendred of Agar the bondwoman and therfore is in bondage with her children that is to say it walketh in the works of the lawe and neuer attaineth to the libertie of the spirite but abideth continually vnder the lawe sinne an euil conscience the wrath and iudgement of God and vnder the gilt of death and hell In deede it hath the libertie of the flesh it hath a corporall kingdom it hath magistrates riches and possessions and such like things but we speake of the libertie of the spirit wherby we are dead to the law to sinne and death and we liue and raigne in grace forgeuenes of sinnes righteousnes and euerlasting life This can not the earthly Ierusalem performe and therefore it abideth with Agar Verse 26. But Ierusalem vvhich is aboue is free vvhich is the mother of vs all That earthly Ierusalem sayth he which is beneath hauing the policie and ordinances of the law is Agar and is in bondage with her children that is to say she is not deliuered from the lawe sinne and death But Ierusalem which is aboue that is to say the spirituall Ierusalem is Sara albeit Paule addeth not the proper name of Sara but geueth her an other name calling her the free woman that is to say that true Ladie and freewoman which is the mother of vs all begetting vs vnto libertie and not vnto bondage as Agar doth Now this heauenly Ierusalem which is aboue is the Church that is to say the Faithful dispersed thorow out the whole world which haue one and the same Gospell one and the same Faith in Christe the same holy Ghost and the same Sacraments Therfore vnderstand not this word Aboue of the triumphant Church as the Schoolemen do which is heauen but of the militant church in earth as they call it For the godly are sayd to haue theyr conuersation in heauen Philip. 3. Our conuersation is in heauen not locally but in that a Christian beleueth in that he layeth holde of those inestimable heauenly and eternal gifts he is in heauen Ephesians 1. VVhich hath blessed vs vvith all spiritual blessing in heauenly things in Christ We must therfore distinguish the heauēly spiritual Blessing from the earthly For the earthly Blessing is to haue a good ciuill gouernment both in common weales families to haue children peace riches frutes of the earth and other corporall commodities But the heauenly Blessing is to be deliuered from the law sinne and death to be iustified and quickened to life to haue peace with God to haue a faithfull heart a ioyfull conscience and spirituall consolation to haue the knowledge of Iesus Christe to haue the gift of Prophesie and the reuelation of the Scriptures to haue the giftes of the holy Ghost and to reioyce in god These are the heauenly blessings which Christ geueth to his Church Wherfore Ierusalem which is aboue that is to say the heauenly Ierusalem is the church which is now in the world and not the citie of the life to come or the Church triumphant as the idle and vnlearned Monks and the Schooledoctors dreamed which taught that the Scripture hath foure senses the literall sense the figuratiue sense the allegoricall sense and the morall sense and according to these senses they haue foolishly interpreted almost all the wordes of the Scriptures As this word Ierusalem literally signified that citie which was so named figuratiuely a pure conscience allegorically the church militāt morally the celestiall Citie or the church
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
how hardly escaped he with life howe did the Lord mortifie and frame him to his hand before he placed him in quiet Infinite it were to recite all Briefely in all the works of God this is vsuall to be seene that he worketh euermore most excellent thinges by instrumentes most humble and which seeme most furdest of Which of al the Apostles did euer thinke when Christ was so humbled and crucified vppon the tree that they should euer see him againe although he foretold them of his rising before in so muche that Thomas did scarsely beleeue when he with his eies sawe him What man would euer haue thought that Paule in the raging heate of his persecuting spirite would haue turned from a persecuter to such a professor from such infidelitie to such a faith in so much that Ananias woulde scarsely beleue the Lord when he tolde him Such is the omnipotencie of the Lorde our God euer working lightly by the contrarye especially when he hath any excellent thinge to worke to his own glory After like sorte may we esteeme also of Martine Luther who being firste a frear in what blindnes superstition and darkenes in what dreames and dregges of munkishe idolatrye he was drowned his historie declareth witnes recordeth and this booke also partly doth specifie Whose religion was all in popish ceremonies his zeale without knowledge vnderstanding no other iustification but in workes of the law and merites of his owne makinge onely beleuing the historie as many doe of Christes death and resurrection but not knowing the power and strength thereof After he had thus continued a longe space more pharisaicall and zealous in these monkish waies then the common sorte of that order at length it so pleased almighty God to beginne with this man first to touch his conscience with some remorse and feelinge of sinne his mind with feares and misdoutes whereby he was driuen to seeke further So that by searching seekinge conferring and by reading of S. Paule some sparckles of better knowledge beganne by litle and litle to appeare which after in time grew vp to greater encrease But here it happened to him as commonlye it doth to all good Christians The more that the true knowledge of Christe in him encreased the more Sathan the enemy stirred with his fiery dartes with doubtes and obiections with false terrours and subtill assaultes seeking by all meanes possible howe to oppresse the inward soule which would faine take his rest in Christe In these spirituall conflictes and inward wrastlings how greuously he was encumbred fighting against incredulitie errour and desperation maruelous it is to consider In so much that three dayes and three nightes together he lay vppon his bedde without meate drinke or any fleepe like a deade man as some of him doe write labouringe in soule and spirite vppon a certaine place of S. Paule in the third chapiter to the Rom. which was Ad ostendendam iustitiam suā that is to shevv his iustice thinking Christ to be sent to no other end but to shewe forth Gods iustice as an executor of the law till at length being aunswered and satisfied by the Lord touching the right meaninge of those wordes signifying the iustice of God to be executed vppon his Sonne to saue vs from the stroke therof he immediatly vppon the same started vp from his bedde so confirmed in faith as nothing afterward could appall him Besides other manifold and greeuous tentations which I speake not of of all sortes and kindes except onely of auarice with the which vice onely he was neuer once tempted nor touched as of him is writen by them that were conuersant with him In this meane while during these conflictes and exercises of M. Luther which notwithstanding did him no hurt but rather turned to his more furtherance in spirituall knowledge Pope Leo the .x. sent a Iubiley with his pardons abroade through all Christian realmes and dominions wherby he gathered together innumerable riches and treasure The collectors wherof promised to euery one that would put ten shillinges in the box licence to eate whitemeat and flesh in lent and power to deliuer what soule he woulde out of purgatorye and moreouer full pardon from all his sinnes were they neuer so heynous But if it were but one iote lesse then .x. shillings they preached that it would profite him nothing The abomination wherof was so horrible that when no other man durst speake yet Luther could not of conscience holde his peace but drawing out certaine articles desired gently to dispute the matter writing withall a most humble admonition to the Pope submitting him selfe in most lowely wise to his censure and iudgement But the Pope thinkinge great scorne to be controlled of such a frear tooke the matter so hoate that he with all his Cardinals with all the rable of Monkes and Frears Bishops and Archbishops Colleges and vniuersities Kinges and Princes with the Emperour also himselfe were all vppon him If the omnipotent prouidence of the Lord from aboue had not sustained him what was it for one poore frear to haue endured all these sharpe assaultes of Sathan all the violence of the whole world hauinge no lesse then the soone the moone and seuen starres as they say against him being hated of men impugned of deuilles reiected of nations by solemne authority condemned distressed with infirmities and with all maner of tentations tried and proued And yet for all these tentations such was his life that as Erasmus writing to Cardinall Wolsey affirmeth none of all his enemies could euer charge him with any note of iust reprehension Againe such were his allegations out of the scripture that Roffensis writing to Erasmus confesseth himselfe to be astonied at them And thus much by way of preface touching the conflictes and exercises of this man Which we thought good to insinuate to the Christian reader for sundry purposes First to note the mercifull clemencie of Christe our Sauiour in calling so superstitious and idolatrous a frear so graciously to such a light of his gospell his grace in iustifying him his might in preseruing him his helpe in cōforting him his glory in prospering him one against so many and so prospering him that the whole kingedom of the Pope had no power either to withstand him or to maintaine it selfe Secondly for this respect also and purpose that the reader considering the meruelous working of the Lord in this man may the better credite the doctrine which he teacheth And though his doctrine as touching a litle circumstance of the sacrament can not be throughly defended yet neither is that any greate maruell in him who being occupied in weightier pointes of religion had no leisure to trauell in the searching out of this matter neither ought it to be any preiudice to all the rest which he taught so soundly of the weightier principles and groundes of Christes Gospell and our iustification onely by faith in Christ And yet in the same matter of the sacrament not withstanding that he altereth
gathered together to be mine so that I must needes confesse either all or perhaps more to haue bene vttered by me in this publike treatise For in my heart this one article raigneth euen the faith of Christ From whom by whom and vnto whom all my diuine studies day and night haue recourse to and froe continually And yet I perceaue that I coulde not reache any thing neare vnto the heighte bredth and depth of suche highe and inestimable wisedome onely certaine bare and poore beginnings as it were fragments doe appeare Wherfore I am ashamed that my so barren and simple Commētaries should be set forthe vpon so worthy an Apostle and elect vessel of god But when I consider againe the infinite and horrible abuses and abominations which alwayes haue raged in the Churche of God and yet at this day cease not to rage against this onely and grounded rocke which we holde to be the article of our iustification that is to say howe not by our selues neither by our workes which are lesse then oure selues but by an other helpe euen the sonne of God Iesus Christ we are redemed from sinne death the deuell and made partakers of eternal life I am compelled to cast of all shame to be bolde aboue measure This rocke did Sathan shake in paradise when he perswaded our first parents that by their owne wisedome and power they should be like vnto God forsaking true Faith in God who had geuen them life and promised the continuaunce therof By and by after this lier and murtherer which will be alwayes like vnto him selfe stirred vp the brother to the murthering of his brother and for none other cause but for that his godly brother by Faith had offered vp a more excellent sacrifice and he offering vp his owne works without faith had not pleased god After this against the same Faith followed a most intollerable persecution of Sathan by the sonnes of Caine vntil God was euen cōstrained at once by the floud to purge the whole world and to defend Noe the preacher of righteousnesse This notwithstanding Sathan continued his seede in Cham the third sonne of Noe. But who is able to recken vp all examples After these things the whole world waxed madde against this Faithe finding out an infinite nombre of idolles and straunge religions wherby euery one as S. Paule sayth walked his owne way trusting by their workes some to pacifye or please a God some a Goddesse some Gods some Goddesses that is to say without the helpe of Christ by their owne workes to redeme them selues from euils and from their sinnes as all the examples and monuments of all nations doe sufficiently witnesse But these are nothing in comparison of that people and congregation of God Israell which not onely had the sure promise of the fathers and afterward the lawe of God geuen vnto them from God him selfe by his angels aboue all other but alwayes and in all things were also certified by the present sayings miracles and examples of that prophets Notwithstanding euen amonge them also Satan did so preuaile that is to say the madde outragious opinion of their owne righteousnes that afterwardes they killed all the prophets yea euen Christ him self the sonne of God their promised Messias for that they had taught that men are accepted into the fauour of God by grace only and not by their owne righteousnes And this is the summe of the doctrine of the deuill and of the world from the beginning We will not seeme to doe euill but yet whatsoeuer we doe that must God allow of all his prophets must consent to it which if they shall refuse to doe they shall dye the death Abell shall dye but Cain shall florishe Let this be our lawe say they and euen so it commeth to passe But in the Church of the Gentiles the matter is and hath beene so vehemētly handled that the fury of the Iewish Sinagoge may wel seeme to be but a sport For they as S. Paul sayth did not knovv Christ their anoynted therfore they crucified the lord of glory But the church of the gentiles hath receyued confessed Christ to be the sonne of god being made our righteousnes this doth she publikely record reade and teach And yet notwithstanding this confession they that would be accounted the church do kill and persecute continually rage against those which beleeue and teach and in their deedes declare nothing els but that Christ is the selfe same thing that they them selues though with fayned wordes and hipocriticall deedes are constrained mawgre their heads to allow and confesse For vnder the name of Christ at this daye they reigne And if they could without the name of Christ hold that seate and kingdome no doubt but they would expresse him to be such a one openly as in their hartes they esteeme him secretly But they esteeme him a great deale lesse then the Iewes doe which at the least thinke him to be Thola that is to say a theefe worthely hanged on the crosse But these men account him as a fable and take him as a fayned God amongest the gentiles as it may plainly appeare at Rome in the Popes court and almost throughout all Italie Because therefore Christ is made as it were a mocke amongest his Christians for Christians they wil be called and for that Cain doth kill Abell continually the abhomination of Sathan doth now chefely raigne it is very necessary that we should diligently handle this Article and set it against Sathan whether we be rude or eloquent learned or vnlearned For this rocke must be published abrode yea though euery man should holde his peace yet euen of the very rockes stones them selues Wherfore I doe most willingly heerein accomplish my duetie and am contented to suffer this long Commentarie and full of wordes to be set forth for the stirring vp of all the brethren in Christ against the sleights and malice of Sathan which in these dayes is turned into suche extreame madnesse against this healthfull knowledge of Christ now reuealed and raised vp againe that as hetherto men haue seemed to be possessed with deuels and starke madde euen so nowe the deuils them selues doe seeme to be possessed of farre worse deuels and to rage euen aboue the furie of deuils which is in deede a great argument that that enemie of truth and life doth perceaue the day of iudgement to be at hand which is the horrible day of his destruction but the most comfortable day of our redemption and shall be the end of all his tyrannie and crueltie For not without cause is he disquieted when his members and powers are so assailed euen as a theefe or an adulterer when the morning appeareth and discloseth his wickednesse is taken tardie and apprehended for the same For who euer heard to passe ouer the abhominations of the Pope so many monsters to burst out at once into
the actiue righteousnesse But it is a thing very straunge and vnknowen to the world to teach Christians to learne to be ignorant of the lawe and so to liue before God as if there were no law For except thou be ignorant of the law be assuredly perswaded in thine hart that there is now no lawe nor wrath of God but altogether grace and mercy for Christes sake thou canst not be saued for by the law commeth the knowledge of sinne Cōtrariwise workes and the keeping of the law must be so streitly required in the world as if there were no promise or grace and that because of the stubborne proude and hard harted before whose eies nothing must be set but the lawe that they may be terrified and humbled For the law is geuen to terrifie and to kill such and to exercise the old man And both the word of grace and of wrath must be rightly diuided according to the saying of the Apostle in the second Epistle of Timothe Chapter 2. verse 15. Here is then required a wise and a faithfull disposer of the word of God which can so moderate the lawe that it may be kept within his boundes He that teacheth that men are iustified before God by the obseruation of the lawe passeth the boundes of the lawe and confoundeth these two kindes of righteousnesse actiue and passiue and is but an ill Logician for he doth not rightly diuide Contrariwise he that setteth forth the lawe and workes to the old man and the promise of forgiuenes of sinnes and Gods mercy to the new man diuideth the word wel For the flesh or the old man must be coupled with the lawe and works the spirit or new man must be ioyned with the promise of God and his mercy Wherefore when I see a man that is brused enough already oppressed with the lawe terrified with sinne and thirsting for comfort it is time that I should remoue oute of his sight the lawe and actiue righteousnes and that I should set before him by the Gospell the Christian and passiue righteousnes which excluding Moses with his lawe offereth the promise made in Christ who came for the afflicted and for sinnes Here is man raised vp againe and conceaueth good hope neither is he any longer vnder the lawe but vnder grace Howe not vnder the lawe According to the newe man to whom the law doth not pertaine For the lawe hath his boundes but vnto Christ as Paule saith afterwardes The lawe continueth vnto Christ who being come Moses ceaseth with his lawe Circumcision the Sacrifices the Sabbothes yea and all the Prophetes This is our diuinitie wherby we teach how to put a difference betwene these two kindes of righteousnesse actiue and passiue to the end that maners and faith workes and grace policie and religion shuld not be confounded or taken the one for the other Both are necesry but both must be kept within their boundes Christian righteousnes pertaineth to the newe man and the righteousnes of the lawe pertaineth to the old man which is borne of flesh and bloode Wpon this old man as vpon an asse there must be laied a burthen that may presse him downe and he must not enioy the freedome of the spirite or grace except he first put vpon him the newe man by faith in Christ which notwithstanding is not fully done in this life then may he enioy the kingdome and inestimable gifte of grace This I say to the end that no man should thinke we reiecte or forbid good workes as the Papistes doe most falsely sclaunder vs neither vnderstanding what they themselues say nor what we teach They knowe nothing but the righteousnes of the lawe and yet they will iudge of that doctrine which is farre aboue the lawe of which it is vnpossible that the carnall man should be able to iudge Therefore they must needes be offended for they can see no higher then the lawe What so euer then is aboue the lawe is to them a greate offence But we imagine as it were two worldes the one heauenly and the other earthly In these we place these two kindes of righteousnes being separate the one farre from the other The righteousnes of the lawe is earthly and hathe to doe with earthly things and by it we doe good workes But as the earth bringeth not forthe frute except first it be watred and made frutefull from aboue euen so by the righteousnes of the lawe in doing many thinges we doe nothing and in fullfilling of the lawe we fulfill it not except first without any merite or worke of ours we be made righteous by the Christian righteousnesse which nothing pertaineth to the righteousnesse of the lawe or to the earthly and actiue righteousnesse But this righteousnesse is heauenly which as is said we haue not of our selues but receaue it from heauen which we worke not but which by grace is wrought in vs and apprehended by faith wherby we mounte vp aboue all lawes and workes Wherfore like as we haue borne as S. Paule saith the image of the earthly Adam so let vs beare the image of the heauenly which is the newe man in a new world where is no lawe no sinne no remorse of conscience no death but perfecte ioy righteousnesse grace peace life saluation and glory Why doe we then nothing doe we worke nothing for the obtaining of this righteousnes I aunswere nothing at all For this is perfect righteousnesse to doe nothing to heare nothing to knowe nothing of the law or of workes but to know and to beleeue this onely that Christe is gone to the father and is not nowe seene that he sitteth in heauen at the right hande of his Father not as a iudge but made vnto vs of God wisedome righteousnesse holinesse and redemption Breefely that he is our high Priest intreating for vs and raigning ouer vs and in vs by grace In this heauenly righteousnesse sinne can haue no place for there is no lawe and where no lawe is there can be no transgression Seing then that sinne hath here no place there can be no anguish of conscience no feare no heauinesse Therfore S. Iohn sayth he that is borne of God can not sinne But if there be any feare or greefe of conscience it is a token that this righteousnes is withdrawen that grace is hidden and out of sighte and that Christ is darkened and not to be seene But where Christ is truely seene is deede there must needes be full and perfect ioy in the Lord with peace of conscience which moste certainly thus thinketh Although I am a sinner by the law and vnder the condemnation of the lawe yet I despaire not yet I die not because Christ liueth who is bothe my rightuousnesse and my euerlasting life In that rightuousnesse and life I haue no sinne no feare no sting of cōscience no care of death I am in dede a sinner as touching this present life and the righteousnesse
father but also from Iesus Christ teacheth first that we should abstaine from the curious searching of the diuine maiestie for God no man knoweth and to heare Christ who is in the bosome of the father and vttereth to vs his will who also is appoynted of the father to be a teacher to the end that euery one of vs should heare him Christ is God by nature The other thing that Paule teacheth here is a confirmation of our Faith That Christ is very god And such like sentences as this is concerning the Godhead of Christ are to be gathered together and marked diligently not onely against the Arians and other heretikes which either haue bene or shal be hereafter but also for the confirmation of our faith For Satan will not faile to impugne in vs all the articles of our Faith ere we die He is a most deadly enemie to Faith because he knoweth that it is the victorie which ouercometh the world Wherfore it standeth vs in hand to labour that our Faith may be certaine and may encrease and be strengthened by diligent and continuall exercise of the word and feruent prayer that we may be able to withstand Satan Now that Christ is very God hereby it is euidently declared in that Paule attributeth the same things equally vnto him which he doth vnto the father namely diuine power as the geuing of grace the forgeuenes of sinnes peace of conscience life victorie ouer sinne death the deuill and hell This were by no meanes lawfull for him to doe nay it were sacrilege thus to doe except he were very God according to that saying I vvill not geue my glory vnto any other Againe No man geueth that to others which he him selfe hath not But seeing Christ geueth Grace Peace and the holy Ghost deliuereth from the power of the deuill from sinne and death it is certaine that he hath an infinite and diuine power equall in all poyntes to the power of the father And in that Christ geueth Grace and Peace he geueth it not as the Apostles gaue and brought the same vnto men by preaching of the gospell but he geueth it as the author and creator The father createth and geueth life Grace Peace all other good things The selfe same things also the sonne createth geueth Now to geue Grace Peace euerlasting life to forgeue sinnes to make righteous to quicken to deliuer from death and the deuill are not the workes of any creature but of the diuine Maiestie alone The Angels can neither create nor geue these things Therefore these workes pertaine onely to the glory of the soueraigne Maiestie the maker of all things And seing Paule doth attribute the selfe same power of creating and geuing all these things vnto Christ equally with the father it must nedes follow that Christ is verely and naturally God. Many such arguments are in Iohn where it is proued and concluded by the workes which are attributed to the sonne as well as to the father that the diuinitie of the father and of the sonne is all one Therfore the giftes which we receiue of the father and which we receiue of the sonne are all one For else Paule would haue spoken otherwise after this manner Grace from God the father and Peace from our Lord Iesus Christ But in knitting them both together he attributeth them equally as well to the sonne as to the father I do therfore so diligently admonish you of this thing because it is daungerous lest among so many errours and in so great varietie and confusion of sectes there might step vp some Arrians Eunomians Macedonians and such other heretikes that might doe harme to the Churches with their subteltie In deede the Arrians were sharpe and subtile fellowes They graunted that Christ hath two natures and that he is called very God of very God howbeit in name onely Christ said they is a most noble and perfect creature aboue the Angels wherby God afterward created heauē and earth and all other things So Mahomet also speaketh honorably of Christ But al this is nothing els but goodly imaginations words pleasant and plausible to mans reason wherby the fantasticall spirites do deceiue men except they take good hede But Paule speaketh otherwise of Christ Ye sayth he are rooted and stablished in this beleefe namely that Christ is not onely a perfect creature but very God who doth the selfe same things that God the father doth He hath the diuine works not of a creature but of the creator because he geueth Grace Peace and to geue them is to condemne sinne to vanquish death and to tread the deuill vnder foote These things no Angell can geue but seing they are attributed vnto Christ it must nedes folow that he is very God by nature Verse 4. VVhich gaue himselfe for our sinnes Paule in a maner in euery word handleth the argumēt of this Epistle He hath nothing in his mouth but christ therfore in euery word ther is a feruencie of spirite and life And marke how well to the purpose he speaketh He sayth not which hath receaued our works at our hāds nor which hath receaued the sacrifices of Moises law worshippings religions Masses vowes and pilgrimages But hath geuen What not golde nor siluer nor beastes nor paschall lambes nor an angel but him selfe For what Not for a crowne not for a kingdome not for our holines or righteousnes but for our sinnes These words are very thūder claps from heauen against all kindes of righteousnes like as is also this sentence of Iohn Behold the lambe of God that taketh avvay the sinnes of the vvorld Therfore we must with diligent attention marke euery word of Paule and not slenderly consider them or lightly passe them ouer for they are full of consolation and confirme fearfull consciences exceedingly But how may we obtaine remission of our sinnes Paule answereth that the man which is called Iesus Christ the sonne of God hath geuē him selfe for them These are excellēt most comfortable words are promises of the olde law that our sinnes are taken away by none other meane then by the sonne of God deliuered vnto death With such gunnes and such artillarie must the Papacie be destroyed and all the all the religions of the heathen all works all merits and all superstitious ceremonies For if our sinnes may be taken away by our owne works merites and satisfactions what needed the sonne of God to be giuen for them But seeing he was giuen for them it followeth that we can not doe them away by our owne works Againe by this sentence it is declared that our sinnes are so great so infinite and inuincible that it is impossible for the whole world to satisfie for one of them and surely the greatnes of the raunsome namely Christ the sonne of God who gaue himselfe for our sinnes declareth sufficiently that we can neither satisfie for sinne
nor haue dominion ouer it The force and power of sinne is set forth and amplified by these words excedingly vvhich gaue himself for our sinnes Therfore here is to be marked the infinite greatnes of the price bestowed for it and then will it appeare euidently that the power of it is so great that by no meanes it could be put away but that the sonne of God must needes be geuen for it He that considereth these things well vnderstandeth that this one word Sinne comprehendeth Gods euerlasting wrath the whole kingdome of Sathan and that it is a thing more horrible then can be expressed which oughte to moue vs and make vs affraide in deede But we are carelesse yea we make lighte of sinne and a matter of nothing which although it bring with it the sting and remorse of conscience yet notwithstanding we thinke it not to be of such weight and force but that by some litle worke or merite we may put it away This sentence therefore witnesseth that all men are seruaunts and bondslaues of sinne as Paule saith in an other place are sould vnder sinne And againe that sinne is a most cruell mighty tiraunt ouer all men which can not be vanquished by the power of any creatures whether they be Angels or men but by the soueraine and infinite power of Iesus Christ who hath geuen him selfe for the same Furthermore this sentence setteth out to the consciences of all men which are terrified with the greatnes of their sinnes a singular comfort For albeit sinne be neuer so inuincible a tyraunt yet notwithstanding forasmuch as Christ hath ouercome it through his death it can not hurt thē that beleue in him Moreouer if we arme our selues with this beliefe and cleaue with all our harts vnto this man Iesus Christ then is light opened and a sounde iudgement geuen vnto vs so as we may most certainly and freely iudge of all kindes of life For when we heare that sinne is such an inuincible Tyraunt thus incontinent by a a necessary consequence we inferre Then what do the Papists Monkes Nunnes Priests Mahometists Anabaptists and al such as trust in their workes which will abolish and ouercome sinne by their owne traditions workes preparatiue satisfactions c Here forthwith we iudge all those sectes to be wicked and pernicious wherby the glory of God and of Christ is not onely defaced but also vtterly taken away and our owne aduaunced and established But wey diligently euery word of Paule and specially marke well this pronoune Our For the effect of altogether consisteth in the well applying of the pronownes which we finde very oftē in the scriptures Wherin also there is euer some vehemencie and power Thou wilt easely say and beleue that Christ the sonne of God was geuen for the sinnes of Peter of Paule and of other Sainctes whom we accompt to haue bene worthy of this grace But it is a very hard thing that thou which iudgest thy selfe vnworthy of this grace shouldest from thy hart say and beleue that Christ was geuen for thine inuincible infinite and horrible sinnes Therfore in generall and without the pronowne it is an easie matter to magnifie and amplifie the benefite of Christ namely that Christ was geuen for sinnes but for other mens sinnes which are worthy But when it commeth to the putting too of this pronowne Our there our weake nature and reason starteth backe and dare not come neere vnto God nor promise to her selfe that so great a treasure should be freely geuen vnto her and therfore she will not haue to doe with God except first she be pure and without sinne Wherfore although she read or heare this sentence vvhich gaue himselfe for our sinnes or such like yet doth she not apply this pronowne Our to her selfe but vnto others which are worthy holy And as for her selfe she will tary till she be made worthy by her owne workes This then is nothing else but that mans reason faine would that sinne were of no greater force and power thē she her selfe dreameth it to be Hereof it commeth that the hypocrites being ignorāt of Christ although they feele the remorse of sinne do thinke notwithstāding that they shal be able easely to put it away by their good works merits secretly in their harts they wish that these words vvhich gaue himself for our sinnes were but as words spoken in humilitie and would haue their sinnes not to be true very sinnes in deede but light small matters To be short mans reason would faine bring and present vnto God a fained and a counterfet sinner which is nothing afraid nor hath any feeling of sinne It would bring him that is whole and not him that hath neede of a Phisician and when it feeleth no sinne then would it beleeue that Christ was geuen for our sinnes The whole world is thus affected specially they that would be counted more holy and religious then others as Monkes and all Iusticiaries These confesse with their mouth that they are sinners and they confesse also that they commit sinnes daily howbeit not so great many but that they are able to put them away by their owne works yea and besides all this they will bring their righteousnes and deserts to Christes iudgement seat and demaund the recompēce of eternal life for them at the iudges hand In the meane while notwithstanding as they pretend great humilitie because they wil not vaunt themselues to be vtterly voide of sinne they faine certaine sinnes that for the forgeuenes therof they may with great deuotion pray with the publican God be mercifull vnto me a sinner Vnto them these words of S. Paule for our sinnes seme to be but light trifeling Therfore they neither vnderstand them nor in temptation when they feele sinne in deede can they take any cōfort of them but they are compelled flatly to despaire This is then the cheefe knowledge true wisedom of Christians to count these wordes of Paule that Christ was deliuered to death not for our righteousnes or holines but for our sinnes which are very sinnes in dede great many yea infinite and inuincible to be most true effectual of great importaūce Therfore thinke them not to be smal such as may be done away by thine owne works neither yet despair thou for the greatnes of them if thou feele thy selfe oppressed therwith either in life or death but learne here of Paule to beleue the Christ was geuen not for fained or counterfait sinnes nor yet for small sinnes but for great huge sinnes not for one or two but for all not for vāquished sinnes for no man no nor Angell is able to ouercome the least sinne that is but for inuincible sinnes And except thou be found in the nūber of those that say Our sinnes that is which haue this doctrine of faith teach heare learne loue beleue the same ther
is no saluatiō for thee Labour therfore diligently that not onely out of the time of tentation but also in the daunger and conflict of death when thy conscience is thorowly afraide with the remembraunce of thy sinnes past and the Deuill assaileth thee with great violence going about to ouerwhelme thee with heapes floudes and whole seas of sinnes to terrifie thee to draw thee from Christ and to driue thee to despaire that then I say thou maist be able to say with sure confidence Christ the sonne of god was geuē not for the righteous holy but for the vnrighteous sinners If I were righteous and had no sinne I should haue no neede of Christ to be my reconciler Why then O thou peuish holy Satan wilt thou make me to be holy and to seke righteousnes in my selfe when in very deede I haue nothing in me but sinnes and most greuous sinnes not fained or trifeling sinnes but such as are against the first table to wit great infidelitie douting despaire contempt of God hatred ignoraunce and blaspheming of God vnthankfulnes abusing of Gods name neglecting lothing and despising the word of god and such like And moreouer these carnall sinnes against the second Table as not to yelde honour to my parents not to obey the magistrates to couet an other mans goods his wife and such like howbeit that these be light faults in respect of those former sinnes And admit that I haue not cōmitted murther whoredom theft and such other sinnes against the second table in fact yet I haue committed them in hart and therfore I am a transgressour of al Gods commaundements and the multitude of my sinnes is so great that they cā not be numbred For I haue sinned aboue the number of the sands of the sea Besides this satan is such a cunning iuggler that he can make of my righteousnes and good workes great sinnes Forsomuch then as my sinnes are so waightie so infinite so horrible and inuincible and that my righteousnes doth nothing further me but rather hinder me before God therfore Christ the sonne of God was geuen to death for them to put them away and to saue me and all men which beleue Herein then consisteth the effect of eternall saluation namely in taking these words to be effectuall true of great importaunce I say not this for naught for I haue oftentimes proued by experience and I daily finde what an hard matter it is to beleue especially in the conflict of conscience that Christ was geuen not for the holy righteous worthy such as were his frends but for wicked sinners vnworthy and his enemies which haue deserued Gods wrath and euerlasting death Let vs therfore arme our harts with these such like sentēces of the holy scipture that we may be able to answer the deuil accusing vs saying thou art a sinner therfore thou art dāned in this sort Because thou saist I am a sinner therfore wil I be righteous saued Nay saith the deuil thou shalt be dāned No say I for I flie vnto Christ vvho hath geuen himself for my sinnes Therfore satā thou shalt nothing preuail agaīst me in that thou gost about to terrifie me in setting forth the greatnes of my sinnes so to bring me into heauines distrust despair hatred cōtempt and blaspheming of God yea rather by this that thou sayst I am a sinner thou geuest me armour weapon against thy selfe that with thine owne sword I may cut thy throte and tread the vnder my feete for Christ died for sinners Moreouer thou thy selfe preachest vnto me the glory of God. For thou puttest me in minde of Gods fatherly loue towards me wretched and damned sinner vvho so loued the vvorld that he gaue his onely begotten sonne that vvhosoeuer beleueth in him might not perish but haue euerlasting life Also as oft as thou obiectest that I am a sinner so often thou callest to my remembraūce the benefit of Christ my redemer vpon whose shoulders and not vpon mine lie all my sinnes For the Lord hath laied all our iniquitie vpon him Againe For the transgression of his people vvas he smitten Wherefore when thou obiectest that I am a sinner thou doest not terrifie me but comfort me aboue measure Who so knoweth this one point of cunning well shall easely auoide all the engins and snares of the Deuill who by putting man in minde of his sinnes driueth him to despaire and destroieth him vnlesse he withstand him with this cunning and with this heauenly wisedome wherby onely sinne death and the Deuill are ouercome But the man that putteth not away the remembraunce of his sinne but keepeth it stil and tormenteth him self with his owne cogitations thinking either to help him selfe by his owne strength and policie or to tarry the time till his conscience may be quieted falleth into Sathans snares and miserably afflicteth him selfe and at length is ouercome with the continuance of the tentation For the Deuill will neuer cease to accuse his conscience Against this tentation we must vse the words of Paule in the which he geueth a very good and a true definition of Christ in this maner Christ is the sonne of God and of the virgine deliuered and put to death for our sinnes Here if the Deuill aledge any other definition of Christ say thou The definition and the thing defined are false therefore I will not receaue this definition I speake not this without cause For I know what moueth me to be so earnest that we should learne to define Christ out of the words of Paule For in deede Christ is no cruel exactor but a forgeuer of the sinnes of the whole world Wherefore if thou be a sinner as in deede we are all set not Christ downe vpon the raigne bowe as a iudge for so shalt thou be terrified and despaire of his mercy but take hold of his true definition namely that Christ the sonne of God and of the virgine is a person not that terrifieth not that afflicteth not that condemneth vs of sinne not that demaundeth an account of vs for our life euill passed but gaue him selfe for our sinnes and with one oblation hath put away the sinnes of the whole world hath nailed them to the crosse and put them cleane out by him selfe Learne this definition diligently and especially so exercise this pronoune our that this one sillable being beleued may swallow vp all thy sinnes that is to say that thou maist know assuredly that Christ hath takē away the sinnes not of certaine men only but also of thee yea of the whole world Thē let not thy sinnes be sinnes only but euen thy own sinnes That is to witte beleeue thou that Christ was not onely geuen for other mens sinnes but also for thine Hold this fast suffer not thy selfe by any meanes to be drawne away frō this most sweete definition of Christ which reioyceth euē the very angels
to conscience a seruaunt and slaue Verse 15. VVe vvhich are Ievves by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles That is to say we are borne vnto the righteousnes of the lawe to Moses and to circumcision and euē in our birth we bring the law with vs We haue the righteousnes of the law by nature as Paule before sayth of him selfe in the first chapter Being zelous of the traditions of the fathers Wherefore if we be compared to the Gentiles we are no sinners we are not without the law without works as the Gentiles but we are Iewes borne we are borne righteous brought vp in righteousnes Our righteousnes beginneth euē with our birth for the Iewish religion is naturall vnto vs. For God commaunded Abraham to circumcise euery man childe the eight day This law of circumcision receiued from the fathers Moses afterward confirmed It is a great matter therfore that we are Iewes by nature Notwithstanding although we haue this prerogatiue that we are righteous by nature borne to the law and the workes therof and are not sinners as the Gentiles yet are we not therfore righteous before God. Hereby it is euident that Paule speaketh not of ceremonies or of the ceremoniall lawe as some doe affirme but of a farre waightier matter namely of the natiuitie of the Iewes whom he denieth to be righteous although they be borne holy be circumcised keepe the lawe haue the adoption the glory the couenaunt the fathers the true worship God Christ the promises liue in them and glory in the same as they say Iohn 8. VVe are the seede of Abraham Also vve haue one father vvhich is God. And to the Romaines Beholde thou art called a Ievv and restest in the lavv c. Wherfore although that Peter and the other Apostles were the children of God righteous according to the law the works and the righteousnes therof circumcision the adoption the couenaūts the promises the Apostleship and all such like yet Christian righteousnes commeth not therby for none of all these is faith in Christ which onely as foloweth in the text iustifieth and not the law Not that the law is euil or damnable for the law circumcision and such like are not therefore condemned because they iustifie not but Paule therfore taketh from them the office of iustification because the false apostles contended that by them without faith and onely by the worke wrought men are iustified saued This was not to be suffred of Paule For where faith ceaseth all things are deadly the law circumcision the adoption the temple the worship of God the promises yea God and Christ him selfe without faith profiteth nothing Paule therfore speaketh generally against all things which are contrary to faith and not against ceremonies onely Verse 16. Knovv that a man is not iustified by the vvorks of the lavv but by the faith of Iesus Christ This clause the vvorke of the lavv reacheth farre and comprehēdeth much We take the worke of the law therefore generally for that which is contrary to grace What so euer is not grace is the law whether it be Iudiciall ceremoniall or the ten commaundements Wherfore if thou couldest doe the workes of the lawe according to this commaūdement Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God vvithall thy heart c. which no mā yet euer did or could do notwithstanding thou shouldest not be iustified before God for a man is not iustified by the workes of the law But hereof we will speake more largely hereafter The worke of the law then according to Paule signifieth the worke of the whole law whether it be ceremoniall or Moral Now if the worke of the morall law doe not iustifie much lesse doth circumcision iustifie which is a worke of the ceremonial law Wherfore when Paule sayth as he oftentimes doth that by the lavv or by the vvorkes of the lavv which are both one a man is not iustified he speaketh generally of the whole law setting the righteousnes of faith against the righteousnes of the whole law For the righteousnes of the law sayth he a man is not pronounced righteous before God but the righteousnes of faith God imputeth freely through grace for Christes sake The lawe no doubt is holy righteous and good and consequently the works of the law are holy righteous and good yet notwithstanding a man is not iustified therby before God. Now the works of the law may be done either before iustificatiō or after There were many good men euen amōgst the Paganes as Xenophon Aristides Fabius Cicero Pomponius Atticus others which before iustification performed the deedes of the lawe and did notable workes Cicero suffered death valiantly in a good a iust cause Pomponius was a cōstant man loued truth for he neuer made lie him self nor could suffer the same in any other Now constancie truth are noble vertues excellent works of the lawe yet were they not iustified therby After iustification Peter Paule al other christians haue done do the works of the law but yet are they not iustified therby I knovv not my selfe giltie in anything sayth Paule and yet am I not therby iustified We see then that he speaketh not of any part of the law but of the whole law and all the workes thereof The Diuinitie of the Sophisters commonly called the Scholemen Wherfore the wicked pernicious opinion of the Papists is vtterly to be condemned which do attribute the merite of grace remission of sinnes to the worke wrought For they say that a good worke before grace is auaileable to obtaine grace of Congruence which they call meritum de Congruo because it is meete and conuenient that God should reward such a worke But when grace is obtained the worke folowing deserueth euerlastīg life of due det worthines which they cal meritum de Condigno As for exāple If a mā being in deadly sin without grace do a good worke of his owne good naturall inclination that is if he say or heare a Masse or geue almes and such like this man of cōgruence deserueth grace When he hath thus obtained grace he doth a worke which of worthines deserueth euerlasting life For the first god is no detter but because he is iust and good it behoueth him to approue such a good worke though it be done in deadly sinne to geue grace for such a seruice But when grace is obtained God is become a detter and is constrained of right and duetie to geue eternal life For now it is not onely a worke of freewill done according to the substance but also done in grace which maketh gratious that is to say in loue This is the Diuinitie of the Antichristian kingdom Which here I recite to the ende that the disputation of Paule may be the better vnderstand For two contrary things being set together be the better knowen and moreouer that all mē
other meanes Wherefore euen by this we may plainely see the inestimable pacience of God in that he hath not long agoe destroyed the whole Papacy and consumed it with fire and brimstone as he did Sodome and Gomorre But now these ioly felowes goe about not onely to couer but highly to aduance their impietie and filthines This we may in no case dissemble We must therefore with all diligence set forth the article of iustification that the same as a most cleare Sunne may bring to light the darknes of their hypocrisie and may discouer their filthines and shame For this cause we doe so often repete and so earnestly set forth the righteousnes of faith that the aduersaries may be confounded and this article established cōfirmed in our hearts And this is a most necessary thing for if we once lose this Sunne we fal againe into our former darknes And most horrible it is that the Pope should euer be able to bring this to passe in the church that Christ should be denyed troden vnder foote spitte vpon blasphemed yea and that euen by the Gospell and sacraments which he hath so darkned and turned into such an horrible abuse that he hath made them to serue him against Christ to set vp and stablish his detestable abhominations O deepe darkenes O horrible wrath of God. Verse 16. Euen vve I say haue beleeued in Iesus Christ that vve might be iustified This is the true meane to become a Christian euen to be iustified by faith in Iesus Christ and not by the workes of the lawe Here we may not stand vpon the wicked glose of the Scholemen which say that faith then iustifieth when charitie and good workes are ioyned withal With this pestilent glose the Sophisters haue darkened peruerted this such other like sentences in Paule wherein he manifestly attributeth iustification to faith onely in Christ But when a man heareth that he ought to beleue in Christ and yet faith notwithstanding iustifieth not except it be formed and adorned with charitie by and by faith faileth him and thus he thinketh with him selfe If faith without charitie iustifieth not then is faith in vaine and vnprofitable and charitie only iustifieth For except Faith be adorned and furnished with charitie it is nothing And to approue this their pernicious and pestilēt glose they alledge this place out of the Corinthes Though I speake vvith the tounges of men angels haue no loue I am nothing This place is their brasen wall But these men are without vnderstanding therfore they can see or vnderstand nothing in Paule And moreouer they haue not onely done iniury to the words of Paule but also they haue denied Christ buried al his benefits Wherfore we must auoid this their glose as a most deadly and deuilish poison and conclude with Paule that we are iustified not by faith furnished with charitie but by faith onely and alone We graunt that we must also teach good workes and charitie but it must be done in time and place that is to say when the question is concerning workes and toucheth not this article of iustification But here the matter resteth in this point to know by what meanes we are iustified and attaine eternall life To this we aunswere with Paule that by faith onely in Christ we are pronounced righteous and not by the workes of the law or charitie Not because we reiect good workes but for that we will not suffer our selues to be remoued from this anker hold of our saluation which Sathan most desireth Since then we are now in the matter of iustification we reiect and condemne all good workes for this place will admitte no disputation of good workes Wherefore in this matter we doe generally cut of all lawes and all the workes of the law But the law is good iust and holy True it is But when we are in the matter of iustification there is no time or place to speake of the law but the question is what Christ is and what benefite he hath brought vnto vs Christ is not the law he is not my worke or the worke of the law he is not my charitie my chastitie my obedience my pouerty but he is the Lord of life and death a Mediatour a Sauiour a redemer of those that are vnder the law and sinne In him vve are by faith and he in vs. This bridegrome must be alone with the bride in his secrete chamber all the seruants and family being put apart But afterwards when the dore is open and he cometh forth then may the seruauntes and hādmaides returne to minister vnto them Then may charitie and good workes beginne to doe their office Let vs learne therefore to discerne all lawes yea euen the law of God and all workes from faith and from Christ that we may define Christ rightly and know that he is not the law and therfore he is no exactor of the law and workes but he is the lambe of God that taketh avvay the sinnes of the vvorld This doth faith alone lay hold of and not charitie which notwithstanding as a certaine thankfulnes must follow faith Wherefore victory ouer sinne and death saluation and euerlasting life come not by the law nor by the workes of the law nor yet by the power of free will but by the Lord Iesus Christ only alone Verse 16. That vve might be iustified by faith in Christ and not by the vvorkes of the lavv Paule speaketh not here of the ceremoniall law onely as before we haue sayd but of the whole law For the ceremoniall law was as well the law of God as the morall law was As for example Circumcision the institution of the Priesthoode the seruice and ceremonies of the temple were commaunded of God no lesse then the ten commaundements Moreouer when Abraham was commaunded to offer vp his sonne Isaac in sacrifice it was a law This worke of Abraham pleased God no lesse then other works of the ceremoniall law did and yet was not he iustified by this work but by faith for the scripture saith Abraham beleued God and it vvas counted to him for righteousnes But since the reueiling of Christ say they the ceremoniall lawe killeth and bringeth death Yea so doth the lawe of the ten commaundements also without faith in Christe Moreouer there may no law be suffred to raigne in the conscience but onely the law of the spirite and life wherby we are made free in Christ from the lawe of the letter and of death from the workes therof and from all sinnes Not because the lawe is euill but for that it is not able to iustifie vs for it hath a plaine contrary effect and working It is an high and an excellent matter to be at peace with God and therefore in this case we haue neede of a farre other Mediatour then Moses or the lawe Here we must doe nothing at all but onely receaue the
Christ in so much that without circumcision and keping of the lawe they denied the iustification of faith for except ye be circumcised sayd they after the lawe of Moses ye can not be saued euen so at this day these straite exactors of the lawe besides the righteousnes of Faith doe require the keping of the commaundementes of God according to that saying Doe this and thou shalt liue Also If thou vvilt enter into life kepe the commaundemēts Wherfore there is not one among them be he neuer so wise that vnderstandeth that difference betwene the lawe and grace But we put a difference and say that we do not here dispute whether we ought to doe good workes whether the law be good holy and iust whether it ought to be kept or no for this is an other maner of question But our question is concerning iustification and whether the lawe doe iustifie or no. This the aduersaries will not heare they will not aunswere to this question nor make any distinction as we doe but onely crie out that good workes ought to be done that the lawe ought to be obserued We know that well enough But because these are diuers and distinct matters we will not suffer them to be mingled together That good workes ought to be done we will hereafter declare when time shall serue But since we are nowe in the matter of iustification we set aside here all good workes for the which the aduersaries doe so earnestly striue ascribing vnto them wholy the office of iustifying which is to take from Christ his glory and to ascribe the same vnto workes Wherfore this is a strong argument which I haue oftentimes vsed to my great comfort If then vvhile vve seeke to be made righteous by Christ c. As though Paule should say If we being iustified by Christ are counted yet as not iustified and righteous but as sinners which are yet to be iustified by the lawe then may we not seeke iustification in Christ but in the law But if iustification cometh by the lawe then cometh it not by grace Now if iustification cometh not by grace but by the lawe what hath Christ done and wrought by his death by his preaching by his victorie which he hath obtained ouer the lawe sinne and death and by sending the holy Ghost We must cōclude therfore that either we are iustified by Christ or else that we are made sinners culpable and giltie through him But if the lawe doe iustifie then can it not be auoided but needes it must folowe that we are made sinners through Christ and so Christ is a minister of sinne The case standing thus let vs then set downe this proposition Euery one that beleueth in the Lord Iesus Christ is a sinner and is giltie of eternall death and if he flie not vnto the lawe doing the workes thereof he shall not be saued The holy Scripture especially the new Testament maketh often mention of faith in Christ highly aduaūceth the same which saith that vvhosoeuer beleueth in him is saued perisheth not is not iudged is not confounded hath eternal life c. But contrariwise they say he that beleueth in him is condemned because he hath faith without works which doth condemne Thus doe they peruert all things making of Christ a destroyer and a murtherer and of Moses a Sauiour And is not this an horrible blasphemy so to teach that by doing good works thou shalt be made worthy of eternall life but by beleuing in Christ thou shalt be made culpable and giltie of eternall death that the law being kept accomplished saueth faith in Christ condēneth These selfe same words I graūt the aduersaries doe not vse but in very deede such is their doctrine For faith infused say they which properly they call faith in Christ doth not make vs free frō sinne but that faith which is furnished with charitie Hereof it followeth that faith in Christ without the law saueth vs not This is plainly to affirme that Christ leaueth vs in our sinnes and in the wrath of God and maketh vs giltie of eternall death On the other side if thou keepe the law and doe the works therof then faith iustifieth thee because it hath works without the which faith auaileth nothing Therefore works iustifie and not faith O horrible impietie What pernicious and cursed doctrine is this Paule therfore groundeth his Argument vpon an impossibilitie a sufficient diuision If we being iustified in Christ are yet found sinners and can not be iustified but by any other meane thē by Christ that is to witte by the law then can not Christ iustifie vs but he onely accuseth and condemneth vs and so consequently it followeth that Christ dyed in vaine and that these with other like places are false Behold the lābe of God that taketh avvay the sinnes of the vvorld Also He that beleueth in him hath euerlasting life yea the whole scripture is false which beareth witnesse that Christ is the Iustifier and Sauiour of the world For if we be found sinners after that we be iustified by Christ it followeth of necessitie that they which fulfill the law are iustified without Christ If this be true thē are we either Turks or Ievves or Tartariās professing the name and word of God in outward shew but in deede and veritie vtterly denying Christ and his word It is greate impiety therfore to affirme that faith except it be adorned with charitie iustifieth not But if the aduersaries wil needes defend this doctrine why do they not then reiect faith in Christ altogether especially seing they make nothing els of it but a vaine qualitie in the soule which without Christ auaileth nothing why doe they not say in plaine wordes that workes doe iustifie and not faith Yea why doe they not generally denie not onely Paule but also the whole gospel as in very deede they do which attribute righteousnes to works and not to faith alone For if faith and works together doe iustifie then is the disputation of Paule altogether false which plainly prononceth that a man is not iustified by the deedes of the law but by faith alone in Iesus Christ Verse 17. Is Christ therefore the minister of sinne This is a kinde of speach vsed of the Hebrewes which Paule in the 2. Cor. 3. doth also vse Where he most diuinely and plainly speaketh of these two ministeries to witte of the letter and the spirite of the law and grace or of death and life And he saith that Moses the minister of the law hath the ministery of sinne as he calleth it and of death and condemnation For Paule is wont to geue reprochfull names vnto the law and among all the Apostles he onely vseth this maner of speach the other do not so speake And very necessary it is that such as are studious of the holy scripture should vnderstand this maner of speach vsed of the Apostle Now a
righteousnes and eternal life Wherfore Paule separateth Moses farre from Christ Let Moses then tary on the earth Let him be the Scholemaster of the letter and exactor of the law Let him torment and crucifie sinners But the beleuers sayth Paule haue an other Scholemaster in their conscience not Moses but Christ which hath abolished the lawe and sinne hath ouercome the wrath of God and destroyed death He biddeth vs that laboure and are oppressed with all kindes of euils to come vnto him Therefore when we flie vnto him Moses with his law vanisheth away so that his sepulcher can no where be seene sinne and death can hurt vs no more For Christ our instructor is Lord ouer the lawe sinne and death so that they which beleue in him are deliuered from the same It is therefore the proper office of Christ to deliuer from sinne and from death And this Paule teacheth and repeteth euery where We are condemned and killed by the law but by Christ we are iustified restored to life The lawe astonisheth vs and driueth vs from God but Christ reconcileth vs to God and maketh for vs an entrāce that we may boldly come vnto him For he is the Lambe of God that hath taken away the sinnes of the world Now if the sinne of the world be taken away then is it taken away from me also which doe beleue in him If sinne be taken away then is the wrath of God death and damnation taken away also And in the place of sinne succedeth righteousnes in the place of wrath reconciliation grace in the place of death life and in the place of damnation saluation Let vs learne to practise this distinction not in wordes onely but in life and liuely experience and with an inward feeling For where Christ is there must nedes be ioy of heart and peace of conscience For Christ is our reconciliation righteousnes peace life and saluation Briefly what so euer the pore afflicted cōscience desireth it findeth in Christ abundantly Now Paule goeth about to amplifie this argument and to perswade as foloweth Verse 18. For if I builde againe the things that I haue destroyed I make my selfe a trespasser As if he should say I haue not preached to this ende that I might build againe those thīgs which I once destroyed For if I should so do I should not onely labour in daine but should make my selfe also a trāsgressor and ouerthrowe altogether as the false Apostles doe that is to say of grace and of Christ I should againe make the law and Moses contrariwise of the law and Moses I should make grace and Christ Now by the ministery of the Gospell I haue abolished sinne heauines of heart wrath and death For thus haue I taught Thy conscience O man is subiect to the law sinne and death from which thou canst not be deliuered either by men or Angels But now cometh the Gospell and preacheth vnto thee remission of sinnes by Iesus Christ who hath abolished the law and hath destroyed sinne and death Beleue in him so shalt thou be deliuered from the curse of the law and from the tyrannie of sinne and death thou shalt become righteous and haue eternall life Behold how I haue destroyed the law by the preaching of the Gospell to the end that it should not reigne in thy conscience any more For when the new Gest Christ Iesus cometh into the new house there to dwell alone Moses the old inhabiter must geue place vnto him and depart some whether els Also where Christ the new Gest is come to dwel there can sinne wrath death haue no place but there now dwelleth meere grace righteousnes ioy life true affiance and trust in the father now pacified and reconciled vnto vs gracious long suffering full of mercy for his sonne Christes sake Should I then driuing out Christ and destroying his kingdome which I haue planted through the preaching of the Gospell now build vp againe the law and sette vp the kingdome of Moses In deede this should I doe if I should teach circumcision and the obseruation of the law to be necessary to saluation as the false Apostles doe and by this meanes in the steede of righteousnes and life I should restore againe sinne and death For the law doth nothing els but vtter sinne procure Gods wrath kill and destroy What are the Papists I pray you yea the best of them all but destroyers of the kingdome of Christ and builders vp of the kingdome of the Deuill and of sinne of wrath and eternall death Yea they destroy the church which is Gods building not by the law of Moses as did the false Apostles but by mens traditions and doctrines of Deuils And euen so the fantasticall heads which are at this day and shall come after vs doe destroy and shall destroy those things which we haue built doe build and shall build vp againe those things which we haue destroyed But we by the grace of Christ holding the article of iustification doe assuredly know that we are iustified and reputed righteous before God by faith onely in Christ Therfore we doe not mingle the law and grace faith and works together but we separate them farre asunder And this distinction or difference betwene the law and grace let euery man that feareth God marke diligently and let him suffer the same to take place not in letters and syllables but in practise inward experience So that when he heareth that good works ought to be done and that the example of Christ is to be followed he may be able to iudge rightly and say well all these things will I gladly doe What then followeth Thou shalt then be saued and obtaine euerlasting life Nay not so I graunt in deede that I ought to do good workes patiently to suffer troubles and aflictiōs and to shee l my bloud also if neede be for Christes cause but yet am I not iustified neither doe I obtaine saluation therby We must not therfore draw good workes in to the article of iustification as the Monkes haue done which say that not only good works but also the punishments and torments which malefactors suffer for their wicked deedes doe deserue euerlasting life For thus they comfort them when they are brought to the gallowes or place of execution Suffer willingly and patiently this shamefull death which if thou do thou shalt deserue remission of thy sinnes and euerlasting life What an horrible thing is this that a wretched theefe a murtherer a robber should be so miserably seduced in that extreame anguish and distresse that euen at the very point of death when he is now ready to be hanged or to haue his head cut of he should refuse the Gospell and sweete promises in Christ which are onely able to bring comforte and saluation and should be commaunded to hope for pardon of his sinnes if he willingly and patiently endure that opprobrious death which he suffereth
These two propositions are cleane contrary to reason and therefore no craftie Sophister or lawworker can vnderstand them But learne thou the true vnderstanding thereof He that liueth to the lawe that is seketh to be iustified by the workes of the lawe is and remaineth a sinner therfore he is dead condemned For the law can not iustifie and saue him but accuseth terrifieth killeth him Therfore to liue vnto the law is to die vnto God and contrariwise to die to the law is to liue vnto god Wherefore if thou wilt liue vnto God thou must die to the lawe but if thou wilt liue to the lawe thou shalt die to god Now to liue vnto God is to be iustified by grace or by faith for Christes sake without the lawe and workes This is then the proper and true definition of a Christian that he is the childe of grace and remission of sinnes because he is vnder no lawe but is aboue the lawe sinne death and hell And euen as Christ is free from the graue and Peter from the prison so is a Christian free from the lawe And such a respect there is betwene the iustified conscience and the lawe as is betwene Christ raised vp from the graue and the graue and as is betwene Peter deliuered from the prison and the prison And like as Christ by his death and resurrection is dead to the graue so that it hath now no power ouer him nor is able any lōger to holde him but the stone being rolled away the seales broken and the kepers astonished he riseth againe and goeth away without any let and as Peter by his deliueraunce is freed from the prison goeth whether he will euen so the conscience by grace is deliuered from the law So is euery one that is borne of the spirite But the flesh knoweth not from whence this cometh nor whether it goeth for it can not iudge but after the lawe But on the contrary the spirite sayeth let the law accuse me let sinne and death terrifie me neuer so much yet I doe not therfore despaire for I haue the lawe against the lawe sinne against sinne and death against death Therefore when I feele the remorse and sting of conscience for sinne I behold that brasen serpent Christ hanging vppon the crosse There I finde an other sinne against my sinne which accuseth and deuoureth me Now this other sinne namely in the flesh of Christ which taketh away the sinnes of the world is almightie it condemneth and swaloweth vp my sinne So my sinne is condemned by sinne that is by Christ crucified vvho is made sinne for vs that vve might be made the righteousnes of God through him In like maner I finde death in my flesh which afflicteth and killeth me but I haue in me a contrary death which is the death for this death crucifieth and swaloweth vp my death These things be not done by the lawe or workes but by Christ crucified vppon whose shoulders lie all the euils of mankinde the lawe sinne death the Deuill and hell and all these doe die in him for by his death he hath killed them But we must receaue this benefite of Christ with a sure faith For like as neither the lawe nor any worke thereof is offered vnto vs but Christ alone so nothing is required of vs but Faith alone whereby we apprehend Christ and beleue that our sinnes and our death are condemned and abolished in the sinne and death of Christ Thus haue we alwayes most certaine and sure arguments which necessarily conclude that iustification cometh by faith alone For how should the lawe and workes auaile to iustification seeing that Paule is so earnest both against the lawe and workes and sayeth plainely that we must be dead to the lawe if we will liue to god But if we be dead to the lawe and the lawe be dead to vs then hath it nothing to doe with vs How then should it auaile any thing at all to our iustification Wherefore we must needes say that we be iustified by grace alone or by faith alone in Christ without the lawe and workes This the blinde Sophisters doe not vnderstand and therefore they dreame that Faith iustifieth not except it doe the workes of charitie By this meanes Faith which beleueth in Christ becometh vnprofitable and of none effect for the vertue of iustifying is taken from it except it be furnished with charitie But let vs nowe set aparte the lawe and charitie vntil an other time let vs rest onely vpon the poynt of this present matter which is this that Iesus Christ the sonne of God died vpon the crosse did beare in his body my sinnes the lawe death the Deuill and hell These inuincible enemies and tyrannes doe oppresse vexe and trouble me and therefore I am carefull howe I may be deliuered out of their handes iustified and saued Here I finde neither lawe worke nor charitie which is able to deliuer me from their tyrannie There is none but the Lord Iesus onely and alone which taketh away the lawe killeth and destroyeth my death in his body and by this meanes spoyleth hell iudgeth and crucifieth the Deuill and throweth him downe into hell To be briefe all the enemies which did before torment and oppresse me Christ Iesus hath brought to naught Hath spoyled them and made a shevv of them openly triumphing by him selfe ouer them in such sort that they can nowe rule and raigne no more ouer me but are constrained to obey me By this we may plainely see that there is nothing here for vs to doe Onely it belongeth vnto vs to heare that these things haue bene wrought and done in this sort and by faith to apprehend the same And this is the true formed and furnished faith in dede Now when I haue thus apprehended Christ by faith and through him am dead to the lawe iustified from sinne deliuered from death the deuill and hell then I doe good works I loue God I geue thankes to him I exercise charitie towardes my neighbour But this charitie or workes folowing do neither forme nor adorne my faith but my faith formeth and adorneth charitie This is our diuinitie which seemeth straunge and maruelous or rather foolish to carnall reason to witte that I am not onely blinde and deafe to the lawe yea deliuered and freed from the law but also wholy dead vnto the same This sentence of Paule Through the lavv I am dead to the lavv is full of consolation Which if it may enter into a man in due season take sure hold in his heart with good vnderstanding it may so worke that it will make him able to stand against all daungers of death and all terrours of conscience and sinne although they assaile him accuse him and would driue him to desperation neuer so much True it is that euery man is tempted if not in his life yet at his death There when the law accuseth
apart which driue vs to the consideration of our selues onely to turne our eies wholy to that brasen serpent Christ Iesus crucified assuredly beleue that he is our righteousnes and life not fearing the threatnings and terrours of the law sinne death and the iudgement of god For Christ on whom our eies are fixed in whom we liue who also liueth in vs is Lord and conquerour of the law sinne death and all euils In whom most certaine and sure consolation is set forth vnto vs and victory geuen Verse 20. Thus I liue yet not I novv but Christ liueth in me Wher he saith Thus I liue he speaketh it as it were in his owne person Therfore he by and by correcteth himselfe saying yet not I now That is to say I liue not now in mine owne person but Christ liueth in me In deede the person liueth but not in himselfe nor for his owne cause nor for any thing that is in him But who is that I of whom he sayeth yet not I. This I is he which hath the lawe and is bound to doe the workes therof who also is a certaine person seperate from Christ This person Paule reiecteth For as he is seperate from Christ he belongeth to death and hell Therfore he sayeth Novve not I but Christ liueth in me He is my forme my furniture and perfection adorning and beutifying my faith as the colour the cleare light or the whitnes do garnish and beutifie the wall Thus are we constrained grossely to set forth this matter For we can not spiritually conceaue that Christ is so nerely ioyned vnited vnto vs as the colour or whitenes are vnited vnto the wall Christ therfore sayth he thus ioyned and vnited vnto me and abiding in me liueth this life in me which I now liue yea Christ him selfe is this life which I now liue Wherefore Christ and I in this behalfe are both one Now Christ liuing in me abolisheth the lawe condemneth sinne and destroyeth death for it can not be but at his presence all these must nedes vanish away For Christ is euerlasting peace consolation righteousnes and life and to these the terrour of the law heauines of mind sinne hell and death must nedes geue place So Christ liuing and abiding in me taketh away and swalloweth vp all euils which vexe and afflict me This vnion or coniunction then is the cause that I am deliuered from the terrour of the law and sinne am seperate from my self and translated vnto Christ and his kingdom which is a kingdom of grace righteousnes peace ioy life saluation eternal glory Thus I now abiding and dwelling in him what euill is there that can hurt me In the meane season the old man abideth without and is subiecte to the lawe but as concerning iustification Christ and I must be entierly conioyned and vnited together so that he may liue in me and I in him And this is a wonderful maner of speech Now because Christ liueth in me therefore looke what grace righteousnes life peace and saluation is in me it is his and yet notwithstanding the same is mine also by that vnseparable vnion and coniunction which is throughe Faithe by which Christe and I are made as it were one bodye in spirite For as much then as Christ liueth in me it foloweth that as I must nedes be with him pertaker of grace righteousnes life and eternall saluation so the lawe sinne and death can haue no place in me yea the lawe is crucified and swallowed vp of the lawe sinne of sinne and death of death Thus Paule goeth about to draw vs from the beholding of our selues the law workes and to plant in vs true faith in Christ so that in the matter of iustification we should thinke vpon nothing else but grace separating the same farre from the law and works which in this matter ought to haue no place Paule hath his peculiar phrase or kind of speach which is not after the maner of men but diuine and heauenly nor vsed of the Euangelistes or of the rest of the Apostles sauing only of Iohn who also is wont sometimes so to speake And if Paule had not first vsed this phrase and set forth the same vnto vs in plaine words the very Saincts thēselues durst not haue vsed it For it seemeth a very straunge and a monstrous maner of speaking thus to say I liue I liue not I am dead I am not dead I am a sinner I am not a sinner I haue the law I haue not the law Which phrase is sweete and comfortable to all those that beleue in Christ For in that they behold themselues they haue both the law and sinne but in that they looke vnto Christ they are dead to the law and haue no sinne If then in the matter of iustification thou separate the person of Christ from thy person then art thou in the law thou abidest in the law thou liuest in the law and not in Christ and so thou art condemned of the law and dead before God. For thou hast that faith which as the Sophisters dreame is furnished with charitie Thus I speake for examples sake For there was neuer any one found that was saued by this faith And therfore what things soeuer the Sophisters haue written touching this faith are nothing els but vaine toyes and meere deceites of Sathan But let vs graunt that such there be as haue this faith yet are they not therfore iustified For they haue but an historicall Faith concerning Christ which the Deuill also and all the wicked haue Faith therfore must be purely taught namely that thou art so entirely and nerely ioyned vnto Christ that he and thou are made as it were one person so that thou maiest boldly say I am now one with Christ that is to say Christes righteousnes victory and life are mine And again Christ may say I am that sinner that is his sinnes and his death are mine because he is vnited and ioyned vnto me I vnto him For by faith we are so ioyned together that we are become one flesh one bone Eph. 5. we are the members of the body of Christ flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones So that this faith doth couple Christ and me more neare together then the husband is coupled to his wife This faith therfore is not an idle qualitie but the excellencie therof is such that it vtterly confoundeth these foolish dreames of the Sophisters touching their formed faith and counterfeit charitie their merits workes and worthines These things I would gladly set forth more amply if by any meanes I could Hitherto we haue declared this to be the first argument of Paule that either Christ must needes be the minister of sinne or els the lawe doth not iustifie when he had finished this argument he set forth himselfe for an example saying that he was dead vnto that old law by a certaine new law Now he
to guide a shippe to build a house and to doe such other things as are subiect vnto man for these things are not taken from him We doe not then denie but that these sentences are true in the corporall kingdom But if ye wrest them to the spirituall kingdom I vtterly deny them for there as I said we are cleane ouerwhelmed and drowned in sinne Whatsoeuer is in our wil is euil whatsoeuer is in our vnderstanding is errour Wherefore in spirituall matters man hath nothing but darknes errours ignoraunce malice and peruersenes both of wil and vnderstanding How then should he worke well fulfill the lawe and loue God Wherfore Paule sayth here that Christ first began and not we He euen he sayth Paule loued me gaue him selfe for me As if he said He found in me no good will or right vnderstāding but this good Lord had mercy vpon me He saw me to be nothing els but wicked going astray contemning God and flying from him more and more yea rebelling against God taken led and caryed away captiue of the deuill Thus of his mere mercy preuenting my reason my wil and my vnderstanding he loued me and so loued me that he gaue him selfe for me to the ende that I might be freed from the law sinne the deuill death Againe these wordes The sonne of God hath loued me and geuen him selfe for me are mightie thūdrings and lightnings from heauē against the righteousnes of the law all the works therof So great so horrible wickednes errour darknes and ignorance was in my wil and vnderstanding that it was vnpossible for me to be raūsomed by any other meanes then by such an inestimable price Why do we then vaūt of the soundnes of nature of the rule of reason of free will and of doing what in vs lieth Why do I offer vnto god being angry with me who as Moses sayth is a cōsuming fire this my rotten stubble and straw yea horrible sinnes claime of him to reward me with grace euerlasting life for them since here I learne such wickednes to lie lurkīg in my nature that the whole world all creatures therin were not able to counteruaile the indignation of God but that the very sonne of God him selfe must needes be deliuered for the same But let vs consider well this price and let vs behold this captiue deliuered as Paule sayth for me the sonne of God I meane and we shal see him without all comparison to excede excell all creatures What wilt thou doe when thou hearest the Apostle say that such an inestimable price was geuen for thee Wilt thou bring thy cowle thy shauen crowne thy chastitie thy obedience thy pouertie thy works thy merites What shall all these doe Yea what shall the law of Moses auaile What shall the works of all men all the suffering of the Martyrs profite thee What is the obedience of all the holy angels in comparison of the sonne of God deliuered and that most shamefully euen to the death of the crosse so that there was no droppe of his most precious bloud but it was shedde and that for thy sinnes If thou couldest rightly consider this incomparable price thou shouldest hold as accursed all these ceremonies vowes works and merites before grace and after and throw them all downe to hell For it is an horrible blasphemy to imagine that there is any worke wherby thou shouldest presume to pacifie God since thou seest that ther is nothing which is able to pacifie him but this inestimable price euen the death bloud of the sonne of god one drop wherof is more precious then al the creatures in the world Verse 20. For me Who is this me Euen I wretched and damnable sinner so dearly beloued of the sonne of God that he gaue himselfe for me If I then through works or merites could haue loued the sonne of God and so come vnto him what needed he to deliuer himselfe for me Hereby it appereth how coldly the Papistes handled yea how they vtterly neglected the holy scriptures and doctrine of faith For if they had considered but onely these words that it behoued the sonne of God to be geuen for me it had bene vnpossible that so many monstrous sectes should haue spronge vp amongest them For faith would by and by haue aunswered why doest thou choose this kind of life this religiō this worke Doest thou this to please God or to be iustified therby Doest thou not heare O thou wretch that the sonne of God shed his bloud for thee Thus true fayth in Christ would easilie haue withstande all maner of sectes Wherefore I say as I haue often times said that there is no remedie against Sectes or power to resist them but this onely article of Christian righteousnes If we lose this article it is impossible for vs to withstand any errours or Sectes As we may see at this daye in the phanaticall spirites the Anabaptistes and such like who being fallen away from this article of iustification will neuer cease to fall erre and seduce vntill they come to the fulnes of all iniquitie There is no dout but they will raise vp innumerable sectes and still deuise new workes But what are al these things though they haue neuer so goodly a shew of holines if ye compare them to the death and bloud of the sonne of God vvho gaue himselfe for me Consider well I pray you who this sonne of God is how glorious he is how mightie he is What is heauen and earth in comparison of him Let all the Papistes and all the authors of sectes yea though the whole world take their part be throwne downe into hell withall their righteousnes workes and merits rather then the truth of the Gospell should be blemished and the glory of Christ perish What meane they they then to bragge so much of workes and merits If I being a wretched and a damned sinner could be redemed by any other price what needed the sonne of God to be geuen for me But because there was no other price either in heauen or in earth but Christ the sonne of God therefore it was most necessary that he should be deliuered for me Moreouer this he did of inestimable loue For Paule sayth vvhich loued me Wherfore these wordes vvhich loued me are full of faith And he that can vtter this litle word Me and apply it vnto him selfe with a true and constant faith as Paule did shal be a good disputer with Paule against the lawe For he deliuered neither shepe oxe golde nor siluer but euen God him selfe entierly and wholy for me euen for me I say a miserable and wretched sinner Nowe therefore in that the sonne of God was thus deliuered to death for me I take comfort and applie this benefite vnto my selfe And this maner of applying is the right force of faith in deede These wordes which are the pure preaching of grace and Christian
absolueth not such as beleue but such as are contrite make confession to a Priest and reach out their helping hand to the maintenance of his pompe and his traditions Yet notwithstanding in this greate light of the Gospell the blind and obstinate Papistes doe continue still in their damnable doting dreames saying that the qualities of nature doe remaine sound and vncorrupt that men are able to prepare themselues to grace or to deserue grace by their owne works and merits And so farre of is it that they will acknowledge their errour and impietie that they doe yet still obstinatly defend the same euen against their owne conscience But we doe constantly affirme with Paule for we will not reiect the grace of God that either Christ died in vaine or els the law iustifieth not But Christ died not in vaine therfore the law iustifieth not Christ the sonne of God of his owne free grace and mercy hath iustified vs therfore the law could not iustifie vs for if it could then had Christ done vnwisely in that he gaue himselfe for our sinnes that we therby might be iustified We conclude therfore that we are iustified neither by our owne works and merites before grace or after neither yet by the law Now if my saluation was so costly and deare a price vnto Christ that he was constrained to die for my sinnes thē all my works with all the righteousnes of the law are but vile and nothīg worth in comparison of this inestimable price For how can I bie that for a farthing which cost many thousand talents of gold Now the law to speake nothing of other matters which are of much lesse valew with all the works and righteousnes therof is but as a farthing if ye compare it vnto Christ who by his death hath vanquished my death and hath purchased righteousnes and euerlasting life Should I then despise and reiect this incomparable price and by the law or by the works and merites of mē vile drosse and dung for so Paule calleth them if they be cōpared vnto Christ seeke that righteousnes which Christ freely of meere loue hath geuen vnto me already hath cost him so greate a price that he was constrained to geue himselfe and euen his owne hart bloud for me This as I haue said the whole world doth and specially such as will be counted more holy and religious then others Wherby they plainly witnes that Christ died in vaine although with their mouthes they confesse the contrary neuer so much Which is most horribly to blasphemie the sonne of god to spit in his face to tread him vnder foote to count the bloud of the testament as an vnholy thing vtterly to despise the spirite of grace Paule here disputing of righteousnes hath no ciuill matter in hand that is he speaketh not of ciuill righteousnes which God notwithstanding alloweth and requireth and geueth certaine rewards therunto accordingly which also reason is able in some part to performe But he entreateth here of the righteousnes that auaileth before God whereby we are deliuered from the law sinne death and all euils and are made partakers of grace righteousnes and euerlasting life and finally are now become Lords of heauen and earth and all other creatures This righteousnes neither mans law neither the law of God is able to performe The lawe is geuen besides and aboue reason to be a light a helpe to man and to shew him what he ought to doe what to leaue vndone Notwithstanding man with all his strength and reason yea with this great light also and heauenly benefite the law I meane can not be iustified Now if that which is the most excellent thing in the world the law I say which as a bright shining sunne is ioyned to the dimme and obscure light of mans reason to lighten and to direct it is not able to iustifie what can reason doe I pray you without the lawe What Doutles nothing else but that which the Pope with his dreaming Sophisters and his whole Sinagoge hath done who with their owne traditions haue darkned the light euen of the first cōmaundement Wherfore there is not one of them that is able rightly to vnderstand any one syllable of the lawe but euery man walketh in mere darknes of mans reason And this errour is much more pernicious and deadly then that which procedeth of the doctrine of workes and the lawe These words therfore are very effectuall and full of power where he sayth If righteousnes come by the lavv then Christ died in vaine He speaketh here nothing of mans strength reason or wisedom be it neuer so great for the greater it is the sooner it deceaueth a man but he sayth plainly without all condition If by the lavv c. Wherefore reason lightned aided and directed by the lawe yea euen by the law of God is so vnable to attaine righteousnes that it draweth a man from righteousnes reiecteth Christ Set thou therfore the death of Christ simplie against all lawes and with Paule know nothing but Iesus Christ crucified Receaue no light either of reason or of the lawe or of any thing else then of Christ alone Then shalt thou be learned in dede righteous and holy and shalt receaue the holy Ghost which shall preserue thee in the puritie of the word and faith but set Christ aside and all things are but vnprofitable and vaine what so euer they be Here againe we see what a goodly commendation Paule geueth to the righteousnes of the lawe or mans owne righteousnes in that he teacheth it to be a contempt and reiecting of the grace of God and an abolishing of the death of Christ Paule is no great Rhetorician and yet see what matter he ministreth to him that listeth to play the Rhetorician What eloquence is able sufficiently to set out these wordes To reiect grace the grace of God Also that Christ died in vain The horriblenes whereof is such that all the eloquence in the world is not able to comprehend it To say that any man dieth in vaine it is but a small mater but to say that Christ died in vaine it is to take him quite away and make of him nothing at all Who so listeth to play the Rhetorician hath here mater enough to dilate and amplifie at large what an horrible blasphemous doctrine it is to set vp the righteousnes of the law and workes For what can be more blasphemous and horrible then to make the death of Christ vnprofitable and what doe they els which obserue the law to the end they may be iustified therby Now to make the death of Christ vnprofitable is also to make his resurrection his victory his glory his kingdome heauen earth God himselfe the maiesty of God and briefly all things els whatsoeuer but vnprofitable and of none effect This thundring and lightning from heauen against the righteousnes of the law and mans owne
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
was once crucified rose againe both in them selues in the church and in the hearts of the faithfull for with their spiteful reproches rebukes sclaūders and iniuries they spit vpon him and with their wicked opinions they wounde him and thrust him thorow that in them he may die most miserably and in the steade of him they set vp a glorious witchcraft wherby men are so miserably charmed and deluded that they cā not know Christ to be their iustifier their reconciler and Sauiour but a minister of sinne their accuser their iudge and their destroyer which must be pacified no otherwise then by our workes and merites And out of this opinion did afterwards spring the most pestilent pernicious doctrine that is in the whole Papacie which is this If thou wilt serue God thou must merite forgeuenes of sinnes and euerlasting life and must also helpe others to attaine saluation Thou must enter into a Monasterie vow obedience chastitie pouertie c. Monks and Friers and the rest of that religious rable being puffed vp with this opinion of their owne holines dreamed that they onely were in the life and state of perfection and that other Christians led but a common life for they did no vndue workes or more then they were bounde to doe that is they did not vowe and keepe chastitie pouertie obedience c. they were but onely baptised and kept the ten commaundements But as for them selues besides that which was common as wel to them as to other Christians they kept also the works of supererogation and the counsels of Christ wherfore they hoped to haue merite and a place in heauen amongs the principall Saintes farre aboue the common sort of Christians This was vndoutedly an horrible illusion of the deuill wherby he hath bewitched almost the whole world And euery man the more holy he would seeme to be the more he is snared with this witcherie that is to say with that pestilent perswasion of his owne righteousnes And this was the cause that we could not know that Iesus Christ was our Mediatour Sauiour but we did thinke that he was a seuere iudge which should be pacified by our owne workes which was nothing else but most horribly to blaspheme Christ and as Paule said before to reiect the grace of God to make the death of Christ of none effect and not onely to kill him but also most shamefully to crucifie him againe And this is the right meaning of that which Christ alledgeth out of Daniell that abomination standeth in the holy place Wherefore euery monke and religious person and euery Iusticiarie seeking remission of sinnes and righteousnes by his owne works or by his afflictions is a crucifier of Christ nowe raigning and liuing although not in the proper person of Christ yet in his owne heart and in the hearts of others And whosoeuer doe enter into Monasteries to the ende that by the keping of their rule and order they may be iustified doe enter into the dennes of theeues and such as crucifie Christ againe Wherefore Paule vseth in this place very rigorous and bitter wordes to the ende that he may feare and call backe the Galathians from the doctrine of the false Apostles As if he should say Consider well what ye haue done Ye haue crucified Christ againe and this I doe so plainly shewe and paint out before your eyes that ye may see it yea and touch it with your handes because ye seeke to be iustified by the lawe But if righteousnes come by the lawe then is Christ a minister of sinne and his death altogether in vaine If this be true then must it needes follow that Christ is crucified againe in you And it is not without cause that he addeth this clause in you or among you For Christ is no more crucified or dieth any more in his owne person as is saide in the sixte chapter to the Romaines but he dieth in vs when we reiecting true doctrine grace faith free remission of sinnes seeke to be iustified by our owne workes or else by the workes commaunded in the law Here Christ is crucified in vs againe Now this false and wicked perswasion to seeke righteousnes by the law and workes is nothing else as I haue before more amplie declared but the illusion of the Deuill wherwith men are so bewitched that in no wise they can acknowledge the benefite of Christ yea in all their life they can doe nothing else but not onely denie the Lord who hath bought them and in whose name they are baptised but also crucifie him againe in them selues Who so euer then hath a feare of God and a true heart to Christ and his religion let him flie quickly out of this Babylon and let him tremble at the very name of the Papacie For the impietie abomination therof is so horrible that no man is able to expresse it with words neither cā it be otherwise seene then with spiritual eies only These two argumentes Paule prosecuteth driueth into the heades of the Galathians very diligently First that they are so bewitched of the deuill that they obey not the truth most clearely set forth before their eies Secondly that they crucifie Christ againe in them selues These seeme to be simple and plaine words and without any high eloquence but in very deede they are so mighty that they exceede all the eloquence of man It can not therfore be cōprehended but onely in spirit how great an impietie it is to seeke to be iustified by the righteousnes of the law or by mans owne righteousnes For as Paul saith here it is nothing els but to be witched of the deuill to be disobedient to the truth and to crucifie Christ againe Are not these goodly commendations of the righteousnes of the law and mans owne righteousnes The Apostle therefore is here kindled with greate zeale and with bitter words he pursueth condemneth the presumption of our owne righteousnes rising vpon the obseruation of the law of God and chargeth it with this impiety that it crucifieth againe the sonne of god Seing then it is so daungerous a thinge it can not be beaten downe enough or condemned as it should be For therof ensueth such a fall as is no lesse then the fall of Lucifer and such a losse as can neuer be recouered and therfore he vseth so sharpe and rigorous words against it that he spareth not the very law of God against the which he so bitterly inueieth that it seemeth he would vtterly reiect and condemne it And this doth he being constrained by greate necessity for otherwise he could not withstand the false Apostles nor defend the righteousnes of faith against them Albeit then that the law be holy iust and good yet must it put on as it were the visour of an hipocrite if he seeke to be iustified by workes Now he presseth them with an argument wherof they themselues had good experience and
that we thought those works which men had deuised not onely without the will of God but also contrary to his commaundement to be much better then those which the magistrate the houshoulder the childe the seruaunte did at the commaundement of God. Doubtles we ought to haue learned by the word of God that the religious orders of the Papistes which onely they call holy are wicked since there is no commaundement of God at al or testimony in the holy scriptures approuing the same Contrariwise other orders of life which haue the word and warrant of God are holy ordained of god But we were then wrapped in such horrible darkenes that we could not truely iudge of any thing But now at the appearing of the cleare light of the Gospell all kindes of life in the world are vnder our iudgement which is most certaine infallible We may boldly pronounce out of the word of God that the condition of seruauntes which before the world is most vile is farre more acceptable vnto God then all the religious orders of the Papistes For by his word he commendeth approueth and setteth forth the state of seruauntes and so doth he not the orders of Monkes Friers and such other Therfore this argument grounded vpon experience ought to stand in much force with vs also For although diuers men in popery wrought sundry and diuers works both great and painefull yet could they neuer be sure what was the will of God towards them but they were alwaies in doubt they could neuer attaine to the knowledge of God of themselues of their calling nor felte the testimony of the spirite in their heartes But now that the truth of the Gospell appeareth they are fully instructed by the onely hearing of faith in all these things It is not without cause that I doe so largely intreate of these matters For it seemeth to mans reason but a light and a small matter to purchase the holy ghost by the onely hearing of faith and that nothing els is required of vs but that we setting a parte all our works should geue our selues onely to the hearing of the Gospell Mans hearte doth not vnderstand nor beleue that so greate a price namely the holy Ghost is geuen by the onely hearing of faith but reasoneth after this sorte Forgeuenes of sinnes deliueraunce from death the geuing of the holy Ghost of righteousnes and euerlasting life are greate things therfore if thou wilt obtaine these inestimable benefites thou must performe some other greate and weighty matter This opinion the deuill doth wel like and approue also encreaseth the same in the heart Therfore when reason heareth this Thou cāst doe nothing for the obtaining of sinnes but must onely heare the word of God by and by it crieth out saith Fie thou makest too small a count of the remission of sinnes c. So the inestimable greatnes of the gift is the cause that we can not beleue it and because this incomparable treasure is freely offered therfore it is despised But this must we learne that forgeuenes of sinnes Christ and the holy Ghost are freely geuen vnto vs at the onely hearing of faith preached notwithstanding our horrible sinnes and demerits And we must not wey how greate the thing is that is geuen and how vnworthy we are of it for so should the greatnes of the gift our vnworthines terrefie vs but we must thinke that it pleaseth God freely to geue vnto vs this vnspeakeable gifte vnto vs I say which are vnworthy as Christ in Luke sayeth Feare not litle flocke for it is your fathers pleasure to geue vnto you Loe to geue vnto you saith he a kingdome To whom To you vnworthy which are his litle flocke If I then be litle and the thing great nay rather of all things the greatest which God hath geuen vnto me I must thus thinke that he also is great and onely greate which geueth it If he offer it and will geue it I consider not mine owne sinne vnworthines but his fatherly good will towardes me which is the geuer and I receaue the greatnes of the gift with ioy and gladnes am thankful for so inestimable a gifte geuen freely vnto me to me I say vnworthy by the hearing of faith Here againe foolish reason is offended and reproueth vs saying Where ye teach men to do nothing at all for the obtaining of so greate and vnspeakeable a gift but to heare the word of God this seemeth to tend to the greate contempt of grace and to make men secure idle and dissolute so that they slacke their handes and doe no good at all Therfore it is not good to preach this doctrine for it is not true but men must be vrged to labour and to exercise themselues vnto righteousnes and then shall they obtaine this gift This selfe same thing the Pelagians in times past obiected againste the Christians But heare what Paul saith in this place Ye haue receaued the holy Ghost not by your owne labour and trauell not by the workes of the law but by the hearing of faith Briefely heare what Christ himselfe saith and what he aunswereth to Martha being very carefull and hardly bearing that her sister Marie sitting at the feete of Iesus and hearing his worde should leaue her to minister alone Martha Martha saith he thou carest and art troubled about many things but one thing is needefull Marie hath chosen the good parte vvhich shall not be taken from her A man therfore is made a Christian not by working but by hearing Wherfore he that will exercise himselfe to righteousnes let him first exercise himselfe in hearing the gospel Now when he hath heard and receaued the Gospell let him geue thankes to God with a ioyfull and a glad hearte and afterwardes let him exercise him selfe in those good workes which are commaunded in the lawe so that the lawe and workes may follow the hearing of faith So may he quietly walke in the light which is Christ and boldely choose and doe works not hypocriticall but good workes in deede such as he knoweth to please God and to be commaunded of him and contemne all those hypocriticall shadowes of freewill workes Our aduersaries thinke that faith whereby we receaue the holy Ghost is but a light matter but how high and harde a matter it is I my selfe doe finde by experience and so doe all they which with me doe earnestly embrace the same It is soone saide that by the onely hearing of faith the holy Ghost is receaued but it is not so easily heard laied holde on beleued and retained as it is said Wherefore if thou heare of me that Christe is that Lambe of God sacrificed for thy sinnes see also that thou heare it effectually Paule purposely calleth it the hearing of faith and not the worde of faith although there be small difference that is such a word as thou hearing doest beleue
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
should say I of meere mercye doe promise vnto thee the Christ shall come of thy seede who shall bring the Blessing vpon all nations oppressed with sinne and death that is to say which shall deliuer the nations from the euerlasting Curse to wit from sinne death receauiÌ„g this promise by faith In thy seede c Wherefore euen as the false Apostles were in time past so are all the Papistes and Iusticiaries at this day peruerters and destroyers not of mans Testament because they are forbidden by the law but of Gods TestameÌ„t whom they feare nothing at all although he be a consuming fier For such is the nature of all hypocrites that they will obserue mans law exactely but the lawes of God they doe despise and most wickedly transgresse But the time shall come when they shall beare an horrible iudgement and shall feele what it is to contemne and peruerte the Testament of god This argument then grounded vpon the ordinauÌ„ce of God is strong enough Verse 16. Novv to Abraham and his seede vvere the promises made He saith not And to the Seedes as speaking of many but and to thy Seede as of one vvhich is Christ Here by a newe name he calleth the promises of God made vnto Abraham concerninge Christe that shoulde bringe the Blessinge vnto all nations a Testament And in deede the promise is nothinge else but a Testament not yet reuealed but sealed vppe Nowe a Testament is not a lawe but a donation or free gifte For heires looke not for lawes exactions or any burdens to be laide vpon them by the Testament but they looke for the inheritaunce confirmed thereby First of all therefore he expoundeth the wordes Afterwardes he applieth the similitude and standeth vpon this worde Seede There were no lawes geuen vnto Abraham saith he but a Testament was made and deliuered vnto him that is to say the promises were pronounced vnto him as touching the spirituall Blessing therefore somewhat was promised and geuen vnto him If then the Testament of a man be kept why shoulde not rather the Testament of God be kept whereof the Testament of man is but a shadowe Againe if we will keepe the signes why doe we not rather keepe the things which they signifie Now the promises are made vnto him not in all the Iewes or in many Seedes but in one Seede which is Christ The Iewes will not receaue this interpretation of Paule For they say that the singular number is here put for the plurall one for many But we gladly receaue this meaning and interpretation of Paule who oftentimes repeteth this worde Seede and expoundeth this Seede to be Christ and this he doth with a true Apostolicall spirite Let the Iewes deny it as much as they will we notwithstanding haue argumentes stronge enough which Paule hath before rehersed which also confirme this thinge and they can not deny them Hitherto as touching the similitude of Gods ordinaunce that is to say of mans Testament Now he expoundeth and amplifieth the same Verse 17. And this I say that the lavv vvhich vvas 430. yeares after can not disanull the couenaunte that vvas confirmed before of God in respect of Christ that it should make the promise of none effect Here the Iewes might obiect that God was not onely content to geue promises to Abraham but also after 430. yeares he made the law God therefore mistrusting his owne promises as vnsufficient to iustifie added thereto a better thinge that is to say the law to the end that when the same as a better successor was come not the idle but the doers of the law might be made righteous thereby The law therefore which followed the promise did abrogate the promise Such euasions and starting holes the Iewes seeke out To this cauillation Paule aunswereth very well and to the purpose and strongly confuâ—eth the same The law saith he was geuen 430. yeares after the promise was made In thy Seede c. and it could not make the promise voide and vnprofitable For the promise is the Testament of God confirmed by God himselfe in Christ so many yeares before the law Now that which God once hath promised and confirmed he calleth not backe againe but it remaineth ratified and sure for euer Why then was the law added In deede it was deliuered so many ages after to the posteritie of Abraham not to the end he might through it obtaine the Blessing for it is the office of the law to bring meÌ„ vnder the Curse and not to blesse but that there might be in the world a certaine people which might haue the word and testimonie of Christ out of the which Christ also according to the flesh might be borne And that men being kept and shut vp vnder the lawe might sigh and grone for their deliueraunce through the Seede of Abraham which is Christ which onely should and could blesse that is to say deliuer all nations from sinne and euerlasting death Moreouer the ceremonies commauÌ„ded in the lawe did foreshadowe Christ Wherefore the promise was not abolished either by the law or by the ceremonies of the law but rather by the same as by certaine seales it was for a time confirmed vntill the letters themselues or the writing of the Testament to wit the promise might be opened and by the preaching of the Gospell might be spread abroad among all nations But let vs suffer the law and the promise to encounter together and then shall we see which of them is the stronger that is to say whether the promise be able to abolish the lawe or the lawe the promise If the law abolish the promise then it followeth that we by our works make God a lier and his promise of none effect For if the law doe iustifie vs and deliver vs from sinne and death and consequently our workes and our owne strength performing the lawe then the promise made to Abraham is vtterly voide and vnprofitable and so consequently God is a lier and a dissembler For when he which promiseth will not performe his promise but maketh it of none effect what doth he els but shew himselfe to be a lier and a dissembler But it is impossible that the lawe should make God a lier or that our workes should make the promise void nay rather it must needes be firme stable for euer for God promiseth not in vaine although we were able to keepe and fulfil the lawe And let vs admitte that all men were as holy as Angels so that they should not neede the promise which notwithstanding is impossible yet must we thinke that the same promise abideth most sure and certaine or else God should be found a lier which either hath promised in vaine or else wil not or can not performe his promises Therfore like as the promise was before the lawe so is it farre more excellent then the lawe And God did excellently well in that he gaue the
rather since Christe is nowe reuealed and geuen vnto me I liue in him who is my righteousnes who also hath abolished thee O lawe And thus let Christe be alwayes before thine eyes as a certaine Summarie of all argumeÌ„ts for the defence of Faith against the righteousnes of the flesh against the lawe and against all workes and merites what so euer Hetherto I haue rehersed almost all but specially the principall arguments which the Apostle Paule handleth in this Epistle for the confirmation of this Doctrine of Iustification Among which the argument as touching the promise made vnto Abraham and to the other Fathers is the waightiest and of greatest efficacie which Paule doth chiefly prosecute both here and in the Epistle to the Romaines the wordes wherof he diligently wayeth and moreouer intreateth both of the times and persons Also he standeth vpon this worde Seede applying the same vnto Christe Finally he declareth by the contrary what the lawe worketh namely that it holdeth men vnder the Curse And thus he fortifieth the Article of Christian righteousnes with strong and mighty arguments On the other side he ouerthroweth the arguments of the false apostles which they vsed in defence of the righteousnes of the lawe and he turneth them vpon their owne heades That is to say wheras they contended that righteousnes and life is obtained by the lawe Paule sheweth that they worke nothing but malediction and death in vs Ye contend sayth he that the law is necessary to saluation Haue ye not read that it sayeth He that shall doe these things shall liue in them Now who is he that doth performe or accomplish them No man liuing Therfore as many as are of the vvorkes of the lavve are vnder the Curse And againe in another place The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the lavve Now followeth the conclusion of all these arguments Verse 18. For if the inheritaunce be of the lavve it is no more by the promise c. So he sayth in the .4 to the Romaines For if they vvhich be of the lavve be heires then is Faith but vaine and the promise of none effect And it can not otherwise be for this distinction is plaine that the law is a thing farre differing from the promise Yea naturall reason although it be neuer so blind is compelled to coÌ„fesse that it is one thing to promise and an other thing to require one thing to geue and an other thing to take The lawe doth require and exact of vs our workes the promise of the Seede doth offer vnto vs the spiritual and euerlasting benefites of God and that freely for Christes sake Therefore we obtaine the inheritaunce or Blessing through the promise and not through the lawe For the promise sayeth In thy seede shall all nations of the earth be blessed Therfore he that hath the lawe hath not enough because he hath not yet the Blessing without the which he is compelled to abide vnder the Curse The lawe therfore can not iustifie because the Blessing is not ioyned vnto it Moreouer if the inheritauÌ„ce were of the law then should God be found a lier and the promise should be in vaine Again if the law could obtaine the Blessing why did God then make this promise In thy Seede c. Why did he not rather say Doe this and thou shalt receaue the Blessing or else by keping of the law thou maist deserue euerlasting life This argument is grounded vpon contraries The inheritaunce is geuen by the promise therefore not by the lawe Verse 18. But God gaue it vnto Abraham by promise It can not be denied but that God before the law was gaue vnto Abraham the inheritaunce or Blessing by the promise that is to say remission of sinnes righteousnes saluation and euerlasting life that we should be sonnes heires of God and felow heires with Christe For it is plainly sayd in Genesis In thy seede shall all nations be blessed There the Blessing is geuen frely without respect of the law or works For God gaue the inheritaÌ„ce before Moises was borne or before any maÌ„ had yet once thought of the law Why vauÌ„t ye then that righteousnes cometh by the law seing that righteousnes life and saluation was geuen to your father Abraham without the lawe yea before there was any lawe He that is not moued with these things is blind and obstinate But this argument of the promise I haue before handled more largely and therefore I will now but touch it by the way Hitherto we haue heard the principal part of this Epistle Now the Apostle goeth about to shew the vse and office of the lawe adding certaine similitudes of the Scholemaster and of the liâ—le Heire Also the allegorie of the two sonnes of Abraham Isaacke and Ismael c. Last of all he setteth forth certaine preceptes concerning maners Verse 19. VVherfore then serueth the lavve When we teach that a man is iustified without the law and works then doth this question necessarily folow If the law doe not iustifie why then was it geuen Also Why doth God charge vs and burden vs with the lawe if it doe not iustifie What is the cause that we are so hardly exercised and vexed with it if they which worke but one hower are made equal with vs which haue borne the heate burden of the day When as that grace is once published vnto vs which the Gospell setteth out by and by ariseth this great murmuring without the which the Gospell can not be preached The Iewes had this opinion that if they kepte the lawe they should be iustified therby Therefore when they heard that the Gospell was preached concerning Christ who came into the world to saue not the righteous but sinners that they should goe before them into the kingdom of God they were wonderfully offended complaining that they had borne the heauy yoke of the lawe so many yeares with great labour and toyle and that they were miserably vexed and oppressed with the tyrannie of the law without any profit yea rather to their great hurt Againe that the Gentiles who were Idolaters obteined grace without any labour or trauell So doe our Papists murmur at this day saying What hath it profited vs that we haue liued in a Cloister twentie thirtie or fortie yeares that we haue vowed chastitie pouertie obedience that we haue sayd so many Psalters and so many Canonical Howers so many Masses that we haue so punished our bodies with fasting prayers chastisements c. if a husband a wife a Prince a gouernour a master a scholer if an hireling or a drudge bearing sackes if a wench sweeping the house shall not onely be made equall with vs but also be accepted as better and more worthy before God then we This is therfore an hard question wherewith reason is stricken dumme and can not aunswere but is greatly offended with it Reason after a
the ende he might shewe the true office and vse of the lawe and might roote out of mens heartes that false opinion concerning the righteousnes thereof aunswereth to this obiection Wherfore then serueth the lawe if it iustifie not after this sorte It was not geuen to make men righteous sayth he but Verse 19. It vvas added because of transgressions As things are diuers and distinct so the vses thereof are diuers and distinct Therfore they may not be confoūded For if they be there must needes be a confusion of the things also A woman may not weare a mans apparel nor a man a womans attire Let a man doe the works that belong to a man and a woman the works that belong to a womā Let euery man doe that which his vocation and office requireth Let Pastors and Preachers teach the worde of God purely Let Magistrates gouerne their subiectes let subiects obey their Magistrates Let euery thing serue in his due place and order Let the Sunne shine by day the Moone and the Starres by night let the sea geue fishes the earth graine the woodes wilde beastes and trees c. In like maner let not the lawe vsurpe the office and vse of an other that is to say of Iustification but let it leaue this onely to grace to the promise and to Faith. What is then the office of the lawe Transgression or else as he sayth in another place The lavve entred in that sinne should abound A goodly office forsoth The lavve sayth he vvas added for transgressions that is to say it was added besides and after the promise vntil Christ the Seede should come vnto whom it was promised Of the double vse of the lawe Here ye must vnderstand that there is a double vse of the law One is Ciuill For God hath ordained Ciuil lawes yea all lawes to punish transgressions Euery lawe then is geuen to restraine sinne If it restraine sinne then it maketh men righteous No nothing lesse For in that I doe not kill I doe not commit adulterie I doe not steale or in that I abstaine from other sinnes I doe it not willingly or for the loue of vertue but I feare the prison the sword and the hangman These do bridle and restraine me that I sinne not as bondes chaines restraine a Lion or a Beare that he teare and deuoure not euery thing that he meeteth Therfore the restraining from sinne is not righteousnes but rather a significatiō of vnrighteousnes For as a madde or a wild beast is bound lest he should destroy euery thing that he meeteth euen so the lawe doth bridle a madde and furious man that he sinne not after his owne lust This restrainte sheweth plainly enough that they which haue neede of the law as al they haue which are without Christ are not righteous but rather wicked mad men whom it is necessary by the bonds prisō of the law so to bridle that they sinne not Therfore the law iustifieth not The first vse then of the law is to bridle the wicked For the Deuil raigneth throughout the whole world and enforceth men to all kindes of horrible wickednes Therefore God hath ordained Magistrates parentes Ministers lawes bonds and all ciuill ordinaunces that if they can doe no more yet at the least they may binde the Deuils hands that he rage not in his bondslaues after his owne lust Like as therfore they that are possessed in whom the Deuill mightely raigneth are kept in bondes and chaines lest they should hurte other euen so in the worlde which is possessed of the Deuill and caried headlong into all kindes of wickednes the Magistrate is present with his bondes and chaines that is to say with his lawes binding his handes and feete that he runne not headlong into all mischiefe And if he suffer not him selfe to be brideled after this sorte then he loseth his head This ciuill restrainte is very necessary and appointed of God as wel for publike peace as also for the preseruation of all thinges but specially lest the course of the Gospell shoulde be hindered by the tumultes and seditions of wicked outragious proud mē But Paule entreateth not here of this ciuil vse and office of the law It is in deede very necessary but it iustifieth not For as a possessed or madde man is not therefore free from the snares of the Deuill or well in his minde because he hath his handes and his feete bound and can do no hurt euen so the world although it be brideled by the law from outward wickednes and mischiefe yet is it not therefore righteous but still continueth wicked yea this restrainte sheweth plainely that the world is wicked and outragious stirred vp and enforced to all wickednes by his Prince the Deuill for otherwise it neede not to be brideled by lawes that it should not sinne An other vse of the law is diuine and spirituall which is as Paule saith to encrease transgressions that is to say to reueale vnto a man his sinne his blindnes his misery his impietie ignoraunce hatred and contempt of God death hel the iudgment and deserued wrath of god Of this vse the Apostle entreateth notably in the. 7. to the Romaines This is altogether vnknowne to hypocrites to the popish Sophisters and Scholediuines and to all that walke in the opinion of the righteousnes of the law or of their owne righteousnes But to the ende that God might bridle and beate downe this monster and this madde beaste I meane the presumption of mans owne righteousnes and religion which naturally maketh mē proud and puffeth them vppe in such sort that they thinke them selues thereby to please God highly it behoued him to send some Hercules which might set vppon this monster with all force and courage to ouerthrowe him and vtterly to destroy him that is to say he was constrained to geue a lawe in Mount Sina with so great Maiestie and with so terrible a shewe that the whole multitude was astonished Exod. 19. 20. This as it is the proper and the principall vse of the lawe so is it very profitable and also most necessary For if any be not a murtherer an adulterer a theefe and outwardly refraine from sinne as the Pharisey did which is mentioned in the Gospell he would sweare because he is possessed with the Deuill that he is righteous and therefore he conceaueth an opinion of righteousnes and presumeth of his good workes and merites Such a one God can not otherwise mollifie and humble that he may acknowledge his miserie and damnation but by the lawe For that is the hammer of death the thundring of hell and lightning of Gods wrath that beateth to pouder the obstinate and senseles hypocrites Wherefore this is the proper and true vse of the lawe by lightning by tempest by the sound of the trumpe as in the Mount Sina to terrifie and by thundering to beate downe and
owne dreames and vnder the name of the gospell ceremonies and lawes They are like therfore vnto themselues and so they still continue that is to say Monks workers of the lawe and teachers of ceremonies sauing that they deuise newe names and newe workes It is not then a matter of small importance to vnderstand rightly what the law is and what is the true vse and office therof Now for as much as we teach these things both diligently and faithfully we doe therby plainly testifie that we reiect not the law and works as our aduersaries doe falsely accuse vs but we do altogether stablish the law and require the works therof and we say that the law is good and profitable but in his owne proper vse which is first to bridle ciuill transgressiōs and then to reueile and to encrease spiritual transgressions Wherfore the law is also a light which sheweth reueileth not the grace of God not righteousnes and life but sinne death the wrath and iudgement of god For as in the Mount Sina the thundring lightning the thicke darke cloud the hill smoking flaming all that terrible shew did not reioyce nor quicken the children of Israell but terrified and astonished them and shewed howe vnhable they were with all their puritie and holines to abide the Maiestie of God speaking to them out of the cloud euen so the law when it is in his true vse doth nothing else but reueale sinne engender wrath accuse and terrifie men so that it bringeth them to the very brinke of desperation This is the proper vse of the lawe and here it hath an end and it ought to goe no further Contrariwise the Gospel is a light which lightneth quickneth comforteth raiseth vp fearful consciences For it sheweth that God for Christes sake is merciful vnto sinners yea to such as are most vnworthy if they beleue that by his death they are deliuered frō the Curse that is to say from sinne and euerlasting death and that through his victorie the Blessing is freely geuen vnto them that is to say grace forgeuenes of sinnes righteousnes euerlasting life Thus putting a difference betwene the law the Gospel we geue to them both their owne proper vse office Of this differēce betwene the law the gospel there is nothīg to be found in the bokes of the Monks Canonists Scholemen no nor in the bokes of the auncient fathers Augustine did somewhat vnderstand this difference and shewed it Ierome and others knew it not Briefly there was wonderfull silence many yeres as touching this difference in all Schooles and Churches And this thing brought mens consciences into great daunger For vnlesse the gospell be plainly discerned frō the lawe the true Christian doctrine can not be kept sound and vncorrupt Contrariwise if this difference be well knowne then is also the true meane of iustification knowne and then is it an easie matter to discerne faith from workes Christ from Moses and all politike workes For all things without Christe are the ministers of death for the punishment of the wicked Therefore Paule aunswereth to this question after this maner Verse 19. The lavve vvas added because of transgressions That is to say that transgressions might be more encreased knowne and seene And in deede so it cometh to passe For when sinne is reuealed to a man through the law death the wrath and iudgement of God and hell it is vnpossible but that he should become impatient but that he should murmure against God and despise his will. For he can not beare the iudgement of God his owne death and damnation and yet notwithstanding he can not escape them Here he must needes fall into the hatred of God and blasphemie against god Before when he was out of tentation he was a very holy man he worshipped and praised God he bowed his knee before God and gaue him thanks as the Pharisey did Luke 18. But now when sinne and death is reuealed vnto him he wisheth that there were no god The law therfore of it selfe bringeth a special hatred of god And thus sinne is not onely reuealed and knowne by the lawe but also is encreased and stirred vp by the lawe Therfore Paule sayth Rom. 7. Sinne that it might appeare to be sinne vvrought death in me by that vvhich vvas good that sinne might be out of measure sinneful by the commaundement There he entreateth of this effect of the law very largely Paule aunswereth therfore to this question If the lawe doe not iustifie to what end then serueth it Although sayth he it iustifie not yet is it very profitable necessary For first it ciuily restraineth such as are carnall rebellious and obstinate Moreouer it is as a glasse that sheweth vnto a man him selfe that he is a sinner giltie of death and worthy of Gods euerlasting wrath indignation To what profit serueth this humbling this brusing beating downe by this hammer the law I meane To great profite namely that we may haue an entrance vnto grace So then the lawe is a minister that prepareth the way vnto grace For God is the God of the humble the miserable the afflicted the oppressed the desperate and of all those that are vtterly brought to nothing and his nature is to exalt the humble to feede the hungry to geue sight to the blind to comfort the miserable the afflicted the brused and broken harted to iustifie sinners to quicken the dead and to saue the very desperate and damned For he is an almightie creatour making all things of nothing Now that pernicious and pestilent opinion of mans owne righteousnes which will not be a sinner vncleane miserable and damnable but righteous and holy suffreth not God to come to his owne naturall and proper worke Therefore God must needes take this maule in hand the law I meane to driue downe to beat in peeces to bring to nothing this beast with her vaine confidence wisedom righteousnes power that she may so learne at the lēgth by her owne miserie and mischief that she is vtterly forlorne lost and damned Here now when the conscience is thus terrified with the law then cometh the doctrine of the Gospell and grace which reiseth vppe and comforteth the same againe saying Christ came in to the world not to breake the brused reede nor to quench the smoking flaxe but to preach the Gospell of glad tidings to the poore to heale the broken and contrite in heart to preach forgeuenes of sinnes to the captiues c. But here lieth all the difficultie of this matter that when a man is terrified and cast downe he may be able to raise vp him selfe againe and say Now I am brused and afflicted enough the time of the lawe hath tormented and vexed me sharply enough Nowe is the time of grace now is the time to heare Christ out of whose mouth procede the wordes of grace
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
There is in vs horrible blindnes ignoraunce contempt and hatred of God moreouer euil concupiscence vncleanes couetousnes c. This garment that is to say this corrupt and sinnefull nature we receaued from Adam which Paule is wont to call the olde man This olde man must be put off with all his workes Ephes 4. Coloss 1. that of the children of Adam we may be made the children of god This is not done by chaunging of a garment or by any lawes or workes but by a newe birth and by the renewing of the inward man which is done in Baptisme as Paule sayeth All ye that are baptized haue put on Christe Also According to his mercie hath he saued vs by the vvashing of the nevve birth and the renevving of the holy Ghost Tit. 3. For besides that they which are baptised are regenerate and renewed by the holy Ghost to a heauenly righteousnes and to eternall life there riseth in them also a new light and a new flame there rise in them new and holy affections as the feare of God true Faith assured hope c. There beginneth in them also a newe wil. And this is to put on Christ truely and according to the Gospell Therefore the righteousnes of the lawe or of our owne workes is not geuen vnto vs in baptisme but Christ him selfe is our garment Now Christ is no lawe no lawgeuer no worke but a diuine and an inestimable gift whom God hath geuen vnto vs that he might be our iustifier our Sauiour and our redemer Wherefore to be apparelled with Christ according to the Gospell is not to be apparelled with the lawe nor with workes but with an incomparable gift that is to say with remission of sinnes righteousnes peace consolation ioy of spirite saluation life and Christ him selfe This is diligently to be noted because of the vaine and fantasticall spirites which goe about to deface the maiestie of baptisme and speake wickedly of it Paule contrariwise commendeth and setteth it forth with honorable titles calling it the vvashing of the nevve birth the renevving of the holy Ghost Tit. 3. And here also he sayth that all they which are baptised haue put on Christe As if he sayd Ye are caried out of the lawe into a newe birth which is wrought in baptisme Therfore ye are not now any longer vnder the law but ye are clothed with a newe garment to witte with the righteousnes of Christe Wherefore baptisme is a thing of great force and efficacie Now when we are apparelled with Christ as with the robe of righteousnes and our saluation then we must put on Christe also as the apparell of imitation and example These things I haue handled more largely in an other place therefore I here briefly passe them ouer Verse 28. There is neither Ievve nor Grecian there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christe Iesus Here might be added moreouer many moe names of persons and offices which are ordained of God as these There is neither Magistrate nor subiect neither teacher nor hearer neither scholemaster nor scholer neither master nor seruaunt neither mistres nor maide c for in Christ Iesu all states yea euen such as are ordained of God are nothing In deede the male the female the bond the free the Iewe the Gentile the Prince the subiect are the good creatures of God but in Christ that is in the matter of saluatiō they are nothing with all their wisedom righteousnes religion and power Wherfore with these words There is neither Ievve c. Paule mightely abolisheth the lawe For here that is when a man is renewed by baptisme and hath put on Christe there is neither Iewe nor Grecian c. The Apostle speaketh not here of the Iewe according to his nature and substaunce but he calleth him a Iewe which is the disciple of Moses is subiect to the lawe is circumcised and with all his endeuour kepeth the ceremonies commaunded in the lawe Where Christ is put on sayth he there is neither Iew nor circumcision nor ceremonie of the law any more for Christ hath abolished all the lawes of Moses that euer were Wherfore the conscience beleuing in Christ must be so surely perswaded that the law is abolished with all his terrours threatnings that it should be vtterly ignoraunt whether there were euer any Moses any law or any Iew. For Christ Moses can in no wise agree Moses came with the law with many workes and with many ceremonies but Christe came without any law without any exacting of workes geuing grace and righteousnes c. Iohn 1. For the lavv vvas geuen by Moses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ Moreouer when he sayth Nor Grecian he reiecteth also and condemneth the wisedom and righteousnes of the Gentiles For among the Gentiles there were many notable men as Xenophon Themistocles Marcus Fabius Attilius Regulus Cicero Pomponius Atticus and many other which being endued with singuler vertues gouerned common weales excellently and did many worthy actes for the preseruation therof and yet all these were nothing before God with their wisedom their power their notable actes their excellent vertues lawes religions and ceremonies For we must not thinke that the Gentiles did contemne all honestie and religion Yea all nations of all ages dispersed thoroughout the world had their lawes religions and ceremonies without the which it is not possible that mankinde should be gouerned All righteousnes therefore concerning either the gouernment of families or common weales or diuine matters as was the righteousnes of the lawe with all the obedience execution and holines therof be it neuer so perfect is nothing worth before god What then The garment of Christ which we put on in baptisme So if the seruaunt doe his duetie obey his master serue in his vocation neuer so diligently and faithfully if he that is at libertie be in authoritie and gouerne the common wealth or guide his owne family honestly and with praise if the man doe that pertaineth to the man in marying a wife in gouerning his familie in obeying the Magistrate in behauing him selfe decently towardes all men if the woman liue chastely obey her husband see well to her houshold bring vp her children godly which are in deede excellēt gifts holy works yet are all these nothing in cōparison of that righteousnes which is before god To be briefe all the lawes ceremonies religiōs righteousnes workes in the whole world yea of the Iewes themselues which were the first that had the kingdom priesthode ordained appoynted of God with their holy lawes religiōs ceremonies worshippings all these I say take not away sinne deliuer not from death nor purchase life Therfore your false Apostles doe subtelly seduce you O ye Galathians when they teach you that the lawe is necessary to saluation and by this meanes they spoyle you
our Faith that we confesse Christ and his word by the power of the holy Ghost We ought not therfore to dout whether the holy Ghost dwelleth in vs or not but to be assuredly perswaded that we are the temple of the holy Ghost as Paule sayth For if any man feele in himselfe a loue towardes the word of God willingly heareth talketh wryteth thinketh of Christe let that man know that this is not the worke of mans will or reason but the gift of the holy Ghost For it is impossible that these things should be done without the holy Ghost Contrariwise where hatred and contempt of the word is there the Deuill the God of this world raigneth blinding mens heartes and holding them captiue that the Gospell the glory of Christe should not shine vnto them Which thing we see at this day in the most part of the commō people which haue no loue to the word but presumpteously contemne it as though it pertained nothing at all vnto them But who so euer doe feele any loue or desire to the word let them acknowledge with thākfulnes that this affection is powred into them by the holy Ghost For we are not borne with this affection and desire neither can we be taught by any lawes how we may obtaine it but this chaunge is plainly and simply the worke of the right hand of the most highest Therfore when we willingly and gladly heare the word preached concerning Christe the sonne of God who for vs was made mā and became subiect to the law to deliuer vs from the malediction of the law hell death damnation then let vs assure our selues that God by and with this preaching sendeth the holy Ghost into our hearts Wherfore it is very expedient for the Godly to know that they haue the holy Ghost This I say to confute that pernicious doctrine of the Papists which taught that no man can certainly know although his life be neuer so vpright blameles whether he be in the fauour of God or no. And this sentence commonly receaued was a speciall principle and article of Faith in the whole Papacie wherby they vtterly defaced the doctrine of Faith tormented mens consciences banished Christ quite out of the Church darkened and denied all the benefites of the holy Ghost abolished the whole worship of God set vp Idolatrie cōtempt of God and blasphemie against God in mens heartes For he that doubteth of Gods good will towards him and doth not assure him selfe that he is in the fauour of God this man can not beleue that he hath forgeuenes of his sinnes that God careth for him or that he shall be saued Augustine sayth very well and godly that euery man seeth most certainely his owne Faith if he haue Faith. This doe they deny God forbid say they that I should assure my selfe that I am vnder grace that I am holy and that I haue the holy Ghost yea although I liue godly and doe all good workes Ye which are yong and are not infected with this pernicious opinion whervpon the whole kingdom of the Pope is groūded take heede flie from it as from a most daungerous plague We that are old men haue ben trained vp in this errour euen from our youth and haue ben so nusled therein that it hath taken deepe roote in our hearts Therefore it is to vs no lesse labour to vnlearne and forget the same then to learne and lay hold vpon true Faith. But we must be assured out of dout that we are vnder grace that we please God for Christes sake and that we haue the holy Ghost For if any mā haue not the spirite of Christ the same is none of his Wherfore whether thou be a Minister of Gods word or a Magistrate in the common wealth thou must assuredly thinke that thy office pleaseth God but this canst thou neuer doe vnlesse thou haue the holy Ghost But thou wilt say I doubt not but that my office pleaseth God because it is Gods ordinaunce but I doubt of mine owne person whether it please God or no. Here thou must resort to the word of God which teacheth and assureth vs that not onely the office of the person but also the person it self pleaseth god For the person is baptised beleueth in Christ is purged in his bloud from all his sinnes liueth in the communion and felowship of his Church Moreouer he doth not onely loue the pure doctrine of the word but also he is glad and greatly reioyceth when he seeth it aduaunced and the nomber of the faithfull encreased Cōtrariwise he detesteth the Pope all Sectaries with their wicked doctrine according to that saying of the Psalme I hate them that imagine euill things but thy lavve doe I loue We ought therefore to be surely perswaded that not onely our office but also our person pleaseth God Yea whatsoeuer it sayth doth or thinketh particularly the same pleaseth God not for our owne sakes but for Christes sake who was made vnder the law for vs Now we are sure that Christe pleaseth God that he is holy c. For as much then as Christe pleaseth God and we are in him we also please God and are holy And although sinne doe still remaine in our flesh and we also daily fall and offend yet grace is more aboundant and stronger then sinne The mercy and truth of the Lord raigneth ouer vs for euer Wherfore sinne cā not terrifie vs and make vs doutfull of the grace of God which is in vs For Christe that most mighty Giaunt hath quite abolished the law condemned sinne vāquished death and all euils So long as he is at the right hand of God making intercession for vs we can not doubt of the grace and fauour of God towardes vs. Moreouer God hath also sent the spirite of his sonne into our hearts as Paule here sayth But Christe is most certaine in his spirite that he pleaseth god c therefore we also hauing the same spirite of Christe must be assured that we are vnder grace for his sake that is most assured This I haue sayd concerning the inward testimonie wherby a Christian mans heart ought to be fully perswaded that he is vnder grace hath the holy Ghost Now the outward signes as before I haue said are gladly to heare of Christ to preach teach Christ to render thanks vnto him to praise him to confesse him yea with the losse of goodes and life Moreouer to doe our duetie according to our vocatiō as we are able to do it I say in faith ioy c Not to delite in sinne nor to thrust our selues into an other mans vocation but to attend vpon our owne to helpe our needy brother to comfort the heauy harted c. By these signes as by certein effects cōsequēts we are fully assured confirmed that we are in Gods fauour The wicked also do imagine that they haue the same signes but they
the poynt of desperation for then are we that brused reede smoking flaxe which Esay speaketh of notwithstanding in the meane season the holy Ghost helpeth our infirmities maketh intercession for vs with vnspeakeable gronings certifieth our spirits that we are the children of god Thus the minde is raised vp in terrors it loketh vnto his Sauiour high Bishop Iesus Christ it ouercommeth the infirmitie of the flesh it conceaueth comfort againe and sayth Abba Father This groning which then we scantly feele Paule calleth a crying vnspeakeable groning which filleth both heauē and earth Moreouer he calleth it the crying and groning of the spirite because the holy Ghost stirreth vp the same in our heartes when we are weake and oppressed with terrour and tentation Although then the lawe sinne and the Deuill crie out against vs neuer so much with great and terrible rorings which seeme to fill heauen and earth farre to excede this groning of our heart yet can they not hurt vs For the more fiercely they assaile vs accuse and torment vs with their cryings so much the more doe we grone and in groning lay hold vpon Christ call vpon him with heart and mouth cleaue vnto him and beleue that he was made vnder the law that he might deliuer vs from the Curse of the lawe and destroy both sinne and death And thus when we haue taken hold of Christe by Faith we crie through him Abba Father And this our crie doth farre surmount the roring of the lawe sinne the Deuill c. But so farre of is it that we thinke this groning which we make in these terrours and in this our weaknes to be a cry that scarsely we perceaue it to be a groning For our Faith which in tentation thus groneth vnto Christ is very weake if we consider our owne sense and feeling And this is the cause that we heare not this crie We haue but onely the word which when we apprehend in this conflict we haue a litle breathing and then we grone Of this groning some litle feeling we haue but the crie we heare not But he sayeth Paule vvhich searcheth the heartes knovveth vvhat is the meaning of the spirite c. To this searcher of the hearts this small and feeble groning as it seemeth vnto vs is a loud and a mighty cry and an vnspeakeable groning in comparison whereof the great and horrible rorings of the law of sinne of death of the deuill and of hell are nothing neither can they be once heard Paule therfore not without cause calleth this groning of a godly afflicted heart a cry and a groning of the spirite which can not be expressed For it filleth the whole heauen so that the Angels thinke they heare nothing else but this crie But in vs there is a cleane contrary feling For it semeth vnto vs that this our small groning doth not so perce the cloudes that there is nothing else heard in heauen of God and his angels Nay we thinke and especially during the time of tentation that the Deuil horribly roreth against vs that the heauens thunder the earth trēbleth that all will fall vpon vs that all creatures threaten our destruction that hel is opē and ready to swallow vs vp This feling is in our heart these horrible voices and this fearfull shew we heare and we see And this is it that Paul sayth in the .2 Corrin 12 That the strength of Christ is made perfect through our vveaknes For then is Christ almighty in dede then doth he truly raigne and triumph in vs when we are so weake that we can scarsely grone But Paule sayth that this groning is in the eares of God a most mightie cry which filleth both heauen and earth Christ also in the .18 of Luke in the parable of the wicked iudge calleth this groning of a faithfull heart a cry yea such a cry as ceaseth not day night to cry vnto God where he sayth Heare vvhat the vnrighteous iudge sayth Novv shall not God auēge his elect vvhich cry day night vnto him yea though he suffer long for them yea I tel you he vvil auenge them quickly We at this day in so great persecution cōtradiction of the Pope of tyrānes Sectaries which fight against vs both on the right hand on the left can doe nothing else but vtter such gronings And these were our gunnes artillery wherw t we haue so many yeres scattered the coūsels and enterprises of our aduersaries wherby also we haue begon to ouerthrow the kingdom of Antichrist They also shall prouoke Christ to hasten the day of his glorious comming wherein he shall abolish all rule authoritie and power and shall put all his enemies vnder his feete So be it In the .14 of Exodus the Lord speaketh vnto Moises at the red sea saying VVhy criest thou vnto me Yet Moises cried not but trembled and almost despaired for he was in great trouble It seemed that infidelitie raigned in him and not Faith. For he saw the people of Israell so compassed and enclosed with the Egyptians host and with the sea that there was no way whereby they might escape Here Moises durst not once opē his mouth How thē did he crie We must not iudge therfore according to the feeling of our owne heart but according to the word of God which teacheth vs that the holy Ghost is geuen to those that are afflicted terrified ready to despaire to raise them vp to comfort them that they be not ouercome in their tentations afflictions but may ouercome them and yet not without great terrors and troubles The Papistes dreamed that holy men had the holy Ghost in such sort that they neuer had nor felt any tentation They spake of the holy Ghost onely by speculation and naked knowledge But Paule sayeth that the strength of Christe is made perfecte through our vveaknes Also that the spirite helpeth our infirmities and maketh intercession for vs vvith vnspeakeable gronings Therefore we haue then most neede of the helpe and comfort of the holy Ghost yea and then is he most ready to helpe vs when we are most weake and nerest to desperation If any man suffer affliction with a constant and a ioyfull heart then hath the holy Ghost done his office in him And in deede he exerciseth his worke specially and properly in those which haue suffered great terrours and afflictions and haue as the Psalme sayeth approched nigh to the gates of hel As I said of Moses which sawe present death in the waters and on euery side whether so euer he turned his face He was therefore in extreme anguish and desperation and no dout he felt in his heart a mightie crie of the Deuill against him saying All this people shall this day perish for they can escape no way And of this great calamitie thou onely shalt be found to be the authour
as their owne Bookes doe witnes wherof there is yet an infinite nomber Secondly that we may be fully certified that we haue the pure doctrine of the Gospell of which certaintie the Pope can not glory In whose kingdom though all things else were sound and vncorrupt yet this monstrous doctrine of douting of Gods grace and fauour passeth all other monsters And although it be manifest that the enemies of Christes Gospell teach vncertaine things because they commaund that mens consciences should remaine in dout yet notwithstanding they condemne and kill vs as heretikes because we dissent from them and teach those things which are certaine And this they doe with such deuillish rage and crueltie as if they were most assured of their doctrine Let vs therefore geue thankes vnto God that we are deliuered from this monstrous doctrine of douting and can now assure our selues that the holy Ghost crieth and bringeth forth in our heartes vnspeakeable gronings And this is our ankerhold and our foundation The Gospell commaundeth vs to behold not our owne good workes our owne perfection but God the promiser Christ the Mediatour Contrariwise the Pope commaundeth vs to looke not vnto God the promiser nor vnto Christ our high Bishop but vnto our works merites On the one side must nedes folow douting desperation but on that other side assurance of Gods fauour and ioy of the spirit For we cleaue vnto God who can not lie For he sayth Behold I deliuer my Sonne to death that through his bloud he may redeme thee from thy sinnes and from eternall death In this case I can not dout vnlesse I will vtterly deny god And this is the reason that our doctrine is most sure and certaine because it carieth vs out of our selues and from the consideration of our selues to the end that we should not leane to our owne strength to our owne conscience to our owne feeling our owne person and our owne workes but to that which is without vs that is to say the promise and truth of God which can not deceaue vs This the Pope knoweth not and therefore he wickedly imagineth that no man knoweth be he neuer so iust or so wise whether he be worthy of loue or of hatred But if he be iust and wise he knoweth assuredly that he is beloued of God or else he is neither iust nor wise Moreouer this sentence of Salomon speaketh nothing at all of the hatred or fauour of God towardes men but it is a morall sentēce reprouing the ingratitude of men For such is the peruersnes and ingratitude of the world that the better a man deserueth that lesse thāks he shall haue and oftentimes he that should be his most friend shall be his most enemie Contrariwise such as least deserue shall be most estemed So Dauid a holy man and a good King was cast out of his kingdom The Prophetes Christe and his Apostles were slaine To conclude the hystories of all nations witnes that many men well deseruing of their countrey were cast into banishment by their owne Citizens and there liued in great misery and some also shamefully perished in prison Wherefore Salomon in this place speaketh not of the conscience hauing to doe with God and of the fauour and iudgement of God but of the iudgementes and affections of men among them selues As though he would say There are many iust and wise men by whom God worketh much good and geueth peace and quietnes vnto men But so farre of are they from acknowledging the same that oftentimes they requite them againe very ilfauouredly for their well deseruings Therefore although a man doe all things neuer so well yet he knoweth not whether by this his diligence and faithfulnes he deserue the hatred or fauour of men So we at this day when we thought we should haue found fauour among our countreymen the Germains for that we preach vnto them the Gospell of peace life and eternall saluation in stede of fauour we haue found bitter and cruell hatred In deede at the first many were greatly delited with our doctrine and receaued it gladly We supposed that they would haue ben our friends and brethren and that with one consent together with vs they would haue planted and set forth this doctrine to others But now we finde that they are false brethern and our deadly enemies which sow and spread abrode errours false doctrine and that which we teach well and godly they peruert and ouerthrow stirring vp offences in the Churches Whosoeuer therefore doth his duety godly and faithfully in what kinde of life so euer he be and for his well doing receaueth nothing againe but the vnkindnes and hatred of men let him not vexe and torment him selfe therfore but let him say with Christe They hated me vvithout a cause Also For that they should haue loued me they sclaundered me but I did pray The Pope therefore with this deuillish doctrine whereby he commaunded men to dout of the fauour of God towards them tooke away God and all his promises out of the Church buried all the benefites of Christ abolished the whole Gospel These inconueniences do necessarily folow for men doe not leane to the promises of God but to their owne workes and merites Therefore they can not be assured of the good will of God towardes them but must needes dout therof and so at length despaire No man can vnderstand what Gods will is and what pleaseth him but in his word This word assureth vs that God cast away all anger and displeasure which he had conceaued against vs when he gaue his onely begotten sonne for our sinnes c. Wherefore let vs vtterly abandon this deuillish douting wherwith the whole Papacie was poysoned and let vs be fully assured that God is mercifull vnto vs that we please him that he hath a care ouer vs that we haue the holy Ghost which maketh intercession for vs with such crying and groning as can not be expressed Now this is the true crying and groning in deede when a man in tentation calleth vpon God not as a tyranne not as an angry iudge not as a tormēter but as a father although this groning be so soft so secrete that it can scantly be perceaued For in serious tentations and in the time of trial where the conscience wrastleth with the iudgement of God it is wont to call God not a Father but an vniust an angry and cruell tyranne and iudge And this crying which Satan stirreth vp in the heart farre passeth the cry of the spirite and is strongly felt For then it seemeth that God hath forsaken vs and will cast vs downe into hell So the faithful complaine oftētimes in the Psalmes I am cast from the presence of God. Also I am become as a broken vessel c. This is not in deede the groning that crieth Abba Father but the roring of Gods wrath which crieth strongly O cruell iudge O cruel
tormentour c. Here now it is time that thou turne away thine eyes from the law from works and from the sense and feling of thine owne conscience and lay hold by Faith of the promise that is to say of the word of grace life which raiseth vppe againe the conscience so that now it beginneth to grone and say Although the law accuse me sinne and death terrifie me neuer so much yet O my God thou promisest grace righteousnes and euerlasting life through Iesus Christ And so that promise bringeth a sighing a groning which crieth Abba Father Verse 7. VVherfore thou art no more a seruaunt but a sonne This is the shutting vppe and the conclusion of that which he said before As if he should say This being true that we haue receaued the spirite by the Gospell whereby we crie Abba Father then is this decree pronounced in heauen that there is now no bōdage any more but mere libertie and adoption And who bringeth this libertie verely this groning By what meanes The father offreth vnto me by his promise his grace and his fatherly fauour This remaineth then that I should receaue this grace And this is done when I againe with this groning doe crie and with a childly heart doe assent vnto this name Father Here then the Father the Sonne meete and the mariage is made vp without all pompe and solemnitie that is to saye nothing at all cometh betwene no lawe nor worke is here required For what should a man doe in these terrours and horrible darknes of tentations Here is nothing else but the father promising calling me his sonne by Christe who was made vnder the law c. and I receauing and answering by this groning saying Father Here then is no exacting nothing is required but only that childly groning that apprehendeth a sure hope and trust in tribulation and saith Thou promisest and callest me thy childe for Christes sake and I againe receaue this and call thee Father This is in deede to be made children simplie and without any workes But these things without experience and practise can not be vnderstand Paule in this place taketh this word Seruaunt otherwise then he did before in the .3 chapt where he sayeth There is neither bond not free c. Here he calleth him a Seruaūt of the law that is subiect to the law as he did a litle before VVe vvere in bōdage vnder the rudimēts of the vvorld Wherfore to be a Seruaūt in this place after Paule is to be giltie and captiue vnder the law vnder the wrath of God death to behold God not as a merciful Father but as a tormentour an enemie and a tyranne This is in deede to be kept in bondage Babilonicall captiuitie to be cruelly tormented therin For the law deliuereth not from sinne and death but reuealeth and encreaseth sinne engendreth wrath This bondage sayth Paule continueth no longer it oppresseth vs not nor maketh vs heauy any more c. Paule sayeth Thou shalt be no more a seruaunt But the sentence is more generall if we say there shall be no bondage in Christe any more but mere fredome and adoption For when Faith commeth that bondage ceaseth as he sayd before in the third Chapter Now if we by the spirite of Christe crying in our hearts Abba Father be no more seruaūts but children then it foloweth that we are not onely deliuered from the horrible monsters of the Pope and all the abominations of mens traditions but also from all the iurisdiction and power of the lawe of god Wherefore we ought in no wise to suffer the lawe to raigne in our conscience and much lesse the Pope with his vaine threatnings and terrours In deede he roreth mightely as a Lion Apoc. 10. and threatneth to all those that obey not his lawes the wrath and indignation of almighty God and of his blessed Apostles c. But here Paule armeth and comforteth vs against these rorings when he sayth Thou art no more a seruaunt but a sonne Take hold of this consolation by Faith and say O lawe thy tyrannie can haue no place in the throne where Christe my Lord sitteth there I can not heare thee much lesse doe I heare thy monsters O Antichriste for I am free and a sonne who must not be subiect to any bondage or seruile lawe Let not Moises therefore with his lawes much lesse the Pope ascend vppe into the bridechamber there to lie that is to say to raigne in the conscience which Christe hath deliuered from the lawe to the ende that it should not be subiect to any bondage Let the seruauntes abide with the Asse in the valley Let none but Isaac ascend vppe into the Mountaine with his father Abraham that is let the lawe haue dominion ouer the body and ouer the olde man let him be vnder the lawe and suffer the burden to be laide vpon him let him suffer him selfe to be exercised and vexed with the lawe let the lawe limite and prescribe vnto him what he ought to doe what he ought to suffer and how he ought to liue and to gouerne him selfe among men But let it not defile the bed in which Christe should rest and sleepe alone that is to say let it not trouble the cōscience For she alone ought to liue with Christe her Spouse in the kingdom of libertie and adoption If then sayth he by the spirite of Christ ye crie Abba Father then are ye in deede no longer seruaunts but free men sonnes Therfore ye are without the lawe without sinne without death that is to say ye are saued and ye are now quite deliuered frō all euils Wherfore the adoption bringeth with it the eternall kingdom and all that heauenly inheritaunce Now how inestimable the glory of this gift is mans heart is not able to conceaue and much lesse to vtter In the meane time we see this but darkely as it were a farre of We haue this litle groning and feeble Faith which onely resteth vpon the hearing and the sound of the voyce of Christe promising Therefore we must not measure this thing by reason or by our owne feeling but by the promise of god Now because he is infinite therefore his promise is also infinite although it seeme to be neuer so much enclosed in these narrow streites these anguishes I meane Wherfore there is nothing that can now accuse terrifie or binde the conscience any more For there is no more seruitude but adoption which not onely bringeth vnto vs libertie from the law sinne and death but also the inheritaunce of euerlasting life as foloweth Verse 7. Novv if thou be a sonne thou art also the heire of God thorough Christe For he that is a sonne must be also an heire for by his birth he is worthy to be an heire There is no worke or merite that bringeth to him the inheritance but his birth only And so in
triumphant With these trifeling and foolish fables they rent the Scriptures into so many and diuers senses that seely poore consciences could receaue no certaine doctrine of any thing But Paule sayeth here that the olde and earthly Ierusalem belongeth vnto Agar and that it is in bondage with her children and is vtterly abolished But the new and heauenly Ierusalem which is a Queene and a freewomā is appoynted of god in earth and not in heauen to be the mother of vs all of whom we haue bene engendred and yet daily are gendred Therefore it is necessary that this our mother should be in earth among men as also her generation is Notwithstanding she gendreth by the holy Ghost by the ministery of the word and sacraments and not in the flesh This I say to the ende that in this matter we should not be caried away with our cogitations into heauen but that we should know that Paule setteth the Ierusalem which is aboue against the earthly Ierusalem not locally but spiritually For there is a distinction betwene those things which are spirituall and those which are corporall or earthly The spirituall things are aboue the earthly are beneath So Ierusalem which is aboue is distinguished from the carnall and temporall Ierusalem which is beneath not locally as I haue sayd but spiritually For this spirituall Ierusalem which tooke her beginning in the corporall Ierusalem hath not any certaine place as hath the other in Iudea but it is dispersed thorow out the whole world and may be in Babylon in Turkie in Tartarie in Scythia in Iudea in Italie in Germanie in the Isles of the sea in the mountaines and valleis and in all places of the world where men dwel which haue the Gospel and beleue in Iesus Christ Wherfore Sara or Ierusalem our free mother is the Church it selfe the spouse of Christe of whom we all are gendred This mother gendreth free children without ceasing to the ende of the world as long as she exerciseth the Ministerie of the word that is to say as long as she preacheth and publisheth the Gospell for this is truely to gender Now she teacheth the Gospell after this maner to witte that we are deliuered from the Curse of the lawe from sinne death and all other euils through Iesus Christ not by the law neither by workes Therefore Ierusalem which is aboue that is to say the Church is not subiect to the law and works but she is free and a mother without the law sinne and death Now such a mother as she is such children she gendreth This allegorie teacheth very aptly that the Church should doe nothing else but preach and teach the Gospell truely and sincerely and by this meanes should gender children So we are all fathers and children one to an other For we are begotten one of an other I being begotten by other through the Gospell doe now beget other which shall also beget other hereafter and so this begetting shall endure to the ende of the world Now I speake of the generation not of Agar the bondmaid which gendreth her bondseruauntes by the lawe but of Sara the freewoman who gendreth heires without the law and without mans workes or endeuours For in that Isaac is heire and not Ismael albeit notwithstāding that both of them were the naturall sonnes of Abraham Isaac had the inheritaunce by the word of promise namely Sara thy vvife shall bring thee a sonne and thou shalt call his name Isaac This did Sara well vnderstand and therefore she sayeth Cast out the bondvvoman and her sonne And Paule also aledgeth these words afterwards Wherfore as Isaac hath the inheritance of his father onely by the promise and by his birth without the law and without works euen so we are borne through the Gospel of that freewomā Sara true heires of the promise She that is to say the church enstrueteth vs nourisheth vs and carieth vs in her wombe in her lappe and in her armes she formeth and fashioneth vs to the image of Christe vntill we grow vppe to a perfect man c. So all things are done by the ministerie of the word Wherefore the office of the freewoman is to gender children to God her husband without ceasing and without end that is to say such children as know that they are iustified by Faith and not by the lawe Verse 27. For it is vvrytten Reioyce thou barren that bearest no children breake forth and crie thou that trauailest not for the desolate haue many moe children then she vvhich hath an husband Paule aledgeth this place out of Esay the Prophet which is altogether allegoricall It is wrytten sayeth he that the mother of many children and she which hath an husband must be sicke and die and contrariwise that the barren she which hath no children must haue aboundance of children After the same maner Hanna singeth in her song out of that which Esay the Prophet tooke his Prophesie 1. Sam. 2. The bovve and the mightie men are broken and the vveake haue girded them selues vvith strength They that vvere full are hired forth for bread and the hungrie are no more hired so that the barren hath borne seuen and she that had many children is feeble A maruellous matter sayth he she that was frutefull shal be made barren and she that was barren frutefull Moreouer such as before were strong full rich glorious righteous and blessed shall become feeble hungrie poore ignominious sinners subiecte to death and damnation And contrariwise the feeble and hungrie c. shal be strong and satisfied c. The Apostle sheweth by this allegorie of the Prophet Esay the difference which is betwixt Agar and Sara that is to say betwixt the sinagoge and the church or betwixt the lawe and the Gospell The lawe being the husband of the frutefull woman that is to say of the sinagoge begetteth very many children For men of all ages not onely idiotes but also the wisest and best that is to say all mankinde except the children of the freewoman doe neither see nor know any other righteousnes then the righteousnes of the law much lesse doe they know any which is more excellent Wherefore they thinke them selues righteous if they folow the lawe and outwardly performe the workes thereof Now although these be frutefull haue many disciples and shine in the righteousnes and glorious workes of the lawe yet notwithstanding they be not free but bondseruauntes For they are the children of Agar which gendreth to bondage Nowe if they be seruauntes they can not be pertakers of the inheritance but shall be cast out of the house for seruauntes remaine not in the house for euer Yea they are already cast out of the kingdom of grace and libertie For he that beleueth not is iudged alreadie They remaine therefore vnder the malediction of the lawe vnder sinne and death vnder the power of the Deuill and vnder the wrath and iudgement of
the godly beforehand that they be not offended with those persecutions sectes and offences saying But as then he that vvas borne after the flesh c. As if he would say If we be the children of the promise and borne after the spirite we must surely loke to be persecuted of our brother which is borne after the flesh that is to say not only our enemies which are manifestly wicked shall persecute vs but also such as at the first were our deare frendes with whom we were familiarly conuersant in one house which receaued from vs the true doctrine of the Gospell shall become our deadly enemies and persecute vs extremely For they are brethren after the flesh and must persecute their brethern which are borne after the spirite So Christ in the .41 Psalme complaineth of Iudas The man of my peace vvhom I trusted vvhich did eate of my bread hath lifted vp the hele against me But this is our consolation that we haue not geuen any occasion to our Ismaelites to persecute vs The Papistes persecute vs because we teach the pure and sincere doctrine of the Gospel which if we would forsake they would persecute vs no more Moreouer if we would approue the pernicious heresies of the Sectaries they would praise vs But because we detest and abhorre the impietie both of the one and the other therefore doe they so spitefully hate and so cruelly persecute vs. But not onely Paule as I haue sayd armeth vs against such persecutions and offences but Christ himselfe also most sweetely comforteth vs in the .15 of Iohn saying if ye vvere of the vvorld the vvorld vvould loue you but because ye are not of the vvorld but I haue chosen you out of the vvorld therfore the vvorld hateth you As if he would say I am the cause of all these persecutions which ye endure and if ye be killed it is I for whose sake ye are killed For if ye did not preach my word and confesse me the world would not persecute you But it goeth well with you For the seruaunt is not greater then his master If they haue persecuted me they vvill also persecute you for my names sake By these wordes Christe layeth all the fault vpon himselfe and deliuereth vs from all feare As if he would say Ye are not the cause why the world hateth persecuteth you but my name which ye preach and confesse is the cause thereof But be of good comfort I haue ouercome the vvorld This comfort vpholdeth vs so that we dout nothing but that Christe is strong enough not onely to beare but also to vanquish all the crueltie of tyrannes and the subtill sleightes of heretikes And this he hath declared in shewing forth his power against the Iewes and Romaines whose tyrannie and persecutions he suffered for a time He also suffered the subtelties and craftie practises of heretikes but in time and place he ouerthrew them all and remained King and conquerour Let the Papistes then rage as much as they will let the Sectaries sclaunder and corrupt the Gospell of Christe as much as they can notwithstanding Christe shall raigne eternally and his word shall stand for euer when all his enemies shal be brought to nought Moreouer this is a singular consolation that the persecution of Ismael against Isaac shall not alwayes continue but shall endure for a litle while and when that is ended the sentence shall be pronounced as foloweth Verse 30. But vvhat sayeth the Scripture Cast out the seruaunt and her sonne For the sonne of the seruaunt shall not be heire vvith the sonne of the freevvoman This word of Sara was very greeuous to Abraham and no doubt when he heard this sentence his fatherly bowels were moued with compassion towards his sonne Ismael for he was borne of his flesh And this the Scripture plainly witnesseth Genes 21. when it sayeth And this thing vvas very greeuous in Abrahams sight because of his sonne But God confirmed the sentence which Sara pronounced saying to Abraham Let it not be greeuous in thy sight for the childe and for thy bondvvoman In all that Sara shall say vnto thee heare her voice For in Isaac shall thy Seede be called The Ismaelites heare in this place the sentence pronounced against them which ouerthroweth the Iewes Grecians Romanes and all such other as persecute the Church of Christe The selfe same sentence also shall ouerthrowe the Papistes and as many as trust in their owne workes which at this day boast them selues to be the people of God and the Church which also trust that they shall surely receaue the inheritance and iudge vs which rest vppon the promise of God not onely to be barren and forsaken but also heretikes cast out of the Church and that it is impossible that we should be sonnes and heyres But God ouerthroweth theyr iudgement and pronounceth this sentence against them that because they are the children of the bondwoman and persecute the children of the freewoman therefore they shall be cast out of the house and shall haue no inheritaunce with the children of promise to whom onely the inheritaunce belongeth because they are the children of the freewoman This sentence is ratified and can neuer be reuoked wherefore it shall assuredly come to passe that our Ismaelites shall not onely lose the Ecclesiasticall and politike gouernment which now they haue but also euerlasting life For the Scripture hath foretold that the children of the bondwoman shall be cast out of the house that is to say out of the kingdom of grace for they can not be heires together with the children of the freewoman Now here is to be noted that the holy Ghost calleth the people of the lawe and workes as it were in contempt the childe of the bondwoman As if he sayd Why doe ye vaunt of the righteousnes of the lawe and workes and why doe ye glory that ye are the people and children of God for the same If ye know not of whom ye are borne I will tell you Ye are borne bondseruauntes of a bond-woman And what seruauntes The bondseruauntes of the lawe and consequently of sinne of death and of euerlasting damnation Now a seruaunt is no inheritour but is cast out of the house Wherfore the Pope with all his kingdom and all other Iusticiaries what outward appearance of holines so euer they haue which hope to obtaine grace and saluation by the lawe are seruauntes of that bond-woman and haue no inheritaunce with the children of the freewoman I speake now not of the Popes Cardinals Bishops Monks that were manifestly wicked who haue made their bellies theyr God and haue committed such horrible sinnes as I will not willingly name but of the best of them such I meane as liued holily and went about through great labour and trauaile by keeping of theyr Monkish order to pacifie the wrath of God and to merite remission of their sinnes and
of tentation experiēce and practise to applie them to him selfe and to feele the excellencie of this libertie and the frute thereof it is a harder matter then can be expressed Therfore our conscience must be enstructed and prepared before hand that when we feele the accusation of the lawe the terrours of sinne the horrour of death and the wrath of God we may remoue these heauie sightes and fearfull fantasies out of our mindes and set in the place thereof the freedome purchased by Christ the forgeuenes of sinnes righteousnes life and the euerlasting mercy of god And albeit the feeling of the contrary be very strong yet let vs assure our selues that it shall not long endure according to that saying of the Prophet For a moment in mine anger I hidde my face from thee for a litle season but vvith euerlasting mercy I haue compassion on thee But this is very hard to doe Wherefore that libertie which Christ hath purchased for vs is not so soone beleued as it is named If it could be apprehended with a sure and a stedfast Faith then no rage or terrour of the word of the law sinne death or the Deuill could be so great but by by it should be swalowed vp as a litle drop of water is swallowed of the maine sea And certainly this Christian libertie swalloweth vp at once taketh quite away the whole heape of euils the law sinne death Gods wrath and briefly the serpent him selfe with his head and whole power and in the stead therof it placeth righteousnes peace euerlasting life c. But blessed is he that vnderstandeth and beleueth Let vs learne therefore to magnifie this our libertie purchased by Iesus Christe the sonne of God by whom all things were created both in heauen and earth Which libertie he hath purchased with no other price then with his owne bloud to deliuer vs not from any bodely or temporall seruitude but from a spirituall and euerlasting bondage vnder mighty and inuincible tyrannes to witte the lawe sinne death and the Deuil and so to reconcile vs vnto God his father Now since these enemies are ouercome and we reconciled vnto God by the death of his sonne it is certaine that we are righteous before God and that what so euer we doe pleaseth him And although there be certaine remnantes of sinne yet still in vs they are not laid to our charge but pardoned for Christes sake Paule vseth wordes of great force and vehemencie Stand sayth he in that libertie vvherin Christe hath made you free This libertie then is not geuen vnto vs by the law or for our righteousnes but freely for Christes sake Which thing Paule here witnesseth and plainly declareth thorow out his whole Epistle Christe also in the .8 of Iohn sayth If the sonne shall make you free there shall ye be free in deede He onely is sette betwixt vs and the euils which trouble and afflict vs he hath ouercome them and taken them away so that they cā no more oppresse vs nor condemne vs In the sted of sinne and death he geueth vnto vs righteousnes and euerlasting life and by this meanes he chaūgeth the bondage and terrours of the law into the liberty of cōscience and consolation of the Gospel which sayeth Be of good comfort my sonne thy sinnes are forgeuen thee Whosoeuer then beleueth in Christ the sonne of God he hath this libertie Reason can not perceaue the excellencie of this matter which when a man considereth in spirite he shall see that it is inestimable For who is able to conceaue in his minde how great and vnspeakable a gift it is to haue the forgeuenes of sinnes righteousnes euerlasting life in the sted of the law sinne death and the wrath of God to haue God him selfe fauourable and merciful for euer The Papists and the hypocrites that seeke the righteousnes of the lawe or their owne righteousnes doe glory that they likewise haue remission of sinnes righteousnes life and the grace of god For they vaunt that they also haue this libertie and they promise the same vnto others but in very deede they are the seruauntes of corruption and in the time of tentation all their vaine confidence vanisheth away euen in a moment For they trust vnto the workes and satisfactions of men and not to the word of God nor vnto Christe Wherefore it is impossible for the Iusticiaries which seeke to winne heauen life and saluation by workes and merites to know what the libertie and deliuerance from sinne is Contrariwise our libertie hath for her foundation Christe him selfe who is our euerlasting high Bishop sitting at the right hand of God making intercessiō for vs Wherfore the forgeuenes of sinnes righteousnes life libertie which we haue through him is sure certaine perpetual so that we beleue this Wherefore if we cleaue vnto Christ with a stedfast Faith and stand fast in that libertie wherein he hath made vs free we shall obtaine those inestimable gifts but if we be carelesse and negligent we shall lose them It is not without cause that Paule biddeth vs watch and stand fast for he knew that the Deuil seeketh nothing more then to spoile vs of this libertie which cost Christe so great a price and to entāgle vs againe by his ministers in the yoke of bondage as foloweth Verse 1. And be not entangled againe vvith the yoke of bondage Paule hath spoken most effectually and profoundly as concerning grace and Christian libertie and with high and mighty wordes hath exhorted the Galathians to continue in the same for it is easily lost Therefore he biddeth them stand fast lest that through negligence or securitie they fall backe againe from grace and Faith to the law and workes Now because reason iudgeth that there can be no daunger in preferring the righteousnes of the law before the righteousnes of Faith therefore with a certaine indignation he enueyeth against the lawe and with great contempt he calleth it a yoke yea a yoke of bondage So Peter calleth it also Acts. 15 VVhy tempt ye God to lay a yoke on the disciples neckes vvhich neither our fathers nor vve vvere able to beare And thus he turneth all things to the contrary For the false Apostles did abase the promise and magnified the law and the works thereof in this wise If ye will be made free say they from sinne and death and obtaine righteousnes and life fulfil the law be circumcised obserue dayes moneths times and yeres offer sacrifices and doe such other like things then shall this obedience of the law iustifie and saue you But Paule sayth the contrary They sayth he that teach the law after this sort do not set mens consciences at libertie but snare and entangle them with a yoke yea and that with a yoke of bondage He speaketh therfore of the law very basely and contemptuously and calleth it an hard bondage and a seruile yoke
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
strength And what toūge can expresse or what heart can conceaue how horrible a thing it is to make Christ vnprofitable Therefore the Apostle casteth out these wordes with great displeasure and indignation If ye be circumcised Christ shall profite you nothing that is to say no profite shall redound vnto you of all his benefites but he hath bestowed them all vppon you in vaine Hereby it appeareth sufficiently that nothing vnder the sonne is more hurtfull then the doctrine of mens traditions and workes for they vtterly abolish and ouerthrow at once the truth of the Gospell Faith the true worshipping of God and Christe him selfe in whom the father hath ordained all things Colossians 2. In Christe are hid all the treasures of vvisedom and knovvledge In him dvvelleth the fulnes of the Godhead bodely Wherefore all they that are either authors or maintainers of the doctrine of workes are oppressours of the Gospell they make the death and victorie of Christ vnprofitable they blemish and deface his Sacramentes and vtterly take away the true vse thereof and briefly they are blasphemers enemies and deniers of God and of all his promises and benefites Who so is not moued with these wordes of Paule which calleth the lawe a yoke of bondage and sayth that they which affirme the keeping of circumcision to be necessary to saluation make Christ vnprofitable and can not be driuen from the lawe and circumcision nor yet from the confidence which he hath in his owne righteousnes and workes nor be stirred vp to seeke that libertie which is in Christe his heart is harder then stone and iron This is therfore a most certaine and cleare sentence that Christ is vnprofitable that is to say he is borne crucified and risen againe in vaine to him that is circumcised that is which putteth his trust in circumcision For as I haue sayd before Paule speaketh not here of the worke of circumcision which hurteth not him that hath no affiance or opinion of righteousnes in it but of the vse of the worke that is to say of the confidence and righteousnes that is annexed to the worke For we must vnderstand Paule according to the matter wherof he intreateth or according to the argument which he hath in hand which is that mē be not iustified by the lawe by works by circumcision or such like He sayth not that workes of them selues are nothing but the confidence righteousnes of workes are nothing for that maketh Christe vnprofitable Therfore who so receaueth circumcision with this opinion that it is necessary to iustification to him Christ auaileth nothing Let vs beare this well in minde in our priuate tentations when the Deuill accuseth and terrifieth our conscience to driue it to desperation For he is the father of lying and the enemie of Christian liberty therfore he tormenteth vs euery moment with false feares that when our conscience hath lost this Christian libertie it should feele the remorse of sinne and condenmation and alwayes remaine in auguish and terrour When that great dragon I say that old serpent the Deuill who deceaueth the whole world and accuseth our brethern in the presence of God day and night Apoc. 12. commeth and layeth vnto thy charge that thou hast not onely done no good but hast also transgressed the law of God say vnto him Thou troublest me with the remembrance of my sinnes past Thou puttest me also in minde that I haue done no good But this is nothing to me for if either I trusted in mine own good dedes or distrusted because I haue done none Christ should both waies profite me nothing at all Therfore whether thou lay my sinnes before me or my good workes I passe not but remouing both farre out of my sight I onely rest in that libertie wherein Christ hath made me free I know him to be profitable vnto me therfore I will not make him vnprofitable which I should doe if either I should presume to purchase my selfe fauour and euerlasting life by my good deedes or should despaire of my saluation because of my sinnes Wherefore let vs learne with all diligence to separate Christe farre from all works as well good as euil from all lawes both of God and man and from all troubled consciences for with all these Christe hath nothing to doe He hath to doe I graunt with afflicted consciences howbeit not to afflict them more but to raise them vp and in their affliction to comfort them Therfore if Christe appeare in the likenes of an angry iudge or of a lawmaker that requireth a strait accompt of our life past then let vs assure our selues that it is not Christ but a raging feende For the Scripture painteth out Christ to be our reconciliation our aduocate and our comforter Such a one he is and euer shal be he can not be vnlike himselfe Therfore whensoeuer the Deuil trāsforming himself into the likenes Christ disputeth with vs after this maner This thou oughtest being admonished by my word to haue done and hast not done it and this thou oughtest not to haue done and hast done it know thou therefore that I will take vengeance on thee c. lette this nothing at all moue vs but by and by let vs thus thinke with our selues Christ speaketh not to poore afflicted and despairing consciences after this maner He addeth not affliction to the afflicted He breaketh not the brused reede neither quencheth he the smoking flaxe In deede to the hard hearted he speaketh sharply but such as are terrified and afflicted he most louingly and comfortably allureth vnto him saying Come vnto me all ye that trauell and be heauie laden and I vvill refresh you I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Be of good cōfort my sonne thy sinnes are forgeuen thee Be not afraide haue ouercome the vvorld The sonne of man came to seeke out and saue that vvhich vvas lost We must take good heede therefore lest that we being deceaued by the wonderfull sleights infinite subtelties of Satan doe receaue an accuser and condemner in the sted of a comforter and Sauiour and so vnder the vizour of a false Christ that is to say of the Deuill we lose the true Christ and make him vnprofitable vnto vs This much haue we sayd as touching priuate and particuler tentations and how we should vse our selues therin Verse 3. For I testifie againe vnto euery man vvhich is circumcised that he is bound to kepe the vvhole lavve The first inconuenience is in deede very great where Paule sayth that Christe profiteth them nothing which are circumcised and this that foloweth is nothing lesse where he fayth that they which are circumcised are bound to keepe the whole law He speaketh these words with such earnestnes that he confirmeth them with an oth I testifie that is to say I sweare by the liuing god But these wordes may be expounded two wayes negatiuely and affirmatiuely Negatiuely after
I say All the lawe is fully comprehended in this one saying Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe God deliteth not in the obseruation of the ceremonies of the lawe neither hath he any neede of them The onely thing that he requireth at your hands is this that ye beleue in Christ whom he hath sent in whom ye are made perfect and haue all things But if vnto Faith which is the most acceptable seruice of God ye will also adde lawes then assure your selues that all lawes are comprehended in this short commaundement Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Endeuour your selues to keepe this commaundement which being kept ye haue fulfilled all lawes Paule is a very good expounder of Gods commaundementes For he draweth all Moises into a briefe summe shewing that nothing else is cōtained in all his lawes which are in a maner infinite but this short sentence Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Naturall reason is offended with this basenes and shortnes of wordes for it is soone sayd Beleue in Christ And againe Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Therefore it despiseth both the doctrine of Faith and true good works notwithstanding this base vile word of faith as reason taketh it Beleue in Christ is the power of God to the faithfull whereby they ouercome sinne death the Deuill c. wherby also they attaine saluation eternall life Thus to serue one an other through loue that is to instruct him that goeth astray to comfort him that is afflicted to raise vppe him that is weake to helpe thy neighbour by all meanes possible to beare with his infirmities to endure troubles labours ingratitude contempt in the Church in ciuile life conuersation to obey the Magistrate to geue due honour to thy parentes to be patient at home with a froward wife and an vnruely familie c these I say are workes which reason iudgeth to be of no valew But beleue me they are such workes that the whole world is not able to comprehend the excellencie and worthines thereof for it doth not measure workes or any other thing by the word of God but by the iudgement of wicked blinde and foolish reason Yea it knoweth not the valew of any one of the least good works that can be which are true good works in deede Therfore when men dreame that they well vnderstand the commaundement of charitie they are vtterly deceaued In deede they haue it wrytten in their heart for they naturally iudge that a man ought to doe vnto an other as he would an other should do vnto him But it foloweth not therefore that they vnderstand it For if they did they would also performe it in deede and would preferre loue and charitie before all their workes They would not so highly esteme their owne superstitious toyes as to goe with an heauie countenaunce hanging downe the head to be vnmarried to liue with bread and water to dwell in the wildernes to be poorely apparelled c. These monstrous and superstitious workes which they haue deuised and chosen vnto themselues God neither commaunding nor approuing the same they esteme to be so holy and so excellent that they surmount and darken charitie which is as it were the Sunne of all good works So great and incomprehēsible is the blindnes of mans reason that it is vnable not onely to iudge rightly of the doctrine of Faith but also of external conuersation and workes Wherfore we must fight strongly as well against the opinions of our owne heart to the which we are naturally more enclined in the matter of saluation then to the word of God as also against the counterfet visour holy shew of our owne wilworkes that so we may learne to magnifie the workes which euery man doth in his vocation although they seeme outwardly neuer so base and contemptible if they haue the warrant of Gods worde and contrariwise to despise those workes which reason chooseth without the commaundement of God seeme they neuer so excellent and holy Of this commaundement I haue largely entreated in an other place and therfore I will now but lightly ouerrunne it In deede this is briefly spoken Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe but yet very aptly and to that purpose No man can geue a more certaine a better or a nearer example then a mans owne selfe Therfore if thou wouldest know how thy neighbour ought to be loued and wouldest haue a plaine example therof consider well how thou louest thy selfe If thou shouldest be in necessitie or daunger thou wouldest be glad to haue the loue and frendship of all men to be holpen with the counsell the goods and the strength of all men of all creatures Wherfore thou hast no neede of any booke to instruct and to admonish thee how thou oughtest to loue thy neighbour for thou hast an excellent booke of all lawes euen in thy heart Thou needest no Scholemaster in this matter aske counsell onely of thine owne heart and that shall teach thee sufficiently that thou oughtest to loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Moreouer loue or charitie is an excellent vertue which not onely maketh a man willing and ready to serue his neighbour with tounge with hand with money and worldly goods but with his body and euen with his life also And thus to doe it is not prouoked by good desertes or any thing else neither is it hindred through euill desertes or ingratitude The mother doth therefore nourish and cherish her child because she loueth it Now my neighbour is euery man specially which hath neede of my helpe as Christ expoundeth it in the .10 chapt of Luke Who although he hath done me some wrong or hurt me by any maner of way yet notwithstanding he hath not put of the nature of man or ceased to be flesh and bloud the creature of God most like vnto my selfe briefly he ceaseth not to be my neighbour As long then as the nature of man remaineth in him so long also remaineth the commaundement of loue which requireth at my hād that I should not despise mine own flesh nor render euill for euill but ouercome euill with good or else shall loue neuer be as Paule describeth it .1 Cor. 13. Paule therefore commendeth charitie to the Galathians and to all the faithfull for they onely loue in deede and exhorteth them that through charitie one of them should serue an other As if he would say Ye neede not to burden your selues with circumcision and with the ceremonies of Moises law but aboue all things continue in the doctrine of faith which ye haue receaued of me Afterwards if ye will doe good workes I will in one word shew you the chiefest and greatest works and how ye shall fulfill all lawes Serue ye one an other through loue Ye shall not lacke them to whom ye may doe good for the world is ful of such as neede the helpe of others
waked and stirred vppe to Faith and to call vppon Christe And by this occasion a Christian becommeth a mighty workman and a wonderful creatour which of heauines can make ioy of terrour comfort of sinne righteousnes and of death life when he by this meanes repressing and brideling the flesh maketh it subiect to the spirite Wherfore let not them which feele the lust of the flesh despaire of their saluation Lette them feele it and all the force thereof so that they consent not to it Lette the passions of lust wrath and such other vices shake them so that they doe not ouerthrow them Let sinne assaile them so that they doe not accōplish it Yea the more godly a man is the more doth he feele that battaile And hereof come those lamentable complaintes of the faithfull in the Psalmes and in the whole Scripture Of this battaile the Heremites the Monkes and the Schoolemen and all that seeke righteousnes and saluation by workes know nothing at all But here may some man say that it is a daungerous matter to teach that a man is not condemned if by and by he ouercome not the motions and passions of the flesh which he feeleth For when this doctrine is taught amongst the common people it maketh them carelesse negligent and slouthfull This is it which I sayd a little before that if we teach Faith then carnall men neglect and reiecte workes If works be required then is Faith and consolation of conscience lost Here no man can be compelled neither can there be any certaine rule prescribed But lette euery man diligently trie him selfe to what passion of the flesh he is most subiect and when he findeth that lette him not be carelesse nor flatter him selfe but lette him watch and wrastle in spirite against it that if he can not altogether bridle it yet at the least he doe not fulfill the lust therof This battell of the flesh against the spirit all the children of God haue had and felt And the selfe same doe we also feele and proue He that searcheth his owne cōscience if he be not an hypocrite shall well perceaue that to be true in him selfe which Paule here saith that the flesh lusteth against the spirit All the faithfull therfore do feele and confesse that their flesh resisteth against the spirit and that these two are so contrarye the one to the other in themselues that doe what they can they are not able to performe that which they woulde doe Therefore the fleshe hindreth vs the we cannot keepe the commaundementes of God that we can not loue our neighbours as our selues much lesse can we loue God with all our heart Therefore it is impossible for vs to become righteous by the works of the law In deede there is a good will in vs and so must there be for it is the spirit it self which resisteth the flesh which would gladly doe good fulfill the lawe loue God and his neighbour and such like but the flesh obeyeth not this good will but resisteth it and yet God imputeth not vnto vs this sinne For he is mercifull to those that beleue for Christes sake But it foloweth not therefore that thou shouldest make a light matter of sinne because God doth not impute it True it is that he doth not impute it But to whom and for what cause To such as repent and lay hold by Faith vppon Christe the Mercyseat for whose sake as all their sinnes are forgeuen them euen so that remnants of sinne which are in them be not imputed vnto them They make not their sinne lesse thē it is but amplifie it set it out as it is in dede for they know that it can not be put away by satisfactions works or righteousnes but only by the death of Christe And yet notwithstanding the greatnes and enormitie of their sinne doth not cause them to despaire but they assure thēselues that the same shall not be imputed vnto them or laid vnto their charge This I say lest any man shoulde thinke that after faith is receaued there is litle accoūt to be made of sinne Sinne is truely sinne whether a man commit it before he hath receaued the knowledge of Christe or after And God alwayes hateth sinne yea all sinne is damnable as touchinge the facte it selfe But in that it is not damnable to him that beleueth it commeth of Christe who by his death hath taken away sinne But to him that beleueth not in Christe not onely all his sinnes are damnable but euen his good workes also are sinne according to that saying VVhatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne Therefore the errour of the Scholemen is moste pernicious which do distinguish sinnes according to the fact and not according to the person He that beleueth hath as great sinne as the vnbeleuer But to him that beleueth it is forgeuen and not imputed To the vnbeleuer it is not pardoned but imputed To the beleuer it is veniall to the vnbeleuer it is mortall and damnable Not for any difference of sinnes or because the sinne of the beleuer is lesse and the sinne of the vnbeleuer greater but for the difference of the persons For the faithfull assureth him selfe by Faith that his sinne is forgeuen him for as much as Christe hath geuen him selfe for it Therfore although he haue sinne in him and daily sinneth yet he continueth godly but contrariwise the vnbeleuer continueth wicked And this is the true wisedome and consolation of the godly that although they haue and commit sinnes yet they know that for Christes sake they are not imputed vnto them This I say for the comfort of the godly For they onely feele in deede that they haue and doe commit sinnes that is to say they feele that they doe not loue God so feruently as they should doe that they doe not beleue him so hartely as they would but rather they oftētimes dout whether God haue a care of them or no they are impatient and are angrie with God in aduersitie Hereof as I haue sayd proceede the sorowfull complaintes of the faithfull in the scriptures and specially in the Psalmes And Paule him selfe complaineth that he is solde vnder sinne And here he saith that the flesh resisteth rebelleth against the spirit But because they mortifie the deedes of that flesh by the spirite as he sayth in an other place also in the ende of this chapiter They crucifie the flesh vvith the desires and lustes thereof therefore these sinnes doe not hurt them nor condemne them But if they obey the flesh in fulfilling the lustes thereof then doe they lose Faith and the holy Ghost And if they doe not abhorre their sinne and returne vnto Christ who hath geuen power to his church to receaue and raise vppe those that be falne that so they may recouer Faith and the holy Ghost they die in their sinnes Wherefore we speake not of them which dreame that they haue Faith and
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
that is endued but with the common iudgement of reason may perceaue And although this nourishing is but a corporall thing yet notwithstanding he calleth it a sowing in the spirit Cōtrariwise when men greedely scrape together what they can seke only their owne gaine he calleth it a sowing in the flesh He pronoūceth those which sowe in the spirite to be blessed both in this life and in the life to come and the other which sowe in the flesh to be accursed both in this life and in the life to come Verse 9. And let vs not be vveery of doing good for in due time vve shall reape vvithout vveerines The apostle intēding to close vp his Epistle passeth from the particular to the generall and exhorteth generally to all good workes As if he should say let vs be liberall and bountefull not onely towardes the Ministers of the word but also towardes all other men and that without weerines For it is an easie matter for a man to doe good once or twice but to continue and not to be diseouraged through the ingratitude and peruersenes of those to whom he hath done good that is very hard Therfore he doth not onely exhort vs to doe good but also not to be weery in doing good And to perswade vs the more easily thervnto he addeth For in due time vve shall reape vvithout vveerines As if he sayd wait and looke for the perpetuall haruest that is to come and then shall no ingratitude or peruerse dealing of men be able to plucke you away from well doing For in the haruest time ye shall receaue most plentifull encrease and frute of your seede Thus with most swete words he exhorteth the faithfull to the doing of good workes Verse 10. Therefore vvhile vve haue time let vs doe good vnto all men but specially to those that be of the household of Faith. This is the knitting vp of his exhortation for the liberall maintaining and nourishing of the Ministers of the word geuing of almes to all such as haue neede As if he had sayd Let vs doe good while it is day for when night cometh we can no lōger worke In deede men worke many things when the light of the truth is taken away but all in vaine for they walke in darkenes and wotte not whether they goe and therfore all their life workes sufferings and death are in vaine And by these wordes he toucheth the Galathians As if he should say Except ye continue in the sound doctrine which ye haue receaued of me your working of much good your suffering of many troubles and such other things profite you nothing as he sayd before in the .3 chapter Haue ye suffered so many things in vaine And by a new kinde of speech he termeth those the houshold of Faith which are ioyned with vs in the felowship of Faith among whom the Ministers of the word are the chiefest and then all the rest of the faithfull Verse 11. Behold vvhat a letter I haue vvrytten to you vvith mine ovvne hand He closeth vppe his Epistle with an exhortation to the faithfull and with a sharpe rebuke or inuectiue against the false apostles Behold sayth he vvhat a letter I haue vvryttē vnto you vvith mine ovvn hand This he sayeth to moue them and to shew his motherly affection towardes them As if he should say I neuer wrote so long an Epistle with mine owne hand to any other church as I haue done vnto you For as for his other Epistles as he spake other wrote them afterwardes he subscribed his salutation name with his owne hād as it is to be seene in the end of his Epistles And in these words as I suppose he hath respect to the length of the Epistle Other some take it otherwise Verse 12. As many as desire to please in the flesh compell you to be circumcised onely because they vvould not suffer the persecution of the crosse of Christ Before he cursed the false apostles Now as it were repeating that same thing againe but with other words he accuseth them very sharply to the ende he may feare and turne away the Galathians from their doctrine notwithstanding the great authority which they seemed to haue The teachers which ye haue sayeth he are such as first regard not the glory of Christe and the saluation of your soules but onely seeke their owne glory secondly they flie the crosse thirdly they vnderstād not those things which they teach These false teachers being accused of the Apostle for three such execrable enormities were worthy to be auoided of all men But yet all the Galathians obeyed not this warning of Paule And Paule doth the false apostles no wrong when he so vehemently inueyeth against them but he iustly condemneth them by his Apostolike authority In like maner when we call the Pope Antichriste his bishops and his shauelings a cursed generation we sclaunder them not but by Gods authoritie we iudge them to be accursed according to that which is sayd in the first Chapter If vve or an angell from heauen preach othervvise then vve haue preached vnto you accursed be he For they hate persecute and ouerthrow the doctrine of Christ Your teachers sayth he are vaine heads and not regarding the glory of Christ and your saluation they seeke onely their owne glory Againe because they are afraid of the crosse they preach circumcision and the righteousnes of the flesh lest they should prouoke the Iewes to hate and persecute them Wherfore although ye heare them neuer so gladly and neuer so long yet shall ye heare but such as make theyr belly their God seeke their owne glory and shunne the crosse And here is to be noted a certaine vehemencie in this word compell For circumcision is nothing of it selfe but to be compelled to circumcision and when a man hath receaued it to put righteousnes and holines therein and if it be not receaued to make it a sinne that is an iniurie vnto Christ Of this matter I haue spoken largely enough heretofore Verse 13. For they them selues that are circumcised doe not keepe the lavv but they vvould haue you circumcised that they might glory in your flesh Is not Paule here worthy to be called an heretike For he sayth that not onely the false apostles but all the nation of the Iewes which were circumcised keepe not the law but rather that they which were circumcised in fulfilling the lawe fulfill it not This is against Moises who sayeth that to be circumcised is to keepe the lawe and not to be circumcised is to make the couenaunt voide Gen. 17. And the Iewes were circumcised for none other cause but to keepe the lawe which commaunded that euery malechild should be circumcised the eight day Hereof we haue before entreated at large and therfore we neede not now to repeate the same againe Now these things serue to the condemning of the false apostles that the Galathiās may
the lavve VVho make Christ a minister of sinne The Gospell vvhat it is Commaundements in the Gospell vvhat they are The lavve is the ministery of sinne vvrath and death The Conscience thus gathereth Thou hast sinned therfore thou art giltie of euerlasting death A picture of Christ Deut 34. The lavve Christe Christ hath taken avvay all euils and hath brought vnto vs all good things VVhat Paule had destroyed by the ministery of the Gospell Moses geueth place to christ and the lavve to the gospel The Papistes are destroyers of the kingdome of Christ The difference of the lavve and the Gospell diligently to be marked Hovv the Monkes vvere vvont to coÌ„fort condemned Persons at the time of their death The maner of Popish confessions Faith vvithout vvorkes Paules maner of speach vnknovvne to mans reason Paule calleth grace the lavv Phrases of speach onely proper to the scripture The lavve against the lavv Psal. 68.19 Ephes 4.8 Hos 13.14 1. Cor. 15.55 Death against death Paules heresy He that is dead to the lavve liueth to God. The doctrine of the papists A speciall principle amongst the diuines That the lavv is abrogated Christ free froÌ„ the graue I am dead to the lavv VVhat it is to die to the lavve The flesh is subiect to the lavve but not to the conscience The coÌ„science ansvvering to the accusatioÌ„ of the lavve To liue vnto God. VVho is a Christian 1. Cor. â— 21 Death against death The lavve maketh vs not righteous but faith onely The very poynt of all this matter Coloss 2.15 In the matter of iustificatioÌ„ there is nothing for vs to doe but to heare vvhat Christ hath done for vs to apprehend the same by faith Good vvorks This sentence vvell vnderstand in the time of trouble maketh a man strong against all tentations A speeche or Dialoge betvvene the lavv and conscience The lavve of libertie A consolation against the terrours of the lavv c. The binding lavv through Christ is bouÌ„d it selfe Sinne condeÌ„ned and condemning Death killed and death killing As Satan is to others ouer vvhoÌ„ he hath dominion so is Christ to Sathan vvhom he holdeth bouÌ„d that he can not hurt vs farther theÌ„ he geueth him leaue 1. Iohn 5.4.5 VVhy Paule calleth grace the lavve The lavve bound and condemned cannot accuse vs. A holy pride Hovv he calleth libertie the lavv The lavv of grace binding the lavv of the ten commauÌ„dements Death killed by death that is the death vvhich vvas due to me is killed by Christes death The svveete and comfortable names of Christ Christ a poyson against death The lavv of the mind sette against the lavv of the members A most ioyfull combat The flesh subiect to the lavv but not the conscience To be crucified vvith Christ 1. Pet. â— 21 The true life of the faithful The faithfull crucified and deade to the lavv The glory of the faithfull VVe must haue Ghrist onely before our eies Such is our misery that intentations and afflictions vve set Christ aside and loke backe into our ovvne life past He speaketh of the olde man. Christ bestovveth himself and all that he hath vpon those that beleue in him VVhatsoeuer good the godly haue in theÌ„ it is Christes and vve are so knit together that he liueth in vs and vve in him Paules excelent and heauenly maner of speach Albeit the faithfull be sinners yet are they also righteous The Papistes faith Faith so knitteth all beleuers Christ together that they become one person Ephes 5.30 True faith is not idle VVhat occasion the malicious take of this doctrine Hovv the vveake are to be instructed Good vvorks are not the cause but the frutes of righteousnes Life taken tvvo maner of vvaies The faithfull liue not their ovvne life but the life of Christ Christ is our life The faithfull liue in the flesh but not according to the flesh To liue in the faith of the sonne of God. Philip. 2.7 The differeÌ„ce betvvene the faithfull and vnfaithfull The true vvay to iustificatioÌ„ The pestilent doctrine of the Papistes and PelagiaÌ„s These meritemoÌ„gers turne these vvordes of Paule vpside dovvne To doe vvhat in vs lieth The Papistes do apply matters of policy and ciuill gouernment to the church Rom. 7.14 The Papistes doe graunt that nature is corrupt but they say that the povvers and qualities of nature remaine sound and vncorrupt Christ first loued vs and not vve him The bragging of the integritie of our natural qualities is in vaine The greatnes of the price to be vvel vveyed that vvas geuen for vs. The sluggishnes of the Papists in handling the holy scriptures Hovv sectes may be vvithstande Hath geuen himselfe for me The true force of faith The lavve loueth not sinners but accuseth them A true definition of Christ The greatest cunning that Christians can haue is to define Christ rightly Christ loueth the afflicted and such as feele the vveight of their sinnes Me. For me As by Adam all became giltie so by Christ all that beleue are made righteous They that seke to be made righteous by the lavv reiect the grace of God. Antichrist reiecteth grace and denieth faith VVhat it is to reiect grace The vvorld is so vntovvard that it reiecteth the grace of God. Corrupters of Paule If the desert of congruence auaile ought then is Christ dead in vaine If the lavv iustifie Christ died in vaine The righteousnes of all Saincts is nothing in comparison of the righteousnes of Christ A common sinne to reiect the grace of God. The Pope the chiefe author of all abhominations in the church The Popes pardons If the lavv iustifie then is Christ died in vaine A comparing of Christ and the lavv together The deuilish peruersnes of the vvorld Ciuill righteousnes hath her revvards The righteousnes of faith is the righteousnes that pleaseth God. Reason although it be lightned vvith the lavve yea and the lavve of God yet it can not iustifie Galath 2.21 The praise of the righteousnes of the lavve VVho make Christ to haue died in vaine 2. Timot. 4.5 Paules order in teaching O ye foolish Galathians Paule offendeth not in chiding the Galathians so sharply The chiding of parents tovvards their children Anger sometimes a necessary vertue Iust anger is called in the scripture zeale or ielousie Math. 13 33. The sharp rebukings of the holy Ghost Prouerb 27.6 The naturall vice of the Galathians The remnants of naturall vices remaine in the Godly Ebr. 12. The scripture being one and the selfe same truth is diuersly handled of sundry men Grace by litle and litle clenseth those that be godly from their old sinnes Galat. 5.17 Rom. 7.13.14 There is none so pure vnspotted that he may be called a Puritane but Christ 1. Pet. 2.22 Esay 53.9 1. Iohn 3.2 A goodly coÌ„mendation of the righteousnes of the lavve That vvitchcraft and sorcerie are the vvorkes of the deuill Sathan bevvitcheth men spiritually The blindnes of those that are bevvitched Luthers conflâ—ctes vvith Satan 1. Peter 5.8 The
iust doth liue by faith The differeÌ„ce betvvene a true and a false faith The formed faith of the Scholemen True faith before God. Faith only taketh holde of Christ The lavv teacheth loue Deut. 6.5 Mat. 22.37 Mar. 12.29 Exod. 20.6 Mat. 22.40 The beleuing man obtaineth righteousnes and euerlasting life vvith out the lavve and charitie The promise and the lavv faith and vvorks are separate the one from the other The lavv Faith. They that doe the lavv morally The righteousnes of the lavv Galat. 3 1â— The righteousnes of faith Verse 11. The office of the lavv and the office of faith Fides formata Fides informis Fides acquisita such other are cursed and monstrous termes deuised by the Papistes The office of the lavve VVhere is he that doth the lavve The office of faith Rom. 10. â— Rom. 10.4 Christ the end of the lavv Galat. 4.4 5. The Godly do the lavve 1. Cor. 11.11 VVhen faith hath an ondâ— VVho they are that Paule calleth righteous To doe the lavve A double vse of the lavve The imaginatioÌ„ of Ierome vnderstanding Paule as though he spake of the lavv but morally and as it is separate from faith A picture of al Hypocrites Mat 15.9 Rom. 7.23 Remnauntes of sinne in the Sainctes and in the elect of God. Deutâ—â— â—1 â—5 Deut. 3â— â—5 Christ bearing the curse not for himselfe VVhat this vvorde for us importeth Christ tooke vpon him the person of a transgressour and therefore must be hanged Esay 53.12 Christ the greatest sinner of all others because he bare the sinnes of the vvhole vvorld Esay 53.5 Mat. 8 17. 1. Pet. 2. â—â— Christ tooke our sinnes vpon him VVhat incommodities follovve of the doctrine of the ScholemeÌ„ Christ must be vvrapped as vvell in our sinnes as in our flesh and bloud An obiection that Christ ought not to be called a Curse Christ is made a Curse and become sinne for vs 2. Cor. 5. â— Io. 1.29 Christ the Lambe of God 1. Pet. 2.22 Our sinne must become Christes ovvne sinne Esay 53.6 Psal. 40 1â— A singular coÌ„solation of the faithfull * He alludeth to the brasen Serpent The faith of the Papistes formed and made perfect vvith charity Our sinnes are taken avvay by Christ alone Of vvhat pointes the doctrine of the Gospell encreateth The lavv hath accused and killed Christ The article of iustification * This opposition called Antithesis is a comparing and matching of tvvo contraties together 1. Cor. 15.57 A maruelous comâ—ate betvvene sinne and righteousnes in Christ Righteousnes Sinne. Righteousnes the conquerour of sinne The combate betvvene life and death The conquered life the vanquisher of death Hoseas 13.34 The conflict of the curse vvith the blessing Christ the ouercommer of the Curse Colos 2.15 In him selfe Sinne and death abolished to all beleuers Io. 5.40 They that deny the article of the Diuiniti of Christ deny also the article of redeÌ„ption They become Turkes and Gentiles vvhich denie the Diuinitie of Christ Christ God by nature The blindnes and vvickednes of the Papistes The harnesse of Christians â–ª set out Ephes 6. The vvorke of God to abolish death and to geue life 2. Pet. 2. â—1 Luke 11.26 VVhat maner of doctrine the doctrine of the Gospell iâ— Christ tooke our sinnes of his ovvne accord and therfore it behoued him to be made a Curse for them Philip. 2.7 Faith onely layeth holde vpon the victory of Christe The Deuil and heretikes lie in vvait to deceaue the Godly I beleue that there is an holy Church The vveaknes of the godly VVhat the Sophisters thinke of Christe Esay 5â— To the beleuers sinne and death are aboliâ—hed The remnants of sinne dead in the saincts Christ hath redemed vs froÌ„ the Curse therfore not the lavve By nature vve are all vnder the Curse but Christ hath redemed al that beleue in him All men yea the most holy remaine vnder the Curse vvithout Christ Hovve Christ is truely knovven 2. Cor. 5.25 Christ is made a Curse and sinne for vs. All the curses of the lavve be laid vpon Christ This is a most sure argumeÌ„t taken out of the vvhole lavve Paule diligently vvayeth this sentence of Genesis In thy seede c. All nations The Ievves attained not to righteousnes through the lavve Rom. 10. In thy seede Christ became accursed that he might blesse all nations Hovv the nations vvere deliuered froÌ„ the Curse In one person Christ ioyneth God and maÌ„ together Hypocrites are offended at the doctrin of the gospell Psa 88.15.16 The true mysteries The Fathers of the old Testament reioyced more of the benefite of Christ then vve doe The proper office of Apostles The blessing geuen vnto the Gentiles by Christe The vvorde Blessing Our desert vvherby vve obtaine the Blessing The vvay hovv to escape the Curse Our sinnes are cast vpon Christ and his righteousnes is geuen vnto vs. The mercy of God tovvards sinners vnspeakeable The greatnes of Gods mercy is so exceeding that it can scant be beleued Of vvhat things the Gospell entreateth The promise of the spirite The nature of Faith. Verse 14. VVhat maner of doctrine the Apostolicall doctrine is The chaunge of things reserrued to Christ alone Exod. â—0 The first commaundement the spring of all the vvisedom of God. Humaine things must be confirmed by diuine things and not contrarivvise diuine things by humaine things An argument taken from Gods creatures holdeth The often vse of similitudes in the holy scriptures Math. 7.11 Rom 13. Ierems 3â— 16 VVhen arguing from humaâ—ne things is of force VVhen it is not of force Our loue is corrupted The testament of a maÌ„ is not chaunged Gods Testament is chauÌ„ged A Testament or last vvill is confirmed by the death of him that maketh it The TestameÌ„t of God ought to be kept vvith greater fidelitie then mans Testament The TestameÌ„t oâ— last VVill of God. VVho are the destroyers of Gods Testament The nature of hypocrites Paule calleth the promise a Testament The TestameÌ„t of man is a shadovve of Gods Testament Christ the Seede promised to Abraham An obiectioÌ„ of the Ievves Paule confuteth the obiection of the Ievves VVhy the lavv is added to the promise The letters he calleth the vvritten vvill or Testament The promise is confirmed by the lavve therefore not abolished VVhat discommoditie should follovve if the lavve should abolish the promise The lavv doth not abrogate the promise but Faith laying hold vpon the promise doth abrogate the lavv The vvritten lavve A Similitude AbrahaÌ„ vvas not made righteous by the lavve for vvhen he liued ther vvas no lavve VVhat maner of arguments Paule vseth The lavv and the promise must be distinguished Both the lavv and the promise must haue their ovvne proper places appoynted vnto them VVhat incommodities follovve of the mingling of the lavve and the promise together The promise must not be confounded vvith the lavve The argument touching the promise The office of the lavve Galat. 3 1â— Galat. 3.10 1. Cor. 15.56 Verse 14. A difference
vehemeÌ„t flames of carnall lust in Hierome The flesh is to be subdued not killed Ephes 5.29 1. Cor. 7.9 The godly feele the concupiscence or lust of the flesh Psal. 4.4 The faithfull haue flesh vvhich resisteth the spirite Rom. 7 1â— The godly feele the terrours and captiuitie of sinne The Monkes such other cloisterers neuer had experience of any spirituall tentations Christ our righteousnes Rom. 9.33 The outvvard righteousnes of the faithfull The godly feling the corruptions of the flesh must not despaire The battell of the flesh and the spirite in the godly To vvalke in the spirite Let all troubled consciences comfort them selues by this example of Martin Luther and say as he said Stanpitius a godly learned man of vvhom he made mention before A holy desperâ—tion â— Psal 143.2 Psal. 130. â— VVhat the godly must do vvhen they feele sinne The conflict battell of the flesh and the spirite in the children of God. Rom 1. â—8 A Christian a maruellous vvorkman Read more hereof before in the lease 246. and in the line 32. The children of God do fele the rebellion of the flesh against the spirite To vvhom God doth not impute sinne Rom. 14.23 The errour of the Sophisters or Scholemen The vvisedom of the godly The godly only feele sinne Rom. 1.14 Galath 5.24 Rom. 8.12 Sentence pronouÌ„ced agaiÌ„st such as obey the lusts of the flesh The true Sainctes of God. Psal. 32.5.6 Psal. 143. â— To be led by the spirite Galath 4.4 VVhat it is to be led by the spirite Hovv a troubled minde is to be comforted Novv the lusts of the flesh must be ouercome The great and vehement tentations of Luther Not to be vnder the lavve Math. 7.10 Hypocrites mingled amongst the godly Euery age of man hath his peculiar temptations * That is a secrete contempt of God vvherof Dauid speaketh Psal. 3.2 Some are exercised vvith greater tentations and some vvith lesse Luke 2.48 2. Cor. â— 5 Rom. 7 2â— VVhom the Stoickes couÌ„ted vvise meÌ„ VVho they be vvhich Christ and his Apostles cal saiÌ„cts VVho be true Sainctes The vveaknes of Faith. Al the faithful be Sainctes A holy life I beleue that there is a holy Church I do not see but I beleue Hypocriticall holines The church is holy The church prayeth that her sinnes maâ— be forgeuen To feele the vnclennes of the flesh is profitable To the godly those things vvhich are euil turne vnto good Christian doctrine raiseth vp and comforteth vveake and troubled consciences VVhat Paule meaneth by flesh Idolatrie or Idoll seruice Carthusians or charterhouse moâ—kâ— The false and true vvorshipping of God. Idolatrie is vnknovvne to the vvorld The Masse horrible idolatrie and blasphemie against Christ Flesh. The vvorkes of the flesh as the Papistes define them Reason estemeth idolatry and heresie for most excellent vertues VVitchcraft Idolatrie Iusticiaries or iustifiers of themselues The Pope an Archheretike No vnitie or concord in the Popish church Drunkards surfetters The most sobre and temperate are many times most assailed vvith tentations Hovv the burning heat of lustes may be quenched An horrible sentence pronounced by Paule The fruites of the spirite Rom. 12.10 The scripture exhorteth vs to reioyce in God. The ioy of the spirite LoÌ„g sufferaÌ„ce or perseuerance The gentlenes and mildnes of Christe Ex libro Clementis ad Iacobum fratrem Domini Chastitie The lavv is abolished to the beleuers in Christ VVhat it is to crucifie the fleâ—h The armour of God. * After the coÌ„mon diuision this is the .25 verse of the former chapter Vaineglory a detestable vice and most pernicious to the church of god Tit. 1.7 Hovv great a mischefe vain glory is Ouide Horace Rom. 12.10 Vaineglory a common vice in the church Math. 9. â—8 2 Cor. 11 15. The nature of false teachers 1. Timo. ◠◠〈◊〉 â— â—0 Rom 10 1â— The authoritie of the false apostles The false apostles despised Paule Such as thrust them selues into the ministerie The ende of vaineglorious teachers Phil. 3.19 Psal. 1.4.5 VVhat vve ought to seke in the gospell Rom. 1.32 Iohn 7 1â— VVhat it is to vvalke in the spirite VVhy God layeth the crosse vpon the preachers of the gospel Rom. 14.16 Rom. 12.10 VVhen men be praised the flesh vvaxeth proud 2. Sam. 14.17 2. Cor. 6.8 VVho vvalke in order and vvho do not Galath 1.5 1. Cor. 4.7 Priuie open enemies of the Gospell VVe must not be proud of our spirituall giftes Luke 12 4â— Ephes 4.12 Actes 10.34 Vainglorious spirites Galath 4.17 Rom. 3.25 The praise of the person of the ministerie Rom. 14.16 2. Cor. 6.3 The effect and fruite of vaineglory Galath 2.5 VVhat offences are to be forgeuen Leuit. 6.3 Gal. 2.20.3.16 Sathan lieth in vvait both against purity of doctrine life Hovv pastorâ— ought to deale vvith them that are fallen The Pope and his bishops are tormeÌ„tors of mens coÌ„sciences Sayings of Pope Gregorie 2. Thes 2.3 By vvhat meanes the Pope establisheth his tyrannie and povver Hovve they that are falne ought to be intreated The spirite of mekenes Ezech. 34.4 Ex libro de vitis patrum Math. 7.3 1. Cor. 10.12 2. Sam. â—1 Loue. 1. Cor. 13.4 Rom. 13.9 VVhose burdens are to be borne 1. Tim. 5.22 The authors of Sectes painted out iÌ„ their right colours Mat. 18.24 â—1 Deceauers of themselues Apoc. 3.17 Desire of vain-glory Vainglorious heades Three vices of the vaineglorious linked together Phil. 2.27 The people delited vvith nouelties He shall lacke no praise that preacheth the Gospel purely The ende of the ministerie of the vvord 2. Tim. 4.5 To haue praise in himselfe VVhat is the glory of heretikes The glory of the godly Iâ—hn 16.32 Phil. 4.4 The vvorld dishonoreth the godly ministers of the vvord 1. Cor. 6.3 The Gospell is the vvord of the crosse and offence 1. Cor. 1.18 The disciples of the gospel VVhat it is for a man to proue his ovvne vvork Exod 20 7. 1. Sam. 2.30 1. Cor. 4.2 The vvorke of euery mans calling Phil. 3.19 2. Tim. 3.9 Psal. 37.6 In death and in the day of iudgement other mennes praises profit not Rom. 2.16 A comparison betvene good vvorkes and hypocriticall vvorke Vaineglory A commaundemeÌ„t for the nourishing of the ministers of the vvord of God. The ministers of SathaÌ„ haue pleÌ„tie but the ministers of Christe doe vvant Luke 2.7 Luke 9.58 Iohn 19. â— Cor. 8. 9. 1. Tim. 4.1 SathaÌ„ oppresseth the gospell tvvo vvaies Mâ—â—h 1.7 Fulnes of Gods vvord bringeth lothing 1. Cor. 9.11 The vvorld lodeth the ministers of Sathan vvith all vvorldly good things The punishment of vnthankfulnes In all good things Gentlemen citizens and husbandmen despisers of Gods ministers Luke 10. â—6 1. Sam. 8.7 Psal. 34.10 Psal. 37.19 Reuerence necessary liuing due to the ministers of the vvord 1. Cor. 9.13.14 Exod. 3. â—â— VVhat it is to sovve in the spirite The heretikes called Encratites VVhose errour the Papistes haue reuiued as touching matrimonie and therfore they may cruely be called nevv Encratites VVe must doe good vvithout vveerines Iohn 9.4 Iohn 12.35 The houshold of faith The motherly affection of Paule Enormities in the false apostles Galath 1.8 Phil. 3.19 Gen. 17.10 14. Gen. 17 1â— Phil. 2.21 The lavv is not accomplished vvith outvvard vvorkes Rom. 14 2â— VVorks done vvithout faith are sinnes The peril that follovveth ambition and vaine glory * That is they do but kepe your flesh in a seruile and slauish exercise The glory of the Christians Actes 5.41 The faithfull suffer for Christe Math. 5.11.12 The glory of the vvorld The crosse of Christ 2. Cor. 1.5 Col. 1.24 The afflictioÌ„s of the godly are the afflictioÌ„s of Christ Actes 9.4 Zach. 2.1 The feeling of the head is most sensible The crosse of the godly iâ— svveete 2. Cor 1.5 Psal. 44 22. Math. 11.30 To glory in the crosse of Christ Rom. 5.3 2. Cor. 7.5 1. Sam. 22.22 Zach. 2. â— Iohn 15.19 To be crucified to the vvorld The contrary iudgement of the faithful of the vvorld as concerning true doctrine 1. Cor. 2.13 1. Iohn 3.8 Iohn 8.44 The vvorld condemneth the life and doctrine of the godly Psal. 139.22 Ephes 6.16 2. Cor. 1â— â— ChristiaÌ„ righteousnes 1. Cor. 1. â— 1. Cor. 2.14 VVithout Christ there is no saluation Vncircumcision signifieth all the Gentiles Circumcision all the Ievves Lavves be good The vse of ceremonies and lavves 1. Cor. 14.40 Gal. 3.5 Eph. 4.24 A nevv creature Actes 15.9 The renevving of the members of the body folovv the renevving of the minde The Papists imagined God to be a marchaunt and to sell his grace for vvorkes and merites A right rule Eph. 4.24 The righteousnes of Monkes Peace Mercy Rom. 9.4.5 Rom. 9.7 8. Ephes 1.16 1. Cor. 4.9 1. Cor. 4.11.12.13 2. Cor. 6.4.5.6 2. Cor. 11 2â—.24.25 â—â— The markes vvhich vve beare at this day Ephes 6.16 Math. 26.41
Paule here vseth and is proper vnto him alone is full of consolation Likewise in the .7 chapter to the Romaines he setteth the law of the spirite against the law of the mēbers And because this is a straunge and a maruelous manner of speaking therfore it entreth more easily into the mind and sticketh faster in the memorie Moreouer when he saith I through the lavv am dead to the lavv it soundeth more swetely then if he should say I through libertie am dead to the law For he setteth before vs as it were a certaine picture as if the law were fighting against the law As though he should say O law if thou canst accuse me terrifie me and bind me I will set aboue and against thee an other law that is to say an other tormentor which shall accuse thee bind thee and triumph ouer thee Whē thou art thus bound and suppressed then am I at libertie So then grace is a law not to me for it bindeth me not but to my law which this law so bindeth that it can not hurt me any more Thus Paule goeth about to draw vs wholy from the beholding of the law sinne death all other euils and to bring vs vnto Christ that there we might behold this ioyfull conflict to witte the law fighting against the law that it may be to me libertie sinne against sinne that it may be to me righteousnes death against death that I may obtaine life Christ fighting against the Deuill that I may be the child of God and destroying hell that I may enioy the kingdome of heauen Verse 19. That I might liue vnto God. That is to say that I might liue before god Ye see then that there is no life vnlesse ye be without the law yea vnlesse ye be vtterly dead vnto the law I meane in conscience Notwithstanding in the meane season as I haue often said so long as the body liueth the flesh must be exercised with lawes and vexed with exactions and penalties of lawes as were the Egyptians But the inward man not subiect to the law but deliuered and freed from it is a liuely iust and holy person not of himselfe but in Christ because he beleueth in him as foloweth Verse 20. I am crucified vvith Christ This he addeth to declare that the law is a deuourer of the law Not onely saith he I am dead to the law through the law that I may liue to God but also I am crucified with Christ But Christ is Lord ouer the law because he is crucified and dead vnto the law Therfore am I also Lord ouer the law for I likewise am crucified and dead vnto the lawe for as much as I am crucified and dead with Christ By what meanes By grace and faith Through this faith because I am nowe crucified and deade vnto the law therfore the law looseth all his power which it had ouer me euen as it hath lost all his power which it had ouer Christ Wherfore euen as Christ himselfe was crucified to the law sinne death and the Deuill so that they haue no further power ouer him euen so I through faith being now crucified with Christ in spirite am crucified and deade to the law sinne death and the Deuill so that they haue no further power ouer me but are now crucified and deade vnto me Paule speaketh not here of crucifying by imitation or example for to follow the example of Christ is also to be crucified with him which crucifying belongeth to the flesh Wherof Peter speaketh in his 1. epistle and .2 chapter Christ suffered for vs saith he leauing vnto vs an example that vve should follovv his steppes But he speaketh here of that high crucifying wherby sinne the deuil and death are crucified in Christ not in me Here Christ Iesus doth all himselfe alone But I beleuing in Christ am by faith crucified also with Christ so that all these things are crucified and dead vnto me Verse 20. Thus I liue I speake not so saith he of my death and crucifying as though I now liued not Yea I liue for I am quickned by this death and crucifying through the which I die That is for as much as I am deliuered from the law sinne and death I now liue in deede Wherfore that crucifying and that death wherby I am crucified and dead to the law sinne death and all euils is to me resurrection and life For Christ crucifieth the Deuill he killeth death condemneth sinne and bindeth the law and I beleuing this am deliuered from the law sinne death and the Deuill The law therfore is bound dead and crucified vnto me I againe am bound dead crucified vnto it Wherfore euen by this death and crucifying that is to say by this grace or liberty I now liue Here as before I haue sayd we must obserue Paules maner of speaking He saith that we are dead and crucified to the law where as in very deede the law it selfe is dead and crucified vnto vs. But this maner of speach he vseth here of purpose that it may be the more sweete and comfortable vnto vs For the law which notwithstanding continueth liueth and reigneth in the whole world which also accuseth and condemneth all men is crucified and dead vnto those onely which beleue in Christ and therfore to them alone belongeth this glory that they are dead to sinne hell death and the Deuill Verse 20. Yet novv not I. That is to say not in mine owne person nor in mine owne substance Here he plainly sheweth by what meanes he liueth And he teacheth what true Christian righteousnes is namely that righteousnes wherby Christ liueth in vs and not that which is in our person Therefore when we speake of Christian righteousnes we must vtterly reiect the person And here Christ and my conscience must become one body so that nothing remaine in my sight but Christ crucified and raised from the dead But if I behold my selfe only and set Christ aside I am gone For by and by I fall into this cogitation Christ is in heauen and thou art on the earth how shalt thou now come vnto him Forsoth I will liue holily and doe that which the law requireth so shall I enter into life Here returning to my selfe and considering what I am what I ought to be and what I am bound to doe I lose Christ out of sight who is my righteousnes and life Who being lost there is no counsell nor succour now remaining but certaine desperation and destruction must needes follow And this is a common euil among men For such is our misery that when tentation or death cometh by and by setting Christ aside we consider our owne life past and what we haue done Here except we be raised vppe againe by faith we must needes perish Wherefore we must learne in such conflicts terrours of conscience forgetting our selues and setting the law our life past and all our works