discerne the good from the bad are not amongste men coumpted sinners as men are sinful neither so corrected for their offences euen so it chanced vnto the Gentiles which did sinne contrary to the lawe of Moses hauing no knowledge thereof Yet sinne was not absent from the Gentile before that the lawe was giuen as dothe witnesse against him the lawe of nature But they did fauor pardon them selues in their sinnes stil offended God as though they had ben priuiledged persons bicause they had not amongst theÌ„ the law of Moses Therfore at the tune he was not come that should take away the sinnes of the worlde and put away the tirannie of deathe and sinne which through Adam entred into the world raigned amongst men vnpunished as in Adam which brake the commaundement of god Notwithstanding the same did long before prefigure the comming of Christ which shuld be after him Not that Adam was like in all things vnto Christe but that in some speciall things he represented the image of him And in this point was Adam like vnto Christ bicause that both of them were the first beginners of the generations But Adam of the earthie generation and Christ of the heauenly Furthermore bicause that from either of them as from a beginning came certaine procéedings vnto all men But from the earthie Adam came the originall and beginning of vnrightuousnesse and deathe And from Christ the heauenly Adam came the beginning of innocencie and euerlasting life Which bothe though in some part they be like yet in equalitie they very much differ For as in this speciall pointe to saue is a thing of more might and puissance than to kill so is Christ much more mightie which saueth than Adam that killeth And the obedience of Christ was of greater efficacie with god his heauenly father to bring vnto men their life than was the traÌ„sgression of Adam to bring vnto them their death Wherfore the goodnesse of Christ doth muche excéede the offence of Adam least a man should fall into despaire of his healthe when he remembreth the sinne of his first father For if it be reason that the sinne of oure firste father Adam shoulde condemne suche an infinite numbre of men by greater reason the benefite of Christe should restore them vnto life againe whome God hath appointed the author of our innocencie and hath graunted vnto him that his death should not only take away the spot and tirannie of oure sinne and deathe but hath giuen to the handes of the same to dispose vnto all men the power of rightuousnesse in steade of theyr sinnes and the heauenly kingdome for the tirannie of their death Therfore as the fall of Adam was no great hurt to the faithfull so the goodnesse of our Lord Christ maketh vs at one with his heaueÌ„ly and mercifull father Also as Adam through his offence was the occasion that all his posteritie doe stande as in the state of damnation so the mightie benefite of Iesus Christe towardes vs hath put away all our offences In witnesse wherof he hathe sealed it with his moste precious bodie vppon the crosse as â— moste â—uâ—e testimonie of the same But to come againe vnto that wherof we haue spoken before If it were so prouided of God from the beginning to take away from man his sinne and to restore againe vnto him his life after this sorte what did it then preuaile to make a lawe which did profit nothing at all to saluation yes verily the lawe did profit muche that by the knowledge thereof the benefite of Christe mighte the more cleerely and euidently appeare vnto vs For the more that our sinnes menaced and cruelly threatned vs so muche the more manifest was the benefit of Christ which alwayes cheareth vs land deliuereth vs from sinne The lawe plainly laide open vnto all men the death of sinne which though some went about with striuing to ouercome it yet the tirannie therof was so sharp so stout and valiant that it was impossible to be vanquished But the goodnesse of Christ was much â—â—nightie than it put all tâ—raâ—â—â—e of death to slight from al such as would beléeue only in him This proâ—â—t therfore we gâ—â— by the law that we perceiue truely therby the magnitude greatnesse of Christes benefit towards all men by which it commeth to passe that like as the diuel through the tirannie of sinne brought death vnto all meniso the goodnesse of almighty God giueth life vnto all men throughe his owne deaâ—e sonne Iesus in which our only â—ord Prince I reioyce being now made frée from the bondage of death vnder which not long héeretofore I haue most wofully liued The sixth Chapter For so muche as vve be deliuered thorovve Christe from sinne vve must fashion our selues to liue as the seruauntes of God and not after oure ovvne lustes The vnlike revvard of rightuousnesse and sinne AND whereas I haue saide before that sinne by the lawe was manifest and made muche more abundant and did greatly profite to the ende that the goodnesse and mercie of God shuld be more euident vnto vs yet let as man héreby take occasion to continue in his sinne and say in this manner within him selfe Séeing that sinne setteth forthe the goodnesse of God towards men it shall be expedient alwayes to sinne to the end the goodnesse of God may be alwayes the more euident and knowne But God defend from the hartes of Christen men all suche wicked thoughtes For I doe héere meane the sinnes of the olde and former life which God by his mercie tourned vnto oure profite and commoditie And God forbid also that after we be once made frée from sinne conuerted into the state of innocencie we shuld forsake our deliuerer from thence and fall headlong againe into our olde noisome trade Deathe and life be so farre at oddes that they can neuer agrée the one with the other Wherfore assone as we begin to liue vnto Christe we be then deade to sinne and to the Diuell But if we liue to sinne and to the Deuill â—e are damnablie deade euen in that we liue And in liuing to Christ we alwayes liue and are dead to sinne which he only put away through his most precious and bitter death And in receiuing the baptisme of Christe we exercise the same misterie continually amongste vs For when we be Baptised in the name of Christe we doe â—is with him to oure olde sinnes which by vertue of his Passion were putte away And we doe not onely die with him but also be buried wyth him and that through the same Baptisme That lyke as he which neuer liued to sinne yet dyed for our offences and was restored agayne to euerlasting lyfe not by the strength of any man but by the poweâ— of God his almightie father euen so wée béeing stirred vp by him from the death of sinne and filth of our olde offences doo now liue a new life in
whiche be borne vnder the Lawe of Moyses should haue the promise of god pertaine only vnto theÌ„ as their inheritaunce then it should seeme that the promise of God were vayne of none effect Forasmuchas it is euidently knowen that the benefit of God coÌ„meth to no man for the lawes sake yea so farre the lawe is from iustification and the giuing of thys so high a benefyte that it rather threateneth vs with the yre and indignation of god whereas contrarywise fayth maketh the vngodly righteous Neither can there be any inheritaunce of peace and reste for the children to haue where as nothing else is ministred but sinne and indignation And if you demaunde of me how it chaunceth that the law rather ministreth yre than righteousnesse I will declare thus vnto you you can make no man gyltie of any crime onlesse in laying the law agaynst him you open his fault vnto him the knowledge of which faulte the lawe ministreth and declareth Also the lawe of Moyses prescribeth many things of circumcision of the Saboth dayes of the feast of the new Moone of the difference of meates of mortuaries of the strangled of bloud of washing all which be of that condition that though they be obserued yet they do not make a man righteouse but he that transgresseth them is gyltie and subiect to punishment by meanes of the law But the law of Moyses seeing it chargeth no body but onely the Iewes and agayne séeing the inheritaunce of all nations is geuen of God vnto Abraham to be their father it is impossible that the promise of God shoulde appertayne vnto all Nations through the benefite of the Law which is onely giuen to the Nation of the Iewes It concludeth therefore that the inheritaunce commeth by fayth that our iustification may be séene to procéede of the onely grace and fauour of God and not of any couenant or obseruation of the law And thus it is knowen how the goodnesse of Gods promise descendeth to Abrahams posteritie And I doo not meane all them onely to be of Abrahams posteritie which be eyther of his kinred or else ioyned with him in the law but much rather all such as expresseth Abrahams fayth For it is muche more expedient that the alliaunce and similitude of fayth shoulde be of more efficacie by which he deserueth to receiue the promise of God than the alliaunce and coniunction of the law which engendreth offences and maketh men gyltie of them Therfore the Iewes are deceiued to boast so muche of Abraham as of their only and proper father seeing he is the father of al such Nations and of all men of what countrey so euer they be that beleeue in our Lorde Iesus Chryst which thing appeareth by God him selfe in the .xvij. Chapter of Genesis when God chaunged Abrahams name and sayd I haue appoynted thée to be the father of many nations surely it must néedes be true that God him salfe sayeth But howe I pray you shal he be the father of many nations if he only belong vnto the Iewes wherefore as the Lord is vniuersall to all men that beléeue in him so he will that Abraham which is a figure of God and as Isaac is also of Christ should be the vniuersall father of all men that do represent him in the affinitie of his faithe And Abraham could not be deceiued of his beleefe which trusted to the promisse of him that did not only giue fertilitie to the barraine but also life to the deade Which being commaunded to kill his onely swéete deare sonne Isaac in whome was all his ioy and comfort did without any tarying or once questioning at all beléeue the words of the promiser and knewe that he could reuiue him againe and make them that be not to be againe at his will and pleasure The Iewes do glory in them selues and accompt them selues woorthy men and abhorre the Gentiles as nothing woorth at all but yet the goodnesse of God standeth in better steade to the Gentiles than Abrahams kinred dothe to the Iewes Truely the faith of Abraham was notable and therfore God fauoured him which doubted not in him neither mistrusted his truthe in suche things as by nature were to be dispaired of a in which be did not only declare the suretie and constancie of the promiser but also his mightinesse and omnipotencie Neither did he mistrust thoughe he him selfe was past the strengthe and power to beget a childe and his wife also barraine to be for al that the father of many nations and to be the aucthor beginner of so great a multitude of people as God shewed him the same time starres in the firmament For God brought him into the field let him sée an innumerable multitude of starres round about the whole world and saide As it is impossible for thee to number those starres that thou seest so it shall be impossible for thée to number them that shall come of thy séede Which thing though it séemed not of reason to be true partly for the debilitie of his body being an hundreth yeares of age and partly for that his wife was very olde and past the bearing of children yet all this notwithstanding he asked no question howe or what way it mighte come to passe but constantly beléeued the truth of God. And thus Abraham mistrusted nothing neither was doutfull in any thing but with al his hart beléeued the promisse of God and was made as strong in his faith as he was weake in his bodie which though he dispaired in his owne vertue and strengthe yet he toke moste sure holde through hope in the only vertue of the promiser And thus vsurping nothing in this poynte to his owne renoume he referred all to the glorie and laude of God whom he testified by this his great faith to be both true which will deceiue no man and also almightie which can performe what so euer he promiseth though it passeth neuer so much the streÌ„gth of men With this sorte of Sacrifice is God pleased which standeth in néede of no mannes helpe neither of his cunning or handie worâ—e And for this cause the scriptures saithe that Abraham was imputed rightuous Yet this thing was not written only for Abrahams sake that his faithe was imputed vnto him for his iustification neither doth scripture affirme that it was done only for Abrahams praise commendation but that it mighte be an example vnto vs that be Abrahams nephewes to do haue the like and that it might be knowne to all men that like as Abraham obtained to be called of God rightuous without the helpe of the lawe so shoulde we also obtaine of God to be called rightuous for our only faith with out kéeping of the lawe We sée héere that Abraham was called rightuous only bicause he beléeued god Wherefore we sée none other way to come to iustification to be saued but to beleeue in the same God throughe
it selfe This is then to be considered in asmuche as the Lawe of Moyses was mortall as is the husbande to the wife it can be no wonder to the true christian man to heare that it is dead which so long as it was aliue had full strength and power ouer them that were in subiection to it How be it at thys tyme you Iewes you haue no matter to doo wyth the Lawe in as muche as it is nowe deade to you or at the least wyse you deade to it thoughe it were still aliue For after that Chryst which is the onely truthe came amongest vs all the Lawe of Moyses was abrogate frustrate and of none effecte as touchyng the Letter and Ceremonies thereof Considering therefore you bee all now incorporate into the body of Chryst and maried vnto him as a wife vnto hir husbande béeing set at libertie from hir olde husbande by the death of the lawe and further séeing your husbande now at these dayes is liuing and immortall bicause he dyed for your sakes and rose agayne from death to life and so euermore afterwards to continue aliue it shall be now your parte to compose and confourme your selues a louing and a continuall wife to suche an immortall husbande and neuer afterwards to caste any one tytle or iote of your loue to the remembraunce of your olde good man for so dooing it can not be chosen but offence must be committed to the great sorow and grefe of this your so louing Espouse But alwayes haue in your minds that like as heretofore you shewed your selues seruiseable vnto your firste husbande and to accomplish with good will al his commaundements euen so now you ought to enforce your selues to yéelde suche obedience and seruice at this time that it may be acceptable to God your father and pleasaunte to Chryst your moste deare and swéete spouse For so long as we were vnder the law as vnder our husbande it had gouernement ouer vs which by reason of the many requestes that it made euer charging vs with disobedience and lacke of good seruice was an occasion that we found our selues alwayes distressed alwayes in displeasure agaynst him and neuer to satisfie and fulfill his commaundement by occasion whereof our seruice was euer vnperfect gréeuous and subiect to correction and punishment Therefore now at this time béeing set at libertie from his iurisdiction vnder which bicause we liued alwayes in sinne and displeasure we dyd not liue but were rather all dead vnder the same vntill our time appoynted it shall therefore now well become vs to be no longer obedient to our olde husbande which was carnall and mortall but wholly vnto our new spouse which is heauenly and spirituall And from hencefoorth to yéelde our seruice not to the law in the letter and ceremonies but vnto Iesus Chryst in the spirite of God which spirite we haue receiued from the hande of our spouse for a wedding ring to put vs alwais in remēbrance of our hartie dutie good wil towards him But I stand in dout least some man héere will obiecte against me and say Séeing then that in seruing the lawe we were euer founde in sinne of the same and also subiecte to deathe it shall seeme to conclude that the lawe was sinne and broughte vs to deathe for as it is the propertie of rightuousnesse to bring men to life euen so is it the propertie of sinne to bring men to deathe Wherefore considering the law brought vs to death it may be called sinne or at the least wise ioyned patente to sinne But God forbid that any man shuld thinke so for verily the law is not the author of sinne but the Herauld messenger of sinne which was vnknowne to vs before the lawe was proclaimed at which time euery man folowing his owne sensualitie and lust thought that he might lawfully doe what so euer his hart corruptly desired and thought it also lawfull to desire that which séemed pleasant in his owne conceit For which cause pardoning and flatering my selfe in this behalfe I thoughte it none offence at all to couet that which did belong to another man if the law had not saide vnto me Thou shalt not lust And no man can denie but that the lawe was declared for the coercion and restraint of sinne though the thing it selfe hapned all contrarie vnto vs throughe oure owne vice and imperfection For at what time the lawe did open vnto vs our sinnes and gaue vs not thereto might and strength to resist them it came to passe that our luste to sinne was made the more quicke and readie to it bicause the nature of man is such that it most lusteth after that thing which is moste forbidden it How be it before the knowledge of the law came many of our sinnes we knew not and some of them we knewe after suche a sorte that we persuaded our selues they were not forbidden vs Throughe which reason all we had the lesse regarde to consider what was lust to sinne in as muche as all we by nature set small store by suche things as we thinke we may haue at our will and commaundement Wherefore after the lawe had once set forthe the multitude of sinnes to oure faces and did forbid them to vs then we were the more gréedie to spot and defile our selues with the committing of them By which occasion sinne toke to himself strength and encoragement in vs which before the comming of the lawe lay and slept was as dead At which time I my selfe when I knewe not the lawe I led my life like an outlawe and thoughte within my selfe that I might sinne withoute the committing of any offence to god But when I perceiued the law that did forbid me to sinne thē my sinne began to waxe stout and to aboūd in me and to take the bridle in his téethe Which faring thus foule with me wheras before I thought I liued I became in mine owne cōscience starke dead bicause by the law I perceiued my deadly wound and yet could not abstaine from sinning Whereby it came to passe that the thing which was prouided me of God for my helth was made to me an occasion of my death Which thing was not through any iniurie of the law but it was only through mine owne vice weakenesse imperfection For hauing in me a certain promptnesse and readinesse to sinne and my lust also taking some occasion by the lawe it selfe bicause as I said before men do most cōmonly lust after that which is forbidden them I was then euen full of all gréedinesse to sinne And thus the diuel vsing that wickedly which of it selfe was good enticed me vnto sinne by occasion of the law and by occasion of sinne vnto death to the end I should acknowledge my selfe guiltie therof and to be thrall vnto him for the same Therfore thus you sée then that there is no cause why any mā should contemne or depraue the lawe which as
time God truely as a God of mercy did for his parte that which was well séeming to the vttermoste poynt but they woulde not so take it at his mercifull hands Therefore in their sinne of contempt they still slipt from grace they fell farre from their God and denied also his sonne Iesus Chryst that came to redéeme both them and all mankinde as you haue heard before And the effecte of this matter shall the Reader haue more perfectly discussed in his place folowing of this sayde Epistle which I thought héere sufficiente inoughe onely to touche and to put him in minde thereof agaynst he come to the texte it selfe Therefore séeing we haue now brought it vnto this conclusion that God truely is cleare and not to be blamed for any mans fal but saueth him froÌ„ it euen through his great mercy in his onely sonne Iesus Chryst we may not then leaue so muche to our selues nor haue any confidence at all in our owne workes in our owne deuised toyes or vayne imaginations neither yet in the kéeping of any ceremonies whether they be of the law of Moses or otherwise not for Chryst in his comming and by his death hath not onely taken vpon his backe the heauy burthen or most terrible curse of the Law from them which beléeue in him but hath also put cleane away all the Ceremonies thereof inasmuche as by his comming now in our flesh all suche things are clearely finished for whose onely cause they were firste made and had therefore by him their shorter continuaunce The circumcision therefore of the law the feast of the newe Moone the Iewish Sabbat dayes with all the reste of suche obseruances and Ceremonies are vtterly now to be banyshed and neuer henceforth any more to be exercised among christian men in the true Church of God and Chryst For to vpholde by any state that those Ceremonies shoulde still continue amongst men and the professours of Chryst is flatly to deny the comming of Chryst into this worlde in our flesh denying in effecte the vertue of his death and therefore 〈◊〉 worthy the name of Ethnikes thâ—â— Christians 〈◊〉 lesse 〈◊〉 the multitude of â—â—â—â—sh 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 ioyes â—euiled of mortall men be vsed in Châ—â—â—â—e◠〈◊〉 Church among all other Churches 〈◊〉 that the Ceremonies whiche God him selfe appoynted are now made frustrate and to be cleane put away from amongst vs How be it Moyses hath within the limites of his law as it were two lawes which is thus to be vnderstandes one the Table of the commaundements and the other Morall and â—â—ill instructions which Paule calleth a spiritual bâ—â—â—â—e which is still to be looked vpon daily practised and folowed also there be Ceremonies Rites Vsages and Customes which is called a grosse and carnall lawe and is to be banished from euery true christian man And euen héere I would that the gâ—â—tle Reader should diligently remember that the whole law of Moyses was proclaymed onely to the Iewes which God tooke at that time for his owne and onely dearlings and that the Gentiles had no parte thereof but in the â—â—ede thereof the law of nature which is a naturall aptnesse or inclination to follow honest ciuilitie to be gentle and of good behauiour This same lawe of nature was grafted of God in the hearts of the Gentiles at their very beginning and fiâ—tâ—â— creatiâ—â— which hath in it a certayne knowledge of God as many of the Gentiles had a certayne loue towardes him to speake well of him to cal dayly vpon him to feare him to loue their neighbours and not to hurte the simple or their inferiour with many other suche godly vertues of honestie or godly qualities but the moste parte of them did abuse the same ciuile and honest lawe which was giuen vnto them of God to vse it to his glory and honor And many of them also were so blinded in Idolatrie false worshipping and leaning many wayes to their owne damnable imaginations that they could not follow the nature of that lawe Therfore S. Paule sayth Though they had not the written law of Moyses amongest them yet they were all saued or condemned according to their lawe of nature bicause it prescribed that in effecte to the Gentile which the lawe of Moyses did vnto the Iewes and euen so all men were found sinfull and wretched before the face of god But it was prouided through the woÌ„derfull wisedome of God that when the Iewes did forsake their owne profession and denyed the sauioure Christe that came to saue them and all mankinde according to his fathers truth that theÌ„ this same law of Moses and the frute of Christes comming should be turned vnto the Gentiles for their conuersion and saluation Howe be it this benefite of God is not so to be taken as though he had nowe broken promisse with the Iewes or that they shuld vtterly be depriued of his mercie and goodnesse but that they may all haue the profitte and commoditie therof as wel as the Gentiles if they wil forsake in time their pride malice and stoutnesse and submit humbly them selues to the true faithe in Iesus Christe And whereas Paule speaketh against the trust that the Iewes haue in their law and circumcision he meaneth vnder the same all kindes of Ceremonies and customes of religion as yet be nowe vsed among Christen men Thus for the better declaration of all the premisses I do entend to referre the Reader vnto Sainct Paule him self in his Epistle to the Romanes which I haue according to the grace and gift giueÌ„ me of God written more plainly out than appeareth in the very bare text it self which is no commentarie or glose vpon the said text but as it were altogether one vniforme Epistle or Paraphrase like and in suche order so drawne out neare to the nakednesse of the text it selfe euen as though the Apostle him self did wholely write the same aâ—â— euen so the Reader muste consider thereof and take it Whome I beséeche God almightie to assist and further after suche a sort in the reading therof that he may therby take no lesse aduauntage and profite than it should not repente him to receiue the free mercie of God and his eternall saluation through the only merites deathe and Passion of his sonne Iesus Christ Amen ⧠The Contentes of this Booke A Paraphrase vppon the Epistle of Saincte Paule to the Romanes Fol. 1. Huldricke Zuinglius in his friendly exposition to Luther touching the Eucharist confesseth vvhat he acknovvledgeth of Iesus Christe Fol. 68 A fevve vvordes touching the Couenaunt that God made vnto his Church in Christ translated out of Huldrick Zuinglius in his Subsidie annexed to the vvorke aforesaid Fol. 69 Of Vanitie by Martinus Cellarius Fol. 72 Of Vovves by Martinus Cellarius Fol. 75 Of the Olde man and the Nevve vvhich be compared togither by Martinus Cellarius vpon the seuenth of the Preacher 78 An Exhortation sent from a straunger a vvorthie and famous learned man of God to the righte highe
to men yet God which knoweth all things and séeth all things in secreate shal giue his iudgement thereafter But this iudgement shall be done of God by his deare sonne which is now our Lord and moste rightuous sauioure and shall be at the iudgement day the iudge of al the worlde which thing is the true saying of the Gospell least it be taken of some for a fable or dreame whereof I now moste reuerently speake Therfore O thou Iew that standest so much in thine owne conceit and arte proud that arte called a Iewe making thy reckening vpon the priuiledge of the lawe which was giuen of God only vnto thée and doest vaunt and boaste God to be the author of thy religion whose minde and pleasure thou knowest by the Scriptures that came from him and arte brought vp and taught in the misteries of the lawe whereby thou doest not only knowe what things are to be auoided and what to be folowed and of all good things what be the best but also thinkest thy selfe able to be a guide vnto the blinde and to shine before them which be in darkenesse that is to be a teacher of them that be rude and to be an instructor of them which haue no knowledge all which things though God haue shewed them vnto thée in giuing the lawe only vnto thée shalt thou therefore thinke thy selfe better than the Gentile No verily but the lawe which God hath giuen thée for good maketh thy cause and matter woorse before the iudgement seat of God except thou directest thy life and conuersation according to the lawe in which thou doest so muche glorie and make thy boaste else the knowledge of the lawe whereof thou so greatly makest thine accompt shall be a very snare to take thée withall to thine vtter ouerthrowe and confusion Therfore O thou vaine man which bostest of the law why doest thou aduance thy selfe on this maner why teachest thou another and leauest thy selfe vntaught why doest thou preache that theft shoulde not be committed and yet thou thy self art a théefe why dost thou commaund other to forsake adultry and thou thy self art defiled therwith why dost thou banish idolatrie in another and art thy selfe polluted with worshipping of images And in conclusion why dost thou glory amongs men in that thou hast receiued the law at Gods haÌ„ds and in transgressing the fame doest dishonoure God For in that thou séekest praise and honoure of men by reason of the lawe thou arte become a vessell of muche dishonoure to God which should by thée only haue all the honor and glory And although no mannes iniquitie can in déede dishonor God yet thou doest as muche as in thée lieth to dishonor him Of the like sort of men the holy Prophets héertofore haue spoken as it is wrytten in Esay and Ezechiel The name of the Lord saye they is slaundered by you and hath through your fault an euill report among the nations that are inclined to idolatrie in as muche as you proudly glory in the only title of the law and yet among your selues do liue most sinnefully and wretchedly against the lawe Neither is it sufficient for thée to be a Jews borne or to be of the Jewes religion for then shall Circumcision only profite thée so farre foorth as thou performest the things for whose cause Circumcision was first giuen and also accomplishing suche things in thy life which thou professest in thy Ceremonies Otherwise if thou transgresse the lawe it shal no more profit thée to be Circumcised before the face of the iust God than though thou werte neuer Circumcised Wherefore like as Circumcision is turned to vncircumcision vnlesse thou also performe the other déedes of the law which appertaineth to good manners and vpright conuersation euen so vncircumcision shal not hurt the Gentile but shall be accepted for circumcision if be leaue and forsake the Ceremonies of the law and performe those things that be in déede the whole summe of the law which is a pure and a cleane life and shall also obey Christ which is the end of all lawes Therefore thou Jewe the Gentile shall be made equall with thée in this behalfe yea he shall be preferred before thée and be better taken than thou bicause he knoweth no Circumcision and his innocencie and cleane life shall make thine iniquitie more damnable bicause he not professing the lawe dothe yet declare the ende of the lawe in the actes of his good and godly life where thou glorying in the wordes and sillables of the lawe and professing Circumcision doest violate that which is the chéefe of the lawe God which iudgeth not after the outwarde appearance of the body but after the godlinesse of the spirite taketh no man for a Jewe except he performe in dede the profession of a iewe And him name not I a Jewe that hathe the manifest note marke of the Jewe neither is he Circumcised that hathe his priuie skin cutte but he is a very Jewe that is rightly a Jewe and circumcised in his hart which God only beholdeth and therafter iudgeth all men To conclude therfore he is Circumcised which rather hath his harte circumcised than he which hath his priuie membre circumcised which also dothe not reioyce in the markes and notes made with a stone as the circumcision of the Iewes was but reioyceth in the spirite and minde of the lawe for he that hath only his fleshe Circumcised may goe for a Iewe amongst men but him worthily God taketh for a Iewe whose hart is purged and clensed from the filthe of vice and sinne and is prest and readie to the loue of Iesus Christ of whome only to be allowed is the most high and chiefe felicitie The third Chapter ¶ Paule shevveth vvhat preferment the Ievves haue and that bothe the Ievves and Gentiles are vnder sinne and are only iustified by the grace of God in Christe BVt héere will some men say séeing the summe of the lawe dependeth vppon godlinesse and innocencie of life and vpon the only faithe in Iesus Christ what preheminence then hath the Iewe more than the Gentile Or what preuailed it the Iewe to be circumcised séeing that godlinesse and faithe maketh the vncircumcised as good with God as the circumcised â—ea and that also more is séeing the circumcision of a Iewe that offendeth maketh his cause worse yes verily the Iewe hath great preheminence First he may reioyce in that he is by nature called a Iewe to whome properly the woorde of God is committed or else bicause that only the lawe and the Prophets were caught to that nation either for this cause that God vouchsaued to be their instructor and teacher him selfe Surely it is an honourable thing to be of that nation which God so highly estéemed And further the Iewe hathe preheminence bicause the same by reason of the saide instructors goodnesse may be the readier to the true faith in Iesus Christe For as he is more neare
it was giuen of God who is alwayes perfectely good of him selfe so it proponed and set foorthe vnto al men good and holesome ensignements For it cannot be chosen but that the thing must néedes be good and godly that hateth and forbiddeth sinne and naughtinesse And héer another will say vnto me then séeing the law which is good bringeth with him that which is also good why then shuld I say that it brought death vnto men which is very naught and hath alwais his beginning of sinne and wretchednesse Certesse a mā might safely say thus vnto me If in case the law should engender sinne but the truthe is not so for the law truly is not the author of death but the cause of our death is sinne which is in vs who of it selfe is so wicked that it turneth that thing which is very good into naughte destruction Yet notwithstanding that thing which is good and pure of his owne nature openeth vnto vs howe filthie and vnseemely a thing it is which is naught and vitious for that verily the law wrought declared vnto vs the abhomination of our sinnes and was not the author and cause of them for all men knowe that the lawe is spirituall and alwayes stirreth men to honest things and spirituall actions the which bicause the law dothe not bring to effect that which so much it desireth to do surely to speake of my self I am in the fault therof and not the law For in as much as I am carnal and prone to sinne and by occasion of the long continuance in it am made as bond therunto as a bond man vnto his master and am so blinde drouned in vice and filthinesse that I cannot tel what I ought to do for I doe not that thing which knowledge and reason declareth vnto me to be honest though I my self do couet the same but I rather commit that thing which is vnresonable dishonest the which though I hate detest it yet I do commit the same bicause the vice and power of concupiscence that is in me violently compelleth and draweth me therunto by which reason the offenders them selues will in no case that any fault shuld be imputed vnto the lawe but to our owne fragilitie weakenesse and great imperfection For in as muche as we in oure weakenesse being so compelled to doe that thing through concupiscence which knowledge and reason detesteth escheweth and damneth I do therfore consent to the law that it is holy good bicause it dothe of it selfe forbid the same thing which the inward and spiritual part of my body grudgeth at disaloweth and vtterly dāneth Wherefore the law which so straitly forbiddeth all things that be euill muste néedes be counted holy precious and good Which althoughe I commit suche euill in obeying the motions of my fraile and corrupted fleshe the outwarde parte and moste grose substaunce of man yet I wel perceiue them to be wicked and abhominable that also in mine inwarde man I hate and abhorre them Héere will one then say vnto me why dost thou not then obey to thy spirit and inward man which so consenteth to the law that is good and also stirreth thée to honestie and godly operations I answere For this same cause we must imagine to be in eache one of vs two men the one of them grose and carnall and the other more pure and of lesse corruption The first may be called the outward man and the seconde the inward man The first is procliue and ready to sinne the second hauing in him as it were certaine séedes of honesty is more appliant to embrace vertue And according to his possibilitie and power he gladly shunneth and striueth againste all corrupted motions and the filthie desires of sinne Howe be it that parte of vs is most properly called the man which of it selfe is moste pure and cleane and best inclined Therefore as often as mine inwarde man consenting to the goodnesse of the lawe is stirred and so consenteth to honestie and yet doth the contrarie it séemeth then that it is not I that doth it For what is he which doth the thing that he hateth and wanteth will to doe it But héere is adioyned to mine outwarde man a certaine promptnesse and readinesse to sinne by meanes wherof it chaunceth ofte that when I desire to doe the thing which is honest and good I am constrained to do that which is hurtfull naught In which grose part of me I confesse to be no goodnesse at al. For althoughe I desire to doe that thing which according to reason and knowledge is honest yet I finde in me no power or strength to worke that which I moste gladly estéeme and commend But in as much as this corrupted and carnal concupiscence is in me of much more strength and force to driue me to offend than is reason which calleth me to the estimation of vertue I am forcibly drawne from the good vse thereof which I most specially desire and do daily commit the sinne and iniquitie which I inwardly hate and moste iustly condemne Considering therfore that a man in doing euill dothe it not voluntarily or with glad consent but by enforcement and againste his will then when that thing is committed which mine inward man most gladly repugneth and striueth against it is not truely and properly said that I am the committer of the euill but rather more aptly to be applied to the grose desire promptnesse and readinesse of the outward man in whome alwayes sinne is resident and beareth most deadly sway Which promptnesse to euill the lawe cannot take away from me but so ofte as I yéelde and obay to euill then the lawe openeth and layeth plainely before me by the testimonie of my conscience the iust iudgement of God ouer me and perpetuall condemnation to my soule The good nature of reason and honestie throughe the grace of God in the inward man draweth me to the estimation of loue and vertue wherunto I am truely taught by the law but I finde also an other law in the mēbers of mine outward mā which is clene contrary to the lawe of my inward mā and violently stirreth me to the gréedie embracement of euill Therefore abiding thus alwayes in this case of conflict that reason draweth me one way and concupiscence an other way it commonly thus fortuneth that the woorse parte preuaileth and reason ouer mastred and laid on the ground For the promptnesse I say and readinesse to sinne so muche aboundeth in me as also the accustomed vse thereof through the vsual familiaritie great felowship which it euer hathe with my weake and fraile nature that I am still haled by constrainte like a bonde slaue or prisoner vnto filthinesse and sinne whether I will or will not O miserable wretche that I am which am thus in thraldome to suche filthie slauerie and moste bitter state of bondage who shall deliuer me and make me frée from this
Prophets spoken and the law declared And héere peraduenture some man will aske me How dyd it chaunce then that the Iewes did so sodenly forsake and shake off Chryst Verily euen bicause God can not abide the stubborne and proude men but giueth him selfe wholly vnto the méeke gentle and lowely hearted And bicause the Iewes were stubborne proude and wilfull and would not beléeue the Gospell of Chryst and his promises he dyd renounce and forsake them For which cause the Gentiles acknowledging their wretchednesse and submitting them selues to the fayth in Chryst God receiued them to hys grace whereas the Iewes he reiected and caste off bycause they gloried in a false righteousnesse in their holy dayes in their washing in their circumcision and in suche their lyke obserucāes which refused to submit them selues to the faith of Chryst and denied him and put him the author of their life vnto death the which selfe thing Esay did prophecie should come to passe that is that Chryst whom the law before had promised to be a sauiour should be vnto them for their vnfaythfulnesse sake an occasion of their fall and he should also be a stone wherevpon the faythfull should repose them selues and vnto the Iewes it should be turned to their destruction inasmuche as they rather did chose to stumble at it and to be at variaunce among them selues agaynst it than to take their rest vpon it through the vertue of their beléefe For euen so dothe the father of Chryst him selfe speake by the prophet and sayth Beholde I put in Syon a stone to stumble at and a rocke to fall vpon But who soeuer shall beléeue on it shall not be ashamed of his beléefe The .x. Chapter The vnfaythfulnesse of the Iewes Two maner of righteousnesses DEare brethren verily I say this vnto you not without great sorow and heauinesse of harte bicause I inwardly wishe with the same the happie state and prosperitie of the Iewes And if it were in mine abilitie and power I would most gladly reléeue them and ease them of their fal and most wretched mischaunce But of this thing they be all assured and out of doubt that I pray to God dayly and hartily for them that they may yet once agayne turne to repentaunce and not thus alwayes to continue in their damnable blyndnesse Surely I can not excuse them of their vnbeléefe howbeit somewhat may yet be sayde in that behalfe for their comforts for they be not so farre from Chryst as the Gentiles were for asmuche as he is somewhat néerer the truthe that knoweth some parte thereof than he that knoweth yet nothing at all For which cause I would the rather wish that the same thing may now be brought to good effecte in them which they heretofore went about and that they may now obtayne the very truth it selfe wherof long since they haue had but the tipe and shadowe And although they did fall into a moste horrible and lamentable vice in that they so maliciously crucified the Lord which was the fountaine of al glory yet notwithstanding the same I muste néedes confesse that they did it for some loue which they bare towardes God thoughe it were done neither with wisdome nor iudgement For their entent was to call himself the sonne of God which in their opinions was a detestable blasphemie to the Father of heauen but in this pointe their carnall reason was deceyued Wherefore they did not altogither misse in the affection of godlynesse thoughe the same did misse in the ordering and in the right applying therof and better it is to haue some one kinde of religion thā to haue none at all Also they did deserue thoughe they had but little godlinesse in them to haue had more giuen vnto them if they had not bene so stiffe necked in their firste rules of godlinesse hauing in contempte the true godlinesse it selfe when it was once offered vnto them and also if they had not maintained and so stoutly fortified theyr shadowes and only similitudes of truthe and in steade therof to deride and mocke the veritie and perfect truth it selfe And euery of them though they should not then haue caste of from them their lawe of Moses yet they did strius for the fortification thereof without all knowledge or godly iudgement In the doing of which they contended against him for whom the whole lawe was firste made and proclaimed For theyr holy dayes their Circumcision their differences of meates the auoyding from deade carcases their Fastings their Festiuall dayes were all appoynted for this intent that they shoulde passe foorthe for their time in these sortes of beginning and to pretende by the outwarde or worldly rightuousnesse therof a comming at the time appoynted to the true rightuousnesse of almightie God. Howe be it it was not conuenient for them that for the loues sake and affection they then had to their Ceremoniall rightuousnesse to despise cast him away frō them for whose only cause al their lawe Ceremonies were ordained but the more pitie it is that the Iewes though they had in most large and godly maner declared truely vnto them all the righteousnesse of God yet they would not forsake the worldly righteousnesse of their Ceremonies but moste peruersly and without all good order sought to vpholde the continuaunce of them For they so stiffely defended their olde righteousnesse which in déede was made of none effecte and is now rather become to all men which trust therein their deadly wound and sting that they would not once know the true ryghteousnesse of God but stil wasting their liues in Ceremonies they resisted the Gospell of Chryst wherevnto they should haue submitted them selues with all humblenesse and thankesgiuing if in very déede they had ben mindefull to be righteous For we must imagine thus with our selues as though there were before vs two kinde of righteousnesses the one hath Moyses for their author the other hath Chryst The firste standeth in the fulfilling of Ceremonies the seconde consisteth in the fayth of Iesus Chryst and in the obedience to his Gospell The first of these two was but the preamble and first beginning of the seconde euen as a stocke or rough péece of woode is the beginning of the Image that is made thereof or else as the crudding togither of the bloud is the beginning of the issue that commeth therof Therfore it shall be but extreme foolishnesse to sticke to the beginning and to be setled with delight therein when we haue once receiued the perfecte issue and true thing it selfe And euen thus is Chryst the very perfect issue or ende of Moyses law which was in déede but a very weake and vnperfecte beginning of our righteousnesse And this same issue is fedde and nourished to be our helpe and comforte in time to come with the moste delicate deyntie and sweete milke of fayth and not with the da lying toyes of Circumcision or other the like trifling Ceremonies The comming vnto
vprightly deale in their holy functions woorthy theyr laud and commendation then the honor that is done vnto them is done woorthily vnto God him selfe But contrarywise if they shall abuse the excellencie of their state as men corruptly folowing their owne sinfull lustes and regarde not the vtilitie of the people then the honoure that is done is done only to the magistrate eschuing all vprores breaking no peace but to kéepe an order with humblenesse in all their publike weales To conclude therefore conforme your selues as well to the common tranquilitie of the publike affaires as also to serue the expectation of the magistrates that héerein in any wise there may not be once found in you any offence at all Also among your selues haue this in remembrance that ye make neither chalenge nor paiment of any custome tribute or other earthy taxing one of an other but only of mutuall and brotherly charitie to lead your liues in vnitie Which also that of right by order is to be done amongst you let it be of that perfection and Christen vehemencie that there be no delay towards any person which should lawfully require it and to auoid an extremitie of his condition that after oft demaunds may chaÌ„ce to fal To the magistrates when you haue payed that which they haue taxed vpon you then are you frée for the time and no longer detters in that behalf vnto them But althoughe throughe your godly charitie you haue thus fully satisfied all men to their lawful requests yet it doth neuer satisfie it selfe but alwayes laboreth studieth to heape benefite vpon benefite vnto euery man. Therefore before all other things embrace and kéepe stil amongste you that noble vertue charitie which in it selfe fulfilleth most amplie all the whole law For whatsoeuer he be that in pure christen charitie loueth his neighbor hath in him selfe the very summe of Moses law pleaseth God most singularly But if charitie be awaye the obseruation of many lawes suffiseth not thoughe the number of them be infinite Againe if it beare sway and raigne amongst you there néede none other lawes at all in as much as this only vertue of charitie setteth forthe vnto oure perfect knowledge the ful effecte that the whole commaundements requireth of vs The law of Moses forbiddeth adultry manslaughter theft false witnesse coueting of another mans goods vsurie with many such like but the whole summe of all these is bréefely comprehended in this coÌ„maundement of charitie Thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy selfe Charitie to hir power séeketh for the profite of all men whether they be good or euill and not to hurte any man Therefore to what purpose doeth it serue to prohibite that you doe no hurte this waye or that waye sithe the nature of charitie is to hurt no man whatsoeuer he be Can he that loueth kill will he that loueth his neighbour as him selfe séeke to defile his neighbours wife will he robbe and spoyle his neighbour of his goodes that is ready to helpe and succour him with his owne gâ—â—d â—â—e will he beare false witnesse to the hurte of his neighbour that vpon his owne perill will saue and defende hym will he set foorth his riches vnto vsurie which thinketh the whole summe of his goodes to be common for others necessitie will he couet another mans losse or misfortune to whom he wisheth as well as to him selfe Or can he with will vexe any man for whoÌ„ Chryst dyed if he vnfainedly loue Chryst and him It is very true therefore that charitie it selfe is the summe of the whole lawe By charitie we all learne what to folowe and what to eschue and put away from vs To the loue of which euen the very nature and condition of the time enforceth vs that is to say that in taking vpon vs true repentaunce and amendement of our liues we awake euen from the sléepe of darkenesse and death the errour of our olde liues The night season in the darkenesse therof séemeth to giue libertie of offence bicause of his owne condition it is shamelesse and darke for in the darkenesse of the nighte all suche as in the vncleannesse of their hearts are inclined to whordome and wantonnesse giue them selues then to fulfill their filthy luste yet notwithstanding as soone as daylighte appeareth they leaue off their sinfull workes of darkenesse and doo decke or fashion them selues agayne to the open shew and face of the worlde Wherein béeing thus in the brightnesse of the day made agayne as new men they shew them selues abroade and are become of filthy wantons chaste and cleane persons of dronkards sober men of sediciouse felowes quiet men and of slouthfull and lumpish lubbors liuely quicke and cherefull men For which cause according to the time we must holily apply and frame our liues which if we in déede shall rightly vse we shall then the more ioyfully account vppon our saluation and to be now néerer at hand vnto vs than in the dayes of Moyses although we then beléeued it to be very nigh vnto vs The night of our olde life is gone past and the clere day is euen at hande which shall make open and manyfest all the moste déepe and darke secrets that lye moste couertly hidde Let vs now therefore in the bright day of Gods grace shining presently vpon vs moste happily embrace it and conforme our selues to the clerenesse of that heauenly light casting away from vs al our deadly darke nightly maners wherof in the fayre light of the day we may be all ashamed And if it be a godly maner that as soone as the light of the day appeareth we gladly yeld to the time and euery of vs decke our bodies with more comely apparell that in the sight of men we may appeare more decent séemely then much rather at the comming of the clere light of the Gospell we should adourne and garnish our soules with the most séemely beautiful vesture of vertue And he that thus worthily walketh in this true light of life let him not drede at any time the sighte of God who euer and in all places beholdeth our dooings And so let vs altogither in this world dispose our liues that it may euidently appeare before the face of God before all his holy angels and vnto all other his creatures that we haue clerely cast from vs the obscuritie and darkenesse of our liues and to walke honestly in the cléere light it self not abusing the time in eating drinking in chambering wantonnesse neither in strife enuying or vnchristenly contending among your selues with al which vices suche like you haue heretofore ben most filthily spotted and foyled walking in the darknesse of your olde liues But now at this time séeing you be altogither vnited vnto christ by baptime take him vpoÌ„ your backs garnish your selues with him yea let him shine in you throgh your holy coÌ„uersation all your life long whose name
which what so euer he promised vnto Abraham in his posteritie he hath performed it vnto vs in Iesus Christ our Lord whom he restored again from death to life declaring therby that Abraham did not beléeue amisse which trusted that he could giue life to the dead and to make the things that were not for to be We oughte not therfore to giue our thaÌ„ks vnto the law of Moses for our iustification but wholely altogither to Christ which â—â—â—ly yelded himselfe to death to put away our sinnes without our desertes and the same rose againe from death to the end we should abstaine from deadly things and neuer after commyt such enormities and sinnes as Christ dyed for I say therfore that Christ died to kill our sinnes in vs and the same rose again from death that we by meanes of him being made dead to our sinnes should also rise againe with him vnto newnesse of life and to liue according to rightuousnesse which by the benefite of his death we haue most amplie receiued The fifth Chapter The povver of faith hope and loue and hovv death raigned from Adam vnto Christ by vvhome only vve haue forgeeuenesse of our sinnes THerefore we be made rightuous from oure sinnes not by the lawe of Moses which augmenteth rather our offences neither by the merite of our good woorkes but euen as Abraham was so be we also reconciled vnto God through the onely dignitie of our faithe Vnto whome also Abraham was counted righteous for his faithe and that not by the lawe of Moses but by the onely sonne of God oure Lorde Iesus Christe which washing away oure sinnes in his bloude and by his deathe reconciling vs againe vnto God which before was offended with oure sinnes opened vnto vs the way wherby we through our faith without the helpe of our Circumcision might be drought into the graâ—e of the Gospell In which Gospell all that be the children of God stand stedfastly in faithe Neither stand they all only with light and mercie harts but also reioyce and glory as well for that they be atone with God as also to haue sure hope shewed vnto them that for the continuaÌ„ce of their faith they shal once come to the eternal glory of god And as we enuie not the Iewes though they glory in their circuÌ„cision so it repeÌ„teth vs not of our faithe which bringeth to vs so great frute neither yet â—â—e we for thinke our reioysing by hope whereof we be most happily comforted set at a sure stay The which though it doe not yet appeare but moste suffer many things before we come vnto it yet we accompt our afflictions and troubles of great glory and praise which we suffer in the meane time and shall open the way for vs into immortalitie for we haue receiued this example and mightie doctrine of Christe himselfe that in suffering afflictions patiente is made strong and by patience we are rendred vnto God and proued daily amongst men Againe the more that we be proued by perplexities and troubles so much the more strong is our hope of rewarde Neither shal we doubt or feare that our hope will deceiue vs and forsake vs or be once ashamed that we haue beléeued in as muche as we haue a sure earnest or gage that it is his wonderfull loue towards vs which is not shewed only without forth but also moste aboundantly it is imprinted in our hartes which also worketh oure loue towardes him It God had not wonderfully loued vs his only deare sonne shoulde not haue bene suffered to descende into this miserable world and to receiue mortal fleshe vpon him and therein to suffer death yea the moste cruel and shameful death for vs which were abandoned and giuen ouer to all filthie and dissolute liuing This notwithstanding he loued vs in suche manner that he willingly and fréely suffered such crueltie for vs Amongst men one man cannot be founde so frendly that wil suffer death for his felow And though peraduenture there be some men that wil die for some of their speciall friendes which haue deserued it by benefites or giuing of gifts yet the frendship and loue of God excéedeth all kinde of loue which deliuered his onely deare Sonne 〈◊〉 be moste â—â—e 〈◊〉 tormented and cruellie wounded to the death for moste accursed and wretched sinners which benefite loue séeing he hath shewed to the very wicked and most gracelesse offenders how muche more wiâ—â— he shewe it to the penitent harted and his deare louers Christ died for vs for a while â—â—ase againe from death to liue for euermore By whose only puissant and triumphant death séeing we be now reconciled vnto God which before was greuously offended with vs to the ende we should afterwardes haue him beneuolent and mercifull then muche rather shall his life performe this foreséeing that we fall not againe into oure olde filthie iniquities His death tooke away our offences and his life shall guide our innocencie His death bought vs from the boÌ„dage of the diuell and his life shall maintaine the louely fréedome of his father towardes vs These be suche euident tokens of Gods almightie loue towardes vs that we may not onely vs sure with firme hope and confidence that we be safe from his ire to come but also they liuely encourage vs to reioyce in the same not vaunting or extolling our good woorkes but wholly giuing thankes to God to whose only goodnesse we may euer referre all our perfecte felicitie which he hath prepared for vs not by the lawe nor by Circumcision or other Ceremonies but only by his sonne Iesus Christ And it was moste secretely prouided by the highe Councell of God that the way to restore vs againe to health should agrée in fashion vnto the way that brought vs to destruction For like as by one the first Adam which gaue the first onset to the traÌ„sgressing of Gods lawe sinne came into the world and death also by the meanes of sinne which deathe is the ende and rewarde of sinne and the forcible venome and poison of the soule also as it chaunced that sinne began at the head of maÌ„kinde throughe whome it also came vnto all his posteritie Euen so by Christ the seconde Adam in whome we be new borne by faithe innocencie was broughte amongste vs and life folowed innocencie And so this felicitie which procéedeth of the newe beginner of mankinde is deriued vnto all men which by faithe appertaine vnto Christe and leade an innocent and cleane life Further after that sinne was broughte into this worlde and inuaded all men it would not be put away neither by the lawe of Moses nor yet by the lawe of nature but only the lawe testified that they which offended did onely deserue punishment Howe beit the Gentiles had no punishment appointed vnto them for their offences but 〈◊〉 infantes which by season of their tender youthe haue not the vse of the lawe of nature neither yet can rightly