no lawe is there is no transgression 14 For if they whiche are of the lawe By an argument taken from that is impossible or absurde hee proueth that that grace which Abraham obteined of God was not promised vnto him in regarde of the Legall part or in respect of workes for if this condition had beene interposed that God woulde vouchsafe to adopt those onely whiche deserue it or which keepe the lawe no man shoulde haue durst to beleeue that it apperteineth vnto him For what man findeth suche perfection in himselfe that hee dare resolue himselfe the inheritaunce is due vnto him by righteousnesse of the lawe Then were faith made voide because an impossible condition doeth not onely holde the mindes of men in suspence and maketh them doubtfull but also doth smite them with feare and trembling So the effect of the promises shoulde vanishe away because they profite nothing except they be receiued by faith If our aduersaries had eares to hearken to this one reason If saluation were grounded vpon the keeping of the law then neither should mens consciences bee at peace neither the promise haue effect then shoulde the controuersie betweene them and vs easely come to an ende The Apostle taketh it for a thing out of all question that the promises of God can not be effectuall except we receiue them with sure affiaunce of minde And what should come to passe if the saluation of man were grounded vpon the keeping of the lawe the consciences shoulde haue no certaynetie but beeing vexed with a perpetuall vnquietnesse at length shal fall to desperation The promise also whose performance dependeth vppon an impossible thing shoulde vanishe away without fruite Let them goe now whiche teache the wretched people to saue themselues by works seeing Paule doth plainly pronounce that the promise is made of none effect if it depend vpon workes But that is very necessary to be knowen faith is made voyde if it stand vpon workes For therby we both learne what faith is and what kynde of righteousnesse that righteousnesse of workes ought to be whereunto men may boldly trust The Apostle teacheth that faith doth perishe vnlesse the soule rest securely in the goodnesse of God faith then is not either a naked knowledge of God or of his truth What faith is neither a simple perswasion that God is that his worde is trueth it selfe but a sure knowledge of the mercie of God conceiued by the Gospell which sure knowledge bringeth the peace and rest of conscience towardes God The summe therefore is that if saluation rested in the obseruation of the law the mynde of man coulde haue no certainty thereof yea what promises soeuer were offered vs of God they should be voyde and of none effect So miserable wretched are we if we be turned ouer vnto workes whiles the cause and certainty of saluation is to be sought for 15 For the law c. This is a confirmation of the former sentence taken from the contrary effect of the lawe For seeing the law begetteth nothing but vengeance it cannot bring grace To those were good and perfect it would shew the way of righteousnesse The law by reason of our corruption begetteth nothing but vengeance but in as much as it commaundeth those are sinfull corrupt what they ought to doe and ministreth not strength to performe the same it proueth them guilty before the iudgement seate of God For such is the corruption of our nature that the more we are taught what is iust and right the more plainely is our iniquity discouered Wrath for iudgement and chiefly our disobedience and so the greater iudgement of God is procured By wrath vnderstand the iudgement of God in whiche significatiō it is often vsed They whiche vnderstande it that the wrath of the sinner is inflamed by the lawe because he hateth and curseth the Lawgiuer whom he seeth to be aduersant to his lustes They say that wittily but yet vnfitly in respect of the present place For that Paule woulde not any thing els but shewe howe nothing except condemnation commeth vnto vs all by the lawe both the common vse of the woorde and also the reason which hee addeth straightwayes doth declare Where there is no lawe The second proofe wherby he confirmeth that whiche hee said For otherwise it would haue beene obscure how the wrath of God should be kindled against vs by the lawe vnlesse the reason were more apparant And that is because we hauing tasted the knowlege of the iustice of God by the lawe The more knowledge men haue the more heinous is their transgression offende so much the more greeuously against God as there remaineth lesse excuse vnto vs. For they are worthie to susteine more greeuous punishment whiche despise the knowen will of God then they sinne of ignoraunce The Apostle speaketh not of the simple transgression of righteousnesse from the which no man is exempted but hee calleth that transgression when a mans minde beyng taught what doth please or displease God doth wittingly and willingly burst the boundes prescribed vnto him by the worde of God And that I may speake in a worde transgression heere doeth not signifie a simple offence but a purposed stubbornes in violating iustice I take this particle ou aduerbially to wit for where Others turn it whereof as though it were a pronowne relatiue but the first reading agreeth best whiche is also most receiued Whether reading soeuer you followe the same sense abydeth namely that hee who is not instructed by the written Law if hee offende is not guiltie of so greate transgression as hee who stubbornely infringeth and breaketh the Lawe of God 16 Therefore it is by faith that it might come by grace and the promise might bee sure to all the seede not to that onely whiche is of the Lawe but also to that whiche is of the faith of Abraham who is the father of vs all as it is written 17 I haue made thee a father of many nations euen before God Whome hee beleeued Gee 17. 4. who quickeneth the dead and calleth those thinges which bee not as though they were 16 Therefore it is of faith This is the windyng vppe of the argument so that you may gather the whole into this summe If the inheritance of saluation come vnto vs by workes then shall the faith thereof fall the promise of it shall be of none effect but both these must be sure Therfore it commeth vnto vs by faith that the firmenesse thereof beeing founded vpon the only goodnesse of God it might haue a sure effect See howe the Apostle esteeming faith by firme True faith excludeth wauering doubting and stable certaintie doth counct doubting and wauering for incredulitie whereby both faith is abolished and the promise abrogated And yet this is that doubting which the Schoole men terme Moral coniecture and if it please God they put it in steed of faith That it might come by grace Here first
is not put down which might answere the former The inconsequent doth somewhat darken the speech because the seconde member in the comparison is not expressed which might answere to the former But wee will doe our diligence to make both playne when wee come vnto the place Sinne entered into the worlde c. Marke here what order hee vseth For hee saith sinne was first and of that death followed For there are some that goe about to prooue vs to bee so cast away by the sinne of Adam as though we perished through no fault of our owne but therefore onely as though hee sinned for vs. Yet Paule affirmeth plainely that sinne hath entered into all which suffer the punishment of sinne And that hee vrgeth more strickly when a litle after he setteth downe the reason why all the posteritie of Adam is subiect to the power of deathe namely quoth he because we haue all sinned Furthermore this fame to sinne is to be corrupte and faultie Sinne taken for corruption of nature For that naturall prauitie which we bringe out of our mothers wombe althoughe it doe not so sone shewe fourth his fruites yet neuerthelesse it is sinne before the Lorde and deserueth his vengeance And this is that sinne they call originall For as Adam by his firste creation as well receyued for him selfe as for his posteritie the gifts of Gods grace so hee falling from the Lorde corrupted viciated defiled and destroyed our nature in him selfe For hee being put away from the similitude of God could begette no seede but like vnto himselfe Howe all are said to haue sinned Wee haue all therefore sinned because wee are all indued with naturall corruption and so are become sinnefull and frowarde For that imagination was friuelous whereby in olde tyme the Pelagians went aboute to shift of the wordes of Paule saying that sinne hath descended from Adam to all mankinde by imitation for so Christ shoulde bee onely an example of righteousnesse and not the cause Here also it may easely be gathered that the question is not of actuall sinne for if euery one shoulde woorke giltinesse to him selfe to what ende should Paul compare Adam with Christ it followeth therefore that ingraffed and naturall corruption is noted 13 Vntill the lawe This parenthesis contayneth a preoccupation For because it seemeth not there is any transgression without the lawe it might bee doubted whither there were any sinne before the Lawe That there was after the lawe there is no doubt onely the question was of the time went before the lawe Therefore he answereth that albeit God had not as yet denounced sentence by the written lawe yet was mankinde vnder the curse yea and that from his mothers wombe and therefore much lesse were they absolued from the condemnation of sinne who liued wickedly before the publishing of the lawe For there was alway a God to whom worshippe was due If al men be sinners as they come out of their mothers wombe much more are they which liue wickedly and there was alway some rule of righteousnesse This interpretation is so playne and cleare that it doth sufficiently of it selfe refell all contrary interpretations But sinne is not imputed Without the reprehēsion of the law we are in a maner a sleep in our sins And although we are not ignorant that we do euil yet as much as in vs is we ouerwhelme the knowlege of euill offering it self at the least we put it out throgh suddain forgetfulnes but whiles the law reproueth checketh vs as it were pulling vs by the eare it doth awaken vs so that now then we returne to thinke vpō the iudgement of God Therefore the Apostle noteth how peruerse men are when they are not stirred vp by the law namely the difference of good and euill for the most part being driuen away securely and sweetely to pamper thēselues as though there were no iudgement of God Otherwise that iniquities haue bin imputed vnto men of God the punishēnt of Cain the flood where in all the world was destroyed the destruction of Sodom the plages fell vpon Pharao and Abimelech for Abraham lastly the euils came vpō Egipt do proue that men also amongst thēselues haue charged one another with sin it is manifest by so many cōplaints expostulations wherin one accuseth another of iniquitie againe by their apologies wherin they studiously go about to clere their deeds Finally that euery mā was gilty of euill good in his owne conscience there be many examples with proue But for the most part they did so wincke at their euil facts that they would impute nothing vnto thēselues for sinne but that they were constrayned Therefore when he denieth sin to be imputed wtout the lawe How sin is said not to be imputed without the lawe hee speaketh by the way of cōparison namely because whē they are not pricked by the sting of the law they bury thēselues in slothfulnes Furthermore Paul hath inserted this sentēce very wisely that the iewes might therby the better learn how great blame they shuld sustein whō the law did opēly condēne For if they were not free frō punishmēt whō God neuer sōmoned gilty before his tribunal seat what shal come vnto the Iewes to whō the lawe like a cryer sheweth their giltines yea denoūceth iudgement another reasō also may be brought why he may plainly say that sin rained before the law yet was not imputed namely Another reason why sin is saide to haue raigned but not to haue bin imputed before the lawe that we might know the cause of death not to come of the law but to be shewed by the law Hee saith therfore that all men were forthw t frō the fal of Adā miserably cast away albeit the destruction was long after reueiled by the lawe If you translate the particle aduersatiue de although albeit the text shal run better for the meaning shal be albeit men flatter thē selues yet they cānot escape the iudgement of God yea whiles the law doth not reproue thē Death raigned frō Adā He openeth more clearly how it profited men nothing that frō Adam vntil the publishing of the law they liued licenciously securely the choise or difference of good euil being reiected so wtout the admonition of the law the remēbrance of sin was buried because neuerthelesse sin was of force vnto condemnation Wherefore then also death rained because the cecitie hardnes of mē cold not oppresse the iudgement of God 14 Yea euen ouer them Although this place bee commonly vnderstood of infantes who not being giltie of any actuall sinne dye through originall corruption yet had I rather expound it generally of all those sinned without lawe This sentence muste be annexed vnto the wordes wente before where it was said that they which wanted the lawe did not impute sinne vnto themselues They therefore sinned not after the similitude of the transgression of Adam How they who sinned without law are
of the fleshe is not brideled but rather it increaseth Whereby it followeth that the kingdome of righteousnesse is not established till Christe haue freed vs from the lawe And withall Paule admonisheth what workes doe become vs beeyng loosed from the lawe So long therefore as a man is holden vnder the yoke of the lawe by sinning continually he can bring nothing vnto himselfe but death If the seruice of the lawe begetteth sinne onely then deliuerance which is contrary must tende vnto righteousnesse if that lead vnto death then this vnto life But let vs consider the very wordes of Paul Whiles he goeth about to describe that time wherein wee were vnder the dominion of the lawe hee saith we were in the fleshe Whereby we vnderstand that all they which are vnder the law reape nothing els thereby then that without fruite and efficacie their eares are beaten with the externall breath thereof seeing they are inwardly destitute of the spirite of God Therefore they must needes abide altogether corrupt peruerse vntill a better remedie come to heale their disease And note the vsuall phrase of the Scripture to bee in the flesh for What it is to be in the flesh to be indued onely with the gifts of nature without that speciall grace wherew t God vouchsafeth his elect Furthermore if this whole state of life be corrupt it is apparant that naturally there is no part of our soule sound neither is there any other power of free wil but that it may send foorth euyll affections as dartes into euery part Affections of sinnes which are by the lawe That is the lawe did stir vp euill affections in vs which did declare their efficacie in all our members For there is no parte which did not serue the euill affections This is the worke of the lawe namely to inflame our heartes the more that they shoulde burst foorth into such lustes if that inwarde master of the spirite bee not present But obserue here that the lawe is matched with the corrupt nature of man whose peruersitie and lust the more it is restrained by the barres of the lawe the more furiously it bursteth foorth He addeth againe so long as the affections of the fleshe were ruled vnder the law they brought foorth fruite vnto death that they might shew how the lawe by it selfe killeth whereby it followeth that they are foolish who so greatly couet after that seruice bringeth death 6 But now wee are freed from the lawe Hee pursueth his argument from contraries if the bande of the lawe did so little preuaile to bridle the fleshe that it was rather an increment of sinne then of necessitie must we be loosed that we may cease to sinne If then wee bee freed from the bondage of the lawe that we might serue God they doe wickedly whiche take from hence libertie of sinning And they speake wickedly which say by this meanes the raines are loosed to concupiscence Note therefore wee are then loosed from the lawe when God doth indue vs being freed from the seuere exaction and curse thereof with his spirite that wee might walke in his wayes Beeing dead to it This parte conteyneth a reason or rather sheweth the maner whereby we are deliuered namely whiles the law is so farre foorth abrogated from vs that we be not oppressed with the burden thereof or least that the seuere rigour thereof ouerwhelme vs in the Curse In the newnesse of the spirite Hee opposeth the spirite against the letter because before that our will by the holy Ghoste be formed vnto the will of God we haue nothing in the lawe but the outward letter Why newnesse is ascribed vnto the spirite which in deede brideleth our externall actions but it restraineth not the furie of our concupiscence at all Hee attributeth newenesse vnto the spirite because it succeedeth in the steede of the olde man as the Letter is called old which perisheth by the regeneration of the spirite 7 What shall we say then is the lawe sinne God forbid But I knewe not sinne but by the lawe For I had not knowen concupiscence except the lawe had saide thou shalte not lust 8 But sinne tooke an occasion by the commandement wrought in me al maner of concupiscence 7 What shall wee say then Because it was saide wee must be deliuered from the lawe that we might serue God in the newnesse of spirit this fault did seeme to be in the law as though it did driue vs vnto sinne But seeing that is very absurd the Apostle did very well to take in hand to refute it When hee demaundeth therfore whether the law be sin his meaning is whether it beget sin so that the fault thereof ought to bee imputed to the law Sinne remaineth in vs not in the lawe But I knew not sin Then doth sinne abide in vs and not in the law because the cause of sin is the wicked cōcupiscence of our flesh we come into the knowledge therof by the knowledge of the righteousnes of God which is declared vnto vs in the law But you are not to vnderstād it as though there were no difference at al betweene righte wrong without the law But the either we are too blinde in seeing our corruption or els whiles wee flatter our selues wee are altogether secure as also it followeth For I had not knowen concupiscence This is therefore a declaration of the former sentence wherein he sheweth that that ignoraunce of sinne whereof hee spake did stande in this that men marked not their concupiscence And purposely he persisteth in one kynde wherein chiefly Hypocrisie raygneth whereunto retchlesse pampering and securitie is alway annexed For men are neuer so depriued of iudgement but externall woorkes keepe with them their difference Yea they are forced also to condemne wicked counsels and such like deuises which they cannot doe but they must needes giue vnto a right will that prayse is due vnto it But the faulte of concupiscence is more hidden and more deepely layde vppe whereby it commeth to passe that it neuer commeth into question so long as men iudge according to their sence For he doth not boast himselfe to haue beene voyde of it but hee did so flatter himselfe that hee made no account of that sinne lurking in his heart For seeyng he was deceiued for a tyme when hee thought that righteousnesse coulde not be hindered by concupiscence then at length he perceyued he was a sinner when he saw concupiscence of the which no man is voyde to be forbidden by the Lawe Augustine sayeth that Paule vnder this worde conteyneth the whole lawe whiche so that we vnderstande it well is true For when Moses sheweth of what things we are to take heede least wee offend or hurt our neighbour he addeth thou shalt not lust which is to bee referred vnto all those preceptes went before There is doubt but in the former commaundementes he had condemned whatsoeuer wicked affections our hearts conceiue Concupiscence without
consent is sinne but there is great difference between a set will and affections whereby we are tickled Therefore by this last precept God requireth such integrity of vs that no corrupt lust should moue vs vnto euil howsoeuer it be that we cōsent not vnto it And for this cause it was I saide Paule did mount higher then the common capacity of man is able to reache For politike lawes cry that they punishe the counselles and not the euentes and the Philosophers more subtilly place both vices and vertues in the mynde but God by this precept pearceth vnto the concupiscence which is more secrete then the will And therefore men did not count it for sinne Neyther was it onelye pardoned of the Philosophers but at this day the Papistes contend mightely that it is not sinne in the regenerate But Paule saith he found out his guiltinesse by this lurking disease whereupon it followeth that they are not excusable who so are sicke of it but so farre foorth as GOD doeth pardon the faulte A twofolde concupiscence In the meane while wee are to holde that distinction betweene euill lustes which come vnto consent and concupiscence which only so tickleth and mooueth the heartes that it stayeth in the middle way 8 But sin tooke an occasion So then whatsoeuer is euil it ariseth of sinne the corruption of the flesh the occasion only is in the law And although he may be supposed to speake of that prouocation only whereby through the law our lust is so stirred vp that it bursteth forth into greater madnes yet I refer it chiefly vnto knowledge as though it were saide it discouered in me all concupiscence which whiles it lay hidden seemed in a manner to be none And yet I denie not but the flesh is more vehemētly prouoked vnto cōcupiscēce by the law so this way it cōmeth into light which thing might also happen vnto Paule But that which I sayd of manifestation agreeth rather vnto the text For straightwaies he addeth For without the law sinne is dead 9 And I liued sometime without law But when the commandement came sinne reuiued 10 But I died and that commandement which was ordeyned vnto life was found vnto me to be vnto death 11 For sinne taking an occasion by the commandemēt led me out of the way and by that killed me 12 Wherefore the law is holye the commaundement holy and iust and good For without the law Here he doth plainely expresse the meaning of the former words For it is as much as if he said that knowledge of sinne without the law is buried And it is the generall sentence wherunto he doth by and by apply his example Wherfore I maruell what the interpreters meant to translate it in the preterimperfectence as though Paule spake of himselfe seeing it is apparant that his mind was to begin at an vniuersal proposition and afterward to open the matter by his example 9 And I liued sometime wthout lawe His meaning is to insinuate that there was a time wherin to him or with him sinne was dead For it is not to be vnderstood that he was at any time lawlesse but this word I liued is very significant because the absēce of the lawe made that he liued that is being puffed vp with the cōfidence of his owne righteousnes he chalenged life vnto himselfe when neuerthelesse he was dead That the sentence may be more cleare resolue it thus when somtime I was without law I liued And I said that this word was significant because in faining himselfe righteous hee claymed vnto himselfe life also This then is the meaning when I sinned without knowledge of the lawe sinne was so drowned that I did not obserue it and that it seemed almost to be dead On the other side I because I did not see that I was a sinner did please my selfe in my selfe thinking that I had life at home with my selfe For the death of sinne is the life of man againe the life of sinne is the death of man But the question is what time that was 2. Cor. 3.14 how paul being brought vp of a childe in the doctrine of the law is saide to haue liued sometime without law wherein by the ignorance of the lawe or as hee sayth by the absence of the lawe hee did confidently claime life vnto him selfe For sure it is hee was brought vp of a childe in the doctrine of the lawe But that was a litterall Diuinitie which doth not humble his Disciples For as he saith in another place the vaile was interposed that the Iewes coulde not see the light of life in the lawe So he also so long as he beyng voyd of the spirite of Christe had his eyes couered did please himself in the externall shew of righteousnesse Hee therefore counteth the lawe absent which though it were present before his eyes yet did not smite him with a perfecte sence of the iudgement of the Lorde Thus are the eyes of hypocrites couered with a vayle that they see not howe much this precept requireth wherein wee are forbidden of concupiscence But when the commaundement came So nowe on the contrary hee counteth the lawe then to come when it began truely to be vnderstoode The lawe therefore did as a man woulde say rayse sinne from the dead because it discouered vnto Paule with howe muche corruption the inwarde partes of his heart abounded and also did flea him And let vs alway remember that he speaketh of a secure confidence wherein hypocrites rest whiles they flatter themselues because they wincke at their sinnes 10 Was found vnto me c. Two thinges are said here 1. namely that the commaundement sheweth vnto vs the way of life in the righteousnesse of God therfore was giuen that we obseruing the law of the Lord The law in it selfe is the way of life But that none are saued by the law the cause is for that none doth keepe it might obteyne eternall life if the prauity of vs all did not hinder it 2. But because there is none of vs that keepeth the law but rather we are altogether carried headlong into that kinde of life from the which it doth call vs it can bring nothing els but death Thus we are to distinguish betweene the nature of the lawe and our corruption Whereby it followeth that wheras the law doth wound vs vnto death that is accidentical as if an incurable disease should be stirred vp the more by an wholesome medicine Indeed I confesse it is an insepararable accident and therefore the lawe in another place in respect of the Gospell is called the minister of death but yet this abideth firme 1. Cor. 3.7 that it is not hurtfull vnto vs of his own nature but because our corruption doth prouoke and cause his curse 11 hath lead mee out of the way Verily true it is although the will of God bee hidden from vs and no doctrine doth shine vnto vs the whole life of men
taketh all excuse and hafting and the Iewes hee spoyleth of their false and vaine boasting It is therefore a certaine diuision or distribution of all mankinde into two members For God had seuered the Iewes from other nations and as for all other nations they were in one and the like case Nowe hee sheweth that that diuersitie hindereth nothing whereby they should not both bee intangled wrapped in the same giltinesse But the woorde person is vsed in the Scripture By person is meant whatsoeuer externall thing the world esteemeth for all external thinges which are wont to bee had in any price or estimation When thou readest therfore that God is no accepter of persons vnderstande that hee respecteth the puritie and inwarde innocencie of the heart and regardeth not those thinges Deut. 10.17 which men make great reckoning of Namely kinred countrie dignitie riches and such like so that acception is here taken for an election or separation of one nation from another or betweene nation and nation And if any herevpon do cauill that the election of God therefore is not free It may be answered that there is a two folde acception of man before God The first A twofoulde acception of man before God whereby of his mere goodnes hee chuseth vs being called from nothing seeing there is nothing in our nature that might be liked of him The seconde whereby when he hath regenerate vs hee also embraceth vs with his gifts that are in vs and loueth that image of his sonne which he doeth acknowledge in vs. 12 Whosoeuer haue sinned without lawe In the former part of his diuision hee setteth vpon the Gentiles to whom albeit there was no Moses giuen which might publish vnto thē the Lawe from the Lorde yet hee denieth that to hinder any whitte whereby they might not by sinning bring vppon them selues the iust iudgement of death as if hee shoulde say the knowledge of the written lawe is not necessarie to the iust condemnation of a sinner The knowledge of the written lawe is not necessarie to the iust condemnation of a sinner See therefore what kinde of supportation maintenaunce or bearing out they haue taken vpon them who through preposterous pitie vnder the pretence of ignoraunce goe about to exempt the Gentiles depriued of the light of the Gospel from the iudgement of God Who so haue sinned in the Lawe As the Gentiles whiles they are carried with the errours of their owne sence runne headlong in perdition so the Iewes haue the lawe at hande whereby they are iudged For the sentence was pronounced long agoe Deut. 27.26 cursed are all those which abide not in all the preceptes thereof Therefore the sinfull Iewes are in worse case whose damnation is alreadie in their lawe 13 For not the hearers of the lawe This is a preoccupation whereby hee preuenteth that exception whiche the Iewes might alleadge Because they hearde that the lawe was the rule of righteousnes they were proud of the bare knowledge thereof Which fallacie or deception that hee might refell hee denieth that the hearing or knowledge of the lawe hath any such waight that any shoulde pretende righteousnesse thereby but the workes must bee brought foorth according to that saying Hee that doeth these thinges shall liue in them Deut. 4.1 Therefore this present sentence auayleth thus muche if righteousnesse bee sought for by the lawe then must needes the lawe bee fulfilled because the righteousnesse of the lawe consisteth in the perfection of the works They with abuse this place to build or maintain the iustification of workes are worthie to be laughed to scorne of children They onely are iustified by the lawe which fulfill the lawe but none c. therefore none are iustified by the lawe therefore it were to no purpose also besides the matter here to thrust in a long discourse of iustification for the vnfoulding of so friuelous a cauillation For the Apostle onely vrgeth that vpon the Iewes which hee had mentioned before namely the iugdement of the lawe that they coulde not be iustified by the lawe except they fulfilled the lawe If they transgressed it then was the curse alreadie prepared for them We denie not but perfect righteousnesse is prescribed in the lawe but because all men are conuicted of transgression wee say that righteousnesse must be sought els where rather wee argue out of this place that no man is iustified by workes For if they onely which fulfill the lawe bee iustified by the lawe it followeth that none is iustified because that none is founde that can boast of the fulfilling of the lawe 14 For when the Gentiles which haue not the lawe doe by nature the thinges contayned in the lawe they hauing not the lawe are a lawe vnto themselues 15 Which shewe the effect of the lawe written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witnes their thoughts accusing one another or excusing 16 At the day when God shall iudge the secretes of men by Iesus Christ according to my Gospel 14 For when the Gentiles Nowe hee repeateth the proofe of the former member For he thought it not sufficient to condemne vs by woorde and to pronounce the iust iudgement of God against vs but hee goeth about by reasons to conuince the same vnto vs to the ende he might the more stirre vs vnto the desire and loue of Christ For hee prooueth that ignorance is in vayne pretended of the Gentiles seeing by their deedes they declared them selues to haue no small rule of righteousnesse There is ingraffed naturally in the minds of all men a certaine conception of iustice For no people did euer at any tyme so abhorre from humanitie that they kept not them selues within some lawes In as muche therefore as all the Gentiles voluntarily and of them selues are inclined to make lawes vnto themselues it is out of all question that there are naturally graffed in the mindes of all men certaine conceptions of iustice and vprightnes which the Grecians Prolepseis Cogitations or deuises They haue therefore a lawe without the lawe because howesoeuer they haue not the written lawe of Moses yet they are not altogether voyde of the knowledge of ryght and equitie For otherwise they coulde not discerne betweene vice and vertue the one whereof they restrained by punishmentes the other they commended and being approued of them they honoured with rewardes Hee hath opposed nature to the written Lawe Meaning that there appeared in the Gentiles a naturall light of iustice which did supplie the place of the law whereby the Iewes were taught so that they were a Lawe vnto themselues 15 Which shewe the effect of the lawe c. That is to say they testifie that there is grauen in their heartes a certaine discretion and iudgement whereby they discerne betweene right and wrong honest and vnhonest For hee meaneth not that it was printed in their will that they shoulde couette and studiously seeke after it but because they were so
ouercome of the vertue of trueth that they coulde not but needes they must approue it For why should they institute religions but because they iudge that God is to bee worshipped why shoulde they bee ashamed of adulterie and theft but that they thinke them both euill vnaduisedly therefore is the power of our will drawen out of this place Paul speaketh not of the keeping but of the knowledge of the lawe Hearte for the intelect or vnderstanding as though Paule shoulde say the obseruation of the lawe were subiect to our power seeing hee speaketh not of the power of fulfilling the Lawe but of knowledge Neither is this woorde heart taken for the seate of the affections but for the intellect onely or vnderstanding as Deut. The Lorde hath not giuen thee a heart to vnderstande Also in an other place Deut. 29.4 O foolishe men and slowe of heart to beleeue Furthermore Luk. 24.25 neither is it hereby to be gathered that there is in men a full knowledge of the Lawe Imperfect knowledge in the Gentiles but onely that there are certaine seedes of iustice abiding in their witte such as these bee that all Gentiles in differently institute religions by lawes punish adulterie theftes and murder that they commende a good faith in bargaines and contractes For so they declare howe they are not ignoraunt that God is to be worshipped adulterie theft and murder are euill and honestie is commendable Neither is it meteriall what kind of god they imagine to be or how many gods they make it is sufficient that they vnderstande there is a God and that the same is to be honoured and worshipped It forceth not whether they permitte the concupiscence of another mans wife and possession or any other thing whether they can bridle the affections of wrath and hatred For that whiche they knewe was euill for them to doe the same was not lawfull for them to couette Their owne conscience bearing witnesse and their thoughtes c. Hee coulde not haue vrged them more straitly then with the testimonie of their owne conscience which is in steede of a thousande witnesses By the conscience of good deeds men support and comfort themselues they who in their conscience knowe they haue done euill are tormented and troubled in themselues As there is nothing more comfortable then the testimonie of a good conscience so on the contrary nothing more horrible then the testimonie of an euill conscience Whence these speaches of the Ethnickes came a good conscience is a large and noble theater but an euill is a most vile tormenter and more cruelly driueth the wicked frō poste to piller then any furie of hell There is therefore a certaine naturall knowledge of the lawe whiche sheweth this to be good and to bee followed after and that to bee abhorred And marke howe notably he discribeth the conscience when hee saith the reasons come into our minde whereby wee defende that is well done againe whiche accuse and reprooue vs of those thinges are euill done And these reasons of accusing and defending he deferreth vnto the day of the Lord not as though they shall then first appeare for they doe continually euen in this life vrge vs and exercise their office but because they shall then also preuaile least any should contēne them as friuelous and such as did vanish away And he hath put in the day for vnto the day as he did before 16 Wherein God shall iudge the secretes of men It is a very apt description of the iudgement seruing for the present place that they might knowe which willingly hide themselues in the darknes of vnsensiblenesse or dulnesse of minde that those inwarde cogitations which nowe are altogether hidde in the depth of their heartes shall then come forth into light As in an other place whiles he will shewe vnto the Corinthians of how smal force mans iudgement is which consisteth in external shewes he biddeth them tarrie till the Lorde come who will lighten the secretes of darknes and open the hidden thinges of the heart Which thinge when wee heare 1. Cor. 4.5 let vs remember that we are admonished if we will be in deede approoued of our iudge that then wee studie to come vnto that synceritie of minde He addeth according to my Gospell signifiyng that hee pronounceth such doctrine as euen mans reason naturally graffed in him doeth yeelde vnto How the gospell is called the Gospel of Paul And he calleth it his Gospel in respect of his ministerie For otherwise God onely hath authoritie to giue the Gospell onely the dispensation is committed to the Apostles Moreouer it is no marueile though part of the Gospell be called the messenger and solemne publishing of the iudgment to come For if the effect and accomplishment of those thinges hee promiseth be differed vntill the full declaration of the celestiall kingdome it must needes bee conioyned with the last iudgement Againe Christ can not bee preached but to the rising of some and the fall of other some both which apperteyne vnto the day of iudgement Concerning this parcell by Iesus Christ although it seeme otherwayes to some yet I referre it vnto the iudgement God will execute his iudgement by Christ after this maner that the Lorde shall execute his iudgement by Christ For hee is appointed of the Father to be iudge of the quicke and the dead Which the apostles alwayes count amongst the chiefest pointes of the Gospell and so the sentence shall bee more perfect which otherwise shoulde bee lame 17 Beholde thou art called a Iewe and restest in the law and gloriest in God 18 And knowest his will and allowest the thinges that are excellent in that thou art instructed by the lawe 19 And perswadest thy selfe that thou art a guide of the blind a light of them which are in darknes 20 An instructer of them which lacke discretion a teacher of the vnlearned which hast the forme of knowlege and of the trueth of the lawe 21 Thou therefore which teachest another teachest thou not thy selfe thou that preachest a man shoulde not steale doest thou steale 22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adulterie doest thou commit adulterie thou that abhorrest idols committest thou sacrilege 23 Thou that gloriest in the law through breaking the lawe dishonourest thou God 24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you as it is written 17 Beholde thou art a Iewe. In certayne olde copies is read Eide if verily which if it were so muche receiued shoulde be more allowed of me But because the greatest part of bookes is against it and the sence may stand otherwise I keepe the olde reading especially seeing it is but a small matter of one particle Now therefore hauing dispatched the cause of the Gentiles he returneth vnto the Iewes and to the ende he might more vehemently beate downe all their vanitie he graunteth vnto them all those thinges wherewithall they were proude and puffed
vp Secondly he sheweth how little they serue to vaine glory yea rather howe greatly they serue to their reproche Vnder the name of Iewe hee comprehendeth all the prerogatiues of that nation whiche being taken from the lawe and the Prophetes they did falsly pretend and so he vnderstandeth al the Israelites who were at that time all of thē indifferently called Iewes Furthermore it is vncertaine when that name first beganne But that vndoubtedly it beganne after the dispersion Antiquit. 11. Iosephus thinketh that it was taken vp of Iudas Machabeus by whose conducts and dispositions the libertie and dignitie of the people when it had beene a long time fallen and almost buried reuiued againe Albeit I see this sentence is probable yet if there bee any whome it satisfieth not I will bring also of my selfe another coniecture It seemeth verily vnto mee to bee like that when they were so wasted and scattered they could not conserue any certayne distinction of tribes For neither could the cessing valuing or mustering of the people be done in season neither did the policie or decent forme of gouerning their common wealth stande which was necessarie for conseruing suche order they both dwelt spearced and scattered out of order and also being worne with aduersities When whence the Israelites were called Iewes they were not so carefull for the reckoning of their kinred But howesoeuer you will not graunt these thinges vnto me yet you can not denie but there was likelyhood of such daunger in such disturbance of thinges Whither therefore they would foresee that was to come or they would salue the present euill I thinke they altogether went vnto the name of that tribe wherein purity of religion had abidden longest which tribe by singuler prerogatiue excelled all the rest and out of the whiche they looked for the redeemer to come For this was their refuge in extremities to comforte themselues with looking for the Messias Howsoeuer it be vnder the name of Iewes they professed themselues to be the heyres of the couenant whiche GOD made with Abraham and his seede And restest in the Lawe The Iewes gloried not in the keeping of the law but in this only that the law was committed to them and gloriest in GOD. He meaneth not that they rested in the study of the lawe as though they applyed their mynde to the keeping of it but rather hee vpbraydeth them that they not considering to what ende the Lawe was giuen hauing lefte the care of keeping it were proud of this one thing because they were perswaded that the Oracles of GOD apperteined to them Likewise they gloried of GOD not as the Lorde commaundeth by the Prophet Ieremie that being humbled in our selues we should seeke our glory in hym onely Ier. 9.24 but without any knowledge of his goodnesse for vaine ostentation sake they made him peculiarly theirs before men and boasted themselues for this people of whome inwardely they were altogether voyde This is not the glorying of the hearte but the bragging of the tongue 18 Thou knowest his will and approuest the things are excellent Nowe hee graunteth vnto them the knowledge of the will of God and the approbation or allowing of thinges profitable which knowledge and allowing of thinges they had obtayned by the doctrine of the Lawe A twofolde approbation of things There is a twofould approbation or allowing of thinges one of election when wee imbrace that wee haue approued and allowed for good another of iudgement whereby verily wee discerne good from euill but with industrie or studie wee doe not followe after it The Iewes therefore were so learned in the law that they could iudge of maners and correct them but they had small care to trie or proue their owne life according to the same censure Moreouer seeing Paule reprooueth their hyprocrisie we may gather by the contrary if so that our iudgement prooceede from a syncere affection that profitable thinges are then truely proued when God is hearkened vnto Then we iudge aright when we iudge according to the worde of God for his will as it is reueiled in the lawe is set downe here for the guide and Mistresse of true probation 19 And perswadest thy selfe He granteth yet more vnto them as though they had not onely inough to serue their own turne but also where withall they might inrich others He granteth I say that they had such store of knowledge as might also haue ouerflowed vnto others That which followeth namely hauing the forme of knowledge I vnderstande causatiuely that it may be resolued thus because thou hast the forme of knowledge For hence came it that they professed themselues to be the teachers of others because they were thought to carrie about all the secretes of the lawe in their brest The worde forme is not put for an example because Paul hath set downe the worde Morphosin and not Tupon but I thinke hee woulde note the glorious pompe or shewe of doctrine whiche is commonly called appearaunce And it is most certaine that they had not that knowledge which they pretended True knowledg to be sought for in the Lawe Howe bee it Paule by the waye checking the corrupted abuse of the Lawe on the other part sheweth that true knowledge is to be sought for out of the Lawe that trueth may bee firme and immoueable 21 Thou therefore that teachest another Although those praises of the Iewes which hee hath hitherto reckoned were such as might worthily haue garnished and set them foorth if they had not wanted the truer ornamentes yet because they contayned such indifferent giftes as both might bee in the godlesse and be corrupted by wicked abuse they are not sufficient vnto true glory Paul also not thinking it inough to refute and taunte their arrogancie that they trusted onely in those thinges Looke by howe much any is more honorably garnished with ornaments from god by so much he is the more infamous if hee be not answerable to them doeth also returne euen those agayne vpon them to their reproche For hee deserueth great reproche and infamie who maketh the giftes of God which otherwise are noble and excellent not onely vnprofitable but also by his prauitie doeth contaminate and defile them And hee is a peruerse counsailour who not prouiding for himselfe is wise onely to the profite of others hee sheweth therefore howe that was their dishonour which they take to bee their prayse Thou that preachest a man shoulde not steale Hee seemeth to haue respecte vnto the place in the psalme God saide vnto the wicked wherefore doest thou preache my statutes and takest my testament into thy mouth Psal 50.16 seeing thou hatest discipline and hast cast my wordes behinde thee if thou doest see a thiefe thou consentest with him and takest part with the adulterours Which obiurgation or chiding as it agreed vnto the Iewes in olde time who trusting to the bare knowledge of the lawe liued neuer a whitte the better then
if they had had no lawe at all so wee must beware least at this day it be turned agaynst vs. And surely it is too true in a great many who whiles they boast themselues to haue a certaine singuler knowledge as though the Gospell were not a rule of life they are giuen ouer vnto all kinde of vncleannesse Let vs not therefore dally so securely with the Lorde let vs remember what iudgement hangeth ouer such pratlers who shew forth the worde of God onely in iangling 22 Thou which abhorrest idols Verie aptely he opposeth sacriledge to idolatrie as a thing of the same kinde For sacriledge Sacrilege what it is simply is a prophanation of the diuine maiestie Which sinne was not vnknowen vnto the heathen Poets For this cause Ouide chargeth Lycurgus with sacrilege Metamorph. 3. For contemning the solemne feastes of Bacchus and in Fastis he calleth those Sacrilegas manus id est Wicked handes which violated the maiestie of Venus But seeing the Gentises gaue the maiestie of their gods vnto idols they counted that onely for sacrilege if any did steale that was dedicated to their Temples wherein they thought all religion consisted So at this daye where superstition raigneth in steade of the woorde of God they acknowledge no other sacrilege then the stealing of the riches of temples because with them there is no God but in idols no religion but in riot and pompe And here wee are admonished first that we flatter not our selues when wee haue obserued some part of the Lawe and contemne the residewe Two things to be noted Secondly that we glorie not so for externall idolatrie remoued that in the meane while wee haue no care to banishe and expell from vs that impietie lieth hidde in our myndes 23 Thou which gloriest in the lawe c. Although euery transgressour putteth God to reproche seeing all men are borne to this ende that they shoulde woorshippe him in righteousnesse and holinesse yet hee doeth iustly charge the Iewes herein with a speciall fault They in a speciall sort dishonour God who pretende his name and keepe not his lawe For whiles they preached God to bee their Lawgiuer and had no care to order their liues according to his rule they declared that the maiestie of their God which they so easely contemned was of no great count with them After which sorte at this day those defame Christ by the transgression of the Gospell who vainely talke of his doctrine whiche in the meane while by their licentious and lustfull life they treade vnder foote 24 For the name of God Ezech. 36 23◠Esay 52.5 I thinke this testimonie ratther to be taken out of Ezech. then out of Esay seeing with Esay there are no vpbraidings against the people whereof all that Chapter of Ezechiel is full Some thinke it is an argument taken from the lesse to the greater to this sence if the Prophete not without cause reprooued the Iewes of his time that for their captiuitie the glorie and power of God was despised amongst the Gentiles as though God had not been able to conserue the people which hee had taken into his protection much more are you a reproche and dishonour vnto God by whose maners his religion being estimated it is euill spoken of Which sentence as I doe not disproue The reproches of men fall vpō the name of God whom they professe so I wishe rather to haue one more sincere as though it were sayde wee see that all the reproches of the people of Israel doe fall vpon the name of God because seeing they are counted and called the people of God they beare the name of God grauen as it were in their foreheade whereby it must needes come to passe amongst men that that God in whose name they boast them selues shoulde be after a sort defamed by their filthinesse And this is a marueylous vnwoorthie thing that they whiche haue their glorie from GOD shoulde bee a reproche vnto his sacred name for at the least they ought to requite him otherwise 25 Circumcision verily profiteth if thou doest keepe the Lawe but if thou shalt bee a transgressour of the Lawe thy circumcision is turned into vncircumcision 26 If therefore vncircumcision shall keepe the righteousnes of the Lawe shall not his vncircumcision be reckoned for circumcision 27 And the vncircumcision which is by nature if it keep the lawe shall iudge thee which by the letter and circumcision art a transgressour of the Lawe 28 For hee is not a Iewe that is one openly neither is that circumcision which is outwarde in the fleshe 29 But he is a Iewe which is one within and the circumcision is of the heart in the spirit not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God 25 Circumcision verily profiteth By a preoccupation he remoueth those thinges whiche the Iewes on the contrarie might take againe for the defence of their cause For if circumcision were a seale of the couenant of the Lorde whereby the Lorde chose Abraham and his seede for a peculiar people vnto him selfe they were thought to glorie therein not in vayne but because the trueth of the signe being omitted they aboade in the externall forme hee answereth that there is no cause why they shoulde arrogate any thing vnto them selues of the bare signe Wherein the veritie of circumcision consisted The veritie of circumcision did consist in the spirituall promise which required faith The Iewes neglected both as well the promise as faith Foolishe therefore was their confidence Wherby it commeth to passe that hee omitteth heere the principall vse of circumcision namely whiles he applyeth his talke vnto their grosse errour as hee doeth with the Galathians And that is diligently to bee noted For if hee shoulde intreate of the whole nature and propertie of circumcision it were absurde that there should be no mention of grace free promise But in both places he speaketh according to the circumstāce of the cause hee handleth Paul speaketh here of circumcision according to their opinion therefore he toucheth onely that part whiche was in controuersie They thought that circumcision of it selfe was a woorke sufficiente vnto the obteyning of righteousnes Therefore that he might speake according to their opinion he answereth that if the worke be respected in circumcision this is the condition of it that hee which is circumcised giue himselfe to worship God wholy and perfectly the worke therefore of circumsion is perfection And thus wee may speake of our baptisme If any trusting in the only confidence of the water of baptisme doth thinke himselfe to bee iustified as though hee had nowe gotten holinesse by that worke the ende of baptisme is to bee obiected namely that by that the Lorde doth call vs vnto holynesse of life Heere shoulde the promise and grace whiche baptisme doth testifie and seale vnto vs be passed ouer in silence because we are to deale with those who being content with the vaine shadowe
beholden them all in order hee could not finde one iuste It followeth therefore that this mischief went ouer all mankinde seeing nothing is hid from the sight of God He speaketh verily in the ende of the Psalme of the redemption of Israell But straightwayes we shall shewe in what manner holy men and how farrefoorth they are exempted from this condition In the other Psalmes hee complaineth of the wickednesse of his enemies where vnder himselfe and his hee portraieth a certaine type of the kingdome of Christ wherefore vnder his aduersaries all those are represented vnto vs which being estraunged from Christ are not lead by his spirit Esay doth expresly note Israel Therfore his accusatiō doth the more agree vnto the gētiles What then There is no questiō but the nature of mē is described vnder these termes that thereby wee might see what man is being left vnto him selfe in as much as Scripture testifieth all to bee such which are not regenerate by the grace of God How the godly are exempted from the commō condition of mē The condition of holy men were nothing better but that the same prauitie or naughtinesse is corrected in them Yet to the ende they myght remember howe they differ nothing from others by nature in the reliques of their fleshe wherewith they are still compassed they feele the seedes of those thinges which woulde continually bring foorth fruite in them except mortification did let them which they ought to ascribe vnto the mercie of the Lorde and not vnto their nature And finally whereas all the faultes are heere reckoned doe not appeare in euery one this letteth not but they may rightly and truely bee contayned or compacted vnder the nature of man as we haue already noted Chap. 1.26 19 We knowe that whatsoeuer the Lawe saith it saith it to them which are vnder the Lawe that euery mouth might be stopped and all the worlde bee culpable before God 20 Therefore by the workes of the Lawe shall no flesh be iustified in his sight for by the lawe commeth the knowledge of sinne 19 Wee knowe Hauing left the Gentiles hee doeth precisely applie those speeches vnto the Iewes in subduing of whom there was much more a doe because they being no lesse voyde of righteousnesse then the Gentiles did couer themselues with the cloake of the couenant of God as though this were sufficient holinesse for them that they were distinguished from the residue of the worlde by the election of God And truely hee bringeth foorth those euasions which he knewe well the Iewes had at hande For whatsoeuer was spoken sinisterly in the Lawe against all mankinde they were wont to returne it vpon the Gentiles as though they were exempted from the common sort And surely so they were but that they fell from their degree Therefore least some false imagination of their owne priuate worthynesse shoulde hinder them and 〈◊〉 they shoulde restrayne those thinges vnto the Gentiles 〈◊〉 whiche doe no lesse appertayne vnto themselues Paule heer◠preuenteth that and by an argument taken from the ende of the Scripture hee sheweth that they are not only in the same conditiō with the common sort of men but that that iudgment is peculiarly denounced of them And hereby wee see the diligence of the Apostle in refelling obiections Paul applieth the former testimonies of scripture against the Iewes For to whome is the lawe giuen or to whose instruction ought it to serue if not to the Iewes In that therefore it maketh mention of others that it doeth as it were by the way or as they say lightly but to his owne schollers it doeth principally apply his doctrine In the lawe Hee saith the Iewes are those to whom the Lawe was appointed whereby it followeth that it doeth properly appertaine vnto them and vnder the lawe hee vnderstandeth also the Prophetes and so comprehendeth the whole olde Testament That euery mouth might be stopped That is that all euasion and power of excusing might bee taken away Howe mans mouth is said to stopped It is a Metaphore taken from iudgementes where hee that is guiltie if hee haue any thing that may serue iustly to his defence asketh leaue to speake that hee might cleare him selfe of those thinges are laide against him but if his owne conscience condemne him hee holdeth his peace and saying nothing expecteth his condemnation being euen nowe by his silence condemned The same sence hath that saying of Iob Iob. 39.37 I will lay my hande vpon my mouth For hee sayeth although hee wanted not some kinde of excuse yet not going about to iustifie him selfe hee woulde yeelde vnto the sentence of God The next clause conteyneth an exposition For his mouth is stopped who is so holden wrapped in iudgement that hee can no way escape otherwise to be silent before the face of God is to be afraide of his maiestie and as it were astonished with his brightnesse to become euen speechles 20 Because by the workes of the lawe It is a great question yea euen amongst the learned what workes bee called the workes of the lawe whiles some extende them vnto the obseruation of the whole lawe other some restrayne them vnto the ceremonies onely The annexing of this worde lawe did mooue Chrisostome Origen and Hierome to bee of the first opinion for in that addition they thought there was◠peculier aduisement that the speeche shoulde not bee vnderstoode of all woorkes generally But this doubt is easily loosed For seeing woorkes are so farre foorth iust in the sight of the Lorde as wee doe studie by them to giue vnto him woorshippe and obedience to the ende hee might more precisely take from all woorkes the force vertue or strength of iustification hee hath named those woorkes whiche specially myght iustifie if there were any that coulde iustifie Workes of the law are named by a kind of excellencie as who should say if they iustifie not then no workes iustifie For it is the lawe that hath the promises without the which our woorkes are of no valewe before God Thou seest therefore the cause why Paule expressed the workes of the lawe Namely because by the law there is a rewarde appointed vnto woorkes Neyther were the very Scholemen ignoraunt hereof amongst whome it is an olde and common saying that workes are not meritorious in respect of any internall or reall worthinesse but for the couenant And although they are deceiued for that they see not our woorkes alwayes to bee defiled with vices which doe take from them merite yet that principle is true namely that the rewarde of workes dependeth vpon the voluntary promise of the lawe Therefore Paul wisely and very well doeth not dispute of bare woorkes but precisely and namely hee alleageth the keeping of the lawe of the which properly the question was As for those thinges which are brought in of other learned men for the defence of that sentence they are weaker then were meete By the naming of circumcision they
a likelinesse Therefore I suppose an irrision to bee in these wordes as though he shoulde saye if any will haue a difference of the Gentile from the Iewe let him take this that the Gentile obteyneth righteousnesse by fayth and the Iewe of faith Vnlesse perhaps you had rather distinguish thus the Iewes are iustified of faith because they are borne the heyres of grace whiles the right of adoption was giuen ouer to them of their fathers the Gentiles by faith because the couenaunt came vnto them in another sort 31 Doe we therefore make the law voyde by faith God forbid but we establish the lawe 31 Doe we therefore c. As soone as the law is opposed vnto faith the fleshe straight wayes therby catcheth some suspition of repugnancie as though one were contrary to the other And especially this false imagination taketh place in those who beyng indued with a preposterous knowledge of the law and hauing left the promises seeke nothing els in it then the righteousnesse of works And for this cause not only Paule but also the Lorde himselfe was euill spoken of amongest the Iewes as though by his whole preaching he laboured the abrogation of the law Whence proceeded that protestation I came not to destroy the law Mat. 5.17 but to fulfill it And this suspition appertayned aswell vnto that part of the law concerneth manners as that concerneth ceremonies For because the Gospel maketh the ceremonies of Moses to cease it is thought to tend vnto the subuersion of the ministery of Moses Moreouer because the Gospell taketh away all righteousnes of woorkes it is thought to be contrary to so many testimonyes of the law where the Lorde affirmeth that he hath prescribed in the lawe the way of righteousnesse and saluation Wherefore I neyther vnderstand this excuse of Paule The whole law established and fulfilled in Christ and not made voyde of that ceremonies only neyther of the morall preceptes onely but in generall of the whole lawe For the morall lawe is truely confirmed and established by fayth in Christ seeing it was giuen to this ende that hauing taught man his iniquity it might leade him vnto Christ without whom the law it selfe is not performed and in vayne it preacheth what is meete to be done neither came â—â—e any thing but stirre vp the lust or concupiscence more to the end at the length it might bring vpon man a greater damnation But when we are once come vnto Christ first there is found in him the exact righteousnes of the law which is also ours by imputation Secondly sanctification wherby our hearts are â—â—amed to the obseruatioÌ„ of the law namely that obseruation which though it be imperfect yet aymeth to the marke The like reason is of ceremonies which verily cease and vanish by the comming of Christ but in so doing they are truely confirmed For if they be esteemed by theÌ„selues they are vayne shadowes and shewes easily done away then they are found to haue some firmenesse when they respectâ— better end Herein therefore is their chiefest confirmation wheÌ„ 〈◊〉 is taught that they haue obteyned their verity in Christ Let vs therfore remember also to preach the Gospel so that by our manner of teaching the law may be established but yet propped vpâ—â— with no other stay then faith in Christ CHAP. 4. 1 VVHat shall wee saye then that our father Abraham hath found concerning the flesh 2 For if Abraham were iustified by works he hath wherin to reioyce but not with God 3 For what saith the Scripture Abraham beleeued God and it was counted to him for righteousnesse Why the example of Abraham 〈◊〉 beâ— common rule WHat shall we say then This is a confirmation taken from an example which is stroÌ„g enough because all things are like as wel in the matter as in the person For both he is the father of the faithfull to whom all ought to be conformed and also there is but one not many wayes for all men to obteyne righteousnessse by In many other thinges an example should not serue to make a common rule but because in the person of Abraham there was proposed a mirrour or patterne of righteousnesse which appertayneth to the whole church â—â—orthe â—â—herefore doth Paule apply that vnto the whole body of the Churche which was written of him onely And also hereby he restrayneth the Iewes to whom nothing was more plausible to glory of theÌ„ to boast themselues to be the sonnes of Abraham They neuer durst ascribe vnto themselues more sanctitie or holinesse then vnto the holy Patriarche Now seeyng it is apparant he was iustified freely his posterity which do arrogate â—nto themselues their owne proper righteousnes out of the law must heeâ—es for shame holde their peace According to the flesh Because in the text of Paule the verbe Eurckenai id est hath found is put betweene this particle the name father After this manner what shal wee say Abraham our father hath found according to the flesh Some interpreters thinke here to be demanded what Abraham hath gotten according to the flesh Which exposition if it be liked theÌ„ this saying according to the flesh shal be as much as naturally or of himselfe Neuerthelesse it is like that it is ioyned vnto this 〈◊〉 father in steed of an Epithe For besides that we are wooâ—te to be more moued with domesticall examples the dignity of peâ—egrie wherein the Iewes glorified too muche is precisely noted agayne Many thinke it to bee added by the way of contempt in which sence in another place they are called the carnall sonnes of Abraham which are not spirituall nor at all lawfull I verily suppose it was expressed for the Iewes sake onelye because it was more excellente to bee the sonnes of Abraham by nature and discent of fleshe so that they were faithfull also then to haue beene by adoption onelye The bond of naturall coniunctioÌ„ should moue vs the rather to imbrace the truth Hee graunteth therefore vnto the Iewes a nearer bonde of coniunction but yet to this ende onelye that he might the rather moue them that they should not depart from the example of their father 2 For if Abraham It is an Epicheirema That is an imperfect argument whiche ought to bee gathered into this forme if Abraham bee iustified by woorkes hee may glory of his merite But he hath not wherein to glorye with God A Sillogisme therfore he is not iustified by woorkes So that member but not with God is the minor proposition of the Sillogisme Hereunto ought to be added the conclusion whiche I haue put downe although it is not expressed of Paule He calleth that glorying when we may pretend something of our owne What it is to glory before God wherunto a reward is due in the sight of God Which seeyng he taketh away from Abraham who of vs shal chalenge to himselfe the least droppe of merite 3 For what saith the Scripture This is the probation of
perfecte in som one part or other but which is euery way perfect For if the iust man fall all his former righteousnesse is not remembred Here also wee are to learne that they are peruersly ledd in pleasing God who of themselues deuise what they may thrust vpon him For then wee worship him best when wee followe that which he hath commaunded vs and giue obedience to his worde Let them goe now who boldly claime vnto themselues the righteousnes of works which is not otherwise then when the law is fully and perfectly kept Likewise wee gather that they are deceiued who brag before god those works they haue inuented thēselues which he esteemeth no better then dounge For obedience is better then sacrifices 20 Moreouer the lawe entred that the offence shoulde abound for where sinne abounded grace super abounded 21 That as sinne raigned by death so might grace also raigne by righteousnes vnto eternal life through Iesus Christ our Lord. 20 Moreouer the law entred This question dependeth of that he said before namely that sin was before the law were published for that being once heard this followed straightwaies to what end then was the law needfull Wherfore of necessitie this difficultie was to be vnfolden but because then it was not meet to make any longer digression hee differred it vnto this place And now also by the way he doth dispatch it The law was partly giuen that men might the better see their own destruction saying the law entred that sin might abound He doth not here shew the whole office vse of the law but toucheth one onely parte which serued for the present purpose For he teacheth that to the end the grace of God might haue place it was expedient men should better see their owne destruction They were verily before the lawe castawaies yet because they did seeme vnto thēselues to swim in their owne destruction they are thrust downe into the deepe that their deliuerance might be the more excellent whiles beyond all mans iudgement they escape thence Neither was it absurd that the law should partly be giuen for this cause that men alreadie once condemned it might twise condemne for there is nothing more iust then that men by all meanes might be brought yea being conuicted might be drawen to feele their euils That sinne might abound It is knowen howe some after Augustine are wont to expoūd this place namely that cōcupiscence is so much the more prouoked whiles it is restrained by the barres of the law because it is naturall vnto man to striue after that is forbidden But I vnderstand no other augmētatiō to be noted here then of knowledge and obstinacie For by the lawe sinne is laide open before the eyes of man that he might be compelled to see condēnation prepared for him So sin occupieth the conscience which otherwise being cast behinde them men made no account of Moreouer he which before did simply passe the bounds of iustice now a law being giuen is a despiser of the authoritie of GOD since the time that the will of God was knowen vnto him which he according to his lust hath shamefully contēned How sinne is increased by the lawe Whereupon it followeth that sin is increased by the law because then the autority maiestie of the lawmaker is despised Grace also hath superabounded After that sin had holden men being ouerwhelmed therewith then grace did helpe For this he teacheth that the greatnes of grace was by so much the more apparant as that when sin aboundede it did powre out it selfe so aboundantly Why condemnation is set before vs in the lawe that it did not onely ouermatch that deluge of sinne but also swallow it vp And here we are to learne that cōdemnation is not therfore set before vs in the law that we should abide in it but that our own miserie being sufficiently acknowledged Esa 61.1 we might be lift vp vnto Christ who is sent to be a Phisition to the sicke a deliuerer of the captiue a cōforter of the afflicted a sauiour of the oppressed 20 That as sin raigned in death As sin is called the sting of death because death hath no power against man Death hath no autoritie at all ouer mā but by sin therfore sin executeth his autoritie by death but for the cause of sin so sin executeth his power by death Therefore is it said to exercise his authority by death In the latter parte of this verse there is the figure Synchesis that is when the order is euerye way confused and yet it is not superfluous The antithesis had been simple if he had said thus that righteousnes might raigne by Christ But Paule not being content to haue opposed cōtraries to contraries addeth grace to the end he might print more deepely in memory that it is not of our merite but wholy of the bountifulnesse of God Before hee saide that death raigned Now he ascribeth the kingdome vnto sin but whose end and effect is death And he saith in the pretertence it raigned not that it hath nowe ceased to raigne in those that are borne onely of flesh and blood but he distinguisheth so betweene Christ Adam that he assigneth to either of them his time As sone therefore as the grace of Christ beginneth to florish in euery one the kingdome of sinne and death ceaseth CHAP. 6. 1 VVHat shall wee say then shall we abide in sinne that grace may abound 2 God forbid for howe shall wee which are dead to sin liue any longer therein WHat shall wee say then In this whole Chapter the Apostle declareth that they doe wickedly rente Christe asunder who imagine free righteousnes to bee giuen of him vnto vs without newnes of life Although he goeth further obiecting that then it seemeth there is place giuen vnto grace if men bee plunged in sinne For wee knowe there is nothing more readie then that fleshe shoulde euery way flatter it selfe and that Satan shoulde deuise reproches wherewith he might slaunder the docrine of grace which thing to doe is no harde matter for him The dotrine of grace must not therefore be suppressed because many take occasion of licentiousnes at it For seeing that is most strange vnto mans reason whatsoeuer is preached of Christe it ought to bee no maruaile if the flesh after it hath hard the iustificatiō of faith doe so often as it were dash vpon diuers rockes Howbeit wee must goe on for Christ is not therefore to be suppressed because he is vnto many a stone of offence and rocke of stumbling For looke by what way he shal be vnto the ruine of the wicked the same way againe hee shal bee to the rising of the godly And yet notwithstanding we are alway to occurre vnreasonable questions least the docrine of Christ shoulde seeme to drawe with it any absurditie Moreouer the Apostle now pursueth that obiection whiche commonly is obiected against the doctrine of the grace of God namely
with howe blynde loue of our selues we are taken whiles we are plunged in the mistes of sinne that we esteeme not of so great vncleannesse in vs. It is onely the light of the Lorde which can open our eyes that they may see the corruption lurketh in our flesh Who is truely indued with the principles of Christian religion To conclude therfore he is indued with the principles of Christian philosophie who indeede is displeased with himselfe hath learned wel to be ashamed of his owne misery Finally by the cōsequent he sheweth yet more plainely how greatly they ought to be ashamed when they vnderstand that they were euē at the threshold of death destruction yea were already entered the gates of death if they had not beene drawen backe by the mercie of God A twofold end of sinne and righteousnes 22 You haue your fruite As before he put downe a twofolde ende of sinne so nowe of righteousnes Sinne in this life bringeth the tormentes of an euill conscience and after this life eternall death Of righteousnesse in this life wee reape for fruite sanctification in time to come wee hope for eternall life These thinges vnlesse wee were too sottishe ought to begette in vs a hatred and horrour of sinne and a loue and desire of righteousnesse And whereas some doe take this woorde Telos for tribute I thinke it is not the meaning of the Apostle For although it is true that we suffer the punishment of death for sinne yet that worde cannot agree to the other member wherunto it is applyed of Paule For life is not called the tribute of righteousnesse 23 For the wages of sinne There are some whiche thinke that heere is noted displeasauntly howe harde a wage is payde to sinners whiles Paule compareth death to cates which word with the Grecians sometime is taken for the dyet of souldiers But rather he seemeth indirectly to checke the blynd appetites of those who daungerously intangle themselues with the inticementes of sinne no otherwise then fishes with the hoke Howbeit it shal be more simply to take it for stipendes or wages For surely death is a very sufficient reward for the reprobate And it is the conclusion as it were the Epilogue of the former sentence And yet is it not in vayne that he repeateth the same thing in other wordes agayne for by doubling the terrour he woulde make sinne more detestable But the gift of God They are deceiued which translate this proposition thus What is meant by the gifte of God and what fruite the same bringeth worth in vs. life eternall is the gifte of God as though righteousnesse were the subiectum and gift of God predicatum Because that sence shoulde make nothing vnto the contraposition But as before he taught that sinne bringeth foorth nothing but death so now he addeth that this gifte of God namely our iustification and sanctification bringeth vnto vs the blessednesse of eternall life Or if you hadde rather as sinne is the cause of death so righteousnesse wherewith wee are indued by Christ hath restored eternall life vnto vs. In the meane while here we may most certainly gather that our saluation is wholly of the grace meere bountifulnesse of God He might otherwise haue said the wages of righteousnes is eternall life that one member might haue aunsweared another but he saw it was the gift of God whereby wee obteyne life and not our merite And that gifte also is not one nor single for wee beeynge clothed with the righteousnesse of the sonne are reconciled to God and by the vertue of the spirit renued into holinesse of life And therefore hee addeth in Christ Iesus our Lord that he might drawe vs from all opinion of our owne worthinesse CHAP. 7. 1 DOe yee not know brethren for I speake to them know the law that the lawe hath dominion ouer a man as long as he liueth 2 For the woman which is in subiection to a man is boūd by the law to the mā whiles he liueth but if the man be dead she is deliuered from the law of man 3 So then if while the man liueth she take another man she shal be called an adulteresse but if the man be dead shee is free from the law so that she is not an adulteresse though she take another man 4 So yee my brethren are dead also to the law by the bodie of Christ that yee should be vnto another euen vnto him that is raysed vp from the dead that wee should bring foorth fruite vnto God ALthough hee had sufficiently as in such breuity it could be vnfolded the question of the abrogation of the lawe yet because it was both a difficult question and of it selfe might bring foorth many others he doeth more copiously declare howe the lawe is abrogated from vs secondly he sheweth what profite wee get thereby because whiles it doeth holde vs bounde without Christ it canne doe nothing but condemne vs. And least any shoulde thereby accuse the lawe hee meeteth with the obiections of the flesh and refuteth them where hee excellently handeleth a notable place of the vse of the Lawe 1 Doe yee not knowe Let the generall proposition bee that the lawe was giuen to no other ende vnto men then that it should gouerne this present life To what end the law was giuen with those be dead it hath no place Whereunto afterward hee addeth a more speciall namely that we are dead vnto the law in the body of Christe Some other vnderstand that the dominion of the lawe abideth so long to binde vs as the vse thereof is in force But because this sentence is somwhat obscure and it doth not so properly agree vnto that speciall proposition followeth straightwayes I had rather follow those who take it to be spoken of the life of man and not of the life of the lawe And the interrogatiō verily hath more strength to set foorth the certaintie of the matter is spoken of For it sheweth that that is not strange or vnknowen to any of them but is indifferently graunted among all For I speake to them haue knowledge This parenthesis is to bee referred thither whither the proposition is referred as if he should say that he knew they were not so vnskilfull of the law as they could doubte of that And albeit both might be vnderstood of all lawes together yet is it better to vnderstand it of the lawe of God whiche is now in question Whereas some thinke the knowledge of the law is attributed vnto the Romanes because the best part of the worlde was vnder their Empire gouernement that is very childish For partly he speaketh vnto Iewes or other strangers partly vnto vulgare obscure men Yea he chiefly respecteth the Iewes with whom he had to do concerning the abrogation of the law And least they should thinke they were dealte withal very captiously he sheweth that he taketh a principle cōmon knowen to thē all wherof they
pretendeth he meant no harme And this pretence at this day holdeth a great many that they apply not their studie to search out the truth of God because they thinke that to bee excusable whatsoeuer they transgresse of ignorance without set malice yea with a good intention But there is none of vs can excuse the Iewes that they crucified Christe that they cruelly raged against the Apostles that they went about to destroy and extinguish the Gospel and yet they had the same defence wherin wee glory securely Therefore let those vaine hastings or wranglings of good intention goe If wee seeke the Lord from our heart let vs follow the way by the which there is accesse vnto him For it is better As Augustine saith yea euen to halt in the way then to runne stoutly out of the way If we would be religious let vs remember that is true which Lactantius teacheth namely that is true religion which is ioined with the word of God And againe when we see them to perish who through good intention wander in darknes let vs think we are worthie of a thousand deaths if we being illuminated of God do wittingly willingly wander from his way 3 For they being ignorant of the righteousnes of God Behold how through rash zeale they erred namely that they went about to erect their own righteousnes which foolish trust came of the ignorance of Gods righteousnes Mark the antithesin or contrarietie of the righteousnes of God and men first we see they are opposed one against the other as things contrary which cannot stand together whereby it foloweth that the righteousnes of God is ouerthrowne so soone as men establish their owne righteousnes Secondly to the ende the Antitheta or contrarieties might answer one the other What righteousnes is called the righteousnes of God and what the righteousnes of men out of question that is called the righteousnes of God which is the gift of God as againe that is called the righteousnesse of men which they seeke in or of themselues or which they trust that they bring vnto god Therefore he is not subiect to the righteousnes of God who wil bee iustified in himselfe because the first steppe to obteine the righteousnes of God is to resigne or forsake his own righteousnes for to what end is it to seeke for righteousnes elswhere but because necessitie doth constraine vs and we haue declared in another place how men put on the righteousnes of God by faith namely because the righteousnes of Christe is imputed vnto thē Finally Paul doth greatly disgrace that pride wherwith hypocrites are puffed vp howsoeuer it be couered with a faire face of zeale whiles he saith the yoke of god beeing as it were shaken off they are all aduersaries and rebels against the righteousnes of God 4 For Christe is the ende of the law The worde fulfilling seemeth vnto me not to serue amisse in this place as Erasmus also hath translated it perfection but because the other reading is receiued by the consent almost of all men and the same also agreeth well the readers for my part shal be at libertie to reteine it By this reason the Apostle meeteth with an obiection which might bee moued against him For the Iewes might seeme to haue kept the right way because they applyed or gaue themselues to the righteousnesse of the lawe It stoode him in hande to refute this false opinion whiche thing hee doth heere For hee sheweth that hee is a preposterous interpreter of the lawe who seeketh to bee iustified by the works thereof because the law was giuen to this end that it might lead vs by the hand to another righteousnesse Yea whatsoeuer the lawe teacheth whatsoeuer it commandeth whatsoeuer it promiseth it hath Christe alway for his marke so then all the partes thereof are to bee directed vnto him And that cannot bee vnlesse we being spoyled of all righteousnes confounded with the knowlege of sinne doe seeke for free righteousnesse of him onely Whereby it foloweth that the corrupt abuse of the law is iustly reprehended in the Iewes who lewdly of their helpe made their hinderance yea it appeareth they did shamefully lame the lawe of God who hauing reiected the life or soule thereof did take to them the dead body of the letter For albeit the lawe of righteousnesse doth promise a rewarde to his obseruers yet after it hath brought all vnder giltinesse it substituteth a new righteousnesse in Christe which is not gotten by the merite of woorkes but beeing freely giuen is receiued by faith So the righteousnesse of faith as wee sawe in the first Chapter hath testimonie of the lawe And wee haue heere a notable place that the lawe in all his partes respecteth Christe and therefore no man can haue the true vnderstanding thereof who doth not still seeke to come vnto this marke 5 For Moses describeth the righteousnesse whiche is of the lawe that the man which doth these thinges shall liue in them 6 But the righteousnesse which is of faith speaketh on this wise say not in thyne hearte who shall ascende into heauen That is to bringe Christe from aboue 7 Or who shall descende into the deepe that is to bring Christe againe from the dead 8 But what saith it The woorde is neere thee in thy mouth and in thy hearte this is the worde of faith whiche we preach 9 For if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lorde Iesus and shalt beleeue in thine heart that God raised him vp from the dead thou shalt be saued 10 For with the hearte man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth man confesseth to saluation 6 For Moses describeth c. That it might appeare how greatly the righteousnesse of faith and the rigteousnes of works are contrary one to the other he compareth them together For by comparison the repugnancie which is betweene thinges contrary appeareth better And hee dealeth Why paul rather alleageth the testimony of Moses then the Prophetes not with the oracles of the Prophetes but with the testimonie of Moses for this onely cause that the Iewes might vnderstand there was not a law giuen by Moses which should hold them in the confidence of works but which should rather lead thē vnto Christ For although hee shoulde haue alleadged the Prophets for witnesses of his sentence yet this doubt had remained why the lawe did prescribe another forme of righteousnesse Hee therefore notably remoueth this scruple whiles he confirmeth the righteousnes of faith euen by the doctrine of the lawe Furthermore whereas Paule maketh the lawe consent with faith and yet opposeth the righteousnesse of that The law hath a twofold acception against the righteousnesse of this the reason thereof must be knowen The lawe hath a twofolde acception For sometime it signifieth all that doctrine was deliuered by Moses sometimes but that part which was proper to his ministerie namely which is conteined in precepts rewardes and punishments For Moses generally had
said not to haue sinned after the similitude of Adam because they had not as he had the will of God reueiled by a certan oracle For God had forbidden Adam to touch the fruite of knowledge of good and euill but to these he gaue no cōmandement besydes the witnes of their conscience The meaninge then of the Apostle is secretly to insinuate that through this diuersitie betwene Adam and his posteritie it commeth not to passe that they are exempted frome condemnation In the meane while vnder the vniuersall catalogue infantes also are comprehended Who is the figure of him that was to come This sentence is put instead of the other member For wee see one onely parte of the comparison expressed the other being by that vice in writing called anacoluthon that is a non sequele or consequent omitted A man may therefore take it as though it were written thus as by one man sinne entered into the whole worlde and by sinne death so by one man cōmeth righteousnes by righteousnes life And where as he saith Adā was a figure of Christ Howe Adam is a figure of Christ it is no marueile for euen in things most contrary there appereth alway some similitud because therfore as throgh the sin of Adā we are al lost so by the righteousnes of christ we are restored very aptly hath he called Adā a tipe of christ And note the Adā is not called a figure of sinne nor Christ of righteousnes as though they went only before vs by their example but that one is compared with the other least thou fall fouly with Origen and that into a pernicious errour For he disputeth Philosophically and prophanely of the corruptions of mankinde and doth not onely extenuate the grace of Christ but in a maner doth wholly destroy it Whereby Erasmus is by so much the lesse excusable who taketh so great paynes to excuse so grosse a dotage 15 But not as the offence so also the gift for if through the offence of one many be dead much more the grace of God gift of God in grace which is by one man Iesus Christ hath abounded vnto many 15 But not as the offence Nowe followe corrections of the late comparison wherein notwithstanding the Apostle doeth not curiously discusse whatsoeuer dissimilitude there is betweene Christ and Adam but hee doeth occurre those errours whereinto men might otherwise easily fall And that is wanting to the exposition wee will adde For albeit hee oftentimes maketh mention of the difference yet maketh hee mention thereof no where but there is a defecte or at the least some eclipse whiche verily are faultes in speeche yet such as are not preiudiciall to the maiestie of the celestiall wisedome is deliuered vnto vs by the Apostle But rather it is brought to passe by the singuler prouidence of God that vnder a base stile these high mysteries should be deliuered vnto vs that our fayth might not depende vppon the power of humane eloquence but vppon the onely efficacie of the spirite And hee doeth not heere as yet precisely vnfoulde that maner of correction but simply hee teacheth there is a greater measure of grace purchased by Christ then of condemnation contracted by the first man Whereas some thinke the Apostle disputeth or frameth an argument here I know not whither all will approue of it or no. In deed it might that not vnaptly be inferred if the fall of Adam were of such force to the destructiō of many much more effectuall is the grace of God to the benefit of many seeing it is graunted that Christ is of far greater power to saue then Adam to destroy But because they can not be refuted if any will take it wtout an illation or conclusion for me they shall chuse whither sentence they wil. Albeit that which next foloweth cānot be coūted an illation or conclusion yet is it of the same nature Whereby it is like that Paul doth simply correct or by exceptiō moderate the which he said of the similitud of Christ Adā And note that here mo are not compared with many for the questiō is not of the multitud of men but he resoneth thus seeing the sin of Adā did destroy many the righteousnes of Christ hath no lesse power to saue many Where as he saith we perished by the offēce of one vnderstād it thus because corruptiō is descēded frō him to vs. For we do not so perish thorowe his fault as though we were wtout fault our selues Howe wee are said to perishe through the fall of Adam but because his sin is the cause of our sin Paul ascribeth our destructiō to him I cal that our sin is graffed in vs wherewith we are borne The grace of God and the gift of God in grace Trace properly is opposed against offence What is ment by grace what by the gift of grace the gift which proceedeth frō grace against death Therfore grace signifieth the mere goodnes of God or his free loue whereof he gaue a testimony in Christ that he might helpe our miserie And the gift is the fruit of mercie which hath come vnto vs namely reconciliation whereby we haue obteined life health righteousnes newnes of life whatsoeuer is like Whereby we see how sottishly the scholemen define grace whiles they wil haue it to be nothing els thē a quality infused into the harts of mē For grace properly is in God the effect of grace is in vs. And he saith the same grace was of one man Christ because the father hath made him the fountaine of whose fulnes all men must draw And so he teacheth there can not one droppe be found out of Christ neither is there any other remedy of our pouertie then that he powre into vs of his abundance 16 And not as by one which had sinned so the gift For iudgement came of one offence to condemnation but the gift is of many offences to iustification 16 This is a speciall reason of the correction that by one offence the guiltines was of force to the condemnation of vs al but grace or rather the free gift is effectual to iustification from many offences For it is a declaration of the last sentence because as yet he had not expressed howe or in what part Christ excelled Adam This difference being put downe it is apparant that they haue thought wickedly who haue taught that we recouer nothing els in Christ but that we should be deliuered from originall sin or corruption drawen from Adam What bee those many offences are done away by the benefit of Christ Adde that those same many offences from the which he testifieth wee are purged through the benefite of Christ are not onely to be vnderstood of those which euery one hath committed before baptisme but also of those by the which the godly do dayly draw guiltines vpon them and to the condemnation whereof they shoulde worthily be subiect except this grace did