the actiue righteousnesse But it is a thing very straunge and vnknowen to the world to teach Christians to learne to be ignorant of the lawe and so to liue before God as if there were no law For except thou be ignorant of the law be assuredly perswaded in thine hart that there is now no lawe nor wrath of God but altogether grace and mercy for Christes sake thou canst not be saued for by the law commeth the knowledge of sinne Cōtrariwise workes and the keeping of the law must be so streitly required in the world as if there were no promise or grace and that because of the stubborne proude and hard harted before whose eies nothing must be set but the lawe that they may be terrified and humbled For the law is geuen to terrifie and to kill such and to exercise the old man And both the word of grace and of wrath must be rightly diuided according to the saying of the Apostle in the second Epistle of Timothe Chapter 2. verse 15. Here is then required a wise and a faithfull disposer of the word of God which can so moderate the lawe that it may be kept within his boundes He that teacheth that men are iustified before God by the obseruation of the lawe passeth the boundes of the lawe and confoundeth these two kindes of righteousnesse actiue and passiue and is but an ill Logician for he doth not rightly diuide Contrariwise he that setteth forth the lawe and workes to the old man and the promise of forgiuenes of sinnes and Gods mercy to the new man diuideth the word wel For the flesh or the old man must be coupled with the lawe and works the spirit or new man must be ioyned with the promise of God and his mercy Wherefore when I see a man that is brused enough already oppressed with the lawe terrified with sinne and thirsting for comfort it is time that I should remoue oute of his sight the lawe and actiue righteousnes and that I should set before him by the Gospell the Christian and passiue righteousnes which excluding Moses with his lawe offereth the promise made in Christ who came for the afflicted and for sinnes Here is man raised vp againe and conceaueth good hope neither is he any longer vnder the lawe but vnder grace Howe not vnder the lawe According to the newe man to whom the law doth not pertaine For the lawe hath his boundes but vnto Christ as Paule saith afterwardes The lawe continueth vnto Christ who being come Moses ceaseth with his lawe Circumcision the Sacrifices the Sabbothes yea and all the Prophetes This is our diuinitie wherby we teach how to put a difference betwene these two kindes of righteousnesse actiue and passiue to the end that maners and faith workes and grace policie and religion shuld not be confounded or taken the one for the other Both are necesry but both must be kept within their boundes Christian righteousnes pertaineth to the newe man and the righteousnes of the lawe pertaineth to the old man which is borne of flesh and bloode Wpon this old man as vpon an asse there must be laied a burthen that may presse him downe and he must not enioy the freedome of the spirite or grace except he first put vpon him the newe man by faith in Christ which notwithstanding is not fully done in this life then may he enioy the kingdome and inestimable gifte of grace This I say to the end that no man should thinke we reiecte or forbid good workes as the Papistes doe most falsely sclaunder vs neither vnderstanding what they themselues say nor what we teach They knowe nothing but the righteousnes of the lawe and yet they will iudge of that doctrine which is farre aboue the lawe of which it is vnpossible that the carnall man should be able to iudge Therefore they must needes be offended for they can see no higher then the lawe What so euer then is aboue the lawe is to them a greate offence But we imagine as it were two worldes the one heauenly and the other earthly In these we place these two kindes of righteousnes being separate the one farre from the other The righteousnes of the lawe is earthly and hathe to doe with earthly things and by it we doe good workes But as the earth bringeth not forthe frute except first it be watred and made frutefull from aboue euen so by the righteousnes of the lawe in doing many thinges we doe nothing and in fullfilling of the lawe we fulfill it not except first without any merite or worke of ours we be made righteous by the Christian righteousnesse which nothing pertaineth to the righteousnesse of the lawe or to the earthly and actiue righteousnesse But this righteousnesse is heauenly which as is said we haue not of our selues but receaue it from heauen which we worke not but which by grace is wrought in vs and apprehended by faith wherby we mounte vp aboue all lawes and workes Wherfore like as we haue borne as S. Paule saith the image of the earthly Adam so let vs beare the image of the heauenly which is the newe man in a new world where is no lawe no sinne no remorse of conscience no death but perfecte ioy righteousnesse grace peace life saluation and glory Why doe we then nothing doe we worke nothing for the obtaining of this righteousnes I aunswere nothing at all For this is perfect righteousnesse to doe nothing to heare nothing to knowe nothing of the law or of workes but to know and to beleeue this onely that Christe is gone to the father and is not nowe seene that he sitteth in heauen at the right hande of his Father not as a iudge but made vnto vs of God wisedome righteousnesse holinesse and redemption Breefely that he is our high Priest intreating for vs and raigning ouer vs and in vs by grace In this heauenly righteousnesse sinne can haue no place for there is no lawe and where no lawe is there can be no transgression Seing then that sinne hath here no place there can be no anguish of conscience no feare no heauinesse Therfore S. Iohn sayth he that is borne of God can not sinne But if there be any feare or greefe of conscience it is a token that this righteousnes is withdrawen that grace is hidden and out of sighte and that Christ is darkened and not to be seene But where Christ is truely seene is deede there must needes be full and perfect ioy in the Lord with peace of conscience which moste certainly thus thinketh Although I am a sinner by the law and vnder the condemnation of the lawe yet I despaire not yet I die not because Christ liueth who is bothe my rightuousnesse and my euerlasting life In that rightuousnesse and life I haue no sinne no feare no sting of cōscience no care of death I am in dede a sinner as touching this present life and the righteousnesse
and life Now is the time to see not the smoking and burning Mount Sina but the Mount Moria where is the throne the temple the Mercy seat of God that is to say Christ who is the king of righteousnes and peace There wil I harken what the Lord speaketh vnto me who speaketh nothing else but peace vnto his people Nay the foolishnes of mans heart is so great that in this conflict of conscience when the lawe hath done his office and exercised his true ministerie he doth not onely not lay holde vpon the doctrine of grace which promiseth most assuredly the forgeuenes of sinnes for Christes sake but seeketh and procureth to him selfe moe lawes to satisfie and quiet his conscience If I liue sayeth he I will amend my life I will doe this I will doe that Here except thou doe the quite contrary that is to say except thou send Moises away with his law to those that are secure proud and obstinate and in these terrours and anguish say holde vppon Christe who was crucified and died for thy sinnes looke for no saluation So that lawe with his office doth helpe by occasion to Iustification in that it driueth a mā to the promise of grace and maketh the same sweete cōfortable vnto him Wherfore we doe not abrogate the law but we shew the true office and vse of the law to witte that it is a true and a profitable minister which driueth a man to Christe Therfore after that the law hath humbled thee terrified thee and vtterly beaten thee downe so that nowe thou art at the very brinke of desperation see that thou learne how to vse the lawe rightly For the office and vse of it is not only to reueale sinne and the wrath of God but also to driue men vnto Christe This vse of the lawe the holy Ghost onely setteth forth in the Gospell where he witnesseth that God is present vnto the afflicted and broken harted Wherefore if thou be brused with this hāmer vse not this brusing peruersly so that thou load thy selfe with moe lawes but heare Christe saying Come vnto me all ye that laboure and are heauie loden and I vvill refresh you When the lawe so oppresseth thee that all things seeme to be vtterly desperate and thereby driueth thee vnto Christ to seeke helpe and succour at his hands then is the law in his true vse and through the Gospell it helpeth to iustification And this is the best and most perfect vse of the lawe Wherefore Paule here beginneth a fresh to entreat of the lawe and defineth what it is taking occasion of that which he sayd before to witte that the lawe iustifieth not For reason hearing this by and by doth thus inferre Then God gaue the lawe in vaine It was necessary therefore to seeke howe to define the lawe aright and to shew what the lawe is and howe it ought to be vnderstand that it be not taken more largely or more straitly then it should be There is no law sayeth he that is of it selfe necessary to iustification Therefore when we reason as touching righteousnes life and euerlasting saluation the lawe must be vtterly remoued out of our sight as if it had neuer bene or neuer should be but as though it were nothing at all For in the matter of Iustification no man can remoue the lawe farre enough out of his sight or beholde the onely promise of God sufficiently and as he should do Therfore I said before that the law the promise must be separate farre asonder as touching the inward affections and the inward man albeit in deede they are nerely ioyned together Ver. 19. Vntil the seede came vnto the vvhich the promise vvas made Paule maketh not the lawe perpetuall but he sayeth that it was geuen and added to the promises for transgressions that is to say to restraine them ciuily but specially to reueale and to encrease them spiritually and that not continually but for a time Here it is necessary to know how long the power and the tyrānie of the law ought to endure which discouereth sinne sheweth vnto vs what we are and reuealeth the wrath of god They whose hartes are touched with an inward feeling of these matters should suddenly perish if they should not receaue comfort Therefore if the dayes of the lawe should not be shortned no man should be saued A time therfore must be set and bounds limited to the lawe beyond the which it may not raigne How long then ought the dominion of the lawe to endure Vntill the Seede come to witte that Seede of which it is wrytten In thy Seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed The tyrannie of the lawe then must so long continue vntill the fulnes of time and that Seede of the Blessing come Not to the ende that the law should bring this Seede or geue righteousnes but that it should ciuily restraine the rebellious and obstinate and shut thē vppe as it were in a prison and then spiritually should reproue them of sinne humble them terrifie them and when they are thus humbled beaten downe it should cōstraine them to rise vp to that blessed Seede We may vnderstand the continuance of the law both according to the letter and also spiritually According to the letter thus that the lawe continued vntill the time of grace The lavve and the Prophetes sayth Christ prophesied vntill Iohn From the time of Iohn vntill this day the kingdome of heauen suffereth violence and the violent take it by force In this time Christ was baptised and begā to preach At what time also after the letter the law and all the ceremonies of Moises ceased Spiritually the lawe may be thus vnderstand that it ought not to raigne in the conscience any longer then to the appoynted time of this blessed Seede Whē the law sheweth vnto me my sinne terrifieth me and reuealeth the wrath and iudgement of God so that I begin to tremble and to despaire there hath the lawe his boundes his time and his ende limited so that he now ceaseth to exercise his tyranny any more For then he hath done his office sufficiently he hath reuealed the wrathe of God and terrified enough Here we must say Nowe leaue of lawe thou hast done enough thou hast terrified and tormented me enough All thy floudes haue runne ouer me and thy terrours haue troubled me Lord turne not avvay thy face in thy vvrath from thy seruaunt Rebuke me not I beseeche thee in thine anger c. When these terrours and troubles come then is the time and the hower of the Blessed Seede come Let the lawe then geue place which in deede is added to reueale and to encrease transgressions and yet no longer but vntill that blessed Seede be come When that is come then let the law leaue of to reueale sinne and to terrifie any more and let him deliuer vp his kingdome to an other that is to say to the
betvvene the lavve and the promise To promise and to require are distinct things The inheritaunce is geueÌ„ by the promise and not by the lavve VVhat the Blessing is vvhich is geueÌ„ vs through Christ The murmuring of the Ievves against the doctrine of Paule for the stablishiÌ„g of faith Math. 21.31 The murmuring of the Papistes against the gospell The iudgemeÌ„t of reason concerning the doctrine of the Gospell vvhich teacheth that the lavve vvas geuen for transgressioÌ„s Galat. 3.19 Rom. 2.14 Rom. 6.1 Rom. 3.8 Christ is iudged to be a blasphemer and a seditious person All things are to be done for the elects sake Dogges Hogges The lavv iustifieth not therfore it is vnprofitable is a naughtie consequence The proper office and vse of the lavve VVhen the lavve is good Al men do naturally iudge that the lavve doth iustifie Reason is ignoraunt of the righteousnes of faith The opinion of the righteousnes of the lavv most pernitious VVhat the great soueraigntie of the Deuill is throughout the vvhole vvorld As all things are distinct so are the vses of things Euery creature serueth in his order and place The office of the lavve Rom. 5.20 The vse of politike lavves An obiection All lavves are geuen to bridle transgressions The povver of the Deuil God hath ordayned Magistrates parents lavves c. that sinnes might be brideled The spirituall vse of the lavv The spirituall vse of the lavv vnknovven to reason * Hercules vvas a mighty Champion vvhich stevve the great monster Hydra as the Poetes faine vvhich had a hundred neckes vvith serpeÌ„ts heads Hypocrites are feated and humbled by the lavve Ierem. 13. â—â— The opinion of righteousnes hovv pernicious it is The opinion of righteousnes an horrible monster The proper office of the lavve 3. Reg. 19.11.12.13 Exod. 19.20 The children of Israel could not abide the voice of God speaking out of the fire Exod. 20.19 Deut. 5.24.18.16 Dâ—uter 4.24 The lavv hath still the same office that it had vvhen it vvas geuen in Mount Sina The Ievves vvere afraide at the voyce of the lavv Deut. 5.26 Deut. 4.24 The same hapneth to hypocrites such as put righteousnes in vvorks that happened to the Ievves standing at Mount Sina Very fevve vnderstande the proper vse of the lavve It is a matter of great importaÌ„ce to vnderstand the proper vse of the lavv The light of the lavv The lavv in his true vse terrefieth The light of the Gospell The proper vse and office of the Gospel The doctrine of faith can not remaine sound vnlesse the lavve be rightly discerned from the Gospell Luke 18. Rom. 7.11 The lavv profitable tvvo maner of vvaies The lavve a Minister to grace A singular coÌ„fort for all afflicted consciences The doctrine of the Gospell belongeth to those vvhich are thorovvly terrified vvith the lavve Esay 42.3 Math. 12.20 The time of the lavve and the time of Grace Reason in the time of tentatation flieth not to the doctrin of grace but to the doctrine of the lavve The lavv doth not onely shevv vnto a man his sinne but also driueth him to Christ Luke 4 1â— Math. 11. â—8 The perfect vse of the lavve Hovve long the dominion of the lavve endureth The lavve according to the letter endured vntill Christ and there ceased Mat. 11.12.13 Hovve long the lavve must raigne in the conscience Psal. 42.7 Psal. 69.2 Psal. 26.9 Psal. 6â— 17 The continuaunce of the lavv literally spiritually The terrours of the lavve are driuen avvay by faith Math. 18.20 Eccles 4.10 The solitarie or Monkish life hath hurt many Math. 26.39 Luke 23.41 Iohn 17.1 * Angelles as ministers gaue it to Moises by the authority of Christ Heb. 1. The lavve geuen by Angels the Gospell by Christ The lavv vvas geuen to endure but for a time but the Gospell vvas geuen to endure for euer Christ is not a Mediatour according to the lavv as Moises vvas Exod. â— â— Exod. 19.20 Moises a Mediatour The lavv maketh men afraid therfore it iustifieth not Nothing is more intolerable to man then the lavv The lavv flattereth not reason and therfore reason hateth it 2. Cor. 3 1â— Exod. 34.30 The place of Paule expounded as touching the couering of Moises face Verses 30.33.34.35 Faith in Christ driueth avvay the terrours of the lavve The povver of freevvill * But serueth both for the Ievves and Gentiles to ioyne them to God. The vvord Mediatour includeth tvvo The lavve hauing put on a veile maketh vs not afraid Because God speaketh not novv in his Maiestie as he did in the Mount but by the voice of man therfore men feare him not nor regarde his lavve The lavve in his true vse killeth The office of a Mediatour Moses a Mediatour of the veile VVhen vve are terrified by the lavve vve haue nede of another maner of Mediatour then Moses Christ hideth not the lavv but taketh it avvay and therefore is a better Mediatour then Moses A Mediatoure is he that standeth betvvene the offender and him that is offended God of his iustice can not forgeue sinne vvithout satisfaction vvhich is done by Christ Christ is the Mediatour betvvene God and sinners vvhich are quite contrary one to the other Col. 2.24 Man can not abide the hearing of the lavv therfore he can not keepe the lavv The doctrine of the lavv The proper vse of the lavv The lavve is good and holy and yet intolerable to mans nature Exod. 2.3 Deut. 4.40 The lavv containeth profitable doctrine and yet a man can not heare it The lavve maketh not men better but vvorse * Constant and alvvaies like him selfe The iudgemeÌ„t of the Ievves and of all others as touching the lavv Reason can not abide to heare the good lavv of God. God maketh not the promise because of our vvorthines but for his ovvne mercies sake Iosua 24.2.3 Genes 12.1.2 The promises of God are absolute not made in respect of our vvorthines The promises of God are not hindered because of our sinnes 2. Pet. 3.9 A Diuelish dreame of the Ievves The lavve is not against the promises of God. VVhen the office and time of the lavve is accomplished Psal. 109 2â— The lavv maketh troubled and afflicted soules to thirst for Christ Math. 11 28. Vpon vvhom Christ bestovveth his benefites Math. 11.5 Iohn 7.37.38 Deut. 18.15 The lavve quickneth not but killeth * The Papistes diuide the gospel in to precepts and CouÌ„sels to the precepts men are bounde say they but not to the Counsels Paul teacheth that no lavve vvas geuen to bring life but the Pope teacheth quite contrary The iudgemeÌ„t of men naturally as touching the lavve VVhat profite cometh by knovving the difference betvvene the lavve and the Gospell The true and perfect vse of the lavve Genes 3.15 Genes 22. The scripture shutteth all vnder the Curse first by the promise Secondly by the lavve Galat. 3.10 Deut. 27.26 Cursed is euery one that abideth not in all things c. The principall office of the lavve * These things in Luthers time vvere counted so
father but also from Iesus Christ teacheth first that we should abstaine from the curious searching of the diuine maiestie for God no man knoweth and to heare Christ who is in the bosome of the father and vttereth to vs his will who also is appoynted of the father to be a teacher to the end that euery one of vs should heare him Christ is God by nature The other thing that Paule teacheth here is a confirmation of our Faith That Christ is very god And such like sentences as this is concerning the Godhead of Christ are to be gathered together and marked diligently not onely against the Arians and other heretikes which either haue bene or shal be hereafter but also for the confirmation of our faith For Satan will not faile to impugne in vs all the articles of our Faith ere we die He is a most deadly enemie to Faith because he knoweth that it is the victorie which ouercometh the world Wherfore it standeth vs in hand to labour that our Faith may be certaine and may encrease and be strengthened by diligent and continuall exercise of the word and feruent prayer that we may be able to withstand Satan Now that Christ is very God hereby it is euidently declared in that Paule attributeth the same things equally vnto him which he doth vnto the father namely diuine power as the geuing of grace the forgeuenes of sinnes peace of conscience life victorie ouer sinne death the deuill and hell This were by no meanes lawfull for him to doe nay it were sacrilege thus to doe except he were very God according to that saying I vvill not geue my glory vnto any other Againe No man geueth that to others which he him selfe hath not But seeing Christ geueth Grace Peace and the holy Ghost deliuereth from the power of the deuill from sinne and death it is certaine that he hath an infinite and diuine power equall in all poyntes to the power of the father And in that Christ geueth Grace and Peace he geueth it not as the Apostles gaue and brought the same vnto men by preaching of the gospell but he geueth it as the author and creator The father createth and geueth life Grace Peace all other good things The selfe same things also the sonne createth geueth Now to geue Grace Peace euerlasting life to forgeue sinnes to make righteous to quicken to deliuer from death and the deuill are not the workes of any creature but of the diuine Maiestie alone The Angels can neither create nor geue these things Therefore these workes pertaine onely to the glory of the soueraigne Maiestie the maker of all things And seing Paule doth attribute the selfe same power of creating and geuing all these things vnto Christ equally with the father it must nedes follow that Christ is verely and naturally God. Many such arguments are in Iohn where it is proued and concluded by the workes which are attributed to the sonne as well as to the father that the diuinitie of the father and of the sonne is all one Therfore the giftes which we receiue of the father and which we receiue of the sonne are all one For else Paule would haue spoken otherwise after this manner Grace from God the father and Peace from our Lord Iesus Christ But in knitting them both together he attributeth them equally as well to the sonne as to the father I do therfore so diligently admonish you of this thing because it is daungerous lest among so many errours and in so great varietie and confusion of sectes there might step vp some Arrians Eunomians Macedonians and such other heretikes that might doe harme to the Churches with their subteltie In deede the Arrians were sharpe and subtile fellowes They graunted that Christ hath two natures and that he is called very God of very God howbeit in name onely Christ said they is a most noble and perfect creature aboue the Angels wherby God afterward created heauē and earth and all other things So Mahomet also speaketh honorably of Christ But al this is nothing els but goodly imaginations words pleasant and plausible to mans reason wherby the fantasticall spirites do deceiue men except they take good hede But Paule speaketh otherwise of Christ Ye sayth he are rooted and stablished in this beleefe namely that Christ is not onely a perfect creature but very God who doth the selfe same things that God the father doth He hath the diuine works not of a creature but of the creator because he geueth Grace Peace and to geue them is to condemne sinne to vanquish death and to tread the deuill vnder foote These things no Angell can geue but seing they are attributed vnto Christ it must nedes folow that he is very God by nature Verse 4. VVhich gaue himselfe for our sinnes Paule in a maner in euery word handleth the argumēt of this Epistle He hath nothing in his mouth but christ therfore in euery word ther is a feruencie of spirite and life And marke how well to the purpose he speaketh He sayth not which hath receaued our works at our hāds nor which hath receaued the sacrifices of Moises law worshippings religions Masses vowes and pilgrimages But hath geuen What not golde nor siluer nor beastes nor paschall lambes nor an angel but him selfe For what Not for a crowne not for a kingdome not for our holines or righteousnes but for our sinnes These words are very thūder claps from heauen against all kindes of righteousnes like as is also this sentence of Iohn Behold the lambe of God that taketh avvay the sinnes of the vvorld Therfore we must with diligent attention marke euery word of Paule and not slenderly consider them or lightly passe them ouer for they are full of consolation and confirme fearfull consciences exceedingly But how may we obtaine remission of our sinnes Paule answereth that the man which is called Iesus Christ the sonne of God hath geuē him selfe for them These are excellēt most comfortable words are promises of the olde law that our sinnes are taken away by none other meane then by the sonne of God deliuered vnto death With such gunnes and such artillarie must the Papacie be destroyed and all the all the religions of the heathen all works all merits and all superstitious ceremonies For if our sinnes may be taken away by our owne works merites and satisfactions what needed the sonne of God to be giuen for them But seeing he was giuen for them it followeth that we can not doe them away by our owne works Againe by this sentence it is declared that our sinnes are so great so infinite and inuincible that it is impossible for the whole world to satisfie for one of them and surely the greatnes of the raunsome namely Christ the sonne of God who gaue himselfe for our sinnes declareth sufficiently that we can neither satisfie for sinne
they sayd I am Christ I am a Sauiour not onely of my selfe but also of others This the Monkes haue not onely taught but also haue made the whole world to beleeue to wit that they are able not onely to make them selues righteous thorowe their hypocriticall holines but also others vnto whom they cōmunicate the same whereas notwithstanding it is the proper and onely office of Christ to iustifie the sinner The Pope in like manner by publishing and spreading his diuinitie throughout the whole world hath denied and vtterly buried the office and Diuinitie of Christ It is expedient that these things should be well taught and well weyed for therby we may learne to iudge of the whole Christian doctrine and the life of mā also to confirme mens consciences to vnderstād all prophesies and all the holy scriptures and rightly to iudge of all other things He that knoweth all these things rightly may certainly iudge that the Pope is Antichrist because he teacheth a farre other maner of worship then the first table setteth out He may perfectly know and vnderstand what it is to denie God to denie Christ and what Christ meaneth when he sayth Many shall come in my name saying I am Christe What it is to be against God and to be lifted vp aboue all that is called God or that is vvorshipped What it signifieth that Antichrist sitteth in the temple of God shevving himselfe as God What it is to see the abhomination of desolation standing in the holy place c. Nowe hereof spring all these mischiefes that this cursed hypocrisie will not be made righteous by the diuine Blessing nor created a new of God the creatour It will in no wise be a patient or suffer any thing to be wrought in her but will needes be altogether an agent and worke those things which she should suffer God to worke in her and receaue of him Therfore she maketh her selfe a creator and a iustifier through her owne works despising the Blessing promised and geuen to Abraham and to his beleeuing Children So that euery hypocrite is bothe the matter and the worke although this be against Philosophie for one and the selfe same thing can not worke vpon it selfe the matter because he is a sinner the worker because he putteth on a cowle or chooseth some other worke through which he hopeth to deserue grace and to saue him selfe and others therefore he is both the creature and the creator Wherfore no man can expresse with words how execrable and horrible it is to seeke righteousnes in the lawe or by workes without the Blessing For it is the Abhomination standing in the holy place which denieth God and setteth vppe the creature in the place of the creatour The Doers therfore of the law are not the hypocrites doing the law outwardly but the true beleeuers who receauing the holy ghost doe fulfill the lawe that is to say they loue God and their neighbour So that a true Doer of the lawe is to be vnderstand not in respecte of the workes which he worketh but in respect of the person regenerate nowe by Faith. For according to the Gospel they that are made righteous doe righteous things but according to Philosophie it is not so but contrariwise they that doe righteous things are made righteous Therfore we being iustified by Faith do good workes through which as it is sayd .2 Pet. 1. our calling and election is cōfirmed and from day to day is made more sure But because we haue but onely the first fruites of the spirite and haue not as yet the tenthes and the remnaunts of sinne doe still remaine in vs therfore we doe not the lawe perfectly But this imperfection is not imputed vnto vs which doe beleeue in Christ who was promised to Abraham and hath blessed vs For we are nourished and tenderly cherished in the meane season for Christes sake in the lappe of Gods long sufferance We are that woūded man which fell into the handes of theeues whose woundes the Samaritan bound vp pouring in oyle and wine and afterwardes laying him vpon his beast he brought him into the Inne and made prouision for him and departing commended him to the hoste saying Take care of him And thus we in the meane time are cherished as it were in an Inne vntill the Lord put to his hand the second time as Esay sayeth that he may deliuer vs. Wherfore the sentence of Moises Cursed is euery one that abideth not in all the things that are vvritten in this booke is not contrary to Paule who pronounceth all them to be accursed which are of the workes of the lawe For Moises requireth such a Doer as may do the lawe perfectly But where shall we haue him No where For Moises himselfe confesseth that he is not such a one for he sayth Exod. 34. That none is innocēt before God. And Dauid sayth Lord enter not into iudgement vvith thy seruaunt for no flesh is righteous in thy thy sight And Paule sayeth For vvhat I vvould that doe I not but vvhat I hate that doe I. Wherefore Moises together with Paule doth necessarily driue vs to Christe through whom we be made Doers of the lawe and are not accompted giltie of any transgression Howe so First by forgeuenes of sinnes imputation of righteousnes because of our Faith in Christ Secondly by the gift of God the holy Ghost which bringeth forth a newe life and newe motions in vs so that we may also doe the lawe effectually Nowe that which is not done is pardoned for Christes sake And moreouer what sinne so euer is lefte in vs is not imputed So Moises agreeth with Paule and meaneth the selfe same thing that he doth when he sayeth Cursed is euery one that abideth not c. For he sayeth that they doe not the law because they would make them selues righteous by workes and concludeth with Paule that they are vnder the Curse Therfore Moises requireth true Doers of the law which are of Faith euen as Paule condemneth those which are not true doers of the law that is to say which are not of faith Heerein is no repugnance that Moises spake negatiuely and Paule affirmatiuely so that ye define rightly what is meant by this worde Doe So both sentences are true to witte that all are accursed vvhich abide not in all that is vvrytten in this boke And that all they are accursed vvhich are of the vvorkes of the lavve An Aunswere to those argumentes which the aduersaries alleage against the doctrine and righteousnes of Faith. Seeing this place offereth vnto vs occasion we must say something as touching the arguments which our aduersaries doe obiect against the doctrine of Faith which is That vve are made righteous by Faith alone There are many places bothe in the olde Testament and in the newe as concerning workes and rewardes of works which our aduersaries doe alleage and
sorte vnderstandeth the righteousnes of the lawe which also it teacheth and vrgeth and imagineth that the doers of it are righteous but it vnderstandeth not the office and ende of the law Therfore when it heareth this sentence of Paule which is straunge and vnknowne to the world That the lavve vvas geuen for transgressions thus it iudgeth Paule abolisheth the lawe for he sayth that we are not iustified through it Yea he is a blasphemer against God which gaue the lawe whē he sayth that the lavve vvas geuen for transgressions Let vs liue therfore as Gentiles which haue no lawe Yea let vs sinne abide in sinne that grace may abounde Also let vs doe euill that good may come therof This happened to the Apostle Paule and the selfe same happeneth at this day vnto vs For when the common people heare out of the Gospell that righteousnes cometh by the mere grace of God through Faith onely without the law and without workes they gather by and by of it as did the Iewes in times past If the lawe doe not iustifie then let vs worke nothing and surely they performe this excellently well What should we then doe This impietie doth in deede very much vexe vs but we can not remedie it For when Christe preacheth he must nedes heare that he was a blasphemer and a seditious person that is to say that through his doctrine he deceaued men and made them rebelles against Caesar The selfe same thing happened to Paule and all the rest of the Apostles And what maruell is it if the world in like maner accuse vs at this day Let it accuse vs let it sclaunder vs let it persecute vs and spare not yet must not we therefore hold our peace but speake freely to the ende that afflicted consciences may be deliuered out of the snares of the Deuill And we must not regarde the foolish and vngodly people in that they do abuse our doctrine for whether they haue a law or no lawe they can not be reformed But we must consider how afflicted consciences may be comforted that they pearish not with the multitude If we should dissemble and holde our peace pore afflicted consciences should haue no consolation which are so entangled and snared with mens lawes and traditiōs that they can wind them selues out by no meanes As Paule therefore seeing some to set themselues against his doctrine and others some to seeke the libertie of the flesh and therby to be made worse comforted him selfe after this sort that he was an Apostle of Iesus Christ sent to preach the Faith of Gods elect and that he must suffer all things for the elects sake to the end that they also might obtaine saluation euen so we at this day do al things for the elects sake whom we know to be edified comforted through our doctrine But as for the dogges swine of whom the one sort doth persecute our doctrine and the other sort doth tread vnder foote that libertie which we haue in Christ Iesus I am so offended with them that in all my life for their sakes I would not vtter so much as one word but I would rather wish that these hogges together with our aduersaries the dogges were yet still subiect to the Popes tyrannie rather then that the holy name of God should be so blasphemed and euill spoken of through them Therfore albeit not onely the foolish ignorant people but they also which seeme in their owne conceits to be very wise do argue after this sort If the law do not iustifie then is it in vaine vnprofitable yet is it not therfore true For like as this consequence is nothing worth Money doth not iustifie or make a mā righteous therfore it is vnprofitable the eyes do not iustifie therfore they must be plucked out the hands make not a mā righteous therfore they must be cut of so is this naught also The lawe dothe not iustify therfore it is vnprofitable for we must attribute vnto euery thinge his proper effect and vse We doe not therfore destroy condemne the lawe bicause we say that it doth not iustifie but we answere otherwise to this question To vvhat end then serueth the lavv then our aduersaries doe who doe wickedly and peruersely counterfet an office vse of the law which belongeth not vnto it Against this abuse and forged office of the lawe we dispute and aunswer with Paule that the law doth not iustifie But in so saying we affirme not that the lawe is vnprofitable as they doe by and by gather If the law doe not iustifie say they then is it geuē in vaine No not so For it hath his proper office vse but not that which the aduersaries do imagin namely to make mē righteous but it accuseth terrifieth and condemneth them We say with Paule that the lawe is good if a man doe rightly vse it that is to say if he vse the law as the law If I geue vnto the lawe his proper definition and keepe it within the compasse of his office and vse it is an excellent thing But if I translate it to an other vse and attribute that vnto it which I should not then doe I not onely peruert the law but also the whole Scripture Therfore Paule fighteth here against those pestilent hypocrites who could not abide this sentence The lavve vvas added for transgressions For they thinke that the office of the lawe is to iustifie And this is the generall opinion of mans reason amōg the Sophisters and throughout the whole world that righteousnes is gotten through the workes of the lawe And reason will by no meanes suffer this pernicious opinion to be wrested from it because it vnderstandeth not the righteousnes of Faith. Hereof it cometh that the Papists both foolishly and wickedly do say The Church hath the lawe of God the traditions of the Fathers the decrees of Councels If it liue after them it is holy No man shal perswade these men that when they keepe these things they please not God but prouoke his wrath To conclude they that trust in their owne righteousnes thinke to pacifie the wrath of God by their wilworship and voluntary religion Therefore this opinion of the righteousnes of the lawe is the sinke of all euils and the sinne of sinnes of the whole world For grosse sinnes and vices may be knowen and so amended or else repressed by the punishment of the Magistrate But this sinne to witte mannes opinion concerning his owne righteousnes will not onely not be counted sinne but also will be estemed for an high religion and righteousnes This pestilent sinne therefore is the most high and soueraigne power of the Deuill ouer the whole world the very head of the Serpent and the snare wherby the Deuill entangleth and holdeth all men captiue For naturally all men haue this opinion that they are made righteous by keeping of the lawe Paule therefore to
the ende he might shewe the true office and vse of the lawe and might roote out of mens heartes that false opinion concerning the righteousnes thereof aunswereth to this obiection Wherfore then serueth the lawe if it iustifie not after this sorte It was not geuen to make men righteous sayth he but Verse 19. It vvas added because of transgressions As things are diuers and distinct so the vses thereof are diuers and distinct Therfore they may not be confoūded For if they be there must needes be a confusion of the things also A woman may not weare a mans apparel nor a man a womans attire Let a man doe the works that belong to a man and a woman the works that belong to a womā Let euery man doe that which his vocation and office requireth Let Pastors and Preachers teach the worde of God purely Let Magistrates gouerne their subiectes let subiects obey their Magistrates Let euery thing serue in his due place and order Let the Sunne shine by day the Moone and the Starres by night let the sea geue fishes the earth graine the woodes wilde beastes and trees c. In like maner let not the lawe vsurpe the office and vse of an other that is to say of Iustification but let it leaue this onely to grace to the promise and to Faith. What is then the office of the lawe Transgression or else as he sayth in another place The lavve entred in that sinne should abound A goodly office forsoth The lavve sayth he vvas added for transgressions that is to say it was added besides and after the promise vntil Christ the Seede should come vnto whom it was promised Of the double vse of the lawe Here ye must vnderstand that there is a double vse of the law One is Ciuill For God hath ordained Ciuil lawes yea all lawes to punish transgressions Euery lawe then is geuen to restraine sinne If it restraine sinne then it maketh men righteous No nothing lesse For in that I doe not kill I doe not commit adulterie I doe not steale or in that I abstaine from other sinnes I doe it not willingly or for the loue of vertue but I feare the prison the sword and the hangman These do bridle and restraine me that I sinne not as bondes chaines restraine a Lion or a Beare that he teare and deuoure not euery thing that he meeteth Therfore the restraining from sinne is not righteousnes but rather a significatiō of vnrighteousnes For as a madde or a wild beast is bound lest he should destroy euery thing that he meeteth euen so the lawe doth bridle a madde and furious man that he sinne not after his owne lust This restrainte sheweth plainly enough that they which haue neede of the law as al they haue which are without Christ are not righteous but rather wicked mad men whom it is necessary by the bonds prisō of the law so to bridle that they sinne not Therfore the law iustifieth not The first vse then of the law is to bridle the wicked For the Deuil raigneth throughout the whole world and enforceth men to all kindes of horrible wickednes Therefore God hath ordained Magistrates parentes Ministers lawes bonds and all ciuill ordinaunces that if they can doe no more yet at the least they may binde the Deuils hands that he rage not in his bondslaues after his owne lust Like as therfore they that are possessed in whom the Deuill mightely raigneth are kept in bondes and chaines lest they should hurte other euen so in the worlde which is possessed of the Deuill and caried headlong into all kindes of wickednes the Magistrate is present with his bondes and chaines that is to say with his lawes binding his handes and feete that he runne not headlong into all mischiefe And if he suffer not him selfe to be brideled after this sorte then he loseth his head This ciuill restrainte is very necessary and appointed of God as wel for publike peace as also for the preseruation of all thinges but specially lest the course of the Gospell shoulde be hindered by the tumultes and seditions of wicked outragious proud mē But Paule entreateth not here of this ciuil vse and office of the law It is in deede very necessary but it iustifieth not For as a possessed or madde man is not therefore free from the snares of the Deuill or well in his minde because he hath his handes and his feete bound and can do no hurt euen so the world although it be brideled by the law from outward wickednes and mischiefe yet is it not therefore righteous but still continueth wicked yea this restrainte sheweth plainely that the world is wicked and outragious stirred vp and enforced to all wickednes by his Prince the Deuill for otherwise it neede not to be brideled by lawes that it should not sinne An other vse of the law is diuine and spirituall which is as Paule saith to encrease transgressions that is to say to reueale vnto a man his sinne his blindnes his misery his impietie ignoraunce hatred and contempt of God death hel the iudgment and deserued wrath of god Of this vse the Apostle entreateth notably in the. 7. to the Romaines This is altogether vnknowne to hypocrites to the popish Sophisters and Scholediuines and to all that walke in the opinion of the righteousnes of the law or of their owne righteousnes But to the ende that God might bridle and beate downe this monster and this madde beaste I meane the presumption of mans owne righteousnes and religion which naturally maketh mē proud and puffeth them vppe in such sort that they thinke them selues thereby to please God highly it behoued him to send some Hercules which might set vppon this monster with all force and courage to ouerthrowe him and vtterly to destroy him that is to say he was constrained to geue a lawe in Mount Sina with so great Maiestie and with so terrible a shewe that the whole multitude was astonished Exod. 19. 20. This as it is the proper and the principall vse of the lawe so is it very profitable and also most necessary For if any be not a murtherer an adulterer a theefe and outwardly refraine from sinne as the Pharisey did which is mentioned in the Gospell he would sweare because he is possessed with the Deuill that he is righteous and therefore he conceaueth an opinion of righteousnes and presumeth of his good workes and merites Such a one God can not otherwise mollifie and humble that he may acknowledge his miserie and damnation but by the lawe For that is the hammer of death the thundring of hell and lightning of Gods wrath that beateth to pouder the obstinate and senseles hypocrites Wherefore this is the proper and true vse of the lawe by lightning by tempest by the sound of the trumpe as in the Mount Sina to terrifie and by thundering to beate downe and
owne dreames and vnder the name of the gospell ceremonies and lawes They are like therfore vnto themselues and so they still continue that is to say Monks workers of the lawe and teachers of ceremonies sauing that they deuise newe names and newe workes It is not then a matter of small importance to vnderstand rightly what the law is and what is the true vse and office therof Now for as much as we teach these things both diligently and faithfully we doe therby plainly testifie that we reiect not the law and works as our aduersaries doe falsely accuse vs but we do altogether stablish the law and require the works therof and we say that the law is good and profitable but in his owne proper vse which is first to bridle ciuill transgressiōs and then to reueile and to encrease spiritual transgressions Wherfore the law is also a light which sheweth reueileth not the grace of God not righteousnes and life but sinne death the wrath and iudgement of god For as in the Mount Sina the thundring lightning the thicke darke cloud the hill smoking flaming all that terrible shew did not reioyce nor quicken the children of Israell but terrified and astonished them and shewed howe vnhable they were with all their puritie and holines to abide the Maiestie of God speaking to them out of the cloud euen so the law when it is in his true vse doth nothing else but reueale sinne engender wrath accuse and terrifie men so that it bringeth them to the very brinke of desperation This is the proper vse of the lawe and here it hath an end and it ought to goe no further Contrariwise the Gospel is a light which lightneth quickneth comforteth raiseth vp fearful consciences For it sheweth that God for Christes sake is merciful vnto sinners yea to such as are most vnworthy if they beleue that by his death they are deliuered frō the Curse that is to say from sinne and euerlasting death and that through his victorie the Blessing is freely geuen vnto them that is to say grace forgeuenes of sinnes righteousnes euerlasting life Thus putting a difference betwene the law the Gospel we geue to them both their owne proper vse office Of this differēce betwene the law the gospel there is nothīg to be found in the bokes of the Monks Canonists Scholemen no nor in the bokes of the auncient fathers Augustine did somewhat vnderstand this difference and shewed it Ierome and others knew it not Briefly there was wonderfull silence many yeres as touching this difference in all Schooles and Churches And this thing brought mens consciences into great daunger For vnlesse the gospell be plainly discerned frō the lawe the true Christian doctrine can not be kept sound and vncorrupt Contrariwise if this difference be well knowne then is also the true meane of iustification knowne and then is it an easie matter to discerne faith from workes Christ from Moses and all politike workes For all things without Christe are the ministers of death for the punishment of the wicked Therefore Paule aunswereth to this question after this maner Verse 19. The lavve vvas added because of transgressions That is to say that transgressions might be more encreased knowne and seene And in deede so it cometh to passe For when sinne is reuealed to a man through the law death the wrath and iudgement of God and hell it is vnpossible but that he should become impatient but that he should murmure against God and despise his will. For he can not beare the iudgement of God his owne death and damnation and yet notwithstanding he can not escape them Here he must needes fall into the hatred of God and blasphemie against god Before when he was out of tentation he was a very holy man he worshipped and praised God he bowed his knee before God and gaue him thanks as the Pharisey did Luke 18. But now when sinne and death is reuealed vnto him he wisheth that there were no god The law therfore of it selfe bringeth a special hatred of god And thus sinne is not onely reuealed and knowne by the lawe but also is encreased and stirred vp by the lawe Therfore Paule sayth Rom. 7. Sinne that it might appeare to be sinne vvrought death in me by that vvhich vvas good that sinne might be out of measure sinneful by the commaundement There he entreateth of this effect of the law very largely Paule aunswereth therfore to this question If the lawe doe not iustifie to what end then serueth it Although sayth he it iustifie not yet is it very profitable necessary For first it ciuily restraineth such as are carnall rebellious and obstinate Moreouer it is as a glasse that sheweth vnto a man him selfe that he is a sinner giltie of death and worthy of Gods euerlasting wrath indignation To what profit serueth this humbling this brusing beating downe by this hammer the law I meane To great profite namely that we may haue an entrance vnto grace So then the lawe is a minister that prepareth the way vnto grace For God is the God of the humble the miserable the afflicted the oppressed the desperate and of all those that are vtterly brought to nothing and his nature is to exalt the humble to feede the hungry to geue sight to the blind to comfort the miserable the afflicted the brused and broken harted to iustifie sinners to quicken the dead and to saue the very desperate and damned For he is an almightie creatour making all things of nothing Now that pernicious and pestilent opinion of mans owne righteousnes which will not be a sinner vncleane miserable and damnable but righteous and holy suffreth not God to come to his owne naturall and proper worke Therefore God must needes take this maule in hand the law I meane to driue downe to beat in peeces to bring to nothing this beast with her vaine confidence wisedom righteousnes power that she may so learne at the lēgth by her owne miserie and mischief that she is vtterly forlorne lost and damned Here now when the conscience is thus terrified with the law then cometh the doctrine of the Gospell and grace which reiseth vppe and comforteth the same againe saying Christ came in to the world not to breake the brused reede nor to quench the smoking flaxe but to preach the Gospell of glad tidings to the poore to heale the broken and contrite in heart to preach forgeuenes of sinnes to the captiues c. But here lieth all the difficultie of this matter that when a man is terrified and cast downe he may be able to raise vp him selfe againe and say Now I am brused and afflicted enough the time of the lawe hath tormented and vexed me sharply enough Nowe is the time of grace now is the time to heare Christ out of whose mouth procede the wordes of grace
and a carnall libertie to doe what so euer they list These as Peter sayeth haue the libertie of the spirite as a cloke of maliciousnes through which the name of God and the Gospell of Christe is sclaundered euery where and therfore they shall once suffer worthy punishment for this their vngodlines Thirdly such doe also abuse the lawe who feeling the terrours thereof doe not vnderstand that such terrours ought no longer to continue but vnto Christe This abuse in them is the cause that they fall to desperation as in the hypocrites it is the cause of arrogancie and presumption Contrariwise the true vse of the lawe can neuer be estemed and magnified as it is worthy namely that when the conscience shutte vp vnder the lawe despaireth not but being instructed by the wisedom of the holy Ghost concludeth with it selfe after this sort I am in deede shut vppe as a prisoner vnder the lawe but not for euer yea this shutting vppe shall turne to my great profite How so Because that I being thus shut vppe shall be driuen to sigh and seeke the hand of an helper c. After this maner the lawe is as an enforcer which by compulsion bringeth the hungrie vnto Christe that he may satisfie them with his good things Wherefore the true office of the lawe is to shew vnto vs our sinnes to make vs giltie to humble vs to kill vs and to bring vs downe to hell and finally to take from vs all helpe all succour all cōfort but yet altogether to this end that we may be iustified exalted quickned to life caried vppe into heauen and obtaine all good things Therfore it doth not onely kill but it killeth that we may liue Verse 24. VVherefore the lavve vvas our Scholemaster to bring v◠to Christe Here againe he ioyneth the lawe and the Gospell together which are separate so farre asunder as touching the affections and inward man when he sayeth The lawe is a Scholemaster to Christ This similitude also of the Scholemaster is worthy to be noted Although a Scholemaster be very profitable and necessary to enstruct and to bring vppe children yet shewe me one childe or scholer which loueth his master We may easily coniecture what affection the Iewes bare to their Moises and how zelously they performed that which he commaunded In deede such was their loue and obedience towards him that euery hower as the Storie testifieth they would with all their hearts haue stoned him to death It is not possible therefore that the scholer should loue his master For howe can he loue him which keepeth him in prison that is to say which suffereth him not to doe that which gladly he would And if he doe any thing against his commaundement by and by he is rebuked and chastised yea and is constrained moreouer to kisse the rodde when he is beaten Is not this I pray you a goodly righteousnes and obedience of the scholer that he obeyeth his master so seuerely threatning and so sharply correcting him and kisseth the rodde But doth he this with a good wil As soone as his master hath turned his backe he breaketh the rodde or casteth it into the fire And if he had any power ouer his master he would not suffer him selfe to be beaten of his master but rather he would beat him And yet notwithstanding the scholemaster is very necessary for the child to enstruct and to chastise him otherwise the childe without this discipline enstruction and good education should be vtterly lost The scholemaster therfore is appoynted for the child to teach him to bring him vp to kepe him as it were in prison But to what ende or how long Is it to the ende that this streit and sharpe dealing of the scholemaster should alwayes cōtinue or that the child should remaine in continuall bōdage Not so but onely for a time that this obedience this prison and correction might turne to the profit of the child that in time he might be heire and Prince For it is not the fathers will that his sonne should be alwayes subiect to the scholemaster and alwayes beaten with roddes but that by this instruction and discipline he may be made able and meete to be his fathers successour Euen so the law sayth Paule is nothing else but a Scholemaster not for euer but vntill it haue brought vs to Christ as in other wordes he sayd also before The lavve vvas geuen for transgressions vntill the blessed Seede should come Also the scripture hath shut all vnder sin c. Againe vve vvere kept vnder shut vp vnto faith vvhich should after be reuealed Wherefore the lawe is not onely a Scholemaster but it is a Scholemaster to bring vs vnto Christ For what a Scholemaster were he which would alwaies torment beat the child teach him nothing at all And yet such Scholemasters there were in time past when Scholes were nothing else but a prison and a very hell the Scholemasters cruell tyrannes and very butchers The childrē were alwayes beaten they learned with continuall paine and trauell yet few of thē came to any proofe The law is not such a Scholemaster For it doth not onely terrifie torment as the foolish Scholemaster beateth his scholers teacheth them nothing but with his roddes he driueth vs vnto Christ like as a good Scholemaster enstructeth exerciseth his scholers in reading and wryting to the ende they may come to the knowledge of good letters other profitable things that afterwardes they may haue a delite in doing of that which before when they were constrained thervnto they did against their willes By this goodly similitude Paule sheweth what is the true vse of the lawe namely that it iustifieth not hypocrites for they remaine without Christ in their presumption securitie And contrariwise that it leaueth not in death damnation those that are of a contrite heart so that they vse it as Paul teacheth but driueth them vnto Christ But they which in these terrours continue still in their weaknes doe not apprehend Christ by faith do fall at length into desperatiō Paule therfore in this allegorie of the Scholemaster most liuely expresseth the true vse of the law For like as the Scholemaster reproueth his scholers he greeueth them maketh thē heauy yet not to the end that this bondage should alwayes continue but that it should cease when the children are well brought vppe and enstructed accordingly that afterwards without any cōstraint of the Scholemaster they should cherefully enioy their libertie their fathers goods euen so they which are vexed oppressed with the law doe know that these terrours and vexations shall not alwayes continue but that therby they are prepared to come vnto Christ which is to be reuealed and to receaue the libertie of the spirite c. Verse 24. That vve may be made righteous by Faith. The lawe is not a Scholemaster to bring vs vnto
Also that Ismael is not Isaac and that he hath not that which Isaac hath A mā may easily discerne these things but in great terrours and in the agonie of death when the conscience wrastleth with the iudgement of God it is the hardest thing of all others to say with a sure and a stedfast hope I am not the sonne of Agar but of Sara that is to say the law belōgeth nothing vnto me For Sara is my mother who bringeth forth free children and heirs and not seruaunts Paule then by this testimonie of Esay hath proued that Sara that is to say the church is the true mother which bringeth forth free children heires Contrariwise that Agar that is to say the sinagoge gendreth many children in deede but they are seruauntes and must be cast out Moreouer because this place speaketh also of the abolishing of the lawe and of Christian libertie it ought to be diligently considered For as it is the most principall and speciall article of Christian doctrine to know that we are iustified and saued by Christe so is it also very necessary to knowe and vnderstand well the doctrine concerning the abolishment of the lawe For it helpeth very much to confirme our doctrine as touching Faith and to attaine sound and certaine consolation of conscience when we are assured that the lawe is abolished and specially in great terrours and serious conflicts I haue often sayd before and now I say againe for it can not be too often repeted that a Christian laying holde of the benefit of Christe through Faith hath no lawe but all the lawe is to him abolished with all his terrours and tormentes This place of Esay teacheth the same thing and therefore it is very notable and full of comfort stirring vp the barren and forsaken to reioyce which was counted worthy to be mocked or pitied according to the lawe For such as were barren were accursed according to the lawe but the holy Ghost turneth this sentence and pronounceth the barren worthy of praise and Blessing and contrariwise the frutefull and such as bring forth children accursed when he sayth Reioyce thon barren vvhich bearest not Breake forth into ioy and reioyce thou that trauailest not For the desolate hath many moe children then the maried vvife Howsoeuer then Sara that is to say the Church seeme to be forsaken and barren before the world not hauing the righteousnes and works of the law yet notwithstanding she is a most frutefull mother hauing an infinite number of children before God as the Prophet witnesseth Contrariwise although Agar seeme neuer so frutefull and to bring forth neuer so many children yet notwithstanding she hath no issue remaining for the children of the bondwoman are cast out of the house together with theyr mother and receaue not the inheritaunce with the children of the free-woman as Paule sayth afterwardes Because therefore we are the children of the freewoman the lawe our olde husband is abolished Romaines 7 who as long as he had dominion ouer vs it was impossible for vs to bring forth children free in spirite or knowing grace but we remained with the other in bondage True it is that as long as the lawe raigneth men are not idle but they labour sore they beare the burden and the heate of the day they bring forth and gender many children but as well the fathers as the children are bastardes and doe not belong to the freemother Therefore they are at length cast out of the house and inheritaunce with Ismael they die are damned It is impossible therfore that men should attaine to the inheritance that is to say that they should be iustified and saued by the lawe although they trauell neuer so much be neuer so frutefull therein Accursed therefore be that doctrine life and religion which endeuoreth to gette righteousnes before God by the lawe or the workes thereof But let vs prosecute our purpose as touching the abolishment of the law The Scholedoctors speaking of that abolishment of the law say that the Iudiciall the ceremonial lawes are pernicious since the comming of Christ and therfore are abolished but not the morall law These blind Doctors knew not what they said But if thou wilt speake of the abolishment of the law talke of it as it is in his owne proper vse office as it is spiritually taken comprehend withall the whole lawe making no distinction at all betwixt the Iudiciall Ceremoniall and Morall law For when Paule sayth that we are deliuered from the curse of the law by Christ he speaketh of the whole lawe and principally of the Moral law which only accuseth curseth condemneth the cōscience which the other two doe not Wherefore we say that the Morall lawe or the lawe of the ten commaundements hath no power to accuse and terrifie the conscience in which Iesus Christe raigneth by his grace for he hath abolished the power therof Not that the conscience doth not at all feele the terrours of the law For in deede it feeleth them but that they can not condemne it nor bring it to desperation For there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Rom. 8. Also If the sonne shall make you free ye shall be free in deede Iohn 8. Howsoeuer then a Christian man be terrified through the lawe shewing vnto him his sinne notwithstanding he therefore despaireth not For he beleueth in Iesus Christ and being baptised in him and clensed by his bloud he hath remission of all his sinnes Now when our sinne is pardoned through Christe who is the Lord of the lawe and yet so pardoned that he gaue himselfe for it the law being a seruaunt hath no more power to accuse and condemne vs for sinne seeing it is forgeuen vs and we are now made free forasmuch as the sonne hath deliuered vs from bondage Wherfore the law is wholy abolished to them that beleue in Christe But thou wilt say I doe nothing True it is that thou canst doe nothing whereby thou maist be deliuered from the tyrannie of the lawe But heare this ioyfull tidings which the holy Ghost bringeth vnto thee out of the wordes of the Prophet Reioyce thou that arte barren c As if he would say Why art thou so heauie since there is no cause why thou shouldest so mourne But I am barren and forsaken c. Well although thou be neuer so barren and forsaken c not hauing the righteousnes of the law notwithstāding Christ is thy righteousnes he was made a curse for thee to deliuer thee from the curse of the lawe If thou beleue in him the law is dead vnto thee And so much as Christe is greater then the lawe so much hast thou a more excellent righteousnes then the righteousnes of the lawe Moreouer thou art frutefull and not barren for thou hast many moe children then she which hath an husband There is also an other abolishment of
of tentation experiēce and practise to applie them to him selfe and to feele the excellencie of this libertie and the frute thereof it is a harder matter then can be expressed Therfore our conscience must be enstructed and prepared before hand that when we feele the accusation of the lawe the terrours of sinne the horrour of death and the wrath of God we may remoue these heauie sightes and fearfull fantasies out of our mindes and set in the place thereof the freedome purchased by Christ the forgeuenes of sinnes righteousnes life and the euerlasting mercy of god And albeit the feeling of the contrary be very strong yet let vs assure our selues that it shall not long endure according to that saying of the Prophet For a moment in mine anger I hidde my face from thee for a litle season but vvith euerlasting mercy I haue compassion on thee But this is very hard to doe Wherefore that libertie which Christ hath purchased for vs is not so soone beleued as it is named If it could be apprehended with a sure and a stedfast Faith then no rage or terrour of the word of the law sinne death or the Deuill could be so great but by by it should be swalowed vp as a litle drop of water is swallowed of the maine sea And certainly this Christian libertie swalloweth vp at once taketh quite away the whole heape of euils the law sinne death Gods wrath and briefly the serpent him selfe with his head and whole power and in the stead therof it placeth righteousnes peace euerlasting life c. But blessed is he that vnderstandeth and beleueth Let vs learne therefore to magnifie this our libertie purchased by Iesus Christe the sonne of God by whom all things were created both in heauen and earth Which libertie he hath purchased with no other price then with his owne bloud to deliuer vs not from any bodely or temporall seruitude but from a spirituall and euerlasting bondage vnder mighty and inuincible tyrannes to witte the lawe sinne death and the Deuil and so to reconcile vs vnto God his father Now since these enemies are ouercome and we reconciled vnto God by the death of his sonne it is certaine that we are righteous before God and that what so euer we doe pleaseth him And although there be certaine remnantes of sinne yet still in vs they are not laid to our charge but pardoned for Christes sake Paule vseth wordes of great force and vehemencie Stand sayth he in that libertie vvherin Christe hath made you free This libertie then is not geuen vnto vs by the law or for our righteousnes but freely for Christes sake Which thing Paule here witnesseth and plainly declareth thorow out his whole Epistle Christe also in the .8 of Iohn sayth If the sonne shall make you free there shall ye be free in deede He onely is sette betwixt vs and the euils which trouble and afflict vs he hath ouercome them and taken them away so that they cā no more oppresse vs nor condemne vs In the sted of sinne and death he geueth vnto vs righteousnes and euerlasting life and by this meanes he chaūgeth the bondage and terrours of the law into the liberty of cōscience and consolation of the Gospel which sayeth Be of good comfort my sonne thy sinnes are forgeuen thee Whosoeuer then beleueth in Christ the sonne of God he hath this libertie Reason can not perceaue the excellencie of this matter which when a man considereth in spirite he shall see that it is inestimable For who is able to conceaue in his minde how great and vnspeakable a gift it is to haue the forgeuenes of sinnes righteousnes euerlasting life in the sted of the law sinne death and the wrath of God to haue God him selfe fauourable and merciful for euer The Papists and the hypocrites that seeke the righteousnes of the lawe or their owne righteousnes doe glory that they likewise haue remission of sinnes righteousnes life and the grace of god For they vaunt that they also haue this libertie and they promise the same vnto others but in very deede they are the seruauntes of corruption and in the time of tentation all their vaine confidence vanisheth away euen in a moment For they trust vnto the workes and satisfactions of men and not to the word of God nor vnto Christe Wherefore it is impossible for the Iusticiaries which seeke to winne heauen life and saluation by workes and merites to know what the libertie and deliuerance from sinne is Contrariwise our libertie hath for her foundation Christe him selfe who is our euerlasting high Bishop sitting at the right hand of God making intercessiō for vs Wherfore the forgeuenes of sinnes righteousnes life libertie which we haue through him is sure certaine perpetual so that we beleue this Wherefore if we cleaue vnto Christ with a stedfast Faith and stand fast in that libertie wherein he hath made vs free we shall obtaine those inestimable gifts but if we be carelesse and negligent we shall lose them It is not without cause that Paule biddeth vs watch and stand fast for he knew that the Deuil seeketh nothing more then to spoile vs of this libertie which cost Christe so great a price and to entāgle vs againe by his ministers in the yoke of bondage as foloweth Verse 1. And be not entangled againe vvith the yoke of bondage Paule hath spoken most effectually and profoundly as concerning grace and Christian libertie and with high and mighty wordes hath exhorted the Galathians to continue in the same for it is easily lost Therefore he biddeth them stand fast lest that through negligence or securitie they fall backe againe from grace and Faith to the law and workes Now because reason iudgeth that there can be no daunger in preferring the righteousnes of the law before the righteousnes of Faith therefore with a certaine indignation he enueyeth against the lawe and with great contempt he calleth it a yoke yea a yoke of bondage So Peter calleth it also Acts. 15 VVhy tempt ye God to lay a yoke on the disciples neckes vvhich neither our fathers nor vve vvere able to beare And thus he turneth all things to the contrary For the false Apostles did abase the promise and magnified the law and the works thereof in this wise If ye will be made free say they from sinne and death and obtaine righteousnes and life fulfil the law be circumcised obserue dayes moneths times and yeres offer sacrifices and doe such other like things then shall this obedience of the law iustifie and saue you But Paule sayth the contrary They sayth he that teach the law after this sort do not set mens consciences at libertie but snare and entangle them with a yoke yea and that with a yoke of bondage He speaketh therfore of the law very basely and contemptuously and calleth it an hard bondage and a seruile yoke
haue sinned and had their infirmities yet God hath deliuered vnto vs by their ministerie vvhatsoeuer he vvould haue vs to folovv vvithout corruption * 2. Sam. 7.3.4.5 Actes 1.6 Peter sinned Math. 28. Actes 10.11 No Sainctes vvithout sin Dissention betvvene Paule and Barnabas Actes 15.1.2.3 The fauls of the Sainctes bring great comfort vnto vs. Iudges 1.6 2 Sam 11.24 Iob. 3.12 Iob. 4 c. Ierem. 10.14 Ionas 4 3. Peter liueth vvith the GeÌ„tiles like a Gentile 1 Cor. â— 20.21 The offence of Peter VVhat the beleuing Ievves gathered of Peters abstaining A facte is one thing and the end of a facte an other Meates may be refused tvvo maner of vvaies 1 Cor. 9. The dissimulation of Peter The sinne of Peter A fall in doctrine is easy The Councell holden at Ierusalem Acts. 15. 1. Cor. 10.12 * Ceremonies are daungerous and if such offence come by keping those vvhich vvere commaunded of God vvhat may vve think of such as Antechrist hath deuised seruing to no edification Peters dissimulation Dissimulation vvhat it is * Paphnutius stoode in the defence of the mariage of ministers against the vvhole Councell The lavve and the Gospell must be discerned one from the other The lavve and reason are against faith VVhat vve must do vvheÌ„ our coÌ„science is terrified Exod. 19.16 Moises in the mountaine vvas aboue the lavv so in matters of faith vve must haue nothing to doe vvith the lavv VVe must not trust in our ovvn streÌ„gth VVithout Gods assistaÌ„ce vve can doe nothing Luc. 17.5 Peter knovveth not his errour The difference of the lavve and the Gospel is most diligently to be learned The difference betvvene the lavv and the Gospell VVhen the lavv is to be vrged The lavv hath nothing to do vvith the conscience The Pope maketh the Gospell lavv and confoundeth them both together Hovv necessary this difference is to be knovven The Gospell a straunger in tentations The lavve a continuall gest The time of the Gospell An obiection of the lavv VVhen vve must heare the lavv To liue like the Ievves Peter through his dissimulation compelled the Gentiles to liue like the Ievves Things indifdifferent may not clogge mens consciences Peters errour Libertie of conscience 2. Cor. 11. â— VVhat an afflicted conscience ought chiefly to looke vpon Galat. 1.14 The prerogatiue of the Ievves Gen. 17.10 Iohn 8.33 Rom. 2.17 Faith onely iustifieth All things deadly vvithout faith The vvorke of the lavve VVorks done before iustification and after iustification Cicero Pomponius Atticus Paule intreateth of the vvhole lavve The Papistes Diuinitie Merite of Congruence Merite of duetie and vvorthines The doctryne of the Papistes vvicked and blasphemous against Christ and his righteousnes VVhat the Papistes call deadly sinne A description of a deadly or mortall sinner Desert of congruence and vvorthines a vaine and folish toy The ground of the vvhole Popedom The first poynt of true Christianitie is that a man do acknovvledge himselfe to be a sinner Math. 7 1â— Rom. 14.23 The second part is to beleue the forgeuenes of our sinnes Iohn 3.17 The office of the lavve MeritmoÌ„gers take from God the glory of his Godhead The vanitie of the Papistes in that foolish distinction of congrunuum condigâ—m VVhat the Papistes call formall righteousnes The Papistes take their formall righteousnes vvhich they call charitie to be that grace vvherby vve are made acceptable vnto God. Scotus Occam The pernicious opinion of the Papistes Iohn 17.1 The doctrine of the Sophisters The lavv fulfilled tvvo maner of vvaies say the Papistes according to the substance of the deede and according to the intent or purpose of the CommauÌ„der True Christian faith Christ is the obiect vvhich faith beholdeth and looketh vpon Exod. 19.9 1. Reg. 8.10 Formall righteousnes Rom. 3.15 Psal. 14.1 Psal. 53.4 Psal. 51.4 Rom. 7.14 Rom. 11.32 Rom. 3.19 The â— parte of the Gospell Mat. 9.1 Esai 53.4 1. Pet. 2.24 Christ is no lavvgeuer Verse 12. Verse 24.25 Rom. 3.25 Rom. 4.3 Christ Faith. Imputation Ebr. 4. Acceptation necessary They that beleue in Christ shall not be charged vvith their sinnes Psal. 32. Rom. 4.21 Io. 17. â— The doctrine of good vvorkes to be taught after the doctrine of faith The Crosse Math. 11.30 VVho is a right ChristiaÌ„ A Christian man hath nothing to doe vvith the lavve 1. Cor. 9.15 Christians are Iudges of all kindes of doctryne The doctrine of the Pope 2. Pet. â— â— The Papacie liuely painted out Papisticall Idolatrie The true vse of the Communion taken avvay by the Pope The horrible abuse of the gospell and Sacraments in the Popedome That the Scholemens glose is vvicked vvhich saith that faith adorned vvith charitie iustifieth 1. Cor. 1â— 1 Faith iustifieth vvithout the lavv The doctrine of good vvorkes is not to be neglected Christ Iohn 6.56 Io. 1.36 Faith onely iustifieth because it onely taketh hold of the benefite of Christ Paule speaketh of the vvhole lavv Genes 15.6 Rom. 4.3 The lavve in any vvise is not to be suffred to raigne in the conscience Rom. 5.2 Rom. 7.7 Our saluation consisteth not in doing but in receauing Hetherto hath Paule spoken to Peter VVhat Paule calleth the flesh Galat. 9.19.20 Iohn 3.6 The blindenes of the Papistes The Pope attributeth the vertue of iustifying to his ovvne traditions vvhich Paule taketh from the lavv of God. VVho vvere saued in the kingdom of the Pope Rom. 1.28 VVith the Papists mans traditions are preferred before the Gospell Sam. 2.30 Iohn 5.23 The dignitie of the lavv The first argument in defence of the righteousnes of faith The Iusticiaries make Moses Christ and the lavve grace Math. 19.17 Christ The office of Christ Rom. 1.16 Iohn 1.36 MeritemoÌ„gers scorne the true preachers of faith Luke 10.18 The differeÌ„ce of the lavve and grace is very easie but yet are they soone confounded and mixed together The Pope coÌ„foundeth the lavve grace together Faith infused the ScholemeÌ„ call that faith vvhich is poured into vs or geuen vnto vs of God. The Papistes and Anabaptistes against the sound doctrine of iustification They that say the lavve is necessary to righteousnes are like to the false apostles Luke 10 2â— Math. 19 1â— The state of the matter Verse 17. If our righteousnes come by the lavve then is Christ in vaine Faith in Christ Ioh. 3.16 Ioh. 5. â—4 The doctrine of the Papists Ioh. 1 2â—.36 The Papistes are touched 2. Cor. 3.6.7.8 The ministery of Moses A minister of sinne Let all Papists and Anabaptistes marke this point that euen in the iustified there is not perfect fredom from sinne Rom. 7.23 1. Timot. 1.7 The office and vse of the lavv To be vnder the lavv Deut. 27.6 Galat. 3.10 2. Cor. 3.7 The ministery of the lavv is the ministery of sinne Rom. 7.11 Exod. 5. The scripture calleth the teachers of the lavv exactors and tirants The teachers of the lavve bring mens soules into spirituall slauery The history of the deliuery of the lavv in Exod. 19.20 Verse 17. The office of
the lavve VVho make Christ a minister of sinne The Gospell vvhat it is Commaundements in the Gospell vvhat they are The lavve is the ministery of sinne vvrath and death The Conscience thus gathereth Thou hast sinned therfore thou art giltie of euerlasting death A picture of Christ Deut 34. The lavve Christe Christ hath taken avvay all euils and hath brought vnto vs all good things VVhat Paule had destroyed by the ministery of the Gospell Moses geueth place to christ and the lavve to the gospel The Papistes are destroyers of the kingdome of Christ The difference of the lavve and the Gospell diligently to be marked Hovv the Monkes vvere vvont to coÌ„fort condemned Persons at the time of their death The maner of Popish confessions Faith vvithout vvorkes Paules maner of speach vnknovvne to mans reason Paule calleth grace the lavv Phrases of speach onely proper to the scripture The lavve against the lavv Psal. 68.19 Ephes 4.8 Hos 13.14 1. Cor. 15.55 Death against death Paules heresy He that is dead to the lavve liueth to God. The doctrine of the papists A speciall principle amongst the diuines That the lavv is abrogated Christ free froÌ„ the graue I am dead to the lavv VVhat it is to die to the lavve The flesh is subiect to the lavve but not to the conscience The coÌ„science ansvvering to the accusatioÌ„ of the lavve To liue vnto God. VVho is a Christian 1. Cor. â— 21 Death against death The lavve maketh vs not righteous but faith onely The very poynt of all this matter Coloss 2.15 In the matter of iustificatioÌ„ there is nothing for vs to doe but to heare vvhat Christ hath done for vs to apprehend the same by faith Good vvorks This sentence vvell vnderstand in the time of trouble maketh a man strong against all tentations A speeche or Dialoge betvvene the lavv and conscience The lavve of libertie A consolation against the terrours of the lavv c. The binding lavv through Christ is bouÌ„d it selfe Sinne condeÌ„ned and condemning Death killed and death killing As Satan is to others ouer vvhoÌ„ he hath dominion so is Christ to Sathan vvhom he holdeth bouÌ„d that he can not hurt vs farther theÌ„ he geueth him leaue 1. Iohn 5.4.5 VVhy Paule calleth grace the lavve The lavve bound and condemned cannot accuse vs. A holy pride Hovv he calleth libertie the lavv The lavv of grace binding the lavv of the ten commauÌ„dements Death killed by death that is the death vvhich vvas due to me is killed by Christes death The svveete and comfortable names of Christ Christ a poyson against death The lavv of the mind sette against the lavv of the members A most ioyfull combat The flesh subiect to the lavv but not the conscience To be crucified vvith Christ 1. Pet. â— 21 The true life of the faithful The faithfull crucified and deade to the lavv The glory of the faithfull VVe must haue Ghrist onely before our eies Such is our misery that intentations and afflictions vve set Christ aside and loke backe into our ovvne life past He speaketh of the olde man. Christ bestovveth himself and all that he hath vpon those that beleue in him VVhatsoeuer good the godly haue in theÌ„ it is Christes and vve are so knit together that he liueth in vs and vve in him Paules excelent and heauenly maner of speach Albeit the faithfull be sinners yet are they also righteous The Papistes faith Faith so knitteth all beleuers Christ together that they become one person Ephes 5.30 True faith is not idle VVhat occasion the malicious take of this doctrine Hovv the vveake are to be instructed Good vvorks are not the cause but the frutes of righteousnes Life taken tvvo maner of vvaies The faithfull liue not their ovvne life but the life of Christ Christ is our life The faithfull liue in the flesh but not according to the flesh To liue in the faith of the sonne of God. Philip. 2.7 The differeÌ„ce betvvene the faithfull and vnfaithfull The true vvay to iustificatioÌ„ The pestilent doctrine of the Papistes and PelagiaÌ„s These meritemoÌ„gers turne these vvordes of Paule vpside dovvne To doe vvhat in vs lieth The Papistes do apply matters of policy and ciuill gouernment to the church Rom. 7.14 The Papistes doe graunt that nature is corrupt but they say that the povvers and qualities of nature remaine sound and vncorrupt Christ first loued vs and not vve him The bragging of the integritie of our natural qualities is in vaine The greatnes of the price to be vvel vveyed that vvas geuen for vs. The sluggishnes of the Papists in handling the holy scriptures Hovv sectes may be vvithstande Hath geuen himselfe for me The true force of faith The lavve loueth not sinners but accuseth them A true definition of Christ The greatest cunning that Christians can haue is to define Christ rightly Christ loueth the afflicted and such as feele the vveight of their sinnes Me. For me As by Adam all became giltie so by Christ all that beleue are made righteous They that seke to be made righteous by the lavv reiect the grace of God. Antichrist reiecteth grace and denieth faith VVhat it is to reiect grace The vvorld is so vntovvard that it reiecteth the grace of God. Corrupters of Paule If the desert of congruence auaile ought then is Christ dead in vaine If the lavv iustifie Christ died in vaine The righteousnes of all Saincts is nothing in comparison of the righteousnes of Christ A common sinne to reiect the grace of God. The Pope the chiefe author of all abhominations in the church The Popes pardons If the lavv iustifie then is Christ died in vaine A comparing of Christ and the lavv together The deuilish peruersnes of the vvorld Ciuill righteousnes hath her revvards The righteousnes of faith is the righteousnes that pleaseth God. Reason although it be lightned vvith the lavve yea and the lavve of God yet it can not iustifie Galath 2.21 The praise of the righteousnes of the lavve VVho make Christ to haue died in vaine 2. Timot. 4.5 Paules order in teaching O ye foolish Galathians Paule offendeth not in chiding the Galathians so sharply The chiding of parents tovvards their children Anger sometimes a necessary vertue Iust anger is called in the scripture zeale or ielousie Math. 13 33. The sharp rebukings of the holy Ghost Prouerb 27.6 The naturall vice of the Galathians The remnants of naturall vices remaine in the Godly Ebr. 12. The scripture being one and the selfe same truth is diuersly handled of sundry men Grace by litle and litle clenseth those that be godly from their old sinnes Galat. 5.17 Rom. 7.13.14 There is none so pure vnspotted that he may be called a Puritane but Christ 1. Pet. 2.22 Esay 53.9 1. Iohn 3.2 A goodly coÌ„mendation of the righteousnes of the lavve That vvitchcraft and sorcerie are the vvorkes of the deuill Sathan bevvitcheth men spiritually The blindnes of those that are bevvitched Luthers conflâ—ctes vvith Satan 1. Peter 5.8 The
iudgement of all kindes of doctrine and trades of life It approueth establisheth ciuill gouernment houshold gouernment and all kindes of life that are ordained and appoynted of god It rooteth vp all doctrines of errour sedition confusion and such like and it putteth away the feare of sinne and death and to be short it discouereth all subtile slights and works of the Deuill and openeth the benefits and loue of God towards vs in Christ What with a mischiefe meanes the world to hate this word this glad tidings of euerlasting comfort grace saluation and eternall life so bitterly and to persecute it with such hellish outrage Paule before called this present world euill and wicked that is to say the Deuils kingdome For els it would acknowledge the benefite and mercie of God but forasmuch as it is vnder the dominion of the deuill it doth therefore carelesly and desperatly despise persecute these things louing darknes errours and the kingdome of the Deuill more then the light truth kingdome of Christ And this it doth not through ignorance or errour but through the malice of the deuill Which thing hereby may sufficiently appeare in that Christ the sonne of God by giuing him selfe to death for the sinnes of all men hath gained nothing els of this froward and forlorne world but that for this his inestimable benefite it blasphemeth him and persecuteth his most healthfull word and faine would yet still naile him to the crosse if it could Therefore not onely the world dwelleth in darkenes but it is darkenes it selfe as it is written in the first of Iohn Paule therfore amplifieth these words From Christ vvho hath called you As though he would say My preaching was not of the hard lawes of Moses neither taught I that you should be bondslaues vnder the yoke but I preached the onely doctrine of grace and freedome from the lawe sinne death the deuill and damnation That is to say that Christ hath mercifully called you in grace that ye should be freemen vnder Christ and not bōdmen vnder Moses whose Disciples ye are now become againe by meanes of your false Apostles who by the lawe of Moises called you not vnto grace but vnto wrath to the hating of God to sinne and death But Christes calling bringeth grace and sauing health For they that be called by him in stede of the lawe that worketh sorrow doe gaine the glad tidings of the Gospel and are translated out of Gods wrath into his fauour out of sinne into righteousnes and out of death into life And will you suffer your selues to be carried yea and that so soone and so easily an other way from such a liuing fountaine full of grace and and life Now if Moses call men to Gods wrath and to sinne by the law of God whither shall the Pope call men by his owne traditions The other sense that the father calleth in the grace of Christ is also good but the former sense concerning Christ serueth more fitly for the comforting of afflicted consciences Verse 6 Vnto an other Gospell Here we may learne to espie the craftie sleights and subtilties of the Deuill No heretike commeth vnder the title of errours and of the Deuill neither doth the Deuill himselfe come as a Deuill in his owne likenes especially that white Deuill which we spake of before Yea euen the blacke deuill which forceth men to manifest wickednes maketh a cloke for them to couer that sinne which they committe or purpose to committe The murtherer in his rage seeth not that murther is so greate and horrible a sinne as it is in deede for that he hath a cloke to couer the same Whoremasters theeues couetous persons drunkards and such others haue wherwith to flatter them selues and couer their sinnes So the blacke deuill also commeth out disguised and counterfet in all his works and deuises But in spirituall matters where Sathan commeth forth not blacke but white in the likenes of an Angell or of God him selfe there he passeth himselfe with most craftie dissimulation and wonderfull sleights and is wont to set forth to sale his most deadly poison for the doctrine of grace for the word of God for the Gospell of Christ For this cause Paule calleth the doctrine of the false Apostles Sathans ministers a gospell also saying vnto an other Gospell but in derision As though he would say ye Galathians haue now other Euangelistes and an other Gospell My Gospell is now despised of you it is now no more in estimation among you Hereby it may easily be gathered that these false Apostles had condemned the Gospell of Paule among the Galathians saying Paule in deede hath begunne well but to haue begunne well it is not enough for there remaine yet many higher matters Like as they say in the .15 of the Acts It is not enough for you to beleue in Christ or to be baptised but it behoueth also that ye be circumcised For except ye be circumcised after the lavv of Moses ye can not be saued This is asmuch to say as Christ is a good workman which hath in deede begunne a building but he hath not finished it for this must Moses doe So at this day when the fantasticall Anabaptistes and others can not manifestly condemne vs they say These Lutherans haue the spirite of fearefulnes they dare not franckly and freely professe the truth and goe thorow with it In deede they haue laid a foundation that is to say they haue well taught faith in Christ but the beginning midle and end must be ioyned together To bring this to passe God hath not giuen it vnto them but hath left it vnto vs So these peruerse and deuelish spirits set out and aduaunce their owne wicked preachings calling them the word of God and so deceaue many vnder the colour of Gods name For the Deuill will not be ougly and blacke in his ministers but faire and white And to the end he may appeare to be such a one he setteth out and decketh all his words and works with the colour of truth and with the name of God. Hereof is sprong that common prouerbe among the Germains In Gods name beginneth all mischiefe Wherefore let vs learne that this is a speciall point of the deuils cunning that if he can not hurt by persecuting and destroying he doth it vnder a colour of correcting and building vp So now a dayes he persecuteth vs with force and sword that when we are once taken away and dispatched he may not onely deface the Gospell but vtterly ouerthrow it But hitherto he hath preuailed nothing for he hath slaine many who haue constantly confessed this our doctrine to be holy and heauenly through whose bloud the Church is not destroied but wattred Forasmuch therefore as he could preuaile nothing that way he stirreth vp wicked spirits and vngodly teachers which at the first allow our doctrine and teach the same with a common consent together with
did whom also here he toucheth by the way which durst not speake euill of him in his presence but in his absence sclaundered him most spitefully So did not I sayeth he speake euill of Peter but frankly and openly I withstoode him not of any colourable pretence ambition or other carnall affection but because he was to be blamed Here let other men debate whether an Apostle may sinne or no. This say I that we ought not to make Peters fault lesse then it was in deede The Prophets themselues haue sometimes erred and ben deceiued Nathan of his owne spirite sayd vnto Dauid that he should build the house of the lord But this Prophecie was by and by after corrected by a reuelation from God that it should not be Dauid because he was a man of warre and had shed much bloud but his sonne Salomon that should build vppe the house of the lord So did the Apostles erre also For they imagined that the kingdom of Christ should be carnall and worldly as we may see in the first of the Actes And Peter him selfe although he heard this commaundement of Christ Goe into the vvhole vvorld c. Yet he had not gone vnto Cornelius if he had not ben admonished by a vision But in this matter he did not onely erre but also committed a great sinne and if Paule had not resisted him all the Gentiles which did beleue had ben constrained to receiue circumcision and to kepe the lawe The beleuing Iewes also had ben confirmed in their opinion to witte that the obseruation of these things was necessary to saluation and by this meanes they had receiued againe the lawe in stede of the Gospell Moises in stede of Christ and of all this great enormitie and horrible sinne Peter by his dissimulation had ben the onely occasion Therfore we may not attribute to the Sainctes such perfection as though they could not sinne Luke witnesseth that there was such great dissention betwene Paule and Barnabas which were put a part together for the ministerie of the gospell among the Gentiles and had traueled through many regions and preached vnto them the gospell that the one departed from the other Here we must nedes say that there was a fault either in Paule or in Barnabas And doubtles it could not be but that the discord was exceeding great which seperated these two companions being ioyned together in such a holy felowship as the text witnesseth Such exāples are written for our consolation For it is a great cōfort vnto vs when we heare that euen the saincts which haue the spirit of god do sinne Which cōfort they would take from vs which say that the sainctes doe not sinne Sampson Dauid and many other excellentmen full of the holy Ghost fell into greate sinnes Iob and Ieremy curse the day of their natiuitie Elias and Ionas are wery of their life and desire death Such errours and offences of the sainctes the scripture setteth forth to the comfort of those that are afflicted and oppressed with desperation and to the terrour of the proude No man hath so greuously fallen at any time but he may rise againe And on the other side no man taketh so fast footing but he may fall If Peter fell I may likewise fall If he rose againe I may also rise againe And such examples as these are the weake harted and tender consciences ought to make much of that they may the better vnderstand what they pray for when they say forgeue vs our trespases and I beleue the forgeuenes of sinnes We haue the selfe same spirite of grace and prayer which the Apostles and all the saincts had neither had they any prerogatiue aboue vs We haue the same gifts which they had the same Christ baptisme word forgeuenes of sinnes all which they had no lesse neede of then we haue and by the same are sanctified and saued as we be Verse 12. For before that certaine came from Iames he did eate vvith the Gentiles The Gentiles which were conuerted to the faith did eate meates forbidden by the law and Peter being conuersant with the Gentiles which were conuerted did eate with them and drunke wine also which was forbidden knowing that herein he did well and therefore boldly transgressed the law with the Gentiles Paule confesseth that he also did the like when he saith that he became as a Iewe to the Iewes and to them that were without law as though he were without law That is to say with the Gentiles he did eate and drinke like a Gentile and kept no law at all with the Iewes according to the lawe he abstained from all things forbidden in the law For he laboured to serue please all men that he might gaine all Wherefore Peter in eating and drinking with the Gentiles sinned not but did well and knew that it was lawfull for him so to doe For he shewed by this transgression that the law was not necessary to righteousnes and also deliuered the Gentiles from the obseruation of the lawe For if it were lawful for Peter in one thing to breake the law it was lawfull for him to breake it in al things And Paule doth not here reproue Peter for his transgression but for his dissimulation as followeth Verse 12. But vvhen they vvere come he vvithdrevve and separated himselfe fearing them vvhich vvere of the circumcision Here then ye see Peters offence as Paule plainly setteth it forth Paule accuseth him not of malice or ignorance but of dissimulation and infirmity in that he absteined from meates forbidden in the law fearing lest the Iewes which came from Iames should be offended therby and had more respect to the Iewes then to the Gentiles wherby he gaue occasion as much as in him was to ouerthrow the Christian libertie truth of the Gospell For in that he did withdraw and vtterly separate himselfe abstaining from meates forbidden in the lawe which notwithstanding he had eaten of before he ministred a scruple of conscience to the faithfull thus to gather vpon his example Peter abstaineth from meates forbidden in the law therefore he that eateth meates forbidden in the law sinneth and transgresseth the law but he that abstaineth is righteous and kepeth the law for els would not Peter haue withdrawn himselfe But because he did so and of purpose refused those meates which before he did eate it is a sure argument that such as eate against the law doe sinne and such as abstaine from meates which the law forbiddeth doe keepe the law and are iustified thereby Here note that the end of this facte of Peter is reproued of Paule not the fact it selfe for the facte in it selfe was not euill To eate and drinke or not to eate drinke is nothing But the end that is If thou eate thou sinnest If thou abstaine thou art righteous is euill So circumcision of it selfe is good but this end is euill If thou be not
treasure which is Christ and apprehend him in our heartes by Faith although we feele our selues to be full of sinne These words therfore of the Apostle that vve might be iustified by faith and not by the vvorkes of the lavve are very effectual and not in vaine or vnprofitable as the Scholemen thinke and therefore they passe them ouer so lightly Hetherto ye haue heard the wordes of Paule which he spake vnto Peter wherein he hath briefly comprised the principall article of all Christian doctrine which maketh true Christians in deede Now he turneth to the Galathians to whom he wryteth and thus he concludeth Since it is so that we are iustified by faith in Christ then by the workes of the lawe shall no flesh be iustified Verse 16. Because by the deedes of the lavve no flesh shall be iustified Flesh in Paule doth not signifie as the Scholemen dreame manifest and grosse sinnes for those he vseth to call by their proper names as adultery fornication vncleanes and such like but by flesh Paule meaneth here as Christ doth in the third chapter of Iohn That vvhich is borne of flesh sayeth he is flesh Flesh therfore signifieth the whole nature of man with reason and all other powers what so euer doe belong to man This flesh sayth he is not iustified by workes no not of the lawe Flesh therefore according to Paule signifieth all the righteousnes wisedome deuotion religion vnderstanding and will that is possible to be in a naturall man So that if a man be neuer so righteous according to reason and the lawe of God yet withall his righteousnes workes merites deuotion and religion he is not iustified This the Papistes doe not beleue but being blinde and obstinate they defend their abhominations against their owne conscience continuing in this their blasphemie and hauing yet still in their mouthes these execrable wordes He that doth this good worke or that deserueth forgeuenes of his sinnes who so euer entreth into this or that holy order and kepeth his rule to him we assuredly promise euerlasting life It can not be vttered what an horrible blasphemie it is to attribute that to the doctrine of Deuilles to the decrees and ordinaunces of men to the wicked traditions of the Pope to the hypocriticall workes and merites of Monkes and Friers which Paule the Apostle of Christ taketh away from the lawe of god For if no flesh be iustified by the workes of the lawe much lesse shall it be iustified by the rule of Benedict Fraunces or Augustine in which there is not one iote of true Faith in Christ but this onely they vrge that who so euer kepeth these things hath life euerlasting Wherefore I haue much and often marueled that these sectes of perdition raigning so many yeres in such great darknes and errours the Church could endure and continue as it hath done Some there were whom God called by the letter of the Gospell and by baptisme These walked in simplicitie and humblenes of heart thinking the Monkes and Friers and such onely as were anoynted of the Bishops to be religious and holy and them selues to be prophane and secular and not worthy to be compared vnto them Wherfore they finding in them selues no good workes to set against the wrath and iudgement of God did flie to the death passion of Christ and were saued in this simplicitie Horrible and vnspeakeable is the wrath of God in that he hath so long time punished the contempt of the Gospell and of Christ in the Papistes and also their ingratitude geuing them ouer into a reprobate sense in so much that they blaspheming and denying Christ altogether as touching his office in stede of the gospell haue receaued the execrable rules ordinaunces and traditions of men which they haue deuoutly adored and honoured yea and preferred the same farre aboue the word of God vntill at length they were forbidden to marry and were bound to that incestuous single life wherein they were outwardly polluted and defiled with all kindes of horrible wickednes as adultrie whoredom vncleanes Sodomitrie and such other abominations This was the frute of that filthie single life So God punishing sinne with sinne inwardly gaue them ouer into a reprobate minde and outwardly suffered them to fall into such horrible abominations and that iustly because they blasphemed the onely sonne of God in whom the father would be glorified and whom he deliuered to death that al which beleue in him might be saued by him and not by their owne execrable rules and orders Him that honoureth me sayth he I vvill honour Nowe God is honoured in his sonne Who so thē beleueth that the sonne is our Mediatour and Sauiour he honoureth the father and him againe doth God honour that is to say adorneth him with his giftes forgeuenes of sinnes righteousnes the holy Ghost euerlasting life Cōtrariwise They that despise me sayth he shall be despised This is then a generall conclusion Because by the deedes of the lavv no flesh shal be iustified The law of God is greater then the whole world for it comprehendeth all men and the works of the law do farre excel euen the most glorious wilworkes of all the Meritmongers and yet Paule sayth that neither the lawe nor the workes of the law do iustifie Therfore we conclude with Paule that faith only iustifieth This proposition he goeth about to confirme in this maner Verse 18. If then vvhile vve seeke to be made righteous by Christ vve our selues are found sinners is Christ therefore the minister of sinne God forbid If this be true sayth he that we are iustified by Christ then is it vnpossible that we should be sinners or should be iustified by the lawe On the contrary if this be not true but that we must be iustified by the lawe and the workes of the lawe it is then vnpossible that we should be iustified by Christ One of these two must needes be false Either we are not iustified by Christ or we are not iustified by the lawe But the truth is that we are iustified by Christ therefore we are not iustified by the lawe He reasoneth therefore after this maner If then vvhile vve seeke to be made c. That is If we seeke to be iustified by Christ and so being iustified we are yet foūd sinners hauing neede of the lawe to iustifie vs being sinners If we haue neede I say of the obseruation of the lawe to iustifie vs so that they which are righteous in Christ are not righteous but haue yet neede of the lawe to iustifie them Or if he that is iustified by Christ must yet further be iustified by the lawe then is Christ nothing else but a lawgeuer and a minister of sinne Therfore he that is iustified and holy in Christ is not iustified or holy but hath yet neede of the righteousnes and holines of the lawe But we are in deede iustified and made righteous in
him and sheweth vnto him his sinnes his cōscience by and by saith Thou hast sinned If then thou take good hold of that which Paule here teacheth thou wilt answere I graunt I haue sinned Then will God punish thee Nay he will not so doe Why doth not the lawe of God so say I haue nothing to doe with that lawe Why so Because I haue an other lawe which striketh this lawe dumme that is to say libertie What libertie is that The libertie of Christ for by Christ I am vtterly freed from the lawe Therfore that lawe which is remaineth a law to the wicked is to me libertie and bindeth that law which would condemne me And by this meanes that lawe which would bind me and hold me captiue is now fast bound it selfe and holden captiue by grace and libertie which is now my lawe which sayth to that accusing law Thou shalt not hold this man bound captiue for he is mine but I wil hold thee in captiuitie and bind thy hands that thou shalt not hurt him for he liueth now vnto Christ and is dead vnto thee This to do is to dash out the teeth of the lawe to wrast his sting and all his weapons from him and to spoile him of all his force And yet the same law notwithstanding continueth and remaineth stil to the wicked and vnbeleuers And to vs also that be weake so farre forth as we lacke faith it continueth yet still in his force here it hath his edge teeth But if I do beleue in Christ although sinne driue me neuer so much to despaire yet staying vpō this libertie which I haue in Christ I confesse that I haue sinned but my sinne which is a cōdemned sinne is in Christ which is a condemning sinne Now this condemning sinne is stronger then that which is condemned for it is iustifying grace righteousnes life saluation Thus when I feele the terrour of death I say Thou hast nothing to doe with me O death for I haue an other death which killeth thee my death that death which killeth is stronger then that which is killed Thus a faithfull man by faith onely in Christ may raise vppe him selfe and conceaue such sure and sound consolation that he shall not neede to feare the deuill sinne death or any euils And although the Deuill set vpon him with all might and maine and goe about with all the terrours of the world to oppresse him yet he conceaueth good hope euen in the middes therof and thus he sayth Sir Deuill I feare not thy threatninges terrours for ther is one whose name is Iesus Christ in whom I beleue he hath abolished the law condemned sinne vanquished death and destroyed hell and he is thy Tormentor O Satan for he hath boūd thee and holdeth thee captiue to the end that thou shouldest no more hurt me or any that beleueth in him This faith the Deuill can not ouercome but is ouercome of it For this is the victorie sayth S. Iohn that ouercometh the vvorld euen our faith Who is it that ouercometh the world but he which beleueth that Iesus is the sonne of God Paule therfore through a vehement zeale and indignatiō of spirit calleth grace it selfe the lawe which notwithstanding is an exceding inestimable libertie of grace which we haue in Christ Iesu Moreouer he geueth this opprobrious name vnto the law for our consolation to let vs vnderstand that there is a new name geuen vnto it to witte that it is not now aliue any more but dead and condemned And here which is a pleasant sight to behold he bringeth forthe the lawe and setteth it before vs as a theefe and a robber which is already condemned and adiudged to death For he describeth it as it were a prisoner hauing both handes and feete fast bound and all his power taken away so that it can not exercise his tyrannie that is to say it can not accuse and condemne any more And with this most pleasaunt sight he maketh it odious and contemptible to the conscience so that now he which beleueth in Christ dare boldly and with a holy pride triumph ouer the lawe after this maner I am a sinner If thou canst doe any thing against me O lawe nowe doe thy worst So farre of is it then that the law is now terrible vnto him which doth beleue Since Christ is risen from death why should he nowe feare the graue Since Peter is deliuered from the prison why should he now feare it When the maiden was at the point of death then might she in deede feare the bedde but being now reised vp why should she feare it In like maner why should a Christian which enioyeth and possesseth Christ by faith feare the law True it is that he feeleth the terrours of the law but he is not ouercome of them but staying vpon the libertie which he hath in Christ he saith I heare thee murmuring O law that thou wouldest accuse and condemne me but this troubleth me nothing at all Thou art to me as the graue was vnto Christ For I see that thou art fast bound hand and foote and this hath my lawe done What law is that libertie which is called the law not because it bindeth me but because it bindeth my law The law of the ten commaundements did bind me But against that law I haue an other law euen the law of grace which notwithstanding is to me no law neither doth it bind me but setteth me at liberty And this is a law against that accusing and condemning law which law it so bindeth that it hath no power to hurt me any more So against my death which bindeth me I haue an other death that is to say life which quickneth me in Christ and this death looseth and freeth me from the bondes of my death and with the same bondes bindeth my death So death which bound me is now fast bound which killed me is now killed by death that is to say by life it selfe Thus Christ with most sweete names is called my law my sinne my death against the law against sinne against death wheras in very deede he is nothing els but meere libertie righteousnes life and euerlasting saluation And for this cause he is made the law of the law the sinne of sinne the death of death that he might redeme me from the curse of the law iustifie me and quicken me So then whiles Christ is the lawe he is also libertie whiles he is sinne he is righteousnes and whiles he is death he is life For in that he suffered the law to accuse him sinne to condemne him and death to deuoure him he abolished the law he condemned sinne he destroied death he iustified and saued me So is Christ the poison of the law sinne and death and the remedy for the obtaining of libertie righteousnes and euerlasting life This maner of speach which
his chiefe end and office it humbleth a man and in humbling him it maketh him to sigh and grone and to seeke the hand and aide of the Mediatour and maketh his grace and his mercy exceeding sweete comfortable as is saide Psalm 109. Thy mercy is svveete and his gifte precious and inestimable And by this meanes it prepareth vs and maketh vs apte to apprehende and to receaue Christe For as the Poete sayeth Dulcia non meruit qui non gustauit amara that is He that hath not tasted the things that are bitter Is not vvorthie to taste the things that are svveeter Hunger is the best Cooke Therefore like as the drie earth doth couet the raine euen so the lawe maketh troubled and afflicted soules to thirst after Christe To such Christe sauoureth sweetely to them he is nothing els but ioy consolation and life And there beginneth Christ and his benefite rightly to be knowne This is then the principall vse of the law namely when a man can so vse it that it may humble him make him to thirst after Christ And in deede Christ requireth thirsty soules whom he most louingly and graciously allureth and calleth vnto him when he saith Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauy loden and I vvill refresh you He deliteth therefore to water these dry groundes He powreth not his waters vpon fatte and rancke groundes or such as are not dry and couet no water His good things are inestimable and therefore he geueth them to none but vnto such as haue neede of them and feeling the greate neede they haue thereof doe earnestly desire them He preacheth glad tidings to the poore he geueth drinke to the thirstie If any thirst saith Iohn Let him come vnto me c. He healeth the broken harted c. that is he comforteth those that are brused and afflicted by the law Therefore the law is not against the promises of God. Verse 21. For if there had ben a lavv geuen vvhich bringeth life surely righteousnes should haue ben by the lavve By these wordes Paule signifieth that no lawe of it selfe is able to quicken or geue life but onely killeth Therfore such works as are done not onely according to the lawes and traditions of the Pope but also according to the very law of God doe not iustifie a man before God but make him a sinner they doe not pacifie the wrath of God but they kindle it they obtaine not righteousnes but they hinder it they quicken not but they terrifie Therfore when he sayeth If a lavv had ben geuen vvhich could haue brought life c. he teacheth plainly that the lawe of it selfe iustifieth not but that it hath a cleane contrary effect Although these words of Paule be plaine enough yet are they obscure and vtterly vnknowne to the Papists For if they did vnderstand them in deede they would not so magnifie their freewill their owne naturall strength the keping of the Counsels the works of supererogation c. But left they should seeme to be manifestly wicked plaine Infidels in denying the words of the Apostle of Christ so impudently they haue this pestilent glose alwayes ready wherby they peruert the places of Paule concerning the lawe which reuealeth sinne and engendreth wrath that is to say the .x. commaūdemēts that Paule speaketh onely of the ceremoniall and not of the morall law But Paule speaketh plainly when he sayth If a lavve had ben geuen c. and he excepteth no lawe Wherfore this glose of the Papists is not worth a rush For the lawes of the ceremonies were as well commaunded of God and as streitly kept as the morall lawes The Iewes also kept circumcision as precisely as they did the Sabboth day It is euident enough therfore that Paule speaketh of the whole lawe These words of the Apostle are song said in the Papacie and in all their churches and yet notwithstanding they both teach and liue quite contrary Paule sayth simplie that no law was geuen to quicken and to bring life but the Papistes teach that many lawes are geuen to bring life Although they say not this in plaine words yet in very deede such is their opinion as their Monkery doth plainely witnes besides many lawes and traditions of men their workes and merites before grace and after and innumerable wicked ceremonies and false worshippings which they haue deuised of their owne heads and those onely haue they preached treading the Gospell vnder their feete and assuredly promising grace remission of sinnes and life euerlasting to all such as should kepe obserue the same This that I say cā not be denied for their bokes which are yet extāt geue certaine testimony therof But contrariwise we affirme with Paule that there is no law whether it be mans law or Gods law that geueth life Therfore we put as great a difference betwene the law righteousnes as is betwene life death betwene heauen hell And the cause the moueth vs so to affirme is that plaine euident place of Paule where he sayth that the law is not geuen to iustifie to geue life and to saue but onely to kil to destroy cōtrary to the opinion of all men for naturally they can iudge no otherwise of the law but that it is geuen to work righteousnes to geue life saluation This difference of the offices of the law and the gospel kepeth all Christian doctrine in his true proper vse Also it maketh a faithfull man iudge ouer all kindes of life ouer the lawes decrees of all men and ouer all doctrine whatsoeuer and it geueth them power to trie all maner of spirites On the other side the Papists because they confoūd mingle the law the gospel together cā teach no certainty touching faith works the states conditiōs of life nor of the difference of spirits Now therfore after that Paule hath prosecuted his confutations and arguments sufficiently and in good order he teacheth that the lawe if ye consider his true and perfect vse is nothing else but as a certaine Scholemaster to lead vs vnto righteousnes For it hūbleth men maketh them apt to receaue the righteousnes of Christ whē it doth his own proper worke and office that is when it maketh them giltie terrifieth and bringeth them to the knowledge of sinne wrath death and hell For when it hath done this the opinion of mans owne righteousnes holines vanisheth away and Christe with his benefites beginneth to waxe sweete vnto him Wherefore the law is not against the promises of God but rather confirmeth them True it is that it doth not accomplish the promise nor bring righteousnes notwithstanding it humbleth vs with his exercise and office and so maketh vs more thrifty and more apte to receaue the benefite of Christ Therefore saith he if any lawe had bene geuen which might haue brought righteousnes and through righteousnes life for
and much lesse to rewarde them For it seeth them not or if it doe it esteemeth them not as good workes but as most wicked and detestable crimes and riddeth the world of those which are the doers therof as most pestilent plagues to mankinde So Christ the Sauiour of the world for a recōpence of his incōprehensible inestimable benefites was put to the most ignominious death of the crosse The Apostles also bringing the word of grace eternall life into the world were coūted the ofscouring the outcastes of the whole world This is the goodly reward which the world geueth for so great vnspeakeable benefites But workes done without faith although they haue neuer so goodly a shew of holines are vnder the Curse Wherfore so farre of it is that the doers therof should deserue grace righteousnes eternall life that rather they heape sinne vpon sinne After this maner the Pope that child of perdition and all that follow him doe worke So worke all meritemongers and heretikes which are fallen frō the faith Verse 23. But before faith came He proceedeth in declaring the profite necessitie of the law He said before the the law was added for transgressions Not that it was the principall purpose of God to make a law that should bring death dānation as he saith Rom. 7. VVas that vvhich vvas good saith he made death vnto me God forbid For the law is a word that sheweth life driueth mē vnto it Therfore it is not only geuen as a minister of death but the principal vse end therof is to reueile death that so it might be seene knowen how horrible sinne is notwithstanding it doth not so reueile death as though it tended to no other end but to kill destroy But to this end it reuealeth death that when men are terrified cast downe humbled they should feare god And this doth the 20. chap. of Erodus declare Feare not saith Moses For God is come to proue you that his feare may be before you that ye sinne not The office therfore of the law is to kill yet so that God may reuiue quickē againe The law then is not geuē only to kil but because mā is proud dreameth that he is wise righteous and holy therfore it is necessary he should be humbled by the law that so this beaste the opinion of righteousnes I say might be slaine for otherwise men can not obtaine life Albeit then that the law killeth yet God vseth this effect of the law this death I meane to a good vse that is to say euen to life For God seeing that this vniuersall plague of the whole world to wit mās opinion of his owne righteousnes his hypocrisie cōfidence in his owne holines could not be beatē downe by any other meanes he would that it should be slaine by the law not for euer but that when it is once slaine mā might be raised vppe againe aboue and beyond the lawe and there might heare this voice Feare not I haue not geuen the lawe and killed thee by the lawe to this ende that thou shouldest abide in this death but that thou shouldest feare me and liue For the presuming of good workes and righteousnes standeth not with the feare of God And where the feare of God is not there cā be no thirsting for grace or life God must therefore haue a strong hammer or a mightie maul to breake the rockes and a hote burning fire in the middes of heauen to ouerthrowe the mountaines that is to say to destroy this furious and obstinate beast this presumption I say that when a man by this brusing and breaking is brought to nothīg he should despaire of his owne strēgth righteousnes and holines and being thus throughly terrified should thirst after mercy and remission of sinnes Ver. 23. But before Faith came vve vvere vnder the lavv shut vppe vnto the Faith vvhich should aftervvardes be reuealed That is to say before the time of the Gospell and grace came the office of the law was that we should be shutte vppe and kept vnder the same as it were in prison This is a goodly and a fitte similitude shewing the effect of the law and how righteous it maketh men therefore it is diligently to be weyed No theefe no murtherer no adulterer or other malefactour loueth the chaines and fetters the darke and lothsome prison wherin he lieth fast boūd but rather if he could he would breake and beate in to pouder the prison with his irons and fetters In deede whiles he is in prison he refraineth from doing of euill but not of a good will or for righteousnes sake but because the prison restreineth him that he can not doe it And nowe being fast fettred he hateth not his theft and his murther yea he is sory with all his heart that he can not robbe and steale cutte and slay but he hateth the prison and if he could escape he would robbe and kill as he did before The lawe shutteth men vnder sinne two wayes Ciuily and Spiritually Such is the force of the lawe and the righteousnes that cometh of the lawe compelling vs to be outwardly good when it threatneth death or any other punishment to the transgressours thereof Here we obey the law in deede but for feare of punishment that is vnwillingly and with great indignation But what righteousnes is this when we absteine from doing euill for feare of punishment Wherefore this righteousnes of works is in deede nothing else but to loue sinne to hate righteousnes to detest God with his lawe and to loue and reuerence that which is most horrible and abhominable For looke howe hartely the theefe loueth the prison and hateth his theft so gladly doe we obey the lawe in accomplishing that which it commaundeth and auoiding that which it forbiddeth Notwithstanding this fruite and this profite the lawe bringeth although mens hartes remaine neuer so wicked that first outwardly and ciuily after a sort it restraineth theeues murtherers and other malefactours For if they did not see and vnderstand that sinne is punished in this life by imprisonment by the galowes by the sword and such like and after this life with eternall damnation and hell fire no Magistrate should be able to bridle the fury and rage of men by any lawes bondes or chaines But the threatnings of the lawe strike a terrour in to the hartes of the wicked whereby they are brideled after a sort that they runne not headlong as otherwise they would doe into all kindes of wickednes Notwithstanding they would rather that there were no law no punishment no hell and finally no god If God had not an hell or did not punish the wicked he should be loued and praised of all men But because he punisheth the wicked and all are wicked therefore in as much as they are shut vnder the lawe they can doe no otherwise
place onely to Christ Let him onely raigne in righteousnes in peace in ioy and life that the cōscience may sleepe and repose it selfe ioyfully in Christe without any feeling of the law sinne and death Paule here of purpose vseth this figuratiue speech Elements of the vvorld whereby as I sayd he doth much abase and diminish the glory and authoritie of the lawe to stirre vs vppe For he that readeth Paule attentiuely when he heareth that he calleth the lawe the ministerie of death the letter that killeth c. by by he thinketh thus with him selfe why doth he geue such odious and as it appeareth to reason blasphemous termes to the lawe which is a diuine doctrine reuealed from heauen To this Paule aunswereth that the law is both holy iust and good and also the ministerie of sinne and death but in diuers respectes Before Christe it is holy after Christe it is death Therefore when Christe is come we ought to know nothing at all of the lawe vnlesse it be in this respect that it hath power and dominion ouer the flesh to bridle it and to keepe it vnder Here is a conflict betwene the law and the flesh to whom the yoke of the lawe is hard and greuous as long as we liue Onely Paule among all the Apostles calleth the lawe the rudiments of the world weake and beggerly elements the strength of sinne the letter that killeth c. The other Apostles spake not so of the law Whosoeuer then will be a right scholer in Christes schoole let him marke diligently this maner of speech vsed of the Apostle Christe calleth him an elect vessell and therefore gaue vnto him an exquisite vtterance and a singuler kinde of speech aboue all the rest of the Apostles that he as an elect vessel might faithfully lay the foundations of the article of Iustification and clearely set forth the same Verse 4. But after the fulnes of time vvas come God sent his sonne made or borne of a vvoman made vnder the lavve that he might redeme them vvhich vvere vnder the lavve That is to say after that the time of the lawe was fulfilled and that Christ was reuealed and had deliuered vs from the law and that the promise was published among all nations c. Marke here diligently how Paule defineth Christe Christe sayth he is the sonne of God and of a woman which for vs sinners was made vnder the law to redeme vs that were vnder the law In these wordes he comprehendeth both the person of Christe and the office of Christe His person consisteth of his diuine and humane nature This he sheweth plainly when he sayth God sent his ovvne sonne borne of a vvoman Christe therefore is very God and very man His office he setteth out in these wordes Being made vnder the lavve to redeame them that vvere vnder the lavve c. And it seemeth that Paule here as it were in reproch calleth the virgine Marie but onely a woman which thing was not wel taken euē of some of the auncient Doctors who would that he should rather haue called her a virgin then a womā But Paule intreateth in this Epistle of the most high principal matter of all to wit of the Gospel of Faith of Christian righteousnes Also what the person of Christ is what is his office what he hath taken vppon him done for our cause what benefits he hath brought to vs wretched sinners Wherfore the excellencie of so high so wōderfull a matter was the cause that he had no regard to her virginitie It was enough for him to set forth preach the inestimable mercy of God which would that his sōne should be borne of that sexe Therfore he maketh no mention of the dignitie of the sexe but onely of the sexe And in that he nameth the sexe he signifieth that Christe was made true and very man of womankinde As if he sayd He was borne not of man and woman but onely of womankinde Therefore when he nameth but onely the womankinde saying made of a vvoman it is as if he should haue sayde made of a virgine Iohn the Euangelist when he thus setteth forth the Word that it vvas in the beginning vvas made flesh speaketh not one word of his mother Furthermore this place also witnesseth that Christe when the time of the lawe was accomplished did abolish the same and so brought libertie to those that were oppressed therewith but made no newe lawe after or besides that old lawe of Moises Wherefore the Monkes and Popish Schoolemen doe no lesse erre and blaspheme Christe in that they imagine that he hath geuen a new lawe besides the lawe of Moises then doe the Turkes which vaunt of their Mahomet as of a new lawgeuer after Christ and better then Christ Christ then came not to abolish the old lawe that he might make a newe but as Paule here sayeth he was sent of his Father into the world to redeme those which were kept in thraldome vnder the lawe These wordes paint out Christe liuely and truly they doe not attribute vnto him the office to make any new law but to redeme them which were vnder the law And Christ himself sayth I iudge no man. And in an other place I came not to iudge the vvorld but that the vvorld should be saued by me That is to say I came not to bring any lawe nor to iudge men according to the same as Moises and other lawgeuers but I haue an higher a better office The lawe killed you and I againe doe iudge condemne and kill the lawe and so I deliuer you from the tyrannie thereof We that are olde men which haue ben so nusled vp in this pernicious doctrine of the Papistes that it hath taken deepe roote euen in our bones and marrow haue conceaued an opinion quite contrary to that which Paule here teacheth For although we confessed with our mouth that Christ redemed vs from the tyrannie of the lawe yet in very dede in our heart we thought him to be a lawgeuer a tyranne and a iudge more terrible then Moises him selfe And this peruerse opinion we can not yet at this day in so great light of the truth vtterly reiect so strongly are those things rooted in our heartes which we learne in our youth But ye which are yet yong and are not infected with this pernicious opinion may learne Christ purely with lesse difficultie thē we that are olde can remoue out of our mindes these blasphemous imaginations which we haue conceaued of him Notwithstanding ye haue not vtterly escaped the deceites of the Deuill For although ye be not as yet infected with this cursed opinion that Christ is a lawgeuer yet haue ye in you the roote whereof it springeth that is ye haue the flesh reason and the corruption of nature which can iudge no otherwise of Christ but that he is a lawgeuer Therefore ye must endeuour with
against him can not be forgeuē Thou hast lost thy right and soueraigntie and nowe for euer thou art not onely ouercome condemned and slaine vnto Christe but also to me beleuing in him vnto whom he hath freely geuen this victorie So the law is dead to vs for euer so that we abide in Christ Thankes be therefore to God vvhich hath geuen vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christe These things doe also confirme this doctrine that we are iustified by faith only For when this combate was fought betwixt Christ the law none of our works or deserts came betwene but onely Christ was found who putting vpon him our person made him selfe subiect to the law in perfect innocencie suffered all tyrānie Therfore the law as a theefe a cursed murtherer of the sonne of God loseth all his right and deserueth to be condemned in such sort that wheresoeuer Christe is or is once named there it is compelled to auoid flie away no otherwise thē the Deuil as the Papists imagine flieth frō the crosse Wherfore if we beleue we are deliuered from the law through Christe who hath triumphed ouer it by himself Therfore this glorious triūph purchased vnto vs by Christe is not gotten by any workes but onely by Faith therfore Faith onely iustifieth These wordes then Christe vvas made vnder the lavve c. as they are pithie and import a certaine vehemencie so are they diligently to be weyed and considered For they declare that the Sonne of God being made vnder the lawe did not onely performe one or two workes of the law that is to say he was not onely circumcised or presented in the temple or went vp to Ierusalem with other at the times appoynted or onely liued ciuily vnder the lawe but he suffered all the tyranny of the lawe For the lawe being in his principall vse and ful power set vpon Christe and so horribly assailed him that he felt such anguish and terrour as no man vpon the earth had euer felt the like This his bloudy sweat doth sufficiently witnes also his comfort by the Angell that mighty prayer which he made in the garden and briefly that lamentable cōplaint vpon the crosse O my God vvhy hast thou forsakē me These things he suffered to redeme those which were vnder the law that is to say in heauines of spirite in anguish and terrour and ready to despaire which were oppressed with the heauy burden of their sinnes as in deede we are all oppressed For as touching the flesh we sinne daily against all the commaundements of god But Paule geueth vs good comfort when he sayth God sent his sonne c. So Christe a diuine and humane person begotten of God without beginning and borne of the virgin in the time apoynted came not to make a law but to feele and suffer the terrours of the lawe with all extremitie and to ouercome the same that so he might vtterly abolish the lawe He was not made a teacher of the lawe but an obedient disciple to the law that by this his obedience he might redeme them which were vnder the lawe This is cleane contrary to the doctrine of the Papistes who haue made Christe a lawgeuer yea much more seuere and rigorous thē Moises Paule teacheth here cleane contrary to wit that God humbled his sonne vnder the lawe that is to say constrained him to beare the iudgement and curse of the lawe sinne death c. For Moises the minister of the law sinne wrath and death apprehended bound cōdemned and killed Christ and all this he suffered Therfore Christ standeth as a mere patient not as an agent in respect of the law He is not then a lawgeuer or a iudge after the law but in that he made himselfe subiect to the lawe bearing the condemnation of the law he deliuered vs from the curse therof Now wheras Christ in the Gospell geueth commaundements and teacheth the law or rather expoūdeth it this pertaineth not to the doctrine of Iustification but of good workes Moreouer it is not the proper office of Christe for the which he came principally into the world to teach the law but an accidentall or a by office like as it was to heale the weake to raise vppe the dead c. These are in deede excellent and diuine workes but yet not the very proper and principall workes of Christe For the Prophets also taught the law wrought miracles But Christ is God and man who fighting against the lawe suffered the vttermost cruelty and tyranny therof And in that he suffered the tyranny of the law he vanquished it in himselfe And afterward being raised vppe againe from death he condemned and vtterly abolished the law which was our deadly enemie so that it can not cōdemne and kill the faithfull any more Wherfore the true and proper office of Christ is to wrastle with the lawe with the sinne and the death of the whole world so to wrastle that he must suffer abide al these things and by suffering them in him selfe conquere and abolish them and by this meanes deliuer the Faithfull from the lawe and from all euils Therefore to teach the lawe and to worke myracles are particuler benefites of Christ for the which he came not principally into the world For the Prophets and especially the Apostles did greater myracles then Christ did Iohn 14. Seing then that Christ hath ouercome the law in his owne person it foloweth necessarily that he is naturally God. For there is none else whether he be man or angell which is aboue the law but onely god But Christ is aboue the law for he hath vanquished it therefore he is the sonne of God and naturally god If thou lay hold vpon Christe in such sort as Paule here painteth him out thou cāst not erre nor be confounded Moreouer thou shalt easily iudge of all kindes of life of the religions and ceremonies of the whole world But if this true picture of Christe be defaced or in any wise darkened then foloweth a confusion of all things For the natural man can not iudge of the law of God. Here faileth the cunning of the Philosophers of the Canonistes of all men For the law hath power and dominion ouer man Therfore the law iudgeth man and not man the law onely the Christian hath a true and a certaine iudgement of the law And how That it doth not iustifie Wherfore then is the law made if it doe not iustifie Righteousnes before God which is receaued by Faith alone is not the finall cause why the righteous do obey the law but the peace of the world thankfulnes towardes God and good example of life wherby other be prouoked to beleue the Gospell The Pope hath so confounded and mingled the ceremoniall lawe the morall lawe and Faith together that he hath at length preferred the ceremoniall lawe before the moral lawe and
still an eye to moe workes and so by heaping vppe of workes he goeth about to appease the wrath of God and to iustifie him selfe vntill he be driuen to vtter desperation Wherfore whosoeuer falleth frō Faith and foloweth the law is like to Esopes dogge which forgoeth the flesh and snatcheth at the shadow Wherfore it is impossible that such as seeke righteousnes saluation by the lawe wherevnto men are naturally enclined should euer finde quietnes and peace of conscience yea they doe nothing else but heape lawes vpon lawes whereby they torment both themselues and others and afflict mens consciences so miserably that through extreme anguish of heart many die before their time For one lawe alwayes bringeth forth ten moe and so they encrease without number and without ende Now who would haue thought that the Galathians which had learned so sound and so pure a doctrine of such an excellent Apostle and teacher could be so suddenly ledde away from the same and vtterly peruerted by the false Apostles It is not without cause that I repete this so often that to fall away from the truth of the Gospel is an easie matter The reason is because men doe not sufficiently consider no not the very faithfull what an excellent and a precious treasure the true knowledge of Christ is Therefore they doe not labour so diligently so carefully as they should doe to obtaine to retaine the same Moreouer the greater part of those that heare the word are exercised with no crosse or affliction they wrastle not against sinne death the Deuill but liue in securitie without any conflict Such men because they are not proued and tried with tentations and therefore are not armed with the word of God against the subtilties of the Deuill neuer feele the vse and power of the word In dede whilest they are among faithfull ministers and preachers they cā folow their words say as they say perswading themselues that they perfectly vnderstand the matter of iustification But whē they are gone wolues in sheepes clothing are come in their place it hapneth vnto them as it did to the Galathians that is to say they are suddenly seduced easily turned backe to weake and beggerly rudiments Paule hath here his peculier maner of speech which the other Apostles did not vse For there was none of them besides Paule that gaue such names to the lawe to witte that it is a weake and a beggerly rudiment that is to say vtterly vnprofitable to righteousnes And surely I durst not haue geuen such termes vnto the lawe but should haue thought it great blasphemy against God if Paule had not so done before But of this I haue entreated more largely before where I shewed when the lawe is weake and beggerly and when it is most strong and rich c. Now if the law of God be weake and vnprofitable to Iustification much more are the lawes and decrees of the Pope weake and vnprofitable to Iustification Therefore we geue sentence against the ordinaunces lawes and decrees of the Pope with such boldnes assurance as Paule did against the law of God that they are not onely weake and beggerly rudiments and vtterly vnprofitable to righteousnes but also execrable accursed deuilish dānable for they blaspheme grace they ouerthrow the Gospel abolish faith take away Christ c. For as much then as the Pope requireth that we should kepe his lawes as necessary to saluation he is very Antichrist and the Vicar of Sathā And as many as cleaue vnto him cōfirme his abhominatiōs blasphemies or kepe them to this ende that therby they may merite the forgeuenes of their sinnes are the seruaunts of Antichrist of the Deuil Now such hath the doctrine of the Papisticall church ben of a lōg time that these lawes ought to be kept as necessary to saluatiō Thus the Pope sitteth in the temple of God vaunting him selfe to be God he setteth him selfe against God and exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God or worshipped c And mens consciences more feared reuerenced the lawes and ordinaunces of the Pope then the word of God his ordinaūces By this meanes he was made the Lord of heauen of earth and of hell and bare a triple crowne vpon his head The Cardinals also Bishops his creatures were made Kings Princes of the world And therfore if he did not burden mens consciences with his lawes he could not long maintaine his terrible power his dignitie and his riches but his whole kingdom would quickly fall This place which Paule here handleth is weightie and of great importance and therefore the more diligently to be marked to witte that they which fall from grace to the law doe vtterly lose the knowledge of the truth they see not their owne sinnes they neither know God nor the Deuill nor them selues and moreouer they vnderstand not the force and vse of the lawe although they bragge neuer so much that they keepe and obserue the same For without the knowledge of grace that is to say without the Gospell of Christ it is impossible for a man to geue this definition of the lawe that it is a weake and a beggerly rudiment and vnprofitable to righteousnes But he rather iudgeth quite contrary of the law to witte that it is not onely necessary to saluation but also that it strengthneth such as are weake and enricheth such as are poore and beggerly that is to say that such as obey and obserue the same shall be able to merite righteousnes and euerlasting saluation If this opinion remaine the promise of God is denied Christe is taken away lying impietie and idolatrie is established Now the Pope with all his Bishops his Schooles and whole Sinagoge taught that his lawes are necessary to saluation Therfore he was a teacher of weake and beggerly elements wherwith he made the Church of Christ thorow out the whole world most weake beggerly that is to say he burdened and miserably tormented the Church with his wicked lawes defacing Christ and burying his Gospell Verse 9. VVhervnto ye vvill be in bondage againe This he addeth to declare that he speaketh of proud and presumpteous hypocrites which seeke to be iustified by the law as I haue shewed before For otherwise he calleth the law holy and good As 1. Timot 1. VVe knovv that the lavv is good if it be rightly vsed to witte ciuily to bridle euill doers and spiritually to encrease transgressions But whosoeuer obserueth the lawe to obtaine righteousnes before God maketh the lawe which is good damnable and hurtfull vnto him selfe He reproueth the Galathians therefore because they would be in bondage to the lawe againe which doth not take away sinne but encreaseth sinne For whilest a sinner being weake and poore of himself seeketh to be iustified by the lawe he findeth nothing in it but weakenes and pouertie it selfe And
comfort the weake with sweete louing wordes as occasion should require Verse 20. For I am troubled for you That is to say I am so troubled in my spirite that I know not how by letters to behaue my selfe towardes you Here is a liuely description of the true affections of an Apostle He omitteth nothing he chideth the Galathians he entreateth them he speaketh them faire he highly commendeth their Faith labouring by all meanes to bring them backe againe to the truth of the Gospell and to deliuer them out of the snares of the false apostles These are vehement words proceding from a heart stirred vppe and enflamed with a hot burning zeale and therfore ought diligently to be considered Verse 21. Tell me ye that vvill be vnder the lavve doe ye not heare the lavve Here would Paule haue closed vp his Epistle for he desired not to wryte any more but rather to be present with the Galathians and to speake vnto them him selfe But he being in great perplexitie and very carefull for this matter taketh by the way this allegorie which then came into his minde For the people are greatly delighted with allegories and similitudes and therfore Christe himselfe oftentimes vseth them For they are as it were certaine pictures which set forth things as if they were painted before the eyes of the simple and therefore they moue and perswade very much especially the simple and ignorant First therfore he stirreth vp the Galathians with words and wrytings Secondly he painteth out the matter it selfe before theyr eyes with this goodly allegorie Now Paule was a maruelous cunning workman in handling of allegories For he is wont to applie them to the doctrine of Faith to grace and to Christ and not to the law and the workes therof as Origen and Hierom doe who are worthely reprehended for that they turned the plaine sentences of the Scripture where allegories haue no place into vnfitte and foolish allegories Therfore to vse allegories it is oftentimes a very daungerous thing For vnlesse a man haue the perfect knowledge of Christian doctrine he can not vse allegories rightly and as he should doe But why doth Paule call the booke of Genesis out of the which he aleageth the hystorie of Ismael and of Isaack the lawe seeing that booke containeth nothing at all concerning the law and specially that place which he aledgeth speaketh not of any law but onely containeth a plaine hystorie of Abrahams two children Paule is wont to call the first booke of Moses the lawe after the maner of the Iewes which although it cōtaine no law besides the law of circumcision but the principall doctrine therof is concerning Faith and that the Patriarkes pleased God because of their Faith yet the Iewes notwithstanding onely because of the law of circumcision which is there contained called the booke of Genesis the lawe as well as the other bookes of Moses So did Paule him selfe also being a iewe And Christ vnder the title of the lawe comprehendeth not onely the bookes of Moses but also the Psalmes Iohn 15. But it is that the vvord might be fulfilled vvhich is vvrytten in their lavve They hated me vvithout a cause Vers 22.23 For it is vvrytten that Abraham had tvvo sonnes one by a seruaunt and one by a free vvoman But he vvhich vvas of the seruaunt vvas borne after the flesh and he vvhich vvas of the free vvoman vvas borne after the spirite As if he sayd Ye forsake grace Faith and Christe and turne backe againe to the lawe ye will be vnder the lawe and become wise through it Therefore I will talke with you of the lawe I pray you then consider the lawe diligently Ye shall finde that Abraham had two sonnes Ismael by Agar and Isaack by Sara They were both the true sonnes of Abraham Ismael was as well the true sonne of Abraham as Isaack was for both came of one father of one flesh and of one Seede What was then the difference This maketh not the difference sayeth Paule that the mother of one was free and the other bond albeit it pertaineth to the allegorie but that Ismael which was borne of the bondwoman was borne after the flesh that is to say without the promise and the word of God. But Isaack was not onely borne of the freewoman but also according to the promise What thē Yet was Isaack notwithstanding as well borne of the seede of Abraham as Ismael was I graunt that they were both the children of one father and yet notwithstanding there is a difference For although Isaack were borne of the flesh yet the promise went before None obserued this difference but onely Paule which he gathered out of the text of Genesis after this maner In that Agar conceaued and brought forth Ismael there was no word of God that foreshewed that thys should come to passe but by the permission of Sara Abraham went in to his seruaunt Agar whom Sara being barren had geuen to wife to Abraham as is sayd in the booke of Genesis For Sara had heard that Abraham by the promise of God should haue seede of his body and she hoped that she should be the mother of this seede But when she had waited now for the promise many yeares with great anguish of spirite and sawe that the matter was so long differred she was out of hope This holy woman therefore geueth place for the honour of her husband and resigneth her right to an other that is to say to her maide Notwithstanding she suffreth not her husband to marrie an other wife out of his house but she geueth vnto him in mariage her seruaunt to the ende that she might be builded by her For so sayeth the hystorie Genes 16. Novv Sara Abrahams vvife bare him no children and she had a maid an Egyptian Agar by name And Sara said vnto Abraham Behold novv the Lord hath restrained me frō childe bearing I pray thee goe in to my maide it may be that I shall be builded by her This was a great humilitie of Sara who so abased her self tooke in good part this tentation trial of her faith For thus she thought God is no lier that which he hath promised to my husband he will surely performe But peraduenture God will not that I shall be the mother of that Seede It shall not greeue me that Agar should haue this honour vnto whom let my Lord enter for I may peraduenture be builded by her Ismael therefore is borne without the word and promise at the onely request of Sara For there is no word of God which commaunded Abraham thus to doe or promised vnto him a sonne but al this is done at aduenture which the wordes doe also declare It may be sayeth she that I shall be builded by her Seeing therfore there was no word of God spoken to Abraham before as there was when Sara should bring forth
high a seruice to God that scarce any maÌ„ vvould beleue they could be so abhominable Onely Faith iustifieth If the lavv iustifie not much lesse do vvorks iustify Rom. 3. â—â— The promise geuen to Abraham The promise geuen to them that beleue The sentences concerning vvorks The commendation of vvorkes out of the matter of IustificatioÌ„ Hovv 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 stâ—â— vvarded 〈◊〉 vvoâ—ld 〈◊〉 their benefite VVorks vvithout faith 2. Thes 2.3 * Faith vvas the full reuelation of thiÌ„gs that vvere hâ—d vnder the lavve Rom. 7.13 The vse of the lavve VVhy the lavv reuealeth sinne Exod. 29.20 God vseth the effect of the lavve that is to say death to life The opinioÌ„ of a mans ovvne righteousnes confidence holines is slain by the lavv This similitude of the prison shevveth the effect of the lavve VVhat the righteousnes of the lavv is The righteousnes of vvorkes The profite of the lavve The Ciuill vse of the lavve The lavv a spirituall prison The lamentatable complaints of the Sainctes Psal. 6.5 The lavve is a prison both Ciuily and Spiritually The lavv and the Gospell as touching the invvard affections nearely ioyned together The shutting vp vnder the lavv must not be continuall VVho vseth the lavv rightly Caine being shut vp in the prison of the lavv and abiding there despaired Genes 4.9 Verse 13. VVhat these vvordes import to be kept vnder the lavve Conscience Psal. 139.7 VVhat the prison is Ciuily Spiritually Hovv the pore Conscience is to be comforted that is shutte vp vnder the lavve The lavve killeth that vve may againe be quickened restored to life The shutting vp vnder the lavv must be rightly vsed EZech. 33.11 Psal. 147.11 The afflicted and such as are in prison vnder the lavv vvaiting for mercy to be reueled are deare vnto God. No man loueth the lavv because it is his prison Hovve the scripture defineth sinne The tentation of the godly The tentation of euery age Paule describeth the spirituall vvarfare that is in the godly vvith very vehemeÌ„t apt vvords The time of the lavv in the Godly 2 Cor. 12.7 * This is the spirituall laughter vvhich Dauid speaketh of Psal. 126. saying Then shall our mouth be filled vvith laughter c. 1. Cor. 12.7.8.9 Galath 5.17 The time of grace Psal. 4â— â— 11 The true vse of the lavve is to shut vs vp till Christ be reuealed VVho is a right diuine A godly man is partly vnder the lavve and partly vnder grace Rom. 5.6 Rom. 6.9.10 The time of grace is eternall Feare may noâ— alvvayes continue but fear ioyned vvith Faith must be alvvayes in a Christian Hovve feare must be vanquished Feare Faith are separated farre asunder and yet are ioyned together in one heart A rehersall of those things vvherof he had spoken before Touching this sedition of the rusticall people and the cause therof read Sleidane VVe must derogate nothing froÌ„ the lavve that is due to it nor attribute more to it theÌ„ is meete Tvvo sorts of the vnrighteous they vvhich are to be iustified they vvhich are not to be iustified Hovve such senteÌ„ces must be vnderstand vvherin Paule handleth the spirituall vse of the lavve Rom. 10.4 VVho are abusers of the lavve * He speaketh of the pestileÌ„t Libertines that vvould haue no feare of God nor lavve to bridle them from their sinnes 1. Pet. 2.16 The true vse of the lavve can not be estemed as it is vvorthy The true office of the lavve The similitude of the Schoole master vvorthy to be noted Exod. 17.4 The scholer can not loue his master VVhie a Scholemaster is apoynted for a childe The lavve is a Scholemaster to Christ Galat. 4.19 Galat. 4 2â— Galat. 4. â—3 VVhat Scholemasters there vvere in times past The true vse of the lavv set out in the allegorie of the Scholemaster The lavve is not a Scholemaister to bring vs to an other lavvgeuer but to Christe Of the true vse of the lavve to make an abuse The true vse of the lavv Rom. 10.4 The proper office of the lavve and the vse of the office therof VVhen Faith is come vve are not any longer vnder the lavve Colosâ— 2.14.15 By Faith in Christ vve are dead to the lavve Christ commeth daily vnto vs spiritually 2 Cor. 4 1â— A similitude of the leuen Godly meÌ„ are holy and yet sinners The spirituall comming of Christe Hovve farre forth the lavv is abolished The consolation of the godly Heb. 13.8 VVhen Faith is come the lavv geueâ—h place 2. Pet. 3.11 Paule an excelleÌ„t teacher of Faith. Iâ—hn 1 1â— Iohn 1 1â— Rom. â— 16.17 Rom. 9.26 * Baptisme succedeth CircuÌ„cision and so through Christ both Ievv and Gentile is saued Rom. 13.14 Galath 5.16 1. Pet. â— 21 To put on Christ according to the Gospell The lether coate of Adam Hovv the old man must be put of Eph. 4.22.23.14 Coloss 1.19.20.21 c. Tit. 35. Baptisme is a sure signe of our regeneration vvhich is vvrought by the holy ghost In Baptisme vve put on Christe The Anabaptistes deface the maiestie of baptisme Tit. 3. â— * as one man. There is neither Ievv nor Grecian c. Christ hath taken avvay the lavve The beleuing conscience knovveth no lavv Iohn 1.17 The vvisedom and righteousnes of the GeÌ„tiles reiected The Gentiles in all ages had their lavves Religions and Ceremonies There is neither free nor bond c. In the vvorld there is a difference of persons but not before God. Rom. 13.23 The Gospell setteth forth Christ vnto vs. There is a difference and an inequalitie of persons in the vvorld Ephes 4.4 In Christ Iesu The opinion of the Schoole diuines concerning Faith. Galath â— â—0 Tit. 3.5 â—aith VVhy Paule setteth forth Christ so ofteÌ„ in his Epistles The brasen serpent a figure of Christ Num. 21.6.7 â— True Faith in Christ Ephes 5.30 Actes 17.20 Christ and our Faith must be throughly ioyned together The Gentiles that beleue are the Seede of Abraham Genes 17.5 Genes 22.18 The Gentiles are the childreÌ„ and heires of Abraham and the people of God. The promise made to the Ievves not to the Gentiles Psal. 147.19.20 The Gentiles are named in the promise Rom. 4.13.17 The argument vvhervvith Paule fortifieth his matter A young heir differeth nothing from a seruaunt The time of the lavve is finished Galath 4.4.5 Heb. 9.12 The comming of Christ vnto vs in spirite Heb. 10.14 Galath 5.17 Heb. 13. â— The politike vse of the lavve The spirituall vse of the lavv Galath 3. â— To vvhom Christ commeth and to vvhom he coÌ„meth not The Emperors lavves The lavves of the Pope 1. Timot. 4. â— The lavve of Moises geueth onely vvorldly things By the coÌ„fort of the holy Ghost vve are deliuered froÌ„ the terrours of the lavve Rom. 10.4 Rom. 3.20 Rom. 4.15 Deut. 6.5 VVherfore Paule abaseth the lavve VVhen vve feele the terrours of conscience the lavve must be abased and the promise magnified He alluded to the slovv tounge and stammering speech of Moses Rom. 4.18 VVhat names Paule
geueth to the lavv 1 Cor. 15.56 The commendation of the lavv Rom. 7.12.14 The lavve is good and the lavv is euill Galat. 4.3 The lavve and Christe are tvvo vvhich can not stand together Esay 28.20 VVhy Paule calleth the lavv the elements of the vvorld 2. Cor. 3.6.7.9 Rom. 7.12.14 2. Cor. 3.6.7.9 The lavve is holy and righteous and yet is it the administration of death Galath 3.5.9 1. Cor. 15.56 2. Cor. 3.6 Paules maner of speaking must be marked Actes 9.15 The person office of Christ VVhy Paule calleth the mother of Christ a vvoman and not a virgin Iohn 1. â— 14 The errour blasphemie of the Papistes and Turkes The true picture of Christe Iohn 1.15 Iohn 3.17 The office of Christe A false opinion of Christ is not easely cast of The iudgemeÌ„t of naturall reason concerning Christ The sentences vvhich set out Christ plainly ought alvvais to be before our eyes Faith is our victorie 1. Iohn 5.4 The conflictes of the godly The vvrastliÌ„g of the flesh against the spirite in the Sainctes Galaâ— 5.17 The maner of our redemption Galat. 3.23 Rom. 5.12 Ephes 2.3 1. Pet. 2.20 Math. 26.65 Luc. 23.5 Luke 22.44 Luke 23.24.33 A maruelous combate betvvene the lavv Christ Ephes 2.3 The lavve ruleth all mankinde Math. 11.28 The lavv condemned and killed by Christe Christ by double right hath conquered the lavve * Prosopopoeia is a figure vvherby things that haue no life are fained personally to speake or to be spoken to Ephes 2.16 Ephes 4. â— c. Psal. 68.18 Rom. 8.3 Christ hy his victorie hath deliuered vs froÌ„ the terrors of the lavv The offence of the lavve agaiÌ„st Christ can not be forgeuen 1. Cor. 15.57 That vve be made righteous by Faith. The lavve by his iudgemeÌ„t killed the son of God. Coloss 2 1â— Christe vvas made vnder the lavve Christe suffered all the tyrannie of the lavve Christe came not to make lavves but to take the lavve cleane avvay The ministerie of Moises Galath 3.13 It is not the proper office of Christe to teach the lavv The particuler benefites of Christe Iohn 14.12 Christ is God by nature The true picture of Christe 1. Cor. 2.14 The obedieÌ„ce of the lavv is in the righteous Genes 22.18 In thy Seede Galath â— â—3 The Papistes merite ex congruo condigâ—o The holy Ghost is sent tvvo maner of vvayes Math. 3.16 Actes 2.3 1. Cor. 14.22 Actes 15.5 Signes of renevving of the mind in the Godly Christe our onely merite of congruence and vvorthines both before grace and after 1. Cor. 1 1â— Philip. 1.29 Psal. 116.10 The remnants of sinne in the Sainctes Smal differeÌ„ce in outvvard shevv betvvene a christian and a maÌ„ that is but outvvardly and ciuily righteous 1. Cor. 2.14 1. Cor. â— 16 Signes of the presence of the holy Ghost 1. Cor. 4.4 The doctrine of the Sophisters teaching that no man could knovv vvhether he vvere in the fauour of God or no. VVe must assure our selues that vve are vnder grace Rom. 8.9 Psal. 119.115 Grace is more strong and mighty then sinne Rom. 1.34 Psal. 5.9 Psal. 10.7 VVeaknes of Faith in the godly The full assuraÌ„ce of Faith. Galath 4.4 Esay 53.11 Psal. 51.10 Rom. 8.26 1. Pet. 5.8 The Deuils roring Ephes 6. â—6 The cry of the holy ghost in the hearts of the godly Ephes 6.16 Esay 42.3 Rom. 8.26 c. The profit of temptations Galath 3.13 Heb. 2.14 Rom. 3.27 Hovv vve are affected in the true triall and terrours of conscience 1. Cor. 12.9 The groning of the heart is a crie Luke 18.6.7 The vveapons of the godly vvhervvith they ouerthrovv the kingdom of the Pope c. Exod. 14.15 The crie of Moses at the red sea The office of the holy ghost In vvhom the holy Ghost doth his office and at vvhat time The tentation of Moses at the red sea Exod. 14 13.1â— The gronings of the faithful before God are great cries Psal. 31.1 Ah Father The Pope taught that vve must dout of Gods fauour tovvardes vs He speaketh not here of that douting vvhich sometimes riseth of infirmitie in the godly but of vvilful douting vvhich the Papistes teach maintaine The Pope kingdom The Papacy is a very slaughterhouse of consciences Eccle. 9. â—â— The chief drift of the Scripture to make vs certaine of the mercie of God tovvard vs Rom. 4.25 Iohn 3.16 One sentence out of the boke of the Preacher not vvell vnderstand vvas of more force in the Papacie then all the promises of the scripture Doutfulnes of saluation in th Papacie Hovv vve mai knovv that are iÌ„ gods fauour and haue the holy Ghost The doctrine vvhich vve professe is certaine The true meaniÌ„g of the sentence out of the .9 of Ecclesiastes VVhat thanks the vvorld geueth to them that deserue vvell of it Hovv vve must ouercome vnthaÌ„kfulnes Psal. 109.3.4 The vvill of God is seene in his vvord By vvhat meanes the adoption cometh vnto vâ— Galath 3.28 Galat. 4.3 VVhat Paule meaneth by a seruaunt in this place Rom. 3.20 Rom. 4.15 Galath 3 2â— The lavv must not be suffred to rule in the conscience Reuelat. 10.3 The lavv hath no povver ouer the conscience but ouer the flesh Gen. 22.4.5 VVhat the adoption bringeth 1. Cor. 13 1â— 1. Pet. 1.23 The vvord of God is the vvombe of God. Philip. 1. â—1 The godly haue nede of the comfort of the holy Ghost Rom. 7.24 Galath â— â—7 In this life vve haue but only the first fruits of the spirite Rom. 8.23 Paule hath alvvayes the name of christ in his mouth 1. Pet. 1.9 To slide in Faith is an easie thing The sleightes of the deuil to bring men froÌ„ Faith to the lavve VVhy Paule sayth that the Galathians returned back to vveake and beggerly elements God is knovven by Christe onely Iohn 1.18 Rom. 8.32 The true knovvledge of God. The highest vvisedom of reason Luke 15.11.12 1. Cor. 1.14 Rom. 3.11 There is no difference betvvene the Turks Ievves and Papists The imagination of all the meritmongers alike All meritmongers honour a God vvhich by nature is no God. God abhorreth vvil vvorshippings and vvorkes deâ—â—sed by man. Doctrine concerning the true God. To vvhat euils they be subiect vvhich destroy the doctrine of faith Rom. 1â— 5 Rom. 4.15 Rom. 1â— 4 God is not knovvne and the Blessing geueÌ„ through the lavv but by the gospel Genes 22.18 Rom. 2. â—2 The Gentiles Idolatry vvas grose CoÌ„trarivvise the Ievves Idolatry vvas outvvardly holy and therefore more hurtfull Rom. 1.19.20 A generall particular knovvledge of God. Rom. 3.11 Iohn 1.18 No man hath sene God. The diuers opinions of men concerning the vvill of god Rom. 1.22 VVhence idolatrie came The opinion of the Monke as touching Gods vvill VVorshippers of God vvithout his vvord VVithout Christe all vvorshippiÌ„gs and all lavves are Idolatrie The vvill of God. Galath 3.9 Galath 4.7 Ye are knovvn of God. Math. 11.17 Esay 53.11 The Apostles euen in their life time savv the subuersioÌ„ of those churches vvhich
The heauenly Ierusalem vvhich is yet vpon earth The heauenly Ierusalem is set against the earthly not locally but spiritually The spirituall Ierusalem dispersed thorovv out the vvhole vvorld The Church begetteth children by teaching Isaac is heir through the promise Genes 17.19 Ephes 4.13 Esay 54.1 Esay 54. The song of Anna. 1. Sam. 2.4.5 The differeÌ„ce betvvixt the sinagoge and the church Iohn 8 3â— Iohn 3.18 1. Timot. 4.1 The teachers of the lavve gender bond-seruaunts Reason is taken vvith hypocrisie The church seemeth to be barren 1. Cor. 1.18 The Gospell hath but fevv disciples Actes 21.22 Hovv many yeares dayes times haue our Papistes appoynted vvhen the gospel should be ouerthrovne and they receaue their idolatrous Masse other abhominations againe The church in heauines The church barren before the vvorld The people of grace The difference betvvixt the lavv and the gospell The people of grace vvithout the lavve and the people of the lavv vvithout grace The lavve is abolished to all christians Esay 54.1 The church is barren and forsaken before the vvorld The childreâ— of the bondvvomaÌ„ vvith their mother are cast out of the house Rom. â— 4.5.6 Math. 10.12 The people of the lavv laborious and painfull The vvhole lavv is abolished A godly man feeleth the terrours of the lavve but by faith in Christ he is comforted Rom. 3.1 Iohn 3.36 The lavve hath no povver ouer a hose that beleue 1. Cor. 1.30 Galath 3.13 The outvvard abolishment of the lavve The gospell doth not release vs from all lavves * He speaketh of such gouernment as God hath appoynted vvhich no priuate man may conteÌ„ne vvith out the brâ—ch of conscience 1 Pet. 2.13.14 Rom. 13 5. The ceremonies of Moses lavv doe not bind vs much lesse the ceremonies of the Pope 1. Cor. 14.40 Tvvo things to be taken hede of in the keping or coÌ„maunding of ceremonies the offence of the vveake the pernicious opinion of merite The church is barren * No spirituall birth vvhich is vvrought by the vvord and spirite of God. * That is their regeneration in Christe by Faith and the holy Ghost Ioh. 8.37.40.42 Of children some be as Ismael some as Isaac The children of the promise The iudgemeÌ„t of the vvorld concerning the gospell VVhat the faithfull must be content to be called in this vvorld Iohn 16.2 VVhat folovved the preaching of the Gospell Psal. 2.2.3 Psal. 2.2.3 Psal. 2.4 The blindnes of the aduersaries Iohn 16.2 Rom. 9.1 Luke 9.26 Paule a pestiferous felovv Actes 17.6.7 Actes 24.3 Actes 16.20 Luke 11 21.2â— Luke 12.49 Hovv Christ comforteth him selfe against the euils that shuld folovv his preaching 2. Cor. 4.4 * He meaneth the Deuill Iob. 41.14.22 The faithfull see infinite profites by the Gospell Psal. 91.13 The article of iustification comforteth vs against al sclaÌ„ders and tentations 1. Cor. 2.12 The vvorld caÌ„ not but be offended at the preaching of the Gospel VVhy our aduersaries doe condemne vs. Greefe after the flesh and glory after the spirite Rom. 5.3 Gene. 21.9 The expositioÌ„ of the Ievves VVhat maner of man Ismael vvas Ismael vvould be preferred before Isaac for tvvo causes Ismael alvvayes persecuteth Isaac The spirituall persecution The Deuil persecuteth the church by violence subteltie Ephes 6.16 The spirituall and corporall persecution of the godly Iohn 1.44 1. Cor. 11.19 False brethreÌ„ at the first are frendes but aftervvardes they become most deadly enemies The brethern borne after the flesh must persecute the brethern that are borne after the spirit Psal. 41.9 The true doctrine of the gospel is the cause of persecution Christe comforteth his against the hatred and persecutions of the vvorld Iohn 15.19 Math. 10.24 Iohn 15.20 The name of Christe is the cause vvhie the vvorld rageth against the godly Iohn 16.33 Christ remaineth king and conquerour though the gates of hell fight against him Gen. 21 2â— Gen. 21.11 God coÌ„firmed the sentence of Sara Gen. 21.12 The sentence pronounced against the Ismalites is effectuall c. The vaine hope of hypocrites in condemning others The children of the bondvvoman haue no inheritaÌ„ce vvith the children of the freevvoman Iohn 10.35 The vineyard shal be let out to other husbandmen They that are borne of the bondvvoman are borne seruaunts of the lavve The Pope and all that seeke righteousnes by vvorkes are children of the bondvvoman Philip. 3.19 The vvorld embraceth the righteousnes of vvorks and condemneth the righteousnes of Faith. A comparison of the old Papacie and of the Papacie at this day The Iusticiaries make such a shevv of holines as if they vvere angels and no men Coloss 2. â—â— The contemplatiue life of Monkes and such other vvhich sequestred themselues froÌ„ the vvorld and all vvorldly affaires The deuotion and discipline of the old Poperie No holines of life can be set against Gods iudgement The Papistes at this day do not defend their vvicked life but their doctrine The Papists diuide the Gospell into precepts and couÌ„sels The precepts they are bouÌ„d to kepe say they but not the counsels and therfore if they kepe them it is a vvorke of superogation that is more then nedeth Bernards confession Phil. 3.9 The children of the bondvvoman are vnder the lavv The children of the bondvvoman shall at length be cast out Math. 25.29 Christian libertie Rom. 9.23 Paule trieth euery vvay to kepe the Galathians in the liberty of the Gospell 1. Pet. 5.3 â— The godly must staÌ„d fast that they lose not their libertie in Christe Satan deadly hateth the light of the Gospell The freedome of the Papists The fleshly libertie The Anabaptists and Libertines vvill be free to doe vvhat they list Freedom from the vvrath of God to come To haue God fauourable vnto vs for Christes sake is an incomprehensible freedome 1. Cor. 15.41.43.44 Freedom from the lavv sinne and death c The fruites of Christian liberty are not easily felt and laid hold of in tentations A remedy against the terrours of the minde in tentations Esay 54.8 Luke 11 28. Iohn 13.17 Christian libertie Liberty is frely geuen vnto vs for Christes sake Iohn â— 36 Math. 9. â— Iohn 5.24 Hypocrites bragge of God. Actes 15. â—0 Actes 10.43 The lavve is a yoke of bondage Galat. 4.10 Thei that seke righteousnes by the lavve are compared to oxen tied to the yoke No greater bondage then the bondage of the lavve VVho be the Deuils Martyrs Iohn 16.23 The corporall libertie of the Papistes This may truely be said also of our Libertines and carnal gospellers at this day Galath 6.6 The iudgemeÌ„t of the godly touching all doctrines religions and ceremonies VVho they be to vvhom Christ is vnprofitable Nothing is more hurtfull then the doctrine of mens traditions vvorkes Coloss 2.3 Coloss 2.9 The lavve of God the yoke of bondage Good vvorks are not condemned but confidence in good vvorks is coÌ„demned Reuel 12.10 VVhat vve must ansvver the Deuill vvhen he accuseth and tempteth vs. The true picture of Christ Math. 12.20 Esay 42.3 Math.
11.28 Math. 9.13 Math. 9.2 Iohn 15.33 Luke 19.10 The doers of the lavve doe not the lavve Verse 12. Verse 10. The conscieÌ„ce is not quieted and pacified vvith the obseruation of mans traditions Confidence in vvorks vtterly taketh avvay Faith or at least hindreth it in vs. Iusticiaries meritmongers vvill be recoÌ„pensed for their vvorkes vvith euerlasting life He that receaueth Moises in one poynt must receaue him in all Christians are free from the policie of Moises as touching their conscience Deut. 34. They that seke to be iustified by the lavve deny Christ Gal. 3.14 1. Cor. 1.12 Paule condeÌ„neth not circumcisioÌ„ but to trust in circumcision is that vvhich he condeÌ„neth Christe and the lavve can not dvvell together True Faith. VVe must either forgoe Christ or the lavve Deut. 27.26 The doctrine of the Pope led vs quite avvay from Christ and made him altogether vnprofitable to vs. VVhat daunger it is to seeke righteousnes by the lavve Iohn 3 3â— Iohn 5.18 The Popes kingdom is grounded vpon mens traditions 1. Cor. 4.7 VVhat he loseth thrt falleth from grace Math. 15 1â— Verse 3. Vers 14.25 Rom. 8.24 Rom. 7.15.16.17 Rom. 7.23 The righteousnes of the faithfull standeth not in feeling Faith hope differ in respect of their subiect Exod. 25.20 The differeÌ„ce betvven faith and hope in their office The difference as touching the obiect Difference in order Rom. 5.3.4.5 Difference in vvorking The differeÌ„ce betvven faith and hope in diuinitie is the same that is betvvene fortitude and prudence in policie As soone as vvee begin to lay hold on Christ our enemies the fleâ—h the vvorld the Deuiâ—l rise vp against vs but hope vvrâ—sâ—lâ—th against them all Psal. 116.10 Rom. 15. â— Rom. 5.1 Rom. 1.24 The true knovvledge of Christ is not vvithout the crosse Faith. Hope Charitie of loue 1. Cor. 13 1â— VVhatsoeuer the vvorld estemeth to be good and holy vvithout Christe is sinne A svvete consolation in anguish trouble of conscience Psal. 51.17 Psal. 51. Our righteousnes consisteth not in feeling but in beleuing Ephes 5. â—6 Rom. 5.8 Rom. 5.34 Rom 14.9 1. Cor. 15.3 Esay 66.2 Math. 11.28 Esay â—2 3 The treasure of the Faithfull 2. Cor. 6.7.10 A true and a liuely Faith. Paul shutteth all hypocrites out of the church of God both on the right hand on the left The vvhole life of a Christian The christian life is a course or a race That vvhich seemeth to vs to creepe runneth svviftly in Gods sight Math. 5.4 Luke 6.21 Rom. 8.28 Galath 3.1 False doctrine bevvitcheth men Falling in doctrine cometh of the Deuil The authority of the false apostles A consolation for them vvhich conceaue a false opinion of Christe Christe is set out in the Scriptures as a gift and as an example Coloss 2.3 1. Cor. 1.30 Rom. 10.4 To vvhom Christ must be set out as a gift and to vvhom as an example Math. 11.28 Iohn 6.27 Math. 3.17 1. Pet. 1.17 Coloss 1.13 The false apostles misreported Paule to the churches Doctrine and life must be separate farre a sunder The doctrine of Faith. Luke 11.34 Luke 11.36 Iam. 2.10 Charitie suffereth all thiÌ„gs but Faith suffreth nothing 1. Cor. 13. â— Charitie may be deceaued but faith cannot VVhen vve must exercise charitie and vvhen not VVhether vve may trust vnto men VVicked teachers are troublers of mens consciences The aucthoritie of the false apostles Galath 1.8 â— The differeÌ„ce betvvixt doctrine life No errour in the doctrine of Faith. Actes 13.50 Actes 17.4 The false apostles enemies of the crosse of Christ Gal. 6.12 The doctrine of Faith. 1. Cor. 1.17 2. Pet. 1.11 The church is in best case most flouriâ—heth vnder the crosse Esay 3â— 17 * He meaneth that God somtimes in punishing shevveth him selfe as though it vvere not he but Satan and contrarivvise Satan vvhen he flattereth shevveth him self as though he vvere God and not Satan Esay 53.12 The vvorld hath no pitie vpoÌ„ the godly Iohn 16.2.3 VVhat the vvorld loketh for by the death of the godly Math. 5.10 Marke 9.10 Luke 14.34 Actes 5.41 1 Pet. 3.14 1. Pet. 4.14 Luther vvil be at no vnitie vvith the enemies of the Gospell The Gospell setteth forth the glory of God and discloseth the craftes of the Deuill Math. 5.12 Paul vvisheth that the false apostles vvere cutte of VVhether it be lavvful for Christians to curse Galath 1.3.4 The Maiestie of Gods vvord is highly to be aduaunced Actes â— 20.21 Psal. 54.5 Psal. 55.15 * As Corah Dathan and Abiron Paules example in suffering VVhat the vvorld condemneth in godly teachers An obiection The Apostles after the doctrine of faith adde precepts of good life Philip. 1.21 Iude. 1.4 Carnall men vnderstaÌ„d not the doctrine of Faith. The saying of the vvicked The greatest part of men vnderstaÌ„d the doctrine of Faith carnally The profite of tentations 1. Pet. 2.16 The godly are free accordiÌ„g to the spirite but bond seruaunts according to the flesh Gal. 5.17 Carnall men abuse Christian libertie Christian libertie must be taught though men abuse it Coloss 1 1â— They vvhich vnderstaÌ„d the Christian libertie serue one another through loue 1. Cor. 3 11.1â— Leuitis 19 1â— MeritmoÌ„gers hypocrites vnderstaÌ„d not the doctrine of faith and of good vvorks 1. Cor. 3.12.15 Galath 4 1â— Reason is naturally delited vvith superstition No maÌ„ loueth his neighbour as himselfe Naturall corruption superstition remaining in the faithfull A saying of Hierome Paul teacheth good vvorks and condemneth euill vvorkes 1. Sam. 31.6 Math. 12.3 â—â— Math. 22 2â— Ephes 1.2 A brief summe of all Moises lavves The shortnes of the doctrin of all true christianitie To serue our neighbour through charitie A description of an hypocrite Charitie the bright sunne of all good vvorkes A briefe exposition of this commaundement Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Hovv our neighbour ought to be loued Charitie a singular vertue VVho is our neighbour The coÌ„maundement of charitie 1. Cor. 13.7 The doctrine of faith and charitie the shortest and longest The vvay hovv to kepe concord The ende of the authors of vvicked opinions Hovv the doctrine of faith and of vvorks is to be taught An obiection Galat. 2.16 Galat. 3.10 Arguments from precept to vvorke So euill consequence of the Sophisters It is vvrytteÌ„ therfore it is done The Loue of our selfe corrupt Sinne is not here layed to our charge because of our Faith in Christe 1. Cor. 13 1â— Charitie can not pacifie God. Apoc. 21.27 Esay 53.9 1. Pet. 2.22 1. Iohn 3.2 * He alludeth to the place of Exodus Chapt. 13.21 1. Cor. 13.12 Faith adorned vvith charitie is the papistes righteousnes Rom. 1.23 Deut. 6.5 Math. 22 3â— Marke 12 2â— Luke 10.27 Perfect loue God first loued vs. 1. Iohn 4.10 Galath 2 4. Galath 4.4.5 Galath 5.17 Desires and lustes of the flesh euen in the godly To vvalke in the spirite VVhat the coÌ„cupiscence or lust of the flesh is after Paule Beleuers are both sinners righteous Hierome The