circūcised after the law of Moses thou cāst not be saued Also to eate meates prohibited in the law is not euill but this shrinking and dissimulation of Peter is euill For it might be said Peter abstaineth from meates forbidden in the law wherfore if thou doest not likewise abstaine thou canst not be saued This Paule might in no wise dissemble for the truth of the Gospell was here in daunger To the end therefore that this truth might continue sound and vncorrupt he resisted Peter to his face And here we must make a distinction For meates may be refused two maner of waies First for christian charities sake And herein ther is no daunger for to beare with the infirmitie of my brother it is good So Paule himselfe both did and taught Secondly by abstaining from them to obtaine righteousnes and for not abstaining to sinne and to be be damned Here accursed be charitie with all the seruice and works of charitie whatsoeuer For thus to refraine frō meates is to deny Christ to tread his bloud vnder our feete to blaspheme the holy Ghost and to despise all holy things Wherefore if we must lose the one let vs rather lose man our frend and brother then God our father For if we lose god our father man our frend and brother can not continue Ierome who neither vnderstood this place nor the whole epistle besides thinketh this to be but a fained reprehension of Paule therfore he excuseth Peters fall saying that it was done by ignorance But Peter offended through dissimulation and therby he had established the necessity of the law he had constrained both Gentiles Iewes to reuolt from the truth of the Gospell he had giuen them greate occasion to forsake Christ to despise grace to returne to the Iewish religion to beare all the burdens of the law if Paule had not reproued him by that meanes reuoked the gentiles Iewes which were offēded through this example of Peter to the liberty which is in Christ Iesus to the truth of the gospel Wherfore if a man would here set forth and amplifie Peters offence it should appeare to be very greate and yet was it not done by malice or ignorance but by occasion and feare only Thus we see what ruines may come by one mans fal and offence if it be not well seene to and corrected in time Wherfore we may not trifle with this article of iustification neither is it without good cause that we do so often and so diligently put you in minde therof And it is much to be marueled that Peter being such an excellent Apostle should thus do who before in the Councel of Ierusalem stood in a maner alone in the defence of this article preuailed therin namely that saluation cometh by faith without the law He that before did so constantly defend the truth liberty of the gospell now by his fall in abstaining from meates forbidden in the law is not only the cause of greate offence but also offendeth against his owne decree Wherfore let him which thinketh he standeth take heede lest he fall No man would thinke what daūgers perils do ensue of traditions ceremonies which not withstanding we can not want What is more necessary then the law the works therof and yet there is great daunger lest by the same men be brought to the denial of Christ For of the law often times cometh a trust affiance in works where that is there can be no affiance in Christ Christ therfore is soone denied sone lost as we may see by this example of Peter who knew this article of iustification better then we do yet how easily did he geue occasion of such an horrible ruine that all the Gentiles should therby haue falne away from the preaching of Paule by this meanes should haue lost the gospell Christ himselfe And all this should haue bene done vnder a holy pretence For they might haue said Paule hetherto thou hast taught vs that we must be iustified by grace without the law Thou seest now that Peter doth the contrary for he abstaineth from meates forbidden in the law hereby he teacheth vs that we can not be saued except we receaue circumcision obserue the lawe Verse 13. And the other Ievves dissembled likevvise vvith him in so much that Barnabas vvas brought into their dissimulation also Here ye may plainly see that Paule chargeth Peter with dissimulation If Peter dissembled then did he certainly know what was the truth and what was not He that dissembleth sinneth not of ignorance but deceaueth by a colour which he knoweth himselfe to be false And other saith he dissembled likevvise vvith Peter in so much that Barnabas also who was Paules companion had now a long time preached among the Gentiles faith in Christ without the law together with Paule vvas brought into their dissimulation Ye haue here then Peters offence plainly described to be meere dissimulation which afterwards had ben an occasion of the ruine of the Gospel then newly receaued if Paule had not resisted him And this is a wonderfull matter that God preserued the church being yet but yong and the Gospell it selfe by one onely person Paule alone standeth to the truth for he had lost Barnabas his companion Peter was against him So sometime one man is able to doe more in a Councell then the whole Councell besides Which thing the Papistes thēselues do witnes And for example they alledge Paphnutius who withstoode the whole Councell of Nice which was the best of all that were after the Councell of the Apostles at Ierusalem preuailed against it This I say to the end that we should diligently learne the article of Iustification and make a plaine difference betwene the lawe and the Gospell and that in this matter we should doe nothing by dissimulation or geue place to any man if we will retaine the truth of the gospell and faith sound and vncorrupt which as I haue sayd are soone hurt Wherefore in this case away with reason which is an enemie to Faith which also in tentations of sinne and death leaneth not to the righteousnes of Faith for thereof it is vtterly ignoraunt but to her owne righteousnes or at least to the righteousnes of the law Now as soone as the law and reason ioyne together faith loseth her virginitie for nothing more strongly fighteth against faith then the lawe and reason And these two enemies can not be conquered but with great labour and difficultie which we must conquere notwithstanding if we will be saued Wherefore when thy conscience is terrified with the lawe and wrestleth with the iudgement of God aske counsell neither of reason nor of the lawe but rest onely vpon grace and the word of consolation and so stand herein as if thou haddest neuer heard any thing of the law but ascend vp to the glasse
was made an Apostle was taught by Iesus Christ enriched with spiritual gifts And heerewithall he sheweth that Peter gaue testimonie vnto him that he was a true Apostle sent and taught not by hym selfe nor by the other Apostles but by God alone and not onely acknowledged the ministerie and authoritie of Paule and giftes of the spirite which were in him as heauenly things but also approued and confirmed the same and yet not as a superiour and ruler but as a brother and witnes Iames and Iohn did â—â—â—â—wise the same Wherefore he concludeth that they which are esseâ—â—â— for the cheefe pillers amongst the Apostles are wholy with him and not against him Verse 9. The right handes of felovvship As if they should haue sayd We O Paule in preaching the gospel doe agree with thee in all things Therefore in doctrine we are companions and haue felowship togither therin that is to say we haue all one doctrine for we preach one gospell one baptisme one Christ and one faith Wherefore we can teach or enioyne thee nothing since there is one mutuall consent betwixt vs in all things For we doe not teach any other or more excellent things then thou doest but the same giftes which we haue we see to be in thee also sauing that to thee is committed the Gospell ouer the vncircumcision as the Gospell ouer the circumcision is vnto vs But we conclude here that neither vncircumcision nor circumcision ought to hinder our societie and felowship since it is but one gospell which we both preach Hetherto Paule hath proued by manifest witnes not only from god but also froÌ„ man that is to say the apostles that he had truely faithfully preached the gospel Therfore he sheweth that what so euer the false apostles sayd to diminish his authority is but fained and forged matter and that the testimony of the Apostles maketh for him not for the false apostles But for that he is alone without witnes therfore he addeth an oth calleth God to record that the things which he hath spokeÌ„ are true Verse 10. VVarning onely that vve should remember the poore vvhich thing also I vvas diligent to doe After the preaching of the Gospel the office and charge of a true and faithful Pastor is to be mindful of the poore For where the Church is there must needes be poore who for the most part are the onely true disciples of the Gospell as Christ sayth The poore receiue the glad tidings of the Gospell For the world and the Deuill do persecute the Church and bring many to pouertie who are afterwardes forsaken and despised of the world Moreouer the world not onely offendeth herein but is also carelesse for the maintenaunce and preseruation of the gospell true religion and the true seruice of god There is none that will now take any care for the nourishing of the ministers of the Church and erecting of scholes but for the erecting and stablishing of false worship superstition and idolatrie no cost was spared but euery man was ready to geue largely what so euer could be made And hereof came vp so many Monasteries so many cathedrall Churches so many Bishopprickes in the Popes church where all impietie raigned with so great reuenues prouided for their sustentation where as now a whole Citie thinketh it much to finde one or two poore ministers and preachers of the Gospell which before whiles the Pope and all impietie raigned was charged and burdened with finding so many Monasteries and infinite swarmes of massing Priestes To be briefe true religion is euer in neede And Christ complaineth that he is hungrie thirstie harbourles naked and sicke Contrariwise false religion and impietie flourisheth aboundeth with all worldly wealth and prosperitie Wherfore a true and faithful Pastor must haue a care of the poore also and this care Paule here confesseth that he had Verse 11. And vvhen Peter vvas come to Antiochia I vvithstoode him to his face for he vvas to be blamed Paule goeth on still in his confutation saying that he not onely hath for his defence the testimonie of Peter the other Apostles which were at Ierusalem but also that he withstoode Peter in the presence of the whole Church of Antioche He sheweth here a matter not done in a corner but in the face of the whole church For as before I haue said he hath here no trifeling matter in hand but the chiefest article of all Christian doctrine The value and maiestie where of who so rightly estemeth to him all other things shall seeme but vile and nought worth For what is Peter what is Paule what is an Angell from heauen what are all other creatures to the article of Iustification which if we know then are we in the cleare light but if we be ignoraunt therof theÌ„ are we in most miserable darknes Wherfore if ye see this article impugned or defaced feare not to resist either Peter or an Angell from heauen following the example of Paule who seing the maiestie of this article to be in daunger for the dignitie of Peter did nothing regard his dignitie estimation that he might keepe the same pure vncorrupt For it is wrytten He that loueth father or mother or his ovvne life more then me is not vvorthy of me Wherefore we are not ashamed for the defence of the truth to be counted and called of the hypocrites proud and obstinate such as wil be onely wise will heare none will geue place to none Very necessary it is here to be inflexible obstinate For the cause why we offend man that is to say tread downe the maiestie of the person or of the world is such that the sinnes which the world iudgeth to be most hainous are counted singular vertues before god In that we loue our parentes honoure the Magistrate shew reuerence to Peter and other ministers of the word we doe well But here we haue in hand the cause neither of Peter nor pareÌ„ts nor Magistrate nor of the world nor of any other creatures but of god him selfe Here if I geue no place to my parents to the Magistrate or an Angell from heauen I doe well For what is the creature in respect of the creator Yea what are all creatures coÌ„pared vnto him Euen as one droppe of water in respect of the whole sea Why then should I so highly esteme Peter which is but a droppe and set God aside which is the whole sea Let the droppe therefore geue place to the sea and let Peter geue place vnto god This I say to the ende that ye should diligently weye and consider the matter wherof Paule entreateth For he entreateth of God who can neuer be magnified enough And here of purpose he addeth this clause to his face against the venemous vipers and apostles of Satan which sclaunder those that are absent and in their presence dare not once open their mouth as the false apostles
But forasmuch as we take in hand to expound this Epistle which we doe not because it is needefull or for any hardnes that is in it but that our consciences may be confirmed against heresies yet to come let it not be tedious vnto you if we repeat these things againe that elsewhere and at other times we teach preach singe and sette out by writing For if we neglect the article of iustification we lose altogether Therefore most necessary it is cheifly and aboue all things that we teach and repete this article continually Like as Moses saith of his law for it can not be beaten into our eares enough or to much Yea though we learne it and vnderstand it well yet is there none that taketh hold of it perfectly or beleueth it with his whole hart so fraile a thing is our flesh and disobedient to the spirite This greeting of the Apostle is straunge vnto the world and was neuer heard of before the preaching of the Gospell And these two words Grace and Peace cōprehend in them whatsoeuer belongeth to Christianitie Grace releaseth sinne and peace maketh the conscience quiet The two Feends that torment vs are sinne and conscience But Christ hath vanquished these two Monsters and troden them vnder foote both in this world and in the world to come This the world doth not knowe and therefore it can teach no certaintie of the ouercomming of sinne conscience and death Only Christians haue this kinde of doctrine and are exercised and armed with it to get victory against sinne despaire and euerlasting death And it is a kinde of doctrine neither proceeding of free wil nor inuented by the reason or wisedome of of man but geuen from aboue Moreouer these two words Grace and Peace doe containe in them the whole summe of Christianitie Grace containeth the remission of sinnes peace a quiet and ioyful conscience But peace of conscience can neuer be had vnlesse sinne be first forgeuē But it is not forgeuen for the fulfilling of the law For no man is able to satisfie the law but the law doth rather shew sinne accuse and terrifie the conscience declare the wrath of God and driue to desperation Much lesse is sinne taken away by the workes and inuentions of men as wicked worshippings straung religious vowes and pilgrimages Finally there is no worke that can take away sinne but sinne is rather encreased by works For the Iusticiaries Meritmongers the more they sweate and labour to bring them selues out of sinne the deeper they are plunged therin For there is no meanes to take away sinne but grace alone Therfore Paule in all the greetings of his epistles setteth grace and peace against sinne and an euill conscience This thing must be diligently marked The words are easy but in tentation it is the hardest thing that can be to be certainly perswaded in our harts that by grace alone without any other meanes either in heauen or earth we haue remission of sinnes and peace with God. The world vnderstādeth not this doctrine therfore it neither will nor can abide it but condemneth it as hereticall and wicked It braggeth of free will of the light of reason and the soundnes of the powers and qualities of nature of good workes as meanes wherby it could deserue and attaine grace and peace that is to say forgeuenes of sinnes and a quiet conscience But it is impossible that the conscience should be quiet and ioyfull vnlesse it haue peace thorowe grace that is to say through the forgiuenes of sinnes promised in Christ Many haue carefully laboured by finding out diuers and sundry religions orders and exercises for this purpose to attaine peace and quietnes of conscience but by so doing they haue plunged them selues in moe and greater miseries for all such deuises are but meanes to encrease doubtfulnes and despaire Therfore there shall be no rest to my bones or thine vnlesse we heare the word of grace and cleaue vnto it stedfastly faithfully Then shall our conscience vndoubtedly finde grace and peace The Apostle doth fittly distinguish this grace and peace from al other kinds of grace peace whatsoeuer He wisheth to the Galathians Grace Peace not from the Emperour or Kings and Princes for these doe commonly persecute the Godly and rise vp against the Lord and Christ his anointed Psal. 2. nor from the world for in the world saith Christ ye shall haue trouble but from God our father c. which is as much to say as he wisheth vnto them a heauēly peace So Christ saith My peace I leaue vnto you my peace I geue you not as the vvorld geueth it do I geue it vnto you The peace of the world graunteth nothing but the peace of our goods and bodies So the Grace or fauoure of the world geueth vs leaue to enioy our goodes casteth vs not out of our possessions But in affliction in the hower of death the grace and fauour of the world can not helpe vs they can not deliuer vs from affliction despaire and death But when the Grace and Peace of God are in the hart then is man strong so that he can neither be cast downe with aduersitie nor puffed vp with prosperitie but walketh on plainly and kepeth the hie way For he taketh hart and courage in the victory of Christes death the confidence thereof beginneth to reigne in his conscience ouer sinne and death because through him he hath assured forgeuenes of his sinnes which after he hath once obtained his conscience is at rest and by the word of Grace is comforted So then a man being comforted hartened by the Grace of God that is by forgeuenes of sinnes and by this peace of conscience is able valiantly to beare and ouercome all troubles yea euen death it selfe This Peace of God is not geuen to the world because the world neuer longeth after it nor vnderstandeth it but to them that beleeue and this commeth to passe by no other meane then by the onely Grace of God. A rule to be obserued that men ought to abstaine from the curious searching of Gods maiestie But why doth the Apostle ioyne in this salutation And from our Lord Iesus Christ Was it not enough to say And from God our father why then doth he couple Iesus Christ vvith the father Ye haue often times heard of vs howe it is a rule and principle in the scriptures diligently to be marked that we must abstaine from the curious searching of Gods maiestie which is intolerable to mans body and much more to his minde No man saith the scripture shall see me and liue The Pope the Turkes the Iewes and all such as trust in their owne merits regard not this rule and therefore remouing Christ the Mediatour out of their sight they speake onely of God before him onely they pray and doe all that they doe As for
in heauen that is to say that Christ according to his proper and true definition is no Moses no lawgeuer no tyraunt but a Mediator for sinnes a free geuer of grace righteousnes and life who gaue him selfe not for our merits holines righteousnes godly life but for our sinnes In deede Christ is an enterpreter of the law but that is not his proper and principall office These things as touching the words we know wel enough and cā talke of them but in practise and in the conflict when the deuill goeth about to deface Christ to plucke the word of grace out of our hartes we finde that we doe not yet know them well and as we should doe He that at that time could define Christ truly and could magnifie him and behold him as his most sweete Sauiour and high Priest and not as a straite Iudge this man had ouercome all euils and were already in the kingdome of heauen But this to doe in the conflict is of all things the most hardest I speake this by experience for I know the Deuils subtilties who at that time not onely goeth about to feare vs with the terrour of the lawe yea and also of a little mote maketh many beames that is to say of that which is no sinne he maketh a very hell for he is maruelous craftie both in aggrauating sinne and in puffing vp the cōscience euen in good works but also is wont to feare vs with the very person of the Mediatour into the which he transformeth him selfe and laying before vs some place of the scripture or some saying of Christ suddenly he striketh our harts and sheweth him selfe vnto vs in such sort as if he were Christ in deede leauing vs sticking so fast in that cogitation that our conscience would sweare it were the same Christ whose saying he alledged Moreouer such is the subtilty of this enemy that he will not sette before vs Christ entierly and wholy but a peece of Christ onely namely that he is the soone of God and man borne of the virgin and by and by he patcheth therto some other thing that is to say some saying of Christ wherwith he terrifieth the impenitent sinners such as that is in the 13. of Luke Except ye repent ye shall all likevvise perish And so corrupting the true definition of Christ with his poison he bringeth to passe that albeit we beleue him to be Christ the true Mediatour yet in very deede our troubled conscience feeleth and iudgeth him to be a tiraunt and a iudge Thus we being deceaued by Sathan doe easily lose that sweete sight of our high Priest and sauiour Christ which being once lost we shunne him no lesse then the deuill him selfe And this is the cause why I doe so earnestly call vpon you to learne the true and proper definition of Christ out of these words of Paule vvhich gaue him selfe for our sinnes If he gaue him selfe to death for oure sinnes then vndoubtedly he is no tiraunt or iudge which will condemne vs for our sinnes He is no caster downe of the afflicted but a raiser vp of those that are fallen a mercifull releuer and comforter of the heauy and broken harted Els should Paule lie in saying vvhich gaue him selfe for our sinnes If I define Christ thus I define him rightly and take hold of the true Christ and possesse him in deede Also I lette passe the curious speculations touching the diuine maiestie and I stay my selfe in the humanitie of Christ and so I learne truly to know the will of god Here is then no feare but altogether sweetnes ioy peace of conscience and such like And herewithal a light also is opened which sheweth me the true knowledge of God of my selfe of all creatures and of all the iniquitie of the Deuils kingdome We teach no newe thing but we repeate and establish olde things which the apostles all godly teachers haue taught before vs And would to God we could so teach establish them that we might not only haue them in our mouth but also well grounded in the bottome of our harte and especially that we might be able to vse them in the agony and conflicte of death Verse 4. That he might deliuer vs from this present euil vvorld In these words also Paule handleth yet more largely the argument of this Epistle He calleth this whole world which hath bene is and shall be the present vvorld to put a difference betwixt this and that euerlasting world which is to come Moreouer he calleth it an euill world because that whatsoeuer is in this world is subiect to the malice of the Deuil raigning ouer the whole world For this cause the world is said to be the kingdome of the Deuill For there is nothing els in this world but ignoraunce contenpt blasphemy and hatred of god Also disobedience against all the words and works of god In and vnder this kingdome of the world are we Here againe you see that no man is able by his owne workes or his owne strēgth to put away sinne because this present world is euill and as S. Iohn sayth is set vpon mischeefe As many therfore as are in the world are the bond slaues of the deuill constrained to serue him and to doe all things at his pleasure What auailed it then to set vp so many orders of religions for the putting away of sinnes to deuise so many great and exceeding painfull workes to weare heary coates to beat the body with whips till the bloud followed to goe on pilgrimage to S. Iames in harnes and such other like Be it so that thou doest all these things yet neuertheles doth this determinate sentence remaine stil That thou art in this present euel vvorld not in the kingdom of Christ And if thou be not in the kingdom of Christ it is certaine that thou doest belong vnto the kingdom of Satan which is this euil world Therfore all giftes either of the body or of the minde which thou possessest as wisedom righteousnes holines eloquence power beautie riches are but the slauish instruments of the hellish tyrannie and with all these thou art compelled to serue the deuill and to promote and enlarge his kingdom First with thy wisedom thou dost darken the wisedom and knowledge of Christ and by thy wicked doctrine leadest men out of the way so that they can not come to the grace and knowledge of Christ Thou settest out and praisest thine owne righteousnes and holines but the righteousnes of Christ by which onely we are iustified and quickened thou doest detest and condemne as wicked and deuillish To be shorte by thy power thou destroyest the kingdom of Christ and doest abuse the same to roote out the gospell to persecute and kill the ministers of Christ and so many as heare them Wherfore if thou be without Christ this thy wisedom is double foolishnes thy righteousnesse double sinne and impietie because it knoweth not
to conscience a seruaunt and slaue Verse 15. VVe vvhich are Ievves by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles That is to say we are borne vnto the righteousnes of the lawe to Moses and to circumcision and euē in our birth we bring the law with vs We haue the righteousnes of the law by nature as Paule before sayth of him selfe in the first chapter Being zelous of the traditions of the fathers Wherefore if we be compared to the Gentiles we are no sinners we are not without the law without works as the Gentiles but we are Iewes borne we are borne righteous brought vp in righteousnes Our righteousnes beginneth euē with our birth for the Iewish religion is naturall vnto vs. For God commaunded Abraham to circumcise euery man childe the eight day This law of circumcision receiued from the fathers Moses afterward confirmed It is a great matter therfore that we are Iewes by nature Notwithstanding although we haue this prerogatiue that we are righteous by nature borne to the law and the workes therof and are not sinners as the Gentiles yet are we not therfore righteous before God. Hereby it is euident that Paule speaketh not of ceremonies or of the ceremoniall lawe as some doe affirme but of a farre waightier matter namely of the natiuitie of the Iewes whom he denieth to be righteous although they be borne holy be circumcised keepe the lawe haue the adoption the glory the couenaunt the fathers the true worship God Christ the promises liue in them and glory in the same as they say Iohn 8. VVe are the seede of Abraham Also vve haue one father vvhich is God. And to the Romaines Beholde thou art called a Ievv and restest in the lavv c. Wherfore although that Peter and the other Apostles were the children of God righteous according to the law the works and the righteousnes therof circumcision the adoption the couenaūts the promises the Apostleship and all such like yet Christian righteousnes commeth not therby for none of all these is faith in Christ which onely as foloweth in the text iustifieth and not the law Not that the law is euil or damnable for the law circumcision and such like are not therefore condemned because they iustifie not but Paule therfore taketh from them the office of iustification because the false apostles contended that by them without faith and onely by the worke wrought men are iustified saued This was not to be suffred of Paule For where faith ceaseth all things are deadly the law circumcision the adoption the temple the worship of God the promises yea God and Christ him selfe without faith profiteth nothing Paule therfore speaketh generally against all things which are contrary to faith and not against ceremonies onely Verse 16. Knovv that a man is not iustified by the vvorks of the lavv but by the faith of Iesus Christ This clause the vvorke of the lavv reacheth farre and comprehēdeth much We take the worke of the law therefore generally for that which is contrary to grace What so euer is not grace is the law whether it be Iudiciall ceremoniall or the ten commaundements Wherfore if thou couldest doe the workes of the lawe according to this commaūdement Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God vvithall thy heart c. which no mā yet euer did or could do notwithstanding thou shouldest not be iustified before God for a man is not iustified by the workes of the law But hereof we will speake more largely hereafter The worke of the law then according to Paule signifieth the worke of the whole law whether it be ceremoniall or Moral Now if the worke of the morall law doe not iustifie much lesse doth circumcision iustifie which is a worke of the ceremonial law Wherfore when Paule sayth as he oftentimes doth that by the lavv or by the vvorkes of the lavv which are both one a man is not iustified he speaketh generally of the whole law setting the righteousnes of faith against the righteousnes of the whole law For the righteousnes of the law sayth he a man is not pronounced righteous before God but the righteousnes of faith God imputeth freely through grace for Christes sake The lawe no doubt is holy righteous and good and consequently the works of the law are holy righteous and good yet notwithstanding a man is not iustified therby before God. Now the works of the law may be done either before iustificatiō or after There were many good men euen amōgst the Paganes as Xenophon Aristides Fabius Cicero Pomponius Atticus others which before iustification performed the deedes of the lawe and did notable workes Cicero suffered death valiantly in a good a iust cause Pomponius was a cōstant man loued truth for he neuer made lie him self nor could suffer the same in any other Now constancie truth are noble vertues excellent works of the lawe yet were they not iustified therby After iustification Peter Paule al other christians haue done do the works of the law but yet are they not iustified therby I knovv not my selfe giltie in anything sayth Paule and yet am I not therby iustified We see then that he speaketh not of any part of the law but of the whole law and all the workes thereof The Diuinitie of the Sophisters commonly called the Scholemen Wherfore the wicked pernicious opinion of the Papists is vtterly to be condemned which do attribute the merite of grace remission of sinnes to the worke wrought For they say that a good worke before grace is auaileable to obtaine grace of Congruence which they call meritum de Congruo because it is meete and conuenient that God should reward such a worke But when grace is obtained the worke folowing deserueth euerlastīg life of due det worthines which they cal meritum de Condigno As for exāple If a mā being in deadly sin without grace do a good worke of his owne good naturall inclination that is if he say or heare a Masse or geue almes and such like this man of cōgruence deserueth grace When he hath thus obtained grace he doth a worke which of worthines deserueth euerlasting life For the first god is no detter but because he is iust and good it behoueth him to approue such a good worke though it be done in deadly sinne to geue grace for such a seruice But when grace is obtained God is become a detter and is constrained of right and duetie to geue eternal life For now it is not onely a worke of freewill done according to the substance but also done in grace which maketh gratious that is to say in loue This is the Diuinitie of the Antichristian kingdom Which here I recite to the ende that the disputation of Paule may be the better vnderstand For two contrary things being set together be the better knowen and moreouer that all mē
of faith in god Let him that is a Rethorician amplifie this place and he shall see that faith is an almighty thing that the power therof is inestimable and infinite For it geueth glory vnto God which is the highest seruice that can be geuen vnto him Nowe to geue glory vnto God is to beleeue in him to count him true wise righteous merciful almighty briefly to acknowledge him to be the author and geuer of all goodnes This reason doth not but faith That is it which maketh vs diuine people and as a man would say it is the creator of a certaine diuinitie not in the substaunce of God but in vs For without faith God loseth in vs his glory wisedom righteousnes truth and mercy To conclude There no maiestie or diuinitie remaineth vnto God where faith is not And the cheefest thing that God requireth of man is that he geue vnto him his glory and his diuinitie that is to say that he take him not for an idoll but for God who regardeth him heareth him sheweth mercy vnto him and helpeth him This being done then hath God his full and perfect diuinitie that is he hath whatsoeuer a faithfull heart can attribute vnto him To be able therfore to geue that glory vnto God it is the wisedom of wisedomes the righteousnes of righteousnesses the religion of religions and sacrifice of sacrifices Hereby we may perceaue what an high and excellent righteousnes faith is and so by the contrary what an horrible and greeuous sinne infidelitie is Whosoeuer then beleeueth the word of God as Abraham did is righteous before God because he hath faith which geueth glory vnto God that is he geueth to God that which is due to him For faith saith thus I beleeue thee O God when thou speakest And what sayth God Impossible things lies foolish weake absurde abhominable hereticall and deuillish things if ye beleeue reason For what is more absurde foolish and vnpossible then when God saith to Abraham that he should haue a sonne of the harren and dead body of his wife Sara So if we will follow the iudgement of reason God setteth forth absurde and impossible things when he setteth out vnto vs the Articles of the Christian faith In deede it seemeth to reason an absurde and a foolish thing that in the Lordes supper is offred vnto vs the body and bloud of Christ that baptisme is the Lauer of the new birth and of the renewing of the holy Ghost that the dead shall rise in the last day that Christ the sonne of God was conceiued and caried in the wombe of the virgin Marie that he was borne that he suffered the most reprochefull death of the crosse that he was raised vp againe that he nowe sitteth at the right hand of God the father and that he hath power both in heauen and in earth For this cause Paule calleth the Gospell of Christe crucified the worde of the crosse and foolish preaching which to the Iewes was offensiue and to the Gentiles foolish doctrine c. Reason therfore doth not vnderstand that to heare the worde of God and to beleeue it is the cheefest seruice that God requireth of vs but it thinketh that those thinges which it chooseth and doth of a good entent as they call it and of her owne deuotion please god Therefore when God speaketh reason iudgeth his word to be heresie and the word of the Deuill for it seemeth absurde and foolish But faith killeth reason and slaieth that beast which the whole world and all creatures cannot kill So Abraham killed it by faith in the worde of God by which word seede was promised him of Sara who was barren and now past childe bearing Vnto this word reason yeelded not streight way in Abraham but doubtles it fought against faith in him iudgeing it to be an absurde a foolish and vnpossible thing that that Sara who was nowe not onely 90. yeares of age but also was barren by nature should bring forth a sonne Thus faith no doubt wrestled with reason in Abraham but heerein faith got the victory killed and sacrificed reason that most cruell and pestilent ennemie of god So all the godly entring with Abraham into the darkenes of faith doe kill reason saying Reason thou art foolish thou doest not sauour those things which belong vnto God therefore speake not against me but hold thy peace iudge not but heare the word of God and beleeue it So the godly by faith kill such a beast as is greater then the whole world and thereby doe offer to God a most acceptable sacrifice and seruice And in comparison of this sacrifice of the faithfull all the religions of all nations and all the workes of all Monkes and meritemongers are nothing at all For by this sacrifice first as I said they kill reason a greate and mightie ennemie of God. For reason despiseth God denieth his wisedome righteousnes power truth mercie maiestie and diuinitie Moreouer by the same sacrifice they yeeld glory vnto God that is they beleeue him to be righteous good faithfull true c they beleeue that he can doe all things that all his wordes are holy true liuely and effectuall c. which is a most acceptable obedience vnto god Therefore there can be no greater or more holy religion in the world nor more acceptable seruice vnto God then faith is Contrariwise the Iusticiaries and such as seeke righteousnes by their owne woorkes lacking Faithe in deede doe many things They fast they pray they watch they lay crosses vppon themselues But because they thinke to appease the wrath of God and deserue grace by these things they geue no glory to God that is they doe not iudge him to be mercifull true and keeping promise c. but to be an angrie iudge which must be pacified with woorkes and by this meanes they despise God they make him as a lier in all his promises they denie Christe and all his benefites to conclude they thrust God out of his seate and set them selues in his place For they reiecting and despising the worde of God doe choose vnto them selues such worshippe and woorkes as God hath not commaunded They imagine that God hath a pleasure therin and they hope to receiue a reward of him for the same Therefore they kill not reason that mightie enemie of God but quicken it and they take from God his maiestie and his diuinitie and attribute the same vnto their owne woorkes Wherfore onely faith geueth glory to God as Paule witnesseth of Abraham Abraham sayeth he vvas made strong in the faith and gaue glory to God being fully assured that vvhatsoeuer God had promised he vvas able to performe and therefore it vvas imputed to him for righteousnes Christian righteousnes consisteth in Faith of the hearte and Gods imputation It is not without cause that he addeth this sentence out of the fiftene Chapiter of Genesis And it
Monke if he kepe his order and performe his vowes But all these are deceaued and become vaine in their owne cogitations as Paule sayeth Rom. 1. not knowing what pleaseth or displeaseth God therfore in steed of the true and naturall God they worship the dreames and imaginations of their owne heart This is it that Paul meaneth whē he saith vvhē ye knevv not God that is when ye knew not the wil of God ye serued those which by nature were no gods that is to say ye serued the dreames imaginatiōs of your owne heart wherby ye imagined without the word the God was to be worshipped with this or that worke with this or that rite or ceremonie For vpon this proposition which all men doe naturally hold namely that there is a God hath sprong all Idolatrie which without that knowledge of the Diuinitie could neuer haue come into the world But because men had this naturall knowledge of God they conceaued vaine and wicked imaginations of God without against the word which they esteemed and maintained as the very truth it selfe and so dreamed that God is such a one as by nature he is not So the Mōke imagineth him to be such a God as forgeueth sinnes geueth grace and euerlasting life for the keping of his Rule This God is no where to be foūd therfore he serueth not the true God but that which by nature is no God to witte the imagination and Idoll of his owne heart that is to say his owne false and vaine opinion of God which he dreameth to be an vndoubted truth Now reason it selfe will enforce vs to confesse that mans opinion is no God. Therfore who so euer wil worship God without this word serueth not the true God as Paule sayth but that which by nature is no God. Therfore whether ye call rudiments here the lawe of Moises or else the traditions of the Gentiles albeit he speaketh here properly and principally of the rudiments of Moises there is no great difference For he that falleth from grace to the law falleth with no lesse daunger then he that falleth from grace to Idolatrie For without Christ there is nothing else but mere Idolatrie an Idoll and false imagination of God whether it be called Moises law or the Popes ordinance or the Turks Alcoran c. Therfore he sayth with a certaine admiration Verse 9. But novv seing ye knovv God. As though he would say This is a maruelous thing that ye knowing God by the preaching of Faith doe so suddainly reuolt from the true knowledge of his will wherein I thought ye were so surely established that I feared nothing lesse then that ye should so easily be ouerthrowne doe now againe by the instigation of the false Apostles returne to the weake and beggerly ceremonies which ye would serue againe afresh Ye heard before by my preaching that this is the will of God to blesse all nations not by circumcision or by the obseruation of the law but by Christe promised to Abraham They that beleue in him shall be blessed with faithfull Abraham they are the sonnes and heires of God. Thus I say haue ye knowen God. Verse 9. Yea rather are knovven of god c. He correcteth the sentence going before But novv seing ye haue knovven God or rather turneth it after this maner yea rather ye are knovven of God. For he feared lest they had lost God vtterly As if he would say Alas are ye come to this poynt that now ye know not God but returne againe from grace to the law Yet notwithstanding God knoweth you And in deede our knowledge is rather passiue then actiue that is to say it consisteth in this that we are rather knowen of God then that we know him All our doing that is all our endeuour to know and to apprehend God is to suffer God to worke in vs He geueth the word which when we haue receiued by Faith geuen from aboue we are new borne and made the sonnes of god This is then the sense and meaning Ye are knovven of God that is ye are visited with the word ye are endued with Faith and the holy Ghost wherby ye are renewed c. Wherfore euen by these words Ye are knovven of God he taketh away all righteousnes from the law and denieth that we attaine the knowledge of God through the worthines of our owne workes For no man knovveth the father but the sonne he to vvhom the sonne vvill reueale him Also He by his knovvledge shall iustifie many because he shall beare our iniquities Wherefore our knowledge concerning God consisteth in suffering and not in doing He much meruelleth therfore that seing they knew God truely by the Gospell they returned so suddenly backe to weake and beggerly rudiments by the perswasion of the false apostles As I my selfe also should greatly maruell if our Church which by the grace of God is godly reformed in pure doctrine and Faith should be seduced and peruerted by some fond and frantike head through the preaching of one or two sermons that they would not acknowledge me for their pastour any more Which thing notwithstanding shall one day come to passe if not whilest we liue yet when we are dead and gone For many shall then rise vppe which will be maisters and teachers who vnder a colour of true religiō shall teach false and peruerse doctrine and shall quickly ouerthrow all that we in so long time and with so great trauel haue builded We are not better then the Apostles who whiles they yet liued sawe not without their great griefe and sorow the subuersion of those Churches which they thēselues had planted through theyr ministerie Therfore it is no great maruell if we be constrained to behold the like euill at this day in those Churches where Sectaries doe raigne who hereafter when we are dead shall possesse those Churches which we haue wonne and planted by our ministerie and with their poyson infect and subuert the same And yet notwithstanding Christe shall remaine and raigne to the end of the world and that maruelously as he did vnder the Papacie Paule seemeth to speake very spitefully of the lawe when he calleth it rudiments as he did also before in the beginning of this chapt and not only rudiments but weake and beggetly rudiments and ceremonies Is it not blasphemie to geue such odious names to the law of God The lawe being in his true vse ought to serue the promises and to stand with the promises grace But if it fight against them it is no more the holy law of God but a false and a deuilish doctrine and doth nothing else but driue men to desperation therfore must be reiected Wherefore when he calleth the lawe weake and beggerly rudiments he speaketh of the lawe in respect of proud and presumpteous hypocrites which would be iustified by it and not of the law being spiritually vnderstand which engendreth wrath
to wrest and peruert Paules wordes let vs heare himselfe speaking in the .2 Corrin 12. Very gladly vvil I reioyce rather in mine infirmities that the povver of Christ may dvvell in me Therfore I take pleasure in infirmities in reproches in necessities in persecutiōs in anguish for Christes sake for vvhē I am vveake then am I strong And in the .11 chap. In labours more aboundant in stripes aboue measure in prisons more plenteous in death ofte Of the Ievves fiue times receiued I fortie stripes saue one I vvas thrise beaten vvith roddes I vvas once stoned I suffred thrise shipvvracke c. These afflictions which he suffred in his body he calleth the infirmitie of the flesh not any corporall disease As though he would say When I preached the Gospel amōgst you I was oppressed with sondry tentations afflictions I was alwayes in daunger both of the Iewes of the Gentiles also of false brethern I suffred hunger and wāted all things I was as the very filth and of scouring of the world He maketh mētion of this his infirmitie in many places as in the 1. Cor. 4. 2. Cor. 4.6.11.12 and in many other We see then that Paule calleth afflictiōs the infirmities of the flesh which he suffred in the flesh like as that other Apostles the Prophets al godly men did notwithstanding he was mighty in spirit For the power of Christ was in him which alwaies raigned triumphed through him Which thing he testifieth in that. 2. Cor. 12. with these words For vvhen I am vveake then am I strōg Also I vvil gladly reioyce in my infirmities that the povver of Christ may dvvel in me And in the .2 chapter Thanks be to God vvhich alvvayes maketh vs to triumph in Christ As though he would say In dede the Deuil the Iewes the Gentiles rage cruelly against vs notwithstāding we continue constant inuincible against all their assaults wil they nil they our doctrine preuaileth triumpheth This was the strength power of that spirit in Paule against the which he setteth here the infirmitie and bōdage of the flesh Now this infirmitie of the flesh in the Godly doth wonderfully offend reason Therfore Paule so highly commendeth the Galathians for that they were not offended with this great infirmitie and with this vile and contemptible forme of the crosse which they saw in him but receaued him as an angell yea as Christ him selfe And Christ also armeth the Faithfull against this base and contemptible forme of the crosse in which he appeared when he sayeth Blessed is he that is not offended in me And surely it is a great matter that they which beleue in him doe acknowledge him to be the Lord of all and Sauiour of the world whom notwithstanding they heare to haue bene the most miserable of all others the last of men yea a very scorne of men and a contempt of the world briefly despised and hated of all men and condemned to the death of the crosse and euen of his owne people and especially of those that were esteemed the best the wisest and holiest of all other This is a great matter I say not to be moued with these great offences and to be able not onely to contemne them but also to esteme this pore Christ so spitefully scorned spitte vpon whipped and crucified more then the riches of all the richest the strength of all the strongest the wisedom of all the wisest the holines of all the holiest mē with all the crownes scepters of all the Kings and Princes of the whole world They therfore are worthily called blessed of Christ which are not offended in him Now Paule had not onely outward tentations wherof I haue spoken alredy but also inward and spirituall tentations as Christ had in the garden Such as that was wherof he complaineth in the 2. Corrin 12. that he felt the pricke or sting of the flesh and the angell of Satan vvhich buffetted him This I say by the way because the Papists expounded this to be a motion of fleshly lust but it was a spirituall tentation And herein is no repugnance that he addeth this word Flesh saying A pricke vvas geuen me in my Flesh. Yea he calleth it of purpose a pricke in the flesh For the Galathians and others which were conuersant with Paule had seene him oftentimes in great anguish terrour and heauines of spirite Wherfore the Apostles had not onely bodily but also spirituall tentations which also he confesseth in the .2 Cor. 7. with these wordes Fightings vvithout and terrours vvithin And Luke sayeth in the last of the Actes that Paule when he had long striued in the tempestes of the sea euen vnto heauines of his spirite was againe refreshed and waxed bolde when he sawe the brethern that came from Rome to meete him at the market of Appius and three Tauernes Also in the .2 Phil. he confesseth that God had mercy vpon him in that he restored Epaphroditus so weake and neare to death vnto health againe lest he should haue sorrow vpon sorrow Therefore besides outward tentations the Apostles also suffered great anguish heauines and terrours But why sayth Paule that he was not despised of the Galathians It seemeth that they despised him when they fell away from his Gospell Paule expoundeth himselfe When I first preached to you the Gospell sayth he ye did not as other people for the most parte haue done who being greatly offended through this my infirmitie and tentation of the flesh haue despised and reiected me For mans reason is soone offended with this vile and contemptible forme of the crosse and iudgeth those that are so afflicted to be starke madde which will goe about to cōfort helpe and succour others Also those that boast of their great riches that is to say of righteousnes strēgth victory ouer sinne death and all euils of ioy saluation and euerlasting life and yet notwithstanding they themselues are needie weake heauy hearted and despised euill intreated and slaine as very noysome poysons of common weales and of Religion and they that kill them thinke they doe high seruice vnto god Therfore when they promise vnto others eternall treasures and they themselues perish so wretchedly before the world they are laughed to scorne and cōpelled to heare Phisitian cure thy selfe And hereof come these complaints which are euery where in the Psalmes I am a vvorme and no man c. Againe Depart not frō me for tribulation is at hand and there is none to helpe c. This is therfore a great commendation of the Galathians that they were not offended with this infirmitie and tentation of Paule but receaued him as an Angell of God yea as Christ Iesus It is in dede a great vertue and worthy of great praise to heare the Apostle But it is a greater and a true Christian vertue to geue eare vnto one so miserable weake and
that the wicked are offended the fault is in theÌ„selues and not in vs God hath coÌ„maunded vs to preach the doctrine of the Gospell without any respect of offence But because this doctrine condemneth the wicked doctrine and idolatrie of our aduersaries they being prouoked thereby breede offences of theÌ„selues which the Schoolemen called offences taken which they sayd ought not to be auoided nor can be auoided Christ taught the Gospell hauing no regard to the offence of the Iewes Suffer theÌ„ sayth he they are blinde leaders of the blinde The more the priests forbad the Apostles to preach in the name of Christ the more the Apostles gaue witnesse that the same Iesus whom they had crucified is both Lord and Christe and vvhosoeuer should call vpon him should be saued and that there vvas none other name geuen vnto men vnder heaueÌ„ through vvhich they could be saued c. Euen so we preach Christ at this day not regarding the clamours of the wicked Papists and all our aduersaries which crie out that our doctrine is seditious and full of blasphemie that it troubleth common weales ouerthroweth religion and teacheth heresies and briefly that it is the cause of all euils When Christe and his Apostles preached the same was sayde likewise of them Not long after the Romanes came and according to their owne prophesie destroyed both the place and the nation Wherfore let the enemies of the Gospel at this day take heede that they be not ouerwhelmed with these euils which they prophesie vnto themselues These they make greeuous and hainous offences that Monks and priests doe marry wiues that we eate flesh vpon the fridayes and such like But this is no offence to them at al that by their wicked doctrine they seduce daily destroy innumerable soules that by their euill examples they offend the weake that they blaspheme condemne the gospell of the glory of the mighty God and that they persecute and kil those the loue the sinceritie of doctrine the word of life this I say is to them no offence but an obedience a seruice and an acceptable sacrifice vnto God. Let vs â—â—er them therfore For they are blinde and leaders of the blinde He that hurteth let him hurt still and he that is filthie let him be more filthie But we because we beleue will speake and sette forth the wonderful works of the Lord so long as we haue breath and wil endure the persecutioÌ„s of our aduersaries vntill the time that Christ our high Bishop and King shall come from heauen who we hope will come shortly as a iust iudge to take vengeaunce of all those that obey not his Gospell So be it With these offences which the wicked alledge the godly are nothing moued For they know that the Deuill hateth nothing more then the pure doctrine of the Gospel therefore he goeth about to deface it with innumerable offences that by this meanes he might roote it out of mens heartes for euer Before when nothing else was taught in the church but mans traditions the Deuil did not so rage For whilest the strong man kept the house all that he possessed was in peace but now when a stronger cometh which vanquisheth and bindeth that strong one and spoileth his house then he beginneth to rage in deede And this is an infallible token that the doctrine which we professe is of God. For else as it is sayd in the 40. of Iob that Behemoth vvould lie hid vnder the trees in the couert of the reede and fennes But now that he rangeth about like a roring Lion stirreth vp such hurly burleis it is a manifest token that he feeleth the power of our preaching When Paule sayth They are ielous ouer you but amisse he sheweth by the way who are the authors of sectes to witte those ielous spirits which in all times ouerthrow the true doctrine and trouble the publike peace For these being stirred vp with a peruerse zeale imagine that they haue a certaine singuler holines modestie patience and doctrine aboue others therfore they thinke that they are able to prouide for the saluation of all men that they can teach more profound profitable things ordaine better seruice ceremonies then all other teachers besides whom they despise as nothing in coÌ„parison of themselues and abase their authority and corrupt those things which they haue purely taught The false apostles had such a wicked peruerse zeale stirring vp sects not onely in Galatia but also in all the places whersoeuer Paul the other Apostles had preached after the which sectes folowed innumerable offences maruelous troubles For the Deuil as Christ sayth is a lier and a murtherer and therefore he is wont not onely to trouble mens consciences by false doctrine but also to stirre vppe tumultes seditions and warres There are very many in Germanie at this day which are possessed with this kinde of ielousie which pretend great religion modesty doctrine patience and yet in very deede they are rauening wolues who with their hypocrisie seeke nothing else but to discredite vs that the people might esteme loue and reuerence them onely and receaue no other doctrine but theirs Now because these men haue a great opinion of them selues despise other it can not be but that there must needes folow horrible dissentions sectes diuisions and seditions But what should we doe We can not remedy this matter as Paule could not doe in hi time Notwithstanding he gained some which obeyed his admonitions So I hope also that we haue called some backe from the errours of the Sectaries Verse 18. But it is a good thing to loue earnestly alvvayes in a good thing and not onely vvhen I am present vvith you As if he should say I commend you for this that ye loued me so entirely when I preached the Gospel amongst you in the infirmitie of the flesh Ye ought to haue borne the same affection towards me now wheÌ„ I am absent eueÌ„ as if I had neuer departed from you For although I be absent in body yet haue ye my doctrine which ye ought to retain maintain seeing ye receiued the holy ghost through it thinking with your selues that Paule is alwaies present with you as long as ye haue his doctrine I do not therfore reprehend your zeale but I praise it so farre forth I praise it as it is the zeale of God or of the spirite and not of the flesh Now the zeale of the spirite is alwayes good for it is an earnest affection and motion of the heart to a good thing and so is not the zeale of the flesh He commendeth therfore the zeale of the Galathians that therby he may pacifie their mindes and that they may patiently suffer his correction As if he would say Take my correction in good parte for it procedeth not of an angrie but of a sorrowfull heart and
their infirmities and sinnes so much the more they flie vnto Christe the throne of grace and more heartely craue his aide and succour to witte that he will couer them with his righteousnes that he will encrease their Faith that he will endue them with his holy spirite by whose gracious leading and guiding they may ouercome the lusts of the flesh that they rule raigne not ouer them but may be subiect vnto them Thus true Christians doe continually wrastle with sinne and yet notwithstanding in wrastling they are not ouercome but obtaine the victorie This haue I said that ye may vnderstād not by mens dreames but by the word of God who be true Saincts in deede We see then how greatly Christian doctrine helpeth to the raising vp comforting of weake consciences which treateth not of coules shauings shearings fraternities and such like toyes but of high waightie matters as how we may ouercome the flesh sinne death and the Deuill This doctrine as it is vnknowne to all Iusticiaries such as trust to their owne works so is it impossible for them to instruct or bring into the right way one poore conscience wandring and going astray or to pacifie and comfort the same when it is in heauines terrour or desperation Verse 19. The vvorkes of the flesh are manifest vvhich are adulterie fornication vncleannes vvantonnes idolatrie vvitchcraft c. Paule doth not recite all the workes of the flesh but vseth a certaine number for a number vncertaine First he reckeneth vp the kinds of lustes as adulterie fornication vncleannes wantonnes c. Now Now not only carnal lust is a worke of the flesh as the Papists dreamed who called mariage also a worke of the flesh so chast holy are these men wherof God himselfe is the author which also they themselues reckened among their sacraments but he numbreth also amongst the workes of the flesh as I haue sayd before idolatrie withcraft hatred and such other which hereafter folow Wherfore this place alone doth sufficiently shew what Paule meaneth by the flesh These wordes are so well knowne that they neede no interpretation Idolatrie All the highest religions the holines most feruent deuotions of those which do reiect Christ the Mediatour worship God without his word cōmaundement are nothing else but plaine idolatry As in Popery it was coūted a most holy spirituall act when the Mōks being shut vp in their selles did must meditate of God or of his works whē they being enflamed with most earnest deuotions kneeled downe praied were so rauished with the cōtemplation of heauēly things that they wept for ioy Ther was no thīking of womē or of any other creature but only of god the creator of his wonderfull works and yet this most spiritual worke as reason estemeth it is accordīg to Paul a worke of the flesh plaine idolatry Wherfore all such religiō wherby God is worshipped without his word cōmaundement is idolatry And the more holy spirituall it seemeth to be in outward shew so much the more dāgerous pernicious it is For it turneth men away frō faith in Christ causeth thē to trust to their owne strēgth works righteousnes And such is the religion of the Anabaptists at this day albeit they daily more more bewray thēselues to be possessed with the Deuill and to be seditious bloudy men Therfore the fasting the wearing of heare holy works strait Rule whole life of the Carthusiās or Charterhouse monks whose order notwithstanding is of all other the straitest sharpest be very works of the flesh yea plaine idolatrie For they imagine thē selues to be saincts to be saued not by Christ whom they feare as a seuere cruel iudge but by obseruīg of their Rules Orders In dede they thinke of God of Christ of heauenly things but after their owne reason not after the word of God to wit that their apparell their maner of liuing theyr whole conuersation is holy pleaseth Christ whō not onely they hope to pacifie by this straitnes of life but also to be rewarded of him for their good deedes righteousnes Therfore their most spiritual thoughts as they dreme of thē are not only most fleshly but also most wicked For they wold wipe away their sinnes obtaine grace life euer lasting by the trust affiāce they haue in their owne righteousnes reiecting despising the word faith Christ Al the worshippings seruices of God therefore all religions without Christ are idolatry and idoll seruice In Christ alone the father is wel pleased who so heareth him and doth that which he hath commaunded the same is beloued because of the beloued He commaundeth vs to beleue his word and to be baptised c. and not to deuise any new worshipping or seruice of God. I haue said before that the works of the flesh be manifest as adultery fornication such like be manifestly known to all men But idolatry hath such a goodly shew is so spirituall that it is known but to very few that is to the faithful to be a worke of the flesh For the Monke whē he liueth chastly fasteth praieth or saith Masse is so far from thinking hīself to be an idolater or that he fulfilleth any worke of the flesh that he is assuredly perswaded that he is led gouerned by the spirit that he walketh according to the spirit that he thinketh speaketh doth nothing else but mere spiritual thīgs and that he doth such seruice vnto god as is most acceptable vn to him No mā cā at this day perswade the Papists that their Masse is a great blasphemy agaīst god idolatry yea that so horrible as neuer was any in the church since the apostles time For they are blind obstinate therfore they iudge so peruersly of god of gods matters thīkīg idolatry to be a true seruice of god contrariwise faith to be idolatry But we which beleue in Christ know his mind are able to iudge to discerne al things cannot truly before God be iudged of any man. Hereby it is plaine that Paul calleth flesh whatsoeuer is in mā cōprehēding all the .iii. powers of the soule that is the wil that lusteth the wil that is enclined to anger the vnderstāding The works of that wil that lusteth are adultery fornicatiō vncleanes such like The works of that wil inclined to wrath are quarelings cōtentiōs murder such other The works of vnderstanding or reason are errors false religions superstitiōs idolatry heresies that is to say Sectes and such like It is very necessary for vs to know these things for this word flesh is so darkned in the whole kingdom of the Pope that they haue takē the worke of the flesh to be nothing else but that accōplishing of fleshly lust or the acte of lechery
it signifieth all the afflictions of the faithfull whose sufferings are Christes sufferings 2. Cor. 1. The sufferings of Christ abound in vs. Againe Novv reioyce I in my sufferings for you and fulfill the rest of the afflictiōs of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake vvhich is the Church c. The crosse of Christe therfore generally signifieth all the afflictiōs of the church which it suffereth for Christe which he him selfe witnesseth when he sayth Saule Saule vvhy persecutest thou me Saule did no violence to Christ but to his Church But he that toucheth it toucheth the apple of his eye There is a more liuely feeling in the head then in the other members of the body And this we know by experience for the litle toe or the least part of a mannes body being hurt the head forthwith sheweth it selfe by the countenaunce to feele the greefe thereof So Christe our head maketh all our afflictions his owne and suffereth also when we suffer which are his body It is profitable for vs to know these things lest we should be swalowed vppe with sorow or fal to despaire when we see that our aduersaries doe cruelly persecute excommunicate kill vs But let vs thinke with our selues after the example of Paule that we must glory in the crosse which we beare not for our owne sinnes but for Christes sake If we consider onely in our selues the sufferings which we endure they are not only grieuous but intolerable but when we may say Thy sufferings O Christe abound in vs Or as is said in the Psal. 44. For thy sake are vve killed all the day then these sufferings are not onely easie but also sweete according to that saying My burden is easie and my yoke is svveete Now it is well knowen that we at this day doe suffer the hatred and persecution of our aduersaries for none other cause but for that we preach Christe faithfully and purely If we would deny him and approue their pernicious errours and wicked religion they would not onely cease to hate and persecute vs but woulde also offer vnto vs honour riches and many goodly things Because therefore we suffer these things for Christes sake we may truely reioyse and glory with Paule in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ that is to say not in riches in power in the fauour of men c. but in afflictions weaknes sorow fightings in the body terrours in the spirite persecutions and all other euils Wherefore we trust it will shortly come to passe that Christe will say the same to vs that Dauid sayd to Abiathar the priest I am the cause of all your deaths Againe He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye As if he had sayd he that hurteth you hurteth me For if ye did not preach my worde and confesse me ye should not suffer these things So sayth he also in Iohn If ye vvere of the vvorld the vvorld vvould loue his ovvne but because I haue chosen you out of the vvorld therfore the vvorld hateth you But these things are treated of afore Verse 14. By vvhom the vvorld is crucified to me I vnto the vvorld This is Paules maner of speaking The world is crucified to me that is I iudge the world to be damned And I am crucified to the world that is the world againe iudgeth me to be damned Thus we crucifie and condemne one an other I abhorre all the doctrine righteousnes and works of the world as the poyson of the Deuil The world againe detesteth my doctrine and deedes and iudgeth me to be a sedicious a pernicious a pestilent felow and an heretike So at this day the world is crucified to vs and we vnto the world We curse and condemne all mans traditions concerning Masses Orders vowes wil-worshippings works all the abhominations of the Pope other heretikes as the dirt of the Deuill They againe do persecute kill vs as destroyers of religion and troublers of the publike peace The Monkes dreamed that the world was crucified to them when they entred into their Monasteries but by this meanes Christ is crucified and not the world yea the world is deliuered from crucifying and is the more quickened by that opinion of holines and trust which they had in their owne righteousnes that entred into religion Most foolishly wickedly therfore was this sentence of the Apostle wrested to the entring into Monasteries He speaketh here of an high matter of great importance that is to say that euery faithfull man iudgeth that to be the wisedom righteousnes and power of God which the world condemneth as the greatest folly wickednes and weaknes And contrariwise that which the world iudgeth to be the highest religion and seruice of God the faithfull doe know to be nothing else but execrable and horrible blasphemie against god So the godly condemne the world and againe the world condemneth the godly But the godly haue the right iudgement on their side for the spirituall man iudgeth all things Wherefore the iudgement of the world touching religion and righteousnes before God is as contrary to the iudgement of the godly as God and the Deuill are contrary the one to the other For as God is crucified to the Deuill and the Deuill to God that is to say as God condemneth the doctrine and workes of the Deuill for the Sonne of God appeared as Iohn sayth to destroy the workes of the Deuill and contrariwise the Deuill condemneth and ouerthroweth the word and the workes of God for he is murtherer and the father of lies so the world condemneth the doctrine and life of the godly calling them most pernicious heretikes and troublers of the publike peace And againe the faithfull call the world the sonne of the Deuil which rightly foloweth his fathers steppes that is to say which is as great a murtherer and lier as his father is This is Paules meaning when he sayth vvhereby the vvorld is crucified to me and I vnto the vvorld Now the world doth not onely signifie in the Scriptures vngodly and wicked men but the very best the wisest and holiest men that are of the world And here by the way he couertly toucheth the false apostles As if he should say I vtterly hate and detest all glory which is without the crosse of Christ as a cursed thing for the world with all the glory thereof is crucified to me and I to the world Wherefore accursed be all they which glory in your flesh and not in the crosse of Christ Paule therefore witnesseth by these wordes that he hateth the world with a perfect hatred of the holy Ghost and againe the world hateth him with a perfect hatred of a wicked spirite As if he should say It is impossible that there should be any agreement betweene me and the world What shall I then doe shall I geue place teach those things which please the