the question he woulde sodaynlye cutte off the occasion of doubt or else the wordes Euen as are referred only to that which is next afore that is to saye that by the hearing of fayth lhey had the ministration of the Spirite and of vertues as if he would say that there shined in the grace giuen vnto them a similitude or likenesse with Abraham Beleeued God With this Testimonie hee proueth as well in this place as in the fourth Chapter to the Romaynes that men are iustified by fayth because Fayth was imputed to Abraham for righteousnesse Fyrste brieflye is to be vnderstanded what Fayth in this place meaneth with Paule secondlye what righteousnesse thyrdlye why fayth is deemed the cause of iustification Fayth is not taken for euerye perswasion which men may haue of the truth of God for be it that Caine had a hundred tymes beleeued God when he tolde him he would punishe him he hadde not bene the nere to obtayne righteousnesse Abraham therefore was iustified by beleeuing because whereas he had of God a promise of his fatherly goodnesse he did certaynely and surely embrace the same than Fayth in this place hath a relation and respecte vnto suche a worde of GOD as men hauing it in possession may rest in it and sticke fast to it As touching the worde Righteousnesse the manner of speaking of Moses is to be marked for whereas he sayth It was imputed to Abraham for righteousnesse because he beleeued hee declareth thereby that he is righteous that is so taken with GOD. And whereas men haue not righteteousnesse layde vp in themselues they obtayne the same by imputation because GOD doth impute Fayth vnto them for righteousnesse Wee are sayde than to bee iustifyed by Faith not because fayth doth poure into vs an habite or qualitie but because we are accepted before GOD. And why is there so great honour attributed to faith that it is called the cause of our righteousnesse Firste wee must knowe that it is the instrumentall cause onely for to speake properly our righteousnesse is nothing else but a free accepting of GOD in which lieth the foundation of our saluation but because the Lorde in giuing vnto vs a Testimonie of his loue and grace thorowe the Gospell doeth communicate vnto vs that righteousnesse which I haue spoken off therefore we take holde of it by fayth Therefore when we attribute mans iustification vnto fayth wee dispute not of the principall cause but we note onelye the manner whereby men come to true righteousnesse For this righteousnesse is the meere gifte of God and not a qualitye whiche sticketh or is in man but is possessed onely by Fayth neyther yet that by the deserte or merite of Fayth that it should be as a due rewarde but because we receaue by Fayth that which GOD of his owne accorde and good will doth giue therefore all these speeches are of like force That we are iustified by the grace of God That Christe is our righteousnesse That the mercye of GOD is the cause of our righteousnesse That righteousnesse is gotten vnto vs by the death and resurrection of Christ That righteousnesse is giuen vnto vs by the Gospell That we obtayne righteousnesse by Fayth Whereby it appeareth howe childishlye they erre whiche woulde make these propositions agree together Wee are iustified by Fayth and Workes both for hee that is iust by Fayth he being bare and voyde of his owne righteousnesse resteth in the onlye grace of GOD. And this is the reason why Paule to the Romaynes doth conclude that Abraham is destytute of Glorye before GOD because hee hath obtained righteousnesse by Fayth Rom. 4.2 for it is not sayde that Fayth was imputed vnto him for parte of righteousnesse but for righteousnesse simplye without more wordes therefore Fayth was vnto him in the whole for righteousnesse Fynallye Fayth beholdeth nothing beside the mercye of GOD and Christ deade and raysed agayne Therefore all merite of workes is shutte out from the cause of iustification when as all is assigned to fayth For fayth for that it contayneth in it selfe the free goodnesse of God Christ with all his good things the testimony and witnesse of our adoption whiche is giuen in the Gospell is vtterly opposite and set against the law the merits of workes and the worthinesse of men for whereas the Sophisters doe thinke that it is only set agaynst ceremonies the order of the disputation or reasoning shall by and by with small adoe thorowly reproue them We must therefore beare in mind that they that are iust by fayth are iust without themselues that is in Christ whereby also the foolishe cauillation of some which dally with Paule is confuted because say they Moses calleth righteousnesse goodnesse or honesty and so it signifieth nothing else but Abraham was accounted a good man because he beleeued God Such frantike sprites doth Sathan at these dayes rayse vp to ouerthrow the certayntie of the Scripture with crooked slaunders as it were with mynes But Paule who knew that Moses in that place taught not children grammar but that he spake of the iudgement of God did not without cause take the worde Righteousnesse after the maner of a Diuine for we are not deemed righteous before GOD after the like reason wherewith we haue prayse of goodnesse before men but when we bring perfecte obedience of the Lawe For righteousnesse is opposite or sette againste the breaking of the Lawe yea euen in the least iote or tittle but because we haue not it I meane righteousnesse of our selues God doth freelye giue it vnto vs. Obiection But here the Iewes shake vp Paule for that he hath wrongfully wrested Moses wordes to serue his owne turne for Moses there in that place doth not entreate of Christe or of the life euerlasting but maketh mention onely of the earthye promise The Papistes also are not farre off from the Iewes for albeit they dare not reproche Paule yet they do altogether ouerturne Paules intent and purpose Answere I aunswere Paule taketh it for a thing graunted as an vndoubted Principle among Christians that whatsoeuer promises the Lorde gaue vnto Abraham they did appertayne or depend on that firste promise I am thy God Genesis 17.1 Thy rewarde is exreeding greate Gen. 15.1 And in thy seede shal all nations be blessed Gen. 22.17 18. And therfore whē Abraham heard this Thy seed shal be as the sande of the sea c. he stayed not in that word but rather he included it in the grace of adoption as the part in the whole moreouer whatsoeuer promise was giuen he did not otherwise receiue the same than as a testimonye of the fatherly grace of God that thereby hee mighte take sure confidence of saluation For euen in this doe the Children of God differ from the vnbeleeuers for that they in deede haue the vse of God his benefites together with the children of God but yet like beastes they regarde not that which is higher but as for God his Children because
iustifieth is alone but we affirme that it is alwayes ioyned with good works only we contend that it alone auaileth vnto iustification The Papistes themselues like Tormentoures doe teare and rente Fayth miserablye while sometime they make it vnshaped and without charitie and sometime shaped as for vs we holde that true faith cannot be plucked away from the Spirite of regeneration but when we speake of the cause of iustification than we shutte oute all workes As touching this presence place Paule doeth not reason whether charitie worketh with fayth to iustifie but onely sheweth what are now the true excercises of the faythfull least he shoulde seeme to make Christians idle and as it were like to blockes Therefore when you are in hand with the cause of iustification take heede you admitte not anye mention of charitie or of workes but firmelye holde fast that which shutteth them out In as much as Paule here doeth not entreate of iustification nor yet assigneth the prayse thereof to charitie in part we may thereby readilye conclude that by the same reason it should follow that Circumcision and ceremonies did iustifie in time past For as he commendeth faith with charitie in Iesus Christ so before the comming of Christ ceremonies were required But that was nothing to the deseruing of righteousnesse which the Papists also will confesse and therefore we must not thinke so of charitie neither 7 Ye did run wel who did hinder you that you should not obay the truth 8 The Perswasion is not of him who hath called you 9 A little leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe 10 I am perswaded of you in the Lord that you will thinke no other thing he that troubleth you shall beare iudgement whosoeuer he be 11 And I Bretheren if as yet I preache Circumcision why as yet doe I suffer persecution the offence of the crosse is done away I would to GOD they also were cut away which trouble you 7 Ye did run well He doth of a sette purpose mingle the reproche of their present backsliding with the praise of their former course that being ashamed they maye the more willinglye returne into the way It is a token of wondering that he asketh them who led them away from the right course whereby hee may make them the more ashamed I thought good once againe to turne the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Obay rather than to Beleeue because now alreadie they had embraced the puritie of the Gospell and were caried away from obaying it 8 The perswasion is not of him He contended afore with reasons now at last he goeth to it by authoritie wheras he crieth vnto them that this perswasion came from some other place than from God For this admonitiō should not haue very much waight were it not vpholded by the authoritie of the person But Paule of his owne right mighte so boldlye speake to the Galathians for that hee was a Preacher vnto them of that calling that GOD called them with and therefore hee nameth not GOD but he signes him out by a Periprasis Periphrasis 〈◊〉 fight whē a thing is signified in many words that may be said in one as one that selleth raysons c. for a grocer as if he should saye God is not at controuersie with himselfe hee it is who called you into saluation by my preaching This newe perswasion then came from some other place Therefore if you will haue the calling of God ratified take heede you giue no eare vnto them who bring in amongst you new inuentions Although I confesse the greeke Participle be of the present tence yet because it is taken indifinitely it liked me to turne it thus Which hath called you for to take away doubtfulnesse in the meaning 9 A little leauen I referre it to the doctrine and not to the men for he aduiseth them how hurtfull a thing the corruption of doctrine is least they should not repute it as commonly men doe as a thing of no daunger or else of no great daunger For Sathan creepeth in with this vndermining so that he doth not openlye shake the whole doctrine but infecteth the purenesse thereof with false and forged opinions many because they consider not the greatnesse of the euill are lesse vehement in resisting the same therefore the Apostle here doth crie out that no iote of safetie doth remayne after that the truth of God is corrupted and he vseth the similitude of leauen which although it bee but a little doeth sende out it sharpenesse into the whole lumpe Therefore we must carefully beware that we suffer not any thing to be deuised and put to the pure doctrine of the Gospell 10 I am perswaded Hee doeth agayne turne all his sharpe speeche from the Galathians vnto the false Apostles hee sayeth they were the cause of the euill to them hee threatneth punishmente hee sheweth that hee hath good hope of the Galathians because they will returne readylye and easilye to agree to the truth And that giueth vs a courage when wee heare that wee are well hoped of for wee counte it a foule matter to deceyue the opynyon of them who iudge louingly and friendly of vs. And because it was the worke of GOD to bring the Galathians agayne to the pure Doctrine of fayth from whiche they hadde swarued hee sayeth he hopeth in the Lord whereby he monisheth them that returning or repentaunce is a heauenlye gifte that they also might aske the same of God He that troubleth you It is a confirmation of the sentence going afore because after a sort he layeth a great part of the blame vppon those deceiuers by whome the Galathians were beguiled for looke what reuengement hee denounceth agaynste them from the same for the moste parte doeth hee exempt the Galathians But whosoeuer they be that giue occasion of hurly bulyes to the Church whosoeuer breake the vnitie of fayth whosoeuer make concorde shake and decaye lette them heare and if they bee in their right wits let them shake for feare at this speeche for GOD by the mouth of Paule doeth pronounce that no suche Authoures of offences shall scape vnreuenged This peece Whosoeuer helde hath a force in it for in as muche as the false Apostles by theire greate wordes did terrifie the ignoraunte and vnlearned multitude it behoued Paule on the other side so loftily to extoll his doctrine that hee shoulde spare none whiche durste quetche agaynste him whatsoeuer tytle otherwise they were knowne by 11 And I bretheren An argumente drawne from the finall cause I mought sayth he auoyde the hatred of men daungers and persecutions if I woulde but onlye mingle ceremonies with Christ whereas therefore I contende so greatlye aboute this matter to maintayne the contrarye I doe it not for myne owne cause nor yet for myne owne profite But doeth it therefore followe that it is true whiche hee teacheth I aunswere that the right affection and pure conscience of the Teacher is of no small force to winne credite moreouer it is
God Rom. 8.31 whereof foloweth that his death is a satisfaction for sinnes That he might take vs. Hee also declareth the end of our Redemption that Christe hath gayned vs vnto hym by hys death to bee hys owne That cōmeth to passe when we are separated from the world for as long as we are of the world we partayne not to Christ This word World is taken here for the corruptiō that is in the world as 1. Io. 5.19 where it is sayd That the whole world is layd in wickednes and in many other places It is otherwise taken in the Gospel whereas Christ sayth I pray not that thou take thē out of the world but that thou keepe them frō euill Io. 17.15 for there he signifieth the present life What then is the World in this place Men separated from the kingdome of God and the grace of Christe For a man as long as he liueth to himselfe is totally damned The World then Regeneration are thinges opposite or contrary as also Nature and Grace the Flesh and the Spirite And therefore they that are borne of the Worlde haue nothing but sinne and wyckednes not by creation but by corruption Christe then hath died for our sinnes that he might redeeme or separate vs from the World Wicked He addeth this epithete or title to shew that he speaketh of the corruption or wyckednes that commeth of sinne and not of the creature of God or of corporall life And yet wyth this one woorde as with the stroke of a thunderbolt he hurleth downe all the pryde of man For he witnesseth that without the renewing which is by the Grace of Christe there is nothing in vs but meere wyckednesse For we are of the World and vntill Chryste take vs out of it the World raigneth in vs and we liue vnto it Howe much soeuer then menne please themselues they are but mischeuous and wicked with all their iolittye Vnto themselues they seeme not suche but let it suffice vs that the Lord doeth so speake it by the mouth of Paule According to the will Hee sheweth the first spring of grace to be the purpose of God for so God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne Io. 3.16 But it is to be noted that Paule is accustomed to set the purpose of God agaynst all desertes or merites of men So Wyll signifieth here in this place that whyche commonly they call the Good Pleasure The sence than is That Christ suffered for vs not because we were worthy or because wee brought any thing whyche myght prouoke hym but because the Counsell of God was so Of God and our father is as muche as if it had been saide of God which is our father 5. Vnto whome be glory He brasteth forth into sodaine thanks giuing to quicken their minds to consider this inestimable benefite of God to that end that they may shew themselues afterward more apt to learne Although it bee also a generall exhortation that as often as that mercy of God commeth in minde strayghtway it should prouoke vs to glorifie hym 6 I wonder that you are so sone carried ouer frō Christ which hath called you in grace vnto another Gospell 7 Whiche is no other thing but that there are some which trouble you and are willing to ouerthrowe the Gospell of Christ 8 But although we or an Angell from heauen preach a Gospell vnto you beside that Gospell which wee haue preached vnto you let him be accursed 9 As we haue sayd afore now also say I againe If any shall preach a Gospell vnto you beside that which you haue receiued let him be accursed 6. I wonder that He beginneth with chiding which chiding is somewhat more gentle than they deserued but his vehement chiding he had rather bestowe vpon the false Apostles as we shal see He reprehendeth them for theyr shrinking away not from his doctrine only but from Christ For they might not otherwise hold Christe than to acknowledge vs by his benefite to be set at liberty from the bondage of the Law but the necessity which the false Apostles did put in ceremonies was vtterly contrary and so they were caried ouer from Christe not because they did altogether cast away Christianitie but because in suche corruption there was only left vnto thē a counterfeite Christ So at these dayes the Papistes because they will haue a halfe Christ and a torne Christ haue no Christ and therefore they are caried ouer from Christ for they are full of superstitious which are directly contrary wyth the nature of Christ This must be dilligently marked That we are caried ouer frō Christ when we fal vnto those thinges which are contrary to his office for light cannot be mingled with darkenes After the same reason is it that hee calleth it another gospell that is contrary to the true gospell yet the false apostles did professe themselues to preach the gospell of Christ but whereas they did mingle their fayned deuises wherewith they destroye the principall force of the Gospell therefore they had a false a corrupt and a counterfeyte gospell He vseth the word of the present time as though their fall were now in the doing as though he should say I say not that ye are already carried ouer for then it were more hard for you to returne into the way but now whilest you are yet in the middest of your course drawe backe your feet rather than go forward Some reade From him that hath called you in the grace of Christ meaning of the father but the reading which I followe is more playn In that he saith that they were called of Christ by grace it serueth to vpbrayde theyr vnthankfulnesse To fall from the Sonne of God of it selfe is euill wycked but to fall from hyme when hee hath called vs freely to saluation is much more hatefull for his goodnesse towards vs augmenteth the greatnesse of our wyckednes if we be vnthankefull Soone He augmenteth the foulenes of their inconstancye There is no time fit to fall from Chryste but so much the more are the Galathians to be dyspraysed in that they were led away euen so soone as Paule was departed from them Therefore as before he amplified their vnthankfulnes in respect of their free calling so now he doth augment their lightnes by the circumstaunce of tyme. 7. Which is not another thing Some do thus expound it seing there is not another gospell as though it were a kind of correctiō least any man shold thinke there were more gospels I as touching the exposition of the words take it more simply for he speaketh contemptuously of the doctrine of the false Apostles that it is onely a matter of troubles and destruction as though he should say What bring these men What cause haue they to gaynsay the doctrine by me taught Forsooth they trouble you and ouerthrowe the Gospell and nought els doe they The sense notwithstanding commeth to one poynt for I graunt that by this kinde
efficacie of the Spirite of whiche hath bene spoken in both Epistles to the Corinthes be present Therefore they whiche will duelye doe their Office in the Ministerie of the Gospell lette them learne not onely to speake and preache ofte but also to pierce into the consciences that Christ crucified may be perceyued and felt and his blood may distill or drop into them Where the Churche hath suche paynters it doth not any more neede deade Images of Woode and Stone it doth not require anye payntinges or pictures and then truelye firste of all among Christians were the Dores of Temples opened to Images and pictures when as partlye the Pastors were dombe and become meere Idols partly they spake a few wordes out of the Pulpit so coldely and slightlye that the force and efficacie of the Ministerie was vterly extinguished and put out 2 This onely will I know Now afresh he confirmeth his cause with reasons The firste reason is of their experience for he bringeth them in mynde what maner of beginning the Gospell had with them They receaued the Spirite as soone as they hearde the Gospell therefore they oughte to ascribe this goodnesse as taken from fayth and not from the Lawe Peter doth vse the same argument or reason when he excused himselfe before the bretheren that he baptised those that were vncircumcised And so doth Paule himself Barnabas in the disputation which they had at Ierusalem about this matter Act. 15.2.7 It is manifest than that they are vnthankfull which yeelde not to the doctrine by the benefite whereof they receaued the holye Ghost That he taketh from them the aunswere is a signe not of doubting but of greater confidence in the assuraunce of his cause for they were compelled to graunt it to be true being cōuicted by their own experience This Figure is Motonymya Faith in this place he figuratiuely calleth the gospel which else where he calleth the doctrine of faith Ro. 3.27 because that in that place is propoūded set forth vnto vs that meere fauor of God in Christ without desert of workes The spirite I take in this place for the Grace of regeneration which is common to all faithfull persons although if any had rather take it for the particuler gifts wherewith the Lord did than garnish the preaching of the Gospel it shal be free for them so to doe for al me Obiection If any wil obiect That the Spirite was not geuen to al after this faishon I answere Answere It suffiseth for Paules purpose or intention that the Galathians did know that with the doctrine of Paule ther appeared in their Church the vertue and strength of the holy Ghost and that the faithfull were endowed diuersly with the graces of the Spirite to their cōmon edification Obiection If againe it be obiected That those Graces were not certein and sure signes of adoption and therefore to auaile nothing to the present cause Answere I aunswere It is sufficient that the Lord confirmed the doctrine of Paule with the visible signs of his spirite But that former aunswere is the plainer that they were garnished with the common benefite of adoption before these deceiuers thrust in their additions And so also he speketh Ephe. 1.13 After you heard the true Gospell of God you were sealed with the spirite c. 3 Are ye so foolish that Here also it is doubtfull what hee vnderstandeth by the Spirite what by the flesh the Interpreters doe differ It seemeth to me that Paule alluded to that which he spake of the Spirite as if he should haue sayde Seing that the doctrine of the Gospell hath brought vnto you the holy Ghost your beginning than was spirituall but now you are fallen into the worst euen as they whiche from the Spirite fall into the flesh Therefore he vseth this worde Flesh eyther for extearne or outward thinges and those which are fraile and mortall such as ceremonyes are speciallye when they are seperated from Christ or else for dead and frayle doctrine for it is a foule thing that they which haue begun well should not go forwarde well 4 Haue you suffered so great things Another reason seeing that they haue suffered so many things in the behalfe of the Gospell that they should not loose it all now in a moment nay rather after the maner of vpbrayding them hee asketh if they will lose vnto themselues so many notable onsets whiche they haue sustayned for the fayth for except the right fayth had ben deliuered vnto them of Paule it was a poynt of rashnesse to suffer any thing for the defence of an ill cause but they had tryed that God was present with them in persecutions he doth therfore burthen the false Apostles with enuie who spoyled the Galathians of such precious ornamentes But to mittigate bitternesse he addeth If yet in vaine to correcte it whereby hee raiseth vp their myndes that they conceyuing the better hope might aspire to repentaunce For this is the ende of all chasteninges not to hurle men headlong into dispaire but to encourage them to doe better 5 He therefore that ministreth He speaketh not nowe of the grace of regeneration but of the other giftes of the spirite for the order it self doth shewe that it is a contrary reason from the former because he hath but another reason or argumente betweene them He warneth them than that all the giftes of the holy Ghost wherewith they excelled be fruites of the Gospell and the same that was preached among them with his mouth therefore they didde spoyle themselues of those giftes when as they left the Gospell and did flye to another kynde of Doctrine Agayne looke how much they esteemed those giftes so much also ought they to regarde with tooth and nayle to retayne the Gospell to those kinde of giftes he ioyneth vertues that is to say miracles 6 Euen as Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse 7 Know ye therefore that they whiche are of faith those are the sonnes of Abraham 8 For the scripture because it did foresee that God would iustifie the Gentils by faith did afore shewe glad Tidinges to Abraham saying in thee shall all nations be blessed 9 Therfore they which are of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham After that he hath giuen them the ouerthrowe by the things themselues and by experience he passeth to the Testimonies of the scripture First of all he bringeth the example of Abraham although at all times arguments taken from examples are not so firme neuerthelesse this is moste forcible be cause neyther in the thing nor yet in the person is there anye difference for there are not many wayes vnto righteousnesse and therefore is Abraham called the father of all the faythfull because he is a common example vnto them all naye rather in his person there is a generall rule howe to obtayne righteousnesse prescribed or set out vnto vs. 6 Euen as Here must be vnderstanded these wordes But rather for whan he had asked
and to be iustified by anothers grace or fauour therefore the one is ouerthrowne of the other This is the summe now let vs touch euery parte The iust shall liue by faith Because I haue expounded this place of Abacuc 2.4 in the Epistle to the Romaynes 1.17 it shall not be now needefull to repeate euery thing that belongeth to the exposition thereof the Prophet in that place doth set the arrogant confidence of the flesh opposite or agaynst true fayth hee pronounceth that by it namely Fayth the iust shall lyue wherby he declareth that they are not sustained onely for a time that they should fall whan any storme came but that they stand for euer so that they cease not to liue euen in the middest of death And so gibers with their cauillations auaile nothinge when they alleadge that the prophete in that place dothe take the worde Fayth more largely than Paule doth in this place for simply without more adoe he calleth faith a quiet certentie of the conscience which leaneth vpon God only therfore Paule hath aptly vsed this testimonie 12 But the lawe is not of faith Sure it is that the law is not repugnant or contrary to faith or else God should be vnlyke to himselfe but wee muste alwayes respecte this that Paule speaketh as the circumstaunce of the cause in hand did require Therefore the repugnancie or contrarietie of the Lawe and Faith is in the cause of iustification for more easilye shall you couple fire and water together then make these two agree Men are iustified by Fayth and Men are iustified by the Law The Law than is not of faith that is to saye it hath a waye to iustifie men that is cleane contrary from faith But hee that shall doe these thinges The diuersitie is in this poynte that a man by fulfilling the law is accounted righteous by the righteousnesse of the Law which he proueth by the testimonie of Moises Leuit. 18.5 And what shall be the righteousnesse of fayth He defineth it Rom. 10.9 If wee beleeue Christ to haue dyed for our sinnes c. And yet notwithstanding it followeth not thereof that eyther fayth is ydle or that the faithfull shoulde cease from good workes for the question is not in this place whether the faythfull ought to keepe the law so farre forth as they can which is not to be doubted but whether they obtayne righteousnesse by workes the which is impossible Finallye if any obiect Sith God promiseth life to the doers of the Lawe Obiection Aunswer why doth Paule say they are not iust the aunswere is eazie Therefore none are iust or righteous by the workes of the law because there is none that doe them For we graunt the doers of the law to be righteous if there be any such but because the couenaunt is conditionall therefore are all excluded from life because no man performeth the righteousnesse whiche he oughte That must be kept in remembrance which afore I warned you of That they doe the Law not which in part obay it but which doe fulfill euery iote of righteousnesse from whiche perfection all are very farre off 13 Christ hath redeemed vs. He had made all who were vnder the law guiltie to the curse And thereof sprang a greate difficultie for that the Iewes could not rid themselues from the curse of the Law and therefore setting forth a remedie hee resolueth this doubt by teaching that we are deliuered by christ whereby he doth the more confirme his intent and purpose For if we bee therefore saued because wee are deliuered from the curse of the law than is not righteousnesse by the law afterwarde hee ioineth the maner of deliueraunce It is written cursed is euery one which shall be hanged on Tree Deut. 21.23 Christ was hanged therefore hee wente vnder that curse and now it is certainlye true that he suffered not this punishmente for his owne cause it followeth then that eyther he was crucified in vayne or else that our curse was layde vpon him that we might be losed from the same And he sayth not that Christe was cursed but a curse which is more for he signifieth that the curse of all men was included in him If this seeme hard vnto any man let him also be ashamed of the crosse of Christ in the confession whereof we boast neyther was God ignoraunt what ende of death his sonnes death shoulde be when hee pronounced this Cursed is euery one that shall hang on tree But some man will obiecte Obiection Aunswer How happeneth it that the sonne being beloued of the Father is cursed I aunswere Two thinges are to be considered not onely in the person of Christe but also in his Manhoode the one that hee was the vnspotted Lambe of GOD full of blessing and grace the other that hee tooke vppon him our person and therefore hee was a Sinner and guiltye of the curse not so muche verylye in himselfe as in vs but yet neuerthelesse that he hadde neede to be so in oure steade And so he coulde not be without the grace of GOD and yet hee sustayned his ire for how coulde hee reconcile vnto vs the father who was offended with him and vnto whome hee was hated therefore the will of the Father alwayes rested in him Agayne howe shoulde hee haue deliuered vs from the wrath of GOD excepte he had translated the same from vs vnto himselfe therefore was he striken for our sinnes and he founde God as an angrye Iudge This is the folishnes of the crosse 1 Corinth 1.18 to be wondered at euen of the Angels which doth not onely ouercome but also swalowe vp all the wisedome of the worlde 14 That the blessing of Abraham He doth more nerely apply to his purpose that which he saide namely That wee are deliuered by Christe from the curse of the Lawe that is to saye that the blessing promised to Abraham had the foundation in him and therfore to come to the Gentils For if the Iewes muste be deliuered from the Lawe that they maye be the heires of Abraham what shall let the Gentils that they should not obtaine that same good thinge Moreouer if this blessing bee in Christe alone it is faith alone in Christe which maketh vs partakers thereof Whereby we may receaue the promise I take the promis of the Spirite to bee spoken after the Hebrewe fashion for spirituall promse for although this promise pertayne vnto the new testament I will poure out of my spirite vpon all flesh Esa 44.3 yet Paule in this place respecteth another thing for he semeth to me to set the Spirite opposite to all externe or outwarde things not to ceremonies onely but to carnall generation also so that in this place there is no respect of persons Therefore he sheweth that by the nature of the promise the Iewes differ nothing from the Gentils because if it be spirituall it is receaued by faith onely 15 Bretheren I speake after the manner of men although it be a
What thing else than is the Flesh but the olde man When as therefore the whole nature of man is rebellious and stubborne against the spirite of God wee must earnestlye striue and enforce our selues to be obediēt to the spirite Wherfore we must begin with denying our selues Here maye wee see with what title the Lord setteth out our dispositions nature namely that it agreeth no better with that which is righte than fire doth with water Now what droppe of goodnesse shal be found in free wil except may happe that be called good which is contrarie to the Spirite of God This is that whereof he speaketh Rom. 87. that al the thoughtes of the flesh are enmities against God So that ye cannot doe This without doubt belongeth to the regenerate For they that are carnall haue no fight with euill lusts they haue no right desire whereby they may come vnto the righteousnesse of God And Paule speaketh vnto the faithfull therefore this same You will is not to be vnderstanded of the inclination of nature but of the holy affections whiche God by his grace doth inspire into vs. Paule therfore declareth that the faithfull how much soeuer they striue yet that they cannot wrestle so long and so farre during the time they be in this life that they can obey God perfectly They wishe truly and they desire but the full effect followeth not whiche argumente is more largely discoursed Rom. 7.15 18 If you are led of the Spirite Whereas the faithfull doe halte in their balking in the way of the Lord least they should saint in their hartes for that they haue not a desire to satisfie the Lawe they haue neede of suche a comforte as here they heare where Paule saithe They are not vnder the Law whiche he vseth also Rom. 6.14 For thereof followeth that that is not imputed vnto them which is yet wanting but that their duties are as acceptable vnto God as though they were full perfecte on all sides But here he also goeth forth with that which hee hath begon concerning liberty For this is the spirite which before he called the spirite of adoptiō which for that it maketh men free it setteth thē at libertie from the yoke of the law It is as much therefore as if he shold say Will ye once make an end of those cōtroversies which busie your heades walke after the Spirite for than shall you be loosed from the dominon of the Lawe because the Lawe shall be as a free doctrine which maye admonish you and shall not hold your consciences any longer bounde Finally take away the guiltinesse that commeth of the Lawe freedome from cerimonies foloweth which are simboels of a seruile estate 19 The deedes of the flesh are manifest which are these Adultery Whoredom Vncleannesse Wantonnes 20 Idolatrie witchcraft hatreds contention emulation wrath striuinges seditions heresies 21 Enuie manslaughter dronkennesse Banquetinge and such like of which I tell you before as also I haue foretolde you that they which doe suche thinges shall not possesse the kingdome of God by heritage 19 The deedes of the flesh Because in summe he hath set downe a marke for Christians wherevnto they ought to leauel that they may obay the spirite and resist the flesh now doeth hee paint forth vnto vs an Image as well of the flesh as also of the spirite If men knew themselues they should not neede this declaratiō because they are nothing but the flesh but such is our hipocrisie which is bred by the bone that we see not our filthinesse till the tree be made manifest by the fruit Now therfore the Apostle putteth vs in mind against what vices we must warre that we liue not after the flesh He reckens them not vp all and that hee sheweth in the end but of those which he reckoneth it is easie to gather what the rest be He putteth Adultery Whoredome in the first place after that he nameth vncleanesse which reacheth to al the parts of vnshamfastnesse Wātonesse is as it were the instrumēt for the Greekes call those wantons which behaue thēselues wātōly dissolutly these foure ar referred vnto one head namely vnchastnesse He ioyneth worshipping of idols which in this place is taken for grosse superstitiōs which are manifest vnto the eyes of men The seuen kinds which folow next after are of kin one to another vnto which are ioyned two other afterward He nameth Anger and Hatred which principally differ in this that Anger is short Autho. li. 2. Rethor and Hatred continueth Emulations and Enuye are the causes of Hatred Furdermore Aristotle maketh this difference betweene Emulation and Enuie saying that he doth Emulate which taketh it in greef that another excelleth him or is better than he not because his vertue or excellencie greeueth him but because he would wishe himselfe to be his superior or better But he enuieth not which desireth to excell but whiche is greeued at the excellencie of others and therfore he teacheth that enuie is a quallitie of base and abiect persons and doth attribute emulation to loftie and heroicall hartes Paule pronounceth them both to be a malladye of the Flesh of Wrath also and Hatred doe spring Contentions Shiftinges Seditions or Vprores at length come manslaughters and Withcrafts or Poysoninges By Banquettinges he meaneth dissolute dyet and euery vntemperatenesse of gluttony Marke that he reckoneth vp Heresies among the workes of the fleshe for thereof we gather that the worde Flesh is more largely extended then vnto sensualitie as the Sophisters fayne For what breedeth heresies but Ambition which occupieth the principall seate of the mynde and hath no residence in a doltishe heade Hee sayeth these are manifest least any by replying might thinke he had any thing profited for what auayleth it to denye that the fleshe hath dominion in vs when the fruites doe bewray the Tree 21 Of which I tell you before With this so sharpe a telling hee meant not onely to terrifie the Galathians but also after a sorte to girde at the false apostles who setting aparte this doctrine that was farre more profitable contended and iangled about ceremonies And yet withall he also teacheth vs by his example to continue in these exhortaions and threatninges according to that in Esaye Cap. 58.1 Cry and cease not tel my people their wickednesse For what can be spoken more horribly than that they whatsoeuer they be that walke after the flesh are banished from the kingdome of God who dare imagine now that these vices bee light and small Obiection whiche God so greatly doeth abhorre But thus it seemeth that the hope of saluation is cut off from all men for who is it in the world that is not combred with some of these vices I aunswere Aunswer that Paule doth not threaten vnto all men that haue sinned the casting out of the kingdome of God but vnto them that continue sinners without repentaunce The Saints also otherwhile are greeuously troubled but they returne into the waye
the Israell of God 17 In the rest let no man worke me greefe for I beare the markes of our Lorde Iesus Christ in my body 18 The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ be with your spirite Bretheren Amen It was sent to the Galathians from Rome 14 God forbid Nowe he setteth the sinceritie of his harte against the counsayles of the false apostles as if should saye They leaste they should beare any crosse be compelled to beare anye crosse or anye affection denye the Crosse of Christ and buy the fauour of men by meanes of your flesh to be breefe they make a triumphe of you But my triumphe and my glory is in the Crosse of the Sonne of God Except the Galathians hadde bene cleane without common sence oughte they not to haue detested those whom they saw so to reioice euen whilest they were in hasarde To boast in the Crosse of Christ is as muche as if he had sayde in Christ crucified but that it sheweth more for it lignifieth that death that was full of slaunder and reproche yea rather accursed of GOD that therefore whiche men abhorre and whereof they are ashamed in that he sayth he doth boast himselfe because he hath a perfecte felicitie in the same for whereas the chiefest felicitie is there is the glorye but why is it not else where for although saluation bee declared in the crosse of Christe what shall wee saye of his resurrection I aunswere that in the Crosse is contayned the whole redemption and the partes thereof but the resurrection of Christe doeth not leade vs awaye from the Crosse Note also that hee fleeth anye other boasting no otherwise than a deadlye euill This worde Bee it awaye signifieth as much euerye where in Paule as thus God turne awaye this mischiefe or this monstrous thing By which the World Because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Masculyne Gender the Relatiue in the Greeke agreeth with both Christe and Crosse yet more fitlye is it in my iudgement to referre it to Crosse for by it properlye doe wee dye to the worlde And what doth World signifie without doubte it is sette opposite to a newe creature Whatsoeuer than is contrarye to the spirituall kingdome of Christ is the World because it belongeth to the Old man or that I maye vtter it at one worde the Worlde is as it were the obiecte and marke of the Olde man Paule sayeth the Worlde is crucified to him in such a meaning as he witnesseth Phillippians Chapt. 3. ver 8. that hee accounted all thinges as donguâ— For the crucifiing of the Worlde is the contempte and forsaking of the Worlde Hee addeth in like manner that hee is crucified to the Worlde Whereby hee meaneth that hee muche indeauoureth that he shoulde bee nothing and that hee shoulde bee broughte to noughte because nothing is that whiche belongeth to a dead man or else truely he meaneth that by the mortificatioÌ„ of the Olde man he hath renounced the world For whereas some expounde it thus If the world repute mee a curse and an outcast I in like manner condemne it and holde it accursed it seemeth to mee to bee somewhat farre off from the â—â—â—de of Paule notwithstanding it shall lie in the Readers to 〈…〉 15 For in Christe Iesus neither circumcision The reason why he is crucified to the world and the world to him is because onely a newe creature auaileth in Christe into whome hee is grafted All other things than muste geue place yea rather dye and pearishe I meane those thinges which hinder the renuing of the Spirite and this is that he speaketh of also in the second to the Corinthians cap. 5.17 If any be in Christe let him be a newe creature that is to saye if any man will be accounted in the kingdome of Christe let him be refourmed or newe shaped by the Spirite of God let him not liue any more to himselfe nor to the worlde but let him be raysed vp into a newe life But why he inferreth thereof that neither Circumcision nor yet vncircumcision auaileth is aforesayde because in deede the truth of the Gospell swalloweth vp and maketh voyde all the figures of the Lawe 16 Whosoeuer shall walke by this rule Whosoeuer sayth he keepe this rule well and happye shall it be to them this is an happy prayer and it is a signe of approbation Hee meaneth than that they are to be beloued and to be embraced with all fauour who bring suche kynde of Doctrine contrariwise those that depart from that doctrine are not worthy to be hearde Hee sette downe this worde Rule to expresse a certayne and perpetuall tenure to which all Godly Ministers of the Gospell ought to sticke fast For as the Mayster Carpenters which builde houses doe worke them by the rule that all the parts may ioyne together with a iust proportion among themselues and agreement so he assigneth a rule to to the Ministers of the Worde whereby they maye rightlye and orderlye builde the Churche This place oughte to cause wonderous cheerefulnesse in both the faythfull and sincere Teachers and also to all those that suffer themselues to bee fourmed according to their rule because they heare by the mouth of Paule that they are blessed of GOD. there is no cause wherefore we shoulde so feare the Popes Thunderboltes if GOD out of Heauen doe promise vs peace and mercie The worde Walke maye belong as well to the Minister as to the people although speciallye it belongeth to the Ministers The future tence of the Verbe namelye shall walke is put to note vnto vs perseuering Vpon the Israell of God Hee mocketh after a sort the vayn boasting of the false Apostles who bragged that they were lineally descended from Abraham He hath made therefore two Israels one that is counterfeite whiche appeareth in the sighte of man and another of God Circumcision was a visarde in the sight of men but regeneration was the verye thing it selfe in the sight of God To conclude he now calleth them the Israell of God whom before he called the sonnes of Abraham by faith and so he comprehendeth the faythfull which were growne together into one church as well of the Gentils as of the Iewes On the contrary side Israell that is of the flesh boasteth his onlye kindred and name of whiche he entreateth Rom. Chapt. 9. ver 17. 17 Let no man worke me greefe Here he taketh vpon him his authoritie to bridle the aduersaries for as in the title of superioritie he pronounceth this Let them leaue troubling me in the course of my preaching He was ready to suffer troubles for euery ones sake but he would not be troubled with contradictions Therefore to worke greefe is to gaineset themselues to trouble the proceedings of his labour He sayth In the residue namely except in a newe creature in this sence That one thing is ynough to me as for the residue because they belong not to the purpose I regarde them not let no man therefore mooue any question