the actiue righteousnesse But it is a thing very straunge and vnknowen to the world to teach Christians to learne to be ignorant of the lawe and so to liue before God as if there were no law For except thou be ignorant of the law be assuredly perswaded in thine hart that there is now no lawe nor wrath of God but altogether grace and mercy for Christes sake thou canst not be saued for by the law commeth the knowledge of sinne Cōtrariwise workes and the keeping of the law must be so streitly required in the world as if there were no promise or grace and that because of the stubborne proude and hard harted before whose eies nothing must be set but the lawe that they may be terrified and humbled For the law is geuen to terrifie and to kill such and to exercise the old man And both the word of grace and of wrath must be rightly diuided according to the saying of the Apostle in the second Epistle of Timothe Chapter 2. verse 15. Here is then required a wise and a faithfull disposer of the word of God which can so moderate the lawe that it may be kept within his boundes He that teacheth that men are iustified before God by the obseruation of the lawe passeth the boundes of the lawe and confoundeth these two kindes of righteousnesse actiue and passiue and is but an ill Logician for he doth not rightly diuide Contrariwise he that setteth forth the lawe and workes to the old man and the promise of forgiuenes of sinnes and Gods mercy to the new man diuideth the word wel For the flesh or the old man must be coupled with the lawe and works the spirit or new man must be ioyned with the promise of God and his mercy Wherefore when I see a man that is brused enough already oppressed with the lawe terrified with sinne and thirsting for comfort it is time that I should remoue oute of his sight the lawe and actiue righteousnes and that I should set before him by the Gospell the Christian and passiue righteousnes which excluding Moses with his lawe offereth the promise made in Christ who came for the afflicted and for sinnes Here is man raised vp againe and conceaueth good hope neither is he any longer vnder the lawe but vnder grace Howe not vnder the lawe According to the newe man to whom the law doth not pertaine For the lawe hath his boundes but vnto Christ as Paule saith afterwardes The lawe continueth vnto Christ who being come Moses ceaseth with his lawe Circumcision the Sacrifices the Sabbothes yea and all the Prophetes This is our diuinitie wherby we teach how to put a difference betwene these two kindes of righteousnesse actiue and passiue to the end that maners and faith workes and grace policie and religion shuld not be confounded or taken the one for the other Both are necesry but both must be kept within their boundes Christian righteousnes pertaineth to the newe man and the righteousnes of the lawe pertaineth to the old man which is borne of flesh and bloode Wpon this old man as vpon an asse there must be laied a burthen that may presse him downe and he must not enioy the freedome of the spirite or grace except he first put vpon him the newe man by faith in Christ which notwithstanding is not fully done in this life then may he enioy the kingdome and inestimable gifte of grace This I say to the end that no man should thinke we reiecte or forbid good workes as the Papistes doe most falsely sclaunder vs neither vnderstanding what they themselues say nor what we teach They knowe nothing but the righteousnes of the lawe and yet they will iudge of that doctrine which is farre aboue the lawe of which it is vnpossible that the carnall man should be able to iudge Therefore they must needes be offended for they can see no higher then the lawe What so euer then is aboue the lawe is to them a greate offence But we imagine as it were two worldes the one heauenly and the other earthly In these we place these two kindes of righteousnes being separate the one farre from the other The righteousnes of the lawe is earthly and hathe to doe with earthly things and by it we doe good workes But as the earth bringeth not forthe frute except first it be watred and made frutefull from aboue euen so by the righteousnes of the lawe in doing many thinges we doe nothing and in fullfilling of the lawe we fulfill it not except first without any merite or worke of ours we be made righteous by the Christian righteousnesse which nothing pertaineth to the righteousnesse of the lawe or to the earthly and actiue righteousnesse But this righteousnesse is heauenly which as is said we haue not of our selues but receaue it from heauen which we worke not but which by grace is wrought in vs and apprehended by faith wherby we mounte vp aboue all lawes and workes Wherfore like as we haue borne as S. Paule saith the image of the earthly Adam so let vs beare the image of the heauenly which is the newe man in a new world where is no lawe no sinne no remorse of conscience no death but perfecte ioy righteousnesse grace peace life saluation and glory Why doe we then nothing doe we worke nothing for the obtaining of this righteousnes I aunswere nothing at all For this is perfect righteousnesse to doe nothing to heare nothing to knowe nothing of the law or of workes but to know and to beleeue this onely that Christe is gone to the father and is not nowe seene that he sitteth in heauen at the right hande of his Father not as a iudge but made vnto vs of God wisedome righteousnesse holinesse and redemption Breefely that he is our high Priest intreating for vs and raigning ouer vs and in vs by grace In this heauenly righteousnesse sinne can haue no place for there is no lawe and where no lawe is there can be no transgression Seing then that sinne hath here no place there can be no anguish of conscience no feare no heauinesse Therfore S. Iohn sayth he that is borne of God can not sinne But if there be any feare or greefe of conscience it is a token that this righteousnes is withdrawen that grace is hidden and out of sighte and that Christ is darkened and not to be seene But where Christ is truely seene is deede there must needes be full and perfect ioy in the Lord with peace of conscience which moste certainly thus thinketh Although I am a sinner by the law and vnder the condemnation of the lawe yet I despaire not yet I die not because Christ liueth who is bothe my rightuousnesse and my euerlasting life In that rightuousnesse and life I haue no sinne no feare no sting of cōscience no care of death I am in dede a sinner as touching this present life and the righteousnesse
therof as the childe of Adam where the law accuseth me death reigneth ouer me and at length will deuoure me But I haue an other righteousnesse and life aboue this life which is Christ the sonne of God who knoweth no sinne nor death but is righteousnesse and life eternall by whome this my body being dead and brought into dust shal be raised vp againe and deliuered from the bondage of the lawe and sinne and shal be sanctified together with the spirite So bothe these continue whilest we heere liue The flesh is accused exercised with temptations oppressed with heauinesse and sorrowe brused by this actiue righteousnesse of the law but the spirit reigneth reioyceth and is saued by this passiue and christian righteousnesse because it knoweth that it hath a Lord in heauen at the right hand of his father who hath abolished the law sinne death and hath troden vnder his feete all euils led them captiue and triumphed ouer them in him selfe Coloss 2.15 S. Paule therfore in this Epistle goeth about diligētly to instruct vs to comfort vs to holde vs in the perfect knowledge of this most excellent and christian righteousnesse For if the article of Iustification be once lost then is all true christian doctrine lost And as many as are in the world that holde not this doctrine are either Iewes Turkes Papists or heretikes For betwene the righteousnesse of the law and the christian righteousnesse there is no meane He then that strayeth from this christian righteousnesse must needes fall into the righteousnesse of the law that is to say when he hath lost Christ he must fall into the confidence of his owne workes Therfore doe we so often repeate and so earnestly set forthe this doctrine of Faith or Christian righteousnesse that by this meanes it may be kept in continuall exercise and may be plainly discerned from the actiue righteousnesse of the law Otherwise we shall neuer be able to holde the true diuinitie for by this onely doctrine that Church is built and in this it consisteth but by by we shall either become Canonists obseruers of Ceremonies obseruers of the law or papists and Christ so darkened that none in the Churche shall be either rightly taught or comforted Wherfore if we will be teachers and leaders of other it behoueth vs to haue a great care of these matters and to marke well this distinction betweene the righteousnesse of the law and the righteousnesse of Christ And this distinction is easie to be vttered in wordes but in vse and experience it is very hard althoughe it be neuer so diligently exercised and practised for that in the houre of death or in other agonies of the conscience these two sortes of righteousnesse do encoūter more nere together then thou wouldest wishe or desire Wherfore I doe admonishe you especially such as shall become instructers and guiders of consciences and also euery one apart that ye exercise your selues continually by studie by reading by meditation of the worde and by prayer that in the time of temptation ye may be able to instruct and comfort bothe your owne consciences and others and to bring them from the law to grace from the actiue and working righteousnesse to the passiue and receiued righteousnesse and to conclude from Moises to Christ For the deuill is wont in affliction and in the cōflict of conscience by the law to make vs afraide and to lay against vs the conscience of sinne our wicked life past the wrathe and iudgement of God hell and eternall death that by this meanes he may driue vs to desperation make vs bondslaues to him selfe plucke vs from Christ Furthermore he is wont to set against vs those places of the gospell wherin Christ him selfe requireth workes of vs with plaine wordes threatneth danmation to those that doe them not Nowe if here we be not able to iudge betwene these two kinds of righteousnes if we take not hould of Christ by fayth sitting at the right hand of God who maketh intercession vnto the father for vs miserable sinners then are we vnder the lawe and not vnder grace and Christ is no more a Sauiour but a lawe geuer so that now there remaineth no more saluation but certaine desperation and euerlasting death except repentance follow Let vs then diligently learne to iudge betwene these two kindes of righteousnes that we may know how farre we ought to obey the law Now we haue sayd before that that law in a Christian ought not to passe his bounds but ought to haue dominion onely vpon the flesh which is in subiection vnto it remaineth vnder the same When it is thus the lawe is kept within his bounds But if it shall presume to creepe into thy conscience there seeke to raigne see thou play the cunning Logician and make true diuision Geue no more to the lawe then is conuenient but say thou O lawe thou wouldest clime vp into the kingdome of my conscience and there reigne and reproue it of sinne and wouldest take from me the ioy of my hart which I haue by faith in Christ and driue me to desperation that I might be without all hope and vtterly perish This thou doest besides thine office keepe thy selfe within thy boundes and exercise thy power vpon the fleshe but touch not my conscience for I am baptised by the gospell am called to the pertaking of righteousnes of euerlasting life to the kingdome of Christ wherin my conscience is at rest where no law is but altogither forgeuenes of sinnes peace quietnes ioy health and euerlasting life Trouble me not in these matters for I will not suffer thee so intollerable a tyrante and cruell tormenter to reigne in my conscience for it is the seate and temple of Christ the sonne of God who is the King of righteousnes peace and my most sweete Sauiour and Mediatour he shall keepe my conscience ioyfull and quiet in the sound and pure doctrine of the gospell and in the knowledge of this Christian heauenly righteousnes When I haue this righteousnes reigning in my hart I descend from heauen as the raine making frutefull the earth that is to say I come forth into an other kingdome and I doe good workes how and whensoeuer occasion is offered If I be a minister of the word I preach I comfort the broken harted I administer the sacraments If I be a housholder I gouerne my house and my family I bringe vp my children in the knowledge feare of god If I be a magistrate the charge that is geuen me from aboue I diligently execute If I be a seruant I doe my masters busines faithfully To conclude whosoeuer he be that is assuredly persuaded that Christ is his righteousnes he doth not only chearefully and gladly worke well in his vocation but also submitteth him selfe through loue to the magistrates and to their lawes yea though they be seuere sharpe and cruell and if necessitie doe so
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
These two propositions are cleane contrary to reason and therefore no craftie Sophister or lawworker can vnderstand them But learne thou the true vnderstanding thereof He that liueth to the lawe that is seketh to be iustified by the workes of the lawe is and remaineth a sinner therfore he is dead condemned For the law can not iustifie and saue him but accuseth terrifieth killeth him Therfore to liue vnto the law is to die vnto God and contrariwise to die to the law is to liue vnto god Wherefore if thou wilt liue vnto God thou must die to the lawe but if thou wilt liue to the lawe thou shalt die to god Now to liue vnto God is to be iustified by grace or by faith for Christes sake without the lawe and workes This is then the proper and true definition of a Christian that he is the childe of grace and remission of sinnes because he is vnder no lawe but is aboue the lawe sinne death and hell And euen as Christ is free from the graue and Peter from the prison so is a Christian free from the lawe And such a respect there is betwene the iustified conscience and the lawe as is betwene Christ raised vp from the graue and the graue and as is betwene Peter deliuered from the prison and the prison And like as Christ by his death and resurrection is dead to the graue so that it hath now no power ouer him nor is able any lōger to holde him but the stone being rolled away the seales broken and the kepers astonished he riseth againe and goeth away without any let and as Peter by his deliueraunce is freed from the prison goeth whether he will euen so the conscience by grace is deliuered from the law So is euery one that is borne of the spirite But the flesh knoweth not from whence this cometh nor whether it goeth for it can not iudge but after the lawe But on the contrary the spirite sayeth let the law accuse me let sinne and death terrifie me neuer so much yet I doe not therfore despaire for I haue the lawe against the lawe sinne against sinne and death against death Therefore when I feele the remorse and sting of conscience for sinne I behold that brasen serpent Christ hanging vppon the crosse There I finde an other sinne against my sinne which accuseth and deuoureth me Now this other sinne namely in the flesh of Christ which taketh away the sinnes of the world is almightie it condemneth and swaloweth vp my sinne So my sinne is condemned by sinne that is by Christ crucified vvho is made sinne for vs that vve might be made the righteousnes of God through him In like maner I finde death in my flesh which afflicteth and killeth me but I haue in me a contrary death which is the death for this death crucifieth and swaloweth vp my death These things be not done by the lawe or workes but by Christ crucified vppon whose shoulders lie all the euils of mankinde the lawe sinne death the Deuill and hell and all these doe die in him for by his death he hath killed them But we must receaue this benefite of Christ with a sure faith For like as neither the lawe nor any worke thereof is offered vnto vs but Christ alone so nothing is required of vs but Faith alone whereby we apprehend Christ and beleue that our sinnes and our death are condemned and abolished in the sinne and death of Christ Thus haue we alwayes most certaine and sure arguments which necessarily conclude that iustification cometh by faith alone For how should the lawe and workes auaile to iustification seeing that Paule is so earnest both against the lawe and workes and sayeth plainely that we must be dead to the lawe if we will liue to god But if we be dead to the lawe and the lawe be dead to vs then hath it nothing to doe with vs How then should it auaile any thing at all to our iustification Wherefore we must needes say that we be iustified by grace alone or by faith alone in Christ without the lawe and workes This the blinde Sophisters doe not vnderstand and therefore they dreame that Faith iustifieth not except it doe the workes of charitie By this meanes Faith which beleueth in Christ becometh vnprofitable and of none effect for the vertue of iustifying is taken from it except it be furnished with charitie But let vs nowe set aparte the lawe and charitie vntil an other time let vs rest onely vpon the poynt of this present matter which is this that Iesus Christ the sonne of God died vpon the crosse did beare in his body my sinnes the lawe death the Deuill and hell These inuincible enemies and tyrannes doe oppresse vexe and trouble me and therefore I am carefull howe I may be deliuered out of their handes iustified and saued Here I finde neither lawe worke nor charitie which is able to deliuer me from their tyrannie There is none but the Lord Iesus onely and alone which taketh away the lawe killeth and destroyeth my death in his body and by this meanes spoyleth hell iudgeth and crucifieth the Deuill and throweth him downe into hell To be briefe all the enemies which did before torment and oppresse me Christ Iesus hath brought to naught Hath spoyled them and made a shevv of them openly triumphing by him selfe ouer them in such sort that they can nowe rule and raigne no more ouer me but are constrained to obey me By this we may plainely see that there is nothing here for vs to doe Onely it belongeth vnto vs to heare that these things haue bene wrought and done in this sort and by faith to apprehend the same And this is the true formed and furnished faith in dede Now when I haue thus apprehended Christ by faith and through him am dead to the lawe iustified from sinne deliuered from death the deuill and hell then I doe good works I loue God I geue thankes to him I exercise charitie towardes my neighbour But this charitie or workes folowing do neither forme nor adorne my faith but my faith formeth and adorneth charitie This is our diuinitie which seemeth straunge and maruelous or rather foolish to carnall reason to witte that I am not onely blinde and deafe to the lawe yea deliuered and freed from the law but also wholy dead vnto the same This sentence of Paule Through the lavv I am dead to the lavv is full of consolation Which if it may enter into a man in due season take sure hold in his heart with good vnderstanding it may so worke that it will make him able to stand against all daungers of death and all terrours of conscience and sinne although they assaile him accuse him and would driue him to desperation neuer so much True it is that euery man is tempted if not in his life yet at his death There when the law accuseth
so that the worde be not onely my voice but may be hearde of thee and may enter into thy hearte and be beleued of thee then is it truly and in deede the hearing of faith thorowe the which thou receauest the holy Ghost which after thou hast once receaued thou shalt also mortifie thy flesh The faithfull doe finde by their owne experience howe gladly they would hold and embrace the word when they heare it with a full faith and abandon this opinion of the lawe and of their owne righteousnes but they feele in their flesh a mightie resistaunce against the spirite For reason and the flesh will needes worke together This saying Ye must be circumcised and keepe the lavve can not be vtterly rooted out of our mindes but it sticketh fast in the hearts of all the faithfull There is therfore in the faithfull a continuall conflict betwene the hearing of faith and the workes of the lawe For the conscience alwayes murmureth and thinketh that this is too easie a way that by the onely hearing of the word righteousnes the holy ghost and life euerlasting is promised vnto vs But come once to an earnest trial therof and then tell me how easie a thing it is to heare the word of faith In deede he which geueth is great moreouer he geueth great things willingly and freely and vpbraideth no man therwith but thy capacitie is hard and faith weake still striuing against thee so that thou art not able to receaue this gift But let thy conscience murmure against thee neuer so much let this Must come neuer so oftē into thy minde yet stand fast hold out vntill thou ouercome this Must So as faith encreaseth by litle and litle that opinion of the righteousnes of the lawe will diminish But this can not be done without great conflict Verse 3. Are ye so foolish that after ye haue begone in the spirite ye vvould novv finish or be made perfect by the flesh This argument being concluded how that the holy ghost cometh not by the workes of the lawe but through the preaching of faith he beginneth here to exhort the Galathians and to terrifie them from a double daunger and incommoditie The first is Are ye so foolish that after ye haue begone in the spirite ye vvould novv ende in the flesh The other followeth Haue ye suffred so great things in vaine As if he said Ye began in the spirite that is your religion was excellently well begone As also a litle after he saith Ye ranne vvel c. But what haue ye gotten therby Forsoth ye will nowe ende in the flesh yea rather ye are ended in the flesh Paule here setteth the spirite against the flesh He calleth not the flesh as before I haue said lust beastly passions or sensual appetites for he intreateth not here of lust or of other fleshly desires but of forgeuenes of sinnes of iustifying the conscience of obteining righteousnes before God of deliueraunce from the lawe sinne and death and yet notwithstanding he sayth here that they forsaking the spirite doe now ende in the flesh Flesh therfore is here taken for the very righteousnes and wisedome of the flesh and the iudgement of reason which goeth about to be made righteous by the law Whatsoeuer then is best and most excellent in man as the wisedome of reason yea and the righteousnes of the law it selfe the same here Paule calleth flesh And this place must be well weyed and considered because of the slaunderous and cauilling Papists which wrest the same against vs saying that we in Poperie began in the spirite but now hauing maried wiues we ende in the flesh As though a single life or not to haue a wife were a spirituall life and as though it nothing hindred their spirituall life if a man not contented with one whore haue many They are mad men not vnderstanding what the spirite or what the flesh is The spirite is whatsoeuer is done in vs through the spirite The flesh whatsoeuer is done in vs according to the flesh without the spirite Wherfore all the dueties of a Christian man as to loue his wife to bring vp his children to gouerne his familie and such like which vnto them are worldly and carnal are the frutes of the spirite These blinde buzzardes can not discerne the things which are the good creatures of God from vices Here also is to be noted that the Apostle sayth the Galathians did begin in the spirite He should here haue added actiuely Nunc carne consummatis that now ye ende in the flesh But he doth not so but sayth passiuely carne consummamini that ye ende yea or rather are ended in the flesh The righteousnes of the law which Paule here calleth the flesh is so farre of from iustifying that they which after the receauing of the holy ghost through the hearing of faith fall backe againe vnto it are ended in it that is to say are vtterly destroyed Therfore who so euer teach that the lawe ought to be fulfilled to this ende that men might be iustified thereby whiles they goe about to quiet their consciences they hurt them whiles they would iustifie them they condemne them Paule euermore by the way hath a glaunce at these false apostles for they stil vrged the law saying Faith onely in Christ taketh not away sinne pacifieth not the wrath of God iustifieth not Therfore if ye will obtaine these benefites ye must not onely beleeue in Christ but therwith ye must also keepe the law be circumcised keepe the feastes sacrifices c. Thus doing ye shall be free from sinne from the wrath of God from euerlasting death yea rather sayth Paule by the selfe same things ye establish vnrighteousnes ye prouoke the wrath of God ye adde sinne to sinne ye quench the spirite ye fall away from grace and vtterly reiect the same and ye together with your disciples doe ende in the flesh This is the first daūger from the which he terrifieth the Galathians lest if they seeke to be iustified by the lawe they lose the spirite and forgoe their good beginnings for a wretched ende Verse 4. Haue ye suffered so many things in vaine The other daunger and incommoditie is this Haue ye suffred so many things in vaine As though he would say Consider not onely howe well ye began and howe miserablie ye haue forsaken your good beginnings and your course well begone moreouer that not onely ye haue lost the first fruites of the spirite being fallen againe into the ministerie of sinne and death and into a dolefull and a miserable bondage of the lawe but consider this also that ye haue suffered muche for the Gospels sake and for the name of Christe to witte the spoiling of your goodes railings and reproches daungers both of bodies and liues c. All things were in a happie course and great towardnes with you Ye taught purely ye liued holily and ye endured many euils constantly
then vnder the lawe must not alwayes endure but must onely continue to the cōming or reuealing of Faith which this sweete verse of the Psalme 147. doth teach vs The Lord deliteth in those that feare him that is to say which are in prison vnder the lawe But by and by after he addeth and in those that attend vppon his mercy Therfore we must ioyne these two things together which are in deede as contrary the one to the other as may be For what can be more contrary then to hate and abhorre the wrath of God and againe to trust in his goodnes mercy The one is hell the other is heauē and yet they must be nerely ioyned together in the heart By speculation and naked knowledge a man may easily ioyne them together but by experience and inward practise so to doe of all things it is the hardest which I my selfe haue often proued by mine owne experience Of this matter the Papistes and Sectaries know nothing at all Therefore these wordes of Paule are to them obscure and altogether vnknowne And when the lawe reueileth vnto them their sinne accuseth and terrifieth them they can finde no counsell no rest no helpe or succour but fall to desperation as Caine and Saule did Seeing the lawe therfore as is sayd is our tormentour and our prison certaine it is that we can not loue it but hate it He therefore that sayth he loueth the lawe is a liar and knoweth not what he sayth A theefe and a robber should shewe him selfe to be starke madde that would loue the prison the fetters and chaines Seing thē the law shutteth vs vppe and holdeth vs in prison it can not be but we must needes be extreme enemies to the lawe To conclude so well we loue the lawe and the righteousnes thereof as a murtherer loueth the darke prison the streit bondes and irons How then should the law iustifie vs Verse 23. And shut vp vnder the faith vvhich should after be reueiled This Paule speaketh in respect of the fulnes of the time wherin Christ came But we must applie it not onely to that time but also to the inward man For that which is done as an hystorie and according to the time wherin Christe came abolishing the lawe and bringing libertie and eternall life to light is alwayes done spiritually in euery Christian in whom is found continually somewhile the time of the law and somewhile the time of grace For the Christian man hath a body in whose members as Paule sayth in an other place sinne dwelleth and warreth Nowe I vnderstand sinne to be not onely the deede or the worke but also the roote and the tree together with the fruites as the Scripture vseth to speake of sinne Which is yet not onely rooted in the baptised flesh of euery Christian but also is at deadly warre within it and holdeth it captiue if not to geue consent vnto it or to accomplish the worke yet doth it force him mightely thervnto For albeit a Christian man doe not fall into outward and grosse sinnes as murther adultery theft and such like yet is he not free from impatiencie murmuring hating and blaspheming of God which sinnes to reason and the carnall man are altogether vnknowne These sinnes constraine him yea sore against his will to detest the lawe they compell him to flie from the presence of God they compell him to hate and blaspheme god For as carnall lust is strong in a yong man in a man of full age the desire and loue of glory and in an old man couetousnes euen so in a holy and a faithfull man impatiencie murmuring hatred and blasphemie against God doe mightely preuaile Examples hereof there are many in the Psalmes in Iob in Ieremie and throughout the whole Scripture Paule therfore describing and setting forth this spirituall warfare vseth very behement words and fitte for the purpose as of fighting rebelling holding and leading captiue c. Both these times then of the lawe and the Gospell I meane are in a Christian as touching the affections and inward man The time of the lawe is when the lawe exerciseth me tormenteth me with heauines of heart oppresseth me bringeth me to the knowledge of sinne and encreaseth the same Here the law is in his true vse and perfect worke which a Christian oftentimes feeleth as long as he liueth So there was geuen vnto Paule a pricke in the flesh that is the angell of Satan to buffet him He would gladly haue felt euery moment the ioy of conscience the laughter of the heart and the sweete tast of eternall life Againe he would gladly haue ben deliuered from all trouble and anguish of spirite and therefore he desired that this tentation might be taken from him Notwithstanding this was not done but the Lord sayd vnto him My grace is sufficient for thee For my povver is made perfect through vveaknes This battaile doth euery Christian feele To speake of my selfe there are many howers in the which I chide and contend with God and impatiently resist him The wrath and iudgement of God displeaseth me and againe my impaciencie my murmuring and such like sinnes doe displease him And this is the time of the lawe vnder the which a Christian man continually liueth as touching the flesh For the flesh lusteth continually against the spirite and the spirite against the flesh but in some more and in some lesse The time of grace is when the heart is raised vppe againe by the promise of the free mercy of God and sayeth VVhy art thou heauie O my soule and vvhy doest thou trouble me Doest thou see nothing but the lawe sinne terrour heauines desperation death hell and the Deuill Is there not also grace remission of sinnes righteousnes consolation ioy peace life heauen Christe and God Trouble me no more O my soule What is the lawe what is sinne what are all euils in comparison of these things Trust in God who hath not spared his owne deare sonne but hath geuen him to the death of the crosse for thy sinnes This is then to be shutte vppe vnder the lawe after the flesh not for euer but till Christe be reuealed Therefore when thou art beaten downe tormented and afflicted by the law then say Lady law Thou art not alone neither art thou all things but besides thee there are yet other things much greater and better then thou art namely grace faith and blessing This grace this faith and this blessing doe not accuse me terrifie me condemne me but they comfort me they bid me trust in the Lord and promise vnto me victorie and saluation in Christe There is no cause therfore why I should despaire He that is skilfull in this arte and this cunning may in deede be called a right Diuine The fantasticall spirites their disciples at this day which continually bragge of the spirite do perswade them selues that they are very expert
and cunning herein But I and such as I am haue scarsely learned the first principles therof It is learned in deede but so long as the flesh and sinne doe endure it can neuer be perfectly learned and as it should be So then a Christian is diuided into two times In that he is flesh he is vnder the lawe In that he is spirite he is vnder grace Concupiscence couetousnes ambition and pride doe alwayes cleaue to the flesh also ignoraunce contempt of God impatiencie murmuring and grudging against God because he hindereth and breaketh of our counselles our deuises and enterprises and because he speedely punisheth not such as are wicked rebellious and contemptuous persons c. Such kinde of sinnes are rooted in the flesh of the Faithfull Wherefore if thou behold nothing but the flesh thou shalt abide alwayes vnder the time of the lawe But these dayes must be shortened or else no flesh should be saued The lawe must haue his time appoynted wherein it must haue his ende The time of the lawe therefore is not perpetuall but hath his ende which ende is Iesus Christ But the time of grace is eternall For Christ being once dead dieth no more He is eternall therefore the time of grace is also eternall We may not lightly passe ouer such notable sentences as these which are in Paule as the Papistes and Sectaries are wont to doe For they containe woordes of life which doe wonderfully comfort and confirme afflicted consciences And they which know and vnderstand them well can iudge of Faith they can discerne a true feare from a false feare they can iudge of all inward affections of the heart and discerne all spirites The feare of God is an holy and a precious thing but it must not alwayes continue In deede it ought to be alwayes in a Christian because sinne is alwayes in him but it must not be alone for then is it the feare of Caine Saule and Iudas that is to say a seruile and a desperate feare A Christian therefore must vanquish feare by Faith in the word of grace he must turne away his eyes from the time of the lawe and looke vnto Christe and vnto Faith which is to be reuealed Here beginneth feare to be sweete vnto vs and maketh vs to delite in god For if a man doe onely beholde the lawe and sinne setting Faith aside he shall neuer be able to put away feare but shall at length fall to desperation Thus doth Paule very well distinguish the time of the lawe and grace Let vs also learne rightly to distinguish the time of them both not in wordes but in the inward affections which is a very hard matter For albeit these two things are separate farre asunder yet are they most nerely ioyned together in one heart Nothing is ioyned more nerely together then feare and trust then the lawe and the Gospell then sinne and grace For they are so vnited together that the one is swalowed vppe of the other Wherfore there is no coniunction like vnto this At this place Wherefore then serueth the lavve Paule beginneth to dispute of the lawe also of the vse and the abuse thereof taking occasion of that which before he had affirmed that the Faithfull doe obtaine righteousnes by grace onely and by the promise and not by the lawe Vppon that disputation rose this question VVherefore then serueth the lavve For reason hearing that righteousnes or the Blessing is obtained by grace and by the promise by and by inferreth Then the lawe profiteth nothing Wherefore the doctrine of the law must be diligently considered that we may know what and howe we ought to iudge thereof lest that either we reiect the same altogether as the fantasticall spirits do which in the yeare a thousand fiue hundred twentie and fiue stirring vppe the rusticall people to sedition sayde that the libertie of the Gospell geueth freedom to all men from al maner of lawes or else lest we should attribute the force of Iustification to the lawe For both sortes doe offend against the lawe the one on the right hand which will be iustified by the lawe and the other on the left hand which will be cleane deliuered from the lawe We must therefore keepe the high way so that we neither reiect the lawe nor attribute more vnto it then we ought to doe That which I haue before so often repeted concerning both the vses of the lawe namely the Ciuill and the Spirituall vse doe sufficiently declare that the lawe is not geuen for the righteous but as Paule sayeth in an other place for the vnrighteous and rebellious Now of the vnrighteous there are two sortes that is to say they which are to be iustified and they which are not to be iustified They that are not to be iustified must be bridled by the Ciuile vse of the lawe for they must be bound with the bondes of the lawe as sauage and vntamed beastes are bound with cordes and chaines This vse of the lawe hath no ende and of this Paule here speaketh nothing But they that are to be iustified are exercised with this Spirituall vse of the lawe for a time for it doth not alwayes continue as the Ciuill vse of the lawe doth but it looketh to Faith which is to be reuealed and when Christe commeth it shall haue his ende Hereby we may plainly see that all the sentences wherin Paule entreateth of the spirituall vse of the lawe must be vnderstand of those which are to be iustified and not of those which are iustified already For they which are iustified already in as much as they abide in Christe are farre aboue all lawe The lawe then must be layed vppon those that are to be iustified that they may be shutte vppe in the prison thereof vntill the righteousnes of Faith come Not that they obtaine this righteousnes through the lawe for that were not to vse the lawe rightly but to abuse it but that when they are cast downe and humbled by the lawe they should flie vnto Christe vvho is the end of the lavve to righteousnes to euery one that beleueth Now first they which abuse the law are all the Iusticiaries and hypocrites which dreame that men are iustified by the lawe For that vse of the lawe doth not exercise and driue a man to Faith which is to be reuealed but it maketh full careles and arrogant hypocrites swelling and presuming of the righteousnes of the lawe and hindreth the righteousnes of Faith. Secondly they abuse the lawe which will vtterly exempt a Christian man from the law as the brainsicke Anabaptistes went about to doe which was the occasion that they raised vppe that sedition of the rusticall people Of this sort there are very many also at this day which professe the Gospell with vs who being deliuered from the tyrannie of the Pope by the doctrine of the Gospell doe dreame that the Christian libertie is a dissolute
an other lawgeuer which requireth good workes but vnto Christ our Iustifier and Sauiour that by Faith in him we might be iustified and not by workes But when a man feeleth the force and strength of the law he doth not vnderstand nor beleue this Therefore he sayth I haue liued wickedly for I haue transgressed all the commaundements of God and therfore I am giltie of eternall death If God would prolong my life certaine yeres or at least certaine moneths I would amend my life and liue holily hereafter Here of the true vse of the lawe he maketh an abuse Reason being ouertaken in these terrours and streites is bolde to promise vnto God the fulfilling of all the workes of the whole law And hereof came so many sectes and swarmes of Monkes and religious hypocrites so many ceremonies and so many workes deuised to deserue grace and remission of sinnes And they which deuised these things thought that the lawe was a Scholemaster to lead thē not vnto Christ but to a new lawe or vnto Christe as a lawgeuer and not as one that hath abolished the lawe But the true vse of the lawe is to teach me that I am brought to the knowledge of my sinne humbled that so I may come vnto Christ and may be iustified by Faith. But Faith is neither lawe nor worke but an assured confidence which apprehendeth Christ vvho is the end of the lavv Rom. 10. And how Not that he hath abolished the olde law and geuen a newe or that he is a iudge which must be pacified by workes as the Papistes haue taught but he is the ende of the lawe to all those that beleue that is to say euery one that beleueth in him is righteous and the lawe shall neuer accuse him The lawe then is good holy and iust so that a man vse it as he should doe Nowe they that abuse the lawe are first the hypocrites which attribute vnto the law a power to iustifie and secondly they which doe despaire not knowing that the lawe is a Scholemaster to lead men vnto Christ that is to say that the lawe humbleth them not to their destruction but to their saluation For God woundeth that he may heale againe he killeth that he may quicken againe Now Paule as before I haue sayd speaketh of those that are to be iustified and not of those which are iustified already Therefore when thou goest about to reason as concerning the lawe thou must take the matter of the lawe or that whervpon the lawe worketh namely the sinner and the wicked person whom the lawe iustifieth not but setteth sinne before his eyes casteth him downe and bringeth him to the knowledge of him selfe it sheweth vnto him hell the wrath and the iudgement of god This is in deede the proper office of the law Then foloweth the vse of this office to witte that the sinner may knowe that the lawe doth not reueale vnto him his sinne and thus humbleth him to the ende he should despaire but that by this accusing and brusing it may driue him vnto Christ the Sauiour and comforter When this is done he is no longer vnder the Scholemaster And this vse is very necessary For seeing the whole world is ouerwhelmed with sinne it hath neede of this ministerie of the lawe that sinne may be reuealed Otherwise no man should euer attaine to righteousnes as before we haue largely declared But what worketh the lawe in them which are already iustified by Christ Paule aunswereth by these wordes which are as it were an addition to that which goeth before Verse 25. But after that Faith is come vve are no longer vnder the Scholemaster That is to say we are free from the lawe from the prison and from our Scholemaster for when Faith is reuealed the lawe terrifieth and tormenteth vs no more Paule here speaketh of Faith as it was preached and published vnto the world by Christ in a certaine time before appoynted For Christ taking vppon him our flesh came once into the world he abolished the lawe with all his effectes and deliuered from eternall death all those which receaue his benefite by Faith. If therefore ye looke vnto Christe and that which he hath done there is now no lawe For he comming in the time appoynted tooke away the lawe Nowe since the law is gone we are not kept vnder the tyrannie therof any more but we liue in ioy and safetie vnder Christ who now sweetely raigneth in vs by his spirit Now where the Lord raigneth there is libertie Wherefore if we could perfectly apprehend Christe which hath abolished the lawe by his death and hath reconciled vs vnto his father that Scholemaster should haue no power ouer vs at all But the lawe of the members rebelling against the lawe of the minde letteth vs that we can not perfectly lay hold vppon Christe The lacke therfore is not in Christ but in vs which haue not yet put of this flesh to the which sinne continually cleaueth as long as we liue Wherfore as touching our selues we are partly free from the law and partly vnder the lawe According to the spirite vve serue vvith Paule the lavve of God but according to the flesh the lavve of sinne Rom. 7. Hereof it foloweth that as touching the conscience we are fully deliuered from the law therfore that Scholemaster must not rule in the cōscience that is he must not afflict the conscience with his terrours threatnings and captiuitie And albeit it goe about to vexe to trouble the conscience neuer so much yet is she not moued therewith. For she hath Christ crucified before her eyes who hath remoued out of the cōscience all the offices of the law putting out the handvvriting of ordinaunces that vvas against vs c. Coloss 2. Therfore euen as a virgin knoweth no man so the conscience must not onely be ignorāt of the law but also it must be vtterly dead vnto the law the law likewise vnto the conscience This is not done by any works or by the righteousnes of the law but by faith which apprehendeth and layeth hold vpon Christ notwithstanding sinne cleaueth still in the flesh as touching the effect thereof which oftentimes accuseth troubleth the conscience So long then as the flesh doth remaine so long this Scholemaster the law doth also remaine which many times terrifieth the conscience maketh it heauie by reuealing of sinne threatning of death Yet is it raised vppe again by the daily cōming of Christ who as he came once into the world at the time before appoynted to redeme vs from the hard and sharpe seruitude of our Scholemaster euen so he commeth daily vnto vs spiritually to the ende that we may encrease in faith and in the knowledge of him that the conscience may apprehend him more fully and perfectly from day to day and that the lawe of the flesh and of sinne with the terrour of death and all euils that
the lawe bringeth with it may daily be diminished in vs more and more As long then as we liue in the flesh which is not without sinne the lawe oftentimes retourneth and doth his office in one more and in an other lesse as their Faith is strong or weake and yet not to their destruction but to their saluation For this is the exercise of the lawe in the Sainctes namely the continuall mortification of the flesh of reason and of our owne strength and the daily renewing of our inward man as it is sayd in the .2 Cor. 4. We receaue then the first fruites of the spirite the leuen is hidde in the masse of the dough but all the dough is not yet leuened no it is yet but onely begunne to be leuened If I behold the leuen I see nothing else but pure leuen But if I behold the whole masse I see that it is not all pure leuen That is to say If I behold Christe I am altogether pure and holy knowing nothing at all of the lawe for Christe is my leuen But if I behold mine owne flesh I feele in my selfe couetousnes lust anger pride and arrogancie also the feare of death heauines hatred murmuring and impatiencie against God. The more these sinnes are in me the more is Christ absent from me or if he be present he is felt but a litle Here haue we neede of a Scholemaster to exercise and vexe this strong Asse the flesh that by this exercise sinnes may be diminished a way prepared vnto Christe For as Christe came once corporally at the time appoynted abolished the whole lawe vanquished sinne destroyed death and hell euen so he commeth spiritually without ceasing and daily quencheth and killeth these sinnes in vs. This I say that thou mayest be able to aunswere if any shall thus obiecte Christe came into the world and atonce toke away all our sinnes and clensed vs by his bloud what neede we then to heare the Gospell or to receaue the Sacramentes True it is that in as much as thou beholdest Christe the lawe and sinne are quite abolished But Christe is not yet come vnto thee or if he be come yet notwithstanding there are remnauntes of sinne in thee thou art not yet throughly leuened For where concupiscence heauines of spirite and feare of death is there is yet also the lawe and sinne Christ is not yet throughly come but when he cometh in deede he driueth away feare and heauines and bringeth peace and quietnes of conscience So farre forth then as I do apprehend Christ by Faith so much is the lawe abolished vnto me But my flesh the world and the Deuill doe hinder Faith in me that it can not be perfect Right gladly I would that that litle light of Faith which is in my heart were spread thoroughout all my body and all the members thereof but it is not done it is not by and by spreade but onely beginneth to be spreade In the meane season this is our consolation that we hauing the first fruites of the spirite doe nowe beginne to be leuened But we shall be thoroughly leuened when this body of sinne is dissolued and we shall rise newe creatures wholy together with Christe Albeit then that Christe be one and the same yesterday to day and shall be for euer and albeit that all the faithfull which were before Christ had the Gospell and Faith yet notwithstanding Christe came once in the time before determined Faith also came once when the Apostles preached and published the Gospell thoroughout the world Moreouer Christ commeth also spiritually euery day Faith likewise commeth daily by the word of the Gospel Now when Faith is come the Scholemaster is constrained to geue place with his heauy and grenous office Christ cōmeth also spiritually when we stil more and more doe knowe and vnderstand those things which by him are geuen vnto vs and encrease in grace and in the knowledge of him 2. Pet. 3. Verse 26. For ye are all the sonnes of God by Faith in Christ Iesus Paule as a true and an excellent teacher of Faith hath alwayes these wordes in his mouth By Faith In Faith Of Faith which is in Christ Iesus He sayth not ye are the children of God because ye are circumcised because ye haue heard the law and haue done the workes therof as the Iewes doe imagine and the false Apostles teach but by Faith in Iesus Christe The lawe then maketh vs not the children of God and much lesse mens traditions It can not beget vs into a new nature or a new birth but it setteth before vs that old birth wherby we were borne to the kingdome of the Deuill And so it prepareth vs to a new birth which is by Faith in Iesus Christ and not by the lawe as Paule plainly witnesseth For ye are all the children of God by Faith. c. As if he sayd Albeit ye be tormented humbled and killed by the lawe yet hath not the lawe made you righteous or made you the children of God this is the worke of Faith alone What Faith Faith in Christe Faith therefore in Christ maketh vs the children of God and not the lawe The same thing witnesseth also Iohn in the .1 chap. He gaue povver to as many as beleued in him to be the children of God. What tounge either of men or Angels can sufficiently extol and magnifie the great mercy of God towardes vs that we which are miserable sinners and by nature the children of wrath should be called to this grace and glory to be made the children and heires of God fellow heires with the sonne of God and Lordes ouer heauen and earth and that by the onely meanes of our Faith which is in Christ Iesu Verse 27. For all ye that are baptised into Christ haue put on Christ To put on Christ is taken two maner of wayes according to the law according to the gospel According to the law as it is said in the 13. chap. to the Rom Put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ that is folowe the example and vertues of Christe Doe that which he did and suffer that which he suffered And in the .1 Pet. 2. Christ hath suffred for vs leauing vs an example that vve should folovv his steppes Nowe we see in Christ a singuler patience an inestimable mildnes and loue and a wonderfull modestie in all things This goodly apparell we must put on that is to say folowe these vertues But the putting on of Christ according to the Gospell consisteth not in imitation but in a newe birth and a new creation that is to say in putting on Christes innocencie his righteousnes his wisedom his power his sauing health his life and his spirite We are clothed with the lether coate of Adam which is a mortall garment and a garment of sinne that is to say we are all subiect vnto sinne all sold vnder sinne
nations and that he should be the heyre not of one kingdome but of all the worlde Rom. 4. So the glory of the whole kingdome of Christ is translated vnto vs Wherefore all lawes are vtterly ablioshed in the hart and conscience of a christian notwithstanding they remaine without stil in the flesh And hereof we haue spoken largely before The fourth Chapter Verse 1. This I say that the heire as long as he is a childe differeth nothing from a seruaunt though he be Lord of all Verse 2. But is vnder tutours and gouernours vntill the time appoynted of the Father YE see with what vehement affection Paule goeth about to call backe the Galathians what strong arguments he vseth in debating that matter gathering similitudes of experience of the example of Abraham of the testimonies of the Scripture and of the time so that often times he semeth to renew the whole matter againe For before he had in a maner finished the disputation concerning iustification concluding that a man is iustified before God by faith only and alone But because he calleth also to remembraunce this politicall example of the little heire he bringeth the same also for the confirmation of his matter Thus trying euery way he lyeth in waite with a certaine holy subtiltie to take the Galathiās vnwares For the ignorāt people are sooner perswaded with similitudes and examples then with deepe and subtill disputations They will rather behold an Image well painted then a booke well written Paule therfore now after that he hath brought the similitude of a mans testament of the prison and of the scholemaister vseth also this similitude of an heyre which is familiar and wel known to al men to moue and to perswade them And surely it is a very profitable thing to be furnished with similitudes and examples which not onely Paul but also the Prophets Christ himselfe also did often vse Ye see saith he that it is ordeined by the ciuile lawes that an heyre albeit he be the Lorde of all his fathers goodes differeth not from a seruaunt In deede he hath an assured hope of the inheritaunce but before he come to his yeares his tutors holde hym in subiection lyke as the Scholemaister doth his scholer They committe not vnto hym the ordering of his owne goodes but constrayne hym to serue so that he is kepte and mainteined with his owne goodes lyke a seruaunte Therefore so long as this bondage endureth that is so long as he is vnder tutors and gouernours he differeth nothyng from a seruaūt And this subiection and seruitude is very profitable for him for otherwise through folly he would soone wast all his goodes This captiuitie endureth not alwaies but hath a certaine time limited and appoynted by the father wherin it must ende Verse 3. So also vve as long as vve vvere children vvere in bōdage vnder the rudiments of the vvorld In like maner when we were litle children we were heires hauing the promise of the inheritaunce to come which should be geuen vnto vs by the seede of Abraham that is to say by Christe in whom all nations should be blessed But because the fulnes of time was not yet come Moises our tutour gouerner and schoolemaster came holding vs in captiuitie with our handes bound so that we could beare no rule nor possesse our inheritaunce In the meane time notwithstanding like as an heire is nourished mainteined in hope of libertie to come euen so Moises did nourish vs with the hope of the promise to be reuealed in the time appoynted to witte whē Christ should come who by his comming should put an ende to the time of the lawe and begin the time of grace Nowe the time of the law endeth two maner of wayes First as I sayde by the comming of Christe in the flesh at the time appoynted of his father But vvhen the fulnes of time vvas come God sent forth his sonne made of a vvoman and made vnder the lavve that he might redeme them vvhich vvere vnder the lavve c. He entred into the holy sanctuarie once through his bloud and obtained eternall redemption for vs. Moreouer the same Christe who came once in the time appoynted commeth also vnto vs daily and hourely in spirite In deede once with his owne bloud he redemed and sanctified all but because we are not yet perfectly pure for the remnaunts of sinne doe yet cleane in our flesh which striueth against the spirite therefore daily he commeth vnto vs spiritually and continually more and more accomplisheth the appoynted time of his father abrogating and abolishing the lawe So he came also in spirite to the fathers of the old Testament before he appeared in flesh They had Christ in spirite They beleued in Christe which should be reuealed as we beleue in Christe which is now reuealed and were saued by him as we are according to that saying Iesus Christe is one yesterday and to day and shall be the same for euer Yesterday before the time of his comming in the flesh To day when he was reuealed in the time before appoynted Nowe and for euer he is one and the same Christe for euen by him onely and alone all the faithfull which either haue ben be or shall be are deliuered from the law iustified and saued In like maner vve also sayth he vvhen vve vvere children serued vnder the rudimentes of the vvorld that is to say the lawe had dominion ouer vs oppressed vs and kept vs in a streite bondage as seruaunts and captiues For first it restrained carnall and rebellious persons that they should not runne headlong into all kindes of vice For the lawe threatneth punishment to transgressours which if they feared not there is no mischiefe which they would not commit And ouer those whom the law so bridleth it ruleth raigneth Againe it did accuse vs terrifie vs kill vs and condemne vs spiritually and before God and this was the principall dominion that the law had ouer vs Therfore like as an heire is subiect vnto his tutours is beaten and is compelled to obey their lawes and diligently to execute their commaundementes euen so mens consciences before Christe come are oppressed with the sharpe seruitude of the lawe that is to say they are accused terrified and condemned of the lawe But this dominion or rather this tyrannie of the lawe is not continuall but must onely endure vntill the time of grace Wherefore the office of the lawe is to reproue and to encrease sinnes but to righteousnes to kill but to life For the lavve is a Schoolemaster vnto Christe Like as therefore the tutours doe handle the heire being yet a childe streitly and hardly rule him and commaund him as a seruaunt and he againe is constrained to be subiect vnto them euen so the lawe accuseth vs humbleth vs and bringeth vs into bondage that we may be the seruauntes of sinne death and of the wrath of God
the poynt of desperation for then are we that brused reede smoking flaxe which Esay speaketh of notwithstanding in the meane season the holy Ghost helpeth our infirmities maketh intercession for vs with vnspeakeable gronings certifieth our spirits that we are the children of god Thus the minde is raised vp in terrors it loketh vnto his Sauiour high Bishop Iesus Christ it ouercommeth the infirmitie of the flesh it conceaueth comfort againe and sayth Abba Father This groning which then we scantly feele Paule calleth a crying vnspeakeable groning which filleth both heauē and earth Moreouer he calleth it the crying and groning of the spirite because the holy Ghost stirreth vp the same in our heartes when we are weake and oppressed with terrour and tentation Although then the lawe sinne and the Deuill crie out against vs neuer so much with great and terrible rorings which seeme to fill heauen and earth farre to excede this groning of our heart yet can they not hurt vs For the more fiercely they assaile vs accuse and torment vs with their cryings so much the more doe we grone and in groning lay hold vpon Christ call vpon him with heart and mouth cleaue vnto him and beleue that he was made vnder the law that he might deliuer vs from the Curse of the lawe and destroy both sinne and death And thus when we haue taken hold of Christe by Faith we crie through him Abba Father And this our crie doth farre surmount the roring of the lawe sinne the Deuill c. But so farre of is it that we thinke this groning which we make in these terrours and in this our weaknes to be a cry that scarsely we perceaue it to be a groning For our Faith which in tentation thus groneth vnto Christ is very weake if we consider our owne sense and feeling And this is the cause that we heare not this crie We haue but onely the word which when we apprehend in this conflict we haue a litle breathing and then we grone Of this groning some litle feeling we haue but the crie we heare not But he sayeth Paule vvhich searcheth the heartes knovveth vvhat is the meaning of the spirite c. To this searcher of the hearts this small and feeble groning as it seemeth vnto vs is a loud and a mighty cry and an vnspeakeable groning in comparison whereof the great and horrible rorings of the law of sinne of death of the deuill and of hell are nothing neither can they be once heard Paule therfore not without cause calleth this groning of a godly afflicted heart a cry and a groning of the spirite which can not be expressed For it filleth the whole heauen so that the Angels thinke they heare nothing else but this crie But in vs there is a cleane contrary feling For it semeth vnto vs that this our small groning doth not so perce the cloudes that there is nothing else heard in heauen of God and his angels Nay we thinke and especially during the time of tentation that the Deuil horribly roreth against vs that the heauens thunder the earth trēbleth that all will fall vpon vs that all creatures threaten our destruction that hel is opē and ready to swallow vs vp This feling is in our heart these horrible voices and this fearfull shew we heare and we see And this is it that Paul sayth in the .2 Corrin 12 That the strength of Christ is made perfect through our vveaknes For then is Christ almighty in dede then doth he truly raigne and triumph in vs when we are so weake that we can scarsely grone But Paule sayth that this groning is in the eares of God a most mightie cry which filleth both heauen and earth Christ also in the .18 of Luke in the parable of the wicked iudge calleth this groning of a faithfull heart a cry yea such a cry as ceaseth not day night to cry vnto God where he sayth Heare vvhat the vnrighteous iudge sayth Novv shall not God auēge his elect vvhich cry day night vnto him yea though he suffer long for them yea I tel you he vvil auenge them quickly We at this day in so great persecution cōtradiction of the Pope of tyrānes Sectaries which fight against vs both on the right hand on the left can doe nothing else but vtter such gronings And these were our gunnes artillery wherw t we haue so many yeres scattered the coūsels and enterprises of our aduersaries wherby also we haue begon to ouerthrow the kingdom of Antichrist They also shall prouoke Christ to hasten the day of his glorious comming wherein he shall abolish all rule authoritie and power and shall put all his enemies vnder his feete So be it In the .14 of Exodus the Lord speaketh vnto Moises at the red sea saying VVhy criest thou vnto me Yet Moises cried not but trembled and almost despaired for he was in great trouble It seemed that infidelitie raigned in him and not Faith. For he saw the people of Israell so compassed and enclosed with the Egyptians host and with the sea that there was no way whereby they might escape Here Moises durst not once opē his mouth How thē did he crie We must not iudge therfore according to the feeling of our owne heart but according to the word of God which teacheth vs that the holy Ghost is geuen to those that are afflicted terrified ready to despaire to raise them vp to comfort them that they be not ouercome in their tentations afflictions but may ouercome them and yet not without great terrors and troubles The Papistes dreamed that holy men had the holy Ghost in such sort that they neuer had nor felt any tentation They spake of the holy Ghost onely by speculation and naked knowledge But Paule sayeth that the strength of Christe is made perfecte through our vveaknes Also that the spirite helpeth our infirmities and maketh intercession for vs vvith vnspeakeable gronings Therefore we haue then most neede of the helpe and comfort of the holy Ghost yea and then is he most ready to helpe vs when we are most weake and nerest to desperation If any man suffer affliction with a constant and a ioyfull heart then hath the holy Ghost done his office in him And in deede he exerciseth his worke specially and properly in those which haue suffered great terrours and afflictions and haue as the Psalme sayeth approched nigh to the gates of hel As I said of Moses which sawe present death in the waters and on euery side whether so euer he turned his face He was therefore in extreme anguish and desperation and no dout he felt in his heart a mightie crie of the Deuill against him saying All this people shall this day perish for they can escape no way And of this great calamitie thou onely shalt be found to be the authour
sawe not the condition that was annexed If ye kepe my commaundementes it shall goe vvell vvith you c. Therfore Agar the bondmaid bringeth forth but a bond seruaunt Ismael then is not the heire although he be the naturall sonne of Abraham but remaineth a bondman What is here lacking The promise and Blessing of the word So the lawe geuen in mount Sina which the Arabians call Agar begetteth none but seruauntes For the promise made as concerning Christ was not annexed to the lawe Wherfore O ye Galathians if ye forsaking the promise and faith fall backe to the law and works ye shall alwayes continue seruaunts that is ye shall neuer be deliuered from sinne and death but ye shall alwayes abide vnder the curse of the lawe For Agar gendreth not the seede of the promise and heires that is to say the lawe iustifieth not it bringeth not the adoption inheritance but rather it hindreth the inheritance and worketh wrath Verse 25. And it ansvvereth to Ierusalem vvhich novv is and she is in bondage vvith her children This is a wonderfull allegorie As Paule a litle before made Agar of Sina so now of Ierusalem he would gladly make Sara but he dareth not neither can he so doe but is compelled to ioyne Ierusasalem with mount Sina For he sayth The same belongeth to Agar seeing mount Agar reacheth euen to Ierusalem And it is true that there be continuall mountaines reaching from Arabia Petrea vnto Cades Bernea of Iurie He sayth then that this Ierusalem which now is that is to say this earthly and temporall Ierusalem is not Sara but pertaineth to Agar for there Agar raigneth For in it is the law begetting vnto bondage in it is the worship and ceremonies the temple the kingdome the Priesthoode and whatsoeuer was ordained in Sina by the mother which is the lawe the same is done in Ierusalem Therfore I ioyne her with Sina and I cōprehend both in one word to witte Sina or Agar I durst not haue bene so bolde to handle this allegorie after this maner but would rather haue called Ierusalem Sara or the new Testament especially seeing the preaching of the Gospell began in it the holy Ghost was there geuen and the people of the new Testament were there borne and I would haue thought that I had found out a very fitte allegory Wherfore it is not for euery man to vse allegories at his pleasure for a goodly outward shew may soone deceaue a man and cause him to erre Who would not thinke it a very fitte thing to call Sina Agar and Ierusalem Sara In deede Paule maketh Ierusalem Sara but not this corporall Ierusalem which he simplie ioyneth vnto Agar but that spirituall and heauenly Ierusalem in which the law raigneth not nor the carnall people as in that Ierusalē which is in bondage with her children but wherein the promise raigneth wherin is also a spirituall and a free people And to the ende that the lawe should be quite abolished and that whole kingdom which was established in Agar the earthly Ierusalē was horribly destroyed with all her ornamēts the tēple the ceremonies c. Now although the new testament began in it so was spread through out the whole world notwithstanding it appertaineth to Agar that is to say it is the citie of the law of the ceremonies of the priesthoode instituted by Moses Briefly it is gendred of Agar the bondwoman and therfore is in bondage with her children that is to say it walketh in the works of the lawe and neuer attaineth to the libertie of the spirite but abideth continually vnder the lawe sinne an euil conscience the wrath and iudgement of God and vnder the gilt of death and hell In deede it hath the libertie of the flesh it hath a corporall kingdom it hath magistrates riches and possessions and such like things but we speake of the libertie of the spirit wherby we are dead to the law to sinne and death and we liue and raigne in grace forgeuenes of sinnes righteousnes and euerlasting life This can not the earthly Ierusalem performe and therefore it abideth with Agar Verse 26. But Ierusalem vvhich is aboue is free vvhich is the mother of vs all That earthly Ierusalem sayth he which is beneath hauing the policie and ordinances of the law is Agar and is in bondage with her children that is to say she is not deliuered from the lawe sinne and death But Ierusalem which is aboue that is to say the spirituall Ierusalem is Sara albeit Paule addeth not the proper name of Sara but geueth her an other name calling her the free woman that is to say that true Ladie and freewoman which is the mother of vs all begetting vs vnto libertie and not vnto bondage as Agar doth Now this heauenly Ierusalem which is aboue is the Church that is to say the Faithful dispersed thorow out the whole world which haue one and the same Gospell one and the same Faith in Christe the same holy Ghost and the same Sacraments Therfore vnderstand not this word Aboue of the triumphant Church as the Schoolemen do which is heauen but of the militant church in earth as they call it For the godly are sayd to haue theyr conuersation in heauen Philip. 3. Our conuersation is in heauen not locally but in that a Christian beleueth in that he layeth holde of those inestimable heauenly and eternal gifts he is in heauen Ephesians 1. VVhich hath blessed vs vvith all spiritual blessing in heauenly things in Christ We must therfore distinguish the heauēly spiritual Blessing from the earthly For the earthly Blessing is to haue a good ciuill gouernment both in common weales families to haue children peace riches frutes of the earth and other corporall commodities But the heauenly Blessing is to be deliuered from the law sinne and death to be iustified and quickened to life to haue peace with God to haue a faithfull heart a ioyfull conscience and spirituall consolation to haue the knowledge of Iesus Christe to haue the gift of Prophesie and the reuelation of the Scriptures to haue the giftes of the holy Ghost and to reioyce in god These are the heauenly blessings which Christ geueth to his Church Wherfore Ierusalem which is aboue that is to say the heauenly Ierusalem is the church which is now in the world and not the citie of the life to come or the Church triumphant as the idle and vnlearned Monks and the Schooledoctors dreamed which taught that the Scripture hath foure senses the literall sense the figuratiue sense the allegoricall sense and the morall sense and according to these senses they haue foolishly interpreted almost all the wordes of the Scriptures As this word Ierusalem literally signified that citie which was so named figuratiuely a pure conscience allegorically the church militāt morally the celestiall Citie or the church
not in the sonnes shall not see life but the vvrath of God abideth vpon him Againe he that beleueth not is iudged alredy Now like as all the doctrine of the Papistes to note this by the way concerning mens traditions workes vowes and merites was most common in the world so was it thought to be the best and most certaine of all others whereby the Deuill hath both sette vppe and stablished his kingdom most mightely Therefore when we at this day doe impugne and vanquish this doctrine by the power of Gods word as chaffe is driuen away by the winde it is no maruell that Satan rageth so cruelly against vs raiseth vppe sclaunders and offences euery where and setteth the whole world in our toppes Then will some man say It had bene better to haue held our peace for then had none of these euils bene raised vppe But we ought more to esteme the fauour of God whose glory we sette forth then to care for the tirranny of the world which persecuteth vs For what is the Pope the whole world in comparison of God In deede we are weake and beare an heauenly treasure in brickle and earthly vesselles but although the vesselles be neuer so brickle yet is the treasure inestimable These wordes Ye are falne from grace must not be coldly or slenderly considered for they are waightie and of great importance He that falleth from grace vtterly loseth the atonement the forgeuenes of sinnes the righteousnes libertie and life that Iesus Christe hath merited for vs by his death and resurrection and in stede thereof he purchaseth to himselfe the wrath and iudgement of God sinne death the bondage of the Deuill and euerlasting damnation And this place strongly confirmeth and fortifieth our doctrine concerning Faith or the article of iustification and maruelously comforteth vs against the cruell rage of the Papists that persecute and condemne vs as heretikes because we teach this article In deede this place ought to feare that enemies of Faith grace that is to say all that seeke righteousnes by works frō persecutīg blaspheming the word of grace life and euerlasting saluation But they be so hardhearted and obstinate that seeing they see not and hearing they heare not and when they read this dreadfull sentence of the Apostle pronounced against them they vnderstand it not Let vs therfore let them alone They are blinde and leaders of the blinde Verse 5. For vve in spirit vvait for the hope of righteousnes through Faith. Paule here knitteth vppe the matter with a notable conclusion saying Ye will be iustified by the lawe by circumcision and by workes but we seeke not to be iustified by this meanes lest Christ should be made vtterly vnprofitable vnto vs and we become detters to performe the whole lawe and so finally fall away from grace but we waite in spirite through Faith for the hope of righteousnes Euery word is here diligently to be noted for they are pithie and full of power He doth not only say as he is wont We are iustified by Faith or in spirite by Faith but moreouer he addeth VVe vvaite for the hope of righteousnes including hope also that he may comprehend the whole matter of Faith. Hope after the maner of the Scriptures is taken two wayes for the thing that is hoped for for the affection of him that hopeth For the thing which is hoped for it is taken in that first chapt to the Coloss For the hopes sake vvhich is layed vppe for you in heauen that is to say the thing which ye hope for For the affection of him that hopeth it is taken in the 8 chap. to the Romaines For vve are saued by hope So hope in this place also may be taken two wayes and so it yeldeth a double sense The first is We waite in spirite through Faith for the hope of righteousnes that is to say the righteousnes hoped for which shall be certainely reuealed in such time as it pleaseth the Lord to geue it The second We wait in spirite by Faith for righteousnes with hope and desire that is to say we are righteous howbeit our righteousnes is not yet reuealed but hangeth yet in hope For as long as we liue here sinne remaineth in our flesh there is also a lawe in our flesh and members rebelling against the lawe of our minde and leading vs captiues vnto the seruice of sinne Now when these affections of the flesh doe rage and raigne and we on the other side through the spirite doe wrastle against the same then is there a place for hope In deede we haue begun to be iustified through Faith whereby also we haue receaued the first frutes of the spirite and the the mortification of the flesh is also begun in vs but we be not yet perfetly righteous It remaineth then that we be perfectly iustified and this is it that we hope for So our righteousnes is not yet in actuall possession but lieth vnder hope This is a sweete and a sound consolation whereby afflicted and troubled consciences feeling their sinne and terrified with euery fierie dart of the Deuill may be maruelously comforted For the feeling of sinne the wrath of God death hell and all other terrours is wonderfull strong in the conflict of conscience as I my selfe being taught by experience doe know Then counsell must be geuen to the poore afflicted in this wise Brother thou desirest to haue a sensible feeling of thy iustification that is thou wouldest haue such a feling of Gods fauour as thou hast of thine owne sinne but that will not be But thy righteousnes ought to surmount all feeling of sinne that is to say thy righteousnes or iustification wherevpon thou holdest standeth not vppon thine owne feeling but vpon thy hoping that it shall be reuealed when it pleaseth the lord Wherefore thou must not iudge according to the feeling of sinne which troubleth and terrifieth thee but according to the promise and doctrine of Faith whereby Christe is promised vnto thee who is thy perfect and euerlasting righteousnes Thus the hope of the afflicted consisting in the inward affection is stirred vppe by Faith in the middest of all terrours and feeling of sinne to hope that he is righteous Moreouer if hope be here taken for the thing which is hoped for it is thus to be vnderstand that that which a man now seeth not he hopeth in time shall be made perfect and clearly reueiled Either sense may well stand but the first touching the inward desire and affection of hoping bringeth more plentifull consolation For my righteousnes is not yet perfect it can not yet be felt yet I doe not despaire for Faith sheweth vnto me Christe in whom I trust and when I haue laid hold of him by Faith I wrastle against the fierie dartes of the Deuil and I take a good heart through hope against the feeling of sinne assuring my selfe that I haue a perfect righteousnes prepared
also for by them hope is stirred vppe But Faith as also I haue shewed before goeth before hope for it is the beginning of life and beginneth before all tribulation For it learneth Christe and apprehendeth him without the crosse Notwithstāding the knowledge of Christ can not be long without the crosse without troubles and conflictes In this case the minde must be stirred vppe to a fortitude of spirite For hope is nothing else but a spirituall fortitude as Faith is nothing else but a spirituall prudence which consisteth in suffering according to this saying That through patience c. These three things then dwell together in the faithful Faith which teacheth the truth defendeth from errours Hope which endureth ouercōeth al aduersities as well bodely as ghostly Charitie which worketh all good things as it foloweth in the text And so is a man entire and perfect in this life as wel within as without vntill the righteousnes be reuealed which he waiteth for and this shal be a perfect an euerlasting righteousnes Moreouer this place containeth both a singuler doctrine consolation As touching the doctrine it sheweth that we are made righteous not by the workes sacrifices or ceremonies of Moises lawe much lesse by the works and traditions of mē but by Christ alone What so euer is in vs besides him is of the flesh and not of the spirite What so euer then the world counteth to be good and holy without Christe is nothing else but sinne errour and flesh Wherfore circumcision and the obseruation of the lawe also the workes religions and vowes of the Monkes and of all such as trust in their owne righteousnes are altogether carnall But we sayth Paule are farre aboue all these things in the spirite and inward man For we possesse Christe by Faith and in the middes of our afflictions through hope we wait for that righteousnes which we possesse alredy by Faith. The comfort is this that in serious conflicts and terrours wherin the feeling of sinne heauines of syirite desperation such like is very stronge for they enter deepely into the hearte and mightely assaile it thou must not folow thine owne feeling For if thou doe thou wilt say I feele the horrible terrours of the lawe and the tyrannie of sinne not onely rebelling against me but also subduing and leading me captiue and I feele no comfort or righteousnes at all Therefore I am a sinner and not righteous If I be a sinner then am I giltie of euerlasting death But against this feeling thou must wrastle and say Although I feele my selfe vtterly ouerwhelmed and swalowed vp with sinne and my heart telleth me that God is offended and angrie with me yet in very deede it is not true but that mine owne sense and feeling so iudgeth The word of God which in these terrours I ought to folow and not mine owne sense teacheth a farre other thing namely that God is neare vnto them that are of a troubled heart and saueth them that are of an humble spirite Also he despiseth not an humble and a contrite heart Moreouer Paul sheweth here that they that are iustified in spirite by Faith doe not yet feele the hope of righteousnes but wait still for it Wherfore when the lawe accuseth and sinne terrifieth thee and thou feelest nothing but the wrath and iudgement of God despaire not for all that but take vnto thee the armour of God the shield of Faith the helmet of hope and the sword of the spirite and trie how good and how valiant a warriour thou art Lay hold of Christe by Faith who is the Lord of the law and sinne and of all things else which accompanie them Beleuing in him thou art iustified which thing reason and the feeling of thine owne heart when thou art tempted doe not tell thee but the word of god Moreouer in the middest of these conflictes and terrours which often returne and exercise thee waite thou patiently through hope for righteousnes which thou hast now by Faith although it be yet but begun and imperfect vntill it be reuealed made perfect in the kingdom of heauen But thou wilt say I feele not my selfe to haue any righteousnes or at least wise I feele it but very litle Thou must not feele but beleue that thou hast righteousnes And except thou beleue that thou art righteous thou doest great iniurie vnto Christe who hath clensed thee by the washing of water through the word who also died vpon the crosse condemned sinne and killed death that through him thou mightest obtaine righteousnes euerlasting life These things thou canst not deny except thou wilt openly shew thy self to be wicked blasphemous against God vtterly to despise God all his promises Iesus Christe with all his benefites and so consequently thou canst not denie but that thou art righteous Let vs learne therfore in great and horrible terrours when our conscience feeleth nothing but sinne and iudgeth that God is angrie with vs and that Christ hath turned his face from vs not to folow the sense feeling of our owne hart but to stick to the word of God which saith that God is not angry but looketh to the afflicted to such as are troubled in spirite tremble at his word and that Christ turneth not himselfe away from such as labour and are heauie loden but refresheth and comforteth them This place therefore teacheth plainly that the lawe and workes bring vnto vs no righteousnes or comfort at all but this doth the holy Ghost onely in the Faith of Christe who raiseth vp hope in terrours and tribulations which endureth and ouercommeth all aduersities Very few there be that know how weake and feeble Faith and hope are vnder the crosse and in the conflict For it seemeth that they are but as smoking flaxe which is ready by by to be put out with a vehement winde But the faithfull who beleue in the middest of these assaultes and terrours hoping against hope that is to say fighting through Faith in the promise as touching Christe against the feeling of sinne and of the wrath of God doe afterwardes finde by experience that this sparke of Faith being very little as it appeareth to naturall reason for reason can scarsely feele it is as a mighty fire and swaloweth vp all our sinnes and all terrours There is nothing more deare or precious in all the world to the true children of God then this doctrine For they that vnderstand this doctrine doe know that wherof all the world is ignorant namely that sinne death and all other miseries afflictions and calamities as well corporall as spirituall doe turne to the benefite and profit of the elect Moreouer they know that God is then most nere vnto them when he seemeth to be farthest of and that he is then a most mercifull louing Sauiour when he semeth to be most angry to afflict to destroy
of our neighbour In the meane time notwithstanding that we may be righteous in this life also we haue Christe the Mercie seat and throne of grace and because we beleue in him sinne is not imputed vnto vs Faith therfore is our righteousnes in this life But in the life to come when we shall be thorowly clensed and deliuered from all sinnes and concupiscence we shall haue no more neede of Faith and hope but we shall then loue perfectly It is a great errour therfore to attribute iustification or righteousnes to loue whiche is nothinge or if it be any thinge yet is it not so great that it can pacifie God for loue euen in the faithfull as I haue sayd is imperfect and impure But no vncleane thing shall enter into the kingdom of god Notwithstanding in the meane while this trust and confidence sustaineth vs that Christe who a lonely committed no sinne and in whose mouth was neuer foūd any guile doth ouershadow vs with his righteousnes We being couered with this cloud and shrouded vnder this shadow this heauen of remission of sinnes throne of grace doe begin to loue and to fulfill the law Yet for this fulfilling we are not iustified nor accepted of God whilest we liue here But whē Christ hath deliuered vp the kingdom to God his father abolished all principalitie and God shall be all in all then shall Faith and hope cease and loue shall be perfect and euerlasting 1. Cor. 13. This thing the popish Schoolemen vnderstand not and therfore when they heare that loue is the summe of the whole lawe by and by they inferre Ergo the law iustifieth Or contrariwise when they read in Paule that Faith maketh a man righteous yea say they Faith formed and furnished with charitie But that is not the meaning of Paule as I haue largely declared before If we were pure from all sinne and were inflamed with perfect loue both towardes God and our neighbour then should we in deede be righteous and holy through loue and God could require no more of vs This is not done in this present life but is differred vntill the life to come In deede we receaue here the gift and first frutes of the spirite so that we begin to loue howbeit very slenderly But if we loued God truely and perfectly as the law of God requireth which sayeth Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God vvith all thy heart vvith all thy soule and vvith all thy strength then should we be as well contented with pouertie as with wealth with paine as with pleasure with life as with death Yea he that could loue God truly and perfectly in dede should not long continue in this life but should straight way be swalowed vp by this charitie But now mans nature is so corrupt and drowned in sinne that it can not haue any right sense or cogitation of god It loueth not God but hateth him deadly Wherfore as Iohn sayth VVe loued not god but he loued vs sent his sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes And as Paule sayth before in the second Chap Christe hath loued me and geuen him selfe for me And in the .4 Chap. But vvhen the fulnes of time vvas come God sent forth his sonne made of a vvoman and made vnder the lavve that he might redeme them vvhich vvere vnder the lavv We being redemed and iustified by this Sonne begin to loue according to that saying of Paule in the .8 to the Romains That vvhich vvas impossible to the lavv in as much as it vvas vveake because of the flesh God sending his ovvne sonne in the similitude of sinnefull flesh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh that the righteousnes of the lavv might be fulfilled in vs that is might begin to be fulfilled They are mere dreames therfore which the Sophisters and Schoolemen haue taught concerning the fulfilling of the lawe Wherfore Paule sheweth by these words VValke in the spirit how he would haue that sentence to be vnderstād where he sayd Serue ye one an other through loue And againe Loue is the fulfillīg of the lavv c. As if he should say When I bid you loue one an other this is it that I require of you that ye walke in the spirit For I know that ye shall not fulfill the law because sinne dwelleth in you as lōg as ye liue and therfore it is impossible that ye should fulfill the law Notwithstādīg in the meane while endeuor your selues diligētly to walk in the spirit that is wrastle in spirit against the flesh folow spiritual motions c. It appeareth then that he had not forgotten the matter of iustifition For when he biddeth them to walke in the spirit he plainly denieth that works do iustifie As if he shuld say When I speake of the fulfilling of the law I meane not that ye are iustified by the law but this I meane that there be two contrary capitaines in you the spirite and the flesh God hath stirred vp in your bodies a strife and a battaile For the spirite wrastleth against the flesh the flesh against the spirit Here I require nothing else of you but that ye folow the spirit as your captaine and guide that ye resist that captaine the flesh for that is all that ye be able to doe Obey the spirit and fight against the flesh Therfore when I teach you to obserue the lawe and exhort you to loue one an other thinke not that I goe about to reuoke that which I haue taught concerning the doctrine of Faith and that now I attribute iustification to the lawe or to charitie but my meaning is that ye should walke in the spirite and that ye should not fulfill the lustes of the flesh Paule vseth very fitte wordes and to the purpose As if he would say we come not yet to the fulfilling of the lawe therefore we must walke in the spirite and be exercised therein that we may thinke say and doe those things which are of the spirite and resist those things which are of the flesh therfore he addeth Verse 16. And ye shall not fulfill the lustes of the flesh As if he would say The desires or lustes of the flesh be not yet dead in vs but spring vppe againe and fight against the spirite The flesh of no faithful man is so good which being offended would not bite and deuour or at the least omitte somewhat of that commaundement of loue Yea euen at the first brunt he can not refraine him selfe but is angrie with his neighbour desireth to be reuenged and hateth him as an enemie or at the least loueth him not so much as he should doe and as this commaundement requireth And this hapneth euen to the faithfull Therefore the Apostle hath geuen this rule for the faithfull that they should serue one an other through loue that they should beare the burdens and infirmities one of an
consent to the flesh which alwayes enticeth vs to some euill but to resist it by the spirit We must not be ouercome with impatiencie for the vnthankfulnes and contempt of the people which abuseth the Christian libertie but through the spirite we must ouercome this all other temptations Looke then how much we striue against the flesh by the spirite so much are we outwardly righteous Albeit this righteousnes doth not commend vs before God. Let no man therefore despaire if he feele the flesh oftentimes to stirre vppe new battell against the spirite or if he can not by and by subdue the flesh and make it obedient vnto the spirite I also doe wish my selfe to haue a more valiaunt and constant heart which might be able not only boldly to contemne the threatnings of tyrants the heresies offences and tumults which Satan and his souldiers the enemies of the Gospell stirre vp but also might by and by shake of the vexatiōs and anguish of spirit and briefly might not feare the sharpnes of death but receaue and embrace it as a most frendly ghest But I find an other law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde c. Some other doe wrastle with inferiour temptations as pouertie reproch impatiencie and such like Let no man maruel therfore or be dismaied when he feeleth in his body this battell of the flesh against the spirite but let him plucke vp his heart and comfort him selfe with these wordes of Paule The flesh lusteth against the spirite Also These are contrary one to an other so that ye doe not those things that you vvould For by these sentences he comforteth them that be tēpted As if he should say It is impossible for you to folow the guiding of the spirit in all thinges without any feeling or hinderance of the flesh Nay the flesh will resist and so resist and hinder you that ye can not doe those things which gladly ye would Here it shalt be enough if ye resist the flesh and fulfill not the lust therof that is to say if ye folow the spirite and not the flesh which easily is ouerthrowne by impatiencie coueteth to reuenge biteth grudgeth hateth God is angrie with him despaireth c. Therefore when a man feeleth this battell of the flesh lette him not be discouraged therewith but let him resist in spirite and say I am a sinner and I feele sinne in me for I haue not yet put of the flesh in which sinne dwelleth so long as it liueth But I will obey the spirite and not the flesh that is I will by Faith and hope lay hold vpon Christe and by his word I will raise vppe my selfe and being so raised vppe I will not fulfill the lust of the flesh It is very profitable for the godly to know this and to beare it wel in minde for it wonderfully comforteth them when they are tempted When I was a Monke I thought by and by that I was vtterly cast away if at any time I felt the lust of the flesh that is to say if I felt any euill motion fleshly lust wrath hatred or enuie against any brother I assayed many wayes to helpe and to quiet my conscience but it would not be For the cōcupiscence and lust of my flesh did alwayes returne so that I could not rest but was cōtinually vexed with these thoughts This or that sinne thou hast cōmitted thou art infected with enuie with impatiencie such other sinnes therfore thou art entred into this holy Order in vaine and all thy good works are vnprofitable If then I had rightly vnderstand these sentences of Paule The flesh lusteth cōtrary to the spirit the spirit contrary to the flesh And These tvvo are one against an other so that ye can not do the things that ye vvould doe I should not haue so miserably tormented my selfe but should haue thought and sayd to my selfe as now commonly I doe Martine thou shalt not vtterly be without sinne for thou hast flesh thou shalt therefore feele the battell thereof according to that saying of Paule The flesh resisteth the spirite Despaire not therefore but resist it strongly and fulfill not the lust thereof Thus doing thou art not vnder the lawe I remember that Staupitius was wont to say I haue vowed vnto God aboue a thousand times that I would become a better mā but I neuer performed that which I vowed Hereafter I wil make no such vow for I haue now learned by experience that I am not able to performe it Vnlesse therefore God be fauourable and mercifull vnto me for Christes sake and graunt vnto me a blessed happie hower when I shall depart out of this miserable life I shall not be able with all my vowes and all my good deedes to stand before him This was not onely a true but also a godly an holy desperation and this must all they confesse both with mouth and heart which wil be saued For the godly trust not to their owne righteousnes but say with Dauid Enter not into iudgement vvith thy seruaunt for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified Againe If thou O Lord shouldest straitly marke iniquities O Lord vvho shall stand They loke vnto Christ their Reconciler who gaue his life for their sinnes Moreouer they know that the remnant of sinne which is in their flesh is not laid to their charge but freely pardoned Notwithstāding in the meane while they fight in spirite against the flesh lest they should fulfill the lustes thereof And although they feele the flesh to rage and rebell against the spirite and them selues also to fall sometimes into sinne through infirmitie yet are they not discouraged not thinke therefore that their state and kinde of life and the workes which are done according to their calling displease God but they raise vppe them selues by Faith. The faithfull therefore receaue great consolation by this doctrine of Paule in that they know them selues to haue part of the flesh and part of the spirite but yet so notwithstanding that the spirite ruleth and the flesh is subdued and kept vnder awe that righteousnes raigneth and sinne serueth He that knoweth not this doctrine and thinketh that the faithfull ought to be without all fault and yet seeth the contrary in him selfe must needes at the length be swalowed vppe by the spirite of heauines and fall into desperation But who so knoweth this doctrine well and vseth it rightly to him the things that are euil turne vnto good For when the flesh prouoketh him to sinne by occasion therof he is stirred vp and enforced to seeke forgeuenes of sinnes by Christe and to embrace the righteousnes of Faith which else he would not so greatly esteme nor seeke for the same with so great desire Therefore it profiteth vs very much to feele sometimes the wickednes of our nature and corruption of our flesh that yet by this meanes we may be
waked and stirred vppe to Faith and to call vppon Christe And by this occasion a Christian becommeth a mighty workman and a wonderful creatour which of heauines can make ioy of terrour comfort of sinne righteousnes and of death life when he by this meanes repressing and brideling the flesh maketh it subiect to the spirite Wherfore let not them which feele the lust of the flesh despaire of their saluation Lette them feele it and all the force thereof so that they consent not to it Lette the passions of lust wrath and such other vices shake them so that they doe not ouerthrow them Let sinne assaile them so that they doe not accōplish it Yea the more godly a man is the more doth he feele that battaile And hereof come those lamentable complaintes of the faithfull in the Psalmes and in the whole Scripture Of this battaile the Heremites the Monkes and the Schoolemen and all that seeke righteousnes and saluation by workes know nothing at all But here may some man say that it is a daungerous matter to teach that a man is not condemned if by and by he ouercome not the motions and passions of the flesh which he feeleth For when this doctrine is taught amongst the common people it maketh them carelesse negligent and slouthfull This is it which I sayd a little before that if we teach Faith then carnall men neglect and reiecte workes If works be required then is Faith and consolation of conscience lost Here no man can be compelled neither can there be any certaine rule prescribed But lette euery man diligently trie him selfe to what passion of the flesh he is most subiect and when he findeth that lette him not be carelesse nor flatter him selfe but lette him watch and wrastle in spirite against it that if he can not altogether bridle it yet at the least he doe not fulfill the lust therof This battell of the flesh against the spirit all the children of God haue had and felt And the selfe same doe we also feele and proue He that searcheth his owne cōscience if he be not an hypocrite shall well perceaue that to be true in him selfe which Paule here saith that the flesh lusteth against the spirit All the faithfull therfore do feele and confesse that their flesh resisteth against the spirit and that these two are so contrarye the one to the other in themselues that doe what they can they are not able to performe that which they woulde doe Therefore the fleshe hindreth vs the we cannot keepe the commaundementes of God that we can not loue our neighbours as our selues much lesse can we loue God with all our heart Therefore it is impossible for vs to become righteous by the works of the law In deede there is a good will in vs and so must there be for it is the spirit it self which resisteth the flesh which would gladly doe good fulfill the lawe loue God and his neighbour and such like but the flesh obeyeth not this good will but resisteth it and yet God imputeth not vnto vs this sinne For he is mercifull to those that beleue for Christes sake But it foloweth not therefore that thou shouldest make a light matter of sinne because God doth not impute it True it is that he doth not impute it But to whom and for what cause To such as repent and lay hold by Faith vppon Christe the Mercyseat for whose sake as all their sinnes are forgeuen them euen so that remnants of sinne which are in them be not imputed vnto them They make not their sinne lesse thē it is but amplifie it set it out as it is in dede for they know that it can not be put away by satisfactions works or righteousnes but only by the death of Christe And yet notwithstanding the greatnes and enormitie of their sinne doth not cause them to despaire but they assure thēselues that the same shall not be imputed vnto them or laid vnto their charge This I say lest any man shoulde thinke that after faith is receaued there is litle accoūt to be made of sinne Sinne is truely sinne whether a man commit it before he hath receaued the knowledge of Christe or after And God alwayes hateth sinne yea all sinne is damnable as touchinge the facte it selfe But in that it is not damnable to him that beleueth it commeth of Christe who by his death hath taken away sinne But to him that beleueth not in Christe not onely all his sinnes are damnable but euen his good workes also are sinne according to that saying VVhatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne Therefore the errour of the Scholemen is moste pernicious which do distinguish sinnes according to the fact and not according to the person He that beleueth hath as great sinne as the vnbeleuer But to him that beleueth it is forgeuen and not imputed To the vnbeleuer it is not pardoned but imputed To the beleuer it is veniall to the vnbeleuer it is mortall and damnable Not for any difference of sinnes or because the sinne of the beleuer is lesse and the sinne of the vnbeleuer greater but for the difference of the persons For the faithfull assureth him selfe by Faith that his sinne is forgeuen him for as much as Christe hath geuen him selfe for it Therfore although he haue sinne in him and daily sinneth yet he continueth godly but contrariwise the vnbeleuer continueth wicked And this is the true wisedome and consolation of the godly that although they haue and commit sinnes yet they know that for Christes sake they are not imputed vnto them This I say for the comfort of the godly For they onely feele in deede that they haue and doe commit sinnes that is to say they feele that they doe not loue God so feruently as they should doe that they doe not beleue him so hartely as they would but rather they oftētimes dout whether God haue a care of them or no they are impatient and are angrie with God in aduersitie Hereof as I haue sayd proceede the sorowfull complaintes of the faithfull in the scriptures and specially in the Psalmes And Paule him selfe complaineth that he is solde vnder sinne And here he saith that the flesh resisteth rebelleth against the spirit But because they mortifie the deedes of that flesh by the spirite as he sayth in an other place also in the ende of this chapiter They crucifie the flesh vvith the desires and lustes thereof therefore these sinnes doe not hurt them nor condemne them But if they obey the flesh in fulfilling the lustes thereof then doe they lose Faith and the holy Ghost And if they doe not abhorre their sinne and returne vnto Christ who hath geuen power to his church to receaue and raise vppe those that be falne that so they may recouer Faith and the holy Ghost they die in their sinnes Wherefore we speake not of them which dreame that they haue Faith and
yet continue still in their sinnes These men haue their iudgement already They that liue after the flesh shall die Also The vvorkes of the flesh are manifest vvhich are adulterie fornication vncleannes vvantonnes idolatrie vvitchcraft hatred debate emulations vvrath contentions seditions heresies enuie murthers drunkennes gluttonie and such like vvhereof I tell you before as also I haue told you that they vvhich doe such things shall not inherite the kingdom of God. Hereby we may see who be the very Saincts in dede They be not stocks stones as the Monkes and Scholemen dreame so that they are neuer moued with any thing neuer feele any lusts or desires of the flesh but as Paule sayth their flesh lusteth against the spirit and therfore they haue sinne and both can doe sinne And the .32 Psalme witnesseth that the faithfull doe confesse their vnrighteousnes pray that the wickednes of their sinne may be forgeuen where it sayeth I vvill confesse against my selfe my vvickednes vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne Therefore shall euery one that is godly make his prayer vnto thee c. Moreouer the whole Church which in deede is holy prayeth that her sinnes may be forgeuen her and it beleueth the forgeuenes of sinnes And in the .143 Psalme Dauid prayeth O Lord enter not into iudgement vvith thy seruaunt for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified And in the .130 Psalm If thou O Lord shouldest straitly marke iniquities Lord vvho shall stand in thy presence But vvith thee is mercy c. Thus doe the cheefest saincts and children of God speake and pray as Dauid Paule c. All the faithfull therfore doe speake and pray the same thing and with the same spirit The popish Sophisters read not the Scriptures or if they read thē they haue a veile before their eyes and therfore as they can not iudge rightly of any thing so can they not iudge rightly either of sinne or of holines Verse 18. If ye be led by the spirite ye are not vnder the lavve Paule cannot forget his doctrine of Faith but still repeateth it beateth it into their heades yea euen when he treateth of good works Here some man may obiect How can it be that we should not be vnder the law and yet thou notwithstanding O Paule teachest vs that we haue flesh which lusteth against the spirit fighteth against vs tormēteth vs and bringeth vs into bondage And in deede we feele sinne and can not be deliuered from the feeling therof though we would neuer so faine And what is this else but to be vnder the law But sayth he Let this nothing trouble you onely doe your endeuour that ye may be led by the spirite that is to say shew your selues willing to folow obey that will which resisteth the flesh and doth not accomplish the lustes thereof for this is to be led and to be drawne by the spirite then are ye not vnder the lawe So Paule speaketh of himselfe Rom. 7. In my minde I serue the lavve of God that is to say In spirit I am not subiect to any sinne but yet in my flesh I serue the law of sinne The faithfull then are not vnder the lawe that is to say in spirite for the law can not accuse them nor pronounce sentence of death against them although they feele sinne and confesse them selues to be sinners For the power and strength of the lawe is taken from it by Christ vvho vvas made subiect to the lavve that he might redeme them vvhich vvere vnder the lavve Therefore the lawe cannot accuse that for sinne in the faithfull which is sinne in deede and committed against the lawe So great then is the power and dominion of the spirite that the lawe cannot accuse the godly though they commit that which is sinne in deede For Christe is our righteousnes whom we apprehend by Faith he is without all sinne and therfore the law can not accuse him As long as we cleaue fast vnto him we are ledde by the spirite and are free from the lawe And so the Apostle euen when he teacheth good workes forgetteth not his doctrine concerning Iustification but alwayes sheweth that it is impossible for vs to be iustified by workes For the remnants of sinne cleaue fast in our flesh and therefore so long as our flesh liueth it ceaseth not to lust contrary to the spirite Notwithstanding there cometh no daunger vnto vs thereby because we be free from the law so that we walke in the spirite And with these wordes If ye be ledde by the spirite ye be not vnder the lavve thou maist greatly comfort thy selfe and others that be greeuously tempted For it oftentimes commeth to passe that a mā is so vehemently assailed with wrath hatred impatiencie carnall desire terrour and anguish of spirite or some other lust of the flesh that he can not shake them of though he would neuer so faine What should he doe in this case Should he despaire No God forbid but let him say thus with him selfe Thy flesh fighteth and rageth against the spirite Let it rage as long as it listeth onely see thou that in any case thou consent not to it to fulfill the lusts therof but walke wisely folow the leading of the spirit In so doing thou art free from the law It accuseth and terrifieth thee I graunt but altogether in vaine In this conflict therfore of the flesh against the spirit there is nothing better then to haue the word of God before thine eyes and therin to seeke the comfort of the spirite And let not him which suffereth this temptation be dismayed in that the Deuil can so aggrauate sinne that during the conflict he thinketh him selfe to be vtterly ouerthrowne and feeleth nothing else but the wrath of God and desperation Here in any wise let him not folow his owne feeling and the iudgement of reason but lette him take sure hold of this saying of Paule If ye be led by the spirite that is to wit if ye raise vp and comfort your selues through faith in Christ ye be not vnder the lawe So shall he haue a strong buckler wherewith he may beat backe all the fierie dartes which that wicked feende assaileth him withall How much so euer then the flesh doe boyle and rage yet can not all her motions and rages hurt cōdemne him for as much as he folowing the guiding of the spirite doth not consent vnto the flesh nor fulfill the lustes thereof Therefore when the motions of the flesh doe rage the onely remedie is to take to vs the sword of the spirite that is to say the word of saluation which is that God would not the death of a sinner but that he cōuert liue and to fight against them Which if we doe let vs not doubt but we shall obtaine the victorie although so long as the battaile endureth we feele the plaine
contrary But set the word out of sight and there is no counsell nor helpe remaining Of this that I say I my selfe haue good experiēce I haue suffered many great passions and the same also very vehement and great But so soone as I laid hold of any place of Scripture and stayed my selfe vppon it as vppon my cheefe ankerhold straight wayes my tentations did vanish away which without the word it had bene vnpossible for me to endure any litle space and much lesse to ouercome them The summe or effect therfore of all that which Paule hath taught in this disputation or discourse cōcerning the conflict or battell betwene the flesh and the spirite is this that the Sainctes and the elect of God can not performe that which the spirit desireth For the spirite would gladly be altogether pure but the flesh being ioyned vnto the spirite will not suffer that Notwithstanding they be saued by the remission of sinnes which is in Christ Iesus Moreouer because they walke in the spirite and are led by the spirite they be not vnder the lawe that is to say the law cānot accuse or terrifie thē yea although it goe about neuer so much so to doe yet shal it neuer be able to driue them to desperation Ver. 19. Moreouer rhe vvorks of the flesh be manifest vvhich are c. This place is not vnlike to this sentence of Christe By their fruites ye shall knovve them Doe men gather grapes of thornes or figges of brambles So euery good tree bringeth forth good frute and an euill tree bringeth forth euill frute c. Paule teacheth the very same thing which Christe taught that is to witte that workes and fruites doe sufficiently testifie whether the trees be good or euill whether mē folow the guiding of the flesh or of the spirit As if he should say Lest some of you might lay for him selfe that he vnderstandeth me not now when I treat of the battel betwene the flesh and the spirite I will sette before your eyes first the workes of the flesh whereof many are knowne euen to the vngodly and then also the workes of the spirite And this doth Paule because there were many hypocrites amōgs the Galathians as there are also at this day among vs which outwardly pretended to be godly men and boasted much of the spirit and as touching the wordes they vnderstode the true doctrine of the Gospell but they walked not according to the spirite but according to the flesh and performed the workes thereof Whereby Paule manifestly conuinceth them to be no such holy men in deede as they boasted themselues to be And lest they should despise this his admonition he pronounceth against them this dreadfull sentence that they should not be enheritours of the kingdom of heauē to the end that being thus admonished they might amend Euery age euen in the faithfull hath his peculiare tēptations as fleshly lusts assaile a man most of all in his youth in his middle age ambition and vaineglory and in his olde age couetousnes There was neuer yet any of the faithfull whom the flesh hath not oftē in his life time prouoked to impatientie anger vaineglory c. Paule therefore speaking here of the faithfull sayeth that the flesh lusteth in them against the spirite c therefore they shall neuer be without the desires and battels of the flesh notwithstanding they do not hurt them But of this matter we must thus iudge that it is one thing to be prouoked of the flesh yet not willingly to yelde to the lusts and desires therof but to walke after the leading of the spirit and to resist the flesh and an other thing to assent vnto the flesh and without all feare or remorse to performe and fulfill the works therof and to continue therin and yet notwithstanding to counterfet holines and to bragge of the spirite The first he comforteth when he saith that they be ledde by the spirite and be not vnder the lawe To the other he threatneth euerlasting destruction Notwithstanding sometimes it hapneth that the Saincts also do fall and performe the lustes of the flesh As Dauid fell horribly into adulterie Also he was the cause of the slaughter of many men when he would haue Vrias to be slaine in the forefront of the battell and therby also he gaue occasion to the enemies to glory and triumph ouer the people of God to worship their Idolles and to blaspheme the God of Israell Peter also fell most greeuously and horribly when he denied Christe But although these sinnes were great and hainous yet were they not committed vppon any contempt of God or of a wilfull and obstinate mind but through infirmitie weaknes Againe when they were admonished they did not obstinately continue in their sinnes but repented Such he willeth afterwardes in the .6 Chapter to be receiued instructed and restored saying If a man be falne by occasion into any sinne ye vvhich are spirituall restore such a one vvith the spirite of meekenes considering thy selfe lest thou also be tempted To those therefore which sinne and fall through infirmitie pardon is not denied so that they rise againe and continue not in their sinne for of all things continuance in sinne is the worst But if they repent not but still obstinately continue in their wickednes and performe the desires of the flesh it is a certaine token that there is disceit in their spirite No man therefore shall be without lustes and desires so long as he liueth in the flesh and therfore no man shall be free from temptations Notwithstanding some are tempted one way and some an other according to the difference of the persons One man is assailed with more vehement and greeuous motions as with bitternes and anguish of spirite blasphemie distrust and desperation An other with more grosse tentations as with fleshly lustes wrath enuie couetousnes and such like But in this case Paule requireth of vs that we walke in the spirite and resist the flesh But who so obeyeth the flesh and continueth without any feare of God or remorse of conscience in accomplyshing the desires and lustes thereof let him know that he pertaineth not vnto Christe And although he bragge of the name of a Christian neuer so much yet doth he but deceaue him selfe For they which are of Christe doe crucifie their flesh with the affections and lustes thereof VVho be rightly called Sainctes and be so in deede This place as I haue also forewarned you by the way containeth in it a singular consolation For it teacheth vs that the sainctes and most holy men in this world liue not without concupiscence and temptations of the flesh nor yet without sinnes It warneth vs therefore to take heede that we doe not as some did of whom Gerson wryteth whych laboured to attaine to such perfection that they might be without all feeling of temptations or sinnes that is to say very stockes and stones The like
imagination the Monkes and Scholemen hadde of their Sainctes as though they hadde bene very senselesse blockes and without all affections The virgine Marie felt great griefe and sorowe of spirite when she missed her sonne Luke 2. Dauid in the Psalmes complaineth that he is almost swalowed vppe with excessiue sorrowe for the greatnes of his temptations and sinnes Paule also complaineth that he hath battelles without and terrours within and that in his flesh he serueth the lawe of sinne He sayeth that he is carefull for all the Churches and that God shewed great mercie towardes him in that he deliuered Epaphroditus being at the poynt of death to life againe lest he should haue had sorrow vppon sorrow Therefore the Sainctes of the Papists are like to the Stoickes who imagined such wise men as in all the world were neuer yet to be found And by this foolish and Deuelish perswasion which proceeded of the ignoraunce of this doctrine of Paule the Scholemen brought both them selues and others without number into horrible desperation When I was a Monke I did oftentimes most hartely wish that I might once be so happy as to see the conuersation and life of some Sainct or holy man But in the meane time I imagined such a Sainct as liued in the wildernes abstaining from meat and drinke and liuing onely with rootes of herbes and colde water and this opinion of those monstrous sainctes I had learned not onely out of the bookes of the Sophisters and Scholemen but also out of the bookes of the fathers For thus wryteth Hierome in a certaine place As touching meates and drinkes I say nothing for as much as it is excesse that euē such as are weake and feeble should vse cold water or eate any sodden thing c. But now in the light of the Gospel we plainly see who they are whom Christ and his Apostles call Saincts Not they which liue a sole a single life or straitly obserue dayes meates apparel such other things or in outward appearance do other great monstrous works as we read of many in the liues of the fathers but they which being called by the sound of the Gospell and baptised doe beleue that they be iustified and clensed by the death of Christ So Paule euery where wryting to Christians calleth them holy the children and heires of God c. Who so euer then doe beleue in Christe whether they be men or women bond or free are all Sainctes not by their owne workes but by the workes of God which they receiue by Faith as his word his Sacraments the passion of Christ his death resurrection victorie and the sending of the holy Ghost To conclude they are Sainctes through such a holines as they freely receaue not through such a holines as they them selues haue gotten by their owne industrie good workes and merites So the ministers of the worde the Magistrates of common weales parents children maisters seruauntes c. are true Saincts if first and before all things they assure themselues that Christ is their wisedom righteousnes sanctification and redemption Secondly if euery one doe his duetie in his vocation according to the rule of Gods word and obey not the flesh but represse the lustes and desires thereof by the spirite Now where as all be not of like strength to resist temptatiōs but many infirmities and offences are seene in the most part of men this nothing hindereth their holines so that their sinnes procede not of an obstinate wilfulnes but onely of frailtie and infirmitie For as I haue sayd before the godly doe feele the desires and lusts of the flesh but they resist them to the ende that they accomplish them not Also if they at any time vnaduisedly fall into sinne yet notwithstāding they obtaine forgeuenes thereof if by Faith in Christe they be raised vppe againe who would not that we should driue away but seeke out and bring whom the straying and lost sheepe c. Therfore God forbid that I should straighte way iudge those which are weake in Faith and maners to be prophane or vnholy if I see that they loue reuerence the word of God to come to the supper of the Lord c. For these God hath receaued counteth them righteous thorough the remissiō of sinnes to him they stand or fall c. Wherefore with great reioysing I geue thankes to God for that he hath abundantly and aboue measure graunted that vnto me which I so earnestly desired of him when I was a Monke For he hath geuen vnto me the grace to see not one but many Sainctes yea an infinite nomber of true sainctes not such as the Sophisters haue deuised but such as Christe himselfe his Apostles doe describe Of the which nomber I assure my selfe to be one For I am baptised and I doe beleue that Christ my Lord by his death hath redemed and deliuered me from all my sinnes and hath geuen to me eternall righteousnes and holines And let him be holden accursed who so euer shall not geue this honour vnto Christe to beleue that by his death his word c. he is iustified and sanctified Wherfore reiecting this foolish and wicked opinion concerning the name of Saincts which in the time of Poperie and ignorance we thought to pertaine onely to the Sainctes which are in heauen and in earth to the Heremites and Monkes which did certaine great and straunge workes let vs now learne by the holy Scripture that all they which faithfully beleue in Christ are Saincts The world hath in great admiration the holines of Benedict Gregorie Bernard Fraunces and such like because it heareth that they haue done in outward appearance and in the iudgement of the world certaine great and excellent workes Doutles Hyllarie Cyrill Athanasius Ambrose Augustine and others were Saincts also which liued not so strait and seuere a life as they did but were conuersant amongs men and did eate common meates drunke wine and vsed clenly and comely apparell so that in a maner there was no difference betwene them other honest men as touching the common custome and the vse of things necessary for this life and yet were they to be preferred farre aboue the other These men taught the doctrine and faith of Christe sincerely purely without any superstition they resisted heretikes they purged the church from innumerable errours their company and familiaritie was comfortable to many and specially to those which were afflicted and heauie harted whom they raised vppe and comforted by the word of god For they did not withdraw them selues from the company of men but they executed their offices euen where most resort of people was Contrariwise the other not onely taught many things contrary to the Faith but also were themselues the authors first inuentours of many superstitions errours abhominable ceremonies and wicked worshippings Therefore except at the houre of death they laid hold of Christe and reposed their whole
chastly that they should be no adulterers no fornicatours no wantons and if they cannot liue chastly he would haue them to marrie Also that they should not be contentious or quarellers that they should not be geuen to drunkennes or surfetting but that they should abstaine from all these things Chastitie or continencie containeth all these Hierome expoundeth it of virginitie onely as though they that be married could not be chast or as though the Apostle did wryte these things onely to virgines In the 1. and .2 Chapt. to Tit. he warneth also Bishops yong women and maried folkes both man and wife to be chast and pure Verse 23. Against such there is no lavve In deede there is a lawe but not against such As he sayth also in an other place The lavve is not geuen to the righteous man. For the righteous liueth in such wise that he hath no neede of any lawe to admonish or to constraine him but without constraint of the lawe he willingly doth those things which the lawe requireth Therefore the law cannot accuse or condemne those that beleue in Christe In deede the law troubleth and terrifieth our consciences but Christ apprehēded by Faith vanquisheth it with all his terrours threatnings To them therefore the lawe is vtterly abolished and hath no power to accuse them for they doe that of their owne accord which the law requireth They haue receaued the holy Ghost by Faith who wil not suffer them to be idle Although the flesh resist yet doe they walke after the spirite So a Christian accomplisheth the law inwardly by Faith for Christ is the perfection of the lawe vnto righteousnes to all that doe beleue outwardly by workes and by remission of sinnes But those which performe the workes or desires of the flesh the law doth accuse and condemne both ciuily and spiritually Verse 24. For they that are Christes haue crucified the flesh vvith the affections and lustes thereof This whole place concerning workes sheweth that the true beleuers are no hypocrites Therfore let no man deceaue him selfe For whosoeuer sayeth he pertaine vnto Christe haue crucified the flesh with all the vices and lustes thereof For the Sainctes in as much as they haue not yet vtterly put of the corrupt and sinnefull flesh are enclined to sinne and doe neither feare not loue God so perfectly as they ought to doe Also they be prouoked to anger to enuie to impatiencie to vncleane lusts and such like motions which notwithstanding they accomplish not for as Paule here sayeth they crucifie the flesh with all the affectiōs and lusts therof Which thing they do not onely when they represse the wantonnes of the flesh with fasting and other exercises but also as Paule sayd before when they walke according to the spirite that is when they being admonished by the threatnings of God wherby he sheweth that he will seuerely punish sinne are afeard to commit sinne Also when they being armed with the word of God with faith and with prayer doe not obey the lustes of the flesh When they resist the flesh after this maner they naile it to the crosse with the lustes and desires thereof so that although the flesh be yet aliue yet can it not performe that which it would doe for as much as it is bound both hand and foote and fast nailed to the crosse The faithfull then so long as they liue here doe crucifie the flesh that is to say they feele the lusts therof but they obey them not For they being furnished with the armour of God that is with Faith hope and the sword of the spirite doe resist the flesh and with these spirituall nailes they fasten the same vnto the crosse so that it is constrained to be subiect to the spirite Afterwardes when they die they put it of wholy and when they shall rise againe from death to life they shall haue a pure and vncorrupt flesh without all affections and lustes The sixth Chapter If vve liue in the spirite let vs also vvalke in the spirite THE Apostle reckened before amongst the workes of the flesh heresie and enuie and pronounced sentence against those which are enuious and which are authors of Sectes that they should not inherite the kingdom of god And now as if he had forgotten that which he sayd a litle before he againe reproueth those which prouoke and enuie one an other Why doth he so was it not sufficient to haue done it once In deede he doth it of purpose for he taketh occasion here to inueigh against that execrable vice of vaineglory which was the cause of the troubles that were in all the churches of Galatia and hath bene alwayes most pernicious and hurtful to the whole Church of Christe Therefore in his Epistle to Titus he would not that a proud mā should be ordained a Bishop For Pride as Augustine truly saith is the mother of all heresies or rather the headspring of all sinne and confusion Which thing all histories as well holy as prophane doe witnesse Now vainglory or arrogancie hath alwayes ben a common poyson in the world which the very Heathen Poetes and Hystorigraphers haue alwayes vehemently reproued There is no village wherin there is not some one or other to be found that would be counted wiser and be more estemed then all then rest But they are chiefly infected with this disease which stand vpon their reputatiō for learning and wisedom In this case no mā wil yeld to an other according to this saying Ye shall not lightly finde a man that vvill yeelde vnto others the praise of vvitte and skill For it is a goodly thing to see men poynt at one and say this is he But it is not so hurtful in priuate persons no nor in any kind of magistrate as it is in them that haue any charge in the church Albeit in ciuile gouernment specially if it be in great personages it is not onely a cause of troubles and ruines of common weales but also of the troubles and alteration of kingdoms and Empires Which thing the hystories both of the Scripture and prophane wryters doe witnesse But when this poyson creepeth into the Church or spirituall kingdom it can not be expressed how hurtfull it is For there is no contention as touching learning witte beautie riches kingdoms Empires and such like but as touching saluation or damnation eternall life or eternall death Therfore Paul earnestly exhorteth the ministers of the word to flie this vice saying If vve liue in the spirit c. As if he should say If it be true that we liue in the spirite let vs also procede and walke in the spirit For where the spirite is it reneweth men and worketh in them new motions that is to say wheras they were before vaineglorious wrathfull and enuious it maketh them now humble gentle and patient Such men seeke not their owne glory but the glory of God they doe not prouoke or enuie one
be feared from hearing of them As if he should say Behold I sette before your eyes what maner of teachers ye haue First they are vaineglorious men which seeke nothing but their owne profite and care for nothing but their owne bellie Secondly they flie the crosse and finally they teach no truth or certaintie but all their sayings and doings are counterfet and full of hypocrisie Wherefore although they keepe the lawe outwardly yet in keping it they keepe it not For without the holy ghost the law can not be kept But the holy Ghost can not be receaued without christ and where the holy ghost dwelleth not ther dwelleth an vncleane spirit that is to say despising god seking his owne gaine and glory Therfore al that he doth as touchīg the law is mere hypocrisie double sinne For an vncleane heart doth not fulfill the lawe but only maketh an outward shew thereof and so is it more confirmed in his wickednes and hypocrisie And this sentence is diligently to be marked that they which are circumcised keepe not the lawe that is to say that they which are circumcised are not circūcised It may also be applied vnto other workes He that worketh prayeth or suffereth without Christ worketh praieth suffereth in vaine for all that is not of faith is sinne It profiteth a man therefore nothing at all to be outwardly circumcised to fast to pray or to doe any other worke if he be within a despiser of grace of forgeuenes of sinnes of faith of Christe c. and be puffed vp with the opinion presumption of his owne righteousnes which are horrible sinnes against the first table and afterward there folow also other sinnes against the secōd table as disobedience whoredom furiousnes wrath hatred and such other Therfore he saith very wel that they which be circumcised keepe not the lawe but onely pretend that they keepe it But this counterfetting or rather hypocrisie is double wickednes afore God. What meane the false apostles whē they would haue you to be circumcised Not that ye might become righteous although they so beare you in hand but that they may glory in your flesh Now who would not detest this most pestilēt vice of ambition and desire of glory which is sought with so great perill of mennes soules They are sayth he disceitfull shameles and vaine spirites which serue their owne belly and hate the crosse Againe which is worst of all they compel you to be circumcised according to the lawe that they may therby abuse your flesh to their owne glory in the meane season they bring your soules into daūger of euerlasting destruction For what gaine ye else before God but damnation and what else before men but that the false apostles may glory that they are your teachers and ye their disciples and yet they teach you that which they them selues do not Thus doth he sharply reproue the false apostles These wordes That they may glory in your flesh are very effectuall As if he should say they haue not the word of the spirit therfore it is impossible for you to receaue the spirite by their preaching They do but only exercise your flesh making you fleshly Iusticiaries or iustifiers of your selues Outwardly they obserue dayes times sacrifices and such other things according to the lawe which are altogither carnall whereby ye reape nothing else but vnprofitable labour and damnation And on the other side this they gaine thereby that they boast that they are your teachers and haue called you backe from the doctrine of Paule the heretike vnto their mother the Synagoge So at this day the Papistes bragge that they call backe those to the bosome of their mother the holy church whom they deceaue and seduce Contrariwise we glory not in your flesh but we glory as touching your spirite because ye haue receaued the spirite by our preaching Galath 3.2 Verse 14. But God forbid that I should glory but in the crosse of our Lord Iesu Christ The Apostle closeth vp the matter with an indignation with great vehemencie of spirite he casteth out these wordes But God forbid c. As if he should say This carnall glory and ambition of the false apostles is so daungerous a poyson that I wish it were buried in hell for it is the cause of the destruction of many But let them glory in the flesh that list and let them perish with their cursed glory As for me I desire no other glory but that whereby I glory and reioyce in the crosse of Cbriste After the same maner speaketh he also Rom. 5. VVe glory in our afflictions Also in the .2 Cor. 12. T vvill glory in mine infirmities Here Paule sheweth what is the glory and reioysing of the Christians namely to glory and to be proud in tribulations reproches infirmities c. The world iudgeth of the Christians not onely that they are wretched and miserable men but also most cruelly and yet as it thinketh with a true zeale hateth persecuteth condemneth and killeth them as most pernicious plages of the spirituall worldly kingdom that is to say like heretikes and rebels But because they do not suffer these things for murther theft and such other wickednes but for the loue of Christe whose benefite and glory they sette forth therefore they glory in tribulations and in the crosse of Christe and are glad with the Apostles that they are counted worthy to suffer rebuke for the name of Christ So must we glory at this day when the Pope and the whole world most cruelly persecute vs condemne vs and kill vs because we suffer these things not for our euil dedes as theeues murtherers c. but for Christes sake our Lord and Sauiour whose Gospell we truly preach Now our glory is encreased and confirmed principally by these two things First because we are certaine that our doctrine is sound perfect Secondly because our crosse and suffering is the suffering of Christ Therfore when the world persecuteth and killeth vs we haue no cause to complaine or lament but we ought rather to reioyce and be glad In deede the world iudgeth vs to be vnhappy accursed But on the other side Christ who is greater thā the world and for whom we suffer pronoūceth vs to be blessed willeth vs to reioyce Blessed are ye sayth he vvhen men reuile you persecute you and falsly say all maner of euill against you for my sake Reioyce and be glad Our glory then is an other maner of glory then the glory of the world is which reioyceth not in tribulation reproch persecution and death c. but glorieth altogether in power in riches peace honour wisedom and his owne righteousnes But mourning and confusion is the ende of this glory Moreouer the crosse of Christ doth not signifie that peece of wood which Christ did beare vpon his shoulders and to the which he was afterwardes nailed but generally
other meanes Wherefore euen by this we may plainely see the inestimable pacience of God in that he hath not long agoe destroyed the whole Papacy and consumed it with fire and brimstone as he did Sodome and Gomorre But now these ioly felowes goe about not onely to couer but highly to aduance their impietie and filthines This we may in no case dissemble We must therefore with all diligence set forth the article of iustification that the same as a most cleare Sunne may bring to light the darknes of their hypocrisie and may discouer their filthines and shame For this cause we doe so often repete and so earnestly set forth the righteousnes of faith that the aduersaries may be confounded and this article established cōfirmed in our hearts And this is a most necessary thing for if we once lose this Sunne we fal againe into our former darknes And most horrible it is that the Pope should euer be able to bring this to passe in the church that Christ should be denyed troden vnder foote spitte vpon blasphemed yea and that euen by the Gospell and sacraments which he hath so darkned and turned into such an horrible abuse that he hath made them to serue him against Christ to set vp and stablish his detestable abhominations O deepe darkenes O horrible wrath of God. Verse 16. Euen vve I say haue beleeued in Iesus Christ that vve might be iustified This is the true meane to become a Christian euen to be iustified by faith in Iesus Christ and not by the workes of the lawe Here we may not stand vpon the wicked glose of the Scholemen which say that faith then iustifieth when charitie and good workes are ioyned withal With this pestilent glose the Sophisters haue darkened peruerted this such other like sentences in Paule wherein he manifestly attributeth iustification to faith onely in Christ But when a man heareth that he ought to beleue in Christ and yet faith notwithstanding iustifieth not except it be formed and adorned with charitie by and by faith faileth him and thus he thinketh with him selfe If faith without charitie iustifieth not then is faith in vaine and vnprofitable and charitie only iustifieth For except Faith be adorned and furnished with charitie it is nothing And to approue this their pernicious and pestilēt glose they alledge this place out of the Corinthes Though I speake vvith the tounges of men angels haue no loue I am nothing This place is their brasen wall But these men are without vnderstanding therfore they can see or vnderstand nothing in Paule And moreouer they haue not onely done iniury to the words of Paule but also they haue denied Christ buried al his benefits Wherfore we must auoid this their glose as a most deadly and deuilish poison and conclude with Paule that we are iustified not by faith furnished with charitie but by faith onely and alone We graunt that we must also teach good workes and charitie but it must be done in time and place that is to say when the question is concerning workes and toucheth not this article of iustification But here the matter resteth in this point to know by what meanes we are iustified and attaine eternall life To this we aunswere with Paule that by faith onely in Christ we are pronounced righteous and not by the workes of the law or charitie Not because we reiect good workes but for that we will not suffer our selues to be remoued from this anker hold of our saluation which Sathan most desireth Since then we are now in the matter of iustification we reiect and condemne all good workes for this place will admitte no disputation of good workes Wherefore in this matter we doe generally cut of all lawes and all the workes of the law But the law is good iust and holy True it is But when we are in the matter of iustification there is no time or place to speake of the law but the question is what Christ is and what benefite he hath brought vnto vs Christ is not the law he is not my worke or the worke of the law he is not my charitie my chastitie my obedience my pouerty but he is the Lord of life and death a Mediatour a Sauiour a redemer of those that are vnder the law and sinne In him vve are by faith and he in vs. This bridegrome must be alone with the bride in his secrete chamber all the seruants and family being put apart But afterwards when the dore is open and he cometh forth then may the seruauntes and hādmaides returne to minister vnto them Then may charitie and good workes beginne to doe their office Let vs learne therefore to discerne all lawes yea euen the law of God and all workes from faith and from Christ that we may define Christ rightly and know that he is not the law and therfore he is no exactor of the law and workes but he is the lambe of God that taketh avvay the sinnes of the vvorld This doth faith alone lay hold of and not charitie which notwithstanding as a certaine thankfulnes must follow faith Wherefore victory ouer sinne and death saluation and euerlasting life come not by the law nor by the workes of the law nor yet by the power of free will but by the Lord Iesus Christ only alone Verse 16. That vve might be iustified by faith in Christ and not by the vvorkes of the lavv Paule speaketh not here of the ceremoniall law onely as before we haue sayd but of the whole law For the ceremoniall law was as well the law of God as the morall law was As for example Circumcision the institution of the Priesthoode the seruice and ceremonies of the temple were commaunded of God no lesse then the ten commaundements Moreouer when Abraham was commaunded to offer vp his sonne Isaac in sacrifice it was a law This worke of Abraham pleased God no lesse then other works of the ceremoniall law did and yet was not he iustified by this work but by faith for the scripture saith Abraham beleued God and it vvas counted to him for righteousnes But since the reueiling of Christ say they the ceremoniall lawe killeth and bringeth death Yea so doth the lawe of the ten commaundements also without faith in Christe Moreouer there may no law be suffred to raigne in the conscience but onely the law of the spirite and life wherby we are made free in Christ from the lawe of the letter and of death from the workes therof and from all sinnes Not because the lawe is euill but for that it is not able to iustifie vs for it hath a plaine contrary effect and working It is an high and an excellent matter to be at peace with God and therefore in this case we haue neede of a farre other Mediatour then Moses or the lawe Here we must doe nothing at all but onely receaue the
Christ in so much that without circumcision and keping of the lawe they denied the iustification of faith for except ye be circumcised sayd they after the lawe of Moses ye can not be saued euen so at this day these straite exactors of the lawe besides the righteousnes of Faith doe require the keping of the commaundementes of God according to that saying Doe this and thou shalt liue Also If thou vvilt enter into life kepe the commaundemēts Wherfore there is not one among them be he neuer so wise that vnderstandeth that difference betwene the lawe and grace But we put a difference and say that we do not here dispute whether we ought to doe good workes whether the law be good holy and iust whether it ought to be kept or no for this is an other maner of question But our question is concerning iustification and whether the lawe doe iustifie or no. This the aduersaries will not heare they will not aunswere to this question nor make any distinction as we doe but onely crie out that good workes ought to be done that the lawe ought to be obserued We know that well enough But because these are diuers and distinct matters we will not suffer them to be mingled together That good workes ought to be done we will hereafter declare when time shall serue But since we are nowe in the matter of iustification we set aside here all good workes for the which the aduersaries doe so earnestly striue ascribing vnto them wholy the office of iustifying which is to take from Christ his glory and to ascribe the same vnto workes Wherfore this is a strong argument which I haue oftentimes vsed to my great comfort If then vvhile vve seeke to be made righteous by Christ c. As though Paule should say If we being iustified by Christ are counted yet as not iustified and righteous but as sinners which are yet to be iustified by the lawe then may we not seeke iustification in Christ but in the law But if iustification cometh by the lawe then cometh it not by grace Now if iustification cometh not by grace but by the lawe what hath Christ done and wrought by his death by his preaching by his victorie which he hath obtained ouer the lawe sinne and death and by sending the holy Ghost We must cōclude therfore that either we are iustified by Christ or else that we are made sinners culpable and giltie through him But if the lawe doe iustifie then can it not be auoided but needes it must folowe that we are made sinners through Christ and so Christ is a minister of sinne The case standing thus let vs then set downe this proposition Euery one that beleueth in the Lord Iesus Christ is a sinner and is giltie of eternall death and if he flie not vnto the lawe doing the workes thereof he shall not be saued The holy Scripture especially the new Testament maketh often mention of faith in Christ highly aduaūceth the same which saith that vvhosoeuer beleueth in him is saued perisheth not is not iudged is not confounded hath eternal life c. But contrariwise they say he that beleueth in him is condemned because he hath faith without works which doth condemne Thus doe they peruert all things making of Christ a destroyer and a murtherer and of Moses a Sauiour And is not this an horrible blasphemy so to teach that by doing good works thou shalt be made worthy of eternall life but by beleuing in Christ thou shalt be made culpable and giltie of eternall death that the law being kept accomplished saueth faith in Christ condēneth These selfe same words I graūt the aduersaries doe not vse but in very deede such is their doctrine For faith infused say they which properly they call faith in Christ doth not make vs free frō sinne but that faith which is furnished with charitie Hereof it followeth that faith in Christ without the law saueth vs not This is plainly to affirme that Christ leaueth vs in our sinnes and in the wrath of God and maketh vs giltie of eternall death On the other side if thou keepe the law and doe the works therof then faith iustifieth thee because it hath works without the which faith auaileth nothing Therefore works iustifie and not faith O horrible impietie What pernicious and cursed doctrine is this Paule therfore groundeth his Argument vpon an impossibilitie a sufficient diuision If we being iustified in Christ are yet found sinners and can not be iustified but by any other meane thē by Christ that is to witte by the law then can not Christ iustifie vs but he onely accuseth and condemneth vs and so consequently it followeth that Christ dyed in vaine and that these with other like places are false Behold the lābe of God that taketh avvay the sinnes of the vvorld Also He that beleueth in him hath euerlasting life yea the whole scripture is false which beareth witnesse that Christ is the Iustifier and Sauiour of the world For if we be found sinners after that we be iustified by Christ it followeth of necessitie that they which fulfill the law are iustified without Christ If this be true thē are we either Turks or Ievves or Tartariās professing the name and word of God in outward shew but in deede and veritie vtterly denying Christ and his word It is greate impiety therfore to affirme that faith except it be adorned with charitie iustifieth not But if the aduersaries wil needes defend this doctrine why do they not then reiect faith in Christ altogether especially seing they make nothing els of it but a vaine qualitie in the soule which without Christ auaileth nothing why doe they not say in plaine wordes that workes doe iustifie and not faith Yea why doe they not generally denie not onely Paule but also the whole gospel as in very deede they do which attribute righteousnes to works and not to faith alone For if faith and works together doe iustifie then is the disputation of Paule altogether false which plainly prononceth that a man is not iustified by the deedes of the law but by faith alone in Iesus Christ Verse 17. Is Christ therefore the minister of sinne This is a kinde of speach vsed of the Hebrewes which Paule in the 2. Cor. 3. doth also vse Where he most diuinely and plainly speaketh of these two ministeries to witte of the letter and the spirite of the law and grace or of death and life And he saith that Moses the minister of the law hath the ministery of sinne as he calleth it and of death and condemnation For Paule is wont to geue reprochfull names vnto the law and among all the Apostles he onely vseth this maner of speach the other do not so speake And very necessary it is that such as are studious of the holy scripture should vnderstand this maner of speach vsed of the Apostle Now a
Paule here vseth and is proper vnto him alone is full of consolation Likewise in the .7 chapter to the Romaines he setteth the law of the spirite against the law of the mēbers And because this is a straunge and a maruelous manner of speaking therfore it entreth more easily into the mind and sticketh faster in the memorie Moreouer when he saith I through the lavv am dead to the lavv it soundeth more swetely then if he should say I through libertie am dead to the law For he setteth before vs as it were a certaine picture as if the law were fighting against the law As though he should say O law if thou canst accuse me terrifie me and bind me I will set aboue and against thee an other law that is to say an other tormentor which shall accuse thee bind thee and triumph ouer thee Whē thou art thus bound and suppressed then am I at libertie So then grace is a law not to me for it bindeth me not but to my law which this law so bindeth that it can not hurt me any more Thus Paule goeth about to draw vs wholy from the beholding of the law sinne death all other euils and to bring vs vnto Christ that there we might behold this ioyfull conflict to witte the law fighting against the law that it may be to me libertie sinne against sinne that it may be to me righteousnes death against death that I may obtaine life Christ fighting against the Deuill that I may be the child of God and destroying hell that I may enioy the kingdome of heauen Verse 19. That I might liue vnto God. That is to say that I might liue before god Ye see then that there is no life vnlesse ye be without the law yea vnlesse ye be vtterly dead vnto the law I meane in conscience Notwithstanding in the meane season as I haue often said so long as the body liueth the flesh must be exercised with lawes and vexed with exactions and penalties of lawes as were the Egyptians But the inward man not subiect to the law but deliuered and freed from it is a liuely iust and holy person not of himselfe but in Christ because he beleueth in him as foloweth Verse 20. I am crucified vvith Christ This he addeth to declare that the law is a deuourer of the law Not onely saith he I am dead to the law through the law that I may liue to God but also I am crucified with Christ But Christ is Lord ouer the law because he is crucified and dead vnto the law Therfore am I also Lord ouer the law for I likewise am crucified and dead vnto the lawe for as much as I am crucified and dead with Christ By what meanes By grace and faith Through this faith because I am nowe crucified and deade vnto the law therfore the law looseth all his power which it had ouer me euen as it hath lost all his power which it had ouer Christ Wherfore euen as Christ himselfe was crucified to the law sinne death and the Deuill so that they haue no further power ouer him euen so I through faith being now crucified with Christ in spirite am crucified and deade to the law sinne death and the Deuill so that they haue no further power ouer me but are now crucified and deade vnto me Paule speaketh not here of crucifying by imitation or example for to follow the example of Christ is also to be crucified with him which crucifying belongeth to the flesh Wherof Peter speaketh in his 1. epistle and .2 chapter Christ suffered for vs saith he leauing vnto vs an example that vve should follovv his steppes But he speaketh here of that high crucifying wherby sinne the deuil and death are crucified in Christ not in me Here Christ Iesus doth all himselfe alone But I beleuing in Christ am by faith crucified also with Christ so that all these things are crucified and dead vnto me Verse 20. Thus I liue I speake not so saith he of my death and crucifying as though I now liued not Yea I liue for I am quickned by this death and crucifying through the which I die That is for as much as I am deliuered from the law sinne and death I now liue in deede Wherfore that crucifying and that death wherby I am crucified and dead to the law sinne death and all euils is to me resurrection and life For Christ crucifieth the Deuill he killeth death condemneth sinne and bindeth the law and I beleuing this am deliuered from the law sinne death and the Deuill The law therfore is bound dead and crucified vnto me I againe am bound dead crucified vnto it Wherfore euen by this death and crucifying that is to say by this grace or liberty I now liue Here as before I haue sayd we must obserue Paules maner of speaking He saith that we are dead and crucified to the law where as in very deede the law it selfe is dead and crucified vnto vs. But this maner of speach he vseth here of purpose that it may be the more sweete and comfortable vnto vs For the law which notwithstanding continueth liueth and reigneth in the whole world which also accuseth and condemneth all men is crucified and dead vnto those onely which beleue in Christ and therfore to them alone belongeth this glory that they are dead to sinne hell death and the Deuill Verse 20. Yet novv not I. That is to say not in mine owne person nor in mine owne substance Here he plainly sheweth by what meanes he liueth And he teacheth what true Christian righteousnes is namely that righteousnes wherby Christ liueth in vs and not that which is in our person Therefore when we speake of Christian righteousnes we must vtterly reiect the person And here Christ and my conscience must become one body so that nothing remaine in my sight but Christ crucified and raised from the dead But if I behold my selfe only and set Christ aside I am gone For by and by I fall into this cogitation Christ is in heauen and thou art on the earth how shalt thou now come vnto him Forsoth I will liue holily and doe that which the law requireth so shall I enter into life Here returning to my selfe and considering what I am what I ought to be and what I am bound to doe I lose Christ out of sight who is my righteousnes and life Who being lost there is no counsell nor succour now remaining but certaine desperation and destruction must needes follow And this is a common euil among men For such is our misery that when tentation or death cometh by and by setting Christ aside we consider our owne life past and what we haue done Here except we be raised vppe againe by faith we must needes perish Wherefore we must learne in such conflicts terrours of conscience forgetting our selues and setting the law our life past and all our works
apart which driue vs to the consideration of our selues onely to turne our eies wholy to that brasen serpent Christ Iesus crucified assuredly beleue that he is our righteousnes and life not fearing the threatnings and terrours of the law sinne death and the iudgement of god For Christ on whom our eies are fixed in whom we liue who also liueth in vs is Lord and conquerour of the law sinne death and all euils In whom most certaine and sure consolation is set forth vnto vs and victory geuen Verse 20. Thus I liue yet not I novv but Christ liueth in me Wher he saith Thus I liue he speaketh it as it were in his owne person Therfore he by and by correcteth himselfe saying yet not I now That is to say I liue not now in mine owne person but Christ liueth in me In deede the person liueth but not in himselfe nor for his owne cause nor for any thing that is in him But who is that I of whom he sayeth yet not I. This I is he which hath the lawe and is bound to doe the workes therof who also is a certaine person seperate from Christ This person Paule reiecteth For as he is seperate from Christ he belongeth to death and hell Therfore he sayeth Novve not I but Christ liueth in me He is my forme my furniture and perfection adorning and beutifying my faith as the colour the cleare light or the whitnes do garnish and beutifie the wall Thus are we constrained grossely to set forth this matter For we can not spiritually conceaue that Christ is so nerely ioyned vnited vnto vs as the colour or whitenes are vnited vnto the wall Christ therfore sayth he thus ioyned and vnited vnto me and abiding in me liueth this life in me which I now liue yea Christ him selfe is this life which I now liue Wherefore Christ and I in this behalfe are both one Now Christ liuing in me abolisheth the lawe condemneth sinne and destroyeth death for it can not be but at his presence all these must nedes vanish away For Christ is euerlasting peace consolation righteousnes and life and to these the terrour of the law heauines of mind sinne hell and death must nedes geue place So Christ liuing and abiding in me taketh away and swalloweth vp all euils which vexe and afflict me This vnion or coniunction then is the cause that I am deliuered from the terrour of the law and sinne am seperate from my self and translated vnto Christ and his kingdom which is a kingdom of grace righteousnes peace ioy life saluation eternal glory Thus I now abiding and dwelling in him what euill is there that can hurt me In the meane season the old man abideth without and is subiecte to the lawe but as concerning iustification Christ and I must be entierly conioyned and vnited together so that he may liue in me and I in him And this is a wonderful maner of speech Now because Christ liueth in me therefore looke what grace righteousnes life peace and saluation is in me it is his and yet notwithstanding the same is mine also by that vnseparable vnion and coniunction which is throughe Faithe by which Christe and I are made as it were one bodye in spirite For as much then as Christ liueth in me it foloweth that as I must nedes be with him pertaker of grace righteousnes life and eternall saluation so the lawe sinne and death can haue no place in me yea the lawe is crucified and swallowed vp of the lawe sinne of sinne and death of death Thus Paule goeth about to draw vs from the beholding of our selues the law workes and to plant in vs true faith in Christ so that in the matter of iustification we should thinke vpon nothing else but grace separating the same farre from the law and works which in this matter ought to haue no place Paule hath his peculiar phrase or kind of speach which is not after the maner of men but diuine and heauenly nor vsed of the Euangelistes or of the rest of the Apostles sauing only of Iohn who also is wont sometimes so to speake And if Paule had not first vsed this phrase and set forth the same vnto vs in plaine words the very Saincts thēselues durst not haue vsed it For it seemeth a very straunge and a monstrous maner of speaking thus to say I liue I liue not I am dead I am not dead I am a sinner I am not a sinner I haue the law I haue not the law Which phrase is sweete and comfortable to all those that beleue in Christ For in that they behold themselues they haue both the law and sinne but in that they looke vnto Christ they are dead to the law and haue no sinne If then in the matter of iustification thou separate the person of Christ from thy person then art thou in the law thou abidest in the law thou liuest in the law and not in Christ and so thou art condemned of the law and dead before God. For thou hast that faith which as the Sophisters dreame is furnished with charitie Thus I speake for examples sake For there was neuer any one found that was saued by this faith And therfore what things soeuer the Sophisters haue written touching this faith are nothing els but vaine toyes and meere deceites of Sathan But let vs graunt that such there be as haue this faith yet are they not therfore iustified For they haue but an historicall Faith concerning Christ which the Deuill also and all the wicked haue Faith therfore must be purely taught namely that thou art so entirely and nerely ioyned vnto Christ that he and thou are made as it were one person so that thou maiest boldly say I am now one with Christ that is to say Christes righteousnes victory and life are mine And again Christ may say I am that sinner that is his sinnes and his death are mine because he is vnited and ioyned vnto me I vnto him For by faith we are so ioyned together that we are become one flesh one bone Eph. 5. we are the members of the body of Christ flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones So that this faith doth couple Christ and me more neare together then the husband is coupled to his wife This faith therfore is not an idle qualitie but the excellencie therof is such that it vtterly confoundeth these foolish dreames of the Sophisters touching their formed faith and counterfeit charitie their merits workes and worthines These things I would gladly set forth more amply if by any meanes I could Hitherto we haue declared this to be the first argument of Paule that either Christ must needes be the minister of sinne or els the lawe doth not iustifie when he had finished this argument he set forth himselfe for an example saying that he was dead vnto that old law by a certaine new law Now he
that according to the flesh there are yet certaine naturall vices remaining euen in Christian churches Grace maketh not such a chaung in the faithfull that by and by they become altogether new creatures and perfect in all things but there remaine yet certaine dregges of their old and naturall corruption As if a man that is naturally enclined to anger be conuerted to Christ although he be mollified by grace the holy Ghost so framing his heart that he is now become more meeke and gentile yet this naturall vice is not vtterly quenched in his flesh Likewise such as are by nature stubborne and stout harted men although they be conuerted to the faith yet notwithstanding they can not vtterly forsake this stubbernes Hereof it cometh that the holy scriptures which doe containe all one truth of diuers spirites are diuersly handled One in teaching is mild and gentle an other more rough and rigorous Thus the spirite of god being powred into diuers vessels doth not quench at once the vices of nature but by litle litle during this life he purgeth that sinne which is rooted not onely in the Galathians but also in all men of all nations Albeit then that the Galathians were lightned and did beleue and had now receaued the holy Ghost by the preaching of faith notwithstanding this remnant of vice this foolishnes I meane and the originall corruption which afterward did easily burst out in to the flame of false doctrine remained in them still Wherfore let no man trust so much in himselfe to thinke that when he hath receaued grace he is thorowly purged from his old vices In deede many things are purged in vs and principally the head of the Serpent that is to say infidelitie ignorance of God is cutte of and brused but the slime and the relikes of sinne remaine still in vs Let no man therfore presume so much of himselfe that when he hath once receaued faith he can by and by be thorowly chaunged into a new man Nay he shall keepe somewhat of his old vices still hanging vpon him though he be neuer so good and perfect a Christiā For we are not yet dead but we stil liue in the flesh which because it is not yet pure continually lusteth against the spirite Gal. 1. Rom. 7. I am fleshly sayth Paule sould vnder sinne I see an other lavv in my members rebelling against the lavv of my minde Wherfore the naturall vices that were in vs before we receaued faith doe still remaine in vs after that we haue receaued faith sauing that nowe they are subdued to the spirite which hath the vpper hande to keepe them vnder that they rule not and yet not without great conflict This glory is due to Christ alone and this title he beareth that he is pure and without blemish 1. Pet. 2. VVho did no sinne neither vvas there any guile found in his mouth Vers 1. Vvho hath bevvitched you that ye should not beleue the truth Here haue we an other commendation of this goodly righteousnes of the lawe and of our selues namely that it maketh vs to despise the truth that it bewitcheth vs in such sort that we obey not the truth but rebell against it Of the bodily and spirituall witchcraft Paule calleth the Galathians foolish and bewitched comparing them to children to whom witchcraft dothe much harme As though he should say It hapneth to you as it doth to children whom witches sorcerers inchaunters are wont to charme by their enchauntments and by the illusion of the deuill Afterwardes in the .5 chapter he reherseth sorcerie among the workes of the flesh which is a kinde of witchcraft whereby he plainly testifieth that such witchcrafte and sorcerie there is and that it may be done Moreouer it can not be denied but that the deuill liueth yea and raigneth throughout the whole world Witchcraft and sorcerie therfore are the works of the deuil wherby he doth not onely hurt men but also by the permission of God he sometimes destroyeth them Furthermore we are all subiect to the Deuill both in body and goodes and we be straungers in this world wherof he is the Prince god Therfore the bread which we eate the drinke which we drinke the garments which we weare yea the aire whatsoeuer we liue by in this flesh is vnder his dominion But he doth not onely bewitch men after this grosse maner but also after a more subtile sort and much more daungerous wherein he is a maruelous cunning workeman And hereof it cometh that Paule applieth the charming and bewitching of the senses to the bewitching of the spirite For by this spirituall witchcraft that olde serpent bewitcheth not mens senses but their mindes with false wicked opinions which opinions they that are so bewitched do take to be true and right godly Briefly so great is the malice of this sorcerer the deuil desire to hurt that not onely he deceaueth those secure and proud spirits with his inchauntments but euen those also which are professors of true Christianitie and well affected in religion yea as touching my selfe to say the truth he sometimes assaileth me so mightely and oppresseth me with such heauie cogitations that he vtterly shadoweth my Sauiour Christ from me and in a manner taketh him cleane out of my sight To be briefe there is none of vs al which is not oftentimes bewitched with false perswasions that is to say which doth not feare trust or reioyce where he ought not or doth not sometimes thinke otherwise of God of Christ of faith of his vocation of the Christian state c. then he should doe Let vs therfore learne to know the subtile sleights of this Sorcerer lest if he finde vs sleping in securitie he deceaue vs by his enchauntments True it is that by his sorcerie he can doe no hurt to our ministerie yet is he with vs in spirite Day and night he raungeth vp and downe and seeketh how he may deuoure euery one of vs alone and vnlesse he finde vs sobre and armed with spirituall weapons that is to say with the word of God and faith he will deuoure vs. This is the cause that he oftentimes stirreth vp new battails against vs. And in deede it is very profitable for vs that he thus assaileth vs by his subtil traines exerciseth vs For by this meanes he confirmeth our doctrine he stirreth vp encreaseth faith in vs In deede we haue bene many times cast downe yet stil are cast downe in this cōflict but we perish not for Christ hath alwayes triumphed and doth triumph thorough vs Wherfore we conceaue assured hope that by Iesus Christ we shall obtaine the victorie against the deuil And this hope bringeth forth in vs sure consolation so that in the mids of our tentations we take courage say Behold Satan hath heretofore tempted vs by his false illusiōs hath prouoked vs to vnbeleefe to the
for the name of Christe But nowe all is lost as well doctrine as faith as well doing as suffering as well the spirite as the fruites thereof Hereby it appeareth sufficiently what inconuenience the righteousnes of the lawe and mans owne righteousnes bringeth to witte that they which trust in it doe lose at once vnspeakeable benefites Nowe what a miserable thing is it so sodenly to lose such inestimable glory and assuraunce of conscience towardes God also to endure so many great and greeuous afflictions as losse of goods wife children body and life and yet notwithstanding to sustaine all these things in vaine And out of these two places much matter may be gathered to set forth and amplifie at large the goodly commendation of the lawe and mans owne righteousnes if a man would stand vpon euery parcell by it selfe and declare what spirite it was wherwith they began what how great and how many the afflictions were which they endured for Christes sake But no eloquence can sufficiently set forth these matters For they are inestimable things wherof Paule here entreateth to wit the glory of God victory ouer the world the flesh and the deuill righteousnes and euerlasting life and on the other side sinne desperation eternall death and hell And yet notwithstanding in a moment we lose all these incomparable gifts and procure vnto our selues these horrible and endles miseries and al by false teachers when they leade vs away frō the truth of the gospel vnto false doctrine And this not only they doe easily bring to passe but also vnder the shew of great holines Verse 4. If notvvithstanding it be in vaine This he addeth as a correction wherby he mitigateth the reprehension that goeth before which was somewhat sharpe And this he doth as an Apostle lest he should terrifie the Galathians too much Although he chide them yet notwithstanding he alwayes doth it in such sorte that he poureth in sweete oyle withall lest he should driue them to desperation He saith therfore If notvvithstanding it be in vaine As if he would say yet I doe not take away all hope from you but if ye would so end in the flesh that is to say follow the righteousnes of the lawe and forsake the spirite as ye haue begone then knowe ye that all your glory and affiaunce which ye haue in God is in vaine and all your afflictions are vnprofitable In deede I must needes speake somwhat more roughly vnto you in this matter I must be more feruent in the defence therof and more sharpe in chiding of you especially the matter being so waightie and constraining me thervnto left ye should thinke it to be but a trifle to cast away the doctrine of Paule and receaue an other Notwithstanding I will not vtterly discourage you so that ye repent and amende For sickely and scabbed children may not be cast away but must be holpen and seene to more carefully then they which are in health So that Paule here like a cunning Phisician layeth all the fault in a manner vpon the false Apostles the authors and onely cause of this deadly disease Contrariwise he entreateth the Galathians very gently to the ende that by this his mildnes he might heale them and restore them againe We therfore by the example of Paule ought in like manner to reprehend the weake and so to heale and remoue their disease that in the meane time we leaue not of to cherish and comfort them lest if we handle them too sharply they fall into desperation Verse 5. He therfore that ministreth to you the spirite and vvorketh miracles among you doth he it through the vvorkes of the lavve or by the hearing of faith preached This argument grounded vpon the experience of the Galathians doth so well like the Apostle that after he hath rebuked and terrified them setting before them a double daunger and incommoditie he nowe repeteth the same againe and that with a more large amplification saying He vvhich ministreth c That is to say Ye haue not only receaued the spirite by the hearing of faith but whatsoeuer ye haue either knowne or done ye haue it by the hearing of faith As though he would say It was not enough that God gaue you once the spirite but the same God also hath enriched you with the gifts of the spirite and encreased the same in you to the ende that ye hauing once receaued the spirite it might alwaies growe and be more and more effectuall in you Hereby it is plaine that the Galathians had wrought miracles or at the least had shewed such fruites of faith as the true Disciples of the Gospell are wont to bring forth For the Apostle elswhere saith That the kingdome of God is not in vvord but in povver Now this power is not onely to be able to speake of the kingdom of God but also in very deede to shew that God through his spirite is effectual in vs So before in the second chapter he saith of him selfe He that vvas effectuall in Peter among the Ievves vvas also effectuall in me he that vvas mighty by Peter in the Apostleship ouer the Circumcision vvas also mighty by me tovvards the Gentiles When a preacher then so preacheth that the word is not destitute of his frute but effectuall in the heartes of the hearers that is to say when faith hope loue and pacience do follow then God geueth his spirite and worketh miracles in the hearers In like manner Paule saith here that God hath geuen his spirite to the Galathians hath vvrought miracles among them As though he would say God hath not onely brought to passe through my preaching that ye should beleue but also that ye should liue holily bring forth many frutes of faith and suffer many afflictions Also by the same power of the holy Ghost of adulterers of wrathfull impacient and couetous persons and of very enemies ye are become liberall chast gentle pacient and louers of your neighbours Wherupon afterwardes he geueth testimony of them in the fourth chapter that they receaued him as an Angell of God yea rather as Christ Iesus and that they loued him so vehemently that they were ready to haue plucked out their owne eyes for him Now to loue thy neighbour so heartily that thou art ready to bestow thy money thy goods thine eyes and all that thou hast for his saluation and moreouer to suffer patiently all aduersities and afflictions these no doubt are the effects fruits of the spirite these saith he you receaued and enioyed before these false teachers came among you But ye receaued them not by the lawe but of God who so ministred vnto you and daily encreased in you his holy spirite that the gospell had a most happie course amongste you in teaching beleeuing working and suffring Now seeing ye know these things being conuicted euen by the testimonie of your owne consciences howe cometh it to passe that ye shewe not forth the same
vvas imputed vnto him for righteousnes For christian righteousnes consisteth in two things that is to say in faith of the heart and in Gods imputation Faith is in deede a formal righteousnes and yet this righteousnes is not enough for after faith there remaine yet certaine remnaunts of sinne in our flesh This sacrifice of faith began in Abraham but at last it was finished in his death And therfore the other part of righteousnes must needes be added also to finish the same in vs that is to say Gods imputation For faith geueth not enough to God because it is imperfecte yea rather our faith is but a little sparke of faith which beginneth onely to render vnto God his true diuinitie We haue receiued the first fruites of the spirite but not yet the tenthes Besides this reason is not vtterly killed in this life which may appeare by our concupiscence wrath impatience and other fruites of the flesh and of infidelitie yet remaining in vs Yea the holiest that liue haue not yet a full and continuall ioy in God but haue theyr sondry passions sometimes sadde sometimes mirry as the scriptures witnes of the Prophetes and Apostles But such faultes are not layde to their charge because of their faith in Christ for otherwise no flesh should be saued We conclude therefore vpon these wordes It vvas imputed to him for righteousnes that righteousnes in deede beginneth through faith and by the same we haue the first frutes of the spirite but because faith is weake it is not made perfect without Gods imputation Wherefore faith beginneth righteousnes but imputation maketh it perfect vnto the day of Christ The popish Sophisters and Scholemen dispute also of imputation when they speake of the good acceptation of the woorke but besides and cleane contrary to the scripture for they wrest it onely to workes They doe not consider the vncleanenes and inward poyson lurking in the hearte as incredulitie doubting despising and hating of God which most pernicious and perelous beastes are the fountaine and cause of all mischiefe They consider no more but outward and grosse faults and vnrighteousnes which are little riuers proceeding and issuing out of those fountaines Therefore they attribute acceptation to workes that is to say that God doth accept our workes not of dutie but of congruence Contrarywise we excluding all workes doe goe to the very heade of this beast which is called reason which is the fountaine and headespring of all mischiefes For reason feareth not God it loueth not God it trusteth not in God but proudely contemneth him It is not moued either with his threateninges or his promises It is not delighted with his wordes or workes but it murmureth against him it is angry with him iudgeth and hateth him to be short it is an enemy to God not geuing him his glorie This pestilent beast reason I say being once slaine all outward and grosse vices should be nothing Wherfore we must first and afore all thinges goe about by faith to kill infidelitie the contempt and hatred of God murmuring against his iudgement and his wrath and against all his wordes and workes for then doe we kill reason which can be killed by none other meanes but by faith which in beleeuing God geueth vnto him his glory notwithstanding that he speaketh those things which seeme both foolish absurde and vnpossible to reason notwithstanding also that God setteth forth him selfe otherwise then reason is able either to iudge or conceiue that is to say after this maner I will account thee and pronounce thee to be righteous not for the keping of the lawe not for thy workes and thy merites but for thy faith in Iesus Christ mine onely begotten Sonne who was borne suffred was crucified and died for thy sinnes and that sinne which remaineth in thee I will not impute vnto thee If reason then be not killed and al kindes of religion and seruice of God vnder heauen that are inuented by men to get righteousnes before God be not condemned the righteousnes of faith can take no place When reason heareth this by and by it is offended it rageth and vttereth all her malice against God saying Are then my good woorkes nothing Haue I then laboured and borne the burden and heate of the day in vaine Hereof rise those vprours of nations of Kings and Princes against the Lord and against his Christ For the world neither will nor can suffer that his wisedome righteousnes religions and worshippings should be reproued and condemned The Pope with all his Popish rablement will not seeme to erre much lesse will he suffer himselfe to be condemned Therefore let them which be studious of the woorde of God learne out of this saying Abraham beleeued God and it vvas counted to him for righteousnes to sette forthe truely and rightly this true Christian righteousnes after this manner that it is a faith and confidence in the Sonne of God or rather a confidence of the heart in God through Iesus Christe And lette them adde this clause as a difference Which Faith and confidence is accounted righteousnes for Christes sake For these two things as I sayde before woorke Christian righteousnes namely Faith in the heart which is a gifte of God and rightly beleueth in Christ and also that God accepteth this imperfecte Faithe for perfect righteousnes for Christes sake in whom I haue begun to beleue because of this faith in Christ God seeth not my doubting of his good will towards me my distrust my heauines of spirite and other sinnes which are yet in me For as long as I liue in the flesh sinne is verely in me But because I am couered vnder the shadow of Christes winges as is the chicken vnder the winge of the henne and dwell without all feare vnder that most ample and large heauen of the forgeuenes of sinnes which is spread ouer me God couereth and pardoneth the remnant of sinne in me that is to say because of that faith wherwith I began to lay hold vpon Christ he accepteth my imperfect righteousnes euen for perfect righteousnes counteth my sinne for no sinne which notwithstanding is sinne in deede So we shroud our selues vnder the couering of Christes flesh who is our cloudy piller for the day and our fire by the night lest God should see our sinne And although we see it and for the same doe feele the terrors of conscience yet flying vnto Christ our Mediatour and reconciler through whom we are made perfect we are sure and safe For as all things are in him so through him we haue all things who also doth supply whatsoeuer is wanting in vs When we beleue this God winketh at all our sinnes and the remnantes thereof which are yet sticking in our flesh and will haue them so couered as though they were no sinnes Because saith he thou beleuest in my sonne although thou haue many sinnes notwithstanding they must be forgeuen thee vntill thou
they sayd I am Christ I am a Sauiour not onely of my selfe but also of others This the Monkes haue not onely taught but also haue made the whole world to beleeue to wit that they are able not onely to make them selues righteous thorowe their hypocriticall holines but also others vnto whom they cōmunicate the same whereas notwithstanding it is the proper and onely office of Christ to iustifie the sinner The Pope in like manner by publishing and spreading his diuinitie throughout the whole world hath denied and vtterly buried the office and Diuinitie of Christ It is expedient that these things should be well taught and well weyed for therby we may learne to iudge of the whole Christian doctrine and the life of mā also to confirme mens consciences to vnderstād all prophesies and all the holy scriptures and rightly to iudge of all other things He that knoweth all these things rightly may certainly iudge that the Pope is Antichrist because he teacheth a farre other maner of worship then the first table setteth out He may perfectly know and vnderstand what it is to denie God to denie Christ and what Christ meaneth when he sayth Many shall come in my name saying I am Christe What it is to be against God and to be lifted vp aboue all that is called God or that is vvorshipped What it signifieth that Antichrist sitteth in the temple of God shevving himselfe as God What it is to see the abhomination of desolation standing in the holy place c. Nowe hereof spring all these mischiefes that this cursed hypocrisie will not be made righteous by the diuine Blessing nor created a new of God the creatour It will in no wise be a patient or suffer any thing to be wrought in her but will needes be altogether an agent and worke those things which she should suffer God to worke in her and receaue of him Therfore she maketh her selfe a creator and a iustifier through her owne works despising the Blessing promised and geuen to Abraham and to his beleeuing Children So that euery hypocrite is bothe the matter and the worke although this be against Philosophie for one and the selfe same thing can not worke vpon it selfe the matter because he is a sinner the worker because he putteth on a cowle or chooseth some other worke through which he hopeth to deserue grace and to saue him selfe and others therefore he is both the creature and the creator Wherfore no man can expresse with words how execrable and horrible it is to seeke righteousnes in the lawe or by workes without the Blessing For it is the Abhomination standing in the holy place which denieth God and setteth vppe the creature in the place of the creatour The Doers therfore of the law are not the hypocrites doing the law outwardly but the true beleeuers who receauing the holy ghost doe fulfill the lawe that is to say they loue God and their neighbour So that a true Doer of the lawe is to be vnderstand not in respecte of the workes which he worketh but in respect of the person regenerate nowe by Faith. For according to the Gospel they that are made righteous doe righteous things but according to Philosophie it is not so but contrariwise they that doe righteous things are made righteous Therfore we being iustified by Faith do good workes through which as it is sayd .2 Pet. 1. our calling and election is cōfirmed and from day to day is made more sure But because we haue but onely the first fruites of the spirite and haue not as yet the tenthes and the remnaunts of sinne doe still remaine in vs therfore we doe not the lawe perfectly But this imperfection is not imputed vnto vs which doe beleeue in Christ who was promised to Abraham and hath blessed vs For we are nourished and tenderly cherished in the meane season for Christes sake in the lappe of Gods long sufferance We are that woūded man which fell into the handes of theeues whose woundes the Samaritan bound vp pouring in oyle and wine and afterwardes laying him vpon his beast he brought him into the Inne and made prouision for him and departing commended him to the hoste saying Take care of him And thus we in the meane time are cherished as it were in an Inne vntill the Lord put to his hand the second time as Esay sayeth that he may deliuer vs. Wherfore the sentence of Moises Cursed is euery one that abideth not in all the things that are vvritten in this booke is not contrary to Paule who pronounceth all them to be accursed which are of the workes of the lawe For Moises requireth such a Doer as may do the lawe perfectly But where shall we haue him No where For Moises himselfe confesseth that he is not such a one for he sayth Exod. 34. That none is innocēt before God. And Dauid sayth Lord enter not into iudgement vvith thy seruaunt for no flesh is righteous in thy thy sight And Paule sayeth For vvhat I vvould that doe I not but vvhat I hate that doe I. Wherefore Moises together with Paule doth necessarily driue vs to Christe through whom we be made Doers of the lawe and are not accompted giltie of any transgression Howe so First by forgeuenes of sinnes imputation of righteousnes because of our Faith in Christ Secondly by the gift of God the holy Ghost which bringeth forth a newe life and newe motions in vs so that we may also doe the lawe effectually Nowe that which is not done is pardoned for Christes sake And moreouer what sinne so euer is lefte in vs is not imputed So Moises agreeth with Paule and meaneth the selfe same thing that he doth when he sayeth Cursed is euery one that abideth not c. For he sayeth that they doe not the law because they would make them selues righteous by workes and concludeth with Paule that they are vnder the Curse Therfore Moises requireth true Doers of the law which are of Faith euen as Paule condemneth those which are not true doers of the law that is to say which are not of faith Heerein is no repugnance that Moises spake negatiuely and Paule affirmatiuely so that ye define rightly what is meant by this worde Doe So both sentences are true to witte that all are accursed vvhich abide not in all that is vvrytten in this boke And that all they are accursed vvhich are of the vvorkes of the lavve An Aunswere to those argumentes which the aduersaries alleage against the doctrine and righteousnes of Faith. Seeing this place offereth vnto vs occasion we must say something as touching the arguments which our aduersaries doe obiect against the doctrine of Faith which is That vve are made righteous by Faith alone There are many places bothe in the olde Testament and in the newe as concerning workes and rewardes of works which our aduersaries doe alleage and
wise belongeth vnto faith because the lawe is not the promise But faith resteth onely vpon the promise Wherefore as there is a difference betwene the lawe and the promise so is there also betwene workes and faith And therefore that glose of the Scholemen is wicked and false which ioyneth the law with faith yea rather it quēcheth faith and setteth the law in the place of faith And here note that Paule alwaies speaketh of such as would do the law morally and not according to the Gospell But whatsoeuer is said of good workes according to the meaning of the Gospell the same is attributed to faith alone Verse 12. But the man that shall doe those things shal liue in them I take this clause to be spoken by way of derision And yet I denye not but that it may be also expounded morally to wit that they which doe the law ciuilly and externally that is without faith shal liue in it that is to witt they shall not be punished but shall haue corporall rewardes through it But I vnderstand this place generally as I doe that saying of Christ Doe this and thou shalt liue so that a man may take it to be spoken in manner of a taunt or derision Now Paule here goeth about to shew what is the very true righteousnes of the law and of the Gospell The righteousnes of the law is to fulfill the law according to that saying He that shall doe those things shall liue in them The righteousnes of faith is to beleue according to that saying The righteous man doth liue by faith The law therfore requireth that we should yeeld somwhat vnto god But faith requireth no works of vs or that we should geue any thing vnto God but that we beleuing the promise of God should receaue of him Therfore the office of the law in his highest perfection is to worke as the office of faith is to assent vnto the promises For faith is the faith of the promise and the worke is the worke of the law Paule therefore standeth vpon this worde Doing and that he may plainly shew what is the confidence of the lawe and what is the confidence of workes he compareth the one with the other the promise with the law and faith with workes He saith that of the law ther cometh nothing els but only Doing but faith is a cleane contrary thing namely that which receaueth and holdeth the promise Fye vpon these Sophisters therfore with their cursed glose and with their blinde distinction of faith formed and vnformed For these newe forged termes faith formed faith vnformed faith gottē by mans industry and such like are very monsters of the Deuil inuented to no other ende but to deface and destroy the true Christian doctrine and faith to blaspheme and to treade downe Christe and to establishe the righteousnes of workes In deede workes must follow faith but faith must not be workes or workes faith but the limites and kingedomes both of the law or workes and of faith must be rightly distinguished the one from the other When we beleue therefore then doe we liue simply by faith in Christ who is without sinne who is also our couerture our propitiation and remission of sinnes Contrarywise when we doe the lawe we worke in deede but we haue not righteousnes nor life For the office of the law is not to make righteous and to geue life but to shew forth sinne and to destroy In deede the lawe saith He that shall doe these thinges shall liue in them But where is he which doth the lawe that is which loueth God with all his hearte and his neighbour as himselfe Therefore no man doth the lawe and although he goe about to doe it neuer so much yet in doing it he doth it not therefore he abideth vnder the Curse But faith worketh not but beleueth in Christ the Iustifier Therefore a man liueth not because of his doing but because of his beleuing But a faithfull man performeth the lawe and that which he doth not is forgeuen him through the remission of sinnes for Christes sake and that which is remaining is not imputed vnto him Paule therefore in this place and in the tenth chapter to the Romaines compareth the righteousnes of the lawe and of faith together where he saith He that shall doe those thinges shall liue in them As though he would say It were indeede a goodly matter if we could accomplish the law but because no man doth it we must flie vnto Christ vvho is the ende of the lavve to righteousnes to euery one that beleueth He vvas made vnder the lavve that he might redeeme vs that vvere vnder the lavve Beleuing in him we receaue the holy Ghost and we begin to doe the lawe and that which we doe not is not imputed vnto vs because of our faith in Christ But in the life to come we shall no more haue neede of faith For then we shall not see darkely through a glasse as we now doe but we shall see face to face that is to say there shall be a most glorious brightnes of the eternall Maiestie in which we shall see God euen as he is There shall be a true and a perfect knowledge and loue of God a perfect light of reason and a good wil not such a morall and philosophicall will as the popish Scholemen dreame of but an heauenly diuine and eternall will. Here in the meane time in spirite by faith we looke for the hope of righteousnes Contrariwise they that seeke forgeuenes of sinnes by the lawe and not by Christ doe neuer performe the lawe but abide vnder the Curse Paule therefore calleth them onely righteous which are iustified through the promise or through faith in the promise without the lawe Wherefore they that are of the workes of the lawe and will seeme to doe the lawe doe it not For the Apostle simply concludeth that all they which are of the workes of the lawe are vnder the Curse vnder the which they shoulde not be if they fulfilled the lawe In deede it is true that a man doing the workes of the law shall liue in them that is shall be blessed but such a one can not be founde Now seeing there is a double vse of the lawe the one politike and the other sptrituall he that will vnderstande this sentence ciuilly may doe it after this sorte He that shall doe those thinges shall liue in them that is if a man obey the magistrate outwardly and in the politike gouernment he shall auoid punishment and death For the ciuill magistrate hath no power ouer him This is the politike vse of the lawe which serueth to bridle those that are rude and vntractable But Paule here speaketh not of this vse but entreateth of this place like a Diuine therefore there is a condition necessarily included As if he saide If men could keepe the lawe they should be
Christ is innocent in this generall lawe touching his owne person so is he also in all the rest And as he is giltie in this generall lawe in that he is made a Curse for vs and is hanged vpon the crosse as a wicked man a blasphemer a murtherer a traitour euen so is he also giltie in all others For all the Curses of the law are heaped together and laide vpon him and therfore he did beare and suffer them in his owne body for vs He was therfore not onely accursed but was also made a Curse for vs. This is rightly and after a true Apostolicall manner to interprete the Scriptures For a man is not able to speake after this manner without the holy Ghost that is to say to comprehend the whole lawe in this one saying Christ is made a Curse for vs and lay the same altogether vpon Christe and contrariwise to comprehend all the promises of the Scripture and say that they are all at once fulfilled in Christ Wherfore this is in deede an Apostolike and inuincible argument not taken out of one place of the lawe but out of the whole lawe which Paule also vseth as a sure ground Here we may see with what diligence Paule read the holy Scriptures and howe exactly he wayed euery worde of this place In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed First out of this worde Blessing c. he gathereth this argument If blessing shall be geuen vnto all nations then are all nations vnder the Curse yea the Iewes also who haue the lawe And he alleageth a testimonie of the Scripture wherby he proueth that all the Iewes which are vnder the lawe are vnder the Curse For Cursed is euery one vvhich abideth not in all the things that are vvritten in this booke Moreouer he diligently wayeth this clause All nations Out of the which he gathereth thus that the Blessing belongeth not onely to the Iewes but also to all the nations of the whole world Seing then it belongeth to all nations it is impossible that it should be obtained through the lawe of Moises for as much as there was no nation that had the law but onely the Iewes And although they had the law yet were they so farre of from obtaining the Blessing through it that the more they indeuoured to accomplish it the more they were subiecte to the Curse of the lawe Wherfore there must needes be an other righteousnes which must be farre more excellent then the righteousnes of the law through which not onely the Iewes but also all nations through out the whole world must obtaine the Blessing Finally these words In thy Seede he expoundeth after this maner that a certaine man should issue out of the seede of Abraham that is to say Christ through whom the Blessing should come afterwards vpon all nations Seing therfore it was Christe that should blesse all nations it was he also that should take away the Curse from them But he could not take it away by the law for by the lawe it is more more encreased What did he then He ioyned himself to the companie of the accursed taking vnto him their flesh and their bloud and so set him self for a Mediator betwene God and men saying Although I be flesh and bloud and now dwell among the accursed yet notwithstanding I am that Blessed one through whom all men must be blessed So in one person he ioyned God and man together and being vnited vnto vs which were accursed he was made a Curse for vs hid his Blessing in our sinne in our death and in our Curse which condemned him and put him to death But because he was the Sonne of God he coulde not be holden of them but ouercame them led them captiue and triumphed ouer them and whatsoeuer did hang vpon flesh which for our sake he tooke vpon him he caried it with him Wherefore all they that cleaue vnto this flesh are blessed and deliuered from the Curse that is from sinne and euerlasting death They that vnderstand not this benefite of Christ wherof the gospell specially intreateth and knowe not an other righteousnes besides the righteousnes of the lawe when they heare that the workes of the lawe are not necessary to saluation but that men doe obtaine the same by onely hearing and beleuing that Christe the Sonne of God hath taken vpon him our flesh and ioyned him selfe to the accursed to the ende that all natiōs might be blessed they I say are offended for of all this they vnderstand nothing or else they vnderstand it carnally For their mindes are occupied with other cogitations fantastical imaginatiōs therfore these things seeme vnto them straūge matters Yea euen vnto vs which haue receaued the first fruites of the spirit it is vnpossible to vnderstād these things perfectly for they mightely fight agaīst reason To conclude all euils should haue ouerwhelmed vs as they shall ouerwhelme the wicked for euer But Christ being made for vs a trāsgressor of all lawes giltie of all our malediction our sinnes and al our euils cometh as Mediatour betwene embracing vs wicked and damnable sinners He tooke vpon him and bare all our euils which should haue oppressed and tormented vs for euer and these caste him downe for a while and ranne ouer his head like water as the Prophet in the person of Christ complaineth when he sayth Thy indignation sore presseth me and thou hast vexed me vvith all thy stormes Again Thine indignations haue gone ouer me and thy terrours haue troubled me By this meanes we being deliuered from these euerlasting terrours and anguish through Christe shall enioy an euerlasting and inestimable peace and felicitie so that we beleue this These are the reuerend mysteries and secretes which Moises also somwhat parkly in some places did for eshew which also the Prophets Apostles did know did deliuer to their posteritie Of which thing to come the Saincts of the old Testament reioyced more then we doe for the same already exhibited vnto vs In deede we do acknowledge that this knowledg of Christ of the righteousnes of faith is an inestimable treasure but we conceaue not therby such a ful ioy of spirite as the Prophets and Apostles did Hereof it cometh that they and specially Paule so plentifully set forth and so diligently taught the Article of Iustification For this is the proper office of an Apostle to set forth the glory and benefit of Christ and thereby to raise vp and to comfort troubled and afflicted consciences Verse 14. That the blessing of Abraham might come vpon the Gentiles through Christ Iesus Paule hath alwayes this place before his eyes In thy seede c. For the Blessing promised vnto Abraham could not come vpon the Gentiles but onely by Christ the seede of Abraham and that by this meanes to witte that it behoued him to be made a Curse that this
promise made vnto Abraham In thy seede shall all nations be blessed might so be fulfilled Therfore by no other meanes could this be done that is here promised but that Iesus Christ must needes become a Curse and ioyne him selfe to those that were accursed that so he might take away the Curse from them and through his Blessing might bring vnto them righteousnes and life And here marke as I haue also forewarned you that this word Blessing is not in vaine as the Iewes dreame who expoūd it to be but a salutation by word of mouth or by wryting But Paule entreateth here of sinne and righteousnes of death and life before god He speaketh therefore of inestimable and incomprehensible things when he sayth that the Blessing of Abraham might come vpon the Gentiles through Iesus Christ Ye see moreouer what merits we bring by what meanes we obtain this Blessing This is the merite of Congruence worthines these are the works preparatiue wherby we obtain this righteousnes that Christ Iesus was made a Curse for vs For we are ignorant of God enemies of God dead in sinne accursed and what is our desert then What can he deserue that is accursed ignorāt of God dead in sinnes and subiect to the wrath iudgement of God When the Pope excōmunicateth a man whatsoeuer he doth is counted accursed How much more then may we say that he is accursed before God as all we are before we know Christ which doth nothing else but cursed things Wherefore there is no other way to auoide the Curse but to beleue and with assured confidēce to say Thou Christ art my sinne my Curse or rather I am thy sinne thy Curse thy death thy wrath of God thy hell and contrariwise thou arte my righteousnes my Blessing my life my grace of God and my heauen For the text sayeth plainely Christe is made a Curse for vs. Therefore we are the cause that he was made a Curse nay rather we are his Curse This is an excellent place full of spiritual consolation albeit it satisfie not the blind hard harted Iewes yet it satisfieth vs that are baptised and haue receaued this doctrine and concludeth most mightely that we are blessed through the Curse the sinne the death of Christ that is to say we are iustified and quickned vnto life So long as sinne death and the Curse do abide in vs sinne terrifieth death killeth and the Curse condemneth vs But when these are translated and laid vpon Christes backe then are these euils made his owne and his good thinges are made ours Let vs therefore learne in all tentations to translate sinne death the Curse and all euils which oppresse vs from our selues vnto Christ and againe from him vnto our selues righteousnes mercy life and blessing For he beareth all our euils vpon him God the father cast the iniquities of vs all as Esay the Prophet saith vpon him And he hath taken them vpon him willingly for he was not giltie But this he did that he might fulfill the will of his father by the which we are made holy for euer This is that infinite and vnmeasurable mercy of God which Paule would gladly amplifie with all eloquence and plentie of wordes but the slender capacitie of mans heart can not comprehende and much lesse vtter that vnsearchable deapth and burning zeale of Gods loue towards vs And verely the inestimable greatnes of Gods mercy not only engendreth an hardnes to beleue but also incredulitie it selfe For I doe not onely heare that almightie God the creatour and maker of all things is good and merciful but also that the same high souereigne Maiestie was so careful for me a damnable sinner a child of wrath and of euerlasting death that he spared not his owne deare Sonne but deliuered him to a most opprobrious and shamefull death that he hāging betwene two theeues might be made a Curse and sinne for me a cursed sinner that I might be made blessed that is to say the childe and heire of god Who can sufficiently praise and magnify this exceeding great goodnes of God Not all the Angels in heauen Therfore the doctrine of the Gospell the booke of God speaketh of farre other matters then any booke of policie or philosophie yea or the booke of Moses himselfe to wit of the vnspeakeable and most diuine giftes of God which farre passe the capacitie and vnderstanding both of men and Angels Verse 14. That vve might receaue the promise of the spirite through faith This is a phrase of the Hebrewes The promise of the spirite that is to say the spirite promised Now the spirite is freedom from the law sinne death the Curse hel and from the wrath and iudgement of god Here is no merite or worthines of ours but a free promise and a gifte geuen through the Seede of Abraham that we may be free from all euils and obtaine all good things whatsoeuer And this libertye gift of the spirite we receiue not by any other merites then by Faith alone For that onely taketh holde of the promise of God as Paule plainly sayth in this place that vve might receaue the promise of the spirite not by vvorkes but by Faith. This is in dede a sweete and a true Apostolike doctrine which sheweth that those things are fulfilled for vs now geuen to vs which many Prophets Kings desired to see to heare And such like places as this one is were gathered together out of diuers sayings of the Prophets which forsaw long before in spirite that all things should be chaūged repaired and gouerned by this man Christe Therfore the Iewes hauing the law of God did notwithstanding besides that law looke for Christ None of the Prophets or gouernours of the people of God did make any new lawe but Elias Samuel Dauid all the other Prophets did abide vnder the law of Moses they did not appoint any new tables or a new kingdom priesthode for that new chaunge of the kingly priesthoode of the law the worship was referred kept to him only of whom Moises had prophesied longe before The Lord thy God shal raise vp a Prophet vnto thee of thine ovvne nation and from among thy brethren Him shalt thou heare As if he should say Thou shalt heare him onely and none besides him This the Fathers well vnderstode for none could teach greater and higher poynts then Moises him selfe who made excellent lawes of high and great matters as are the ten commaundemēts especially the first commaundement I am the Lord thy God Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God vvith all thy heart c. This law concerning the loue of God doth comprehend the very Angels also Therfore it is the headspring of all diuine wisedom And yet was it necessary notwithstanding that an other teacher should come that is to say
promise so long before the law Which he did of purpose and to this ende that it should not be sayd that righteousnes was geuen through the lawe and not through the promise For if he would that we should haue ben iustified by the lawe then would he haue geuen the law 430. yeares before the promise or else together with the promise But nowe at the first he speaketh not a worde as concerning the lawe but at the length after 430. yeares he geueth the lawe In the meane while all that time he speaketh onely of his promises Therfore the Blessing and free gift of righteousnes came before the lawe through the promise The promise therfore is farre more excellent then the lawe And so the law doth not abolish the promise but Faith in the promise whereby the beleuers euen before Christes time were saued which is now published by the Gospell throughout the whole world destroyeth the law so that it can not encrease sinne any more terrifie sinners or bring them into desperation laying hold vpon the promise through Faith. And in this also lieth a certaine vehemencie specially to be noted that he expressely setteth downe the number of .430 yeares As if he would say Cōsider with your selues how long it was betwene the promise geuen and the lawe It is plaine that Abraham receaued the promise a long time before the lawe For the lawe was geuen to the people of Israel .430 yeares after And this is an inuincible argument gathered and grounded vpon a certaine time And he speaketh not here of the lawe in generall but onely of the written lawe As if he would say God could not then haue regarde to the Ceremonies and workes of the law and geue righteousnes to the obseruers thereof For as yet the lawe was not geuen which commaundeth ceremonies requireth workes and promiseth life to those that obserue them saying The man that shall doe these things shall liue in them And although it promise such things yet it foloweth not therfore that we obtaine these promises For it sayeth plainly The mā that shal do these things c. Now it is certaine that no man can doe them Moreouer Paule sayth that the lawe can not abolish the promise therefore that promise made vnto Abraham .430 yeares before the law remaineth firme and constant And that the matter may be better vnderstand I will declare the same by a similitude If a rich man not constrained but of his owne good will should adopte one to be his sonne whom he knoweth not and to whom he oweth nothing and should appoynt him to be the heire of all his lands and goods certaine yeres after that he hath bestowed this benefite vpon him he should lay vpon him a law to do this or that he cā not now say that he hath deserued this benefite by his owne workes seeing that many yeres before he asking nothing had receaued the same freely and of mere fauour So God could not respect our workes and desertes going before righteousnes for the promise and the gift of the holy Ghost was .430 yeares before the lawe Hereby it appeareth that Abraham obteined not righteousnes before God through the lawe For there was yet no law If there were yet no lawe then was there neither worke nor merite What then Nothing else but the mere promise This promise Abraham beleued and it was counted to him for righteousnes By the selfe same meanes then that the father obteined this promise the children doe also obteine it and holde it So say we also at this day Our sinnes were purged by the death of Christ aboue a thousand and fiue hundreth yeres agoe when there were yet no religious Orders no Canon or rule of Penance no merites of congruence and worthines We can not nowe therfore begin to abolish the same by our owne workes and merites Thus Paule gathereth arguments of similitudes of a certaine time and of persons so sure strong on euery side that no man can deny them Let vs therfore arme and fortifie our consciences with such like arguments For it helpeth vs excedingly to haue them alwayes ready in tentations For they lead vs from the lawe and workes to the promise and to faith from wrath to grace from sinne to righteousnes and from death to life Therfore these two things as I doe often repeate to witte the lawe and the promise must be diligently distinguished For in time in place and in person and generally in all other circumstances they are separate as farre asunder as heauen and earth the beginning of the world and the later ende In deede they are neare neighbours for they are ioyned together in one man or in one soule but in the inward affection as touching their office they ought to be separate farre asonder so that the lawe may haue dominion ouer the flesh and the promise may sweetely and comfortably raigne in the conscience When thou hast thus appoynted vnto them both their own proper place then thou walkest safely betwene them both in the heauen of the promise and in the earth of the lawe In spirite thou walkest in the Paradise of grace and peace In the flesh thou walkest in the earth of workes and of the crosse And nowe the troubles which the flesh is compelled to beare shall not be hard vnto thee because of the sweetenes of the promise which comforteth and reioyceth the hart excedingly But now if thou confound and mingle these two together and place the lawe in the conscience and the promise of libertie in the flesh then thou makest a confusion such as was in Poperie so that thou shalt not knowe what the lawe what the promise what sinne or what righteousnes is Wherfore if thou wilt diuide the worde of truth aright thou must put a great difference betwene the promise and the lawe as touching the inward affections and whole practise of life It is not for naught that Paule prosecuteth this argument so diligently For he foresawe in spirite that this mischiefe should creepe into the Church that the word of God should be confounded that is to say that the promise should be mingled with the lawe and so the promise should be vtterly lost For when the promise is mingled with the lawe it is nowe made nothing else but the very lawe Therefore accustome thy selfe to separate the promise and the law asunder euen in respect of time that when the lawe cometh and accuseth thy conscience thou mayest say Lady lawe thou comest not in season for thou comest to soone Tarry yet vntil .430 yeres be expired and when they are past then come and spare not But if thou come then yet shalt thou come to late For then hath the promise preuented thee .430 yeres to the which I assent and sweetely repose my selfe in the same Therefore I haue nothing to doe with thee I heare thee not For nowe I liue with the beleuing Abraham or
all your power to learne so to know to apprehend Christ as Paule hath sette him forth in this place But if besides this natural corruption there come also corrupt and wicked teachers of whom the world is full they will encrease this corruption of nature and so shall the euill be doubled that is to say euill instruction will increase and confirme the pernicious errour of blind reason which naturally iudgeth Christ to be a lawgeuer and printeth that errour so mightely in our mindes that without great trauaile and difficultie it can neuer be abolished Wherefore it is very profitable for vs to haue alwayes before our eyes this sweete and comfortable sentence and such like which set out Christe truely and liuely that in our whole life in all daungers in the confession of our Faith before tyrannes and in the hower of death we may boldly and with a sure confidence say O law thou hast no power ouer me and therefore thou dost accuse and condemne me in vaine For I beleue in Iesus Christ the sonne of God whom the Father sent into the world to redeme vs miserable sinners oppressed with the tyrannie of the law He gaue his life and shed his bloud for me Therfore feeling thy terrours and threatnings O law I plunge my conscience in the woundes bloud death resurrection and victory of my Sauiour Christe Besides him I will see nothing I will heare nothing This Faith is our victory whereby we ouercome the terrours of the lawe sinne death and all euils and yet not without great conflicts And here do the childrē of God which are daily exercised with greuous temptatiōs wrastle sweat in deede For oftentimes it commeth into their minds that Christ wil accuse them plead against them that he will require an accompt of their former life and that he wil cōdemne them They can not assure them selues that he is sent of his Father to redeme vs from the tyrannie and oppression of the law And wherof cometh this They haue not yet fully put of the flesh which rebelleth against the spirite Therefore the terrours of the lawe the feare of death and such like sorrowfull and heauy sightes doe oftentimes retourne which hinder our Faith that it can not apprehend the benefite of Christe who hath redemed vs from the bondage of the lawe with such assurance as it should doe But how or by what meanes hath Christe redemed vs This was the maner of our redemption He vvas made vnder the lavve Christe when he came found vs all captiues vnder gouernours and tutours that is to say shutte vppe and holden in prison vnder the lawe What doth he then Although he be Lord of the lawe and therefore the lawe hath no authoritie or power ouer him for he is the sonne of God yet of his owne accord he maketh him selfe subiect to the law Here the law executeth vpon him all the iurisdiction which it had ouer vs It accuseth and terrifieth vs also it maketh vs subiect to sinne death the wrath of God and with his sentence condemneth vs And this is doth by good right for vve are all sinners and by nature the children of vvrath Contrariwise Christe did no sinne neither vvas there any guile found in his mouth therefore he was not subiect to the lawe Yet notwithstanding the lawe was no lesse cruel against this innocent righteous and blessed Lambe then it was against vs cursed and damned sinners yea much more rigorous For it accused him as a blasphemer and a seditious person it made him giltie before God of the sinnes of the whole world it so terrified and oppressed him with heauines and anguish of spirit that he swette bloud and briefly it condemned him to death yea euen to the death of the crosse This was in deede a wonderful combate where the law being a creature geueth such an assault to his creatour and against all right equitie practiseth his whole tyrannie vpon the Sonne of God which it exercised vpon vs the children of wrath Now therfore because the lawe did so horribly and so cursedly sinne against his God it is accused arraigned There Christ sayth O law thou mightie Queene and cruell Regent of all mankinde what haue I done that thou hast accused me terrified me and condemned me which am innocent Here the lawe which had before condemned and killed all men when it hath nothing wherwith to defend or purge it self is againe so condemned vanquished that it loseth his whole right not onely ouer Christ whom it so cruelly handled and killed but also ouer all them that beleue in him For to those Christe sayth Come vnto me all ye that labour vnder the yoke of the law I could haue ouercome the lawe by my absolute power without mine owne smart for I am Lord of the law and therfore it hath no right ouer me But I haue made my selfe subiect vnto the law for your cause which were vnder the law taking your flesh vpon me that is to say of mine inestimable loue I humbled and yelded my self to the same prison tyrannie and bondage of the lawe vnder the which ye serued as captiues and bondslaues I suffered the law to haue dominion ouer me which was his Lord to terrifie me to make me thrall captiue vnto sinne death the wrath of God which it ought not to haue done Therfore I haue vanquished the law by double right authoritie First as the sonne of God Lord of the law Secondly in your person which is as much as if ye had ouercome the law your selues for my victory is yours After this maner Paule speaketh euery where of this maruelous cōbate betwene Christ the law And to make the matter more delectable more apparant he is wōt to set forth the law by a figure called prosopopoeia as a certain mighty person which had cōdemned killed Christ whom Christ againe ouercomming death had conquered cōdemned killed Ephes 2. Killing enmitie in himself And again chap. 4. out of the Psalme 68. Thou art gone vp on high thou hastled captiuitie captiue c. He vseth the same figure also in his Epistles to the Romaines Corinthians Colossians By sinne he condemned sinne c. Christ therfore by this his victory banished the law out of our cōscience so that now it can no more confoūd vs in the sight of God driue vs to desperation or cōdemne vs In dede it ceaseth not still to reueale our sinne to accuse to terrifie vs but the conscience taking hold of this word of the Apostle Christ hath redemed vs from the lavve is raised vp by faith conceaueth great comfort Moreouer it triumpheth ouer the law with a certaine holy pride saying I care not for thy terrours and threatnings For thou hast crucified the sonne of God this hast thou done most vniustly therfore the sinne that thou hast committed
the morall lawe before Faith. Verse 5. That vve might receaue the adoption of the sonnes Paule setteth forth amplifieth very largely this place of Gen. 22. In thy Seede shall all the natiōs of the earth be blessed A litle before he called this Blessing of the seede of Abraham righteousnes life the promise of the spirit deliuerance from the law the testament c. Here he calleth it the adoption and inheritance of euerlasting life All these this word Blessing doth comprehend For when the Curse which is sinne death c. is abolished then in the stede thereof succedeth the Blessing that is righteousnes life and all good things But by what merite haue we receaued this Blessing that is to say this adoption and inheritaunce of euerlasting life By none at all For what can men deserue that are shutte vnder sinne subiect to the curse of the lawe and worthy of euerlasting death We haue then receiued this Blessing freely and being vtterly vnworthy therof but yet not without merite What merite is that Not ours but the merite of Iesus Christ the sonne of God who being made vnder the lawe not for him selfe but for vs as Paule sayd afore that he vvas made a curse for vs redemed vs which were vnder the lawe Wherfore we haue receaued this adoption by the onely redemption of Iesus Christe the sonne of God which is our rich and euerlasting merite whether it be of congruēce or worthines going before grace or comming after And with this free adoption we haue also receaued the holy Ghost which God hath sent into our hearts crying Abba Father as foloweth Verse 6. And because you are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirite of his sonne into your hearts The holy ghost is sent two maner of wayes In the primatiue church he was sent in a manifest visible appearāce So he came vpon Christ at Iordane in the likenes of a Doue and in the likenes of fire vpon the Apostles and other beleuers And this was the first sending of the holy Ghost which was necessary in the primatiue church for it was expedient that it should be established by manifest myracles because of the vnbeleuers as Paule witnesseth 1. Cor. 14. Straunge tongues sayth he be for a signe and a token not to them that beleue but to them that beleue not But after that the Church was gathered together and cōfirmed with those myracles it was not necessary that this visible sending of the holy Ghost should continue any longer Secondly the holy Ghost is sent by the word into the hearts of the beleuers as here it is sayd God sent the spirite of his sonne c. This sending is without any visible appearance to witte when by the hearing of the externall word we receaue an inward feruencie and light wherby we are chaunged become new creatures wherby also we receaue a new iudgement a new feeling a new mouing This chaūge this new iudgemēt is no worke of reason or of the power of mā but is the gift operation of the holy Ghost which commeth with the word preached which purifieth our hearts by faith and bringeth forth in vs spirituall motions Therefore there is a great difference betwixt vs those which with force subteltie persecute the doctrine of the gospell For we by the grace of God can certainly iudge by the word of the will of God towardes vs also of all lawes and doctrines of our owne life and of the life of others Contrariwise the Papists and Sectaries can not certainly iudge of any thing For they corrupt they persecute and blaspheme the word Now without the word a man can geue no certaine iudgement of any thing And although it appeare not before the world that we be renewed in spirit and haue the holy Ghost yet notwithstanding our iudgemēt our speech our confession do declare sufficiently that the holy Ghost with his giftes is in vs For before we could iudge rightly of nothing We spake not as now we doe We confessed not that all our works were sinne and damnable that Christe was our onely merite both before grace after as now we doe in the true knowledge and light of the Gospell Wherefore let this trouble vs nothing at all that the world whose workes we testifie to be euill iudgeth vs to be most pernicious heretikes and seditious persons destroyers of religion and troublers of the common peace possessed of the Deuill speaking in vs and gouerning all our actions Against this peruerse and wicked iudgement of the world let this testimonie of our conscience be sufficient wherby we assuredly know that it is the gift of God that we doe not onely beleue in Iesus Christ but that we also openly preach and confesse him before the world As we beleue with our heart so do we speake with our mouth according to the saying of the Psalm I beleued therfore haue I spoken Moreouer we exercise our selues in the feare of God and auoide sinne as much as we may If we sinne we sinne not of purpose but of ignorance and we are sory for it We may slippe for the Deuill lieth in wait for vs both day and night Also the remnantes of sinne cleaue yet fast in our flesh therefore as touching the flesh we are sinners yea after that we haue receaued the holy Ghost And there is no great difference betwixt a Christian and a ciuill honest man. For the workes of a Christian in outward shew are but base and simple He doth his duetie according to his vocation he guideth his familie he tilleth the ground he geueth counsell he aideth and succoureth his neighbour These workes the carnall man doth not much esteme but thinketh them to be common to all men and such as the heathen may also doe For the world vnderstandeth not the things which are of the spirite of God and therefore it iudgeth peruersly of the workes of the godly But the monstrous superstition of hypocrites and their will workes they haue in great admiration They count them holy works spare no charges in maintaining the same Contrariwise the workes of the faithfull which although in outward appearance they seeme to be but vile nothing worth yet are they good works in dede and accepted of God because they are done in Faith with a cherefull heart and with obedience and thankfulnes towards God these works I say they do not onely not acknowledge to be good works but also they despise and condemne them as most wicked and abhominable The world therfore beleueth nothing lesse then that we haue that holy Ghost notwithstanding in the time of tribulation or of the crosse and of the cōfession of our faith which is that proper principall worke of those that beleue when we must either forsake wife children goodes and life or else deny Christ then it appeareth that we make confession of
tormentour c. Here now it is time that thou turne away thine eyes from the law from works and from the sense and feling of thine owne conscience and lay hold by Faith of the promise that is to say of the word of grace life which raiseth vppe againe the conscience so that now it beginneth to grone and say Although the law accuse me sinne and death terrifie me neuer so much yet O my God thou promisest grace righteousnes and euerlasting life through Iesus Christ And so that promise bringeth a sighing a groning which crieth Abba Father Verse 7. VVherfore thou art no more a seruaunt but a sonne This is the shutting vppe and the conclusion of that which he said before As if he should say This being true that we haue receaued the spirite by the Gospell whereby we crie Abba Father then is this decree pronounced in heauen that there is now no bōdage any more but mere libertie and adoption And who bringeth this libertie verely this groning By what meanes The father offreth vnto me by his promise his grace and his fatherly fauour This remaineth then that I should receaue this grace And this is done when I againe with this groning doe crie and with a childly heart doe assent vnto this name Father Here then the Father the Sonne meete and the mariage is made vp without all pompe and solemnitie that is to saye nothing at all cometh betwene no lawe nor worke is here required For what should a man doe in these terrours and horrible darknes of tentations Here is nothing else but the father promising calling me his sonne by Christe who was made vnder the law c. and I receauing and answering by this groning saying Father Here then is no exacting nothing is required but only that childly groning that apprehendeth a sure hope and trust in tribulation and saith Thou promisest and callest me thy childe for Christes sake and I againe receaue this and call thee Father This is in deede to be made children simplie and without any workes But these things without experience and practise can not be vnderstand Paule in this place taketh this word Seruaunt otherwise then he did before in the .3 chapt where he sayeth There is neither bond not free c. Here he calleth him a Seruaūt of the law that is subiect to the law as he did a litle before VVe vvere in bōdage vnder the rudimēts of the vvorld Wherfore to be a Seruaūt in this place after Paule is to be giltie and captiue vnder the law vnder the wrath of God death to behold God not as a merciful Father but as a tormentour an enemie and a tyranne This is in deede to be kept in bondage Babilonicall captiuitie to be cruelly tormented therin For the law deliuereth not from sinne and death but reuealeth and encreaseth sinne engendreth wrath This bondage sayth Paule continueth no longer it oppresseth vs not nor maketh vs heauy any more c. Paule sayeth Thou shalt be no more a seruaunt But the sentence is more generall if we say there shall be no bondage in Christe any more but mere fredome and adoption For when Faith commeth that bondage ceaseth as he sayd before in the third Chapter Now if we by the spirite of Christe crying in our hearts Abba Father be no more seruaūts but children then it foloweth that we are not onely deliuered from the horrible monsters of the Pope and all the abominations of mens traditions but also from all the iurisdiction and power of the lawe of god Wherefore we ought in no wise to suffer the lawe to raigne in our conscience and much lesse the Pope with his vaine threatnings and terrours In deede he roreth mightely as a Lion Apoc. 10. and threatneth to all those that obey not his lawes the wrath and indignation of almighty God and of his blessed Apostles c. But here Paule armeth and comforteth vs against these rorings when he sayth Thou art no more a seruaunt but a sonne Take hold of this consolation by Faith and say O lawe thy tyrannie can haue no place in the throne where Christe my Lord sitteth there I can not heare thee much lesse doe I heare thy monsters O Antichriste for I am free and a sonne who must not be subiect to any bondage or seruile lawe Let not Moises therefore with his lawes much lesse the Pope ascend vppe into the bridechamber there to lie that is to say to raigne in the conscience which Christe hath deliuered from the lawe to the ende that it should not be subiect to any bondage Let the seruauntes abide with the Asse in the valley Let none but Isaac ascend vppe into the Mountaine with his father Abraham that is let the lawe haue dominion ouer the body and ouer the olde man let him be vnder the lawe and suffer the burden to be laide vpon him let him suffer him selfe to be exercised and vexed with the lawe let the lawe limite and prescribe vnto him what he ought to doe what he ought to suffer and how he ought to liue and to gouerne him selfe among men But let it not defile the bed in which Christe should rest and sleepe alone that is to say let it not trouble the cōscience For she alone ought to liue with Christe her Spouse in the kingdom of libertie and adoption If then sayth he by the spirite of Christ ye crie Abba Father then are ye in deede no longer seruaunts but free men sonnes Therfore ye are without the lawe without sinne without death that is to say ye are saued and ye are now quite deliuered frō all euils Wherfore the adoption bringeth with it the eternall kingdom and all that heauenly inheritaunce Now how inestimable the glory of this gift is mans heart is not able to conceaue and much lesse to vtter In the meane time we see this but darkely as it were a farre of We haue this litle groning and feeble Faith which onely resteth vpon the hearing and the sound of the voyce of Christe promising Therefore we must not measure this thing by reason or by our owne feeling but by the promise of god Now because he is infinite therefore his promise is also infinite although it seeme to be neuer so much enclosed in these narrow streites these anguishes I meane Wherfore there is nothing that can now accuse terrifie or binde the conscience any more For there is no more seruitude but adoption which not onely bringeth vnto vs libertie from the law sinne and death but also the inheritaunce of euerlasting life as foloweth Verse 7. Novv if thou be a sonne thou art also the heire of God thorough Christe For he that is a sonne must be also an heire for by his birth he is worthy to be an heire There is no worke or merite that bringeth to him the inheritance but his birth only And so in
comfort the weake with sweete louing wordes as occasion should require Verse 20. For I am troubled for you That is to say I am so troubled in my spirite that I know not how by letters to behaue my selfe towardes you Here is a liuely description of the true affections of an Apostle He omitteth nothing he chideth the Galathians he entreateth them he speaketh them faire he highly commendeth their Faith labouring by all meanes to bring them backe againe to the truth of the Gospell and to deliuer them out of the snares of the false apostles These are vehement words proceding from a heart stirred vppe and enflamed with a hot burning zeale and therfore ought diligently to be considered Verse 21. Tell me ye that vvill be vnder the lavve doe ye not heare the lavve Here would Paule haue closed vp his Epistle for he desired not to wryte any more but rather to be present with the Galathians and to speake vnto them him selfe But he being in great perplexitie and very carefull for this matter taketh by the way this allegorie which then came into his minde For the people are greatly delighted with allegories and similitudes and therfore Christe himselfe oftentimes vseth them For they are as it were certaine pictures which set forth things as if they were painted before the eyes of the simple and therefore they moue and perswade very much especially the simple and ignorant First therfore he stirreth vp the Galathians with words and wrytings Secondly he painteth out the matter it selfe before theyr eyes with this goodly allegorie Now Paule was a maruelous cunning workman in handling of allegories For he is wont to applie them to the doctrine of Faith to grace and to Christ and not to the law and the workes therof as Origen and Hierom doe who are worthely reprehended for that they turned the plaine sentences of the Scripture where allegories haue no place into vnfitte and foolish allegories Therfore to vse allegories it is oftentimes a very daungerous thing For vnlesse a man haue the perfect knowledge of Christian doctrine he can not vse allegories rightly and as he should doe But why doth Paule call the booke of Genesis out of the which he aleageth the hystorie of Ismael and of Isaack the lawe seeing that booke containeth nothing at all concerning the law and specially that place which he aledgeth speaketh not of any law but onely containeth a plaine hystorie of Abrahams two children Paule is wont to call the first booke of Moses the lawe after the maner of the Iewes which although it cōtaine no law besides the law of circumcision but the principall doctrine therof is concerning Faith and that the Patriarkes pleased God because of their Faith yet the Iewes notwithstanding onely because of the law of circumcision which is there contained called the booke of Genesis the lawe as well as the other bookes of Moses So did Paule him selfe also being a iewe And Christ vnder the title of the lawe comprehendeth not onely the bookes of Moses but also the Psalmes Iohn 15. But it is that the vvord might be fulfilled vvhich is vvrytten in their lavve They hated me vvithout a cause Vers 22.23 For it is vvrytten that Abraham had tvvo sonnes one by a seruaunt and one by a free vvoman But he vvhich vvas of the seruaunt vvas borne after the flesh and he vvhich vvas of the free vvoman vvas borne after the spirite As if he sayd Ye forsake grace Faith and Christe and turne backe againe to the lawe ye will be vnder the lawe and become wise through it Therefore I will talke with you of the lawe I pray you then consider the lawe diligently Ye shall finde that Abraham had two sonnes Ismael by Agar and Isaack by Sara They were both the true sonnes of Abraham Ismael was as well the true sonne of Abraham as Isaack was for both came of one father of one flesh and of one Seede What was then the difference This maketh not the difference sayeth Paule that the mother of one was free and the other bond albeit it pertaineth to the allegorie but that Ismael which was borne of the bondwoman was borne after the flesh that is to say without the promise and the word of God. But Isaack was not onely borne of the freewoman but also according to the promise What thē Yet was Isaack notwithstanding as well borne of the seede of Abraham as Ismael was I graunt that they were both the children of one father and yet notwithstanding there is a difference For although Isaack were borne of the flesh yet the promise went before None obserued this difference but onely Paule which he gathered out of the text of Genesis after this maner In that Agar conceaued and brought forth Ismael there was no word of God that foreshewed that thys should come to passe but by the permission of Sara Abraham went in to his seruaunt Agar whom Sara being barren had geuen to wife to Abraham as is sayd in the booke of Genesis For Sara had heard that Abraham by the promise of God should haue seede of his body and she hoped that she should be the mother of this seede But when she had waited now for the promise many yeares with great anguish of spirite and sawe that the matter was so long differred she was out of hope This holy woman therefore geueth place for the honour of her husband and resigneth her right to an other that is to say to her maide Notwithstanding she suffreth not her husband to marrie an other wife out of his house but she geueth vnto him in mariage her seruaunt to the ende that she might be builded by her For so sayeth the hystorie Genes 16. Novv Sara Abrahams vvife bare him no children and she had a maid an Egyptian Agar by name And Sara said vnto Abraham Behold novv the Lord hath restrained me frō childe bearing I pray thee goe in to my maide it may be that I shall be builded by her This was a great humilitie of Sara who so abased her self tooke in good part this tentation trial of her faith For thus she thought God is no lier that which he hath promised to my husband he will surely performe But peraduenture God will not that I shall be the mother of that Seede It shall not greeue me that Agar should haue this honour vnto whom let my Lord enter for I may peraduenture be builded by her Ismael therefore is borne without the word and promise at the onely request of Sara For there is no word of God which commaunded Abraham thus to doe or promised vnto him a sonne but al this is done at aduenture which the wordes doe also declare It may be sayeth she that I shall be builded by her Seeing therfore there was no word of God spoken to Abraham before as there was when Sara should bring forth
of sinne death How is this done In Faith. For the blessednes which we hope for is not yet reuealed which in the meane time we wait for in patience and yet notwithstanding doe now assuredly possesse the same by faith We ought therfore diligently to learne the article of iustification for that onely is able to support vs against these infinite sclaunders offences to cōfort vs in all our tentatiōs and persecutiōs For we see that it cā not otherwise be but that the world wil be offended with the pure doctrine of the Gospel continually cry out that no good cometh of it For the natural man vnderstandeth not those things vvhich are of the spirit of God for they are folishnes to him 1. Cor. 2. He onely beholdeth the outward euils troubles rebellions murthers sects and such other like things With these sights he is offended and blinded and finally falleth into the contempt blaspheming of God and his word On that contrary part we ought to stay cōfort our selues in this that our aduersaries do not accuse condemne vs for any manifest wickednes which we haue committed as adulterie murther theft such like but for our doctrine And what doe we teach That Christ the sonne of God by the death of the crosse hath redemed vs frō our sinnes from euerlasting death Therfore they do not impugne our life but our doctrine yea the doctrine of Christ not ours Therfore if ther be any offence it is Christes offence not ours so the fault wherfore they persecute vs Christ hath committed and not we Now whether they wil condemne Christ plucke him out of heauē as an heretike seditious person for this fault that he is our onely iustifier and Sauiour let them looke to that As for vs we commending this his owne cause vnto himself are quiet beholders whether of them shal haue the victory Christ or they In dede after the flesh it greueth vs that these Ismaelites hate persecute vs so furiously notwithstanding according to the spirite we glory in these afflictions both because we know that we suffer them not for our sinnes but for Christes cause whose benefite and whose glory we set forth and also because Paule geueth vs warning aforehand that Ismael must mocke Isaac and persecute him The Iewes expound this place which Paule alleageth out of the 21. of Genesis of Ismael mocking persecuting Isaac after this maner that Ismael constrained Isaac to commit Idolatrie If he did so yet I beleue not that it was any such grosse idolatry as the Iewes dreame of to witte that Ismael made images of clay after the maner of the Gentiles which he compelled Isaac to worship For this Abraham would in no wise haue suffred But I thinke that Ismael was in outward shew a holy mā as Caine was who also persecuted his brother and at length killed him not for any corporall thing but because he saw that God estemed him aboue the other In like maner Ismael was outwardly a louer of religion he sacrificed exercised himselfe in well doing Therefore he mocked his brother Isaac would be estemed a better man then he for two causes First for his religion and seruice of God Secōdly for his ciuill gouernment inheritance And these two things he seemed iustly to chalenge to himselfe For he thought that the kingdom and Priesthode pertained to him by the right of Gods law as the first borne and therfore he persecuted Isaac spiritually because of religion and corporally because of his inheritance This persecution alwayes remaineth in the Church especially when the doctrine of the Gospell flourisheth to witte that the children of the flesh mocke the children of the promise and persecute them The Papists persecute vs at this day and for none other cause but for that we teach that righteousnes cometh by the promise For it vexeth the Papistes that we will not worship their Idols that is to say that we set not forth their righteousnes their workes and worshippings deuised and ordained by men as auaileable to obtaine grace and forgeuenes of sinnes And for this cause they goe about to cast vs out of the house that is to say they vaunt that they are the Church the children and people of God and that the inheritance belongeth vnto them c. Contrariwise they excommunicate and banish vs as heretikes and seditious persons and if they can they kill vs also and in so doing they thinke they doe God good seruice So as much as in them lieth they cast vs out of this life and of the life to come The Anabaptistes and such other do hate vs deadly because we impugne detest their errors heresies which they spread abrode daily renue in the church and for this cause they iudge vs to be far worse then the Papists therfore they haue cōceiued a more cruel hatred against vs then against the Papists As soone therfore as the word of God is brought to light the Deuil is angry vseth all his force subtil sleightes to persecute it vtterly to abolish it Therfore he cā no otherwise do but raise vp infinite sects horrible offences cruel persecutions abhominable murthers For he is the father of lying and a murtherer He spreadeth his lies thorowout the world by false teachers he killeth men by tyrannes By these meanes he possesseth both the spirituall and the corporall kingdom the spirituall by the lying of false teachers stirring vppe also without ceasing euery one of vs perticularly by his fierie dartes to heresies and wicked opinions the corporall kingdom by the sword of tyrannes Thus this father of lying and of murther stirreth vp persecution on euery side both spirituall and corporall against the childrē of the freewoman The spirituall persecution which we are at this day constrained to suffer of heretikes is to vs most greeuous intolerable because of the infinite offences and sclaunders wherewith the Deuill goeth about to deface our doctrine For we are enforced to heare that the heresies and errours of the Anabaptistes and other heretikes and all other enormities doe proceede from our doctrine The corporall persecution by which tyrannes lie in wait for our goodes and liues is more tolerable For they persecute vs not for our sinnes but for the testimonie of the word of god Let vs learne therefore euen by the title which Christ geueth to the Deuill to witte that he is the father of lying and murther Iohn 8. that when the Gospel flourisheth and Christ raigneth then sectes of perdition must needes spring vppe and murtherers persecuting the Gospell must rage euery where And Paule sayeth That there must be heresies He that is ignorant of this is soone offended and falling away from the true God and true Faith he retourneth to his olde God and olde false faith Paule therefore in this place armeth
of tentation experiēce and practise to applie them to him selfe and to feele the excellencie of this libertie and the frute thereof it is a harder matter then can be expressed Therfore our conscience must be enstructed and prepared before hand that when we feele the accusation of the lawe the terrours of sinne the horrour of death and the wrath of God we may remoue these heauie sightes and fearfull fantasies out of our mindes and set in the place thereof the freedome purchased by Christ the forgeuenes of sinnes righteousnes life and the euerlasting mercy of god And albeit the feeling of the contrary be very strong yet let vs assure our selues that it shall not long endure according to that saying of the Prophet For a moment in mine anger I hidde my face from thee for a litle season but vvith euerlasting mercy I haue compassion on thee But this is very hard to doe Wherefore that libertie which Christ hath purchased for vs is not so soone beleued as it is named If it could be apprehended with a sure and a stedfast Faith then no rage or terrour of the word of the law sinne death or the Deuill could be so great but by by it should be swalowed vp as a litle drop of water is swallowed of the maine sea And certainly this Christian libertie swalloweth vp at once taketh quite away the whole heape of euils the law sinne death Gods wrath and briefly the serpent him selfe with his head and whole power and in the stead therof it placeth righteousnes peace euerlasting life c. But blessed is he that vnderstandeth and beleueth Let vs learne therefore to magnifie this our libertie purchased by Iesus Christe the sonne of God by whom all things were created both in heauen and earth Which libertie he hath purchased with no other price then with his owne bloud to deliuer vs not from any bodely or temporall seruitude but from a spirituall and euerlasting bondage vnder mighty and inuincible tyrannes to witte the lawe sinne death and the Deuil and so to reconcile vs vnto God his father Now since these enemies are ouercome and we reconciled vnto God by the death of his sonne it is certaine that we are righteous before God and that what so euer we doe pleaseth him And although there be certaine remnantes of sinne yet still in vs they are not laid to our charge but pardoned for Christes sake Paule vseth wordes of great force and vehemencie Stand sayth he in that libertie vvherin Christe hath made you free This libertie then is not geuen vnto vs by the law or for our righteousnes but freely for Christes sake Which thing Paule here witnesseth and plainly declareth thorow out his whole Epistle Christe also in the .8 of Iohn sayth If the sonne shall make you free there shall ye be free in deede He onely is sette betwixt vs and the euils which trouble and afflict vs he hath ouercome them and taken them away so that they cā no more oppresse vs nor condemne vs In the sted of sinne and death he geueth vnto vs righteousnes and euerlasting life and by this meanes he chaūgeth the bondage and terrours of the law into the liberty of cōscience and consolation of the Gospel which sayeth Be of good comfort my sonne thy sinnes are forgeuen thee Whosoeuer then beleueth in Christ the sonne of God he hath this libertie Reason can not perceaue the excellencie of this matter which when a man considereth in spirite he shall see that it is inestimable For who is able to conceaue in his minde how great and vnspeakable a gift it is to haue the forgeuenes of sinnes righteousnes euerlasting life in the sted of the law sinne death and the wrath of God to haue God him selfe fauourable and merciful for euer The Papists and the hypocrites that seeke the righteousnes of the lawe or their owne righteousnes doe glory that they likewise haue remission of sinnes righteousnes life and the grace of god For they vaunt that they also haue this libertie and they promise the same vnto others but in very deede they are the seruauntes of corruption and in the time of tentation all their vaine confidence vanisheth away euen in a moment For they trust vnto the workes and satisfactions of men and not to the word of God nor vnto Christe Wherefore it is impossible for the Iusticiaries which seeke to winne heauen life and saluation by workes and merites to know what the libertie and deliuerance from sinne is Contrariwise our libertie hath for her foundation Christe him selfe who is our euerlasting high Bishop sitting at the right hand of God making intercessiō for vs Wherfore the forgeuenes of sinnes righteousnes life libertie which we haue through him is sure certaine perpetual so that we beleue this Wherefore if we cleaue vnto Christ with a stedfast Faith and stand fast in that libertie wherein he hath made vs free we shall obtaine those inestimable gifts but if we be carelesse and negligent we shall lose them It is not without cause that Paule biddeth vs watch and stand fast for he knew that the Deuil seeketh nothing more then to spoile vs of this libertie which cost Christe so great a price and to entāgle vs againe by his ministers in the yoke of bondage as foloweth Verse 1. And be not entangled againe vvith the yoke of bondage Paule hath spoken most effectually and profoundly as concerning grace and Christian libertie and with high and mighty wordes hath exhorted the Galathians to continue in the same for it is easily lost Therefore he biddeth them stand fast lest that through negligence or securitie they fall backe againe from grace and Faith to the law and workes Now because reason iudgeth that there can be no daunger in preferring the righteousnes of the law before the righteousnes of Faith therefore with a certaine indignation he enueyeth against the lawe and with great contempt he calleth it a yoke yea a yoke of bondage So Peter calleth it also Acts. 15 VVhy tempt ye God to lay a yoke on the disciples neckes vvhich neither our fathers nor vve vvere able to beare And thus he turneth all things to the contrary For the false Apostles did abase the promise and magnified the law and the works thereof in this wise If ye will be made free say they from sinne and death and obtaine righteousnes and life fulfil the law be circumcised obserue dayes moneths times and yeres offer sacrifices and doe such other like things then shall this obedience of the law iustifie and saue you But Paule sayth the contrary They sayth he that teach the law after this sort do not set mens consciences at libertie but snare and entangle them with a yoke yea and that with a yoke of bondage He speaketh therfore of the law very basely and contemptuously and calleth it an hard bondage and a seruile yoke
for me in heauen So both these sayings are true that I am made righteous alredy by that righteousnes which is begun in me and also I am raised vppe in the same hope against sinne and waite for the full consummation of perfect righteousnes in heauen These things are not rightly vnderstand but when they be put in practise VVhat difference there is betwene Faith and Hope Here riseth a question what difference there is betwene Faith and Hope The Sophisters and Schoolemē haue laboured very much in this matter but they could neuer shew any certaintie Yea to vs which trauell in the holy Scriptures with much diligence and also with more fulnes and power of spirite be it spoken without any bragge it is hard to finde any differēce For there is so great affinitie betwene Faith and hope that the one can not be seperate from the other Notwithstanding there is a difference betwene them which is gathered of their seuerall offices diuersitie of working and of their endes First they differ in respect of their subiect that is of the groūd wherin they rest For Faith resteth in the vnderstanding and hope resteth in the will but in very deede they can not be seperated the one hauing respect to the other as the two Cherubins of the Mercieseat which could not be deuided Secondly they differ in respect of their office that is of theyr working For faith telleth what is to be done it teacheth prescribeth and directeth and it is a knowledge Hope is an exhortatiō which stirreth vp the minde that it may be strong bold and couragious that it may suffer and endure aduersitie and in the middest thereof wait for better things Thirdly they differ as touching their obiect that is the speciall matter whervnto they looke For Faith hath for her obiect the truth teaching vs to cleaue surely therto and loketh vpon the word and promise of the thing that is promised Hope hath for her obiect the goodnes of God and loketh vpon the thing which is promised in the word that is vpon such matters as Faith teacheth vs to be hoped for Fourthly they differ in order For Faith is the beginning of life before all tribulation Heb. 11. But hope cometh afterwardes proceding of tribulations Rom. 5. Fiftly they differ by the diuersitie of working For Faith is a teacher and a iudge fighting against errours and heresies iudging spirites doctrines But hope is as it were the Generall or Captaine of the field fighting against tribulation the crosse impatiencie heauines of spirite weaknes desperation and blasphemie and it waiteth for good things euen in the middest of all euils Therefore when I am instructed by Faith in the word of God and lay holde of Christe beleuing in him with my whole heart then am I righteous by this knowledge When I am so iustified by Faith or by this knowledge by and by cometh the Deuill the father of lies and laboureth to extinguish my Faith by wiles and subtilties that is to say by lies errours and heresies Moreouer because he is a murtherer he goeth about also to oppresse it by violence Here hope wrastlinge layeth holde on the thinge reuealed by Faithe and ouercometh the Deuill that warreth against Faith and after this victorie foloweth peace ioy in the holy Ghost So that in very deede faith hope can scarsely be discerned the one from the other yet is there a certaine difference betwene them And that it may be the better perceaued I will set out the matter by a similitude In ciuill gouernment Prudence and Fortitude doe differ and yet these two vertues are so ioyned together that they can not easily be seuered Now fortitude is a constancie of minde which is not discouraged in aduersity but endureth valiantly waiteth for better things But if fortitude be not guided by prudence it is but temeritie and rashnes On the other side if fortitude be not ioyned with prudence that prudence is but vaine and vnprofitable Therfore like as in policy prudence is but vaine without fortitude euen so in Diuinitie Faith without hope is nothing For hope endureth aduersity and is constant therin and in the end ouercometh all euils And on the other side like as fortitude without prudence is rashnes euen so hope without faith is a presumption in spirite and a tempting of God for it hath no knowledge of Christ and of the truth which Faith teacheth and therfore it is but a blind rashnes arrogancie Wherfore a godly man afore all things must haue a right vnderstanding instructed by Faith according to the which the minde may be guided in afflictiōs that it may hope for those good things which Faith hath reuealed and taught To be short Faith is conceaued by teaching for thereby the minde is instructed what the truthe is Hope is conceaued by exhortation for by exhortation hope is stirred vppe in afflictions which cōfirmeth him that is alredy iustified by Faith that he be not ouercome by aduersities but that he may be able more strongly to resist them notwithstanding if the sparke of Faith should not geue light to the will it could not be perswaded to lay holde vpon hope We haue Faith then wherby we are taught vnderstand and know the heauenly wisedom apprehende Christe and continue in his grace But as soone as we lay hold vpon Christe by Faith and confesse him forthwith our enemies the world the flesh and the Deuil rise vppe against vs hating and persecuting vs most cruelly both in body and spirite Wherefore we thus beleuing and iustified by Faith in spirite doe wait for the hope of our righteousnes And we wait through patience for we see feele the flatte contrary For the world with his Prince the Deuill assaileth vs mightely both within and without Moreouer sinne yet still remaineth in vs which driueth vs into heauines Notwithstanding we geue not ouer for all this but raise vppe our mind strongly through Faith which lightneth teacheth guideth the same And thus we abide firme and constant and ouercome al aduersities through him which hath loued vs vntil our righteousnes which we beleue and wait for be reuealed By Faith therefore we began by hope we continue and by reuelation we shall obtaine the whole In the meane time whilest we liue here because we beleue we teach the word and publish the knowledge of Christe vnto others Thus doing we suffer persecution according to this text I beleued and therefore did I speake and I vvas fore troubled with patience being strengthened and encouraged throughe hope wherevnto the Scripture exhorteth vs with most sweete and comfortable promises taught and reuealed vnto vs by Faith. And thus doth hope spring vp encrease in vs Rō 15. That through patience and comfort of the Scripture vve may haue hope Paule therfore not without cause ioyneth patience in tribulatiōs and hope together in the .5 and .8 to the Romains and in other places
This is a perfect and a sound doctrine of Faith and loue and also the shortest and the longest Diuinitie The shortest as touching the words and sentences but as touching the vse and practise it is more large more longe more profound and more high then the whole world Verse 15. If ye bite and deuoure one an other take heede lest ye be consumed one of an other By these wordes Paule witnesseth that if the foundation that is to say if Faith in Christ be ouerthrowne by wicked teachers no peace or concord cā remaine in the church either in doctrine or life but there must needes be diuers opinions and dissensions from time to time both in doctrine and life wherby it commeth to passe that one biteth and deuoureth an other that is to say one iudgeth and condemneth an other vntill at length they be consumed Hereof not onely the Scripture but also the examples of all times beare witnes After that Aphrike was peruerted by the Manichees by and by folowed the Donatistes who also disagreeing among them selues were diuided into three sundry Sectes And how many Sectes haue we at this day springing vppe one after an other One Sect bringeth forth an other and one condemneth an other Thus when the vnitie of the spirite is broken it is vnpossible that there should be any concord either in doctrine or life but daily new errours must nedes spring vp without measure and without end Paule therefore teacheth that such occasions of discord are to be auoided and he sheweth how they may be auoided This sayth he is the way to vnitie and concord Let euery man doe his duetie in that kinde of life which God hath called him vnto Let him not lift vp himselfe aboue others nor finde fault at other mens workes and commend his owne but let euery one serue an other through loue This is a true and a simple doctrine touching good works This do not they teach which haue made shipwracke of faith haue conceaued fantasticall opinions concerning Faith good workes but disagreeing among them selues as touching the doctrine of Faith and workes they bite and deuoure that is to say they accuse condemne one an other as Paule here sayth of the Galathians If ye bite and deuoure one an other take heede lest ye be consumed one of an other As if he would say doe not accuse and condemne one an other for circumcision for obseruing of holy dayes or other ceremonies but rather geue your selues to serue and helpe one an other through charitie Or else if ye continue in biting deuouring one an other take heede that ye be not consumed that is to say that ye perish not vtterly yea and that bodely which cōmōly hapneth especially to the authors of Sects as it did to Arrius others and to certaine also in our time For he that hath laid his foūdation on the sand and buildeth hay stubble and such like must needes fall be consumed for all those things are ordained for the fire I will not say that after such bitings deuourings the ruine destructiō not of one citie but of whole countreys kingdoms are wont to folow Now the Apostle sheweth what it is to serue one an other through loue It is a hard a dangerous matter to teach that we are made righteous by faith without works yet to require workes withall Here except the ministers of Christe be faithfull wise disposers of the mysteries of God rightly diuiding the word of truth faith workes are by and by confounded Both these doctrines as well of faith as of works must be diligētly taught and vrged and yet so that both may remaine with in their bounds Otherwise if they teach works only as they do in the Popes kingdom then is faith lost If faith onely be taught then carnall men by and by dreame that workes be not needefull The Apostle began a litle before to exhort men to good workes and to teach that the whole lawe was fulfilled in one word namely Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Here will some man say Paule thorowout his whole Epistle taketh away righteousnes from the law for sayeth he By the vvorks of the lavv shall no flesh be iustified Also As many as are vnder the vvorks of the lavv are vnder the curse But now whē he sayth that the whole law is fulfilled in one word he seemeth to haue forgotten the matter whereof he hath entreated in all this Epistle and to be of a quite contrary opinion to witte that they which doe the works of charitie fulfill the law and be righteous To this obiection he answereth after this maner Verse 16. But I say vvalke in the spirite and ye shall not fulfill the vvorkes of the flesh As if he should haue sayd I haue not forgotten my former discourse concerning Faith neither doe I now reuoke the same in that I exhort you to mutuall loue saying that the vvhole lavve is fulfilled through loue but I am still of the same minde and opinion that I was before To the ende therefore that ye may rightly vnderstand me I adde this moreouer VValke in the spirite and ye shall not fulfill the lustes of the flesh A confutation of the argument of the Schoolemen Loue is the fulfilling of the lavve therfore the lavve iustifieth Although Paule speaketh here expresly and plainly enough yet hath he litle preuailed For the Schoolemen not vnderstanding this place of Paule Loue is the fulfilling of the lavv haue gathered out of it after this maner If loue be the fulfilling of the law it foloweth then that loue is righteousnes therfore if we loue we be righteous These profound clarkes doe argue from the word to the worke from doctrine or preceptes to life after this sort The lawe hath commaunded loue therefore the worke of loue foloweth out of hand But this is a foolish consequence to draw an argumēt from precepts and to ground the conclusion vppon workes True it is that we ought to fulfill the lawe and to be iustified through the fulfilling thereof but sinne hindreth vs In deede the law prescribeth and commaundeth that we should loue God with all our heart c. and that we should loue our neighbour as our selues but it foloweth not this is wrytten therfore it is done the law commaundeth loue therefore we loue There is not one man to be found vppon the whole earth which so loueth God and his neighbour as the lawe requireth But in the life to come where we shall be throughly clensed from all vices and sinnes and shall be made as pure as cleare as the Sunne we shall loue perfectly and shall be righteous through perfect loue But in this life that puritie is hindred by the flesh for as long as we liue sinne remaineth in our flesh By reason wherof the corrupt loue of our selues is so mightie that it farre surmounteth the loue of god
other and that they should forgeue one an other And without this bearing and forbearing through loue it is impossible that peace and concord should continue amongst Christians For it can not be but that thou must needes often offend and be offended Thou seest many things in me which offend thee and I againe see many things in thee which mislike me Here if one beare not with an other through loue there shall be no end of dissension discord enuie hatred and malice Wherfore Paul would haue vs to walke in the spirit lest we fulfil the lust of the flesh As if he should say Although ye be moued with wrath displeasure against your brother offending you or doing any thing hainously agaīst you yet notwithstanding resist represse these violēt motiōs through the spirit Beare with his weaknes and loue him according to that cōmaundement Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe For thy brother doth not therfore cease to be thy neighbour because he slippeth or offēdeth thee but thē hath he most nede that thou shuldest exercise and shew thy charitie towardes him And this commaundement Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe requireth the selfe same thing to wit that thou shouldest not obey that flesh which when it is offended hateth biteth and deuoureth But wraste against it in spirit and cōtinue through the same in the loue of thy neighbour although thou finde no thing in him worthy of loue The Scholemen take the concupiscence of the flesh for carnall lust In deede it is true that euen that godly especially the yōger sort are tempted with fleshly lust Yea they also that be married so corrupt and pestilent is flesh are not without such carnall lust Here let euery one I speake now to the godly beinge married bothe man and wife diligently examine him selfe and no doubt many shall finde this in themselues that the bewtie and conditions of an other mans wife pleaseth him better then of his owne so contrariwise His owne lawfull wife he lotheth or misliketh loueth her which is vnlawful And this cōmōly is wont to happen not in marriage onely but in all other matters Men set light by that which they haue are in loue with that which they haue not as the Poet saith Nitimur in vetitum semper cupimusque negata That is Of things most forbidden vve alvvaies are faine And things most denied vve seeke to obtaine I doe not deny therfore but that the concupiscence of the flesh comprehendeth carnall lust but not that onely For concupiscence comprehendeth all other corrupt affections wherewith the very faithful are infected some more some lesse as pride hatred couetousnes impatiency and such like Yea Paule rehearseth afterwardes among the works of the flesh not only these grosse vices but also idolatry heresies and such other It is plaine therfore that he speaketh of the whole concupiscēce of the flesh of the whole dominion of sinne which striueth euē in the godly who haue receaued the first fruites of the spirite against the dominion of the spirite He speaketh therefore not onely of carnall lust pride couetousnes c but also of incredulitie distrust despaire hatred contempt of God idolatrie heresies and such other when he sayth And ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh As if he should say I wryte vnto you that ye should loue one an other This ye do not neither can ye doe it because of the flesh which is infected and corrupted with concupiscence and doth not onely stirre vppe sinne in you but also is sinne it self For if ye had perfect charitie no heauines no aduersitie could be so great which should be able to hurt or hinder that charitie for it would be spread throughout the whole body There should be no wife were she neuer so hard fauoured whom her husband would not loue entirely lothing all other womē though they were neuer so faire and beautifull But this is not done therefore it is impossible for vs to be made righteous through loue Wherefore thinke me not to reuoke and vnsay that which I haue taught concerning Faith For Faith and hope must continue that by the one we may be iustified and by the other we may be raised vppe in aduersities and endure vnto the ende Moreouer we serue one an other through charitie because Faith is not idle but charitie is weake and litle Therefore when I bid you walke in the spirite I doe sufficiently declare that ye are not iustified through charitie And when I exhort you to walke in the spirite that ye fulfill not the concupiscence of the flesh I doe not require of you that ye should vtterly put of the flesh or kill it but that ye should bridle and subdue it For God will haue mankinde to indure euen to the last day And this can not be done without parentes which doe begette and bring vppe children These meanes continuing it must needes be that flesh also must continue and consequently sinne for flesh is not without sinne Therefore in respect of the flesh we are sinners but in respect of the spirite we are righteous and so we are partly sinners and partly righteous Notwithstanding our righteousnes is much more plentifull then our sinne because the holines and righteousnes of Christe our Mediatour doth farre excede the sinne of the whole world And the forgeuenes of sinnes which we haue through him is so great so large and so infinite that it easily swaloweth vp all sinnes so that we walke according to the spirite c. The Papistes dreamed that this commaundement belongeth only to their Cleargymen and that the Apostle exhorteth them to liue chastly by subduing the flesh with watching fasting labour c and then they should not fulfill the concupiscence of the flesh that is to say carnall lust As though the whole concupiscence of the flesh were ouercome when this fleshly lust is subdued which notwithstanding they were neuer able to suppresse and keepe vnder with any yoke that they could lay vppon the flesh Which thing Hierome I say nothing of others who was a maruelous louer and defender of chastitie doth plainly cōfesse O saith he how often haue I thought my selfe to be in the middest of the vaine delites and pleasures of Rome euen when I was in the wilde wildernes which being burnt vppe with the heat of the Sunne yeldeth an ouglesome habitation to the Monks c. Againe I who for feare of hell had condemned my selfe to such a prison thought my selfe oftētimes to be daūcing among yong wemen whē I had no other companie but Scorpions and wilde beastes My face was pale with fasting but my minde was inflamed with desires in my cold body and although my flesh was halfe dead already yet the flames of fleshly lust boyled within me c. If Hierome felt in him selfe such flames of fleshly lust who liued in the barraine wildernes with bread and water what do our
holy bellygods the Cleargiemen feele thinke ye who so stuffe and stretch out them selues with all kindes of daintie fare that it is maruell theyr bellies burst not Wherfore these things are wryttē not to Heremites Monks as the Papists dreame nor to sinners in the world onely but to the vniuersall church of Christ and to all the faithfull whom Paule exhorteth to walke in the spirite that they fulfill not the lusts of the flesh that is to say not onely to bridle the grosse motions of the flesh as carnall lust wrath impatiencie such like but also the spirituall motions as douting blasphemie idolatrie contempt and hatred of God c. Paule as I haue said doth not require of the godly that they should vtterly put of or destroy the flesh but that they should so bridle it that it might be subiect to the spirite In the .10 to the Rom. he biddeth vs cherish the flesh For as we may not be cruell to other mens bodies nor vexe them with vnreasonable labour euen so we may not be cruell to our owne bodies Wherfore according to Paules precept we must cherish our flesh that it may be able to indure the labours both of the minde and of the body but yet only for necessities sake and not to nourish the lustes thereof Therefore if thy flesh begin to waxe wanton represse it and bridle it by the spirite If it will not be marrie a wife for it is better to marry then to burne Thus doing thou walkest in the spirit that is thou folowest Gods word and doest his will. Verse 17. For the flesh lusteth against the spirite and the spirite against the flesh When Paule sayeth that the flesh lusteth against the spirite and the spirite against the flesh he admonisheth vs that we must feele the concupiscence of the flesh that is to say not onely carnall lust but also pride wrath heauines impatiencie incredulitie and such like Notwithstāding he would haue vs so to feele them that we consent not vnto them nor accomplish them that is that we neither thinke speake nor doe those things which the flesh prouoketh vs vnto As if it moue vs to anger yet we should be angry in such wise as we are taught in the fourth Psalme that we sinne not As if Paule would thus say I know that the flesh will prouoke you vnto wrath enuie doubting incredulitie and such like But resist it by the spirite that ye sinne not But if ye forsake the guiding of the spirite and folow the flesh ye shall fulfill the lustes of the flesh and ye shall die as Paule sayth in the .8 to the Romaines So this saying of the Apostle is to be vnderstand not of fleshly lust onely but of the whole kingdom of sinne Verse 17. And these are contrary one to the other so that ye can not doe the same things that ye vvould These two captaines or leaders sayth he the flesh and the spirit are one against an other in your body so that ye can not doe what ye would And this place witnesseth plainly that Paule wryteth these things to the faithfull that is to the church beleuing in Christ baptised iustified renewed and hauing ful forgeuenes of sinnes Yet notwithstāding he sayth that she hath flesh rebelling against the spirite After the same maner he speaketh of him selfe in the .7 to the. Rom. I sayeth he am carnall sold vnder sinne And againe I see an other lavv in my mēbers rebelling against the lavv of my minde and leading me captiue vnto the lavv of sinne vvhich is in my mēbers Also O vvretched man that I am vvho shall deliuer me from the body of this death c. Here not onely the Schoolemen but also some of the olde fathers are much troubled seeking how they may excuse Paule For it semeth vnto them absurde and vnseemely to say that that elect vessell of Christ should haue sinne But we credite Pauls owne words wherin he plainly confesseth that he is sold vnder sinne that he is led captiue of sinne that he hath a law in his mēbers rebelling against him that in the flesh he serueth the law of sinne Here againe they answer that the Apostle speaketh in the person of the wicked But the wicked do not cōplaine of the rebellion of their flesh of any battel or cōflict or of the captiuitie bōdage of sinne for sinne mightely raigneth in them This is therfore that very complaint of Paule of al the faithful Wherfore they haue done very wickedly which haue excused Paule all the faithfull to haue no sinne For by this perswasiō which procedeth of ignorāce of the doctrine of faith they haue robbed the church of a singuler consolation they haue abolished the forgeuenes of sinnes and made Christe of none effect Wherfore when Paule sayeth I see an other lavve in my members c. he denieth not that he hath flesh and the vices of the flesh in him It is likely therfore that he felt sometimes the motions of carnal lust But yet no doubt these motions were well suppressed in him by the great and grieuous afflictiōs tentations both of minde and body wherw t he was in a manner continually exercised vexed as his Epistles do declare Or if he at any time being merry strong felt the lust of the flesh wrath impatiency or such like yet he resisted them by the spirite and suffred not those motions to beare rule in him Therefore let vs in no wise suffer such comfortable places wherby Paule describeth the battaile of the flesh against the spirite in his owne body to be corrupted with such folish gloses The Schoolemen the Monkes and such other neuer felt any spirituall tentations and therfore they fought only for the repressing and ouercomming of fleshly lust and lecherie and being proude of that victorie which they neuer yet obtained they thought them selues farre better and more holy then married men I wil not say that vnder this holy pretence rhey nourished and maintained all kindes of horrible sinnes as dissension pride hatred disdaine despising of their neighbours trust in their owne righteousnes presumption contempt of all godlines and of the word of God infidelitie blasphemie and such like Against these sinnes they neuer fought Nay rather they toke them to be no sinnes at all They put righteousnes in the keeping of their foolish and wicked vowes and vnrighteousnes in the neglecting and contemning of the same But this must be our ground and ankerholde that Christ is our onely and perfect righteousnes If we haue nothing whervnto we may trust yet these three things as Paule sayth Faith hope and loue doe remaine Therefore we must alwayes beleue and alwayes hope we must alwayes take hold of Christe as the head and fountaine of our righteousnes He that beleueth in him shal not be ashamed Moreouer we must labour to be outwardly righteous also that is to say not to
trust in his death and victorie theyr strait and painfull life auailed them nothing at all These things sufficiently declare who be the true Sainctes in deede and which is to be called a holy life Not the life of those which lurke in caues dennes which make their bodies leane with fasting which weare hear and doe other like things with this perswasion and trust that they shall haue some singular reward in heauen aboue all other Christians but of those which be baptised and beleue in Christ which put of the olde man with his workes but not at once For concupiscence and lust remaineth in them so long as they liue the feeling wherof doth hurt them nothing at all if they suffer it not to raigne in them but subdue it to the spirite This doctrine bringeth great consolation to godly mindes that when they feele these dartes of the flesh wherewith Sathan assaileth the spirite they should not despaire As it hapneth to many in the Papacie which thought that they ought to feele no concupiscence of the flesh where as notwithstanding Hierome Gregorie Benedict Barnard and others whom the Monks set before them as a perfect example of chastitie and of all Christian vertues could neuer come so farre as to feele no concupiscence or lust of the flesh Yea they felt it and that very strongly Which thing they acknowledge and plainly confesse in diuers places of their bookes Therfore we rightly confesse in the articles of our beleefe that we beleue there is a holy Church For it is inuisible dwelling in spirit in a place that none can attaine vnto and therefore her holines can not be seene For God doth so hide and couer her with infirmities with sinnes with errours with diuers formes of the crosse and offences that according to the iudgement of reason it is no where to be seene They that are ignorant of this when they see the infirmities and sinnes of those which are baptised which haue the word and beleue it are by and by offended and iudge them not to pertaine to the Church And in the meane while they dreame that the Heremites the Monks and such other shauelings are the church which honour God with their lippes and worship him in vaine because they folow not the word of God but the doctrines and commaundements of men teach others to doe the same And because they doe certaine superstitious and monstrous works which carnal reason magnifieth and highly estemeth therfore they iudge them only to be Saincts and to be the church And in so doing they chaunge and turne this article of the Faith cleane contrary I beleue that there is a holy church c. and in the steede of this word I beleue they put in I see These kinds of righteousnes holines of mans owne deuising are nothing else but spiritual sorceries wherw t the eyes minds of mē are blinded led frō the knowledge of true holines But thus teach we that the Church hath no spot nor wrinkle but is holy and yet through Faith onely in Christ Iesus Againe that she is holy in life and cōuersation by abstaining from the lusts of the flesh and exercise of spirituall works but yet not in such sort that he is deliuered from all euill desires or purged from all wicked opinions and errours For the church alwayes confesseth her sinnes prayeth that her faults may be pardoned Also she beleueth the forgeuenes of sinnes The Saincts therfore doe sinne fall and also erre but yet through ignorance For they would not willingly deny Christe forsake the Gospell c therefore they haue remission of sinnes And if through ignorance they erre also in doctrine yet is this pardoned for in the ende they acknowledge their errour and rest onely vppon the truth and the grace of God offered in Christe as Hierome Gregorie Bernard and others did Let Christians then endeuour to auoide the workes of the flesh but the desires or lustes of the flesh they can not auoide It is very profitable therfore for them to feele the vncleane lustes of the flesh lest they should be puffed vp with some vaine wicked opinion of the righteousnes of their owne works as though they were accepted before God for the same The Monks being puffed vp with this opinion of their owne righteousnes thought thēselues to be so holy that they solde their righteousnes holines to others although they were cōuinced by the testimony of their owne hearts that they were vncleane So pernitious and pestilent a poyson it is for a mā to trust in his owne righteousnes to thinke himselfe to be cleane But the godly because they feele the vnclennes of their owne harts therfore they cānot trust to their own righteousnes This feeling so maketh thē to stoupe so hūbleth them that they cannot trust to their owne good workes but are constrained to flie vnto Christe their Mercy seat and onely succour who hath not a corrupt and sinfull but a most pure and holy flesh which he hath geuen for the life of the world in him they finde a sound and perfect righteousnes Thus they continue in humilitie not counterfet and Monkish but true and vnfained because of the vncleanes which yet remaineth in their flesh for the which if God would straitly iudge them they should be foūd giltie of eternal death But because they lift not vp thē selues proudly against God but with a broken a cōtrite heart humbly acknowledging their sinnes resting wholy vppon the benefite of the Mediatour Christ they come forth into the presence of God and pray that for his sake their sinnes may be forgeuen them God spreadeth ouer them an infinite heauen of grace and doth not impute vnto them their sinnes for Christes sake This I say to the end that we may take heede of the pernicious errours of the Papists touching the holines of life wherin our minds were so wrapped that without great difficultie we could not winde our selues out of them Wherfore doe your endeuour with diligence that ye may discerne and rightly iudge betwene true righteousnes or holines and that which is hypocriticall then shall ye behold the kingdom of Christ with other eyes then carnall reason doth that is with spirituall eyes and certainly iudge those to be true Sainctes in deede which are baptised and beleue in Christe and afterwardes in the same Faith wherby they are iustified and their sinnes both past and present are forgeuen doe abstaine from the desires of the flesh But from these desires they are not thorowly clensed for the flesh lusteth against the spirite Notwithstanding these vncleane rebellious lustes doe still remaine in them to this ende that they may be humbled and being so humbled they may feele the sweetenes of the grace and benefite of Christe So these remnauntes of vncleane lustes and sinnes doe nothing at all hinder but greatly furder the godly For the more they feele
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
world No but with a stout courage I will set my selfe against it and will as well despise and crucifie it as it despiseth and crucifieth me To conclude Paule here teacheth how we should fight against Sathan which not onely tormenteth our bodies with sundry afflictions but also woundeth our hearts continually with his fiery dartes that by this continuance when he can no otherwise preuaile he may ouerthrow our faith bring vs from the truth from Christ namely that like as we see Paule him selfe to haue stoutly despised the world so we also should despise the Deuill the Prince therof with all his force deceits hellish furies and so trusting to the aide and helpe of Christe should triumph against him after this maner O Sathā the more thou hurtest and goest about to hurt me the more proud and stout I am against thee and laugh thee to scorne The more thou terrifiest me and seekest to bring me to desperation so much the more confidence boldnes I take glory in the middest of thy furies malice not by mine owne power but by the power of my Lord and Sauiour Christe whose strength is made perfect in my weaknes Therfore when I am weake then am I strong On the contrary when he seeth his threatnings and terrours to be feared he reioyceth then he terrifieth more and more such as are terrified already Verse 15. For in Christe Iesu neither circumcision auaileth any thing nor vncircumcision but a nevv creature This is a wonderfull kinde of speech which Paule here vseth when he sayth neither circūcision nor vncircūcision preuaileth any thing It may seeme that he should rather haue sayd either circumcision or vncircumcision auaileth somwhat seeing these are two contrary things But now he denieth that either the one or the other do any thing auaile As if he shuld haue said Ye must mount vp higher for circūcision and vncircūcision are things of no such importāce that they are able to obtaine righteousnes before god True it is that they are cōtrary the one to the other but this is nothing as touching christian righteousnes which is not earthly but heauēly therfore it cōsisteth not in corporal thīgs Therfore whether thou be circūcised or vncircūcised it is al one thīg for in Christ Iesu neither the one nor the other auaileth any thing at all The Iewes were greatly offended when they heard that circumcision auailed nothing They easily graunted the vncircūcision auailed nothing But they could not abide to heare that so much shuld be said of circūcision for they fought euen vnto bloud for the defence of the law circūcision The Papistes also at this day do vehemently contend for the maintenāce of their traditiōs as touching the eating of flesh single life holy daies such other and they excōmunicate curse vs which teach that in Christ Iesu these things do nothing auaile But Paule sayth that we must haue an other thing which is much more excellēt precious whereby we may obtaine righteousnes before god In Christe Iesu sayth he neither circūcision nor vncircūcision neither single life nor mariage neither meate nor fasting do any whit auaile Meate maketh vs not acceptable before god We are neither that better by abstaining nor the worse by eating All these things yea the whole world with all the lawes and righteousnes therof auaile nothing to Iustification Reason and the wisedom of the flesh doth not vnderstand this for it perceiueth not those things vvhich are of the spirit of God. Therefore it will needes haue righteousnes to stand in outward things But we are taught out of the word of God that there is nothing vnder the sonne which auaileth vnto righteousnes before God but Christ only or as Paule sayeth here a new creature Politike lawes mens traditions ceremonies of the church yea and the law of Moises are such things as are without Christe therefore they auaile not vnto righteousnes before god We may vse them as things both good and necessary but in their place and time But if we talke of the matter of iustification they auaile nothing but hurt very much And by these two things Circumcision vncircumcision Paule reiecteth al other things what so euer and denieth that they auaile any thing in Christ Iesu that is in the cause of faith and saluation For he taketh here a part for the whole that is by vncircumcision he vnderstandeth all the Gentiles by circumcision all the Iewes with all their force and all their glory As if he sayd whatsoeuer the Gentiles can doe with all their wisedom righteousnes lawes power kingdomes Empires it auaileth nothing in Christe Iesus Also whatsoeuer the Iewes are able to do with their Moises their law their circumcision their worshippings their temple their kingdom and priesthoode it nothing auaileth Wherefore in Christ Iesu or in the matter of Iustification we must not dispute of the lawes either of the Gentiles or of the Iewes but we must simply pronounce that neither circumcision nor vncircumcision auaileth any thing Are the lawes then of no effect Not so They be good and profitable albeit in their place and time that is in corporall and ciuill things which without lawes cannot be guided Moreouer we vse also in the churches certaine ceremonies and lawes not that the keping of them auaileth vnto righteousnes but for good order example quietnes concord according to that saying Let all things be done comely and orderly But if lawes be so set forth and vrged as though the keping of them did iustifie a man or the breaking thereof did condemne him they ought to be taken away and to be abolished for then Christ loseth his office and his glory who onely iustifieth vs and geueth vnto vs the holy Ghost The Apostle therfore by these words plainly affirmeth that neither circumcision nor vncircumcision auaileth any thing but the new creature c. Now since that neither the lawes of the Gentiles nor of the Iewes auaile any thing the Pope hath done most wickedly in that he hath constrained men to keepe his lawes with the opinion of righteousnes Now a new creature whereby the image of God is renewed is not made by any colour or coūterfaiting of good works for in Christ Iesu neither circumcision auaileth any thing nor vncircumcision but by Christ by whom it is created after the image of God in righteousnes and true holines When workes are done they bring in deede a newe shew and outward appearance wherwith the world the flesh are delited but not a new creature for the heart remaineth wicked as it was before full of the contempt of God infidelitie Therfore a new creature is the worke of the holy Ghost which clenseth our heart by faith worketh the feare of God loue chastity and other christian vertues and geueth power to bridle the flesh to reiect the righteousnes and wisedom of the world
vehemeÌ„t flames of carnall lust in Hierome The flesh is to be subdued not killed Ephes 5.29 1. Cor. 7.9 The godly feele the concupiscence or lust of the flesh Psal. 4.4 The faithfull haue flesh vvhich resisteth the spirite Rom. 7 1â— The godly feele the terrours and captiuitie of sinne The Monkes such other cloisterers neuer had experience of any spirituall tentations Christ our righteousnes Rom. 9.33 The outvvard righteousnes of the faithfull The godly feling the corruptions of the flesh must not despaire The battell of the flesh and the spirite in the godly To vvalke in the spirite Let all troubled consciences comfort them selues by this example of Martin Luther and say as he said Stanpitius a godly learned man of vvhom he made mention before A holy desperâ—tion â— Psal 143.2 Psal. 130. â— VVhat the godly must do vvhen they feele sinne The conflict battell of the flesh and the spirite in the children of God. Rom 1. â—8 A Christian a maruellous vvorkman Read more hereof before in the lease 246. and in the line 32. The children of God do fele the rebellion of the flesh against the spirite To vvhom God doth not impute sinne Rom. 14.23 The errour of the Sophisters or Scholemen The vvisedom of the godly The godly only feele sinne Rom. 1.14 Galath 5.24 Rom. 8.12 Sentence pronouÌ„ced agaiÌ„st such as obey the lusts of the flesh The true Sainctes of God. Psal. 32.5.6 Psal. 143. â— To be led by the spirite Galath 4.4 VVhat it is to be led by the spirite Hovv a troubled minde is to be comforted Novv the lusts of the flesh must be ouercome The great and vehement tentations of Luther Not to be vnder the lavve Math. 7.10 Hypocrites mingled amongst the godly Euery age of man hath his peculiar temptations * That is a secrete contempt of God vvherof Dauid speaketh Psal. 3.2 Some are exercised vvith greater tentations and some vvith lesse Luke 2.48 2. Cor. â— 5 Rom. 7 2â— VVhom the Stoickes couÌ„ted vvise meÌ„ VVho they be vvhich Christ and his Apostles cal saiÌ„cts VVho be true Sainctes The vveaknes of Faith. Al the faithful be Sainctes A holy life I beleue that there is a holy Church I do not see but I beleue Hypocriticall holines The church is holy The church prayeth that her sinnes maâ— be forgeuen To feele the vnclennes of the flesh is profitable To the godly those things vvhich are euil turne vnto good Christian doctrine raiseth vp and comforteth vveake and troubled consciences VVhat Paule meaneth by flesh Idolatrie or Idoll seruice Carthusians or charterhouse moâ—kâ— The false and true vvorshipping of God. Idolatrie is vnknovvne to the vvorld The Masse horrible idolatrie and blasphemie against Christ Flesh. The vvorkes of the flesh as the Papistes define them Reason estemeth idolatry and heresie for most excellent vertues VVitchcraft Idolatrie Iusticiaries or iustifiers of themselues The Pope an Archheretike No vnitie or concord in the Popish church Drunkards surfetters The most sobre and temperate are many times most assailed vvith tentations Hovv the burning heat of lustes may be quenched An horrible sentence pronounced by Paule The fruites of the spirite Rom. 12.10 The scripture exhorteth vs to reioyce in God. The ioy of the spirite LoÌ„g sufferaÌ„ce or perseuerance The gentlenes and mildnes of Christe Ex libro Clementis ad Iacobum fratrem Domini Chastitie The lavv is abolished to the beleuers in Christ VVhat it is to crucifie the fleâ—h The armour of God. * After the coÌ„mon diuision this is the .25 verse of the former chapter Vaineglory a detestable vice and most pernicious to the church of god Tit. 1.7 Hovv great a mischefe vain glory is Ouide Horace Rom. 12.10 Vaineglory a common vice in the church Math. 9. â—8 2 Cor. 11 15. The nature of false teachers 1. Timo. ◠◠〈◊〉 â— â—0 Rom 10 1â— The authoritie of the false apostles The false apostles despised Paule Such as thrust them selues into the ministerie The ende of vaineglorious teachers Phil. 3.19 Psal. 1.4.5 VVhat vve ought to seke in the gospell Rom. 1.32 Iohn 7 1â— VVhat it is to vvalke in the spirite VVhy God layeth the crosse vpon the preachers of the gospel Rom. 14.16 Rom. 12.10 VVhen men be praised the flesh vvaxeth proud 2. Sam. 14.17 2. Cor. 6.8 VVho vvalke in order and vvho do not Galath 1.5 1. Cor. 4.7 Priuie open enemies of the Gospell VVe must not be proud of our spirituall giftes Luke 12 4â— Ephes 4.12 Actes 10.34 Vainglorious spirites Galath 4.17 Rom. 3.25 The praise of the person of the ministerie Rom. 14.16 2. Cor. 6.3 The effect and fruite of vaineglory Galath 2.5 VVhat offences are to be forgeuen Leuit. 6.3 Gal. 2.20.3.16 Sathan lieth in vvait both against purity of doctrine life Hovv pastorâ— ought to deale vvith them that are fallen The Pope and his bishops are tormeÌ„tors of mens coÌ„sciences Sayings of Pope Gregorie 2. Thes 2.3 By vvhat meanes the Pope establisheth his tyrannie and povver Hovve they that are falne ought to be intreated The spirite of mekenes Ezech. 34.4 Ex libro de vitis patrum Math. 7.3 1. Cor. 10.12 2. Sam. â—1 Loue. 1. Cor. 13.4 Rom. 13.9 VVhose burdens are to be borne 1. Tim. 5.22 The authors of Sectes painted out iÌ„ their right colours Mat. 18.24 â—1 Deceauers of themselues Apoc. 3.17 Desire of vain-glory Vainglorious heades Three vices of the vaineglorious linked together Phil. 2.27 The people delited vvith nouelties He shall lacke no praise that preacheth the Gospel purely The ende of the ministerie of the vvord 2. Tim. 4.5 To haue praise in himselfe VVhat is the glory of heretikes The glory of the godly Iâ—hn 16.32 Phil. 4.4 The vvorld dishonoreth the godly ministers of the vvord 1. Cor. 6.3 The Gospell is the vvord of the crosse and offence 1. Cor. 1.18 The disciples of the gospel VVhat it is for a man to proue his ovvne vvork Exod 20 7. 1. Sam. 2.30 1. Cor. 4.2 The vvorke of euery mans calling Phil. 3.19 2. Tim. 3.9 Psal. 37.6 In death and in the day of iudgement other mennes praises profit not Rom. 2.16 A comparison betvene good vvorkes and hypocriticall vvorke Vaineglory A commaundemeÌ„t for the nourishing of the ministers of the vvord of God. The ministers of SathaÌ„ haue pleÌ„tie but the ministers of Christe doe vvant Luke 2.7 Luke 9.58 Iohn 19. â— Cor. 8. 9. 1. Tim. 4.1 SathaÌ„ oppresseth the gospell tvvo vvaies Mâ—â—h 1.7 Fulnes of Gods vvord bringeth lothing 1. Cor. 9.11 The vvorld lodeth the ministers of Sathan vvith all vvorldly good things The punishment of vnthankfulnes In all good things Gentlemen citizens and husbandmen despisers of Gods ministers Luke 10. â—6 1. Sam. 8.7 Psal. 34.10 Psal. 37.19 Reuerence necessary liuing due to the ministers of the vvord 1. Cor. 9.13.14 Exod. 3. â—â— VVhat it is to sovve in the spirite The heretikes called Encratites VVhose errour the Papistes haue reuiued as touching matrimonie and therfore they may cruely be called nevv Encratites VVe must doe good vvithout vveerines Iohn 9.4 Iohn 12.35 The houshold of faith The motherly affection of Paule Enormities in the false apostles Galath 1.8 Phil. 3.19 Gen. 17.10 14. Gen. 17 1â— Phil. 2.21 The lavv is not accomplished vvith outvvard vvorkes Rom. 14 2â— VVorks done vvithout faith are sinnes The peril that follovveth ambition and vaine glory * That is they do but kepe your flesh in a seruile and slauish exercise The glory of the Christians Actes 5.41 The faithfull suffer for Christe Math. 5.11.12 The glory of the vvorld The crosse of Christ 2. Cor. 1.5 Col. 1.24 The afflictioÌ„s of the godly are the afflictioÌ„s of Christ Actes 9.4 Zach. 2.1 The feeling of the head is most sensible The crosse of the godly iâ— svveete 2. Cor 1.5 Psal. 44 22. Math. 11.30 To glory in the crosse of Christ Rom. 5.3 2. Cor. 7.5 1. Sam. 22.22 Zach. 2. â— Iohn 15.19 To be crucified to the vvorld The contrary iudgement of the faithful of the vvorld as concerning true doctrine 1. Cor. 2.13 1. Iohn 3.8 Iohn 8.44 The vvorld condemneth the life and doctrine of the godly Psal. 139.22 Ephes 6.16 2. Cor. 1â— â— ChristiaÌ„ righteousnes 1. Cor. 1. â— 1. Cor. 2.14 VVithout Christ there is no saluation Vncircumcision signifieth all the Gentiles Circumcision all the Ievves Lavves be good The vse of ceremonies and lavves 1. Cor. 14.40 Gal. 3.5 Eph. 4.24 A nevv creature Actes 15.9 The renevving of the members of the body folovv the renevving of the minde The Papists imagined God to be a marchaunt and to sell his grace for vvorkes and merites A right rule Eph. 4.24 The righteousnes of Monkes Peace Mercy Rom. 9.4.5 Rom. 9.7 8. Ephes 1.16 1. Cor. 4.9 1. Cor. 4.11.12.13 2. Cor. 6.4.5.6 2. Cor. 11 2â—.24.25 â—â— The markes vvhich vve beare at this day Ephes 6.16 Math. 26.41
somewhat from Zuinglius sticking to nere to the letter yet he ioyneth not so with the Papist that he leaueth there any transubstantiation or idolatrie Wherefore the matter being no greater then so nor directly against any article of our crede let not vs be so nice for one litle wart to cast away the whole body It were doutlesse to be wished that in good teachers and preachers of Christ there were no defect or imperfection But he that can abide nothing with his blemish let him if he can name any Doctor or writer the scripture onely except greke or latin old or new either beyond the Alpes or on this side the Alpes or him selfe also what so euer he be which hath not erred in some sentence or in some exposition of holy scripture But if he can not so doe then let him learne by him selfe to beare with other to take the best and leaue the worst although there is no such matter in this booke to be feared forasmuch as we hauing a respect to the simple haue purposely spūged out and omitted such stumbling places being but few which might offend and to geue God thankes for any thing that is good and namely for this which he hath geuen to vs by Luther in opening to vs his grace mercy and good will in his Sonne so excellently through the preaching of this man who if he had not taught the difference betwene the lawe and the gospell and set out to vs our iustification victory and libertie by faith onely in Christ so plainely so plentifully and so assuredly as he hath done who euer durst haue bene so bold to open his mouth in such wordes or so confidently to stand in this doctrine of faith and grace For if there haue bene since the time of Luther and be yet some which openly defend that workes be necessary to saluation where he before so mightely hath taught the contrary what then would these haue done if Luther had not bene who also did forewarne vs of the same prophesying that after his time this doctrine of iustification would be almost extinguished in the church as in certaine places experience beginneth partely to proue Wherefore so much as the Lord shall geue vs grace let vs hold constantly the comfortable doctrine of faith and iustification not lose that the Lord so freely hath geuen calling vppon the Lord with all obedience and diligence to geue vs grace with S. Paule not to refuse the grace whiche he bestoweth vppon vs nor to be offended with this ioyfull doctrine as many be And therefore as our duty was for our part to set it abroade so our counsell is no lesse to euery studious reader thereof to pray for grace rightly to vnderstād that he readeth For els vnlesse the special grace of Christ doe helpe hard it is to flesh and blood to comprehend this mysticall doctrine of faith onely So straūge it is to carnall reason so darke to the world so many enemies it hath that except the spirite of God from aboue doe reueale it learning can not reach it wisedome is offended nature is astonied deuilles doe not knowe it men doe persecute it Briefely as there is no way to life so easie so is there none so hard Easie to whom it is geuen from aboue hard to the carnall sense not yet enspired The ignoraunce whereof is the roote of all errours sectes and diuisions not onely in all christendome but also in the whole world The Iewe thinketh to be saued by his Moses lawe the Turke by his Alcoran the philosopher by his morall vertues Besides these commeth an other sort of people not so ill as the Iewe nor so hethen as the philosopher but hauing some part of both which refuse not vtterly the name of Christ but with Christ doe ioyne partely the law of Moses partely the morall and naturall discipline of philosophy and partely their owne ceremonies and traditions to make a perfect way to heauen And these here in this commentary are called papists of the Pope their author being diuided within themselues more then into an hundreth diuers sectes orders and professions of Cardinales Frears Monkes Nunnes Priestes Heremites and other votaries All which seeme to springe vp of no other cause but onely vppon ignorance of this doctrine And no meruell For take away this doctrine of iustification by faith onely in Christ and leaue a man to his owne inuentions what ende will there be of newe deuises Such a perilous thing is it to erre in the first fundation whereuppon the higher ye build the greater is the fall And yet such builders are not without their proppes to hold vppe their workemanship of workes against this doctrine of iustifying faith pretending for their defence the testimonie of S. Iames where he seemeth to attribute iustification to workes and not to faith onely Touching which matter of iustification for as much as in the sequele of this treatise the author hath discoursed vpon the same at large it shall not be much needefull to vse many wordes at this present This briefely may suffice by way of preface in a word or two to aduertise the christian reader who so taketh in hand with profite and iudgement to reade this booke that in him two things are specially to be required First to reade it wholy togeather and not by peeces and partes here and there but to take it in order as it lyeth conferring one place with an other wherby to vnderstand the better the right meaning of the writer howe and in what sense he excludeth good workes and howe not howe he neglecteth the law and how he magnifieth the lawe For as in case of iustifying before God the free promise of the gospell admitteth no condition but faith onely in Christ Iesu so in case of dutifull obedience Luther here excludeth no good works but rather exhorteth thereunto and that in many places Thus times and cases discretly must be distincted The second thing to be required is that in reading hereof he that seketh to take frute hereby doe bring such a mind with him to the reading as the author him selfe did to the preaching therof that is he had neede to haue his senses exercised somewhat in such spirituall conflictes and to be well humbled before with the feare of God and inward repentance or els he shal hardly conceaue the excellent swetenes either of this writer or any other For albeit most true it is that no greater comfort to the soule of man can be found in any booke next to the holy scripture then in this commentary of M. Luther so this comforte hath litle place but onely where the conscience being in heauines hath neede of the phisicions hand The other who feele thēselues whole are not touched in soule with any sorowe as they litle care for these bookes so haue they litle vnderstandinge of this doctrine when they reade it And this is the cause in my mind why the Pope his papistes
and a defence of his doctrine to the ende of the second chapter This he vrgeth this he standeth vpon with an oth confirmeth it that he learned not his gospel of any man but receaued the same by the reuelation of Iesus Christ And in that he sweareth he is constrained so to do that the Galathians may beleue him and also that they should geue no eare to that false Apostles whō he reproueth as liers because they had said that he learned receaued his gospel of the Apostles Where he sayth that his gospell is not after man he meaneth not that his gospell is not earthly for that is manifest of it selfe and the false apostles bragged also that their doctrine was not earthly but heauenly but he meaneth that he learned not his gospel by the ministerie of men or receiued it by any earthly meanes as we all learne it either by the ministery of men or els receaue it by some earthly meanes some by hearing some by reading and some by writing but he receaued the same onely by the reuelation of Iesus Christ If any man list to make any other distinction I am not against it The Apostle sheweth here by the way that Christ is not onely man but that he is both very God and very man whan he sayth that he receaued not his gospell by man. Now Paule receaued his gospell in the way as he was going to Damascus where Christ appeared vnto him and talked with him Afterwardes also he talked with him in the temple at Ierusalem but he receaued his gospel vpon the way as Luke reciteth the storie in the .9 of the Actes Arise sayth Christ and goe into the Citie and it shall be told thee vvhat thou must doe He doth not bid him goe into the citie that he might learne the gospel of Ananias but Ananias was bid to goe and baptise him to lay his hands vpon him to commit the ministerie of the word vnto him and to commend him vnto the Church and not to teach him the Gospel which he had receaued afore as he glorieth in this place by the onely reuelation of Iesus Christ And this Ananias himselfe confesseth saying Brother Saule the Lord vvhich appeared to thee in the vvay hath sent me that thou mightest receaue thy sight Therfore he receaued not his doctrine of Ananias but being already called lightned and taught of Christ in the way he was sent to Ananias that he might also haue the testimonie of men that he was called of God to preach the gospell of Christ This Paule was constrained to recite to put away the sclaunder of the false Apostles who laboured to bring him into hatred among the Galathians saying that Paule was inferiour to the rest of the Apostles schollers who had receaued of the Apostles that which they taught and kept whose conuersation also they had seene a long time and that Paule him selfe had also receaued the same things of them although he did now deny it Why then would they rather obey an inferiour and despise the authoritie of the Apostles themselues who were not onely the fore elders and teachers of the Galathians but also of al the Churches through out the whole world This argument which the false Apostles grounded vpon the authority of the Apostles was strong mighty wherby the Galathians were sodenly ouerthrowne especially in this matter I would neuer haue beleued had I not ben taught bp these exāples of the Churches of Galatia of the Corinthians others that they which had receaued the word of God in the beginning with such ioy among whom were many notable men could so quickly be ouerthrowne Oh good God what horrible and infinite mischeefes may one onely argument easily bring which so pearceth a mans conscience when God withdraweth his grace that in one moment he loseth altogether By this craftie pretence then the false Apostles deceaued the Galathians being not fully stablished and grounded but as yet weake in the Faith. Moreouer the matter of iustification is brickle not of it selfe for of it selfe it is most sure and certaine but in respect of vs Whereof I my selfe haue good experience For I know in what houres of darknes I sometimes wrastle I know how often sodenly I lose the beames of the gospell and grace as being shadowed from me with thicke and darke cloudes Briefly I know in what a slippery place euen such also do stand as are well exercised and seeme to haue sure footing in matters of faith We haue good experience of this matter For we are able to teach it vnto others and this is a sure token that we vnderstand it But when in the very conflict we should vse the gospell which is the word of grace consolation and life there doth the law the worde of wrath heauines and death preuent the gospell and beginneth to rage and the terrours which it raiseth vp in the conscience are no lesse then was that horrible shew in the mount Synai So that euen one place out of the scripture containing some threatning of the law drowneth and beareth downe all consolations besides and so shaketh all our inward powers that it maketh vs to forget Iustification Grace Christ the gospell and altogether Therfore in respect of vs it is a very brickle matter because we are brickle Againe we haue against vs euē the one halfe of our selues that is to say reason all the powers therof Besides all this the flesh resisteth the spirite which can not beleeue assuredly that the promises of God are true It fighteth therfore against the spirite and as Paule sayth it holdeth the spirite captiue so that it can not beleeue so stedfastly as it would Wherefore we teach continually that the knowledge of Christ and of Faith is no worke of man but simplie the gift of God who as he createth Faith so doth he kepe it in vs And euen as he first geueth Faith vnto vs through the word so afterwardes he exerciseth encreaseth strengtheneth maketh perfect the same in vs by the word Therfore the greatest seruice that a man can doe vnto God the very Sabboth of Sabboths is to exercise him selfe in true godlines diligently to read and to heare the word Contrariwise there is nothing more daūgerous then to be wery of the word He therfore that is so cold that he thinketh him selfe to know enough and beginneth by litle and litle to lothe the word that mā hath lost Christ and the gospel and that which he thinketh him self to know he attaineth onely by bare speculation And he is like vnto a man as S. Iames sayth VVho beholding his face in a glasse goeth his vvay and by and by forgetteth vvhat his countenaunce vvas Wherefore let euery faithfull man laboure and striue with all diligence to learne and to keepe this doctrine And to that ende let him vse humble and hearty prayer with continuall studie and
so highly esteeme the Popes authoritie that to dissent from him euen in the least point I thought it a sinne worthy of euerlasting death And that wicked opinion caused me to thinke that Iohn Hus was a cursed heretike yea and I accounted it an heinous offence but once to thinke of him And I would my selfe in defence of the Popes authoritie haue ministred fire sword for the burning destroying of that heretike thought it an high seruice vnto God so to do Wherfore if you compare Publicanes harlots with these holy Hipocrits they are not euill For they when they offend haue remorse of conscience do not iustifie their wicked doings but these men are so farre of frō acknowledging their abhominatiōs idolatries wicked wilworshippings ceremonies to be sinnes that they affirme the same to be righteousnes a most aceptable sacrifice vnto god yea they adore thē as matters of singular holines thorow them do promise saluation vnto others also sell thē for mony as things auaileable to saluation This is then our goodly righteousnes this is our high merite which bringeth vnto vs the knowledg of grace to wit that we haue so deadly so deuelishly persecuted blasphemed trodē vnder foote condēned God Christ the gospell faith that sacramēts al godly men the true worship of God haue taught stablished quite cōtrary things And the more holy we wer the more wer we blinded the more did we worship the deuil Ther was not one of vs but he was a bloudsucker if not in deede yet in hart Verse 15. VVhen it pleased God. As though he would say It is the alone and inestimable fauour of God that not onely he hath spared me so wicked so cursed a wretch such a blasphemor a persecutor a rebell against God but besides that also hath giuen vnto me the knowledge of saluation his spirit Christ his sonne the office of an Apostle and euerlasting life So God beholding vs giltie in the like sinnes hath not only pardoned our impieties blasphemies of his mere mercy for Christes sake but hath also ouerwhelmed vs with great benefits spiritual gifts But many of vs are not onely vnthankfull vnto God for this his inestimable grace and as it is written 2. Pet. 1. Do forget the clensing of their old sinnes but also opening againe a window to the Deuill they beginne to loth his word and many also corrupt it and so become authors of new errours The ends of these men are vvorse then the beginnings Verse 15. VVhich had seperated me from my mothers vvombe This is an Hebrew phrase As if he sayde which had sanctified ordained prepared me That is GOD had appoynted when I was yet in my mothers wombe that I should so rage against his church and that afterwards he should mercifully call me backe againe from the middest of my cruelty and blasphemy by his meere grace into the way of truth and saluation To be short when I was not yet borne I was an Apostle in the sight of God and when the time was come I was declared an Apostle before the whole world Thus Paule cutteth of all deserts and giueth glory to God alone but to himselfe all shame and confusion As though he would say All the gifts both smale and great as well spirituall as corporall which God purposed to giue vnto me and all the good things which at any time in all my life I should doe God himselfe had before appointed when I was yet in my mothers wombe where I could neither wish thinke nor doe any good thing Therefore this gift also came vnto me by the meere predestination and free mercy of God before I was yet borne Moreouer after I was borne he supported me being loden with innumerable and monstrous euils and iniquities And that he might the more manifestly declare the vnspeakeable and inestimable greatenes of his mercy towards me he of his meere mercy forgaue me my greate and innumerable sinnes and moreouer replenished me with such plenty of his grace that not onely I my selfe should know what things are giuen vnto vs in Christ but that I should preach the same vnto others also Such then were the deserts and merits of all men and especially of those old dotards who exercised themselues farre aboue others in the stincking dunghils of mans righteousnes Verse 15. And called me by his grace Marke the diligence of the Apostle He called me sayth he Hovve Was it for my pharisaicall religion or for my blameles and holy life for my praiers fastings and works No. Much lesse then for my blasphemies persecutions oppressions Hovv then By his meere grace Verse 16. To reueile his sonne in me You heare in this place what maner of doctrine is giuen and committed to Paule to witte the doctrine of the Gospel which is the reuelation of the sonne of god This is a doctrine quite contrary to the lawe which reueileth not the sonne of God but it sheweth fourth sinne it terrifieth the conscience it reueileth death the wrath and iudgement of God and hell The Gospell then is such a doctrine as admitteth no law Now he that in this case could rightly distinguish would not seeke the Gospell in the lawe but would separate the Gospell as farre from the law as there is distāce betwene heauen and earth This difference in it selfe is easie certaine and plaine but vnto vs it is hard and almost not to be comprehended For it is an easie matter to say that the Gospell is nothing els but the reueiling of the sonne of the God or the knowledge of Iesus Christ and that it is not the reueiling of the law But in the very agony and conflict of conscience to hold this fast and to practise it in deede it is a hard matter yea to them also that be most exercised therein Now if the Gospell be the reueiling of the sonne of God as Paule defineth it in this place then surely it accuseth not it feareth not the conscience it threateneth not death it bringeth not to despaire as the law doth but it is a doctrine concerning Christ which is neither law nor worke but our righteousnes wisedome sanctification redēption Although this thing be more cleare then the sunne light yet notwithstanding the madnes and blindnes of the Papistes hath bene so great that of the Gospell they haue made a lawe of charitie and of Christ a lawegiuer which should giue more streit and heauy commaundements then Moses himselfe But the Gospell teacheth that Christ came not to set forth a newe law and to geue commaundements as touching maners but that he came to this end that he might be made an oblation for the sinnes of the vvhole vvorld and that our sinnes might be forgeuē and euerlasting life giuen vnto vs for his sake and not for the works of the lawe or for our rightesousnes sake Of this
did whom also here he toucheth by the way which durst not speake euill of him in his presence but in his absence sclaundered him most spitefully So did not I sayeth he speake euill of Peter but frankly and openly I withstoode him not of any colourable pretence ambition or other carnall affection but because he was to be blamed Here let other men debate whether an Apostle may sinne or no. This say I that we ought not to make Peters fault lesse then it was in deede The Prophets themselues haue sometimes erred and ben deceiued Nathan of his owne spirite sayd vnto Dauid that he should build the house of the lord But this Prophecie was by and by after corrected by a reuelation from God that it should not be Dauid because he was a man of warre and had shed much bloud but his sonne Salomon that should build vppe the house of the lord So did the Apostles erre also For they imagined that the kingdom of Christ should be carnall and worldly as we may see in the first of the Actes And Peter him selfe although he heard this commaundement of Christ Goe into the vvhole vvorld c. Yet he had not gone vnto Cornelius if he had not ben admonished by a vision But in this matter he did not onely erre but also committed a great sinne and if Paule had not resisted him all the Gentiles which did beleue had ben constrained to receiue circumcision and to kepe the lawe The beleuing Iewes also had ben confirmed in their opinion to witte that the obseruation of these things was necessary to saluation and by this meanes they had receiued againe the lawe in stede of the Gospell Moises in stede of Christ and of all this great enormitie and horrible sinne Peter by his dissimulation had ben the onely occasion Therfore we may not attribute to the Sainctes such perfection as though they could not sinne Luke witnesseth that there was such great dissention betwene Paule and Barnabas which were put a part together for the ministerie of the gospell among the Gentiles and had traueled through many regions and preached vnto them the gospell that the one departed from the other Here we must nedes say that there was a fault either in Paule or in Barnabas And doubtles it could not be but that the discord was exceeding great which seperated these two companions being ioyned together in such a holy felowship as the text witnesseth Such exāples are written for our consolation For it is a great cōfort vnto vs when we heare that euen the saincts which haue the spirit of god do sinne Which cōfort they would take from vs which say that the sainctes doe not sinne Sampson Dauid and many other excellentmen full of the holy Ghost fell into greate sinnes Iob and Ieremy curse the day of their natiuitie Elias and Ionas are wery of their life and desire death Such errours and offences of the sainctes the scripture setteth forth to the comfort of those that are afflicted and oppressed with desperation and to the terrour of the proude No man hath so greuously fallen at any time but he may rise againe And on the other side no man taketh so fast footing but he may fall If Peter fell I may likewise fall If he rose againe I may also rise againe And such examples as these are the weake harted and tender consciences ought to make much of that they may the better vnderstand what they pray for when they say forgeue vs our trespases and I beleue the forgeuenes of sinnes We haue the selfe same spirite of grace and prayer which the Apostles and all the saincts had neither had they any prerogatiue aboue vs We haue the same gifts which they had the same Christ baptisme word forgeuenes of sinnes all which they had no lesse neede of then we haue and by the same are sanctified and saued as we be Verse 12. For before that certaine came from Iames he did eate vvith the Gentiles The Gentiles which were conuerted to the faith did eate meates forbidden by the law and Peter being conuersant with the Gentiles which were conuerted did eate with them and drunke wine also which was forbidden knowing that herein he did well and therefore boldly transgressed the law with the Gentiles Paule confesseth that he also did the like when he saith that he became as a Iewe to the Iewes and to them that were without law as though he were without law That is to say with the Gentiles he did eate and drinke like a Gentile and kept no law at all with the Iewes according to the lawe he abstained from all things forbidden in the law For he laboured to serue please all men that he might gaine all Wherefore Peter in eating and drinking with the Gentiles sinned not but did well and knew that it was lawfull for him so to doe For he shewed by this transgression that the law was not necessary to righteousnes and also deliuered the Gentiles from the obseruation of the lawe For if it were lawful for Peter in one thing to breake the law it was lawfull for him to breake it in al things And Paule doth not here reproue Peter for his transgression but for his dissimulation as followeth Verse 12. But vvhen they vvere come he vvithdrevve and separated himselfe fearing them vvhich vvere of the circumcision Here then ye see Peters offence as Paule plainly setteth it forth Paule accuseth him not of malice or ignorance but of dissimulation and infirmity in that he absteined from meates forbidden in the law fearing lest the Iewes which came from Iames should be offended therby and had more respect to the Iewes then to the Gentiles wherby he gaue occasion as much as in him was to ouerthrow the Christian libertie truth of the Gospell For in that he did withdraw and vtterly separate himselfe abstaining from meates forbidden in the lawe which notwithstanding he had eaten of before he ministred a scruple of conscience to the faithfull thus to gather vpon his example Peter abstaineth from meates forbidden in the law therefore he that eateth meates forbidden in the law sinneth and transgresseth the law but he that abstaineth is righteous and kepeth the law for els would not Peter haue withdrawn himselfe But because he did so and of purpose refused those meates which before he did eate it is a sure argument that such as eate against the law doe sinne and such as abstaine from meates which the law forbiddeth doe keepe the law and are iustified thereby Here note that the end of this facte of Peter is reproued of Paule not the fact it selfe for the facte in it selfe was not euill To eate and drinke or not to eate drinke is nothing But the end that is If thou eate thou sinnest If thou abstaine thou art righteous is euill So circumcision of it selfe is good but this end is euill If thou be not
Christ For the truth of the Gospell teacheth vs that a man is not iustified in the lawe but in Christ Nowe if they which are iustified in Christ are yet found sinners that is doe yet still belong to the lawe and are vnder the lawe as the false Apostles teach then are they not yet iustified For the lawe accuseth them and sheweth them to be yet sinners It requireth of them the workes of the lawe as necessary to their iustification and so it foloweth that Christ is not a iustifier but a minister of the lawe With these wordes he vehemently chargeth the false Apostles and all Meritemongers that they peruerte altogether for they make of the lawe grace and of grace the lawe of Moses Christ and of Christ Moses For they teach that besides Christ and all the righteousnes of Christ the obseruation of the lawe is necessary to iustification And thus we see that by their intolerable peruersnes they make the lawe Christ for by this meanes they attribute that to the lawe which properly belongeth vnto Christ If thou doe the workes of the lawe say they thou shalt be saued but if thou doe them not thou shalt not be iustified although thou doe beleue in Christ neuer so much Now if it be so that Christ iustifieth not but is the minister of sinne as it must needes folowe by their doctrine then is Christ the lawe for we haue nothing else of him seeing he teacheth that we are sinners then that we haue by the lawe So Christ being the minister of sinne sendeth vs to the lawe and to Moses as to our iustifier It can not be therfore but that the Papists and all such as are ignorant of the righteousnes of Christ or haue not the true knowlege therof must nedes make of Christ Moses and the law of the law Christ For thus they teach It is true say they that faith in Christ iustifieth but withall we must needes kepe the commaundements of god For it is wrytten If thou vvilt enter into life kepe the commaundementes Here euen at the first dash Christ is denied and Faith abolished because that is attributed to the commaundements of God or to the lawe which belongeth to Christ alone For Christ according to his true definition is a Iustifier and a Redemer from sinnes If I attribute this to the lawe then is the lawe my Iustifier deliuering me from my sinnes because I do the workes therof and so nowe the lawe is Christ and Christ vtterly loseth his name his office and glory and is nothing else but a minister of the lawe reprouing accusing terrifying presenting and sending the sinner to an other that may iustifie him which is the proper office of the lawe But the proper office of Christ is after the lawe hath pronounced a man to be giltie to raise him vp againe and to loose him from his sinnes if he beleue the Gospell For to all that doe beleue Christ is the ende and full finishing of the lavve vnto righteousnes He is the Lambe of God that taketh avvay the sinnes of the vvorld But the Papistes and Anabaptistes because they vnderstand not this doctrine doe peruert altogether making of Christ Moses and of Moses Christ And this is in deede although they will say otherwise their principall proposition That Christ is Moses Moreouer they deride and mocke vs because we doe so diligently teach and so earnestly require Faith. Ha ha say they faith faith wait thou the time vntil thou come to heauen by faith Nay thou must striue to doe greater waightier matters Thou must fulfill the law according to that saying Doe this and thou shalt line Faith which ye so highly extoll doth nothing else but make men careles idle and negligent Thus are they become nothing else but ministers of the law and laweworkers calling backe the people from baptisme faith the promises of Christ to the law and workes turning grace into the law and the law into grace Who would euer beleue that these things could so easily be confounded and mingled together There is no man so vnsensible which dothe not perceaue this distinction of the lawe and grace to be most plaine and manifest For the very nature and signification of the wordes maketh this distinction and difference For who vnderstandeth not that these words Lavve and grace do differ in name and signification Wherefore it is a monstrous thing that this distinction being so plaine the aduersaries should fall to such deuelish peruersenes so to mingle together the lawe and grace and to transforme Christ into Moses For this cause I do often repete and teach that this doctrine of faith is very plaine and that euery man may easely vnderstand this distinction of the law and grace as touching the wordes but touching the vse and inward practise it is very hard The Pope and his Scholedoctors doe plainly confesse that the lawe and grace are diuers and distinct things and yet when they come to the vse and practise thereof they teach cleane contrary Faith in Christ say they whether it be gotten by the strength operation and qualities of nature or whether it be Faith infused and poured into vs of God yet is it but a dead Faith if charitie be not ioyned therewith Where is nowe the distinction and difference of the lawe and grace In deede they doe distinguish them in name but in effect they call grace charitie Thus doe all they which so straitly require the obseruation of the lawe and attribute iustification to the law and works Wherfore who so euer do not perfectly vnderstand the article of iustification must needes confound and mingle the lawe and grace together Let euery man therfore diligently learne aboue all things to put a difference betwene the lawe and grace in deede and in practise not in words onely as the Pope and the fantasticall Anabaptists do Who as touching the words doe confesse that they are two distinct things but in very deede as I haue sayd they confound mingle them together for they will not graunt that faith iustifieth without workes If this be true then Christ profiteth me nothing For though my faith be neuer so perfite yet after their opinion if this faith be without charitie I am not iustified And thus Christ apprehended by faith is not a iustifier grace profiteth nothing neither can faith be true faith without charitie or as the Anabaptistes say without the crosse without suffering and effusion of bloud but if charitie be ioyned withall then is it true faith and iustifieth With this doctrine these lying spirites and sects of perdition doe darken againe the benefite of Christ at this day they take away from him the glory of a iustifier and make him a minister of sinne They are in all things like to the false Apostles For euen as they throughout all the Churches did require circumcision and the obseruation of the lawe besides faith in
for his mischeuous deedes What is this els but to heape vpon him that is already most miserably afflicted extreme perdition and destruction and through a false confidence in his owne death to shew him the ready way to hell Hereby these hypocrites doe plainely declare that they neither teache nor vnderstande one letter or syllable concerning grace the Gospell or Christ They retaine onely in outwarde shewe the name of the Gospell and of Christ that they may begile the heartes of the people Notwithstanding they denying and reiecting Christ in deede doe attribute more to the traditions of men then to the Gospell of Christ Which thing to be true so many kindes of false worshippe so many religious orders so many ceremonies and so many wilworkes doe witnesse All which things were instituted as auailable to deserue grace righteousnes and euerlasting life In their confessions they make no mention of faith or the merite of Christ but teach and set forth the satisfactions and merits of men as it may plainly appeare in this forme of absolution I speake nothing here of other matters which the Monkes vsed among themselues yea and such as would be counted more deuout and more religious then others which I thinke good here to sette downe that our posteritie may see howe greate and howe horrible the kingdome of the Pope is The forme of a Monkish absolution God forgeue thee my brother The merite of the passion of our Lord Iesus Christ and of blessed Saincte Mary alwaies a virgine and of all the Saincts the merite of thine order the streitnes of thy religion the humilitie of thy confession the contrition of thy hart the good workes which thou hast done and shalt doe for the loue of our Lord Iesus Christ be vnto thee auaileable for the remission of thy sinnes the encrease of desert and grace and the reward of euerlasting life Amen Ye heare the merite of Christ mencioned in these words but if ye weye them well ye shall perceaue that Christ is there altogether vnprofitable and that the glory and name of a iustifier and Sauiour is quite taken from him and geuen to Monkish merites Is not this to take the name of God in vaine Is not this to confesse Christ in wordes and in very deede to deny his power and blaspheme his name I my selfe also was once entangled with this errour I thought Christ to be a iudge although I confessed with my mouth that he suffered and died for mans redemption and ought to be pacified by the obseruation of my rule and order Therfore when I prayed or when I said Masse I vsed to adde this in the end O Lord Iesus I come vnto thee I pray thee that these burthens and this streitnes of my rule and religion may be a full recompence for all my sinnes But now I geue thankes vnto God the father of all mercies which hath called me out of darkenes vnto the light of his glorious Gospell hath geuen vnto me plentifull knowledge of Christ Iesus my lord for whose sake I coūt al things to be but losse yea I esteme them but as dunge that I may gaine Christ and that I may be found in him not hauing mine owne righteousnes out of the rule of Augustine but that righteousnes which cometh by faith in Christ Vnto whom with the father the holy ghost be praise and glory world without end Amen We conclude therefore with Paule that we are iustified by faith onely in Christ without the law Now after that a man is once iustified and possesseth Christ by faith and knoweth that he is his righteousnes and life doubtles he will not be idle but as a good tree he wil bring forth good frutes For the beleuing man hath the holy Ghost and wher the holy Ghost dwelleth it will not suffer a man to be idle but stirreth him vp to all exercises of pietie and godlines and of true religion to the loue of God to the patient suffering of afflictions to praier to thankes geuing to the exercise of charitie towards all men Hitherto we haue handled the first argument wherin Paule contendeth that either we can not be iustified by the law or els that Christ must needes be the minister of sinne But this is impossible wherefore we conclude that iustification cometh not by the law Of this place we haue largely entreated as it is well worthy and yet can it not be caught and setforth sufficiently Verse 19. For I through the lavv am deade to the lavv that I might liue vnto God. These are maruelous words and vnknowne kindes of speach which mans reason can in no wise vnderstand And although they be but few yet are they vttered with greate zeale and vehemencie of spirite and as it were in greate displeasure As if he should say why doe ye boast so much of the law wherof in this case I will be ignoraunt But if ye will needes haue the law I also haue the law Wherfore as though he were moued through indignation of the holy Ghost he calleth grace it selfe the law geuing a new name to the effect and working of grace in contempt of the law of Moses and the false Apostles which contended that the law was necessary to iustification and so he setteth the law against the law And this is a sweete kind of speach and full of consolation when in the scriptures and specially in Paule the law is set against the law sinne against sinne death against death captiuitie against captiuitie hell against hell the altar against the altar the lambe against the lambe the passeouer against the passeouer In the .8 to the Romaines it is sayd For sinne he condemned sinne Psal. 68. and Ephes 4. He hath led captiuitie captiue Hosee 13. O death I vvill be thy death O hel I vvill be thy destruction So he saith here that through the lawe he is dead to the lawe As if he sayd The lawe of Moses accuseth and condemneth me but against that accusing and condemning lawe I haue an other lawe which is grace and libertie This lawe accuseth the accusing law and condemneth the condemning law So death killeth death but this killing death is life it selfe But it is called the death of death by abundance of spirite or vehement indignation against death So righteousnes boroweth the name of sin because it condemneth sin this cōdemning of sin is true righteousnes And here Paule semeth to be an heretike yea of all heretikes the greatest his heresie is straunge and monstrous For he sayth that he being dead to the lavv liueth to God. The false apostles taught this doctrine Except thou liue to the lawe thou art dead to God that is to say vnlesse thou liue after the lawe thou art dead before god But Paule sayeth quite contrary If thou be not dead to the law thou canst not liue to God. The doctrine of our aduersaries at this day is
god This which I now speake springeth out of an other fountaine then that which thou heardest of me before Paule before his conuersion spake with the same voice and toung wherwith he spake afterwards But his voice and his toung were then blasphemous and therfore he could speake nothing els but blasphemies abhominations against Christ and his Church After he was conuerted he had the same flesh the same voice and toung which he had before and nothing was chaunged but his voice and his toung then vttered no blasphemies but spirituall and heauenly words to witte thanks geuing and the praise of God which came of faith the holy Ghost So then I liue in the flesh but not of the flesh or after the flesh but in the faith of the sonne of God. Hereby we may plainly see whence this spirituall life cometh which we haue not of our selues but of an other which the natural man can in no wise vnderstand for he knoweth not what maner of life this is He heareth the wind but whence it cometh or whither it goeth he knoweth not He heareth the voice of the spirituall man he knoweth his face his maners and his gestures but he seeth not whence these workes which are not now wicked and blasphemous as before but holy and godly or whence these motions and actions doe come For this life is in the heart by Faith where the flesh is killed and Christ raigneth with his holy spirite who now seeth heareth speaketh worketh suffereth and doth all other things in him although the flesh doe resist To cōclude this is not the life of the flesh although it be in the flesh but of Christ the sonne of God whom the Christian possesseth by faith Verse 20. VVho loued me and gaue him selfe for me Here haue ye the true meane of iustification and a perfect example of the assuraunce of faith set before your eyes He that can with a firme constāt faith say these words with Paule I liue by Faith in the sonne of God vvho hath loued me geuen him selfe for me is happie in deede And euen with these wordes Paule taketh away the whole righteousnes of the lawe and workes as afterwardes we will declare But we must diligently wey and consider these wordes The sonne of God hath loued me and geuen him selfe for me It was not I then that first loued the sonne of God and deliuered my selfe for him as the Sophisters dreame that they loue the sonne of God and deliuer thēselues for him For they teach that a man expuris naturalibus that is of his owne pure naturall strength can do meritorious works before grace loue God Christ aboue all things These felowes preuent the loue of God and Christ for they doe that which lieth in them as they are wont to say that is they doe not onely kepe the commaundements but they doe also the workes of supererogation sell the ouerplus of their merites to laimen so as they imagine they deliuer them selues for Christes sake whereby they saue both themselues others turning the words of Paule cleane contrary and saying we haue loued Christ and geuen our selues for him Thus whiles the wicked being puffed vp with the wisedom of the flesh imagine that they doe what in them lieth that they loue God and deliuer them selues for Christ what doe they else but abolish the gospel deride deny and blaspheme Christ yea spit vpon him tread him vnder foote They confesse in wordes that he is a iustifier and a Sauiour but in very deede they take from him the power both to iustifie and saue and geue the same to their owne wilworkes ceremonies and deuotions This is to liue in their owne righteousnes and workes and not in the faith of the sonne of God. This is not then the true meanes to attaine iustification to do that which in thee lieth as the Sophisters and Scholedoctours doe teache which affirme that if a man do what in him lieth God wil vndoubtedly geue vnto him his grace But this saying may not be straitly vrged say they For if we doe those works which may be approued by the iudgement of any good man it is enough for then grace shall surely follow because god in that he is good and iust must needes geue grace as a recompence for such good works And hereof cometh this verse Vitra posse viri non vult Deus vlla requiri That is God vvill no more require of man then of him selfe performe he can In dede this is a good saying if it be vsed rightly in place cōuenient that is in the gouernment of cōmon weales or families And if I being in the kingdome of reason do execute the office of a magistrate or gouerne a family doing that in me lieth I am excused This kingdom hath his boūds and limites to the which also these sayings doe pertaine To doe what in vs lieth To doe as much as we are able But the Sophisters apply these sayings to the spirituall kingdome wherin a man can do nothing els but sinne for he is sold vnder sinne But in externall things such I meane as pertaine to ciuill and houshould gouernment he is not a seruaunt but a Lord and a ruler Wherfore they haue done wickedly in applying these sentences to the church which properly pertaine to the gouernment of common weales families For the kingdome of mans reason and the spirituall kingdome must be separate farre asunder Moreouer they say that nature is corrupt but the qualities of nature notwithstanding are sound and vncorrupt which also they attribute euen vnto Deuils Vpon this groūd they reason after this maner If the naturall qualities of man be sound and vncorrupt then is his vnderstanding and his will soūd and vncorrupt and so consequently all other qualities of nature are pure and perfecte in him To knowe these things it is necessary for you that ye may hold the sinceritie of the doctrine of faith Where they say then that the naturall qualities of man are sound and vncorrupt and therof do inferre that a mā is able of him selfe to fulfil the law and to loue God with al his heart applying these qualities to the spirituall kingdome I deny the consequence And here I make a distinction betwene the naturall and the spirituall qualities which they confound and mingle together I say that the spirituall qualities are not sound but corrupt yea vtterly quenched through sinne both in man and deuill so that there is in them nothing els but corrupt vnderstanding and a will continually striuing against the will of God which can thinke nothing els but that which is altogether against god Notwithstanding I graunt that the naturall qualities are vncorrupt But what qualities are they That a man being drowned in sinne and iniquitie and a bondslaue of Satan hath will reason and power notwithstāding to execute the office of a magistrate to gouerne a family
happy But where are they They are not therfore Doers of the lawe except they be first made righteous before and without the lawe through faith Wherefore when Paule curseth and condemneth those that are of the works of the law he speaketh not of such as are iustified through faith but of such as goe about to be iustified by works without faith in Christ This I say lest any man should follow the fond imagination of Ierome who being deceaued by Origene vnderstoode nothing at all in Paule but onely considered of him as a meere ciuill Lawyer Hereupon he reasoneth after this manner The holy Patriarches Prophetes and Kinges were circumcised and offered sacrifice therefore they obserued the law But it were a wicked thing to say that they are vnder the Curse therfore all they that are of the works of the law are not vnder the Curse Thus he fighteth against Paule without all iudgement making no difference betwene the true doers of the law iustified by faith and those workers which seeke to be iustified by the lawe without faith But Paule speaketh here nothing at all against those that are iustified by faith and are true doers of the law in deede for they are not of the workes of the law but againste those which not onely doe not keepe the law but also sinne against the same For the law commaundeth that we should feare loue worship God with a true faith This they doe not but choose out new kindes of worship and workes which were neuer commaunded of God by which God is not pacified but more prouoked to anger according to that saying They vvorship me in vaine vvith the commaundementes of men Therefore they are full of impietie rebelles against God and idolaters sinning greuously against the first commaundement aboue all the rest Moreouer they haue also wicked concupiscence and other greate passions Briefely there is no good thing in them but that outwardly they would seeme to be righteous and would haue men to thinke that they doe the law So we also which are made righteous by faith as were the Patriarches Prophetes and all the Sainctes are not of the works of the law as concerning the matter of iustification But in that we are in the flesh and haue as yet the remnauntes of sinne in vs we are vnder the law yet not vnder the Curse because the remnaunts of sinne are not imputed vnto vs for Christes sake in whom we beleue For the flesh is an enemy vnto God that concupiscence which yet remaineth in vs not onely fulfilleth not the law but also sinneth against the same rebelling against vs and leading vs captiue into bondage Rom. 7. Now if the law be not fulfilled in the Sainctes but that many things are done in them contrary to the law if euill concupiscence and the remnauntes of sinne are yet remaining in them which doe so hinder them that they can not feare and loue God they can not call vpon God with assured trust they can not praise God and reuerence his worde as they should do much more is this true in a man which is not yet iustified by faith but is an enemy vnto God and with all his hearte despiseth and hateth the worde and worke of god Ye see then that Paule speaketh here of such as will fulfill the law and be iustified thereby although they haue not yet receaued faith and not of the fathers and Saincts as Ierome imagineth which are iustified by faith already Verse 13. Christ hath redeemed vs from the the Curse of the lavv vvhen he vvas made a Curse for vs For it is vvritten Cursed is euery one that hangeth on tree Here againe Ierome and the Schoolemen which followe him are much troubled and miserably racke this most comfortable place seeking to remoue this ignominie and reproche from Christ that he should be called a Curse or execration They shift of this sentence after this manner that Paule spake not here in good earnest And therefore they moste wickedly affirme that the Scripture in Paule agreeth not with it selfe And this they proue after this manner The sentence saye they of Moses which Paule here alleadgeth speaketh not of Christ Moreouer this generall clause vvho so euer which Paule hath is not added in Moses Again Paule omitteth this word of God which is in Moses To conclude it is euident enough that Moses speaketh of a theefe or a malefactor which by his euil deedes hath deserued the gallowes as the Scripture plainly witnesseth in the 21. chapter of Deuteronomy Therefore they aske this question howe this sentence may be applied to Christ that he is accursed of God and hanged vpon a tree seing that he is no malefactor or theefe but righteous and holy This may peraduenture moue the simple and ignoraunt who thinke that the Sophisters or Scholemen speake these things not only wittely but religiously also and by this meanes doe maintaine the honour and glorie of Christ warning all Christians to beware that they thinke not so wickedly of Christ that he should be made a Curse c. Therefore let vs see what the meaning and purpose of Paule is Paule here did well fortifie his wordes and spake very aduisedly and to the purpose But here againe we must make a distinction as the words of Paule doe plainely shewe For he saith not that Christ was made a Curse for him selfe but for vs Therefore all the weight of the matter standeth in this word For vs. For Christ is innocent as concerning his owne person and therefore he ought not to haue bene hanged vpon a tree but because accordinge to the lawe of Moses euery theefe and malefactor ought to be hanged therefore Christe also according to the lawe ought to be hanged for he sustained the person of a sinner and of a theefe not of one but of all sinners and theeues For we are sinners and theeues and therefore giltie of death and euerlastinge damnation But Christe tooke all our sinnes vpon him and for them died vpon the crosse therefore it behoued that he should become a transgressour and as Esay the Prophet sayth chapter .53 to be reckened and accounted among transgressours and trespassers And this no doubte all the Prophetes did foresee in spirite that Christe shoulde become the greatest transgressour murtherer adulterer theefe rebell and blasphemer that euer was or coulde be in all the worlde For he being made a sacrifice for the sinnes of the whole worlde is not nowe an innocent person and without sinnes is not nowe the Sonne of God borne of the virgin Marie but a sinner which hath and carieth the sinne of Paule which was a blasphemer oppressour and persecuter of Peter which denied Christ of Dauid which was an adulterer a murtherer and caused the Gentiles to blaspheme the name of the Lorde and briefely which hath and beareth all the sinnes of all men in his bodie not that he him selfe committed them
diligently teach we sustaine the hatred and cruell persecution of the Deuill and of the world For Sathan feeleth the power and fruite of this Article And that there is in deede no more sinne death or malediction since Christ nowe raigneth we confesse daily in the Creede of the Apostles I beleue that there is an holy Church Which is in deede nothing else but as if we should say I beleue that there is no sinne no malediction no death in the Church of god For they which do beleue in Christ are no sinners are not giltie of death but are holy and righteous lordes ouer sinne and death liuing for euer But Faith onely seeth this for we say I beleeue an holy Church But if thou beleue reason and thine owne eyes thou wilt iudge cleane contrary For thou seest many things in the Godly which offend thee Thou seest them sometime to fall into sinne and to be weake in Faith to be subiect vnto wrath enuie and such other euill affections therefore the Church is not holy I deny the consequēce If I looke vpon mine owne person or the person of my brother it shall neuer be holy But if I behold Christ who hath sanctified and clensed his Church then is it altogether holy for he hath taken away the sinnes of the whole world Therfore where sinnes are seene and felt there are they in deede no sinnes For according to Paules Diuinitie there is no sin no death no maledictiō any more in the world but in Christ who is the Lambe of God that hath taken away the sinnes of the world who is made a Curse that he might deliuer vs from the Curse Contrariwise according to Philosophie and reason sinne death and the Curse are no where else but in the world in the flesh or in sinners For a Sophisticall Diuine can speake no otherwise of sinne then doth the Heathen Philosopher Like as sayeth he the colour sticketh in the wall euen so doth sinne in the world in the flesh or in the conscience therfore it is to be purged by contrary operations to witte by charitie But true Diuinitie teacheth that there is no sinne in the world any more for Christ vpon whom the Father hath cast the sinnes of the whole world hath vanquished and killed the same in his owne body He once dying for sinne and raised vp againe dieth nowe no more Therefore whersoeuer is a true faith in Christ there sinne is abolished dead and buried in deede But where no Faith in Christ is there sinne doth still remaine And albeit the remnaunts of sinne be as yet in the Saintes because they beleue not perfectly yet are they dead in that they are not imputed vnto them because of their Faith in Christe This is therfore a strong and a mighty argument which Paule here prosecuteth against the righteousnes of workes It is not the lawe nor workes that doe deliuer vs from the euerlasting Curse but Christe alone See therefore good Christian reader I beseech thee that thou distinguish Christ from the law and diligently marke how Paule speaketh and what he sayth All sayth he which doe not fulfil the law are necessarily vnder the Curse But no man fulfilleth the law therfore all men are vnder the Curse He addeth moreouer an other proposition Christ hath redemed vs frō the Curse of the law being made a Curse for vs It followeth then that the lawe and workes doe not redeeme vs from the Curse but doe bring vs rather vnder the Curse Charitie therefore which as the Schoolemen say geueth forme and perfection vnto Faith hath not onely not redemed vs from the Curse but rather it wrappeth vs more and more in the Curse This text then is plaine that all men yea the Apostles Prophets and Patriarks had remained vnder the Curse if Christ had not set him selfe against sinne death the Curse of the law the wrath and iudgemēt of God and ouercome them in his owne body for no power of flesh and bloud could ouercome these huge and hideous Monsters But now Christ is not the law or the worke of the law but a diuine and humane person which tooke vpon him sinne the condemnation of the lawe and death not for him selfe but for vs Wherfore all the weight and force hereof consisteth in this word For vs. We must not thē imagine Christ to be innocent as a priuate person as doe the Schoolemen and almost all the Fathers haue done which is holy and righteous for him selfe onely True it is in deede that Christe is a person most pure and vnspotted but thou must not stay there for thou hast not yet Christe although thou knowe him to be God and man but then thou hast him in deede when thou beleeuest that this most pure and innocent person is freely geuen vnto thee of the Father to be thy high Priest and Sauiouer yea rather thy seruaunt that he putting off his innocentie and holines and taking thy sinnefull person vpon him might beare thy sinne thy death and thy Curse and might be made a sacrifice and a Curse for thee that by this meanes he might deliuer thee from the Curse of the lawe Ye see then with what an Apostolike spirite Paule handleth this argument of the Blessing and of the Curse whilest he not onely maketh Christ subiect to the Curse but sayth also that he is made a Curse So in the. 2. Corrin 5. he calleth him Sinne when he sayth He hath made him to be Sinne for vs vvhich knevv no sinne that vve shoulde be made the righteousnes of God in him And although these sentences may be well expounded after this maner Christ is made a Curse that is to say a sacrifice for the Curse and Sinne that is a sacrifice for sinne yet in my iudgement it is better to keepe the proper signification of the words because there is a greater force and vehemencie therin For when a sinner cometh to the knowledge of him selfe in deede he feeleth not onely that he is miserable but misery it selfe not onely that he is a sinner is accursed but euen sinne and malediction it selfe For it is in deede a great matter to beare sinne the wrath of God malediction and death Wherefore that man which hath a true feeling of these things as Christ did truely effectually feele them for all mākinde is made euen sinne death and malediction it selfe Paule therefore handleth this place with a true Apostolicall spirite There is neither Sophister nor Lawyer nor Iew nor Anabaptist nor any other that speaketh as he doeth For who durst alleage this place out of Moises Accursed is euery one that hangeth on tree and applie it vnto Christ Like as Paule then applied this sentence to Christ euen so may we apply vnto Christe not onely that whole 27. chap. of Deuteronomie but also may gather all the Curses of Moises lawe together and expound the same of Christ For as
against him can not be forgeuē Thou hast lost thy right and soueraigntie and nowe for euer thou art not onely ouercome condemned and slaine vnto Christe but also to me beleuing in him vnto whom he hath freely geuen this victorie So the law is dead to vs for euer so that we abide in Christ Thankes be therefore to God vvhich hath geuen vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christe These things doe also confirme this doctrine that we are iustified by faith only For when this combate was fought betwixt Christ the law none of our works or deserts came betwene but onely Christ was found who putting vpon him our person made him selfe subiect to the law in perfect innocencie suffered all tyrānie Therfore the law as a theefe a cursed murtherer of the sonne of God loseth all his right and deserueth to be condemned in such sort that wheresoeuer Christe is or is once named there it is compelled to auoid flie away no otherwise thē the Deuil as the Papists imagine flieth frō the crosse Wherfore if we beleue we are deliuered from the law through Christe who hath triumphed ouer it by himself Therfore this glorious triūph purchased vnto vs by Christe is not gotten by any workes but onely by Faith therfore Faith onely iustifieth These wordes then Christe vvas made vnder the lavve c. as they are pithie and import a certaine vehemencie so are they diligently to be weyed and considered For they declare that the Sonne of God being made vnder the lawe did not onely performe one or two workes of the law that is to say he was not onely circumcised or presented in the temple or went vp to Ierusalem with other at the times appoynted or onely liued ciuily vnder the lawe but he suffered all the tyranny of the lawe For the lawe being in his principall vse and ful power set vpon Christe and so horribly assailed him that he felt such anguish and terrour as no man vpon the earth had euer felt the like This his bloudy sweat doth sufficiently witnes also his comfort by the Angell that mighty prayer which he made in the garden and briefly that lamentable cōplaint vpon the crosse O my God vvhy hast thou forsakē me These things he suffered to redeme those which were vnder the law that is to say in heauines of spirite in anguish and terrour and ready to despaire which were oppressed with the heauy burden of their sinnes as in deede we are all oppressed For as touching the flesh we sinne daily against all the commaundements of god But Paule geueth vs good comfort when he sayth God sent his sonne c. So Christe a diuine and humane person begotten of God without beginning and borne of the virgin in the time apoynted came not to make a law but to feele and suffer the terrours of the lawe with all extremitie and to ouercome the same that so he might vtterly abolish the lawe He was not made a teacher of the lawe but an obedient disciple to the law that by this his obedience he might redeme them which were vnder the lawe This is cleane contrary to the doctrine of the Papistes who haue made Christe a lawgeuer yea much more seuere and rigorous thē Moises Paule teacheth here cleane contrary to wit that God humbled his sonne vnder the lawe that is to say constrained him to beare the iudgement and curse of the lawe sinne death c. For Moises the minister of the law sinne wrath and death apprehended bound cōdemned and killed Christ and all this he suffered Therfore Christ standeth as a mere patient not as an agent in respect of the law He is not then a lawgeuer or a iudge after the law but in that he made himselfe subiect to the lawe bearing the condemnation of the law he deliuered vs from the curse therof Now wheras Christ in the Gospell geueth commaundements and teacheth the law or rather expoūdeth it this pertaineth not to the doctrine of Iustification but of good workes Moreouer it is not the proper office of Christe for the which he came principally into the world to teach the law but an accidentall or a by office like as it was to heale the weake to raise vppe the dead c. These are in deede excellent and diuine workes but yet not the very proper and principall workes of Christe For the Prophets also taught the law wrought miracles But Christ is God and man who fighting against the lawe suffered the vttermost cruelty and tyranny therof And in that he suffered the tyranny of the law he vanquished it in himselfe And afterward being raised vppe againe from death he condemned and vtterly abolished the law which was our deadly enemie so that it can not cōdemne and kill the faithfull any more Wherfore the true and proper office of Christ is to wrastle with the lawe with the sinne and the death of the whole world so to wrastle that he must suffer abide al these things and by suffering them in him selfe conquere and abolish them and by this meanes deliuer the Faithfull from the lawe and from all euils Therefore to teach the lawe and to worke myracles are particuler benefites of Christ for the which he came not principally into the world For the Prophets and especially the Apostles did greater myracles then Christ did Iohn 14. Seing then that Christ hath ouercome the law in his owne person it foloweth necessarily that he is naturally God. For there is none else whether he be man or angell which is aboue the law but onely god But Christ is aboue the law for he hath vanquished it therefore he is the sonne of God and naturally god If thou lay hold vpon Christe in such sort as Paule here painteth him out thou cāst not erre nor be confounded Moreouer thou shalt easily iudge of all kindes of life of the religions and ceremonies of the whole world But if this true picture of Christe be defaced or in any wise darkened then foloweth a confusion of all things For the natural man can not iudge of the law of God. Here faileth the cunning of the Philosophers of the Canonistes of all men For the law hath power and dominion ouer man Therfore the law iudgeth man and not man the law onely the Christian hath a true and a certaine iudgement of the law And how That it doth not iustifie Wherfore then is the law made if it doe not iustifie Righteousnes before God which is receaued by Faith alone is not the finall cause why the righteous do obey the law but the peace of the world thankfulnes towardes God and good example of life wherby other be prouoked to beleue the Gospell The Pope hath so confounded and mingled the ceremoniall lawe the morall lawe and Faith together that he hath at length preferred the ceremoniall lawe before the moral lawe and
as their owne Bookes doe witnes wherof there is yet an infinite nomber Secondly that we may be fully certified that we haue the pure doctrine of the Gospell of which certaintie the Pope can not glory In whose kingdom though all things else were sound and vncorrupt yet this monstrous doctrine of douting of Gods grace and fauour passeth all other monsters And although it be manifest that the enemies of Christes Gospell teach vncertaine things because they commaund that mens consciences should remaine in dout yet notwithstanding they condemne and kill vs as heretikes because we dissent from them and teach those things which are certaine And this they doe with such deuillish rage and crueltie as if they were most assured of their doctrine Let vs therefore geue thankes vnto God that we are deliuered from this monstrous doctrine of douting and can now assure our selues that the holy Ghost crieth and bringeth forth in our heartes vnspeakeable gronings And this is our ankerhold and our foundation The Gospell commaundeth vs to behold not our owne good workes our owne perfection but God the promiser Christ the Mediatour Contrariwise the Pope commaundeth vs to looke not vnto God the promiser nor vnto Christ our high Bishop but vnto our works merites On the one side must nedes folow douting desperation but on that other side assurance of Gods fauour and ioy of the spirit For we cleaue vnto God who can not lie For he sayth Behold I deliuer my Sonne to death that through his bloud he may redeme thee from thy sinnes and from eternall death In this case I can not dout vnlesse I will vtterly deny god And this is the reason that our doctrine is most sure and certaine because it carieth vs out of our selues and from the consideration of our selues to the end that we should not leane to our owne strength to our owne conscience to our owne feeling our owne person and our owne workes but to that which is without vs that is to say the promise and truth of God which can not deceaue vs This the Pope knoweth not and therefore he wickedly imagineth that no man knoweth be he neuer so iust or so wise whether he be worthy of loue or of hatred But if he be iust and wise he knoweth assuredly that he is beloued of God or else he is neither iust nor wise Moreouer this sentence of Salomon speaketh nothing at all of the hatred or fauour of God towardes men but it is a morall sentēce reprouing the ingratitude of men For such is the peruersnes and ingratitude of the world that the better a man deserueth that lesse thāks he shall haue and oftentimes he that should be his most friend shall be his most enemie Contrariwise such as least deserue shall be most estemed So Dauid a holy man and a good King was cast out of his kingdom The Prophetes Christe and his Apostles were slaine To conclude the hystories of all nations witnes that many men well deseruing of their countrey were cast into banishment by their owne Citizens and there liued in great misery and some also shamefully perished in prison Wherefore Salomon in this place speaketh not of the conscience hauing to doe with God and of the fauour and iudgement of God but of the iudgementes and affections of men among them selues As though he would say There are many iust and wise men by whom God worketh much good and geueth peace and quietnes vnto men But so farre of are they from acknowledging the same that oftentimes they requite them againe very ilfauouredly for their well deseruings Therefore although a man doe all things neuer so well yet he knoweth not whether by this his diligence and faithfulnes he deserue the hatred or fauour of men So we at this day when we thought we should haue found fauour among our countreymen the Germains for that we preach vnto them the Gospell of peace life and eternall saluation in stede of fauour we haue found bitter and cruell hatred In deede at the first many were greatly delited with our doctrine and receaued it gladly We supposed that they would haue ben our friends and brethren and that with one consent together with vs they would haue planted and set forth this doctrine to others But now we finde that they are false brethern and our deadly enemies which sow and spread abrode errours false doctrine and that which we teach well and godly they peruert and ouerthrow stirring vp offences in the Churches Whosoeuer therefore doth his duety godly and faithfully in what kinde of life so euer he be and for his well doing receaueth nothing againe but the vnkindnes and hatred of men let him not vexe and torment him selfe therfore but let him say with Christe They hated me vvithout a cause Also For that they should haue loued me they sclaundered me but I did pray The Pope therefore with this deuillish doctrine whereby he commaunded men to dout of the fauour of God towards them tooke away God and all his promises out of the Church buried all the benefites of Christ abolished the whole Gospel These inconueniences do necessarily folow for men doe not leane to the promises of God but to their owne workes and merites Therefore they can not be assured of the good will of God towardes them but must needes dout therof and so at length despaire No man can vnderstand what Gods will is and what pleaseth him but in his word This word assureth vs that God cast away all anger and displeasure which he had conceaued against vs when he gaue his onely begotten sonne for our sinnes c. Wherefore let vs vtterly abandon this deuillish douting wherwith the whole Papacie was poysoned and let vs be fully assured that God is mercifull vnto vs that we please him that he hath a care ouer vs that we haue the holy Ghost which maketh intercession for vs with such crying and groning as can not be expressed Now this is the true crying and groning in deede when a man in tentation calleth vpon God not as a tyranne not as an angry iudge not as a tormēter but as a father although this groning be so soft so secrete that it can scantly be perceaued For in serious tentations and in the time of trial where the conscience wrastleth with the iudgement of God it is wont to call God not a Father but an vniust an angry and cruell tyranne and iudge And this crying which Satan stirreth vp in the heart farre passeth the cry of the spirite and is strongly felt For then it seemeth that God hath forsaken vs and will cast vs downe into hell So the faithful complaine oftētimes in the Psalmes I am cast from the presence of God. Also I am become as a broken vessel c. This is not in deede the groning that crieth Abba Father but the roring of Gods wrath which crieth strongly O cruell iudge O cruel
obtaining the inheritance he is a mere patient and not an agent that is to say not to beget not to labour not to care but to be borne is that which maketh him an heire So we obtaine eternall gifts namely the forgeuenes of sinnes righteousnes the glory of the resurrection and euerlasting life not as agents but as patiēts that is not by doing but by receiuing Nothing here cometh betwene but faith alone apprehendeth the promise offred Like as therfore a sōne in the politike houshold gouernmēt is made an heire by his onely birth so here faith onely maketh vs sonnes of God borne of the word which is the wombe of God wherin we are conceaued caried borne and nourished vp c. By this birth thē we are made new creatures formed by Faith in the word we are made Christians children and heires of God through Iesus Christ Now being heires we are deliuered from death sinne and the Deuill and we haue righteousnes and eternall life But this farre passeth all mans capacitie that he calleth vs heires not of some rich and mighty Prince not of the Emperour not of the world but of God the almighty creatour of all things This our inheritaunce then as Paule sayth in an other place is inestimable And if a man could comprehend the great excellencie of this matter that he is the sonne and heire of God and with a constant Faith beleue the same this man would esteme all the power and riches of all the kingdoms of the world but as filthie donge in comparison of his eternall inheritāce He would abhorre whatsoeuer is high and glorious in the world yea the greater the pompe glory of the world is the more would he hate it To conclude whatsoeuer the world most highly estemeth and magnifieth that should be in his eyes most vile and abhominable For what is all the world with all his power riches and glory in comparison of God whose sonne and heire he is Furthermore he would heartely desire with Paule to be loosed and to be with Christ and nothing could be more welcome vnto him thē speedy death which he would embrace as a most ioyfull peace knowing that it should be the ende of all his miseries and that through it he should attaine to his enheritance c. Yea a man that could perfectly beleue this should not lōg remaine aliue but should be swalowed vp incontinent with excessiue ioy But the law of the members striuing against the law of the minde hindreth Faith in vs and suffereth it not to be perfect Therefore we haue neede of the helpe comfort of the holy Ghost which in our troubles and afflictions may make intercession for vs with vnspeakeable groning as before I haue sayd Sinne yet remaineth in the flesh which oftentimes oppresseth the conscience and so hindreth faith that we can not with ioy perfectly behold desire those eternall riches which God hath geuen vnto vs through Christ Paule himselfe feeling this battell of the flesh against the spirit crieth out O vvretched mā that I am vvho shall deliuer me from this body of death He accuseth his body which notwithstanding it behoued him to loue calling it by an odious name his death As if he would say My body doth more afflict me more greuously vexe me thē death it self For it hīdred in hī also this ioy of spirit He had not alwayes the sweete and ioyfull cogitations of the heauenly inheritaunce to come but he felt oftentimes also great heauines of spirite anguish and terrours Hereby we may plainly see how hard a matter Faith is which is not easily and quickly apprehended as certaine full and lothing spirites dreame which swallow vppe at once all that is contained in the holy Scriptures The great infirmitie which is in the Sainctes and the striuing of the flesh against the spirite do sufficiently witnesse how feeble Faith is in them For a perfect Faith bringeth by and by a perfect contempt and lothing of this present life If we could fully assure our selues and constantly beleue that God is our Father and we his sonnes and heires then should we vtterly contemne this world with all the glory righteousnes wisedom and power with all the royall scepters and crownes and with all the riches and pleasures therof We should not be so carefull for this life we should not be so addicted to the world and worldly things trusting vnto them when we haue them lamenting and despairing when we lose them but we should doe all things with great loue humilitie and patience But we do the contrary for the flesh is yet strong but Faith is feeble and the spirite weake Therfore Paule sayth very well that we haue here in this life but only the first fruites of the spirite and that in the world to come we shall haue the tenthes also Verse 7. Thorough Christe Paule hath Christ alwayes in his mouth he can not forget him For he did well forsee that nothing should be lesse knowen in the world yea among them which should professe themselues to be Christians then Christe and his Gospell Therefore he talketh of him and setteth him before our eyes cōtinually And as often as he speaketh of grace righteousnes the promise adoption inheritance he is alwayes wōt to adde In Christ or thorough Christ couertly impugning the law As if he would say These things come vnto vs neither by the lawe nor by the workes thereof much lesse by our owne strength or by the workes of mens traditions but onely by Christe Vers 8.9 But euen then vvhen ye knevv not God ye did seruice vnto them vvhich by nature vvere no Gods. But novve seing ye knovv God yea rather are knovvn of God hovv turne you againe vnto impotent and beggerly rudiments vvherevnto ye vvill be in bondage againe This is the conclusion of Paules disputation From this place vnto the end of the Epistle he doth not much dispute but onely geueth precepts as touching maners Notwithstanding he first reproueth the Galathians being sore displeased that this diuine and heauenly doctrine should be so suddenly and so easily remoued out of their heartes As if he would say Ye haue teachers which will bring you backe againe into the bondage of the law This did not I but by my doctrine I called you out of darknes of the ignorance of God into a wōderful light and knowledge of him I brought you out of bōdage and set you in the freedom of the sonnes of God not by preaching vnto you the workes of the lawe or the merites of men but the grace and righteousnes of God and the geuing of heauenly eternal blessings through Christ Now seeing this is true why doe ye so soone forsake the light and returne to darknes Why doe ye suffer your selues so easily to be brought from grace vnto the law from freedom to bondage Here againe we see as before I haue sayd that to fall in
then will ye not iudge my chiding to be sharpe and bitter but profitable for you Chastisement for the present time seemeth not to be ioyous but greuous but aftervvards it bringeth the quiet frute of righteousnes vnto them vvhich are exercised thereby Let the same affection therfore be in you towardes me which I haue towardes you I beare a louing heart towards you the same I desire againe of you Thus he speaketh them faire and with this faire speech he still continueth that he might pacifie their mindes which were stirred vp against him by his sharpe chiding Notwithstanding he reuoketh not his seuere wordes In deede he confesseth that they were sharpe and bitter but necessitie sayth he compelled me to reprehend you somewhat sharply seuerely but that which I did proceded of a sincere louing heart towards you The Phisitian geueth a bitter potion to his patient not to hurt him but to cure him If then the bitternes of the medicine which is geuen to the sicke body is not to be imputed to the Phisitian but to the medicine and the maladie iudge ye also in like maner of my seuere and sharpe reprehension Verse 12. Brethern I beseech you ye haue not hurt me at all Is this to beseech the Galathians when he calleth them bewitched disobedient to the truth and crucifiers of Christe It seemeth rather to be a great rebuke But contrariwise Paule sayeth that it is no rebuke but an earnest beseeching and in deede so is it And it is as much as if he sayd I confesse that I haue chidden you somewhat bitterly but take it in good part and then shall ye finde this my chiding to be no chiding but a praying and a beseeching If a father likewise doe sharply correct his sonne it is as much as if he sayde My sonne I pray thee be a good childe c. It seemeth in deede to be a correction but if ye respect the fathers heart it is a gentle an earnest beseching Verse 12. Ye haue not hurt me at all As if he sayd Why should I be angrie with you or of a malicious minde speake euill of you seing ye haue nothing offended me Why then sayest thou that we are peruerted that we haue forsaken thy doctrine that we are foolish bewitched c. These things do witnesse that we haue offended thee He āswereth Ye haue not offended me but your selues and therefore I am thus troubled not for mine owne cause but for the loue I beare vnto you Thinke not therfore that my chiding did procede of malice or any euill affection For I take God to witnes ye haue done me no wrong but contrariwise ye haue bestowed great benefites vpon me Thus speaking them faire he prepareth their mindes to suffer his fatherly chastisements with a childely affection And this is to tēper wormewode or a bitter potion with honie and suger to make it sweete againe So parentes speake their children faire when they haue well beaten them geuing them apples peares and other like things whereby the children know that their parentes loue them and seeke to doe them good how sharpe so euer their correction doth appeare Verse 13. And ye knovv hovv through infirmitie of the flesh I preached the Gospell vnto you at the first And the triall of me vvhich vvas in my flesh ye despised not neither abhorred but ye receaued me as an angell of God yea as Christ Iesus Now he declareth what pleasures he had receiued of the Galathians The first benefite sayth he which I esteeme greatest of all was this When I began first to preach the Gospel amōgst you that through infirmitie of the flesh and great tentatiōs my crosse did nothing at all offend you But ye shewed your selues so louing so kinde and so frendly towardes me that not onely ye were not offended with this my infirmitie of the flesh with my tentations and perils wherewith I was almost ouerwhelmed but also ye loued me dearly and receaued me as an angell of God yea rather as Iesus Christ himselfe This is in dede a great commendation of the Galathians that they receaued the Gospell of a man so contemptible and afflicted on euery side as Paule was For where he preached the Gospell amongest them both the Iewes and Gentiles murmured and raged against him For all the mightie wise religious and learned mē hated persecuted blasphemed Paule With all this the Galathiās were no whit offended but turning their eyes from the beholding of this infirmitie these tentations dangers they did not onely heare that pore despised wretched afflicted Paule and acknowledged them selues to be his disciples but also they receiued and heard him as an angell of God yea as Iesus Christ himselfe This is a worthy commendation and a singuler vertue of the Galathians and in dede it is such a commendation as he geueth to non of all those to whom he wrote besides these Galathians Ierome and certaine other of the auncient fathers expound this infirmitie of the flesh in Paule to be some disease of the body or some tentation of lust These men liued when the Church was outwardly in a peaceable and prosperous estate without any crosse or persecution For then the Bishops began to encrease in riches estimation glory in the world And many also exercised tyrannie ouer the people which were cōmitted to their charge as the Ecclesiastical hystorie witnesseth Few did their duetie and they that would seme to doe it forsaking the doctrine of the Gospel set forth their owne decrees to that people Now when the Pastours and Bishops are not exercised in the word of God but neglect the pure and sincere preaching therof they must nedes fall into securitie For they are not exercised with tentatiōs with that crosse and persecutions which are wont alwayes vndoutedly to folow the pure preaching of the word Therefore it was impossible that they should vnderstand Paule But we by the grace of God haue sound and sincere doctrine which also we preach and teach freely and therfore are compelled to beare the bitter hatred afflictions and persecutions of the Deuill and the world And if we were not exercised outwardly by tyrānes and Sectaries with force and subtiltie and inwardly with terrours and the fierie dartes of the Deuil Paule should be as obscure and vnknowne vnto vs as he was in times past to the whole world and is yet to the Papists the Anabaptists and other our aduersaries Therfore the gift of knowledge and interpretation of the Scriptures and our diligēce with our inward and outward tentations open vnto vs the meaning of Paule and the sense of all the holy Scriptures Paule therfore calleth the infirmitie of the flesh no disease of the body or tentation of lust but his suffring and affliction which he sustained in his body so that he setteth the same againste the vertue power of the spirit But lest we should seme
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
the law which is outward to witte that the politike lawes of Moises doe nothing belong vnto vs at all Wherfore we ought not to call them backe againe nor superstitiously binde our selues vnto them as some went about to doe in times past being ignorant of this libertie Now although the Gospell make vs not subiect to the Iudiciall lawes of Moises yet notwithstanding it doth not exempt vs from the obedience of all ciuill lawes but maketh vs subiect in this corporall life to the lawes of that gouernment wherin we liue that is to say it commaundeth euery one to obey his Magistrate and lawes not onely because of vvrath but also for conscience sake 1. Pe. 2. Rom. 13. And the Emperour or any other Prince should not offend if he vsed some of the Iudiciall lawes of Moises yea he might vse them freely and without offence Therefore the Popish Schoolemen are deceaued which dreame that the Iudiciall lawes of Moses are pernicious and deadly since the comming of Christe Likewise we are not bound to the Ceremonies of Moses much lesse to the ceremonies of the Pope But because this bodely life can not be altogether without ceremonies and rites for there must needes be some introduction therefore the Gospell suffereth ordinaunces to be made in the church as touching dayes times places c. that the people may know vpō what day in what houre and in what place to assemble together to heare the word of god It permitteth also that lessons and readings should be appoynted as in the Schooles especially for the instruction of children and such as are ignorant These things it permitteth to the ende that all may be done comely and orderly in the church 1. Cor. 14. not that they which kepe such ordināces doe thereby merite remission of sinnes Moreouer they may be chaunged or omitted without sinne so that it be done without offence of the weake Nowe Paule speaketh here especially of the abolishment of the morall lawe which is diligently to be considered For he speaketh against the righteousnes of the lawe that he might establish the righteousnes of Faith concluding thus If onely grace or Faith in Christe iustifie then is the whole law abolished without any exception And this he confirmeth by the testimonie of Esay wherby he exhorteth the barren and forsaken to reioyce for it seemeth that she hath no childe nor hope euer to haue any that is to say she hath no disciples no fauour nor countenance of the world because she preacheth the word of the crosse of Christ crucified against all the wisedom of the flesh But thou that art barren sayeth the Prophet let not this any whit trouble thee yea rather lift vp thy voyce and reioyce for she that is forsaken hath moe children then she that hath an husband that is to say she that is maried hath a great number of children shall be made weake and she that is forsaken shall haue many children He calleth the church barren because her children are not begotten by the lawe by workes by any industrie or endeuour of man but by the word of Faith in the spirite of god Here is nothing else but birth no working at all Contrariwise they that are frutefull labour and exercise themselues with great trauell in bearing and bringing forth Here is altogether working and no birth But because they indeuour to gette the right of children and heires by the righteousnes of the lawe or by their owne righteousnes they are seruauntes and neuer receaue the inheritance no though they tire them selues to death with continuall trauell For they goe about to obtaine that b◠their owne workes against the will of God which God of his meer grace will geue to all beleuers for Christes sake The faithfull worke well also but they are not thereby made sonnes and heires for this their birth bringeth vnto them but this they doe to the end that they being now made children and heirs might glorify God by their good works and helpe their neighbors Verse 28. Therefore brethern vve are after the maner of Isaac children of the promise That is to say we are not children of the flesh as Ismael or as all the fleshly Israell which gloried that they were the seede of Abraham and the people of god But Christ answered them Iohn 8 If ye vvere the sonnes of Abraham ye vvould not seeke to kill me vvhich speake the truth vnto you Also If God vvere your Father then vvould ye loue me and receaue my vvord As if he would say Brethern borne and brought vp together in one house know one an others voyce But ye be of your father the Deuill c. We are not such children sayeth he as they are which remaine seruauntes and at length shall be cast out of the house But we are children of the promise as Isaac was that is to say of grace and of Faith borne onely of the promise Concerning this I haue spoken sufficiently before in the third chapter entreating vpon this place In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed Therefore we are pronoūced righteous not by the lawe by workes or our owne righteovsnes but by the mere mercy and grace of god Paule repeteth very often and diligently setteth forth the promise which is receaued by Faith alone for he knew that it was very necessary so to doe Hitherto as touching the allegorie out of Genesis to the which Paule annexeth the place of Esay as an interpretatiō Now he applifieth the hystorie of Ismael and Isaac for our example and consolation Verse 19. But as then he that vvas borne after the flesh persecuted him that vvas borne after the spirite euen so is it novv This place containeth a singuler consolation Whosoeuer are borne and liue in Christe and reioyce in this birth and inheritance of God haue Ismael for their enemie and their persecutour This we learne at this day by experience For we see that all the world is full of tumultes persecutions sectes and offences Wherefore if we did not arme our selues with this consolation of Paule and such like and well vnderstand this article of Iustification we should neuer be able to withstand the violence subtill sleightes of Satan For who should not be troubled with these cruell persecutions of our aduersaries and with these sectes and infinite offences which a sort of busie and fantasticall spirits stirre vp at this day Verely it is no smal greefe vnto vs when we are constrained to heare that all things were in peace tranquilitie before the Gospel came abrode but since the preaching publishing therof al things are vnquiet the whole world is in an vprore so that euery one armeth himselfe against an other When a man that is not endued with the spirit of God heareth this by and by he is offended and iudgeth that the disobedience of subiectes against their magistrates that seditions warres plages
famine that the ouerthrowing of common weales kingdoms and countreis that sectes offences and such other infinite euils doe procede altogether of the doctrine of the Gospell Against this great offence we must comfort arme our selues with this sweete cōsolation that the faithfull must beare this name and this title in the world that they are seditious and schismatikes and the authors of innumerable euils And hereof it commeth that our aduersaries thinke they haue a iust cause yea that they doe God high seruice when they hate persecute and kill vs It can not be then but that Ismael must persecute Isaac But Isaac againe persecuteth not Ismael Who so wil not suffer the persecution of Ismael let him not professe himselfe to be a Christian But let our aduersaries which so vehemently amplifie exaggerate these euils at this day tel vs what good thīgs ensued the preaching of the Gospel of Christ and his Apostles Did not the destruction of the kingdom of the Iewes follow was not the Romaine Empire ouerthrowne was not the whole world in an vprore And yet the Gospell was not the cause hereof which Christe and his Apostles preached for the profite and saluation of men and not for their destruction But these things folowed through the fault of the people the nations the Kings Princes who being possessed of the Deuill would not hearkē to the word of grace life and eternall saluation but detested and condemned it as a doctrine most pernicious and hurtfull to religion common weales And that this should so come to passe the holy Ghost foretold by Dauid when he sayeth Psal. 2. VVhy doe the heathen rage and the people murmure in vaine c. Such tumultes and hurly burlies we heare and see at this day The aduersaries lay the fault in our doctrine But the doctrine of grace and peace stirreth not vp these troubles but the people nations kings and Princes of the earth as the Psalme sayeth rage murmure conspire and take counsell not against vs as they thinke nor against our doctrine which they blaspheme as false and seditious but against the Lord and his annoynted Therfore all their counsels and practises are and shall be disappoynted and brought to naught He that dvvelleth in the heauen shall laugh the Lord shall haue them in derision Let thē cry out therfore as long as they list that we raise vp these tumults and seditions notwithstanding this Psalme comforteth vs and saith that they themselues are the authors of these troubles They can not beleue this much lesse can they beleue that it is they which murmure rise vp take coūsell against the Lord his anoynted nay rather they thinke that they maintaine the Lords cause that they defend his glory do him acceptable seruice in persecuting vs but the Psalme lieth not and that shall the ende declare Here we doe nothing but onely suffer as our conscience beareth vs witnesse in the holy Ghost Moreouer the doctrine for the which they raise vp such tumultes and offences is not ours but it is the doctrine of Christe This doctrine we can not deny nor forsake the defence thereof seeing Christ sayth VVhosoeuer shall be ashamed of me and of my vvordes in this adulterous and sinnefull nation of him shal the sonne of man be ashamed vvhen he shall come in his glory and in the glory of the father and of the holy angels He therfore that will preach Christ truely and confesse him to be our righteousnes must be content to heare that he is a pernicious fellow and that he troubleth all things They which haue troubled the world sayd the Iewes of Paul and Silas Acts. 17. are also come vnto vs and haue done contrary to the decrees of Caesar And in the. 24. of the Actes We haue found this pestilent fellow stirring vp sedition among all the Iewes thorow out the whole world and the authour of the Sect of the Nazarites c. In like maner also the Gentiles complaine in the. 16. of the Actes These men trouble our Citie So at this day they accuse Luther to be a troubler of the Papacie and of the Romaine Empire If I would kepe silence then all things should be in peace which the strong man possesseth and the Pope would not persecute me any more But by this meanes the Gospell of Iesus Christe should be blemished defaced If I speake the Pope is troubled and cruelly rageth Either we must lose the Pope an earthly and mortall man or else the immortall God Christ Iesus life and eternall saluation Let the Pope perish then let God be exalted let Christ raigne and triumph for euer Christe himselfe when he foresaw in spirite the great troubles which should folow his preaching cōforted himselfe after this maner I came sayth he to send fire vpon the earth and vvhat vvil I but that it be kindled In like maner we see at this day that great troubles folowe the preaching of the Gospell through the persecution blasphemie of our aduersaries and the ingratitude of the world This matter so greueth vs that oftentimes after the flesh and after the iudgement of reason we thinke it had bene better that the doctrine of the Gospell had not bene published then that after the preaching therof the publike peace should be so troubled But according to the spirite we say boldly with Christe I came to send fire vpon the earth and what will I but that it should now be kindled Now after that this fire is kindled ther folow forthwith great commotions For it is not a King or an Emperour that is thus prouoked but the God of this world which is a most mighty spirite and the Lord of the whole world This weake worde preaching Christ crucified setteth vpon this mightie and terrible aduersarie Behemoth feeling the diuine power of this word stirreth vp all his members shaketh his taile and maketh the depth of the sea to boile like a potte Iob. 41. Hereof come all these tumultes all these furious and cruell rages of the world Wherefore let it not trouble vs that our aduersaries are offended and cry out that there cometh no good by the preaching of the Gospel They are infidels they are blinde and obstinate and therfore it is impossible that they should see any frute of the Gospell But contrariwise we which beleue doe see the inestimable profites and frutes therof although outwardly for a time we be oppressed with infinite euils despised spoiled accused cōdemned as the outcasts and filthy dunge of the whole world and put to death and inwardly afflicted with the feeling of our sinne and vexed with Deuils For we liue in Christe in whom and by whom we are made Kings and Lordes ouer sinne death the flesh the world hel and all euils In whom and by whom also we tread vnder our feete that Dragon and Basiliske which is the King
the godly beforehand that they be not offended with those persecutions sectes and offences saying But as then he that vvas borne after the flesh c. As if he would say If we be the children of the promise and borne after the spirite we must surely loke to be persecuted of our brother which is borne after the flesh that is to say not only our enemies which are manifestly wicked shall persecute vs but also such as at the first were our deare frendes with whom we were familiarly conuersant in one house which receaued from vs the true doctrine of the Gospell shall become our deadly enemies and persecute vs extremely For they are brethren after the flesh and must persecute their brethern which are borne after the spirite So Christ in the .41 Psalme complaineth of Iudas The man of my peace vvhom I trusted vvhich did eate of my bread hath lifted vp the hele against me But this is our consolation that we haue not geuen any occasion to our Ismaelites to persecute vs The Papistes persecute vs because we teach the pure and sincere doctrine of the Gospel which if we would forsake they would persecute vs no more Moreouer if we would approue the pernicious heresies of the Sectaries they would praise vs But because we detest and abhorre the impietie both of the one and the other therefore doe they so spitefully hate and so cruelly persecute vs. But not onely Paule as I haue sayd armeth vs against such persecutions and offences but Christ himselfe also most sweetely comforteth vs in the .15 of Iohn saying if ye vvere of the vvorld the vvorld vvould loue you but because ye are not of the vvorld but I haue chosen you out of the vvorld therfore the vvorld hateth you As if he would say I am the cause of all these persecutions which ye endure and if ye be killed it is I for whose sake ye are killed For if ye did not preach my word and confesse me the world would not persecute you But it goeth well with you For the seruaunt is not greater then his master If they haue persecuted me they vvill also persecute you for my names sake By these wordes Christe layeth all the fault vpon himselfe and deliuereth vs from all feare As if he would say Ye are not the cause why the world hateth persecuteth you but my name which ye preach and confesse is the cause thereof But be of good comfort I haue ouercome the vvorld This comfort vpholdeth vs so that we dout nothing but that Christe is strong enough not onely to beare but also to vanquish all the crueltie of tyrannes and the subtill sleightes of heretikes And this he hath declared in shewing forth his power against the Iewes and Romaines whose tyrannie and persecutions he suffered for a time He also suffered the subtelties and craftie practises of heretikes but in time and place he ouerthrew them all and remained King and conquerour Let the Papistes then rage as much as they will let the Sectaries sclaunder and corrupt the Gospell of Christe as much as they can notwithstanding Christe shall raigne eternally and his word shall stand for euer when all his enemies shal be brought to nought Moreouer this is a singular consolation that the persecution of Ismael against Isaac shall not alwayes continue but shall endure for a litle while and when that is ended the sentence shall be pronounced as foloweth Verse 30. But vvhat sayeth the Scripture Cast out the seruaunt and her sonne For the sonne of the seruaunt shall not be heire vvith the sonne of the freevvoman This word of Sara was very greeuous to Abraham and no doubt when he heard this sentence his fatherly bowels were moued with compassion towards his sonne Ismael for he was borne of his flesh And this the Scripture plainly witnesseth Genes 21. when it sayeth And this thing vvas very greeuous in Abrahams sight because of his sonne But God confirmed the sentence which Sara pronounced saying to Abraham Let it not be greeuous in thy sight for the childe and for thy bondvvoman In all that Sara shall say vnto thee heare her voice For in Isaac shall thy Seede be called The Ismaelites heare in this place the sentence pronounced against them which ouerthroweth the Iewes Grecians Romanes and all such other as persecute the Church of Christe The selfe same sentence also shall ouerthrowe the Papistes and as many as trust in their owne workes which at this day boast them selues to be the people of God and the Church which also trust that they shall surely receaue the inheritance and iudge vs which rest vppon the promise of God not onely to be barren and forsaken but also heretikes cast out of the Church and that it is impossible that we should be sonnes and heyres But God ouerthroweth theyr iudgement and pronounceth this sentence against them that because they are the children of the bondwoman and persecute the children of the freewoman therefore they shall be cast out of the house and shall haue no inheritaunce with the children of promise to whom onely the inheritaunce belongeth because they are the children of the freewoman This sentence is ratified and can neuer be reuoked wherefore it shall assuredly come to passe that our Ismaelites shall not onely lose the Ecclesiasticall and politike gouernment which now they haue but also euerlasting life For the Scripture hath foretold that the children of the bondwoman shall be cast out of the house that is to say out of the kingdom of grace for they can not be heires together with the children of the freewoman Now here is to be noted that the holy Ghost calleth the people of the lawe and workes as it were in contempt the childe of the bondwoman As if he sayd Why doe ye vaunt of the righteousnes of the lawe and workes and why doe ye glory that ye are the people and children of God for the same If ye know not of whom ye are borne I will tell you Ye are borne bondseruauntes of a bond-woman And what seruauntes The bondseruauntes of the lawe and consequently of sinne of death and of euerlasting damnation Now a seruaunt is no inheritour but is cast out of the house Wherfore the Pope with all his kingdom and all other Iusticiaries what outward appearance of holines so euer they haue which hope to obtaine grace and saluation by the lawe are seruauntes of that bond-woman and haue no inheritaunce with the children of the freewoman I speake now not of the Popes Cardinals Bishops Monks that were manifestly wicked who haue made their bellies theyr God and haue committed such horrible sinnes as I will not willingly name but of the best of them such I meane as liued holily and went about through great labour and trauaile by keeping of theyr Monkish order to pacifie the wrath of God and to merite remission of their sinnes and
of the freewoman and shall at length be cast into vtter darknes Paule therefore by these wordes bondwoman and freewoman tooke occasion as we haue heard to reiect the righteousnes of the lawe and to confirme the doctrine of Iustification And of purpose he taketh hold of this word freewoman vehemently vrging and amplifying the same especially in the beginning of the chapter folowing Whervpon he taketh occasion to reason of Christian libertie the knowledge whereof is very necessary For the Pope hath in a maner quite ouerthrowne it and made the Church subiect to mans traditions and ceremonies and to a most miserable and filthie bondage That libertie which is purchased by Christ is vnto vs at this day a most strong fort and munition wherby we defend our selues against the tyrannie of the Pope Wherfore we must diligently consider this doctrine of Christian libertie as well to confirme the doctrine of iustification as also to raise vppe and comfort weake consciences against so many troubles offences which our aduersaries doe impute vnto the Gospell Now Christian libertie is a very spirituall thing which the carnall man doth not vnderstand Yea they which haue the first frutes of the spirite and can talke well therof doe very hardly retaine it in their heart It seemeth to reason that it is a matter of small importance Therefore if the holy Ghost do not magnifie it adde a waight vnto it it is conteÌ„ned The fifth Chapter PAVLE now drawing towardes the ende of his Epistle disputeth very vehemeÌ„tly in defence of the doctrine of Faith and Christian libertie against the false apostles the enemies and destroyers of the same against whom he casteth out very thundring wordes to beate them downe and vtterly to vanquish them And therewithall he exhorteth the Galathians to flie their pernicious doctrine as a dangerous poyson In his exhortation he intermingleth threatnings and promises trying euery way that he may kepe them in that libertie which Christ had purchased for them saying Verse 1. Stand fast therefore in that libertie vvherein Christe hath made vs free That is to say Be ye stedfast So Peter sayeth Be sober and vvatch for your aduersarie the Deuill as a roaring Lion vvalketh about seeking vvhom he may deuoure vvhom resist being stedfast in the Faith. Be ye not carelesse sayth he but stedfast and constant Lie not downe and sleepe but stand vp As if he would say It standeth you in hand to be watchfull and constant that ye may keepe and hold fast that libertie wherin Christe hath made you free They that are secure and negligent can not kepe this libertie For Satan most deadly hateth the light of the Gospell that is to say the doctrine of grace libertie consolation and life Therfore when he seeth that it beginneth once to appeare forthwith he fighteth against it with all might and maine stirring vppe stormes and tempests to hinder the course therof and vtterly to ouerthrow it Wherefore Paule warneth the Faithfull not to sleepe not to be negligent but constantly and valiantly to resist Satan that he spoile them not of that libertie which Christe hath purchased for them Euery word hath here a certaine vehemencie Stand sayth he As if he should say Here haue ye neede of great diligence vigilancie In that libertie In what libertie Not in that wherwith the Emperour hath made vs free but in that wherwith Christ hath made vs free The Emperour hath geuen or rather was compelled to geue to the Bishop of Rome a free citie and other landes also immunities priuileges and prerogatiues c. This is also a libertie but it is a ciuill libertie whereby the Pope with all his cleargie is exempt from all publicke charges Moreouer there is a fleshly or rather a deuilish libertie wherby the Deuill chiefly raigneth thorow out the whole world For they that inioy this libertie obey neither God nor lawes but doe what they list This libertie the people seeke and embrace at this day and so doe the Sectaries which will be at libertie in their opinions and in all their doings to the ende they may teach and doe whatsoeuer they dreame to be good and sound without reprehension These stand in that libertie wherein the Deuill hath made them free But we speake not here of this libertie albeit the whole world seeketh no other libertie Neither doe we speake of the ciuill libertie but of a farre other maner of libertie which the Deuill hateth and resisteth with all his power This is that libertie whereby Christe hath made vs free not from an earthly bondage or from the Babylonicall captiuitie or from the tyrannie of the Turkes but froÌ„ Gods euerlasting wrath And where is this done In the conscience There resteth our libertie and goeth no farther For Christe hath made vs free not ciuily nor carnally but diuinely that is to say we are made free in such sort that our coÌ„science is now free and quiet not fearing the wrath of God to come This is that true and inestimable libertie to the excelleÌ„cie maiestie wherof if we compare the other they are but as one droppe of water in respect of the whole sea For who is able to expresse what a thing it is when a man is assured in his heart that God neither is nor will be angry with him but will be for euer a mercifull and a louing father vnto him for Christes sake This is in deede a maruelous and an incomprehensible libertie to haue the most high and soueraigne Maiestie so fauourable vnto vs that he doth not onely defend maintaine and succour vs in this life but also as touching our bodies wâ—ll so deliuer vs that our bodies which are sowen in corruption in dishonor and infirmitie shall rise againe in incorruption in glory and power Wherfore this is an inestimable libertie that we are made free from the wrath of God for euer and is greater then heauen and earth and all other creatures Of this libertie there foloweth an other whereby through Christe we are made free from the lawe sinne death the power of the Deuill hell c. For as the wrath of God can not terrifie vs for that Christe hath deliuered vs from the same so the lawe sinne and death can not accuse and condemne vs And although the law accuse vs and sinne terrifie vs yet they can not driue vs to desperation For Faith which ouercometh the world by and by sayeth These things belong not vnto me for Christe hath made me free and deliuered me from them all Likewise death which is the most mighty and most dreadful thing in all the world is vtterly vanquished in the conscience by this libertie of the spirite Wherfore the maiestie of this Christian libertie is highly to be estemed and diligently considered It is an easie matter for a maÌ„ to speake these words freedome from the wrath of God sinne and death but in the time
Also they know that they haue an euerlastīg righteousnes which they wait for through hope as a certaine and sure possession laid vp for them in heauen euen when they feele the horrible terrours of sinne and death Moreouer that they are then Lordes of all things when they are most destitute of all things according to that saying hauing nothing and yet possessing all things This sayeth the Scripture is to conceaue comfort through hope But this cunning is not learned without great and often tentations Verse 6. For in Iesus Christe neither circumcision auaileth any thing neither vncircumcision but Faith vvhich vvorketh by loue That is to say Faith which is not fained nor hypocritical but true and liuely This is that faith which exerciseth requireth good works through loue It is as much to say as He that will be a true Christian in deede or one of Christes kingdom must be a true beleuer Now he beleueth not truely if workes of charitie folow not his Faith. So on both hands as well on the right hand as on the left he shutteth hypocrites out of Christes kingdom On the left hand he shutteth out the Iewes and all such as will worke their owne saluation saying In Christ neither circumcision that is to say no works no seruice no worshipping no kinde of life in the world but faith without any trust in works or merites auaileth before god On the right hand he shutteth out all slouthfull and idle persons which say if faith iustifie without works then let vs worke nothing but let vs onely beleue and doe what we list Not so ye enemies of grace Paule sayeth otherwise And although it be true that onely faith iustifieth yet he speaketh here of Faith in an other respect that is to say that after it hath iustified it is not idle but occupied and exercised in working through loue Paule therfore in this place setteth forth the whole life of a Christian man namely that inwardly it consisteth in faith towards God and outwardly in charitie and good works towardes our neighbour So that a man is a perfect Christ an inwardly through faith before God who hath no neede of our workes and outwardly before men to whom our Faith profiteth nothing but our charitie or our works Therfore when we haue heard or vnderstād of this forme of Christian life to witte that it is faith and charitie as I haue sayd it is not yet declared what Faith or what charitie is for this is an other question For as touching faith or the inward nature force and vse of Faith he hath spoken before Where he shewed that it is our righteousnes or rather our iustification before god Here he ioyneth it with charitie and workes that is to say he speaketh of the externall office thereof which is to stirre vs vp to doe good workes and to bring forth in vs the frutes of charitie to the profite of our neighbour Verse 7. Ye did runne vvell vvho did let you that ye did not obey the truth These are plaine wordes Paule affirmeth that he teacheth them the truth and the selfe same thing that he taught them before and that they ranne well so long as they obeyed the truth that is they beleued and liued rightly but now they did not so since they were misled by the false apostles Moreouer he vseth here a new kinde of speech in calling the Christian life a course or a race For among the Hebrues to runne or to walke signifieth as much as to liue or to be conuersant The teachers doe runne when they teach purely and the hearers or learners doe runne when they receaue the word with ioy and when the frutes of the spirite doe folow Which thing was done as long as Paule was present as he witnessed before in the third and fourth chap. And here he sayeth Ye did runne vvell that is to say all things went forward well and happely among you ye liued very well ye went on the right way to euerlasting life which the word of God promised you c. These wordes Ye did runne vvell containe in them a singuler comfort This tentation oftentimes exerciseth the godly that their life seemeth vnto them to be rather a certaine slow creeping then a running But if they abide in sound doctrine and walke in the spirite lette this nothing trouble them thoughe their doings seeme to goe slowly forward or rather to creepe God iudgeth farre otherwise For that which seemeth vnto vs to be very slow scarsely to creepe runneth swiftly in Gods sight Againe that which is to vs nothing els but sorrow mourning and death is before God ioy mirth true happines Therfore Christ sayth Blessed are ye that mourne vveepe for ye shal receaue cōfort ye shall laugh c. All things shall turne to the best to them which beleue in the sonne of God be it sorrow or be it death it selfe Therefore they be true runners in deede and whatsoeuer they doe it runneth well goeth happely forward by the furtherance of Gods spirite which can not skill of slow procedings Verse 7. VVho did let you that you did not obey the truth They are hindred in this course which fall away from Faith and grace to the lawe and workes as it hapned to the Galathians being misled and seduced by the false apostles whom he couertly reprehendeth with these wordes vvho did let you that ye did not obey the truth In like maner he sayd before in the third Chap. vvho hath bevvitched you that ye should not obey the truth And here Paule sheweth by the way that men are so strongly bewitched with false doctrine that they embrace lies heresies in the sted of the truth and spirituall doctrine And on the other side they say and sweare that the sound doctrine which before they loued is erroneous that their errour is sound doctrine maintaining and defending the same with all their power Euen so the false apostles brought the Galathians which ranne well at the beginning into this opinion to beleue that they erred and went very slowly forward when Paule was their teacher But afterwardes they being seduced by the false apostles and falling cleane away from the truth were so strongly bewitched with their false perswasion that they thought them selues to be in an happie state and that they ranne very well The same hapneth at this day to such as are seduced by the Sectaries and fantasticall spirits Therfore I am wont to say that falling in doctrine cometh not of man but of the Deuil and is most perillous to witte euen from the high heauen to the bottom of hell For they that continue in errour are so farre of from acknowledging their sinne that they maintaine the same to be high righteousnes Wherfore it is vnpossible for them to obtaine pardon Verse 8. It is not the persvvasion of him that calleth you This is a great consolation and a singulare doctrine whereby
the necessity of his brother The greefe hereof maketh me sometimes so vnpatient that many times I wish such swine which tread precious pearles vnder their feete were yet still remaining vnder the tyrannie of the Pope For it is vnpossible that this people of Gomorrha should be gouerned by the Gospell of peace Moreouer euen we which teach the word doe not now our duetie with so great zeale and diligence in the light of the Gospell as we did afore in the darknes of ignoraunce For the more certaine we be of the freedome purchased vnto vs by Christ so much the more cold and negligent we be in handling the word in prayer in well doing and in suffering aduersites And if Sathan did not vexe vs inwardly with spirituall tentations and outwardly with the persecutions of our aduersaries and moreouer with the contempt and ingratitude of our owne fellowes we should become vtterly careles negligent and vntoward to all good workes and so in time we should lose the knowledge and Faith of Christ forsake the ministerie of the word and seeke an easier kinde of life for the flesh Which thing many of our men begin to doe for that they trauailing in the ministerie of the word can not onely not liue of their labour but also are most miserably entreated euen of those by whom they were deliuered from the seruile bondage of the Pope by the preaching of the Gospell These men forsaking poore and offensiue Christ entangle them selues with the affaires of this present life seruing their owne bellies and not Christe but with what fruite that shall they finde by experience in time to come For as much then as we know that the Deuill layeth waite most of all for vs that haue the world for the rest he holdeth in captiuitie and slauerie at his pleasure and laboureth with might and maine to take from vs the libertie of the spirite or at least wise to turne the same into the libertie of the flesh we teach and exhort our brethern with singuler care and diligence by the example of Paule that they thinke not this libertie of the spirite purchased by the death of Christ to be geuen vnto them that they should make it an occasion of carnall libertie or as Peter sayeth should vse the same as a cloke for their wickednes but that they should serue one an other through loue To the ende therfore that Christians should not abuse this libertie as I haue sayd the Apostle layeth a yoke and bondage vppon their flesh by the lawe of mutuall loue Wherefore let the godly remember that in conscience before God they be free from the curse of the lawe from sinne and from death for Christes sake but as touching the body they are seruauntes and must serue one an other through charitie according to this commaundement of Paule Let euery man therfore endeuour to doe his duetie diligently in his calling to helpe his neighbour to the vttermost of his power This is it which Paule here requireth of vs Serue ye one an other through loue Which words doe not set the Christians at libertie but shut them vnder bondage as touching the flesh Moreouer this doctrine concerning mutuall loue which we must maintaine and exercise one towardes an other can not be beaten into the heades of carnall men nor sinke into their heartes The Christians doe gladly receaue and obey this doctrine Others as soone as liberty is preached by and by doe thus inferre If I be free then may I doe what I list This thing is mine owne why then should I not sell it for as much as I may gette Moreouer seeing we obtaine not saluation by our good works why should we geue any thing to that poore Thus doe they most carelesly shake of the yoke and bondage of the flesh and turne the libertie of the spirite into wantonnes and sleshly libertie But we tell such carelesse contemners although they beleue vs not but laugh vs to scorne that if they vse their bodies and their goodes after their owne lust as in deede they doe for they neither helpe the poore nor lend to the needie but beguile their brethern in bargaining snatching scraping vnto themselues by hooke or by crooke what so euer they can gette we tell them I say that they be not free bragge they neuer so much of their libertie but haue lost Christe and Christian libertie are become the bondslaues of the Deuill and are seuen times worser vnder the name of Christian libertie then they were before vnder the tyrannie of the Pope For the Deuill which was driuen out of them hath taken vnto him seuen other feends worse then him selfe and is returned into them againe therefore the ende of these men is worse then the beginning As touching vs we haue a cōmaundemēt of God to preach the gospel which offereth to all men libertie from the law sinne death and Gods wrath frely for Christes sake if they beleue It is not in our power to conceale or reuoke this libertie now published by the Gospel for Christ hath geuen it vnto vs freely purchased it by his death Neither can we cōstraine those swine which runne headlong into all licentiousnes dissolutenes of the flesh to helpe other mē with their bodies or goodes therefore we doe what we can that is to say we diligently admonish them that they ought so to doe If we nothing preuaile by these admonitions we commit the matter to God and he will recompence these scorners with iust punishment in his good time In the meane while this is our comfort that as touching the godly our labour is not lost of whom many no doubt by our ministerie are deliuered out of the bondage of the Deuill and translated into the libertie of the spirite These which notwithstanding are but few which acknowledge the glory of this libertie of the spirit on the other side are ready through charitie to serue other men and know themselues to be detters to their brethern as touching the flesh doe more reioyce vs than the innumerable multitude of those that abuse this libertie are able to discourage vs. Paule vseth here very apte and plaine wordes when he sayeth Brethern ye are called into libertie And because no mā should dreame that he speaketh of the libertie of the flesh he expoundeth him selfe what maner of libertie he meaneth saying Onely vse not your libertie as an occasion to the flesh but serue ye one an other through loue Wherfore let euery Christian know that as touching the conscience Christ hath made him Lord ouer the lawe sinne and death so that they haue no power ouer him Cōtrariwise let him know that this outward bondage is layed vpon his body that he should serue his neighbour through loue They that vnderstand Christian libertie otherwise enioy the commodities of the Gospell to their owne destruction and are worse Idolaters vnder the name of Christe then they were before
vnder the Pope Now Paule goeth about to declare out of the ten commaundements what it is to serue one an other through loue Verse 14. For the vvhole lavve is fulfilled in one vvord vvhich is this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Paule after that he hath laid the foundation of Christian doctrine is wont to build gold siluer and precious stones vpon it Now there is no other foundation as he himselfe sayeth to the Corinthians than Iesus Christ or the righteousnes of Christe Vpon this foundation he buildeth now good workes yea good workes in deede all which he comprehendeth in one precept Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe As if he should say when I say that ye must serue one an other through loue I meane the selfe same thing that the lawe sayeth in an other place Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe And this is truely to interprete the Scriptures and Gods commaundements Now in geuing preceptes of loue he couertly toucheth by the way the false teachers against whom he setteth him selfe mightely that he may defend and stablish his doctrine of good workes against them As if he sayd O ye Galathians I haue hetherto taught you the true and spirituall life and now also I will teach you what be good workes in deede And this will I doe to the ende ye may know that the vaine and foolish workes of ceremonies which the false Apostles doe onely vrge are farre inferiour to the workes of charitie For such is the foolishnes and madnes of all wicked teachers and fantasticall spirites that not onely they leaue the true foundation and pure doctrine but also continuing alwayes in their superstitions they neuer attaine to good workes Therefore as Paule sayeth they build nothing but woode hay and stubble vppon the foundation So the false apostles which were the most earnest defenders of workes did not teach or require the workes of charitie as that Christians shuld loue one an other that they should be ready to helpe their neighbours in all necessities not onely with their goods but also with their body that is to say with tounge hand heart and with their whole strength but onely they required that circumcision should be kept that dayes monethes yeres and times should be obserued and other good workes they could teach none For after they had destroyed the foundation which is Christ darkened the doctrine of Faith it was impossible that there should remaine any true vse exercise or opinion of good workes Take away the tree the frute must needes perish The Apostle therfore diligently exhorteth the Christians to exercise themselues in good workes after that they haue heard and receaued the pure doctrine of Faith. For the remnauntes of sinne doe yet still remaine euen in those that be iustified which as they are contrary to Faith and hinder it so doe they hinder vs from doing good workes Moreouer mans reason and the flesh which in the sainctes them selues resisteth the spirite and in the wicked doth mightely raigne is naturally delited with Pharisaicall superstitions that is to say it taketh more pleasure in measuring God by her owne imaginations than by his word and doth the works that she her selfe hath chosen with farre greater zeale then those which God hath commaunded Wherfore it is necessary that the godly preachers should as diligently teach and vrge the doctrine of good workes as the doctrine of Faith for Satan is a deadly enemie to both Notwithstanding faith must first be planted for without Faith it is impossible to vnderstand what a good worke is or what pleaseth God. Let no man thinke therefore that he thorowly knoweth this commaūdement Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe In deede it is very short and easy as touching the wordes but shew me the teachers and hearers that in teaching learning and liuing doe exercise and accomplish it rightly Therefore these wordes Serue ye one an other through loue and these also Thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy self are incomprehensible no man no not euen the godly doe sufficiently consider teach and exercise the same And which is a wōderful thing the faithfull haue this tentation that if they omit neuer so light a matter which they ought to do by and by their conscience is wounded but they are not so troubled if they neglect the dueties of charitie as daily they doe or beare not a sincere and brotherly loue and affection towards their neighbour For they doe not so much regard the commaundement of charitie as their owne superstitions from the which they be not altogether free during this life Paule therfore reprehendeth the Galathians in these words For the vvhole lavv is fulfilled in one vvord As if he had said ye are drowned in your superstitions ceremonies concerning places times which profit neither your selues nor others and in the meane while ye neglect charitie which ye ought onely to haue kept What madnes is this So sayth Ierome We weare cōsume our bodies with watching fasting and labour but we neglect charitie which is the onely lady mistresse of workes And this may be wel seene in the Monkes who straitly obserue their traditions concerning their ceremonies fasting watching apparel such like In this case if they omitte any thing be it neuer so litle they sinne deadly But whē they do not only neglect charitie but also hate one an other to the death they sinne not nor offend God at all Therefore by this commaundement Paule not onely teacheth good works but also cōdemneth fantasticall and superstitious works He not onely buildeth gold siluer and precious stones vpon the foundation but also throweth downe the woode and burneth vp the hay stubble God witnessed by examples in the olde Testament how much he did alwayes esteme of charitie whervnto he would haue that very law it self and the ceremonies therof to geue place At such time as Dauid and they that were with him were hungrie and had not what to eate they did eate the holy shewbread which by the lawe the lay people might not eate but onely the priests Christes disciples brake the Saboth in plucking the eares of corne yea and Christ him selfe brake the Saboth as sayd the Iewes in healing the sicke on the Saboth day All these things shew that charitie or loue ought to be preferred before all lawes ceremonies that God requireth nothing so much at our handes as loue towardes our neighbour The same thing Christe also witnesseth when he sayeth And the second is like vnto this Verse 14. For all the lavv is fulfilled in one vvord As if he sayd Why doe ye burden your selues with the lawe Why doe ye so toile and tormoile your selues about the ceremonies of the law about meates dayes places and such other things as how ye ought to eate drinke keepe your feastes sacrifice c. Leaue of these follies and hearken what
Wherfore it was not possible for them to vnderstād Paule But here we may plainly see that Paule reckeneth idolatry and heresy amōgs the works of the flesh which two as before we haue said reason estemeth to be most high excellēt vertues wisedō religion holines rightousnes Paul Col. 2. calleth it the religion of angels But although it seeme to be neuer so holy spiritual yet is it nothīg else but a worke of the flesh an abhomination and idolatry against the Gospell against faith and against the true seruice of god This do the faithfull see for they haue spirituall eyes but the Iusticiaries iudge the contrary For a Monke can not be perswaded that his vowes be works of the flesh So the Turke beleueth nothing lesse then that his Alcaron his washings and other ceremonies which he obserueth be workes of the flesh VVitchcraft Of witchcraft I haue spoken before in the .3 Chap. This vice was very cōmon in these our dayes before the light truth of the gospel was reueled Whē I was a child there were many witches sorcerers which bewitched both cattel men but specially children did great harme also otherwise But now in the light of the Gospell these things be not so commonly heard of for the Gospell thrusteth the Deuill out of his seat with all his illusions But now he bewitcheth mē much more horribly namely with spirituall sorcerie and witchcraft Paule reckneth witchcraft among the works of the flesh which notwithstanding as all mē know is not a work of fleshly lust or lechery but a kinde of idolatry For witchcraft couenanteth with the Deuil superstition or idolatrie couenanteth with God albeit not with the true God but with a counterfet god Wherfore idolatry is in dede a spiritual witchcraft For as witches doe enchaunt cattel men so idolaters that is to say all Iusticiaries or iustifiers of thēselues go about to bewitch god and to make him such a one as they doe imagine Now they imagine him to be such a one as will iustifie them not of his mere grace and mercy and through Faith in Christe but in respect of their wil worshipping and works of their owne choosing and in recompēce therof wil geue them righteousnes and life euerlasting But whiles they go about to bewitch God they bewitch thēselues For if they continue in this wicked opinion which they cōceiue of God they shall die in their idolatrie and be damned The workes of the flesh are well knowne for the most part therfore they shall not neede any further declaration Sectes By the name of Sects Paule meaneth here not those diuisions or contentions which rise sometimes in the gouernment of housholdes or of common weales for worldly and earthly matters but those which rise in the Church about doctrine Faith and workes Heresies that is to say Sectes haue alwayes bene in the Church as we haue sayd before in diuers places Notwithstanding the Pope is an Archhereticke and the head of all heretickes for he hath filled the world as it were with an huge floud of infinite Sectes and errours What concord and vnitie was there in so great diuersitie of the Monkes and other religious Orders No one sort or Sect of them could agree with an other for they measured their holines by the straitnes of their Orders Hereof it commeth that the Carthusian wil needes be counted holier then the Franciscane so likewise the rest Wherfore there is no vnity of spirit nor concord of mindes but great discord in the papisticall church There is no conformitie in their doctrine faith religion or seruing of God but all things are cleane contrary Contrariwise amongst the Christians the word faith religion sacramēts seruice Christ God hart soule mind vnderstāding are all one and commō to all and as touching outward conuersation the diuersitie of states degrees conditiōs of life hindreth this spirituall concord and vnitie nothing at all as before I haue sayd And they which haue this vnitie of the spirit can certainly iudge of all Sects which otherwise no man vnderstandeth As in deede no diuine in that Papacie vnderstode that Paule in this place cōdemneth all the worshippings religiōs cōtinencie honest conuersation holy life in outward appearance of all the Papists Sectaries schismatikes but they all thought that he speaketh of the grosse idolatrie and heresies of the Gentiles Turks which manifestly blaspheme the name of Christ Dronkennes Gluttonie Paule doth not say that to eate drinke be workes of the flesh but to be drūken to surfet which of all other vices are most cōmon at this day Who so are geuen to this beastly dissolutenes excesse let them know that they are not spiritual how much so euer they boast them selues so to be but they folow the flesh and performe the filthie workes thereof Therfore is this horrible sentence pronoūced against them that they shal not be inheritours of the kingdom of god Paule would therfore that Christiās should flie drunkennes surfetting liuing soberly moderately without all excesse lest by pāpering the flesh they shuld be prouoked to wātonnes As in deede after surfetting belly cheare the flesh is wont to waxe wanton to be inflamed with outragious lust But it is not sufficiēt only to restraine this outragious wātonnes lust of the flesh which foloweth drūkennes surfetting or any maner of excesse but also the flesh when it is most sobre in his best tēperance must be subdued repressed lest it fulfill his lustes desires For it oftentimes cometh to passe that euē they which are most sobre are tempted most of al As Hierom wryteth of himselfe My face sayth he was pale with fasting my minde was enflamed with fleshly desires in my cold body and although my flesh was half dead alredy yet that flames of vnclene lust boiled within me Hereof I my selfe also had experiēce whē I was a Mōke The heat therfore of vncleane lusts is not quēched by fastīg only but we must be aided also by the spirite that is by the meditation of Gods word faith praier In deede fasting represseth the grosse assaultes of fleshly lust but the desires of the flesh are ouercome by no abstinence from meates an drinkes but onely by the meditation of the word of God and inuocation of Christe Verse 21. And such like For it is vnpossible to recken vp all the workes of the flesh Verse 21. VVherof I tell you as I haue also told you before that they vvhich doe such things shall not inherite the kingdom of God. This is a very hard a terrible saying but yet very necessary against false Christiās and careles hypocrites which bragge of the Gospell of Faith of the spirit and yet in all securitie they performe the workes of the flesh But chiefly the heretickes being puffed vp with opinions of spirituall matters as they
dreame are possessed of the Deuil and altogether carnall therefore they performe and fulfill the desires of the flesh euen with all the power of the soule Therfore most necessary it was that so horrible and terrible a sentence should be pronounced by the Apostle against such careles contemners and obstinate hypocrites namely that all they which do such works of the flesh as Paule hath recited shall not inherite the kingdom of God that yet some of them being terrified by this seuere sentence may begin to fight against the workes of the flesh by the spirit that they accomplish not the same Verse 22. But the fruits of the spirite are loue ioy peace long suffering svvetenes goodnes faithfulnes gentlenes or mekenes temperance The Apostle sayeth not the workes of the spirite as he sayd the workes of the flesh but he adorneth these Christian vertues with a more honorable name calling them the frutes of the spirite For they bring with them most excellent frutes and commodities for they that haue them geue glory to God and with the same doe allure and prouoke others to embrace the doctrine and Faith of Christ Loue. It had bene enough to haue sayd Loue and no more for loue extendeth it selfe vnto all the fruites of the spirite And in the. 1. Cor. 13. Paule attributeth to loue all the fruites which are done in the spirite when he sayth Loue is patiēt curteous c. Notwithstāding he would set it here by it selfe amongs the rest of the fruites of the spirit and in the first place thereby to admonish the Christians that before all things they should loue one an other geuing honour one to an other euery man esteming better of an other then of him selfe and seruing one an other because they haue Christ the holy Ghost dwelling in them because of the word baptisme other gifts of God which christiās haue Ioy. This is the voyce of the Bridegrome and of the Bride that is to say sweete cogitations of Christ holesom exhortations plesant songs or Psalmes praises and thanks geuing wherby the godly do instruct stirre vp and refresh them selues Therefore God loueth not heauines and doulfulnes of spirite he hateth vncomfortable doctrine heauy and sorowfull cogitations and loueth chearfull hearts For therefore hath he sent his sonne not to oppresse vs with heauines and sorrow but to cheare vp our soules in him For this cause the Prophets the Apostles and Christ him selfe do exhort vs yea they commaūd vs to reioyce be glad Zach. 9. Reioyce thou daughter of Syon be ioyful thou daughter of Ierusalem for behold thy king commeth to thee And in the Psalmes it is often sayd Be ioyfull in the Lord. Paule sayth Reioyce in the Lord alvvaies c. And Christe sayeth Reioyce because your names are vvryttē in heauen Where this ioy of the spirit is there the heart inwardly reioyceth through faith in Christ with ful assurance that he is our Sauiour and our byshop and outwardly it expresseth this ioy with wordes and gestures Also the faithfull reioyce when they see that the Gospell spreadeth abrode that many be wonne to the Faith and that the kingdom of Christ is enlarged Peace Both towardes God men the Christians may be peaceable quiet not contentious nor hating one an other but one bearing an others burden through long suffering or perseuerance without the which peace cannot continue and therfore Paule putteth it next after peace Long suffering or perseuerance Wherby a mā doth not only beare aduersities iniuries reproches such like but also with patiēce waiteth for the amendmēt of those which haue done him any wrong When the Deuil cannot by force ouercome those which are tempted then seketh he to ouercome them by long cōtinuance For he knoweth that we be earthen vessels which can not long endure hold out many knockes violent strokes therfore with long continuance of tēptations he ouercometh many To vanquish these his cōtinuall assaults we must vse long sufferance which patiētly looketh not only for the amendment of those which doe vs wrong but also for the ende of those temptations which the Deuil raiseth vp against vs. Gentlenes Which is when a man is gentle and tractable in his conuersation in his whole life For such as wil be true folowers of the Gospel must not be sharpe and bitter but gentle milde courteous and faire spoken which should encourage others to delite in their company which can winke at other mens faults or at least expound them to the best which will be well contented to yelde and geue place to others contented to beare with those which are froward intractable as the very Heathen sayd Thou must know the maners of thy frend but thou must not hate thē Such a one was our Sauiour Christ as euery where is to be sene in that Gospell It is wryttē of Peter that he wept so often as he remēbred the sweete mildnes of Christe which he vsed in his daily conuersation It is an excellent vertue and most necessary in euery kinde of life Goodnes Which is when a man willingly helpeth others in their necessitie by geuing lending and such other meanes Faith. When Paule here reckeneth faith amongs the fruites of the spirit it is manifest that he speaketh not of Faith which is in Christe but of the fidelitie humanitie of one man towards an other Herevpon he sayeth in the .13 Chap. of the first to the Cor. that charitie beleueth all things Therfore he that hath this faith is not suspicious but milde taketh all things to the best And although he be deceaued and findeth himselfe to be mocked yet such is his patiencie and softnes that he letteth it passe Briefly he is ready to beleue al mē but he trusteth not all On the cōtrary where this vertue is lacking there men are suspicious froward waiward dogged so neither wil beleue any thing nor geue place to any body They can suffer nothing Whatsoeuer a mā saith or doth neuer so wel they cauill sclander it so that who so serueth not their humor cā neuer please them Therefore it is impossible for thē to kepe charity frendship concord peace with men But if these vertues be takē away what is this life else but biting and deuouring one of an other Faith therfore in this place is whē one mā geueth credite to an other in things pertaining to this present life For what maner of life should we lead in this world if one man should not credite an other Mekenes Which is when a man is not lightly moued or prouoked to anger There be infinite occasions in this life which prouoke men to anger but the godly ouer come them by meekenes Temperance chastitie or continencie This is a sobrietie or modestie in the whole life of man which vertue Paule setteth against the works of the flesh He would therfore that Christians should liue soberly and
the messenger of Sathan to buffette him because he should not be exalted out of measure through the greatnes of his reuelations Therfore Augustine sayeth very well If a minister of the word be praised he is in daunger If a brother despise or dispraise him he is also in daunger He that heareth a preacher of the word ought to reuerence him for the wordes sake but if he be proud therof he is in daunger Contrariwise if he be despised he is out of daunger but so is not he which despiseth him Wherfore we must honour our great benefite that is that is of the preaching of the word and receauing of the Sacraments We must also reuerence one an other according to that saying In geuing honour one to an other c. But whersoeuer this is done by and by the flesh is tickled with vaineglory and waxeth proud For there is none no not among the godly which would not rather be praised than dispraised except perhaps some be so well stablished in this behalfe that he will be moued neither with praises nor reproches As that woman sayde of Dauid 2. Sam. 14. My Lord the king is like an angel of God vvhich vvill neither be moued vvith blessing nor curssing Likewise Paule sayth by honour and dishonour by euill report and good report c. Such mē as be neither puffed vp with praise nor throwne downe with dispraise but endeuour simplie to set forth the benefite glory of Christ to seeke the saluation of soules do walke orderly Contrariwise they which waxe proud in hearing of their owne praises not seking the glory of Christ but their owne also they which being moued with reproches sclaunders doe forsake the ministery of the word walke not orderly Wherfore let euery one see that he walke orderly and specially such as boast of the spirite If thou be praised know that it is not thou that is praised but Christ to whō all praise honour is due For in that thou teachest the word purely liuest godly these are not thine own gifts but the gifts of God therfore thou art not praised but God in thee When thou dost acknowledge this thou wilt walke orderly not be puft vp with vainglory for what hast thou that thou hast not receiued but wilt cōfesse that thou hast receaued the same of God and wilt not be moued with iniuries reproches or persecution to forsake thy calling God therfore of his speciall grace at this day couereth our glory with infamie reproch mortall hatred cruel persecution railing cursing of the whole world also with the contempt ingratitude euen of those among whō we liue as wel the common sort as also the citizens gentlemē and noble men whose enimitie hatred persecution against the gospel like as it is priuie inward so is it more dāgerous then the crueltie outragious dealings of our open enemies that we shuld not waxe proud of the gifts of God in vs This milstone must be hāged about our necke that we be not infected with that pestilent poyson of vainglory Some there be of our side which loue reuerēce vs for the ministery of the word but where there is one that reuerenceth vs there be on the other side an hundreth that hate persecute vs These spiteful dealīgs therfore these persecutions of our enemies this great cōtempt and ingratitude this cruell and priuie hatred of them among whom we liue are such pleasant sights and make vs so mery that we easily for get vainglory Wherfore reioysing in the Lord who is our glory we remaine in order Those gifts which we haue we acknowledge to be the gifts of God not our owne geuen for the edifying of the body of Christ Therfore we be not proud of thē For we know that more is required of thē to whō much is cōmitted then of thē which haue receiued but litle Moreouer we know that there is no respect of persons before God. Therfore a pore artificer faithfully vsing the gift which God hath geuen him pleaseth God no lesse than a preacher of the word for he serueth God in the same faith and with the same spirit Wherfore we ought no lesse to regard the meanest Christians than they regard vs And by this meanes shall we continue free from the poyson of vainglory and walke in the spirit Contrariwise the fantastical spirits which seeke their owne glory the fauour of men the peace of the world the ease of the flesh not the glory of Christ nor yet the health of mens soules although they protest that they seeke nothing else cā not choose but discouer thēselues in commending their owne doctrine and industrie dispraising other mens all to get them a name praise These vaineglorious spirites do not reioyce glory in the Lord but then do they glory then are they stout and hardy when they are magnified of the people Whose hearts they win by wonderfull sleights subtelties for in their words gestures wrytings they can coūterfet dissemble al things But when they are not praised and commended of the people then be they the most fearful men in the world for they hate shunney crosse of Christ and persecution On the contrary when they are praise and magnified as I sayd none are so stout no Hector no Achilles so bold and hardy as they Such a slie crafty beast therfore is flesh that for no other cause it forsaketh his function corrupteth true doctrine and breaketh the cōcord of the church then only vpon this cursed vainglory Therfore it is not without cause that Paule so sharply inueigheth against it both here and in other places as before in the .4 Chap. They are sayth he ielous ouer you amisse yea they vvould exclude you from me that ye should altogether loue them that is to say they would discredite me that they themselues might be famous They seke not Christes glory and your saluation but their owne glory my reproch and your bondage Verse 26. Let vs not be desirous of vainglory Which is to glory not in God as I haue said but in lies in the opinion liking estimatiō of the people Here is no right foūdation of true glory but a false foūdation therfore impossible long to stād He that praiseth a mā as he is a mā is a lier for there is nothing praise worthy in him but all thīgs are worthy of cōdēnatiō Therfore as touchīg our person this is our glory that all mē haue sinned are gilty of euerlasting death before god But the case is otherwise whē our ministery is praised wherfore we must not only wish but also to the vttermost of our power endeuour that mē may magnify it haue it in due reuerence for this shal turne to their saluation Paul warneth the Rom. that they offend no mā to the end sayth he that
our cōmodity be not euil spoken of And in an other place that our ministery be not reprehēded Therfore when our ministery is praised we be not praised for our owne persons sake but as the Psalme sayth we are praised in God and in his holy name Verse 26. Prouoking one an other and enuying one an other Here he describeth the effect and frute of vaineglory He that teacheth any errour or is an authour of any new doctrine cā not but prouoke others and when they doe not approue and receaue his doctrine by and by he beginneth to hate them most bitterly We see at this day with what deadly hatred the Sectaries are inflamed againste vs because we will not geue place to them and approue their errours We did not first prouoke them nor spredde abrode any wicked opinion in the world but rebuking certaine abuses in the church and faithfully teaching the article of Iustification haue walked in good order But they forsaking this article haue taught many things contrary to the word of god Here because we would not lose the truth of the Gospell we haue set our selues against them and haue condemned their errours which thing because they could not abide they did not onely prouoke vs first without cause but also doe still most spitefully hate vs and that vpon no other occasion but onely vppon vaine-glory for they would gladly deface vs that they alone might rule and raigne For they imagine that it is a great glory to professe the Gospel wheras in deede there is no greater ignominie in the sight of the world Chap. 6.1 Brethren if a man be ouertaken by any fault ye vvhich are spirituall restore such one vvith the spirite of mekenes He that diligently wayeth the words of the Apostle may plainly perceaue that he speaketh not of errours and offences against doctrine but of farre lesser sinnes into the which a man falleth not wilfully and of set purpose but of infirmitie And hereof it cometh that he vseth so gentle and fatherly wordes not calling it errour or sinne but a fault Againe to the intent to diminish as it were to excuse the sinne and to remoue the whole fault from man he addeth If any man be ouertaken that is to say be beguiled of the Deuill or of the flesh Yea and this terme or name of Manne helpeth something also to diminish and qualifie the matter As if he should say What is so proper vnto man as to fall to be deceaued to erre So sayth Moises in Le. They are vvont to sinne like mē Wherfore this is a sentence full of heauenly cōfort Which once in a terrible conflict deliuered me from death For as much then as the Sainctes in this life doe not onely liue in the flesh but now and then also through the enticement of the Deuill fulfill the lusts of the flesh that is to say fal into impatiēcie enuie wrath errour doubting distrust and such like for Sathan alwayes assaileth both that is as wel the puritie of doctrine which he laboureth to take away by Sectes and dissensions as also the soundnes of life which he corrupteth with daily offences Therefore Paule teacheth how such men that are fallen should be dealt withall namely that they which are strong should raise vp restore them againe with the spirite of mekenes These things it behoueth them specially to know which are in the ministery of the word lest whilest they go about to touch all things to the quicke they forget the fatherly motherly affection which Paule here requireth of those that haue charge of soules And of this precept he hath set forth an example 2. Cor. 2. where he sayth that it was sufficient that he which was excommunicate was rebuked of many and that they ought now to forgeue him and comfort him lest he should be swalowed vp with ouermuch sorow Wherfore I beseech you sayth he vse charity towards him Therefore the pastors and ministers must in deede sharply rebuke those which are fallen but whē they see that they are sorowful for their offences then let them begin to raise them vp againe to cōfort them and to diminish and qualifie their faults as much as they can but yet through mercy onely which they must set against sinne lest they that be falne be swalowed vp with ouermuch heauines As the holy ghost is precise in maintaining defending the doctrine of faith so is he milde and pitiful in forbearing and qualifying mennes sinnes if they which haue committed them be sorowful for the same But as for the Popes synagoge like as in all other matters it hath both taught done cleane contrary to the cōmaundemēt and example of Paule euen so hath it done in this thing also The Pope with all his bishops haue bene very tyrantes butchers of mens consciences For they haue burdened them from time to time with new traditions and for euery light matter haue vexed them with their excōmunications and that they might the more easily obey their vaine terrours they annexed thervnto these sentences of Pope Gregorie It is the part and property of good mindes to be afraid of a faulte where no fault is And againe Our cēsures must be feared yea though they be vniust wrōgfull By these sayings which were brought into the Church by the Deuil they stablished their excommunication and this maiestie of the Papacie which is so terrible to the whole world There is no neede of such humilitie goodnes of mindes to be afeard of a fault where none is O thou Romish Sathan who gaue thee this power to terrifie and cōdemne mens cōsciēces that were terrified enough before with thy vniust wrōgful sētēces Thou oughtest rather to haue raised thē vp to haue deliuered thē frō false feares to haue brought thē frō lies errours to the truth This thou omittest according to thy title name to wit the mā of sin childe of perditiō thou imaginest a fault where no fault is This is in deede the craft deceit of Antichrist wherby he hath most mightely established his excommunication tyranny For who so euer despised his vniust sentences was coūted very obstinate wicked As some Princes did howbeit against their cōsciences for in those times of darknes they did not vnderstand that the Popes curses were vaine Let thē therfore to whom the charge of mens consciences is cōmitted learne by this cōmaundement of Paule how they ought to handle those that haue offended Brethrē sayth he if any mā be ouertaken with sinne do not trouble him or make him more sorowful be not bitter vnto him do not reiect or condemne him but amend him raise him vp againe and by the spirit of lenitie mildnes restore that which in him is lost by the deceit of the Deuil or by the weaknes of the flesh For the kingdom whervnto ye are called is a kingdō
game and therefore they goe about especially the Gentlemen to make their pastours subiect vnto them like seruaunts and slaues And if we had not so godly a Prince and one that so loueth the truth they had ere this time driuen vs out of the countrey When the pastours aske their dutie or complaine that they suffer penurie they cry out the priestes be couetous they would haue plentie no man is able to satisfie their vnsatiable couetousnes if they were true Gospellers they should haue nothing of their owne but as poore men ought to folow poore Christ to suffer all aduersities c. Paule horribly threatneth here such tyrannes such mockers of God who so carelesly proudly doe scorne the miserable preachers and yet will seeme to be Gospellers and not to be mockers of God but to worshippe him very deuoutly Be not deceiued sayth he God is not mocked that is to say he doth not suffer him selfe to be mocked in his ministers For he sayeth He that despiseth you despiseth me Also he sayeth vnto Samuel They haue not cast thee avvay but me Therfore O ye mockers although God differre his punishment for a season yet when he seeth time he will finde you out and will punish this contempt of his word bitter hatred which ye beare against his ministers Therfore ye deceiue not God but your selues and ye shall not laugh at God but he will laugh at you Psalme 2. But our proud Gentlemen citizens and common people are nothing at all moued with this dreadfull threatning Neuertheles they shall feele when death approcheth whether they haue mocked thēselues or vs nay rather not vs but God himselfe as Paule saith here In the meane time because they proudly despise our admonitiōs with an intollerable pride we speake these things to our cōfort to the ende we may know that it is better to suffer wrong than to do wrōg for patience is euer innocēt harmles Moreouer God will not suffer his ministers to starue for honger but euen when the rich men suffer scarsitie and honger he wil feede them and in the dayes of famine they shall haue enough Verse 7. For vvhatsoeuer a man sovveth that shall he reape All these things tende to this purpose that ministers should be nourished and maintained For my part I doe not gladly interprete such sentences for they seeme to commend vs and so they doe in dede Moreouer if a mā stand much in repeting such things to his hearers it hath some shew of couetousnes Notwithstanding men must be admonished hereof that they may know that they ought to yelde vnto their pastours both reuerence and a necessary liuing Our Sauiour Christe teacheth the same thing in the .10 of Luke Eating and drinking such things as they haue for the labourer is vvorthy of his revvard And Paule sayth in an other place Doe ye not knovv that they vvhich sacrifice in the tēple liue of the sacrifices that they vvhich serue at the altare are partakers of the altare euē so hath the lord ordained that they vvhich preach the gospel should liue of the Gospel It is good that we also which are in the ministerie should know these things lest for our labour we might with euill cōscience receaue the stipend which is geuen vnto vs of that Popes goods And although such goodes were heaped together by mere fraud disceit yet notwithstanding God spoyling the Egyptians that is to say the Papistes of their goods turneth them here amongst vs to a good and holy vse not when noble men and gentlemen spoile them and abuse them but when they which sette forth Gods glory and bring vppe youth vertuously are maintained therewith Let vs know then that we may with good conscience since God hath ordained and commaūded that they which preach the Gospell should liue of the Gospell vse those things that are geuen vs of the Church goodes for the necessary sustentation of our life to the ende we may attend vpon our office the better Let no man therefore make any scrupule hereof as though it were not lawfull for him to vse such goodes Verse 8. For he that sovveth in the flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption but he that sovveth in the spirite shall of the spirite reape euerlasting life He addeth a similitude and an allegorie And this generall sentence of sowing he applieth to the particular matter of nourishing and maintaining the ministers of the word saying He that sovveth in the spirite that is to say he that chearisheth the teachers of Gods word doth a spirituall worke and shall reape euerlasting life Here riseth a question whether we deserue eternall life by good works for so Paule seemeth to auouch in this place As touching such sentences which speake of workes and the reward of them we haue treated very largely before in the .5 chapter And very necessary it is after the example of Paule to exhort the faithfull to good workes that is to say to exercise their faith by good workes For if they folow not faith it is a manifest token that their Faith is no true faith Therefore the Apostle sayth He that sovveth in the flesh some vnderstand it in his owne flesh that is to say he that geueth nothing to the ministers of Gods word but onely feedeth and careth for him selfe which is the counsell of the flesh that man shall of the flesh reape corruption not onely in this present life but also in the life to come For the goods of the wicked shall wast away and they them selues also at length shall shamefully perish The Apostle would faine stirre vp his hearers to be liberall and beneficiall towards their pastours and preachers But what a misery is it that the peruersenes and ingratitude of men should be so great that the churches should neede this admonition The Encratites abused this place for the confirmation of their wicked opinion against mariage expounding it after this maner He that soweth in the flesh shall reape corruption that is to say he that marieth a wife shall be damned Ergo a wife is a damnable thing and mariage is euill for as much as there is in it a sowing in the flesh These beastes were so destitute of all iudgement that they perceiued not whereabout the Apostle went I speake this to the ende ye may see how easily the Deuill by his ministers can turne away the heartes of the simple from the truth Germanie shall shortly haue an infinite number of such beastes yea and already hath very many For on the one side it persecuteth and killeth the godly ministers and on the other side it neglecteth and despiseth them and suffereth them to liue in great penurie Let vs arme our selues against these and such like errours and let vs learne to know the true meaning of the Scriptures For Paule speaketh not here of matrimonie but of nourishing the ministers of the church which euery mā
that is endued but with the common iudgement of reason may perceaue And although this nourishing is but a corporall thing yet notwithstanding he calleth it a sowing in the spirit Cōtrariwise when men greedely scrape together what they can seke only their owne gaine he calleth it a sowing in the flesh He pronoūceth those which sowe in the spirite to be blessed both in this life and in the life to come and the other which sowe in the flesh to be accursed both in this life and in the life to come Verse 9. And let vs not be vveery of doing good for in due time vve shall reape vvithout vveerines The apostle intēding to close vp his Epistle passeth from the particular to the generall and exhorteth generally to all good workes As if he should say let vs be liberall and bountefull not onely towardes the Ministers of the word but also towardes all other men and that without weerines For it is an easie matter for a man to doe good once or twice but to continue and not to be diseouraged through the ingratitude and peruersenes of those to whom he hath done good that is very hard Therfore he doth not onely exhort vs to doe good but also not to be weery in doing good And to perswade vs the more easily thervnto he addeth For in due time vve shall reape vvithout vveerines As if he sayd wait and looke for the perpetuall haruest that is to come and then shall no ingratitude or peruerse dealing of men be able to plucke you away from well doing For in the haruest time ye shall receaue most plentifull encrease and frute of your seede Thus with most swete words he exhorteth the faithfull to the doing of good workes Verse 10. Therefore vvhile vve haue time let vs doe good vnto all men but specially to those that be of the household of Faith. This is the knitting vp of his exhortation for the liberall maintaining and nourishing of the Ministers of the word geuing of almes to all such as haue neede As if he had sayd Let vs doe good while it is day for when night cometh we can no lōger worke In deede men worke many things when the light of the truth is taken away but all in vaine for they walke in darkenes and wotte not whether they goe and therfore all their life workes sufferings and death are in vaine And by these wordes he toucheth the Galathians As if he should say Except ye continue in the sound doctrine which ye haue receaued of me your working of much good your suffering of many troubles and such other things profite you nothing as he sayd before in the .3 chapter Haue ye suffered so many things in vaine And by a new kinde of speech he termeth those the houshold of Faith which are ioyned with vs in the felowship of Faith among whom the Ministers of the word are the chiefest and then all the rest of the faithfull Verse 11. Behold vvhat a letter I haue vvrytten to you vvith mine ovvne hand He closeth vppe his Epistle with an exhortation to the faithfull and with a sharpe rebuke or inuectiue against the false apostles Behold sayth he vvhat a letter I haue vvryttē vnto you vvith mine ovvn hand This he sayeth to moue them and to shew his motherly affection towardes them As if he should say I neuer wrote so long an Epistle with mine owne hand to any other church as I haue done vnto you For as for his other Epistles as he spake other wrote them afterwardes he subscribed his salutation name with his owne hād as it is to be seene in the end of his Epistles And in these words as I suppose he hath respect to the length of the Epistle Other some take it otherwise Verse 12. As many as desire to please in the flesh compell you to be circumcised onely because they vvould not suffer the persecution of the crosse of Christ Before he cursed the false apostles Now as it were repeating that same thing againe but with other words he accuseth them very sharply to the ende he may feare and turne away the Galathians from their doctrine notwithstanding the great authority which they seemed to haue The teachers which ye haue sayeth he are such as first regard not the glory of Christe and the saluation of your soules but onely seeke their owne glory secondly they flie the crosse thirdly they vnderstād not those things which they teach These false teachers being accused of the Apostle for three such execrable enormities were worthy to be auoided of all men But yet all the Galathians obeyed not this warning of Paule And Paule doth the false apostles no wrong when he so vehemently inueyeth against them but he iustly condemneth them by his Apostolike authority In like maner when we call the Pope Antichriste his bishops and his shauelings a cursed generation we sclaunder them not but by Gods authoritie we iudge them to be accursed according to that which is sayd in the first Chapter If vve or an angell from heauen preach othervvise then vve haue preached vnto you accursed be he For they hate persecute and ouerthrow the doctrine of Christ Your teachers sayth he are vaine heads and not regarding the glory of Christ and your saluation they seeke onely their owne glory Againe because they are afraid of the crosse they preach circumcision and the righteousnes of the flesh lest they should prouoke the Iewes to hate and persecute them Wherfore although ye heare them neuer so gladly and neuer so long yet shall ye heare but such as make theyr belly their God seeke their owne glory and shunne the crosse And here is to be noted a certaine vehemencie in this word compell For circumcision is nothing of it selfe but to be compelled to circumcision and when a man hath receaued it to put righteousnes and holines therein and if it be not receaued to make it a sinne that is an iniurie vnto Christ Of this matter I haue spoken largely enough heretofore Verse 13. For they them selues that are circumcised doe not keepe the lavv but they vvould haue you circumcised that they might glory in your flesh Is not Paule here worthy to be called an heretike For he sayth that not onely the false apostles but all the nation of the Iewes which were circumcised keepe not the law but rather that they which were circumcised in fulfilling the lawe fulfill it not This is against Moises who sayeth that to be circumcised is to keepe the lawe and not to be circumcised is to make the couenaunt voide Gen. 17. And the Iewes were circumcised for none other cause but to keepe the lawe which commaunded that euery malechild should be circumcised the eight day Hereof we haue before entreated at large and therfore we neede not now to repeate the same againe Now these things serue to the condemning of the false apostles that the Galathiās may
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
profite that commeth to the godly by the tentation of Satan 1. Iohn 4.4 2. Cor. 12.9 Sathan continually bevvitcheth meÌ„ Iob. 1. â— Io. â— 44 The false Apostles bevvitchers of men The example of Doctor Kraus The deuils definition of a false Christ The Godly must diligently vvatch VVorldly and secure men are soone bevvitched VVitchcraft vvhat it is VVho are bevvitched An other goodly commendation of the righteousnes of the lavve 1. Iohn 5.16 Hebr. 6.4.5.6 The errour of the Nonations VVho returne not to the truthe The Aposâ—â—o vseth bitter and rough vvordes Heb. 6. â— They that seeke to be iustified by the lavv crucifie Christ The Papistes are crucifiers of the sonne of God. The Monkes dreamed that they vvere only in the state and life of perfection * VVorkes of superogation they call such vvorks as thei doe of their ovvne good vvill more then they are bound to doe The illusioÌ„ of the Deuill In the time of poperie vve vvere so bevvitched that it vvas impossible to acknovvledge Christ Daniel 9 2â— Superstitious Monkes and such other by streitnes of life and afflicting their ovvne bodies sought righteousnes and remission of sinnes In you or amongst you Rom. 6.9 To seeke righteousnes by the lavve The abhomination of the papacie horrible The commendations of the righteousnes of the lavv of our ovvne righteousnes The fall of Lucifer An argument dravven from the GalathiaÌ„s ovvne experience Paule speaketh of the vvhole lavv Tvvo vvaies to iustificatioÌ„ The holi ghost is receaued by hearing the vvord of faith and not by the lavve Neither the teachers nor hearers nor yet the doers of the lavve are iustified bi the lavve Acts 10 44. Acts. 11.15 Acts. 15.8.9 Acts. 19.5.6 The lavv bringeth not the holy ghost Rom. 10.3 Rom. 11.7 Math. 3.16 The appeariÌ„g of the holy ghost Actes 2.41 Actes 10.44.45 Actes 15.5.6.7 Paulus Sergius the lieutenaunt The Ievves and Gentiles are iustified by faith onely The Gentiles iustified by faith Acts. 11.3 Verse 18. The murmuring of the Ievves against the Gentiles Mat. 20. The Councell of the Apostles Act. 11.17 Actes 15. Acts. 15 8.9.1â— 1. Cor. 1. â— That the holy Ghost is geuen by the onely hearing of faith The Papistes are our Ievves vvhich molest vs no lesse theÌ„ the Ievves did Paule The argument of the booke coÌ„teining the Actes of the Apostles The difference betvvene the lavv and the Gospell To exacte To geue freely Actes 10. â—8 Cornelius 〈◊〉 Gentile is iustified by faith The lavv helpeth not to righteousnes The fathers in the old testament vvere holy c. Faith in Christ already come and in Christ to come * Messias doth signifie Christ the Sauiour Rom. 1.17 VVorke of congruence or merite before grace The person first to be considered and then the vvorke Actes 10.1.6 2. Reg. 5.14.15.16 * He feleth his conscience vvounded in being present at idol seruice and therefore desireth God to forgeue 〈◊〉 left others by his example might fall to idolatrie For as for his ovvne parte he confesseth that he vvill neuer serue any but the true God. Iob. Niniuites Ionas 3.5 Galat. 3.2 The coÌ„science vvitnesseth that the holy Ghost is not geuen by the lavv but by the hearing of faith The blindnes of the Popes kingdome The orders and kindes of life that are appointed of God. The state of seruauntes allovved before God. The certaintie of true beleuers By vvhat meanes the holy ghost is geuen vnto vs. The disputation of mans reason Luke 12.32 To vvhom the kingdome of heauen is geuen VVhat the aduersaries doe obiect against vs. The obiection of the Pelagians against Christians Luke 11 45.4â— A man is made a Christian by hearing the doctrine of faith Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the vvord of God. The conflict of the flesh against the spirite in the godly To heare the vvorde of God. To begin in the spirite VVhat flesh signifieth in this place The spirite The flesh VVhat the papistes call vvorldly and carnall VVhat inconueniences maÌ„s ovvne righteousnes or the righteousnes of the lavv doe bring Paule maketh often rehearsall of the argument grouÌ„ded vpon experience The kingdome of God consisteth not in vvordes but in povver 1. Cor. 4. Ver. 20. Chap. 2.8 Chap. 4.14.15 The vvorkes of the Deuill VVhat happie successe the gospell had vvhen it vvas first preached The Popedom a very slaughterhouse of consciences The Anabaptistes the authors of tumultes and seditions hindred much the course of the gospell The Anabaptists enemies to the article of iustificatioÌ„ This mai rightly be applied to Munster KnipperdoliÌ„g and such outragious Anabaptistes of vvhom Sleidan maketh mention vvho before times had much hindred the course of the gospell Genes 15.6 Rom. 4.2.3 Rom. 4.19.20.21 c. The povver of faith infinite To geue glory to God. Faith geueth glory to God. Righteous before God. VVhat God saith if ye set faith aside harken vnto reason The iudgemeÌ„t of reason touching the articles of faith The Gospell is the vvord of the crosse 1. Cor. 1 18.2â— The chiefe vvorship of God. Faith â—layeth reason The vvrestling of faith vvith reason in Abraham The sacrifice of Christians Reason Gods enemy The commendation of faith The vnfaithful geue not glory to God. Rom. 4.20.21.22 * Formall is that vvhich geueth perfection to the substance vvherunto it is ioyned The remnants of sinne in the godly Rom. 8.23 The blindnes of the Scholemen God accepteth our vvorkes say the Papists not of duetie but of Congruence that is because it is meete that God should revvard them Mans reason Rom. 8.7 Reason must be killed by faith Math. 20.12 Psal. 2.2 The definition of the Christian faith The diuinitie of Paule Christian righteousnes consisteth in tvvo things A Christian iâ— a righteous man and a sinner Hovv they that fele sinne ought to be comforted Christians be Priestes The daily sacrifice of the nevv testameÌ„t Christian righteousnes Galat. 2 2â— Galat. 3.13 A child is borne vnto vs a Sonne is geuen vnto vs. Esay 9.6 VVe are reputed righteous by faith in Christ this Sonne and this gifte geuen vnto vs. The righteousnes of faith out of the xv chapter of S. Iohns Gospel Christ is called our obiect because the eie of our faith is directed vnto him * CoÌ„trary sayings Iohn 16.27 Iohn 17.8 The imputation of righteousnes Rom. 7.23 Rom. 8.1 Things contrary in Christ are made to agree 1. Tim. 2.5 Rom. 8.1 Ro. 4.11.12 c. Rom. 9.6.7.8 The disputation of Paule against the Ievves The bosting of the Ievves Actes 9.15 By vvhat meanes Abraham vvas iustified Genes 12.1.2.3 c. Genes 17.24 Genes 22.2.3 Genes 15.6 Rom. 4.18.19 Iames. 2.2 Galat. 3.6 That the carnall begetting doth not make vs the acceptable children of Abraham Iohn 8.39 The beleeuing Abraham and the begetting Abraham VVhat maner of ones the carnall children of Abraham are Iohn 8.38.39 Rom. 9.11 The first example of Ismael and Isaac Genes 21 1â— Rom. 9.7 Heb. 11.17 The second example of Esau and Iacob Genes 25. â—3 Rom. 9.12
geueth to the lavv 1 Cor. 15.56 The commendation of the lavv Rom. 7.12.14 The lavve is good and the lavv is euill Galat. 4.3 The lavve and Christe are tvvo vvhich can not stand together Esay 28.20 VVhy Paule calleth the lavv the elements of the vvorld 2. Cor. 3.6.7.9 Rom. 7.12.14 2. Cor. 3.6.7.9 The lavve is holy and righteous and yet is it the administration of death Galath 3.5.9 1. Cor. 15.56 2. Cor. 3.6 Paules maner of speaking must be marked Actes 9.15 The person office of Christ VVhy Paule calleth the mother of Christ a vvoman and not a virgin Iohn 1. â— 14 The errour blasphemie of the Papistes and Turkes The true picture of Christe Iohn 1.15 Iohn 3.17 The office of Christe A false opinion of Christ is not easely cast of The iudgemeÌ„t of naturall reason concerning Christ The sentences vvhich set out Christ plainly ought alvvais to be before our eyes Faith is our victorie 1. Iohn 5.4 The conflictes of the godly The vvrastliÌ„g of the flesh against the spirite in the Sainctes Galaâ— 5.17 The maner of our redemption Galat. 3.23 Rom. 5.12 Ephes 2.3 1. Pet. 2.20 Math. 26.65 Luc. 23.5 Luke 22.44 Luke 23.24.33 A maruelous combate betvvene the lavv Christ Ephes 2.3 The lavve ruleth all mankinde Math. 11.28 The lavv condemned and killed by Christe Christ by double right hath conquered the lavve * Prosopopoeia is a figure vvherby things that haue no life are fained personally to speake or to be spoken to Ephes 2.16 Ephes 4. â— c. Psal. 68.18 Rom. 8.3 Christ hy his victorie hath deliuered vs froÌ„ the terrors of the lavv The offence of the lavve agaiÌ„st Christ can not be forgeuen 1. Cor. 15.57 That vve be made righteous by Faith. The lavve by his iudgemeÌ„t killed the son of God. Coloss 2 1â— Christe vvas made vnder the lavve Christe suffered all the tyrannie of the lavve Christe came not to make lavves but to take the lavve cleane avvay The ministerie of Moises Galath 3.13 It is not the proper office of Christe to teach the lavv The particuler benefites of Christe Iohn 14.12 Christ is God by nature The true picture of Christe 1. Cor. 2.14 The obedieÌ„ce of the lavv is in the righteous Genes 22.18 In thy Seede Galath â— â—3 The Papistes merite ex congruo condigâ—o The holy Ghost is sent tvvo maner of vvayes Math. 3.16 Actes 2.3 1. Cor. 14.22 Actes 15.5 Signes of renevving of the mind in the Godly Christe our onely merite of congruence and vvorthines both before grace and after 1. Cor. 1 1â— Philip. 1.29 Psal. 116.10 The remnants of sinne in the Sainctes Smal differeÌ„ce in outvvard shevv betvvene a christian and a maÌ„ that is but outvvardly and ciuily righteous 1. Cor. 2.14 1. Cor. â— 16 Signes of the presence of the holy Ghost 1. Cor. 4.4 The doctrine of the Sophisters teaching that no man could knovv vvhether he vvere in the fauour of God or no. VVe must assure our selues that vve are vnder grace Rom. 8.9 Psal. 119.115 Grace is more strong and mighty then sinne Rom. 1.34 Psal. 5.9 Psal. 10.7 VVeaknes of Faith in the godly The full assuraÌ„ce of Faith. Galath 4.4 Esay 53.11 Psal. 51.10 Rom. 8.26 1. Pet. 5.8 The Deuils roring Ephes 6. â—6 The cry of the holy ghost in the hearts of the godly Ephes 6.16 Esay 42.3 Rom. 8.26 c. The profit of temptations Galath 3.13 Heb. 2.14 Rom. 3.27 Hovv vve are affected in the true triall and terrours of conscience 1. Cor. 12.9 The groning of the heart is a crie Luke 18.6.7 The vveapons of the godly vvhervvith they ouerthrovv the kingdom of the Pope c. Exod. 14.15 The crie of Moses at the red sea The office of the holy ghost In vvhom the holy Ghost doth his office and at vvhat time The tentation of Moses at the red sea Exod. 14 13.1â— The gronings of the faithful before God are great cries Psal. 31.1 Ah Father The Pope taught that vve must dout of Gods fauour tovvardes vs He speaketh not here of that douting vvhich sometimes riseth of infirmitie in the godly but of vvilful douting vvhich the Papistes teach maintaine The Pope kingdom The Papacy is a very slaughterhouse of consciences Eccle. 9. â—â— The chief drift of the Scripture to make vs certaine of the mercie of God tovvard vs Rom. 4.25 Iohn 3.16 One sentence out of the boke of the Preacher not vvell vnderstand vvas of more force in the Papacie then all the promises of the scripture Doutfulnes of saluation in th Papacie Hovv vve mai knovv that are iÌ„ gods fauour and haue the holy Ghost The doctrine vvhich vve professe is certaine The true meaniÌ„g of the sentence out of the .9 of Ecclesiastes VVhat thanks the vvorld geueth to them that deserue vvell of it Hovv vve must ouercome vnthaÌ„kfulnes Psal. 109.3.4 The vvill of God is seene in his vvord By vvhat meanes the adoption cometh vnto vâ— Galath 3.28 Galat. 4.3 VVhat Paule meaneth by a seruaunt in this place Rom. 3.20 Rom. 4.15 Galath 3 2â— The lavv must not be suffred to rule in the conscience Reuelat. 10.3 The lavv hath no povver ouer the conscience but ouer the flesh Gen. 22.4.5 VVhat the adoption bringeth 1. Cor. 13 1â— 1. Pet. 1.23 The vvord of God is the vvombe of God. Philip. 1. â—1 The godly haue nede of the comfort of the holy Ghost Rom. 7.24 Galath â— â—7 In this life vve haue but only the first fruits of the spirite Rom. 8.23 Paule hath alvvayes the name of christ in his mouth 1. Pet. 1.9 To slide in Faith is an easie thing The sleightes of the deuil to bring men froÌ„ Faith to the lavve VVhy Paule sayth that the Galathians returned back to vveake and beggerly elements God is knovven by Christe onely Iohn 1.18 Rom. 8.32 The true knovvledge of God. The highest vvisedom of reason Luke 15.11.12 1. Cor. 1.14 Rom. 3.11 There is no difference betvvene the Turks Ievves and Papists The imagination of all the meritmongers alike All meritmongers honour a God vvhich by nature is no God. God abhorreth vvil vvorshippings and vvorkes deâ—â—sed by man. Doctrine concerning the true God. To vvhat euils they be subiect vvhich destroy the doctrine of faith Rom. 1â— 5 Rom. 4.15 Rom. 1â— 4 God is not knovvne and the Blessing geueÌ„ through the lavv but by the gospel Genes 22.18 Rom. 2. â—2 The Gentiles Idolatry vvas grose CoÌ„trarivvise the Ievves Idolatry vvas outvvardly holy and therefore more hurtfull Rom. 1.19.20 A generall particular knovvledge of God. Rom. 3.11 Iohn 1.18 No man hath sene God. The diuers opinions of men concerning the vvill of god Rom. 1.22 VVhence idolatrie came The opinion of the Monke as touching Gods vvill VVorshippers of God vvithout his vvord VVithout Christe all vvorshippiÌ„gs and all lavves are Idolatrie The vvill of God. Galath 3.9 Galath 4.7 Ye are knovvn of God. Math. 11.17 Esay 53.11 The Apostles euen in their life time savv the subuersioÌ„ of those churches vvhich
they had plāted Rudiments or elements are called the prīciples and first beginning of any thing and so the lavve is but as an A. B.C in respect of the Gospel Rom 4.15 VVhen the lavv is vveake and beggerly and vvhen it is strong and mightie Rom. 10.2.3 VVhen the lavve is a vveake and beggerly rudiment The more a man seeketh to be iustified by the lavve the more he is drovvned in sinnes Ephes 2.3 Actes 15 1◠Luke 5.43 Of the vvomā vvhich vvas diseased vvith the bloudie issue The consciēce is neuer quieted through vvorkes VVhat profite Monks haue by their religion Luke 18.13 A liuely description of al the religious hypocrites in the kingdom of Antichrist The Fable is this that a dogge svvimming ouer the vvater vvith a pece of flesh in his mouth let the flesh goe and snatched at the shadovve vvhich appeared in the vvater Falling avvay from the Gospell is very easie They that are not tried vvith afflictions and tentations neuer feele the povver of the vvord of god Math. 7.15 Paules maner of speech If the lavve of God be vveak and not able to obtaine righteousnes much more the Popes traditions 1 Thes 2. ◠The Popes triple crovvn To fall from the grace of God. VVhat iudgemēt they geue of the lavve that knovv not Christe The thundrings of Luther against the Pope and his lavves 1. Timot. 1. ◠Galath 3.19 1. Timot. c. 7. The doctrine of the false apostles The holy dayes of the Ievves Galath 5.2 Coloss 2.16 Luke 17.20 The fatherly affection of Paul tovvards the Galathiās VVhat this vvord to labour i◠vaine importeth The Apostle novv speketh them faire vvhom before he did sharply chide A right patern of a godly pastour Galath 6.1 The frute of soūd doctrine The agrement of mindes is broken by vvicked doctrine They vvhich fall frō sound doctrine become vvorse thē they vver before The conditiō of the Apostles The Anabaptists bragge altogether of the spirite of illuminations reuelatiōs Falling from Faith is easie Galath 4.20 He mitigateth his former sharpe chiding The Master The Father Chastisement necessary and profitable Heb. 12.11 The Phisitian The stripes of a friend are better then the kisses of an enemie An obiection He praiseth the Galathiās because they vvere not offended vvith his vveaknes The commendation of the Galathians VVhat the infirmitie of the flesh is after Ieromes opinion The iudgemēt of the fathers vvhen the church vvas in prosperitie Marke that vvhen the church began to grovve in honour and vvealth of the vvorld it decreased in vertue knovvledge and other spirituall giftes vvhich before it possessed VVho they are that best vnderstād the Scriptures VVhat the vveaknes of the flesh is vvhich Paule speaketh of 2. Corin. 12.9.10 2. Cor. 11.23.24.25 2. Cor. 12.9.10 2. Cor. 2.14 The povver of the spirite in Paule Math. 11.6 Psal. 21.7 The spirituall tentations of Paule 2. Cor. 12.7 2. Cor. 7.5 The sorovv of spirite in the Apostles Philip. 2.27 Iohn 17. ◠Luke 4.32 Psal. 22.6.15 The praise of the Galathians Luke 1.48 Heretikes vvrest things that are spoken vvell to an euill meaning The name of Luther odious Truth procureth hatred Rom. 16.18 1. Timot. 2.4 Math. 7.15 Paule ansvvereth here to an obiection that might be made against him Zeale 2. Reg. 19 1◠The simple are deceaued by the pretence and fained zeale of heretikes A good zeale an euill zeale The zeale of the false apostles Math. 7.15 Many euils folovved Paules doctrine notvvithstanding that it vvas godly and holy Actes 24.5 Actes 16.20.21 The Ievves imputed all euils to the doctrine of the Apostles Actes 5.29 Rom. 9.3 The Apostles vvere the beholders of great euils not vvithout their great griefe The consolation of Paule Rom. 1.16 1. Cor. 1.23 Math. 11.6 Math. 15.14 All the troubles vvhich are at this day the vvorld layeth vnto Luthers charge Offence tak◠Math. 15.14 Actes 4.31 Acts. 2.21.36 Actes 2.36 Actes 4.12 The cōplaints of the aduersaries against the doctrine of the gospell Iohn 11.48 The Papistes iustifie their ovvne horrible sinnes and condemne our good deedes Math. 15.14 Apoc. 22.11 1. Thes 1.8 The Deuil defaceth the gospell vvith infinite offences Luke 11.21.22 Iob. 40.16 1. Pet. 5.8 Zelous spirits vvithous knovvledge are the authors of Sectes Iohn 8.44 Math. 7.15 The zeale of the spirit and the zeale of the flesh A liuely picture of a faith full pastor The Apostles are parents The forme of a Christian minde and hovv it is gotten 1. Cor. 4.15 1. Cor. 3.3 The forme of Christe Galath ◠13 Coloss 3.10 VVho be like to God. Ephes 4.24 Philip. 2 5◠An Epistle or letter is a dead messenger The true affections of an Apostle The vse of allegories and similitudes Hovv Paule handleth allegories Origen and Hierom. VVhy Paule calleth the booke of Genesis the lavv Iohn 15.25 Psal 35.19 Abrahams tvvo sonnes Ismael vvas a sonne after the flesh and Isaack after the promise An obiection The ansvver Both Isaack Ismael vvere the children of one father Genes 16.2 Sara had hard the promise of God as cōcerning the sede but she vvaiteth not gods appoynted time Sara resigneth vp her right Gen. 16.1.2 c. The humilitie of Sara Ismael the sonne of Abraham accordīg to the flesh * That is sayd to be done at aduenture or by chaunce vvhereof man knovveth not the cause although vnto God it be foreknovvne and appoynted Rom. 9.8 Abraham hath tvvo sortes of children VVho be the true sonnes of Abraham Note this cōcerning the mother Genes 17.19 The mother the sonne are expresly named An allegorie is that vvherby one thing is spoken and an other thīg is meant VVhat accoūt is to be made of allegories * They are called tvvo couenaunts one of the olde another of the nevv testamēt although in very deede they are not tvvo but are so called in respect of the times Abraham is a figure of God. Tvvo sortes of people Tvvo testaments Sina Agar Hermon Agar brought forth a sonne not an heire but a seruaūt Sina brought vnto God a sonne but a carnal people Psal. 147.19 The people of the lavve Rom. 10.5 The promises of the lavve the gospell The promises of God in the lavv are conditionall Deut. 26.1 c. Hovv the Ievves toke the promises of God. The Ievves persecuted the Prophets The lavv bringeth forth bondmen or bondseruaūts The lavv maketh not heires neither doth it iustify The earthly Ierusalem perteineth to Agar That vvhich vvas ordained in Sina vvas kept in Ierusalem It is not for euery man to dally vvith allegories Tvvo Ierusalems an heauenly and an earthly Sara the heauenly Ierusalem The earthly Ierusalem destroyed The citie of the lavv The earthly Ierusalem in bondage Ierusalem had a corporall kingdom for a time VVho are the citizens of the church Aboue The church triumphant militant Philip. 3.20 Ephes 1.3 The earthly and heauenly blessing The heauenly blessing The interpretation of the Monkes The foure senses of the scripture according to the Papistes
The heauenly Ierusalem vvhich is yet vpon earth The heauenly Ierusalem is set against the earthly not locally but spiritually The spirituall Ierusalem dispersed thorovv out the vvhole vvorld The Church begetteth children by teaching Isaac is heir through the promise Genes 17.19 Ephes 4.13 Esay 54.1 Esay 54. The song of Anna. 1. Sam. 2.4.5 The differeÌ„ce betvvixt the sinagoge and the church Iohn 8 3â— Iohn 3.18 1. Timot. 4.1 The teachers of the lavve gender bond-seruaunts Reason is taken vvith hypocrisie The church seemeth to be barren 1. Cor. 1.18 The Gospell hath but fevv disciples Actes 21.22 Hovv many yeares dayes times haue our Papistes appoynted vvhen the gospel should be ouerthrovne and they receaue their idolatrous Masse other abhominations againe The church in heauines The church barren before the vvorld The people of grace The difference betvvixt the lavv and the gospell The people of grace vvithout the lavve and the people of the lavv vvithout grace The lavve is abolished to all christians Esay 54.1 The church is barren and forsaken before the vvorld The childreâ— of the bondvvomaÌ„ vvith their mother are cast out of the house Rom. â— 4.5.6 Math. 10.12 The people of the lavv laborious and painfull The vvhole lavv is abolished A godly man feeleth the terrours of the lavve but by faith in Christ he is comforted Rom. 3.1 Iohn 3.36 The lavve hath no povver ouer a hose that beleue 1. Cor. 1.30 Galath 3.13 The outvvard abolishment of the lavve The gospell doth not release vs from all lavves * He speaketh of such gouernment as God hath appoynted vvhich no priuate man may conteÌ„ne vvith out the brâ—ch of conscience 1 Pet. 2.13.14 Rom. 13 5. The ceremonies of Moses lavv doe not bind vs much lesse the ceremonies of the Pope 1. Cor. 14.40 Tvvo things to be taken hede of in the keping or coÌ„maunding of ceremonies the offence of the vveake the pernicious opinion of merite The church is barren * No spirituall birth vvhich is vvrought by the vvord and spirite of God. * That is their regeneration in Christe by Faith and the holy Ghost Ioh. 8.37.40.42 Of children some be as Ismael some as Isaac The children of the promise The iudgemeÌ„t of the vvorld concerning the gospell VVhat the faithfull must be content to be called in this vvorld Iohn 16.2 VVhat folovved the preaching of the Gospell Psal. 2.2.3 Psal. 2.2.3 Psal. 2.4 The blindnes of the aduersaries Iohn 16.2 Rom. 9.1 Luke 9.26 Paule a pestiferous felovv Actes 17.6.7 Actes 24.3 Actes 16.20 Luke 11 21.2â— Luke 12.49 Hovv Christ comforteth him selfe against the euils that shuld folovv his preaching 2. Cor. 4.4 * He meaneth the Deuill Iob. 41.14.22 The faithfull see infinite profites by the Gospell Psal. 91.13 The article of iustification comforteth vs against al sclaÌ„ders and tentations 1. Cor. 2.12 The vvorld caÌ„ not but be offended at the preaching of the Gospel VVhy our aduersaries doe condemne vs. Greefe after the flesh and glory after the spirite Rom. 5.3 Gene. 21.9 The expositioÌ„ of the Ievves VVhat maner of man Ismael vvas Ismael vvould be preferred before Isaac for tvvo causes Ismael alvvayes persecuteth Isaac The spirituall persecution The Deuil persecuteth the church by violence subteltie Ephes 6.16 The spirituall and corporall persecution of the godly Iohn 1.44 1. Cor. 11.19 False brethreÌ„ at the first are frendes but aftervvardes they become most deadly enemies The brethern borne after the flesh must persecute the brethern that are borne after the spirit Psal. 41.9 The true doctrine of the gospel is the cause of persecution Christe comforteth his against the hatred and persecutions of the vvorld Iohn 15.19 Math. 10.24 Iohn 15.20 The name of Christe is the cause vvhie the vvorld rageth against the godly Iohn 16.33 Christ remaineth king and conquerour though the gates of hell fight against him Gen. 21 2â— Gen. 21.11 God coÌ„firmed the sentence of Sara Gen. 21.12 The sentence pronounced against the Ismalites is effectuall c. The vaine hope of hypocrites in condemning others The children of the bondvvoman haue no inheritaÌ„ce vvith the children of the freevvoman Iohn 10.35 The vineyard shal be let out to other husbandmen They that are borne of the bondvvoman are borne seruaunts of the lavve The Pope and all that seeke righteousnes by vvorkes are children of the bondvvoman Philip. 3.19 The vvorld embraceth the righteousnes of vvorks and condemneth the righteousnes of Faith. A comparison of the old Papacie and of the Papacie at this day The Iusticiaries make such a shevv of holines as if they vvere angels and no men Coloss 2. â—â— The contemplatiue life of Monkes and such other vvhich sequestred themselues froÌ„ the vvorld and all vvorldly affaires The deuotion and discipline of the old Poperie No holines of life can be set against Gods iudgement The Papistes at this day do not defend their vvicked life but their doctrine The Papists diuide the Gospell into precepts and couÌ„sels The precepts they are bouÌ„d to kepe say they but not the counsels and therfore if they kepe them it is a vvorke of superogation that is more then nedeth Bernards confession Phil. 3.9 The children of the bondvvoman are vnder the lavv The children of the bondvvoman shall at length be cast out Math. 25.29 Christian libertie Rom. 9.23 Paule trieth euery vvay to kepe the Galathians in the liberty of the Gospell 1. Pet. 5.3 â— The godly must staÌ„d fast that they lose not their libertie in Christe Satan deadly hateth the light of the Gospell The freedome of the Papists The fleshly libertie The Anabaptists and Libertines vvill be free to doe vvhat they list Freedom from the vvrath of God to come To haue God fauourable vnto vs for Christes sake is an incomprehensible freedome 1. Cor. 15.41.43.44 Freedom from the lavv sinne and death c The fruites of Christian liberty are not easily felt and laid hold of in tentations A remedy against the terrours of the minde in tentations Esay 54.8 Luke 11 28. Iohn 13.17 Christian libertie Liberty is frely geuen vnto vs for Christes sake Iohn â— 36 Math. 9. â— Iohn 5.24 Hypocrites bragge of God. Actes 15. â—0 Actes 10.43 The lavve is a yoke of bondage Galat. 4.10 Thei that seke righteousnes by the lavve are compared to oxen tied to the yoke No greater bondage then the bondage of the lavve VVho be the Deuils Martyrs Iohn 16.23 The corporall libertie of the Papistes This may truely be said also of our Libertines and carnal gospellers at this day Galath 6.6 The iudgemeÌ„t of the godly touching all doctrines religions and ceremonies VVho they be to vvhom Christ is vnprofitable Nothing is more hurtfull then the doctrine of mens traditions vvorkes Coloss 2.3 Coloss 2.9 The lavve of God the yoke of bondage Good vvorks are not condemned but confidence in good vvorks is coÌ„demned Reuel 12.10 VVhat vve must ansvver the Deuill vvhen he accuseth and tempteth vs. The true picture of Christ Math. 12.20 Esay 42.3 Math.
11.28 Math. 9.13 Math. 9.2 Iohn 15.33 Luke 19.10 The doers of the lavve doe not the lavve Verse 12. Verse 10. The conscieÌ„ce is not quieted and pacified vvith the obseruation of mans traditions Confidence in vvorks vtterly taketh avvay Faith or at least hindreth it in vs. Iusticiaries meritmongers vvill be recoÌ„pensed for their vvorkes vvith euerlasting life He that receaueth Moises in one poynt must receaue him in all Christians are free from the policie of Moises as touching their conscience Deut. 34. They that seke to be iustified by the lavve deny Christ Gal. 3.14 1. Cor. 1.12 Paule condeÌ„neth not circumcisioÌ„ but to trust in circumcision is that vvhich he condeÌ„neth Christe and the lavve can not dvvell together True Faith. VVe must either forgoe Christ or the lavve Deut. 27.26 The doctrine of the Pope led vs quite avvay from Christ and made him altogether vnprofitable to vs. VVhat daunger it is to seeke righteousnes by the lavve Iohn 3 3â— Iohn 5.18 The Popes kingdom is grounded vpon mens traditions 1. Cor. 4.7 VVhat he loseth thrt falleth from grace Math. 15 1â— Verse 3. Vers 14.25 Rom. 8.24 Rom. 7.15.16.17 Rom. 7.23 The righteousnes of the faithfull standeth not in feeling Faith hope differ in respect of their subiect Exod. 25.20 The differeÌ„ce betvven faith and hope in their office The difference as touching the obiect Difference in order Rom. 5.3.4.5 Difference in vvorking The differeÌ„ce betvven faith and hope in diuinitie is the same that is betvvene fortitude and prudence in policie As soone as vvee begin to lay hold on Christ our enemies the fleâ—h the vvorld the Deuiâ—l rise vp against vs but hope vvrâ—sâ—lâ—th against them all Psal. 116.10 Rom. 15. â— Rom. 5.1 Rom. 1.24 The true knovvledge of Christ is not vvithout the crosse Faith. Hope Charitie of loue 1. Cor. 13 1â— VVhatsoeuer the vvorld estemeth to be good and holy vvithout Christe is sinne A svvete consolation in anguish trouble of conscience Psal. 51.17 Psal. 51. Our righteousnes consisteth not in feeling but in beleuing Ephes 5. â—6 Rom. 5.8 Rom. 5.34 Rom 14.9 1. Cor. 15.3 Esay 66.2 Math. 11.28 Esay â—2 3 The treasure of the Faithfull 2. Cor. 6.7.10 A true and a liuely Faith. Paul shutteth all hypocrites out of the church of God both on the right hand on the left The vvhole life of a Christian The christian life is a course or a race That vvhich seemeth to vs to creepe runneth svviftly in Gods sight Math. 5.4 Luke 6.21 Rom. 8.28 Galath 3.1 False doctrine bevvitcheth men Falling in doctrine cometh of the Deuil The authority of the false apostles A consolation for them vvhich conceaue a false opinion of Christe Christe is set out in the Scriptures as a gift and as an example Coloss 2.3 1. Cor. 1.30 Rom. 10.4 To vvhom Christ must be set out as a gift and to vvhom as an example Math. 11.28 Iohn 6.27 Math. 3.17 1. Pet. 1.17 Coloss 1.13 The false apostles misreported Paule to the churches Doctrine and life must be separate farre a sunder The doctrine of Faith. Luke 11.34 Luke 11.36 Iam. 2.10 Charitie suffereth all thiÌ„gs but Faith suffreth nothing 1. Cor. 13. â— Charitie may be deceaued but faith cannot VVhen vve must exercise charitie and vvhen not VVhether vve may trust vnto men VVicked teachers are troublers of mens consciences The aucthoritie of the false apostles Galath 1.8 â— The differeÌ„ce betvvixt doctrine life No errour in the doctrine of Faith. Actes 13.50 Actes 17.4 The false apostles enemies of the crosse of Christ Gal. 6.12 The doctrine of Faith. 1. Cor. 1.17 2. Pet. 1.11 The church is in best case most flouriâ—heth vnder the crosse Esay 3â— 17 * He meaneth that God somtimes in punishing shevveth him selfe as though it vvere not he but Satan and contrarivvise Satan vvhen he flattereth shevveth him self as though he vvere God and not Satan Esay 53.12 The vvorld hath no pitie vpoÌ„ the godly Iohn 16.2.3 VVhat the vvorld loketh for by the death of the godly Math. 5.10 Marke 9.10 Luke 14.34 Actes 5.41 1 Pet. 3.14 1. Pet. 4.14 Luther vvil be at no vnitie vvith the enemies of the Gospell The Gospell setteth forth the glory of God and discloseth the craftes of the Deuill Math. 5.12 Paul vvisheth that the false apostles vvere cutte of VVhether it be lavvful for Christians to curse Galath 1.3.4 The Maiestie of Gods vvord is highly to be aduaunced Actes â— 20.21 Psal. 54.5 Psal. 55.15 * As Corah Dathan and Abiron Paules example in suffering VVhat the vvorld condemneth in godly teachers An obiection The Apostles after the doctrine of faith adde precepts of good life Philip. 1.21 Iude. 1.4 Carnall men vnderstaÌ„d not the doctrine of Faith. The saying of the vvicked The greatest part of men vnderstaÌ„d the doctrine of Faith carnally The profite of tentations 1. Pet. 2.16 The godly are free accordiÌ„g to the spirite but bond seruaunts according to the flesh Gal. 5.17 Carnall men abuse Christian libertie Christian libertie must be taught though men abuse it Coloss 1 1â— They vvhich vnderstaÌ„d the Christian libertie serue one another through loue 1. Cor. 3 11.1â— Leuitis 19 1â— MeritmoÌ„gers hypocrites vnderstaÌ„d not the doctrine of faith and of good vvorks 1. Cor. 3.12.15 Galath 4 1â— Reason is naturally delited vvith superstition No maÌ„ loueth his neighbour as himselfe Naturall corruption superstition remaining in the faithfull A saying of Hierome Paul teacheth good vvorks and condemneth euill vvorkes 1. Sam. 31.6 Math. 12.3 â—â— Math. 22 2â— Ephes 1.2 A brief summe of all Moises lavves The shortnes of the doctrin of all true christianitie To serue our neighbour through charitie A description of an hypocrite Charitie the bright sunne of all good vvorkes A briefe exposition of this commaundement Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Hovv our neighbour ought to be loued Charitie a singular vertue VVho is our neighbour The coÌ„maundement of charitie 1. Cor. 13.7 The doctrine of faith and charitie the shortest and longest The vvay hovv to kepe concord The ende of the authors of vvicked opinions Hovv the doctrine of faith and of vvorks is to be taught An obiection Galat. 2.16 Galat. 3.10 Arguments from precept to vvorke So euill consequence of the Sophisters It is vvrytteÌ„ therfore it is done The Loue of our selfe corrupt Sinne is not here layed to our charge because of our Faith in Christe 1. Cor. 13 1â— Charitie can not pacifie God. Apoc. 21.27 Esay 53.9 1. Pet. 2.22 1. Iohn 3.2 * He alludeth to the place of Exodus Chapt. 13.21 1. Cor. 13.12 Faith adorned vvith charitie is the papistes righteousnes Rom. 1.23 Deut. 6.5 Math. 22 3â— Marke 12 2â— Luke 10.27 Perfect loue God first loued vs. 1. Iohn 4.10 Galath 2 4. Galath 4.4.5 Galath 5.17 Desires and lustes of the flesh euen in the godly To vvalke in the spirite VVhat the coÌ„cupiscence or lust of the flesh is after Paule Beleuers are both sinners righteous Hierome The