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
precious Pearle Christ which he possesseth by faith This our aduersaries vnderstand not and therfore they cast away this precious Pearle Christ in his place they set charitie which they say is their precious Diamund Now when they can not tell what Faith is it is vnpossible that they should haue faith much lesse can they teach it vnto others And as for that which they will seme to haue it is nothing else but a very dreame an opinion and naturall reason and not faith This I say to the end ye may perceaue that Paule mentioning here the truth of the Gospell speaketh with great feruencie of spirite for the more reproofe of the contrary For by these wordes he reprehendeth the false apostles for that they had taught a false gospell for they required circumcision the obseruation of the law as necessary to saluation Moreouer they went about by craftie sleights and policie to entrap Paule for they watched him narowly to see whether he would circumcise Titus or no Also whether he durst withstand them in the presence of the Apostles and for this cause he reprehendeth them bitterly They vveÌ„t about sayth he to spie out our libertie vvhich vve haue in Christ Iesu that they might bring vs into boÌ„dage Wherfore the false apostles armed them selues on euery side that they might coÌ„uince and confound him before the whole congregation Besides this they went about to abuse the authoritie of the Apostles in whose presence they accused him saying Paule hath brought Titus being vncircumcised into the company of all the faithfull he denieth and condemneth the law in your presence which are Apostles If he dare be so bold to atteÌ„pt this here before you what wil not he attempt in your absence among the Gentiles Wherfore when he perceaued that he was so craftely assailed he stroÌ„gly withstode the false apostles saying we did not suffer our liberty which we haue in Christ Iesu to come in dauÌ„ger although the false brethren sought by all meanes to snare vs and put vs to much trouble but we ouercame them euen by the iudgement of the Apostles themselues and we would not yelde vnto them no not one hower for no doubt their drift was to haue caused Paule to surcease from this liberty for a time sithens we saw that they required the obseruation of the law as necessary to saluation But if they had alleaged nothing els but charitable bearing with the brethren no doubt but Paule would haue giuen them place But it was an other thing that they sought to witte that they might bring Paule and all that stucke to his doctrine into bondage Therefore he would not yelde vnto them no not the space of one moment In like maner doe we also offer to the Papistes all that is to be offered yea and more then we ought Onely we except the libertie of conscience which we haue in Christ Iesus For we will not suffer our consciences to be bound to any worke so that by doing this thing or that we should be righteous or leauing the same vndone we should be damned We are contented to eate the same meates that they eate we wil kepe their feastes and fasting daies so that they will suffer vs to doe the same with a free conscience and leaue these threatning words wherw t they haue terrified and brought vnder their subiection the whole world saying we commauÌ„d we charge we charge againe we excoÌ„municate c. but this liberty we can not obtaine like as Paule also could not in his time Therefore we doe as he did For when he saw that he could not obtaine this libertie he would not geue place to the false Apostles for the space of one hower Wherefore like as our aduersaries wil not leaue this free vnto vs that onely faith in Christ iustifieth so on the other side neither will we nor can we geue place vnto them that faith furnished with charitie iustifieth Here we wil and we ought also to be rebellious and obstinate against them for els we should lose the truth of the Gospell we should lose our liberty which we haue not in the Emperour not in Kings and Princes not in that moÌ„ster the Pope not in the world not in flesh bloude reason c but which we haue in Christ Iesus We should lose faith in Christ which as before I haue said appreheÌ„deth nothing els but that precious pearle Christ This faith whereby we are regenerate iustified and engrafted into Christ if our aduersaries will leaue vnto vs sound and vncorrupt we offer vnto them that we will doe all things so that they be not contrary to this faith But because we can not obtaine this at their haâ—des we againe for our parte will not yelde vnto them one heares breadth â–ª For here is a great and a weighty matter in hand namely touching the death of the sonne of God who by the will and commaundement of the father was made flesh was crucified and died for the sinnes of the world If faith here geue place then is this death and resurrection of the sonne of God in vaine then is it but a fable that Christ is the Sauiour of the world then is God also found a lier because he hath not performed that he promised Our stoutnes therefore in this matter is godly and holy For by it we seeke to preserue our liberty which we haue in Christ Iesus and therby to retaine the truth of the Gospell which if we lose then doe we also lose God Christ all the promises faith righteousnes and euerlasting life But some man will say The lawe is diuine and holy Let the law haue his glory but yet no law be it neuer so diuine and holy ought to teach me that I am iustified and shall liue through it I graunt it may teach me that I ought to loue God and my neighbour also to liue in chastitie sobernes patience c. but it ought not to shew me how I should be deliuered from sinne the Deuill death and hell Here I must take counsell of the Gospell I must harken to the Gospell which teacheth me not what I ought to doe for that is the proper office of the law but what Iesus Christ the sonne of God hath done for me to wit that he suffered and died to deliuer me from sinne and death The Gospell willeth me to receaue this and to beleue it And this is the truth of the Gospell It is also the principall article of all Christian doctrine wherein the knowledge of all godlines consisteth Most necessary it is therfore that we should know this article wel teach it vnto others and beate it into their heades continually For as it is very tender so is it soone hurt This Paule had well tried and of this haue all the godly also good experience To conclude Paule would not circumcise Titus and as he saith for no other cause but for that certaine false
of faith where neither the law nor reason do shine but onely the light of Faith which assureth vs that we are saued by Christ alone without any law Thus the gospell leadeth vs beyond and aboue the light of the law and reason into the inward and deepe secretes of Faith where the lawe and reason haue nothing to doe Notwithstāding we must hearken also vnto the law but in place and time Moises whiles he was in the mountaine where he talked with God face to face had no law made no law ministred no law but when he was come downe from the mountaine he was a lawgeuer and gouerned the people by the law So the conscience must be free frō the law but the body must be obedient vnto the law Hereby it appeareth that Paule reproued Peter for no light matter but for the chiefest article of all Christian doctrine which by Peters dissimulation was in great daunger For Barnabas and the other Iewes dissembled togither with him which did all offend not through ignorance or malice but for feare of the Iewes wherby their hearts were so blinded that they did not see their sinne And certainly it is much to be maruelled that such excellent men as Peter Barnabas and others should so sodenly and so lightly fall especially in that thing which they knew to be well done had also before taught vnto others It is a perilous thing therefore to trust to our owne strength be we neuer so holy neuer so well learned and although we thinke our selues neuer so sure of that we know For in that wherof we thinke our selues most sure we may erre and fall bring our selues and other into great daunger Let vs therefore diligently and with all humilitie employ our selues in the studie of the holy scriptures and let vs heartely pray that we neuer lose the truth of the gospell Thus we see then that we are nothing with all our giftes be they neuer so great except God assist vs When he leaueth vs to our selues our wisedom and knowledge is nothing For in the houre of tentation it may suddenly come to passe that by the subteltie of the Deuil all the comfortable places of the scripture shal be taken out of our sight and such places onely as containe threatnings shal be set before our eies shal oppresse vtterly confound vs Let vs learne therfore that if God withdraw his hand we may soone be ouerthrowne Neither let any man vaunt and glory of his owne righteousnes wisedome and other gifts but let him humble himselfe and pray with the Apostle Lord encrease our faith Verse 14. But vvhen I savv that they vvent not the right vvay to the truth of the Gospell This is a wonderfull example of such excellent men and pillers of the church There is none but Paule that hath his eies open and seeth the offence of Peter Barnabas and the other Iewes which dissembled with Peter On the other side they doe not see their owne offence nay they rather thinke that they doe well in bearing with the infirmitie of the weake Iewes Wherefore it was very necessary that Paule should reproue their offence and not dissemble it and therefore he accuseth Peter Barnabas and other that they went not the right way to the truth of the Gospell that is to say they swarued from the truth of the Gospell It is a greate matter that Peter should be accused of Paule as one that was falne from the truth of the Gospell He could not be more greuously reprehended Yet he suffered it patiently and no doubt but he gladly acknowledged his offence I sayde before that many haue the Gospell but not the truth of the Gospell So Paule saith here that Peter Barnabas and other of the Ievves vvent not the right vvay to the truthe of the Gospell that is to say they had the Gospell but they walked not vprightly according to the Gospell For albeit they preached the Gospell yet through their dissimulation which could not stand with the truth of the Gospell they established the law but the establishing of the law is the abolishing of the Gospell Who so then can rightly iudge betwene the lawe and the Gospell let him thanke God and know that he is a right Diuine In the time of tentation I confesse that I my selfe doe not know how to doe it as I ought Now the way to discerne the one from the other is to place the Gospell in heauen and the lawe on the earth to call the righteousnes of the Gospell heauenly and the righteousnes of the law earthly and to put as greate difference betwene the righteousnes of the gospell and of the law as God hath made betwene heauen and earth betwene light and darknesse betweene daye and night Lette the one be as the light and the day and the other as the darkenes and the night And would to God we could yet further separate the one from the other Wherefore if the question be concerning the matter of faith or conscience let vs vtterly exclude the law and leaue it on the earth but if we haue to doe with works then let vs lighten the lanterne of works and of the righteousnes of the law So let the Sunne the inestimable light of the Gospell and grace shine in the day and the lanterne of the law in the night Wherefore if thy conscience be terrified with the sense and feeling of sinne thinke thus with thy selfe Thou art now remaining vpō earth there let the Asse labour and trauel there let him serue and carry the burthen that is laid vpon him that is to say let the body with his members be subiect to the law But when thou mountest vp into heauen then leaue the Asse with his burthen on the earth for the conscience hath nothing to doe with the law or works or with the earthly righteousnes So doth the Asse remaine in the valley but the cōscience ascendeth with Isaac into the mountaine knowing nothing at all of the law or workes thereof but onely looking to the remission of sinnes and pure righteousnes offered and freely geuen vnto vs in Christ Contrariwise in ciuill policy obedience to the law must be seuerely required There nothing must be knowne as concerning the Gospell conscience grace remission of sinnes heauēly righteousnes or Christ himselfe but Moses onely with the law and the works thereof If we marke well this distinction neither the one nor the other shall passe his bounds but the law shall abide without heauen that is without the heart and conscience and contrariwise the libertie of the Gospell shall abide without the earth that is to say without the body and members thereof Now therfore as soone as the law and sinne come into heauen that is into the conscience let them by and by be cast out For the conscience being feared with the terrour of the wrath and iudgement of God ought to know nothing of the
the lavve VVho make Christ a minister of sinne The Gospell vvhat it is Commaundements in the Gospell vvhat they are The lavve is the ministery of sinne vvrath and death The Conscience thus gathereth Thou hast sinned therfore thou art giltie of euerlasting death A picture of Christ Deut 34. The lavve Christe Christ hath taken avvay all euils and hath brought vnto vs all good things VVhat Paule had destroyed by the ministery of the Gospell Moses geueth place to christ and the lavve to the gospel The Papistes are destroyers of the kingdome of Christ The difference of the lavve and the Gospell diligently to be marked Hovv the Monkes vvere vvont to coÌ„fort condemned Persons at the time of their death The maner of Popish confessions Faith vvithout vvorkes Paules maner of speach vnknovvne to mans reason Paule calleth grace the lavv Phrases of speach onely proper to the scripture The lavve against the lavv Psal. 68.19 Ephes 4.8 Hos 13.14 1. Cor. 15.55 Death against death Paules heresy He that is dead to the lavve liueth to God. The doctrine of the papists A speciall principle amongst the diuines That the lavv is abrogated Christ free froÌ„ the graue I am dead to the lavv VVhat it is to die to the lavve The flesh is subiect to the lavve but not to the conscience The coÌ„science ansvvering to the accusatioÌ„ of the lavve To liue vnto God. VVho is a Christian 1. Cor. â— 21 Death against death The lavve maketh vs not righteous but faith onely The very poynt of all this matter Coloss 2.15 In the matter of iustificatioÌ„ there is nothing for vs to doe but to heare vvhat Christ hath done for vs to apprehend the same by faith Good vvorks This sentence vvell vnderstand in the time of trouble maketh a man strong against all tentations A speeche or Dialoge betvvene the lavv and conscience The lavve of libertie A consolation against the terrours of the lavv c. The binding lavv through Christ is bouÌ„d it selfe Sinne condeÌ„ned and condemning Death killed and death killing As Satan is to others ouer vvhoÌ„ he hath dominion so is Christ to Sathan vvhom he holdeth bouÌ„d that he can not hurt vs farther theÌ„ he geueth him leaue 1. Iohn 5.4.5 VVhy Paule calleth grace the lavve The lavve bound and condemned cannot accuse vs. A holy pride Hovv he calleth libertie the lavv The lavv of grace binding the lavv of the ten commauÌ„dements Death killed by death that is the death vvhich vvas due to me is killed by Christes death The svveete and comfortable names of Christ Christ a poyson against death The lavv of the mind sette against the lavv of the members A most ioyfull combat The flesh subiect to the lavv but not the conscience To be crucified vvith Christ 1. Pet. â— 21 The true life of the faithful The faithfull crucified and deade to the lavv The glory of the faithfull VVe must haue Ghrist onely before our eies Such is our misery that intentations and afflictions vve set Christ aside and loke backe into our ovvne life past He speaketh of the olde man. Christ bestovveth himself and all that he hath vpon those that beleue in him VVhatsoeuer good the godly haue in theÌ„ it is Christes and vve are so knit together that he liueth in vs and vve in him Paules excelent and heauenly maner of speach Albeit the faithfull be sinners yet are they also righteous The Papistes faith Faith so knitteth all beleuers Christ together that they become one person Ephes 5.30 True faith is not idle VVhat occasion the malicious take of this doctrine Hovv the vveake are to be instructed Good vvorks are not the cause but the frutes of righteousnes Life taken tvvo maner of vvaies The faithfull liue not their ovvne life but the life of Christ Christ is our life The faithfull liue in the flesh but not according to the flesh To liue in the faith of the sonne of God. Philip. 2.7 The differeÌ„ce betvvene the faithfull and vnfaithfull The true vvay to iustificatioÌ„ The pestilent doctrine of the Papistes and PelagiaÌ„s These meritemoÌ„gers turne these vvordes of Paule vpside dovvne To doe vvhat in vs lieth The Papistes do apply matters of policy and ciuill gouernment to the church Rom. 7.14 The Papistes doe graunt that nature is corrupt but they say that the povvers and qualities of nature remaine sound and vncorrupt Christ first loued vs and not vve him The bragging of the integritie of our natural qualities is in vaine The greatnes of the price to be vvel vveyed that vvas geuen for vs. The sluggishnes of the Papists in handling the holy scriptures Hovv sectes may be vvithstande Hath geuen himselfe for me The true force of faith The lavve loueth not sinners but accuseth them A true definition of Christ The greatest cunning that Christians can haue is to define Christ rightly Christ loueth the afflicted and such as feele the vveight of their sinnes Me. For me As by Adam all became giltie so by Christ all that beleue are made righteous They that seke to be made righteous by the lavv reiect the grace of God. Antichrist reiecteth grace and denieth faith VVhat it is to reiect grace The vvorld is so vntovvard that it reiecteth the grace of God. Corrupters of Paule If the desert of congruence auaile ought then is Christ dead in vaine If the lavv iustifie Christ died in vaine The righteousnes of all Saincts is nothing in comparison of the righteousnes of Christ A common sinne to reiect the grace of God. The Pope the chiefe author of all abhominations in the church The Popes pardons If the lavv iustifie then is Christ died in vaine A comparing of Christ and the lavv together The deuilish peruersnes of the vvorld Ciuill righteousnes hath her revvards The righteousnes of faith is the righteousnes that pleaseth God. Reason although it be lightned vvith the lavve yea and the lavve of God yet it can not iustifie Galath 2.21 The praise of the righteousnes of the lavve VVho make Christ to haue died in vaine 2. Timot. 4.5 Paules order in teaching O ye foolish Galathians Paule offendeth not in chiding the Galathians so sharply The chiding of parents tovvards their children Anger sometimes a necessary vertue Iust anger is called in the scripture zeale or ielousie Math. 13 33. The sharp rebukings of the holy Ghost Prouerb 27.6 The naturall vice of the Galathians The remnants of naturall vices remaine in the Godly Ebr. 12. The scripture being one and the selfe same truth is diuersly handled of sundry men Grace by litle and litle clenseth those that be godly from their old sinnes Galat. 5.17 Rom. 7.13.14 There is none so pure vnspotted that he may be called a Puritane but Christ 1. Pet. 2.22 Esay 53.9 1. Iohn 3.2 A goodly coÌ„mendation of the righteousnes of the lavve That vvitchcraft and sorcerie are the vvorkes of the deuill Sathan bevvitcheth men spiritually The blindnes of those that are bevvitched Luthers conflâ—ctes vvith Satan 1. Peter 5.8 The
As though he would say I did not so conferre with the Apostles that they taught me any thing For what should they teach me since Christ by his reuelation had before sufficiently taught me all things moreouer since I haue now preached the Gospell the space of eightene yeares among the Gentiles Christ hath wrought so many miracles by me wherby he hath confirmed my doctrine Wherfore it was but a conference and no disputation Wherein I learned nothing neither did I recāt nor yet defend my cause but only declared what things I had done to witte that I had preached to the Gentiles faith onely in Christ without the lawe and that by this preaching of faith the holy Ghost came downe vpon the Gentiles which immediatly spake with diuers tongues Which thinge when the Apostles heard they witnessed that I had taught the truth Wherfore the false Apostles doe me greate wrong which peruert and turne all these things cleane contrary Now if Paule would geue no place to the false Apostles which set the authoritie of the true Apostles against him much lesse ought we to geue place to our aduersaries which haue nothing els to bragge of but the authoritie of their Idol the Pope I know that the godly ought to be humble but against the Pope I will and I ought to be proude with an holy pride and say Thou Pope I wil not be subiect vnto thee I will not take thee for my master for I am sure that my doctrine is true and godly But the Pope will not heare this doctrine Nay he would force vs to obey his lawes and his decrees and if we will not he will by and by excommunicate curse and condemne vs as heretikes Such pride therfore against the Pope is most necessary And if we should not so be proude vtterly condemne in the holy Ghost both him withal his doctrine the deuil the father of lies speaking in him we should neuer be able to defend this article of the righteousnes of faith We doe not then contemne the authoritie of the Pope because we would beare rule ouer him neither doe we goe about to exalt our selues aboue all souereigne power since it is euident that we teach all men to humble and submit thēselues to the higher powers ordained of God but this is it that we onely seke that the glory of God may be maintained and the righteousnes of faith may be kept pure and sound Wherefore if the Pope will graunt vnto vs that God alone by his meere grace through Christ doth iustifie sumers we will not onely carry him in our hands but will also kisse his feete But since we can not obtaine this we againe in God are proude against him aboue measure will geue no place no not one hears breadth to all the Angels in heauen not to Peter not to Paule not to an hundreth Emperours not to a thousand Popes nor to the whole world Be it farre from vs that we should here humble ourselues since they would take from vs our glory euen God himselfe that hath created vs and geuen vs all things and Iesus Christ who hath redemed vs with his bloud Let this be then the conclusion of altogether that we will suffer our goods to be taken away our name our life and all that we haue but the Gospell our faith Iesus Christ we will neuer suffer to be wrested from vs And cursed be that humilitie which here abaseth and submitteth it selfe Nay rather let euery Christian man here be proude and spare not except he will deny Christ Wherefore God assisting me my forehead shal be more hard then all mens foreheads Here I take vpon me this title according to the prouerbe I geue place to none Yea I am glad euen withal my hart in this poynt to be called rebellious and obstinate And here I confesse that I am and euer will be stout and sterne and will not one inch geue place to any creature Charitie geueth place for it suffereth all things beleueth all things hopeth all things endureth all things But faith geueth no place yea it can suffer nothing according to this aūcient verse Non patitur ludum fama fides oculus That is mans good name his faith and his eie will not be dalied withall Wherfore a Christian as touching his faith can neuer be to proude nor to stout neither must he relent or geue place no not the breadth of one hear For faith maketh a man here like vnto God but God suffereth nothing he geueth place to none for he is immutable So is faith immutable and therfore may suffer nothing geue place to no man But as touching charitie let a Christian man yeld and suffer all things for therin he is but a man. Vers 7.8 But contrarivvise vvhen they savve that the Gospell ouer vncircūcision vvas committed vnto me as the Gospel ouer circumcision vvas vnto Peter for he that vvas mighty by Peter in the Apostleship ouer the circumcision vvas also mighty by me tovvards the Gentiles With these words Paule mightely confuteth the false Apostles For here he chalengeth to himselfe the same authoritie which the false Apostles attributed to the true Apostles And he vseth here a figure which is called an Inuersion returning their argument against themselues The false Apostles saith he doe alledge against me the authoritie of the greate Apostles to maintaine their cause But I contrariwise doe alledge the same against them for my defence for the Apostles are on my side Wherefore O my Galathians beleue not these counterfet apostles which bragge so much of the authoritie of the Apostles against me For the Apostles when they saw the Gospell ouer the vncircumcision to be committed to me and knew of the grace that to me was geuen gaue to me and Barnabas the right hands of felowship approuing my ministerie and geuing thankes vnto God for the gift which I had receiued Thus he retourneth the argument of the false apostles vpon them selues And here is also in these wordes an ardent vehemencie and more contained in matter then in wordes is able to be expressed This seemeth to be a hard text where Paule sayth that the gospell ouer the vncircumcision was committed vnto him ouer the circumcision vnto Peter when notwithstanding Paule almost euery where preached to the Iewes in their Sinagoges and Peter likewise to the Gentiles There are examples testimonies of both in the Acts. Peter conuerted the Centurian with his familie which was a Gentile He wrote also to the Gentiles as his first epistle testifieth Paule preaching Christ among the Gentiles entreth notwithstanding into the Sinagoges of the Iewes and there preacheth the gospel And our Sauiour Christ in Mathevv and Marke commaundeth his apostles to goe throughout the whole world and preach the Gospel to euery creature Paule likewise sayth The gospel preached to euery creature vvhich is vnder heauen Why then doth he
contempt of God despaire c yet hath not he preuailed neither shall he preuaile hereafter He is greater that is in vs then he that is in the vvorld Christ is stronger who hath doth ouercome that strong one in vs shall ouercome him for euer Notwithstanding the deuill sometimes ouercometh vs in the flesh that we may haue experience of the power of a stronger against that strong one and may say with Paule When I am weake then am I strong Let no man thinke then that the Galathians onely were bewitched of the Deuill but let euery man thinke that he himselfe might haue bene and yet may be bewitched by him There is none of vs so stronge that he is able to resist him and specially if he attempt to doe it by his owne strength Iob vvas an vpright and a iuste man fearing God and there vvas none like vnto him vpon the earth But what power had he against the deuill when God withdrewe his hand Did not this holy man horribly fall Therfore this enchaunter was not onely mightie in the Galathians but he goeth about busily alwaies to deceaue if not all men yet as many as he can with his illusions and false perswasions For he is a liar and the father of lies And by this his subtill practise he hath bewitched as I haue saide these frantike spirites reigning in them and making them so obstinate and hard harted that no Anuil can be so hard Verse 1. VVho hath bevvitched you Here Paule excuseth the Galathians and laieth the faulte vpon the false Apostles As though he should say I see that ye are not falne thorough wilfulnes or malice but the Deuill hath sent the enchaunting false Apostles his children amongest you and they do so bewitch you in teaching you that ye are iustified by the lawe that now ye thinke otherwise of Christ then ye did afore when ye heard the Gospell preached by me But we labour both by preaching and writing vnto you to vncharme that sorcery wherwith the false Apostles haue bewitched you and to set at libertie those which are snared therwith So we also at this day doe labour by the word of God against those fantasticall opinions of the Anabaptistes that we may set at libertie those that are entangled therewith and reduce them to the pure doctrine of faith and there hold them And this our labour is not altogether in vaine For we haue called backe many whom they had bewitched and haue deliuered them out of their snares Notwithstanding such there are as will not suffer themselues to be taught especially the chiefe Sorcerers and authors of this witchery They wil heare no reason nor admit the scripture yea they abuse and corrupt the scripture and auoide such places as are alledged against them with their false gloses and deuilish dreames cleane contrary to the scripture which is a manifest signe that they are bewitched of the deuill Wherefore they are nothing amended by our admonitions but are much more hardened and more obstinate then they were before And surely I could neuer haue beleued but that I haue good experience therof at this day that the power of the deuill is so greate that he is able to make falshod so like to the truth Moreouer which is yet much more horrible when he goeth about to ouerwhelme sorrowfull consciences with ouer much heauines he can so cunningly and so liuely chaūge himselfe into the likenes of Christ that it is impossible for the poore tempted and afflicted soule to perceaue it wherby many simple and ignoraunt persons are deceaued and driuen downe to desperation and some also destroy themselues For they are so bewitched of the deuil that they beleue this to be a most certaine truth that they are tempted and accused not of the deuill but of Christ himselfe Such a like thing of late happened to that miserable man Doctor Kraus of Hal which said I haue denied Christ and therfore he standeth now before his father and accuseth me He being blinded with the illusion of the deuil had so strongly conceaued in his minde this imagination that by no exhortation no consolation no promises of God he could be brought from it wherupon he despaired and so miserably destroied himselfe This was a meere lie a bewitching of the deuil and a fantasticall definition of a wrong Christ whom the scripture knoweth not For the scripture setteth forth Christ not as a Iudge a temptour or accuser but a reconciler a mediator a comforter and a throne of grace But the poore man deluded by the deuill could not then see this and therfore against al scripture he thinketh this to be an vndoubted truth Christ accuseth thee before his father he standeth not for thee but against thee therfore thou art damned And this tentation is not of man but of the deuill which that enchaunter most strongly imprinteth in the heart of the tempted But vnto vs which are lead and taught by an other spirite it is a manifest and a cursed lie and a plaine bewitching of the deuill But vnto those that are thus bewitched it is so certaine a truth that none can be more certaine Seing then that the deuill is able to print in our hearts so manifest a lie that we woulde sweare a thousand times it were an vndoubted truth we must not be proud but walke in feare and humilitie calling vpon the Lord Iesus that we be not lead into tentation Worldly and secure men which after they haue once or twise hearde the Gospell preached by and by imagine that they haue receaued aboundaunce of gods spirite doe fall at length in like manner because they feare not God nor render thankes vnto him but perswade themselues that they are able not onely to hold and to maintaine the doctrine of true religion but also to stand against the deuill in any assault or conflicte be it neuer were so greeuous Such are meete instruments for the Deuill to bewitch and to throwe downe to desperation On the other side say not thou I am perfite I can not fall but humble thy selfe and feare lest if thou stand to day to morrow thou be ouerthrowne I my selfe although I be a Doctor of diuinitie and haue nowe preached Christ and fought against the Deuill in his false teachers a great while doe finde by experience notwithstanding what a doe I haue to holde fast and not to lose Christ For I can not shake of Satan as I desire neither can I so apprehend Christ as the scriptures set him forth but oftentimes the Deuill setteth before mine eyes a false Christ But thankes be to God who keepeth vs in the worde in faith and in prayer that we may walke before him in humilitie and feare and not presume of our owne wisedome righteousnes strength but trust in the power of Christ who is strong when we are weake and by vs weake and feeble creatures he alwayes ouercommeth and triumpheth
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
our Faith that we confesse Christ and his word by the power of the holy Ghost We ought not therfore to dout whether the holy Ghost dwelleth in vs or not but to be assuredly perswaded that we are the temple of the holy Ghost as Paule sayth For if any man feele in himselfe a loue towardes the word of God willingly heareth talketh wryteth thinketh of Christe let that man know that this is not the worke of mans will or reason but the gift of the holy Ghost For it is impossible that these things should be done without the holy Ghost Contrariwise where hatred and contempt of the word is there the Deuill the God of this world raigneth blinding mens heartes and holding them captiue that the Gospell the glory of Christe should not shine vnto them Which thing we see at this day in the most part of the commō people which haue no loue to the word but presumpteously contemne it as though it pertained nothing at all vnto them But who so euer doe feele any loue or desire to the word let them acknowledge with thākfulnes that this affection is powred into them by the holy Ghost For we are not borne with this affection and desire neither can we be taught by any lawes how we may obtaine it but this chaunge is plainly and simply the worke of the right hand of the most highest Therfore when we willingly and gladly heare the word preached concerning Christe the sonne of God who for vs was made mā and became subiect to the law to deliuer vs from the malediction of the law hell death damnation then let vs assure our selues that God by and with this preaching sendeth the holy Ghost into our hearts Wherfore it is very expedient for the Godly to know that they haue the holy Ghost This I say to confute that pernicious doctrine of the Papists which taught that no man can certainly know although his life be neuer so vpright blameles whether he be in the fauour of God or no. And this sentence commonly receaued was a speciall principle and article of Faith in the whole Papacie wherby they vtterly defaced the doctrine of Faith tormented mens consciences banished Christ quite out of the Church darkened and denied all the benefites of the holy Ghost abolished the whole worship of God set vp Idolatrie cōtempt of God and blasphemie against God in mens heartes For he that doubteth of Gods good will towards him and doth not assure him selfe that he is in the fauour of God this man can not beleue that he hath forgeuenes of his sinnes that God careth for him or that he shall be saued Augustine sayth very well and godly that euery man seeth most certainely his owne Faith if he haue Faith. This doe they deny God forbid say they that I should assure my selfe that I am vnder grace that I am holy and that I haue the holy Ghost yea although I liue godly and doe all good workes Ye which are yong and are not infected with this pernicious opinion whervpon the whole kingdom of the Pope is groūded take heede flie from it as from a most daungerous plague We that are old men haue ben trained vp in this errour euen from our youth and haue ben so nusled therein that it hath taken deepe roote in our hearts Therefore it is to vs no lesse labour to vnlearne and forget the same then to learne and lay hold vpon true Faith. But we must be assured out of dout that we are vnder grace that we please God for Christes sake and that we haue the holy Ghost For if any mā haue not the spirite of Christ the same is none of his Wherfore whether thou be a Minister of Gods word or a Magistrate in the common wealth thou must assuredly thinke that thy office pleaseth God but this canst thou neuer doe vnlesse thou haue the holy Ghost But thou wilt say I doubt not but that my office pleaseth God because it is Gods ordinaunce but I doubt of mine owne person whether it please God or no. Here thou must resort to the word of God which teacheth and assureth vs that not onely the office of the person but also the person it self pleaseth god For the person is baptised beleueth in Christ is purged in his bloud from all his sinnes liueth in the communion and felowship of his Church Moreouer he doth not onely loue the pure doctrine of the word but also he is glad and greatly reioyceth when he seeth it aduaunced and the nomber of the faithfull encreased Cōtrariwise he detesteth the Pope all Sectaries with their wicked doctrine according to that saying of the Psalme I hate them that imagine euill things but thy lavve doe I loue We ought therefore to be surely perswaded that not onely our office but also our person pleaseth God Yea whatsoeuer it sayth doth or thinketh particularly the same pleaseth God not for our owne sakes but for Christes sake who was made vnder the law for vs Now we are sure that Christe pleaseth God that he is holy c. For as much then as Christe pleaseth God and we are in him we also please God and are holy And although sinne doe still remaine in our flesh and we also daily fall and offend yet grace is more aboundant and stronger then sinne The mercy and truth of the Lord raigneth ouer vs for euer Wherfore sinne cā not terrifie vs and make vs doutfull of the grace of God which is in vs For Christe that most mighty Giaunt hath quite abolished the law condemned sinne vāquished death and all euils So long as he is at the right hand of God making intercession for vs we can not doubt of the grace and fauour of God towardes vs. Moreouer God hath also sent the spirite of his sonne into our hearts as Paule here sayth But Christe is most certaine in his spirite that he pleaseth god c therefore we also hauing the same spirite of Christe must be assured that we are vnder grace for his sake that is most assured This I haue sayd concerning the inward testimonie wherby a Christian mans heart ought to be fully perswaded that he is vnder grace hath the holy Ghost Now the outward signes as before I haue said are gladly to heare of Christ to preach teach Christ to render thanks vnto him to praise him to confesse him yea with the losse of goodes and life Moreouer to doe our duetie according to our vocatiō as we are able to do it I say in faith ioy c Not to delite in sinne nor to thrust our selues into an other mans vocation but to attend vpon our owne to helpe our needy brother to comfort the heauy harted c. By these signes as by certein effects cōsequēts we are fully assured confirmed that we are in Gods fauour The wicked also do imagine that they haue the same signes but they
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
treasure which is Christ and apprehend him in our heartes by Faith although we feele our selues to be full of sinne These words therfore of the Apostle that vve might be iustified by faith and not by the vvorkes of the lavve are very effectual and not in vaine or vnprofitable as the Scholemen thinke and therefore they passe them ouer so lightly Hetherto ye haue heard the wordes of Paule which he spake vnto Peter wherein he hath briefly comprised the principall article of all Christian doctrine which maketh true Christians in deede Now he turneth to the Galathians to whom he wryteth and thus he concludeth Since it is so that we are iustified by faith in Christ then by the workes of the lawe shall no flesh be iustified Verse 16. Because by the deedes of the lavve no flesh shall be iustified Flesh in Paule doth not signifie as the Scholemen dreame manifest and grosse sinnes for those he vseth to call by their proper names as adultery fornication vncleanes and such like but by flesh Paule meaneth here as Christ doth in the third chapter of Iohn That vvhich is borne of flesh sayeth he is flesh Flesh therfore signifieth the whole nature of man with reason and all other powers what so euer doe belong to man This flesh sayth he is not iustified by workes no not of the lawe Flesh therefore according to Paule signifieth all the righteousnes wisedome deuotion religion vnderstanding and will that is possible to be in a naturall man So that if a man be neuer so righteous according to reason and the lawe of God yet withall his righteousnes workes merites deuotion and religion he is not iustified This the Papistes doe not beleue but being blinde and obstinate they defend their abhominations against their owne conscience continuing in this their blasphemie and hauing yet still in their mouthes these execrable wordes He that doth this good worke or that deserueth forgeuenes of his sinnes who so euer entreth into this or that holy order and kepeth his rule to him we assuredly promise euerlasting life It can not be vttered what an horrible blasphemie it is to attribute that to the doctrine of Deuilles to the decrees and ordinaunces of men to the wicked traditions of the Pope to the hypocriticall workes and merites of Monkes and Friers which Paule the Apostle of Christ taketh away from the lawe of god For if no flesh be iustified by the workes of the lawe much lesse shall it be iustified by the rule of Benedict Fraunces or Augustine in which there is not one iote of true Faith in Christ but this onely they vrge that who so euer kepeth these things hath life euerlasting Wherefore I haue much and often marueled that these sectes of perdition raigning so many yeres in such great darknes and errours the Church could endure and continue as it hath done Some there were whom God called by the letter of the Gospell and by baptisme These walked in simplicitie and humblenes of heart thinking the Monkes and Friers and such onely as were anoynted of the Bishops to be religious and holy and them selues to be prophane and secular and not worthy to be compared vnto them Wherfore they finding in them selues no good workes to set against the wrath and iudgement of God did flie to the death passion of Christ and were saued in this simplicitie Horrible and vnspeakeable is the wrath of God in that he hath so long time punished the contempt of the Gospell and of Christ in the Papistes and also their ingratitude geuing them ouer into a reprobate sense in so much that they blaspheming and denying Christ altogether as touching his office in stede of the gospell haue receaued the execrable rules ordinaunces and traditions of men which they haue deuoutly adored and honoured yea and preferred the same farre aboue the word of God vntill at length they were forbidden to marry and were bound to that incestuous single life wherein they were outwardly polluted and defiled with all kindes of horrible wickednes as adultrie whoredom vncleanes Sodomitrie and such other abominations This was the frute of that filthie single life So God punishing sinne with sinne inwardly gaue them ouer into a reprobate minde and outwardly suffered them to fall into such horrible abominations and that iustly because they blasphemed the onely sonne of God in whom the father would be glorified and whom he deliuered to death that al which beleue in him might be saued by him and not by their owne execrable rules and orders Him that honoureth me sayth he I vvill honour Nowe God is honoured in his sonne Who so thē beleueth that the sonne is our Mediatour and Sauiour he honoureth the father and him againe doth God honour that is to say adorneth him with his giftes forgeuenes of sinnes righteousnes the holy Ghost euerlasting life Cōtrariwise They that despise me sayth he shall be despised This is then a generall conclusion Because by the deedes of the lavv no flesh shal be iustified The law of God is greater then the whole world for it comprehendeth all men and the works of the law do farre excel euen the most glorious wilworkes of all the Meritmongers and yet Paule sayth that neither the lawe nor the workes of the law do iustifie Therfore we conclude with Paule that faith only iustifieth This proposition he goeth about to confirme in this maner Verse 18. If then vvhile vve seeke to be made righteous by Christ vve our selues are found sinners is Christ therefore the minister of sinne God forbid If this be true sayth he that we are iustified by Christ then is it vnpossible that we should be sinners or should be iustified by the lawe On the contrary if this be not true but that we must be iustified by the lawe and the workes of the lawe it is then vnpossible that we should be iustified by Christ One of these two must needes be false Either we are not iustified by Christ or we are not iustified by the lawe But the truth is that we are iustified by Christ therefore we are not iustified by the lawe He reasoneth therefore after this maner If then vvhile vve seeke to be made c. That is If we seeke to be iustified by Christ and so being iustified we are yet foūd sinners hauing neede of the lawe to iustifie vs being sinners If we haue neede I say of the obseruation of the lawe to iustifie vs so that they which are righteous in Christ are not righteous but haue yet neede of the lawe to iustifie them Or if he that is iustified by Christ must yet further be iustified by the lawe then is Christ nothing else but a lawgeuer and a minister of sinne Therfore he that is iustified and holy in Christ is not iustified or holy but hath yet neede of the righteousnes and holines of the lawe But we are in deede iustified and made righteous in
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