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
to conscience a seruaunt and slaue Verse 15. VVe vvhich are Ievves by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles That is to say we are borne vnto the righteousnes of the lawe to Moses and to circumcision and euē in our birth we bring the law with vs We haue the righteousnes of the law by nature as Paule before sayth of him selfe in the first chapter Being zelous of the traditions of the fathers Wherefore if we be compared to the Gentiles we are no sinners we are not without the law without works as the Gentiles but we are Iewes borne we are borne righteous brought vp in righteousnes Our righteousnes beginneth euē with our birth for the Iewish religion is naturall vnto vs. For God commaunded Abraham to circumcise euery man childe the eight day This law of circumcision receiued from the fathers Moses afterward confirmed It is a great matter therfore that we are Iewes by nature Notwithstanding although we haue this prerogatiue that we are righteous by nature borne to the law and the workes therof and are not sinners as the Gentiles yet are we not therfore righteous before God. Hereby it is euident that Paule speaketh not of ceremonies or of the ceremoniall lawe as some doe affirme but of a farre waightier matter namely of the natiuitie of the Iewes whom he denieth to be righteous although they be borne holy be circumcised keepe the lawe haue the adoption the glory the couenaunt the fathers the true worship God Christ the promises liue in them and glory in the same as they say Iohn 8. VVe are the seede of Abraham Also vve haue one father vvhich is God. And to the Romaines Beholde thou art called a Ievv and restest in the lavv c. Wherfore although that Peter and the other Apostles were the children of God righteous according to the law the works and the righteousnes therof circumcision the adoption the couenaūts the promises the Apostleship and all such like yet Christian righteousnes commeth not therby for none of all these is faith in Christ which onely as foloweth in the text iustifieth and not the law Not that the law is euil or damnable for the law circumcision and such like are not therefore condemned because they iustifie not but Paule therfore taketh from them the office of iustification because the false apostles contended that by them without faith and onely by the worke wrought men are iustified saued This was not to be suffred of Paule For where faith ceaseth all things are deadly the law circumcision the adoption the temple the worship of God the promises yea God and Christ him selfe without faith profiteth nothing Paule therfore speaketh generally against all things which are contrary to faith and not against ceremonies onely Verse 16. Knovv that a man is not iustified by the vvorks of the lavv but by the faith of Iesus Christ This clause the vvorke of the lavv reacheth farre and comprehēdeth much We take the worke of the law therefore generally for that which is contrary to grace What so euer is not grace is the law whether it be Iudiciall ceremoniall or the ten commaundements Wherfore if thou couldest doe the workes of the lawe according to this commaūdement Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God vvithall thy heart c. which no mā yet euer did or could do notwithstanding thou shouldest not be iustified before God for a man is not iustified by the workes of the law But hereof we will speake more largely hereafter The worke of the law then according to Paule signifieth the worke of the whole law whether it be ceremoniall or Moral Now if the worke of the morall law doe not iustifie much lesse doth circumcision iustifie which is a worke of the ceremonial law Wherfore when Paule sayth as he oftentimes doth that by the lavv or by the vvorkes of the lavv which are both one a man is not iustified he speaketh generally of the whole law setting the righteousnes of faith against the righteousnes of the whole law For the righteousnes of the law sayth he a man is not pronounced righteous before God but the righteousnes of faith God imputeth freely through grace for Christes sake The lawe no doubt is holy righteous and good and consequently the works of the law are holy righteous and good yet notwithstanding a man is not iustified therby before God. Now the works of the law may be done either before iustificatiō or after There were many good men euen amōgst the Paganes as Xenophon Aristides Fabius Cicero Pomponius Atticus others which before iustification performed the deedes of the lawe and did notable workes Cicero suffered death valiantly in a good a iust cause Pomponius was a cōstant man loued truth for he neuer made lie him self nor could suffer the same in any other Now constancie truth are noble vertues excellent works of the lawe yet were they not iustified therby After iustification Peter Paule al other christians haue done do the works of the law but yet are they not iustified therby I knovv not my selfe giltie in anything sayth Paule and yet am I not therby iustified We see then that he speaketh not of any part of the law but of the whole law and all the workes thereof The Diuinitie of the Sophisters commonly called the Scholemen Wherfore the wicked pernicious opinion of the Papists is vtterly to be condemned which do attribute the merite of grace remission of sinnes to the worke wrought For they say that a good worke before grace is auaileable to obtaine grace of Congruence which they call meritum de Congruo because it is meete and conuenient that God should reward such a worke But when grace is obtained the worke folowing deserueth euerlastīg life of due det worthines which they cal meritum de Condigno As for exāple If a mā being in deadly sin without grace do a good worke of his owne good naturall inclination that is if he say or heare a Masse or geue almes and such like this man of cōgruence deserueth grace When he hath thus obtained grace he doth a worke which of worthines deserueth euerlasting life For the first god is no detter but because he is iust and good it behoueth him to approue such a good worke though it be done in deadly sinne to geue grace for such a seruice But when grace is obtained God is become a detter and is constrained of right and duetie to geue eternal life For now it is not onely a worke of freewill done according to the substance but also done in grace which maketh gratious that is to say in loue This is the Diuinitie of the Antichristian kingdom Which here I recite to the ende that the disputation of Paule may be the better vnderstand For two contrary things being set together be the better knowen and moreouer that all mē
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
was once crucified rose againe both in them selues in the church and in the hearts of the faithfull for with their spiteful reproches rebukes sclaūders and iniuries they spit vpon him and with their wicked opinions they wounde him and thrust him thorow that in them he may die most miserably and in the steade of him they set vp a glorious witchcraft wherby men are so miserably charmed and deluded that they cā not know Christ to be their iustifier their reconciler and Sauiour but a minister of sinne their accuser their iudge and their destroyer which must be pacified no otherwise then by our workes and merites And out of this opinion did afterwards spring the most pestilent pernicious doctrine that is in the whole Papacie which is this If thou wilt serue God thou must merite forgeuenes of sinnes and euerlasting life and must also helpe others to attaine saluation Thou must enter into a Monasterie vow obedience chastitie pouertie c. Monks and Friers and the rest of that religious rable being puffed vp with this opinion of their owne holines dreamed that they onely were in the life and state of perfection and that other Christians led but a common life for they did no vndue workes or more then they were bounde to doe that is they did not vowe and keepe chastitie pouertie obedience c. they were but onely baptised and kept the ten commaundements But as for them selues besides that which was common as wel to them as to other Christians they kept also the works of supererogation and the counsels of Christ wherfore they hoped to haue merite and a place in heauen amongs the principall Saintes farre aboue the common sort of Christians This was vndoutedly an horrible illusion of the deuill wherby he hath bewitched almost the whole world And euery man the more holy he would seeme to be the more he is snared with this witcherie that is to say with that pestilent perswasion of his owne righteousnes And this was the cause that we could not know that Iesus Christ was our Mediatour Sauiour but we did thinke that he was a seuere iudge which should be pacified by our owne workes which was nothing else but most horribly to blaspheme Christ and as Paule said before to reiect the grace of God to make the death of Christ of none effect and not onely to kill him but also most shamefully to crucifie him againe And this is the right meaning of that which Christ alledgeth out of Daniell that abomination standeth in the holy place Wherefore euery monke and religious person and euery Iusticiarie seeking remission of sinnes and righteousnes by his owne works or by his afflictions is a crucifier of Christ nowe raigning and liuing although not in the proper person of Christ yet in his owne heart and in the hearts of others And whosoeuer doe enter into Monasteries to the ende that by the keping of their rule and order they may be iustified doe enter into the dennes of theeues and such as crucifie Christ againe Wherefore Paule vseth in this place very rigorous and bitter wordes to the ende that he may feare and call backe the Galathians from the doctrine of the false Apostles As if he should say Consider well what ye haue done Ye haue crucified Christ againe and this I doe so plainly shewe and paint out before your eyes that ye may see it yea and touch it with your handes because ye seeke to be iustified by the lawe But if righteousnes come by the lawe then is Christ a minister of sinne and his death altogether in vaine If this be true then must it needes follow that Christ is crucified againe in you And it is not without cause that he addeth this clause in you or among you For Christ is no more crucified or dieth any more in his owne person as is saide in the sixte chapter to the Romaines but he dieth in vs when we reiecting true doctrine grace faith free remission of sinnes seeke to be iustified by our owne workes or else by the workes commaunded in the law Here Christ is crucified in vs againe Now this false and wicked perswasion to seeke righteousnes by the law and workes is nothing else as I haue before more amplie declared but the illusion of the Deuill wherwith men are so bewitched that in no wise they can acknowledge the benefite of Christ yea in all their life they can doe nothing else but not onely denie the Lord who hath bought them and in whose name they are baptised but also crucifie him againe in them selues Who so euer then hath a feare of God and a true heart to Christ and his religion let him flie quickly out of this Babylon and let him tremble at the very name of the Papacie For the impietie abomination therof is so horrible that no man is able to expresse it with words neither cā it be otherwise seene then with spiritual eies only These two argumentes Paule prosecuteth driueth into the heades of the Galathians very diligently First that they are so bewitched of the deuill that they obey not the truth most clearely set forth before their eies Secondly that they crucifie Christ againe in them selues These seeme to be simple and plaine words and without any high eloquence but in very deede they are so mighty that they exceede all the eloquence of man It can not therfore be cōprehended but onely in spirit how great an impietie it is to seeke to be iustified by the righteousnes of the law or by mans owne righteousnes For as Paul saith here it is nothing els but to be witched of the deuill to be disobedient to the truth and to crucifie Christ againe Are not these goodly commendations of the righteousnes of the law and mans owne righteousnes The Apostle therefore is here kindled with greate zeale and with bitter words he pursueth condemneth the presumption of our owne righteousnes rising vpon the obseruation of the law of God and chargeth it with this impiety that it crucifieth againe the sonne of god Seing then it is so daungerous a thinge it can not be beaten downe enough or condemned as it should be For therof ensueth such a fall as is no lesse then the fall of Lucifer and such a losse as can neuer be recouered and therfore he vseth so sharpe and rigorous words against it that he spareth not the very law of God against the which he so bitterly inueieth that it seemeth he would vtterly reiect and condemne it And this doth he being constrained by greate necessity for otherwise he could not withstand the false Apostles nor defend the righteousnes of faith against them Albeit then that the law be holy iust and good yet must it put on as it were the visour of an hipocrite if he seeke to be iustified by workes Now he presseth them with an argument wherof they themselues had good experience and
throughout the whole world Therefore whatsoeuer is without that Blessing is accursed And this Paul sheweth plainly when he sayth Verse 10. For as many as are of the vvorks of the lavv are accursed Here ye see that the Curse is as it were a floude swallowing vp whatsoeuer is without Abraham that is to say without faith and the promise of the Blessing of Abraham Now if the law it selfe geuen by Moses at the cōmaūdement of God maketh them subiect to the Curse which are vnder it much more shall the lawes and traditions deuised by mans braine doe the same He therefore that will auoid the Curse must lay hold vpon the promise of Blessing or vpon the faith of Abraham or els shall he abide vnder the Curse Vpon this place therefore shal be blessed in thee it followeth that all nations whether they were before Abraham in his time or after him are accursed shall remaine vnder the Curse for euer vnlesse they be blessed in the faith of Abraham vnto whom the promise of Blessing was geuen to be published by his seede throughout the whole world To know these things it is very necessary for they helpe greatly to comfort troubled and afflicted consciences moreouer they teach vs to separate the righteousnes of Faith from the righteousnes of the flesh or ciuill righteousnes For we must note that Paule here is in hande not with a matter of policie but with a matter diuine and spirituall before God lest any mad braine should cauill and say that he curseth and cōdemneth politike lawes and Magistrates Here all the Sophisters and popish Scholemen are dumme and can say nothing Therefore the readers must be admonished that in this place ther is nothing handled as touching ciuill lawes or touching manners and matters politicall which are the ordinaunces of God and good thinges and the scripture elsewhere approueth and commendeth the same but of a spirituall righteousnes by which we are iustified before God and are called the children of God in the kingdom of heauen To be briefe there is nothing handled here concerning the bodily life but concerding euerlasting life where no blessing is to be hoped for or righteousnes to be sought either through the law or traditions or whatsoeuer can be named in this life besides the promise of Abrahams Blessing Let ciuill lawes and ordinaunces abide in their right place and order let the magistrate make good and notable lawes yet notwithstanding they deliuer no man from the Curse of Gods law The kingdome of Babylon ordained of God and by him committed vnto Kings had excellent lawes and all nations were commaunded to obey them notwithstanding this obedience of the lawes did not saue it from the Curse of the lawe of god In like manner we obey the lawes of Princes and magistrates but we are not thereby made righteous before God For here we are in an other matter It is not without cause that I doe so earnestly vrge this distinction For it is very necessary to knowe it Albeit there are very fewe that doe marke it and vnderstand it in deede Againe the confounding and mingling together of the heauenly and ciuill righteousnes is very easie In the ciuill righteousnes we must haue regarde to lawes and workes but in the spirituall diuine and heauenly righteousnes we must vtterly reiect all lawes and workes and set the onely promise and Blessing before our eies which layeth before vs Christ the geuer of this Blessing and of grace and our onely Sauiour So that this spirituall righteousnes secluding the law and all workes looketh only vnto the grace and blessing which is geuen by Christ as it was promised to Abraham and of him beleued Hereby we may plainely see that this argument is inuincible For if we must hope to receaue this blessing by Christ alone then it must needes followe of the contrary that it is not receaued by the law For the blessing was geuen to faithful Abraham before the law and without the law Now like as Abraham beleued in Christ to come the geuer of the Blessing so and by the same faith we beleue in Christ being come and so are we now iustified by faith as Abraham was then iustied by faith They therfore which are vnder the lawe are not blessed but doe remaine vnder the Curse This the Pope and his proude Prelates neither doe nor can beleue neither can they abide this doctrine Yet must we not holde our peace but must cōfesse the truth and say that the Papacie is accursed yea all the lawes and ciuill ordinaunces of the Emperour are accursed For according to Paule whatsoeuer is without the promise and faith of Abraham is accursed When our aduersaries heare this by and by they peruert and sclaūder our words as though we taught that the Magistrates should not be honoured but that we raise vp seditions against the Emperour that we condemne all lawes that we ouerthrow and destroy common weales c. But they doe vs greate wronge For we put a difference betwene the corporall and the spirituall Blessing and we say that the Emperour is blessed with a corporall blessing For to haue a kingdom lawes and ciuill ordinaunces to haue a wife children house and landes is a blessing For all these thinges are the good creatures and giftes of God. But we are not deliuered from the euerlasting Curse by this corporall blessing which is but temporall and must haue an ende Therefore we condemne not lawes neither doe we stirre vp sedition against the Emperour but we teach that he must be obeied that he must be feared reuerenced and honoured but yet ciuily But when we speake of the blessing after the manner of Diuines then we say boldely with Paule that all thinges which are without the faith and promise of Abraham are accursed and abide vnder that heauēly and euerlasting Curse For ther we must looke for an other life after this an other Blessing after this corporall Blessing To conclude we say that all corporall things are the good creatures of god Therefore as I haue said to haue wife children goodes to haue politike lawes and orders are the good blessings of God in their place that is to say they are temporall blessings belonging to this life But these blessinges the Iusticiaries and Lawworkers of all ages as the Iewes Papists Sectaries and such like do confound and mingle together For they put no difference betweene corporall and spirituall blessings Therefore they say We haue a lawe and this lawe is good holy and righteous therefore we are iustified through it Who denieth but that the lawe is good holy righteous And yet is it also the lawe of malediction of sinne of wrath and of death Therfore we make here a distinction betweene the corporall and spirituall Blessing say that God hath a double Blessing one corporall for this life and an other spirituall for the euerlasting life Therfore to haue ritches
were in the middes of the Apostles and all the faithfull where this question was so vehemently debated was not yet constrained to be circumcised This victorie Paule carieth away sayth that in this conference it was decided by the consent of all the Apostles the whole Church also approuing the same that Titus should not be circumcised This is a strong argument and maketh very much against the false apostles And with this argument Neither vvas Titus compelled to be circumcised Paule was able to represse and mightely conuince all his aduersaries As if he should say Why doth these counterfait apostles so falsely report of me saying that I am compelled to keepe circumcision by the commaundement of the Apostles seeing I haue the witnes of all the faithfull in Ierusalem and moreouer of all the Apostles them selues that by my pursute and trauaile the contrary was there determined and that I did not onely there preuaile that Titus should not be circumcised but that the Apostles did also approue and ratifie the same Your counterfet apostles therfore do lie deadly which sclaūder me vnder the name of the Apostles and therby deceaue you for I haue the Apostles and all the faithfull not against me but with me And this I proue by the example of Titus Notwithstanding Paule as I haue often sayd did not condemne circumcision as an vnprofitable thing nor constrained any man therevnto For it is neither sinne nor righteousnes to be circumcised or vncircumcised as it is neither sinne nor righteousnes to eate or drinke For vvhether thou eate or eate not thou art neither better nor vvorse But if any mā should adde therto either sinne or righteousnes and say If thou eate thou sinnest if thou abstaine thou art righteous he should shew him selfe both foolish and wicked Therfore to ioyne ceremonies with sinne or righteousnes is great impietie As the Pope doth who in his forme of excommunication threatneth to all those that doe not obey the law of the Bishop of Rome Gods great curse and indignation and so maketh all his lawes necessary to saluation Wherefore the Deuil him selfe speaketh in the person of the Pope in all the Popes decrees For if saluation cōsisteth in keping of the Popes lawes what neede haue we of Christ to be our iustifier and Sauiour Vers 4.5 For all the false brethern that crept in vvho came in priuely to espie out our liberty vvhich vve haue in Christ Iesus that they might bring vs into bōdage To vvhom vve gaue not place by subiection for an houre that the truth of the Gospell might continue vvith you Here Paule sheweth the cause why he went vp to Ierusalem and there conferred his gospell with the other Apostles and why he would not circumcise Titus Not that he might be the more certaine or confirmed in the gospell by the Apostles for he nothing doubted thereof but that the truth of the gospell might continue in the Churches of the Galathians and in all the Churches of the Gentiles We see then that this busines of Paule was no light matter Nowe where he speaketh of the truth of the Gospell he sheweth that there be two gospels a true and a false gospell Indeede the gospell of it selfe is simple true and sincere but by the malice of Satans ministers it is corrupt and defaced Therfore where he saith The truth of the gospel he would haue vs to vnderstād also the contrary As if he would say The false apostles do also preach a faith a gospel but they are both false Therfore haue I set my selfe so constantly against them and in that I would not geue place vnto them I haue brought to passe that the truth of the gospell continueth with you So the Pope and the Anabaptists doe bragge at this day that they teach the Gospell faith in Christ True it is but with such frute as the false apostles once did whom Paule calleth before in the first chapter troublers of the church and subuerters of the gospell of Christ On the other side he sayth that he teacheth the truth of the gospell As if he should say Those things which the false apostles teach bragge they neuer so much that they teach the truth are nothing else but starke lies So all Heretikes pretend the name of God of Christ and of the Church Also they pretend that they will not teach errours or lies but most certaine truth and the pure Gospell of Christ Now the truth of the gospell is that our righteousnes cometh by Faith only without the workes of the law The corruption or falshode of the Gospell is that we are iustified by Faith but not without the workes of the lawe With the like condition the false apostles also preached the Gospel Euen so doe our Papists and craftie Sophisters at this day For they say that we must beleue in Christ and that Faith is the foundation of our saluation but it iustifieth not except it be furnished with charitie This is not the truth of the Gospell but falshode and dissimulation But the true Gospell in deede is that works or charitie are not the ornament or perfection of faith but that faith of it selfe is Gods gift and Gods worke in our hearts which therefore iustifieth vs because it apprehendeth Christ our redemer Mans reason hath the law for his obiect thus thinking with it selfe This I haue done this I haue not done But faith being in her owne proper office hath no other obiect but Iesus Christ the sonne of god deliuered to death for the sinnes of the whole world It loketh not to charitie It sayeth not what haue I done what haue I offended what haue I deserued but what hath Christ done what hath he deserued Here the truth of the gospel answereth thee he hath redemed thee from thy sinne from the Deuil from eternall death Faith therefore acknowledgeth that in this one person Iesus Christ it hath forgeuenes of sinnes and eternall life He that turneth his eyes away from this obiect hath not true Faith but a fantasie and a vaine opinion and turneth his eyes from the promise to the law which terrifieth and driueth to desperation Wherfore those things which the Sophisters Scholemen haue taught cōcerning the iustifying faith being furnished with charitie are no thing else but mere dreames For that faith which apprehēdeth Christ the sonne of God is furnished with him is the same faith that iustifieth and not that faith which includeth charitie For a true a stedfast faith must lay hold vpon nothing else but Christ alone and in the afflictions and terrours of conscience it hath nothing else to leane vnto but this Diamond Christ Iesus Wherfore he that apprehendeth Christ by faith although he be neuer so much terrified with the law pressed downe with the weight of his sinnes yet may he be bold to glory that he is righteous How or by what meanes Euen by that
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
now to worke well Loue God and thy neighbour call vpon God geue thanks vnto him praise him confesse him These are good workes in dede which flowe out of this faith and this chearefulnes conceaued in the heart for that we haue remission of sinnes freely by Christ Now what crosse or afflictiōs so euer do afterwardes ensue they are easily borne and chearfully suffered For the yoke that Christ layeth vpon vs is svvete and his burden is easie When sinne is pardoned and the conscience deliuered from the burden and sting of sinne then may a Christian beare all things easily Because he feeleth all things within sweete and comfortable therfore he doth and suffreth all things willingly But when a man walketh in his owne righteousnes what so euer he doth is greeuous and tedious vnto him because he doth it vnwillingly We therfore doe make this definition of a Christian man that he is a right christian to whom God imputeth not his sinne through faith in Christ This doctrine bringeth great consolation to poore afflicted consciences in serious and inward terrours It is not without good cause therefore that we doe so often repete and beat into your mindes the forgeuenes of sinnes and imputation of righteousnes for Christes sake also that a Christian hath nothing to doe with the law and sinne specially in the time of tentation For in that he is a Christian he is aboue the law and sinne For he hath Christ the Lord of the law present and inclosed in his heart as we haue said euen as a ring hath a Iewel or precious stone inclosed in it Therefore when the lawe accuseth and sinne terrifieth him he looketh vpon Christ and when he hath apprehended him by faith he hath present with him the conquerour of the law sinne death and the deuill who raigneth and ruleth ouer them so that they can not hurt him Wherfore a Christian man if ye define him rightly is free from all lawes and is not subiect vnto any creature either within or without In that he is a Christian I say and not in that he is a man or a woman that is to say in that he hath his conscience adorned and bewtified with this faith with this great and inestimable treasure or as Paule saith this vnspeakeable gifte which can not be magnified and praised enough for it maketh vs the children and heires of god And by this meanes a Christian is greater then the whole world For he hath such a gifte such a treasure in his heart that although it seemeth to be but litle yet notwithstanding the smalnes therof is greater then heauen and earth for Christ which is this gift and this treasure is greater then all things Whiles this doctrine pacifying and quieting the conscience abideth sound and vncorrupt Christians are made iudges ouer all kindes of doctrine and are Lords ouer the lawes of the whole world Then cā they certainly iudge that the Turke with his Alcoran is damned because he goeth not the right way that is he acknowledgeth not himselfe to be miserable and damnable nor apprehendeth Christ by faith for whose sake he might be assured that his sinnes are pardoned In like maner they boldly pronoūce sentence against the Pope that he is condemned with all his kingdome because he so walketh and so teacheth with all his religious rable of Sophisters and Scholemē that by the merite of congruence we must come to grace that afterwards by the merite of worthines we are receaued into heauen Here sayth the Christian this is not the right way to iustifie vs neither doth this way leade vs to heauen For I can not saith he by my works going before grace deserue grace nor by my works following grace deserue eternall life But to him that beleueth sinne is pardoned and righteousnes imputed This trust and this confidence maketh him the childe of God and heire of his kingdome For in hope he possesseth already euerlasting life assured vnto him by promise Through faith in Christ therefore all things are geuen vnto vs grace peace forgeuenes of sinnes saluation and euerlasting life and not for the merite of congruence and worthines Wherefore this doctrine of the Scholemen with their ceremonies Masses infinite foundations of the Papisticall kingdome are most abhominable blasphemies against God sacrileges and plaine denials of Christ as Peter hath foretold in these words Ther shal be saith he false teachers among you vvhich shall priuely bring in damnable heresies denying the Lord that hath bought them c. As though he would say the Lord hath redemed and bought vs with his bloud that he might iustifie and saue vs this is the way of righteousnes and saluation But there shall come false teachers which denying the Lord shall blaspheme the way of truth of righteousnes and saluation they shall finde out new waies of falsehode and destruction and many shall follow their perdiction Peter throughout this whole chapter most liuely painteth out the Papacie which neglecting and despising the Gospell and faith in Christ hath taught the workes and traditions of men as the merite of congruence worthines the difference of daies meates vowes inuocation of Saincts pilgrimages purgatory such like In these fantasticall opinions the Papistes are so nusled that it is impossible for them to vnderstand one syllable of the gospel of faith or of Christ And this the thing it selfe doth well declare For they take that priuiledge vnto them selues which belongeth vnto Christ alone He onely forgeueth sinnes he onely geueth righteousnes and euerlasting life and they most impudently and wickedly doe vaunte that they are able to obtaine these things by their owne merits and worthines before and after grace Peter and the other Apostles call these damnable heresies and sects of perdition For by these meanes they deny Christ treade his bloud vnder their feete blaspheme the holy Ghost and despise the grace of God. Wherefore no man can sufficiently conceaue how horrible the idolatry of the Papistes is As inestimable as the gifte is which is offered vnto vs by Christ euen so and no lesse abhominable are these prophanations of the Papistes They ought not then to be lightly esteemed or forgotten but diligently wayed considered And this maketh also very much for the amplifying of the grace of God and benefite of Christ as by the contrarye For the more we know the prophanation of the papisticall Masse so much the more we doe abhorre and detest the same and embrace the true vse of the holy communion which the Pope hath taken away and hath made marchandise of it that being bought for money it might profite others For he saith that the Massing priest an apostata denying Christ blasphemīg the holy Ghost standing at the aultar doth a good work not only for him selfe but also for others both quicke deade and for the whole church and that onely by the worke wrought and by none