to God that forsooth nowe hee liueth not by his owne life but that he is so liued with the hidden vertue power of Christ that Christ may he sayde to liue and to flourish in him For as the soule nourisheth the body with life so also doth Christ inspire life into his membres A notable sentence That the faythfull liue without themselues that is to saye in Christ which cannot be but they must haue a true and a substātiall communicating with him Finally Christ liueth in vs two maner of wayes One life is whan hee gouerneth vs with his spirite and doth direct all our doinges The other is that hee maketh vs pertakers of his righteousnesse that when wee bee not able in our selues yet in him we maye be acceptable vnto God The first belongeth to regeneration or new byrth the seconde belongeth to the free accepting of righteousnesse of the which we may vnderstande this place to meane although if any man had rather vnderstand it of both I willingly will embrace it In as much as I now liue in the flesh There is here almost no sentence which hath not bene torn with sundry expositions as some expounde flesh in this place to be the euil of nature corrupted But Paule doth meane it more simply to be the bodily life For the faithfull by liuing in the flesh doe neuerthelesse not liue after the flesh although it doe also comprehend the infirmities in which wee are now helde enwrapped Or else there had ben another obiection in a readinesse Obiection Thou also liuest a bodily and fraile life where not onely this corruptible bodie doth exercise his offices wheras it is susteined or fed with meat and drinke but also it is in like manner compassed with many vices so that on euery side the face of death doth shewe it selfe this is not the heauenly life of Christ A Paradox is a sentence or opinyon straunge and contrary to the opinyon of the most part Aunswer therfore it is a paradox contrary to all reason that whereas thou doest manifestely liue after the common maner of men yet thou sayest thou haste no life of thine owne Paule aunswereth that it namelye his life consisteth in fayth whereby he auoucheth that it is a misterie hidden from the sence of man The life than whiche wee obtayne by fayth appeareth not to the eyes but it is perceyued within in the conscience by the efficacie of the spirite and therfore the bodily life letteth not but that we maye by fayth possesse the heauenly life Ephe. 1.20 He hath placed vs in heauenly thinges c. Also Now yee are the Citizens of the Saynts and of the housholde of God Ephe. 2.19 Also to the Philippians 3.20 Our conuersation is in heauen Also to the Colossians We are dead and our lyfe is hid with Christ in God to be short Paule is full of such testimonyes whereby hee affirmeth that we doe so liue in the world that neuerthelesse we liue also in heauen not only because there is our head but also that by the right or interest of vnitie we haue a life common with him as S. Iohn speaketh cap. 14. ver 1. In the meane while let vs note that here he bringeth his reason from the nature of fayth that he may teache vs that it is no absurditie if that life bee hid which is graffed or placed in fayth because that thing whiche we hope for doth not yet appeare that fayth maye be named the knowledge of thinges inuisible Which hath loued me These wordes are added to expresse the force of Fayth or else this thought would come into euery mans mynde Whence cōmeth such vertue of fayth that it should shead out vppon vs the life of Christ therefore the hypostasis whereon fayth leaneth Substance or foundation doth declare the loue and death of Christ for thereof is the effecte of fayth to be estimated Howe commeth it to passe than that wee liue by the fayth of Christ because he hath loued vs and giuen himselfe for vs. the loue I saye wherwith Christ hath imbraced vs did cause that he did make himselfe one with vs that hath he done by his death for in giuing himselfe for vs he hath suffered no otherwise than in our person and therfore whatsoeuer faith findeth in Christe of the same it maketh vs partakers Wheras he maketh mention of Loue he meaneth that whiche is taught 1. Ioh. 4.19 Not because we loued him firste but that he hath preuented vs firste with his loue For if he being prouoked with merites had redemed vs the cause therof would haue bene tolde but now Paule ascribeth all vnto loue it is therfore free or without merite For the order must be marked He hath loued vs and giuen himselfe for vs. which is as muche as if he hadde sayde There was no other cause wherefore hee shoulde dye but because he loued vs. and that at such time as we were his enimies as he teacheth Rom. 5.10 And giuen himselfe We cannot wel expresse with any wordes how great a thing this is for who canne declare in wordes howe greate the excellencie of the Sonne of GOD is hee hath appoynted himselfe to bee the price to redeeme vs. Vnder the worde giuen is included the whole commoditie whiche commeth vnto vs by the death of Christe that is to saye that it is the Sacrifice of Purging the Washing Satisfaction c. Neyther haue these wordes for me a small force in them because it was not ynough to consider or thinke that Christ died for the saluation of the worlde excepte euerye one doe challenge priuatelye vnto himselfe the effect and possession of this grace 21 I cast not awaye There is a greate emphasis or vehemencie in those wordes for what and how horrible vnkyndenesse is it to contemne so inestimable grace of GOD and purchase with so greate a price Hee accuseth the false Apostles of this sacriledge whiche is robbing Christe of his honour which being not contence with Christe alone doe thrust in also other helpes of saluation For the grace of GOD is refused excepte that wee renounce all other thinges and embrace Christe alone finallye what hath a man left him after he hath refused the grace of God and made himselfe vnworthye of it For if righteousnes Gratis which I haue translated for nothing is taken for frustra which is in vaine that is there should be nothing much worth in the death of Christ or Christe died for nor reward For this is the rewarde of his death that by purging of our sinnes he hath reconciled vs vnto his Father hereof it followeth that by his grace we are iustified and therfore not by workes The Papists interprete it of the ceremoniall Lawe but who seeth not that it hath respecte to the whole Lawe for it is as muche as Paule shoulde saye If wee our selues deserue righteousnesse than Christe hath suffered in vayne for therefore suffered hee that hee mighte obtayne righteousnesse for vs. and
agayne and therefore are they not reckoned in this beadroll because they cocker not themselues To be breefe all the threatninges of Gods iudgements call vs to repentaunce vnto which ther is pardon alwaye readie with God but they shal be a witnesse against vs if wee remayne obstinate For the worde possesse is vsed in Paule this greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to obtayne by right of inheritaunce Neyther yet doe we obtayne euerlasting life by any other right but by the right of adoption as else where is seene 22 But the fruite of the Spirite is charitie ioy peace long suffering gentlenesse benignitie faith 23 Meekenesse temperaunce against such the law is not 24 Those truely that are Christes haue crucified the fleshe with the affections and lustes 25 If we liue in the spirite lette vs also walke in the Spirite 26 Let vs not be desirous of vaineglory prouoking one another enuying one another 22 But the fruites As afore he condemned the whole nature of man for that it bringeth forth no fruites but faultye and reprobate so nowe he teacheth that all vertues all honest well ordered affections doe come of the spirite that is to saye from the grace of God and from the renuing whiche wee haue from Christ It is as much therefore as if he had sayd There commeth nothing of man but that which is euill there is nothing that is good but commeth of the holy ghost For although there hath oft times appeared in mē not regenerate notable examples of meekenesse fayth temporaunce and liberalitie yet for al that it is certayn that they were but only deceiuing shewes there was a kind of notable vertue in Curius in Fabricius Temperance in Cato gentlenesse and liberalitie in Scipio long suffering in Fabius but that only in the sight of men but that only after a ciuile account or estimation but before GOD nothing is pure except it be out of the fountayne of all puritie I take Ioy here not as Rom. 14.17 but for the merinesse which we shew to our neighboures and that which is contrary to waywardnesse so I take faith for truth that it may be contrary to suttlety fraud and lying I set Peace agaynste brawlinges and contentions Long suffering is meekenesse of mynde whereby it commeth to passe that we take al thinges in good parte and are not by and by ready to be angry the rest are open ynough for the fruite describeth how it shal be manifest what euery mans mind is what than will some man say shall we iudge of the vngodlye and Idolatours which shined with notoble shew of vertues for by their workes they showe to be espirituall I aunswere as not all the workes of the flesh are apparaunt in a carnal or fleshly man but they shew them selues to be carnal with this or that vice so a spirituall man must not be deemed so because of one vertue for in the while it will appeare by other vices that the fleshe had dominion in him which is plainelye to be seene of all them whome I haue named 23 Against such Some vnderstande simply that the Lawe was not set out against good workes because that of ill manners did spring good lawes but Paule speaketh this in a higher and more deepe sence namely that where the Spirite ruleth the Law beareth no longer the swaye for the Lord by framing our hartes vnto his righteousnesse deliuereth vs from the rigor of the Law so that he will not deale with vs according to the couenaunt thereof nor holde our consciences vnder guiltinesse The law in the meane while ceaseth not to doe his office by teaching and exhorting but the Spirite of adoption deliuereth vs from subiection and so he scorneth the false Apostles who by vrging and enforcing the subiection of the Law didde not more bende themselues to vnloose the yoke thereof which Paule teacheth to be done where the Spirite of GOD beareth swaye whereof it followeth that they had no regard of spirituall righteousnesse 24. They that are Christes He addeth this that he may shew that libertye belongeth vnto all Christians because they haue renounced the flesh And he warneth the Galathians what true Christianitye is as touching their life that they should not professe falsely themselues to be Christians when they were not Christians in life He hath vsed the worde Crucified that hee might note vnto them that the mortification of the fleshe is the effecte of the crosse on Christe neither is this the proper or owne worke of man but we are grafted by the grace of God into the fellowship of the death of Christe that wee should not any more liue to our selues Rom 6. 5. Than therefore shall we enioye the priuiledge of the sonnes of GOD if we be buried to gether with Christe by the true denying of our selues and in killing the old man not because the fleshe is as yet vtterly slayne but because it should not raigne but rather giue place to the spirite The flesh and the lustes thereof are meant for the roote and the fruites For the Flesh is the naughtinesse of nature corrupted from whenee all euils come nowe it appeareth that the members of Christ haue wrong if as yet they be brought in bondage vnder the Lawe from whiche they are loosed that are regenerate vy his spirite 25 If we liue in the Spirite Nowe Paule according to his custome out of doctrine gathereth an exhortation the death of the fleshe is the life of the spirite and if so be the spirite of God liueth in vs it gouerneth all our doinges For alwayes there shall be many which without shame will boast themselues to liue in the spirite but Paule calleth them backe from wordes to the triall of the thing For as the soule doeth not liue idlelye in the bodye but doth sende out moouing and strength to the members and all and singuler the partes so the Spirite of God cannot be in vs but he will shew forth himselfe by the outward effects Therfore by liuing is here ment the inward force or strēgth by walking is ment the outward actions or doinges For this is Paules mynde that workes are testimonies of a spirituall life in the word Walke there is a Metaphor whiche is often vsed 26 Let vs not be desirous These are speciall exhortations which were needefull for the Galathians and neuer a whit lesse are they meete for our time Ambition is the mother of manye mischiefes not onely in the whole societie or cominaltie of men but chiefely and especially in the Church Therfore he teacheth to take heede of her For Vaineglorie is no other thing here in Paule but a desier of honour wher any desireth to be aboue the reste For although the prophane Philosophers condemne not euery seeking after glory yet amonge Christians who soeuer is desirous of glory for that he goeth awaye from true glory is worthily condemned of vaine and preposterous ambition For it is not lawfull for vs to boaste
that this is altogether the gifte of God and not gotten by our power that we are called to gouerne his Church Finally in that some do more subtilly dispute in the worde Seperated they do it without cause and out of season Neither is God sayd to seperate vs because he doth put into vs some habite or forme wherby we may differ from other but because he doth order vs by his counsell Although verily he had already manifestly inoughe attributed his calling to the grace fauour of God when he made the beginning thereof that voluntary separation from his mothers wombe yet agayne by name doth he expresse it partly that the cōmendation of the grace might take away al opniō of bosting partly that he might testifie his thankfulnes to God For he is accustomed willingly to do thus euen where he hath no controuersie with the false Apostles 16 To reueale his sonne If you reade To reueale his sonne by me it shal be the final cause of the Apostleship to make Christ manifest How by preaching him among the Gentiles that which the false Apostles laid to his charge as a fault But wheras in Greeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I take it to be an Hebrue phrase for mihi for with the Hebrues ב is often superfluous which is wel inough knowen to thē that are expert in the tong The sense then is that Christ was reuealed to Paul not that he alone should haue the fruition of the knowlege of him that he should keepe him close in his bosome but that he should preach him being by him knowen among the Gentiles Straightway I conferred not To confer With flesh and bloud is to take flesh and bloud to counsell And as touching the signification of these words his minde was simply to exclude all counsels of men for generally in this place he comprehendeth all men whatsoeuer wisdome or counsell they haue as by by will appeare by the text naye rather he doth by name shewe or note the Apostles that with that purpose that the immediate calling of God may more clearly appeare He therefore vsing only the authoritie of God being content therwith prepareth himselfe to the office of preaching 17 Neither returned I to Ierusalem It is an exposition also an amplification of the former sentence as if he should say I haue desired no man in the world to be mine autor no not euē the Apostles them selues They are therfore deceiued which say that the Apostles are not cōprehended vnder flesh and bloud because he doth name them now apart For he doth not adioyne any new or cōtrary thing but only doth expound more playnly that which was darkly spokē Neither is he therfore reprochful to the Apostles in such maner of appellation because to the end that he might shew him selfe not to haue bin moued by man it was needful for him to set thē opposite vnto god for cause of the forged braggings of lewd persons And wheras the creature is cōpared with God although it I meane the creature be pressed downe with low base titles it hath no wrong done to it But I went into Arabia Luke in his history of the Actes hath passed ouer these 3. yeres as neither also he doth reckē vp al other things colde therefore is their false surmise which seeke in this place some pretence of contrarietie But let the godly readers waye what a greeuous battell of temptation tooke hold of Paule immediatly after his first seruice while he was yet but a young souldier who the day before forhonors sake was sent with a goodly band to Damasco to day like a banished man is cōpelled to wander in a straunge countrie and yet for all that fainteth not 18 Three yeres The thirde yere at last after he exercised the office of an Apostle he went vp to Ierusalem therefore hee began not by the calling of man And neuerthelesse lest he should seeme to haue his considerations contrary frō others therfore to flie the sight of them he saith that he came for this purpose to see Peter therefore although he waited their authoritye in taking vpon him his office yet hee helde not his degree of Apostleship they being agaynst it but agreeing to it and allowing it and this is that which he intendeth that neither he was at anye time of contrary opinion to the other Apostles moreouer that he did well agree with them He noteth the short time that he spent there to shew that he came not thither to learn but only that they might common one with another To that ende belongeth that which he addeth that he saw no other because that he going somewhether else made his iorney that way only 19 But Iames. Who this Iames was we must see The olde writers for the most part do agree that it was one of the Disciples by surname Oblias and Iustus which ruled the Church of Ierusalem Although some think him the son of Ioseph by another wife some which is more like to be true think him cosine German to Christ of his mothers sister but seing he is reckoned among the Apostles I allow not the opiniō Neither is the excuse of Hierome of any force That this name is otherwhile set ouer from the xii vnto other seing that here he speaketh of the highest dignity we shal heare that the same Iames is a litte after accoūted amōg the principal pillers therfore it seemeth to me much more probable to be the son of Alphaeus of whome he speaketh As for the rest it is likely that they were then dispearsed through diuerse Countreyes for they rested not in one place idle Although Luke doe shew Act. 11.15 that he was brought by Barnabas to the Apostles yet that is not to be vnderstanded of the xii but of these two which then were alone at Ierusalem 20 Fathermore the things which I write vnto you This affirmatiō is extēded to the whole narratiō it sheweth how seriously Paule cōtēdeth about this matter in that he putteth to an oth the whiche it is not lawful to vse but in great causes those of much waight And it is no maruaile though he stay long in so greate a contention for wee saw afore what the deceauers didde goe about by taking awaye from him the name and honour of an Apostle But the fashions of swearing which the Sayntes vse must bee marked of vs that we may vnderstande that with an othe wee doe nothing else but call before the iudgement of God the fidelitie and truth of our sayinges and doinges the whiche when wee doe it needefull it is that religion the feare of God should gouerne 22 I was in face vnknowne This seemeth to be added that he might the more largely set out the mallice and ill will of his backbiters For if onely heresay did moue the iewish Churches to giue glory vnto God because he had so wonderfully wrought in Paule how detestable a thing
is it that they vnto whome his maruailous vertues were manifest by their effect should not doe the like if onely report suffised them why were not these content with the sight of the thinges He is sayde to haue ouerthrowne the faith not because faith of it selfe is able to be ouerthrowne but because he destroyed the same in weake persons Finally the enterprise is more respected then the effect 24 They did glorifie This was a manifest token that his ministerie was approued of all the Churches of Iury and so approued that with great wondering and praise they acknowledged the great power of God So glauncingly he nippeth his ill willers in that they by their spite and slaunders onely profite herein that they darken the glory of God whiche the Apostles had acknowledged and openly confessed to shine in the Apostleship of Paule In the meane space here is by the way prescribed vnto vs a rule how much we ought to reuerence the Saints of God For such is either our wickednesse or our vnthankefulnesse or our readinesse to superstition that looke whome we see garnished with the giftes of God those we worship as it were Gods not remembring of whome they had those giftes And therefore we are warned in this place rather to cast our eyes vpon the Authour that we may ascribe vnto him that which is his And also we are taught that it was an occasion to prayse God in that Paule of an enimie was become a Minister ¶ The seconde Chapter 1 Fourteene yeares after that I went vp againe to IerusaleÌ„ together with Barnabas taking Titus also with me 2 And I went vp according to reuelation and I conferred with them the Gospell which I preache among the Gentils but priuately with theÌ„ which were in price least by any meanes I should or had run in vaine 3 But neither Titus which was with me being a Greeke was compelled to be circumsised 4 For because of false bretheren being entred in whiche came in to spie out our libertie which wee haue in Christ Iesu that they might bring vs into bondage 5 Vnto whom no not for an hower gaue we place by subiection that the truth of the Gospell might remain in you FOurteene yeres after Scarslye can any man affirme for a certaintie whether he meane that going vp which Luke mentioneth Act. 15.2 nay rather the order of the History leadeth vs to the contrarye parte for there it is shewed that Paule came foure times to Ierusalem of his first comming is already sayde his seconde comming was when he and Barnabas broughte the almes collected in the Congregations of Graecia and Asia as it is reade Act. 12.25 of the which that I should rather vnderstande this present place many reasons moue me or else it must needes bee that the one of them must tell an vntruth Moreouer the coniecture doth more moue me that Peter was reprehended at Antiochia what time as Paule did abide there and that was before he was sent to Ierusalem of the Churches to dispatche the disseÌ„tion arisen about ceremonies Beside that it is not agreeable to reason that Peter would haue vsed such simulation if that controuersie had bene ended and the decree of the Apostles published Paule in this place writeth that he came to Ierusalem after he addeth that Peters simulation was reproued by him which simulation he would neuer haue vsed but in doubtfull things That is Paule furthermore he would scant at any time haue enterprised that voyage taken by the common consent of the faythfull letting passe the cause and suppressing so memorable an ende And it appeareth not sufficiently at what time this Epistle was written but that the Greekes do coniecture it to be sent froÌ„ Rome and the Latines from Ephesus But I suppose that it was not only written before that Paule saw Rome but also before the counsell was held where the Apostles gaue sentence as touching the vse of ceremonies For where as the aduersaries did falsly pretend the name of the Apostles did leane chiefly thervpoÌ„ to burdeÌ„ Paule withal what great negligeÌ„ce had it ben to passe ouer the decree euery where published among all men wherwith they were confouÌ„ded Surely this one word wold haue stopped their mouth ye obiect to me the Apostles but all men know what they haue iudged therefore I holde you conuict of a shamelesse lie You put vpon the Gentils necks necessitie of keeping the law as though ye did so by their commaundement but their writing is extant whereby they set the consciences at liberty froÌ„ it Moreouer this is to be added that in the beginning he did check the Galathians in that they fell so soone from the gospel which he deliuered them And a man may readily gather that some space there was from that time which they were brought vnto the gospel before that controuersie of ceremonies was moued Finally I take the foureteene yeares not from the one iorney to the other but that the account may begin alwayes from Paules conuersion So were there xi yeres betweene his two iorneyes 2 I went vp according to reuelation Here he doth approue his Apostleship and doctrine not only by workes but also by diuine oracle For whereas God did gouerne that iorney the cause whereof was the confirmation of his doctrine it is not nowe by the consent of men confirmed only but also by the authoritie of god which ought abouÌ„dantly to breake their obstinacie who did burdeÌ„ Paule by obiecting the Apostles names for although afore ther were some shadow of coÌ„teÌ„ding yet thaÌ„ wheÌ„ gods iudgemeÌ„t setteth in foote al quarrelling hath an end I coÌ„ferred with theÌ„ First ye must note this word Conferre for they do not prescribe vnto him what he ought to teache but he sheweth what he hath tâ—ught that they may prescribe vnto him and giue their coÌ„sent because his aduersaries might slaunderously talk by dissembling many things craftily that he weÌ„t about to get the Apostles fauour he doth namely expresse that he coÌ„ferred the Gospell as he preached it among the Gentiles whereby he turneth away all suspition of deceite and ouerthwarting We shall see what followeth at last for the Apostles did not thinke it blame worthye in that he had begun without their commaundement but without controuersie or quarelling they ratified that which he had done and that by the instinction of the same spirite who being guide Paule came vnto them He was not therefore made of them an Apostle but so acknowledged but these thinges shall be mentioned afterwarde Least by any meanes What then shall the truth of God fall except it be stayde by the testimony of men but although the whole world be faithlesse yet for all that the truth of God remayneth sure and vncorrupted neyther doe they lose their labour which by the commaundement of God do teach the Gospell although they bring forth no fruite by their labor neither doe the words of Paule tende to this ende but for that as
righteousnesse of the Law for if Christ be taken out of the way the Iewes being seperated from the common pollution of the Gentils doe seeme in that respect to be after a sort exempted oute of the number of sinners The grace of Christ doth make them and the Gentils equall and the remedy which is to both common doth shew their disease and sicknesse to bee like in equalitie The word Also maketh to this purpose We our selues also saith he we speake not of euery body but of those who are notable such as the Iewes were God forbid Deseruingly doth he reiect that for Christ in vncouering of sinne which laye hidden is not the minister of sinne as though making iustice of no force he should open the gate vnto sinne nor yet as though hee should establish the kingdome of sinne This didde deceaue the Iewes that they did without Christ challenge to themselues some holynesse which in deede was none at all thereof grew their quarrell and complaynt Did Christ therefore come that he should take from vs the righteousnesse of the Law that of holy he should make vs vnholy that he should make vs in subiection to sinne and guiltinesse Paule denyeth it to be so and therefore he reiecteth this blasphemie with detesting it for Christ did not being sinne but he did reueale sinne neither did he take away iustice or righteousnesse but he drewe awaye the false visar from the Iewes 18 For if I build againe The aunswere is double This former aunswere is vndirecte whilest hee sheweth that that is repugnaunt to his whole doctrine seing that hee hadde so preached the fayth of Christe that he ioyned withall the ruine and abolishing of sinne For as wee are taught 1. Ioh. 3.8 that Christ came not to build vp the kingdome of sinne but to destroye it so Paule doth witnesse here that hee in preaching the Gospell hath restored true righteousnesse that sinne might be destroyed That is Christ Than was it verye disagreeable that of one and the selfe same sinne shoulde bee both flayne and reuyued By the Obiecting of this absurditie hee putteth awaye the slaunder 19 For I by the Law Nowe followeth the directe aunswere That that oughte not to bee imputed to Christe whiche properlye is the worke of the Lawe for there is no neede of Christe to make voyde the righteousnesse of the Law because the Lawe it selfe doeth kill the Disciples thereof as though hee shoulde saye You deceaue poore miserable men with a false imagination as though they shoulde liue by the lawe and by that pretence you detayne them in the Lawe in the meane while you make the Gospell to bee spyted as though it broughte to noughte the righteousnesse whiche wee haue by the Lawe but it is the Lawe it selfe whiche compelleth vs to die to it for wheras it threatneth destruction vnto vs and leueth nothing vnto vs but despaire by that means it driueth vs from trusting to it A more easie vnderstanding of this place is to be sought out of the seuenth chapter to the Romaines for there Paule doth plainely describe that no man liueth to the lawe but he vnto whome the lawe is dead that is to say idle and without working or for as soone as the law beginneth to liue in vs it striketh vs with a deadly wound wherby we perishe and with all it inspireth life sinne being first dead They therefore which liue vnto the Lawe haue neuer felte the strength of the Lawe no nor yet haue once tasted what the lawe meaneth for the law being truly vnderstanded doth compell vs to dye to it and hereof is sinne and not of Christ To die to the Law is eyther to renounce it and to be sette at freedome from the power and dominyon thereof so that wee haue no confidence in it nor agayne that it holde vs Captyues vnder the yoke of bondage or else thus for that it alotteth vs all to destruction wee can fynde no lyfe in it and this latter sence is more conuenient For hee denyeth Christe to bee the authour of this euill because the Lawe is more hurtfull then profitable but hee affyrmeth that there is included in the Lawe it selfe the curse which killeth vs. Whereof it followeth that that stroke or wounde whiche is striken by the Lawe is in deede deadlye agaynste this is sette another kynde of death being liuely in the fellowship of the crosse of Christ And therefore hee sayeth that hee is crucified together with Christe that hee mighte beginne to lyue That distinction that commonlye hath preuayled doth darken the naturall sence and meaning if they reade I by the Lawe am deade to the Lawe that I mighte liue to Christe but the contrarye Texte soundeth better namelye I by the Lawe am deade to the Lawe and than by it selfe that I mighte liue to Christe I am crucified vyith Christ That I might liue to God Hee sheweth that kynde of death to bee worthye the wishing whereof the false Apostles tooke occasion of spighte for hee declareth that wee doe not therefore dye to the Lawe that wee shoulde lyue to sinne but to GOD. To liue to GOD sometyme is taken to frame our lyfe after his will so that wee studye nothing else all our life long but to be accepted of him but in this place it is to liue the life of GOD if I maye so saye whereby the thinges opposite maye aunswere the one the other for by that reason that it is sayde wee dye vnto the Lawe by the same it is sayde that wee liue vnto GOD. In summe Paule doeth admonishe vs that that death is not mortall but rather a cause of a better life for God taketh vs oute of the Shipwracke of the Lawe and by his grace restoreth vs to a better life I lette passe other expositions me thinkes this is the naturall meaning of Paule Whereas he sayth he is crucified with Christ he expresseth the meane how we being dead vnto the Law liue vnto God when as forsooth we being grafted into the death of Christ doe drawe an hidden power from thence as a grafte doth from the roote Farthermore Christ hath fastened to his crosse the handwriting of the Law which was againste vs. therefore we being crucified with Christ are deliuered from all the curses of the Lawe and guiltinesse he that goeth about to make this deliuerance vaine doth make voyde the crosse of Christ But let vs make account that we are not otherwise losed from the yoke of the Lawe than while we are made one with Christ euen as the grafte doth not otherwise draw moysture from the roote except it grow togeather into one nature with it 20. And I liue not any more The name of death is alwayes healthfull to the vnderstanding of man and therefore after he hath taught that wee are fastened to the Crosse together with Christ hee doth adde this that it bringeth also vnto vs life And also he doth declare what he meante before by these wordes to liue