them al as from the plague and pestilence But now set vs come to handle the Epistle it selfe Seeing therefore it is the duetie and office of an Euangelist or preacher of glad tydings 〈◊〉 godly inâ—â—â—uction for â—eaders first of all to preach the Lawe and to shewe how that all men which are without the circuite and compasse of grace and fayth in Christ are the sons and children of wrath are sinners and can do nothing but sinne that so they acknowledging theyr miserye and wretchednes with an humble and contrite hart myght thirst after grace the Apostle S. Paule in this first Chapter dooth first of all finde fault with the vnbeleefe Chap 1 and checketh and rebuketh those grosse sinnes which aptly and playnly were knowen to be manifest offences The maner of S. Paules doctrine as were the Idolatry and such grosse sinnes of the Gentiles as also are of those meÌ„ which at this day being ignorant of God voyde of grace and without the Spirit doo lyue in blyndnes and darkenes The wrath of God is reuealed by the Gospell sayth the Apostle from heauen agaynst all vngodlines and vnrighteousnes of men which withholde the truth in vnrighteousnes For though man myght knowe by the Creatures that there was a God yet notwithstanding his nature is euil and wicked insomuch that it dooth not glorify hym nor geue hym thankes but being blynded dooth alwayes geue ouer it selfe to worse and worse vntill they doo not only commit idolatry and all kynde of wickednes but also fauour them that do them and geue their consent and agreement to those which commit such things In the second Chap. he doth more at large shew that eueÌ„ those little holy ones Chap. 2 The Iewes â—…yll or woorse sinners than the Gentiles and those glorious hypocrites as namely the Iewes then and now in these dayes all the Iusticiaryes which go about by their owne strength and power to fulfill the lawe are also sinners who dooing outwardly the good workes of the lawe notwithstanding inwardly nourishing that greife of their hart doo hate the lawe And these as ryght hypocrites commonly vse to doo are very quicke to condemne and iudge other men counting themselues holy and pure when as they are full of malice and enuy fraude deceyte and all kynde of fylthines and vncleannes as Christ sayth Math. 23. And these are they which fayning themselues holy contemne and despise in very deed the great goodnes of God and accordyng to the hardnes of theyr hartes heape and treasure vp vnto them selues wrath agaynst the day of wrath Paul therfore as a true Euangelist fyrst of all preacheth the Law 〈◊〉 are sinners conclucludyng all men alyke to be synners and denouncyng to all the wrath of God Wherefore they whiche marke well by the power of theyr owne nature or free wyll are so farre from beyng any better than those grosse and open sinners mentioned in the fyrst Chapter that the Apostle calleth them obstinate stubborne men that cannot repent aliantes and straungers In the thirde Chapter he declareth that both the Iewes the Gentiles are alyke sinners before God Chap. 3 Difference betwixt Iewe and Gentile notwithstanding that the Iewes are preferred and excell the Gentiles in this prerogatiue namely for that the promises of God did belong to them and also for that the words and Oracles of God were committed vnto them And thoughe some of the Iewes did not beleue yet for all that their vnbeliefe made not the faithful truth of Gods promise vayne voyde or without effect and to proue this he allegeth that place of the. 51. Psalme as it is written sayeth he That thou mightest be iustified in thy woords and ouercome when thou art iudged After thys he returneth agayn to his cause and purpose and proueth by the Scriptures that al are equally sinners without any exception and that no man is iustified by the woorkes of the lawe but that onely by the lawe commeth the knoweledge of sinne Finally he teacheth the true and right waye of righteousnes and saluation All sayeth he haue sinned The hye way to righteousâ—nes is by faitâ— in Christ and are destitute and depriued of the glory of God but they are iustified freely by his grace thorough the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whom God hath set forth to be a reconciliatioÌ„ through fayth in his blood And a little before But now sayth he is the righteousnes of God made manifest without the law being approued by the Testimony witnes of the lawe and the Prophets to witte the righteousnes of God by the faith of Iesu Christ vnto all vppon all that beleeue So then the lawe is established through fayth althoughe woorks and glorying in the works of the law are excluded by fayth Seeing therfore in the three former Chapters he hath taught that all men are sinners also hath shewed that onely fayth in Christ is the waye vnto righteousnes and meanes to iustification Chap. 4 by by in this fourth Chapter he answeareth to certayne obiections and cauils As for the most part when Christ or fayth is taught that is that our woorkes are nothing that we are onely iustified by fayth streight wayes certayne Iusticiaries obiect If fayth alone dooth iustifie then we must cease altogether to do good works then good woorks are to be omitted and left vndone The Apostle answeareth proposing the example of Abraham What shall wee say then that Abraham our Father hath found concerning the fleshe Did he merite nothing at all by hys woorks He concludeth that Abraham was iustified onely by fayth without any woorks insomuch that the Scripture sayth that Abraham before hee was circumcised beleeued God and it was counted and reputed vnto hym for righteousnes Genesis 15.6 If therfore the woorke of circumcision which God commaunded which was a precious woorke of obedience profited Abraham nothing to iustificaton then it is most sure and certaine that there is none other worke which is auaylable to iustification But as circumcision being an outward signe 〈◊〉 apt similiâ—…de was vnto Abraham a seale of his righteousnes by faith so good woorks are onely an externall signe whiche doth not iustifie but which doth signifie vnto men that a man is inwardly iustified before God and they doo testifie and approue as certayne signes and fruites that liuely faith which worketh in the hart By this as by the most graue weighty and authentike example the Apostle doth confirme and build out of the Scriptures his doctrine of fayth delyuered out and taught in the third Chapter Furthermore the Apostle allegeth the testimony of Dauid in his 32. Psal to proue this matter Also in most playne woords he affirmeth that a man is iustified by the imputation of righteousnes without woorkes althoughe as I haue sayd before woorkes doo followe those that are iustified by Faith Moreouer he dilateth and amplyfieth the example against all other woorks of the lawe inferring that the Iewes are
inflame our hart that it may doo those things willingly of loue which the Lawe commaundeth and so at the last good workes in deede doo proceede freely from the fayth whiche worketh so myghtily and which is so liuely in our harts This is the meaning of the thirde Chapter For whereas he had vtterly damned the workes of the lawe and myght haue seemed to haue disanulled and abolished the lawe by teaching the doctrine of faith he preuenteth that obiection in these wordes We doo not sayth he destroy the Lawe but rather establish it That is we teach how the lawe may truely be fulfilled by fayth .i. by beleeuing in Christ Iesu Now it remayneth that we shewe howe this word Sinne is takeÌ„ in the Scriptures 2 Sinne what it is Sinne in the Sriptures signifieth not onely the externall worke but that whole force and natiue operation incredulitie as that wickednes which we haue by lineall descent as it were from our great Graundfather olde Adam which euen violently carryeth vs headlong to sinne namely that wicked hart and al our reason with al yea euen his best and chefest his strength and power wherewith we can doo nothing els but sinne so that then we are said to commit sinne when by the efficacy of this originall sinne as with a certayne vyolent force we are caryed headlong to doo euill There is no outwarde sinne doone but first by this naturall force and impulsion a man is wholly and with all his affection caried roundly awaye to sinnyng The Scripture and God hym selfe when they speake of sinne they haue respect vnto this wickednes of our hartes vnto this naturall inclination that is this vice of incredulitie as to the fouÌ„teyne of all other sinnes Lyke as therefore Fayth alone dooth iustifye and alone dooth obtayne the Spirit and power to fulfill the Law and to doo those works in deede which are onely good so onely incredulitie and vnbeleefe causeth sinne and exciteth and kindleth the flesh to sin and to commit euil works as we see it happened to Adam and Eue in Paradise Genesis 3. Wherefore Christ also in the Gospell calleth only cheefly incredulitie Sinne is principally termed vnbeliefe sinne Iohn 16 The Spirit sayth he shall reproue the world of sinne bicause they haue not beleeued in me Those woorkes which be truely good euen as good fruites cannot proceede and spring but of a good tree that is of fayth working in the hart as contrarywise euill fruit can not come but from an euill tree that is incredulitie of the hart Therfore this wickednes and incredulitie in the harte is euery where in the Scriptures called the heade of the Serpent and of the old Dragon Genes 3. whiche was to be broken by that blessed seede of the woman namely Christ But nowe to proceede 3 Grace what it is As concerning these two words Grace and Gyft they differ thus Grace is the fauour mercy and free good will and beneuolence of God towardes vs. Gyft is the holy spirit hym selfe whom 4 Gyft what it is God dooth send into theyr hartes whom he hath taken mercy vpon and whom he fauoreth as very well appeareth in the .v. Chapter where he distinguisheth gyft from grace Although now we haue not the fulnes of this gyft or of the Spirit bicause in this life there will alwayes remayne in vs remnaunites of sinne which fight agaynst the Spirit as the Apostle sayth in the .vii. Chapter and the .iii. to the Galathians as also Moses sayth in the iii. of Genesis that there will be a conflict betwixt the seede of the woman and the seede of the Serpent yet grace worketh this in vs that the reliques of sinne shall not be imputed vnto vs but that we shall be reputed and accounted before God as men fully and perfitly iust Neyther is the grace and fauour of God so imperfectly bestowed vpon vs as we sayd the gyft was For God rather dooth loue ande imbrace vs with a full fauour and a right perfect good will for Christes sake who is our mediator earnest penney and the first finites of the Spirit Therefore though remnaunts of sinne doo dayly glister and shine in vs yet neuer theles we are iust before God and syil is not imputed vnto vs through faith which daly striueth and wageth war against the fleshe So then you may vnderstand that place in the .vii. Chapter where the Apostle though he was iustified in the Spirite acknowledgeth hymselfe yet to be a sinner and yet notwithstanding he sayth in the .viii. Chapter there is now no condemnation to those which are in Christ Iesu As many therefore of vs as are through faith iustified in Christ we are both sinners and iust Sinners by reason of the imperfect mortification of our fleshe and for that in this lyfe the reliques of sinne remayning in vs we cannot haue or attayne the fulnes of the Spirit First bycause wee haue through fayth the first fruites and earnest of the spirit so that for our faith in Christ God fatherly fauoring vs dooth not impute vnto vs that sinne whiche remayneth in our flesh neyther dooth iudge vs vntill that sinne by death be quite broken banished and abolished But now let vs speake somewhat of fayth 5 Fayth what it is Fayth is not a certain cold opinion or a wandring cogitation of a mans mynde suche a one as any man hearing the historye of the Gospell may foolishly imagin hym selfe to haue For certayne men hearing many things preached of fayth and seeing that they can dispute many things of fayth and of Christ and yet for all that by that knowledge cogitation or diligent meditation perceyue them selues not to be foorthwith incited to do good workes fall into that wicked and impious error that they stoutly deny man to be iustified by fayth alone but that also woorkes are required These men in deede hearing the Gospel fayne vnto themselues a certayne opinion and they reuolue in their myndes certayne colde cogitations of Christ thinking then that fayth is nothing but the dreame of their owne mynde and those vayne cogitations A fayned fayth And these men now and then boult out these excellent speaches O say they if faith only iustifieth theÌ„ I pray you what say you to this Behold I haue heard the Gospel preached I remember the history of Christ Lo I beleeue and yet I am not iustifyed True â—t is for bycause this thy Fayth is nothing but thyne owne bare and naked imagination and cogitation of fayth which dooth â—…ot innouate thy hart and which doth moue â—hee nothing at all there followeth no newnes â—f lyfe no workes of fayth But a true fayth is the worke of God whereby we are regenerate and borne anew by his Spirit Iohn 1. Chapter wherby also our old Adam is quelled and we being wholy transformed we are made as the Apostle sayth newe creatures to Christ the holy Ghost being the lyfe and gonernment of our hartes Fayth
Pacience ought to be paciently tolerated and borne withall through loue also how we ought to vse that libertie not to any offence but to the instruction and edifying of the weake conscience of our neyghbour For vnles the offending of the weake be diligently and warely auoyded there will followe a discorde and contempt of the Gospel whose dignity and renoune it standes vs greatly vpon to conserue and keepe inuiolate wherefore it were better to yeelde for a tyme to the weake in fayth vntill they be confirmed than that the Gospell should be contemned or suppressed And this is the cheefest worke of Christian loue and Charitie which very many in these our daies haue neede of who abuse their libertie by eating of fleshe and by other meanes hurting weake consciences yea making them to stumble as it were in the entry and doore of Christianitie before they knowe the libertie of Christ and the way of ryghteousnes In the .xv. Chap. 15 Chapter yet once agayne hee proposeth Christ to be followed that by his example we should supporte and beare with the weak whosoeuer they be whether sinners VVeake brethren ought to be considered vnlearned rude and vnskilfull or those which otherwise are euill mannered or of naughty conditions For euen these are not streyghtway to be contemned but rather to be tolerated and suffered vntil they be better amended So our sauiour Christ as we see in the Gospell did beare with our sinnes and offences yea and at this day dooth tolerate our sinnes errors and imperfections euer reaching his ryght hand to help vs euer ayding vs through his vnspeakable mercy Moreoner he prayeth for the increase of their fayth peace and ioy of conscience also praysing them and committing them to God yet once agayne he commendeth also and maginfieth his office namely howe hee maye glory in that he handleth and medleth with Gods busines and matters how that he doth and hath preached through the grace which he hath receyued of God being also called froÌ„ heauen by God not by any man By and by after Almes to be geuen to the poore Saintes setting before them the example of the Macedonians in sted of a little Exordium or insinuation he dooth very ciuilly take an occasion to beg and craue almes of them for the poore Saynts in Hierusalem To be breife whatsoeuer this most Apostolical brest dooth or speaketh it is meere Charitie and loue meere workes of fayth and of the Spirit Thus thou hast gentle reader here in this Epistle most fully and absolutely set out whatsoeuer appertayneth any way eyther to Christian lyfe The Epistle to the Romanes a sufficient doctrine for a Christian man or iustification what Christians ought cheifly to learne namely what the lawe is what the Gospel is what syn grace fayth iustice or righteousnes Christ God good workes charitie loue and hope is briefly in what thing the sum of all Christianitie dooth consist how a Christian ought to behaue hymselfe towardes his neyghbour whether they be good or bad weake or strong freindes or foes Last of al how we should behaue our selues cowards our selues the Apostle doth so diligently fortifie strengthen all these things by Scripture and so confirme them by his owne example and the example of the Prophets that thou canst not heere desyre or wish any thing more or more playne and manifest For no doubt it was the Apostles mynde to comprehend in this Epistle summarily and to handle compendiously the whole Gospell and whatsoeuer belongeth to Christian learning and instruction also to prepare a Methode and briefe introduction vnto all the writings of the olde Testament namely Moses and the Prophets For whosoeuer hath red this Epistle well and thorowly digested it in his mynde that man hath a most sure and certayne Methode to all the old Testament A profitable exhortation Wherefore as I admonished before so here now agayne I doo exhort you that you would as Moses dooth in the .xi. Ch. of Deuteronomie lay vp these things in your hartes and teache them your children to the ende that by a continual recording and repeating of them they may be made by al meanes most familiar vnto you The last Chapter contayneth salutations or commendations Chap. 16 to which he adioyneth a very good and most necessarye admonition namely that we should shunne and eschew as the plague and extreme infection and poyson of our fayth the doctrines and traditions of men wherewith the Gospell and woorde of God being troden vnder foote the false Apostles doo seduce and withdrawe from Christ the hartes of the simple â—raditions â—ot to be reâ—…yued For the Apostle foresawe in the Spirit that there should arise and spring certayne Romanistes for they are not worthy the name of Romanes out of Rome and Romanes who by their wicked and blasphemous most diuilish and sathanicall decretals and their whole den of mans lawes and traditions as by a most wast floude and huge delight would labour to drowne extinguish and destroy not onely this excellent Epistle but euen the whole bodye of Scripture yea all the doctrine of fayth and of the spirit insomuch that they should leaue vs nothing but this Idoll our belly Papistes belly gods Philip. 3.18 whose worshippers he dooth cal them heere and most playnly in the Epistle to the Philippians For saith he there be many walke of whom I haue tolde you often and now tell you weeping they are the enemyes of the Crosse of Christ whose God is their belly and their glory to their shame they are worldly mynded The God of all peace bruse and beate downe Sathan and hys Kingdome vnder our Foote Amen Soli Deo gloria FINIS ¶ Imprinted at London nigh vnto the three Cranes in the Vintree for Thomas Woodcock dwellyng in Paules Church-yard at the Signe of the blacke Beare