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
it is that the Prophete sayth in the .115 Psalme All men are lyers Wherfore by nature they cannot fulfyll the Law For all men naturally are bent and inclined to euyll and therfore hate the Lawe Now whersoeuer there is not a cheareful and ready wyl to God and his lawe there is sinne and the wrath of God though by such hypocrisie thou doest the externall woorke Vppon these Paul inferreth in his second Chapter that all the Iewes although in externall workes they make semblance to fulfyl the Law are sinners and transgressors of the Law For saith he not the hearers of the law but the doers therof shal be accoūted iust before God Wherby he doth intimate vnto vs that no man can fulfyll the Law by doing the outward worke Thou sayst Paule speaketh to the Iewes that a man should not commit adultry and yet thou thy selfe committest adultry In this that thou iudgest another thou condemnest thyne owne self For thou that iudgest doest the very same thyngs As if he should say Thou in deede after a glorious kynd of hypocrisie walkest in the external works of the Law and thou iudgest others which walke not so In deede thou teachest other men and thou seest a mote in thy neighbours eye but thou seest not the beame which is in thine own eye For though thou seeme to fulfyll the Law in thy externall actions eyther for feare of punishment or for loue of thy self yet notwithstanding thou dost all these thyngs with an vnwillyng mynd with an hard stubborne hart without al loue and good affection toward God and his law Insomuch that thou haddest rather there werneyther Law nor law geuer at all that so thy lust and concupiscence might not be repressed Wherefore it is manifest that though in outwarde woorke thou dooest counterfeyt the Law yet in very deede thou doost hate and abhorre it So the Apostle speaketh What is thy righteousnes woorth saith he if thou teachyng other men not to steale yet in thy hart thou art inclined tostealyng which affection out of all doubt would breake out into the deede doyng but that thou art afrayde of punishment to ensue For the externall woorke for the most part wyll breake out at length though it be for a tyme dissembled this oftentymes foloweth in such hypocrites Wherfore as he sayth thou which teachest another teachest not thy selfe that is thou art ignorant thy selfe what thou teachest because thou art ignorant of the meanyng of the law how that it is not satisfyed but with the inward affection and motion of thyne hart The Law beyng done in the outward worke only is so farre from iustifying The Law oncreaseth syn that it rather increaseth and augmenteth our sinne as Paul saith in the .v. chapter of this Epistle Wherfore the better thou vnderstandest the Law the lesse thou louest the law because it dooth exact require of thee so many thyngs quite contrary to thy affections and altogether repugnant to thy nature Hereupon it is that in the .vii. chap. he saith The law is spirituall as if he should say If the law were carnall or moral doctrine only then it would be satisfied by the external worke But seeing that now it is spirituall that is requiryng the affect and spirit it foloweth that no man can fulfyll it vnles he doth those things which the law commaundeth with a chearefull hart with a certayne ardent feruencie of mynd and with all his affection Such a new hart and such a feruent and chearefull affection of the harte thou canst not obtaine of thyne own strength or by thyne owne merites but onely by the operation and secrete instinct of the holye Ghost For it is the spirit of God only that gyues a new hart that makes a man spirituall that so he beyng made spirituall he may loue the Law which is spirituall and may fulfyll it not for feare or loue of commoditie but with a chearefull and wyllyng hart and that he may be caryed violently as it were with a certayne force to doo those thyngs which the Law commaundeth freely and of his owne accord So is that saying to be vnderstood The Law is spiritual that is the Law is not fulfylled but by the spirit but by a hart renued by the Spirit Therfore where there is not that renouation of the hart by the spirit there remayneth that greeuous hatred of the lawe which law neuerthelesse of it selfe is iust holy and good so farre is it from fulfilling it Wherefore accustome and acquaynt thy selfe with this Phrase and manner of speaking which the Apostle here vseth It is one thing to doo the worke of the lawe and another thing to fulfill the law For it is a worke of the law when without grace 1 workes of the Lawe without the Spirit we begin to worke well and when we labour to fulfill the lawe by our owne proper strength and power of our free will But seeing that there alwayes remayneth in the hart certayne seruile feare and a most deadly hatred of the law sure it is that such workes are sinne haynous factes agaynst the lawe and so doo not please God So the Apostle saith in the .iii. Chapter By the workes of the law shall no flesh be iustified in his sight Here therefore we may knowe and acknowledge how the Sophisters and schoole doctors are farre wyde from the the truth who teach and affirme this wicked and blasphemous assertion that by our workes we may prepare the way vnto grace But how can I prepare for my selfe a way to grace by that worke which I doo with a stubborne frowarde and vntoward harte and with a repugnant affection How can that worke be acceptable to God which I doo not willyngly but with great greefe of harre yea with extreme hatred of the lawe To fulfill the lawe 2 Fulfyllyng of the Lawe is to doo those things which the lawe commaundeth with a cheerefull and willing harte that is freely and of thyne owne accorde to lyue vnto God and to worke well though there were no law at all Such a cherefulnes readines willingnes and ardent affection cannot come into our hartes but by the quickening spirit and his lyuely impulsions and agitations in our hart as the Apostle sayth in the .v. Chapter Chap. 1. vers 16. Now the Spirit is geuen only by fayth in Iesus Christ as the Apostle sayd in the beginning Fayth commeth through the hearing of the Gospel through which worde Christ is preached vnto vs to haue dyed to haue bene buryed and to haue risen agayne from death for vs as he sayth in the .iii. iiii and .x. Chapters Therefore our whole iustification is of God Fayth also and the Spirit are of God they come not of our selues Wherefore let vs conclude that Fayth alone iustifyeth and that Fayth alone fulfilleth the lawe For Fayth through the merit of Christ obtayneth the holy Spirit which spirit dooth make vs newe hartes dooth exhilarate vs dooth excyte and
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
not therfore streightwaye the true heyres of Abraham bycause their stocke and pedigrue is deriued from the circumcised Abraham or bycause they receyued the lawe vnlesse they tread and followe the steps of fayth Abrahams chyldren must haue Abrahams fayth and beleeuing in Christ imitate the fayth of Abraham specially chiefly seeing that AbrahaÌ„ before the lawe whether it were of Moses or of the circumcision was iustified onely by fayth and called the father of many nations that is of al beleeuers Finally he concludeth thus Seeing that the lawe cannot giue that effectuall working wherby it may willingly and cherfully be satisfied also seeing that the grudging and murmuring stirred vp by the lawe abideth and remayneth in vs and disdayneth and taketh it greuously that there should be any positiue lawe set downe for her I saye that this hatred against the lawe and the lawgeuer God himselfe still continuing it cannot de that the woorkes of the lawe should please God Nay rather seeing they proceede from a hart that abhorreth the law God they are nothing els but sinne and doo alwayes incense and kindle the indignation and wrath of God Wherfore Fayth onely dooth obtayne the blessing and grace promised to Abraham Now it is not writteÌ„ for hym only but also for vs as Paule saith in the latter end of this Chapter that fayth might also be imputed and reckened to vs for righteousnes In the fifth Chapter hee intreateth of woorkes and of the fruites of faith which be these peace ioy of conscience loue towards God our neighbour a profitable couragious bold coÌ„fidence and a stoute manfull perseuerance pacience in tribulations and afflictions for streight waye these fruites followe wheresoeuer this true faythe is in the hart Surely that most excellent riches and abundant wealth of the grace of God offered and exhibited to vs in Christe whom God would haue dye for vs when we were as yet weaklings yea enemies to God if so be by fayth it be knowen and acknowledged of vs in our harts it cannot but inflame vs and make vs strong and able to doo moste willingly cherefully and readyly all those things which we knowe wyll please this our most gentle father Therfore the chiefe sentence drift and scope of this Epistle stands stedfast and sure namely that by fayth alone we are iustified wythout woorkes and yet for all that good woorks are not condemned For those wookes that in deede and truely may be called good and those good fruites doo followe fayth and wheresoeuer fayth is it cannot choose but woorke Lyke as the flame can not but geue good lyght Of these that be truely good woorks the Iusticiaries who haue nothing so rife in theyr mouths as works works works know nothing at al They do but only imagine in theÌ„selues certayne cold woorks which bycause they haue no sparke of faith in them are void of all spirituall affections as ioye peace of the conscience and that bolde trust and assurance in God and are rotten fruites of a rotten tree After this the Apostle maketh a pleasaunt digression shewing how sinne and righteousnes also how death and life came vpon vs. And there he compareth those two Adam and Christ Wherefore he reasoneth thus The Apostles argument It was therfore needefull and necessarye that Christ should be sent who shoulde make his righteousnes to be ours by the newe birth or regeneration in fayth and the spirit euen as the old man Adam by propagation left vs his sinne throughe that olde generation according to the flesh Againe by this argument another proposition is surely grounded namely that no man by hys owne strength and power is able to deliuer hymselfe from sinne or to iustifie himselfe For it was not in our choyse to be borne or not to be borne of the olde Adam and according to the fleshe which by other ArgumeÌ„ts is euident and cleare inoughe For if the lawe of God which surely if any other thing in the world myght haue iustified ought to haue preuayled and auayled for righteousnes dooth not onely not iustifie but rather encreaseth and augmenteth sinne in vs namely that grudging and fretting of our nature dayly stomacking and murmuring at God yea the more it dooth presse vs the more it styrreth vp sinne in our nature which goeth agaynst all whatsoeuer is forbidden Nitimur in vetite semper cuâ— pimusque negata Therfore the more perfitly we knowe the lawe the more misery we behold in our selues and we see the better howe that we haue more neede of Christ In the Sixth Chapter he handleth that great and chiefe woorke of our fayth to wit Chap. 6 the warfare and conflict of Christians betwixt the fleshe and the spirit The warfare of Christians For the fleshe sighteth alwayes agayust the spirit and the spirit wageth warre agaynst the fleshe to the end that the desires of the fleshe and reliques of sinne which remayne in vs after iustification might be quite suppressed quelled and quenched in vs. And in this Chapter the Apostle teacheth that we are not so iustified freed from sinne by fayth that sinne is quite taken awaye and altogether abolished in vs â—â—liques of â—â—nne but that the reliques of sinne as yet remayne in vs. Neuertheles those renmaunts of sinne are not layde to our charge by reason of fayth which continually wrastleth wyth the desires of the fleshe Wherefore as yet bycause wh lyue in the fleshe that strife and combate endureth in vs and they that are already iustified haue inoughe to doo and haue labour inoughe to turne them vnto yea all their lyfe tyme they may toyle vntill they sweat agayne by endeuouring to tame their fleshe to represse the lusts of it Mortification and to make it subiect vnto the Spirit And by that mortification of our fleshe and newenes of our spirtuall lyfe we expresse the Death and the Resurrection of Christ as also that signe of mortification in Baptisme which dooth signifie and represent vnto vs no other thing but this continuall mortification of the fleshe and dayly viuification and quickening of the spirit For Baptisme that is this mortification dooth woorke in vs so long vntill sinne being abolished and abandoned by the death of our bodyes we rise in our bodyes wyth Christ and raygne wyth hym for euermore And this thing namely the dayly mortification of our fleshe we may performe bycause we are not vnder the law but vnder grace Nowe what it is VVhat it is not to be vnder the Law not to be vnder the lawe he himselfe expoundeth For not to be vnder the lawe must not to be so vnderstood as thoughe it were lawfull for vs to doo what we list but not to be vnder the lawe is this that our harts are so made newe by the spirit through fayth that freely willingly and of our owne accorde we may doo that whiche the lawe requires though there were no law at all For grace dooth endue
¶ A Methodicall Preface prefixed before the Epistle of S. Paule to the Romanes very necessary and profitable for the better vnderstandyng of it Made by the right reuerend Father and faythfull seruaunt of Christ Iesus Martin Luther nowe newly translated out of Latin into English by W.W. student Can there any good thyng come out of Nazareth Come and see Iohn 1.46 Imprinted at London for Thomas Woodcocke dwellyng in Paules Churchyard at the Signe of the blacke Beare To the English Christian Reader W. W. wisheth grace mercy and peace with a true and liuely knowledge of our onely Lorde and omnisufficient Saueour and Redeemer Christ Iesus I Doo offer and present vnto thee gentle Reader here published in Print this litle treatise Aristotle sayâ—… that a good thyng the more commâ—… it is made the better it is first written by that famous and godly learned Doctor in Christes Schoole Martin Luther in the Germane or Duche tongue for his owne Countreymen afterwards translated into Latine by a learned man named Iustus Ionas that it might be common to moe then it was before now also though plainly yet faithfully turned into Englishe for the benefite and commoditie of this our Israell by one most studiously carefull The vse of this Preface and zelously desirous of thy profite This excellent Preface wyll leade thee as a Lanterne of light to the better vnderstanding of that most precious most fruitfull and profitable Epistle of S. Paul to the Romanes which when thou canst well and wisely vnderstand first it wyll make thee ready armed well furnished and instructed to withstand and answeare all the popish Romanistes Cods greatest aduersaries and enemies to his Gospell who stoutly mainteyne and defend that mans woorkes doo merite and deserue saluation and so present vs iust and righteous before God Secondly it wyll teache thee a Christian life and conuersation namely howe thou oughtest to bring foorth the woorthy fruites of Fayth which alone doth iustifie vs before God because it is as it were the hand wherby we apprehend and take hold fast of the merits of Christes blessed Passion to be ours Other branches of doctrine and manners there be in that notable Epistle good store Vse and peruse this prologue and then it willighten thine vnderstanding very much in this weighty matter of our saluatioÌ„ in this chiefe and principal poynt of Christian religion This high myterie of our saluation douâ—…ed of and deâ—â—…ed by the Papistes to wyt whether we be iustified by the workes of the Law or by the mercy of God only for the mediation of his sonne who was made a slaine sacrifice vpoÌ„ the Crosse for vs most wretched and miserable sinners After that thou doest fully and perfitly attaine to the true meanyng of it I doubt not but thou wilt by the helpe of Gods holy spirite woorking mightily in thee perseuere and continue faithful vnto the ende in this doctrine of faith taught here by the Apostle Only be strong in the Lord 1. Timoth. 1.19 fight a good fight keeping faith and a good conscience then surely this godly doctrine wyll prepare thy hart in a strong defence that the fierie dartes of the Dyuels Ministers by errours and falshood shal not wounde thee Wherfore gentle Reader vse this Introduction to thy comfort and commoditie Reade and regard it and geue God the glorye who be praysed for euer and euer Amen Farewel in the Lord and pray for me as I dayly doo for thee EPHES. 2. VERS 8. 9. ¶ By grace are yee saued through fayth and that not of your selues For it is the gyfte of God and commeth not of woorkes least any man shoulde boast hym selfe A Methodicall Preface prefixed before the Epistle of S. Paul to the Romanes written by Martin Luther and Englished by W. W. SEing that this Epistle of S. Paul writteÌ„ vnto the Romans is the Methode of the whole Scripture and the most absolute Epitome or Abridgement of the new TestameÌ„t that is of the Gospell which verily alone it doth briefly most purely set out vnto vs I account it woorthy not only of all Christians to be knowen from their childhood yea and learned without the booke The excellencie of this Epistle word by word but also being by dayly and continual meditation as it were chewed and concocted euen as wel digested meat to descend and enter into our innermost bowels This Epistle is such a riche treasurie of spirituall wealth and as it were a most plentifull Copiae Cornu that he that readeth it a thousand tymes shall alwayes meete with some new thing not perceyued before In so much that the reading of this Epistle is most profitable of all other because it dooth as it were ascende higher in the doctrine of holy things in the knowledge of Christ in learning the nature of fayth in the knowledge of all spirituall affections yea the more it is handled the greater it groweth more pleasaunt and delightful more precious and plenteous it showeth and seemeth then before Wherfore I thought it labour wel bestowed if accordyng to that measure of grace which I haue receyued of God I might put to my helping hand and by this briefe Preface prepare an enery into it to the end that it might more easily and playnly be read vnderstood of all Chiefely knowing that this Epistle which one alone ought to be accounted the Index and Methode of all the Scriptures hath ben so obscured and darkened by certayn mens foolish Commentaries Gloses and vayne subtilties that very fewe Writers in many ages past haue perceyued the drift scope meaning and intention of the Apostle which notwithstanding of it selfe is most easy and playne First of all we must diligently search out and labour to knowe the nature of woordes and figuratiue speaches which the Apostle vseth And before all thyngs we must learne to know what S. Paule meaneth by these and such lyke woords The Lawe Sinne Grace Marke these woordes Fayth Righteousnesse Fleshe Spirit c. Otherwise though thou reade diligently thou loosest all thy labour This word Lawe 1. â—awe what it 〈◊〉 and how it 〈◊〉 to be vnâ—erstoode must not here be taken after the vsual maner of the Philosophers or accordyng to common reason namely to be defined a Doctrine which teacheth men what to doo and what to leaue vndone For humane or mans lawes are satisfyed if a man doo the externall and outwarde worke onely though in his hart he doo it vnwillyngly But God seeing he knoweth the hart iudgeth according to the secret and internall motions of the hart Therfore the Law of God requireth the hart affections or inteÌ„tions therof neyther is it satisfyed by the externall deede dooyng vnles they be done with a chearfull hart willingly and with all thy affection Insomuch as it dooth reproue and rebuke nothing so vehemeÌ„tly Pharisaicall woorkes as those glorious and fained works that is Hypocrisie Lying and the deceyt of the hart Hereupon
is liuely and not idle Wherefore fayth is such an effectuall lyuely quicke and myghty operation in our harte that it cannot be idle but must needes breake out and shew it selfe by good workes Neyther dooth he that hath this Fayth care greatly whether good workes be commauÌ„ded or no. For though there were no lawe at all yet by this lyuely impulsion working in his hart he is of his owne accorde forced and caryed to worke true and godly ChristiaÌ„ workes He that dooth not his good workes of such a lyuely affection of the hart is wholy in vnbeleefe and a straunger and aliant from the fayth as many of those be which in schooles dispute and iangle much of Fayth and good workes not knowing what they speake or what they holde and affirme A true definition of faith Fayth therefore is a constant trust and a sure confidence of the mercy of God towards vs which is liuely and worketh myghtely in our harts whereby we committe our selues wholy to God casting all our care vpon hym leaning and trusting assuredly to this fayth we are not afrayde to dye a thousand tymes For this so bolde an assurance of the mercy and fauour of God dooth make our hartes merry glad and lyght doth also erect rayse and euen rauish vs with most sweete motions and affections towardes God yea and dooth so embolden the harte of the true beleeuer that trusting to haue God on his side he is not afrayde to oppose hymselfe alone agayust all creatures But it is the Spirite of God which geueth vs this heroicall harte and stout stomacke through fayth which working effectually in our hartes dooth incyte and inflame vs to doo good Now we haue thys chearefull towardnes and forwardnes to the ende that wee myght be moste prompt and ready willingly and of our owne accorde to doo tolerate and suffer all things whereby we may be obedient to so gentle and fauorable a father who through Christe hath inryched vs with so great abuÌ„dance of his graces It can not possibly be but that in whom soeuer this efficacy and lyfe of fayth is it should dayly worke A liuely comparison fructifye and geue increase to God Euen as it is vnpossible that a fyre being kindled flaming should not geue lyght and cast foorth brightnes wherefore watch thou and take heede that thou doo not beleeue eyther thyne owne vayne songes and soimdes of fayth Fancyes thyne owne fonlish imaginations or the vayne trifling stuffe of Sophisters Blynd papistes For these Sophisters haue neyther wyt nor wysdome They are belly beastes borne onely to those feastes of schooles But pray thou vnto God who commaundeth by his worde that lyght should shine out of darkenes that hee would shyne bryghtly in thyne hart and that be would create a true Fayth in thee otherwyse thou shalt neuer beleeue truely though for the space of a thousand yeares thou diddest labour and study about such cogitations and imaginations either of a faith heretofore gotten Righteousnes or hereafter to be sought for This fayth now is that true iustice whiche the Apostle calleth the iustice and righteousnes of God that is which onely is of force auaylable and can stand before God bycause it is the meregyft of God And this fayth dooth transforme the whole man and makes hym such an one that according to that common definition of ciuill iustice he is ready to geue and render to euery one that which is due vnto hym For seeing by that fayth we are instified and indued with the loue of the lawe of God then surely we so magnifying God and the lawe doo geue that glory vnto God which is due vnto hym Also seeing by that fayth we doo beleeue firmely that we are iustified freely and reconciled vnto God through Christ who euery where is ready to saue vs then by course we serue for our neighbor so agayne render and attribute to euery man that which is his This ryghteousnes of the hart we can not obtayne by any indeuour of our own free will or by our own strength merits For as no man can see that lyuely operation that is fayth of our harts but onely God so no man can repell from hymselfe that wickednes and incredulitie of the hart but onely by grace and the Spirit of God so farre we are from being able to deliuer our selues from sinnes by our owne power Therefore though workes doo seeme to show gallantly and gloriously yet notwithstanding whatsoeuer is not of fayth is hipocrisie and sinne Now as concerning flesh and spirit which often are vsed in this Epistle you must not take flesh to be after the common manner the desires and lustes of the flesh onely neyther must you cal the spirit onely those things whiche are doone spiritually in the inwarde corners of the hart 6 fleshe what â—t is For the Apostle Saynt Paule as also Christ hymselfe in the .iii. Ch. of Iohn doo call flesh whatsoeuer is borne of the fleshe that is the whole man bodye and soule al mans reason wholy with all his cheefest and best powers Bycause that all these things doo sauour of nothing but fleshe and seeke after nothing but fleshly things Wherfore thou shalt eall all those workes flesh which seeme to be good and make a beautiful show of holy workes and yet are doone without the grace and working of the holy Spirit of God in the hart Which thing is playne and euident by the .v. Chapter to the Galathians where Paule reckeneth and counteth heresies sects amongst the fruites of the flesh And in the .viii. Chapter to the Romanes he sayth that the law is made weake by reason of the flesh which thing ought to be ment not onely of the vnchaste lustes of the flesh but also of the whole masse of corruption and wickednes yea breisly and cheifly of incredulitie or vnbeleefe Incredulitie the ground all sines which is the most secret and cheife sinne of all Contrarywise 7 Spirite what it is thou shalt call the Spirit those spirituall things euen those externall works which proceede from a spiritual man or from a hart innouated and made newe by the holy spirit That washing of the feete which Christ did to his Disciples though it was an outward worke yet it was spirituall Peters fishing to which he returned being now iustified in the spirit was also spirituall Therefore that is fleshe whatsoeuer a man dooth seeking and sauoring onely carnal and fleshly things And that is Spirit whatsoeuer is doone within or without wherewith a man exercising fayth and Charitie dooth seeke spirituall things Vnles we take these wordes in this sense we shall neyther vnderstand this Epistle of S. Paul nor any other bookes of the diuine Scriptures Therefore whether it be Ierome or Augustine or Ambrose or Origen breifly what writers soeuer they be that vse these wordes otherwise let not the authoritie of men moue thee any thing at al but rather flee from
and beare witnes vnto our spirits that we are the very sonnes of God teaching vs that we although sinne dooth boyle with rage within our flesh haue God for our father may account our selues his Sonnes if so be that we doo dayly by the spirit wrastle agaynst the flesh Now bycause nothing is more profitable to the mortifying of the olde Adā the flesh thē the crosse tribulatiō and afflictiō that is the Apostle doth here comfort vs in those tribulations affirming that the Spirit dooth make intercession and request for vs with sighes which cannot be vttered and expressed also that all the creatures being subiect to vanity and abuse do euen grone and trauel in payne togither with vs vntill this body of sinne be abolished and the glory of the sonnes of God be reuealed Thus we see that these three last Chapters doo vrge nothing so much as this onely and chiefe worke of our fayth namely the mortification of our olde Adam which is the flesh In the .ix. x. and .xi. Chapt. 9. 10. 11. Chapters he handleth the matter of Predestination For all the rest doo depend vpon that namely who should receyue the worlde and who shoulde not who should beleeue and who not who should be freed from sinne who should be blynded who should be damned and who should be iustified Seeing therefore that both the sending out of the preachers of the Gospell and the worde it selfe be of God it is certayne that it lyeth onely in Gods hand to iustifie vs. Predestination must be taught and preached And surely this stable sentence and immouable necessitie of predestination is a most necessary doctrine to be taught For we are so weake that if it were in our handes very fewe or rather none should be saued For the dyuell would ouercome vs. Yet now seeing this sentence and decree of God is most sure and certayne so that it cannot be chaunged or altered by any creature we haue then good hope to ouercome at the length those reliques of sinne although that now they rage in our flesh But here those curious men who before they haue learned Christ A Caneat for curious Christians and the vertue of his Crosse doo search the profunditie and depth of predestination laboring in vaine to inquire whether they are predestinate to life or death must be rayned strayned and kept backe with some holy Brydle For without all doubt these men by this their foolish curiositie will leade and learne to cast them selues headlong into the confusion of their conscience or into the bottomles pit of desperation But thou deare Christian see that in reading and learning holy things thou follow the order and Methode set downe here in this place by the Apostle Learne this godly Methode First of al learne the knowledge of Christ that thou mayst acknowledge that all thy strength and power auayleth to nothing but to sinning Furthermore that by fayth thou mayst dayly wrastle with thy fleshe as hee hath taught thee in the .vii. first Chapters Finally after that thou be come to the .viii. Chapter that is after that thou hast tryed the Crosse and trybulation after thou hast had experience of this wholsome mortification often to be repeated then first of all will this necessitie of predestination waxe sweet vnto them then thou shalt first feele in the ix.x and .xi. Chapters how full of comfort and consolation this doctrine of predestination is For vnles thou hast had experience and tryall of tribulation Predestination onely comfortable to those which are wel exercised in afflictions vnles thou thou hast felt thy selfe to haue bene brought sometyme euen vnto the gates of hell as we see in Dauid and other Saints thou canst not beare or brooke thys doctrine and sentence of predestination without perill and daunger without a certayne murmuring and grudging of nature agaynst God Therefore it is needefull and necessary that olde Adam should first be mortisied that the sense of the fleshe shoulde bee beaten downe that the sucklings should first grow vp in Christ before they drinke of this sweete Cuppe of wine For euen heere also there is in euery one a certayne infancie childhood who hath in the meane tyme neede to be fed with Milke vntill he be accustomed to eate stronger meates In the twelfth chapter he dooth annex and adioyne certayne admonitions and precepts Chap. 12 For this order the Apostle is wont to obserue in all his Epistles The second patt of this Epistle concernyng christian conuersation that first he dooth teache Christ and Fayth afterwardes he dooth exhort to good workes and a continuall mortification of the flesh Wherefore he dooth teach heere good works in deede and the true worship of God And heere he maketh all Christians to be Priestes commaunding them to offer not moneye eyther Oxen or Gotes as it was the custome of the Lawe but to offer thēselues a spiritual sacrifice A spirituall Priesthood mortifying the old Adam Furthermore he dooth deliuer out most breifly vnto vs the institucion instruction of Christian maners as how we shold teach preach rule gouern namely in the church how we should serue our neighbour how we should suffer tribulations to be briefe how it behoueth a Christian to behaue hymselfe towards his freendes and enemyes And these are truely good workes of a Christian man which doo slow out of Fayth as from a fountaine and head spring Yea which doo euen make a violent eruption For faith as I haue sayd is not ydle Papists works what they are But the workes of the Iusticiaryes which are done without this liuely flame of Fayth in the hart are but hypocrites purple show and fayned colours wherewith they paynt themselues outwardly when as inwardly they are full of hatred auarice filthines and deceyte In the .xiii. Chapter he teacheth vs to be obedient to earthly and worldly Magistrates Chap. 13 Obedience to the Magistrate seeing that al power is of God For though the administration of the sword and those politicall and ciuill Lawes doo helpe nothing to the iustification of the hart notwithstanding bycause that power and authoritie is ordayned and appoynted of God to the maintenance and preseruation of the peace of the commō welth that malefactors might be punished and good men defended therefore it is to be reuerenced and honoured euen of the Saintes of God and righteous men which otherwise stand not in neede of that authoritie Loue is a short summe of all Christian duenes At the last he comprehendeth summarily all duetis in this one worde loue And whereas he proposed Christ as the cause and author of our righteousnes now here after another sorte he proponeth and setteteth hym foorth as an example namely that we imitating and following Christ should so serue our neyghbour as Christ hath serued vs. In the .xiiii. Chap. 14 Chapter he teacheth that the weake in fayth not as yet expert and cunning in Christian libertie
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