haue nothing lesse Hereby we may plainly see that the Pope with his doctrine doth nothing else but trouble and torment mens consciences at length driueth them to desperation For he not onely teacheth but also cōmaundeth men to dout Therfore according to the Psalme There is no truth or certaintie in his mouth And in an other place vnder his tōge is iniquitie mischeefe Here we may see what great infirmitie is yet in the Faith of the Godly For if we could be fully perswaded that we are vnder grace that our sinnes are forgeuen that we haue the spirit of Christ that we are the children of God then doubtles we should be ioyfull and thankfull to God for this inestimable gift But because we feele cōtrary motions that is to say feare doutfulnes anguish and heuines of heart such like therfore we can not assure our selues hereof yea our conscience iudgeth it a great presumption and pride to chalenge this glory Wherfore if we will vnderstand this thing rightly and as we should doe we must put it in practise for without experience and practise it can neuer be learned Wherfore let euery man so practise with him selfe that his conscience may be fully assured that he is vnder grace and that his person and his workes doe please god And if he feele in himselfe any wauering or douting let him exercise his Faith and wrastle against this douting and let him endeuour to attaine more certaintie so that he may be able to say I know that I am accepted and that I haue the holy Ghost not for mine owne worthines my worke my merite but for Christes sake who of his inestimable loue towardes vs made him self thrall and subiect to the lawe tooke away the sinnes of the world In him do I beleue If I be a sinner erre he is righteous and can not erre Moreouer I gladly heare read sing wryte of him and I desire nothing more then that his Gospel may be knowne to the whole world and that many may be conuerted vnto him These things doe plainly witnesse that the holy Ghost is present with vs in vs For such things are not wrought in the heart by mans strength nor gotten by his industrie exercise or trauell but are obtained by Christ alone who first maketh vs righteous by the knowledge of him in his holy Gospel and afterwardes he createth a new heart in vs bringeth forth new motions geueth vnto vs that assurance wherby we are perswaded that we please the father for his sake Also he geueth vs a true iudgement whereby we proue trie those things which before we knew not or else altogether despised It behoueth vs therefore to wrastle against this douting that we may daily ouercome it more and more attaine to a full perswasion certainty of Gods fauour towardes vs rooting out of our heartes this cursed opinion that a man ought to dout of the grace fauour of God which hath infected the whole world For if we dout whether we be vnder grace whether we please God for Christes sake or not we deny that Christe hath redemed vs we deny simply all his benefits Ye that are yong mē may easily apprehēd this pure doctrine of the Gospel and abādon this pernicious opinion because ye are not yet poysoned therwith Verse 6. Crying Abba Father Paule might haue sayd God sent the spirite of his sonne into our hearts calling Abba Father Now he sayth not so but crying Abba Father that he might shew and set forth the temptation of a Christian which yet is but weake and weakly beleueth In the .8 to the Rom. he calleth this crying an vnspeakeable groning Likewise he sayeth The spirite helpeth our infirmities For vve knovv not hovve to pray as vve ought but the spirite maketh intercession for vs vvith vnspeakeable gronings c. And this is a singuler consolation when he sayeth here that the spirite of Christ is sent into our hearts crying Abba Father And againe that he helpeth our infirmities making intercession for vs with vnspeakeable gronings He that could assuredly beleue this should neuer be ouercome with any affliction were it neuer so great But there are many things that hinder this Faith in vs First our heart is borne in sinne Moreouer this euill is naturally grafted in vs that we doubt of the good will of God towardes vs and cannot assure our selues that we please God. c. Besides all this the Deuil our aduersarie raūgeth about with terrible rorings and sayeth Thou art a sinner therefore God is angrie with thee and will destroy thee for euer Against these horrible and intolerable rorings we haue nothing whervpon to hold stay our selues but only the word which setteth Christ before vs as a conquerour ouer sinne and death and ouer all euils But to cleaue fast to the word in this tentation and these terrours of conscience herein standeth all the difficultie For then Christe appeareth to no sense We see him not the heart feeleth not his presence or succour in temptation but rather it seemeth that Christ is angrie with vs and that he forsaketh vs Moreouer when a man is tempted and afflicted he feeleth the strength of sinne and the infirmitie of the flesh he douteth he feeleth the flerie dartes of the Deuill the terrours of death the anger and iudgement of god All these things cry out horribly against vs so that we see nothing else but desperation and eternall death But yet in the middest of these terrours of the lawe thundrings of sinne assaultes of death and rorings of the Deuill the holy Ghost sayth Paule cryeth in our hearts Abba Father And this crie surmounteth those mighty and horrible cries of the lawe sinne death the Deuill c it perceth the cloudes and the heauens and ascendeth vp vnto the eares of God. Paule therfore signifieth by these words that there is yet infirmitie in the godly As he doth also in the .8 chap. to the Rom. when he sayeth The spirite helpeth our infirmities For as much therfore as the sense and feeling of the contrary is strong in vs that is to say for as much as we feele more the displeasure of God then his good will and fauour towardes vs therefore the holy Ghost is sent into our heartes which doth not only sigh and make request for vs but mightely crieth Abba Father and praieth for vs according to the wil of God with teares and vnspeakeable gronings And how is this done When we are in terrours and in the conflict of conscience in deede we take hold of Christ and beleue that he is our Sauiour but then doe the law and sinne terrifie and torment vs most of all Moreouer the Deuill assaileth vs with all his engines and fierie darts and goeth about with all his power to plucke Christ from vs and to take from vs all consolations Here we feele our selues almost ouercome and at
were in the middes of the Apostles and all the faithfull where this question was so vehemently debated was not yet constrained to be circumcised This victorie Paule carieth away sayth that in this conference it was decided by the consent of all the Apostles the whole Church also approuing the same that Titus should not be circumcised This is a strong argument and maketh very much against the false apostles And with this argument Neither vvas Titus compelled to be circumcised Paule was able to represse and mightely conuince all his aduersaries As if he should say Why doth these counterfait apostles so falsely report of me saying that I am compelled to keepe circumcision by the commaundement of the Apostles seeing I haue the witnes of all the faithfull in Ierusalem and moreouer of all the Apostles them selues that by my pursute and trauaile the contrary was there determined and that I did not onely there preuaile that Titus should not be circumcised but that the Apostles did also approue and ratifie the same Your counterfet apostles therfore do lie deadly which sclaūder me vnder the name of the Apostles and therby deceaue you for I haue the Apostles and all the faithfull not against me but with me And this I proue by the example of Titus Notwithstanding Paule as I haue often sayd did not condemne circumcision as an vnprofitable thing nor constrained any man therevnto For it is neither sinne nor righteousnes to be circumcised or vncircumcised as it is neither sinne nor righteousnes to eate or drinke For vvhether thou eate or eate not thou art neither better nor vvorse But if any mā should adde therto either sinne or righteousnes and say If thou eate thou sinnest if thou abstaine thou art righteous he should shew him selfe both foolish and wicked Therfore to ioyne ceremonies with sinne or righteousnes is great impietie As the Pope doth who in his forme of excommunication threatneth to all those that doe not obey the law of the Bishop of Rome Gods great curse and indignation and so maketh all his lawes necessary to saluation Wherefore the Deuil him selfe speaketh in the person of the Pope in all the Popes decrees For if saluation cōsisteth in keping of the Popes lawes what neede haue we of Christ to be our iustifier and Sauiour Vers 4.5 For all the false brethern that crept in vvho came in priuely to espie out our liberty vvhich vve haue in Christ Iesus that they might bring vs into bōdage To vvhom vve gaue not place by subiection for an houre that the truth of the Gospell might continue vvith you Here Paule sheweth the cause why he went vp to Ierusalem and there conferred his gospell with the other Apostles and why he would not circumcise Titus Not that he might be the more certaine or confirmed in the gospell by the Apostles for he nothing doubted thereof but that the truth of the gospell might continue in the Churches of the Galathians and in all the Churches of the Gentiles We see then that this busines of Paule was no light matter Nowe where he speaketh of the truth of the Gospell he sheweth that there be two gospels a true and a false gospell Indeede the gospell of it selfe is simple true and sincere but by the malice of Satans ministers it is corrupt and defaced Therfore where he saith The truth of the gospel he would haue vs to vnderstād also the contrary As if he would say The false apostles do also preach a faith a gospel but they are both false Therfore haue I set my selfe so constantly against them and in that I would not geue place vnto them I haue brought to passe that the truth of the gospell continueth with you So the Pope and the Anabaptists doe bragge at this day that they teach the Gospell faith in Christ True it is but with such frute as the false apostles once did whom Paule calleth before in the first chapter troublers of the church and subuerters of the gospell of Christ On the other side he sayth that he teacheth the truth of the gospell As if he should say Those things which the false apostles teach bragge they neuer so much that they teach the truth are nothing else but starke lies So all Heretikes pretend the name of God of Christ and of the Church Also they pretend that they will not teach errours or lies but most certaine truth and the pure Gospell of Christ Now the truth of the gospell is that our righteousnes cometh by Faith only without the workes of the law The corruption or falshode of the Gospell is that we are iustified by Faith but not without the workes of the lawe With the like condition the false apostles also preached the Gospel Euen so doe our Papists and craftie Sophisters at this day For they say that we must beleue in Christ and that Faith is the foundation of our saluation but it iustifieth not except it be furnished with charitie This is not the truth of the Gospell but falshode and dissimulation But the true Gospell in deede is that works or charitie are not the ornament or perfection of faith but that faith of it selfe is Gods gift and Gods worke in our hearts which therefore iustifieth vs because it apprehendeth Christ our redemer Mans reason hath the law for his obiect thus thinking with it selfe This I haue done this I haue not done But faith being in her owne proper office hath no other obiect but Iesus Christ the sonne of god deliuered to death for the sinnes of the whole world It loketh not to charitie It sayeth not what haue I done what haue I offended what haue I deserued but what hath Christ done what hath he deserued Here the truth of the gospel answereth thee he hath redemed thee from thy sinne from the Deuil from eternall death Faith therefore acknowledgeth that in this one person Iesus Christ it hath forgeuenes of sinnes and eternall life He that turneth his eyes away from this obiect hath not true Faith but a fantasie and a vaine opinion and turneth his eyes from the promise to the law which terrifieth and driueth to desperation Wherfore those things which the Sophisters Scholemen haue taught cōcerning the iustifying faith being furnished with charitie are no thing else but mere dreames For that faith which apprehēdeth Christ the sonne of God is furnished with him is the same faith that iustifieth and not that faith which includeth charitie For a true a stedfast faith must lay hold vpon nothing else but Christ alone and in the afflictions and terrours of conscience it hath nothing else to leane vnto but this Diamond Christ Iesus Wherfore he that apprehendeth Christ by faith although he be neuer so much terrified with the law pressed downe with the weight of his sinnes yet may he be bold to glory that he is righteous How or by what meanes Euen by that
any true feling of sinne or of the terrour of death haue forged these vaine toyes blasphemies of their owne braine and therefore they know not what they say or what they teach Moreouer they can shew no example of any worke done either before or after grace that could iustifie before god Wherfore these are nothing else but vaine fables and lies whereby the Papists deceaue both them selues and other For Paule here plainly affirmeth that a man is not iustified by the works of the lawe either going before grace wherof he here speaketh or comming after You see then that Christian righteousnes is not such an essentiall qualitie engrafted in the nature of man as the Scholemen doe imagine when they say The Diuinitie of the Schole men When a man doth any good worke God accepteth it and for that good worke he poureth into him charitie This infused charitie say they is a qualitie grafted in the heart and this they call formall righteousnes which maner of speaking it is expedient for you to know and they cā abide nothing lesse then to heare that this qualitie furnishing the soule as whitenes doth the wal should not be coūted righteousnes They can clime no higher then to this cogitatiō of mans reason that man is righteous hy his owne formall righteousnes which is grace making him acceptable vnto God that is to say loue or charitie So to this qualitie cleauing vnto the soule that is to wit charitie which is a worke after the law for the law sayth Thou shalt loue the Lord thy god c. they attribute formall righteousnes and they say that this righteousnes is worthy of euerlasting life and he that hath it is formally righteous and moreouer he is effectually or actually righteous because he now doth good workes wherevnto euerlasting life is due This is the opinion of the Scholemen yea euen of the best among them Some other there be which are not so good as Scotus and Occam which sayd that for the obtaining of the grace of God this charity infused or geuen of God is not necessary but that a man euen by his owne naturall strength may procure this charitie aboue all things For so reasoneth Scotus If a man may loue a creature a yong man a maiden a couetous man money which are the lesse good he may also loue God which is the greater good If he haue a loue of the creature through his naturall strength much more hath he a loue of the creator With this argument were all the Sophisters conuicted and none of them all was able to soile it Notwithstanding thus they replie The scripture compelleth vs to cōfesse say they that God besides that naturall loue and charitie which is engrafted in vs wherwith alone he is not contented requireth also charitie which he him selfe geueth And heereby they accuse God as a tyranne and a cruell exactor who is not content that we kepe and fulfil his law but aboue the law which we are of our selues able to fulfill requireth also that we should accomplishe it with other circumstaunce and furniture as apparell to the same As if a Mistres should not be contented that her Cooke had dressed her meate excellently well but should chide her for that she did not prepare the same being decked with precious apparel hauing a croune of gold vpon her head What a mistres were this who besides that which her Cooke was onely bound to doe and also exactly performed would require moreouer precious apparell or a croune of gold which she could not haue Euen so what a one should God be if he should require his lawe to be fulfilled of vs which otherwise by our owne naturall strength we obserue and fulfill with such furniture as we can not haue But here lest they should seeme to aduouch contrary things they make a distinction and say that the law is fulfilled two maner of waies first according to the substance of the deede and secondly according to the minde of the commaunder According to the substance of the deede say they we may fulfil al things which the law commaūdeth but not according to the meaning of the Commaunder which is that God is not contented that thou hast done all things which are commaunded in the law although he can require no more of thee but he yet further requireth that thou shouldest fulfill the law in charitie not that charitie which thou hast by nature but that which is aboue nature and heauēly which he himselfe geueth And what is this els but to make of God a tyranne and a tormentor which requireth of vs that we are not able to performe And it is in a maner as much as if they should say that the fault is not in vs if we be damned but in God which with this circumstance requireth his law to be accomplished of vs. These things I doe the more diligently repete that you may see how farre they haue wādred from the true sense of the scripture which haue sayd that we by our owne naturall strength may loue God aboue all things or at least by the worke wrought we may deserue euerlasting life And because God is not contente that we fulfill the law according to the substance of the deede but will haue vs also to fulfill the same according to the meaning of the Commaunder therefore the scripture further compelleth vs to haue a qualitie aboue nature poured into vs from aboue and that is charitie which they call formall righteousnes adorning and bewtifying faith being also the cause that faith iustifieth vs So faith is the body and the shell charitie the life the kernell the forme and furniture These are the dreames of the Scholemen But we in the steede of this charitie do place faith and we say that faith apprehendeth Iesus Christ who is the forme which adorneth furnisheth faith as the colour adorneth and bewtifieth the wall Christian faith thē is not an idle qualitie or empty huske in the heart which may be in deadly sinne as they say vntill charitie come and quicken it but if it be true faith it is a sure trust and confidence of the heart and a firme consent wherby Christ is apprehended So that Christ is the obiect of faith yea rather euen in faith Christ himselfe is present Faith therefore is a certaine obscure knowledge or rather darkenes which seeth nothing and yet Christ apprehended by faith sitteth in this darknes like as God in Sinai and in the temple satte in the middest of darknes Wherfore our formall righteousnes is not charitie furnishing and beutifying faith but it is faith it self which is as it were a certain cloud in our harts that is to say a stedfast trust affiance in the thing which we see not which is Christ who although he be not seene at all yet is he present Faith therefore iustifieth because it apprehendeth and possesseth this treasure euen
Christ present But this presence cā not be comprehended of vs because it is in darknes as I haue said Wherfore wher assured trust and affiance of the heart is there Christ is present yea euen in the cloud and obscuritie of faith And this is that formall righteousnes whereby a man is iustified and not by charitie as the popish Scholemen do affirme To conclude like as the Scholemen say that charity furnisheth and adorneth faith so do we say that it is Christ the furnisheth and adorneth faith or rather that he is the very forme perfection of faith Wherefore Christ apprehended by faith and dwelling in the heart is true christian righteousnes for the which God counteth vs righteous and geueth vs eternall life Here is vndoubtedly no worke of the lawe no such charitie or loue as the Sophisters dreame of but a farre other maner of righteousnes and a certaine new world beyond and aboue the lawe For Christ or faith is not the law nor worke of the law But concernīg this matter which the Scholemen neither well vnderstood nor taught we entende to speake more largely hereafter Now it shall be enough that we haue shewed that Paule speaketh not here onely of the ceremonial law but of the whole law The true rule of Christianitie Contrary to these vaine trifles and doting dreames as we haue also noted before we teach faith and geue a true rule of Christianitie in this sorte First that a man must be taught by the lawe to knowe him selfe that so he may learne to say with the Prophet All haue sinned and haue neede of the glory of God. Also there is not one righteous no not one Not one that vnderstandeth not one that seeketh after God All haue gone astray Also against thee onely haue I sinned Thus we by a contrary way do driue men from the merite of congruence and worthines Now when a man is humbled by the law and brought to the knowledge of himselfe then followeth true repentance for true repentance beginneth at the feare iudgement of God and he seeth himselfe to be so great a sinner that he can finde no meanes how he may be deliuered from his sinne by his owne strength works or merits Then he perceaueth wel what Paule meaneth when he saith that man is the seruaunt and bondslaue of sinne Also that God hath shut vp all vnder sinne that the whole world is gilty before god c. Then he seeth that all the diuinitie of the Scholemen touching the merite of congruence and worthines is nothing els but meere foolishnes and that by this meanes the whole Papacye falleth to ruine Here then he beginneth to sigh and saith in this wise Who then can geue succour For he being thus terrified with the law vtterly despaireth of his owne strength he loketh about and sigheth for the helpe of a Mediatour and Sauiour Here then cometh in good time the holesome word of the Gospell and saith Sonne thy sinnes are forgeuen the. Beleue in Christ Iesus crucified for thy sinnes If thou feele thy sinnes and the burthen therof looke not vpon them in thy selfe but remember that they are translated and laid vpon Christ whose stripes haue made thee whole This is the beginning of health and saluation By this meanes we are deliuered frō sinne iustified made inheritours of euerlasting life not for our owne works and deserts but for our faith wherby we lay hold vpon Christ Wherfore we also doe acknowledge a qualitie and a formall righteousnes in the heart not charitie as the Scholemen doe but faith and yet so notwithstanding that the heart do behold nothing apprehend nothing but Christ the Sauiour And here it is necessary that you know the true definition of Christ The Scholemen being vtterly ignorant hereof haue made Christ a iudge and a tormentor deuising this fond fantasie concerning the merite of congruence worthines But Christ according to his true definition is no lawgiuer but he is a forgiuer of sinnes and a Sauiour This doth faith apprehend and vndoubtedly beleue that he hath wrought works and merits of congruence and worthines before and after grace abundantly For he might haue satisfied for all the sinnes of the world by one onely droppe of his bloud But now he hath shed it plentifully and hath satisfied abundantly Ebr. 9. By his ovvne bloud hath he entred into the holy place once for all and obtained eternal redemption for vs. Also Rom. 3. And vve are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus vvhom God hath set forth to be a reconciliation vnto vs through faith in his bloud Wherfore it is a greate matter to lay hold vpon Christ by faith bearing the sinnes of the world And this faith alone is counted for righteousnes as the Apostle teacheth in the third and fourth Chapters to the Romaines Here is to be noted that these three things faith Christ acceptation or imputation must be ioyned togither Faith taketh hold of Christ and hath him present and holdeth him inclosed as the ring doth the precious stone And who so euer shal be found hauing this confidence in Christ apprehended in the hart him will God account for righteous This is the meane and this is the merite wherby we attaine the remission of sinnes and righteousnes Because thou beleuest in me saith God and thy faith layeth hold vpon Christ whom I haue freely geuen vnto thee that he might be thy Mediatour and high Priest therefore be thou iustified and righteous Wherefore God doth accept or accoūt vs as righteous onely for our faith in Christ And this acceptation or imputation is very necessary First because we are not yet perfectly righteous but whiles we remaine in this life sinne dwelleth still in our flesh and this remnant of sinne God purgeth in vs Moreouer we are sometimes lefte of the holy Ghost and fall into sinnes as did Peter Dauid and other holy men Notwithstanding we haue alwaies recourse to this article That our sinnes are couered and that God will not lay them to our charge Psal. 32. and Rom. 4. Not that sinne is not in vs as the Sophisters haue taught saying that we must be alwaies working well vntill we feele that there is no gilt of sinne remaining in vs yea sinne is in deede alwaies in vs and the godly doe feele it but it is couered and is not imputed vnto vs of God for Christes sake whom because we doe apprehend by Faith all our sinnes are now no sinnes But where Christ and faith be not there is no remission or couering of sinnes but mere imputation of sinnes and condemnation Thus will God glorifie his sonne and will be glorified him selfe in vs through him When we haue thus taught faith in Christ then do we teach also good works Because thou hast laid hold vpon Christ by faith through whom thou art made righteousnes begin
so that the worde be not onely my voice but may be hearde of thee and may enter into thy hearte and be beleued of thee then is it truly and in deede the hearing of faith thorowe the which thou receauest the holy Ghost which after thou hast once receaued thou shalt also mortifie thy flesh The faithfull doe finde by their owne experience howe gladly they would hold and embrace the word when they heare it with a full faith and abandon this opinion of the lawe and of their owne righteousnes but they feele in their flesh a mightie resistaunce against the spirite For reason and the flesh will needes worke together This saying Ye must be circumcised and keepe the lavve can not be vtterly rooted out of our mindes but it sticketh fast in the hearts of all the faithfull There is therfore in the faithfull a continuall conflict betwene the hearing of faith and the workes of the lawe For the conscience alwayes murmureth and thinketh that this is too easie a way that by the onely hearing of the word righteousnes the holy ghost and life euerlasting is promised vnto vs But come once to an earnest trial therof and then tell me how easie a thing it is to heare the word of faith In deede he which geueth is great moreouer he geueth great things willingly and freely and vpbraideth no man therwith but thy capacitie is hard and faith weake still striuing against thee so that thou art not able to receaue this gift But let thy conscience murmure against thee neuer so much let this Must come neuer so oftē into thy minde yet stand fast hold out vntill thou ouercome this Must So as faith encreaseth by litle and litle that opinion of the righteousnes of the lawe will diminish But this can not be done without great conflict Verse 3. Are ye so foolish that after ye haue begone in the spirite ye vvould novv finish or be made perfect by the flesh This argument being concluded how that the holy ghost cometh not by the workes of the lawe but through the preaching of faith he beginneth here to exhort the Galathians and to terrifie them from a double daunger and incommoditie The first is Are ye so foolish that after ye haue begone in the spirite ye vvould novv ende in the flesh The other followeth Haue ye suffred so great things in vaine As if he said Ye began in the spirite that is your religion was excellently well begone As also a litle after he saith Ye ranne vvel c. But what haue ye gotten therby Forsoth ye will nowe ende in the flesh yea rather ye are ended in the flesh Paule here setteth the spirite against the flesh He calleth not the flesh as before I haue said lust beastly passions or sensual appetites for he intreateth not here of lust or of other fleshly desires but of forgeuenes of sinnes of iustifying the conscience of obteining righteousnes before God of deliueraunce from the lawe sinne and death and yet notwithstanding he sayth here that they forsaking the spirite doe now ende in the flesh Flesh therfore is here taken for the very righteousnes and wisedome of the flesh and the iudgement of reason which goeth about to be made righteous by the law Whatsoeuer then is best and most excellent in man as the wisedome of reason yea and the righteousnes of the law it selfe the same here Paule calleth flesh And this place must be well weyed and considered because of the slaunderous and cauilling Papists which wrest the same against vs saying that we in Poperie began in the spirite but now hauing maried wiues we ende in the flesh As though a single life or not to haue a wife were a spirituall life and as though it nothing hindred their spirituall life if a man not contented with one whore haue many They are mad men not vnderstanding what the spirite or what the flesh is The spirite is whatsoeuer is done in vs through the spirite The flesh whatsoeuer is done in vs according to the flesh without the spirite Wherfore all the dueties of a Christian man as to loue his wife to bring vp his children to gouerne his familie and such like which vnto them are worldly and carnal are the frutes of the spirite These blinde buzzardes can not discerne the things which are the good creatures of God from vices Here also is to be noted that the Apostle sayth the Galathians did begin in the spirite He should here haue added actiuely Nunc carne consummatis that now ye ende in the flesh But he doth not so but sayth passiuely carne consummamini that ye ende yea or rather are ended in the flesh The righteousnes of the law which Paule here calleth the flesh is so farre of from iustifying that they which after the receauing of the holy ghost through the hearing of faith fall backe againe vnto it are ended in it that is to say are vtterly destroyed Therfore who so euer teach that the lawe ought to be fulfilled to this ende that men might be iustified thereby whiles they goe about to quiet their consciences they hurt them whiles they would iustifie them they condemne them Paule euermore by the way hath a glaunce at these false apostles for they stil vrged the law saying Faith onely in Christ taketh not away sinne pacifieth not the wrath of God iustifieth not Therfore if ye will obtaine these benefites ye must not onely beleeue in Christ but therwith ye must also keepe the law be circumcised keepe the feastes sacrifices c. Thus doing ye shall be free from sinne from the wrath of God from euerlasting death yea rather sayth Paule by the selfe same things ye establish vnrighteousnes ye prouoke the wrath of God ye adde sinne to sinne ye quench the spirite ye fall away from grace and vtterly reiect the same and ye together with your disciples doe ende in the flesh This is the first daūger from the which he terrifieth the Galathians lest if they seeke to be iustified by the lawe they lose the spirite and forgoe their good beginnings for a wretched ende Verse 4. Haue ye suffered so many things in vaine The other daunger and incommoditie is this Haue ye suffred so many things in vaine As though he would say Consider not onely howe well ye began and howe miserablie ye haue forsaken your good beginnings and your course well begone moreouer that not onely ye haue lost the first fruites of the spirite being fallen againe into the ministerie of sinne and death and into a dolefull and a miserable bondage of the lawe but consider this also that ye haue suffered muche for the Gospels sake and for the name of Christe to witte the spoiling of your goodes railings and reproches daungers both of bodies and liues c. All things were in a happie course and great towardnes with you Ye taught purely ye liued holily and ye endured many euils constantly
vvas imputed vnto him for righteousnes For christian righteousnes consisteth in two things that is to say in faith of the heart and in Gods imputation Faith is in deede a formal righteousnes and yet this righteousnes is not enough for after faith there remaine yet certaine remnaunts of sinne in our flesh This sacrifice of faith began in Abraham but at last it was finished in his death And therfore the other part of righteousnes must needes be added also to finish the same in vs that is to say Gods imputation For faith geueth not enough to God because it is imperfecte yea rather our faith is but a little sparke of faith which beginneth onely to render vnto God his true diuinitie We haue receiued the first fruites of the spirite but not yet the tenthes Besides this reason is not vtterly killed in this life which may appeare by our concupiscence wrath impatience and other fruites of the flesh and of infidelitie yet remaining in vs Yea the holiest that liue haue not yet a full and continuall ioy in God but haue theyr sondry passions sometimes sadde sometimes mirry as the scriptures witnes of the Prophetes and Apostles But such faultes are not layde to their charge because of their faith in Christ for otherwise no flesh should be saued We conclude therefore vpon these wordes It vvas imputed to him for righteousnes that righteousnes in deede beginneth through faith and by the same we haue the first frutes of the spirite but because faith is weake it is not made perfect without Gods imputation Wherefore faith beginneth righteousnes but imputation maketh it perfect vnto the day of Christ The popish Sophisters and Scholemen dispute also of imputation when they speake of the good acceptation of the woorke but besides and cleane contrary to the scripture for they wrest it onely to workes They doe not consider the vncleanenes and inward poyson lurking in the hearte as incredulitie doubting despising and hating of God which most pernicious and perelous beastes are the fountaine and cause of all mischiefe They consider no more but outward and grosse faults and vnrighteousnes which are little riuers proceeding and issuing out of those fountaines Therefore they attribute acceptation to workes that is to say that God doth accept our workes not of dutie but of congruence Contrarywise we excluding all workes doe goe to the very heade of this beast which is called reason which is the fountaine and headespring of all mischiefes For reason feareth not God it loueth not God it trusteth not in God but proudely contemneth him It is not moued either with his threateninges or his promises It is not delighted with his wordes or workes but it murmureth against him it is angry with him iudgeth and hateth him to be short it is an enemy to God not geuing him his glorie This pestilent beast reason I say being once slaine all outward and grosse vices should be nothing Wherfore we must first and afore all thinges goe about by faith to kill infidelitie the contempt and hatred of God murmuring against his iudgement and his wrath and against all his wordes and workes for then doe we kill reason which can be killed by none other meanes but by faith which in beleeuing God geueth vnto him his glory notwithstanding that he speaketh those things which seeme both foolish absurde and vnpossible to reason notwithstanding also that God setteth forth him selfe otherwise then reason is able either to iudge or conceiue that is to say after this maner I will account thee and pronounce thee to be righteous not for the keping of the lawe not for thy workes and thy merites but for thy faith in Iesus Christ mine onely begotten Sonne who was borne suffred was crucified and died for thy sinnes and that sinne which remaineth in thee I will not impute vnto thee If reason then be not killed and al kindes of religion and seruice of God vnder heauen that are inuented by men to get righteousnes before God be not condemned the righteousnes of faith can take no place When reason heareth this by and by it is offended it rageth and vttereth all her malice against God saying Are then my good woorkes nothing Haue I then laboured and borne the burden and heate of the day in vaine Hereof rise those vprours of nations of Kings and Princes against the Lord and against his Christ For the world neither will nor can suffer that his wisedome righteousnes religions and worshippings should be reproued and condemned The Pope with all his Popish rablement will not seeme to erre much lesse will he suffer himselfe to be condemned Therefore let them which be studious of the woorde of God learne out of this saying Abraham beleeued God and it vvas counted to him for righteousnes to sette forthe truely and rightly this true Christian righteousnes after this manner that it is a faith and confidence in the Sonne of God or rather a confidence of the heart in God through Iesus Christe And lette them adde this clause as a difference Which Faith and confidence is accounted righteousnes for Christes sake For these two things as I sayde before woorke Christian righteousnes namely Faith in the heart which is a gifte of God and rightly beleueth in Christ and also that God accepteth this imperfecte Faithe for perfect righteousnes for Christes sake in whom I haue begun to beleue because of this faith in Christ God seeth not my doubting of his good will towards me my distrust my heauines of spirite and other sinnes which are yet in me For as long as I liue in the flesh sinne is verely in me But because I am couered vnder the shadow of Christes winges as is the chicken vnder the winge of the henne and dwell without all feare vnder that most ample and large heauen of the forgeuenes of sinnes which is spread ouer me God couereth and pardoneth the remnant of sinne in me that is to say because of that faith wherwith I began to lay hold vpon Christ he accepteth my imperfect righteousnes euen for perfect righteousnes counteth my sinne for no sinne which notwithstanding is sinne in deede So we shroud our selues vnder the couering of Christes flesh who is our cloudy piller for the day and our fire by the night lest God should see our sinne And although we see it and for the same doe feele the terrors of conscience yet flying vnto Christ our Mediatour and reconciler through whom we are made perfect we are sure and safe For as all things are in him so through him we haue all things who also doth supply whatsoeuer is wanting in vs When we beleue this God winketh at all our sinnes and the remnantes thereof which are yet sticking in our flesh and will haue them so couered as though they were no sinnes Because saith he thou beleuest in my sonne although thou haue many sinnes notwithstanding they must be forgeuen thee vntill thou
carnall generation had any prorogatiue or could haue made children to Abraham is shut out and yet the scripture saith In Isaac shall thy seede be called The second is of Esau and Iacob who when they were as yet in their mothers wombe and had done neither good nor euill it was said The elder shall serue the yonger I haue loued Iacob and Esau haue I hated Therfore it is plaine that they which are of faith are the children of Abraham But some will here obiecte as the Iewes doe and certaine vnskilfull persons at this day which will seeme to know much and say that this worde faith in the Hebrew signifieth truth and therfore we doe wrongly alleage it in this matter and moreouer that this place out of Genesis 15. speaketh of a corporall thing namely of the promise of posteritie and therfore is not wel applied of Paule to faith in Christ but ought simplie to be vnderstand of the faith of Abraham wherby he beleeued according to the promise of God that he should haue seede And hereby they would proue that the arguments and allegations of Paule doe conclude nothing In like manner they may cauill also that the place which Paule a litle after alledgeth out of Habacuc speaketh of faith concerning the accomplishing of the whole vision and not of faith onely in Christ for the which Paule alledgeth it Likewise they may wrest all the .11 chapter to the Hebrews which speaketh of faith and the examples of faith By these things such vaineglorious and arrogant spirites doe hunt for praise and seeke to be counted wise and learned where they least of all deserue it But because of the simple and ignoraunt we will briefly answer to their cauillations To the first I aunswere thus that faith is nothing else but the truth of the hearte that is to say a true and a right opinion of the hearte as touching god Now faith only thinketh and iudgeth rightly of God and not reason And then a man thinketh rightly of God when he beleueth his word But when he will measure God without the word and beleue him according to the wisedome of reason he hath no right opinion of God in his heart and therfore he cā not thinke or iudge of him as he should doe As for example when a Monke imagineth that his Cowle his shauen croune and his vowes doe please God that grace and euerlasting life is geuen vnto him for the same he hath no true opinion of God but false and full of impietie Truth therfore is faith it selfe which iudgeth rightly of God namely that God regardeth not our works righteousnes because we are vncleane but that he will haue mercy vpon vs looke vpon vs accept vs iustifie vs and saue vs if we beleue in his Sonne whom he hath sent to be a sacrifice for the sinnes of the whole world This is a true opinion of God and in very deede nothing else but faith it selfe I can not comprehend nor be fully assured by reason that I am receaued into gods fauour for Christes sake but I heare this to be pronounced by the Gospell and I lay hold vpon it by faith To the seconde cauillation I answere that Paule doth rightly alledge the place out of the .15 of Genesis applying it to faith in Christ For with faith alwayes must be ioyned a certaine assurance of Gods mercy Now this assurance comprehendeth a faithfull trust of remission of sinnes for Christes sake For it is impossible that the conscience should looke for any thing at Gods hand except first it be assured that God is mercifull vnto it for Christes sake Therfore all the promises are to be referred to that first promise concerning Christ The seede of the vvoman shall bruse the serpents head So did all the Prophetes both vnderstand it and teach it By this we see that the faith of our fathers in the olde Testament and ours nowe in the newe is all one although they differ as touching their outward obiectes Which thing Peter witnesseth in the Actes when he sayth vvhich neither vve nor our fathers vvere able to beare But vve beleeue through the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ to be saued euen as they did And Paule sayth Our fathers did all drinke of that spirituall rocke that folovved them vvhich rocke vvas Christ And Christ himselfe sayth Abraham reioyced to see my day and he savve it and vvas glad Notwithstāding the faith of the fathers was grounded in Christ which was to come as ours is nowe in Christ which is now reuealed Abraham in his time was made righteous through faith in Christ to come but if he liued at this day he should be made righteous by faith in Christ now already reuealed and present Like as I said before of Cornelius who at the first beleeued in Christ to come but being instructed by Peter he beleeued that Christ was already come Therfore the diuersitie of times neither chaungeth faith nor the holy Ghost nor the gifts therof For there hath bene is and euer shal be one will one meaning and vnderstanding concerning Christ as well in the auncient fathers as in the faithfull which are at this day and shall come hereafter So we also haue aswell Christ to come and beleeue in him as the fathers of the olde Testament had For we looke for him to come againe in the last day with glory to iudge both the quicke and the dead whom nowe we beleue to be come alredy for our saluation Therfore this allegation of Paule offendeth none but those blinde and ignorant cauillers Paule therfore as I haue said rightly alledgeth that place out of Genesis of faith in Christ when he speaketh of the faith of Abraham For all the promises past were contained in Christ to come Therfore as well Abraham and the other fathers as also we are made righteous by faith in Christ They by faith in him to come we by faith in him now present For we entreate now of the nature and manner of iustification which is all one both in them and vs concerning Christ to come and being come It is enough therfore that Paule sheweth that the law iustifieth not but onely faith whether it be in Christ to come or in Christ already come At this day also Christ to some is present to other some he is to come To al beleuers he is present To vnbeleuers he is not yet come neither doth he profit them any thing at all but if they heare the Gospel and beleue that he is present vnto them he iustifieth saueth them Verse 7. Ye knovv therfore that they vvhich are of faith the same are the children of Abraham As if he would say Ye know by this example of Abraham and by the plaine testimony of the scripture that they are the children of Abraham which are of faith whether they be Iewes or Gentiles without any respect either
selfe same works saith he which the other Apostles did notwithstanding because the person was reprobate the iudgemēt of reason peruerse therefore his workes were hypocriticall and not true as were the workes of the other Apostles how like soeuer they seemed to be in outward shewe Wherfore they them selues are constrained to graunt that in politike and externall matters workes doe not iustifie vnlesse there be ioyned withall an vpright heart will and iudgement Howe much more are they compelled to confesse the same in spirituall matters where before all things there must be a knowledge of God and faith which may purifie the hearte They walke therefore in workes and in the righteousnes of the law as Iudas did in the works of the Apostles not vnderstanding what they say or what they affirme And although Paule saith plainely euery where that the law iustifieth not but causeth wrath vttereth sinne reueileth the indignation and iudgement of God and threateneth euerlasting death yet notwithstanding reading these things they see them not much lesse doe they vnderstand them Therefore they deserue not to be called hypocrites but visours and shadowes of disguised hypocrites moste miserably bewitched in that they dreame that they are made righteous by the workes of the lawe Wherefore as I haue said this worde Doer of the lavv as they define it is an imagined terme a very monster and no where to be founde Wherefore when Paule proueth this place VVhosoeuer are are of the vvorks of the lavv are vnder the curse by this sentence of Moises Cursed is euery one that abideth not in all that is vvrytten in this booke he proueth not one contrary by an other as at the first sight it may appeare but he proueth it rightly and in true order For Moises meaneth and teacheth the selfe same thing that Paule doth when he sayeth Cursed is euery one vvhich shall not doe all c. But no man doeth them therfore whosoeuer are of the workes of the lawe keepe not the lawe If they keepe it not they are vnder the curse But seeing there be two sortes of men that are doers of the lawe as before I haue sayde true doers and hypocrites the true doers must be seperated from the hypocrites The true doers of the lawe are they which through Faith are the good tree before the fruite doers and workers before the works Of these speaketh Moises also and except they be such they are vnder the Curse But the hypocrites are not of this sorte for they haue this opinion that they will obtaine righteousnes through their workes and thereby make the person iust and acceptable For thus they thinke We that are sinners and vnrighteous will be made righteous Howe shall that be By good woorkes Therefore they doe euen like as a foolish builder which goeth about of the rouffe to make the foundation of the fruites to make the tree For when they seeke to be iustified by woorkes of the woorkes they would make the worker which is directly against Moises which maketh such a worker subiect to the curse as well as Paule doth Therefore whiles they goe about to doe the lawe they not onely doe it not but also denie as I haue sayd the first commaundement the promises of God the promised Blessing of Abraham they renounce Faith and they goe about to make them selues blessed by their owne workes that is to say to make them selues righteous to deliuer them selues from sinne and death to ouercome the Deuill and by violence to lay holde vppon the kingdome of heauen And this is plainly to renounce God and to set them selues in the place of god For all these are the workes of the diuine Maiestie alone and not of any creature either in heauen or in earth Hereupon Paule was able easily to foreshewe out of the first commaundement the abhominations that were to come which Antichrist should bring into the Church For all they which teach that any other worshippe is necessary to saluation then that which God requireth of vs by the first commaundement which is the feare of God Faith and the loue of God are plaine Antichristes and set them selues in the place of god That such should come Christe him selfe foretolde when he sayeth in the xxiiii Chapter of Mathew Many shall come in my name saying I am Christ So we also at this day may boldely and easily pronounce that who soeuer seeketh righteousnes by workes without faith denieth God and maketh him selfe god For thus he thinketh If I doe this worke I shall be righteous I shall be a conquerer of sinne death the Deuill the wrath of God and of hell and shall obtaine life euerlasting And what is this els I pray you but to chalenge that worke vnto him selfe which doth belong to God alone and to shew in deede that he him selfe is God Therefore it is an easie matter for vs to prophesie and most certainely to Iudge of all those which are without faith that they are not onely Idolaters but very Idols which denie God and set them selues in the place of god Vpon the same grounde Peter also prophecieth when he saith There shal be amongest you false teachers vvhich priuely shall bringe in damnable heresies and shall denie the Lorde c. and make marchandise of the people And in the olde testament all the prophesies against Idolatry sprang out of the first commaundement For all the wicked kings and Prophetes with all the vnfaithfull people did nothing els but that which the Pope and all hypocrites alwaies doe They contemning the first commaundement and worship appointed of God and despising the promise of Abrahams seede euen that seede in whom all nations should be blessed and sanctified ordained a wicked worshippe cleane contrary to the worde of God and saide With this worship will we serue God and set out his praise which hath brought vs out of the land of Egypt So Ieroboam made two golden calues and saide Beholde thy Gods O Israell vvhich brought thee out of the land of Egypt This he saide of the true God which had redeemed Israell and yet both he and all the people were Idolaters For they worshipped God contrary to the first commaundement They onely regarded the worke which being done they counted them selues righteous before god And what was this els but to deny God him selfe whom they confessed with their mouth and saide that he had brought them out of the lande of Egypt Paule speaketh of such Idolaters when he saith They confesse that they knovv God but in their deedes they denie him Wherfore all hypocrites idolaters goe about to doe those workes which do properly pertaine to the diuine maiestie doe belong to Christ onely and alone In deede they say not in plaine wordes I am God I am Christ and yet in very deede they proudly chalenge vnto themselues the Diuinitie office of Christ and therfore it is as much in effect as if
for me in heauen So both these sayings are true that I am made righteous alredy by that righteousnes which is begun in me and also I am raised vppe in the same hope against sinne and waite for the full consummation of perfect righteousnes in heauen These things are not rightly vnderstand but when they be put in practise VVhat difference there is betwene Faith and Hope Here riseth a question what difference there is betwene Faith and Hope The Sophisters and Schoolemē haue laboured very much in this matter but they could neuer shew any certaintie Yea to vs which trauell in the holy Scriptures with much diligence and also with more fulnes and power of spirite be it spoken without any bragge it is hard to finde any differēce For there is so great affinitie betwene Faith and hope that the one can not be seperate from the other Notwithstanding there is a difference betwene them which is gathered of their seuerall offices diuersitie of working and of their endes First they differ in respect of their subiect that is of the groūd wherin they rest For Faith resteth in the vnderstanding and hope resteth in the will but in very deede they can not be seperated the one hauing respect to the other as the two Cherubins of the Mercieseat which could not be deuided Secondly they differ in respect of their office that is of theyr working For faith telleth what is to be done it teacheth prescribeth and directeth and it is a knowledge Hope is an exhortatiō which stirreth vp the minde that it may be strong bold and couragious that it may suffer and endure aduersitie and in the middest thereof wait for better things Thirdly they differ as touching their obiect that is the speciall matter whervnto they looke For Faith hath for her obiect the truth teaching vs to cleaue surely therto and loketh vpon the word and promise of the thing that is promised Hope hath for her obiect the goodnes of God and loketh vpon the thing which is promised in the word that is vpon such matters as Faith teacheth vs to be hoped for Fourthly they differ in order For Faith is the beginning of life before all tribulation Heb. 11. But hope cometh afterwardes proceding of tribulations Rom. 5. Fiftly they differ by the diuersitie of working For Faith is a teacher and a iudge fighting against errours and heresies iudging spirites doctrines But hope is as it were the Generall or Captaine of the field fighting against tribulation the crosse impatiencie heauines of spirite weaknes desperation and blasphemie and it waiteth for good things euen in the middest of all euils Therefore when I am instructed by Faith in the word of God and lay holde of Christe beleuing in him with my whole heart then am I righteous by this knowledge When I am so iustified by Faith or by this knowledge by and by cometh the Deuill the father of lies and laboureth to extinguish my Faith by wiles and subtilties that is to say by lies errours and heresies Moreouer because he is a murtherer he goeth about also to oppresse it by violence Here hope wrastlinge layeth holde on the thinge reuealed by Faithe and ouercometh the Deuill that warreth against Faith and after this victorie foloweth peace ioy in the holy Ghost So that in very deede faith hope can scarsely be discerned the one from the other yet is there a certaine difference betwene them And that it may be the better perceaued I will set out the matter by a similitude In ciuill gouernment Prudence and Fortitude doe differ and yet these two vertues are so ioyned together that they can not easily be seuered Now fortitude is a constancie of minde which is not discouraged in aduersity but endureth valiantly waiteth for better things But if fortitude be not guided by prudence it is but temeritie and rashnes On the other side if fortitude be not ioyned with prudence that prudence is but vaine and vnprofitable Therfore like as in policy prudence is but vaine without fortitude euen so in Diuinitie Faith without hope is nothing For hope endureth aduersity and is constant therin and in the end ouercometh all euils And on the other side like as fortitude without prudence is rashnes euen so hope without faith is a presumption in spirite and a tempting of God for it hath no knowledge of Christ and of the truth which Faith teacheth and therfore it is but a blind rashnes arrogancie Wherfore a godly man afore all things must haue a right vnderstanding instructed by Faith according to the which the minde may be guided in afflictiōs that it may hope for those good things which Faith hath reuealed and taught To be short Faith is conceaued by teaching for thereby the minde is instructed what the truthe is Hope is conceaued by exhortation for by exhortation hope is stirred vppe in afflictions which cōfirmeth him that is alredy iustified by Faith that he be not ouercome by aduersities but that he may be able more strongly to resist them notwithstanding if the sparke of Faith should not geue light to the will it could not be perswaded to lay holde vpon hope We haue Faith then wherby we are taught vnderstand and know the heauenly wisedom apprehende Christe and continue in his grace But as soone as we lay hold vpon Christe by Faith and confesse him forthwith our enemies the world the flesh and the Deuil rise vppe against vs hating and persecuting vs most cruelly both in body and spirite Wherefore we thus beleuing and iustified by Faith in spirite doe wait for the hope of our righteousnes And we wait through patience for we see feele the flatte contrary For the world with his Prince the Deuill assaileth vs mightely both within and without Moreouer sinne yet still remaineth in vs which driueth vs into heauines Notwithstanding we geue not ouer for all this but raise vppe our mind strongly through Faith which lightneth teacheth guideth the same And thus we abide firme and constant and ouercome al aduersities through him which hath loued vs vntil our righteousnes which we beleue and wait for be reuealed By Faith therefore we began by hope we continue and by reuelation we shall obtaine the whole In the meane time whilest we liue here because we beleue we teach the word and publish the knowledge of Christe vnto others Thus doing we suffer persecution according to this text I beleued and therefore did I speake and I vvas fore troubled with patience being strengthened and encouraged throughe hope wherevnto the Scripture exhorteth vs with most sweete and comfortable promises taught and reuealed vnto vs by Faith. And thus doth hope spring vp encrease in vs Rō 15. That through patience and comfort of the Scripture vve may haue hope Paule therfore not without cause ioyneth patience in tribulatiōs and hope together in the .5 and .8 to the Romains and in other places
haue so litle feeling liking of Luthers doctrine and all because they commonly are neuer greatly vexed in spirite with any deepe affliction but rather deride them that be beaten downe with such conflictes and tētations of Sathan as they did by Luther whom because God suffered to to be tried and exercised with the buffets of the enemie they say therefore that he learned his diuinitie of the Deuill But how he learned his diuinitie let vs heare what he him selfe in this booke fol. 197. 198. cōfesseth in these wordes saying Vnlesse we had bē exercised with violēce and craftie assaultes by tirannes heretikes and in our heart with terrors and fiery dartes of the deuill Paule had bene to vs no lesse obscure then he was in times past to the whole world and yet is to this day to our aduersaries the papistes the Anabaptistes and other our aduersaries And therefore the gifte of knowledge of the scripture and our studies through such inward and outward conflictes open vnto vs the minde of Paule and of all the Scriptures c. But let these ignorant papistes who so euer they be tast a litle the same or like as Luther did and then see what they will say Experience geueth demonstration For howe many of them doe we see for all their auricular confession which puffeth them vp in false securitie but at length when they lie at the point of death where death on the one side and Gods iustice on the other side is before their eies for the most part either they despaire or ells leauing all other helpes they onely sticke to faith and the blood of Christ Iesus and in very deede many of them are glad to die Lutherans how so euer they hated Luther before And what shall we say then of this doctrine of Luther If the papistes them selues be glad to die in it why are they vnwilling to liue in it And if it be true at one time how can alteration of time make that false which is once true And therefore where these men so stoutely wihstand this doctrine of iustification by faith onely they are much deceaued And where they alledge S. Iames for them that is soone aunswered if we rightly discerne the meaning of S. Iames and of S. Paule Of whom the one speaketh of mans righteousnes or iustification onely before men which is a demonstration of a true faith or a true beleuer before man rather then the working of true iustification before god And so is it true which S. Iames saith how that faith without workes doth not iustifie whose purpose is not to shewe vs what maketh a iust man before God but onely to declare the necessary coniunction of good workes in him that by faith is iustified The other speaketh of righteousnes or iustification not before men but onely before God meaning not to exclude good workes from true faith that they should not be done but to teach vs wherin the true stay and hope of our saluation ought to be fixed that is in faith onely And so is it true likewise that S. Paule saith that faith onely without workes doth iustifie The which proposition of S. Paule the better to vnderstand and to ioine it with S. Iames here is to be noted for the satisfying of the cauilling aduersary that the proposition is to be taken full and whole as S. Paule doth meane it so that with the right subiect we ioyne the right predicatum as the Scholemen terme it that is so that faith of Christ in iustifying euer haue relation to the true penitent and lamenting sinner And so is the article most true that faith onely without workes doth iustifie But whom doth it iustifie the worldlīg the licentious ruffen the voluptuous Epicure the carnall gospeller Paule meaneth no such thing but onely the mourning and labouring soule the greeued conscience the repenting heart the mending sinner And in him the proposition is true according to the doctrine of S. Paule Credenti in eū qui iustificat impium fides eius imputatur ad iustitiam that is to him that beleueth in him vvhich iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnes Contrarywise let faith haue relation to the obstinate and willfull rebel who contrary to conscience continueth and deliteth in sinne and in him it is true likewise that S. Iames saith non ex fide tantum that is and not by faith onely meaning therby that faith auaileth not to iustification but onely in such persons as haue a good will and purpose to amend their liues Not that repentance and turning from iniquitie doth saue them but that faith in Christ worketh iustification in none but onely in such as heartely repent and are willing to amend So that Credite Euangelio beleue the gospell hath euer agite poenitentiam repent and amend going withall Not that repentance saueth any malefactor from the law but onely sheweth the person whom faith in Christ onely doth saue and iustifie But of this enough and more then greatly needed especially seeing the booke it selfe here following will satisfie the reader at large in all such doutes to this matter appertaining And thus ceasing to trouble thee gentle reader with any longer preface as we commend this good worke to thy godly studies so we commend both thee and thy studies to the grace of Christ Iesu the Sōne of God hartely wishing and crauing of his maiestie that thou mayest take no lesse profite and consolation by reading hereof then our purpose was to doe thee good in setting the same forth to thy comfort and edification which the Lord graunt Amen Amen Faultes escaped in the printing and to be amended before the reading of this booke Leafe Page Line  11. 2. 1. put out this vvhole line 21. 2. 28. put out our 23. 1. 29. for to erre in the faith reade to fall in faith 25. 2. 20. for gon reade God. 37. 1. 9. for the God reade God. 39. 1. 22. reade still goeth about 68. 2. 22. for any other reade an other 88. 2. 30. for slime read slymy body 91. 1. 1. for vvere reade neuer 128. 1. 23. for the ciuill reade then the ciuill 151. 1. 13. reade would haue hated 201. 1. 37 for he is reade he was 216. 2. 26. reade but we onely suffer 226. 1. 38. reade likenes of Christ 226 2. 12. reade I haue ouercome 232. 2. 15. for syirite reade spirite 235. 1. 17. for amply reade amplifie 237. 2. 9. for I trust to you reade I haue a trust of you 244. 2. 28. for vnderstand vvel reade know well 267. 2. 17. for lost reade decayed The Preface of Martine Luther vpon the Epistle to the Galathians I My selfe can scarcely beleeue that I was so plentifull in wordes when I did publikely expounde this Epistle of S. Paule to the Galathians as this booke sheweth me to haue bene Notwithstanding I perceaue all the cogitations which I finde in this treatise by so great diligence of the brethren
the actiue righteousnesse But it is a thing very straunge and vnknowen to the world to teach Christians to learne to be ignorant of the lawe and so to liue before God as if there were no law For except thou be ignorant of the law be assuredly perswaded in thine hart that there is now no lawe nor wrath of God but altogether grace and mercy for Christes sake thou canst not be saued for by the law commeth the knowledge of sinne Cōtrariwise workes and the keeping of the law must be so streitly required in the world as if there were no promise or grace and that because of the stubborne proude and hard harted before whose eies nothing must be set but the lawe that they may be terrified and humbled For the law is geuen to terrifie and to kill such and to exercise the old man And both the word of grace and of wrath must be rightly diuided according to the saying of the Apostle in the second Epistle of Timothe Chapter 2. verse 15. Here is then required a wise and a faithfull disposer of the word of God which can so moderate the lawe that it may be kept within his boundes He that teacheth that men are iustified before God by the obseruation of the lawe passeth the boundes of the lawe and confoundeth these two kindes of righteousnesse actiue and passiue and is but an ill Logician for he doth not rightly diuide Contrariwise he that setteth forth the lawe and workes to the old man and the promise of forgiuenes of sinnes and Gods mercy to the new man diuideth the word wel For the flesh or the old man must be coupled with the lawe and works the spirit or new man must be ioyned with the promise of God and his mercy Wherefore when I see a man that is brused enough already oppressed with the lawe terrified with sinne and thirsting for comfort it is time that I should remoue oute of his sight the lawe and actiue righteousnes and that I should set before him by the Gospell the Christian and passiue righteousnes which excluding Moses with his lawe offereth the promise made in Christ who came for the afflicted and for sinnes Here is man raised vp againe and conceaueth good hope neither is he any longer vnder the lawe but vnder grace Howe not vnder the lawe According to the newe man to whom the law doth not pertaine For the lawe hath his boundes but vnto Christ as Paule saith afterwardes The lawe continueth vnto Christ who being come Moses ceaseth with his lawe Circumcision the Sacrifices the Sabbothes yea and all the Prophetes This is our diuinitie wherby we teach how to put a difference betwene these two kindes of righteousnesse actiue and passiue to the end that maners and faith workes and grace policie and religion shuld not be confounded or taken the one for the other Both are necesry but both must be kept within their boundes Christian righteousnes pertaineth to the newe man and the righteousnes of the lawe pertaineth to the old man which is borne of flesh and bloode Wpon this old man as vpon an asse there must be laied a burthen that may presse him downe and he must not enioy the freedome of the spirite or grace except he first put vpon him the newe man by faith in Christ which notwithstanding is not fully done in this life then may he enioy the kingdome and inestimable gifte of grace This I say to the end that no man should thinke we reiecte or forbid good workes as the Papistes doe most falsely sclaunder vs neither vnderstanding what they themselues say nor what we teach They knowe nothing but the righteousnes of the lawe and yet they will iudge of that doctrine which is farre aboue the lawe of which it is vnpossible that the carnall man should be able to iudge Therefore they must needes be offended for they can see no higher then the lawe What so euer then is aboue the lawe is to them a greate offence But we imagine as it were two worldes the one heauenly and the other earthly In these we place these two kindes of righteousnes being separate the one farre from the other The righteousnes of the lawe is earthly and hathe to doe with earthly things and by it we doe good workes But as the earth bringeth not forthe frute except first it be watred and made frutefull from aboue euen so by the righteousnes of the lawe in doing many thinges we doe nothing and in fullfilling of the lawe we fulfill it not except first without any merite or worke of ours we be made righteous by the Christian righteousnesse which nothing pertaineth to the righteousnesse of the lawe or to the earthly and actiue righteousnesse But this righteousnesse is heauenly which as is said we haue not of our selues but receaue it from heauen which we worke not but which by grace is wrought in vs and apprehended by faith wherby we mounte vp aboue all lawes and workes Wherfore like as we haue borne as S. Paule saith the image of the earthly Adam so let vs beare the image of the heauenly which is the newe man in a new world where is no lawe no sinne no remorse of conscience no death but perfecte ioy righteousnesse grace peace life saluation and glory Why doe we then nothing doe we worke nothing for the obtaining of this righteousnes I aunswere nothing at all For this is perfect righteousnesse to doe nothing to heare nothing to knowe nothing of the law or of workes but to know and to beleeue this onely that Christe is gone to the father and is not nowe seene that he sitteth in heauen at the right hande of his Father not as a iudge but made vnto vs of God wisedome righteousnesse holinesse and redemption Breefely that he is our high Priest intreating for vs and raigning ouer vs and in vs by grace In this heauenly righteousnesse sinne can haue no place for there is no lawe and where no lawe is there can be no transgression Seing then that sinne hath here no place there can be no anguish of conscience no feare no heauinesse Therfore S. Iohn sayth he that is borne of God can not sinne But if there be any feare or greefe of conscience it is a token that this righteousnes is withdrawen that grace is hidden and out of sighte and that Christ is darkened and not to be seene But where Christ is truely seene is deede there must needes be full and perfect ioy in the Lord with peace of conscience which moste certainly thus thinketh Although I am a sinner by the law and vnder the condemnation of the lawe yet I despaire not yet I die not because Christ liueth who is bothe my rightuousnesse and my euerlasting life In that rightuousnesse and life I haue no sinne no feare no sting of cōscience no care of death I am in dede a sinner as touching this present life and the righteousnesse
But forasmuch as we take in hand to expound this Epistle which we doe not because it is needefull or for any hardnes that is in it but that our consciences may be confirmed against heresies yet to come let it not be tedious vnto you if we repeat these things againe that elsewhere and at other times we teach preach singe and sette out by writing For if we neglect the article of iustification we lose altogether Therefore most necessary it is cheifly and aboue all things that we teach and repete this article continually Like as Moses saith of his law for it can not be beaten into our eares enough or to much Yea though we learne it and vnderstand it well yet is there none that taketh hold of it perfectly or beleueth it with his whole hart so fraile a thing is our flesh and disobedient to the spirite This greeting of the Apostle is straunge vnto the world and was neuer heard of before the preaching of the Gospell And these two words Grace and Peace cōprehend in them whatsoeuer belongeth to Christianitie Grace releaseth sinne and peace maketh the conscience quiet The two Feends that torment vs are sinne and conscience But Christ hath vanquished these two Monsters and troden them vnder foote both in this world and in the world to come This the world doth not knowe and therefore it can teach no certaintie of the ouercomming of sinne conscience and death Only Christians haue this kinde of doctrine and are exercised and armed with it to get victory against sinne despaire and euerlasting death And it is a kinde of doctrine neither proceeding of free wil nor inuented by the reason or wisedome of of man but geuen from aboue Moreouer these two words Grace and Peace doe containe in them the whole summe of Christianitie Grace containeth the remission of sinnes peace a quiet and ioyful conscience But peace of conscience can neuer be had vnlesse sinne be first forgeuē But it is not forgeuen for the fulfilling of the law For no man is able to satisfie the law but the law doth rather shew sinne accuse and terrifie the conscience declare the wrath of God and driue to desperation Much lesse is sinne taken away by the workes and inuentions of men as wicked worshippings straung religious vowes and pilgrimages Finally there is no worke that can take away sinne but sinne is rather encreased by works For the Iusticiaries Meritmongers the more they sweate and labour to bring them selues out of sinne the deeper they are plunged therin For there is no meanes to take away sinne but grace alone Therfore Paule in all the greetings of his epistles setteth grace and peace against sinne and an euill conscience This thing must be diligently marked The words are easy but in tentation it is the hardest thing that can be to be certainly perswaded in our harts that by grace alone without any other meanes either in heauen or earth we haue remission of sinnes and peace with God. The world vnderstādeth not this doctrine therfore it neither will nor can abide it but condemneth it as hereticall and wicked It braggeth of free will of the light of reason and the soundnes of the powers and qualities of nature of good workes as meanes wherby it could deserue and attaine grace and peace that is to say forgeuenes of sinnes and a quiet conscience But it is impossible that the conscience should be quiet and ioyfull vnlesse it haue peace thorowe grace that is to say through the forgiuenes of sinnes promised in Christ Many haue carefully laboured by finding out diuers and sundry religions orders and exercises for this purpose to attaine peace and quietnes of conscience but by so doing they haue plunged them selues in moe and greater miseries for all such deuises are but meanes to encrease doubtfulnes and despaire Therfore there shall be no rest to my bones or thine vnlesse we heare the word of grace and cleaue vnto it stedfastly faithfully Then shall our conscience vndoubtedly finde grace and peace The Apostle doth fittly distinguish this grace and peace from al other kinds of grace peace whatsoeuer He wisheth to the Galathians Grace Peace not from the Emperour or Kings and Princes for these doe commonly persecute the Godly and rise vp against the Lord and Christ his anointed Psal. 2. nor from the world for in the world saith Christ ye shall haue trouble but from God our father c. which is as much to say as he wisheth vnto them a heauēly peace So Christ saith My peace I leaue vnto you my peace I geue you not as the vvorld geueth it do I geue it vnto you The peace of the world graunteth nothing but the peace of our goods and bodies So the Grace or fauoure of the world geueth vs leaue to enioy our goodes casteth vs not out of our possessions But in affliction in the hower of death the grace and fauour of the world can not helpe vs they can not deliuer vs from affliction despaire and death But when the Grace and Peace of God are in the hart then is man strong so that he can neither be cast downe with aduersitie nor puffed vp with prosperitie but walketh on plainly and kepeth the hie way For he taketh hart and courage in the victory of Christes death the confidence thereof beginneth to reigne in his conscience ouer sinne and death because through him he hath assured forgeuenes of his sinnes which after he hath once obtained his conscience is at rest and by the word of Grace is comforted So then a man being comforted hartened by the Grace of God that is by forgeuenes of sinnes and by this peace of conscience is able valiantly to beare and ouercome all troubles yea euen death it selfe This Peace of God is not geuen to the world because the world neuer longeth after it nor vnderstandeth it but to them that beleeue and this commeth to passe by no other meane then by the onely Grace of God. A rule to be obserued that men ought to abstaine from the curious searching of Gods maiestie But why doth the Apostle ioyne in this salutation And from our Lord Iesus Christ Was it not enough to say And from God our father why then doth he couple Iesus Christ vvith the father Ye haue often times heard of vs howe it is a rule and principle in the scriptures diligently to be marked that we must abstaine from the curious searching of Gods maiestie which is intolerable to mans body and much more to his minde No man saith the scripture shall see me and liue The Pope the Turkes the Iewes and all such as trust in their owne merits regard not this rule and therefore remouing Christ the Mediatour out of their sight they speake onely of God before him onely they pray and doe all that they doe As for
nor haue dominion ouer it The force and power of sinne is set forth and amplified by these words excedingly vvhich gaue himself for our sinnes Therfore here is to be marked the infinite greatnes of the price bestowed for it and then will it appeare euidently that the power of it is so great that by no meanes it could be put away but that the sonne of God must needes be geuen for it He that considereth these things well vnderstandeth that this one word Sinne comprehendeth Gods euerlasting wrath the whole kingdome of Sathan and that it is a thing more horrible then can be expressed which oughte to moue vs and make vs affraide in deede But we are carelesse yea we make lighte of sinne and a matter of nothing which although it bring with it the sting and remorse of conscience yet notwithstanding we thinke it not to be of such weight and force but that by some litle worke or merite we may put it away This sentence therefore witnesseth that all men are seruaunts and bondslaues of sinne as Paule saith in an other place are sould vnder sinne And againe that sinne is a most cruell mighty tiraunt ouer all men which can not be vanquished by the power of any creatures whether they be Angels or men but by the soueraine and infinite power of Iesus Christ who hath geuen him selfe for the same Furthermore this sentence setteth out to the consciences of all men which are terrified with the greatnes of their sinnes a singular comfort For albeit sinne be neuer so inuincible a tyraunt yet notwithstanding forasmuch as Christ hath ouercome it through his death it can not hurt thē that beleue in him Moreouer if we arme our selues with this beliefe and cleaue with all our harts vnto this man Iesus Christ then is light opened and a sounde iudgement geuen vnto vs so as we may most certainly and freely iudge of all kindes of life For when we heare that sinne is such an inuincible Tyraunt thus incontinent by a a necessary consequence we inferre Then what do the Papists Monkes Nunnes Priests Mahometists Anabaptists and al such as trust in their workes which will abolish and ouercome sinne by their owne traditions workes preparatiue satisfactions c Here forthwith we iudge all those sectes to be wicked and pernicious wherby the glory of God and of Christ is not onely defaced but also vtterly taken away and our owne aduaunced and established But wey diligently euery word of Paule and specially marke well this pronoune Our For the effect of altogether consisteth in the well applying of the pronownes which we finde very oftē in the scriptures Wherin also there is euer some vehemencie and power Thou wilt easely say and beleue that Christ the sonne of God was geuen for the sinnes of Peter of Paule and of other Sainctes whom we accompt to haue bene worthy of this grace But it is a very hard thing that thou which iudgest thy selfe vnworthy of this grace shouldest from thy hart say and beleue that Christ was geuen for thine inuincible infinite and horrible sinnes Therfore in generall and without the pronowne it is an easie matter to magnifie and amplifie the benefite of Christ namely that Christ was geuen for sinnes but for other mens sinnes which are worthy But when it commeth to the putting too of this pronowne Our there our weake nature and reason starteth backe and dare not come neere vnto God nor promise to her selfe that so great a treasure should be freely geuen vnto her and therfore she will not haue to doe with God except first she be pure and without sinne Wherfore although she read or heare this sentence vvhich gaue himselfe for our sinnes or such like yet doth she not apply this pronowne Our to her selfe but vnto others which are worthy holy And as for her selfe she will tary till she be made worthy by her owne workes This then is nothing else but that mans reason faine would that sinne were of no greater force and power thē she her selfe dreameth it to be Hereof it commeth that the hypocrites being ignorāt of Christ although they feele the remorse of sinne do thinke notwithstāding that they shal be able easely to put it away by their good works merits secretly in their harts they wish that these words vvhich gaue himself for our sinnes were but as words spoken in humilitie and would haue their sinnes not to be true very sinnes in deede but light small matters To be short mans reason would faine bring and present vnto God a fained and a counterfet sinner which is nothing afraid nor hath any feeling of sinne It would bring him that is whole and not him that hath neede of a Phisician and when it feeleth no sinne then would it beleeue that Christ was geuen for our sinnes The whole world is thus affected specially they that would be counted more holy and religious then others as Monkes and all Iusticiaries These confesse with their mouth that they are sinners and they confesse also that they commit sinnes daily howbeit not so great many but that they are able to put them away by their owne works yea and besides all this they will bring their righteousnes and deserts to Christes iudgement seat and demaund the recompēce of eternal life for them at the iudges hand In the meane while notwithstanding as they pretend great humilitie because they wil not vaunt themselues to be vtterly voide of sinne they faine certaine sinnes that for the forgeuenes therof they may with great deuotion pray with the publican God be mercifull vnto me a sinner Vnto them these words of S. Paule for our sinnes seme to be but light trifeling Therfore they neither vnderstand them nor in temptation when they feele sinne in deede can they take any cōfort of them but they are compelled flatly to despaire This is then the cheefe knowledge true wisedom of Christians to count these wordes of Paule that Christ was deliuered to death not for our righteousnes or holines but for our sinnes which are very sinnes in dede great many yea infinite and inuincible to be most true effectual of great importaūce Therfore thinke them not to be smal such as may be done away by thine owne works neither yet despair thou for the greatnes of them if thou feele thy selfe oppressed therwith either in life or death but learne here of Paule to beleue the Christ was geuen not for fained or counterfait sinnes nor yet for small sinnes but for great huge sinnes not for one or two but for all not for vāquished sinnes for no man no nor Angell is able to ouercome the least sinne that is but for inuincible sinnes And except thou be found in the nūber of those that say Our sinnes that is which haue this doctrine of faith teach heare learne loue beleue the same ther
is no saluatiō for thee Labour therfore diligently that not onely out of the time of tentation but also in the daunger and conflict of death when thy conscience is thorowly afraide with the remembraunce of thy sinnes past and the Deuill assaileth thee with great violence going about to ouerwhelme thee with heapes floudes and whole seas of sinnes to terrifie thee to draw thee from Christ and to driue thee to despaire that then I say thou maist be able to say with sure confidence Christ the sonne of god was geuē not for the righteous holy but for the vnrighteous sinners If I were righteous and had no sinne I should haue no neede of Christ to be my reconciler Why then O thou peuish holy Satan wilt thou make me to be holy and to seke righteousnes in my selfe when in very deede I haue nothing in me but sinnes and most greuous sinnes not fained or trifeling sinnes but such as are against the first table to wit great infidelitie douting despaire contempt of God hatred ignoraunce and blaspheming of God vnthankfulnes abusing of Gods name neglecting lothing and despising the word of god and such like And moreouer these carnall sinnes against the second Table as not to yelde honour to my parents not to obey the magistrates to couet an other mans goods his wife and such like howbeit that these be light faults in respect of those former sinnes And admit that I haue not cōmitted murther whoredom theft and such other sinnes against the second table in fact yet I haue committed them in hart and therfore I am a transgressour of al Gods commaundements and the multitude of my sinnes is so great that they cā not be numbred For I haue sinned aboue the number of the sands of the sea Besides this satan is such a cunning iuggler that he can make of my righteousnes and good workes great sinnes Forsomuch then as my sinnes are so waightie so infinite so horrible and inuincible and that my righteousnes doth nothing further me but rather hinder me before God therfore Christ the sonne of God was geuen to death for them to put them away and to saue me and all men which beleue Herein then consisteth the effect of eternall saluation namely in taking these words to be effectuall true of great importaunce I say not this for naught for I haue oftentimes proued by experience and I daily finde what an hard matter it is to beleue especially in the conflict of conscience that Christ was geuen not for the holy righteous worthy such as were his frends but for wicked sinners vnworthy and his enemies which haue deserued Gods wrath and euerlasting death Let vs therfore arme our harts with these such like sentēces of the holy scipture that we may be able to answer the deuil accusing vs saying thou art a sinner therfore thou art dāned in this sort Because thou saist I am a sinner therfore wil I be righteous saued Nay saith the deuil thou shalt be dāned No say I for I flie vnto Christ vvho hath geuen himself for my sinnes Therfore satā thou shalt nothing preuail agaīst me in that thou gost about to terrifie me in setting forth the greatnes of my sinnes so to bring me into heauines distrust despair hatred cōtempt and blaspheming of God yea rather by this that thou sayst I am a sinner thou geuest me armour weapon against thy selfe that with thine owne sword I may cut thy throte and tread the vnder my feete for Christ died for sinners Moreouer thou thy selfe preachest vnto me the glory of God. For thou puttest me in minde of Gods fatherly loue towards me wretched and damned sinner vvho so loued the vvorld that he gaue his onely begotten sonne that vvhosoeuer beleueth in him might not perish but haue euerlasting life Also as oft as thou obiectest that I am a sinner so often thou callest to my remembraūce the benefit of Christ my redemer vpon whose shoulders and not vpon mine lie all my sinnes For the Lord hath laied all our iniquitie vpon him Againe For the transgression of his people vvas he smitten Wherefore when thou obiectest that I am a sinner thou doest not terrifie me but comfort me aboue measure Who so knoweth this one point of cunning well shall easely auoide all the engins and snares of the Deuill who by putting man in minde of his sinnes driueth him to despaire and destroieth him vnlesse he withstand him with this cunning and with this heauenly wisedome wherby onely sinne death and the Deuill are ouercome But the man that putteth not away the remembraunce of his sinne but keepeth it stil and tormenteth him self with his owne cogitations thinking either to help him selfe by his owne strength and policie or to tarry the time till his conscience may be quieted falleth into Sathans snares and miserably afflicteth him selfe and at length is ouercome with the continuance of the tentation For the Deuill will neuer cease to accuse his conscience Against this tentation we must vse the words of Paule in the which he geueth a very good and a true definition of Christ in this maner Christ is the sonne of God and of the virgine deliuered and put to death for our sinnes Here if the Deuill aledge any other definition of Christ say thou The definition and the thing defined are false therefore I will not receaue this definition I speake not this without cause For I know what moueth me to be so earnest that we should learne to define Christ out of the words of Paule For in deede Christ is no cruel exactor but a forgeuer of the sinnes of the whole world Wherefore if thou be a sinner as in deede we are all set not Christ downe vpon the raigne bowe as a iudge for so shalt thou be terrified and despaire of his mercy but take hold of his true definition namely that Christ the sonne of God and of the virgine is a person not that terrifieth not that afflicteth not that condemneth vs of sinne not that demaundeth an account of vs for our life euill passed but gaue him selfe for our sinnes and with one oblation hath put away the sinnes of the whole world hath nailed them to the crosse and put them cleane out by him selfe Learne this definition diligently and especially so exercise this pronoune our that this one sillable being beleued may swallow vp all thy sinnes that is to say that thou maist know assuredly that Christ hath takē away the sinnes not of certaine men only but also of thee yea of the whole world Thē let not thy sinnes be sinnes only but euen thy own sinnes That is to witte beleeue thou that Christ was not onely geuen for other mens sinnes but also for thine Hold this fast suffer not thy selfe by any meanes to be drawne away frō this most sweete definition of Christ which reioyceth euē the very angels
to be vndoubtedly accursed if they teach any thing contrarie vnto the first Gospell For the voice of the Gospell once sent forth shall not be called backe againe til the day of iudgment Verse 9. As vve said before so say vve novv againe if any man preach vnto you othervvise then that you haue receaued let him be accursed He repeteth the selfe same thing onely chaunging the persons Before he cursed him selfe his brethren and an Angell from heauen Here if there be any saith he besides vs which preach vnto you any other Gospell then that ye haue receaued of vs let them also be accursed Therefore he plainly excommunicateth and curseth all teachers in generall him selfe his brethren an Angell moreouer all others whatsoeuer namely all those false teachers his aduersaries Here appeareth an exceeding greate feruencie of spirite in the Apostle that dare curse all teachers thorow out the whole world and in heauen which peruert his Gospel teach any other For all men must either beleue that Gospel that Paule preached or els they must be accursed and condemned O would to God this terrible sentence of the Apostle might strike a feare into their harts that seeke to peruert the Gospel of Paule of which sorte at this day the more it is to be lamented the world is full The chaunging of persons is here to be marked For Paule speaketh otherwise in his first cursing then he doth in this second In the first he saith If vve or an Angell from heauen preach vnto you any other Gospell then that vve haue preached vnto you In the second then that you haue receaued And this he doth of purpose lest the Galathians should say We o Paule do not peruert the gospell that thou hast preached vnto vs we vnderstood thee not rightly but the teachers that came after thee haue declared vnto vs the true meaning therof This saith he wil I in no case admitte They ought to adde nothing neither to correct it but that which you heard of me is the sincere word of God let this onely remaine Neither doe I desire my selfe to be an other maner of teacher then I was nor you other disciples Wherefore if ye heare any man bringing any other Gospel then that ye haue heard of me or bragging that he will deliuer better things then ye haue receaued of me let him and his disciples be both accursed The first two chapters in a maner containe nothing els but defences of his doctrine and confutations of errours For in the ende of the second chapter at the last he beginneth to handle the article of iustification Notwithstanding this sentence of Paule ought to admonish vs that so many as thinke the Pope to be the iudge of holy scripture are accursed Which thinge the Popes Scholemen haue wickedly taught standing vpon this ground The church hath allowed foure Gospels onely therefore there are but foure For if it had allowed more ther had ben more Now seeing the Church might receaue and allowe such and so many Gospels as it would therefore the Church is aboue the Gospell A goodly argument forsoth I approue the scrpture Ergo I am aboue the scripture Iohn Baptist acknowledgeth and confesseth Christ and pointeth to him with his finger therfore he is aboue Christ The Church approueth the Christian faith and doctrine therefore the Church is aboue them For the ouerthrowing of this their wicked and blasphemous doctrine against God thou hast here a plaine text like a thunderbolt wherein Paule subiecteth both him selfe and an Angell from heauen and Doctours vpon earth and all other teachers and maisters whatsoeuer vnder the authoritie of the scripture For they ought not to be maisters iudges or arbiters but onely witnesses disciples and confessours of the Church whether it be the Pope Luther Augustine Paule or an Angell from heauen Neither ought any doctrine to be taught or heard in the Church besides the word of God that is to say the holy scripture Otherwise accursed be both the teachers and hearers together with their doctrine Verse 10. For novve preach I mans doctrine or Gods These words are spoken with the same vehemencie that the former were As if he would say Am I Paule so vnknowen amongest you which haue preached so openly in your churches Are my bitter conflicts and so many sharpe battails against the Iewes yet vnknowne vnto you It appeareth I thinke sufficiently vnto you by my preaching by so many and great afflictions which I haue suffered whether I serue men or God. For all men see that by this my preaching I haue not onely stirred vp persecution against me in euery place but haue also procured the cruell hatred both of mine owne nation and of all other men I shew therefore plainely enough that I seeke not by my preaching the fauour or liking of men but to set forth the goodnes and glory of God. Neither doe we be it spoken without bragge seeke the fauour of men by our doctrine For we teach that all men are wicked by nature and the children of wrath We condenme mans freewill his strength wisedome and righteousnes and all religion of our deuising And to be shorte we say that there is nothing in vs that is able to deserue grace and the forgeuenes of sinnes but we preach that we obtaine this grace by the free mercy of God onely for Christes sake For so the heauens shevv forth the glory of God and his vvorkes condemning all men generally with their works This certes is not to preach for the fauour of men and of the world For the world can abide nothing lesse then to heare his wisedome righteousnes religion and power condemned And to speake against those mighty and glorious gifts of the world is not to flatter the world but rather to procure hatred and indignation of the world For if we speake against men or against any such things as pertaine to their glory it can not be but that cruell hatred persecutions excommunications murthers and condemnations therevpon must needes follow If then saith Paule they see other matters why see they not this also that I teach the things that are of God not of men that is to say that I seeke no mans fauour by my doctrine but I set out Gods mercie offred vnto vs in Christ For if I sought the fauour of men I would not condenme their workes Now for as much as I condemne mens workes that is to say because I shew Gods iudgement out of his word whereof I am a Minister against all men how that they are sinners vnrighteous wicked children of wrath bondslaues of the deuill and damned and that they are not made righteous by works or by circumcision but by grace onely and faith in Christ therfore I procure vnto my selfe the deadly hatred of men For they cā abide nothing lesse than to be taken for such maner of men nay rather they would be
extremely and vvasted it And profited in the Ievvish religion aboue many of my companions of mine ovvne nation This place hath in it no singuler doctrine Notwithstāding Paule alledgeth here his owne example saying I haue defended the obseruations of the Phariseis and the law more constantly then ye and all your false teachers Wherfore if the righteousnes of the law had bene any thing worth I had not turned backe from it in the keping wherof notwithstanding before I knew Christ I did so exercise my selfe and so profite therin that I excelled many of my companions of mine owne nation Moreouer I was so zelous in defence of the same that I persecuted the church of God extremely wasted it For hauing receaued authoritie of the high priests I put many in prison whē they should be put to death I pronounced the sentēce and punishing them thorow out all the Sinagoges I compelled them to blaspheme was so exceding mad vpon them that I persecuted them euen vnto straunge cities Verse 14. And vvas much more zelous of the traditiōs of my fathers He calleth not here the Pharisaicall or humane traditions the traditions of his fathers for here he treateth not of the Pharisaicall traditions but of a farre higher matter and therefore he calleth euen that holy law of Moises his fathers traditions that is to say receaued and left as an inheritaunce from the fathers For these sayth he vvhē I vvas in the Ievvish religion I vvas very zelous He speaketh after the same maner to the Philippians As concerning the lavv sayth he I vvas a Pharisee cōcerning zeale I persecuted the church and as concerning the righteousnes of the lavv I vvas vnrebukeable As though he would say Here I may glory and may cōpare with the whole nation of the Iewes yea euen with the best and the holiest of all those which are of the Circumcision Let them shew me if they can a more zelous and earnest defender of Moises law then I haue bene This thing O ye Galathians ought to haue perswaded you not to beleue these seducers deceauers which magnify the righteousnes of the law as a matter of great importaunce when as if there were any cause to glory in the righteousnes of the law I haue more cause to glory then any other In like maner say I of my selfe that before I was lightned with the knowledge of the gospel I was as zelous for the papistical lawes and traditions of the fathers as euer any was most earnestly maintaining defending them as holy and necessary to saluation Moreouer I did my endeuour to obserue kepe them my selfe as much as was possible for me to do punishing my pore body with fasting watching praying other exercises more thē all they which at this day do so bitterly hate and persecute me because now I take frō them the glory of iustifying For I was so diligent and superstitious in the obseruation hereof that I laid more vpon my body then without daunger of health it was able to beare I honoured the Pope of mere conscience vnfainedly not seking after prebēds promotions liuings but whatsoeuer I did I did it with a single hart of a good zeale for the glory of god But those things which then were gainfull vnto me now with Paule I count to be but losse for the excellencie of the knowledge of Iesus Christ my lord But our aduersaries as idle bellies tried with no tentations beleue not that I and many others haue endured such things I speake of such as with great desire sought for peace quietnes of conscience which notwithstanding in so great darknes it was not possible for them to finde Vers 15.16.17 But vvhen it had pleased God vvhich had separated me from my mothers vvombe and called me by his grace to reueale his sonne in me that I should preach him among the Gentiles immediately I communicated not vvith flesh and bloud Neither came I againe to Ierusalem to them vvhich vvere Apostles before me but I vvent into Arabia and turned againe vnto Damascus This is the first iourney of Paule And here he witnesseth that straight way after he was called by the grace of God to preach Christ among the Gentiles he went into Arabia without the aduise of any mā to that vvorke whervnto he was called And this place witnesseth by vvhom he was taught by what meanes he came to the knowledge of the Gospell and to his Apostleship VVhen it pleased God saith he As if he would say I haue not deserued it because I was zealous for the lawe of God without iudgement nay rather this foolish and wicked zeale stirred me vp that God so permitting I fell hedlong into more abhominable and outragious sinnes I persecuted the church of God I was an enemy of Christ I blasphemed his Gospell and to conclude I was the author of sheding much innocent bloud This was my desert In the middest of this cruell rage I was called to so great inestimable grace What was it because of this outragious cruelty No forsoth But the aboundant grace of God who calleth and sheweth mercy to whom he will pardoned and forgaue me all these blasphemies and for these my horrible sinnes which then I thought to be perfect righteousnes an acceptable seruice vnto God he gaue vnto me his grace the knowledge of his truth and called me to be an Apostle We also are come at this day to the knowledge of grace by the self same merits I crucified Christ daily in my monkesh life and blasphemed God through my false faith wherin I then continually liued Outwardly I was not as other men extorcioners vniust whoremongers but I kept chastitie pouerty and obedience Moreouer I was farre from the cares of this present life I was onely geuen to fasting watching praying saying of Masse and such like Notwithstāding in the meane time I fostred vnder this cloked holines and trust in mine owne righteousnes continuall mistrust doubtfulnes feare hatred and blasphemy against god And this my righteousnes was nothing els but a stinking puddle and a pleasant kingdome of the Deuil For Sathan loueth such Saincts and accomteth them for his deare darlings who destroy their owne bodies and soules and depriue themselues of all the blessings of Gods gifts In the meane time notwithstanding wickednes blindnes contempt of God ignorance of the gospel prophanation of the sacraments blaspheming and treading of Christ vnder foote and abuse of all the benefits and gifts of God raigne in them at the full To conclude such Saincts are the bondslaues of Sathan and therefore are driuen to speake thinke and doe whatsoeuer he will although outwardly they seeme to excell all others in good works in holines and streitnes of life Such were we vnder the Popedome verely no lesse if not more contumelious and blasphemous against Christ and his Gospell then Paule himself and especially I for I did
may see how farre from the truth these blinde guides and leaders of the blinde haue strayed and how by this wicked and blasphemous doctrine they haue not onely darkned but taken away the Gospell and buried Christ vtterly For if I being in deadly sinne can doe any litle worke which is not onely acceptable in Gods sight according to the substaunce but also is able to deserue grace of congruence and when I haue receaued this grace I may do workes according to grace that is to say according to loue and gette of right and duetie eternall life what neede haue I now of the grace of God forgeuenes of sinnes of the promise and of the death and victorie of Christ Christ is now to me in vaine and of none effect For I haue freewill and power to doe good works wherby I deserue grace of congruence and afterwards of duety and by the worthines of my worke eternall life Such monstrous horrible blasphemies should be set forth rather to the Turkes and Iewes then to the church of Christ And this plainly declareth that the Pope with his Bishops Doctors priests with all his religious rable had no knowledge or regard of holy matters and that they were not careful for the health of the seely and miserably scattered flocke For if they had seene but through a cloud what Paule calleth sinne and what he calleth grace they would neuer haue compelled the people to beleue such abhominations execrable lies as they haue done By deadly sinne they vnderstoode onely the externall worke committed against the law as murther theft and such like They could not see that ignoraunce hatred and contempt of God in the heart ingratitude murmuring against God and resisting the will of God are also deadly sinne and that the flesh can not thinke speake or do any thing but that which is deuelish and altogether against god If they had seene these mischeefes fast rooted in the nature of man they would neuer haue deuised such impudent and execrable dreames touching the desert of congruence and worthines Wherefore we must properly and plainly define what a wicked man or a deadly sinner is He is such a holy and bloudy hypocrite as Paule was whē he went to Damascus to persecute Iesus of Nazareth to abolish the doctrine of the gospel to murther the faithful vtterly to ouerthrow the church of Christ And who will not say but that these were horrible sinnes Yet could not Paule see them For he was so blinded with a peruerse zeale of God that he thought these abhominatiōs to be perfect righteousnes and high seruice vnto God and shall we say that such as defend these horrible sinnes to be perfect righteousnes doe deserue grace Wherfore with Paule we vtterly deny the merite of congruence worthines and affirme that these speculatiōs are nothing else but mere deceites of Satan which were neuer done in dede nor notified by any examples For God neuer gaue to any man grace and euerlasting life for the merite of congruence or worthines These disputatiōs therfore of the Scholemen touching the merite of congruence worthines are nothing else but vaine toyes dreames of idle braines to no other end and purpose but to draw men from the true worship of God. And herevpon is the whole papacie grounded For there is no religious person but he hath this imagination I am able by the obseruation of my holy order to deserue grace of congruence and by the workes which I doe after that I haue receiued this grace I am able to heape vp such treasure of merite as shall not onely be sufficient for me to obtaine eternall life but also to geue or sell vnto others Thus haue all the religious orders taught and thus haue they liued And to defend this horrible blasphemie against Christ the Papists doe at this day attempt against vs what they can And there is not one of them all but the more holy hypocrite and meritemunger he is the more cruell and deadly enemy he is to the Gospell of Christ The true vvay to Christianitie Now the true way to Christianitie is this that a man aboue al things doe acknowledge him selfe to be a sinner by the lawe and that it is impossible for him to doe any good worke For the lawe sayth Thou art an euill tree and therefore all that thou thinkest speakest or doest is against god Thou canst not therefore deserue grace by thy workes Which if thou goe about to doe thou committest yet a more greeuous offence For since thou art an euill tree thou canst not but bring forth euill frutes that is to say sinnes For vvhat so euer is not of Faith is sinne Wherfore he that would deserue grace by workes going before Faith goeth about to please God with sinnes which is nothing else but to heape sinne vpon sinne to mocke God and to prouoke his wrath When a man is thus instructed by the law then is he terrified humbled then he seeth in deede the greatnes of his sinne and can not finde in him selfe one iote of the loue of God therefore he iustifieth God in his word and confesseth that he is giltie of death and eternall damnation The first part then of Christianitie is the preaching of repentance and the knowledge of our selues The second part is If thou wilt be saued thou maist not seeke saluation by works for God hath sent his onely begotten sonne into the world that we might liue through him He was crucified and died for thee and offred vp thy sinnes in his owne body Here is no congruence or worke done before grace but wrath sinne terrour and death Wherfore the lawe doth nothing else but vtter sinne terrifie and humble and by this meanes prepareth vs to iustification and driueth vs to Christ For God hath reueled vnto vs by his word that he will be vnto vs a merciful father without our desertes seing we can deserue nothing wil freely geue vnto vs remission of sinnes righteousnes life euerlasting for Christ his sonnes sake For God geueth his gifts freely vnto all and that is the praise glory of his diuinitie But the Iusticiaries will not receaue grace euerlasting life of him freely but wil deserue the same by their workes For this cause they would vtterly take from him the glory of his Diuinitie To the ende therfore that he may maintaine and defend the same he is cōpelled to send his law before which as a lightning and thundring from heauen may bruse and breake those hard rockes This briefly is our doctrine as touching Christian righteousnes against the abominations and monstrous dreames of the Papists concerning the merite of congruence and worthines or workes before and after grace For a sort of idle monks which neuer had any regard of God or his glory nor of the health of their owne soules which were neuer exercised with any tentations neuer had
righteousnes should feare vs and make vs to abhorre it And here with this thunderbolt falleth downe all the orders of Monkes and Friers with all the rablement of such supersticious religion For who will not detest his owne vowes his cowle his shauen croune all mens traditions yea the very law of Moses also if he heare that for these things he reiecteth the grace of god and maketh the death of Christ vnprofitable The world hearing this doth not beleue that it is true It thinketh that such horrible wickednes can not enter into any mans heart that he should reiect the grace of God esteme the death of Christ as a thing of nought And yet this sinne commonly reigneth For whosoeuer seeketh righteousnes without Christ either by workes merites satisfactions afflictions or by the law reiecteth the grace of God and despiseth the death of Christ whatsoeuer he protesteth with his mouth to the contrary The third Chapter Verse 1. O foolish Galathians PAVLE here sheweth his Apostolicall care and feruent zeale which he beareth to the church so that in disputing and confuting he intermixeth sometimes gentle exhortations and sometimes he sharply chideth according to his owne rule geuē to Timothy Preach saith he the vvord be instant in season and out of season Improue rebuke exhort 2. Timot. 4. Here the simple reader haply may be deceaued if he be not circumspect to thinke that Paule in teaching keepeth no order at all And surely after the maner of the Rhetoricians he obserueth none but as concerning the spirite he vseth a goodly order Now after that he hath sufficiently proued and with two strong arguments confirmed this article that Christian righteousnes cometh not by keeping of the law but by faith in Christ and withall hath confuted the doctrine of the false Apostles in the middes of this discourse he turneth his talke to the Galathians and reproueth them saying O ye foolish Galathians c. As if he should say Alas from whence are ye falne O ye miserable Galathians I haue most carefully and diligently taught you the truth of the Gospell and ye also haue receaued the same of me with feruent zeale and greate diligence How then cometh it to passe that ye are so suddainly falne away from it who hath bewitched you He rebuketh the Galathians very sharply as it seemeth when he calleth them fooles bewitched and disobedient to the truth Now whether he did this of zeale or compassion I will not here contend both may be true A carnall man would interprete this to be a reuiling rather then a godly reprehension Did Paule then geue an euill example or was he spitefull against the churches of Galatia because he called them foolish and bewitched No not so For with a Christian zeale it is lawfull for an Apostle pastour or preacher sharply to reproue the people committed to his charge and such reprouings are both fatherly godly So parents of a fatherly and motherly affection do sharply reproue and rebuke their children which they would not beare if an other should doe it The Scholemaster sometimes is angry with his scholler he rebuketh him and beateth him with roddes all which he taketh in good parte and would not beare it at the handes of his equall The magistrate likewise is angry he reproueth and punisheth such as are vnder his charge And this discipline is not onely good but also very necessary without the which nothing can be well done Wherfore vnlesse the magistrate the minister the father and mother be angry and vse to reproue or rebuke when case requireth he is vnprofitable and neuer shall discharge his office rightly Wherfore sharpe chidings bitter words are as necessary in euery kind of life as any other vertue els Yet notwithstanding this anger must be so tempered that it procede not of any enuy or malice but onely of a fatherly affection and Christian zeale that is to say it ought not to be childish or womanlike seking reuenge but onely for the correcting of the faulte As the father correcteth not his childe with desire to reuenge but only that the childe therby may be the better And these kindes of anger are good and are called in the scripture ielousies or zeales For in chastising my brother my child my scholler or subiect in this sort I seeke not his destruction but his profite and welfare It may be then that Paule here rebuketh the Galathians either of a very zeale not to destroy them but by this meanes to reduce them into the way againe and to amend them or els of pitie and compassion as it were by way of complaint for that it greueth him that the Galathians should be so miserably seduced As if he should say I am sory and ashamed to heare of this your miserable case your wretched doings c. In like maner doe we also reproue the miserable not that we treade them downe or vpbraide them with their misery but as hauing compassion on them and seeking their amendment This I say lest any man should cauill that Paule railed vpon the churches contrary to the rule of the Gospell In like maner Christ rebuketh the phariseis calling them serpents the generation of vipers the children of the deuil But these are the rebukings of the holy Ghost They are fatherly and motherly and as the chidings of a faithfull frend As it is said also in the prouerbes Better are the vvoundes of a frend then the kisses of an enemy Thus one and the selfe same rebuke if it come out of the mouth of a father may be a great benefite but if it procede out of the mouth of our equall or enemy it is a spitefull reproch When two men doe both one thing in the one it is commendable and in the other it is cleane contrary When Christ and Paule doe reproue it is done with singular vertue and commendation but when a priuate man shall doe the like in him it is a greate vice Therfore one and the selfe same word in the mouth of Paule is a great vertue and a singular benefite but in the mouth of an other it is a shamefull reproch Here is a great vehemencie to be noted in this word Galathians For he calleth them not brethren as els where he is wont to doe but he calleth them by the name of their coūtrey And it should seeme that it was the naturall vice of that nation to be foolish like as it was the fault of the Cretenses to be liars As if he should say As ye are called euen so are ye in deed and so ye continue that is to say foolish Galathians and this ye proue euen now in this busines of the Gospell wherin notwithstāding ye ought to haue shewed your selues most wise but ye continue still in your old nature and shew your selues no changelings Thus Paule by way of correction putteth them in mind of their corrupt nature Moreouer we are here admonished
to reply againe By this meanes Paulus Sergius the Lieutenaunt and all those cities regions kingedomes and countreis where the Apostles had preached by the onely preaching of faith did beleue without the law and the workes therof In the whole booke then of the Actes there is nothing els handled in effect but that it behoueth as wel Iewes as Gētiles as wel righteous as vnrighteous to be iustified by faith alone in Christ Iesus without the law and the workes therof The which thinge doth appeare as well by the preaching of Peter of Paule of Stephen of Philip and the other Apostles as also by the examples of the Gentiles and Iewes For as God gaue the holy ghost to the Gentiles which liued without the law by the preaching of the Gospell so did he geue the same to the Iewes yet not by the law nor by the ceremonies and sacrifices commaunded in the law but by the onely preaching of faith Now if the law had ben able to iustifie and the righteousnes of the law had bene necessary to saluation then doubtles the holy ghost had not bene geuen to the Gentiles which kept not the law But experience it selfe doth plainly witnesse that the holy Ghost was geuen vnto them without the law and this did the Apostles both Peter Paule Barnabas others see therfore the law doth not iustifie but faith onely in Christ which the Gospell setteth forth These thinges are diligently to be marked because of the aduersaries who do not consider what is handled in the Acts of the Apostles I my selfe in times past also reade this booke when in deede I vnderstoode in it nothing at all Therefore when thou hearest or readest in the Actes of the Apostles or wheresoeuer it be in the scriptures this worde Gentiles thou must there thinke that it is not to be vnderstand literally of the common nature of the Gentiles but it carrieth with it a spiritual meaning and is to be taken not for those which are vnder the law as were the Iewes as before is said in the second chapter VVe by nature Ievves c. but for those which are without the lawe Wherfore to say that the Gentiles are iustified by faith is nothing els but that they which obserue not the law nor doe the workes therof which are not circumcised which sacrifice not c. are iustified and receaue the holy Ghost By what meanes Not by the law and the workes therof for they haue no law but freely and without any other meanes sauing onely the hearing of the Gospell So Cornelius and his frendes whom he had called to his house doe nothing neither looke they vpon any workes going before and yet as many as are present receaue the holy Ghost No man speaketh but Peter they sitting by doe nothing they thinke not of the law much lesse doe they keepe it they sacrifice not they care not for the receauing of circumcision but only are bent to heare that which Peter speaketh He by his preaching brought the holy Ghost into their heartes as it were visibly For they spake vvith tonges and glorified God. But some man may here cauill and say who knoweth whether it were the holy ghost or no Wel let him cauil Sure it is that the holy Ghost so bearing witnesse doth not lie but hereby sheweth that he accepteth the Gentiles for righteous iustifieth them by no other meanes then by the onely voice of the Gospell or hearing of faith in Christ preached We may see also in the Actes how greatly the Iewes marueiled at this newe and straunge thinge For the faithfull which were of the Circumcision and came with Peter to Caesarea seing the gifte of the holy Ghost to be poured out also vpon the Gentiles in the house of Cornelius were amazed Also they that were at Ierusalem complained of Peter for that he went into men vncircumcised did eate with them but when they heard the matter declared by Peter in order as it was done touching Cornelius they marueiled and glorified God saying Then hath God also geuen saluation to the Gentiles This report and fame then that God hath geuen saluation also to the Gentiles was not onely at the first intolerable but also a greate offence euen to the beleuing Iewes which they could not easily shake of for they had this prerogatiue aboue all other nations that they were the people of God the adoption the glory the worship c. belonged to them Rom. 9. Moreouer they did exercise them selues in the righteousnes of the law they laboured all the day long they bare the burthen and heat of the day Moreouer they had the promises for keeping of the law therfore they could not but murmure against the Gentiles and say Behold the Gentiles come but euen now and haue not suffered any heate or borne any burden notwithstanding they haue the same righteousnes and holy Ghost without labour which we by labour by the heate and burthen of the day could not obtaine They haue laboured in deede but that was but one hower and by this labour they are more refreshed then weried Wherefore then hath God tormented vs with the lawe if it auaile nothing to the obtaining of righteousnes He now preferreth the Gentiles before vs which haue bene so long burdened with the yoke of the law For we which are the people of God haue bene vexed all the day long but they which are not the people of God neither haue any lawe nor haue done any good at all are made equall with vs. And hereupon the Councell of the Apostles through great necessity was assembled at Ierusalem to satisfie and pacifie the Iewes who though they beleued in Christ yet was this opinion notwithstanding deepely rooted in their hearts that the law of Moses ought to be kept There Peter vpon his owne experience set him selfe against them saying If god haue geuen the same grace vnto the Gentiles which he hath geuen vnto vs that haue beleued in the Lord Iesus Christ who am I that I should forbid God Againe God vvho knovveth their hearts bare them vvitnesse in geuing vnto them the holy Ghost euen as he did vnto vs And he put no difference betvvene vs and them purifiing their heartes by faith Novv therfore vvhy tempt ye God to lay a yoke on the disciples neckes vvhich neither our fathers nor vve vvere able to beare c. With these wordes Peter at once ouerthroweth the whole law As if he would say We will not keepe the law for we are not able to keepe it but we beleue through the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ to be saued as they doe So Peter here is altogether occupied in this matter that God hath geuen to the Gentiles the selfe same grace that he hath geuen to the Iewes As though he would say When I preached to Cornelius I learned by mine owne experience that the holy Ghost was geuen without the law
that we thought those works which men had deuised not onely without the will of God but also contrary to his commaundement to be much better then those which the magistrate the houshoulder the childe the seruaunte did at the commaundement of God. Doubtles we ought to haue learned by the word of God that the religious orders of the Papistes which onely they call holy are wicked since there is no commaundement of God at al or testimony in the holy scriptures approuing the same Contrariwise other orders of life which haue the word and warrant of God are holy ordained of god But we were then wrapped in such horrible darkenes that we could not truely iudge of any thing But now at the appearing of the cleare light of the Gospell all kindes of life in the world are vnder our iudgement which is most certaine infallible We may boldly pronounce out of the word of God that the condition of seruauntes which before the world is most vile is farre more acceptable vnto God then all the religious orders of the Papistes For by his word he commendeth approueth and setteth forth the state of seruauntes and so doth he not the orders of Monkes Friers and such other Therfore this argument grounded vpon experience ought to stand in much force with vs also For although diuers men in popery wrought sundry and diuers works both great and painefull yet could they neuer be sure what was the will of God towards them but they were alwaies in doubt they could neuer attaine to the knowledge of God of themselues of their calling nor felte the testimony of the spirite in their heartes But now that the truth of the Gospell appeareth they are fully instructed by the onely hearing of faith in all these things It is not without cause that I doe so largely intreate of these matters For it seemeth to mans reason but a light and a small matter to purchase the holy ghost by the onely hearing of faith and that nothing els is required of vs but that we setting a parte all our works should geue our selues onely to the hearing of the Gospell Mans hearte doth not vnderstand nor beleue that so greate a price namely the holy Ghost is geuen by the onely hearing of faith but reasoneth after this sorte Forgeuenes of sinnes deliueraunce from death the geuing of the holy Ghost of righteousnes and euerlasting life are greate things therfore if thou wilt obtaine these inestimable benefites thou must performe some other greate and weighty matter This opinion the deuill doth wel like and approue also encreaseth the same in the heart Therfore when reason heareth this Thou cāst doe nothing for the obtaining of sinnes but must onely heare the word of God by and by it crieth out saith Fie thou makest too small a count of the remission of sinnes c. So the inestimable greatnes of the gift is the cause that we can not beleue it and because this incomparable treasure is freely offered therfore it is despised But this must we learne that forgeuenes of sinnes Christ and the holy Ghost are freely geuen vnto vs at the onely hearing of faith preached notwithstanding our horrible sinnes and demerits And we must not wey how greate the thing is that is geuen and how vnworthy we are of it for so should the greatnes of the gift our vnworthines terrefie vs but we must thinke that it pleaseth God freely to geue vnto vs this vnspeakeable gifte vnto vs I say which are vnworthy as Christ in Luke sayeth Feare not litle flocke for it is your fathers pleasure to geue vnto you Loe to geue vnto you saith he a kingdome To whom To you vnworthy which are his litle flocke If I then be litle and the thing great nay rather of all things the greatest which God hath geuen vnto me I must thus thinke that he also is great and onely greate which geueth it If he offer it and will geue it I consider not mine owne sinne vnworthines but his fatherly good will towardes me which is the geuer and I receaue the greatnes of the gift with ioy and gladnes am thankful for so inestimable a gifte geuen freely vnto me to me I say vnworthy by the hearing of faith Here againe foolish reason is offended and reproueth vs saying Where ye teach men to do nothing at all for the obtaining of so greate and vnspeakeable a gift but to heare the word of God this seemeth to tend to the greate contempt of grace and to make men secure idle and dissolute so that they slacke their handes and doe no good at all Therfore it is not good to preach this doctrine for it is not true but men must be vrged to labour and to exercise themselues vnto righteousnes and then shall they obtaine this gift This selfe same thing the Pelagians in times past obiected againste the Christians But heare what Paul saith in this place Ye haue receaued the holy Ghost not by your owne labour and trauell not by the workes of the law but by the hearing of faith Briefely heare what Christ himselfe saith and what he aunswereth to Martha being very carefull and hardly bearing that her sister Marie sitting at the feete of Iesus and hearing his worde should leaue her to minister alone Martha Martha saith he thou carest and art troubled about many things but one thing is needefull Marie hath chosen the good parte vvhich shall not be taken from her A man therfore is made a Christian not by working but by hearing Wherfore he that will exercise himselfe to righteousnes let him first exercise himselfe in hearing the gospel Now when he hath heard and receaued the Gospell let him geue thankes to God with a ioyfull and a glad hearte and afterwardes let him exercise him selfe in those good workes which are commaunded in the lawe so that the lawe and workes may follow the hearing of faith So may he quietly walke in the light which is Christ and boldely choose and doe works not hypocriticall but good workes in deede such as he knoweth to please God and to be commaunded of him and contemne all those hypocriticall shadowes of freewill workes Our aduersaries thinke that faith whereby we receaue the holy Ghost is but a light matter but how high and harde a matter it is I my selfe doe finde by experience and so doe all they which with me doe earnestly embrace the same It is soone saide that by the onely hearing of faith the holy Ghost is receaued but it is not so easily heard laied holde on beleued and retained as it is said Wherefore if thou heare of me that Christe is that Lambe of God sacrificed for thy sinnes see also that thou heare it effectually Paule purposely calleth it the hearing of faith and not the worde of faith although there be small difference that is such a word as thou hearing doest beleue
promise made vnto Abraham In thy seede shall all nations be blessed might so be fulfilled Therfore by no other meanes could this be done that is here promised but that Iesus Christ must needes become a Curse and ioyne him selfe to those that were accursed that so he might take away the Curse from them and through his Blessing might bring vnto them righteousnes and life And here marke as I haue also forewarned you that this word Blessing is not in vaine as the Iewes dreame who expoūd it to be but a salutation by word of mouth or by wryting But Paule entreateth here of sinne and righteousnes of death and life before god He speaketh therefore of inestimable and incomprehensible things when he sayth that the Blessing of Abraham might come vpon the Gentiles through Iesus Christ Ye see moreouer what merits we bring by what meanes we obtain this Blessing This is the merite of Congruence worthines these are the works preparatiue wherby we obtain this righteousnes that Christ Iesus was made a Curse for vs For we are ignorant of God enemies of God dead in sinne accursed and what is our desert then What can he deserue that is accursed ignorāt of God dead in sinnes and subiect to the wrath iudgement of God When the Pope excōmunicateth a man whatsoeuer he doth is counted accursed How much more then may we say that he is accursed before God as all we are before we know Christ which doth nothing else but cursed things Wherefore there is no other way to auoide the Curse but to beleue and with assured confidēce to say Thou Christ art my sinne my Curse or rather I am thy sinne thy Curse thy death thy wrath of God thy hell and contrariwise thou arte my righteousnes my Blessing my life my grace of God and my heauen For the text sayeth plainely Christe is made a Curse for vs. Therefore we are the cause that he was made a Curse nay rather we are his Curse This is an excellent place full of spiritual consolation albeit it satisfie not the blind hard harted Iewes yet it satisfieth vs that are baptised and haue receaued this doctrine and concludeth most mightely that we are blessed through the Curse the sinne the death of Christ that is to say we are iustified and quickned vnto life So long as sinne death and the Curse do abide in vs sinne terrifieth death killeth and the Curse condemneth vs But when these are translated and laid vpon Christes backe then are these euils made his owne and his good thinges are made ours Let vs therefore learne in all tentations to translate sinne death the Curse and all euils which oppresse vs from our selues vnto Christ and againe from him vnto our selues righteousnes mercy life and blessing For he beareth all our euils vpon him God the father cast the iniquities of vs all as Esay the Prophet saith vpon him And he hath taken them vpon him willingly for he was not giltie But this he did that he might fulfill the will of his father by the which we are made holy for euer This is that infinite and vnmeasurable mercy of God which Paule would gladly amplifie with all eloquence and plentie of wordes but the slender capacitie of mans heart can not comprehende and much lesse vtter that vnsearchable deapth and burning zeale of Gods loue towards vs And verely the inestimable greatnes of Gods mercy not only engendreth an hardnes to beleue but also incredulitie it selfe For I doe not onely heare that almightie God the creatour and maker of all things is good and merciful but also that the same high souereigne Maiestie was so careful for me a damnable sinner a child of wrath and of euerlasting death that he spared not his owne deare Sonne but deliuered him to a most opprobrious and shamefull death that he hāging betwene two theeues might be made a Curse and sinne for me a cursed sinner that I might be made blessed that is to say the childe and heire of god Who can sufficiently praise and magnify this exceeding great goodnes of God Not all the Angels in heauen Therfore the doctrine of the Gospell the booke of God speaketh of farre other matters then any booke of policie or philosophie yea or the booke of Moses himselfe to wit of the vnspeakeable and most diuine giftes of God which farre passe the capacitie and vnderstanding both of men and Angels Verse 14. That vve might receaue the promise of the spirite through faith This is a phrase of the Hebrewes The promise of the spirite that is to say the spirite promised Now the spirite is freedom from the law sinne death the Curse hel and from the wrath and iudgement of god Here is no merite or worthines of ours but a free promise and a gifte geuen through the Seede of Abraham that we may be free from all euils and obtaine all good things whatsoeuer And this libertye gift of the spirite we receiue not by any other merites then by Faith alone For that onely taketh holde of the promise of God as Paule plainly sayth in this place that vve might receaue the promise of the spirite not by vvorkes but by Faith. This is in dede a sweete and a true Apostolike doctrine which sheweth that those things are fulfilled for vs now geuen to vs which many Prophets Kings desired to see to heare And such like places as this one is were gathered together out of diuers sayings of the Prophets which forsaw long before in spirite that all things should be chaūged repaired and gouerned by this man Christe Therfore the Iewes hauing the law of God did notwithstanding besides that law looke for Christ None of the Prophets or gouernours of the people of God did make any new lawe but Elias Samuel Dauid all the other Prophets did abide vnder the law of Moses they did not appoint any new tables or a new kingdom priesthode for that new chaunge of the kingly priesthoode of the law the worship was referred kept to him only of whom Moises had prophesied longe before The Lord thy God shal raise vp a Prophet vnto thee of thine ovvne nation and from among thy brethren Him shalt thou heare As if he should say Thou shalt heare him onely and none besides him This the Fathers well vnderstode for none could teach greater and higher poynts then Moises him selfe who made excellent lawes of high and great matters as are the ten commaundemēts especially the first commaundement I am the Lord thy God Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God vvith all thy heart c. This law concerning the loue of God doth comprehend the very Angels also Therfore it is the headspring of all diuine wisedom And yet was it necessary notwithstanding that an other teacher should come that is to say
then vnder the lawe must not alwayes endure but must onely continue to the cōming or reuealing of Faith which this sweete verse of the Psalme 147. doth teach vs The Lord deliteth in those that feare him that is to say which are in prison vnder the lawe But by and by after he addeth and in those that attend vppon his mercy Therfore we must ioyne these two things together which are in deede as contrary the one to the other as may be For what can be more contrary then to hate and abhorre the wrath of God and againe to trust in his goodnes mercy The one is hell the other is heauē and yet they must be nerely ioyned together in the heart By speculation and naked knowledge a man may easily ioyne them together but by experience and inward practise so to doe of all things it is the hardest which I my selfe haue often proued by mine owne experience Of this matter the Papistes and Sectaries know nothing at all Therefore these wordes of Paule are to them obscure and altogether vnknowne And when the lawe reueileth vnto them their sinne accuseth and terrifieth them they can finde no counsell no rest no helpe or succour but fall to desperation as Caine and Saule did Seeing the lawe therfore as is sayd is our tormentour and our prison certaine it is that we can not loue it but hate it He therefore that sayth he loueth the lawe is a liar and knoweth not what he sayth A theefe and a robber should shewe him selfe to be starke madde that would loue the prison the fetters and chaines Seing thē the law shutteth vs vppe and holdeth vs in prison it can not be but we must needes be extreme enemies to the lawe To conclude so well we loue the lawe and the righteousnes thereof as a murtherer loueth the darke prison the streit bondes and irons How then should the law iustifie vs Verse 23. And shut vp vnder the faith vvhich should after be reueiled This Paule speaketh in respect of the fulnes of the time wherin Christ came But we must applie it not onely to that time but also to the inward man For that which is done as an hystorie and according to the time wherin Christe came abolishing the lawe and bringing libertie and eternall life to light is alwayes done spiritually in euery Christian in whom is found continually somewhile the time of the law and somewhile the time of grace For the Christian man hath a body in whose members as Paule sayth in an other place sinne dwelleth and warreth Nowe I vnderstand sinne to be not onely the deede or the worke but also the roote and the tree together with the fruites as the Scripture vseth to speake of sinne Which is yet not onely rooted in the baptised flesh of euery Christian but also is at deadly warre within it and holdeth it captiue if not to geue consent vnto it or to accomplish the worke yet doth it force him mightely thervnto For albeit a Christian man doe not fall into outward and grosse sinnes as murther adultery theft and such like yet is he not free from impatiencie murmuring hating and blaspheming of God which sinnes to reason and the carnall man are altogether vnknowne These sinnes constraine him yea sore against his will to detest the lawe they compell him to flie from the presence of God they compell him to hate and blaspheme god For as carnall lust is strong in a yong man in a man of full age the desire and loue of glory and in an old man couetousnes euen so in a holy and a faithfull man impatiencie murmuring hatred and blasphemie against God doe mightely preuaile Examples hereof there are many in the Psalmes in Iob in Ieremie and throughout the whole Scripture Paule therfore describing and setting forth this spirituall warfare vseth very behement words and fitte for the purpose as of fighting rebelling holding and leading captiue c. Both these times then of the lawe and the Gospell I meane are in a Christian as touching the affections and inward man The time of the lawe is when the lawe exerciseth me tormenteth me with heauines of heart oppresseth me bringeth me to the knowledge of sinne and encreaseth the same Here the law is in his true vse and perfect worke which a Christian oftentimes feeleth as long as he liueth So there was geuen vnto Paule a pricke in the flesh that is the angell of Satan to buffet him He would gladly haue felt euery moment the ioy of conscience the laughter of the heart and the sweete tast of eternall life Againe he would gladly haue ben deliuered from all trouble and anguish of spirite and therefore he desired that this tentation might be taken from him Notwithstanding this was not done but the Lord sayd vnto him My grace is sufficient for thee For my povver is made perfect through vveaknes This battaile doth euery Christian feele To speake of my selfe there are many howers in the which I chide and contend with God and impatiently resist him The wrath and iudgement of God displeaseth me and againe my impaciencie my murmuring and such like sinnes doe displease him And this is the time of the lawe vnder the which a Christian man continually liueth as touching the flesh For the flesh lusteth continually against the spirite and the spirite against the flesh but in some more and in some lesse The time of grace is when the heart is raised vppe againe by the promise of the free mercy of God and sayeth VVhy art thou heauie O my soule and vvhy doest thou trouble me Doest thou see nothing but the lawe sinne terrour heauines desperation death hell and the Deuill Is there not also grace remission of sinnes righteousnes consolation ioy peace life heauen Christe and God Trouble me no more O my soule What is the lawe what is sinne what are all euils in comparison of these things Trust in God who hath not spared his owne deare sonne but hath geuen him to the death of the crosse for thy sinnes This is then to be shutte vppe vnder the lawe after the flesh not for euer but till Christe be reuealed Therefore when thou art beaten downe tormented and afflicted by the law then say Lady law Thou art not alone neither art thou all things but besides thee there are yet other things much greater and better then thou art namely grace faith and blessing This grace this faith and this blessing doe not accuse me terrifie me condemne me but they comfort me they bid me trust in the Lord and promise vnto me victorie and saluation in Christe There is no cause therfore why I should despaire He that is skilfull in this arte and this cunning may in deede be called a right Diuine The fantasticall spirites their disciples at this day which continually bragge of the spirite do perswade them selues that they are very expert
which is in deede a most miserable kind of bondage But as the power of the tutours and the subiection and bondage of the litle heire is not continuall but onely endureth vnto the time appoynted of the Father which being ended he needeth not to be gouerned by his tutours nor remaineth vnder their subiection any more but with libertie enioyeth the inheritaunce euen so the lawe hath dominion ouer vs and we are constrained to be seruaunts and captiues vnder his gouernment but not for euer For this clause which foloweth must be added vntill the appoynted time of the Father For Christ which was promised came and redemed vs which were oppressed with the tyrannie of the lawe Contrariwise the comming of Christ profiteth not the careles hypocrites the wicked contemners of God nor the desperate which thinke that nothing else remaineth but the terrours of the lawe which they the rudiments of the world So the Emperours lawes be rudiments of the world for they intreat of worldly matters that is to say of things concerning this present life as of goodes possessions enheritaunces murders adulteries robberies c. Whereof speaketh also the second table of the commaundements As for the Popes Canon lawes and Decretals which forbid mariage and meates those Paule in an other place calleth the doctrines of Deuils which are also rudiments of the world but that they doe most wickedly bind mens consciences to the obseruation of outward things contrary to the word of God and faith Wherfore the law of Moises geueth nothing but worldly things that is to say it doth but onely shew ciuily and spiritually the euils that be in the world Notwithstanding if it be in his true vse it driueth the conscience by his terrours to seeke and thirst after the promise of God and to looke vnto Christ But that thou maist so doe thou hast neede of the aide and assistance of the holy Ghost which may say in thy heart It is not the will of God that after the law hath done his office in thee thou shouldest onely be terrified killed but that when thou art brought by the lawe to the knowledge of thy misery and damnation thou shouldest not despaire but beleue in Christ vvho is the end of the lavve to righteousnes to euery one that beleueth Here is no worldly thing done but here all worldly matters and all lawes cease and heauenly things begin now to appeare Therefore so long as we be vnder the rudiments of the world that is to say vnder the lawe which geueth not onely righteousnes and peace of conscience but reuealeth and increaseth sinnes and engendreth wrath we be seruaunts thrall and subiect to the lawe although we haue the promise of the Blessing to come In deede the law sayth Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God but that I may be able so to do or to apprehēd Christ this can not the lawe geue I speake not this to the ende that the lawe should be despised neither doth Paule so meane but it ought to be had in great estimation But because Paule is here in the matter of Iustificatiō it was necessary that he should speake of the law as of a thing very contemptible and odious For Iustification is a farre other maner of thing then the lawe is We can not speake basely and contemptuously enough of the lawe when we are in this matter When the conscience therefore is in the conflict then should she thinke vppon nothing know nothing at all but Christe onely and alone Then should she remoue the lawe vtterly out of her sight and embrace nothing but the promise concerning Christ To say this it is an easie matter but in time of tentation when the conscience wrestleth in the presence of God to doe it in deede of all things it is the hardest to witte that when the lawe accuseth thee terrifieth thee reuealeth vnto thee thy sinne threatneth to thee the wrath of God eternall death that then I say thou shouldest haue such strēgth of faith in Christ as if there had neuer ben any law or any sinne but only Christ mere grace and redemption or that thou shouldest then be able to say O law I will not heare thee for thou hast a stāmering a slow tounge moreouer the fulnes of time is now come and therefore I am free and wil not suffer thy tyrannie any longer Here a man may see how hard a matter it is to separate the lawe from grace Againe how diuine and heauenly a thing it is to hope here euē against hope and how true this proposition of Paule is that we are iustified by Faith alone Learne here therfore to speake of the law as contēptuously as thou cāst in the matter of Iustificatiō by the example of the Apostle which calleth the lawe the rudiments of the world pernicious traditions the strength of sinne the ministerie of death c. For if thou suffer the lawe to beare rule in thy conscience when thou standest before God wrestling against sinne and death then is the lawe in deede nothing else but a sinke of all euils heresies and blasphemies for it doth nothing but encrease sinne accuse and terrifie the conscience threaten death and set forth God as an angry iudge which reiecteth and condemneth sinners Here therefore if thou be wise banish this stutting and stammering Moises farre from thee with his lawe and in any wise let not his terrours and threatnings moue thee Here let him be vtterly suspected vnto thee as an heretike as an excommunicate and condemned person worse then the Pope and the Deuill him selfe and therfore not to be heard or obeyed in any case But out of the matter of Iustification we ought with Paule to thinke reuerently of the law to commend it highly to call it holy righteous good spirituall and diuine Out of the case of conscience we should make a God of it but in the case of conscience it is a very deuill For in the least temptation that can be it is not able to raise vppe to comfort the conscience but it doth cleane contrary it terrifieth it oppresseth it with heauines and plucketh it from the assurance of righteousnes of life and of all goodnes Herevppon Paule a litle after calleth it vveake beggerly rudiments Wherfore let vs not suffer the lawe in any case to beare rule in our conscience especially seing it cost Christe so great a price to deliuer the conscience from the tyrannie of the lawe For he was made a Curse for vs that he might deliuer vs from the Curse of the lawe Let the godly learne therfore that the law and Christ are two contrary things whereof the one can not abide the other For whē Christ is present the law may in no case rule but must depart out of the conscience and leaue the bed which is so streit that it can not hold two as Esay sayth and geue
the morall lawe before Faith. Verse 5. That vve might receaue the adoption of the sonnes Paule setteth forth amplifieth very largely this place of Gen. 22. In thy Seede shall all the natiōs of the earth be blessed A litle before he called this Blessing of the seede of Abraham righteousnes life the promise of the spirit deliuerance from the law the testament c. Here he calleth it the adoption and inheritance of euerlasting life All these this word Blessing doth comprehend For when the Curse which is sinne death c. is abolished then in the stede thereof succedeth the Blessing that is righteousnes life and all good things But by what merite haue we receaued this Blessing that is to say this adoption and inheritaunce of euerlasting life By none at all For what can men deserue that are shutte vnder sinne subiect to the curse of the lawe and worthy of euerlasting death We haue then receiued this Blessing freely and being vtterly vnworthy therof but yet not without merite What merite is that Not ours but the merite of Iesus Christ the sonne of God who being made vnder the lawe not for him selfe but for vs as Paule sayd afore that he vvas made a curse for vs redemed vs which were vnder the lawe Wherfore we haue receaued this adoption by the onely redemption of Iesus Christe the sonne of God which is our rich and euerlasting merite whether it be of congruēce or worthines going before grace or comming after And with this free adoption we haue also receaued the holy Ghost which God hath sent into our hearts crying Abba Father as foloweth Verse 6. And because you are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirite of his sonne into your hearts The holy ghost is sent two maner of wayes In the primatiue church he was sent in a manifest visible appearāce So he came vpon Christ at Iordane in the likenes of a Doue and in the likenes of fire vpon the Apostles and other beleuers And this was the first sending of the holy Ghost which was necessary in the primatiue church for it was expedient that it should be established by manifest myracles because of the vnbeleuers as Paule witnesseth 1. Cor. 14. Straunge tongues sayth he be for a signe and a token not to them that beleue but to them that beleue not But after that the Church was gathered together and cōfirmed with those myracles it was not necessary that this visible sending of the holy Ghost should continue any longer Secondly the holy Ghost is sent by the word into the hearts of the beleuers as here it is sayd God sent the spirite of his sonne c. This sending is without any visible appearance to witte when by the hearing of the externall word we receaue an inward feruencie and light wherby we are chaunged become new creatures wherby also we receaue a new iudgement a new feeling a new mouing This chaūge this new iudgemēt is no worke of reason or of the power of mā but is the gift operation of the holy Ghost which commeth with the word preached which purifieth our hearts by faith and bringeth forth in vs spirituall motions Therefore there is a great difference betwixt vs those which with force subteltie persecute the doctrine of the gospell For we by the grace of God can certainly iudge by the word of the will of God towardes vs also of all lawes and doctrines of our owne life and of the life of others Contrariwise the Papists and Sectaries can not certainly iudge of any thing For they corrupt they persecute and blaspheme the word Now without the word a man can geue no certaine iudgement of any thing And although it appeare not before the world that we be renewed in spirit and haue the holy Ghost yet notwithstanding our iudgemēt our speech our confession do declare sufficiently that the holy Ghost with his giftes is in vs For before we could iudge rightly of nothing We spake not as now we doe We confessed not that all our works were sinne and damnable that Christe was our onely merite both before grace after as now we doe in the true knowledge and light of the Gospell Wherefore let this trouble vs nothing at all that the world whose workes we testifie to be euill iudgeth vs to be most pernicious heretikes and seditious persons destroyers of religion and troublers of the common peace possessed of the Deuill speaking in vs and gouerning all our actions Against this peruerse and wicked iudgement of the world let this testimonie of our conscience be sufficient wherby we assuredly know that it is the gift of God that we doe not onely beleue in Iesus Christ but that we also openly preach and confesse him before the world As we beleue with our heart so do we speake with our mouth according to the saying of the Psalm I beleued therfore haue I spoken Moreouer we exercise our selues in the feare of God and auoide sinne as much as we may If we sinne we sinne not of purpose but of ignorance and we are sory for it We may slippe for the Deuill lieth in wait for vs both day and night Also the remnantes of sinne cleaue yet fast in our flesh therefore as touching the flesh we are sinners yea after that we haue receaued the holy Ghost And there is no great difference betwixt a Christian and a ciuill honest man. For the workes of a Christian in outward shew are but base and simple He doth his duetie according to his vocation he guideth his familie he tilleth the ground he geueth counsell he aideth and succoureth his neighbour These workes the carnall man doth not much esteme but thinketh them to be common to all men and such as the heathen may also doe For the world vnderstandeth not the things which are of the spirite of God and therefore it iudgeth peruersly of the workes of the godly But the monstrous superstition of hypocrites and their will workes they haue in great admiration They count them holy works spare no charges in maintaining the same Contrariwise the workes of the faithfull which although in outward appearance they seeme to be but vile nothing worth yet are they good works in dede and accepted of God because they are done in Faith with a cherefull heart and with obedience and thankfulnes towards God these works I say they do not onely not acknowledge to be good works but also they despise and condemne them as most wicked and abhominable The world therfore beleueth nothing lesse then that we haue that holy Ghost notwithstanding in the time of tribulation or of the crosse and of the cōfession of our faith which is that proper principall worke of those that beleue when we must either forsake wife children goodes and life or else deny Christ then it appeareth that we make confession of
obtaining the inheritance he is a mere patient and not an agent that is to say not to beget not to labour not to care but to be borne is that which maketh him an heire So we obtaine eternall gifts namely the forgeuenes of sinnes righteousnes the glory of the resurrection and euerlasting life not as agents but as patiēts that is not by doing but by receiuing Nothing here cometh betwene but faith alone apprehendeth the promise offred Like as therfore a sōne in the politike houshold gouernmēt is made an heire by his onely birth so here faith onely maketh vs sonnes of God borne of the word which is the wombe of God wherin we are conceaued caried borne and nourished vp c. By this birth thē we are made new creatures formed by Faith in the word we are made Christians children and heires of God through Iesus Christ Now being heires we are deliuered from death sinne and the Deuill and we haue righteousnes and eternall life But this farre passeth all mans capacitie that he calleth vs heires not of some rich and mighty Prince not of the Emperour not of the world but of God the almighty creatour of all things This our inheritaunce then as Paule sayth in an other place is inestimable And if a man could comprehend the great excellencie of this matter that he is the sonne and heire of God and with a constant Faith beleue the same this man would esteme all the power and riches of all the kingdoms of the world but as filthie donge in comparison of his eternall inheritāce He would abhorre whatsoeuer is high and glorious in the world yea the greater the pompe glory of the world is the more would he hate it To conclude whatsoeuer the world most highly estemeth and magnifieth that should be in his eyes most vile and abhominable For what is all the world with all his power riches and glory in comparison of God whose sonne and heire he is Furthermore he would heartely desire with Paule to be loosed and to be with Christ and nothing could be more welcome vnto him thē speedy death which he would embrace as a most ioyfull peace knowing that it should be the ende of all his miseries and that through it he should attaine to his enheritance c. Yea a man that could perfectly beleue this should not lōg remaine aliue but should be swalowed vp incontinent with excessiue ioy But the law of the members striuing against the law of the minde hindreth Faith in vs and suffereth it not to be perfect Therefore we haue neede of the helpe comfort of the holy Ghost which in our troubles and afflictions may make intercession for vs with vnspeakeable groning as before I haue sayd Sinne yet remaineth in the flesh which oftentimes oppresseth the conscience and so hindreth faith that we can not with ioy perfectly behold desire those eternall riches which God hath geuen vnto vs through Christ Paule himselfe feeling this battell of the flesh against the spirit crieth out O vvretched mā that I am vvho shall deliuer me from this body of death He accuseth his body which notwithstanding it behoued him to loue calling it by an odious name his death As if he would say My body doth more afflict me more greuously vexe me thē death it self For it hīdred in hī also this ioy of spirit He had not alwayes the sweete and ioyfull cogitations of the heauenly inheritaunce to come but he felt oftentimes also great heauines of spirite anguish and terrours Hereby we may plainly see how hard a matter Faith is which is not easily and quickly apprehended as certaine full and lothing spirites dreame which swallow vppe at once all that is contained in the holy Scriptures The great infirmitie which is in the Sainctes and the striuing of the flesh against the spirite do sufficiently witnesse how feeble Faith is in them For a perfect Faith bringeth by and by a perfect contempt and lothing of this present life If we could fully assure our selues and constantly beleue that God is our Father and we his sonnes and heires then should we vtterly contemne this world with all the glory righteousnes wisedom and power with all the royall scepters and crownes and with all the riches and pleasures therof We should not be so carefull for this life we should not be so addicted to the world and worldly things trusting vnto them when we haue them lamenting and despairing when we lose them but we should doe all things with great loue humilitie and patience But we do the contrary for the flesh is yet strong but Faith is feeble and the spirite weake Therfore Paule sayth very well that we haue here in this life but only the first fruites of the spirite and that in the world to come we shall haue the tenthes also Verse 7. Thorough Christe Paule hath Christ alwayes in his mouth he can not forget him For he did well forsee that nothing should be lesse knowen in the world yea among them which should professe themselues to be Christians then Christe and his Gospell Therefore he talketh of him and setteth him before our eyes cōtinually And as often as he speaketh of grace righteousnes the promise adoption inheritance he is alwayes wōt to adde In Christ or thorough Christ couertly impugning the law As if he would say These things come vnto vs neither by the lawe nor by the workes thereof much lesse by our owne strength or by the workes of mens traditions but onely by Christe Vers 8.9 But euen then vvhen ye knevv not God ye did seruice vnto them vvhich by nature vvere no Gods. But novve seing ye knovv God yea rather are knovvn of God hovv turne you againe vnto impotent and beggerly rudiments vvherevnto ye vvill be in bondage againe This is the conclusion of Paules disputation From this place vnto the end of the Epistle he doth not much dispute but onely geueth precepts as touching maners Notwithstanding he first reproueth the Galathians being sore displeased that this diuine and heauenly doctrine should be so suddenly and so easily remoued out of their heartes As if he would say Ye haue teachers which will bring you backe againe into the bondage of the law This did not I but by my doctrine I called you out of darknes of the ignorance of God into a wōderful light and knowledge of him I brought you out of bōdage and set you in the freedom of the sonnes of God not by preaching vnto you the workes of the lawe or the merites of men but the grace and righteousnes of God and the geuing of heauenly eternal blessings through Christ Now seeing this is true why doe ye so soone forsake the light and returne to darknes Why doe ye suffer your selues so easily to be brought from grace vnto the law from freedom to bondage Here againe we see as before I haue sayd that to fall in
Faith is an easie matter as the example of the Galathians witnesseth The example of the Anabaptists Libertines and such other heretikes witnesseth the same also at this day We for our part doe set forth the doctrine of Faith with continuall trauell by preaching by reading and by wryting we purely and plainly distinguish the Gospell from the law and yet doe we litle preuaile This cometh of the Deuill who goeth about by all subtile meanes to seduce men and to hold them in errour he can abide nothing lesse then the true knowledge of grace and Faith in Christ Therfore to the end he may take Christ cleane out of sight he setteth before them other shewes wherewith he so deceaueth them that by litle and litle he leadeth them from Faith and the knowledge of grace to the disputation of the lawe When he hath brought this about then is Christe taken away It is not without cause therefore that Paule speaketh so much and so often of Christe and that he goeth about so purely to set forth the doctrine of Faith wherevnto he attributeth righteousnes onely and alone taketh it from the law declaring that the lawe hath a cleane contrary effect that is to engender wrath to encrease sinne c. For he would gladly perswade vs that we should not suffer Christe to be plucked out of our heart that the spouse should not suffer her husband to depart out of her armes but should alwayes embrace him and cleaue fast vnto him who being present there is no daunger yea there is the Faithfull groning fatherly good will adoption and inheritaunce But why sayeth Paule that the Galathians turned backe againe to weake and beggerly rudiments or ceremonies that is to say to the law wheras they neuer had the law for they were Gentiles notwithstanding he wrote these things to the Iewes also as afterwardes we wil declare or why speaketh he not rather after this maner Once vvhen ye knevve not God ye did seruice vnto them vvhich by nature vvere no gods but now seing ye know God why turne ye back again forsaking the true God to worship Idols Doth Paule take it to be all one thing to fall from the promise to the law frō faith to works and to do seruice vnto Gods which by nature are no Gods I answer Whosoeuer is falne from the article of iustification is ignorant of God an Idolater Therfore it is all one thing whether he afterwards turne againe to the law or to the worshipping of Idols it is all one whether he be called a Monke a Turke a Iew or an Anabaptist For whē this article is taken away there remaineth nothing else but errour hypocrisie impietie and idolatry how much so euer it seeme in outward appearance to be the very truth the true seruice of God and true holines c. The reason is because God will or can be knowen no otherwise then by Christ according to that saying of Iohn 1 The onely begotten Sonne vvhich is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him He is the Seede promised vnto Abraham in whom God hath established all his promises Wherfore Christ is the onely meane and as ye would say the glasse by the which we see God that is to say we know his will. For in Christ we see that God is not a cruell exactour or a iudge but a most fauourable louing and merciful Father who to the ende he might blesse vs that is to say deliuer vs from the lawe sinne death and all euils and might endue vs with grace righteousnes and euerlasting life spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all c. This is a true knowledge of God and a diuine perswasion which deceaueth vs not but painteth out God vnto vs liuely He that is falne from this knowledge must nedes conceiue this fantasie in his heart I will set vp such a seruice of God I will enter into such an order I will choose this or that worke and so will I serue God and I doute not but God will accepte this and reward me wyth euerlasting life for the same For he is mercifull and liberal geuing all good things euen to the vnworthy and vnthankfull much more will he geue vnto me grace and euerlasting life for my great and manifold good deedes and merites This is the highest wisedom righteousnes and religion that reason can iudge of which is common to all nations to the Papists Iewes Turkes heretikes c. They can goe no higher then that Pharisey did of whom mention is made in the Gospell They haue no knowledge of the Christian righteousnes or of the righteousnes of Faith. For the naturall man perceaueth not the mysteries of God. Also There is none that vnderstādeth there is none that seeketh after god c. Therefore there is no difference at all betwene a Papist a Iewe a Turke and an heretike In dede there is a difference of the persons the places rites religiōs workes and worshippings notwithstanding there is all one and the same reason the same heart opinion and cogitation in them all For the Turke thinketh the selfe same thing that the Charterhouse monke doth namely if I doe this or that worke God will be mercifull vnto me if I doe it not he wil be angry There is no meane betwene mans working and the knowledge of Christ If this knowledge be darkened or defaced it is all one whether thou be a Monke a Turke a Iew. c. Wherfore it is an extreme madnes that the Papists and Turks do so striue among themselues about the religion and seruice of God contending that both of them haue the true religion and true worship of god And the Monkes themselues agree not together For one of them wil be accounted more holy then an other for certaine foolish outward ceremonies and yet in their hearts the opinion of them all is so like tha◠one egge is not more like to an other For this is the imagination of thē all If I doe this worke God wil haue mercy vpon me if I doe it not he will be angry And therefore euery man that reuolteth from the knowledge of Christ must needes fall into Idolatry and conceaue such an imagination of God as is not agreable to his nature As the Charterhouse Mōke for the obseruing of his Rule the Turke for the keping of his Alcoran hath this affiance that he pleaseth God and shall receaue a reward of him for his labour Such a God as after this sort forgeueth sinnes and iustifieth sinners can no where be found and therefore this is but a vaine imagination a dreame and an Idoll of the heart For God hath not promised that he will saue and iustifie men for the religions obseruations ceremonies and ordinaunces deuised by men yea God abhorreth nothing more as the whole Scripture witnesseth then such willworks such seruice rites and ceremonies for the which also he
ouerthroweth whole kingdoms and Empires Therfore as many as trust to their owne strength and righteousnes doe serue a God but such a God as they them selues haue deuised and not the true God in deede For the true God speaketh thus No righteousnes wisedom nor religiō pleaseth me but that onely whereby the Father is glorified through the Sonne Whosoeuer apprehendeth this Sonne and me and my promise in him by Faith to him I am a God to him I am a Father him do I accept iustifie and saue All other abide vnder wrath because they worship that thing which by nature is no God. Whosoeuer forsaketh this doctrine must needes fall into the ignorance of God he vnderstandeth not what the true Christian righteousnes wisedom and seruice of God is he is an Idolater abiding vnder the law sinne death and the power of the Deuill and all things that he doth are accursed and condemned Therefore the Anabaptist imagining with him selfe that he pleaseth God if he be rebaptised if he forsake his house wife and children if he mortifie his flesh and suffer much aduersity and at length death it selfe yet there is not one droppe of the knowledge of Christe in him but secluding Christ he dreameth altogether of his owne workes of the forsaking of his goodes of his affliction and mortification and now differeth nothing frō the Turke Iewe or Papist in spirite or in heart but onely in the outward appearance workes and ceremonies which he hath chosen to him selfe The same confidence in workes haue all the Monkes and other religious orders notwithstanding in their apparell and other outward things there is a difference There are at this day very many like vnto these which notwithstanding would be counted among the true professors and teachers of the Gospell and as touching the words they teach that men are deliuered from their sinnes by the death of Christ But because they teach faith in such sort that they attribute more to charitie then to faith they highly dishonour Christe and wickedly peruert his word For they dreame that God regardeth accepteth vs for our charities sake wherby we being reconciled to God doe loue God and our neighbour If this be true then haue we no neede of Christ at all Such men serue not the true God but an Idol of their owne heart which they themselues haue deuised For the true God doth not regard or accept vs for our charitie vertues or newnes of life but for Christes sake c. But they make this obiection Yet notwithstāding the Scripture cōmaundeth that we should loue God with all our heart c. It is true But it foloweth not that because God cōmaūdeth vs therfore we do it If we did loue God with all our heart c. then no dout we should be iustified liue through this obedience as it is wrytten He that shal doe these things shall liue in them But the Gospel sayth Thou doest not these things therfore thou shalt not liue in them For this sentence Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God c. requireth a perfect obedience a perfect feare trust loue towards god These things men neither doe nor can performe in this corrupt nature Therfore this law Thou shalt loue the Lord thy god c. iustifieth not but accuseth condemneth all men according to that saying The lavv causeth vvrath c. Contrariwise Christ is the finishing accomplishing of the lavv to righteousnes to euery one that beleueth Of this we haue spoken largely before In like maner the Iewe keping the law with this opinion that he by this obediēce wil please God serueth not the true God but is an Idolater worshipping a dreame an idoll of his owne heart which is no where to be found For the God of his fathers whom he saith he worshippeth promised to Abraham a Seede thorough the which all nations should be blessed Therfore God is knowen the Blessing is geuē not by the lawe but by the Gospel of Christ Although Paule speake these words Thē vvhē ye knevv not God ye did seruice c. properly prīcipally to the Galathians which were Gentiles yet notwithstanding by the same words he also toucheth the Iewes who though they had reiected their Idols outwardly yet in their hearts they worshipped them more then did the Gentiles as it is sayd Rom. 2. Thou abhorrest Idols committest sacriledge The Gētiles were not the people of God they had not his word and therfore their Idolatrie was grosse But the Idolatrous Iewes cloked their Idolatrie with the name and word of God as all Iusticiaries which seeke righteousnes by workes are wont to doe and so with this outward shew of holines they deceiued many Therfore Idolatrie the more holy and spirituall it is the more hurtfull it is But how may these two contrary sayings which the Apostle here setteth downe be recōciled together Ye knevv not God ye vvorshipped God. I answer All mē naturally haue this general knowledge that there is a God according to the saying Ro. 1. Forasmuch as that vvhich may be knovvn of god vvas manifest in thē For God was made manifest vnto thē in that the inuisible things of him did appeare by the creation of the world Moreouer the ceremonies religiōs which were alwaies remained among al nations sufficiently witnesse that all men haue had a certain general knowledge of god But whether they had it by nature or by the tradition of their forefathers I wil not here dispute But here some wil obiect againe If all mē knew God wherfore thē doth Paul say that the Galathians knew not God before the preaching of the Gospel I answer There is a double knowledge of God general perticuler All men haue the generall knowledge namely that there is a God that he created heauen earth that he is iust that he punisheth the wicked But what god thīketh of vs what his wil is towards vs what he wil geue do to the end we may be deliuered from sinne death and be saued which is the true knowledge of God in dede this they know not As it may be that I know some man by sight whō yet in dede I know not thorowly because I vnderstand not what affection he beareth towards me So mē know naturally that there is a god but what his wil is or what is not his will they doe not know For it is wrytten There is none that vnderstādeth God. And in an other place No mā hath sene God that is to say no man hath knowen what is the will of god Now what doth it auaile thee if thou know that there is a God yet art ignorāt what is his will towards thee Here some thinke one thing some an other The Iewes imagine this to be the will of God if they worship him according to the rule of Moses lawe the Turke if he obserue his Alcoran the
Monke if he kepe his order and performe his vowes But all these are deceaued and become vaine in their owne cogitations as Paule sayeth Rom. 1. not knowing what pleaseth or displeaseth God therfore in steed of the true and naturall God they worship the dreames and imaginations of their owne heart This is it that Paul meaneth whē he saith vvhē ye knevv not God that is when ye knew not the wil of God ye serued those which by nature were no gods that is to say ye serued the dreames imaginatiōs of your owne heart wherby ye imagined without the word the God was to be worshipped with this or that worke with this or that rite or ceremonie For vpon this proposition which all men doe naturally hold namely that there is a God hath sprong all Idolatrie which without that knowledge of the Diuinitie could neuer haue come into the world But because men had this naturall knowledge of God they conceaued vaine and wicked imaginations of God without against the word which they esteemed and maintained as the very truth it selfe and so dreamed that God is such a one as by nature he is not So the Mōke imagineth him to be such a God as forgeueth sinnes geueth grace and euerlasting life for the keping of his Rule This God is no where to be foūd therfore he serueth not the true God but that which by nature is no God to witte the imagination and Idoll of his owne heart that is to say his owne false and vaine opinion of God which he dreameth to be an vndoubted truth Now reason it selfe will enforce vs to confesse that mans opinion is no God. Therfore who so euer wil worship God without this word serueth not the true God as Paule sayth but that which by nature is no God. Therfore whether ye call rudiments here the lawe of Moises or else the traditions of the Gentiles albeit he speaketh here properly and principally of the rudiments of Moises there is no great difference For he that falleth from grace to the law falleth with no lesse daunger then he that falleth from grace to Idolatrie For without Christ there is nothing else but mere Idolatrie an Idoll and false imagination of God whether it be called Moises law or the Popes ordinance or the Turks Alcoran c. Therfore he sayth with a certaine admiration Verse 9. But novv seing ye knovv God. As though he would say This is a maruelous thing that ye knowing God by the preaching of Faith doe so suddainly reuolt from the true knowledge of his will wherein I thought ye were so surely established that I feared nothing lesse then that ye should so easily be ouerthrowne doe now againe by the instigation of the false Apostles returne to the weake and beggerly ceremonies which ye would serue againe afresh Ye heard before by my preaching that this is the will of God to blesse all nations not by circumcision or by the obseruation of the law but by Christe promised to Abraham They that beleue in him shall be blessed with faithfull Abraham they are the sonnes and heires of God. Thus I say haue ye knowen God. Verse 9. Yea rather are knovven of god c. He correcteth the sentence going before But novv seing ye haue knovven God or rather turneth it after this maner yea rather ye are knovven of God. For he feared lest they had lost God vtterly As if he would say Alas are ye come to this poynt that now ye know not God but returne againe from grace to the law Yet notwithstanding God knoweth you And in deede our knowledge is rather passiue then actiue that is to say it consisteth in this that we are rather knowen of God then that we know him All our doing that is all our endeuour to know and to apprehend God is to suffer God to worke in vs He geueth the word which when we haue receiued by Faith geuen from aboue we are new borne and made the sonnes of god This is then the sense and meaning Ye are knovven of God that is ye are visited with the word ye are endued with Faith and the holy Ghost wherby ye are renewed c. Wherfore euen by these words Ye are knovven of God he taketh away all righteousnes from the law and denieth that we attaine the knowledge of God through the worthines of our owne workes For no man knovveth the father but the sonne he to vvhom the sonne vvill reueale him Also He by his knovvledge shall iustifie many because he shall beare our iniquities Wherefore our knowledge concerning God consisteth in suffering and not in doing He much meruelleth therfore that seing they knew God truely by the Gospell they returned so suddenly backe to weake and beggerly rudiments by the perswasion of the false apostles As I my selfe also should greatly maruell if our Church which by the grace of God is godly reformed in pure doctrine and Faith should be seduced and peruerted by some fond and frantike head through the preaching of one or two sermons that they would not acknowledge me for their pastour any more Which thing notwithstanding shall one day come to passe if not whilest we liue yet when we are dead and gone For many shall then rise vppe which will be maisters and teachers who vnder a colour of true religiō shall teach false and peruerse doctrine and shall quickly ouerthrow all that we in so long time and with so great trauel haue builded We are not better then the Apostles who whiles they yet liued sawe not without their great griefe and sorow the subuersion of those Churches which they thēselues had planted through theyr ministerie Therfore it is no great maruell if we be constrained to behold the like euill at this day in those Churches where Sectaries doe raigne who hereafter when we are dead shall possesse those Churches which we haue wonne and planted by our ministerie and with their poyson infect and subuert the same And yet notwithstanding Christe shall remaine and raigne to the end of the world and that maruelously as he did vnder the Papacie Paule seemeth to speake very spitefully of the lawe when he calleth it rudiments as he did also before in the beginning of this chapt and not only rudiments but weake and beggetly rudiments and ceremonies Is it not blasphemie to geue such odious names to the law of God The lawe being in his true vse ought to serue the promises and to stand with the promises grace But if it fight against them it is no more the holy law of God but a false and a deuilish doctrine and doth nothing else but driue men to desperation therfore must be reiected Wherefore when he calleth the lawe weake and beggerly rudiments he speaketh of the lawe in respect of proud and presumpteous hypocrites which would be iustified by it and not of the law being spiritually vnderstand which engendreth wrath
careful for your saluation This is a liuely example to teach all ministers how to be careful for their sheepe and to assay euery way that by chiding faire speaking or entreating they may reteine them in sound doctrine and turne them from subtill seducers and false teachers Verse 19. My litle children of vvhom I trauaile in birth againe vntill Christ be formed in you All his wordes are waightie and fitly framed to the purpose that they may moue the hearts of the Galathians and winne theyr fauour and good will againe And these are sweete and louing words when he calleth them his children When he sayeth of vvhom I trauaile in birth it is an allegorie For the Apostles are in the stede of parentes as Scholemasters also are in their place and calling For as the parents beget the bodely forme euen so the other beget the forme of the minde Now the forme of a Christian minde is Faith or the confidence of the heart which layeth hold vppon Christe and cleaueth to him alone and to nothing else The heart being furnished with this confidence or assurance to witte that for Christes sake we are righteous hath the true forme of Christe Now this forme is geuen by the ministerie of the word as it is sayd 1. Corrinthians 4 I haue begotten you through the Gospell that is to say in spirit that ye might know Christe and beleue in him Also 2. Corrinthians 3. Ye are the Epistle of Christe ministred by vs and vvritten not vvith incke but vvith the spirite of the liuing God. For the word commeth from the mouth of the Apostle or of the minister and entreth into the heart of him that heareth it There the holy Ghost is present and emprinteth the word in the heart so that it consenteth vnto it Thus euery godly teacher is a father which engendreth and formeth the true shape of a Christian heart and that by the ministerie of the word Moreouer by these wordes of vvhom I trauaile in birth he toucheth the false apostles As though he would say I did beget you rightly through the Gospell but these corrupters haue formed a new shape in your heart not of Christe but of Moses so that now your affiance is not grounded any more vpon Christe but vpon the workes of the lawe This is not the true forme of Christe but it is an other forme and altogether deuilish And he sayth not of whom I trauaile in birth vntill my forme be fashioned in you but vntill Christe be formed in you that is to say I trauaile that ye may receaue againe the forme and similitude of Christe and not of Paule In which wordes he againe reproueth the false apostles For they had abolished the forme of Christe in the heartes of the beleuers and had deuised an other forme that is to say their owne As he sayeth Chap. 6. They vvould haue you circumcised that they might reioyce in your flesh Of this forme of Christe he speaketh also in the third to the Colossians Put ye on the nevve man vvhich is renevved in knovvledge after the image of him that created him Paule therefore goeth about to repaire the forme of Christe in the Galathians that was disfigured and corrupted by the false apostles which is that they should thinke speake and will as God doth whose thought and will is that we should obtaine remission of our sinnes and euerlasting life by Iesus Christ his onely Sonne whom he sent into the world to the ende he might be the propiciation for our sinnes and that we should know that through this his sonne he is appeased and become our louing father They that beleue this are like vnto God that is to say all their thoughtes are of God as the affection of their heart is they haue the same forme in their minde which God or Iesus Christe hath This is to be renewed in the spirite of our minde and to put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnes and true holines as Paule sayth Ephes 4. He sayeth then that he traueileth againe of the Galathians in birth notwithstanding in such sort that the forme of the children be not the forme of the Apostle so that the children should not resemble the forme of Paule or of Cephas c. but of an other Father that is to say Christ I will fashion him sayeth he in you to the ende ye may be like minded in all things vnto Christe himselfe To be briefe I trauell of you in birth that is to say I labour carefully to call you backe againe to your former Faith the which ye haue lost being deceaued by the craft and subteltie of the false apostles and are returned to the lawe and workes Therefore I must now againe carefully trauell to bring you backe from the lawe to the Faith of Christ This he calleth to trauell in birth c. Verse 20. And I vvould I vvere vvith you novv that I might chaūge my voice c. These are the true cares of an Apostle It is a common saying that a letter is a dead messenger for it can geue no more then it hath And no Epistle or letter is wrytten so exactly wherein there is not somewhat lacking For the circumstances are diuers there is a diuersitie of times places persons manners and affections all which no Epistle can expresse Therefore it moueth the reader diuersly making him now sadde now merry as he him selfe is disposed But if any thing be spoken sharpely or out of time the liuely voyce of a man may expound mitigate or correct the same Therfore the Apostle wisheth that he were with them to the end he might temper and chaunge his voyce as he should see it needefull by the qualities of their affections As if he should see any of them very much troubled he might so temper his wordes that they should not be oppressed therby with more heauines Contrariwise if he should see others high minded he might sharply reprehend them lest they should be too secure and careles and so at length become contemners of God. Wherefore he could not deuise how he being absent should deale with them by letters As if he should say If my Epistle be to sharpe I feare I shall more offend then amende some of you Againe if it be too gentle it will not profite those which are peruerse and obstinate For dead letters and wordes geue no more then they haue Contrariwise the liuely voyce of a man compared to an Epistle is a Queene For it can adde diminish it can chaūge it selfe in to all maner of affections times places persons To be briefe I would gladly conuert you by letters that is to say cal you backe from the law to the Faith of Iesus Christe but I feare that I shall not so doe by my dead letters But if I were with you I could chaūge my voice I could reproue them bitterly that are obstinate and
sawe not the condition that was annexed If ye kepe my commaundementes it shall goe vvell vvith you c. Therfore Agar the bondmaid bringeth forth but a bond seruaunt Ismael then is not the heire although he be the naturall sonne of Abraham but remaineth a bondman What is here lacking The promise and Blessing of the word So the lawe geuen in mount Sina which the Arabians call Agar begetteth none but seruauntes For the promise made as concerning Christ was not annexed to the lawe Wherfore O ye Galathians if ye forsaking the promise and faith fall backe to the law and works ye shall alwayes continue seruaunts that is ye shall neuer be deliuered from sinne and death but ye shall alwayes abide vnder the curse of the lawe For Agar gendreth not the seede of the promise and heires that is to say the lawe iustifieth not it bringeth not the adoption inheritance but rather it hindreth the inheritance and worketh wrath Verse 25. And it ansvvereth to Ierusalem vvhich novv is and she is in bondage vvith her children This is a wonderfull allegorie As Paule a litle before made Agar of Sina so now of Ierusalem he would gladly make Sara but he dareth not neither can he so doe but is compelled to ioyne Ierusasalem with mount Sina For he sayth The same belongeth to Agar seeing mount Agar reacheth euen to Ierusalem And it is true that there be continuall mountaines reaching from Arabia Petrea vnto Cades Bernea of Iurie He sayth then that this Ierusalem which now is that is to say this earthly and temporall Ierusalem is not Sara but pertaineth to Agar for there Agar raigneth For in it is the law begetting vnto bondage in it is the worship and ceremonies the temple the kingdome the Priesthoode and whatsoeuer was ordained in Sina by the mother which is the lawe the same is done in Ierusalem Therfore I ioyne her with Sina and I cōprehend both in one word to witte Sina or Agar I durst not haue bene so bolde to handle this allegorie after this maner but would rather haue called Ierusalem Sara or the new Testament especially seeing the preaching of the Gospell began in it the holy Ghost was there geuen and the people of the new Testament were there borne and I would haue thought that I had found out a very fitte allegory Wherfore it is not for euery man to vse allegories at his pleasure for a goodly outward shew may soone deceaue a man and cause him to erre Who would not thinke it a very fitte thing to call Sina Agar and Ierusalem Sara In deede Paule maketh Ierusalem Sara but not this corporall Ierusalem which he simplie ioyneth vnto Agar but that spirituall and heauenly Ierusalem in which the law raigneth not nor the carnall people as in that Ierusalē which is in bondage with her children but wherein the promise raigneth wherin is also a spirituall and a free people And to the ende that the lawe should be quite abolished and that whole kingdom which was established in Agar the earthly Ierusalē was horribly destroyed with all her ornamēts the tēple the ceremonies c. Now although the new testament began in it so was spread through out the whole world notwithstanding it appertaineth to Agar that is to say it is the citie of the law of the ceremonies of the priesthoode instituted by Moses Briefly it is gendred of Agar the bondwoman and therfore is in bondage with her children that is to say it walketh in the works of the lawe and neuer attaineth to the libertie of the spirite but abideth continually vnder the lawe sinne an euil conscience the wrath and iudgement of God and vnder the gilt of death and hell In deede it hath the libertie of the flesh it hath a corporall kingdom it hath magistrates riches and possessions and such like things but we speake of the libertie of the spirit wherby we are dead to the law to sinne and death and we liue and raigne in grace forgeuenes of sinnes righteousnes and euerlasting life This can not the earthly Ierusalem performe and therefore it abideth with Agar Verse 26. But Ierusalem vvhich is aboue is free vvhich is the mother of vs all That earthly Ierusalem sayth he which is beneath hauing the policie and ordinances of the law is Agar and is in bondage with her children that is to say she is not deliuered from the lawe sinne and death But Ierusalem which is aboue that is to say the spirituall Ierusalem is Sara albeit Paule addeth not the proper name of Sara but geueth her an other name calling her the free woman that is to say that true Ladie and freewoman which is the mother of vs all begetting vs vnto libertie and not vnto bondage as Agar doth Now this heauenly Ierusalem which is aboue is the Church that is to say the Faithful dispersed thorow out the whole world which haue one and the same Gospell one and the same Faith in Christe the same holy Ghost and the same Sacraments Therfore vnderstand not this word Aboue of the triumphant Church as the Schoolemen do which is heauen but of the militant church in earth as they call it For the godly are sayd to haue theyr conuersation in heauen Philip. 3. Our conuersation is in heauen not locally but in that a Christian beleueth in that he layeth holde of those inestimable heauenly and eternal gifts he is in heauen Ephesians 1. VVhich hath blessed vs vvith all spiritual blessing in heauenly things in Christ We must therfore distinguish the heauēly spiritual Blessing from the earthly For the earthly Blessing is to haue a good ciuill gouernment both in common weales families to haue children peace riches frutes of the earth and other corporall commodities But the heauenly Blessing is to be deliuered from the law sinne and death to be iustified and quickened to life to haue peace with God to haue a faithfull heart a ioyfull conscience and spirituall consolation to haue the knowledge of Iesus Christe to haue the gift of Prophesie and the reuelation of the Scriptures to haue the giftes of the holy Ghost and to reioyce in god These are the heauenly blessings which Christ geueth to his Church Wherfore Ierusalem which is aboue that is to say the heauenly Ierusalem is the church which is now in the world and not the citie of the life to come or the Church triumphant as the idle and vnlearned Monks and the Schooledoctors dreamed which taught that the Scripture hath foure senses the literall sense the figuratiue sense the allegoricall sense and the morall sense and according to these senses they haue foolishly interpreted almost all the wordes of the Scriptures As this word Ierusalem literally signified that citie which was so named figuratiuely a pure conscience allegorically the church militāt morally the celestiall Citie or the church