to God that forsooth nowe hee liueth not by his owne life but that he is so liued with the hidden vertue power of Christ that Christ may he sayde to liue and to flourish in him For as the soule nourisheth the body with life so also doth Christ inspire life into his membres A notable sentence That the faythfull liue without themselues that is to saye in Christ which cannot be but they must haue a true and a substātiall communicating with him Finally Christ liueth in vs two maner of wayes One life is whan hee gouerneth vs with his spirite and doth direct all our doinges The other is that hee maketh vs pertakers of his righteousnesse that when wee bee not able in our selues yet in him we maye be acceptable vnto God The first belongeth to regeneration or new byrth the seconde belongeth to the free accepting of righteousnesse of the which we may vnderstande this place to meane although if any man had rather vnderstand it of both I willingly will embrace it In as much as I now liue in the flesh There is here almost no sentence which hath not bene torn with sundry expositions as some expounde flesh in this place to be the euil of nature corrupted But Paule doth meane it more simply to be the bodily life For the faithfull by liuing in the flesh doe neuerthelesse not liue after the flesh although it doe also comprehend the infirmities in which wee are now helde enwrapped Or else there had ben another obiection in a readinesse Obiection Thou also liuest a bodily and fraile life where not onely this corruptible bodie doth exercise his offices wheras it is susteined or fed with meat and drinke but also it is in like manner compassed with many vices so that on euery side the face of death doth shewe it selfe this is not the heauenly life of Christ A Paradox is a sentence or opinyon straunge and contrary to the opinyon of the most part Aunswer therfore it is a paradox contrary to all reason that whereas thou doest manifestely liue after the common maner of men yet thou sayest thou haste no life of thine owne Paule aunswereth that it namelye his life consisteth in fayth whereby he auoucheth that it is a misterie hidden from the sence of man The life than whiche wee obtayne by fayth appeareth not to the eyes but it is perceyued within in the conscience by the efficacie of the spirite and therfore the bodily life letteth not but that we maye by fayth possesse the heauenly life Ephe. 1.20 He hath placed vs in heauenly thinges c. Also Now yee are the Citizens of the Saynts and of the housholde of God Ephe. 2.19 Also to the Philippians 3.20 Our conuersation is in heauen Also to the Colossians We are dead and our lyfe is hid with Christ in God to be short Paule is full of such testimonyes whereby hee affirmeth that we doe so liue in the world that neuerthelesse we liue also in heauen not only because there is our head but also that by the right or interest of vnitie we haue a life common with him as S. Iohn speaketh cap. 14. ver 1. In the meane while let vs note that here he bringeth his reason from the nature of fayth that he may teache vs that it is no absurditie if that life bee hid which is graffed or placed in fayth because that thing whiche we hope for doth not yet appeare that fayth maye be named the knowledge of thinges inuisible Which hath loued me These wordes are added to expresse the force of Fayth or else this thought would come into euery mans mynde Whence cōmeth such vertue of fayth that it should shead out vppon vs the life of Christ therefore the hypostasis whereon fayth leaneth Substance or foundation doth declare the loue and death of Christ for thereof is the effecte of fayth to be estimated Howe commeth it to passe than that wee liue by the fayth of Christ because he hath loued vs and giuen himselfe for vs. the loue I saye wherwith Christ hath imbraced vs did cause that he did make himselfe one with vs that hath he done by his death for in giuing himselfe for vs he hath suffered no otherwise than in our person and therfore whatsoeuer faith findeth in Christe of the same it maketh vs partakers Wheras he maketh mention of Loue he meaneth that whiche is taught 1. Ioh. 4.19 Not because we loued him firste but that he hath preuented vs firste with his loue For if he being prouoked with merites had redemed vs the cause therof would haue bene tolde but now Paule ascribeth all vnto loue it is therfore free or without merite For the order must be marked He hath loued vs and giuen himselfe for vs. which is as muche as if he hadde sayde There was no other cause wherefore hee shoulde dye but because he loued vs. and that at such time as we were his enimies as he teacheth Rom. 5.10 And giuen himselfe We cannot wel expresse with any wordes how great a thing this is for who canne declare in wordes howe greate the excellencie of the Sonne of GOD is hee hath appoynted himselfe to bee the price to redeeme vs. Vnder the worde giuen is included the whole commoditie whiche commeth vnto vs by the death of Christe that is to saye that it is the Sacrifice of Purging the Washing Satisfaction c. Neyther haue these wordes for me a small force in them because it was not ynough to consider or thinke that Christ died for the saluation of the worlde excepte euerye one doe challenge priuatelye vnto himselfe the effect and possession of this grace 21 I cast not awaye There is a greate emphasis or vehemencie in those wordes for what and how horrible vnkyndenesse is it to contemne so inestimable grace of GOD and purchase with so greate a price Hee accuseth the false Apostles of this sacriledge whiche is robbing Christe of his honour which being not contence with Christe alone doe thrust in also other helpes of saluation For the grace of GOD is refused excepte that wee renounce all other thinges and embrace Christe alone finallye what hath a man left him after he hath refused the grace of God and made himselfe vnworthye of it For if righteousnes Gratis which I haue translated for nothing is taken for frustra which is in vaine that is there should be nothing much worth in the death of Christ or Christe died for nor reward For this is the rewarde of his death that by purging of our sinnes he hath reconciled vs vnto his Father hereof it followeth that by his grace we are iustified and therfore not by workes The Papists interprete it of the ceremoniall Lawe but who seeth not that it hath respecte to the whole Lawe for it is as muche as Paule shoulde saye If wee our selues deserue righteousnesse than Christe hath suffered in vayne for therefore suffered hee that hee mighte obtayne righteousnesse for vs. and
touching men the ministerie of the worde is vnprofitable to doubtfull and wauering consciences To runne in vaine is taken to labour without profite whē as that edifiing which ought to follow doth not ensue Farthermore here was a strong engine to shake weake consciences when as the deceauers did falsely say that the Doctrine which Paule did preach was contrary to the doctrine of the Apostles in so much that many did fall The certaintie of faith dependeth not vpon the consent of men but rather so must we rest in the naked truth of God that neither men neither all the Aungels should remoue vs from it Notwithstanding to the rude and those which haue scarsely yet a small taste of sounde doctrine and haue not vtterlye dronke in the same in their harte and marow this temptation can scant be born when they heare the principal teachers to be at ods among themselues Nay rather sometimes Sathan by his subtiltie prouoketh and stirreth those that be strong when as he layeth before them the contentions and dissentions of them whome it moste became to thinke and speake one thing It can hardlye be tolde how many that vnlucky contention as touching the * He meaneth the sacrament of the body of Christ body of Christ stopped from the Gospell how many mens fayth it shaked for that they saw men of principall authoritie so enuiously to striue about the greatest question againe it is no small helpe to establish fayth when all teachers consent in one Therfore whereas Sathan went about with such subteltie to let the passage of the gospell Paule would stoppe him for after that it appeared that he agreede well with all the Apostles this lette was vtterly taken away the mindes of the vnlearned were not tossed any more with shifting and chaunging whom they should follow This is then that which he speaketh Leaste my paynes which before I tooke had bene lost and finallye least I shoulde goe forwarde without commoditie I tooke away that doubte that troubled many whether they might beleeue me or Peter for with one consent haue we both embraced that which I had alwayes taught And if so be it were so great pleasure to many at these dayes to edifie as it was to Paule they woulde be touched with greater care to agree among themselues 3 But neither Titus He proueth by another reason that the Apostles are not of contrary iudgemēt vnto him for he brought vnto thē a man vncircumcised whō they doubted not to acknowledge as a brother He addeth a cause why he was not circumcised Res media for wheras circumcision was a meane thing or a thing indifferēt it might be either omitted or vsed as it serued to edifie We must alwaye holde fast that rule If all thinges are lawful vnto vs that we see what is expedient Therefore did hee circumcise Timothie least his vncircumsion might be an offēce vnto the weake for at that time he was conuersante among the weake whome he ought to fauour And he would gladlye haue done the same in Titus so neuer wearied was hee in bearing with the weake but the reason was contrary for certain false bretheren were ready to take occasion to slaunder his doctrine which straight waye would haue spread abroade this reporte Beholde this so bolde a defender of libertye as soone as he commeth into the Apostles sight he layeth downe that manlye courage fiercenesse wherewith he is puffed vp among the vnlearned As it is meete for vs to temper our selues toward the weake so must we stoutly resist the malignaunt those that of set purpose do lay to entrap our libertie neither ought the dueties of Charitie hinder the offices of Fayth Charitie than in the vse of thinges that are indifferent or meane shall be a verye good moderator if only first you haue respect of fayth 4 For because of false bretheren The sence hereof maye be two wais taken 1 that he was not circūcised whē as notwithstanding the false bretheren did importunately require it would haue cōpelled him 2 or else that of set purpose Paule circūcised him not because he saw that it would straight ways come to passe that they would take occasion thereof to slaunder For for this purpose they did thrust themselues into Paules company that they might catch the one or the other of these two things That is if he did freely contemne ceremonies that they mighte bring him therby into hatred with the Iewes but if he did wholy abstaine from libertie they would by and by triumphe ouer him among the Gentils as though being ashamed he had recanted his doctrine This second sence liketh me that Paule vnderstanding their laying in waight would not circumcise Titus He sayth that he was not compelled that the readers may perceaue that Circumcision of it self was not condemned as though it were a thing euil but that they contend about the necessitie of keping it as though he should say I woulde haue bene readye to haue circumcised him had it not bene that there had bene a greater matter in it For they would haue laid the Law vnto vs but to such compulsion I might not giue place 5 Vnto whome no not for an hower This constancie was a zeale of Paules doctrine For whereas the false bretheren were earnest vpon him desired nothing else but to accuse him and againe that he stoode stoutly in it hee tooke awaye all doubt thereafter to come Neither can he now be accused that he deceaued the Apostles he doth deny therefore that euen for a space he gaue place to them by subiection that is to saye after the maner of subiection so that that deede shoulde be as it were a document of libertie oppressed otherwise with gentlenesse and sufferaunce he was alwaye ready euen vnto hys lyues ende to giue place to all men That the truth of the Gospell There was no danger least the Paule should be robbed of his libertie yea euen with submitting himself vnto other but the example would haue hurt other He did therfore wisely consider what was expedient We see than both how farre offences are to be auoided and also what is alwaye to bee considered in thinges indifferent that is to say Edification The sum is this that we be seruants of our brethren but yet to this ende that wee all may together serue the Lorde and that the libertie of our consciences maye remayne safe and sound for in that the false brethren would haue brought the godly into bondage they were not to be obeyed The truthe of the gospell is to be taken for the naturall purytie therof or els which is the very same for the pure and sound doctrine therof for the false Apostels did not vtterly abolishe the Gospell but they did falsifie it with their expositions so that now it began to be feigned and visarded as alwaies it is when as we bowe but euen a little from the simplycitie of Christe With what face than will the papistes boast
righteousnesse of the Law for if Christ be taken out of the way the Iewes being seperated from the common pollution of the Gentils doe seeme in that respect to be after a sort exempted oute of the number of sinners The grace of Christ doth make them and the Gentils equall and the remedy which is to both common doth shew their disease and sicknesse to bee like in equalitie The word Also maketh to this purpose We our selues also saith he we speake not of euery body but of those who are notable such as the Iewes were God forbid Deseruingly doth he reiect that for Christ in vncouering of sinne which laye hidden is not the minister of sinne as though making iustice of no force he should open the gate vnto sinne nor yet as though hee should establish the kingdome of sinne This didde deceaue the Iewes that they did without Christ challenge to themselues some holynesse which in deede was none at all thereof grew their quarrell and complaynt Did Christ therefore come that he should take from vs the righteousnesse of the Law that of holy he should make vs vnholy that he should make vs in subiection to sinne and guiltinesse Paule denyeth it to be so and therefore he reiecteth this blasphemie with detesting it for Christ did not being sinne but he did reueale sinne neither did he take away iustice or righteousnesse but he drewe awaye the false visar from the Iewes 18 For if I build againe The aunswere is double This former aunswere is vndirecte whilest hee sheweth that that is repugnaunt to his whole doctrine seing that hee hadde so preached the fayth of Christe that he ioyned withall the ruine and abolishing of sinne For as wee are taught 1. Ioh. 3.8 that Christ came not to build vp the kingdome of sinne but to destroye it so Paule doth witnesse here that hee in preaching the Gospell hath restored true righteousnesse that sinne might be destroyed That is Christ Than was it verye disagreeable that of one and the selfe same sinne shoulde bee both flayne and reuyued By the Obiecting of this absurditie hee putteth awaye the slaunder 19 For I by the Law Nowe followeth the directe aunswere That that oughte not to bee imputed to Christe whiche properlye is the worke of the Lawe for there is no neede of Christe to make voyde the righteousnesse of the Law because the Lawe it selfe doeth kill the Disciples thereof as though hee shoulde saye You deceaue poore miserable men with a false imagination as though they shoulde liue by the lawe and by that pretence you detayne them in the Lawe in the meane while you make the Gospell to bee spyted as though it broughte to noughte the righteousnesse whiche wee haue by the Lawe but it is the Lawe it selfe whiche compelleth vs to die to it for wheras it threatneth destruction vnto vs and leueth nothing vnto vs but despaire by that means it driueth vs from trusting to it A more easie vnderstanding of this place is to be sought out of the seuenth chapter to the Romaines for there Paule doth plainely describe that no man liueth to the lawe but he vnto whome the lawe is dead that is to say idle and without working or for as soone as the law beginneth to liue in vs it striketh vs with a deadly wound wherby we perishe and with all it inspireth life sinne being first dead They therefore which liue vnto the Lawe haue neuer felte the strength of the Lawe no nor yet haue once tasted what the lawe meaneth for the law being truly vnderstanded doth compell vs to dye to it and hereof is sinne and not of Christ To die to the Law is eyther to renounce it and to be sette at freedome from the power and dominyon thereof so that wee haue no confidence in it nor agayne that it holde vs Captyues vnder the yoke of bondage or else thus for that it alotteth vs all to destruction wee can fynde no lyfe in it and this latter sence is more conuenient For hee denyeth Christe to bee the authour of this euill because the Lawe is more hurtfull then profitable but hee affyrmeth that there is included in the Lawe it selfe the curse which killeth vs. Whereof it followeth that that stroke or wounde whiche is striken by the Lawe is in deede deadlye agaynste this is sette another kynde of death being liuely in the fellowship of the crosse of Christ And therefore hee sayeth that hee is crucified together with Christe that hee mighte beginne to lyue That distinction that commonlye hath preuayled doth darken the naturall sence and meaning if they reade I by the Lawe am deade to the Lawe that I mighte liue to Christe but the contrarye Texte soundeth better namelye I by the Lawe am deade to the Lawe and than by it selfe that I mighte liue to Christe I am crucified vyith Christ That I might liue to God Hee sheweth that kynde of death to bee worthye the wishing whereof the false Apostles tooke occasion of spighte for hee declareth that wee doe not therefore dye to the Lawe that wee shoulde lyue to sinne but to GOD. To liue to GOD sometyme is taken to frame our lyfe after his will so that wee studye nothing else all our life long but to be accepted of him but in this place it is to liue the life of GOD if I maye so saye whereby the thinges opposite maye aunswere the one the other for by that reason that it is sayde wee dye vnto the Lawe by the same it is sayde that wee liue vnto GOD. In summe Paule doeth admonishe vs that that death is not mortall but rather a cause of a better life for God taketh vs oute of the Shipwracke of the Lawe and by his grace restoreth vs to a better life I lette passe other expositions me thinkes this is the naturall meaning of Paule Whereas he sayth he is crucified with Christ he expresseth the meane how we being dead vnto the Law liue vnto God when as forsooth we being grafted into the death of Christ doe drawe an hidden power from thence as a grafte doth from the roote Farthermore Christ hath fastened to his crosse the handwriting of the Law which was againste vs. therefore we being crucified with Christ are deliuered from all the curses of the Lawe and guiltinesse he that goeth about to make this deliuerance vaine doth make voyde the crosse of Christ But let vs make account that we are not otherwise losed from the yoke of the Lawe than while we are made one with Christ euen as the grafte doth not otherwise draw moysture from the roote except it grow togeather into one nature with it 20. And I liue not any more The name of death is alwayes healthfull to the vnderstanding of man and therefore after he hath taught that wee are fastened to the Crosse together with Christ hee doth adde this that it bringeth also vnto vs life And also he doth declare what he meante before by these wordes to liue