Martin Luther on Galatians 4

The fourth Chapter.

Verſe. 1. This I ſay that the heire as long as he is a childe, differeth nothing from a ſeruaunt, though he be Lord of all: Verſe. 2. But is vnder tutours and gouernours, vntill the time appoynted of the Father. YE ſee with what vehement affection Paule goeth about to call backe the Galathians,The argument vvhervvith Paule fortifieth his matter. & what ſtrong arguments he vſeth in debating that matter, gathering ſimilitudes of experience, of the example of Abraham, of the teſtimonies of the Scripture, and of the time: ſo that often times he ſemeth to renew the whole matter againe. For before he had in a maner finiſhed the diſputation concerning iuſtification, concluding that a man is iuſtified before God by faith only and alone. But becauſe he calleth alſo to remembraunce this politicall example of the little heire, he bringeth the ſame alſo for the confirmation of his matter. Thus trying euery way, he lyeth in waite with a certaine holy ſubtiltie to take the Galathiās vnwares. For the ignorāt people are ſooner perſwaded with ſimilitudes and examples, then with deepe and ſubtill diſputations. They will rather behold an Image well painted then a booke well written. Paule therfore now, after that he hath brought the ſimilitude of a mans teſtament, of the priſon, and of the ſcholemaiſter, vſeth alſo this ſimilitude of an heyre (which is familiar and wel known to al men) to moue and to perſwade them. And ſurely it is a very profitable thing to be furniſhed with ſimilitudes and examples: which not onely Paul, but alſo the Prophets, & Chriſt himſelfe alſo did often vſe. Ye ſee (ſaith he) that it is ordeined by the ciuile lawes, that an heyre, albeit he be the Lorde of all his fathers goodes, differeth not from a ſeruaunt. In deede he hath an aſſured hope of the inheritaunce: but before he come to his yeares, his tutors holde hym in ſubiection, lyke as the Scholemaiſter doth his ſcholer.A young heir differeth nothing from a ſeruaunt. They committe not vnto hym the ordering of his owne goodes, but conſtrayne hym to ſerue, ſo that he is kepte and mainteined with his owne goodes lyke a ſeruaunte. Therefore ſo long as this bondage endureth, that is, ſo long as he is vnder tutors and gouernours, he differeth nothyng from a ſeruaūt. And this ſubiection and ſeruitude is very profitable for him: for otherwiſe through folly he would ſoone waſt all his goodes. This captiuitie endureth not alwaies, but hath a certaine time limited and appoynted by the father wherin it muſt ende.

Verſe. 3. So alſo vve as long as vve vvere children, vvere in bōdage vnder the rudiments of the vvorld. In like maner when we were litle children we were heires, hauing the promiſe of the inheritaunce to come, which ſhould be geuen vnto vs by the ſeede of Abraham, that is to ſay, by Chriſte, in whom all nations ſhould be bleſſed. But becauſe the fulnes of time was not yet come, Moiſes our tutour, gouerner and ſchoolemaſter came, holding vs in captiuitie with our handes bound, ſo that we could beare no rule, nor poſſeſſe our inheritaunce. In the meane time notwithſtanding, like as an heire is nouriſhed & mainteined in hope of libertie to come: euen ſo Moiſes did nouriſh vs with the hope of the promiſe to be reuealed in the time appoynted: to witte, whē Chriſt ſhould come, who by his comming ſhould put an ende to the time of the lawe, and begin the time of grace. The time of the lavve is finished.Nowe the time of the law endeth two maner of wayes: Firſt (as I ſayde) by the comming of Chriſte in the fleſh at the time appoynted of his father. But vvhen the fulnes of time vvas come, God ſent forth his ſonne, Galath. 4.4.5. made of a vvoman and made vnder the lavve, that he might redeme them vvhich vvere vnder the lavve. &c. He entred into the holy ſanctuarie once through his bloud, Heb. 9.12. and obtained eternall redemption for vs. Moreouer, the ſame Chriſte who came once in the time appoynted,The comming of Chriſt vnto vs in ſpirite. Heb. 10.14. commeth alſo vnto vs daily and hourely in ſpirite. In deede once with his owne bloud he redemed and ſanctified all: but becauſe we are not yet perfectly pure (for the remnaunts of ſinne doe yet cleane in our fleſh,Galath. 5.17. which ſtriueth againſt the ſpirite) therefore daily he commeth vnto vs ſpiritually and continually more and more accompliſheth the appoynted time of his father, abrogating and aboliſhing the lawe. So he came alſo in ſpirite to the fathers of the old Teſtament before he appeared in fleſh. They had Chriſt in ſpirite. They beleued in Chriſte which ſhould be reuealed, as we beleue in Chriſte which is now reuealed, and were ſaued by him as we are, according to that ſaying:Heb. 13.[illegible: 1 letter]. Ieſus Chriſte is one yeſterday, and to day, and shall be the ſame for euer. Yeſterday, before the time of his comming in the fleſh. To day, when he was reuealed in the time before appoynted. Nowe and for euer he is one and the ſame Chriſte: for euen by him onely and alone all the faithfull which either haue ben, be, or ſhall be, are deliuered from the law, iuſtified and ſaued. In like maner vve alſo (ſayth he) vvhen vve vvere children, ſerued vnder the rudimentes of the vvorld, that is to ſay: the lawe had dominion ouer vs, oppreſſed vs and kept vs in a ſtreite bondage, as ſeruaunts and captiues. For firſt it reſtrained carnall and rebellious perſons that they ſhould not runne headlong into all kindes of vice. For the lawe threatneth puniſhment to tranſgreſſours,The politike vſe of the lavve. which if they feared not, there is no miſchiefe which they would not commit: And ouer thoſe whom the law ſo bridleth, it ruleth & raigneth. Againe, it did accuſe vs, terrifie vs, kill vs,The ſpirituall vſe of the lavv and condemne vs ſpiritually and before God: and this was the principall dominion that the law had ouer vs. Therfore like as an heire is ſubiect vnto his tutours, is beaten, and is compelled to obey their lawes and diligently to execute their commaundementes: euen ſo mens conſciences, before Chriſte come, are oppreſſed with the ſharpe ſeruitude of the lawe: that is to ſay, they are accuſed, terrified, and condemned of the lawe. But this dominion, or rather this tyrannie of the lawe is not continuall, but muſt onely endure vntill the time of grace. Wherefore the office of the lawe is to reproue and to encreaſe ſinnes, but to righteouſnes: to kill, but to life, For the lavve is a Schoolemaſter vnto Chriſte. Galath. 3.[illegible: 1 letter]. Like as therefore the tutours doe handle the heire being yet a childe, ſtreitly and hardly, rule him and commaund him as a ſeruaunt, and he againe is conſtrained to be ſubiect vnto them: euen ſo the lawe accuſeth vs, humbleth vs, and bringeth vs into bondage, that we may be the ſeruauntes of ſinne, death, and of the wrath of God, 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,To vvhom Chriſt commeth, and to vvhom he cō meth not. the comming of Chriſt profiteth not the careles hypocrites, the wicked contemners of God, nor ye deſperate which thinke that nothing elſe remaineth but the terrours of the lawe which they the rudiments of the world.The Emperors lavves. So the Emperours lawes be rudiments of ye 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.The lavves of the Pope. As for the Popes Canon lawes, and Decretals, which forbid mariage and meates, thoſe Paule in an other place calleth the doctrines of Deuils:1. Timot. 4.[illegible: 1 letter]. 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. The lavve of Moiſes geueth onely vvorldly things.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,By the cōfort of the holy Ghoſt vve are deliuered frō the terrours of the lavve. 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, Rom. 10.4. 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:Rom. 3.20. Rom. 4.15. 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.Deut. 6.5. 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. VVherfore Paule abaſeth the lavve.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.VVhen vve feele the terrours of conſcience, the lavve muſt be abaſed, and the promiſe magnified. 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, yt 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,He alluded to the ſlovv tounge and ſtammering ſpeech of Moſes. Rom. 4.18. 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,VVhat names Paule geueth to the lavv. 1 Cor. 15.56. 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,The commendation of the lavv. Rom. 7.12.14. The lavve is good, and the lavv is euill, 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. Galat. 4.3. Wherfore let vs not ſuffer ye 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,The lavve and Chriſte are tvvo, vvhich can not ſtand together. Eſay. 28.20. 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 place onely to Chriſt. Let him onely raigne in righteouſnes, in peace, in ioy and life, that the cō ſcience may ſleepe and repoſe it ſelfe ioyfully in Chriſte without any feeling of the law, ſinne, and death. Paule here of purpoſe vſeth this figuratiue ſpeech, Elements of the vvorld: VVhy Paule calleth the lavv the elements of the vvorld. 2. Cor. 3.6.7.9. whereby (as I ſayd) he doth much abaſe and diminiſh the glory and authoritie of the lawe, to ſtirre vs vppe. For he that readeth Paule attentiuely, when he heareth that he calleth the lawe the miniſterie of death, the letter that killeth, &c. by & by he thinketh thus with him ſelfe: why doth he geue ſuch odious, and (as it appeareth to reaſon) blaſphemous termes to the lawe, which is a diuine doctrine reuealed from heauen? To this Paule aunſwereth, that the law is both holy, Rom. 7.12.14. 2. Cor. 3.6.7.9. The lavve is holy and righteous, and yet is it the adminiſtration of death. iuſt, and good: and alſo the miniſterie of ſinne and death, but in diuers reſpectes. Before Chriſte it is holy: after Chriſte it is death. Therefore when Chriſte is come, we ought to know nothing at all of the lawe, vnleſſe it be in this reſpect, that it hath power and dominion ouer the fleſh, to bridle it and to keepe it vnder. Here is a conflict betwene the law and the fleſh (to whom the yoke of the lawe is hard and greuous) as long as we liue. Onely Paule among all the Apoſtles, calleth the lawe the rudiments of the world,Galath. 3.5.9. 1. Cor. 15.56. 2. Cor. 3.6. weake and beggerly elements, the ſtrength of ſinne, the letter that killeth, &c. The other Apoſtles ſpake not ſo of the law. Whoſoeuer then will be a right ſcholer in Chriſtes ſchoole, let him marke diligently this maner of ſpeech vſed of the Apoſtle.Paules maner of ſpeaking muſt be marked. Actes. 9.15. Chriſte calleth him an elect veſſell, and therefore gaue vnto him an exquiſite vtterance, and a ſinguler kinde of ſpeech aboue all the reſt of the Apoſtles, that he as an elect veſſel might faithfully lay the foundations of the article of Iuſtification, and clearely ſet forth the ſame.

Verſe. 4. But after the fulnes of time vvas come, God ſent his ſonne, made (or borne) of a vvoman, made vnder the lavve, that he might redeme them vvhich vvere vnder the lavve. That is to ſay, after that the time of the lawe was fulfilled, and that Chriſt was reuealed, and had deliuered vs from the law, and that the promiſe was publiſhed among all nations. &c. Marke here diligently how Paule defineth Chriſte.The perſon & office of Chriſt. Chriſte (ſayth he) is the ſonne of God and of a woman, which for vs ſinners was made vnder ye law, to redeme vs that were vnder the law. In theſe wordes he comprehendeth both the perſon of Chriſte and the office of Chriſte. His perſon conſiſteth of his diuine and humane nature. This he ſheweth plainly when he ſayth: God ſent his ovvne ſonne borne of a vvoman. Chriſte therefore is very God and very man. His office he ſetteth out in theſe wordes: Being made vnder the lavve to redeame them that vvere vnder the lavve &c. And it ſeemeth that Paule here, as it were in reproch, calleth the virgine Marie but onely a woman: which thing was not wel taken euē of ſome of the auncient Doctors, who would that he ſhould rather haue called her a virgin, then a womā.VVhy Paule calleth the mother of Chriſt a vvoman, and not a virgin. But Paule intreateth in this Epiſtle of ye moſt high & principal matter of all, to wit, of the Goſpel, of Faith, of Chriſtian righteouſnes: Alſo, what the perſon of Chriſt is, what is his office, what he hath taken vppon him & done for our cauſe, & what benefits he hath brought to vs wretched ſinners. Wherfore ye excellencie of ſo high & ſo wōderfull a matter was ye cauſe yt he had no regard to her virginitie. It was enough for him to ſet forth & preach ye ineſtimable mercy of God, which would yt his ſōne ſhould be borne of that ſexe. Therfore he maketh no mention of the dignitie of the ſexe, but onely of the ſexe. And in that he nameth the ſexe, he ſignifieth that Chriſte was made true and very man of womankinde. As if he ſayd: He was borne, not of man and woman, but onely of womankinde. Therefore when he nameth but onely the womankinde, ſaying: made of a vvoman, Iohn. 1.[illegible: 1 letter].14. it is as if he ſhould haue ſayde, made of a virgine. Iohn the Euangeliſt, when he thus ſetteth forth the Word, that it vvas in the beginning, & vvas made flesh, ſpeaketh not one word of his mother. Furthermore, this place alſo witneſſeth that Chriſte, when the time of the lawe was accompliſhed, did aboliſh the ſame, and ſo brought libertie to thoſe that were oppreſſed therewith, but made no newe lawe after or beſides that old lawe of Moiſes. Wherefore the Monkes and Popiſh Schoolemen doe no leſſe erre and blaſpheme Chriſte,The errour & blaſphemie of the Papiſtes and Turkes. in that they imagine that he hath geuen a new lawe beſides the lawe of Moiſes, then doe the Turkes which vaunt of their Mahomet as of a new lawgeuer after Chriſt, and better then Chriſt. Chriſt then came not to aboliſh the old lawe, that he might make a newe, but (as Paule here ſayeth) he was ſent of his Father into the world, to redeme thoſe which were kept in thraldome vnder the lawe. Theſe wordes paint out Chriſte liuely and truly:The true picture of Chriſte. they doe not attribute vnto him the office to make any new law, but to redeme them which were vnder the law. And Chriſt himſelf ſayth: I iudge no man. And in an other place:Iohn. 1.15. Iohn. 3.17. I came not to iudge the vvorld, but that the vvorld should be ſaued by me: That is to ſay, I came not to bring any lawe, nor to iudge men according to the ſame, as Moiſes and other lawgeuers, but I haue an higher & a better office. The lawe killed you, and I againe doe iudge,The office of Chriſte. condemne and kill the lawe, and ſo I deliuer you from the tyrannie thereof. We that are olde men, which haue ben ſo nuſled vp in this pernicious doctrine of the Papiſtes, that it hath taken deepe roote euen in our bones and marrow, haue conceaued an opinion quite contrary to that which Paule here teacheth.A falſe opinion of Chriſt is not eaſely caſt of. For although we confeſſed with our mouth that Chriſt redemed vs from the tyrannie of the lawe, yet in very dede in our heart we thought him to be a lawgeuer, a tyranne and a iudge, more terrible then Moiſes him ſelfe. And this peruerſe opinion we can not yet at this day in ſo great light of the truth, vtterly reiect: ſo ſtrongly are thoſe things rooted in our heartes which we learne in our youth. But ye which are yet yong, and are not infected with this pernicious opinion, may learne Chriſt purely with leſſe difficultie thē we that are olde can remoue out of our mindes theſe blaſphemous imaginations which we haue conceaued of him. Notwithſtanding ye haue not vtterly eſcaped the deceites of the Deuill. For although ye be not as yet infected with this curſed opinion, that Chriſt is a lawgeuer, yet haue ye in you the roote whereof it ſpringeth, that is, ye haue the fleſh,The iudgemēt of naturall reaſon concerning Chriſt. reaſon, and the corruption of nature, which can iudge no otherwiſe of Chriſt, but that he is a lawgeuer. Therefore ye muſt endeuour with all your power to learne ſo to know & to apprehend Chriſt, as Paule hath ſette him forth in this place. But if beſides this natural corruption, there come alſo corrupt and wicked teachers (of whom the world is full) they will encreaſe this corruption of nature, and ſo ſhall the euill be doubled: that is to ſay, euill inſtruction will increaſe and confirme the pernicious errour of blind reaſon, which naturally iudgeth Chriſt to be a lawgeuer, and printeth that errour ſo mightely in our mindes, that without great trauaile and difficultie it can neuer be aboliſhed. Wherefore it is very profitable for vs to haue alwayes before our eyes this ſweete and comfortable ſentence and ſuch like,The ſentences vvhich ſet out Chriſt plainly, ought alvvais to be before our eyes. which ſet out Chriſte truely and liuely, that in our whole life, in all daungers, in the confeſſion of our Faith before tyrannes, and in the hower of death we may boldly and with a ſure confidence ſay: O law, thou haſt no power ouer me, and therefore thou doſt accuſe and condemne me in vaine. For I beleue in Ieſus Chriſt the ſonne of God, whom the Father ſent into the world to redeme vs miſerable ſinners oppreſſed with the tyrannie of the law. He gaue his life and ſhed his bloud for me. Therfore feeling thy terrours and threatnings, O law, I plunge my conſcience in the woundes, bloud, death, reſurrection and victory of my Sauiour Chriſte. Beſides him I will ſee nothing, I will heare nothing. This Faith is our victory, whereby we ouercome the terrours of the lawe,Faith is our victorie. 1. Iohn. 5.4. ſinne, death and all euils, and yet not wtout great conflicts. And here do ye childrē of God, which are daily exerciſed with greuous temptatiōs, wraſtle & ſweat in deede.The conflictes of the godly. For oftentimes it commeth into their minds yt Chriſt wil accuſe them & plead againſt them: that he will require an accompt of their former life, and that he wil cōdemne them. They can not aſſure them ſelues that he is ſent of his Father to redeme vs from the tyrannie and oppreſſion of the law. And wherof cometh this? They haue not yet fully put of the fleſh, which rebelleth againſt the ſpirite.The vvraſtlīg of the flesh againſt the ſpirite in the Sainctes. Gala[illegible: 1 letter] 5.17. Therefore the terrours of the lawe, the feare of death, and ſuch like ſorrowfull and heauy ſightes doe oftentimes retourne, which hinder our Faith that it can not apprehend the benefite of Chriſte (who hath redemed vs from the bondage of the lawe) with ſuch aſſurance as it ſhould doe. But how or by what meanes hath Chriſte redemed vs?The maner of our redemption. Galat. 3.23. This was the maner of our redemption: He vvas made vnder the lavve. Chriſte when he came found vs all captiues vnder gouernours and tutours, that is to ſay, ſhutte vppe and holden in priſon vnder the lawe. What doth he then? Although he be Lord of the lawe, and therefore the lawe hath no authoritie or power ouer him (for he is the ſonne of God) yet of his owne accord he maketh him ſelfe ſubiect to the law. Here the law executeth vpon him all the iuriſdiction which it had ouer vs. It accuſeth and terrifieth vs alſo: it maketh vs ſubiect to ſinne, death, the wrath of God, and with his ſentence condemneth vs. And this is doth by good right: for vve are all ſinners, Rom. 5.12. Epheſ. 2.3. and by nature the children of vvrath. Contrariwiſe, Chriſte did no ſinne, neither vvas there any guile found in his mouth: therefore he was not ſubiect to the lawe. Yet notwithſtanding the lawe was no leſſe cruel againſt this innocent, righteous and bleſſed Lambe,1. Pet. 2.20 then it was againſt vs curſed and damned ſinners: yea much more rigorous. For it accuſed him as a blaſphemer and a ſeditious perſon:Math. 26.65. Luc. 23.5. it made him giltie before God of the ſinnes of the whole world: it ſo terrified and oppreſſed him wt heauines and anguiſh of ſpirit, that he ſwette bloud, and briefly, it condemned him to death,Luke. 22.44. Luke. 23.24.33. yea euen to the death of the croſſe. A maruelous combate betvvene the lavv & Chriſt. Epheſ. 2.3. This was in deede a wonderful combate, where the law being a creature, geueth ſuch an aſſault to his creatour, and againſt all right & equitie practiſeth his whole tyrannie vpon ye Sonne of God which it exerciſed vpon vs the children of wrath. Now therfore, becauſe ye lawe did ſo horribly and ſo curſedly ſinne againſt his God, it is accuſed & arraigned.The lavve ruleth all mankinde. There Chriſt ſayth: O law, thou mightie Queene and cruell Regent of all mankinde, what haue I done, yt thou haſt accuſed me, terrified me, and condemned me which am innocent? Here the lawe, which had before condemned and killed all men, when it hath nothing wherwith to defend or purge it ſelf, is againe ſo condemned & vanquiſhed, yt it loſeth his whole right, not onely ouer Chriſt (whom it ſo cruelly handled and killed) but alſo ouer all them that beleue in him. For to thoſe Chriſte ſayth:Math. 11.28. Come vnto me all ye that labour vnder the yoke of the law.The lavv condemned and killed by Chriſte. I could haue ouercome the lawe by my abſolute power, wt out mine owne ſmart: for I am Lord of the law, and therfore it hath no right ouer me. But I haue made my ſelfe ſubiect vnto the law for your cauſe which were vnder the law, taking your fleſh vpon me: that is to ſay, of mine ineſtimable loue I humbled and yelded my ſelf to the ſame priſon, tyrannie and bondage of the lawe, vnder the which ye ſerued as captiues and bondſlaues, I ſuffered the law to haue dominion ouer me which was his Lord, to terrifie me, to make me thrall & captiue vnto ſinne, death & the wrath of God: which it ought not to haue done. Therfore I haue vanquiſhed the law by double right & authoritie:Chriſt by double right hath conquered the lavve. Firſt as ye ſonne of God & Lord of the law: Secondly in your perſon: which is as much as if ye had ouercome ye law your ſelues: for my victory is yours. After this maner Paule ſpeaketh euery where of this maruelous cōbate betwene Chriſt & the law. And to make the matter more delectable & more apparant, he is wōt to ſet forth the law by a figure called Proſopopoeia is a figure vvherby things that haue no life, are fained perſonally to ſpeake, or to be ſpoken to. Epheſ. 2.16. Epheſ. 4.[illegible: 1 letter]. &c. Pſal. 68.18. proſopopoeia, as a certain mighty perſon which had cōdemned & killed Chriſt: whom Chriſt againe ouercomming death, had conquered, cō demned & killed. Epheſ. 2. Killing enmitie in himſelf. And again, chap. 4. out of the Pſalme. 68. Thou art gone vp on high, thou haſtled captiuitie captiue. &c. He vſeth the ſame figure alſo in his Epiſtles to the Romaines, Corinthians & Coloſſians. By ſinne he condemned ſinne, Rom. 8.3. &c. Chriſt therfore by this his victory, baniſhed the law out of our cō ſcience, ſo yt now it can no more confoūd vs in the ſight of God,Chriſt hy his victorie hath deliuered vs frō the terrors of the lavv. driue vs to deſperation, or cōdemne vs. In dede it ceaſeth not ſtill to reueale our ſinne, to accuſe & to terrifie vs: but the conſcience taking hold of this word of the Apoſtle: Chriſt hath redemed vs from the lavve, is raiſed vp by faith, & conceaueth great comfort. Moreouer it triumpheth ouer the law with a certaine holy pride, ſaying: I care not for thy terrours and threatnings. For thou haſt crucified the ſonne of God, & this haſt thou done moſt vniuſtly: therfore the ſinne that thou haſt committed againſt him, can not be forgeuē.The offence of the lavve agaīſt Chriſt, can not be forgeuen. Thou haſt loſt thy right and ſoueraigntie, and nowe for euer thou art not onely ouercome, condemned and ſlaine vnto Chriſte, but alſo to me beleuing in him, vnto whom he hath freely geuen this victorie. So the law is dead to vs for euer, ſo that we abide in Chriſt. Thankes be therefore to God, 1. Cor. 15.57. vvhich hath geuen vs victory through our Lord Ieſus Chriſte. Theſe things doe alſo confirme this doctrine, that we are iuſtified by faith only.That vve be made righteous by Faith. For when this combate was fought betwixt Chriſt & the law, none of our works or deſerts came betwene, but onely Chriſt was found, who putting vpon him our perſon, made him ſelfe ſubiect to the law, & in perfect innocencie ſuffered all tyrānie. Therfore the law,The lavve by his iudgemēt killed the ſon of God. as a theefe & a curſed murtherer of the ſonne of God, loſeth all his right, and deſerueth to be condemned in ſuch ſort, that whereſoeuer Chriſte is, or is once named, there it is compelled to auoid & flie away, no otherwiſe thē the Deuil (as the Papiſts imagine) flieth frō the croſſe. Wherfore if we beleue, we are deliuered from the law through Chriſte,Coloſſ. 2.1[illegible: 1 letter]. who hath triumphed ouer it by himſelf. Therfore this glorious triūph purchaſed vnto vs by Chriſte, is not gotten by any workes, but onely by Faith: therfore Faith onely iuſtifieth. Theſe wordes then: Chriſte vvas made vnder the lavve, &c. as they are pithie and import a certaine vehemencie, ſo are they diligently to be weyed and conſidered.Chriſte vvas made vnder the lavve. For they declare that the Sonne of God being made vnder the lawe, did not onely performe one or two workes of the law, that is to ſay, he was not onely circumciſed, or preſented in the temple, or went vp to Ieruſalem with other at the times appoynted, or onely liued ciuily vnder the lawe,Chriſte ſuffered all the tyrannie of the lavve. but he ſuffered all the tyranny of the lawe. For the lawe being in his principall vſe and ful power, ſet vpon Chriſte, and ſo horribly aſſailed him, that he felt ſuch anguiſh and terrour, as no man vpon the earth had euer felt the like. This his bloudy ſweat doth ſufficiently witnes: alſo his comfort by the Angell, that mighty prayer which he made in the garden, and briefly: that lamentable cōplaint vpon the croſſe: O my God vvhy haſt thou forſakē me? Theſe things he ſuffered to redeme thoſe which were vnder ye law, that is to ſay, in heauines of ſpirite, in anguiſh and terrour, and ready to deſpaire, which were oppreſſed wt the heauy burden of their ſinnes, as in deede we are all oppreſſed. For as touching the fleſh we ſinne daily againſt all the commaundements of God. But Paule geueth vs good comfort when he ſayth: God ſent his ſonne, &c. So Chriſte a diuine and humane perſon, begotten of God without beginning,Chriſte came not to make lavves, but to take the lavve cleane avvay. and borne of the virgin in the time apoynted, came not to make a law, but to feele and ſuffer the terrours of the lawe with all extremitie, and to ouercome the ſame, that ſo he might vtterly aboliſh the lawe. He was not made a teacher of the lawe, but an obedient diſciple to the law, that by this his obedience he might redeme them which were vnder the lawe. This is cleane contrary to the doctrine of the Papiſtes, who haue made Chriſte a lawgeuer, yea much more ſeuere and rigorous thē Moiſes. Paule teacheth here cleane contrary, to wit, that God humbled his ſonne vnder the lawe: that is to ſay, conſtrained him to beare the iudgement and curſe of the lawe, ſinne, death, &c. For Moiſes the miniſter of the law, ſinne, wrath and death, apprehended,The miniſterie of Moiſes. bound, cōdemned and killed Chriſt: and all this he ſuffered. Therfore Chriſt ſtandeth as a mere patient, & not as an agent, in reſpect of the law. He is not then a lawgeuer, or a iudge after the law, but in that he made himſelfe ſubiect to the lawe,Galath. 3.13. bearing the condemnation of the law, he deliuered vs from the curſe therof. It is not the proper office of Chriſte to teach the lavvNow, wheras Chriſt in the Goſpell geueth commaundements, and teacheth the law, or rather expoūdeth it, this pertaineth not to the doctrine of Iuſtification, but of good workes. Moreouer, it is not the proper office of Chriſte (for the which he came principally into the world) to teach the law, but an accidentall or a by office: like as it was to heale the weake, to raiſe vppe the dead. &c. Theſe are in deede excellent and diuine workes: but yet not the very proper and principall workes of Chriſte. For the Prophets alſo taught the law, & wrought miracles. But Chriſt is God and man, who fighting againſt the lawe, ſuffered the vttermoſt cruelty and tyranny therof. And in that he ſuffered the tyranny of the law, he vanquiſhed it in himſelfe: And afterward being raiſed vppe againe from death, he condemned and vtterly aboliſhed the law which was our deadly enemie, ſo that it can not cōdemne and kill the faithfull any more. Wherfore the true and proper office of Chriſt is to wraſtle with the lawe, with the ſinne and the death of the whole world, & ſo to wraſtle that he muſt ſuffer & abide al theſe things, and by ſuffering them in him ſelfe, conquere and aboliſh them, and by this meanes deliuer the Faithfull from the lawe and from all euils. Therefore to teach the lawe and to worke myracles,The particuler benefites of Chriſte. are particuler benefites of Chriſt, for the which he came not principally into the world. For the Prophets, and eſpecially the Apoſtles did greater myracles then Chriſt did. Iohn. 14. Iohn. 14.12. Seing then that Chriſt hath ouercome the law in his owne perſon, it foloweth neceſſarily that he is naturally God.Chriſt is God by nature. For there is none elſe whether he be man or angell, which is aboue the law, but onely God. But Chriſt is aboue the law, for he hath vanquiſhed it: therefore he is the ſonne of God, and naturally God. If thou lay hold vpon Chriſte in ſuch ſort as Paule here painteth him out,The true picture of Chriſte. thou cāſt not erre nor be confounded. Moreouer, thou ſhalt eaſily iudge of all kindes of life, of the religions and ceremonies of the whole world. But if this true picture of Chriſte be defaced, or in any wiſe darkened, then foloweth a confuſion of all things. For the natural man can not iudge of the law of God.1. Cor. 2.14. Here faileth the cunning of the Philoſophers, of the Canoniſtes, & of all men. For the law hath power and dominion ouer man. Therfore ye law iudgeth man, and not man the law:The obediēce of the lavv is in the righteous. onely the Chriſtian hath a true and a certaine iudgement of the law. And how? That it doth not iuſtifie. Wherfore then is the law made, if it doe not iuſtifie? Righteouſnes before God which is receaued by Faith alone, is not ye finall cauſe why the righteous do obey the law, but the peace of the world, thankfulnes towardes God, and good example of life, wherby other be prouoked to beleue the Goſpell. The Pope hath ſo confounded and mingled the ceremoniall lawe, the morall lawe, and Faith together, that he hath at length preferred the ceremoniall lawe before the moral lawe, and 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.Geneſ. 22.18. In thy Seede shall all the natiōs of the earth be bleſſed. In thy Seede. 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,Galath [illegible: 1 letter].[illegible: 1 letter]3. 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, The Papiſtes merite ex congruo & condig[illegible: 1 letter]o. 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 tvvo maner of vvayes. Math. 3.16. Actes. 2.3. The holy ghoſt is ſent two maner of wayes. In ye 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,1. Cor. 14.22. 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 cō firmed wt 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 wtout any viſible appearance: to witte, when by ye 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,Actes. 15.5. which commeth wt 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 wt force & ſubteltie perſecute ye 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,Signes of renevving of the mind in the Godly. that we be renewed in ſpirit and haue the holy Ghoſt, yet notwtſtanding 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 yt all our works were ſinne and damnable,Chriſte our onely merite of congruence and vvorthines, both before grace and after. 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 ye common peace, poſſeſſed of the Deuill ſpeaking in vs and gouerning all our actions.1. Cor. 1.1[illegible: 1 letter]. 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,Philip. 1.29. that we doe not onely beleue in Ieſus Chriſt, but that we alſo openly preach and confeſſe him before the world. As we beleue wt our heart, ſo do we ſpeake with our mouth. according to ye ſaying of ye Pſalm: I beleued & therfore haue I ſpoken. Pſal. 116.10. 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 remnants of ſinne in the Sainctes. 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.Smal differēce in outvvard shevv betvvene a chriſtian, and a mā that is but outvvardly and ciuily righteous. 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.1. Cor. 2.14. 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 wt 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 yt holy Ghoſt. Notwtſtanding in the time of tribulation or of the croſſe, and of the cō feſſion of our faith (which is yt proper & principall worke of thoſe that beleue) when we muſt either forſake wife, children, goodes and life, or elſe deny Chriſt, then it appeareth yt we make confeſſion of our Faith, that we confeſſe Chriſt and his word by the power of the holy Ghoſt. We ought not therfore to dout whether the holy Ghoſt dwelleth in vs or not:1. Cor. [illegible: 1 letter].16. but to be aſſuredly perſwaded that we are the temple of ye holy Ghoſt, as Paule ſayth. For if any man feele in himſelfe a loue towardes the word of God, & willingly heareth, talketh, wryteth & thinketh of Chriſte,Signes of the preſence of the holy Ghoſt. let that man know that this is not the worke of mans will or reaſon, but the gift of the holy Ghoſt: For it is impoſſible that theſe things ſhould be done wtout the holy Ghoſt. Contrariwiſe, where hatred and contempt of the word is, there the Deuill the God of this world raigneth, 1. Cor. 4.4. blinding mens heartes, and holding them captiue, that the Goſpell the glory of Chriſte ſhould not ſhine vnto them. Which thing we ſee at this day in the moſt part of the commō people, which haue no loue to the word, but preſumpteouſly contemne it as though it pertained nothing at all vnto them. But who ſo euer doe feele any loue or deſire to the word, let them acknowledge with thākfulnes, that this affection is powred into them by the holy Ghoſt. For we are not borne with this affection and deſire, neither can we be taught by any lawes how we may obtaine it: but this chaunge is plainly and ſimply the worke of the right hand of the moſt higheſt. Therfore when we willingly and gladly heare the word preached concerning Chriſte the ſonne of God, who for vs was made mā and became ſubiect to the law, to deliuer vs from the malediction of the law, hell, death & damnation: then let vs aſſure our ſelues that God by and with this preaching ſendeth the holy Ghoſt into our hearts. Wherfore it is very expedient for the Godly to know, that they haue the holy Ghoſt. This I ſay, to confute that pernicious doctrine of the Papiſts,The doctrine of the Sophiſters, teaching that no man could knovv vvhether he vvere in the fauour of God or no. which taught that no man can certainly know (although his life be neuer ſo vpright & blameles) whether he be in the fauour of God or no. And this ſentence commonly receaued, was a ſpeciall principle and article of Faith in the whole Papacie, wherby they vtterly defaced the doctrine of Faith, tormented mens conſciences, baniſhed Chriſt quite out of the Church, darkened and denied all the benefites of the holy Ghoſt, aboliſhed the whole worſhip of God, ſet vp Idolatrie, cōtempt of God, and blaſphemie againſt God in mens heartes. For he that doubteth of Gods good will towards him, and doth not aſſure him ſelfe that he is in the fauour of God, this man can not beleue that he hath forgeuenes of his ſinnes, that God careth for him, or that he ſhall be ſaued. Auguſtine ſayth very well and godly, that euery man ſeeth moſt certainely his owne Faith, if he haue Faith. This doe they deny. God forbid (ſay they) that I ſhould aſſure my ſelfe that I am vnder grace, that I am holy, and that I haue the holy Ghoſt, yea although I liue godly and doe all good workes. Ye which are yong, and are not infected with this pernicious opinion (whervpon the whole kingdom of the Pope is groūded) take heede & flie from it as from a moſt daungerous plague. We that are old men haue ben trained vp in this errour euen from our youth, and haue ben ſo nuſled therein, that it hath taken deepe roote in our hearts.VVe muſt aſſure our ſelues that vve are vnder grace. Rom. 8.9. Therefore it is to vs no leſſe labour to vnlearne and forget the ſame, then to learne and lay hold vpon true Faith. But we muſt be aſſured & out of dout that we are vnder grace, yt we pleaſe God for Chriſtes ſake, and that we haue the holy Ghoſt: For if any mā haue not the ſpirite of Chriſt, the ſame is none of his. Wherfore, whether thou be a Miniſter of Gods word or a Magiſtrate in the common wealth, thou muſt aſſuredly thinke that thy office pleaſeth God: but this canſt thou neuer doe vnleſſe thou haue the holy Ghoſt. But thou wilt ſay, I doubt not but that my office pleaſeth God becauſe it is Gods ordinaunce, but I doubt of mine owne perſon whether it pleaſe God or no. Here thou muſt reſort to the word of God, which teacheth and aſſureth vs, that, not onely the office of the perſon, but alſo the perſon it ſelf pleaſeth God. For the perſon is baptiſed, beleueth in Chriſt, is purged in his bloud from all his ſinnes, liueth in the communion and felowſhip of his Church: Moreouer he doth not onely loue the pure doctrine of the word, but alſo he is glad and greatly reioyceth when he ſeeth it aduaunced, and the nomber of the faithfull encreaſed. Cōtrariwiſe he deteſteth the Pope & all Sectaries wt their wicked doctrine, according to that ſaying of the Pſalme: I hate them that imagine euill things, Pſal. 119.115. but thy lavve doe I loue. We ought therefore to be ſurely perſwaded, that not onely our office, but alſo our perſon pleaſeth God: Yea whatſoeuer it ſayth, doth, or thinketh particularly, the ſame pleaſeth God, not for our owne ſakes, but for Chriſtes ſake, who was made vnder the law for vs. Now, we are ſure that Chriſte pleaſeth God, that he is holy. &c. For as much then as Chriſte pleaſeth God and we are in him, we alſo pleaſe God and are holy.Grace is more ſtrong and mighty then ſinne. And although ſinne doe ſtill remaine in our fleſh, and we alſo daily fall and offend, yet grace is more aboundant and ſtronger then ſinne. The mercy and truth of the Lord raigneth ouer vs for euer. Wherfore ſinne cā not terrifie vs and make vs doutfull of the grace of God which is in vs. For Chriſte that moſt mighty Giaunt hath quite aboliſhed the law, condemned ſinne, vāquiſhed death and all euils.Rom. 1.34. So long as he is at ye right hand of God, making interceſſion for vs, we can not doubt of the grace and fauour of God towardes vs. Moreouer, God hath alſo ſent the ſpirite of his ſonne into our hearts, as Paule here ſayth. But Chriſte is moſt certaine in his ſpirite that he pleaſeth God. &c: therefore we alſo hauing the ſame ſpirite of Chriſte, muſt be aſſured that we are vnder grace for his ſake that is moſt aſſured. This I haue ſayd concerning the inward teſtimonie, wherby a Chriſtian mans heart ought to be fully perſwaded that he is vnder grace & hath the holy Ghoſt. Now, ye outward ſignes (as before I haue ſaid) are, gladly to heare of Chriſt, to preach & teach Chriſt, to render thanks vnto him, to praiſe him, to confeſſe him, yea wt the loſſe of goodes and life: Moreouer, to doe our duetie according to our vocatiō as we are able: to do it (I ſay) in faith, ioy. &c: Not to delite in ſinne, nor to thruſt our ſelues into an other mans vocation, but to attend vpon our owne, to helpe our needy brother, to comfort the heauy harted. &c. By theſe ſignes, as by certein effects & cōſequēts, we are fully aſſured & confirmed, that we are in Gods fauour. The wicked alſo do imagine that they haue the ſame ſignes, but they 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,Pſal. 5.9. Pſal. 10.7. according to ye 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,VVeaknes of Faith in the godly. 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,The full aſſurāce of Faith. Galath. 4.4. 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:Eſay. 53.11. Pſal. 51.10. 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, yt 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 ye grace & fauour of God: which hath infected ye 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 yt 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.Rom. 8.26. 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 wt vnſpeakeable gronings. He yt 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.1. Pet. 5.8. &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,The Deuils roring. 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,Epheſ. 6.[illegible: 1 letter]6. 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, ye 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:The cry of the holy ghoſt in the hearts of the godly. it perceth the cloudes and the heauens, and aſcendeth vp vnto the eares of God. Paule therfore ſignifieth by theſe words, yt 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 wt 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,Epheſ. 6.16. 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 the poynt of deſperation: for then are we that bruſed reede & ſmoking flaxe which Eſay ſpeaketh of.Eſay. 42.3. Notwt ſtanding in the meane ſeaſon the holy Ghoſt helpeth our infirmities,Rom. 8.26. &c. & maketh interceſſion for vs wt vnſpeakeable gronings, & certifieth our ſpirits yt we are ye children of God. Thus the minde is raiſed vp in terrors, it loketh vnto his Sauiour & high Biſhop Ieſus Chriſt, it ouercommeth the infirmitie of the fleſh, it conceaueth comfort againe, and ſayth: Abba Father. This groning which then we ſcantly feele, Paule calleth a crying & vnſpeakeable groning, which filleth both heauē and earth. Moreouer, he calleth it the crying and groning of the ſpirite, becauſe the holy Ghoſt ſtirreth vp the ſame in our heartes when we are weake and oppreſſed with terrour and tentation. Although then the lawe, ſinne and the Deuill crie out againſt vs neuer ſo much with great and terrible rorings, which ſeeme to fill heauen and earth, & farre to excede this groning of our heart, yet can they not hurt vs. For the more fiercely they aſſaile vs, accuſe and torment vs with their cryings, ſo much the more doe we grone,The profit of temptations. and in groning lay hold vpon Chriſt, call vpon him with heart and mouth, cleaue vnto him, and beleue that he was made vnder the law, that he might deliuer vs from the Curſe of the lawe, and deſtroy both ſinne and death.Galath. 3.13. Heb. 2.14. And thus when we haue taken hold of Chriſte by Faith, we crie through him: Abba Father. And this our crie doth farre ſurmount the roring of the lawe, ſinne, the Deuill. &c. But ſo farre of is it that we thinke this groning which we make in theſe terrours and in this our weaknes, to be a cry, that ſcarſely we perceaue it to be a groning. For our Faith which in tentation thus groneth vnto Chriſt, is very weake if we conſider our owne ſenſe and feeling. And this is the cauſe that we heare not this crie. We haue but onely the word, which when we apprehend in this conflict, we haue a litle breathing, and then we grone. Of this groning ſome litle feeling we haue,Rom. 3.27. but the crie we heare not. But he (ſayeth Paule) vvhich ſearcheth the heartes, knovveth vvhat is the meaning of the ſpirite. &c. To this ſearcher of the hearts, this ſmall and feeble groning (as it ſeemeth vnto vs) is a loud and a mighty cry, and an vnſpeakeable groning: in compariſon whereof the great and horrible rorings of the law, of ſinne, of death, of the deuill, and of hell, are nothing, neither can they be once heard. Paule therfore, not without cauſe, calleth this groning of a godly afflicted heart, a cry, and a groning of the ſpirite which can not be expreſſed. For it filleth the whole heauen, ſo that the Angels thinke they heare nothing elſe but this crie. Hovv vve are affected in the true triall and terrours of conſcience.But in vs there is a cleane contrary feling. For it ſemeth vnto vs yt this our ſmall groning doth not ſo perce the cloudes that there is nothing elſe heard in heauen of God and his angels. Nay, we thinke, and eſpecially during the time of tentation, that the Deuil horribly roreth againſt vs, that the heauens thunder & the earth trēbleth, that all will fall vpon vs, that all creatures threaten our deſtruction, that hel is opē and ready to ſwallow vs vp. This feling is in our heart, theſe horrible voices and this fearfull ſhew we heare and we ſee. And this is it yt Paul ſayth in the .2. Corrin. 12:1. Cor. 12.9. That the ſtrength of Chriſt is made perfect through our vveaknes. For then is Chriſt almighty in dede, then doth he truly raigne and triumph in vs, when we are ſo weake that we can ſcarſely grone.The groning of the heart is a crie. But Paule ſayth, yt this groning is in the eares of God, a moſt mightie cry which filleth both heauen and earth. Chriſt alſo in the .18. of Luke in the parable of the wicked iudge, calleth this groning of a faithfull heart, a cry, yea & ſuch a cry as ceaſeth not day & night to cry vnto God, where he ſayth: Heare vvhat the vnrighteous iudge ſayth. Luke. 18.6.7. Novv shall not God auēge his elect, vvhich cry day & night vnto him, yea though he ſuffer long for them? yea I tel you he vvil auenge them quickly. We at this day in ſo great perſecution & cōtradiction of the Pope, of tyrānes & Sectaries which fight againſt vs both on the right hand & on the left, can doe nothing elſe but vtter ſuch gronings.The vveapons of the godly, vvhervvith they ouerthrovv the kingdom of the Pope. &c. And theſe were our gunnes & artillery wherwt we haue ſo many yeres ſcattered the coūſels and enterpriſes of our aduerſaries: wherby alſo we haue begon to ouerthrow the kingdom of Antichriſt. They alſo ſhall prouoke Chriſt to haſten the day of his glorious comming, wherein he ſhall aboliſh all rule, authoritie and power, and ſhall put all his enemies vnder his feete. So be it. In the .14. of Exodus the Lord ſpeaketh vnto Moiſes at the red ſea, ſaying: VVhy crieſt thou vnto me? Yet Moiſes cried not, Exod. 14.15. The crie of Moſes at the red ſea. but trembled and almoſt deſpaired, for he was in great trouble. It ſeemed that infidelitie raigned in him, and not Faith. For he ſaw the people of Iſraell ſo compaſſed and encloſed with the Egyptians hoſt and with the ſea, that there was no way whereby they might eſcape. Here Moiſes durſt not once opē his mouth. How thē did he crie? We muſt not iudge therfore according to the feeling of our owne heart,The office of the holy ghoſt but according to ye word of God, which teacheth vs that the holy Ghoſt is geuen to thoſe yt are afflicted, terrified, & ready to deſpaire, to raiſe them vp & to comfort them, yt they be not ouercome in their tentations & afflictions, but may ouercome them, and yet not without great terrors and troubles. The Papiſtes dreamed that holy men had the holy Ghoſt in ſuch ſort that they neuer had nor felt any tentation. They ſpake of the holy Ghoſt onely by ſpeculation and naked knowledge. But Paule ſayeth that the ſtrength of Chriſte is made perfecte through our vveaknes: Alſo, that the ſpirite helpeth our infirmities, and maketh interceſſion for vs vvith vnſpeakeable gronings. In vvhom the holy Ghoſt doth his office, and at vvhat time. Therefore we haue then moſt neede of the helpe and comfort of the holy Ghoſt, yea and then is he moſt ready to helpe vs when we are moſt weake and nereſt to deſperation. If any man ſuffer affliction with a conſtant and a ioyfull heart, then hath the holy Ghoſt done his office in him. And in deede he exerciſeth his worke ſpecially and properly in thoſe which haue ſuffered great terrours and afflictions, and haue, as the Pſalme ſayeth, approched nigh to the gates of hel: As I ſaid of Moſes, The tentation of Moſes at the red ſea. which ſawe preſent death in the waters, and on euery ſide whether ſo euer he turned his face. He was therefore in extreme anguiſh and deſperation, and, no dout, he felt in his heart a mightie crie of the Deuill againſt him, ſaying: All this people ſhall this day periſh, for they can eſcape no way. And of this great calamitie thou onely ſhalt be found to be the authour becauſe thou haſt led them out of Egypt. Beſides all this, the people cried out againſt him, ſaying: Were there no graues in Egypt? Thou haſt brought vs out yt we ſhould die here in the wildernes.Exod. 14.13.1[illegible: 1 letter], Had it not bene better for vs to haue ſerued the Egyptians, then here wretchedly to die in the wildernes? The holy Ghoſt was not here in Moiſes by bare ſpeculation and knowledge onely, but truely and effectually, who made interceſſion for him with an vnſpeakeable groning, ſo that he ſighed vnto the Lord and ſayd: O Lord at thy commaundement haue I led forth this people: helpe vs therfore. This groning or ſighing vnto God, the ſcripture calleth a crying. This matter I haue the more largely proſecuted, that I might plainly ſhew what the office of the holy Ghoſt is, and when he ſpecially exerciſeth the ſame. In temptatiō therfore we muſt in no wiſe iudge therof according to our owne ſenſe & feeling, or by the crying of yt law, ſinne & the Deuill. &c. If we then folow our owne ſenſe & beleue thoſe cryings, we ſhall thinke our ſelues to be deſtitute of all helpe and ſuccour of the holy Ghoſt, and to be vtterly caſt away from the preſence of God. Nay rather let vs then remember what Paule ſayth: The ſpirite helpeth our infirmities, &c. Alſo it crieth: Abba Father, that is to ſay, it vttereth a certaine feeble ſighing and groning of the heart (as it ſeemeth vnto vs) which notwithſtanding before God is a loud crie and an vnſpeakeable groning.The gronings of the faithful before God, are great cries. Wherfore in the middes of thy temptation and infirmitie, cleaue onely vnto Chriſte & grone vnto him: he geueth the holy Ghoſt which crieth Abba Father: And this feeble groning is a mighty crie in the eares of God, and ſo filleth heauen and earth, that God heareth nothing elſe: and moreouer, it drowneth the cries of all other things whatſoeuer. Thou muſt marke alſo that Paule ſayth: that the ſpirite maketh interceſſion for vs in our temptation: not with many wordes or long prayer, but onely with a groning, which notwithſtanding can not be expreſſed: and that he crieth not a loud with teares, ſaying: Haue mercy on me O God, Pſal. 31.1. &c. but onely vttereth a litle ſound and a feeble groning,Ah Father. as: Ah Father: This is but a litle word, and yet notwithſtanding it comprehendeth all things. The mouth ſpeaketh not, but the affection of the heart ſpeaketh after this maner. Although I be oppreſſed wt anguiſh and terrour on euery ſide, and ſeeme to be forſaken and vtterly caſt away from thy preſence, yet am I thy childe, and thou art my Father for Chriſtes ſake: I am beloued becauſe of ye beloued. Wherfore this litle word Father conceaued effectually in the heart, paſſeth all the eloquence of Demoſthenes, Cicero, and of the moſt eloquent Rhetoricians that euer were in the world. This matter is not expreſſed with words, but with gronings, which gronings cā not be vttered with any wordes or eloquence, for no tongue can expreſſe them. I haue vſed many wordes to declare that a Chriſtian muſt aſſure him ſelfe that he is in the fauour of God, and that he hath the crying of the holy Ghoſt in his heart.The Pope taught that vve muſt dout of Gods fauour tovvardes vs This haue I done that we may learne to reiect and vtterly to abandon that deuilliſh opinion of the whole kingdom of the Pope, which taught that a man ought to be vncertaine and to ſtand in dout of the grace and fauour of God towards him. If this opinion be receaued, then Chriſt profiteth nothing. For he yt douteth of Gods fauour towardes him, muſt needes dout alſo of the promiſes of God, and ſo conſequently of the will of God,He ſpeaketh not here of that douting vvhich ſometimes riſeth of infirmitie in the godly: but of vvilful douting vvhich the Papiſtes teach & maintaine. and of the benefites of Chriſte: namely that he was borne, ſuffered, died, and roſe againe for vs. &c. But there can be no greater blaſphemie againſt God, then to deny his promiſes, to deny God himſelfe, Chriſt. &c. Wherfore it was not onely an extreme madnes, but an horrible impietie that ye Monks did ſo earneſtly entice the youth both men and women to their Monaſteries, to their religious and holy orders (as they called them) as to a moſt certaine ſtate of ſaluation, and yet, when they had thus done, they bad them doubt of the grace and fauour of God towards them. Moreouer, the Pope called all the world to the obedience of the holy Church of Rome, as to an holy ſtate, in the which they might vndoutedly attaine ſaluatiō, and yet after he had brought them vnder the obedience of his lawes, he commaunded them to dout of their ſaluation. So the kingdom of Antichriſt braggeth and vaunteth at the firſt,The Pope kingdom. of the holines of his orders, his rules and his lawes, and aſſuredly promiſeth euerlaſting life to ſuch as obſerue and kepe them. But afterwards when theſe miſerable men haue long afflicted their bodies with watching, faſting, and ſuch like exerciſes according to the traditions and ordinaunces of men, this is all that they gaine thereby, that they are vncertaine whether this obedience pleaſe God or no?The Papacy is a very ſlaughterhouſe of conſciences. Thus Satan moſt horribly dallied in the death of ſoules through the Pope, and therefore is the Papacie a ſlaughterhouſe of conſciences, and the very kingdom of the Deuill. Nowe, to eſtabliſh and confirme this pernicious & curſed errour, they alleaged the ſaying of Salomon, Eccle. 9.Eccle. 9.[illegible: 2 letters]. The iuſt and the vviſe men are in the handes of God: and yet no man knovveth vvhether he be vvorthy of loue or of hatred. Some vnderſtand this of that hatred which is to come, and ſome againe of that which is preſent: but neither of them vnderſtand Salomon, who in that place meaneth nothing leſſe then that which they dreame. Moreouer the whole Scripture teacheth vs eſpecially and aboue all things that we ſhould not dout,The chief drift of the Scripture, to make vs certaine of the mercie of God tovvard vs. Rom. 4.25. Iohn. 3.16. but aſſure our ſelues & vndoutedly beleue that God is mercifull, louing and patient: that he is neither diſſembler nor deceauer, but that he is faithfull and true, and kepeth his promiſe: yea and hath performed that he promiſed, in deliuering his only begotten Some to death for our ſinnes, that euery one that beleueth in him might not periſh, but haue euerlaſting life. Here we can not dout, but that God is pleaſed with vs, that he loueth vs in dede, that the hatred and wrath of God is taken away, ſeeing he ſuffered his ſonne to die for vs wretched ſinners. Although this matter be ſette out and often repeted thoroughout the whole Goſpell, yet it profited nothing at all. This one ſaying of Salomon peruerſly vnderſtand,One ſentence out of the boke of the Preacher not vvell vnderſtand, vvas of more force in the Papacie, then all the promiſes of the ſcripture. did more preuaile (eſpecially among the votaries and hypocrites of the ſtraiter religion) then all the promiſes and conſolations of the whole Scripture: yea then Chriſte him ſelfe. They abuſed the Scriptures therfore to their owne deſtruction, and were moſt iuſtly puniſhed for deſpiſing the Scriptures and reiecting the Goſpell. It is expedient for vs to know theſe things: Firſt becauſe the Papiſtes vaunt of their holines, as if they had neuer committed any euill. Therefore they muſt be conuinced by their owne abhominations, wherewith they haue filled the whole world, as their owne Bookes doe witnes, wherof there is yet an infinite nomber: Secondly, that we may be fully certified that we haue the pure doctrine of the Goſpell:Doutfulnes of ſaluation in th Papacie. of which certaintie the Pope can not glory. In whoſe kingdom though all things elſe were ſound and vncorrupt, yet this monſtrous doctrine of douting of Gods grace and fauour, paſſeth all other monſters. And although it be manifeſt that the enemies of Chriſtes Goſpell teach vncertaine things becauſe they commaund that mens conſciences ſhould remaine in dout, yet notwithſtanding they condemne and kill vs as heretikes, becauſe we diſſent from them, and teach thoſe things which are certaine. And this they doe with ſuch deuilliſh rage and crueltie, as if they were moſt aſſured of their doctrine. Let vs therefore geue thankes vnto God, that we are deliuered from this monſtrous doctrine of douting, and can now aſſure our ſelues that the holy Ghoſt crieth and bringeth forth in our heartes vnſpeakeable gronings.Hovv vve mai knovv that are ī gods fauour, and haue the holy Ghoſt. And this is our ankerhold and our foundation. The Goſpell commaundeth vs to behold, not our owne good workes, our owne perfection: but God the promiſer, & Chriſt the Mediatour. Contrariwiſe, the Pope commaundeth vs to looke, not vnto God the promiſer, nor vnto Chriſt our high Biſhop, but vnto our works & merites. On the one ſide muſt nedes folow douting & deſperation: but on yt other ſide aſſurance of Gods fauour and ioy of the ſpirit. For we cleaue vnto God who can not lie. For he ſayth: Behold I deliuer my Sonne to death, that through his bloud he may redeme thee from thy ſinnes and from eternall death. In this caſe I can not dout,The doctrine vvhich vve profeſſe, is certaine. vnleſſe I will vtterly deny God. And this is the reaſon that our doctrine is moſt ſure and certaine, becauſe it carieth vs out of our ſelues, and from the conſideration of our ſelues, to the end that we ſhould not leane to our owne ſtrength, to our owne conſcience, to our owne feeling, our owne perſon and our owne workes: but to that which is without vs, that is to ſay, the promiſe and truth of God which can not deceaue vs. This the Pope knoweth not, and therefore he wickedly imagineth that no man knoweth, be he neuer ſo iuſt or ſo wiſe, whether he be worthy of loue or of hatred. But if he be iuſt and wiſe he knoweth aſſuredly that he is beloued of God, or elſe he is neither iuſt nor wiſe. Moreouer,The true meanīg of the ſentence out of the .9 of Eccleſiaſtes. this ſentence of Salomon ſpeaketh nothing at all of the hatred or fauour of God towardes men, but it is a morall ſentēce reprouing the ingratitude of men. For ſuch is the peruerſnes and ingratitude of the world, that the better a man deſerueth, yt leſſe thāks he ſhall haue, and oftentimes he that ſhould be his moſt friend,VVhat thanks the vvorld geueth to them that deſerue vvell of it. ſhall be his moſt enemie. Contrariwiſe, ſuch as leaſt deſerue, ſhall be moſt eſtemed. So Dauid a holy man and a good King, was caſt out of his kingdom. The Prophetes, Chriſte and his Apoſtles were ſlaine. To conclude, the hyſtories of all nations witnes, that many men well deſeruing of their countrey, were caſt into baniſhment by their owne Citizens, and there liued in great miſery, and ſome alſo ſhamefully periſhed in priſon. Wherefore Salomon in this place ſpeaketh not of the conſcience hauing to doe with God, and of the fauour and iudgement of God, but of the iudgementes and affections of men among them ſelues. As though he would ſay: There are many iuſt and wiſe men, by whom God worketh much good, and geueth peace and quietnes vnto men. But ſo farre of are they from acknowledging the ſame, that oftentimes they requite them againe very ilfauouredly for their well deſeruings. Therefore although a man doe all things neuer ſo well, yet he knoweth not whether by this his diligence and faithfulnes he deſerue the hatred or fauour of men. So we at this day, when we thought we ſhould haue found fauour among our countreymen the Germains, for that we preach vnto them the Goſpell of peace, life, and eternall ſaluation, in ſtede of fauour we haue found bitter and cruell hatred. In deede at the firſt many were greatly delited with our doctrine, and receaued it gladly. We ſuppoſed that they would haue ben our friends and brethren, and that with one conſent together with vs, they would haue planted and ſet forth this doctrine to others. But now we finde that they are falſe brethern and our deadly enemies, which ſow and ſpread abrode errours & falſe doctrine, and that which we teach well and godly, they peruert and ouerthrow, ſtirring vp offences in the Churches. Whoſoeuer therefore doth his duety godly and faithfully, in what kinde of life ſo euer he be, and for his well doing receaueth nothing againe but the vnkindnes and hatred of men,Hovv vve muſt ouercome vnthākfulnes. Pſal. 109.3.4. let him not vexe and torment him ſelfe therfore: but let him ſay with Chriſte: They hated me vvithout a cauſe. Alſo: For that they should haue loued me, they ſclaundered me, but I did pray. The Pope therefore with this deuilliſh doctrine, whereby he commaunded men to dout of the fauour of God towards them, tooke away God and all his promiſes out of the Church, buried all the benefites of Chriſt, & aboliſhed the whole Goſpel. Theſe inconueniences do neceſſarily folow: for men doe not leane to the promiſes of God, but to their owne workes and merites. Therefore they can not be aſſured of the good will of God towardes them, but muſt needes dout therof, and ſo at length deſpaire. No man can vnderſtand what Gods will is, and what pleaſeth him,The vvill of God is ſeene in his vvord. but in his word. This word aſſureth vs that God caſt away all anger and diſpleaſure which he had conceaued againſt vs, when he gaue his onely begotten ſonne for our ſinnes. &c. Wherefore let vs vtterly abandon this deuilliſh douting wherwith the whole Papacie was poyſoned, and let vs be fully aſſured that God is mercifull vnto vs, that we pleaſe him, that he hath a care ouer vs, that we haue the holy Ghoſt which maketh interceſſion for vs with ſuch crying and groning as can not be expreſſed. Now, this is the true crying and groning in deede, when a man in tentation calleth vpon God: not as a tyranne, not as an angry iudge, not as a tormēter, but as a father, although this groning be ſo ſoft & ſo ſecrete, that it can ſcantly be perceaued. For in ſerious tentations, and in the time of trial where the conſcience wraſtleth with the iudgement of God, it is wont to call God, not a Father, but an vniuſt, an angry and cruell tyranne and iudge. And this crying which Satan ſtirreth vp in the heart, farre paſſeth the cry of the ſpirite, and is ſtrongly felt. For then it ſeemeth that God hath forſaken vs, and will caſt vs downe into hell. So ye faithful complaine oftētimes in the Pſalmes: I am caſt from the preſence of God. Alſo: I am become as a broken veſſel. &c. This is not in deede the groning that crieth, Abba Father: but the roring of Gods wrath, which crieth ſtrongly, O cruell iudge, O cruel tormentour. &c. Here now it is time that thou turne away thine eyes from the law, from works, and from the ſenſe and feling of thine owne conſcience, and lay hold by Faith of the promiſe, that is to ſay, of the word of grace & life, which raiſeth vppe againe the conſcience, ſo that now it beginneth to grone and ſay: Although the law accuſe me, ſinne and death terrifie me neuer ſo much, yet O my God, thou promiſeſt grace, righteouſnes and euerlaſting life through Ieſus Chriſt: And ſo yt promiſe bringeth a ſighing & a groning, which crieth Abba Father.

Verſe. 7. VVherfore thou art no more a ſeruaunt, but a ſonne. This is the ſhutting vppe and the concluſion of that which he ſaid before. As if he ſhould ſay: This being true that we haue receaued the ſpirite by the Goſpell, whereby we crie, Abba Father: then is this decree pronounced in heauen, that there is now no bōdage any more, but mere libertie and adoption. And who bringeth this libertie? verely this groning. By what meanes? The father offreth vnto me by his promiſe, his grace and his fatherly fauour. This remaineth then,By vvhat meanes the adoption cometh vnto v[illegible: 1 letter]. that I ſhould receaue this grace. And this is done when I againe with this groning doe crie, and with a childly heart doe aſſent vnto this name Father. Here then the Father & the Sonne meete, and the mariage is made vp without all pompe and ſolemnitie: that is to ſaye, nothing at all cometh betwene: no lawe nor worke is here required. For what ſhould a man doe in theſe terrours and horrible darknes of tentations? Here is nothing elſe but the father promiſing, & calling me his ſonne by Chriſte, who was made vnder the law. &c. and I receauing and anſwering by this groning, ſaying: Father. Here then is no exacting, nothing is required, but only yt childly groning that apprehendeth a ſure hope and truſt in tribulation, and ſaith: Thou promiſeſt, and calleſt me thy childe for Chriſtes ſake, and I againe receaue this and call thee Father. This is in deede to be made children ſimplie and without any workes. But theſe things without experience and practiſe can not be vnderſtand. Paule in this place taketh this word Seruaunt otherwiſe then he did before in the .3. chapt. where he ſayeth:Galath. 3.28. There is neither bond not free. &c. Here he calleth him a Seruaūt of the law, that is ſubiect to ye law,Galat. 4.3. as he did a litle before: VVe vvere in bōdage vnder the rudimēts of the vvorld. VVhat Paule meaneth by a ſeruaunt in this place. Wherfore to be a Seruaūt in this place after Paule, is to be giltie and captiue vnder the law, vnder the wrath of God & death: to behold God, not as a merciful Father, but as a tormentour, an enemie and a tyranne. This is in deede to be kept in bondage & Babilonicall captiuitie, & to be cruelly tormented therin. For the law deliuereth not from ſinne and death,Rom. 3.20. Rom. 4.15. but reuealeth and encreaſeth ſinne & engendreth wrath. This bondage (ſayth Paule) continueth no longer: it oppreſſeth vs not, nor maketh vs heauy any more, &c. Paule ſayeth: Thou shalt be no more a ſeruaunt. But the ſentence is more generall if we ſay: there ſhall be no bondage in Chriſte any more, but mere fredome and adoption. For when Faith commeth, that bondage ceaſeth,Galath. 3 2[illegible: 1 letter]. as he ſayd before in the third Chapter. Now, if we by the ſpirite of Chriſte crying in our hearts, Abba Father, be no more ſeruaūts, but children: then it foloweth that we are not onely deliuered from the horrible monſters of the Pope, and all the abominations of mens traditions, but alſo from all the iuriſdiction and power of the lawe of God. Wherefore we ought in no wiſe to ſuffer the lawe to raigne in our conſcience,The lavv muſt not be ſuffred to rule in the conſcience. Reuelat. 10.3. and much leſſe the Pope wt his vaine threatnings and terrours. In deede he roreth mightely as a Lion Apoc. 10. and threatneth to all thoſe that obey not his lawes, the wrath and indignation of almighty God and of his bleſſed Apoſtles. &c. But here Paule armeth and comforteth vs againſt theſe rorings, when he ſayth: Thou art no more a ſeruaunt but a ſonne. Take hold of this conſolation by Faith,The lavv hath no povver ouer the conſcience, but ouer the flesh. and ſay: O lawe, thy tyrannie can haue no place in the throne where Chriſte my Lord ſitteth: there I can not heare thee (much leſſe doe I heare thy monſters O Antichriſte): for I am free and a ſonne, who muſt not be ſubiect to any bondage or ſeruile lawe. Let not Moiſes therefore with his lawes, (much leſſe the Pope) aſcend vppe into the bridechamber there to lie: that is to ſay, to raigne in the conſcience: which Chriſte hath deliuered from the lawe, to the ende that it ſhould not be ſubiect to any bondage. Let the ſeruauntes abide with the Aſſe in the valley:Gen. 22.4.5. Let none but Iſaac aſcend vppe into the Mountaine with his father Abraham: that is, let the lawe haue dominion ouer the body and ouer the olde man: let him be vnder the lawe and ſuffer the burden to be laide vpon him: let him ſuffer him ſelfe to be exerciſed and vexed with the lawe: let the lawe limite and preſcribe vnto him what he ought to doe, what he ought to ſuffer, and how he ought to liue and to gouerne him ſelfe among men. But let it not defile the bed in which Chriſte ſhould reſt and ſleepe alone: that is to ſay, let it not trouble the cōſcience. For ſhe alone ought to liue with Chriſte her Spouſe in the kingdom of libertie and adoption. If then (ſayth he) by the ſpirite of Chriſt ye crie: Abba Father, then are ye in deede no longer ſeruaunts, but free men & ſonnes. Therfore ye are without the lawe, without ſinne, without death: that is to ſay, ye are ſaued, and ye are now quite deliuered frō all euils: Wherfore the adoption bringeth with it the eternall kingdom,VVhat the adoption bringeth. and all yt heauenly inheritaunce. Now, how ineſtimable the glory of this gift is, mans heart is not able to conceaue, and much leſſe to vtter. In the meane time we ſee this but darkely & as it were a farre of:1. Cor. 13.1[illegible: 1 letter]. We haue this litle groning and feeble Faith which onely reſteth vpon the hearing and the ſound of the voyce of Chriſte promiſing. Therefore we muſt not meaſure this thing by reaſon or by our owne feeling, but by the promiſe of God. Now, becauſe he is infinite, therefore his promiſe is alſo infinite, although it ſeeme to be neuer ſo much encloſed in theſe narrow ſtreites, theſe anguiſhes I meane. Wherfore there is nothing that can now accuſe, terrifie, or binde the conſcience any more. For there is no more ſeruitude, but adoption: which not onely bringeth vnto vs libertie from the law, ſinne and death, but alſo the inheritaunce of euerlaſting life, as foloweth.

Verſe. 7. Novv, if thou be a ſonne, thou art alſo the heire of God thorough Chriſte. For he that is a ſonne, muſt be alſo an heire: for by his birth he is worthy to be an heire. There is no worke or merite that bringeth to him the inheritance, but his birth only. And ſo in 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 ye 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 ye promiſe offred. Like as therfore a ſōne in ye 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, 1. Pet. 1.23. The vvord of God is the vvombe of God. 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 wt 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,Philip. 1.[illegible: 1 letter]1. 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,The godly haue nede of the comfort of the holy Ghoſt. which in our troubles and afflictions may make interceſſion for vs wt 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 ye ſpirit,Rom. 7.24. crieth out: O vvretched mā that I am, vvho shall deliuer me from this body of death? He accuſeth his body, which notwtſtanding 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,Galath. [illegible: 1 letter].[illegible: 1 letter]7. 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.In this life vve haue but only the firſt fruits of the ſpirite. Rom. 8.23. 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.Paule hath alvvayes the name of chriſt in his mouth. For he did well forſee that nothing ſhould be leſſe knowen in ye 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.1. Pet. 1.9. 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,To ſlide in Faith, is an eaſie thing. 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,The ſleightes of the deuil to bring men frō Faith to the lavve. 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,VVhy Paule ſayth that the Galathians returned back to vveake and beggerly elements. to the law, wheras they neuer had the law: for they were Gentiles (notwithſtanding he wrote theſe things to ye 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,God is knovven by Chriſte onely. Iohn. 1.18. 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, Rom. 8.32. The true knovvledge of God. 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,The higheſt vviſedom of reaſon. 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.Luke. 15.11.12. They haue no knowledge of the Chriſtian righteouſnes,1. Cor. 1.14. Rom. 3.11. or of the righteouſnes of Faith. For the naturall man perceaueth not the myſteries of God. Alſo: There is none that vnderſtā deth, there is none that ſeeketh after God. &c. Therefore there is no difference at all betwene a Papiſt,There is no difference betvvene the Turks, Ievves and Papiſts. 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[illegible: 1 letter] one egge is not more like to an other. For this is the imagination of thē all:The imagination of all the meritmongers alike. 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,All meritmongers honour a God vvhich by nature is no God. 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:God abhorreth vvil vvorshippings and vvorkes de[illegible: 2 letters] ſed by man. 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,Doctrine concerning the true God. 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,To vvhat euils they be ſubiect, vvhich deſtroy the doctrine of faith. 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 yt 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 yt we ſhould loue God wt all our heart &c. It is true. But it foloweth not, yt becauſe God cōmaūdeth vs, therfore we do it. If we did loue God wt all our heart. &c. then, no dout we ſhould be iuſtified, & liue through this obedience,Rom. 1[illegible: 1 letter].5. 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:Rom. 4.15. Rom. 1[illegible: 1 letter].4. 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,God is not knovvne and the Bleſſing geuē through the lavv, but by the goſpel. Geneſ. 22.18. worſhipping a dreame & an idoll of his owne heart, which is no where to be found. For ye God of his fathers, whom he ſaith he worſhippeth, promiſed to Abraham a Seede, thorough ye 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 & prī cipally to the Galathians, which were Gentiles: yet notwtſtanding by ye ſame words he alſo toucheth ye Iewes, who though they had reiected their Idols outwardly, yet in their hearts they worſhipped them more then did the Gentiles, Rom. 2.[illegible: 1 letter]2. The Gentiles Idolatry vvas groſe. Cōtrarivviſe the Ievves Idolatry vvas outvvardly holy, and therefore more hurtfull. 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 ye name and word of God (as all Iuſticiaries which ſeeke righteouſnes by workes, are wont to doe) and ſo wt 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 ye Apoſtle here ſetteth downe, be recōciled together? Ye knevv not God: & ye vvorshipped God. I anſwer: All mē naturally haue this general knowledge, yt there is a God,Rom. 1.19.20. according to ye 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 ye inuiſible things of him did appeare by ye creation of the world. Moreouer ye ceremonies & religiōs which were, & alwaies remained among al nations, ſufficiently witneſſe yt 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 ye Galathians knew not God before ye preaching of the Goſpel? I anſwer: There is a double knowledge of God:A generall & particular knovvledge of God. general & perticuler. All men haue ye generall knowledge, namely, that there is a God, that he created heauen & earth, that he is iuſt, that he puniſheth ye 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 yt 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 yt there is a god, but what his wil is, or what is not his will, they doe not know. For it is wrytten:Rom. 3.11. Iohn. 1.18. 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 ye will of God. Now,No man hath ſene God. what doth it auaile thee if thou know yt 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 ye will of God, if they worſhip him according to the rule of Moſes lawe:The diuers opinions of men concerning the vvill of God. Rom. 1.22. 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 ye dreames & imaginatiōs of your owne heart, wherby ye imagined wtout the word, ye God was to be worſhipped wt this or that worke, wt this or that rite or ceremonie. For vpon this propoſition, which all men doe naturally hold,VVhence idolatrie came. namely that there is a God, hath ſprong all Idolatrie, which wtout yt 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 wtout & 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.The opinion of the Monke, as touching Gods vvill. 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.VVorshippers of God vvithout his vvord. Therfore who ſo euer wil worſhip God wtout 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 wtout Chriſt there is nothing elſe but mere Idolatrie,VVithout Chriſte all vvorshippīgs and all lavves are 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 wt 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,The vvill 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.Galath. 3.9. Galath. 4.7. 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, Ye are knovvn 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, Math. 11.17. & he to vvhom the ſonne vvill reueale him. Alſo:Eſay. 53.11. 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,The Apoſtles euen in their life time ſavv the ſubuerſiō of thoſe churches, vvhich they had plā ted. 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,Rudiments or elements are called the prī ciples and firſt beginning of any thing, and ſo the lavve is but as an A.B.C in reſpect of the Goſpel 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,Rom 4.15. and not of the law being ſpiritually vnderſtand, which engendreth wrath. For the law (as I haue often ſayd) being in his owne proper vſe, accuſeth and condemneth a man:VVhen the lavv is vveake and beggerly, and vvhen it is ſtrong and mightie. and in this reſpect it is not onely a ſtrong and a rich rudiment, but alſo moſt mighty and moſt rich, yea rather an inuincible power & riches: and if here the conſcience be compared with the law, then is it moſt weake and beggerly. For it is ſo tender a thing, that for a ſmall ſinne it is ſo troubled and terrified, that it vtterly deſpaireth, vnleſſe it be raiſed vp againe. Wherefore the lawe in his proper vſe hath more ſtrength and riches, then heauen and earth is able to containe: in ſo much that one letter or one tittle of the law is able to kill all mākinde, as the hyſtorie of the lawe geuen by Moiſes Exod. 19.20. doth witneſſe. This is the true and diuine vſe of the lawe, of which Paule ſpeaketh not in this place. Paule then entreateth here of hypocrites, which are fallen from grace, or which haue not yet attained to grace. Theſe, abuſing ye law, ſeeke to be iuſtified by it. They exerciſe and tire themſelues day and night in the workes therof: as Paule witneſſeth of the Iewes. Ro. 10. For I beare thē record (ſayth he) that they haue the zeale of God, Rom. 10.2.3. but not according to knovvledge, for they being ignoraunt of the righteouſnes of God. &c. Such doe hope ſo to be ſtrengthened and enriched by the lawe, that they may be able to ſet their power and riches which they haue gotten by the righteouſnes therof, againſt the wrath and iudgement of God, and ſo to appeaſe God, and to be ſaued therby. In this reſpect then we may well ſay that ye law is a weake & a beggerly rudiment:VVhen the lavve is a vveake and beggerly rudiment. that is to ſay, which can geue neither helpe nor counſell. And who ſo liſteth to amplifie this matter, may further ſay, that the lawe is a weake and a beggerly rudiment, becauſe it maketh men more weake and beggerly: Againe, becauſe that of it ſelfe it hath no power or riches whereby it is able to geue or to bring righteouſnes: And moreouer, that it is not onely weake and beggerly, but euē weaknes and beggery it ſelfe. How then ſhall it enrich or ſtrengthen thoſe, which were before both weake and beggerly? Therefore to ſeeke to be iuſtified by the lawe, is as much as if a man being weake and feeble already, would ſeeke ſome other greater euill wherby he might ouercome his weaknes and pouertie, which notwithſtanding would bring vnto him vtter deſtructiō. As if he which hath ye falling ſicknes, would ſeeke to ioyne vnto it the Peſtilence for a remedy: or if a Leaper ſhould come to a Leaper, or a begger to a begger, the one to helpe and to enrich the other. Paule therfore ſheweth,The more a man ſeeketh to be iuſtified by the lavve, the more he is drovvned in ſinnes. Epheſ. 2.3. that they which ſeeke to be iuſtified by the lawe, haue this commoditie thereby, that daily they become more and more weake and beggerly. For they be weake and beggerly of them ſelues: that is to ſay, they are by nature the children of wrath, ſubiect to death and euerlaſting damnation: and yet they lay hold vpon that which is nothing elſe but mere weaknes and beggerie, ſeeking to be ſtrengthened and enriched therby. Therfore euery one that falleth frō the promiſe to the law, from faith to workes, doth nothing elſe but lay vpon him ſelfe ſuch a burden, being weake and feeble already, as he is not able to beare.Actes. 15.1[illegible: 1 letter]. Ac. 15. and in bearing therof is made ten times more weake, ſo that at length he is driuen to deſpaire, vnleſſe Chriſte come and deliuer him. This thing the Goſpell alſo witneſſeth, ſpeaking of the woman which was greeued 12. yeres wt a bloudy iſſue, Luke. 5.43. Of the vvomā vvhich vvas diſeaſed vvith the bloudie iſſue. & ſuffered many things of many Phiſitians, vpon whom ſhe had ſpent all her ſubſtance, & yet could not be cured, but the longer ſhe was vnder their hands, the worſe ſhe was. As many therfore as doe the works of the law to the end they may be iuſtified thereby, are not onely not made righteous, but twiſe more vnrighteous then they were before, that is (as I haue ſaid) more weake & beggerly, & more vnapt to doe any good worke. This haue I proued to be true both in my ſelf & in many others. I haue knowen many Monks in ye Papacy which with great zeale haue done many great works for the attaining of righteouſnes & ſaluation, and yet were they more impatiēt, more weake, more miſerable, more faithles, more fearful, & more ready to deſpaire thē any other. The ciuil Magiſtrates who were euer occupied in great and weightie affaires, were not ſo impatient, ſo fearfull, ſo faint hearted, ſo ſuperſtitious and ſo faithles as theſe Iuſticiaries and Meritmongers were. Whoſoeuer thē ſeketh righteouſnes by ye law, what cā he imagin elſe, but ye god being angry, muſt nedes be pacified wt works? Now, whē he hath once cōceiued this fantaſy, he beginneth to work. But he cā neuer find ſo many good works as are able to quiet his cōſciēce: but ſtil he deſireth moe. Yea he findeth ſinnes in thoſe works yt he hath don already. Therfore his conſcience can neuer be certified,The conſciēce is neuer quieted through vvorkes. but muſt needes be alwayes in dout, and thus thinke with it ſelfe: Thou haſt not ſacrificed as thou ſhouldeſt doe: thou haſt not prayed aright: this thou haſt left vndone: this or that ſinne thou haſt committed. Here the heart trembleth and feeleth it ſelfe oppreſſed with innumerable ſinnes which ſtill encreaſe without end, ſo that he ſwarueth from righteouſnes more and more, vntill at length he fall to deſperation. Hereof it cometh that many being at the poynt of death, haue vttered theſe deſperate words: O wretch that I am: I haue not kept mine order: Whether ſhall I flie from the wrath of Chriſt, that angry iudge? would to God I had ben made a ſwinheard or the vileſt wretch in the whole world. VVhat profite Monks haue by their religion.Thus the Monke in the ende of his life is more weake, more beggerly, more faithles and fearfull then he was at the beginning when he firſt entred into his order. The reaſon is, becauſe he would ſtrengthen himſelfe through weaknes, and enrich him ſelfe through pouertie. The law or mens traditions, or the Rule of his order ſhould haue healed him when he was ſicke, and enriched him when he was poore: but he is become more feeble & more poore thē the Publicanes and harlots. The Publicanes and harlots haue not an heape of good works to truſt vnto as the Monks haue: but although they feele theyr ſinnes neuer ſo much,Luke. 18.13. yet they can ſay with the Publicane: O Lord be mercifull to me a ſinner. But contrariwiſe ye Monke which hath ſpent all his time in weake & beggerly elements, is confirmed in this opinion:A liuely deſcription of al the religious hypocrites in the kingdom of Antichriſt. If thou keepe thy rule thou ſhalt be ſaued, &c. With this falſe perſwaſion he is ſo deluded & bewitched, that he can not apprehend grace, no nor once remember grace. Thus, notwtſtāding all the works which either he doth or hath done, be they neuer ſo many and ſo great, he thinketh that he hath neuer done enough, but hath ſtill an eye to moe workes, and ſo by heaping vppe of workes he goeth about to appeaſe the wrath of God and to iuſtifie him ſelfe, vntill he be driuen to vtter deſperation.The Fable is this, that a dogge ſvvimming ouer the vvater vvith a pece of flesh in his mouth, let the flesh goe, and ſnatched at the shadovve vvhich appeared in the vvater. Wherfore, whoſoeuer falleth frō Faith, and foloweth the law, is like to Eſopes dogge, which forgoeth the fleſh, and ſnatcheth at the ſhadow. Wherfore it is impoſſible that ſuch as ſeeke righteouſnes & ſaluation by the lawe (wherevnto men are naturally enclined) ſhould euer finde quietnes and peace of conſcience: yea they doe nothing elſe but heape lawes vpon lawes, whereby they torment both themſelues and others, and afflict mens conſciences ſo miſerably, that through extreme anguiſh of heart many die before their time. For one lawe alwayes bringeth forth ten moe, and ſo they encreaſe wtout number and without ende. Now, who would haue thought that the Galathians,Falling avvay from the Goſpell is very eaſie. which had learned ſo ſound and ſo pure a doctrine of ſuch an excellent Apoſtle and teacher, could be ſo ſuddenly ledde away from the ſame, and vtterly peruerted by the falſe Apoſtles? It is not wtout cauſe that I repete this ſo often: that to fall away from the truth of the Goſpel is an eaſie matter. The reaſon is, becauſe men doe not ſufficiently conſider, no not the very faithfull, what an excellent and a precious treaſure the true knowledge of Chriſt is. Therefore they doe not labour ſo diligently & ſo carefully as they ſhould doe, to obtaine & to retaine the ſame. Moreouer, the greater part of thoſe that heare the word, are exerciſed with no croſſe or affliction: they wraſtle not againſt ſinne, death & the Deuill, but liue in ſecuritie without any conflict. Such men,They that are not tried vvith afflictions and tentations, neuer feele the povver of the vvord of god. becauſe they are not proued and tried with tentations, and therefore are not armed with ye word of God againſt the ſubtilties of the Deuill, neuer feele the vſe and power of the word. In dede whileſt they are among faithfull miniſters and preachers, they cā folow their words & ſay as they ſay, perſwading themſelues that they perfectly vnderſtand the matter of iuſtification. But whē they are gone,Math. 7.15. & wolues in ſheepes clothing are come in their place, it hapneth vnto them as it did to the Galathians: that is to ſay, they are ſuddenly ſeduced & eaſily turned backe to weake and beggerly rudiments. Paule hath here his peculier maner of ſpeech,Paules maner of ſpeech. which the other Apoſtles did not vſe. For there was none of them beſides Paule that gaue ſuch names to the lawe: to witte, that it is a weake and a beggerly rudiment: that is to ſay, vtterly vnprofitable to righteouſnes. And ſurely I durſt not haue geuen ſuch termes vnto the lawe, but ſhould haue thought it great blaſphemy againſt God, if Paule had not ſo done before. But of this I haue entreated more largely before, where I ſhewed when the lawe is weake and beggerly, and when it is moſt ſtrong and rich. &c. Now,If the lavve of God be vveak and not able to obtaine righteouſnes, much more the Popes traditions. if the law of God be weake and vnprofitable to Iuſtification, much more are the lawes and decrees of the Pope, weake and vnprofitable to Iuſtification. Therefore we geue ſentence againſt the ordinaunces, lawes and decrees of the Pope with ſuch boldnes & aſſurance as Paule did againſt the law of God, that they are not onely weake and beggerly rudiments, and vtterly vnprofitable to righteouſnes, but alſo execrable, accurſed, deuiliſh & dānable: for they blaſpheme grace, they ouerthrow the Goſpel, aboliſh faith, take away Chriſt. &c. For as much then as the Pope requireth that we ſhould kepe his lawes as neceſſary to ſaluation, he is very Antichriſt and the Vicar of Sathā. And as many as cleaue vnto him, & cōfirme his abhominatiōs & blaſphemies, or kepe them to this ende, that therby they may merite the forgeuenes of their ſinnes, are the ſeruaunts of Antichriſt & of the Deuil. Now, ſuch hath the doctrine of the Papiſticall church ben of a lōg time, yt theſe lawes ought to be kept as neceſſary to ſaluatiō. Thus the Pope ſitteth in the temple of God, vaunting him ſelfe to be God: he ſetteth him ſelfe againſt God,1 Theſ. 2.[illegible: 1 letter]. and exalteth himſelfe aboue all that is called God or worſhipped &c: And mens conſciences more feared & reuerenced the lawes and ordinaunces of the Pope, then the word of God & his ordinaūces.The Popes triple crovvn. By this meanes he was made the Lord of heauen, of earth, and of hell, and bare a triple crowne vpon his head. The Cardinals alſo & Biſhops his creatures, were made Kings & Princes of ye world: And therfore if he did not burden mens conſciences wt his lawes, he could not long maintaine his terrible power, his dignitie and his riches: but his whole kingdom would quickly fall. This place which Paule here handleth, is weightie and of great importance,To fall from the grace of God. and therefore the more diligently to be marked: to witte, that they which fall from grace to the law, doe vtterly loſe the knowledge of the truth: they ſee not their owne ſinnes: they neither know God nor the Deuill, nor them ſelues: and moreouer they vnderſtand not the force and vſe of the lawe,VVhat iudgemēt they geue of the lavve, that knovv not Chriſte. although they bragge neuer ſo much that they keepe and obſerue the ſame. For without the knowledge of grace, that is to ſay, without the Goſpell of Chriſt, it is impoſſible for a man to geue this definition of the lawe, that it is a weake and a beggerly rudiment, and vnprofitable to righteouſnes. But he rather iudgeth quite contrary of the law: to witte, that it is not onely neceſſary to ſaluation, but alſo that it ſtrengthneth ſuch as are weake, and enricheth ſuch as are poore and beggerly: that is to ſay, that ſuch as obey and obſerue the ſame, ſhall be able to merite righteouſnes and euerlaſting ſaluation. If this opinion remaine, the promiſe of God is denied, Chriſte is taken away, lying, impietie and idolatrie is eſtabliſhed.The thundrings of Luther againſt the Pope and his lavves. Now, the Pope with all his Biſhops, his Schooles, and whole Sinagoge, taught that his lawes are neceſſary to ſaluation: Therfore he was a teacher of weake and beggerly elements, wherwith he made the Church of Chriſt thorow out the whole world, moſt weake & beggerly: that is to ſay, he burdened and miſerably tormented the Church with his wicked lawes, defacing Chriſt and burying his Goſpell.

Verſe. 9. VVhervnto ye vvill be in bondage againe. This he addeth, to declare that he ſpeaketh of proud and preſumpteous hypocrites, which ſeeke to be iuſtified by the law, as I haue ſhewed before. For otherwiſe he calleth the law holy and good.1. Timot. 1.[illegible: 1 letter]. As 1. Timot. 1. VVe knovv that the lavv is good, if it be rightly vſed: to witte, ciuily to bridle euill doers, and ſpiritually to encreaſe tranſgreſſions.Galath. 3.19. But, whoſoeuer obſerueth the lawe to obtaine righteouſnes before God, maketh the lawe which is good,1. Timot. c. 7. damnable and hurtfull vnto him ſelfe. He reproueth the Galathians therefore, becauſe they would be in bondage to the lawe againe, which doth not take away ſinne, but encreaſeth ſinne. For whileſt a ſinner, being weake and poore of himſelf, ſeeketh to be iuſtified by the lawe, he findeth nothing in it but weakenes and pouertie it ſelfe. And here two ſicke and feeble beggers meete together, of whom the one is not able to helpe and heale the other, but rather moleſteth and troubleth the other. We, as being ſtrong in Chriſte, will gladly ſerue the lawe: not the weake and beggerly, but the mightie and rich lawe: that is to ſay, ſo farre forth as it hath power and dominion ouer the body. For then we ſerue the lawe but onely in our body and outward members, and not in our conſcience. But the Pope requireth that we ſhould obey his lawes with this perſwaſion, that if we doe this or that, we are righteteous: if we doe it not we are damned. Here the lawe is more then a weake and beggerly element. For whiles this bondage of the conſcience continueth vnder the lawe, there can be nothing but meere weaknes and pouertie. Wherefore all the weight of the matter lieth in this word, To ſerue. The meaning therfore of Paule is this, that he would not haue the conſcience to ſerue vnder the lawe as a captiue, but to be free and to haue dominion ouer the lawe. For the conſcience is dead to the law through Chriſt, and the law againe vnto the cōſcience: Wherof we haue more largely entreated afore in the ſecond Chapter.

Verſe. 10. Ye obſerue dayes and monethes, times and yeares, By theſe words he plainly declareth what ye falſe apoſtles taught,The doctrine of the falſe apoſtles. namely ye obſeruation of dayes, moneths, times & yeares. The Iewes were commaunded to kepe holy the Saboth daye, the new Moones, the firſt and the ſeueth moneth, the three appoynted times or feaſtes,The holy dayes of the Ievves. namely, the paſcall or paſſeouer, the feaſt of weekes, of ye tabernacles, and the yere of Iubilie. Theſe ceremonies the Galathians were alſo conſtrained by the falſe apoſtles to kepe as neceſſary to righteouſnes. Therfore he ſayth that they, loſing ye grace & liberty which they had in Chriſte, were turned backe to the ſeruing of weake and beggerly elements. For they were perſwaded by ye falſe apoſtles, that theſe lawes muſt nedes be kept, and by keping of them they ſhould obteine righteouſnes: but if they kept them not they ſhould be damned. Contrariwiſe Paule can in no wiſe ſuffer that mens conſciences ſhould be bound to the law of Moſes, but alwayes deliuereth them from the law. Behold I Paule (ſayeth he a litle after in the .5. chap.) do vvrite vnto you, Galath. 5.2. that if ye be circūciſed, Coloſſ. 2.16. Chriſte shall profit you nothing. And Coloſſ. 2. Let no mā iudge you in meat or drink, or in a peece of an holy day, or of a nevv Moone, Luke 17.20. or Saboth day. &c. So ſayth our Sauiour Chriſte: The kingdō of God cometh not vvith obſeruation of the lavv. Much leſſe then are mens conſciences, to be burdened & ſnared wt mens traditiōs.

Verſe. 11. I am in feare of you, leſt I haue beſtovved on you labour in vaine. Here Paule ſheweth him ſelfe to be greatly troubled through the fall of the Galathians: whom he would more bitterly reproue, but that he feareth leſt if he ſhould deale with them more ſharply,The fatherly affection of Paul tovvards the Galathiās. he ſhould not onely not make them better, but more offend them and ſo vtterly alienate their mindes from him. Therfore in wryting he chaungeth and mitigateth his words, and as though all the harme redoūded vnto him ſelfe, he ſayth: I am in feare of you leſt I haue beſtovved my labour on you in vaine: That is to ſay, it greueth me that I haue preached ye goſpell wt ſo great diligence and faithfulnes amongſt you, and ſee no frute to come therof. Notwithſtanding, although he ſhew a very louing & a fatherly affection towards them, yet withall he chideth them ſomwhat ſharply, but yet couertly. For when he ſayeth, that he had laboured in vaine,VVhat this vvord, to labour i[illegible: 1 letter] vaine, importeth. that is to ſay, that he had preached the Goſpell among them wt out any frute, he ſheweth couertly that either they were obſtinate vnbeleuers, or elſe were falne from ye doctrine of faith. Now, both theſe, as wel vnbeleuers as backſliders from ye doctrine of faith, are ſinners, wicked, vnrighteous & dāned. Such therfore do obey the law in vaine, they obſerue daies, moneths & yeres in vaine. And in theſe words: I am in feare of you, leſt I haue beſtovved on you labour in vaine, is cōtained a certaine ſecret excōmunication. For ye Apoſtle meaneth hereby yt the Galathiās were ſecluded & ſeparate frō Chriſt, vnleſſe they ſpedely returned to ye ſincere & ſound doctrine againe: yet he pronoūced no open ſentence againſt them. For he perceaued that he could do no good with ouer ſharpe dealing: wherefore he chaungeth his ſtile, and ſpeaketh them very faire, ſaying:

Verſe. 12. Be ye as I: for I am euen as you. Hetherto Paule hath ben occupied wholy in teaching, and being moued with this great enormitie and wicked reuolting of the Galathians, he was vehemētly incenſed againſt them, and chid them bitterly, calling them fooles, bewitched, not beleuing the truth, crucifiers of Chriſt, &c. Now, the greater part of his Epiſtle being finiſhed,The Apoſtle novv ſpeketh them faire, vvhom before he did ſharply chide. he beginneth to perceiue that he had handled them too ſharply. Therefore being carefull leſt he ſhould doe more hurt then good through his ſeueritie, he ſheweth that this his ſharpe chiding proceded of a fatherly affection and a true Apoſtolical heart: And ſo he amplifieth the matter with ſweete and gentle wordes, to the ende that if he had offended any (as no dout there were many offended) by theſe ſweete & louing words he might winne them againe. And here by his owne example he admoniſheth all Paſtours and Miniſters, that they ought to beare a fatherly and motherly affection:A right patern of a godly paſtour. not towardes rauening wolues, but towardes the poore ſheepe, miſerably ſeduced and going aſtray, patiently bearing with their faultes and infirmities,Galath. 6.1. inſtructing and reſtoring them wt the ſpirite of mekenes: For they can not be brought into the right way againe by any other meanes: and by ouer ſharpe reprouing and rebuking they are prouoked to anger, or elſe to deſperation, but not to repentaunce. And here is to be noted by the way, that ſuch is the nature and frute of true and ſound doctrine, that when it is well taught and well vnderſtand,The frute of ſoūd doctrine. it ioyneth mens hearts together with a ſinguler concord: but when men reiect godly and ſincere doctrine, and embrace errors, this vnitie and concord is ſoone broken.The agrement of mindes is broken by vvicked doctrine. Therfore as ſoone as thou ſeeſt thy brethern ſeduced by vaine and fantaſticall ſpirites, to fall from the article of Iuſtification, thou ſhalt perceiue that by and by they wil purſue the faithfull with bitter hatred, whom before they moſt tenderly loued. This we find to be true at this day in our falſe brethern and other Sectaries, who at the beginning of the reformation of the Goſpell, were glad to heare vs, and redde our Bookes with great zeale and affection. They acknowledged the grace of the holy Ghoſt in vs, and reuerenced vs for the ſame as the miniſters of God. Some of them alſo liued familiarly with vs for a time, and behaued them ſelues very modeſtly and ſoberly.They vvhich fall frō ſound doctrine, become vvorſe thē they vver before. But when they were departed from vs and peruerted by the wicked doctrine of the Sectaries, they ſhewed them ſelues more bitter enemies to our doctrine & our name then any other. I doe much and often maruell whervpon they ſhould conceiue ſuch a deadly hatred againſt vs, whom they before ſo dearly and ſo tenderly loued: For we offended them not in any thing, nor gaue them any occaſion to hate vs. Yea they are conſtrained to confeſſe yt we deſire nothing more then that the glory of God may be aduaunced, the benefite of Chriſte truely knowne, and the truth of the Goſpel purely taught: which God hath now againe in theſe later dayes reueiled by vs vnto this vnthankfull world: which thing ſhould rather prouoke them to loue vs then to hate vs. I maruel therfore not without cauſe, wherof this chaunge cometh. Verely there is no other cauſe, but that they haue gotten vnto them ſelues new maſters & harkened to new teachers, whoſe poyſon hath ſo infected thē, that now of very frends they are become our mortall enemies.The conditiō of the Apoſtles. And I ſee the condition of the Apoſtles & all other faithful miniſters to be ſuch, that their diſciples and hearers being once infected with the errours of the falſe Apoſtles and heretikes, haue & doe ſet them ſelues againſt them, and become their enemies. There were very fewe amongſt the Galathians which continued in the ſound doctrine of the Apoſtle: All the reſt being ſeduced by the falſe apoſtles, did not acknowledge Paule for their paſtour and teacher any more: yea there was nothing more odious vnto them then the name and doctrine of Paule. And I feare me that this Epiſtle brought very few of them backe againe from their errour. If the like caſe ſhould happen vnto vs: that is to ſay, if in our abſence our Church ſhould be ſeduced by fantaſticall heads, & we ſhould wryte hither, not one or two, but many Epiſtles: we ſhould preuaile litle or nothing at all. Our men (a few onely excepted of the ſtronger ſort) would vſe themſelues no otherwiſe towardes vs, then they doe at this day which are ſeduced by the Sectaries: who would ſooner worſhip the Pope, then they would obey our admonitions or approue our doctrine. No man ſhall perſwade them that they, reiecting Chriſt, doe returne againe to weake and beggerly elementes, & to thoſe which by nature are no Gods. They can abide nothing leſſe, then to heare that their teachers by whom they are ſeduced, are ouerthrowers of ye Goſpell of Chriſt, and troublers of mens conſciences. The Lutherans (ſay they) are not onely wiſe, they alone doe not preach Chriſte, they alone haue not the holy Ghoſt, the gift of propheſie, and the true vnderſtanding of the Scriptures.The Anabaptiſts bragge altogether of the ſpirite, of illuminations & reuelatiōs. Our teachers are in nothing inferiour vnto them: yea in many things they excell them, becauſe they folowe the ſpirite and teach ſpirituall things. Contrariwiſe they neuer yet taſted what true Diuinitie ment, but ſticke in the letter, and therefore they teach nothing but the Catechiſme, Faith, and charity. &c. Wherfore,Falling from Faith is eaſie. like as to fall in Faith is an eaſie matter (as I am wont to ſay) ſo is it moſt perillous: to witte, euen from the high heauen into the deepe pitte of hell. It is not ſuch as properly foloweth the nature of man, as murther, adultery and ſuch like, but deuiliſh & the proper worke of the deuil. For they which ſo fal, cā not be eaſily recouered again, but moſt cōmonly they continue peruerſe & obſtinate in their errour. Therfore ye later ende of thoſe men is worſe then the beginning: As our Sauiour Chriſt witneſſeth when he ſayth: The vncleane ſpirit being caſt out of his houſe, when he returneth he entreth in againe not alone, but taketh vnto him ſeuen ſpirits worſe then himſelfe, and there dwelleth. &c. Paule therefore perceauing through the reuelation of the holy Ghoſt, that it was to be feared leſt the mindes of the Galathians, whō of a godly zeale he had called foliſh and bewitched. &c. ſhould rather by this ſharpe chiding be more ſtirred vppe againſt him then amended, (eſpecially ſince he now knew that ye falſe apoſtles were among them, who would expoūd this ſharpe chiding which proceded from a fatherly affection to the worſt, and would crie out: Now, Paule which ſome of you ſo greatly praiſe, ſheweth what he is, and with what ſpirit he is led: when he was wt you he would ſeme to be vnto you a father, but his letters ſhew in his abſence that he is a tyranne. &c.) therefore he is ſo troubled through a godly care & fatherly affection, that he can not well tell how and what to wryte to them. For it is a dangerous thing for a man to defend his cauſe with thoſe which are abſent and haue now begun to hate him, who alſo be perſwaded by others that his cauſe is not good. Therfore being in great perplexitie, he ſayth a litle after:Galath. 4.20. I am troubled and at my wittes ende for your cauſe: that is, I know not what to doe, or how to deale with you.

Verſe. 12. Be ye as I am, for I am as ye are. Theſe wordes are to be vnderſtand, not of doctrine, but of affections. Therefore the meaning is not: Be ye as I am: that is to ſay,He mitigateth his former sharpe chiding. thinke of doctrine as I doe: but beare ſuch an affection towardes me as I doe towardes you. As though he would ſay: Perhappes I haue too ſharply chidden you, but pardon this my ſharpnes, and iudge not my heart by my wordes, but my wordes by the affection of my heart. My wordes ſeme rough and my chaſtiſement ſharpe, but my heart is louing and fatherly. Therfore (O my Galathians) take this my chiding with ſuch a minde as I beare towards you: For the matter required that I ſhould ſhew my ſelfe ſo ſharpe and ſeuere towardes you. Euen ſo may we alſo ſay of our ſelues. Our correction is ſeuere, and our maner of wryt[illegible: 1 letter]ng ſharpe and vehement: but certainly there is no bitternes in our heart, no enuie, no deſire of reuenge againſt our aduerſaries: but there is in vs a godly carefulnes and ſorrow of ſpirit. We doe not ſo hate ye Pope and other erroneous ſpirites, that we wiſh any euil vnto them, or deſire their deſtruction: but rather we deſire that they may returne againe to the right way, and be ſaued together with vs.The Maſter. The Scholemaſter chaſtiſeth his ſcholer, not to hurt him, but to reforme him. The rodde is ſharpe, but correction is neceſſary for the childe, and the heart of him that correcteth, louing and frendly. So the father chaſtiſeth his ſonne,The Father. not to deſtroy him, but to reforme & amend him.Chaſtiſement neceſſary and profitable. Stripes are ſharpe and greuous to ye childe, but the fathers heart is louing and kinde: And vnleſſe he loued his childe, he would not chaſtiſe him, but caſt him of, deſpaire of his welfare, and ſuffer him to periſh. This correction therfore which he geueth to his childe, is a token of a fatherly affection, and is profitable for the childe. Euen ſo, O my Galathians, thinke ye likewiſe of my dealing towards you: then will ye not iudge my chiding to be ſharpe and bitter, but profitable for you. Chaſtiſement for the preſent time ſeemeth not to be ioyous, Heb. 12.11. but greuous: but aftervvards it bringeth the quiet frute of righteouſnes vnto them vvhich are exerciſed thereby. Let the ſame affection therfore be in you towardes me, which I haue towardes you. I beare a louing heart towards you: the ſame I deſire againe of you. Thus he ſpeaketh them faire, and with this faire ſpeech he ſtill continueth, that he might pacifie their mindes which were ſtirred vp againſt him by his ſharpe chiding. Notwithſtanding he reuoketh not his ſeuere wordes. In deede he confeſſeth that they were ſharpe and bitter: but neceſſitie (ſayth he) compelled me to reprehend you ſomewhat ſharply & ſeuerely: but that which I did, proceded of a ſincere & louing heart towards you.The Phiſitian. The Phiſitian geueth a bitter potion to his patient, not to hurt him, but to cure him. If then the bitternes of the medicine which is geuen to the ſicke body is not to be imputed to the Phiſitian, but to the medicine and the maladie: iudge ye alſo in like maner of my ſeuere and ſharpe reprehenſion.

Verſe. 12. Brethern, I beſeech you: ye haue not hurt me at all. Is this to beſeech the Galathians, when he calleth them bewitched, diſobedient to the truth, and crucifiers of Chriſte? It ſeemeth rather to be a great rebuke. But contrariwiſe Paule ſayeth, that it is no rebuke but an earneſt beſeeching: and in deede ſo is it.The ſtripes of a friend, are better then the kiſſes of an enemie. And it is as much as if he ſayd: I confeſſe that I haue chidden you ſomewhat bitterly, but take it in good part, and then ſhall ye finde this my chiding, to be no chiding, but a praying and a beſeeching. If a father likewiſe doe ſharply correct his ſonne, it is as much as if he ſayde: My ſonne I pray thee be a good childe. &c. It ſeemeth in deede to be a correction, but if ye reſpect the fathers heart, it is a gentle & an earneſt beſeching.

Verſe. 12. Ye haue not hurt me at all. As if he ſayd: Why ſhould I be angrie with you, or of a malicious minde ſpeake euill of you, ſeing ye haue nothing offended me?An obiection. Why then ſayeſt thou that we are peruerted, that we haue forſaken thy doctrine, that we are fooliſh, bewitched? &c. Theſe things do witneſſe that we haue offended thee. He āſwereth: Ye haue not offended me, but your ſelues: and therefore I am thus troubled, not for mine owne cauſe, but for the loue I beare vnto you. Thinke not therfore that my chiding did procede of malice, or any euill affection. For I take God to witnes, ye haue done me no wrong, but contrariwiſe ye haue beſtowed great benefites vpon me. Thus ſpeaking them faire, he prepareth their mindes to ſuffer his fatherly chaſtiſements wt a childely affection. And this is to tēper wormewode or a bitter potion with honie and ſuger, to make it ſweete againe. So parentes ſpeake their children faire when they haue well beaten them, geuing them apples, peares and other like things, whereby the children know that their parentes loue them and ſeeke to doe them good, how ſharpe ſo euer their correction doth appeare.

Verſe. 13. And ye knovv hovv through infirmitie of the fleſh, I preached the Goſpell vnto you at the firſt. And the triall of me vvhich vvas in my fleſh, ye deſpiſed not, neither abhorred, but ye receaued me as an angell of God, yea, as Chriſt Ieſus. Now he declareth what pleaſures he had receiued of the Galathians. The firſt benefite (ſayth he) which I eſteeme greateſt of all,He praiſeth the Galathiās becauſe they vvere not offended vvith his vveaknes. was this. When I began firſt to preach the Goſpel amōgſt you, & that through infirmitie of the fleſh and great tentatiōs, my croſſe did nothing at all offend you. But ye ſhewed your ſelues ſo louing, ſo kinde and ſo frendly towardes me, that not onely ye were not offended with this my infirmitie of the fleſh, with my tentations and perils wherewith I was almoſt ouerwhelmed: but alſo ye loued me dearly, and receaued me as an angell of God, yea rather as Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe. This is in dede a great commendation of the Galathians,The commendation of the Galathians. that they receaued the Goſpell of a man ſo contemptible and afflicted on euery ſide as Paule was. For where he preached the Goſpell amongeſt them, both the Iewes & and Gentiles murmured and raged againſt him. For all the mightie, wiſe, religious and learned mē, hated, perſecuted, & blaſphemed Paule. With all this the Galathiās were no whit offended, but turning their eyes from the beholding of this infirmitie, theſe tentations & dangers, they did not onely heare that pore, deſpiſed, wretched & afflicted Paule and acknowledged them ſelues to be his diſciples, but alſo they receiued and heard him as an angell of God, yea as Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe. This is a worthy commendation and a ſinguler vertue of the Galathians: and in dede it is ſuch a commendation as he geueth to non of all thoſe to whom he wrote, beſides theſe Galathians. VVhat the infirmitie of the flesh is after Ieromes opinion. Ierome and certaine other of the auncient fathers expound this infirmitie of the fleſh in Paule, to be ſome diſeaſe of the body, or ſome tentation of luſt. Theſe men liued when the Church was outwardly in a peaceable and proſperous eſtate without any croſſe or perſecution. For then the Biſhops began to encreaſe in riches,The iudgemēt of the fathers vvhen the church vvas in proſperitie. eſtimation & glory in the world. And many alſo exerciſed tyrannie ouer the people which were cōmitted to their charge, as ye Eccleſiaſtical hyſtorie witneſſeth. Few did their duetie, and they that would ſeme to doe it, forſaking the doctrine of the Goſpel,Marke that vvhen the church began to grovve in honour and vvealth of the vvorld, it decreaſed in vertue, knovvledge, and other ſpirituall giftes vvhich before it poſſeſſed. ſet forth their owne decrees to yt people. Now, when the Paſtours and Biſhops are not exerciſed in the word of God, but neglect the pure and ſincere preaching therof: they muſt nedes fall into ſecuritie: For they are not exerciſed with tentatiōs, with yt croſſe and perſecutions, which are wont alwayes vndoutedly to folow ye pure preaching of the word: Therefore it was impoſſible that they ſhould vnderſtand Paule. But we by the grace of God, haue ſound and ſincere doctrine, which alſo we preach and teach freely, and therfore are compelled to beare the bitter hatred, afflictions and perſecutions of ye Deuill and the world. And if we were not exerciſed outwardly by tyrānes and Sectaries wt force and ſubtiltie, and inwardly with terrours and the fierie dartes of ye Deuil, Paule ſhould be as obſcure and vnknowne vnto vs as he was in times paſt to the whole world, and is yet to the Papiſts, the Anabaptiſts and other our aduerſaries.VVho they are that beſt vnderſtād the Scriptures. Therfore ye gift of knowledge and interpretation of the Scriptures, and our diligēce, with our inward and outward tentations, open vnto vs the meaning of Paule, and the ſenſe of all the holy Scriptures. Paule therfore calleth the infirmitie of the fleſh,VVhat the vveaknes of the flesh is, vvhich Paule ſpeaketh of. no diſeaſe of ye body or tentation of luſt, but his ſuffring and affliction which he ſuſtained in his body: ſo that he ſetteth the ſame againſte the vertue & power of the ſpirit. But leſt we ſhould ſeme to wreſt and peruert Paules wordes, let vs heare himſelfe ſpeaking in the .2. Corrin. 12.2. Corin. 12.9.10 Very gladly vvil I reioyce rather in mine infirmities, that the povver of Chriſt may dvvell in me. Therfore I take pleaſure in infirmities, in reproches, in neceſſities, in perſecutiōs, in anguish for Chriſtes ſake: for vvhē I am vveake then am I ſtrong. And in the .11. chap. In labours more aboundant: 2. Cor. 11.23.24.25. in ſtripes aboue meaſure: in priſons more plenteous: in death ofte. Of the Ievves fiue times receiued I fortie ſtripes ſaue one: I vvas thriſe beaten vvith roddes: I vvas once ſtoned: I ſuffred thriſe shipvvracke. &c. Theſe afflictions which he ſuffred in his body he calleth the infirmitie of the fleſh, & not any corporall diſeaſe. As though he would ſay: When I preached the Goſpel amōgſt you, I was oppreſſed with ſondry tentations & afflictions. I was alwayes in daunger both of the Iewes, of the Gentiles & alſo of falſe brethern. I ſuffred hunger, and wā ted all things. I was as the very filth and of ſcouring of the world. He maketh mētion of this his infirmitie in many places, as in ye. 1. Cor. 4. 2. Cor. 4.6.11.12. and in many other. We ſee then that Paule calleth afflictiōs the infirmities of the fleſh which he ſuffred in ye fleſh, like as yt other Apoſtles, the Prophets, & al godly men did: notwtſtanding he was mighty in ſpirit. For ye power of Chriſt was in him, which alwaies raigned & triumphed through him. Which thing he teſtifieth in yt. 2. Cor. 12. wt theſe words:2. Cor. 12.9.10. For vvhen I am vveake, then am I ſtrōg. Alſo: I vvil gladly reioyce in my infirmities, that the povver of Chriſt may dvvel in me. And in the .2. chapter. Thanks be to God vvhich alvvayes maketh vs to triumph in Chriſt. 2. Cor. 2.14. As though he would ſay: In dede the Deuil, the Iewes & the Gentiles rage cruelly againſt vs: notwithſtāding we continue conſtant & inuincible againſt all their aſſaults,The povver of the ſpirite in Paule. & wil they nil they our doctrine preuaileth & triumpheth. This was the ſtrength & power of yt ſpirit in Paule, againſt the which he ſetteth here the infirmitie and bōdage of the fleſh. Now, this infirmitie of the fleſh in the Godly doth wonderfully offend reaſon. Therfore Paule ſo highly commendeth the Galathians, for that they were not offended with this great infirmitie, and wt this vile and contemptible forme of the croſſe which they ſaw in him: but receaued him as an angell, yea as Chriſt him ſelfe. And Chriſt alſo armeth the Faithfull againſt this baſe and contemptible forme of the croſſe in which he appeared,Math. 11.6. when he ſayeth: Bleſſed is he that is not offended in me. And ſurely it is a great matter that they which beleue in him doe acknowledge him to be the Lord of all, and Sauiour of the world: whom notwithſtanding they heare to haue bene the moſt miſerable of all others, Pſal. 21.7. the laſt of men, yea a very ſcorne of men, and a contempt of the world: briefly, deſpiſed and hated of all men, and condemned to the death of the croſſe, and euen of his owne people, and eſpecially of thoſe that were eſteemed the beſt, the wiſeſt, and holieſt of all other. This is a great matter (I ſay), not to be moued with theſe great offences, and to be able, not onely to contemne them, but alſo to eſteme this pore Chriſt ſo ſpitefully ſcorned, ſpitte vpon, whipped and crucified, more then the riches of all the richeſt, the ſtrength of all the ſtrongeſt, the wiſedom of all ye wiſeſt, the holines of all the holieſt mē, with all the crownes & ſcepters of all the Kings and Princes of the whole world. They therfore are worthily called bleſſed of Chriſt, which are not offended in him. The ſpirituall tentations of Paule.Now, Paule had not onely outward tentations (wherof I haue ſpoken alredy) but alſo inward and ſpirituall tentations, as Chriſt had in the garden: Such as that was wherof he complaineth in the 2. Corrin. 12. that he felt the pricke or ſting of the flesh, 2. Cor. 12.7. and the angell of Satan vvhich buffetted him. This I ſay by the way, becauſe the Papiſts expounded this to be a motion of fleſhly luſt: but it was a ſpirituall tentation. And herein is no repugnance that he addeth this word Flesh, ſaying: A pricke vvas geuen me in my Flesh. Yea he calleth it of purpoſe a pricke in the fleſh. For the Galathians and others which were conuerſant wt Paule, had ſeene him oftentimes in great anguiſh, terrour and heauines of ſpirite. Wherfore the Apoſtles had not onely bodily,2. Cor. 7.5. but alſo ſpirituall tentations, which alſo he confeſſeth in the .2. Cor. 7. with theſe wordes: Fightings vvithout, and terrours vvithin. And Luke ſayeth in the laſt of the Actes,The ſorovv of ſpirite in the Apoſtles. that Paule when he had long ſtriued in the tempeſtes of the ſea, euen vnto heauines of his ſpirite, was againe refreſhed, and waxed bolde when he ſawe the brethern that came from Rome to meete him at the market of Appius and three Tauernes. Alſo, in the .2. Phil. he confeſſeth,Philip. 2.27. that God had mercy vpon him, in that he reſtored Epaphroditus ſo weake and neare to death, vnto health againe, leſt he ſhould haue ſorrow vpon ſorrow. Therefore beſides outward tentations, the Apoſtles alſo ſuffered great anguiſh, heauines and terrours. But why ſayth Paule, that he was not deſpiſed of the Galathians? It ſeemeth that they deſpiſed him, when they fell away from his Goſpell. Paule expoundeth himſelfe. When I firſt preached to you the Goſpell (ſayth he) ye did not as other people for the moſt parte haue done, who being greatly offended through this my infirmitie and tentation of the fleſh, haue deſpiſed and reiected me. For mans reaſon is ſoone offended with this vile and contemptible forme of the croſſe, and iudgeth thoſe that are ſo afflicted to be ſtarke madde which will goe about to cōfort, helpe and ſuccour others: Alſo, thoſe that boaſt of their great riches, that is to ſay, of righteouſnes, ſtrēgth, victory ouer ſinne, death and all euils: of ioy, ſaluation, and euerlaſting life, and yet notwithſtanding they themſelues are needie, weake, heauy hearted and deſpiſed, euill intreated, and ſlaine, as very noyſome poyſons of common weales and of Religion,Iohn. 17.[illegible: 1 letter]. and they that kill them thinke they doe high ſeruice vnto God. Therfore, when they promiſe vnto others eternall treaſures, and they themſelues periſh ſo wretchedly before the world, they are laughed to ſcorne and cōpelled to heare: Luke. 4.32. Phiſitian cure thy ſelfe And hereof come theſe complaints which are euery where in the Pſalmes: I am a vvorme and no man. &c. Againe:Pſal. 22.6.15. Depart not frō me, for tribulation is at hand, and there is none to helpe. &c. This is therfore a great commendation of the Galathians,The praiſe of the Galathians. that they were not offended with this infirmitie and tentation of Paule, but receaued him as an Angell of God, yea as Chriſt Ieſus. It is in dede a great vertue and worthy of great praiſe to heare the Apoſtle. But it is a greater, and a true Chriſtian vertue, to geue eare vnto one ſo miſerable, weake and contemptible as Paule was among the Galathians (as here he witneſſeth of him ſelfe) and to receaue him as an angel from heauen, and to geue him ſuch honour as if he had bene Chriſt Ieſus him ſelfe: and not to be offended with his afflictions being ſo great and ſo many. Wherefore, by theſe wordes he highly commendeth the vertue of the Galathians, which he ſayeth, he will kepe in perpetuall remembraunce, and ſo much eſtemeth the ſame, that he deſireth it may be knowne vnto all men. Notwithſtanding in ſetting forth ſo highly their benefites and praiſes, he ſheweth couertly how entirely they loued him before the comming of the falſe apoſtles, and therwithall he moueth them to continue as they began, and to embrace hym with no leſſe loue and reuerence then they did before. And hereby it may alſo appeare, that the falſe apoſtles had greater aucthoritie amōg the Galathians then Paule himſelfe. For the Galathians being moued with their authoritie, preferred them farre aboue Paule, whom before they ſo dearly loued and receaued as an angell of God. &c.

Verſe. 15. VVhat vvas then your felicitie? As if he would ſay: How happie were ye counted: how much were ye then praiſed and commended? The like maner of ſpeech we haue in the ſong of the virgin Marie: Luke. 1.48. All generations shall call me bleſſed: And theſe words: VVhat vvas then your felicitie? containe in them a certeine vehemēcie. As if he would ſay: ye were not only bleſſed, but in all things moſt bleſſed & highly cōmēded. Thus he goeth about to qualifie & mitigate his bitter potion, that is to ſay, his ſharpe chiding, fearing leſt the Galathians ſhould be offended therwith: eſpecially knowing that ye falſe apoſtles would ſclaūder him and moſt ſpitefully interprete his wordes.Heretikes vvreſt things that are ſpoken vvell to an euill meaning. For this is the qualitie and nature of theſe Vipers, that they will ſclaunder & maliciouſly peruert thoſe words which procede from a ſimple and ſincere heart, and wreſt them cleane contrary to the true ſenſe and meaning thereof. They are maruelous cunning workemen in this matter, farre paſſing all the witte and eloquence of all the Rhetoricians in the world. For they are ledde with a wicked ſpirite, which ſo bewitcheth them, that they being enflamed with a diueliſh rage againſt the Faithfull, can no otherwiſe doe, but maliciouſly interprete and wickedly peruert their wordes and wrytings. Therefore they are like vnto the ſpider, which ſucketh venome out of ſweete and pleaſant flowers: and this procedeth not of the flowers, but of their owne venemous nature, which turneth that into poyſon which of it ſelfe is good and holeſome. Paule therefore by theſe milde and ſweet wordes goeth about to preuent the falſe apoſtles, to the ende they ſhould haue no occaſion to ſclaunder and peruert his wordes after this maner: Paule handleth you very vngentely, he calleth you fooliſh, bewitched, and diſobecient to the truth: which is a ſure token that he ſeeketh not your ſaluation, but accounteth you as damned and reiected from Chriſte.

Ver. 15. For I beare you record, that if it had bene poſſible, ye vvould haue plucked out your ovvne eyes, and haue geuen them to me. He praiſeth the Galathians aboue meaſure. Ye did not onely entreat me (ſayth he) moſt curteouſly and with all reuerence, receauing me as an angell of God &c: but alſo if neceſſitie had required, ye would haue plucked out your owne eyes and geuen them to me: yea, ye would haue beſtowed your liues for me. And in dede the Galathians beſtowed their liues for him: For in that they receaued and mainteined Paule (whom the world accounted, moſt execrable and accurſed) they turned vpon their owne heades as receauers & mainteiners of Paule, the cruell hatred and indignation of all the Iewes and Gentiles. So alſo at this day the name of Luther is moſt odious to yt world.The name of Luther odious. He that praiſeth me, ſinneth worſe then any idolater, blaſphemer, periurer, whoremonger, adulterer, murtherer or theefe. It muſt needes be therfore that the Galathians were wel eſtabliſhed in the doctrine & faith of Chriſt, ſeeing that they wt ſo great daūger of their liues, receaued & maintained Paule which was hated throughout all ye world: For elſe they would neuer haue ſuſtained ye cruel hatred of the whole world.

Verſ. 16. Am I therfore becōe your enemy, becauſe I tel you the truth? Here he ſheweth the reaſon, why he ſpeaketh the Galathians ſo faire. For he ſuſpecteth that they take him for their enemie, becauſe he had reproued them ſo ſharply. I pray you (ſayth he) ſet apart theſe rebukes, and ſeparate them from doctrine, and ye ſhal finde that my purpoſe was not to rebuke you, but to teach you the truth. In deede I confeſſe that my Epiſtle is ſharpe and ſeuere: but by this ſeueritie I goe about to call you backe againe to the truth of the Goſpel, from ye which ye are falne, and to kepe you in the ſame: therfore applie this ſharpnes & this bitter potiō, not to your perſons, but to your diſeaſe: And iudge me not to be your enemy in rebuking you ſo ſharply, but rather thinke that I am your father. For vnleſſe I loued you dearly as my children, and knew alſo that I am beloued of you, I would not haue reproued you ſo ſharply. It is the part of a frend, freely to admoniſh his frend if he doe amiſſe: and when he is ſo admoniſhed, if he be wiſe he is not angry with the other which hath ſo frendly admoniſhed him and tolde him the truth, but geueth him thanks. It is commonly ſeene in the world that truth bringeth hatred,Truth procureth hatred. and that he is accounted an enemie which ſpeaketh the truth. But amongſt frendes it is not ſo: much leſſe amongſt Chriſtians. Seing therefore I haue reprehended you of mere loue, to the ende ye might abide in the truth, ye ought not to be offended with me, nor loſe the truth or thinke me your enemie becauſe of my fatherly reprehenſion. All theſe things are ſpoken of Paule, to confirme that which he ſayd before: Be ye as I am: Ye haue not hurt me. &c.

Verſe. 17. They are ielous ouer you amiſſe. &c. He reproueth here the flattery of the falſe apoſtles. For Satan is wont by his miniſters, through wonderfull ſubtiltie & craftie ſleightes to begile the ſimple:Rom. 16.18. As Paule ſayth Rom. 16. VVith faire ſpeech and flattering they deceaue the hearts of the ſimple. For firſt of all they make great proteſtations that they ſeeke nothing elſe but the aduaūcement of Gods glory: and moreouer that they are moued by the ſpirite (becauſe the miſerable people are neglected, or elſe becauſe the truth is not purely taught of others) to teach the infallible truth,1. Timot. 2.4. that by this meanes the elect may be deliuered from errour, and may come to the true light & knowledge of the truth. Moreouer, they promiſe vndouted ſaluation to thoſe that receaue their doctrine. If vigilant and faithfull paſtors doe not withſtand theſe rauening wolues, they will doe great harme to ye church vnder this pretēce of godlines & vnder this ſheepes clothing.Math. 7.15. For ye Galathiās might ſay: Why doſt thou inuey ſo bitterly againſt our teachers,Paule anſvvereth here to an obiection that might be made againſt him. for that they be iealous ouer vs? For that which they doe, they doe of zeale & mere loue: this ought not to offend thee, &c. In dede (ſayeth he) they are ielous ouer you, but their ielouſie is not good. Here note that zeale or ielouſie, properly ſignifieth an angrie loue,Zeale. or, as ye would ſay, a godly enuie. Elias ſayth: I haue bene very ielous for the Lord of hoſtes. After this maner the huſband is ielous towardes his wife,2. Reg. 19.1[illegible: 1 letter]. the father towardes his ſonne, the brother towards his brother: that is to ſay, they loue them entierly: yet ſo that they hate their vices and goe about to amend them. Such a zeale the falſe Apoſtles pretended to beare towardes the Galathians. Paule in dede confeſſeth that they were very zelous towardes the Galathians,The ſimple are deceaued by the pretence and fained zeale of heretikes. but their zeale (ſayth he) was not good. Now, by this colour and ſubtil pretēce the ſimple are deceaued, when theſe ſeducers doe make them to beleue that they beare a great zeale and affection towardes them, and that they beare a great zeale and affection towardes them, and that they are very carefull for them. Paule therfore warneth vs here to put a difference betwixt a good zeale and an euill zeale.A good zeale & an euill zeale. In deede a good zeale is to be cōmended, but not an euil zeale. I am as zelous ouer you (ſaith Paule) as they. Now iudge ye which of our zeales is better, mine or theirs: which is good and godly, which is euill and carnall. Therfore let not their zeale ſo eaſily ſeduce you. For,

Ver. 17. They vvould exclude you, that you shuld altogether loue thē. As if he ſayd: True it is, that they are very zealous towards you,The zeale of the falſe apoſtles. but by this meanes they ſeeke that ye againe ſhould be zelous towards them, and reiect me. If their zeale were ſincere and godly, then ſurely they would be content that I alſo ſhould be beloued of you as well as they. But they hate our doctrine, and therfore their deſire is to haue it vtterly ouerthrowne, & their owne preached amongſt you. Now, to yt ende they might bring this to paſſe, they goe about by this ielouſie to plucke your hearts from me, & to make me odious vnto you: to ye ende that when ye haue conceiued an hatred againſt me & my doctrine, and turned your affection & zeale towards them, ye ſhould loue them onely, & receiue no other doctrine but theirs. Thus he bringeth the falſe apoſtles into ſuſpition among the Galathians, ſhewing that by this goodly pretence they goe about to deceiue them. So our Sauiour Chriſte alſo warneth vs, ſaying: Take heede of falſe prophets, Math. 7.15. vvhich come to you in sheepes clothing. Paule ſuffred ye ſame tentation which we ſuffer at this day. He was maruelouſly troubled wt this enormitie,Many euils folovved Paules doctrine, notvvithſtanding that it vvas godly and holy. that after the preaching of his doctrine which was diuine & holy, he ſaw ſo many ſects, commotiōs, diſſipations of common weales, chaūges of kingdoms and ſuch other like things to enſue, which were the cauſe of infinite euils & offences. He was accuſed of ye Iewes to be a pernicious felow, a mouer of ſedition in his whole nation,Actes. 24.5. and to be an author of the ſecte of the Nazarites. As if they had ſayd: This is a ſeditious and a blaſphemous fellow: for he preacheth ſuch things wherby he not onely ouerthroweth ye Iewiſh common wealth excellently well ordred and ſtabliſhed by the lawes of God: but alſo aboliſheth euen the ten commaundements, the religion and ſeruice of God, and our prieſthoode and publiſheth thorow out the world the Goſpell (as he calleth it): whereof are ſprong infinite euilles, ſeditions, offences, and ſectes. He is compelled to heare of ye Gentiles alſo which cried out againſt him in Philippi,Actes. 16.20.21. that he was a troubler of their Citie, and preached ordinaūces which were not lawfull for them to receaue. &c. Such troubles of common weales and other calamities, as famine,The Ievves imputed all euils to the doctrine of the Apoſtles. warres, diſſenſions and Sects, ye Iewes and Gentiles imputed to the doctrine of Paule and of the other Apoſtles: and therefore they perſecuted them as cōmō plages, & enemies of ye publike peace & religion. The Apoſtles notwtſtanding all this did not ceaſe to doe their office, but moſt conſtantly preached & confeſſed Chriſt. For they knew yt they ſhould rather obey God then men: and that it was better that the whole world ſhould be troubled & in an vprore,Actes. 5.29. then that Chriſt ſhould not be preached, or that one ſoule ſhould be neglected and periſh. In the meane time it was (no dout) a heauy croſſe to the Apoſtles to ſee theſe offences: for they were not made of iron. It was a wonderfull greefe vnto them that that people for whoſe ſakes Paule wiſhed to be ſeparate from Chriſt, ſhould periſh with all their ornaments. They ſaw that great tumultes & chaunges of kingdoms ſhould follow theyr doctrine. Rom. 9.3. The Apoſtles vvere the beholders of great euils, not vvithout their great griefe. And (which was more bitter vnto them then death it ſelf, but ſpecially to Paule) they ſawe that euen amongs them there ſprang vp many Sectes. It was heauy newes to Paule, when he heard that the Corinthians denied the reſurrection of the dead: when he heard that the churches which were planted by his miniſtery were troubled, that the Goſpell was ouerthrowne by the falſe apoſtles, and that all Aſia was reuolted from his doctrine, and certaine great perſonages. But he knew that his doctrine was not ye cauſe of theſe offences and Sects,The conſolation of Paule. and therfore he was not diſcouraged: he forſoke not his vocation, but went forward, knowing that ye Goſpel which he preached was ye power of God to ſaluation to all that beleue,Rom. 1.16. howſoeuer it ſeemed to ye Iewes & Gētiles to be a foliſh & offenſiue doctrine.1. Cor. 1.23. He knew that they are bleſſed which are not offended by this word of the croſſe, whether they be teachers or hearers, as Chriſt hīſelf ſayth: Bleſſed is he vvhich is not offended in me. Math. 11.6. Contrariwiſe he knew that they were condemned, which iudged this doctrine to be fooliſh & hereticall. Therfore he ſayth as Chriſte ſaid of the Iewes and Gentiles which were offended wt this doctrine: Math. 15.14. All the troubles vvhich are at this day the vvorld layeth vnto Luthers charge. Let thē alone, they are blind, & leaders of the blind. We alſo are conſtrained at this day to heare the ſame ſpoken of vs, which was ſayd of Paule & the other Apoſtles: to witte, that ye doctrine of the Goſpel which we profeſſe, is the cauſe of many & great enormities, as of ſeditions, warres, ſects and innumerable offences. Yea they impute vnto vs al the troubles which are at this day. Surely we teach no hereſies or wicked doctrine, but we preach ye glad tidings cōcernīg Chriſt, that he is our high Prieſt & our Redemer. Moreouer, our aduerſaries are conſtrained (if they will confeſſe the truth) to graunt vs this, that we haue geuen no occaſion through our doctrine, of ſeditiōs, warres, or tumults: but alwayes haue taught that honour & reuerence muſt be geuen to the Magiſtrate, becauſe God hath ſo commaunded. Neither are we ye authors of offences: but in that the wicked are offended, the fault is in thēſelues and not in vs. God hath cōmaunded vs to preach the doctrine of the Goſpell without any reſpect of offence. But becauſe this doctrine condemneth the wicked doctrine and idolatrie of our aduerſaries, they being prouoked thereby, breede offences of thē ſelues, which the Schoolemen called offences taken,Offence tak[illegible: 1 letter] which they ſayd ought not to be auoided, nor can be auoided. Chriſt taught the Goſpell, hauing no regard to the offence of the Iewes. Suffer thē (ſayth he): they are blinde, & leaders of the blinde. Math. 15.14. Actes. 4.31. Acts. 2.21.36. Actes. 2.36. Actes. 4.12. The more the prieſts forbad ye Apoſtles to preach in ye name of Chriſt, the more the Apoſtles gaue witneſſe that the ſame Ieſus whom they had crucified, is both Lord and Chriſte: and vvhoſoeuer should call vpon him, should be ſaued: and that there vvas none other name geuen vnto men vnder heauē through vvhich they could be ſaued. &c. Euen ſo we preach Chriſt at this day,The cōplaints of the aduerſaries againſt the doctrine of the goſpell. not regarding the clamours of the wicked Papiſts and all our aduerſaries: which crie out that our doctrine is ſeditious and full of blaſphemie, that it troubleth common weales, ouerthroweth religion, and teacheth hereſies, and briefly that it is the cauſe of all euils. When Chriſte and his Apoſtles preached,Iohn. 11.48. the ſame was ſayde likewiſe of them. Not long after, the Romanes came, and according to their owne propheſie, deſtroyed both the place and ye nation. Wherfore let the enemies of the Goſpel at this day take heede that they be not ouerwhelmed with theſe euils, which they propheſie vnto themſelues. Theſe they make greeuous and hainous offences,The Papiſtes iuſtifie their ovvne horrible ſinnes, and condemne our good deedes. that Monks and prieſts doe marry wiues, that we eate fleſh vpon the fridayes, and ſuch like. But this is no offence to them at al, that by their wicked doctrine they ſeduce & daily deſtroy innumerable ſoules, yt by their euill examples they offend the weake, that they blaſpheme & condemne ye goſpell of the glory of the mighty God, and that they perſecute and kil thoſe ye loue the ſinceritie of doctrine & the word of life: this (I ſay) is to them no offence, but an obedience, a ſeruice and an acceptable ſacrifice vnto God.Math. 15.14. Apoc. 22.11. Let vs [illegible: 2 letters]er them therfore: For they are blinde, and leaders of the blinde. He that hurteth, let him hurt ſtill, and he that is filthie, let him be more filthie. But we, becauſe we beleue, will ſpeake and ſette forth the wonderful works of the Lord ſo long as we haue breath, and wil endure ye perſecutiōs of our aduerſaries vntill the time that Chriſt our high Biſhop and King ſhall come from heauen, who we hope will come ſhortly as a iuſt iudge to take vengeaunce of all thoſe that obey not his Goſpell.1. Theſ. 1.8. So be it. With theſe offences which the wicked alledge, the godly are nothing moued: For they know that the Deuill hateth nothing more then the pure doctrine of the Goſpel,The Deuil defaceth the goſpell vvith infinite offences. & therefore he goeth about to deface it wt innumerable offences, that by this meanes he might roote it out of mens heartes for euer. Before, when nothing elſe was taught in the church but mans traditions, the Deuil did not ſo rage. For whileſt the ſtrong man kept the houſe, all that he poſſeſſed was in peace: but now when a ſtronger cometh which vanquiſheth and bindeth that ſtrong one and ſpoileth his houſe,Luke. 11.21.22. then he beginneth to rage in deede. And this is an infallible token, that the doctrine which we profeſſe is of God.Iob. 40.16. For elſe (as it is ſayd in ye 40. of Iob) that Behemoth vvould lie hid vnder the trees in the couert of the reede and fennes. But now, that he rangeth about like a roring Lion & ſtirreth vp ſuch hurly burleis,1. Pet. 5.8. it is a manifeſt token that he feeleth ye power of our preaching. When Paule ſayth: They are ielous ouer you, but amiſſe, he ſheweth by the way who are the authors of ſectes: to witte, thoſe ielous ſpirits which in all times ouerthrow the true doctrine,Zelous ſpirits vvithous knovvledge, are the authors of Sectes. and trouble the publike peace. For theſe being ſtirred vp wt a peruerſe zeale, imagine that they haue a certaine ſinguler holines, modeſtie, patience and doctrine aboue others, & therfore they thinke that they are able to prouide for ye ſaluation of all men, yt they can teach more profound & profitable things, ordaine better ſeruice & ceremonies then all other teachers beſides: whom they deſpiſe as nothing in cōpariſon of themſelues, and abaſe their authority, and corrupt thoſe things which they haue purely taught. The falſe apoſtles had ſuch a wicked & peruerſe zeale, ſtirring vp ſects, not onely in Galatia, but alſo in all ye places wherſoeuer Paul & the other Apoſtles had preached: after the which ſectes folowed innumerable offences & maruelous troubles. For the Deuil (as Chriſt ſayth) is a lier and a murtherer, Iohn. 8.44. and therefore he is wont, not onely to trouble mens conſciences by falſe doctrine, but alſo to ſtirre vppe tumultes, ſeditions and warres. There are very many in Germanie at this day which are poſſeſſed with this kinde of ielouſie: which pretend great religion, modeſty, doctrine & patience, and yet in very deede they are rauening wolues:Math. 7.15. who with their hypocriſie ſeeke nothing elſe but to diſcredite vs, that the people might eſteme, loue, and reuerence them onely, and receaue no other doctrine but theirs. Now, becauſe theſe men haue a great opinion of them ſelues & deſpiſe other, it can not be but that there muſt needes folow horrible diſſentions, ſectes, diuiſions and ſeditions. But what ſhould we doe? We can not remedy this matter: as Paule could not doe in hi time. Notwithſtanding he gained ſome which obeyed his admonitions. So I hope alſo that we haue called ſome backe from the errours of the Sectaries.

Verſe. 18. But it is a good thing to loue earneſtly alvvayes in a good thing, and not onely vvhen I am preſent vvith you. As if he ſhould ſay: I commend you for this, that ye loued me ſo entirely when I preached the Goſpel amongſt you in the infirmitie of ye fleſh. Ye ought to haue borne ye ſame affection towards me now whē I am abſent, euē as if I had neuer departed from you. For although I be abſent in body, yet haue ye my doctrine, which ye ought to retain & maintain, ſeeing ye receiued ye holy ghoſt through it: thinking wt your ſelues that Paule is alwaies preſent wt you as long as ye haue his doctrine. I do not therfore reprehend your zeale, but I praiſe it, & ſo farre forth I praiſe it, as it is the zeale of God or of the ſpirite,The zeale of the ſpirit, and the zeale of the flesh. and not of the fleſh. Now, the zeale of the ſpirite is alwayes good: for it is an earneſt affection and motion of the heart to a good thing, and ſo is not ye zeale of the fleſh. He commendeth therfore the zeale of the Galathians, that therby he may pacifie their mindes, and that they may patiently ſuffer his correction. As if he would ſay: Take my correction in good parte: for it procedeth not of an angrie but of a ſorrowfull heart and careful for your ſaluation.A liuely picture of a faith full paſtor. 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.The Apoſtles are parents. For as the parents beget the bodely forme, euen ſo the other beget the forme of the minde.The forme of a Chriſtian minde, and hovv it is gotten. 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,1. Cor. 4.15. 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.1. Cor. 3.3. 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:The forme of Chriſte. 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. Galath. [illegible: 1 letter].13. 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. Coloſſ. 3.10. Paule therefore goeth about to repaire the forme of Chriſte in the Galathians that was diſfigured and corrupted by the falſe apoſtles: which is,VVho be like to God. 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.Epheſ. 4.24. 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:Philip. 2.5[illegible: 1 letter] 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,An Epiſtle or letter is a dead meſſenger. 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, ye 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 comfort the weake with ſweete & louing wordes, as occaſion ſhould require.

Verſe. 20. For I am troubled for you. That is to ſay: I am ſo troubled in my ſpirite, that I know not how by letters to behaue my ſelfe towardes you. Here is a liuely deſcription of the true affections of an Apoſtle. He omitteth nothing: he chideth the Galathians: he entreateth them: he ſpeaketh them faire: he highly commendeth their Faith, labouring by all meanes to bring them backe againe to the truth of the Goſpell,The true affections of an Apoſtle. and to deliuer them out of the ſnares of the falſe apoſtles. Theſe are vehement words, proceding from a heart ſtirred vppe and enflamed with a hot burning zeale, and therfore ought diligently to be conſidered.

Verſe. 21. Tell me, ye that vvill be vnder the lavve, doe ye not heare the lavve? Here would Paule haue cloſed vp his Epiſtle: for he deſired not to wryte any more, but rather to be preſent with the Galathians, and to ſpeake vnto them him ſelfe. But he being in great perplexitie and very carefull for this matter, taketh by the way this allegorie,The vſe of allegories and ſimilitudes. which then came into his minde. For the people are greatly delighted with allegories and ſimilitudes, and therfore Chriſte himſelfe oftentimes vſeth them. For they are as it were certaine pictures which ſet forth things as if they were painted before the eyes of the ſimple, and therefore they moue and perſwade very much, eſpecially the ſimple and ignorant. Firſt therfore he ſtirreth vp the Galathians with words and wrytings: Secondly he painteth out the matter it ſelfe before theyr eyes with this goodly allegorie. Now,Hovv Paule handleth allegories. Paule was a maruelous cunning workman in handling of allegories: For he is wont to applie them to the doctrine of Faith, to grace and to Chriſt, and not to the law and the workes therof, as Origen and Hierom doe,Origen and Hierom. who are worthely reprehended for that they turned the plaine ſentences of the Scripture, where allegories haue no place, into vnfitte and fooliſh allegories. Therfore to vſe allegories it is oftentimes a very daungerous thing. For vnleſſe a man haue the perfect knowledge of Chriſtian doctrine, he can not vſe allegories rightly and as he ſhould doe. But why doth Paule call the booke of Geneſis,VVhy Paule calleth the booke of Geneſis the lavv. out of the which he aleageth the hyſtorie of Iſmael and of Iſaack, the lawe, ſeeing that booke containeth nothing at all concerning the law: and ſpecially that place which he aledgeth ſpeaketh not of any law, but onely containeth a plaine hyſtorie of Abrahams two children. Paule is wont to call the firſt booke of Moſes the lawe after the maner of the Iewes, which although it cōtaine no law beſides the law of circumciſion, but the principall doctrine therof is concerning Faith, and that the Patriarkes pleaſed God becauſe of their Faith, yet the Iewes notwithſtanding, onely becauſe of the law of circumciſion which is there contained, called the booke of Geneſis the lawe, as well as the other bookes of Moſes. So did Paule him ſelfe alſo being a Iewe. And Chriſt vnder the title of the lawe, comprehendeth not onely the bookes of Moſes, but alſo ye Pſalmes. Iohn 15. But it is, Iohn. 15.25. Pſal 35.19. that the vvord might be fulfilled vvhich is vvrytten in their lavve: They hated me vvithout a cauſe.

Verſ. 22.23. For it is vvrytten, that Abraham had tvvo ſonnes, one by a ſeruaunt, and one by a free vvoman. But he vvhich vvas of the ſeruaunt vvas borne after the flesh: and he vvhich vvas of the free vvoman, vvas borne after the ſpirite. As if he ſayd: Ye forſake grace, Faith and Chriſte, and turne backe againe to the lawe: ye will be vnder the lawe, and become wiſe through it. Therefore I will talke with you of the lawe. I pray you then,Abrahams tvvo ſonnes. conſider the lawe diligently. Ye ſhall finde that Abraham had two ſonnes, Iſmael by Agar, and Iſaack by Sara. They were both the true ſonnes of Abraham. Iſmael was as well the true ſonne of Abraham as Iſaack was, for both came of one father, of one fleſh, and of one Seede.Iſmael vvas a ſonne after the flesh, and Iſaack after the promiſe. What was then the difference? This maketh not the difference (ſayeth Paule) that the mother of one was free, and the other bond (albeit it pertaineth to the allegorie): but that Iſmael which was borne of the bondwoman, was borne after the fleſh, that is to ſay, without the promiſe and the word of God.An obiection. But Iſaack was not onely borne of the freewoman,The anſvver. but alſo according to the promiſe. What thē? Yet was Iſaack notwithſtanding as well borne of the ſeede of Abraham as Iſmael was. I graunt that they were both the children of one father,Both Iſaack & Iſmael vvere the children of one father. and yet notwithſtanding there is a difference. For although Iſaack were borne of the fleſh, yet the promiſe went before. None obſerued this difference but onely Paule, which he gathered out of the text of Geneſis after this maner.Geneſ. 16.2. In that Agar conceaued and brought forth Iſmael, there was no word of God that foreſhewed that thys ſhould come to paſſe: but by the permiſſion of Sara, Abraham went in to his ſeruaunt Agar, whom Sara being barren had geuen to wife to Abraham, as is ſayd in the booke of Geneſis.Sara had hard the promiſe of God as cōcerning the ſede, but she vvaiteth not gods appoynted time. For Sara had heard that Abraham by the promiſe of God, ſhould haue ſeede of his body, and ſhe hoped that ſhe ſhould be the mother of this ſeede. But when ſhe had waited now for the promiſe many yeares with great anguiſh of ſpirite, and ſawe that the matter was ſo long differred, ſhe was out of hope. This holy woman therefore geueth place for the honour of her huſband,Sara reſigneth vp her right. and reſigneth her right to an other, that is to ſay, to her maide. Notwithſtanding ſhe ſuffreth not her huſband to marrie an other wife out of his houſe, but ſhe geueth vnto him in mariage her ſeruaunt, to the ende that ſhe might be builded by her: For ſo ſayeth the hyſtorie,Gen. 16.1.2. &c. Geneſ. 16. Novv Sara Abrahams vvife bare him no children, and she had a maid an Egyptian, Agar by name. And Sara ſaid vnto Abraham: Behold novv the Lord hath reſtrained me frō childe bearing. I pray thee goe in to my maide: it may be that I shall be builded by her. The humilitie of Sara. This was a great humilitie of Sara, who ſo abaſed her ſelf, & tooke in good part this tentation & trial of her faith. For thus ſhe thought. God is no lier: that which he hath promiſed to my huſband he will ſurely performe. But peraduenture God will not that I ſhall be the mother of that Seede. It ſhall not greeue me that Agar ſhould haue this honour, vnto whom let my Lord enter: for I may peraduenture be builded by her. Iſmael therefore is borne without the word and promiſe at the onely requeſt of Sara.Iſmael the ſonne of Abraham accordīg to the flesh. For there is no word of God which commaunded Abraham thus to doe, or promiſed vnto him a ſonne, but al this is done atThat is ſayd to be done at aduenture or by chaunce, vvhereof man knovveth not the cauſe: although vnto God it be foreknovvne and appoynted. Rom. 9.8. aduenture: which the wordes doe alſo declare: It may be (ſayeth ſhe) that I shall be builded by her. Seeing therfore there was no word of God ſpoken to Abraham before, as there was when Sara ſhould bring forth Iſaack, but onely the word of Sara: it is euident enough that Iſmael was the ſonne of Abraham after the fleſh onely, without the word of God: therefore he was borne at aduenture, and vnlooked for as an other childe is. This Paule obſerued and diligently conſidered. In the .9. Chapt. to the Romaines he proſecuteth the ſame argument which here he repeteth and ſetteth forth in an allegorie, and concludeth ſtrōgly, that all the ſonnes of Abraham are not the ſonnes of God. Abraham (ſaith he) hath two ſorts of childrē.Abraham hath tvvo ſortes of children. Some are borne of his fleſh & bloud, but the word and promiſe of God goeth before, as Iſaack. Other are borne wtout the promiſe, as Iſmael. Therefore the children of the fleſh (ſayth he) are not the children of God, but the children of the promiſe, &c. And by this argument he mightely ſtoppeth ye mouthes of the proud Iewes, which gloried that they were the ſeede & children of Abraham: As alſo Chriſt doth in the .3. of Math. and in the 8. of Iohn. As if he ſaid: It foloweth not: I am the carnal ſede of Abraham, therfore I am ye childe of God. Eſau is ye naturall ſonne, therfore the heire. Nay rather (ſayth he) they that will be the children of Abraham, beſides their carnall byrth, muſt be alſo the ſonnes of the promiſe, and muſt beleue. And they are the true children of Abraham, VVho be the true ſonnes of Abraham. and conſequently of God, who haue the promiſe and beleue. But Iſmael, becauſe he was not promiſed of God to Abraham, is a ſonne after the fleſh only, and not after the promiſe, and therfore he was borne at aduēture as other children be. For no mother knoweth whether ſhe ſhall haue a childe or no,Note this cō cerning the mother. or if ſhe perceaue her ſelfe to be wt childe, yet ſhe can not tel whether it ſhalbe a ſonne or a daughter. But Iſaac was expreſly named,Geneſ. 17.19. Geneſis. 17. Sara thy vvife (ſayth the angell to Abraham) shall beare thee a ſonne, and thou shalt call his name Iſaac. The mother & the ſonne are expreſly named. Here the ſonne and the mother are expreſly named. Thus, for this humilitie of Sara, becauſe ſhe gaue vp her right and ſuffred the cōtempt of Agar, Geneſis. 16. God requited her with this honor, that ſhe ſhould be the mother of the promiſed ſonne. &c.

Verſe. 24. The vvhich things are ſpoken by allegories. An allegorie is that vvherby one thing is ſpoken, and an other thīg is meant.Allegories doe not ſtrongly proue and perſwade in Diuinitie, but as certaine pictures they beutifie and ſette out the matter. For if Paule had not proued the righteouſnes of Faith againſt the righteouſnes of workes by ſtrong and pithie arguments, he ſhould haue litle preuailed by this allegorie. But becauſe he had fortified his cauſe before with inuincible arguments taken of experience,VVhat accoūt is to be made of allegories. of the example of Abraham, the teſtimonies of the Scripture, and ſimilitudes: now, in the ende of his diſputation he addeth an allegorie, to geue a beautie to all the reſt. For it is a ſeemely thing ſometime to adde an allegorie when the foundation is well laide and the matter thorowly proued. For as painting is an ornament to ſet forth and garniſh an houſe already builded: ſo is an allegorie the light of a matter which is already otherwiſe proued and confirmed.

Verſ. 24.25. For theſe mothers are the tvvoThey are called tvvo couenaunts, one of the olde, another of the nevv teſtamēt although in very deede they are not tvvo, but are ſo called in reſpect of the times. Teſtamentes: the one vvhich is Agar of mount Syna, vvhich engendreth vnto bondage. (For Agar or Syna is a mountaine in Arabia. Abraham is a figure of God.Abraham is a figure of God, which hath two ſonnes, that is to ſay, two ſortes of people are repreſented by Iſmael and Iſaac. Theſe two are borne vnto him by Agar and Sara, the which ſignifie the two Teſtaments,Tvvo ſortes of people. the olde and the new. The olde is of mount Syna, begetting vnto bondage,Tvvo teſtaments. which is Agar. For the Arabians in their lāguage call Agar the ſame mountaine which the Iewes call Sina (which ſemeth to haue that name of brambles and thornes):Sina. Agar. which alſo Ptolomaeus and the Greeke commentaries doe witneſſe. After the ſame maner diuers names are geuen to many mountaines, according to the diuerſitie of nations.Hermon. So the mounte which Moſes calleth Hermon, of the Sidonians is called Sirion, and of the Amorites Senir. Now, this ſerueth very well to the purpoſe, that mount Sina in ye Arabians language ſignifieth as much as an handmaid: and I thinke the likenes of this name gaue Paule light and occaſion to ſeeke out this allegorie.Agar brought forth a ſonne, not an heire but a ſeruaūt. Likewiſe then as Agar the bondmaid brought forth to Abraham a ſonne, and yet not an heire but a ſeruaunt, ſo Sina the allegoricall Agar, brought forth to God a ſonne, that is to ſay, a carnall people. Againe, as Iſmael was the true ſonne of Abraham, Sina brought vnto God a ſonne, but a carnal people. ſo the people of Iſrael had the true God to be their father, which gaue them his law, his oracles, religion and true ſeruice, and the temple: as it is ſaid in the Pſalme. 147: He shevveth his vvord vnto Iacob, his ſtatutes and his iudgements vnto Iſrael. Pſal. 147.19. Notwithſtanding this onely was the difference: Iſmael was borne of a bondmaid after the fleſh, that is to ſay, without the promiſe, and could not therfore be the heire. So the miſticall Agar, that is to ſay,The people of the lavve. mount Sina where the lawe was geuen and the old Teſtament ordained, brought forth to God, who is yt great Abraham, a people, but without the promiſe, that is to ſay, a carnall and a ſeruile people, and not the heire of God. For the promiſes as touching Chriſt the geuer of all Bleſſing, and as touching the deliuerance from the curſe of the law, from ſinne and death: alſo as touching the free remiſſion of our ſinnes, of righteouſnes and euerlaſting life, are not added to the lawe, but the lawe ſayth:Rom. 10.5. He that shall doe theſe things shall liue in them. Therefore the promiſes of the lawe are conditionall,The promiſes of the lavve & the goſpell. promiſing life, not freely, but to ſuch as fulfill the law, and therefore they leaue mens conſciences in doubt: for no man fulfilleth the law. But the promiſes of the new Teſtament haue no ſuch condition ioyned vnto them, nor require any thing of vs, nor depend vppon any condition of our worthines, but bring and geue vnto vs freely forgeuenes of ſinnes, grace, righteouſnes and life euerlaſting for Chriſtes ſake, as I haue ſayd more largely in an other place. Therfore the law or the old Teſtament containeth onely conditionall promiſes: for it hath alwayes ſuch conditions as theſe are,The promiſes of God in the lavv are conditionall. Deut. 26.1. &c. ioyned to it: If ye harken to my voice: If ye kepe my ſtatutes: if ye vvalke in my vvayes, ye shall be my people. &c. The Iewes not conſidering this,Hovv the Ievves toke the promiſes of God. layd hold of thoſe conditionall promiſes as if they had bene abſolute and wtout all condition: which they ſuppoſed that God could neuer reuoke, but muſt needes kepe them. Herevpon, when they heard the Prophets foreſhew the deſtruction of the citie of Ieruſalem, of the temple, of the kingdom and prieſthoode (which could well diſcerne betwixt the corporall promiſes of the lawe, and the ſpirituall promiſes concerning Chriſte and his kingdom):The Ievves perſecuted the Prophets. they perſecuted and killed them as heretikes and blaſphemers of God: For they ſawe not the condition that was annexed: If ye kepe my commaundementes, it shall goe vvell vvith you. &c. The lavv bringeth forth bondmen, or bondſeruaūtsTherfore 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,The lavv maketh not heires, neither doth it iuſtify. 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:The earthly Ieruſalem perteineth 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,That vvhich vvas ordained in Sina, vvas kept in Ieruſalem. 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.It is not for euery man to dally vvith allegories. 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?Tvvo Ieruſalems, an heauenly and an earthly. 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,Sara the heauenly Ieruſalem. 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 Ieruſalem deſtroyed. the earthly Ieruſalē was horribly deſtroyed, wt all her ornamēts, ye tēple, ye ceremonies. &c. Now, although ye new teſtament began in it, & ſo was ſpread through out the whole world, notwtſtanding it appertaineth to Agar: that is to ſay, it is the citie of the law,The citie of the lavv. of ye ceremonies & of ye prieſthoode inſtituted by Moſes. Briefly it is gendred of Agar the bondwoman, and therfore is in bondage with her children, that is to ſay:The earthly Ieruſalem in bondage. 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,Ieruſalem had a corporall kingdom for a time. 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,VVho are the citizens of the church. 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. Aboue.Therfore vnderſtand not this word [Aboue] of the triumphant Church (as the Schoolemen do) which is heauen:The church triumphant & militant. 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:Philip. 3.20. 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. Epheſ. 1.3. We muſt therfore diſtinguiſh ye heauēly & ſpiritual Bleſſing from the earthly.The earthly and heauenly bleſſing. 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,The heauenly bleſſing. 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,The interpretation of the Monkes. 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,The foure ſenſes of the ſcripture, according to the Papiſtes. 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 ye church militāt: morally the celeſtiall Citie or the church triumphant. With theſe trifeling and fooliſh fables, they rent the Scriptures into ſo many and diuers ſenſes, that ſeely poore conſciences could receaue no certaine doctrine of any thing. But Paule ſayeth here that the olde and earthly Ieruſalem belongeth vnto Agar,The heauenly Ieruſalem vvhich is yet vpon earth. and that it is in bondage with her children, and is vtterly aboliſhed. But the new and heauenly Ieruſalem, which is a Queene and a freewomā, is appoynted of god in earth and not in heauen, to be the mother of vs all, of whom we haue bene engendred, and yet daily are gendred. Therefore it is neceſſary that this our mother ſhould be in earth among men, as alſo her generation is. Notwithſtanding ſhe gendreth by the holy Ghoſt, by the miniſtery of the word and ſacraments, and not in the fleſh. This I ſay to the ende that in this matter we ſhould not be caried away with our cogitations into heauen, but that we ſhould know that Paule ſetteth the Ieruſalem which is aboue,The heauenly Ieruſalem is ſet againſt the earthly, not locally but ſpiritually. againſt the earthly Ieruſalem, not locally but ſpiritually. For there is a diſtinction betwene thoſe things which are ſpirituall, and thoſe which are corporall or earthly. The ſpirituall things are aboue, the earthly are beneath: So Ieruſalem which is aboue, is diſtinguiſhed from the carnall and temporall Ieruſalem which is beneath, not locally (as I haue ſayd) but ſpiritually. For this ſpirituall Ieruſalem which tooke her beginning in the corporall Ieruſalem,The ſpirituall Ieruſalem diſperſed thorovv out the vvhole vvorld hath not any certaine place as hath the other in Iudea: but it is diſperſed thorow out the whole world, and may be in Babylon, in Turkie, in Tartarie, in Scythia, in Iudea, in Italie, in Germanie, in the Iſles of the ſea, in the mountaines and valleis, and in all places of the world where men dwel which haue the Goſpel and beleue in Ieſus Chriſt. Wherfore Sara or Ieruſalem our free mother, is the Church it ſelfe, the ſpouſe of Chriſte, of whom we all are gendred. This mother gendreth free children without ceaſing to the ende of the world, as long as ſhe exerciſeth the Miniſterie of the word, that is to ſay, as long as ſhe preacheth and publiſheth the Goſpell: for this is truely to gender. Now, ſhe teacheth the Goſpell after this maner: to witte, that we are deliuered from the Curſe of the lawe, from ſinne, death and all other euils through Ieſus Chriſt, & not by the law, neither by workes. Therefore Ieruſalem which is aboue, that is to ſay, the Church, is not ſubiect to the law and works, but ſhe is free and a mother, without the law, ſinne and death. Now, ſuch a mother as ſhe is, ſuch children ſhe gendreth. This allegorie teacheth very aptly that the Church ſhould doe nothing elſe but preach and teach the Goſpell truely and ſincerely,The Church begetteth children by teaching. and by this meanes ſhould gender children. So, we are all fathers and children one to an other: For we are begotten one of an other. I being begotten by other through the Goſpell, doe now beget other, which ſhall alſo beget other hereafter: and ſo this begetting ſhall endure to the ende of the world. Now, I ſpeake of the generation, not of Agar the bondmaid, which gendreth her bondſeruauntes by the lawe, but of Sara the freewoman, who gendreth heires without the law, and without mans workes or endeuours. For in that Iſaac is heire and not Iſmael (albeit notwithſtāding that both of them were the naturall ſonnes of Abraham) Iſaac had the inheritaunce by the word of promiſe,Iſaac is heir through the promiſe. Geneſ. 17.19. namely: Sara thy vvife shall bring thee a ſonne, and thou shalt call his name Iſaac. This did Sara well vnderſtand, and therefore ſhe ſayeth: Caſt out the bondvvoman and her ſonne: And Paule alſo aledgeth theſe words afterwards. Wherfore as Iſaac hath ye inheritance of his father onely by the promiſe and by his birth, wtout the law and without works: euen ſo we are borne through the Goſpel of that freewomā Sara, true heires of the promiſe. She, that is to ſay, the church enſtrueteth vs, nouriſheth vs, and carieth vs in her wombe, in her lappe, and in her armes: ſhe formeth and faſhioneth vs to the image of Chriſte,Epheſ. 4.13. vntill we grow vppe to a perfect man, &c. So all things are done by the miniſterie of the word. Wherefore the office of the freewoman is to gender children to God her huſband without ceaſing and without end: that is to ſay, ſuch children as know that they are iuſtified by Faith and not by the lawe.

Eſay. 54.1. Verſe. 27. For it is vvrytten: Reioyce thou barren that beareſt no children: breake forth and crie thou that trauaileſt not: for the deſolate haue many moe children then she vvhich hath an huſband. Paule aledgeth this place out of Eſay the Prophet, which is altogether allegoricall.Eſay. 54. It is wrytten (ſayeth he) that the mother of many children, and ſhe which hath an huſband muſt be ſicke and die and contrariwiſe, that the barren & ſhe which hath no children, muſt haue aboundance of children. After the ſame maner Hanna ſingeth in her ſong, out of yt which Eſay ye Prophet tooke his Propheſie, 1. Sam. 2. The bovve and the mightie men are broken, The ſong of Anna. 1. Sam. 2.4.5. and the vveake haue girded them ſelues vvith ſtrength. They that vvere full are hired forth for bread, and the hungrie are no more hired, ſo that the barren hath borne ſeuen: and she that had many children is feeble. A maruellous matter (ſayth he): ſhe that was frutefull ſhalbe made barren, and ſhe that was barren frutefull. Moreouer, ſuch as before were ſtrong, full, rich, glorious, righteous and bleſſed, ſhall become feeble, hungrie, poore, ignominious, ſinners, ſubiecte to death and damnation: And contrariwiſe the feeble and hungrie, &c. ſhalbe ſtrong and ſatiſfied, &c. The Apoſtle ſheweth by this allegorie of the Prophet Eſay, the difference which is betwixt Agar and Sara, that is to ſay,The differēce betvvixt the ſinagoge and the church. betwixt the ſinagoge and the church, or betwixt the lawe and the Goſpell. The lawe being the huſband of the frutefull woman, that is to ſay, of the ſinagoge, begetteth very many children. For men of all ages, not onely idiotes, but alſo the wiſeſt and beſt (that is to ſay, all mankinde except the children of the freewoman) doe neither ſee nor know any other righteouſnes then the righteouſnes of the law: much leſſe doe they know any which is more excellent: Wherefore they thinke them ſelues righteous if they folow the lawe and outwardly performe the workes thereof. Now, although theſe be frutefull, haue many diſciples, and ſhine in the righteouſnes and glorious workes of the lawe: yet notwithſtanding they be not free but bondſeruauntes: For they are the children of Agar, which gendreth to bondage. Nowe, if they be ſeruauntes, they can not be pertakers of the inheritance,Iohn. 8 3[illegible: 1 letter]. but ſhall be caſt out of the houſe: for ſeruauntes remaine not in the houſe for euer: Yea, they are already caſt out of the kingdom of grace and libertie. For he that beleueth not, is iudged alreadie. Iohn. 3.18. They remaine therefore vnder the malediction of the lawe, vnder ſinne and death, vnder the power of the Deuill, and vnder the wrath and iudgement of God. Now, if the Morall lawe it ſelfe or the ten commaundementes of God, can doe nothing elſe but gender ſeruauntes, that is to ſay, can not iuſtifie, but onely terrifie, accuſe, condemne, and driue mens conſciences to deſperation:1. Timot. 4.1. how then (I pray you) ſhall the lawes of men, or the lawes of the Pope iuſtifie, which are the doctrines of Deuils? They therefore that teach and ſette forth either the traditions of men, or the lawe of God as neceſſary to obtaine righteouſnes before God: doe nothing elſe but gender ſeruauntes.The teachers of the lavve gender bond-ſeruaunts. Notwithſtanding ſuch teachers are counted the beſt men: they obtaine the fauoure of the world, and are moſt frutefull mothers: for they haue an infinite number of diſciples. For mans reaſon vnderſtandeth not what Faith and true godlines is,Reaſon is taken vvith hypocriſie. and therefore it neglecteth and deſpiſeth it, and is naturally addicted to ſuperſtition and hypocriſie, that is to ſay, to the righteouſnes of workes. Nowe, becauſe this righteouſnes ſhineth and flouriſheth euery where, therefore it is as a mighty Empereſſe of the whole world. They therfore which teach the righteouſnes of workes by the lawe, beget many children which outwardly ſeeme to be free, and haue a glorious ſhew of excellēt vertues, but in conſcience they are ſeruauntes and bondſlaues of ſinne: therfore they are to be caſt out of the houſe and condemned. Contrariwiſe Sara the freewoman, that is to ſay, the true church ſeemeth to be barren.The church ſeemeth to be barren. 1. Cor. 1.18. For the Goſpell which is the word of the croſſe and affliction, which the Church preacheth, ſhineth not ſo brightly as the doctrine of the law and workes, and therfore ſhe hath not ſo many diſciples to cleaue vnto her. Moreouer, ſhe beareth this title, that ſhe forbiddeth good workes,The Goſpell hath but fevv diſciples. maketh men ſecure, idle, and negligent, raiſeth vp hereſies and ſeditions, and is the cauſe of all miſcheefe: and therefore ſhe ſeemeth to bring no ſucceſſe or proſperitie, but all things ſeeme to be full of barennes, deſolation and deſperation. Therefore the wicked are certenly perſwaded, that the church with her doctrine can not long endure. The Iewes aſſured themſelues that the church which was plāted by the Apoſtles, ſhould ſhortly be ouerthrowne: the which by an odious name they called a Sect. For thus they ſpeake to Paule in the .28. Chapter of yt Acts. Actes. 21.22. Hovv many yeares, dayes & times haue our Papiſtes appoynted vvhen the goſpel should be ouerthrovne, and they receaue their idolatrous Maſſe & other abhominations againe? As concerning this Sect, vve knovv that euery vvhere it is ſpoken againſt. In like maner how often (I pray you) haue our aduerſaries ben deceaued, which ſomewhiles appoynted one time, & ſomewhiles an other, when we ſhould be certainly deſtroyed? Chriſt and his Apoſtles were oppreſſed: but after their death the doctrine of the Goſpell was further ſpred abrode then it was during their life. In like maner our aduerſaries may oppreſſe vs at this day but the word of God ſhall abide for euer. How much ſo euer then the church ſeeme to be barren and forſaken, weake and deſpiſed, and outwardly to ſuffer perſecution: and moreouer be compelled to heare this reproch, that her doctrine is heretical and ſeditious: notwithſtanding ſhe alone is frutefull before God: ſhe gendreth by the miniſterie of the word an infinite number of children, heires of righteouſnes and euerlaſting life: And although outwardly they ſuffer perſecution, yet in ſpirite they are moſt free: who not onely are iudges ouer all doctrines & works, but alſo are moſt victorious conquerours againſt the gates of hell. The church in heauines.The Prophet therefore confeſſeth, that the church is in heauines, for elſe he would not exhort her to reioyce. He graunteth that ſhe is barren before the world: For elſe he would not call her barren and forſaken, hauing no children: but before God he ſayth ſhe is fruteful, and therfore he biddeth her reioyce. As though he would ſay:The church barren before the vvorld. Thou art in deede forſaken and barren, and haſt not the law for thy huſband, and therefore thou haſt no children. But reioyce: for although thou haſt not the lawe for thy huſband, but art forſaken as a virgine that is ready to marry (for he will not call her widowe) which ſhould haue an huſband if ſhe were not forſakē of him, or if he were not ſlaine: thou (I ſay) which art ſolitarie & forſaken of thy huſband the law, and not ſubiect to the mariage of the lawe, ſhalt be a mother of innumerable children.The people of grace. Wherefore the people or the Church of the new Teſtament is altogether without the lawe as touching the conſcience, and therefore ſhe ſemeth to be forſaken in the ſight of the world. But although ſhe ſeeme to be neuer ſo barren without the law and without workes, yet notwithſtanding ſhe is moſt frutefull before God, & bringeth forth an infinite nombre of children, not in bondage but in freedome. By what meanes? Not by the lawe, but by the word and ſpirite of Ieſus Chriſt which is geuen by the Goſpell, through which ſhe conceaueth, bringeth forth and nouriſheth her children. Paule therefore plainly ſheweth by this allegory the difference betwixt the law and the Goſpell:The difference betvvixt the lavv and the goſpell. Firſt when he calleth Agar the olde Teſtament, and Sara the newe: Againe, when he calleth the one a bondmaind, the other a freewoman: Moreouer, when he ſayeth that the maried & frutefull is become barren and caſt out of the houſe with her children. Contrariwiſe the barren and forſaken is become frutefull, & bringeth forth an infinite nōber of children, & thoſe alſo inheritours. By theſe differences are reſembled the two ſortes of people, of Faith & of the law I meane. The people of Faith haue not the lawe for their huſband, they ſerue not in bondage, they are not borne of that mother Ieruſalem which now is: but they haue the promiſe, they are free, and are borne of free Sara. He ſeparateth therefore the ſpirituall people of the new Teſtament from the other people of the lawe, when he ſayeth that the ſpirituall people are not the children of Agar the bondmaid, but of Sara the freewoman, which knoweth nothing of ye law. And by this meanes he placeth the people of faith farre aboue and without the law. Now, if they be aboue and wtout the law, then are they iuſtified by the ſpirituall birth onely, which is nothing elſe but Faith: and not by the lawe or by the workes thereof. Now, as the people of grace, neither haue, nor can haue the lawe: ſo the people of the lawe neither haue nor can haue grace:The people of grace vvithout the lavve, and the people of the lavv vvithout grace. for it is impoſſible that the lawe and grace ſhould ſtand together. Therfore we muſt be iuſtified by faith, & loſe the righteouſnes of the law: or elſe be iuſtified by the law, and loſe the righteouſnes of Faith. But this is a fowle and a lamētable loſſe, to loſe grace and to returne to the lawe. Contrariwiſe it is an happie and bleſſed loſſe, to loſe the lawe, and lay hold of grace. We therefore (folowing the example and diligence of Paule) doe endeuour as much as is poſſible, to ſet forth plainly the difference betwixt the lawe and the Goſpell: which is very eaſie as touching the wordes. For who ſeeth not that Agar is not Sara, and that Sara is not Agar? Alſo, that Iſmael is not Iſaac, and that he hath not that which Iſaac hath? A mā may eaſily diſcerne theſe things: but in great terrours and in the agonie of death, when the conſcience wraſtleth with the iudgement of God, it is the hardeſt thing of all others to ſay with a ſure and a ſtedfaſt hope: I am not ye ſonne of Agar, but of Sara: that is to ſay, the law belōgeth nothing vnto me: For Sara is my mother, who bringeth forth free children and heirs, and not ſeruaunts. Paule then by this teſtimonie of Eſay hath proued that Sara, that is to ſay, the church is the true mother which bringeth forth free children & heires: Contrariwiſe that Agar, that is to ſay, the ſinagoge gendreth many children in deede: but they are ſeruauntes and muſt be caſt out. Moreouer, becauſe this place ſpeaketh alſo of the aboliſhing of the lawe and of Chriſtian libertie, it ought to be diligently conſidered. For as it is the moſt principall and ſpeciall article of Chriſtian doctrine, to know that we are iuſtified and ſaued by Chriſte, ſo is it alſo very neceſſary to knowe and vnderſtand well the doctrine concerning the aboliſhment of the lawe. For it helpeth very much to confirme our doctrine as touching Faith, and to attaine ſound and certaine conſolation of conſcience, when we are aſſured that the lawe is aboliſhed, and ſpecially in great terrours and ſerious conflicts. I haue often ſayd before, and now I ſay againe (for it can not be too often repeted), that a Chriſtian laying holde of the benefit of Chriſte through Faith,The lavve is abolished to all chriſtians. hath no lawe, but all the lawe is to him aboliſhed with all his terrours and tormentes. This place of Eſay teacheth the ſame thing, and therefore it is very notable and full of comfort, ſtirring vp the barren and forſaken to reioyce, which was counted worthy to be mocked or pitied according to the lawe. For ſuch as were barren were accurſed according to the lawe: but the holy Ghoſt turneth this ſentence, and pronounceth the barren worthy of praiſe and Bleſſing: and contrariwiſe the frutefull, and ſuch as bring forth children, accurſed, when he ſayth: Reioyce thon barren, vvhich beareſt not: Eſay. 54.1. The church is barren and forſaken before the vvorld. Breake forth into ioy and reioyce thou that trauaileſt not: For the deſolate hath many moe children then the maried vvife. Howſoeuer then Sara, that is to ſay, the Church ſeeme to be forſaken and barren before the world, not hauing the righteouſnes and works of the law: yet notwithſtanding ſhe is a moſt frutefull mother, hauing an infinite number of children before God, as the Prophet witneſſeth. Contrariwiſe, although Agar ſeeme neuer ſo frutefull,The childre[illegible: 1 letter] of the bondvvomā vvith their mother, are caſt out of the houſe. and to bring forth neuer ſo many children, yet notwithſtanding ſhe hath no iſſue remaining: for the children of the bondwoman are caſt out of the houſe together wt theyr mother and receaue not the inheritaunce with the children of the freewoman, as Paule ſayth afterwardes. Becauſe therefore we are the children of the freewoman, the lawe our olde huſband is aboliſhed, Romaines.Rom. [illegible: 1 letter].4.5.6. 7: who as long as he had dominion ouer vs, it was impoſſible for vs to bring forth children free in ſpirite, or knowing grace: but we remained with the other in bondage. True it is, that as long as the lawe raigneth, men are not idle, but they labour ſore, Math. 10.12. The people of the lavv laborious and painfull. they beare the burden and the heate of the day, they bring forth and gender many children: but as well the fathers as the children are baſtardes, and doe not belong to the freemother: Therefore they are at length caſt out of the houſe and inheritaunce with Iſmael they die & are damned. It is impoſſible therfore that men ſhould attaine to the inheritance, that is to ſay, that they ſhould be iuſtified and ſaued by the lawe, although they trauell neuer ſo much, & be neuer ſo frutefull therein. Accurſed therefore be that doctrine, life and religion, which endeuoreth to gette righteouſnes before God by the lawe or the workes thereof. But let vs proſecute our purpoſe as touching the aboliſhment of the law. The Scholedoctors ſpeaking of yt aboliſhment of the law, ſay that ye Iudiciall & the ceremonial lawes are pernicious ſince the comming of Chriſt and therfore are aboliſhed: but not the morall law. Theſe blind Doctors knew not what they ſaid. But if thou wilt ſpeake of ye aboliſhment of the law, talke of it as it is in his owne proper vſe & office,The vvhole lavv is abolished. & as it is ſpiritually taken, & comprehend withall the whole lawe, making no diſtinction at all betwixt the Iudiciall, Ceremoniall and Morall law. For when Paule ſayth, that we are deliuered from the curſe of the law by Chriſt, he ſpeaketh of the whole lawe, and principally of the Moral law, which only accuſeth, curſeth & condemneth the cōſcience: which the other two doe not. Wherefore we ſay that the Morall lawe, or the lawe of the ten commaundements hath no power to accuſe and terrifie the conſcience, in which Ieſus Chriſte raigneth by his grace: for he hath aboliſhed the power therof. A godly man feeleth the terrours of the lavve, but by faith in Chriſt he is comforted. Rom. 3.1. Iohn. 3.36. Not that the conſcience doth not at all feele the terrours of the law (For in deede it feeleth them): but that they can not condemne it nor bring it to deſperation. For there is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Ieſus. Rom. 8. Alſo: If the ſonne shall make you free, ye shall be free in deede. Iohn. 8. Howſoeuer then a Chriſtian man be terrified through the lawe, ſhewing vnto him his ſinne, notwithſtanding he therefore deſpaireth not: For he beleueth in Ieſus Chriſt and being baptiſed in him and clenſed by his bloud, he hath remiſſion of all his ſinnes. Now, when our ſinne is pardoned through Chriſte, who is the Lord of the lawe (and yet ſo pardoned that he gaue himſelfe for it) the law being a ſeruaunt hath no more power to accuſe and condemne vs for ſinne,The lavve hath no povver ouer a hoſe that beleue. ſeeing it is forgeuen vs and we are now made free foraſmuch as the ſonne hath deliuered vs from bondage: Wherfore the law is wholy aboliſhed to them that beleue in Chriſte. But thou wilt ſay: I doe nothing. True it is that thou canſt doe nothing whereby thou maiſt be deliuered from the tyrannie of the lawe. But heare this ioyfull tidings which the holy Ghoſt bringeth vnto thee out of the wordes of the Prophet: Reioyce thou that arte barren. 1. Cor. 1.30. Galath. 3.13. &c As if he would ſay: Why art thou ſo heauie, ſince there is no cauſe why thou ſhouldeſt ſo mourne? But I am barren and forſaken. &c. Well: although thou be neuer ſo barren and forſaken. &c, not hauing the righteouſnes of the law, notwithſtāding Chriſt is thy righteouſnes: he was made a curſe for thee to deliuer thee from the curſe of the lawe. If thou beleue in him the law is dead vnto thee. And ſo much as Chriſte is greater then the lawe, ſo much haſt thou a more excellent righteouſnes then the righteouſnes of the lawe. Moreouer, thou art frutefull and not barren: for thou haſt many moe children then ſhe which hath an huſband. The outvvard abolishment of the lavve.There is alſo an other aboliſhment of the law which is outward: to witte, that the politike lawes of Moiſes doe nothing belong vnto vs at all. Wherfore we ought not to call them backe againe, nor ſuperſtitiouſly binde our ſelues vnto them: as ſome went about to doe in times paſt,The goſpell doth not releaſe vs from all lavves. being ignorant of this libertie. Now although the Goſpell make vs not ſubiect to the Iudiciall lawes of Moiſes, yet notwithſtanding it doth not exempt vs from the obedience of all ciuill lawes, but maketh vs ſubiect in this corporall life to the lawes of that gouernment wherin we liue, that is to ſay: it commaundeth euery one to obey his Magiſtrate and lawes, not onely becauſe of vvrath, but alſo for He ſpeaketh of ſuch gouernment as God hath appoynted, vvhich no priuate man may contēne vvith out the br[illegible: 1 letter]ch of conſcience. 1 Pet. 2.13.14. Rom. 13 5. conſcience ſake. 1. Pe. 2. Rom. 13. And the Emperour, or any other Prince ſhould not offend if he vſed ſome of the Iudiciall lawes of Moiſes: yea he might vſe them freely and without offence. Therefore the Popiſh Schoolemen are deceaued, which dreame that the Iudiciall lawes of Moſes are pernicious and deadly ſince the comming of Chriſte. Likewiſe we are not bound to the Ceremonies of Moſes, much leſſe to the ceremonies of the Pope. But becauſe this bodely life can not be altogether without ceremonies and rites (for there muſt needes be ſome introduction) therefore the Goſpell ſuffereth ordinaunces to be made in the church as touching dayes, times, places.The ceremonies of Moſes lavv doe not bind vs, much leſſe the ceremonies of the Pope. &c. that the people may know vpō what day, in what houre, and in what place to aſſemble together to heare the word of God. It permitteth alſo that leſſons and readings ſhould be appoynted, as in the Schooles, eſpecially for the inſtruction of children and ſuch as are ignorant. Theſe things it permitteth, to the ende that all may be done comely and orderly in the church. 1. Cor. 14. not that they which kepe ſuch ordinā ces, doe thereby merite remiſſion of ſinnes. 1. Cor. 14.40. Tvvo things to be taken hede of in the keping or cō maunding of ceremonies: the offence of the vveake, & the pernicious opinion of merite. Moreouer they may be chaunged or omitted without ſinne, ſo that it be done without offence of the weake. Nowe Paule ſpeaketh here eſpecially of the aboliſhment of the morall lawe: which is diligently to be conſidered. For he ſpeaketh againſt the righteouſnes of the lawe, that he might eſtabliſh the righteouſnes of Faith, concluding thus: If onely grace or Faith in Chriſte iuſtifie, then is the whole law aboliſhed, without any exception. And this he confirmeth by the teſtimonie of Eſay, wherby he exhorteth the barren and forſaken to reioyce: for it ſeemeth that ſhe hath no childe, nor hope euer to haue any, that is to ſay, ſhe hath no diſciples, no fauour nor countenance of the world, becauſe ſhe preacheth the word of the croſſe of Chriſt crucified, againſt all the wiſedom of the fleſh. But thou that art barren (ſayeth the Prophet) let not this any whit trouble thee: yea rather lift vp thy voyce and reioyce, for ſhe that is forſaken hath moe children then ſhe that hath an huſband: that is to ſay ſhe that is maried & hath a great number of children ſhall be made weake, and ſhe that is forſaken ſhall haue many children. He calleth the church barren becauſe her children are not begotten by the lawe, by workes, by any induſtrie or endeuour of man:The church is barren. but by the word of Faith in the ſpirite of God. Here is nothing elſe but birth: no working at all. Contrariwiſe, they that are frutefull, labour and exerciſe themſelues with great trauell in bearing and bringing forth. Here is altogether working, andNo ſpirituall birth, vvhich is vvrought by the vvord and ſpirite of God. no birth. But becauſe they indeuour to gette the right of children and heires by the righteouſnes of the lawe or by their owne righteouſnes, they are ſeruauntes and neuer receaue the inheritance, no though they tire them ſelues to death with continuall trauell. For they goe about to obtaine that b[illegible: 1 letter] their owne workes againſt the will of God, which God of his meer grace will geue to all beleuers for Chriſtes ſake. The faithfull worke well alſo: but they are not thereby made ſonnes and heires (for this theirThat is, their regeneration in Chriſte by Faith and the holy Ghoſt. birth bringeth vnto them): but this they doe to the end that they being now made children and heirs, might glorify God by their good works, and helpe their neighbors.

Verſe. 28. Therefore brethern, vve are after the maner of Iſaac, children of the promiſe. That is to ſay, we are not children of the fleſh, as Iſmael, or as all the fleſhly Iſraell, which gloried that they were the ſeede of Abraham and the people of God. But Chriſt anſwered them, Iohn. 8: If ye vvere the ſonnes of Abraham, Ioh. 8.37.40.42. ye vvould not ſeeke to kill me vvhich ſpeake the truth vnto you. Alſo: If God vvere your Father, then vvould ye loue me and receaue my vvord. As if he would ſay: Brethern borne and brought vp together in one houſe,Of children, ſome be as Iſmael, & ſome as Iſaac. know one an others voyce: But ye be of your father the Deuill. &c. We are not ſuch children (ſayeth he) as they are: which remaine ſeruauntes, and at length ſhall be caſt out of the houſe. But we are children of the promiſe as Iſaac was: that is to ſay, of grace and of Faith, borne onely of the promiſe.The children of the promiſe. Concerning this I haue ſpoken ſufficiently before in the third chapter entreating vpon this place: In thy ſeede shall all the nations of the earth be bleſſed. Therefore we are pronoūced righteous: not by the lawe, by workes, or our owne righteovſnes, but by the mere mercy and grace of God. Paule repeteth very often, and diligently ſetteth forth the promiſe which is receaued by Faith alone: for he knew that it was very neceſſary ſo to doe. Hitherto as touching the allegorie out of Geneſis: to the which Paule annexeth the place of Eſay as an interpretatiō. Now he applifieth the hyſtorie of Iſmael and Iſaac, for our example and conſolation.

Verſe. 19. But as then he that vvas borne after the flesh, perſecuted him that vvas borne after the ſpirite, euen ſo is it novv. This place containeth a ſinguler conſolation. Whoſoeuer are borne and liue in Chriſte, and reioyce in this birth and inheritance of God, haue Iſmael for their enemie and their perſecutour. This we learne at this day by experience: For we ſee that all the world is full of tumultes, perſecutions, ſectes and offences. Wherefore, if we did not arme our ſelues with this conſolation of Paule and ſuch like, and well vnderſtand this article of Iuſtification, we ſhould neuer be able to withſtand the violence & ſubtill ſleightes of Satan. For who ſhould not be troubled with theſe cruell perſecutions of our aduerſaries, and with theſe ſectes and infinite offences, which a ſort of buſie and fantaſticall ſpirits ſtirre vp at this day? Verely it is no ſmal greefe vnto vs, when we are conſtrained to heare that all things were in peace & tranquilitie before the Goſpel came abrode:The iudgemēt of the vvorld concerning the goſpell. but ſince the preaching & publiſhing therof, al things are vnquiet & the whole world is in an vprore, ſo that euery one armeth himſelfe againſt an other. When a man that is not endued with the ſpirit of God heareth this, by and by he is offended, and iudgeth that the diſobedience of ſubiectes againſt their magiſtrates, that ſeditions, warres, plages & famine, that the ouerthrowing of common weales, kingdoms and countreis, that ſectes, offences and ſuch other infinite euils doe procede altogether of the doctrine of the Goſpell. Againſt this great offence we muſt comfort & arme our ſelues wt this ſweete cōſolation,VVhat the faithfull muſt be content to be called in this vvorld. Iohn. 16.2. that the faithfull muſt beare this name and this title in the world, that they are ſeditious and ſchiſmatikes, and the authors of innumerable euils. And hereof it commeth that our aduerſaries thinke they haue a iuſt cauſe, yea that they doe God high ſeruice when they hate, perſecute, and kill vs. It can not be then but that Iſmael muſt perſecute Iſaac: But Iſaac againe perſecuteth not Iſmael. Who ſo wil not ſuffer the perſecution of Iſmael, let him not profeſſe himſelfe to be a Chriſtian. But let our aduerſaries (which ſo vehemently amplifie & exaggerate theſe euils at this day) tel vs what good thīgs enſued ye preaching of the Goſpel of Chriſt and his Apoſtles.VVhat folovved the preaching of the Goſpell. Did not the deſtruction of ye kingdom of the Iewes follow? was not the Romaine Empire ouerthrowne? was not ye whole world in an vprore. And yet ye Goſpell was not the cauſe hereof, which Chriſte and his Apoſtles preached for the profite and ſaluation of men, and not for their deſtruction. But theſe things folowed through the fault of ye people,Pſal. 2.2.3. the nations, the Kings & Princes, who being poſſeſſed of ye Deuill, would not hearkē to ye word of grace, life, and eternall ſaluation: but deteſted and condemned it as a doctrine moſt pernicious and hurtfull to religion & common weales. And that this ſhould ſo come to paſſe, the holy Ghoſt foretold by Dauid when he ſayeth, Pſal. 2. VVhy doe the heathen rage, and the people murmure in vaine. &c. Pſal. 2.2.3.Such tumultes and hurly burlies we heare and ſee at this day The aduerſaries lay the fault in our doctrine. But ye doctrine of grace and peace ſtirreth not vp theſe troubles: but ye people, nations, kings, and Princes of the earth (as the Pſalme ſayeth) rage, murmure, conſpire and take counſell, not againſt vs (as they thinke) nor againſt our doctrine, which they blaſpheme as falſe and ſeditious: but againſt the Lord and his annoynted. Therfore all their counſels and practiſes are and ſhall be diſappoynted and brought to naught: He that dvvelleth in the heauen shall laugh: Pſal. 2.4. the Lord shall haue them in deriſion. Let thē cry out therfore as long as they liſt, that we raiſe vp theſe tumults and ſeditions: notwithſtanding this Pſalme comforteth vs, and ſaith, that they themſelues are the authors of theſe troubles. They can not beleue this, & much leſſe can they beleue that it is they which murmure, riſe vp,The blindnes of the aduerſaries. Iohn. 16.2. & take coūſell againſt the Lord & his anoynted: nay rather they thinke that they maintaine ye Lords cauſe, that they defend his glory, & do him acceptable ſeruice in perſecuting vs: but ye Pſalme lieth not, and that ſhall the ende declare. Here we doe nothing, but onely ſuffer, as our conſcience beareth vs witneſſe in the holy Ghoſt.Rom. 9.1. Moreouer, the doctrine for the which they raiſe vp ſuch tumultes and offences, is not ours, but it is the doctrine of Chriſte. This doctrine we can not deny, nor forſake the defence thereof, ſeeing Chriſt ſayth: VVhoſoeuer shall be ashamed of me and of my vvordes in this adulterous and ſinnefull nation, Luke. 9.26. of him shal the ſonne of man be ashamed vvhen he shall come in his glory, and in the glory of the father and of the holy angels. He therfore that will preach Chriſt truely, and confeſſe him to be our righteouſnes, muſt be content to heare that he is a pernicious fellow, and that he troubleth all things.Paule a peſtiferous felovv. Actes. 17.6.7. They which haue troubled the world (ſayd the Iewes of Paul and Silas, Acts. 17.) are alſo come vnto vs, and haue done contrary to the decrees of Caeſar. And in the. 24. of the Actes. We haue found this peſtilent fellow ſtirring vp ſedition among all the Iewes thorow out the whole world,Actes. 24.3. and the authour of the Sect of the Nazarites. &c. In like maner alſo the Gentiles complaine in the. 16. of the Actes: Theſe men trouble our Citie. Actes. 16.20. So at this day they accuſe Luther to be a troubler of the Papacie and of the Romaine Empire. If I would kepe ſilence, then all things ſhould be in peace which the ſtrong man poſſeſſeth,Luke. 11.21.2[illegible: 1 letter]. and the Pope would not perſecute me any more. But by this meanes the Goſpell of Ieſus Chriſte ſhould be blemiſhed & defaced. If I ſpeake, the Pope is troubled and cruelly rageth. Either we muſt loſe the Pope an earthly and mortall man, or elſe the immortall God, Chriſt Ieſus, life and eternall ſaluation. Let the Pope periſh then, & let God be exalted, let Chriſt raigne and triumph for euer. Chriſte himſelfe when he foreſaw in ſpirite the great troubles which ſhould folow his preaching, cōforted himſelfe after this maner: I came (ſayth he) to ſend fire vpon the earth, Luke. 12.49. Hovv Chriſt comforteth him ſelfe againſt the euils that shuld folovv his preaching. and vvhat vvil I but that it be kindled? In like maner we ſee at this day that great troubles folowe the preaching of the Goſpell through the perſecution & blaſphemie of our aduerſaries and the ingratitude of the world. This matter ſo greueth vs that oftentimes after the fleſh and after the iudgement of reaſon, we thinke it had bene better that the doctrine of the Goſpell had not bene publiſhed, then that after ye preaching therof the publike peace ſhould be ſo troubled? But according to the ſpirite we ſay boldly with Chriſte: I came to ſend fire vpon the earth, and what will I but that it ſhould now be kindled? Now, after that this fire is kindled, ther folow forthwith great commotions. For it is not a King or an Emperour that is thus prouoked: but the God of this world,2. Cor. 4.4. which is a moſt mighty ſpirite, and the Lord of the whole world. This weake worde preaching Chriſt crucified, ſetteth vpon this mightie and terrible aduerſarie.He meaneth the Deuill. Behemoth feeling the diuine power of this word, ſtirreth vp all his members, ſhaketh his taile, and maketh the depth of the ſea to boile like a potte. Iob. 41. Hereof come all theſe tumultes,Iob. 41.14.22. all theſe furious and cruell rages of the world. Wherefore let it not trouble vs that our aduerſaries are offended and cry out that there cometh no good by the preaching of the Goſpel. They are infidels, they are blinde and obſtinate, and therfore it is impoſſible that they ſhould ſee any frute of the Goſpell.The faithfull ſee infinite profites by the Goſpell. But contrariwiſe we which beleue, doe ſee the ineſtimable profites and frutes therof: although outwardly for a time we be oppreſſed with infinite euils, deſpiſed, ſpoiled, accuſed, cōdemned as the outcaſts and filthy dunge of the whole world, and put to death: and inwardly afflicted wt the feeling of our ſinne, and vexed with Deuils. For we liue in Chriſte, in whom and by whom we are made Kings and Lordes ouer ſinne, death, the fleſh, the world, hel, and all euils: In whom and by whom alſo we tread vnder our feete that Dragon and Baſiliſke which is the King of ſinne & death.Pſal. 91.13. How is this done? In Faith. For ye bleſſednes which we hope for, is not yet reuealed, which in ye meane time we wait for in patience, and yet notwithſtanding doe now aſſuredly poſſeſſe the ſame by faith. The article of iuſtification comforteth vs againſt al ſclā ders and tentations.We ought therfore diligently to learne the article of iuſtification: for that onely is able to ſupport vs againſt theſe infinite ſclaunders & offences, & to cōfort vs in all our tentatiōs and perſecutiōs. For we ſee that it cā not otherwiſe be, but that ye world wil be offended wt the pure doctrine of the Goſpel, & continually cry out that no good cometh of it: For the natural man vnderſtandeth not thoſe things vvhich are of the ſpirit of God: 1. Cor. 2.12. for they are foliſhnes to him. 1. Cor. 2. He onely beholdeth the outward euils,The vvorld cā not but be offended at the preaching of the Goſpel. troubles, rebellions, murthers, ſects, and ſuch other like things. With theſe ſights he is offended and blinded, and finally falleth into the contempt & blaſpheming of God and his word. On yt contrary part we ought to ſtay & cōfort our ſelues in this, that our aduerſaries do not accuſe & condemne vs for any manifeſt wickednes which we haue committed, as adulterie, murther, theft & ſuch like, but for our doctrine.VVhy our aduerſaries doe condemne vs. And what doe we teach? That Chriſt the ſonne of God by ye death of ye croſſe hath redemed vs frō our ſinnes & from euerlaſting death. Therfore they do not impugne our life, but our doctrine: yea ye doctrine of Chriſt, & not ours. Therfore if ther be any offence, it is Chriſtes offence & not ours, & ſo ye fault wherfore they perſecute vs, Chriſt hath committed and not we. Now, whether they wil condemne Chriſt, & plucke him out of heauē as an heretike & ſeditious perſon for this fault that he is our onely iuſtifier and Sauiour, let them looke to that. As for vs, we commending this his owne cauſe vnto himſelf, are quiet beholders whether of them ſhal haue the victory, Chriſt or they. In dede after the fleſh it greueth vs that theſe Iſmaelites hate & perſecute vs ſo furiouſly:Greefe after the flesh, and glory after the ſpirite. Rom. 5.3. notwtſtanding according to the ſpirite we glory in theſe afflictions: both becauſe we know that we ſuffer them not for our ſinnes, but for Chriſtes cauſe, whoſe benefite and whoſe glory we ſet forth: and alſo becauſe Paule geueth vs warning aforehand, that Iſmael muſt mocke Iſaac and perſecute him. The Iewes expound this place, which Paule alleageth out of the 21. of Geneſis, Gene. 21.9. The expoſitiō of the Ievves. of Iſmael mocking & perſecuting Iſaac after this maner: that Iſmael conſtrained Iſaac to commit Idolatrie. If he did ſo, yet I beleue not yt it was any ſuch groſſe idolatry as ye Iewes dreame of: to witte, that Iſmael made images of clay after the maner of the Gentiles, which he compelled Iſaac to worſhip: For this Abraham would in no wiſe haue ſuffred.VVhat maner of man Iſmael vvas. But I thinke that Iſmael was in outward ſhew a holy mā, as Caine was, who alſo perſecuted his brother, and at length killed him: not for any corporall thing, but becauſe he ſaw that God eſtemed him aboue the other. In like maner Iſmael was outwardly a louer of religion: he ſacrificed & exerciſed himſelfe in well doing. Therefore he mocked his brother Iſaac, & would be eſtemed a better man then he, for two cauſes:Iſmael vvould be preferred before Iſaac for tvvo cauſes. Firſt for his religion and ſeruice of God: Secōdly for his ciuill gouernment & inheritance. And theſe two things he ſeemed iuſtly to chalenge to himſelfe. For he thought that the kingdom and Prieſthode pertained to him by ye right of Gods law as the firſt borne: and therfore he perſecuted Iſaac ſpiritually becauſe of religion, and corporally becauſe of his inheritance. This perſecution alwayes remaineth in the Church,Iſmael alvvayes perſecuteth Iſaac. eſpecially when the doctrine of the Goſpell flouriſheth: to witte, that the children of the fleſh mocke the children of the promiſe and perſecute them. The Papiſts perſecute vs at this day, and for none other cauſe, but for that we teach that righteouſnes cometh by the promiſe. For it vexeth the Papiſtes, that we will not worſhip their Idols, that is to ſay,The ſpirituall perſecution. that we ſet not forth their righteouſnes, their workes and worſhippings deuiſed and ordained by men, as auaileable to obtaine grace and forgeuenes of ſinnes. And for this cauſe they goe about to caſt vs out of the houſe, that is to ſay, they vaunt that they are the Church, the children and people of God, and that the inheritance belongeth vnto them. &c. Contrariwiſe they excommunicate and baniſh vs as heretikes and ſeditious perſons, and if they can, they kill vs alſo: and in ſo doing they thinke they doe God good ſeruice. So, as much as in them lieth, they caſt vs out of this life, and of the life to come. The Anabaptiſtes and ſuch other do hate vs deadly becauſe we impugne & deteſt their errors & hereſies which they ſpread abrode & daily renue in ye church: and for this cauſe they iudge vs to be far worſe then ye Papiſts, & therfore they haue cōceiued a more cruel hatred againſt vs, then againſt ye Papiſts. As ſoone therfore as the word of God is brought to light,The Deuil perſecuteth the church by violence & ſubteltie. the Deuil is angry, & vſeth all his force & ſubtil ſleightes to perſecute it, & vtterly to aboliſh it: Therfore he cā no otherwiſe do, but raiſe vp infinite ſects, horrible offences, cruel perſecutions & abhominable murthers. For he is the father of lying and a murtherer. He ſpreadeth his lies thorowout the world by falſe teachers, & he killeth men by tyrannes. By theſe meanes he poſſeſſeth both the ſpirituall and the corporall kingdom:Epheſ. 6.16. the ſpirituall by the lying of falſe teachers (ſtirring vppe alſo without ceaſing euery one of vs perticularly by his fierie dartes to hereſies and wicked opinions): the corporall kingdom by ye ſword of tyrannes.The ſpirituall and corporall perſecution of the godly. Thus this father of lying and of murther, ſtirreth vp perſecution on euery ſide, both ſpirituall and corporall againſt the childrē of the freewoman. The ſpirituall perſecution which we are at this day conſtrained to ſuffer of heretikes, is to vs moſt greeuous & intolerable becauſe of the infinite offences and ſclaunders wherewith the Deuill goeth about to deface our doctrine. For we are enforced to heare that the hereſies and errours of the Anabaptiſtes and other heretikes, and all other enormities, doe proceede from our doctrine. The corporall perſecution, by which tyrannes lie in wait for our goodes and liues, is more tolerable: For they perſecute vs not for our ſinnes, but for the teſtimonie of the word of God. Let vs learne therefore euen by the title which Chriſt geueth to the Deuill: to witte, that he is the father of lying and murther,Iohn. 1.44. Iohn. 8. that when the Goſpel flouriſheth and Chriſt raigneth, then ſectes of perdition muſt needes ſpring vppe, and murtherers, perſecuting the Goſpell, muſt rage euery where. And Paule ſayeth:1. Cor. 11.19. That there muſt be hereſies. He that is ignorant of this, is ſoone offended, and falling away from the true God and true Faith, he retourneth to his olde God and olde falſe faith. Paule therefore in this place armeth the godly beforehand, that they be not offended with thoſe perſecutions, ſectes and offences, ſaying: But as then he that vvas borne after the flesh, &c. As if he would ſay:Falſe brethrē at the firſt are frendes, but aftervvardes they become moſt deadly enemies. If we be the children of ye promiſe and borne after the ſpirite, we muſt ſurely loke to be perſecuted of our brother which is borne after ye fleſh: that is to ſay, not only our enemies which are manifeſtly wicked, ſhall perſecute vs, but alſo ſuch as at the firſt were our deare frendes, with whom we were familiarly conuerſant in one houſe, which receaued from vs the true doctrine of the Goſpell, ſhall become our deadly enemies,The brethern borne after the flesh, muſt perſecute the brethern that are borne after the ſpirit. Pſal. 41.9. and perſecute vs extremely. For they are brethren after the fleſh, and muſt perſecute their brethern which are borne after the ſpirite. So Chriſt in the .41. Pſalme complaineth of Iudas: The man of my peace vvhom I truſted, vvhich did eate of my bread, hath lifted vp the hele againſt me. But this is our conſolation, that we haue not geuen any occaſion to our Iſmaelites to perſecute vs. The Papiſtes perſecute vs becauſe we teach ye pure and ſincere doctrine of ye Goſpel: which if we would forſake, they would perſecute vs no more.The true doctrine of the goſpel is the cauſe of perſecution. Moreouer, if we would approue the pernicious hereſies of the Sectaries, they would praiſe vs. But becauſe we deteſt and abhorre the impietie both of the one and the other, therefore doe they ſo ſpitefully hate and ſo cruelly perſecute vs. But not onely Paule (as I haue ſayd) armeth vs againſt ſuch perſecutions and offences,Chriſte comforteth his againſt the hatred and perſecutions of the vvorld. Iohn. 15.19. but Chriſt himſelfe alſo moſt ſweetely comforteth vs in the .15. of Iohn, ſaying: if ye vvere of the vvorld, the vvorld vvould loue you: but becauſe ye are not of the vvorld, but I haue choſen you out of the vvorld, therfore the vvorld hateth you. As if he would ſay: I am the cauſe of all theſe perſecutions which ye endure: and if ye be killed it is I for whoſe ſake ye are killed. For if ye did not preach my word and confeſſe me, the world would not perſecute you. But it goeth well with you:Math. 10.24. Iohn. 15.20. For the ſeruaunt is not greater then his maſter. If they haue perſecuted me, they vvill alſo perſecute you for my names ſake. By theſe wordes Chriſte layeth all the fault vpon himſelfe,The name of Chriſte is the cauſe vvhie the vvorld rageth againſt the godly. Iohn. 16.33. and deliuereth vs from all feare. As if he would ſay: Ye are not the cauſe why the world hateth & perſecuteth you, but my name which ye preach and confeſſe, is the cauſe thereof. But be of good comfort: I haue ouercome the vvorld. This comfort vpholdeth vs, ſo that we dout nothing but that Chriſte is ſtrong enough, not onely to beare, but alſo to vanquiſh all the crueltie of tyrannes, and the ſubtill ſleightes of heretikes. And this he hath declared in ſhewing forth his power againſt the Iewes and Romaines, whoſe tyrannie and perſecutions he ſuffered for a time:Chriſt remaineth king and conquerour, though the gates of hell fight againſt him. He alſo ſuffered the ſubtelties and craftie practiſes of heretikes, but in time and place he ouerthrew them all, and remained King and conquerour. Let the Papiſtes then rage as much as they will: let the Sectaries ſclaunder and corrupt the Goſpell of Chriſte as much as they can: notwithſtanding Chriſte ſhall raigne eternally, and his word ſhall ſtand for euer, when all his enemies ſhalbe brought to nought. Moreouer, this is a ſingular conſolation, that the perſecution of Iſmael againſt Iſaac ſhall not alwayes continue, but ſhall endure for a litle while, and when that is ended, the ſentence ſhall be pronounced, as foloweth.

Verſe. 30. But vvhat ſayeth the Scripture?Gen. 21.2[illegible: 1 letter]. Caſt out the ſeruaunt and her ſonne: For the ſonne of the ſeruaunt shall not be heire vvith the ſonne of the freevvoman. This word of Sara was very greeuous to Abraham: and, no doubt, when he heard this ſentence, his fatherly bowels were moued wt compaſſion towards his ſonne Iſmael: for he was borne of his fleſh. And this the Scripture plainly witneſſeth, Geneſ. 21. when it ſayeth: And this thing vvas very greeuous in Abrahams ſight, Gen. 21.11. becauſe of his ſonne. God cōfirmed the ſentence of Sara. Gen. 21.12. But God confirmed the ſentence which Sara pronounced, ſaying to Abraham: Let it not be greeuous in thy ſight for the childe and for thy bondvvoman: In all that Sara shall ſay vnto thee heare her voice: For in Iſaac shall thy Seede be called. The ſentence pronounced againſt the Iſmalites, is effectuall. &c.The Iſmaelites heare in this place the ſentence pronounced againſt them, which ouerthroweth the Iewes, Grecians, Romanes, and all ſuch other as perſecute the Church of Chriſte. The ſelfe ſame ſentence alſo ſhall ouerthrowe the Papiſtes, and as many as truſt in their owne workes, which at this day boaſt them ſelues to be the people of God and the Church:The vaine hope of hypocrites in condemning others. which alſo truſt that they ſhall ſurely receaue the inheritance, and iudge vs which reſt vppon the promiſe of God, not onely to be barren and forſaken, but alſo heretikes caſt out of the Church, and that it is impoſſible that we ſhould be ſonnes and heyres. But God ouerthroweth theyr iudgement and pronounceth this ſentence againſt them, that becauſe they are the children of the bondwoman, and perſecute the children of the freewoman:The children of the bondvvoman haue no inheritāce vvith the children of the freevvoman. Iohn. 10.35. The vineyard shalbe let out to other huſbandmen. therefore they ſhall be caſt out of the houſe, and ſhall haue no inheritaunce with the children of promiſe: to whom onely the inheritaunce belongeth becauſe they are the children of the freewoman. This ſentence is ratified, and can neuer be reuoked: wherefore it ſhall aſſuredly come to paſſe that our Iſmaelites ſhall not onely loſe the Eccleſiaſticall and politike gouernment which now they haue, but alſo euerlaſting life. For the Scripture hath foretold that the children of the bondwoman ſhall be caſt out of the houſe, that is to ſay, out of the kingdom of grace: for they can not be heires together with the children of the freewoman. Now, here is to be noted that the holy Ghoſt calleth the people of the lawe and workes, as it were in contempt, the childe of the bondwoman. As if he ſayd: Why doe ye vaunt of the righteouſnes of the lawe and workes, and why doe ye glory that ye are the people and children of God for the ſame? If ye know not of whom ye are borne, I will tell you. Ye are borne bondſeruauntes of a bondwoman. And what ſeruauntes? The bondſeruauntes of the lawe,They that are borne of the bondvvoman are borne ſeruaunts of the lavve. and conſequently of ſinne of death, and of euerlaſting damnation. Now, a ſeruaunt is no inheritour, but is caſt out of the houſe. Wherfore the Pope with all his kingdom, and all other Iuſticiaries (what outward appearance of holines ſo euer they haue) which hope to obtaine grace and ſaluation by the lawe,The Pope and all that ſeeke righteouſnes by vvorkes, are children of the bondvvoman. Philip. 3.19. are ſeruauntes of that bondwoman, and haue no inheritaunce with the children of the freewoman. I ſpeake now, not of the Popes, Cardinals, Biſhops & Monks that were manifeſtly wicked, who haue made their bellies theyr God, and haue committed ſuch horrible ſinnes as I will not willingly name: but of the beſt of them, ſuch I meane as liued holily, and went about through great labour and trauaile by keeping of theyr Monkiſh order, to pacifie the wrath of God, and to merite remiſſion of their ſinnes and euerlaſting life. Theſe heare their ſentence here pronounced, that the ſonnes of the bondwoman muſt be caſt out of the houſe with their mother the bondwoman. Such ſentences diligently conſidered, make vs certaine of our doctrine, and confirme vs in the righteouſnes of Faith,The vvorld embraceth the righteouſnes of vvorks, and condemneth the righteouſnes of Faith. againſt the doctrine and righteouſnes of workes, which the world embraceth and magnifieth, condemning and deſpiſing the other. And this troubleth and offendeth weake conſciences: which albeit they plainly ſee the impietie, the execrable wickednes, and horrible abhominations of the Papiſtes, yet notwithſtanding, they are not eaſily perſwaded, that all the multitude which beareth the name and title of the church doe erre, and that there are but fewe of them which haue a ſounde and a right opinion of the doctrine of Faith.A compariſon of the old Papacie, and of the Papacie at this day. And if the Papacie had the ſame holines and auſteritie of life which it had in the time of the auncient fathers, Hierome, Ambroſe, Auguſtine and others, when the Cleargie had not yet ſo euill a name for their Simonie, exceſſe, abundance of riches, diſſolute liuing, voluptuouſnes, whoredome, ſodomitrie and ſuch other infinite abhominations, but liued after the rules and decrees of the fathers religiouſly and holily in outward ſhew, and vnmaried, what could we doe now againſt the Papacie? The ſingle life which the Cleargye kept very ſtraitly in the time of the fathers, was a goodly thing,The Iuſticiaries make ſuch a shevv of holines, as if they vvere angels and no men. Coloſſ. 2.[illegible: 2 letters]. and made of men very Angelles in in the ſight of the world: and therefore Paule in the ſecond Chapiter to the Coloſſians calleth it the religion of Angelles. And the Papiſtes ſing thus of their virgines: He ledde an angelicall life whileſt he liued in the fleſh,The contemplatiue life of Monkes and ſuch other, vvhich ſequeſtred themſelues frō the vvorld and all vvorldly affaires. and yet liued contrary to the fleſh. Moreouer, the life which they call the contemplatiue life (whervnto the clergie men were then very much geuen, vtterly neglecting all ciuile and houſhold gouernmēt) had a goodly ſhew of holines. Wherfore, if that outward ſhew and appearance of the olde Papacie remained at this day, we ſhould peraduenture doe but litle againſt it by our doctrine of Faith, ſeeing we doe now ſo litle preuaile when (that olde ſhew of outward holines and ſeuere diſcipline being vtterly aboliſhed) there is nothing to be ſeene but a very ſinke and puddle of all vices and abhominations. But admitte the caſe that the olde diſcipline and religion of the Papacie were yet remaining: notwithſtanding we ought by the example of Paule (who vehemently purſued the falſe apoſtles, which outwardly appeared to be very godly and holy men) to fight againſt the Meritmongers of the Papiſticall kingdom, and to ſay: Although ye liue a ſingle life tiering and conſuming your bodies with cōtinuall trauaile, and walking in the humilitie and religion of Angels, yet are ye ſeruauntes of the lawe, of ſinne and of the Deuill, and muſt be caſt out of the houſe: for ye ſeeke righteouſnes and ſaluation by your workes, and not by Chriſte. Wherefore we ought not ſo much to conſider the wicked life of the Papiſts, as their abhominable doctrine and hypocriſie, againſt the which we ſpecially fight. Let vs ſuppoſe then that the religion and diſcipline of the olde Papacie doth yet ſtill flouriſh, The deuotion and diſcipline of the old Poperie. No holines of life can be ſet againſt Gods iudgement. and that it is now obſerued with as much ſeueritie and ſtraitnes as euer it was: yet muſt we ſay notwithſtanding: If ye haue nothing but this holines and chaſtitie of life to ſette againſt the wrath and iudgement of God, ye are in very deede the ſonnes of the bondwoman, which muſt be caſt out of the kingdom of heauen and be damned. The Papiſtes at this day do not defend their vvicked life, but their doctrine.And now, they themſelues doe not defend their wicked life: nay rather they which are the beſt and the ſoundeſt of them all doe deteſt it: but they fight for the maintenaunce and defence of the doctrine of Deuils, for hypocriſie, and for the righteouſnes of workes. Here they alledge the authoritie of Councels and the examples of holy fathers, whom they affirme to haue bene the authors of their holy orders and ſtatutes. Therefore we fight not againſt the manifeſt wickednes & abhominations of the Papacie, but againſt the greateſt holines & holieſt Saincts therof, which thinke they lead an angelicall life, whileſt they dreame that they kepe not only ye cōmaundements of God, but alſo the counſels of Chriſt, and doe workes of ſuperogation,The Papiſts diuide the Goſpell into precepts and coū ſels. The precepts they are boūd to kepe (ſay they) but not the counſels, and therfore if they kepe them, it is a vvorke of ſuperogation, that is, more then nedeth. & ſuch as they are not bound to doe. This we ſay is to labour in vaine, except they take hold of that onely and alone, which Chriſt ſaith is onely neceſſary, and chooſe the good part with Marie, which ſhall not be taken from them. This did Bernard, a man ſo godly, ſo holy and ſo chaſt, that he is to be commended & preferred aboue them all. He being once greuouſly ſicke, and hauing no hope of life, put not his truſt in his ſingle life wherin he had liued moſt chaſtly, nor in his good workes and deedes of charitie whereof he had done many: but remoued them farre out of his ſight, and receauing the benefite of Chriſt by Faith, he ſayd: *I haue liued wickedly. But thou Lord Ieſus Chriſt, by double right doeſt poſſeſſe the kingdom of heauen: Firſt,Bernards confeſſion. becauſe thou art the ſonne of God: Secondly, becauſe thou haſt purchaſed it by thy death & paſſion. The firſt thou keepeſt for thy ſelfe by thy birthright. The ſecond thou geueſt to me, not by the right of my workes, but by the right of grace. He ſet not againſt the wrath of God his Monkerie nor his angelicall life: but he tooke hold of that one thing which was neceſſary, and ſo was ſaued. I thinke that Hierome, Gregorie, and many other fathers were ſaued after the ſame ſorte. And it is not to be doubted but that alſo in the olde Teſtament many Kings of Iſraell and other Idolaters were ſaued in like maner, who at the houre of death, caſting away their vaine truſt which they had in Idolles, tooke holde of the promiſſe of God, which was made vnto the Seede of Abraham, that is to ſay, Chriſte in whom all nations ſhould be bleſſed. And if there be any of the Papiſts which ſhall be ſaued, they muſt ſimplie leane, not to their owne good deedes and deſertes, but to the mercy of God offred vnto vs in Chriſt, & ſay with Paule:Phil. 3.9. I haue not mine ovvne righteouſnes vvhich is of the lavve, but that vvhich is by Faith in Chriſte.

Verſe. 31. Then brethern vve are not children of the ſeruaunt, but of the freevvoman. Paule here concludeth his allegorie of the barren church, and of the frutefull people of the lawe.The children of the bondvvoman are vnder the lavv. We are not (ſayth he) the children of the bondwoman: that is to ſay, we are not vnder the lawe which begetteth vnto bondage, that is, which terrifieth, accuſeth and bringeth to deſperation: but we are deliuered from it by Chriſte: Therefore it can not terrifie nor condemne vs. Of this we haue ſpoken enough before. Moreouer,The children of the bondvvoman shall at length be caſt out. Math. 25.29. although the ſonnes of the bondwoman doe perſecute vs neuer ſo much for a time, yet this is our comfort, that they ſhall be compelled to leaue the enheritance vnto vs, which belongeth vnto vs that are the ſonnes of the freewoman, and ſhall at length be caſt into vtter darknes. Paule therefore by theſe wordes [bondwoman and freewoman] tooke occaſion (as we haue heard) to reiect the righteouſnes of the lawe, and to confirme the doctrine of Iuſtification. And of purpoſe he taketh hold of this word [freewoman] vehemently vrging and amplifying the ſame, eſpecially in the beginning of the chapter folowing. Whervpon he taketh occaſion to reaſon of Chriſtian libertie: ye knowledge whereof is very neceſſary. For the Pope hath in a maner quite ouerthrowne it, and made the Church ſubiect to mans traditions and ceremonies, and to a moſt miſerable and filthie bondage. That libertie which is purchaſed by Chriſt, is vnto vs at this day a moſt ſtrong fort and munition wherby we defend our ſelues againſt the tyrannie of the Pope. Wherfore we muſt diligently conſider this doctrine of Chriſtian libertie, as well to confirme the doctrine of iuſtification, as alſo to raiſe vppe and comfort weake conſciences againſt ſo many troubles & offences, which our aduerſaries doe impute vnto the Goſpell. Now, Chriſtian libertie is a very ſpirituall thing,Chriſtian libertie. Rom. 9.23. which the carnall man doth not vnderſtand. Yea they which haue the firſt frutes of the ſpirite, and can talke well therof, doe very hardly retaine it in their heart. It ſeemeth to reaſon that it is a matter of ſmall importance. Therefore if ye holy Ghoſt do not magnifie it, & adde a waight vnto it, it is contēned.