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 ,.ke.l3.  Ben  Yard, 
 
A    COMMENTARY  X^^^J  ^^^^'^^r};. 
 
 1*      OCT  5  1910 
 
 SAINT  PAUL'S  ^^^g/C^JsE^j^-' 
 
 EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS, 
 
 BY  MARTIN^UTHER. 
 
 TO    WHICH    ARE    PKEFIXED, 
 
 THE  LIFE  OF  THE  AUTHOR, 
 
 AND    A 
 COMPLETE  AND  IMPARTIAJ    HISTORY  OF  THE  TIMES   IN  WHICH  HE  LIVED, 
 
 BY    THE    LATE 
 
 REV.  ERASMUS  MIDDLETON,  B.  D. 
 
 RECTOR    OF    TURVEY,    BEDFORDSHIRE. 
 
 A    NEW    EDITION, 
 
 CORRECTED    AND    REVISED. 
 
 LONDON: 
 B.  BLAKE,  13,  BELL  YARD,  LINCOLN'S  INN. 
 
 MDCCCXXXIX. 
 
TO  THE  READER. 
 
 This  Book  being  brought  unto  me  to  peruse  and  to  consider  of, 
 I  thought  it  my  part  not  only  to  allow  of  it  to  the  print,  but 
 also  to  commend  it  to  the  reader,  as  a  Treatise  most  comfortable 
 to  all  afflicted  consciences  exercised  in  the  school  of  Christ.  The 
 Author  felt  what  he  spake,  and  had  experience  of  what  he  wrote, 
 and  therefore  able  more  lively  to  express  both  the  assaults  and 
 the  salving,  the  order  of  the  battle,  and  the  mean  of  the  victory. 
 Satan  is  the  enemy  ;  the  victory  is  only  by  faith  in  Christ,  as 
 John  recordeth.  If  Christ  justify,  who  can  condemn,  saith  St. 
 Paul.  This  most  necessary  doctrine  the  Author  hath  most  sub^ 
 stantially  cleared,  in  this  his  Commentary  ;  which,  being  written 
 in  the  Latin  tongue,  certain  godly,  learned  men  have  most  sin- 
 cerely translated  into  our  language,  to  the  great  benefit  of  all 
 such  who  with  humbled  hearts  will  diligently  read  the  same. 
 Some  began  it  according  to  such  skill  as  they  had.  Others, 
 godly  affected,  not  suffering  so  good  a  matter,  in  handling,  to  be 
 marred,  put  to  their  helping  hands  for  the  better  framing  and 
 furthering  of  so  worthy  a  work.  They  refuse  to  be  named,  seek- 
 ing neither  their  own  gain  nor  glory,  but  thinking  it  their  hap' 
 piness,  if  by  any  means  they  may  relieve  afflicted  minds,  and 
 do  good  to  the  church  of  Christ,  yielding  all  glory  unto  God,  to 
 whom  all  glory  is  due. 
 
 EDWTNUS  LONDON; 
 
 Aprilis  8S>  1575. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 The   Bishop  of  London's  recoui- 
 
 meudatiuu  of  this  book iii 
 
 Life  of  Martin  Luther xiii 
 
 To  all  afflicted  consciences,  which 
 groan  for  salvation,  and  wrestle 
 under  the  cross,  for  the  kingdom 
 
 of  Christ '•.... Ixxvii 
 
 Fifty  inconveniences  that  arise  of 
 man's  own  righteousness  pro- 
 ceeding of  works,  gathered  out  of 
 this  Epistle  to  the  Galatians,  by 
 
 M.  Luther Ixxxvi 
 
 Luther's  preface    Ixxxvii 
 
 The  reason  of  Luther's  expounding 
 
 this  Epistle xcii 
 
 The  argument  of  this  Epistle   . . .  .xciii 
 How  many  kinds  of  righteousness 
 
 there  are ib. 
 
 X    Christian  righteousnees ib. 
 
 jK  The  righteousness  of  faitii  aptly  call- 
 ed the  passive  righteousness,  be- 
 cause it  consisteth  in  suffering  and 
 receiving :  like  as  the  righteous- 
 jiess  of  the  law  is  called  the  active 
 righteousness,  because  it  consist- 
 eth in  doing  and  working xciv 
 
 The  infirmity  of  man  in  temptations  ib. 
 ^  The  law  cannot  comfort  us  in  afflic- 
 tions     ib. 
 
 ■  The  law  is  not  given  to  a  righteous 
 man  :  but  to  the  lawless  and  dis- 
 obedient   xcv 
 
 Good  works  are  not  forbidden  ....  xcvi 
 -  Christian  righteousness  not  wrought 
 
 by  us,  but  wrought  in  us    xcvii 
 
 >  We  can  do  nothing  for  the  obtaining 
 
 of  Christian  righteousness ib. 
 
 The  drift  of  the  apostle  in  the  Epistle 
 
 to  the  Galatians xcyiii 
 
 See  what  we  fall  into,  when  we  neg- 
 lect this  doctrine,  or  want  true 
 
 zeal  to  advance  the  same ib. 
 
 '^   Tiie  occasion  of  writing  this  Epistle 
 
 to  the  Galatians 1 
 
 riie  devil  hateth  the  gospel,  and  stir- 
 reth  up  wicked  men  against  it. . .  ib. 
 
 -^  The  doctrine  of  the  gospel ib. 
 
 '1  he  effects  of  the  gospel 2 
 
 The  authority  of  the  false  apostles     lb. 
 The  arguments  of  the  Papists  against 
 us 3 
 
 PAOR 
 
 With  how  great  constancy  St.  Paul 
 defendeth  hi?  vocation  and  autho- 
 rity against  the  false  apostles. ...     3 
 
 The  sum  of  the  two  first  chapters. .  ib. 
 
 A  minister  of  God  must  be  sure  of 
 his  calling ib. 
 
 Glorying  of  Paul,  as  touching  his  vo- 
 cation, necessary  and  holy 4 
 
 Preachers  aie  to  be  received  as  mes- 
 sengers from  God,  by  whose  mi- 
 nistry God  himself  speaketh ib. 
 
 A  double  calling,  by  means  and  with- 
 out means  ..••  •••• b 
 
 Calling  of  the  apostles ib 
 
 Who  be  apostles    lb 
 
 Calling  of  Matthias ib 
 
 Apostles  saints ib. 
 
 Certainty  of  calling 6 
 
 They  which  be  not  called,  do  kill 
 and  destroy lb. 
 
 What  danger  they  be  in,  which  have 
 no  lawful  calling ib. 
 
 Why  Paul  so  exalteth  his  calling  in 
 every  place ib. 
 
 Profit  that  Cometh  by  extolling  and 
 magnifying  of  our  calling ib. 
 
 A  holy  pride ib. 
 
 The  sum  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Gala- 
 tians      7 
 
 What  Paul  goeth  about  in  this  Epistle  ib. 
 
 Christ's  victory  is  ours lb. 
 
 Why  he  saith,  "and  all  the  breth- 
 ren"      8 
 
 Sectaries  shun  the  cross,  and  there- 
 fore they  resort  to  those  places 
 where  they  may  do  most  harm, 
 and  be  out  of  danger Ib 
 
 Condition  of  all  godly  preachers.. . 
 
 Comfort  of  faithful  teachers  labour- 
 ing under  the  cross ib. 
 
 Constant  faith  of  Luther ib. 
 
 The  word  and  sacraments  are  not 
 polluted  by  our  ungodliness 10 
 
 Seat  of  Antichrist ib. 
 
 The   church    dispersed    throughout 
 
 the  world ib 
 
 Grace,  peace ib. 
 
 Article  of  justification  must  be  con- 
 tinually taught ib. 
 
 Greeting  of  the  apostle  strange  and 
 unheaid  of  to  the  world II 
 
>6in 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 in  and  coiiscieuce  two  fiends  vex- 
 ing and  tormenting  us II 
 
 Doctrine  of  Ciiristians ib. 
 
 Grace  and  peace  what  they  bring  . .  ib. 
 
 Sin  released  by  grace  alone ib. 
 
 Tlie  world  knowetli  not  the  doctrine 
 of  true  godliness ib. 
 
 Only  by  grace  ia  the  :onscieuce 
 quieted ib. 
 
 What  peace  Paul  wislieth  to  Chris- 
 tians     12 
 
 Peace  of  the  world,  favour  of  the 
 world ib. 
 
 Why  this  is  added,  "  and  from  our 
 Lord  Jesus  Christ" ib. 
 
 Merit-mongers,  seeking  to  justify 
 themselves  by  their  works,  shut 
 out  Christ,  and  will  liave  to  do 
 with  God  alone 13 
 
 Alcoran  is  a  book  containing  the 
 Turk's  religion,  received  from 
 Mahomet,  a  false  propliet  tliat  was 
 among  them ib. 
 
 Will  of  God  to  be  sought  in  Chri.st.  ib. 
 
 Fall  of  Lucifer ib. 
 
 Wliat  God  is  in  his  own  nature. ...   ib. 
 
 Where  God's  will  is  to  be  sought ..    14 
 
 Christ,  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the 
 life Jb. 
 
 The  afflicted  conscience  wrestling 
 with  the  judgment  of  God,  is 
 raised  up  by  only  faith  in  Christ,  ib. 
 
 Christian  divinity  beginneth  at  Christ 
 lying  in  tlie  lap  ©f  the  Virgin 
 Mary 15 
 
 Christ  God jb. 
 
 The  devil  an  adversary  to  faith ....  ib. 
 
 Power  of  the  Father  and  of  Christ 
 equal Tib. 
 
 How  Christ  giveth  grace  and  peace.   16 
 
 The  works  of  Christ  are  divine  and 
 
 proper  to  God ib. 
 
 )ne  and  the  self-same  Godhead  of 
 the  Father  and  of  tiie  Son ib. 
 
 Mahomet • ib. 
 
 The  works  of  Christ  which  gave 
 himself 17 
 
 Greatness  of  sin  is  to  be  esteemed  by 
 the  greatness  of  the  price  whereby 
 it  is  abolished ib. 
 
 Sin  a  mighty  tyrant,  holding  all  men 
 in  captivity  and  thraldom 18 
 
 The  judgment  of  the  godly ib. 
 
 There  is  a  great  vehemeucy  always  _ 
 to  be  marked  in  pronouns ib. 
 
 The  weakness  of  faith  in  us ib. 
 
 Reason  extenuates  and  lessens  sin.    19 
 Hypocrites  would  that  these  words 
 of  Paul    were  rather  spoken   to 
 shew  his  humility,  than  the  great- 
 ness of  our  sins  ;  for  that  they 
 
 cannot  bear ib. 
 
 The  picture  of  the  justiciaries,  and 
 such  as  seek  rigliteousness  by 
 works ib. 
 
 PAGB 
 
 Chief  wisdom  <4f  Christians. . .....   19 
 
 Sins  against  the  first  table 20 
 
 Satan  is  wont  to  change  righteous- 
 ness into  sin •  ib. 
 
 How  we  must  answer  the  devil  dis- 
 puting with  us 21 
 
 True  definition  of  Christ ib. 
 
 Let  every  man  learn  to  apply  this 
 pronoun  **  our"  untc  himself, . .  22 
 
 True  picture  of  Christ ."b. 
 
 What  snares  Satan  layeth  for  us...  ?a 
 
 This  sentence  is  diligently  to  be 
 urged,  •'  which  gave  himself  for 
 us" ib. 
 
 Why  Paul  calleth  the  world  present 
 and  evil ib. 
 
 The  world,  the  kingdom  of  the  devil  ib. 
 
 Sins  are  not  taken  away  by  works..  84 
 
 The  ungodly,  with  all  their  gifts,  do 
 serve  the  devil ib. 
 
 They  that  know  not  Christ,  the 
 more  wise  and  righteous  they 
 are,  the  more  do  they  hate  and 
 persecute  the  gospel ib. 
 
 The  white  devil.  Spiritual  whore- 
 dom the  most  abominable ib. 
 
 Christ  only  can  deliver  us  out  of  this 
 present  world 25 
 
 The  world  obeyeth  his  prince  the 
 devil ib. 
 
 What  sins  are  in  the  world ib. 
 
 What  the  world  is,  with  all  his  vir- 
 tues and  righteousness lb. 
 
 Kingdom  of  the  world 26 
 
 Kingdom  of  Christ ib. 
 
 It  is  a  great  consolation  to  know  that 
 Christ  is  given  for  us  by  the  will 
 of  hi.t  Father. ib. 
 
 God  is  a  common  Father  both  to 
 Christ  and  to  us 27 
 
 Tlie  apostle  useth  gentle  speech  to- 
 wards those  that  are  fallen,  that 
 through  his  mildness,  he  may  re- 
 voke them  and  win  them  again.,  ib. 
 
 How  the  weak  and  such  as  are 
 fallen,  ought  to  be  handled 28 
 
 The  study  of  bishops  to  maintain 
 their  lordship  and  sovereignty.  . .  29 
 
 That  which,  in  long  time,  of  godly 
 preachers  is   builded  up,  of  one 
 wicked    teacher    is    quickly   des- 
 troyed   , ib. 
 
 A  true  picture  of  fantastical  bragging 
 and  glorious  spirits 30 
 
 The  churches  are  overthrown  while 
 teachers  sleep ib. 
 
 Nature  and  disposition  of  the  Ger- 
 mans    )b. 
 
 (This  may  well  be  said  of  us  English- 
 men, for  our  heat  is  soon  cooled, 
 and  that  may  appear  by  our  cold 
 procaedings  at  this  day.) 
 A  double  exposition  upon  this  place  31 
 Drift  and  purpose  of  Paul  in  this 
 whole  Epistle lb.    — 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 VU 
 
 PAGE 
 
 An  antithesis  or  comparison  be- 
 tween the  calling  of  Christ  to 
 grace,  and  the  calling  of  Moses  to 
 the  law  and  works 31 
 
 Good  things  the  doctrine  of  grace 
 bringeth  with  it , ib. 
 
 The  world  hateth  the  light  and 
 loveth  darkness 32 
 
 What  recompence  the  world  ren- 
 dereth  unto  Christ  for  his  benefits  ib. 
 
 Moses  calletli  unto  wrath,  but  Christ 
 calleth  to  grace ib. 
 
 The  white  devil ib. 
 
 The  black  devil 33 
 
 Satan  changeth  himself  into  an  an- 
 gel of  light ib. 
 
 Paul's  doctrine  condemned  by  the 
 false  apostles ib. 
 
 Nature  of  heretics  lively  pointed  out  ib. 
 
 The  devil  will  not  be  black  in  his 
 ministers ib. 
 
 The  devil  doth  more  hurt  on  the 
 right  hand  than  on  the  left 34 
 
 By  what  means  pure  and  sound  doc- 
 trine is  preserved ib. 
 
 Troublers  of  the  church ib. 
 
 How  the  false  apostles  had  slan- 
 dered Paul ib. 
 
 Contentions  always  in  the  church..  35 
 
 Every  one  who  teacheth  that  works 
 do  justify,  is  a  troubler  of  men's 
 consciences ib. 
 
 Papists  worse  than  the  false  apostles 
 among  the  Galatians ib. 
 
 Why  Paul  calleth  the  false  apostles 
 troublers  of  the  churches ib. 
 
 False  apostles  brag  of  their  own  do- 
 ing, and  dispraise  other  men's. . .  36 
 
 False  apostles  trouble  and  overthiow 
 the  gospel  of  Christ ib. 
 
 Wicked  teachers  would  be  counted 
 most  holy 37 
 
 Righteousness  of  the  law,  and  righ- 
 teousness of  grace  are  contrary . .   ib. 
 
 They  that  mingle  the  righteousness 
 of  the  law  and  grace  together,  are 
 subverters  of  the  gospel  of  Christ  ib. 
 
 Discommodities  that  follow  the 
 mingling  of  faith  and  works  toge- 
 ther   ib. 
 
 Vehement  zeal  of  Paul  against  the 
 false  apostles 38 
 
 Gospel  of  Paul ib. 
 
 Vehemency  of  Paul  against  the  false 
 apostles 39 
 
 A  horrible  sentence  against  the  Pa- 
 pists    ib. 
 
 Changing  of  persons  is  here  to  be 
 marked ib. 
 
 Contents  of  the  two  first  chapters. .   ib. 
 
 Arguments  of  the  Papists  to  prove 
 that  the  churcli  is  above  the  scrip- 
 ture    ib. 
 
 Word  of  God  must  only  be  taught  in 
 the  ehurch 40 
 
 PACK 
 
 What  reward  Paul  received  for  hij 
 labour 40 
 
 What  the  ministers  of  God  ought  to 
 seek ib. 
 
 Sum  of  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel . .  ib 
 
 To  teach  the  things  that  are  of  God  ik 
 
 Signs  that  testify  Paul's  doctrine  to 
 be  true 41 
 
 False  apostles  seek  to  please  men . .  'ib. 
 
 Teachers  of  men's  traditions  seek  to 
 please  men 42 
 
 Reward  of  godly  teachers ib. 
 
 Reward  of  false  and  ungodly  teachers  ib. 
 
 Lies  and  slanders  devised  by  the  false 
 apostles  against  Paul 43 
 
 The  chief  purpose  of  Paul  in  this 
 disputation ib. 
 
 Paul's  doctrine  was  not  after  man . .   ib. 
 
 Christ  both  God  and  man 44 
 
 Where  Paul  received  the  gospel....  ib. 
 
 The  argument  of  the  false  apostles 
 taken  from  the  authority  of  the  _ 
 apostles ib. 
 
 So  great  is  the  weakness  even  of  the 
 godly,  that  they  are  hardly  drawn 
 to  God's  promises,  though  they 
 be  most  certain 45 
 
 Office  of  the  law ib. 
 
 Conflicts  of  the  godly ib. 
 
 Faith  is  the  gift  of  God ib. 
 
 What  inconveniences  follow  the 
 loathing  of  God's  word ib. 
 
 Speculation  is  a  naked  knowledge 
 without  practice ib 
 
 Doctrine  of  true  godliness  is  kept  by 
 prayer  and  earnest  study  of  the 
 word ib. 
 
 Enemies  of  the  godly 46 
 
 The  reason  which  at  tiii.s  day  is  used 
 against  us,  and  prevaileth  with 
 many ib. 
 
 The  devil's  argument ib. 
 
 Dr.  Staupitius  a  favourer  of  Luther's 
 doctriue,  when  he  began  to  i)reach  ib. 
 
 Doctrine  of  the  gospel  attribuieth 
 all  things  unto  God,  and  nothing 
 to  man ib. 
 
 Neither  angels  nor  apostles,  nor  any 
 other  are  to  be  believed,  if  tiiey 
 teach  any  thing  against  the  word 
 of  God 47 
 
 Papists'  argument  against  us lb. 
 
 A  preacher  must  be  sure  of  his  call- 
 ing and  doctrine 48 
 
 Zeal  of  Paul lb. 
 
 What  Paul  calleth  the  traditions  of 
 the  fathers ib. 
 
 Tlie  first  journey  of  Paul 49 
 
 Paul's  merit  of  desert ib. 
 
 By  wliat  deserts  we  obtain  grace  ...   50 
 
 What  manner  of    saints    the   devil 
 loveth -b. 
 
 Publicans  and  sinners  are  far  better 
 
 than  merit-mongers lb. 
 
 I  Our  deserts ib. 
 
vni 
 
 coNTi'  N  rs. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Papists  a  bloody  generation 50 
 
 By  wliat  deserts  we  attain  grace  ...  51 
 
 Deserts  of  Paul ib. 
 
 Paul's  doctrine 52 
 
 Definition  of  the  gospel ib. 
 
 Papists  have  turned  the  gospel  into 
 the  law  of  charity,  and  Christ  into 
 Moses ib. 
 
 The  gospel  is  not  learned  by  any 
 study  of  man,  but  is  taught  from 
 above,  by  God  himself ib. 
 
 Paul  the  apostle  of  the  Gentiles , , . .   53 
 
 Paul's  divinity ib. 
 
 Office  of  Paul ib. 
 
 Confutation  of  the  argument  of  the 
 false  apostles 54 
 
 Paul  became  all  things  to  all  men. .  ib. 
 
 Why  Paul  gloriet.li  so  much  that  he 
 hath  not  learned  his  gospel  of  any 
 man 55 
 
 The  testimony  of  all  the  ciiurches  in 
 Judea  for  Paul 5C 
 
 Paul's  doctrine.  Contention  of  .such 
 as  were  turned  from  the  Jews 
 against  Paul b'l 
 
 Declaration  of  Paul  and  Barnabas, 
 as  touching  those  things  which 
 were  done  among  the  Gentiles.,  ib. 
 
 'Vhat  they  answer  to  Paul  in  this 
 disputation,  which  are  so  earnest 
 for  the  law ib. 
 
 Tliey  that  were  converted  from  the 
 Jews  hardly  forsook  the  law.. ..  ib. 
 
 Custom  is  a  double  nature ib. 
 
 God  always  beareth  with  the  infir- 
 mities of  his  people 58 
 
 What  they  had  to  say  for  themselves 
 that  resisted  Paul ib. 
 
 Paul  taketh  unto  himself  witnesses, 
 Barnabas  and  Titus ib. 
 
 Paul  so  defeudeth  his  gospel,  that 
 he  will  have  all  things  give  place 
 unto  it 59 
 
 The  question  that  was  handled  in 
 the  assembly  of  tlie  apostles 60 
 
 Why  Paul  saith,  "  Lest  I  had  run  in 
 vain" ib. 
 
 What  was  decreed  in  this  conference  ib. 
 
 How  Paul  refuseth  circumcision  ...   61 
 
 How  we  teach  fasting  and  other 
 Christian  exercises  at  this  day...  ib. 
 
 What  was  determined  in  that  con- 
 ference of  the  apostles ib. 
 
 Why  Paul  would  not  suffer  Titus  to 
 be  circumcised 62 
 
 Obstinate  adversaries  defend  their 
 wicked  doctrine  by  violence  and 
 tyranny ib. 
 
 Triumpli  of  Paul  against  the  false 
 apostles ib. 
 
 The  Pope  putteth  righteousness  in 
 the  keeping  of  his  traditions,  and 
 damnation    in   the    breaking    of 
 
 them 63 
 
 Gospel  uf  the  false  apostles  .......   ib. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Gospel  of  the  Pope  and  other  here- 
 tics   63 
 
 Truth  of  the  gospel.  Corruption  of 
 the  gospel 64 
 
 Doctrine  of  the  Papists  concerning 
 faith ib. 
 
 Object  of  reason  whereunto  it  look- 
 eth.  Object  of  faith  is  the  thing 
 whereunto  the  eye  of  faith  looketh, 
 which  is  Christ ib. 
 
 Faith  furnished  with  charity ib. 
 
 Papists  imagine  that  charity  is  in- 
 closed in  faith,  as  a  diamond  in  a 
 ring , ib. 
 
 Christ  is  the  true  diamond,  and  not 
 charity ib. 
 
 Charity  the  Papist's  diamond  reject- 
 eth  Christ ib. 
 
 Sleights  practised  of  the  false  apos- 
 tles against  Paul 65 
 
 Luther  was  content  in  the  time  cf 
 blindness  to  bear  with  those 
 things  which  now  in  the  light  of 
 the  gospel  are  utterly  to  be  re- 
 jected   ib. 
 
 Pope's  thunderbolts 66 
 
 It  is  a  point  of  true  Christianity  tu 
 be  stout  against  merit-mongers, 
 for  keeping  the  Christian  liberty  ib. 
 
 When  faith  is  found,  all  things  are 
 safe ib. 
 
 Holy  obstinacy  and  stoutness  of  the 
 godly...' ih. 
 
 Doctrine  of  the  law. . . ; ib. 
 
 Doctrine  of  the  gospel ib. 
 
 Why  Paul  giveth  not  unto  the  a|)os- 
 ties  any  glorious  title 67 
 
 Argument  of  the  false  apostles 
 against  Paul 68 
 
 The  word  of  God  must  be  preferred 
 before  all  persons  and  titles  what- 
 soever    lb. 
 
 Man  regardeth  the  person 69 
 
 Every  creature  of  God  may  be  called 
 the  veil  of  God,  because  God  is,  as 
 it  were,  covered  and  shadowed 
 under  it ib. 
 
 Man  trusteth  to  the  veils  of  God,  and 
 not  to  God  himself ib. 
 
 Outward  veils  are  God's  good  crea- 
 tures, but  to  trust  in  them  is  wicked  ib. 
 
 God  sutfereth  his  dear  saints  to  fall 
 into  great  vices,  that  we  should 
 not  cleave  to  their  persons 10 
 
 Cursed  is  humility  in  matters  oi 
 God,  and  of  faith '3 
 
 The  stoutness  of  Paul  is  tiot  cai'nal  'f 
 
 What  Paul  calleth  grace ib. 
 
 Paul  and  the  otlier  apostles  taught 
 all  one  gospel )b. 
 
 A  good  minister  must  be  careful  for 
 the  poor 77 
 
 The  world  is  ready  to  give  for  the 
 maintenance  of  ungodliness,  but  it 
 careth  not  for  God's  ministers*,  ib. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 IX 
 
 PAGE 
 
 The  majesty  of  the  article  of  justifi- 
 cation    78 
 
 It  behoveth  us  to  be  obstinate  in 
 
 God's  matters i  b. 
 
 A  Christian  will  openly  reprove  vices 
 
 in  his  brother 79 
 
 The  prophets  and  apostles  sinned, 
 
 and  had  their  infirmities ib. 
 
 No  saints  without  sin ib. 
 
 Dissension  between  Paul  and  Barna- 
 bas   ib. 
 
 The  falls  of  the  saints  bring  comfort 
 
 unto  us 79 
 
 Peter  lireth  with  the  Gentiles  like  a 
 
 Gentile 80 
 
 The  offence  of  Peter ib. 
 
 What  the  believing  Jews  gathered  of 
 
 Peter's  abstaining 81 
 
 The  dissimulation  of  Peter ib. 
 
 Sin  of  Peter 82 
 
 Dissimulation,  what  it  is ib. 
 
 The  law  and  the  gospel  must  be  dis- 
 cerned one  from  the  other.     Law 
 
 and  reason  are  against  faith 83 
 
 What  we  must  do,  when  our  con- 
 science is  terrified ib. 
 
 Moses,  in  the  mountain,  was  above 
 the  law;  so  in  matters  of  faith  we 
 must  have  nothing  to  do  with  the 
 
 law ib. 
 
 We  must  not  trust  in  our  strength..  84 
 Without  God  we  can  do  nothing...  ib. 
 
 Peter  knoweth  not  his  error ib. 
 
 The  difference  of  the  law  and  the 
 gospel  ought  most  diligently  to  be 
 
 learned 85 
 
 When  the  law  is  to  be  urged ib. 
 
 The  law  hath  nothing  to  do  with  the 
 
 conscience ib. 
 
 When  we  must  hear  the  law 86 
 
 Liberty  of  conscience 88 
 
 Faith   justifieth,  and    nothing    but 
 
 faith ib. 
 
 All  things  are  deadly  without  faith  .  89 
 Works  done  before  and  after  justifi- 
 cation   ib. 
 
 The  fiist  part  of  true  Christianity,  is 
 the  preaching  of  repentance,  and 
 the  acknowledging  of  our  sins. . .  92 
 The  second  part  is  the  preaching  of 
 
 the  forgiveness  of  sins ib. 
 
 Scotus  and  Occam,  doctors  of  hellish 
 
 darkness 93 
 
 Christ,  faith,  imputation 96 
 
 Imputation  necessaiy 97 
 
 They  that  believe  in  Christ,  shall  not 
 
 be  charged  with  their  sins ib. 
 
 The  doctrine  of  good  works  must  be 
 taught  after  the  doctrine  of  faith,  ib. 
 
 Who  is  a  right  Christian ib. 
 
 A  Christian  man  hath  nothing  to  do 
 
 with  the  law 98 
 
 Christians  are  judges  of  all  kinds  of 
 
 doctrine ib. 
 
 Faith  justifieth  without  the  law. ...  100 
 
 PAGE 
 
 TTie  doctrine  of  good  works  is  not  to 
 
 be  neglected 109 
 
 Faith  only  justifieth,  because  it  only 
 taketh    hold   of    the    benefit    of 
 
 Christ 101 
 
 The  law  must  not  be  suflFered  to  reign 
 
 in  the  conscience 102 
 
 Our  salvation  consisteth  not  in  doing 
 
 but  in  receiving ib. 
 
 The  dignity  of  the  law 10.3 
 
 The  office  of  Christ 105 
 
 The  difference  of  the  law  and  grace  is 
 very  easy,  and  yet  are  they  soon 
 confounded  and  mixed  together. .  ib. 
 They  who  say  that  the  law  is  ueces 
 sary  to  righteousness,  are  like  to 
 
 the  false  apostles |06 
 
 ff  righteousness  come  by  the  law, 
 
 then  is  Christ  unprofitable 107 
 
 Faith  in  Christ ib. 
 
 There  is  no  perfect  obedience  to  the 
 
 law,  even  in  the  justified 109 
 
 The  scripture  calleth  the  teachers  of 
 the  law,  exactors  and  tyrants, 
 bringing  men's  souls  into  spiri- 
 tual slavery jb. 
 
 History  of  publishing  of  the  law,  in 
 
 Exod.  xix.  20 MO 
 
 Who  maketh  Christ  a  minister  of  siu  ib. 
 Christ  hath  taken  away  all  evils,  and 
 hath   brought  unto  us   all  good 
 
 things Ill 
 
 Whatsoever  the  afflicted  conscience 
 desireth,  it  findeth  in  Christ  abun- 
 dantly   ib. 
 
 What  Paul  had  destroyed  by  the  mi- 
 nistry of  the  gospel 112 
 
 Mose.5  giveth  place  to  Christ,  and  the 
 
 law  to  the  gospel ib. 
 
 The  difference  of  the  law  and  the  gos- 
 pel must  be  diligently  marked  . .  .113 
 
 Faith  without  works 114 
 
 Paul's  manner  of  speech  unknown  to 
 
 man's  reason 115 
 
 He  that  is  dead  to  the  law  liveth  to 
 
 God ib. 
 
 The  whole  law  is  abrogated lie 
 
 Christ  free  from  the  grave,  &c ib. 
 
 What  it  is  to  die  to  the  law ib. 
 
 Let  the  flesh  be  subject  to  the  law, 
 
 but  not  the  conscience 117 
 
 How  afflicted  consciences  must  be 
 
 comforted ib. 
 
 To  live  to  the  law,  is  to  die  to  God, 
 and  contrariwise,  to  die  to  the  law, 
 
 is  to  live  to  God 118 
 
 The  conscience,  by  grace,  delivered 
 
 from  the  law ib. 
 
 In  the  matter  of  justification  there  is 
 nothing  for  us  to  do ;  but  to  hear 
 what  Christ  hath  done  for  us,  and 
 to  apprehend  the  same  by  faith  ..  119 
 This  sentence  well  understood  in  the 
 time  of  trouble,  maketh  a  man 
 strong  against  all  temptations. . . .  120 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 A  speech  or  dialogue  between  the  l.iw 
 and  conscience 120 
 
 A  consolation  against  the  terrors  of 
 the  law,  &c ib. 
 
 The  binding  law,  through  Christ,  is 
 bound  itself ib. 
 
 A  new  name  given  to  the  law,  that  it 
 is  dead  and  condemned 121 
 
 The  most  sweet  and  comfortable 
 names  of  Christ 122 
 
 Christ  a  poison  against  death ib. 
 
 TJie  law  of  the  mind  set  against  the 
 law  of  the  members ib. 
 
 The  flesh  subject  to  the  law,  but  not 
 the  conscience , 123 
 
 To  be  crucified  with  Christ ib. 
 
 The  true  life  of  the  faithful ib. 
 
 The  faithful  are  crucified  and  dead  to 
 the  law 124 
 
 The  glory  of  the  faithful ib. 
 
 Christian  righteousness ib. 
 
 We  must  have  Christ  only  in  sight 
 before  our  eyes ib. 
 
 Such  is  our  misery,  that  in  tempta- 
 tions and  afflictions  we  set  Christ 
 aside,  and  look  baclc  into  ourselves 
 and  our  life  past ib. 
 
 The  old  man 125 
 
 The  works  of  Christ  living  in  the 
 faithful ib. 
 
 Christ,  living  in  the  faithful,  com- 
 municateth  unto  them  all  gifts  of 
 grace  and  spiritual  blessings  ....  ib. 
 
 The  faithful  both  righteous  and  sin- 
 ners   126 
 
 Faith  so  knitteth  us  and  Christ  toge- 
 ther, that  we  become  one  with  him  ib. 
 
 True  faith  is  not  idle ib. 
 
 What  occasion  the  malicious  take  of 
 this  doctrine 127 
 
 Good  works  are  not  the  cause,  but  the 
 fruits  of  righteousness ib. 
 
 The  faithful  live  not  their  own  life, 
 but  the  life  of  Christ 128 
 
 The  faithful  live  in  the  fle.sh,  but  not 
 according  to  the  flesh ib. 
 
 Vo  live  in  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God  ib. 
 
 The  difference  between  the  faithful 
 and  unfaithful 129 
 
 The  true  manner  of  justification  ...  ib. 
 
 To  do  what  in  us  lieth 1  ,S0 
 
 Christ  first  loved  us,  and  not  we  him.  131 
 
 The  dignity  of  the  price  given  for  us.  132 
 
 How  sects  may  be  withstood 133 
 
 The  majesty  of  Christ  the  Son  of 
 God ib. 
 
 Which  loved  me,  &c ib. 
 
 The  true  force  of  faith ib. 
 
 The  law  loveth  not  sinners,  but  ac- 
 cuscth  them ib. 
 
 The  offices  of  Christ 134 
 
 Chri.st  is  a  lover  of  the  afflicted,  and 
 such  as  feel  the  burden  of  their 
 sins 1 35 
 
 Me^for  me ib. 
 
 PAUB 
 
 As  by  Adam  all  became  guilty,  so  by 
 Christ  all  that  believe  are  made 
 righteous 135 
 
 To  seek  righteousness  by  the  law,  is 
 to  reject  the  grace  of  God ib. 
 
 The  world  is  so  wicked  and  per- 
 verse that  it  rejecteth  the  grace  of 
 God 136 
 
 A  common  sin  to  reject  the  grace  of 
 God 137 
 
 The  devilish  perverseness  of  the 
 world     138 
 
 The  righteousness  which  is  accepted 
 before  God   139 
 
 Reason,  although  it  be  lightened  with 
 the  law,  yea,  with  the  law  of  God, 
 remaineth  blind    ib. 
 
 The  commendation  of  the  righteous- 
 ness of  the  law ib. 
 
 To  make  the  death  of  Christ  unpro- 
 fitable   140 
 
 Just  anger  is  called  in  the  scripture, 
 zeal  or  jealousy 141 
 
 The  sharp  rebukings  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost 142 
 
 Remnants  of  natural  vices  remain  in 
 the  godly i'o. 
 
 None  pure  but  Christ 143 
 
 Luther's  conflicts  with  Satan 144 
 
 The  profit  that  cometh  to  tlie  godly 
 by  the  temptation  of  Satan ib. 
 
 The  false  apostles  bewitchers  of  men. 145 
 
 The  godly  must  diligently  watch. .  .146 
 
 Worldly  and  secure  men  are  soon 
 bewitched ib. 
 
 They  that  seek  to  be  justified  by  the 
 law,  crucify  Christ 149 
 
 The  fall  of  Lucifer 151 
 
 The  Holy  Ghost  is  received  by  hear- 
 ing the  word  of  faith,  and  not  by 
 the  law 152 
 
 The  law  bringeth  not  the  Holy  Ghost  ib. 
 
 The  appearing  of  the  Holy  Ghost. , .  153 
 
 Cornelius ib. 
 
 Both  Jews  and  Gentiles  are  justified 
 by  faith  only 154 
 
 The  Gentiles  justified  by  faith    ....  ib. 
 
 That  the  Holy  Ghost  is  given  by  the 
 only  hearing  of  faith    1 56 
 
 Difference  between  the  law  and  the 
 gospel    157 
 
 Cornelius,  a  Gentile,  is  justified  by 
 faith   158 
 
 The  lawhelpeth  not  to  righteousness  ib. 
 
 Conscience  witnesseth  that  the  Holy 
 Ghost  is  not  given  by  the  law,  but 
 by  the  hearing  of  faith 160 
 
 Orders  and  kinds  of  life  appointed  of 
 God    .161 
 
 By  what  means  the  Holy  Ghost  is  ^ 
 given  unto  us ib. 
 
 To  whom  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is 
 given 169 
 
 A  man  is  made  a  Christia.i  by  heal- 
 ing the  doctrine  of  faith  ib. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Zl 
 
 PAGE 
 
 The  striving  of  the  flesh  against  the 
 spirit,  in  the  godly 1 63 
 
 The  doctrine  of  the  false  apostles  . .  164 
 
 What  inconi modifies  the  righteous- 
 ness of  the  law,  or  man's  own 
 vighteonsness  bringeth    165 
 
 The  judgment  of  reason,  touching 
 articles  of  faith 170 
 
 Faith  slayeth  reason ib. 
 
 The  unfaithful  give  not  glory  to  God. 17 1 
 
 Remnants  of  sin  in  the  godly 172 
 
 A  definition  of  the  Christian  faith..  173 
 
 How  they  that  feel  the  heavy  burden 
 of  sin,  ought  to  be  comforted. . , .  174 
 
 Imputation  of  righteousness  176 
 
 Carnal  begetting  doth  not  make  us 
 the  children  of  Abraham 178 
 
 The  believing  and  the  begetting  Abra- 
 ham      ib. 
 
 Faith  thinketh  rightly 179 
 
 The  errors  of  the  false  apostles  ....  182 
 
 Abraham's  faith  and  ours,  all  one  . .  184 
 
 A  working  and  a  believing  Abraham  .185 
 
 It  is  good  to  follow  the  example  of 
 Christ ;  but  justification  cometh 
 not  thereby  186 
 
 The  faithful  Abraham  must  be  sepa- 
 rate from  the  working  Abraham . .  1 8T 
 
 Righteousness  of  faith  and  civil  righ- 
 teousness are  easily  confounded. .  189 
 
 The  law  of  sin,  wrath,  and  death  . .  190 
 
 The  godly  are  not  made  righteous  by 
 doing  righteous  things,  &c 194 
 
 Judas  did  the  same  works  that  the 
 other  apostles  did ib. 
 
 The  error  and  impiety  of  hypo- 
 crites  195 
 
 Hypocrites  go  about  to  do  that  thing 
 which  belongeth  only  to  Christ  ..197 
 
 The  godly  do  not  the  law  perfectly. .  198 
 
 Hypocrites  do  many  things,  but  with- 
 out faith 204 
 
 The  difference  between  a  true  and  a 
 false  faith 206 
 
 Faith  only  taketh  hold  of  Christ... 208 
 
 The  believing  man  obtaiheth  righ- 
 teousness and  everlasting  life  with- 
 out the  law  and  charity ib. 
 
 Remnants  of  siti  in  the  saints,  and 
 the  elect  of  God 212 
 
 Christ  must  be  wrapped  as  well  in 
 our  sins,  as  in  our  flesh  and  blood. 213 
 
 A  marvellous  combat  between  sin 
 and  righteousness  in  Christ 216 
 
 Sin  and  death  abolished  to  all  be- 
 lievers   217 
 
 It  is  the  work  of  God,  to  abolish 
 death  and  to  give  life 218 
 
 Christ  is  our  righteousness,  and  our 
 sin  is  his    219 
 
 An  inestimable  comfort  for  all  poor 
 consciences  beaten  down  with  sin  ib. 
 
 A  feeling  sinner  biniised  and  broken- 
 lifarted  for  liis  sins,  is  counted  no 
 sinner 220 
 
 PAGB 
 
 How  Christ  is  tiiily  known 221 
 
 The  fathers  of  the  Old  Testament 
 rejoiced  more  for  the  benefit  of 
 Christ  than  we  du •  •  .224 
 
 The  promise  of  the  spirit 226 
 
 The  love  of  ourselves  is  corrupt.. 228 
 
 The  nature  of  hypocrites 229 
 
 Abraham  was  not  made  righteous  by 
 the  law,  for  when  he  lived  there 
 was  no  law   232 
 
 We  must  give  to  the  law  and  the  pro- 
 mise their  own  proper  place  . . .  .233 
 
 All  things  are  done  for  the  elect's 
 sake    237 
 
 All  men  naturally  judge  that  the  law 
 doth  justify    237 
 
 God  hath  ordained  magistrates,  pa- 
 rents, laws,  &c.  that  sins  might  be 
 bridled 239 
 
 The  light  of  the  gospel 243 
 
 The  doctrine  of  the  gospel  belongeth 
 to  those  which  are  terrified  with 
 the  law 244 
 
 The  law  not  only  sheweth  unto  a 
 man  his  sin,  but  also  driveth  him 
 to  Christ 245 
 
 Faith  in  Christ  driveth  away  the  ter- 
 rors of  the  law 262 
 
 The  law  is  good  and  holy,  and  yet  in- 
 tolerable to  man's  nature    255 
 
 The  promises  of  God  are  not  hin- 
 dered, because  of  our  sins 257 
 
 Upon  whom  Christ  bestoweth  his 
 benefits 258 
 
 The  judgment  of  men,  as  touching 
 the  law 259 
 
 If  the  law  justify  not,  much  less  do 
 works  justify     261 
 
 The  commendation  of  good  works 
 out  of  the  cause  of  justification  .  .262 
 
 Cain  being  shut  up  in  the  prison  of 
 the  law,  and  abiding  there,  des- 
 paired     266 
 
 The  temptation  of  the  godly 268 
 
 Paul  an  excellent  teacher  of  faith  .  .277 
 
 In  the  world  there  is  a  difference  of 
 personSj  but  not  before  God  ....280 
 
 The  brazen  serpent  a  figureof  Christ  281 
 
 When  we  feel  the  terrors  of  con- 
 science, the  law  must  be  abased, 
 and  the  promise  magnified 288 
 
 The  Holy  Ghost  is  sent  in  two  man- 
 ner of  ways   296 
 
 We  must  assure  ourselves  that  we 
 are  under  grace 299 
 
 The  cry  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the 
 hearts  of  the  godly 302 
 
 The  cry  of  Moses  at  the  Red  Sea,  and 
 the  office  of  the  Holy  Ghost  . . .  .304 
 
 'ITie  godly  have  need  of  the  comfort 
 of  the  Holy  Ghost 312 
 
 The  fruit  of  sound  doctrine    327  . 
 
 Who  be  the  true  sons  of  Abraham  .346 
 
 The  church  begetteth  children  by 
 teaching 351  ■ 
 
Xll 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Reason  is  delighted  with  hypocrisy. 353 
 
 The  people  of  grace 354 
 
 Grief  after  tlie  flesh,  and  glory  after 
 
 the  spirit    363 
 
 False  brethren  at  the  first  are  friends, 
 
 but  afterwards  they  become  deadly 
 
 enemies 364 
 
 The  world  embraceth  the  righteous- 
 ness of  worlvs,  and  condemneth 
 
 that  of  faith 367 
 
 The  godly  must  stand  fast,  that  they 
 
 lose  not  their  liberty  in  Christ  .  .370 
 A  remedy  against  the  anguish  and 
 
 terrors  of  conscience 372 
 
 The  devil's  martyrs 375 
 
 Good  works  arc  not  condemned,  but 
 
 confidence  in  good  works   377 
 
 True  faith 382 
 
 The   lighteousness   of  the    faithful 
 
 standeth  not  in  feeling 385 
 
 A  sweet  consolation  in  anguish  of 
 
 spirit 388 
 
 A  true  and  lively  faith 390 
 
 The  life  of  a  Christian  is  a  course  or 
 
 a  race  391 
 
 Christ,  a  gift  and  example 393 
 
 No  error  in  faith 398 
 
 Luther  will  be  at  no  unity  with  the 
 
 enemies  of  the  gospel 400 
 
 Good  works 403 
 
 Carnal  men  understand  not  faith  . .  ib. 
 Carnal  men  abuse  Christian  liberty. 405 
 Natural  corruption  remaineth  in  the 
 
 faithful 407 
 
 An  hypocrite  described 409 
 
 How  faith  and  works  are  to  betaught412 
 
 God  first  loved  us 414 
 
 Desires  and  lusts  of  the  flesh  in  the 
 
 godly 415 
 
 Flames  of  i.arnal  lust  in  St.  Jerome  417 
 The  godly  feel  concupiscence  or  lust 
 
 of  the  flesh,  which  in  the  faithful 
 
 the  spirit  resisteth.*«***««*»**>418 
 
 MGE 
 
 The  godly,  feeling  the  corruption  of 
 
 the  flesh,  must  not  despair 420 
 
 The  battle  of  the  flesh  and  spirit  in 
 the  godly,  and  what  they  must  do 
 
 when  they  feel  sin    .421 
 
 The  wisdom  of  the  godly,  who  only 
 
 f(!el  sin 424 
 
 To  be  led  by  the  spirit 425 
 
 How  a  troubled  mind  is  to  be  com- 
 forted   426 
 
 What  it  is  to  crucify  the  flesh 441 
 
 The  armour  of  God 442 
 
 Why  God  layeth  the  cross  upon  the 
 
 preachers  of  the  gospel 445 
 
 What  oflfences  are  to  be  forgiven    ..448 
 How  they  that  are  fallen  ought  to  be 
 
 intreated    449 
 
 The  authors  of  sects  painted  out  in 
 
 their  right  colours   452 
 
 The  people  delighted  with  novelties  454 
 What  it  is  for  a  man  to  prove  his 
 
 own  work 456 
 
 The  worli  of  every  man's  calling  . .  .467 
 In  death,  and  in  the  day  of  judgment, 
 
 other  men's  praises  profit  not ...  ib. 
 A  commandment  for  the  nourishing 
 of  the  ministers  of  the  word  of 
 
 God 458 
 
 The  ministers  of  Satan  have  plenty, 
 but   the    ministers   of  Christ  do 
 
 want 459 
 
 Satan  oppresseth  the  gospel  two  ways.460 
 Fulness    of    God's    word    bringeth 
 
 loathing ib. 
 
 The  world  loadeth  the  ministers  of 
 
 Satan  with  ail  worldly  good  tiiings.461 
 Gentlemen,  citizens   and   husband- 
 men, despisers  of  God's  ministers  ib. 
 Reverence  and  necessary  living  due 
 to  the  ministers  of  the  word  . . .  .462 
 
 What  it  is  to  sow  in  spirit 463 
 
 We  must  do  good  without  weari- 
 ness .......<.... 464 
 
LIFE 
 
 MARTIN   LUTHER, 
 
 THE  GREAT  REFORMER. 
 
 The  subject  of  this  Memoir  was  a  most  wonderfiil  man,  whom 
 God  raised  up  in  these  last  ages  of  the  world,  to  break  the  chain 
 of  superstition  and  spiritual  slavery,  which  the  bishops  of 
 Rome  and  their  dependents  had,  for  many  centuries,  cast  over 
 the  consciences  of  all  men.  He  was  an  instrument  truly  pre- 
 pared for  this  great  work ;  and  yet  but  a  mean  and  obscure 
 monk,  to  shew  us,  that  He,  who  ruleth  all  things,  eflfected  him- 
 self the  important  design,  in  which  the  greatest  prince  upon 
 earth  would  have  undoubtedly  failed. 
 
 The  conduct  of  the  dignified  clergy  throughout  all  Europe 
 had  long  given  scandal  to  the  world.  The  bishops  were  grossly 
 ignorant :  they  seldom  resided  in  their  dioceses,  except  to  riot  at 
 high  festivals ;  and  all  the  effect  their  residence  could  have,  was 
 to  corrupt  others  by  their  ill  example.  Nay,  some  of  them 
 could  not  so  much  as  write,  but  employed  some  person,  or  chap- 
 lain, who  had  attained  that  accomplishment,  to  subscribe  their 
 names  for  them.  They  followed  the  courts  of  princes,  and  as- 
 pired to  the  greatest  oflSces.  The  abbots  and  monks  were  wholly 
 ^ven  up  to  luxury  and  idleness;  and  it  appeared,  by  the  un- 
 married state  both  of  the  seculars  and  regulars,  that  the  re- 
 straining them  from  having  wives  of  their  own,  made  them  con- 
 clude they  had  a  right  to  all  other  men's.  The  inferior  clergy 
 were  no  better;  and,  not  having  places  of  retreat  to  conceal 
 their  vices  in,  as  the  monks  had,  they  became  more  public.  In 
 sum,  all  ranks  of  chm'chmen  were  so  universally  despised  and 
 hated,  that  the  world  was  very  apt  to  be  possessed  with  preju- 
 dice against  their  doctrines,  for  the  sake  of  the  men  whose  in- 
 terest it  was  to  support  them.  And  the  worship  of  God  was  so 
 defiled  with  gross  superstition,  that,  without  great  inquiries,  all 
 men  were  easily  convinced  that  the  church  stood  in  great  need 
 of  a  reformation.  This  was  much  increased  when  the  books 
 of  the  fathers  began  to  be  read,  in  which  the  difference  between 
 the  former  and  later  ages  of  the  church  very  evidently  appeared. 
 They  found,  that  a  blind  superstition  came  first  in  the  room  of 
 true  piety;  and  when,  by  its  means,  the  wealth  and  interest  of 
 the  clergy  were  highly  advanced,  the  Popes  had  upon  that  es- 
 tablished their  tyranny;   under  which,  not  only  the  meaner 
 
XIV  LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER. 
 
 people,  but  even  the  crowned  heads,  had  long  groaned.  All 
 these  things  concurred  to  make  way'for  the  advancement  of  the 
 Reformation. 
 
 Wickliffe,  Huss,  Jerome  of  Prague,  and  others,  had  laid  the 
 seeds  of  the  Reformation,  which  Luther  nourished  with  great 
 warmth.  The  scandalous  extolling  of  indulgences  gave  the  first 
 occasion  to  all  the  contradiction  that  followed  between  Luther 
 and  the  church  of  Rome;  in  which,  if  the  corruptions  and  cruelty 
 of  the  clergy  had  not  been  so  visible  and  scandalous,  so  small  a 
 matter  could  not  have  produced  such  a  revolution:  but  any 
 crisis  will  put  ill  humours  into  a  ferment. 
 
 As  Protestants,  we  are  certainly  much  obliged  to  Erasmus ; 
 yet  we  are  far  more  obliged,  under  God,  to  those  great  instru- 
 ments of  the  Reformation,  viz.  Luther,  Zuinglius,  Oecolampadius 
 Bucer,  Melancthon,  Cranmer,  and  others.  The  greatest  enemies 
 of  Luther  cannot  deny  but  that  he  had  eminent  qualities;  and 
 history  affords  nothing  more  surprising  than  what  he  has  done. 
 For  a  simple  monk  to  be  able  to  give  popery  so  rude  a  shock, 
 that  there  needed  but  such  another,  entirely  to  overthrow  the 
 Romish  church,  is  what  we  cannot  sufficiently  admire,  and  marks 
 the  hand  of  Providence  conducting  the  whole.  It  was  said, 
 with  reason,  that  Erasmus,  by  his  railleries,  prepared  the  way 
 for  Luther:  and  Simon  Fontaine,  the  popish  historian,  com- 
 plained that  Erasmus  occasionally  had  done  more  mischief  than 
 Luther,  because  Luther  only  opened  the  door  wider,  after 
 Erasmus  had  picked  the  lock,  and  half  opened  it.  Notwith- 
 standing all  this,  says  Bayle,  there  must  have  been  eminent  gifts 
 in  Luther,  to  produce  such  a  revolution  as  he  has  done. 
 
 Martin  Luther  was  born  at  Isleben,  a  town  in  the  county  of 
 Mansfield,  in  the  circle  of  Upper  Saxony,  on  the  tenth  of  No- 
 vember, 1483,  at  nine  o'clock  at  night,  being  St.  Martin's  eve, 
 which  made  his  parents  name  him  Martin.  His  father  was 
 called  John  Luther,  or  Luder,  because  he  was  a  refiner  of  metals; 
 for  Luder,  in  the  German  language,  has  that  signification.  It 
 is  agreed  that  his  business  was  about  the  mines;  and  that  he  was 
 the  chief  magistrate  of  the  city  of  Mansfield.  His  mother's  name 
 was  Margaret  Lindeman,  who  was  remarkable  for  her  piety. 
 
 Among  the  falsehoods  which  have  been  published  concerning 
 Martin  Luther,  no  regard  has  been  had  to  probability,  or  to  the 
 rules  of  the  art  of  slandering.  The  authors  of  them  have  as- 
 sumed the  confidence  of  those  who  ftilly  believe  that  the  public 
 will  blindly  adopt  all  their  stories,  however  absurd.  They  have 
 dared  to  publish,  that  an  incubus  begat  him;  and  have  even 
 falsified  the  day  of  his  birth,  to  frame  a  scheme  of  nativity  to 
 Vis  disadvantage.  Father  Maimbourg  has  been  so  equitable  as 
 to  reject  this  ridiculous  story:  but  Gauricus  has  made  himself 
 contemptible  for  his  astrology. 
 
 When  Martin  Luther  was  fourteen  years  of  age,  he  was  sent 
 to  the  public  schools  at  Magdeburg,  where  he  continued  on© 
 
LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER. 
 
 year,  and  was  then  removed  to  that  of  Evsenach,  where  he 
 studied  four  years.  The  circumstances  of  his  parents  were  at 
 that  time  so  very  low,  and  so  insufficient  to  maintain  him,  that 
 he  was  forced,  as  Melchior  Adam  relates,  mendicato  vivere  pane, 
 to  live  hy  begging  his  bread.  When  he  had  finished  his  gram- 
 mar studies,  he  was  sent  to  the  famous  school  at  Eysenach  in 
 Thuringia,  for  the  sake  of  being  among  his  mother's  relations, 
 where  he  applied  himself  very  diligently  to  his  books  for  four 
 years,  and  began  to  discover  all  that  force  and  strength  of  parts, 
 that  acuteness  and  penetration,  that  warm  and  rapid  eloquence, 
 which  afterwar<ls  were  attended  with  such  amazing  success.  In 
 the  year  l/»Ol,  he  was  entered  at  the  university  of  Ei-ford  or 
 Erfurt,  in  Thuringia,  where  he  went  through  a  course  of  phi- 
 losophy, and  was  admitted  master  of  arts,  in  1503,  being  then 
 twenty  years  old.  He  was  soon  after  made  professor  of  physic, 
 and  ethics;  but  he  chiefly  applied  himself  to  the  study  of  the 
 civil  law,  and  intended  to  advance  himself  to  the  bar,  from  which 
 he  was  diverted  by  this  uncommon  accident.  As  he  was  walking 
 in  the  fields  with  a  friend,  he  was  struck  by  a  thunderbolt,  which 
 threw  him  to  the  ground,  and  killed  his  companion:  whereupon 
 Luther  resolved  to  withdraw  from  the  world,  and  enter  into 
 the  order  of  the  hermits  of  St.  Augustine.  He  made  his  pro- 
 fession in  the  monastery  of  Erfm't,  where  he  took  priest's  orders, 
 and  celebrated  his  first  mass  in  the  year  1507. 
 
 It  is  reported  that  there  was  an  old  man  in  this  monastery, 
 with  whom  Luther  had  several  conferences  upon  many  theo- 
 logical subjects,  particularly  concerning  the  article  of  remission 
 of  sins.  This  article  was  explained  by  the  old  monk  to  Luther, 
 **  that  it  was  the  express  commandment  of  God,  that  every  man 
 should  believe  his  sins  to  be  forgiven  him  in  Christ."  Luther 
 found  this  interpretation  was  confirmed  by  the  testimony  of  St. 
 Bernard,  who  says,  "  that  man  is  freely  justified  by  faith."  He 
 then  perceived  the  meaning  of  St.  Paul,  when  he  repeats,  "  we 
 are  justified  by  faith."  He  consulted  the  expositions  of  many 
 writers  upon  that  apostle,  and  saw  through  the  vanity  of  those 
 interpretations  which  he  had  read  before  of  the  schoolmen.  He 
 compared  the  sayings  and  examples  of  the  prophets  and  apostles. 
 He  also  studied  the  works  of  St.  Augustine;  but  still  consulted 
 the  sententiaries,  as  Gabriel  and  Camarencis.  He  likewise  read 
 the  books  of  Occam,  whose  subtilty  he  preferred  before  Thomas 
 Aquinas  and  Scotus. 
 
 In  1508,  the  university  of  Wittenberg,  in  the  duchy  of 
 Saxony,  was  established  under  the  direction  of  Staupitius,  whose 
 
 food  opinion  of  Luther  occasioned  him  to  send  for  him  from 
 irfurt  to  Wittenberg,  where  he  taught  philosophy;  and  his 
 lectures  were  attended  by  Mellarstad,  and  many  other  wise  and 
 learned  men.  He  expounded  the  logic  and  philosophy  of  Aris- 
 totle in  the  schools;  and  began  to  examine  the  old  theology,  in 
 the  churches. 
 
XVI  LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER. 
 
 Mellarstad  usually  said,  that  Luther  was  of  such  a  wonderful 
 spirit,  and  of  such  ingenious  parts,  as  to  give  apparent  signifi- 
 cation that  he  would  introduce  a  more  compendious,  easy,  and 
 familiar  manner  of  teaching ;  as  also  alter  and  abolish  the  order 
 that  was  then  used. 
 
 In  the  year  1512,  he  was  sent  to  Rome,  to  take  up  some  con- 
 troversies which  happened  among  his  order;  and  he  conducted 
 himself  so  well  as  to  obtain  the  character  of  a  prudent  man.  This 
 is  represented  to  have  happened  before  he  came  to  Wittenberg; 
 which  is  a  mistake :  for  it  was  three  years  after  he  was  at  that 
 university.  The  occasion  was  this :  Seven  convents  of  the  Au- 
 gustines  quarrelled  with  their  vicar-general,  and  Luther  was 
 chosen  by  the  monks  to  maintain  their  cause  at  Rome.  He  was 
 of  an  active  spirit;  a  bold  declaimer;  was  endued  with  a  most 
 firm  and  steady  temper,  and  had  a  prodigious  share  of  natural 
 courage,  which  nothing  could  break  or  daunt.  In  short,  he  suc- 
 ceeded in  his  business,  for  which  he  was  made  doctor  and  pro- 
 fessor of  divinity,  upon  his  return  to  Wittenberg.  At  Rome 
 he  saw  the  Pope  and  the  court,  and  had  an  opportunity  also  of 
 observing  the  manners  of  the  clergy,  whose  hasty,  superficial, 
 and  impious  way  of  celebrating  mass,  he  has  severely  noted. 
 **  I  performed  mass,"  says  he,  "  at  Rome;  I  saw  it  also  performed 
 by  others,  but  in  such  a  manner,  that  I  never  think  of  it  without 
 the  utmost  horror."  He  often  spoke  afterwards  of  his  journey 
 to  Rome,  and  used  to  say,  that  "  He  would  not  but  have  made 
 "  it,  for  a  thousand  florins."  A  monkish  poet  himself,  upon  the 
 view  of  the  barefaced  iniquity  of  the  Pope's  pretended  holy  city, 
 could  not  help  singing : 
 
 "  Vivere  qui  ciipitis  sancte,  discedite  Rotn&; 
 "  Omnia  cum  liceant,  non  licet  esse  bonum. 
 
 If  you  would  live  righteously,  keep  clear  of  Rome:  For  though 
 her  priests  can  license  every  thing  else,  they  allow  of  nothing 
 good." 
 
 The  degree  of  doctor  was  forced  upon  him,  against  h  s  will, 
 by  Staupitius,  who  said  to  him,  "  that  God  had  many  things  to 
 bring  to  pass  in  his  church  by  him."  These  words  were  cara- 
 lessly  spoken ;  yet  they  proved  true,  like  many  other  prediction* 
 before  a  great  change.  Luther  was  graduated  doctor  at  tU- 
 expense  of  Frederic,  elector  of  Saxony,  who  "had  heaid  K 
 preach,  well  understood  the  quietness  of  his  spiiit,  diligently 
 considered  the  vehemency  of  his  words,  and  had  in  singular 
 admiraticR  iaose  profound  matters  which  in  his  sermon  he 
 ripely  and  exactly  explained." 
 
 After  this,  he  began  to  expound  the  epistle  to  the  Romans,  and 
 the  Psalms ;  where  he  shewed  the  difference  between  the  law 
 and  the  gospel.  He  refuted  the  error  that  was  then  predominant 
 h  schools  and  sermons;  that  men  may  merit  remission  of  sins 
 bv  their  own  proper  works.  As  John  Baptist  demonstrated  tlu 
 
LIJ-E  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER.  XvU 
 
 anib  of  God  which  took  away  the  sins  of  the  world;  so  Luther, 
 shining  in  the  church  as  a  bright  star  after  an  obscure  sky,  ex- 
 pressly shewed  that  sins  are  freely  remitted  for  the  love  of  the 
 Son  of  God,  and  that  we  ought  faithfully  to  embrace  this  boun- 
 tiful gift. 
 
 His  life  was  correspondent  to  his  profession ;  and  these  happy 
 beginnings  of  such  important  matters  procured  him  great  au- 
 thority. However,  he  attempted  no  alteration  in  the  ceremo- 
 nies of  religion,  and  interfered  with  no  doubtful  opinions  ;  but 
 contented  himself  Avith  opening  and  declaring  the  doctrine  of 
 repentance,  of  remission  of  sins,  of  faith,  and  of  true  comfort  in 
 times  of  adversity.  His  doctrine  was  generally  approved  by 
 the  learned,  who  conceived  high  pleasure  to  behold  Jesus 
 Christ,  the  prophets,  and  apostles,  to  emerge  into  the  light,  out  of 
 darkness,  whereby  they  began  to  understand  the  difference  be- 
 tween the  law  and  the  gospel,  between  spiritual  righteousness 
 and  civil  things ;  which  certainly  could  not  have  been  found  in 
 Aquinas,  Scotus,  and  other  schoolmen.  Erasmus  revived  learn- 
 ing, while  Luther  was  teaching  divinity  at  Wittenberg.  The  for- 
 mer brought  the  monks'  barbarous  and  sophistical  doctrine  into 
 contempt  by  his  elegant  work:  which  induced  Luther  to  study 
 the  Greek  and  Hebrew  languages,  that,  by  drawing  the  doc- 
 trine from  the  very  fountainsj  he  might  pass  his  judgment  with 
 more  authority. 
 
 We  now  come  to  turbulent  and  tempestuous  times  between 
 the  reformed  and  the  Romanists.  The  monks  loudly  com- 
 plained of  Erasmus,  whose  bold  and  free  censures  of  their  pious 
 grimaces  and  superstitious  devotions,  had  opened  the  way  for 
 Luther.  Erasmus,  as  they  used  to  say,  "  Laid  the  egg,  and 
 Luther  hatched  it."  The  ridiculous  Maimbourg  tells  us,  that 
 the  catholic  church  enjoyed  a  sweet  peace  in  the  sixteenth  cen- 
 tury, and  held  the  Pope  in  profound  veneration,  till  Luther 
 raised  commotions :  a  story  which  was  only  fit  to  be  told  to 
 boys  and  girls  at  Paris.  It  is  hard  to  name  tAvo  persons,  who 
 were  more  generally,  and  more  deservedly  abhorred,  than 
 Alexander  VI.  and  Julius  II. ;  and  as  to  Leo  X.,  all  the  world 
 knows  that  he  sat  very  loose  to  religion  and  morality. 
 
 The  year  15 IT,  Avas  the  356th  from  the  reformation  of  reli- 
 gion in  France  by  the  Waldenses ;  the  146th  from  the  first 
 confutation  of  popish  errors  in  England  by  John  Wickliffe ; 
 the  116th  from  the  ministry  of  John  Huss,  who  opposed  the 
 errors  of  popery  in  Bohemia;  and  the  36th  year  from  the  con- 
 demnation of  John  de  Wesalla,  Avho  taught  at  Worms. 
 
 The  papal  poAver  was  re-established,  and  carried  farther  than 
 ever.  All  the  western  Avorld,  except  the  Waldenses*  in  France, 
 
 *  The  rise  of  the  Waldenses  was  from  Waldus,  or  Valdo,  a  man  of  eminence 
 and  property  at  Lyons  in  France,  about  the  year  1J60.  He  was  brought  to 
 Seriousness  by  the  sudden  death  of  one  of  his  friends  ;  and,  having  some  Jearn- 
 ingi  he  read  the  scriptures,  probably  in  the  vulgate  translation,  which  he  reo* 
 
 b 
 
VIU  LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER. 
 
 and  a  few  Hussites  in  Bohemia,  liaving  embraced  the  commu- 
 nion, and  submitted  to  the  authority  of  Rome;  when  all  of  a 
 sudden,  and  from  a  most  inconsiderable  accident,  as  it  might 
 seem,  a  strange  discontent  arose,  which  ended  in  the  revolt  of 
 great  part  of  Europe;  and  the  Pope,  who  might,  just  befoie, 
 have  been  considered  in  all  the  meridian  of  his  glory,  was  in 
 danger  of  losing  all.  The  divine  providence  delights  to  accom- 
 plish the  greatest  purposes  by  the  smallest  means,  that  the  hand 
 of  God  might  appear  rather  than  the  hand  of  man,  and  the  great 
 Governor  of  the  universe  have  all  the  glory. 
 
 Leo  X.  succeeded  Julius  II.  in  1513.  He  was  of  the  rich 
 and  powerful  family  of  the  Medici  of  Florence,  naturally  proud 
 and  lofty.  But  it  is  also  said,  that  he  was  of  a  courteous  dis- 
 position, very  generous  to  men  of  learning  and  integrity:  and 
 would,  if  he  had  been  tolerably  well  skilled  in  divinity,  or 
 shewn  any  regard  to  piety,  although  but  feigned,  have  passed 
 for  a  very  good  Pope.  The  magnificent  church  of  St.  Peter 
 was  begun  by  Julius  II.,  and  required  very  large  sums  to  finish; 
 but  Leo  was  desirous  of  having  it  completed,  notwithstanding 
 he  had  contracted  many  debts  before  his  pontificate,  and  the 
 treasure  of  the  apostolic  chamber  Avas  exhausted.  To  bear  the 
 great  expense  of  finishing  that  superb  edifice,  Leo  found  him- 
 self obliged  to  have  recourse  to  some  extraordinary  means  for 
 raising  money;  Avhich  he  was  advised,  by  cardinal  Pucci,  to  do 
 by  selling  indulgences;  as  the  court  of  Rome,  upon  several 
 occasions,  had  formerly  experienced  to  her  advantage  in  raising 
 troops  and  money  against  the  Turks.  Leo,  therefore,  in  1517, 
 published  general  indulgences  throughout  all  Europe,  in 
 ravour  of  those  who  would  contribute  any  sum  to  the  building 
 of  St.  Peter's. 
 
 dered  in<o  French,  and  expounded  to  others.  This  alarmed  the  clergy,  who 
 threatened  him  with  excommunication,  if  he  persisted  ;  but  he,  persuaded  of  the 
 truth  and  utility  of  what  he  had  done,  regarded  not  men,  but  God.  He  was, 
 therefore,  driven  out  of  the  city, with  his  friends  and  followers,who  were  stripped 
 of  their  property,  for  which  reason  they  were  called  not  only  Waldenses,  but 
 the  poor  of  Lyons,  having  nothing  but  the  scanty  subsistence  which  they  could 
 pick  up  on  the  mountains  of  Savoy,  where  they  remained  for  several  ages.  They 
 were  joined  by  some  men  of  learning,  who  hated  the  clergy ,  and  maintained  that 
 the  bishop  of  Rome,  and  the  priests,  had  corrupted  the  holy  scri|)tures  by  their 
 tenets  and  glosses.  They  paid  no  tithes,  made  no  offerings,  observed  no  festi- 
 vals, and  celebrated  no  fasts  :  they  believed  that  prayers  for  the  dead  were 
 useless  and  superstitious  ;  they  denied  the  authority  of  priests,  and  despised 
 confession.  They  led  pure  and  holy  lives,  and  asserted  that  they  only  were  the 
 true  church,  and  that  the  church  of  Rome  was  a  prostitute,  which  taught  an 
 infinite  number  of  errors.  The  Romish  priests  called  the  Waldenses,  heretics; 
 and  their  priests,  who  were  called  Barbes,were  persecuted.  But  their  posterity 
 now  inhabit  the  valleys  of  Piedmont,  called  the  Vaudois.  Peter  Gilles,  minister 
 of  the  reformed  church  of  La  Tour,  in  the  vale  of  Lucerne,  composed,  by  order 
 of  his  superiors,  an  ecclesiastical  history  of  the  churches  of  the  Vaudois,  and 
 published  it  at  Geneva  in  1644 :  and  Claudius  Seysselius,  archbishop  of  Turin, 
 wrote  a  Treatise  against  the  Vaudois,  with  the  hopes  of  converting  them  to 
 popery. 
 
LIFB  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER.  XIX 
 
 Some  sajTj  iliat  these  indulgences  were  published  under  the 
 pretence  of  making  war  upon  the  Turks;  and  that  the  Pope 
 sent  a  jubilee,  with  his  pardons,  through  all  Christian  realms, 
 whereby  he  collected  an  immense  treasure. 
 
 Several  persons  were  sent  into  different  countries,  to  preach 
 up  these  indulgences,  and  to  receive  money  for  them.  The  col- 
 lectors persuaded  the  people,  that  those  who  gave  to  the  value 
 of  about  ten  shillings  sterling,  should  at  their  pleasure  deliver 
 one  soul  from  the  pains  of  purgatory.  But  if  the  sum.  was  less, 
 they  preached  that  it  would  profit  them  nothing. 
 
 The  Pope  employed  the  Dominicans  in  this  dirty  work  in 
 Germany,  at  which  the  Augustines  were  irritated,  and  pretended 
 that  the  office  of  retailing  indulgences  belonged  to  them.  As  all 
 the  money,  raised  this  way  in  Saxony  and  thereabouts,  was 
 granted  to  Magdalen,  sister  to  the  Pope,  she,  to  make  the  most 
 of  it,  appointed  Archimbald,  a  bishop,  by  habit  and  title,  but  as 
 well  versed  in  the  tricking  part  of  trade  as  a  Genoese,  to  ma- 
 nage for  her.  But  we  are  told,  that  Albert  of  Brandenburgh, 
 archbishop  of  Mentz  and  Magdeburg,  who  was  soon  after  made 
 a  cardinal,  had  a  commission  for  Germany:  that,  instead  of  era- 
 ploying  the  Augustine  friars,  who  had  laboured  above  all  the 
 religious  orders  to  make  them  pass,  he  gave  his  commission  to 
 John  Tetzelius,  a  Dominican,  and  to  other  friars  of  the  same 
 order;  because  he  had  lately  collected  great  sums  for  the  knights 
 of  the  Teutonic  order,  who  were  at  war  against  the  Muscovites, 
 by  preaching  up  the  like  indulgences,  which  the  Pope  had 
 granted  to  these  knights.  Tetzelius,  or  Iccelius,  as  he  is  called 
 by  some,  boasted  that  "  He  had  so  ample  a  commission  from  the 
 Pope,  that,  though  a  man  should  have  defloured  the  Virgin 
 Mary,  for  a  proper  sum  of  money  he  could  pardon  him;"  and 
 assured  the  people,  that,  "  He  did  not  only  give  pardon  for  sins 
 past,  but  also  for  sins  to  come." 
 
 John  Staupitius  was  the  vicar-general  of  the  Augustines  in 
 Saxony;  and  he  Avas  greatly  esteemed  by  the  elector,  who  was 
 one  of  the  most  opulent  and  potent  princes  in  Germany.  Stau- 
 pitius informed  the  elector  of  the  pernicious  consequences  of 
 these  indulgences.  On  this  occasion,  Luther,  who  was  of  the 
 Augustine  order,  and  professor  of  divinity  at  Wittenberg,  began 
 to  examine  the  doctrine  of  indulgences,  which  the  Dominicans 
 sold  in  the  most  open,  and  in  the  most  infamous  manner;  and 
 havitig  found  it  full  of  errors,  he  refuted  it  publicly  in  1517.  It 
 is  said,  he  was  naturally  passionate,  and  zealous  for  the  interest 
 of  his  order,  which  made  him  declaim  against  the  abuses  of  indul- 
 gences, and  maintain  doctrinal  theses  about  them,  contrary  to  the 
 common  notions  of  divines.  But  it  seems  not  to  have  lieen  any 
 spleen  against  the  Dominicans  that  set  Luther  to  work;  it  was 
 only  his  dislike  to  such  practices.  Some  say  that  Leo  X.,  whose 
 sordid  traffic,  to  which  he  reduced  the  distribution  of  indul- 
 gences, gave  birth  to  Luther's  Reformation,  spoke  honourablr 
 
JJX  LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHEIl. 
 
 of  this  reformer  in  the  heginning-.  Silvester  Prierio,  mastef 
 of  the  sacred  palace,  shewed  Leo  the  doctrine  which  Luther 
 had  vented  in  his  book  concerning  indulgences;  but  Pope  Leo 
 answered,  that  Friar  Martin  had  a  fine  genius,  and  that  these 
 surmises  were  monkish  jealousies. 
 
 Tetzelius,  or  Tecellius,  impudently  sold  the  Pope's  indul- 
 gences about  the  country.  Luther  was  greatly  exasperatfld  at 
 the  blasphemous  sermons  of  this  shameless  Dominican;  '-and 
 having  his  heart  earnestly  bent  Avith  ardent  desire  to  maintain 
 true  religion,  published  certain  propositions  concerning  indul- 
 gences, which  are  to  be  read  in  the  first  tome  of  his  works  and 
 set  them  openly  on  the  temple  that  joineth  to  the  castle  of  Wit- 
 tenberg, the  morrow  after  the  feast  of  All-saints,  in  1517."  He 
 challenged  any  one  to  oppose  them,  either  by  writing  or  dispu- 
 tation. 
 
 John  Hilten,  a  German  Franciscan,  of  Eysenach,  pretended 
 to  ground  some  predictions  upon  the  book  of  Daniel,  in  1485. 
 Melancthon,  who  had  seen  the  original  of  that  work,  says,  the 
 author  foretold,  that,  in  1516,  the  power  of  the  Pope  shoidd 
 begin  to  decay.  We  are  informed  that  Hilten  was  put  into 
 prison,  for  having  reformed  some  monastical  abuses;  and  that 
 being  very  sick,  he  sent  to  the  guardian  and  told  him,  "I  have 
 spoken  no  great  matter  against  the  mockery;  but  there  shall 
 come  one,  in  1516,  who  shall  overturn  it."  Du  Plessis  adds, 
 that  Luther  began  to  preach  in  that  year;  in  which  he  is  mis- 
 taken, for  the  era  of  Lutheranism  began  not  till  1517. 
 
 The  first  thesis  published  by  Luther  contained  ninety-five 
 propositions,  in  which  he  plainly  declared  his  opinion  about  in- 
 dulgences. He  maintained  "  that  the  Pope  could  release  no 
 punishments  but  what  he  inflicted;  and  so  indulgences  could  be 
 only  a  relaxation  of  ecclesiastical  penalties:  that  Christians  are 
 to  be  instructed :  that  the  purchase  of  a  pardon  is  not  to  be  com- 
 pared to  works  of  mercy,  and  that  it  is  better  to  give  to  the 
 poor,  than  to  buy  pardons:  that  no  confidence  should  be  placed 
 in  indulgences,  which  cannot  remit  the  least  venial  sin  in  re- 
 spect of  the  guilt:  that  those  who  believe  they  shall  be  saved 
 by  indulgences  only,  shall  be  damned  with  their  masters;  and 
 that  it  is  a  matter  of  indifference  whether  men  buy  or  not  buy 
 any  indulgences."  He  also  condemned  several  propositions 
 which  he  attributed  to  his  adversaries;  and  reproved  several 
 abuses,  of  which  he  declared  them  guilty.  He  pronounced  an 
 anathema  upon  those  who  spoke  against  the  truth  of  apostolic 
 indulgences;  but  hoped  for  all  blessings  upon  those,  who  should 
 be  vigilant  in  stopping  the  licence  and  zeal  of  the  preachers-up 
 of  papal  indulgences. 
 
 Luther  vindicated  his  thesis  in  a  letter  to  the  archbishop  of 
 Mentz,  who  promoted  the  sale  of  these  indulgences,  and  told 
 him,  "  he  could  not  keep  silence,  Avhen  he  saw  the  souls  in- 
 trusted to  the  care  of  such  an  illustrious  person  so  ill  instructed, 
 
LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER.  '  XXI 
 
 and  for  which  he  must  one  day  give  an  account;"  assuring  him 
 at  the  same  time,  that  what  he  did  in  opposing  this  monstrous 
 traffic,  was  entirely  from  a  principle  of  conscience  and  duty,  and 
 with  a  faithful  and  submissive  temper  of  mind. 
 
 Tetzelius  assembled  the  monks  and  sophistical  divines  of  his 
 convent,  Avhom  he  commanded  to  write  something  against  Lu- 
 ther; while  he  cried  out  from  the  pulpit,  that  Luther  was  a 
 heretic,  and  worthy  to  be  prosecuted  with  lire.  In  a  public 
 dispute  at  Francfort  upon  the  Oder,  he  laid  down  a  thesis,  in 
 Avhich  he  opposed  that  of  Luther;  and  he  also  published  a  piece 
 in  German  against  a  sermon  which  Luther  had  preached  on 
 indulgences.  This  preaching  friar,  who  was  an  inquisitor  in 
 Germany,  maintained,  "  that  the  ministers  of  the  church  may 
 impose  a  punishment  to  be  suffered  after  death;  and  that  it  is 
 better  to  send  a  penitent  with  a  small  penance  into  purgatory, 
 than  to  send  him  into  hell  by  refusing  absolution:  that  heretics, 
 schismatics,  and  Avicked  men  are  excommunicated  after  death; 
 and  the  dead  are  subject  to  the  laws  of  the  church :  that  the 
 Pope,  by  granting  plenary  indulgences,  intends  to  remit  all 
 punishments  in  general:  and  that  indulgences  remit  punish- 
 ment more  readily  than  works  of  charity." 
 
 Tetzelius  also  composed  fifty  other  propositions  about  the 
 authority  of  the  Pope,  which  he  said  was  supreme,  and  above 
 the  universal  church,  and  a  council;  that  there  are  many 
 catholic  truths,  which  are  not  in  the  holy  scriptures ;  that  the 
 truths  defined  by  the  Pope  are  catholic;  and  that  his  judgment 
 in  matters  of  faith  is  infallible. 
 
 These  famous  positions  of  Luther  and  Tetzelius  were  like 
 the  challenge  and  defence  of  the  dispute  set  on  foot  by  both 
 parties.  Luther  wrote  with  great  moderation  in  the  beginning 
 of  this  important  dispute;  but  Tetzelius  treated  him  as  an  he- 
 resiarch.  The  former  trusted  to  the  goodness  of  his  cause, 
 which  he  defended  by  his  parts  and  knowledge:  the  latter  was 
 80  ignorant,  that  he  could  not  write  his  own  answer,  which  was 
 drawn  up  for  him  by  Conradus  Wimpina,  the  divinity-profes- 
 sor at  Frankfort.  Luther  was  protected  by  the  elector  of 
 Saxony;  but  Tetzelius  had  more  authority  by  his  offices  of  com- 
 missioner and  inquisitor,  though  he  was  a  man  of  such  very 
 profligate  morals,  that  he  had  been  condemned  to  die  for  adul- 
 tery at  Inspruck,  and  was  pardoned  at  the  intercession  of  the 
 elector  of  Saxony. 
 
 The  emperor  Maximilian,  being  at  Inspruck,  was  so  offended 
 at  the  wickedness  and  impudence  of  Tetzelius,  who  had  been 
 convicted  of  adultery,  that  he  intended  to  have  him  seized  upon, 
 put  in  a  bag,  and  flung  into  the  river;  and  woidd  have  done  it, 
 if  he  had  not  been  hmdered  by  the  solicitations  of  Frederic, 
 elector  of  Saxony.  Tetzel,  or  Tetzelius,  was  a  person  too 
 mean  and  worthless,  to  be  compared  on  any  account  with 
 .  Luther ;  and  Seckendorf  tells  a  pleasant  tale  of  a  gentleman  of 
 
XXU  LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHEB. 
 
 Lelpsic,  who  bought  an  indulgence  of  Tetzellus,  only  by  way 
 of  absolution  for  robbing  and  cudgelling  him  afterwards. 
 
 Tetzelius  caused  the  propositions  of  Luther  to  be  burnt, 
 which  enforced  Luther  to  treat  more  amply  of  the  cause,  and  to 
 maintain  his  matter.  Thus  arose  this  controversy,  "  Avherein 
 Luther,  (says  Fox,)  neither  suspecting,  nor  dreaming  of  any 
 change  that  might  happen  in  the  ceremonies,  did  not  utterly 
 reject  the  indulgences,  but  required  a  moderation  in  them. 
 And  therefore  they  falsely  accuse  him,  which  blaze  that  he 
 began  with  plausible  matter,  whereby  he  might  get  praise,  to 
 the  end  that  he  might  change  the  state  of  the  commonwealth, 
 and  purchase  authority  either  for  himself  or  others." 
 
 As  it  was  not  expected,  and  perhaps  Luther  did  not  think  at 
 first  of  falling  oif  from  the  Pope,  many  divines,  some  cardi- 
 nals, and  George,  duke  of  Saxony,  pleased  with  the  justice  of 
 his  cause,  and  his  manner  of  defending  it,  sided  Avith  him;  and 
 the  emperor  Maximilian  said,  that  he  ought  to  be  protected. 
 Nor  had  Luther  any  enemies,  while  he  confined  himself  to 
 writing  against  the  abuse  of  indulgences,  except  the  monks  and 
 their  agents,  whose  interest  was  at  stake.  These,  indeed,  raised 
 a  great  clamour  against  him;  but  their  malice,  without  argu- 
 ment, increased,  instead  of  lessening,  his  party. 
 
 Jolm  Eckius,  professor  and  vice-chancellor  of  the  university 
 of  Ingoldstadt,  also  opposed  Luther;  in  which  he  was  joined  by 
 Silvester  Prierias,  professor  in  the  university  of  Padua,  vicar- 
 general  of  the  Dominicans,  and  master  of  the  sacred  palace 
 luider  Pope  Leo  X.  Luther  opposed  the  indulgences  by 
 reasons.  But  Eckius  and  Prierias,  not  finding  themselves  suf- 
 ficiently strong  to  answer  him,  had  recourse  to  common  places, 
 and  laid  down  for  a  foundation,  the  authority  of  the  Pope,  and 
 consent  of  the  schoolmen;  concluding,  that  indulgences  ought  to 
 be  received  as  an  article  of  faith,  since  they  proceeded  from  the 
 Pope,  who  had  approved  the  doctrine  of  the  schoolmen,  and 
 was  infallible  in  matters  of  faith.  Eckius  wrote  his  Obelisks 
 against  Luther's  thesis,  without  intending  to  publish  it,  and 
 Luther  published  it,  together  with  his  own  refutation.  As  for 
 Prierias,  nothing  can  make  us  better  understand  the  success  of 
 his  writings,  than  to  know  that  he  was  commanded  by  the 
 Pope  to  write  no  more  on  matters  of  controversy.  Luther 
 answered  Eckius  in  another  thesis,  about  repentance ;  and  as- 
 serted "  that  the  just  man  lives,  not  by  the  works  of  the  law, 
 but  by  faith."  He  also  answered  Prierias,  who  had  treated 
 him  with  threats,  and  imperious  reflections.  He  had  a  fourth 
 adversary  in  Jacobus  Hogostratus,  a  friar-preacher,  who  wrote 
 against  some  of  his  propositions,  and  advised  the  Pope  to  con- 
 demn Luther,  and  burn  him,  if  he  would  not  retract.  Luther 
 made  a  kind  of  manifesto  against  this  author,  in  which  he  re- 
 proached him  with  cruelty  and  ignorance. 
 
 The  Christian  world,  at  that  time,  was  overwhelmed  with 
 
LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER.  KXUl 
 
 cseremonles.  Divinity  was  mere  chicanery,  or  sophistry.  New 
 and  absurd  notions  were  every  day  advanced  in  the  schools ; 
 and  the  clergy  of  all  orders,  by  lording  it  over  men's  con- 
 sciences, rendered  themselves  hated  and  despised.  The  turbu- 
 lent humour,  infidelit)',  and  ambition  of  the  two  last  Popes  were 
 not  forgotten.  Bishops  in  general  were  without  integrity 
 or  capacity;  and  the  inferior  clergy,  besides  being  grossly 
 ignorant,  and  notoriously  immoral,  were  become  intolerable, 
 on  account  of  their  insatiable  avarice.  The  clergy,  for  a  long 
 time,  had  been  vicious  and  illiterate ;  but  these  things  were 
 taken  notice  of,  now  learning  began  to  revive  in  Europe.  Priests 
 and  monks,  whose  actions  would  not  bear  the  light,  were  highly 
 incensed  against  the  restorers  of  literature ;  and  scrupled  not  to 
 accuse  them  of  heresy,  when  they  found  they  had  no  share  with 
 them  in  argument.  On  this  account  they  commenced  a  dispute 
 with  John  Reuchlin,  commonly  called  Capnio,  the  great  He- 
 braen,  because  he  opposed  the  destruction  of  the  Talmuds,  the 
 Targums,  and  the  writings  of  the  Ra])bins,  which  some  wished 
 to  annihilate,  because  opposed  to  Christianity.  Reuchlin  shewed 
 that  these  weapons  might  be  turned  against  the  Jews,  and  that 
 it  would  look  but  ill,  if,  instead  of  answering,  we  should  burn  the 
 arguments  of  our  adversaries.  These  ignoramuses  maintained 
 their  cause  so  very  poorly,  that  it  was  no  wonder  it  ended  in 
 their  confusion,  and  gave  the  learned  Ulric  Van  Hutten  a  fine 
 iwndle  to  expose  them,  in  a  book  called  EpistolcB  ohscurorum 
 Virorum.  Erasmus  also  espoused  the  cause  of  Luther,  though 
 he  afterwards,  in  a  treatise,  De  libero  arbitrio,  started  some  ob- 
 jections to  his  opinions.  It  was  obvious  that  this  was  done 
 rather  at  the  solicitation  of  others,  than  of  his  own  inclination. 
 But  the  main  point  was  not  affected  by  them,  and  they  were 
 sufficiently  refuted  by  Luther. 
 
 As  Luther  opposed  the  scandalous  sale  of  pardons  and  indul- 
 gences, so  in  the  countries  where  the  Reformation  had  got  an 
 entrance,  or  in  the  neighbourhood  of  them,  this  was  no  more 
 heard  of;  and  it  has  been  taken  for  granted,  that  such  an  infa- 
 mous traffic  was  no  longer  practised. 
 
 Seckendorf,  in  his  history  of  Lutheranism,  hath  confuted  the 
 falsehood  and  calumnies  of  Varillas,  Maimbourg,  Palavicini, 
 Bossuei,  and  others  of  the  same  stamp.  But  we  will  now  select 
 a  few  things  from  various  authors,  which  characterise  Luther. 
 
 It  is  said  he  was  rough  in  controversy,  and  that  his  reply  to 
 Henry  VIII.  was  disrespectful:  but  he  had  a  very  unfavourable 
 opinion  of  sovereign  princes ;  which  is  evident  from  the  smart 
 remark  that  he  made  on  Charles  V.  snatching  up  spiritual  liv- 
 ings, as  a  dog  did  meat  from  the  shambles.  He  used  to  say 
 that  the  Pope  and  his  partisans  were  such  incorrigible  repro- 
 bates, that  they  ought  to  be  treated  in  the  severest  manner ; 
 and  tliat  Erasmus  spoiled  all,  by  shewing  them  too  much  cour- 
 tesy and  respect.     As  he  thus  lashed  the  Papists,  so  he  did  not 
 
jodv  LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER. 
 
 greatly  spare  his  own  brethren  of  the  reformation,  if  they  dfr- 
 parted  from  his  sentiments.  He  accounted  matrimony  to  be 
 not  only  lawful,  but  a  duty  incumbent  upon  all  who  were  ca- 
 pable of  entering  into  that  state. 
 
 Bellarmin,  and  the  Abbe  Richard,  have  accused  Luther  of 
 Arianism.  Their  accusation  hath  no  better  foundation  than 
 this,  that  Luther  declared  his  dislike  of  the  word  consubstantial ; 
 and  said,  that  the  Arians,  though  otherwise  in  the  wrong,  were 
 in  the  right  to  reject  unscriptural  terms,  introduced  by  men, 
 who  thought  they  could  speak  better  upon  the  subject,  than  the 
 Spirit  of  God :  but  it  appears  from  Luther's  works,  that  he 
 was  not  at  all  in  the  sentiments  of  the  Arians. 
 
 Luther  was  an  enemy  to  the  allegorical  and  mystical  way  of 
 expounding  the  scriptures,  as  being  precarious  and  dangerous, 
 tending  to  fanaticism,  and  exposing  religion  to  the  scoffs  of  in- 
 fidels. He  also  blamed  those,  who  pretended  to  interpret  the 
 Apocalypse  to  the  people.  He  abhorred  the  schoolmen,  and 
 called  them  sophistical  locusts,  caterpillars,  frogs,  and  lice.  He 
 declared  himself  against  persecution,  compulsion,  and  violence, 
 in  matters  of  religion. 
 
 Luther  said,  "  When  my  first  positions  concerning  indul- 
 gences were  brought  before  the  Pope,  he  said,  a  drunken  Ger- 
 man wrote  them;  when  he  hath  slept  out  his  sleep,  and  is  sober 
 again,  he  will  be  of  another  mind."  But  Luther  often  apolo- 
 gised for  his  roughness.  "  I  am  accused,"  says  he,  "  of  rude- 
 ness and  immodesty,  particularly  by  adversaries  who  have  not 
 a  grain  of  candour  or  good  manners.  If,  as  they  say,  I  am 
 saucy  and  impudent,  I  am,  however,  simple,  open,  and  sincere, 
 without  any  of  their  guile,  dissimulation,  or  treachery." 
 
 The  Pope  and  the  emperor  were  equally  concerned  that 
 Luther  was  allowed  to  propagate  his  opinions  in  Saxony,  where 
 the  great  number  of  his  followers,  and  the  resolution  with  which 
 he  defended  his  opinions,  made  it  evident,  that  it  would  become 
 troublesome  both  to  the  church  and  empire,  if  a  stop  was  not 
 put  to  his  proceedings.  Luther  defended  his  propositions  by 
 reason  and  scripture  against  Tetzelius,  who  had  recourse  to  the 
 authority  of  the  Pope  and  church.  This  made  it  necessary  for 
 Luther  to  examine  upon  what  foundation  one  was  founded,  and 
 in  what  state  the  other  remained.  In  the  course  of  this  in- 
 quiry, monstrous  errors  and  abuses  were  discovered ;  the  cheats 
 and  scandalous  lives  of  monks  and  priests  were  brought  to 
 light ;  and  Luther,  for  securing  to  himself  the  assistance  of 
 temporal  princes,  took  care  to  explain  the  nature  and  extensive- 
 ness  of  civil  power. 
 
 Temporal  government  is  founded  on  the  highest  reason,  as 
 well  as  on  divine  institution ;  for,  Avithout  it,  men  would  be 
 constantly  exposed  to  rapine  and  confusion :  but  it  has  never 
 yet  been  proved,  that  a  spiritual  monarchy  is  either  necessary 
 or  serviceable  to  Christianity.     It  is  an  artificial  fabric,  which 
 
LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER.  XXV 
 
 must  be  supported  by  arts ;  and  the  views  of  Popes  will  always 
 be  different  from  temporal  princes.  If  the  Pope's  partisans 
 say,  his  authority  is  founded  on  the  positive  command  of  God ; 
 that  should  be  proved  clearly  from  scripture.  If  they  say  it  is 
 derived  from  St.  Peter,  it  ought  to  be  proved,  not  only  that 
 such  an  authority  was  vested  in  him,  but  that  he  was  bishop  of 
 Rome,  exercised  it  there,  conveyed  it  down  to  his  successors, 
 and  that  that  succession  has  not  been  interrupted.  Instead  of 
 proving  these  things,  the  popish  doctors  declined  meddling  with 
 them,  and  filled  the  heads  of  their  people  with  things  foreign  to 
 the  main  point.  They  talked  of  a  long  succession  of  Popes ;  of 
 the  great  antiquity  and  universality  of  the  church ;  and  laid 
 great  stress  upon  the  promise,  that  "  the  gates  of  hell  shall 
 never  prevail  against  it."  Fathers,  councils,  and  miracles,  were 
 also  appealed  to;  and  if  any  one  was  still  dissatisfied,  he  was 
 branded  with  the  name  of  heretic,  without  so  much  as  hearing 
 his  reasons ;  and  he  had  good  luck  if  he  escaped  burning. 
 
 The  papal  constitution  was  admirably  contrived  upon  the 
 foundation  of  a  singular  kind  of  monarchy.  Princes  have  for- 
 merly strengthened  their  authority  by  giving  out  that  they 
 were  descended  from  the  gods,  or  that  their  government  was 
 founded  by  their  express  command ;  and  if  success  attended 
 them,  which  was  looked  upon  as  a  mark  of  divine  favour,  they 
 were  after  death  reckoned  among  the  deities.  But  the  Pope 
 calls  himself  the  lieutenant  of  Jesus  Christ ;  arrogates  to  him- 
 self, while  living,  all  power  in  heaven  and  earth,  and  would 
 have  it  believed  that  such  as  refuse  to  acknowledge  his  autho- 
 rity cannot  be  saved.  If  these  points  are  well  settled,  the  whole 
 business  is  done  :  for  what  is  more  proper  to  draw  the  venera- 
 tion of  men,  than  the  notion  that  the  majesty  of  God  resides 
 in  him  ?  Or,  what  stronger  motive  can  there  be  to  the  most 
 absolute  submission,  than  the  fear  of  damnation  ? 
 
 The  Pope  does  not,  like  other  sovereigns,  bind  himself  to 
 any  terms,  on  his  entering  upon  the  government ;  and,  indeed, 
 it  would  be  absurd  for  him,  who  is  said  to  be  guided  by  the 
 Holy  Ghost,  to  be  laid  under  any  restriction.  The  subjects  of 
 this  monarchy  may  be  divided  into  clergy  and  laity.  The  first, 
 which  comprehends  all  ecclesiastics,  may  be  considered  as  his 
 standing  army.  The  second,  which  takes  in  all  else  of  the 
 Roman  communion,  are  no  better  than  slaves,  on  whom  large 
 contributions  are  raised  for  the  support  of  the  others.  The 
 clergy  are  not  allowed  to  marry,  under  a  pretence  that  worldly 
 cares  would  prevent  a  faithful  discharge  of  their  duty;  but  the 
 true  reason  is,  that  they  may  be  free  from  the  ties  of  paternal 
 or  conjugal  affection,  and  be  ready  on  all  occasions  to  promote 
 the  interest  of  the  church. 
 
 Pope  Paul  IV.  boasted  of  having  288,000  parishes,  and 
 44,000  monasteries,  under  his  jurisdiction.  What  a  prodigious 
 number  of  ecclesiastics  were  then  under  the  papal  power  ?    As 
 
XXVI  LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER. 
 
 a  blind  submission  of  the  laity  to  the  clergy  was  absolutely  ne- 
 cessary for  supporting-  this  spiritual  tyranny,  they  were  wrbid 
 to  read  the  scriptures ;  for  if  these  had  been  well  understood,  it 
 would  have  been  obvious  that  no  one  was  authorised  to  lord  it 
 over  the  conscience  of  another ;  and,  by  keeping  these  amon^ 
 the  clergy,  they  had  an  opportunity  of  mixing  something  with 
 every  doctrine  they  taught,  that  might  promote  the  interest  or 
 power  of  the  Pope  and  themselves.  In  order  to  make  way  for 
 tradition,  the  holy  scripture  was  represented  as  imperfect ;  and 
 whatever  could  serve  the  cause  of  Rome  was  imposed  upon  the 
 poor  deluded  people  under  that  name. 
 
 As  the  first  decay  and  ruin  of  the  church  began  through  Ig- 
 norance and  want  of  knowledge  in  teachers ;  so,  to  restore  the 
 church  again  by  doctrine  and  learning,  it  pleased  God  to  open 
 to  man  the  art  of  printing,  shortly  after  the  burning  of  John 
 Huss  and  Jerome.  The  art  of  printing  being  found,  the  grace 
 of  God  immediately  followed,  which  stirred  up  men  of  better 
 parts  to  receive  the  light  of  knowledge  and  of  judgment;  whereby 
 darkness  began  to  be  espied,  and  ignorance  to  be  detected ; 
 truth  to  be  discerned  from  error,  and  religion  from  superstition. 
 The  first  push  and  assault  against  the  Romish  church,  about  this 
 period  &i.  ?east,  was  given  by  Picus  Mirandula,  Valla  Petrarch, 
 v\^esalia,  Revelinus,  Grocin,  Colet,  Rhenanus,  and  Erasmus, 
 whose  learned  writings  opened  a  window  of  light  to  the  world, 
 and  made  a  way  more  ready  for  others  to  come  after.  Imme- 
 diately, according  to  God's  gracious  appointment,  followed 
 Martin  Luther,  with  others  after  him,  by  whose  ministry  it 
 pleased  the  Lord  to  work  a  more  full  reformation  of  his  church. 
 The  Lord  ordained  and  appointed  Luther  to  be  the  principal 
 organ  and  minister  under  him,  to  reform  religion,  and  subvert 
 the  popish  see. 
 
 Tetzelius  stirred  up  the  archbishop  of  Magdeburg  and  others 
 against  Luther,  who  boldly  answered  all  their  writings.  The 
 emperor  Maximilian,  on  the  5th  of  August,  1518,  wrote  to 
 Pope  Leo  X.  and  required  him  to  stop  these  dangerous  disputes 
 by  his  authority ;  assuring  him  that  he  would  execute  in  the 
 empire,  whatever  his  holiness  should  appoint.  The  Pope  or- 
 dered Hyeronymus  de  Genutiis,  bishop  of  Ascoli,  and  auditor 
 of  the  apostolic  chamber,  to  cite  Luther  to  appear  at  Rome 
 within  sixty  days,  that  he  might  give  an  accoimt  of  his  doctrine 
 to  the  auditor,  and  Prierias,  master  of  the  palace,  to  whom  he 
 had  committed  the  judgment  of  the  cause.  The  Pope,  on  the 
 twenty-third  of  August,  wrote  a  letter  to  the  elector  of  Saxony, 
 desiring  him  to  give  Luther  no  protection,  but  to  put  him  into 
 the  hand  of  cardinal  Cajetan,  his  .egate  in  Germany ;  assuring 
 him,  that  if  Luther  was  innocent,  he  would  send  him  back  ab- 
 solved; and  if  guilty,  he  would  pardon  him  upon  nis  repen- 
 tance. At  the  same  time,  the  Pope  likewise  sent  a  brief  to 
 cardinal  Cajetan,  in  which  he  ordered  him  to  bring  Luther 
 
LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHEK.  XXVll 
 
 T>efore  him  as  soon  as  possible;  and,  to  hinder  the  princes  from 
 being  any  impediment  to  the  execution  of  this  order,  he  de- 
 nounced the  ordinary  punishments  of  excommunication,  inter- 
 diction, and  privation  of  goods,  against  those  that  should  re- 
 ceive Luther  and  give  him  protection ;  and  promised  a  plenary 
 indulgence  to  those  who  should  assist  in  delivering  him  up. 
 
 The  elector  of  Saxony  was  unwilling  that  Luther  should  ap- 
 pear personally  at  Rome ;  and  the  university  of  Wittenberg 
 interceded  Avith  the  Pope,  who  consented  that  the  matter  should 
 be  tried  before  cardinal  Cajetan,  in  Germany.  This  prelate 
 was  a  Dominican ;  yet  Luther  met  him  at  Augsburg,  in  Oc- 
 tober. Cajetan  asserted  the  authority  of  the  Pope,  and  said 
 he  was  above  a  council.  Luther  denied  it,  and  alleged  the  au- 
 thority of  the  university  of  Paris.  Luther  delivered  Cajetan  a 
 formal  protestation,  in  the  presence  of  four  imperial  counsellors 
 and  a  notary,  wherein  he  declared,  "  that  he  had  only  sought 
 after  truth,  and  would  not  retract,  without  being  convinced  he 
 was  Avrong :  that  he  was  satistied,  he  had  advanced  nothing 
 contrary  to  the  holy  scripture,  the  doctrine  of  the  fathers,  de- 
 cretals of  the  Popes,  and  right  reason :  that  he  had  advanced 
 nothing  but  what  was  sound,  true,  and  catholic :  and  that  he 
 would  submit  himself  to  the  lawful  determination  of  the  church.'* 
 
 The  legate  threatened  Luther  with  the  censures  of  the 
 church,  if  he  would  not  retract,  and  bring  his  recantation. 
 Luther  knew  that  Cajetan  had  orders  to  seize  him,  if  he  would 
 not  submit :  and,  therefore,  on  the  sixteenth  of  October,  he 
 made  an  act  of  appeal,  before  a  notary,  wherein  he  vindicated 
 himself,  and  declared  that  he  was  oppressed  and  injured,  and 
 obliged  to  appeal  from  the  Pope ;  for  which  purpose  he  de- 
 manded letters  of  mission,  and  protested  he  would  pursue  his 
 appeal.  Luther  told  the  legate,  that  as  he  had  not  deserved 
 his  censures,  so  he  disregarded  them ;  and  then  returned  to 
 Wittenberg,  where  he  was  safe  under  the  protection  of  the 
 elector  of  Saxony.  Luther  was  powerfully  supported  by  the 
 university  of  Wittenberg,  where  he  continued  to  teach  the 
 same  doctrines,  and  sent  a  challenge  to  all  the  inquisitors  to 
 dispute  with  him  there,  under  the  sanction  of  a  safe  conduct 
 from  his  prince,  and  the  most  respectable  hospitality  from  the 
 university. 
 
 The  cardinal,  mortified  at  Luther's  escape,  wrote  to  the 
 elector,  on  the  twenty-fifth  of  October,  1518,  desiring  him  to 
 give  him  up,  to  send  him  to  Rome,  or  to  banish  him  from 
 his  dominions.  To  this  letter  the  elector  answered,  on  the 
 eighteenth  of  December  following,  and  told  the  cardinal,  that 
 **  he  hoped  he  would  have  dealt  with  Luther  in  another  man- 
 ner, and  not  have  insisted  upon  his  recanting,  before  his  cause 
 was  heard  and  judged ;  that  there  were  several  able  men  in  hb 
 own  and  in  other  universities,  who  did  not  think  Luther's  doo- 
 trine  either  impious  or  heretical ;  that  if  he  had  believed  it 
 
JCXVIU  LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER. 
 
 such,  there  would  have  been  no  need  of  admonishing  him  not 
 to  tolerate  it ;  that  Luther  not  being-  convicted  of  heresy,  he 
 could  not  banish  him  from  his  states,  nor  send  him  to  Rome ; 
 and  that,  since  Luther  offered  to  submit  himself  to  the  judg- 
 ment of  several  universities,  he  thought  they  ought  to  hear  him, 
 or  at  least,  shew  him  the  errors  which  he  taught  in  his  writings." 
 While  these  things  passed  in  Germany,  Pope  Leo  attempted 
 to  put  an  end  to  these  disputes  about  indulgences,  by  a  decision 
 of  his  own ;  and  for  that  purpose,  upon  the  ninth  of  November, 
 published  a  brief,  directed  to  cardinal  Cajetan,  in  which  he  de- 
 clared, that  "  the  Pope,  the  successor  of  St.  Peter,  and  vicar  of 
 Jesus  Christ  upon  earth,  hath  power  to  pardon,  by  virtue  of 
 the  keys,  the  guilt  and  punishment  of  sin ;  the  guilt  by  the  sa- 
 crament of  penance,  and  the  temporal  punishments  due  for  ac- 
 tual sins  by  indulgences.  That  these  indulgences  are  taken  from 
 the  overplus  of  the  merits  of  Jesus  Christ  and  his  saints,  a  trea- 
 Kure  at  the  pope's  oavu  disposal,  as  well  by  way  of  absolution  as 
 suffrage ;  and  that  the  dead  and  the  living,  who  properly  and 
 truly  obtain  these  indulgences,  are  immediately  freed  from  the 
 punishment  due  to  their  actual  sins,  according  to  the  divine 
 Justice,  which  allows  these  indulgences  to  be  granted  and  ob- 
 ained."  This  brief  ordains,  "  that  all  the  world  shall  hold  and 
 preach  this  doctrine,  under  the  pain  of  excommunication  re- 
 served to  the  Pope ;  and  enjoins  cardinal  Cajetan  to  send  it  to 
 all  the  archbishops  and  bishops  of  Germany,  and  cause  it  to  be 
 
 Eut  in  execution  by  them."  Luther  knew  very  well,  that  after 
 is  judgment  of  the  Pope,  he  could  not  possibly  escape  being 
 proceeded  against,  and  condemned  at  Rome ;  and,  therefore, 
 upon  the  twenty-eighth  of  the  same  month,  published  a  new 
 appeal  from  the  Pope  to  a  general  council,  in  which  he  asserts 
 the  superior  authority  of  the  latter  over  the  former.  The  Pope, 
 foreseeing  that  he  should  not  easily  manage  Luther,  so  long  as 
 the  elector  of  Saxony  continued  to  support  and  protect  him, 
 sent  the  elector  a  golden  rose,  such  a  one  as  he  used  to  bless 
 every  year,  and  send  to  sevei'al  princes,  as  marks  of  his  parti- 
 cular favour  to  them.  Miltitius,  his  chamberlain,  whom  we 
 have  before  observed  to  have  been  a  German,  was  intrusted 
 with  this  commission ;  by  whom  the  Pope  sent  also  letters, 
 dated  the  beginning  of  January,  1519,  to  the  elector's  coun- 
 sellor and  secretary,  in  which  he  prayed  those  ministei's  to  Tise 
 all  possible  interest  with  their  master,  that  he  would  stop  the 
 progress  of  Luther's  errors,  and  imitate  therein  the  piety  and 
 religion  of  his  ancestors.  It  appears  by  Seckendorfs  account 
 of  Miltitius'o  negotiation,  that  Frederic  had  long  solicited  for 
 this  bauble  from  the  Pope ;  and  that  three  or  four  years  before, 
 when  his  electoral  highness  was  a  bigot  to  the  court  of  Rome,  it 
 had  probably  been  a  most  welcome  present.  But,  post  est  oc- 
 casio  calva,  it  was  now  too  late :  Luther's  contests  with  the 
 see  of  Rome  had  opened  the  elector's  eyes,  and  enlarged  his 
 
LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER.  XXlX 
 
 mind ;  and  therefore,  when  Miltitius  delivered  his  letters,  and 
 discharged  his  commission,  he  was  received  hut  coldly  by  the 
 elector,  who  valued  not  the  consecrated  rose,  nor  would  receive 
 it  publicly  and  in  form,  but  only  privately,  and  by  his  proctor. 
 
 As  to  Luther,  Miltitius  had  orders  to  require  the  elector  to 
 oblige  him  to  retract,  or  to  deny  him  his  protection:  but  things 
 were  not  now  to  be  carried  with  so  high  a  hand,  Luther's  ere 
 dit  being  too  firmly  established.  Besides,  the  emperor  Maxi- 
 milian departed  tliis  life  upon  the  twelfth  of  this  month,  whose 
 death  greatly  altered  the  face  of  affairs,  and  made  the  elector 
 more  able  to  determine  Luther's  fate.  Miltitius  thought  it  best, 
 therefore,  to  try  what  could  be  done  by  fiiir  and  gentle  means, 
 and  to  that  end  came  to  a  conference  with  Luther.  He  poured 
 forth  many  commendations  upon  him,  and  earnestly  entreated 
 him,  that  he  would  himself  appease  that  tempest,  which  could 
 not  but  be  destructive  to  the  church.  He  blamed,  at  the  same 
 time,  the  behaviour  and  conduct  of  Tetzelius,  and  reproved 
 him  with  so  much  sharpness,  that  he  died  of  melancholy  a  short 
 time  after.  Luther,  amazed  at  all  this  civil  treatment,  which  he 
 had  never  experienced  before,  commended  Miltitius  highly,  and 
 owned,  that  if  they  had  behaved  to  him  so  at  first,  all  the  trou- 
 bles occasioned  by  these  disputes  had  been  avoided ;  and  did 
 not  forget  to  cast  the  blame  upon  Albert,  archbishop  of  Mentz, 
 who  had  increased  these  troubles  by  his  severity.  Miltitius  also 
 made  some  concessions ;  as,  that  the  people  had  been  seduced 
 by  false  opinions  about  indulgences ;  that  Tetzelius  had  given 
 the  occasion ;  that  the  archbishop  had  set  on  Tetzelius  to  get 
 money ;  that  Tetzelius  had  exceeded  the  bounds  of  his  com- 
 mission, &c.  This  mildness  and  seeming  candour,  on  the  part 
 of  Miltitius,  gained  so  wonderfully  upon  Luther,  that  he  wrote 
 a  most  submissive  letter  to  the  Pope,  dated  the  thirteenth  of 
 March,  in  1519.  Miltitius,  however,  taking  for  granted  that 
 they  would  not  be  contented  at  Rome  with  this  letter  of  Lu- 
 ther's, written,  as  it  was,  in  general  terms  only,  proposed  to 
 refer  the  matter  to  some  other  judgment ;  and  it  was  agreed 
 between  them,  that  the  elector  of  Triers  should  be  the  judge, 
 and  Coldentz  the  place  of  conference.  But  this  came  to  nothing; 
 for  Luther  afterwards  gave  some  reasons  for  not  going  to  Cob- 
 lentz,  and  the  Pope  would  not  refer  the  matter  to  the  elector 
 of  Triers. 
 
 During  all  these  treaties,  the  doctrine  of  Luther  spread,  and 
 prevailed  greatly;  and  he  himself  received  great  encouragement 
 at  home  and  abroad.  The  Bohemians  about  this  time  sent  him 
 a  book  of  the  celebrated  John  Huss,  who  had  fallen  a  martyr  in 
 the  work  of  reformation;  and  also  letters,  in  Avhich  they  ex- 
 horted him  to  constancy  and  perseverance,  owning,  that  the 
 divinity  which  he  taught  was  the  pure,  the  sound,  and  orthodox 
 divinity.  Many  great  and  learned  men  had  joined  themselves 
 to  him;  among  the  rest,  Philip  Melancthon,  whom  Frederic  had 
 
XXX  LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER. 
 
 invited  to  the  univerpity  of  Wittenberg,  in  August  1518,  and 
 Andrew  Carolostadius,  archdeacon  of  that  town,  who  was  a 
 great  linguist.  They  desired,  if  possible,  to  draw  over  Erasmus 
 to  their  party ;  and  to  that  end  we  find  Melancthon  thus  ex- 
 pressing himself  in  a  letter  to  that  great  man,  dated  Leipsic, 
 January  the  fifth,  in  1519:  "Martin  Luther,  who  has  a  very 
 great  esteem  for  you,  wishes  of  all  things  that  you  would 
 thoroughly  approve  of  him."  Luther  also  himself  wrote  to 
 Erasmus,  in  very  respectful,  and  even  flattering  terms:  ^^  Itaque, 
 mi  Erasme,  vir  amahilis,  si  ita  tihi  visum  fuerit,  agnosce  et  hunc 
 Jraterculum  in  Christo ;  tui  certe  studiosissimum  et  a77iantissimum, 
 casterumpro  inscitid  sua  nihil  meritum,  qucLm  ut  in  angulo  sepultus 
 essct."  The  elector  of  Saxony  was  desirous  also  to  know  Eras- 
 mus's opinion  of  Luther,  and  might  probably  think,  that  as  Eras- 
 mus had  most  of  the  monks  for  his  enemies,  and  some  of  those 
 who  were  warmest  against  Luther,  he  might  easily  be  prevailed 
 on  to  come  over  to  their  party.  And  indeed  they  would  have 
 done  something,  if  they  could  have  gained  this  point ;  for  the 
 reputation  of  Erasmus  was  so  great,  that  if  he  had  once  declared 
 for  Luther,  almost  all  Germany  would  have  declared  along 
 with  him. 
 
 But  Erasmus,  whatever  he  might  think  of  I^uther's  opinions, 
 had  neither  his  impetuosity,  nor  his  courage.  He  contented 
 himself  therefore  with  acting  and  speaking  in  his  usual  strain  of 
 moderation,  and  wrote  a  letter  to  the  elector  Frederic,  in  which 
 he  declared  "  His  dislike  of  the  arts  which  were  employed  to 
 make  Luther  odious;  that  he  did  not  know  Luther,  and  so  could 
 neither  approve  nor  condemn  his  writings,  because  indeed  he 
 had  not  read  them :  that,  however,  he  condemned  the  railing  at 
 him  with  so  much  violence,  because  he  had  submitted  himself  to 
 the  judgment  of  those  whose  office  it  was  to  determine,  and  no 
 man  had  endeavoured  to  convince  him  of  his  error;  that  his  an- 
 tagonists seemed  rather  to  seek  his  death,  than  his  salvation; 
 that  they  mistook  the  matter  in  supposing  that  all  error  is  heresy; 
 that  there  are  errors  in  all  the  writings  of  both  ancients  and 
 moderns;  that  divines  are  of  diiferent  opinions;  that  it  is  more 
 prudent  to  use  moderate,  than  violent  means ;  that  the  elector 
 ought  to  protect  innoceucy,  and  that  this  was  the  intent  of 
 Leo  X." 
 
 Erasmus  wrote  also  a  friendly  letter  in  answer  to  Luther's, 
 and  tells  him,  that  "  His  books  had  raised  such  an  uproar  at 
 Lou  vain,  as  it  was  not  possible  for  him  to  describe;  that  he  could 
 not  have  believed  divines  could  have  been  such  madmen,  if  he 
 had  not  been  present,  and  seen  them  with  his  eyes;  that  by  de- 
 fending him,  he  had  rendered  himself  suspecte.d;  that  many 
 abused  him  as  the  leader  of  this  faction,  so  they  call  it;  that  there 
 were  many  in  England,  and  some  at  Louvain,  no  inconsiderable 
 persons,  who  highly  approved  his  opinions;  that,  for  his  own 
 part,  he  endeavoured  to  carry  himself  as  evenly  as  he  could  with 
 
MFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER.  XXXJ 
 
 all  parties,  that  he  might  more  effectually  serve  the  interests  of 
 learning  and  religion;  that,  however,  he  thought  more  might 
 be  done  by  civil  and  modest  means,  than  by  intemperate  heat 
 and  passion;  that  it  would  be  better  to  inveigh  against  those 
 who  abuse  the  Pope's  authority,  than  against  the  Popes  them- 
 selves; that  new  opinions  should  rather  be  promoted  in  the  way 
 of  proposing  doubts  and  difficulties,  than  by  affirming  and  de- 
 ciding peremptorily;  that  nothing  should  be  delivered  with  fac- 
 tion and  arrogance,  but  that  the  mind,  in  these  cases,  should  be 
 kept  entirely  free  from  anger,  hatred,  and  vain-glory.  I  say 
 not  this,"  says  Erasmus,  with  that  great  address  of  which  he  was 
 master,  "  as  if  you  wanted  any  admonitions  of  this  kind,  but  only 
 that  you  may  not  want  them  hereafter,  any  more  than  you  do  at 
 present.  Hcec  non  admoneo  ut  facias,  sed  ut  quod  facts  perpetuo 
 facias."  When  this  letter  was  written,  Erasmus  and  Luther  had 
 never  seen  each  other:  it  is  dated  Louvain,  May  the  thirtieth, 
 in  1519,  and  it  is  hardly  possible  to  read  it,  without  suspecting 
 that  Erasmus  was  entirely  of  Luther's  sentiments,  if  he  had  had 
 but  the  courage  to  have  declared  it.  Only  observe  how  he  con- 
 cludes it:  "I  have  dipped  into  your  Commentaries  upon  the 
 Psalms:  they  please  me  prodigiously,  and  I  hope  will  be  read 
 with  great  advantage.  There  is  a  prior  of  the  monastery  of  An- 
 twerp, who  says  he  was  your  pupil,  and  loves  you  most  affec- 
 tionately. He  is  a  truly  Christian  man,  and  almost  the  only 
 one  of  his  society  who  preaches  Christ;  the  rest  being  atten- 
 tive either  to  the  fabulous  traditions  of  men,  or  to  their  own 
 profit.  I  have  written  to  Melancthon.  The  Lord  Jesus  pour 
 upon  you  his  spirit,  that  you  may  abound  more  and  more, 
 every  day,  to  his  glory  and  the  service  of  the  church.  Farewell." 
 
 Frederic,  elector  of  Saxony,  was  the  patron  and  protector 
 of  Luther;  but  George,  a  prince  of  the  same  house,  opposed 
 Luther  to  the  utmost  of  his  power.  The  former  desired  Eras- 
 mus to  give  him  his  opinion  concerning  Luther;  and  Erasmus 
 gave  it  jocosely:  but  gravely  told  the  archbishop  of  Mentz 
 that  the  monks  condemned  many  things  in  the  books  of  Luther 
 as  heretical,  which  were  esteemed  as  orthodox  in  Bernard 
 and  Austin.  Erasmus  wrote  also  to  cardinal  Wolsey,  that  the 
 life  and  conversation  of  Luther  were  universally  commended; 
 and  it  was  no  small  prejudice  in  his  favour,  that  his  morals 
 were  unblameable,  and  that  no  reproach  could  be  fastened  upon 
 him  by  calumny  itself.  "  If  I  had  really  been  at  leisure,"  says 
 Erasmus,  "to  peruse  his  writings,  1  am  not  so  conceited  of 
 my  own  abilities,  as  to  pass  a  judgment  upon  the  performance 
 of  so  considerable  a  divine:  thouph  even  children,  in  this 
 knowing  age,  will  boldly  pronounce  that  this  is  erroneous,  and 
 that  is  heretical." 
 
 Claude  has  spoken  judiciously  of  Luthv^r,  when  he  wishes  he 
 fead  been  more  lemperate  in  his  way  of  writing;  and  that  with 
 his  great  and  invincible  courage,  with  his  .\rdent  zeal  for  the 
 
XXXn  LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER. 
 
 truth,  with  that  unshaken  constancy  he  ever  manifested,  ^id 
 could  have  shewed  a  greater  reserve  and  moderation.  But  the 
 divine  Providence  had  a  great  work  to  effect  by  Luther,  in 
 which  strength  and  even  roughness  of  spirit  were  reqviisite  to 
 encounter  every  kind  of  dilhcuhy,  and  to  bear  up  against  the 
 rage,  in  a  manner,  of  the  whole  world.  When  men  would 
 fell  a  wood,  they  employ  a  heavy  rough  axe,  and  not  a  smooth 
 and  polished  razor.  Melancthon  said  very  justly  of  him,  upon 
 seeing  his  picture,  in  this  extempore  line: — 
 
 *'  Fulmina  erant  lingua  singula  verba  tua.** 
 
 ♦«  Thy  single  words  were  piercing  thunderbolts." 
 
 The  monks  took  upon  them  to  rail  most  violently,  and  even 
 seditiously,  in  their  sermons  against  the  reformei*s.  "  Whence," 
 says  Erasmus,  "came  this  new  race  of  deities?  They  call  every 
 one  a  heretic  whom  they  dislike,  and  stir  heaven  and  earth 
 when  they  are  called  calumniators."  He  owns  that  Luther  had 
 given  them  good  advice  on  many  points;  and  that  it  would  be 
 an  impiety  to  leave  him  undefended,  where  he  had  the  truth  on 
 his  side;  for  then  who  would  ever  dare  to  stand  up  for  the 
 truth?  Hitherto,  adds  Erasmus,  Luther  has  certainly  been 
 useful  to  the  world :  he  hath  set  men  upon  studying  the  fathers, 
 some  to  satisfy  their  own  minds,  and  others  to  plague  him  by 
 hunting  out  arguments  and  objections  against  him. 
 
 If  Erasmus  had  not  the  same  impetuous  acrimony  in  his 
 style,  which  predominated  m  the  writings  of  Luther,  yet  the 
 monks  were  equally  offended  at  him;  because  the  abuses  which 
 he  attacked  were  the  source  of  their  best  revenues. 
 
 Erasmus,  in  1519,  wrote  to  Melancthon,  that  all  the  world 
 agreed  in  commending  the  moral  character  of  Luther,  and 
 wished  that  God  might  grant  him  success  equal  to  the  liberty 
 which  he  had  taken.  Melancthon  Avas  always  mild  and  mode- 
 rate, and  had  a  sincere  affection  for  Luther;  but  sometimes 
 could  not  refrain  from  complaining  of  his  bold  and  impetuous 
 temper.  However,  Erasmus  entertahied  hopes  that  the  at- 
 tempts of  Luther,  and  the  great  notice  which  had  been  taken  oi 
 them,  might  be  serviceable  to  true  Christianity.  In  this  he 
 was  not  mistaken,  as  the  event  proved;  for,  from  this  period, 
 Luther's  writings  and  the  cause  of  Reformation  spread  all  over 
 the  Christian  world,  and  brought  into  full  blaze  the  glimmer- 
 ing light,  which  had  been  introduced  by  Wickliffe,  Huss,  and 
 other  learned  and  good  men. 
 
 Frederic  of  Saxony,  one  of  the  most  virtuous  and  illustrious 
 princes  of  that  century,  was  a  friend  both  to  Luther  and  to  the 
 Reformation;  and  the  protestants  have  great  reason  to  reve- 
 rence and  bless  his  memory.  When  he  might  have  been  chosen 
 emperor,  he  declined  it,  and  gave  the  crown  to  Charles  V. 
 Erasmus  wrote  a  letter  to  him,  which  was  very  favourable  to 
 Luther.     Andrew  Bodestine,  from  his  native  place,  called  Ca* 
 
MFE  OF  MAHTIN  LUTHER.  XXXI 
 
 rolostadius,  defended  the  writings  of  Luther.  Buccr  was  pre- 
 sent  when  Luther  maintained  his  doctrine  before  the  Augus- 
 tine friars  at  Heidelberg,  and  told  Rhenanus  "  that  his  sweet- 
 ness in  answering  was  admirable,  and  his  patience  in  hearing 
 incomparable:  that  the  acuteness  of  St.  Paul,  in  resolving 
 doubts,  might  have  been  seen  in  Luther;  so  that  he  brought 
 them  all  into  admiration  of  him,  by  his  concise  and  nervous 
 answers,  taken  out  of  the  storehouse  of  the  holy  scriptures." 
 
 Luther  was  honourably  entertained  at  Heidelberg,  by  Wolf- 
 gang, the  count  palatine ;  and  Erich,  duke  of  Calemberg,  es- 
 poused his  cause.  Erich  shared  in  the  danger  and  glory  of  all 
 the  undertakings  of  the  emperor  Maximilian,  and  was  a  great 
 ornament  to  the  house  of  Brunswick  Lunenberg.  He  saved 
 the  life  of  that  emperor  in  1504,  who  perpetuated  the  memory 
 of  his  valour,  by  adding  a  bright  star  to  his  coat  of  arms,  on  the 
 very  tield  of  battle,  with  this  explanation :  "  that  as  the  morning 
 star  exceeds  all  the  others  in  lustre,  so  duke  Erich  was  as  much 
 superior  to  all  other  princes  of  his  time."  This  star  has  ever 
 since  continued  in  the  coat  of  arms  of  the  house  of  Brunswick, 
 and  is  placed  upon  the  helmet  in  the  middle  of  the  peacock's 
 train.  Ernest,  duke  of  Lunenberg,  was  educated  under  the 
 inspection  of  his  uncle  Frederic,  surnamed  the  wise,  elector 
 of  Saxony,  who  sent  him  early  to  the  university  of  Wittenberg, 
 where  he  made  a  great  progress  in  learning,  and  had  an  oppor- 
 tunity to  convei-se  with  Luther,  when  he  began  to  discover  his 
 sentiments  about  the  hierarchy,  and  the  doctrines  of  the  see  of 
 Rome.  Ernest  boldly  embraced  the  doctrine  of  Luther ;  and 
 his  example  was  followed  by  his  brothers  Otho  and  Francis ;  as 
 also  by  Philip,  of  the  line  of  Grubenhagen.  These  princ  esmade 
 the  necessary  preparations  to  introduce  the  Reformation  into 
 the  circle  of  Lower  Saxony,  as  the  elector  their  uncle  was 
 doing  in  that  of  the  Upper  Saxony.  Ernest  was  determined 
 to  pursue  the  glorious  scheme  he  had  formed,  gradually  to 
 abolish  the  errors  and  abuses  that  had  crept  into  the  church. 
 His  concern  was  so  great  for  extending  the  knowledge  of  the 
 pure  faith,  that  he  generously  sent  learned  men  to  the  county  of 
 Hoya,  East  Friesland,  and  other  parts  of  Germany,  to  preach 
 the  gospel  in  its  native  simplicity.  Such  was  his  zeal  in  the 
 cause  of  the  reformation,  so  nany  were  the  difficulties  and 
 oppositions  he  met  with  on  that  account,  that  he  justly  merited 
 tne  surname  which  was  given  him  of  Confessor.  It  should  be 
 observed,  that  the  emperor  Otho  IV.,  one  of  the  most  illus- 
 trious ancestors  of  the  house  of  Brunswick,  so  early  as  in  the 
 beginning  of  the  thirteenth  century,  notwithstanding  the  igno- 
 rance and  bigotry  of  those  times,  endeavoured  with  uncommon 
 resolution  to  lay  open  the  abuses  of  the  see  of  Rome,  even  in 
 defiance  of  its  excommunications.  His  endeavours  Avere  not 
 attended  with  the  success  they  deserved;  yet  they  have  ren- 
 dered his  name  sacred  to  posterity,  as  he  was  the  first  prince 
 
 c 
 
XXXlV-  LIFE  01'   MARTIN  LUTHER. 
 
 who  ventured  to  oppose  the  encroacKments  of  tlie  pap&c-y^ 
 whereby  others  Avere  afterwards  incited  thoroughly  to  examine 
 the  title,  which  the  popes  pretended  they  had,  to  impose  arbi- 
 trary Jaws  on  Christendom. 
 
 Eckius  had  wrote  some  notes  upon  the  first  thesis  of  Lu- 
 ther, which  were  answered  by  Carolostadius;  and  a  conference 
 was  agreed  on  at  Leipsic,  by  the  consent  of  prince  George  of 
 Saxony,  uncle  to  the  elector  Frederic.  Eckius  appeared,  and 
 was  met  by  Luthei',  who  was  accompanied  by  Melancthon  and 
 Carolostadius.  Both  parties  were  Avell  received  by  the  prince, 
 the  senate,  and  university,  Avho  appointed  a  great  hail  in  the 
 castle  for  the  place  of  the  conference,  Avhich  was  solemnly 
 ©penned  on  the  twenty-seventh  of  June,  1519.  The  first  dispu- 
 tation was  concerning  free-will,  which  Eckius  undertook  to 
 prove  by  a  passage  in  Ecclesiasticus;  and  was  opposed  by  Ca- 
 rolostadius, who  denied  that  free-will  had  a  distinct  operation 
 from  grace.  This  dispute  continued  a  whole  week;  in  which 
 time  Luther  preached  a  sermon,  in  the  chapel  of  the  castle, 
 upon  the  feast  of  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul,  wherein  he  declaimed 
 against  the  authority  of  the  Pope.  The  dispute  was  then  car- 
 ried on  between  Luther  and  Eckius,  upon  thirteen  propositions 
 extracted  by  the  latter  out  of  the  writings  of  the  former;  the 
 last  and  principal  of  which,  was  against  the  supremacy  of  the 
 Pope.  Luther  alleged  against  it,  the  canon  of  the  council  o* 
 Afric,  which  ordained  that  the  bishop  of  the  first  see  shoulA 
 not  be  called  the  prince  of  bishops,  or  supreme  bishop;  and  he 
 maintained  that  Wicklitfe  and  Huss  ought  not  to  have  been 
 condemned,  as  many  of  their  articles  were  orthodox;  and  that 
 he  could  oppose  the  tradition  and  usage  of  the  Greek  cluirch 
 for  1400  yeai's,  to  the  condemnation  of  the  Bohemians.  Eckius 
 attempted  to  prove  the  doctrine  of  indulgences,  by  the  autho- 
 rity of  the  general  councils  of  Vienna,  Lateran,  and  Constance: 
 he  said  that  St.  Gregory  had  published  them,  900  years  before; 
 that  they  were  approved  by  the  consent  of  the  universal  church ; 
 and  that  all  the  Christian  world  had  acknowledged  them  by 
 receiving  the  jubilees.  Luther  replied,  that  he  preferred  works 
 of  charity  before  indulgences,  and  supported  his  opinion  by 
 the  authority  of  St.  Paul  and  St.  Augustine,  who  say,  "  Ave  can 
 do  no  good  Avithout  charity  and  grace."  Eckius  seemed  to 
 make  this  question  a  matter  of  nothing :  but  Luther  had  the 
 advantage  of  the  argument.  He  kncAv  "that  the  Christian 
 princes  had  been  tired  of  making  expeditions  to  the  Holy  Land, 
 Avhich  Avere  only  specious  pretences,  invented  by  the  Popes,  to 
 drain  them  of  their  blood  and  treasure;  and  that  another 
 scheme  Avas  then  set  on  foot  to  allure  them  and  their  subjects 
 to  part  Avith  their  money ;  that  fi'equent  jubilees  were  kept  at 
 Rome,  though,  according  to  their  first  institution,  they  were 
 to  take  place  but  once  in  a  century ;  that  the  Popes  perceived 
 the  advantages  Avb.ich  arose  from  bringing  people  together  to 
 
MFF.  OF  MARTIN  LUTHKR.  XXXV 
 
 tbeir  market,  from  all  parts  of  the  Christian  world,  and 
 shortened  the  time,  by  ordering  a  jubilee  to  be  kept  every  fifty 
 years,  and  afterwards  appointed  one  to  be  celebrated  every 
 thirty  years ;  that  immense  sums  were  brought  into  the  Pope's 
 coffers  by  these  jubilees  at  Rome,  Avhere  all  that  resorted  re- 
 ceived absolution  for  their  sins,  for  a  particular  sum ;  and  that 
 indulgences  being  found  so  beneficial,  they  were  sold  all  over 
 Europe,  and  no  more  confined  to  certain  times  and  jubilees." 
 
 The  conference  at  Leipsic  continued  fourteen  days ;  and  the 
 dispute  was  left  to  the  decision  of  the  universities  of  Paris  and 
 Erfurt :  but  Luther  opened  the  whole  to  the  world,  by  publish- 
 ing a  tract,  entitled,  "  Resolutions  of  the  propositions  disputed 
 at  Leipsic,"  and  addressed  to  Spalatinus ;  in  which  he  said  that 
 Eckius  had  no  cause  to  boast  of  the  dispute,  and  had  acknow- 
 ledged that  no  trust  ought  to  be  put  in  indulgences.  Melanc- 
 thon  wrote  with  great  moderation  upon  th«se  conferences :  and 
 Eckius  told  Hogostratus,  that  the  Lutherans  had  great  advan- 
 tages oyer  him,  because  they  were  many  against  a  single  man. 
 Jerome  Emser  owned,  that  the  dispute  at  Leipsic  was  rather 
 sharp  than  edifying  :  but  the  two  universities  never  gave  their 
 judgments  about  the  contests  in  these  conferences. 
 
 Zuinglius  began,  about  this  time,  to  write  agahist  pardons 
 and  indulgences.  Luther  wrote  a  book  "Of  Christian  liberty;' 
 which  he  dedicated  to  the  Pope.  He  also  addressed  another 
 book  to  the  nobility  of  Germany,  wherein  he  shook  the  three 
 principal  bulwarks  of  popery,  by  opposing  the  doctrine,  "  That 
 temporal  magistrates  were  subject  to  the  spirituality;  that  the 
 Pope  is  the  only  judge  of  the  scripture  ;  and-  that  he  can  only 
 call  a  council."  Luther  shewed  what  things  should  be  handled 
 in  councils ;  and  asserted,  that  the  Pope  yeaidy  drained  Ger- 
 many of  three  millions  of  florins.  He  pointed  out  the  necessity 
 of  reforming  schools  and  universities;  declared  that  heretics 
 should  be  convinced  by  scripture,  and  not  awed  by  fire ;  im- 
 puted the  misfortunes  of  the  emperor  Sigismund  to  his  breach 
 of  faith  with  Huss  and  Jerome;  and  exposed  the  inconveniences 
 resulting  from  the  council  of  Constance. 
 
 What  the  divines  of  Paris  and  Erfurt  neglected,  those  of 
 Louvain  and  Cologne  attempted.  The  former  consulted  with 
 the  Cardinal  de  Tortosa,  afterwards  Pope  Adrian  VL  and  con- 
 demned twenty-two  propositions  extracted  from  Luther  as  he- 
 retical, or  approaching  to  heresy,  and  declared  that  his  writings 
 ought  to  be  burnt.  Those  of  Cologne  concurred  ;  and  agreed 
 that  Luther  ought  to  be  obliged  to  make  a  public  recantation. 
 Luther  declared,  he  disregarded  the  censm-es  of  these  tAvo  uni- 
 yersities;  and  that  Occam,  Stapulensis,  Huss,  and  other  eminent 
 men,  were  unjustly  condemned  after  the  same  manner.  He 
 accused  the  universities  of  rashness,  of  want  of  charity,  and  con- 
 tempt of  justice  ;  after  which,  he  sharply  confuted  their  ceu- 
 mres,  without  any  respect  to  their  persons. 
 
XXXVl  LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER. 
 
 The  emperor  Maximilian  was  so  far  from  suffering  himseli 
 o  be  persuaded  to  proceed  against  Luther,  that  he  used  to  say, 
 "  If  the  clergy  would  lead  pious  lives,  Luther  would  have  no 
 room  for  a  reformation."  But  his  successor  Avas  of  a  different 
 disposition,  and  gave  occasion  to  the  violent  measures  that 
 were  taken  to  nip  the  Reformation  in  its  very  hud.  Luther 
 wrote  a  letter  to  the  new  emperor,  on  the  fifteenth  of  January, 
 1520,  before  his  arrival  in  Germany,  to  vindicate  his  conduct, 
 and  entreat  his  protection  fi'om  the  power  of  his  numerous  ad- 
 versaries, who  had  persecuted  him  for  three  years,  and  were 
 resolved  that  he  should  perish  with  the  gospel.  He  told  the 
 emperor,  he  would  not  desire  his  protection,  if  he  was  con- 
 victed of  impiety  or  heresy;  but  desired  he  would  not  let  him 
 be  condemned  without  hearing ;  and  declared,  he  would  either 
 be  silent,  or  refer  himself  to  the  judgment  of  any  impartial 
 universities,  before  which  he  was  ready  to  appear. 
 
 It  was  a  great  mistake  in  Leo  X.  to  decide  in  favour  of  the 
 indulgence-merchants,  by  his  bull  in  1518,  since  thereby  all 
 hopes  of  an  accommodation  were  cut  off;  for  it  would  have 
 been  much  more  politic  in  him  to  have  enjoined  silence  to 
 both  parties,  and  to  have  contrived  some  way  to  satisfy  Luther, 
 Avho  offered  Cajetan  to  drop  the  controversy,  if  his  adversaries 
 would  do  the  same ;  but  they  would  be  satisfied  Avith  nothing 
 less  than  a  recantation.  The  elector  of  Saxony  was  again  soli- 
 cited to  give  up  Luther,  who  was  compelled  to  fall  upon  the 
 Pope,  to  vindicate  himself,  by  appealing  to  a  general  council ; 
 the  calling  whereof  was  delayed  upon  various  pretences, 
 whereby  the  cause  of  Rome  became  more  and  more  suspected. 
 About  the  same  time,  the  Pope's  quarrel  with  Henry  VIII. 
 made  way  for  the  introduction  of  the  Reformation  into  England; 
 and  the  house  of  Navarre,  in  revenge  for  the  Pope's  siding 
 with  Ferdinand  the  catholic,  encouraged  the  protestant  religion 
 to  the  utmost  of  their  power  in  France.  Besides  all  this,  many 
 sensible  honest  men,  even  among  the  Roman  catholics,  were 
 quite  unconcerned  at  the  rough  treatment  which  Luther  shewed 
 the  papal  see,  because  they  knew  it  deserved  his  resentment. 
 
 Luther  also  wrote  to  the  elector  of  Mentz,  who  answered 
 him,  and  commended  his  disposition ;  but  desired  him  to  treat 
 of  religious  matters  with  moderation  and  respect,  for  he  ob- 
 served with  grief,  that  the  professors  disputed  upon  frivolous 
 opinions,  and  questions  of  little  consequence,  with  intolerable 
 pride. 
 
 Wliile  Luther  was  vindicating  himself  to  the  emperor,  and 
 the  bishops  of  Germany,  judgment  was  passed  upon  his  writ- 
 ings at  Rome,  where  Eckius  and  Ubricus  went  on  purpose  to 
 solicit  his  condemnation,  which  was  resolved  upon,  notwith- 
 standing he  had  obediently  reverenced  the  person  of  the  Pope. 
 Luther,  at  the  request  of  the  Augustines,  wrote  a  long  epistle 
 to  his  holiness,  full  of  submission  and  respect,  wherein  he  told 
 
LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER.  XXXVII 
 
 him,  "  That  the  court  of  Rome  was  visibly  more  corrupt  than 
 either  Babylon  or  Sodom ;  but  that  his  holiness  was  a  lamb  in 
 the  midst  of  wolves,  a  Daniel  among  lions,  and  an  Ezekiel 
 among"  scorpions  :  that  there  were  not  above  three  or  four  car- 
 dinals who  had  any  learnhig  or  piety;  and  that  it  was  against 
 these  disorders  of  the  court  of  Rome,  that  he  was  obliged  to 
 appear." 
 
 The  writings  of  Luther  were  examined  in  a  congregation  of 
 cardinals,  who  distinguished  his  doctrine,  writings,  and  person. 
 They  condemned  forty-one  propositions  taken  out  of  his  works, 
 ordered  him  to  appear  in  person,  and  agreed  that  his  writings 
 should  be  burnt.  In  consequence  of  this  resolution,  the  bull 
 was  drawn  up  by  the  cardinal  of  Ancona,  and  published  by  the 
 Pope,  who  invoked  the  aid  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  apostles,  and 
 all  the  saints,  against  the  new  errors  and  heresies ;  and  to  pre- 
 serve the  faith,  peace,  and  unity  of  the  church.  This  bull  was 
 dated  the  fifteenth  of  June,  1520,  and  condemned  the  forty- one 
 articles,  extracted  from  the  writings  of  Luther,  as  heretical,  false, 
 and  scandalous.  Indulgences,  the  papal  supremacy,  free-will, 
 purgatory,  and  the  begging  friars,  were  the  principal  things 
 vindicated  in  this  bull ;  and  all  Christians  were  forbid,  under 
 the  pain  of  excommunication,  to  defend  any  of  the  propositions 
 that  were  thus  condemned :  Luther  was  admonished  to  revoke 
 his  errors  by  some  public  act,  and  cause  his  books  to  be  burnt 
 within  sixty  days;  otherwise  he,  and  his  adherents,  should  incur 
 the  punishments  due  to  heretics. 
 
 Luther,  now  perceiving  that  all  hopes  of  an  accommodation 
 were  at  an  end,  threw  off  all  reserve,  and  answered  this  bull, 
 which  he  called  "  The  execrable  bull  of  antichrist,"  by  pub- 
 lishing a  book  called  "  The  captivity  of  Babylon ;"  in  which 
 he  absolutely  rejected  indulgences ;  and  asserted,  that  the  pa- 
 pacy was  the  kingdom  of  Babylon.  He  denied  there  were 
 seven  sacraments ;  and  said,  there  was  properly  only  one,  in 
 three  sacramental  signs,  the  Lord's  Supper,  baptism,  and  pe- 
 nance. He  affirmed,  that  the  sacrament  of  the  altar  is  the  tes- 
 tament of  Jesus  Christ,  which  he  left  when  he  died,  to  be  given 
 to  all  those  who  should  believe  in  him  ;  that  this  testament  is  a 
 promise  of  foi'giveness  of  our  sins,  confirmed  by  the  death  of 
 the  Son  of  God  ;  that  it  is  only  faith  in  this  promise  which  jus- 
 tifies, and  the  mass  is  entirely  useless  Avithout  that  faith.  He 
 declared  that  the  effect  of  baptism  depended  alone  upon  faith 
 in  the  promise  of  Jesus  Christ,  of  which  the  outward  baptism 
 is  only  a  sign,  supplied  in  infants  by  the  faith  of  the  church. 
 He  maintained,  that  the  remission  of  sins,  which  is  the  effect  of 
 penance,  depends  upon  faith  in  the  promise  of  Jesus  Christ;  and 
 allowed  no  effect  to  the  other  parts  of  penance.  He  wondered 
 that  confii'mation,  and  ordination,  should  be  sacraments,  when 
 they  are  no  more  than  ecclesiastical  ceremonies ;  neither  would 
 he  allow  marriage  to  be  a  sacrament,  because  there  is  no  pro- 
 
XXXVin  LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER 
 
 mise  annexed  to  it,  and  the  marriage  of  infidels  is  as  binding 
 as  that  of  Christians ;  and  he  rejected  the  usage  of  the  extreme 
 unction,  built  upon  the  authority  of  the  epistle  of  St.  James, 
 because  he  thought  there  was  not  any  promise  of  grace  annexed 
 to  that  unction. 
 
 Luther  was  fully  persuaded  of  the  necessity  of  "justification 
 by  faith  alone;"  which  he  looked  upon  as  the  Ijasis  of  the  whole 
 Christian  religion.  When  he  first  preached  against  indul- 
 gences, he  intended  no  separation  from  the  church  of  Rome  ; 
 but  the  violence  of  his  opponents,  and  the  heat  of  the  contro- 
 versy, drew  him  so  far  into  the  dispute,  that  he  carried  it  on 
 with  unparalleled  spirit,  and  came  at  last  to  fix  upon  that 
 scheme,  which  has  been  since  adhered  to  by  the  Lutheran 
 churches,  with  little  variation. 
 
 As  the  Pope  had  condemned  Luther  at  Rome,  Luther  de- 
 graded the  Pope  in  Germany.  He  compiled  a  history  of  the 
 wars  raised  by  the  Popes  against  the  emperors;  and  maintained 
 that  the  German  princes  had  the  same  power  over  the  clergy 
 as  over  the  laity.  He  advised  the  Germans  to  shake  off  the 
 yoke  of  popery ;  and  proposed  a  reformation,  that  should  sub- 
 ject the  Pope  and  bishops  to  the  power  of  the  emperor,  and 
 take  away  from  the  Pope  the  authority  of  interpreting  scrip- 
 ture, or  calling  a  general  council.  He  declaimed  against  the 
 manners  and  practice  of  the  court  of  Rome,  the  pride  of  the 
 Pope,  and  the  avarice  of  the  cardinals ;  he  asserted,  that  an- 
 nates and  papal  months  should  be  abolished,  and  that  the  canon 
 law  ought  to  be  entirely  destroyed.  He  even  assembled  the 
 students  of  Wittenberg  together,  and  flung  the  Pope's  bull  and 
 decretals  into  a  fire  prepared  for  that  purpose,  saying,  "  Be- 
 cause thou  hast  troubled  the  Holy  One  of  God,  let  eternal  fire 
 trouble  thee."  This  ceremony  was  performed  by  Luther,  upon 
 the  tenth  of  December,  1520.  The  next  day  he  expounded  the 
 Psalms,  and  earnestly  charged  his  auditors,  "  that,  as  they  loved 
 the  salvation  of  their  souls,  they  should  take  heed  of  the  Pope's 
 decrees."  He  also  defended  what  he  had  done  in  writing;  and 
 published  among  other  errors  in  the  papal  doctrine,  the  fol- 
 lowing thirty : — 
 
 "  I.  The  Pope  and  his  clergy  are  not  bound  to  obey  the  commandments  of 
 God. 
 
 "  II.  It  is  not  a  precept,  but  a  counsel  of  St.  Peter,  when  he  teaches  '  That 
 all  men  are  to  be  subject  to  kings.' 
 
 "  III.  That  in  a  state,  the  sun  signified  the  papal  power,  the  moon  meant 
 the  imperial  or  secular. 
 
 "  IV.  That  the  Pope  and  his  chair  are  not  to  be  held  subject  to  the  councils 
 and  decrees. 
 
 *<■  V.  That  the  Pope  has,  in  the  secret  of  his  own  breasts,  all  laws,  and  plenary 
 power  over  all  laws. 
 
 "  VI.  Whence  it  follows,  that  the  Pope  hath  power  to  disannul,  change, 
 and  dsteriniue  all  councils,  and  all  constitutions  and  ordinances,  as  he  daily 
 practises. 
 
LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER.  XXKIX 
 
 '» VII.  That  the  Pope  hath  a  right  to  demand  an  oath  of  all  bishtjps,  and  an 
 obligation  upon  them  for  their  pails. 
 
 "  VIII.  That  if  the  Pope  be  so  negligent  of  his  own  and  his  brethren's  sal- 
 vation, and  so  unprofitable  and  careless  in  his  function,  as  to  carry  with  him 
 (like  the  chief  factor  for  hell)  innumerable  people  to  their  everlasting  damna- 
 tion, no  man  ought  to  reprove  him,  or  blame  his  faults. 
 
 ,    "  IX.  That  the  salvation  of  all  the  faithful,  next  to  God,  depends  upon  th« 
 Pope. 
 
 "  X.  That  no  man  upon  earth  can  judge  the  Pope,  or  censure  his  determi- 
 nation ;  but  the  Pope  is  judge  of  all  men. 
 
 "  XI.  That  the  Roman  see  giveth  to  all  laws  and  rights  their  due  force  ;  but 
 is  itself  subject  to  none  of  them. 
 
 "  XII.  That  the  see  of  Rome  is  a  rock,  on  which  Christ  built  his  church,  ac 
 cording  to  Matt.  xvi. — Distinc.  19. 
 
 "  XIII.  That  the  keys  were  given  to  St.  Peter  only. 
 
 "  XIV.  That  the  priesthood  of  Christ  was  translated  from  Him  to  St.  Pe(er. 
 JD«  constit,  c.  translato, 
 
 "  XV.  That  the  Pope  hath  power  to  make  laws  and  ordinances  for  the 
 catholic  church. 
 
 "  XVI.  That  this  sentence;  '  Whatsoever  thou  bindest  on  earth,  shall  also 
 be  bound  in  heaven,'  establishes  this  point.  That  the  Pope  hath  power  to  im- 
 pose even  his  unadvised  laws  upon  the  whole  catholic  church. 
 
 "  XVII.  That  his  injunction  to  abstain  from  flesh,  butter,  &c.  on  particular 
 days,  is  not  to  be  disobeyed  without  sin,  or  danger  of  excommunication. 
 
 "  XVIII.  That  no  priest  can  marry,  because  he  hath  forbidden  it. 
 
 "  XIX.  That  Pope  Nicholas  the  3d  or  4th,  hath  well  decreed  that  Christ, 
 by  giving  the  keys,  gave  him  power  both  over  the  heavenly  and  earthly 
 kingdom. 
 
 "  XX.  That  Constantine  the  Great  gave  to  Popes  the  power  over  all  tha 
 provinces  and  kingdoms  of  this  lower  world. 
 
 "  XXI.  That  the  Pope  is  the  rightful  heir  of  the  holy  Roman  empire. 
 
 "  XXII.  That  it  is  lawful  for  a  Christian  to  avenge  himself. 
 
 "  XXIII.  That  subjects  may  rebel  against  their  princes ;  and  that  the  Pope 
 may  depose  kings. 
 
 "  XXIV.  That  the  Pope  can  overturn  and  dissolve  all  oaths,  covenants, 
 and  obligations. 
 
 "  XXV.  That  the  Pope  hath  power  to  dissolve  and  compound  for  all  vows 
 made  to  God. 
 
 "  XXVI.  That  he  that  doth  not  pay  his  vow  to  God,  is  not  guilty  of  break- 
 ing it. 
 
 "  XXVII.  That  no  married  man  or  woman  can  truly  serve  God. 
 
 "  XXVIII.  That  the  Pope's  injunctions  are  of  equal  force  and  weight 
 with  the  scriptures. 
 
 "  XXIX.  That  the  Pope  hath  power  to  explain  the  scripture,  at  his  own 
 will  and  pleasure ;  and  that  no  man  dare  to  explain  it  in  a  contrary  sense. 
 
 "  XXX.  That  the  Pope  dolh  not  receive  his  authority  from  the  scripture, 
 but  the  scripture  fiom  the  Pope. 
 
 "In  short,  the  sum  of  the  whole  canon  law  is  this:  The  Pope  is  God  on 
 earth,  supreme  in  all  heavenly,  earthly,  spiritual,  and  secular  matters.  All  things 
 are  the  Pope'' s;  and  there  is  none  who  can  say  unto  him,  What  doest  thou?" 
 Melcb.  Adam,  in  vit,  Luth. 
 
 This  publication  gave  (as  it  may  be  supposed)  the  highest  of- 
 fence to  the  Romanists ;  and  the  Pope  resolved  to  crush  him  at 
 once  by  his  bulls,  which  commanded  all  secular  princes  to  de- 
 stroy him. 
 
 Eckius  carried  the  bull  against  Luther  into  Germany,  and 
 was  entrusted  by  the  Pope  to  carry  it  into  execution  j  which 
 
Xl  LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER. 
 
 was  a  smart  blow  given  him  by  his  mortal  enemy,  who  was  his 
 adversary,  accuser,  and  executioner. 
 
 Chai'les  V.  Avas  crowned  emperor,  at  Aix-la-Chapelle,  the 
 twenty-first  of  October,  1520,  and  appointed  a  diet  to  be  held 
 at  Worms,  on  the  sixth  of  January,  1521.  The  nuncios, 
 Martinus  Caracciolus  and  Jerome  Alexander,  presented  the 
 elector  of  Saxony  the  brief  wliich  the  Pope  had  sent  him,  to 
 inform  him  of  the  decree  which  he  had  made  against  Luther, 
 who  was  then  more  than  ever  protected  by  the  elector,  and  the 
 university  of  Wittenberg.  Luther  renewed  his  appeal  to  a 
 future  council,  and  called  the  Pope  a  tyrant,  and  heretic. 
 Erasmus,  and  several  other  divines,  foresaw  that  the  fire, 
 which  was  to  burn  the  books  of  Luther,  would  put  all  Ger- 
 many into  a  flame,  and  were  for  referring  the  whole  to  a  gene- 
 ral council;  but  the  nuncios  prevailed,  and  Luther's  books 
 were  burnt  at  Mentz  and  Cologne.  Ulricus  Hultenus,  a  sa- 
 tirical poet,  ridiculed  the  papal  bull,  which  Luther  called  the 
 execrable  bull  of  antichrist,  and  caused  it  (as  we  have  just  ob- 
 served) to  be  burnt  at  Wittenberg.  Catharinus  wrote  five 
 books  in  defence  of  the  papal  supremacy,  which  Luther  refuted; 
 and  Alexander  obtained  a  new  bull  from  Rome,  wherein  Lu- 
 ther was  declared  contumacio\is,  and  to  have  mcurred  the 
 penalty  denounced  by  the  Pope. 
 
 The  diet  of  Worms  assembled  on  the  day  appointed,  when 
 Alexander  exerted  all  his  interest  and  eloquence,  to  persuade 
 the  emperor  and  the  princes  of  the  empire,  to  put  the  bull 
 against  Luther  into  execution,  without  suflFering  him  to  appear, 
 or  hear  his  vindication.  The  diet  resolved  that  Luther  should 
 be  summoned,  and  have  a  safe-conduct,  which  was  granted 
 by  the  emperoi',  who  sent  with  it  a  private  letter,  directed 
 "  To  the  honourable,  beloved,  devout,  doctor  Marthi  Luther, 
 of  the  order  of  St.  Augustine."  This  letter  was  dated  the  sixth 
 of  March,  and  Luther  was  thereby  ordered  to  appear  at 
 Worms  within  twenty-one  days.  The  tragical  end  that  John 
 Huss  had  met  with  at  Constance,  in  1415,  was  remembered  by 
 the  friends  of  Luther  on  this  occasion;  but  he  answered  those 
 Avho  dissuaded  him  from  appearing,  that  "  he  would  go,  though 
 there  should  be  as  many  devils  at  Worms,  as  there  were  tiles 
 upon  the  houses."  He  was  accompanied  from  Wittenberg  by 
 some  divines,  and  one  hundred  horses ;  but  he  took  only  eight 
 horsemen  into  Worms,  where  he  arrived  on  the  sixteenth  of 
 April;  and,  when  he  stepped  out  of  the  coach,  he  said,  "  God 
 shall  be  on  my  side,"  in  the  presence  of  a  great  multitude  of 
 people,  whom  curiosity  had  brought  together  to  see  the  man 
 who  had  made  such  a  noise  in  the  world. 
 
 Luther  had  his  apartments  in  the  house  belonging  to  the 
 knights  of  the  Teutonic  order,  near  those  of  the  elector  of 
 Saxony.  He  was  visited  by  many  princes,  noblemen,  and  di- 
 vines, and  the  next  day  appeared  before   the  diet      Eckiuti 
 
LIFE  OF  MARTIN  I.UTHER.  xU 
 
 ftcted  as  prolocutor,  and  told  Luther  that  the  emperor  had  sent 
 for  him,  "  to  know  whether  he  owned  those  books  that  bore 
 his  name;  and  if  he  intended  to  retract,  or  maintain  what  was  con- 
 tained in  them?"  Luther  is  said  to  have  had  as  much  courage 
 as  Alexander  and  Julius  Csesar  put  together.  He  answered, 
 he  owned  the  books,  but  desired  time  to  consider  the  other 
 question,  "  So  that  he  might  make  a  satisfactory  answer, 
 without  prejudice  of  the  word  of  God,  and  prejudice  of  his  own 
 soul."  The  emperor  granted  him  a  day  to  consider  the  matter, 
 and  some  of  his  principal  friends  encouraged  him  with  this 
 sentence;  "  When  thou  art  before  kings,  think  not  what  thou 
 shalt  speak,  for  it  shall  be  given  to  thee  in  that  hour." 
 
 Luther  appeared  again  before  the  diet  the  following  day, 
 when  Eckius  repeated  the  same  question,  to  which  Luther  re- 
 plied with  modesty  and  constancy.  He  protested  that  all  he 
 had  wrote  was  for  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  instruction  of  the 
 faitliful ;  but  desired  the  assembly  to  observe,  that  his  books 
 were  of  three  kinds:  "that  in  some  he  treated  only  of  piety 
 and  morality,  in  such  a  plain  and  evangelical  manner,  that  his 
 adversaries  acknowledged  they  were  innocent,  profitable,  and 
 worthy  to  be  read  by  all  Christians:  that  in  others,  he  had 
 wrote  against  popery:  and  in  a  third  sort,  against  those  private 
 persons  who  opposed  the  truths  which  he  taught."  He  asserted, 
 that  the  bull  itself  had  condemned  nothing  in  particular,  which 
 was  taken  out  of  those  books,  though  all  his  books  in  general 
 were  condemned;  and  declared,  "that,  as  a  man,  he  might 
 err;  and  if  any  one  could  convince  him,  by  holy  scripture,  of 
 any  error,  he  was  ready  to  revoke  it,  and  burn  his  writings." 
 Eckius  passionately  said,  he  had  not  answered  the  question; 
 therefore,  he  insisted  that  Luther  would  give  a  plain  and  direct 
 answer,  "  whether  he  would  retract  or  not?"  Luther  rephed, 
 that  he  was  not  obliged  to  "  believe  the  Pope,  or  his  councils, 
 because  they  erred  in  many  things,  and  contradicted  themselves; 
 that  his  belief  was  so  far  settled  by  the  texts  of  scripture,  and 
 his  conscience  engaged  by  the  word  of  God,  that  he  neither 
 could  nor  would  retract  any  thing,  because  it  was  neither  safe 
 nor  innocent  for  a  man  to  act  against  his  conscience."  Eckius 
 then  said,  that  Luther  had  revived  the  errors  condemned  in 
 the  council  of  Constance;  and  the  emperor  declared  he  would 
 proceed  against  him  as  a  heretic;  which  was  prejudging  the 
 cause,  and  contrary  to  the  established  rules  of  the  diet. 
 
 As  Luther  undauntedly  refused  to  recant  at  Worms,  as  he 
 had  done  three  years  before  at  Augsburg,  the  clergy  insinuated 
 to  the  emperor,  "  that  faith  was  not  to  be  kept  with  heretics." 
 They  wanted  him  to  revoke  the  safe-conduct  he  had  granted  to 
 Luther;  but  Charles  made  this  generous  answer:  "  That  if  no 
 faith  was  to  be  found  in  the  rest  of  the  world,  it  ought  at  least 
 to  be  seen  in  a  Roman  emperor."  The  elector-palatine  also 
 opposed  the  violation  of  the  safe-conduct,  as  had  been  done  at  the 
 
XlU  LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER. 
 
 council  of  Constance.  The  electors  of  Brandenburg  and  Triers, 
 with  Eckius,  Coehlaeus,  and  others,  had  a  private  conference 
 with  Luther,  to  persuade  him  to  desist  from  his  enterprise; 
 but  he  declared,  he  was  resolved  to  die,  rather  than  recede 
 from  the  word  of  God.  The  elector  of  T^riers  desired  Luther 
 to  propose  some  means  of  ending  this  matter  himself;  to  which 
 Luther  answered,  he  had  no  other  way  than  the  counsel  of 
 Gamaliel,  "  If  this  work  be  of  men,  it  will  come  to  nought, 
 and  fall  of  itself;  but,  if  it  be  of  God,  ye  cannot  hinder  the 
 execution  of  it." 
 
 The  emperor,  on  the  twenty-sixth  of  April,  ordered  Luther 
 to  depart  immediately  from  Worms,  under  a  safe-conduct  for 
 twenty-one  days;  and  the  elector  of  Saxony  imagined  that 
 Charles  would  issue  a  severe  edict  against  Luther;  but  the 
 elector  was  resolved  to  protect  him  from  the  prosecution  of 
 the  emperor  and  the  Pope.  Luther  was  purposely  seized  on 
 the  road  by  a  troop  of  masked  horsemen,  and  carried,  as  if  by 
 violence,  to  the  castle  of  Wartburg-,  near  Eisenach,  where  the 
 elector  concealed  him  ten  months.  Luther  called  this  retreat 
 his  Patmos,  and  wrote  several  usefid  treatises  there;  while  his 
 enemies  employed  reputed  wizards  to  find  out  the  place  of  his 
 concealment.  Here  he  held  a  constant  correspondence  with 
 his  friends  at  Wittenberg,  and  employed  himself  in  composing 
 several  of  his  works.  He  frequently  made  exciu'sions  into  the 
 neighbourhood,  though  always  in  disguise.  Weary,  however, 
 of  this  confinement,  he  appeared  at  the  end  of  ten  months  at 
 Wittenberg,  on  the  sixth  of  March. 
 
 The  emperor  published  an  edict  against  Luther,  on  the 
 twenty-sixth  of  May,  when  the  electors  of  Saxony  and  Pala- 
 tine were  absent  from  the  diet.  He  declared,  "  it  was  his  duty 
 to  extinguish  heresies ;  that  Luther  was  a  schismatic  and  he- 
 retic ;  that  the  sentence  of  the  Pope  should  be  put  in  execution 
 against  him ;  and  that  no  person  should  receive,  defend,  main- 
 tain, or  protect  him,  under  the  penalty  of  high  treason,  and 
 being  put  to  the  ban  of  the  empire."  This  edict  was  drawn 
 up  with  all  possible  rancour  and  malice  by  Alcander.  How- 
 ever, whilst  Luther  attended  at  Worms,  and  pleaded  his  cause, 
 he  was  treated  with  much  affability  and  civility  by  that  illus- 
 trious assembly.  He  shewed  a  sufiicient  presence  of  mind,  and 
 a  noble  intrepidity,  in  the  opinion  of  every  one  but  himself;  for 
 he  afterwards  lamented  that  he  had  not  been  still  bolder  in  the 
 cause  of  God. 
 
 Some  are  of  opinion  that  the  emperor  connived  at  the  spread- 
 ing of  Luther's  doctrine  in  Germany,  that  he  might  make  him- 
 self absolute  there  by  such  divisions :  else,  say  they,  he  might 
 easily  have  suppressed  it,  by  putting  Luther  to  death,  when  he 
 had  him  in  his  power,  at  Worms.  However,  it  is  far  from 
 being  clear,  that  if  he  had  been  murdered,  contrary  to  the  sanc- 
 tion of  the  safe-conduct,  his  opinions  would  have  died  wilh 
 
LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER.  xlui 
 
 him;  and  it  would  have  been  very  imprudent  in  Charles  to 
 have  thereby  disobliged  the  elector  of  Saxony,  who  had  placed 
 him  on  the  imperial  throne,  and  Avhose  authority  in  Germany 
 was  great,  while  he  had  a  war  upon  his  hands  against  Turkey 
 and  France. 
 
 The  tenets  of  Luther  became  now  to  be  received,  not  only 
 in  Upper  and  Lower  Saxony,  but  also  in  other  parts  of  Ger- 
 many, and  in  the  North.  Erasmus,  and  the  learned  Agrippa 
 of  Cologne,  looked  upon  this  reformer  as  a  hero,  who  wotfld 
 put  a  stop  to  the  tyranny  which  the  mendicant  friars,  and  the 
 rest  of  the  clergy,  exercised  over  the  minds  and  consciences  of 
 men.  Being  ignorant  and  voluptuous,  they  encouraged  a  thou- 
 sand paltry  superstitions,  and  would  neither  emerge  from  their 
 barbarity,  nor  suffer  others  to  do  it :  insomuch,  that  to  be  witty 
 and  polite,  was  sufficient  to  expose  a  man  to  their  hate  and  in- 
 dignation. Agi'ippa,  Erasmus,  and  some  other  great  geniuses, 
 were  pleased  that  Luther  had  broken  the  ice.  They  expected 
 the  critical  hour  for  the  deliverance  of  honest  men  from  op- 
 pression ;  but  when  they  saAv  that  things  did  not  take  the  turn 
 they  expected,  they  were  the  first  to  cast  a  stone  at  Luther. 
 Agrippa  wrote  to  Melancthon  in  these  words :  "  Pay  no  com- 
 pliments to  the  invincible  heretic,  Martin  Luther,  who,  as  St. 
 Paul  says  in  the  Acts,  worships  God  after  the  way  which  they 
 call  heresy."  But  the  divines  of  Louvain  censured  Agrippa  for 
 writing  "The  Vanity  of  Sciences ;"  though  that  book  con- 
 vinced Erasmus,  its  author  was  of  a  fiery  genius,  extensive 
 reading,  and  great  memory.  But  Jovius  and  Thevet  ridicu- 
 lously charged  Agrippa  with  being  a  magician ;  though  this  did 
 not  hinder  the  famous  John  Colet  from  lodging  Agrippa  in  his 
 house  at  London,  nor  the  emperor  Maximilian  from  employing 
 him  in  Italy. 
 
 Jerome  Savonarola,  a  Dominican,  at  Florence,  had  distin- 
 guished himself  by  the  austerity  of  his  life,  and  by  the  fervent 
 eloquence  Avith  which  he  preached  against  immorality,  without 
 sparing  the  disorders  of  the  clergy,  nor  even  the  court  of  Rome. 
 Philip  de  Comines,  the  celebrated  historian  of  France,  saw 
 Savonarola  at  Florence,  and  says,  "  that  no  preacher  ever  had 
 a  greater  influence  over  a  city."  Some  authors  maintain  that 
 his  conduct  was  the  effect  of  a  great  zeal  for  truth,  and  for  the 
 reformation  of  the  church ;  others  pretend  that  he  was  an  im- 
 postor and  a  hypocrite.  It  is  certain  that  this  divine  had  ac- 
 quired such  a  great  power  over  the  Florentines,  by  his  singular 
 sanctity,  and  the  reputation  of  his  virtue,  that,  in  the  opinion  of 
 all,  he  deserved  to  be  canonized  alive ;  but  he  lost  his  credit, 
 was  excommunicated,  degraded  from  his  ecclesiastical  order, 
 hanged  and  burnt  in  the  year  1498.  Friar  Jerome  had  been 
 considered  as  a  prophet  sent  by  God  for  the  reformation  of 
 manners;  and  he  had  preached  that  the  state  of  the  church 
 should  be  reformed  by  the  sword.     He  foretold  many  things 
 
xliv  LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER. 
 
 before  they  came  to  pass ;  but  the  Pope  excommunicated  him, 
 on  a  charge  that  his  doctrine  was  not  cathoHc,  and  the  Fran- 
 ciscan friars  undertook  to  prove  it  heretical.  The  truth  is, 
 Savonarola  had  earnestly  wished  to  be  the  instrument  of  calling 
 a  g-eneral  council,  in  which  the  corrupt  manners  of  the  clergy 
 might  be  reformed  ;  and  the  state  of  the  church  of  God,  Avhich 
 had  deviated  so  far,  might  be  reduced  to  as  great  a  resemblance 
 as  possible  of  those  days  that  were  nearest  to  the  times  of  the 
 apostles.  The  general  of  the  Dominicans  and  the  bishop  of 
 Romolino  were  appointed  commissaries  by  the  Pope  to  punish 
 Savonarola,  whom  they  put  to  the  torture,  and  delivered  him 
 over  to  the  secular  arm,  to  be  hanged  and  burnt.  His  trial  was 
 falsified  in  the  most  unjust  and  scandalous  manner ;  but  he  suf- 
 fered death  courageously,  and  many  persons  considered  him  as 
 a  martyr.  His  ashes  were  thrown  into  the  Arno,  that  his  ad- 
 herents might  not  have  any  relic  left  of  him  ;  but  books  were 
 written  for  his  justification,  and  the  Protestants  have  revered 
 his  memory. 
 
 Beza,  Vigner,  Cappel,  Du  Plessis  Mornay,  and  the  other  re- 
 formers, considered  Jerome  Savonarola  as  a  martyr,  like  Jerome 
 of  Prague :  they  looked  upon  him  as  the  forerunner  of  the 
 evangelical  reformation,  and  called  him  the  Luther  of  Italy, 
 The  popish  writers  also  defended  his  character,  particularly  the 
 learned  prince  of  Mirandula;  but  Pope  Clement  VHI.  forbade 
 the  sermons  of  Savonarola  to  be  read  till  they  had  undergone 
 a  purgation. 
 
 Luther  quoted  Savonarola,  and  prefixed  a  preface  to  his  me- 
 ditations, because  he  considered  him  as  an  author  that  is  very 
 orthodox  upon  the  subject  of  justification,  and  the  merit  of  good 
 works.  The  tools  of  Rome  were  for  putting  Luther  to  death, 
 as  well  as  Savonarola ;  but  Erasmus  was  greatly  dissatisfied 
 when  Luther  was  proscribed,  and  said,  "  that  they  who  con- 
 demned him,  deserved  to  be  condemned  themselves ;  that  the 
 Pope's  unmerciful  bull  was  disapproved  by  all  honest  men ;  and 
 that  Luther,  being  a  man  void  of  ambition,  was  the  less  to  be 
 suspected  of  heresy."  One  of  the  ecclesiastical  electors  said, 
 "Would  to  God  that  Luther  had  written  in  Latin,  and  not' in 
 German."  Mention  being  made  of  Luther  at  the  emperor's 
 table,  Ravenstein  said,  "  here  is  one  Christian  arisen  among 
 us  at  last,  after  four  hundred  years,  and  the  Pope  wants  to 
 kill  him." 
 
 The  emperor  had  performed  the  conditions  of  the  safe-con- 
 duct to  Luther,  and  the  Pope  had  tried  him  before  a  council  j 
 "  but  the  Lutherans  would  have  been  fools  and  mad,  to  have 
 trusted  themselves  and  their  cause  to  such  a  pontiff,  and  to  such 
 an  emperor ;"  notwithstanding  Erasmus  said,  "  we  have  a 
 Pope,  who  in  his  temper  is  much  disposed  to  clemency,  and  an 
 emperor  \rho  is  also  mild  and  placable."  Erasmus  judged  very 
 wivhg  of  both  these  persons.      Leo  was  a  vain,  voluptuouss 
 
LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER.  XiV 
 
 and  debauched  man,  who  had  no  religion,  and  no  compassion 
 for  those  who  could  not  submit  entirely  to  his  pleasure ;  as  he 
 shewed  by  the  haughty  manner  in  which  he  treated  Luther, 
 without  admitting  the  least  relaxation  in  any  of  the  disputed 
 points.  Charles  V.  was  only  twenty  years  of  age  at  this  time, 
 and  made  a  conscience  of  nothing  to  accomplish  any  of  his  pro- 
 jects. He  said  so  himself;  and  we  may  take  his  word  for  it. 
 This  emperor,  discoursing  of  past  events  with  the  prior  and  the 
 monks  of  St.  Justus,  told  them,  that  he  repented  of  having  ful- 
 filled the  promise  of  safe-conduct  which  he  gave  to  Luther. 
 This  regret  is  ascribed  to  his  pious  zeal  for  the  cause  of  God  : 
 but  the  examples  of  Gregory  the  Great,  Avho  kept  his  faith 
 even  to  heretics  ;  of  Joshua,  who  kept  it  to  the  idolatrous  Gi- 
 beonites  ;  and  of  Saul,  whom  God  punished  for  doing  the  con- 
 trary, might  have  quieted  his  royal  conscience  ;  and  if  he  had 
 any  cause  to  repent,  it  should  have  been  for  plighting  his  faith 
 to  a  heretic,  and  not  for  keeping  it.  However,  Charles,  in  his 
 old  age,  seemed  inclined  to  protestant  principles ;  and,  if  re- 
 ports may  be  credited,  his  son  Philip  intended  to  have  made 
 his  father's  process,  and  to  have  had  his  bones  burnt  for  heresy; 
 being  only  hindered  from  doing  it  by  this  consideration,  that 
 if  his  father  was  a  heretic,  he  had  forfeited  all  his  dominions, 
 and  by  consequence  he  had  no  right  to  resign  them  to  his  son. 
 If  these  things  are  true,  the  emperor  must  have  been  the  greatest 
 hypocrite  that  ever  lived ;  or  we  have  been  greatly  imposed 
 upon  by  historians. 
 
 At  the  time  the  diet  of  Worms  was  held,  a  treatise  was  pub- 
 lished, in  which  were  the  following  among  other  anecdotes. 
 The  count  of  Nassau,  governor  of  Flanders,  Brabant,  and  Hol- 
 land, said  to  the  divines  at  the  Hague,  "  Go,  and  preach  the 
 gospel  in  sincerity  and  truth,  like  Luther."  The  academics  of 
 Louvain  complained  to  Margaret  the  emperor's  sister,  gover- 
 ness of  the  Netherlands,  that  Luther  was  subverting  Chris- 
 ti*anity  by  his  writings.  "  Who,"  said  she,  "  is  this  Luther  ?" 
 They  replied,  he  was  an  illiterate  monk.  "  Is  he  so  ?"  said 
 the  princess.  "  Then  you,  who  are  very  learned  and  nume- 
 rous, write  against  this  illiterate  monk ;  and  surely  the  world 
 will  pay  more  regard  to  many  scholars  than  to  one  blockhead." 
 
 As  the  Pope  and  emperor  had  published  such  a  furious  bull 
 and  violent  edict  against  Luther,  Erasmus  began  to  be  in  pain 
 for  the  reformer,  though  the  elector  of  Saxony  had  taken  him 
 undcA'  his  protection.  "  I  fear,"  says  he,  "  for  the  unfortunate 
 Luther  :  so  violent  is  the  conspiracy,  and  so  strongly  have  the 
 Pope  and  the  prince  been  instigated  against  him.  Would  to 
 God  he  had  followed  my  counsel,  and  had  abstained  from  vio- 
 lent and  seditious  proceedings  !  He  would  then  have  done 
 more  good,  and  have  incurred  less  hatred." 
 
 But  if  Luther  had  followed  the  advice  of  Erasmu?,  and  con- 
 ducted the  affair  with  all  moderation  and  reserve,  he  would 
 
xlvi  LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER. 
 
 still  have  had  less  success ;  because  his  system  passed,  in  the 
 opinion  of  the  divines,  for  a  most  pestilent  hei'esy,  tending  to 
 overset  the  authority  of  the  Pope  and  the  monks,  and  to  destroy 
 the  credit  of  certain  opinions  and  doctrines,  from  which  they 
 drew  an  immense  profit.  If  Luther  had  recanted  after  he  had 
 been  condemned,  all  the  benefit  that  his  doctrine  was  capable 
 of  producing,  would  have  been  lost ;  and  if  he  resisted,  a  sepa- 
 ration from  those  who  excommunicated  him  must  ensue. 
 
 Erasmus  declined  the  task  of  refuting  Luther,  "  because  it 
 was  a  work  above  his  abilities;  and  he  would  not  deprive  the 
 universities  which  had  undertaken  to  confute  him,  of  their  ho- 
 nour and  glory."  He  wished  that  Luther  had  been  solidly 
 confuted  before  his  books  were  bm*nt ;  because  it  is  the  duty 
 of  divines  to  persuade,  and  the  practice  of  tyrants  to  compel. 
 But  this  was  not  the  language  of  the  inquisition  and  of  the 
 monks,  who  breathed  nothing  besides  revenge  and  the  de- 
 struction of  heretics.  To  please  them,  he  ought  to  have 
 cried  out  that  "  Luther  deserved  to  bo  hanged  for  what  he 
 had  done,  whether  he  submitted  or  not :"  he  ought  to  have 
 insulted  and  abused  him  upon  all  occasions,  if  he  hoped  for  any 
 favour  from  men,  who  accounted  moderation  and  equity  to  be 
 capital  crimes,  when  they  extended  to  a  man  accounted  by  them 
 the  leader  of  the  heretical  armies.  Luther  was  sometimes 
 censured  by  Erasmus  for  ^vriting  with  such  spirit ;  but  in  this, 
 Luther  acted  more  like  an  apostle,  or  primitive  Christian,  than 
 Erasmus. 
 
 Luther  also  made  a  translation  of  the  New  Testament  into 
 the  German  language,  and  wrote  several  books  during  his  re- 
 tirement, which  he  called  his  hermitage.  He  was  immediately 
 accused  of  corrupting  the  gospel  in  several  places ;  but  none  of 
 his  adversaries  ventvired  to  condemn  the  translation  of  the  New 
 Testament  into  the  vulgar  tongue ;  on  the  contrary,  Jerome 
 Emser  criticised  upon  this  version,  and  made  another.  The 
 king  of  England  wrote  to  the  princes  of  Germany  upon  that 
 subject,  and  said  it  was  useful  to  have  the  scriptm'e  in  several 
 languages,  that  corrupt  versions  might  be  prevented. 
 
 However,  it  is  acknowledged  that  Luther,  in  translating  the 
 Bible,  Avas  assisted  by  the  disciples  of  Reuchlin,  and  hath  hit 
 off  many  places  very  happily ;  that  he  was  master  of  the  Ger- 
 man language ;  and  that  there  is  much  to  be  learned,  from  this 
 work.  But  the  Sieur  de  St.  Aldegonde,  in  1594,  wrote  to 
 John  Drusius,  who  was  employed  by  the  States-general  to  make 
 a  new  translation  of  the  Bible  into  the  Dutch  tongue,  that 
 *'  among  all  the  versions  he  had  met  with,  he  had  seen  none  that 
 diflFered  so  widely  from  the  true  Hebrew,  as  that  of  Luther." 
 
 Luther  wrote  against  private  confession,  private  masses,  and 
 monastic  vows ;  in  consequence  of  which,  Carolostadius,  and 
 the  Augustine  friars  at  Wittenberg,  abolished  the  use  of  the 
 mass.    Vows  of  celibacy  very  little  promoted  continence.    The 
 
LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER.  xlvil 
 
 monks  left  their  cloisters  at  Wittenberg,  and  the  priests  mar- 
 ried, after  Carolostadius  and  Justus  Jonas  had  set  them  the 
 example,  which  was  afterwards  folloAved  by  Luther. 
 
 The  adversaries  of  Luther  affirmed,  "  that  he  uttered  a  thou- 
 sand blasphemies,  particularly  against  Moses.'  They  went  so 
 far  as  to  maintain,  that  he  got  Amadis  de  Gaul  translated  into 
 French,  to  put  people  out  of  conceit  with  the  scripture,  and  all 
 books  of  devotion.  They  observed  so  little  measures  in  the 
 calumnies  they  published  against  him,  as  to  accuse  him  of  hav- 
 ing said,  "  that  he  believed  nothing  of  wliat  he  preached." 
 Most  of  these  calumnies  were  grounded  upon  some  words  in  a 
 book  published  by  Luther's  friends ;  to  which  his  enemies  gave 
 a  very  malicious  interpretation,  and  very  remote  from  this  mi- 
 nister's thoughts. 
 
 He  was  even  accused  of  atheism ;  but  this,  as  well  as  what 
 was  said  of  Amadis,  was  an  egregious  falsehood,  and  proved  so 
 by  Bayle,  from  the  Journal  of  Leipsic,  1684,  where  it  is  said, 
 that  "  this  ridiculous  calumny  cannot  excite  indignation,  but 
 laughter ;  for  the  honest  catholics  themselves  must  be  ashamed 
 of  it :  they  cannot  be  ignorant  that,  by  the  indefatigable  pains 
 of  Luther,  the  sacred  writings  were  once  more  put  not  only 
 into  the  hands  of  the  clergy,  but  into  those  of  the  middle  rank, 
 nay,  even  of  the  meanest  sort ;  he  having,  for  that  purpose, 
 with  incredible  study  and  toil,  translated  the  holy  bible  into 
 the  vulgar  tongue,  and  not  Amadis."  What  is  not  a  man  ca- 
 pable of,  in  point  of  gross  calumnies,  so  diametrically  opposite 
 to  all  probability,  when  there  are  those  who  dare  affirm,  that 
 Luther  desired  to  bring  the  scriptures  into  discredit  ?  Luther 
 had  no  greater  reproach  to  bear,  with  all  the  reformers,  from 
 the  popish  clergy,  than  that  of  too  much  recommending  to  lay- 
 men the  reading  of  the  bible  in  the  vulgar  tongue. 
 
 The  doctrine  of  Luther  was  not  prevented  by  the  edict  of  the 
 emperor,  which  was  contemned  by  the  princes  and  magistrates. 
 Henry  VIH.  king  of  England,  stopped  the  new  doctrine  from 
 spreading  in  his  dominions:  he  did  something  more,  for  he 
 caused  to  be  made,  in  his  own  name,  a  treatise  about  the  seven 
 sacraments,  against  Luther's  book  of  "  The  captivity  of  Baby- 
 lon." Some  have  thought  that  Edward  Lee,  afterwards  arch- 
 bishop of  York,  was  the  author  of  that  work :  but  the  king  pre- 
 sented it  to  the  Pope,  who  received  it  very  favourably,  and  was 
 so  well  pleased  with  Henry,  that  he  rewarded  him  with  the 
 glorious  title  of  "  Defender  of  the  Faith."  Henry  was  tlie  slave 
 of  Rome  for  the  first  eighteen  years  of  his  reign.  Delighted 
 with  the  flatteries  of  the  Pope  and  the  clergy,  he  drew  his  pen 
 in  their  defence.  The  papal  compliments  induced  Henry  to 
 order  all  Luther's  books  to  be  called  in ;  and  forty-two  articles, 
 taken  from  his  doctrine,  were  condemned.  Luther  had  macie 
 very  free  with  Aquinas,  the  favourite  author  of  king  Henry  V'llx- 
 who  liad  a  great  opinion  of  his  learning  and  talents  for  uispu- 
 
Jtlviii  LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER. 
 
 tation,  and  stepped  forth  as  the  champion  of  the  church,  to  defend 
 her  against  the  danger  she  was  in  from  the  spreading  of  Luther's 
 heresy.  But  Luther  was  not  to  be  silenced  by  the  power  of 
 his  adversary :  and,  conceiving  himself  to  be  used  too  con- 
 temptuously by  the  king,  he  replied  with  more  acrimony  than 
 was  thought  decent  towards  the  person  of  a  sovereign  prince. 
 He  answered  Henry  Avith  sharpness,  and  without  any  respect 
 to  his  royal  dignity;  for  Luther  spared  no  man  in  the  cause  of 
 God.  Many  divines  thought  it  an  honour  to  defend  the  king 
 of  England,  by  confuting  the  book  which  Luther  wrote  against 
 him.  In  Germany,  it  was  answered  in  Latin  by  Eckius,  and  in 
 High  Dutch  by  Muncer.  In  England,  John  Fisher,  bishop  of 
 Rochester,  wrote  a  book  to  maintain  the  doctrine  which  the  king 
 had  vindicated ;  and  Sir  Thomas  More  wrote  another,  under 
 the  name  of  William  Ross,  in  which  he  gave  a  character  of 
 Luther.  But  Luther's  magnanimous  spirit  was  not  to  be  de- 
 pressed by  the  words  of  a  king,  whose  treatment  of  Lambert, 
 the  martyr,  discovered  a  heart  full  of  rancour  against  the  truth, 
 because  he  condemned  it  without  investigation,  and  a  mind  fidl 
 of  meanness,  because  he  insulted  and  threatened  an  humble  sub- 
 j&it  and  inferior.  Luther  defended  his  sharp  style  in  answering 
 the  king,  after  this  manner :  "  If  my  asperity  towards  the  king 
 has  oifended  any  body,  let  them  take  this  answer.  In  that  book 
 I  had  to  do  with  unfeeling  monsters,  who  have  despised  my  best 
 and  gentlest  writings,  who  have  trampled  upon  my  most  humble 
 submissions,  and  who  only  seem  the  more  insolent,  in  proportion 
 to  my  calmness  and  temperance.  Let  it  be  remembered,  too, 
 that  I  entirely  omitted  all  threats  of  virulence  and  falsehoods, 
 with  which  the  king  has  tilled  his  book  against  me  from  begin- 
 ^  ning  to  end.  Nor  ought  it  to  be  considered  as  a  great  affair,  if 
 [  I  affront  and  treat  sharply  an  earthly  prince,  who  has  dared  to 
 blaspheme  the  King  of  Heaven  in  his  writings,  and  to  insult  his 
 fholy  name  with  the  bitterest  lies. — But  GOD  will  judge  the 
 people  in  his  equity."  Luther  had  indeed  written  a  very  humble 
 letter  to  Henry  VIII.,  by  the  persuasion  of  Christiern,  the  ba- 
 nished king  of  Denmark ;  to  which  the  king  returned  a  very 
 harsh  and  unbecoming  answer  in  his  book,  which  probably  in- 
 duced Luther  to  treat  this  haughty  prince  with  the  more  tart- 
 ness. His  submissive  letters  to  cardinal  Cajetan,  George  duke 
 of  Saxony,  and  others,  were  all  served  in  the  same  contemptuous 
 strain,  which  determined  Luther  to  take  up  a  different  conduct 
 with  his  adversaries,  in  which  his  bravery  of  soul  was  equal  to 
 all  their  insolence. 
 
 If  we  would  know  what  was  the  ground  of  this  wonderful 
 man's  magnanimity,  it  cannot  be  better  expressed  than  it  is  by 
 himself  in  a  letter  to  Spalatinus,  during  the  business  of  Augsburg: 
 "  That  kings,  princes,  and  people,  (says  he)  rage  against  Christ, 
 the  Lord's  anointed,  I  esteem  a  good  sigTi,  and  a  much  better 
 one  than  if  they  flattered-  For  it  follows  upon  this,  that  he  who 
 
LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER.  xlut 
 
 Cileth  ill  heaven,  laugheth  them  to  scorn.  And  if  our  head 
 laugh,  I  see  no  reason  why  we  should  weep  before  the  faces  of 
 such  beings.  He  does  not  laugh  for  his  OAvn  sake,  but  for  ours, 
 that  we,  putting  the  more  trust  in  him,  might  despise  their  empty- 
 designs  ;  of  so  great  need  is  faith,  that  the  cause  and  ground  oi 
 It  is  not  to  be  perceived  without  faith.  He,  who  began  this 
 work,  began  it  without  our  advice  and  contrivance ;  he  hath 
 hitherto  protected  it;  and  hath  ordered  the  whole  above  and 
 beyond  our  vain  counsels  and  imaginations.  He  also,  I  make 
 no  doubt,  will  carry  on  and  complete  the  same,  without  and 
 above  all  our  conceptions  and  cares.  I  know  and  am  assured 
 of  this,  for  I  rest  the  whole  upon  him,  who  is  able  to  do  above 
 all  that  we  can  ask  or  think.  Yet  our  friend  Philip  Melancthon 
 will  contrive  and  desire  that  God  should  work  according  to  and 
 within  the  compass  of  his  puny  notions,  that  he  may  have  some- 
 what whereof  to  glory.  '  Certainly  (he  would  say)  thus  and 
 thus  it  ought  to  be  done ;  and  thus  and  thus  would  I  do  it.* 
 But  this  is  poor  stuff:  'Thus  I,  Philip,  would  do  it.'    This  (I)  t 
 
 is  mighty  flat.  But  hear  Iioav  this  reads:  I  AM  THAT  I  AM,— *^ 
 this  is  his  name,  JEHOVAH ;  He,  even  He,  will  do  it — But  I  ' 
 have  done.  Be  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  exhort  Melancthon  from 
 me,  that  he  aim  not  to  sit  in  God's  throne,  but  fight  against  that 
 innate,  that  devilishly  implanted  ambition  of  ours,  which  would 
 usurp  the  place  of  God ;  for  that  ambition  will  never  further 
 our  cause.  It  thrust  Adam  and  Eve  out  of  paradise ;  and  this 
 alone  perplexes  us,  and  turns  our  feet  from  the  way  of  peace. 
 We  must  be  men,  and  not  gods."  The  protestant  champion 
 knew  full  well  where  his  strength  lay — not  in  himself,  but  in 
 his  sovereign.  If  deserted  by  his  covenant-head,  he  felt  the 
 deep  conviction  that  every  reed  might  make  him  tremble,  and 
 every  blast  of  trial  cast  him  down.  He  knew  (to  use  the  words 
 of  a  late  writer)  that  "  if  God  changed  from  his  purpose  of 
 saving-  a  man,  whenever  the  man,  left  to  his  own  will,  would 
 change  from  the  desire  of  being  saved,  he  must  renounce  the 
 strongest  believer  upon  earth,  in  five  minutes  after  he  had  com- 
 mitted him  to  himself."*  But  Luther  had  not  so  learned  Christ. 
 
 Leo  X.,  called  John  de  Medicis,  was  elected  Pope  on  the 
 eleventh  of  March,  1513;  and  it  is  thought  that  nothing  con- 
 tributed more  to  his  elevation  to  the  popedonf^  than  his  intrigues 
 and  connexions  with  some  dissolute  women  of  great  influence. 
 He  made  a  league  with  the  emperor  against  France,  to  recover 
 the  places  which  the  French  held  in  Italy.  He  took  that  affair 
 so  much  to  heart,  that  having  received  the  news  of  the  misfor- 
 tunes of  the  French,  he  died,  it  is  said,  of  mere  joy:  not  but 
 there  are  writers  who  affirm  that  he  was  poisoned.  He  died 
 jn  the  second  of  December,  1521,  in  the  forty-sixth  year  of  his 
 age,  and  the  ninth  of  his  pontiflcate.  He  might  justly  be  termed 
 
 *  See  "  Ilorae  Solitariss,  or  Essaya  upon  the  Names  of  Christ,"  p.  S69« 
 Malhewi,  Strand. 
 
 d 
 
1  LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER. 
 
 the  father  of  revived  and  restored  learning-,  which  claims  froni 
 history  a  tribute,  perhaps,  not  due  to  his  other  virtues  as  a  man, 
 or  to  his  piety  as  a  prelate.  His  encouraging  arts  and  sciences; 
 his  boundless  liberality  to  the  poor,  to  wits,  poets,  artists,  and 
 men  of  letters,  is  what  his  apologists  have  to  oppose  to  abun- 
 dance of  scandalous  defects  and  grievous  faults  in  his  character. 
 Even  the  failings  of  his  character  were  productive  of  some 
 public  use ;  for  he  seems  to  have  had  a  contempt  for  the  under- 
 standing of  other  nations,  which  led  him  to  trespass  upon  them 
 too  far  in  the  matter  of  indulgences,  and  other  ecclesiastical  pro- 
 positions, that  paved  the  way  for  the  Reformation. 
 
 After  the  death  of  Leo,  the  several  factions  of  the  conclave 
 terminated  in  the  election  of  Adrian  VI.,  which  highly  dis- 
 pleased the  people  of  Rome.  He  was  born  at  Utrecht,  in  1459, 
 and  his  father  got  his  living  by  barge-making;  but  the  univer- 
 sity of  Louvain  supplied  his  domestic  indigence,  and  educated 
 the  son,  who  made  a  great  progress  in  all  kinds  of  sciences,  and 
 was  appointed  preceptor  to  the  archduke  Charles,  in  1507. 
 The  new  Pope  refused  to  change  his  name,  and  in  every  thing 
 expressed  his  aversion  to  pomp  and  pleasures.  He  was  thought 
 fit  to  be  raised  to  the  papacy,  which  had  need,  at  that  time,  of 
 a  man  learned  in  divinity,  to  oppose  Luther ;  and  also  of  one 
 capable  of  governing  a  state,  because  of  the  troubles  in  Italy. 
 But  he  thought  it  necessary,  in  the  first  place,  to  reform  the 
 discipline  of  the  church,  and  particularly  the  abuses  of  the 
 court  of  Rome,  which  he  observed,  and  publicly  acknowledged, 
 in  a  very  strong  manner.  He  began  with  revoking  all  the 
 privileges  granted  the  Franciscans,  by  the  promulgation  of 
 indulgences;  next,  he  abolished  part  of  the  reservations,  acces- 
 sions, regresses,  and  such  inventions,  which  were  called  the 
 snares  of  the  court  of  Rome ;  and  afterwards  he  attempted  to 
 reform  the  discipline  of  the  church,  as  also  the  manners  of  the 
 clergy  and  laity;  but  his  laudable  views  were  prevented  by  the 
 cardinals  and  priests,  who  could  not  endure  the  thoughts  of  a 
 reformation,  Avhich  was  so  contrary  to  their  interest.  Erasmus 
 entertained  some  hopes  that  his  old  schoolfellow,  Adrian  VI. 
 would  do  some  good.  The  new  Pope  deplored  the  sad  life  of 
 the  clergy,  and  the  corruption  of  morals  which  had  appeared  in 
 some  Popes ;  buttiis  reign  was  short  and  troublesome  ;  which 
 made  him  say,  he  had  more  satisfaction  in  governing  a  college 
 of  Louvain,  than  in  governing  the  whole  Christian  church. 
 
 Luther  was  now  at  open  war  with  the  church  of  Rome,  and 
 wrote  against  the  excommunication  issued  by  the  Pope:  he 
 also  attacked  the  bishops,  ecclesiastical  princes,  in  a  Avork,  en- 
 titled, "Against  the  order,  falsely  called,  the  order  of  Bishops ;" 
 and  he  exliorted  the  states  of  Bohemia  to  continue  in  their  se- 
 paration from  the  Roman  church.  He  wrote  his  roug^h  an- 
 swer to  Henry  VIII.  in  Latin,  and  afterwards  translated  it  mto 
 Cerman.    Eraser  wrote  the  life  of  Benno,  bishop  of  Misnia,  in 
 
LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER.  It 
 
 tlie  eleventh  century,  whose  principal  merit  was,  that  he  had 
 been  a  rebel  and  a  traitor :  yet  he  was  canonized  by  Pope 
 Adrian  VI.  for  his  miracles,  Luther  wrote  against  this  canoni- 
 zation, and  treated  Benno's  miracles  as  human  frauds,  or  diabo- 
 lical operations.  Every  thing  co-operated  with  the  decree  of 
 heaven,  in  spreading  the  doctrine  of  Luther ;  and  the  spiritual 
 monarchy  of  Rome  was  on  the  brink  of  ruin. 
 
 As  the  diet  of  Worms  had  not  settled  the  tranquillity  of  the 
 empire,  another  diet  was  appointed  by  the  emperor  to  be  held 
 at  Nuremberg,  in  November,  1522.  The  emperor  was  not 
 present,  and  his  brother  Ferdinand  supplied  his  place.  The 
 Pope  sent  his  nuncio,  Cheregatus,  to  this  diet,  with  letters,  in 
 manner  of  a  brief,  te  the  princes,  and  instructions  how  to  pro- 
 ceed against  Luther.  The  Pope  informed  the  diet  that  Luther 
 continued  to  disturb  and  replenish  the  world  with  new  books , 
 which  grieved  him  the  more,  because  he  Avas  his  countryman. 
 He  exhorted  the  members  to  reduce  Luther  and  his  adherents 
 to  a  conformity  of  faith  with  the  church ;  but  "  if  this  pestife- 
 rous canker  cannot  be  cured  with  gentle  medicines,  sharper 
 salves  must  be  proved,  and  fiery  searings  :  the  putrified  mem- 
 bers m.ust  be  cut  off  from  the  body,  lest  the  sound  part  should 
 be  infected."  Yet  the  nuncio  was  instructed  to  declare  "  that 
 God  suffered  this  persecution  to  be  inflicted  upon  his  church  for 
 the  sins  of  men,  especially  of  priests  and  prelates  of  the  clergy." 
 The  cardinals  strongly  resented  these  reflections  cast  upon 
 them  in  such  an  assembly ;  and  it  is  imagined  that  the  life  of 
 Adrian  was  shortened  on  that  account. 
 
 The  diet  answered  the  nuncio  by  writing,  they  had  not  put 
 the  papal  sentence,  nor  the  imperial  edict,  into  execution  against 
 Luther,  for  fear  of  raising  civil  commotions ;  but  they  particu- 
 larly desired  he  would  apply  a  remedy  to  the  abuses  and  griev- 
 ances of  which  they  would  give  him  a  memorial ;  as  this  would 
 be  the  only  way  to  re-establish  peace  and  concord  between  the 
 ecclesiastical  and  secular  orders.  They  thought  it  Avould  be 
 necessary,  as  soon  as  possible,  to  call  a  free  council  in  Germany, 
 to  extirpate  all  errors  and  abuses;  and  that  all  controversy 
 should  cease,  till  the  determination  of  such  a  council  should  be 
 known.  The  nuncio  replied,  that  the  negligence  which  they 
 had  shewn  concerning  Luther,  was  ofi'ensive  to  God,  to  the 
 Pope,  the  emperor,  and  the  empire :  that  they  should  observe 
 the  imperial  edict,  and  also  put  in  execution  the  decree  of  the 
 council  of  Lateran,  which  inhibits  the  printing  of  any  book 
 about  religious  matters,  without  being  licensed  by  the  ordinary. 
 
 The  diet,  in  the  reign  of  Maximilian,  proposed  ten  grievances 
 against  the  court  of  Rome ;  but  this  diet  of  Nuremberg  sent 
 one  hundred  heads  of  complaint,  or  grievances,  to  the  Pope, 
 with  a  protestation  that  they  neither  could  nor  would  endure 
 such  oppressions  and  extortions.  The  principal  of  the  centum 
 gravamina  were  against  the  great  number  of  human  constitu- 
 
ilu  .  IFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER. 
 
 tions,  indulgences,  ecclesiastical  causes,  collation  of  bencficefy 
 annates,  exemption  of  ecclesiastics  in  criminal  causes,  excom- 
 munication, and  many  others,  which  they  reserved  to  be  pro- 
 posed, when  justice  was  done  them  in  these. 
 
 This  resolution  of  the  diet  was  published  on  the  sixth  of 
 March,  1523,  in  the  form  of  an  edict ;  but  both  the  Papists 
 and  Lutherans  interpreted  it  in  favour  of  themselves.  Luther 
 continued  to  publish  several  new  tracts,  and  undei'took  to  com- 
 pose a  new  form  of  celebrating  the  comminiion  in  the  church 
 of  Wittenberg.  He  would  have  none  admitted  to  the  com- 
 munion, but  such  as  could  give  an  account  of  their  faith,  and 
 who  knew  tire  nature,  use,  and  benefit  of  the  Lord's  Supper : 
 he  appointed  that  both  kinds  should  be  given,  and  that  those 
 who  would  take  only  in  one,  should  have  neither. 
 
 Jodocus  Clichtovseus  and  Joannes  Cochlseus  answered  Lu- 
 ther; against  whom,  and  the  Reformation,  the  writings  of 
 Cochlaeus  have  been  the  fund  of  virulent  abuse,  for  all  those 
 who  have  slandered  the  Protestant  religion  ever  since.  But 
 Luther  answered  and  confuted  both  these  antagonists,  as  also 
 two  others,  John  Faber,  afterwards  bishop  of  Vienna,  and 
 Conradus  Collinus,  a  Dominican.  Luther  was  desirous  of  to- 
 tally suppressing  the  monastic  orders,  and  wrote  a  book  called 
 *'  The  Common  Treasury,"  for  blending  them  with  the  public ; 
 which  made  his  enemies  say,  he  set  himself  up  as  a  supreme  le- 
 gislator and  disposer  of  the  revenues  of  the  church. 
 
 Zuinglius,  at  this  time,  was  establishing  his  doctrine  in  Swit- 
 zerland ;  but  differed  from  Luther  in  the  doctrine  of  the  sacra- 
 ment. Pope  Adrian  VI.  died  on  the  twenty-fourth  of  October, 
 1523,  in  the  sixty-fifth  year  of  his  age,  without  being  able  to 
 reform  the  church.  He  was  succeeded  by  the  cardinal  Julius 
 de  Medicis,  who  assumed  the  name  of  Clement  VIL  The  new 
 Pope  sent  cardinal  Campegius  to  the  diet  of  Nuremberg,  in 
 February,  1524,  when  he  had  an  audience  of  the  assembly,  and 
 vainly  endeavoured  to  stop  their  complaints  by  promises.  The 
 diet  declared  for  a  free  council  to  allay  the  disputes  of  Luther  ; 
 but  the  legate  procured  a  private  assembly  to  be  held  at  Ra- 
 tisbon  in  July,  where  it  was  agreed  that  the  edict  of  Worms 
 should  be  put  in  execution ;  and  that  thirty-five  articles  of  cer- 
 tain constitutions,  made  for  the  reformation  of  the  German 
 clergy,  in  pursuance  of  the  late  complaints,  should  be  published. 
 The  doctrines  of  Luther  were  generally  favoured  by  the  impe- 
 rial cities,  whose  deputies  held  an  assembly  at  Spires,  and  ex- 
 plained the  decrees  of  Nuremberg  in  their  favour,  while  the 
 other  sat  at  Ratisbon. 
 
 Luther  exposed  the  contradictions  in  the  two  last  edicts ;  ana 
 the  Popish  princes  opposed  Lutheranism,  by  putting  tliose 
 edicts  in  execution.  Luther  was  certainly  right,  in  assei'ting 
 that  the  edicts  of  Nuremberg  and  Spires  contradicted  each 
 other :  for  if  the  edict  of  Worms,  which  condemned  Luther  as 
 
LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER.  liil 
 
 tt  heretic,  was  to  be  obeyed,  why  should  the  diet  of  Nuremberg-, 
 which  ordered  that  edict  to  be  executed,  also  order  his  books 
 to  be  examined  at  Spires  ?  And  if  an  examination  was  to  be 
 made  of  his  writings,  Avhy  Avas  he  to  be  condemned  as  a  here- 
 tic, before  such  examination  was  made  ? 
 
 Luther  published  a  book  "  Of  the  duty  and  dignity  of  the 
 civil  magistrate ;"  and  wrote  an  elegy  upon  two  Augustine 
 monks,  who  were  burnt  for  Lutheranism  at  Brussels.  Their 
 names  were  Henry  Voes  and  John  Esch.  The  greatest  error 
 they  were  accused  of,  was,  "  that  men  ought  to  trust  only  in 
 God."  They  suffered  with  heroic  constancy;  and  Luther  com- 
 posed a  hymn  in  their  praise,  which  was  sung  in  the  reformed 
 churches.  The  charitable  catholics  rejoiced  at  their  death,  and 
 called  them  "  the  devil's  martyrs."  But  Erasmus  had  the  cou- 
 rage to  declare  his  dislike  of  such  barbarous  and  unchristian 
 proceedings;  and  observed,  that  the  sufferings  of  these  men 
 had  brought  over  multitudes  to  Lutheranism.  About  this  time 
 Luther  wrote  a  consolatory  epistle  to  three  noble  ladies  at 
 Misnia,  Avho  were  banished  from  the  duke  of  Saxony's  court  at 
 Fribui-g,  for  reading  his  books.  The  disputes  between  Luther 
 and  Carolostadius  increased,  and  the  latter  retired  from  Wit- 
 tenberg to  Ortamunden,  where  he  was  followed  by  Luther, 
 who  accused  him  of  making  innovations  in  the  public  worship, 
 without  the  consent  of  the  magistrate ;  and  the  elector  banished 
 Carolostadius  out  of  his  dominions.  He  settled  at  Strasburgh, 
 where  he  published  two  books  upon  the  Lord's  Supper,  to 
 maintain  that  "  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ  is  not  in  the  sacra- 
 ment." Zuinglius  would  not  absolutely  condemn  his  opinion; 
 but  he  censured  his  conduct,  and  rejected  his  interpretation. 
 
 About  this  time,  the  Anabaptists  sprung  up,  under  Muncer 
 and  Stork,  who  were  discovered  to  be  fanatics,  and  were  ba- 
 nished Saxony.  A  rebellion  ensued,  which  the  popish  writers 
 attribute  to  the  rise  of  Lutheranism ;  but  it  has  been  fully 
 proved  that  these  tumults  were  occasioned  by  grievances  of 
 a  civil  nature.  The  peasantry  refused  to  pay  obedience  to  their 
 supei'iors,  and  desolated  whole  countries  in  a  most  barbarous 
 manner ;  but  they  were  reduced,  and  returned  to  their  duty, 
 after  more  than  one  hundred  thousand  of  their  associates  had 
 been  killed  during  this  commotion,  and  their  leaders  had  re- 
 ceived the  punishment  they  deserved.  Their  principal  tenets 
 were  these  • 
 
 "  1.  That  every  man  hath  the  spirit. 
 
 ♦*  2.  That  the  spirit  was  nothing  more  than  our  natu'al  reason  and  under* 
 standing. 
 
 "  3.  That  every  man  believes,  or  may  believe, 
 
 "  4,  That  there  is  no  hell  lo  torment  souls,  but  that  the  body  only  is  ccndemned 
 
 *'  6.  That  every  soul  shall  be  saved. 
 
 "  6.  That  we  are  taught  by  the  law  of  nature  to  do  to  others  as  we  would 
 have  them  do  to  us;  and  that  this  principle  is  all  we  are  to  understand  by  tha 
 f«rm  faith . 
 
Hy  LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER. 
 
 «*  7.  That  wo  do  not  sin  against  the  law  by  concupiscence,  if  in  the  will  fr» 
 do  not  follow  that  concupiscence. 
 
 *«  8.  That  a  man  not  having  the  Holy  Spirit  hath  no  sin  ;  because  he  is  witll> 
 out  reason,  which  is  only  another  name  for  the  Holy  Spirit. 
 
 "  9.  That  infants  are  not  to  be  baptized. 
 
 "  10.  That  all  things  are  to  be  held  in  common." 
 
 Luther  exerted  himself  against  these  fanatical  people,  and 
 set  forth  a  treatise,  wherein  he  admonished  them  to  lay  down 
 their  arms,  and  proved  the  necessity  of  obeying  their  magis- 
 trates. These  Anabaptists  were  enemies  to  popery,  and  a 
 scandal  to  the  Reformation.  The  exhortations  of  Luther  on 
 this  occasion,  both  to  the  rebellious  peasants,  and  to  the  tyran- 
 nical nobles,  were  excellent,  and  gave  a  high  idea  of  his  pro- 
 bity, plain  dealing,  and  good  sense.  Lutheranism  increased, 
 and  was  established  in  several  cities,  even  before  these  seditions 
 were  suppressed  in  Germany.  It  was  publicly  professed  by 
 the  elector  of  Saxony,  the  landgrave  of  Hesse,  and  the  duke 
 of  Brunswick.  It  was  received  at  Strasburgh,  Francfort, 
 Mentz,  and  Cologne  ;  and  it  prevailed  in  almost  all  the  states 
 of  the  empire,  except  in  the  hereditary  countries  subject  to  the 
 emperor. 
 
 Erasmus  had  been  frequently  solicited  by  the  Pope,  and  the 
 
 Sopish  princes,  to  write  against  Luther;  but  he  avoided  the 
 ispute  till  he  was  suspected  of  being  a  Lutheran,  and  then  he 
 undertook  to  oppose  him,  in  a  book  entitled,  "  A  Diatribe,  or 
 Conference  about  Free-will,"  against  the  opinion  of  Luther  con- 
 cerning liberty.  The  Lutherans  themselves  have  rejected  that 
 opinion;  but  Luther  and  Erasmus  were  in  the  same  condition  and 
 situation  in  one  respect :  they  had  innumerable  adversaries,  and 
 for  the  most  part  extremely  contemptible.  Le  Clerc  supposes  that 
 Luther  was  a  Thomist;  but  we  find  that  he  abhorred  Aristotle, 
 and  despised  the  schoolmen  in  general ;  particularly,  both  the 
 Thomists  and  Scotists.  If  he  was  a  favourer  of  any  scholastic 
 sect,  it  was  that  of  Occam,  whom  he  esteemed.  Therefore,  a 
 judicious  divine  thinks  that  Luther  first  received  his  doctrine 
 of  predestination  from  Augustine,  of  whom  he  was  a  great  ad- 
 mirer. Certain  it  is,  that  scarce  any  man  ever  carried  the  doc- 
 trine of  predestination  to  greater  lengths,  or  wrote  more  po- 
 sitively in  defence  of  it.*     If  there  was  any  difference  between 
 
 ♦  Witness  his  book,  De  servo  arbitrio,  written  against  Erasmus,  who  had  at 
 tacked  the  doctrine  of  predestination.  Erasmus  had  said :  "  What  can  be  more 
 useless,  than  to  publish  this  paradox  to  the  world  ?  namely,  that  whatever  we 
 do,  is  done,  not  by  virtue  of  our  own  free-will,  but  in  a  way  of  necessity,  &c. 
 What  a  wide  gap  does  the  publication  of  this  tenet  open  among  men,  for  the 
 commission  of  all  ungodliness !  What  wicked  person  will  reform  his  life  ?  Who 
 will  dare  to  believe  himself  a  favourite  of  heaven  ?  Who  will  fight  against  his 
 own  corrupt  inclinations  ?  Therefore,  where  is  either  the  need,  or  the  utility  of 
 spreading  these  notions,  from  whence  so  many  evils  seem  to  flow  ?" 
 
 To  which,  Luther  replies:  "  If,  my  Erasmus,  you  consider  these  paradoxes 
 (as  you  term  them)  to  be  no  more  than  the  inventions  of  men,  why  are  you  ex- 
 travagantly heated  on  the  occasion  ?     In  that  case,  your  arguments  affect  not 
 
^  Lin:  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER.  Iv 
 
 Luther  and  the  Thomists  of  the  church  of  R  ome,  it  was  this, 
 that  Luther  spake  more  simply,  sincerely,  and  openly  than  they; 
 
 me:  for  there  is  no  person,  now  living  in  the  worid,  who  is  a  more  avowed 
 enemy  to  the  doctrines  of  men  than  myself.  But,  if  you  believe  the  doctrines 
 in  debate  between  us,  to  be  (as  indeed  they  are)  the  doctrines  of  God  ;  you  must 
 have  bid  adieu  to  all  sense  of  shame  and  decency,  thus  to  oppose  them.  I  will 
 not  ask,  whither  is  the  modesty  of  Erasmus  tied  ?  but,  which  is  much  more  im- 
 portant, where,  alas  !  are  yonr fear  and  reverence  of  the  Deity,  when  you  roundly 
 declare  (hat  this  branch  of  truth,  which  he  has  revealed  from  heaven,  is,  at 
 best,  useless,  and  unnecessary  to  be  known  ?  What !  shall  the  glorious  Creator 
 be  taught,  by  i/ou,  his  creature,  what  is  fit  to  be  preached,  and  what  to  be  sup- 
 pressed ?  Is  (he  adorable  God  so  very  defective  in  wisdom  and  prudence,  as  not 
 to  know,  till  you  instruct  him,  what  would  be  useful,  and  what  i)ernicious  ?  Or 
 could  not  he,  whose  understanding  is  infinite,  foresee,  previous  to  his  revelation 
 of  this  doctrine,  what  would  be  the  consequences  of  his  revealing  it,  till  those 
 consequences  were  pointed  out  by  you  ?  You  cannot,  you  dare  not  say  this.  If, 
 then,  it  was  the  divine  pleasure  to  make  known  these  things  in  his  word,  and  to 
 bid  his  messengers  publish  them  abroad,  and  leave  the  consequences  of  their  so 
 doing  to  the  wisdom  and  providence  of  iiim,  in  whose  name  tliey  speak,  and 
 whose  message  they  declare  ;  who  art  thou,  O  Erasmus,  that  thou  shoiildst  reply 
 against  God,  and  say  to  the  Almighty,  What  doest  thou  ?  St.  Paul,  discours- 
 ing of  God,  says  peremptorily,  '  Whom  he  will  he  hardeneth.'     And   again, 
 
 *  God  willing  to  shew  his  wrath,'  &c.  And  the  apostle  did  not  write  this  to 
 have  it  stifled  among  a  few  persons,  and  buried  in  a  corner;  but  wrote  it  to  the 
 Christians  at  Rome  :  which  was,  in  effect,  bringing  this  doctrine  upon  the 
 Stage  of  the  whole  world  ;  stamping  an  universal  imprimature  upon  it,  and 
 publishing  it  to  believers  at  large,  throughout  the  earth.  What  can  sound 
 harsher,  in  the  uncircumcised  ears  of  carnal   men,  than  those  words  of  Christ, 
 
 *  Many  are  ca'lled,  but  few  are  chosen;'  and  elsewhere,  'I  know  whom  I 
 have  chosen  ?'  Now,  these  and  similar  assertions  of  Christ  and  his  apostles, 
 are  the  very  positions  which  you,  O  Erasmus,  brand  as  useless  and  hurtful. 
 You  object :  '  If  these  things  are  so,  who  will  endeavour  to  amend  his  life  ?' 
 I  answer  :  Without  the  Holy  Ghost  no  man  can  amend  his  life  to  purpose. 
 Reformation  is  but  varnished  hypocrisy,  unless  it  proceed  from  grace.  The 
 elect  and  truly  pious  are  amended  by  the  Spirit  of  God ;  and  those  of  man- 
 kind, who  are  not  amended  by  him,  will  perish.  You  ask,  moreover,  "  Who 
 will  dare  to  believe  himself  a  favourite  of  heaven  ?"  I  answer.  It  is  not  in 
 man's  own  power  to  believe  himself  such,  upon  Just  grounds,  till  he  is  enabled 
 from  above.  But  the  elect  shall  be  so  enabled  ;  they  shall  believe  them- 
 selves to  be  what  indeed  they  are.  As  for  the  rest,  who  are  not  endued  with 
 faith,  they  shall  perish ;  raging  and  blaspheming,  as  you  do  now.  But,  say 
 you,  'These  doctrines  ojien  a  door  to  ungodliness.'  I  answer.  Whatever 
 door  they  may  open  to  the  impious  and  profane,  yet  they  open  a  door  of 
 righteousness  to  the  elect  and  holy,  and  shew  them  the  way  to  heaven,  and  the 
 path  of  access  unto  God.  Yet  you  would  have  us  '  abstain  from  the  mention 
 of  these  grand  doctrines,'  and  leave  our  people  in  the  dark  as  to  their  election 
 of  God:  the  consequence  of  which  would  be,  that  every  man  would  bolster 
 himself  up  with  a  delusive  hope  of  a  share  in  that  salvation,  which  is  supposed 
 to  lie  open  to  all;  and  thus,  genuine  humility,  and  the  practical  fear  of  God, 
 would  be  kicked  out  of  doors.  This  would  be  a  pretty  way,  indeed,  of  '  stop- 
 ping up  the  gap,'  Erasmus  complains  of!  Instead  of  closing  up  the  door  of 
 licentiousness,  as  it  is  falsely  i)retended,  it  would  be,  in  fact,  opening  a  guli)h 
 into  the  nethermost  hell.  Still  you  urge,  '  Where  is  either  the  necessity  o.r 
 utility  of  preaching  predestination  ?'  God  himself  leaches  it,  and  commands 
 us  to  teach  it;  and  that  is  answer  enough.  We  are  not  to  arraign  the  Deity, 
 and  bring  the  motives  of  his  will  to  the  test  of  human  scrutiny,  but  simply  to 
 revere  both  him  and  it.  He,  who  alone  is  all-wise  and  all-just,  can,  in  reality, 
 (however  things  appear  to  us,)  do  wrony  (o  no  man ;  neither  can  h«  do  any 
 
In  LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER. 
 
 for  he  absolutely  denied  there  was  any  such  thir:g  as  free-will , 
 whilst  they  admitted  it  in  words.  This,  perhaps,  deceived  Eras- 
 mus, who  imagined  he  was  only  disputing  against  Luther,  whilst 
 he  was  really  disputing  as  much  against  Thomas  Aquinas  and 
 his  foUoAvers,  as  against  the  reformers.  To  attack  Luther  upon 
 the  single  point  of  liberty  and  necessity,  was,  in  an  oblique  and 
 indirect  way,  to  allow  him  superior  to  his  adversaries  in  other 
 respects.  Erasmus  very  dexteroxisly  and  artfully  chose  this 
 point  of  disputation,  that  he  might  appear  to  the  Romanists  to 
 write  against  Luther,  and  yet  that  he  might  avoid  censuring 
 his  other  doctrines  opposite  to  the  Roman  church. 
 
 Erasmus  insisted,  that  the  human  will  co-operates  with  the 
 grace  and  assistance  of  God,  and  that  a  man  should  use  all  his 
 endeavours  to  attain  to  perfection.  He  shews  that  man  was 
 created  a  free  agent :  but  took  a  middle  way  between  those 
 
 thing  unwisely  or  rashly.  And  this  consideration  will  suffice  to  silence  all  the 
 objections  of  truly  religious  persons.  However,  let  us,  for  argument's  sake, 
 go  a  step  further.  I  will  venture  to  assign,  over  and  above,  ttco  very  impor- 
 tant reasons  why  these  doctrines  should  be  publicly  taught :  I.  For  the  humi- 
 lity of  our  pride,  and  the  manifestation  of  divine  grace.  God  hath  assuredly 
 promised  his  favour  to  the  truly  humble.  By  truly  humble,  I  mean  those  who 
 are  endued  with  repentance,  and  despair  of  saving  themselves;  for  a  man  can 
 never  be  said  to  be  really  penitent  and  humble,  till  he  h  made  to  know  that 
 his  salvation  is  not  suspended,  in  any  measure  whatever,  on  his  own  strength, 
 machinations,  endeavours,  free-will,  or  works,  but  entirely  depends  on  the 
 free  pleasure,  purpose,  determination,  and  efficiency  of  another,  even  of  God 
 alone.  Whilst  a  man  is  persuaded  that  he  has  it  in  bis  power  to  contribute  any 
 thing,  be  it  ever  so  little,  to  his  own  salvation,  he  remains  in  carnal  confi- 
 dence ;  he  is  not  a  self-despairer,  and  therefore  he  is  not  duly  humbled  before 
 God;  so  far  from  it,  that  he  hopes  some  favourable  juncture  or  opportunity 
 will  offer,  when  he  may  be  able  to  lend  a  helping  hand  to  the  business  of  bis 
 salvation.  On  the  contrary,  whoever  is  truly  convinced  that  the  whole  work 
 depends  singly  and  absolutely  on  the  will  of  God,  who  alone  is  the  author  and 
 Jinisher  of  salvation  ;  such  a  person  despairs  of  all  self-assistance ;  he  renounces 
 his  own  will  and  his  own  strength ;  he  waits  and  prays  for  the  operation  of 
 God  ;  nor  waits  and  prays  in  vain.  For  the  elect's  sake,  therefore,  these  doc- 
 trines are  to  be  preached  ;  that  the  chosen  of  God,  being  humbled  by  the 
 knowledge  of  his  truths;  self-emptied,  and  sunk,  as  it  were,  into  nothing  io 
 his  presence ;  may  be  saved  in  Christ,  with  eternal  glory.  This,  then,  is  one 
 inducement  to  the  publication  of  this  doctrine  ;  that  the  penitent  may  be  made 
 acquainted  with  the  promise  of  gr&ce,  plead  it  in  prayer  to  God,  and  receive  it 
 as  their  own.  2.  The  nature  of  the  Christian  faith  lequires  it.  Faith  has  to  do 
 with  things  not  seen  ;  and  this  is  one  of  the  highest  degrees  of  faith,  steadfastly 
 to  believe  that  God  is  infinitely  merciful,  though  he  saves  (comparatively)  but 
 few,  and  condemns  so  many ;  and  that  he  is  strictly  just,  though,  of  his  own 
 will,  he  makes  such  numbers  of  mankind  necessarily  liable  to  damnation. 
 Now,  these  are  some  of  the  unseen  things,  whereof  faith  is  the  evidence. 
 Whereas,  was  it  in  my  power  to  comprehend  them,  or  clearly  to  make  out  how 
 God  is  both  inviolably  just  and  infinitely  merciful,  notwithstanding  the  display 
 of  wrath  and  seeming  inequality  in  his  dispensations  respecting  the  reprobate, 
 faith  would  have  little  or  nothing  to  do.  But  now,  since  these  matters  cannot 
 be  adequately  comprehended  by  us,  in  the  present  state  of  imperfection,  there 
 is  room  for  the  exercise  of  faith.  The  truths,  therefore,  respecting  ^r«<fM<i»Mi/ion 
 in  all  its  branches,  should  be  taught  and  published  :  they,  no  less  than  the  other 
 mysteries  of  Christian  doctrine,  being  proper  objects  of  faith,  on  the  faltb  of 
 Ciod'i  people.''     See  Toplady'i  Zanchius,  p.  97,  &c. 
 
LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER.  IvU 
 
 who  destroy  free-will  entirely,  and  those  who  attribute  too 
 much  to  it :  he  would  have  something  ascribed  to  it,  but  more 
 to  ^race. 
 
 Erasmus  sent  his  treatise  against  Luther  to  the  king  of 
 England,  to  Wolsey,  Warham,  and  many  more.  Luther  an- 
 swered Erasmus  in  his  book,  "  De  servo  arbitrio  ;"  to  which 
 Erasmus  replied  in  two  books,  entitled  ^'' Hyperaspistce." 
 
 Luther  had  wrote  a  letter  to  Erasmus,  full  of  life,  fire,  and 
 spirit,  which  vexed  him  not  a  little.  He  begins  in  the  aposto- 
 lical manner,  "  Grace  and  peace  to  you  from  the  Lord  Jesus." 
 After  modestly  reproving  him,  for  keeping  fair  with  the  Pa- 
 pists, he  says,  "  We  saw  that  the  Lord  had  not  conferred  upon 
 you  the  discernment,  courage,  and  resolution  to  join  with  us, 
 and  freely  and  openly  to  oppose  those  monsters  ;  and  therefore 
 we  dare  not  to  exact  from  you,  that  which  greatly  surpasseth 
 your  strength  and  your  capacity.  We  have  even  borne  with 
 your  weakness,  and  honoured  that  portion  of  the  gift  of  God 
 which  is  in  you."  Then  having  bestowed  upon  him  his  due 
 praises,  as  he  had  been  the  reviver  of  good  literature,  by  means 
 of  which  the  holy  scriptures  had  been  read  and  examined  in 
 the  originals,  he  tells  Erasmus,  that  he  had  withheld  some  per- 
 sons from  attacking  him ;  and  that  he  had  restrained  himself, 
 though  provoked.  "  What,"  says  he,  "  can  I  do  now  ?  Things 
 are  exasperated  on  both  sides ;  and  I  could  wish,  if  it  were 
 possible,  to  act  the  part  of  a  mediator  between  you,  that  they 
 might  cease  to  attack  you  with  such  animosity,  and  suffer  your 
 old  age  to  rest  in  peace  in  the  Lord.  They  would  shew  their 
 moderation  towards  you  so  much  the  more,  since  our  affairs  are 
 advanced  to  such  a  point,  that  our  cause  is  in  no  peril,  although 
 even  Erasmus  should  attack  it  with  all  his  might."  He  desires 
 of  Erasmus,  if  he  cannot  or  will  not  defend  their  sentiments, 
 to  let  them  alone,  and  concludes  with  a  high  compliment  on 
 his  authority  and  reputation. 
 
 Erasmus  answered  this  letter,  and  speaks  ambiguously  of  the 
 Lutheran  doctrine.  Luther  wrote  another  against  the  Hyper- 
 aspistse,  wherein  he  accuses  Erasmus  of  Arianism.  The  Mino- 
 rite brethren  had  said,  that  "  Erasmus  had  laid  the  e^^,  and 
 Luther  hatched  it:"  but,  says  Erasmus,  "I  laid  a  hen-egg,  and 
 Luther  hath  hatched  a  very  different  bird."  It  is  to  be  lamented 
 that  these  two  eminent  men  had  any  misunderstanding;  as  they 
 had  both  translated  the  holy  scriptures,  and  were  both  inclined 
 for  a  reformation  in  the  church.  Erasmus  afterwards  wrote 
 some  other  treatises  against  the  reformers;  yet  he  honestly  dis- 
 suaded the  German  princes  from  hanging  and  burning  the  poor 
 Lutherans;  and  declared  himself  against  the  cruel  and  sangui- 
 nary methods  of  defending  the  cause  of  Rome.  The  Italians 
 thought  him  a  Lutheran,  and  the  Germans  called  him  a  Ro- 
 manist; but  every  man  passed  for  a  heretic  at  Rome,  who  did 
 not  join  in  every  article  with  the  Pope  against  Luther.   About 
 
Jviil  LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER. 
 
 this  time,  the  violent  and  unhappy  controversy  concerning  the 
 eucharist  was  excited  among  the  Protestants.  As  many  books 
 were  written  upon  the  subject  as  would  load  several  wag-go ns, 
 and  were  of  no  small  harm  to  the  Reformation;  which,  like  the 
 growth  of  the  Roman  commonwealth,  flourished  in  the  midst 
 of  violent  and  continual  divisions. 
 
 Luther  was  this  year  occupied  in  translating  the  book  of  Job, 
 which  he  was  inclined  to  think  was  wrote  by  Solomon.  He 
 complained  of  the  difficulty  of  the  task;  and  observed,  some» 
 what  jocosely,  that  Job  chose  to  sit  on  his  dunghill,  and  to  admit 
 of  no  interpreters. 
 
 Luther's  memorable  protestation  upon  the  article  of  justifi- 
 cation, must  not  be  omitted.  "  I,  Martin  Luther,  an  unworthy 
 preacher  of  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  thus  profess 
 and  thus  believe ;  that  this  article.  That  faith  alone,  with- 
 out WORKS,  can  justify  BEFORE  GoD,  shall  never  be  over- 
 thrown neither  by  the  emperor,  nor  by  the  Turk,  nor  by  the 
 Tartar,  nor  by  the  Persian,  nor  by  the  Pope,  with  all  his  car- 
 dinals, bishops,  sacrificers,  monks,  nuns,  kings,  princes,  powers 
 of  the  world,  nor  yet  by  all  the  devils  in  hell.  This  article 
 shall  stand  fast,  whether  they  will  or  no.  This  is  the  true 
 gospel.  Jesus  Christ  redeemed  us  from  our  sins,  and  he  only. 
 This  most  firm  and  certain  truth  is  the  voice  of  scripture, 
 though  the  world  and  all  the  devils  rage  and  roar.  If  Christ 
 alone  take  away  our  sins,  we  caimot  do  this  with  our  works: 
 and  as  it  is  impossible  to  embrace  Christ  but  by  faith,  it  is, 
 therefore,  equally  impossible  to  apprehend  him  by  works.  If, 
 then,  faith  alone  must  apprehend  Christ,  before  works  can  fol- 
 low, the  conclusion  is  irrefragable;  that  faith  alone  apprehends 
 him,  before  and  without  the  consideration  of  works;  and  this  is 
 our  justification  and  deliverance  from  sin.  Then,  and  not  till 
 then,  good  works  follow  faith,  as  its  necessary  and  inseparable 
 fruit.  This  is  the  doctrine  I  teach;  and  this  the  Holy  Spirit 
 and  church  of  the  faithful  have  delivered.  In  this  will  I  abide. 
 Amen." 
 
 The  judgment  of  this  great  man  upon  synods  and  councils  is 
 very  remarkable :  "  I  do  not  think  it  (says  he)  very  safe  to  call 
 a  councU  of  our  friends,  for  the  settlement  of  a  unity  in  cere- 
 monies, for  it  will  occasion  a  bad  example,  though  it  be  at- 
 tempted with  the  best  zeal,  as  all  councils  of  the  church  from 
 the  beginning  may  serve  to  shew  us.  Thus,  as  in  the  synod  of 
 the  apostles,  matters  of  action  and  tradition  were  much  more 
 treated  of  than  matters  of  faith;  so,  in  succeeding  councils,  were 
 opinions  and  questions  always  agitated,  without  entering  upon 
 faith ;  for  which  reason  I  have  a  greater  suspicion  and  detesta- 
 tion of  the  shadow  of  a  council,  man  I  have  of  free-will  itself. 
 If  one  church  will  not  follow  another  in  those  external  things, 
 what  need  is  there  to  compel  it  by  the  decrees  of  councils, 
 which  Boon  are  perverted  into  institutions  and  traps  for  tl^* 
 
LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER.  lix 
 
 entanglement  of  souls  ?  Let  one  church,  therefore,  be  at  liberty 
 either  to  follow  or  not  to  follow  another;  principally  regard- 
 ing, above  all  indifferent  circumstances,  the  unity  of  the  spirit, 
 founded  upon  one  common  faith  in  the  word  of  God:  which 
 being  maintained,  the  difference  of  outward  rites  is  only  to  be 
 considered  as  a  difference  in  the  flesh  and  the  elements  of  the 
 world." — It  would  be  happy  for  the  cause  of  Christianity,  if  all 
 its  professors  were  like-minded,  and  it  would  save  the  gospel 
 much  of  that  reproach  which  infidels  in  all  ages,  upon  this  very 
 account,  have  cast  upon  it. 
 
 Luther  laid  aside  the  friar's  habit  in  October,  1524,  and 
 married  Catharine  de  Bore,  a  lady  of  noble  descent,  who,  with 
 eight  other  nuns,  was  taken  out  of  the  nunnery  at  Nimptschen, 
 in  1523,  and  carried  to  Wittenberg,  by  Leonard  Coppen,  of 
 Torgau.  Luther  vindicated  that  action,  and  intended  to  marry 
 Catharine  to  Glacius,  minister  of  Ortamunden,  whose  person 
 she  disliked;  and  so  Luther  married  her  himself,  on  the  13th 
 of  June,  1525,  without  considting  his  friends:  but  Luther  says, 
 he  took  a  wife  in  obedience  to  his  father's  command.  Luther 
 was  then  forty-two,  and  his  wife  was  twenty-six.  He  was  so 
 far  from  being  ashamed  of  entering  into  the  holy  state  of  matri- 
 mony, that  he  exhorted  the  elector  of  Mentz,  and  the  grand- 
 master of  the  Teutonic  Order,  to  follow  his  example:  which 
 was  done  by  the  latter,  notwithstanding  the  censure  of  the 
 Romanists.  This  grand-master  was  Albert,  margi'ave  of  Bran- 
 denbui'gh,  for  whom  that  part  of  Prussia  which  belonged  to 
 the  Teutonic  Order,  was  formed  into  a  secular  duchy.  He 
 embraced  the  Lutheran  religion,  renounced  his  vow  of  celi- 
 bacy, and  married  Anna  Maria  of  Brunswick.  He  afterwards 
 conformed  to  the  Augsburg  confession,  and  founded  a  univer- 
 sity at  Koningsberg,  in  1544,  that  the  protestant  religion 
 might  be  introduced  and  established  in  Prussia,  and  all  the 
 professors  were  to  be  Lutherans.  In  those  times,  marriage 
 soon  became  a  recommendation  among  the  reformers,  and  was 
 a  certain  proof  that  they  had  abjured  popery;  for  if  a  converted 
 clergyman  did  not  marry,  he  caused  a  suspicion  that  he  had  not 
 renounced  the  doctrine  of  celibacy. 
 
 Luther  was  very  fond  of  his  wife,  and  used  to  call  her  his 
 Catharine.  She  was  handsome  and  modest;  Luther  did  not 
 pretend  she  was  without  faults,  but  he  believ^ed  she  was  less 
 faulty  than  other  women;  and  when  she  had  borne  him  a  son, 
 a  little  after,  he  said  he  would  not  change  his  condition  for  that 
 of  Croesus.  He  was  heard  to  say,  that  he  would  not  exchange 
 his  wife  for  the  kingdom  of  France,  nor  for  the  riches  of  the 
 Venetians;  because  she  had  been  given  him  by  God,  at  a  time 
 when  he  implored  the  assistance  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  finding 
 a  good  wife;  and  had  strictly  regarded  her  conjugal  fidelity. 
 But  he  professed  himself,  that  one  great  reason  which  induced 
 him  to  marry,  was  to  give  an  example  oi  the  doctrine  he 
 
IX  LIFE  OF  MAIITIN  LUTHER. 
 
 preached  against  celibacy,  and  to  shew  that  he  was  not  aiVtud 
 or  ashamed  to  do  that  himself  which  he  exhorted  and  enjoined 
 in  others. 
 
 Erasmus  sent  word  to  Nicholas  Everard,  president  of  the 
 com-t  of  Holland,  that  the  Lutheran  trag^edy  would  end,  like 
 the  quarrels  of  princes,  in  matrimony.  He  says,  "  If  the  com- 
 mon story  be  true,  that  antichrist  shall  be  born  of  a  monk  and 
 a  nun,  as  they  pretend,  how  many  thousands  of  antichrists  are 
 there  in  the  world  already?  I  was  in  hopes  that  a  wife  would 
 have  made  Luther  a  little  tamer;  but  he  has  published  a  book 
 against  me,  more  virulent  than  ever."  Erasmus  was  not  well 
 instructed  in  this  affair,  or  he  was  too  prone  to  give  credit  to 
 the  scandal  which  was  published  against  Luther. 
 
 Luther  had  answered  the  king  of  England  in  a  rough  way, 
 and  was  now  persuaded  by  his  friends  to  write  him  a  very  hum- 
 ble letter,  with  some  hope  that  his  majesty  would  favour  the 
 Reformation.  Henry  returned  him  a  very  haughty  and  churlish 
 answer;  upon  which  Luther,  as  we  have  observed,  who  had 
 too  much  spirit  to  bear  affronts  even  from  crowned  heads,  de- 
 clared publicly  that  he  was  very  sorry  for  having  demeaned 
 himself  so  far;  and  that  he  would  never  more  throw  a^vay  any 
 civilities  and  submissions  upon  Henry  VIH.,  cardinal  Cajetan, 
 prince  George  of  Saxony,  or  Erasmus,  who  had  all  paid  his 
 humility  with  insults.  The  king  of  England  was  chiefly  angry 
 because  Luther  had  said  that  his  book  upon  the  sacrament  was 
 made  by  another,  and  put  out  in  his  name.  Luther  believed  it 
 was  written  by  Lee,  who  was  a  zealous  Thomist,  and  had  been 
 engaged  in  disputes  with  Erasmus,  and  was  afterwards  made 
 archbishop  of  York;  therefore  Luther  wrote  another  book, 
 entitled,  "An  Answer  to  the  abusive  and  slanderous  Book  of 
 the  king  of  England."  None  suspect  the  king  wanted  learning 
 for  such  a  design:  "  But  it  is  probable  some  other  gardener  ga- 
 thered the  flowers,  though  king  Henry  had  the  honour  to  wear 
 the  posy,  can-ying  the  credit  in  the  title  thereof."  The  king 
 was  assisted  by  bishop  Fisher  and  sir  Thomas  More;  in  return 
 for  which,  he  afterwards  cut  off  their  heads. 
 
 The  disturbances  in  Germany  increased  every  day,  and  the 
 emperor  called  another  diet,  which  was  held  at  Spires,  on  the 
 twenty-fifth  of  June,  1526.  Ferdinand,  and  six  other  deputies, 
 acted  for  the  emperor,  and  were  for  executing  the  edict  of 
 Worms;  but  the  elector  of  Saxony  and  landgrave  of  Hesse 
 were  for  holding  a  general  council,  and  laid  the  foundation  of 
 an  union  for  the  defence  of  those  who  followed  the  new  doc- 
 trine. The  emperor  had  a  quarrel  with  the  Pope,  who  entered 
 into  a  league  against  him,  with  the  French  king  and  the  Vene- 
 tian republic.  Charles  V.  told  Clement  VII  he  would  appeal 
 to  a  general  council,  and  vindicate  himself.  The  next  year  his 
 troops  mvaded  Italy,  plundered  Rome,  and  took  the  Pope  pri- 
 soner, who  was  obliged  to  submit  to  some  hard  conditions  ber 
 fore  he  was  set  at  liberty. 
 
LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER.  Jxi 
 
 A  motion  was  made  in  the  consistory  at  Rome  to  tempt  Lu- 
 ther with  a  great  sum  )f  money,  and  buy  him  ofF  from  opposing 
 popery;  but  one  of  the  cardinals  cried  out,  "  Hem  !  Germana 
 ilia  bestia  non  curat  uurum,  sed  auram." 
 
 The  disputes  between  the  Lutherans  and  Zuinglians,  about 
 the  sacrament,  continued  till  the  emperor  assembled  another 
 diet  at  Spires,  in  March,  1529,  when  long  and  warm  debates 
 were  held  about  religion.  The  Romanists  again  insisted  that 
 the  ban  should  be  executed  upon  Lutherans;  which  was  op- 
 posed by  the  electors  of  ISaxony  and  Brandenburgh,  the  dukes 
 of  Lunenberg,  the  landgrave  of  Hesse,  and  the  prince  of  An- 
 halt,  who  declared  again  for  a  council,  either  general  or  na- 
 tional. But  the  Romanists  prevailed,  and  confirmed  the  de- 
 cree of  the  former  diet  of  Spires ;  against  which  the  Lutheran 
 princes,  and  fourteen  cities,  joined  in  a  formal  protest,  whereby 
 they  appealed  from  all  that  should  be  done,  to  the  emperor,  a 
 future  council,  or  to  unsuspected  judges;  and  accordingly  they 
 sent  deputies  to  the  emperoi*,  with  a  petition  that  this  decree 
 might  be  revoked.  This  was  the  remai'kable  protestation, 
 which  gave  the  name  of  Protestants  to  the  Lutherans  in 
 Germany.  The  protesters  acted  with  so  much  steadiness  and 
 resolution,  that  the  emperor  was  much  startled  at  it,  and  deter- 
 mined to  use  moderation  for  the  present. 
 
 The  same  year,  the  landgrave  of  Hesse  brought  Luther  and 
 Zuinglius  to  a  conference  at  Marpurg;  when  the  Lutherans 
 produced  such  articles  as  they  objected  against  in  the  doctrine 
 of  the  Zuinglians.  After  some  debates,  articles  were  drawn 
 up,  in  which  they  agreed  about  the  Trinity,  original  sin,  justi- 
 fication by  faith,  the  efficacy  of  baptism,  and  the  authority  of 
 the  magistrates;  but  they  disagreed  about  the  sacrament,  in 
 the  sense  and  meaning  of  the  words,  though  they  assented  that 
 the  communion  should  be  administered  in  both  kinds;  and  they 
 denied  transubstantiation,  as  also  the  sacrifice  of  the  mass. 
 
 At  this  time,  Solyman  the  magnificent  invaded  Germany,  and 
 besieged  Vienna;  but  soon  retired  with  great  loss.  The  em- 
 peror Charles  returned  to  Germany,  and  appointed  another 
 diet  to  be  held  at  Augsburg,  which  was  opened  on, the  twen- 
 tieth of  June,  1530.  It  was  given  out  that  the  emperor  would 
 tread  the  gospellers  under  his  feet,  which  made  the  Protestant 
 princes  inclined  to  meet  him  in  arms,  but  Luther  prevailed  on 
 them  to  meet  in  peace.  The  princes  appointed  Luther,  Me- 
 lancthon,  Justus,  Jonas,  and  Pomeran,  to  draw  up  their  form 
 of  doctrine,  to  lay  before  the  diet,  where  Luther  was  too  ob- 
 noxious to  appear,  and  was  left  in  the  castle  of  Coburg,  near 
 at  hand,  that  he  might  be  consulted  on  occasion.  Erasmus  ex- 
 cused himself  from  appearing  at  this  diet,  because  he  knew 
 upon  whose  judgment  the  emperor  relied;  upon  divines,  in 
 who^e  opinion,  whosoever  should  dare  to  open  his  mouth  in 
 favour  0?  piety,  was  a  Lutheran,  and  worse  than  a  Lutheran. 
 
ixil  LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER. 
 
 The  imperial  chancellor  opened  the  diet,  by  declaring  that 
 the  emperor  had  summoned  this  assembly,  that  every  one  mignt 
 consult  upon  such  propositions  as  should  be  made,  and  offer  ia 
 writing  what  he  thought  convenient,  concerning  religion.  The 
 protestant  prhices  petitioned  the  emperor  to  permit  their  con- 
 fession of  faith  to  be  read  in  a  full  diet,  which  he  refused ;  but 
 granted  them  leave  to  read  it  in  his  presence,  before  a  special 
 assembly  of  princes,  and  other  members  of  the  empire.  This 
 confession  of  faith,  which  was  afterwards  called,  "  The  Augs- 
 burg Confession,"  was  delivered  to  his  imperial  majesty, 
 both  in  Latin  and  German,  with  the  authority  whereon  each 
 article  was  founded.  It  was  signed  by  the  elector  of  Saxony; 
 George,  mai'grave  of  Brandenburgh;  Ernest  and  Francis, 
 dukes  of  Brunswick  and  Lunenberg;  Philip,  landgrave  of 
 Hesse,  and  the  princes  of  Anhalt;  as  also  by  the  deputies  of 
 Nuremberg  and  Ruthlingen. 
 
 The  emperor  shed  tears  when  this  confession  was  read ;  which 
 were,  doubtless,  owing  to  the  truth  of  the  doctrines  contained 
 in  it,  and  the  moderation  that  Melancthon  had  shewn  in  revising 
 the  whole.  It  was  divided  into  two  parts:  The  one  contained 
 twenty-one  articles  upon  the  principal  points  of  religion;  and 
 the  other  was  concerning  the  ceremonies  of  the  church.  The 
 emperor  dismissed  the  assembly,  when  they  had  heard  the  con- 
 fession; and  the  Romanists  agreed  to  draw  up  a  confutation  of 
 it,  which  was  undertook  by  Faber,  Eckius,  Cochlaeus,  Conradus 
 de  Wimpina,  Conradus  CoUinus,  and  other  popish  divines,  Avho 
 examined  the  Protestants'  confession  of  faith  step  by  step,  and 
 answered  all  the  articles;  some  of  which  were  approved,  and 
 others  condemned ;  but  some  were  partly  received,  and  partly 
 rejected,  as  will  be  seen  in  the  life  of  Melancthon. 
 
 Luther,  in  his  retirement,  was  not  a  little  afraid  to  what 
 lengths  the  pacific  spirit  of  Melancthon  might  induce  him  to 
 yield  to  the  Papists,  and  therefore  wrote  to  him  to  be  careful  of 
 what  concessions  he  should  make  them;  "for  (says  he)  they 
 will  take  in  the  large,  the  larger,  and  largest  sense,  but  hold 
 their  own  in  the  strict,  stricter,  and  strictest.  In  short,  I  have 
 but  a  smal^ opinion  of  this  projected  concord  in  doctrine:  I  be- 
 lieve it  truly  impossible,  unless  the  Pope  will  renounce  his 
 popedom."  With  regard  to  the  Romish  confutation  of  the 
 Protestant  articles,  he  said,  "  I  thank  God,  who  suffered  our 
 adversaries  to  compose  so  wretched  a  confutation.  Christ  will 
 reign  for  ever.  Let  the  devils,  if  they  will,  turn  monks  and 
 nuns ;  for  truly  no  shape  would  better  become  them  than  that, 
 in  which  they  have  so  long  held  forth  themselves,  for  the  ado- 
 ration of  the  world." 
 
 This  confutation,  however,  was  read  before  the  diet,  and  the 
 Romanists  said  they  hoped  the  Protestants  would  return  to  the 
 communion  of  the  church,  as  they  agreed  in  several  points  which 
 had  been  formerly  contested.   The  elector  of  Saxony  answered. 
 
LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER.  Ixui 
 
 that  the  Protestants  were  always  ready  to  come  to  a  union  in 
 religion,  in  any  thing  which  was  r:ot  prejudicial  to  their  con- 
 sciences. In  consequence  of  this,  the  Romanists  appointed 
 seventeen  persons  to  treat  about  religion  with  the  Protestants ; 
 and  this  conference  was  held  at  Augsburg  on  the  seventh  of 
 August  The  popish  deputies  said,  that  Luther  would  not 
 submit  to  the  judgment  of  a  council :  but  the  Protestants  de- 
 clared they  would  refer  themselves  to  the  determination  of  a 
 council,  to  which  they  appealed;  and  also  presented  to  the  em- 
 peror an  apology  for  their  confession,  which  put  an  end  to  the 
 diet  at  Augsburg,  and  the  protestant  princes  returned  home  in 
 October,  without  an  accommodation  with  the  Romanists. 
 
 The  Sacramentarians  also  presented  their  confession  of  faith 
 to  the  emperor  at  this  diet;  which  was  drawn  up  by  Bucer  and 
 Capito.  But  this  confession  was  more  unacceptable  than  that  of 
 the  Lutherans,  and  was  answered  by  Faber  and  Eckius;  in 
 consequence  of  which,  the  emperor  commanded  the  Zuinglians 
 to  renounce  their  errors,  and  threatened  to  compel  them  by  his 
 authority,  if  they  refused. 
 
 A  symbolical  representation  was  exhibited  before  the  emperor 
 and  his  brother  Ferdinand  at  Augsburg,  when  the  Lutherans 
 presented  their  confession  of  faith  to  that  assembly.  As  the 
 princes  were  at  table,  a  company  of  persons  offered  to  act  a 
 small  comedy  for  the  entertainment  of  the  company.  They 
 were  ordered  to  begin ;  and  first  entered  a  man  in  the  dress  of 
 a  doctor,  who  brought  a  large  quantity  of  small  wood,  of  straight 
 and  crooked  billets,  and  laid  it  on  the  middle  of  the  hearth  and 
 retired :  on  his  back  was  written  the  name  of  Reuchlin.  When 
 this  actor  went  off,  another  entered,  apparelled  also  like  a  doctor, 
 who  attempted  to  make  faggots  of  the  Avood,  and  to  fit  the 
 crooked  to  the  straight;  but  having  laboured  long  to  no  pur- 
 pose, he  went  away  out  of  humour,  and  shaking  his  head:  on 
 his  back  appeared  the  name  of  Erasmus.  A  third,  dressed  like 
 an  Augustinian  monk,  came  in  with  a  chafing-dish  full  of  fire, 
 gathered  up  the  crooked  wood,  clapped  it  upon  the  fire,  and 
 blew  till  he  made  it  burn,  and  went  away,  having  upon  his  frock 
 the  name  of  Luther.  A  fourth  entered,  dressed  like  an  emperor, 
 who  seeing  the  crooked  wood  all  on  fire,  seemed  much  con- 
 cerned, and,  to  put  it  out,  drew  his  sword  and  pokered  the  fire 
 with  it,  which  only  made  it  burn  the  brisker:  on  his  back  was 
 written  Charles  V.  Lastly,  a  fifth  entered,  in  the  pontifical 
 habit  and  triple-crown,  who  seemed  extremely  surprised  to  see 
 the  crooked  billets  all  on  fire,  and  by  his  countenance  and  atti- 
 tude betrayed  excessive  grief:  then,  looking  about  on  every 
 side,  to  see  if  he  could  find  any  water  to  extinguish  the  flame, 
 he  cast  his  eyes  on  two  bottles  in  a  corner  of  the  room,  one  of 
 which  was  full  of  oil,  and  the  other  water;  and,  in  his  hurry, 
 he  unfortunately  seized  on  the  oil,  and  poured  it  upon  the  fire, 
 wluch  made  it  blaze  so  violently,  that  he  was  forced  to  walk 
 
bciv  LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER. 
 
 off:  on  his  back  was  written  Leo  X.     This  farce  wanted  no 
 commentary. 
 
 Luther  wrote  some  books  against  popery,  during  the  sitting 
 of  the  diet;  particularly  a  treatise  upon  the  second  Psalm,  in 
 which  he  applied  to  the  princes  met  at  Augsburg-,  what  was 
 said  in  that  Psalm  concerning  the  assembly  and  conspiracy  of 
 the  princes  of  the  world  against  Jesus  Christ.  The  emperor 
 procured  a  decree  in  the  diet,  which  allowed  the  protestant 
 princes  till  the  fifteenth  of  April  follov/ing,  to  consult  about 
 their  submission  to  it;  and  his  imperial  majesty  promised  to 
 issue  out  his  summons  for  a  council  to  begin  the  next  year.  The 
 protestant  princes  remained  firm  to  their  confession  of  faith, 
 and  the  emperor  published  the  decree  of  the  diet  on  the  six- 
 teenth of  November,  which  ordered,  that  no  alterations  or  in- 
 novations should  be  made  in  the  faith  or  religious  worship  of 
 the  church ;  and  that  none  should  be  admitted  to  the  imperial 
 chamber  Avho  disobeyed  this  decree. 
 
 The  elector  of  Saxony  was  summoned  by  the  emperor  to  be 
 presented  at  Cologne,  on  the  twenty-ninth  of  December,  at  the 
 election  of  Ferdinand,  to  be  king  of  the  Romans;  but  tlie 
 elector  appointed  the  other  protestant  princes  to  meet  him  at 
 Smalkald,  on  the  twenty-second  of  the  same  month,  where  they 
 entered  into  a  confederacy  to  defend  themselves  against  the 
 emperor  and  the  Romanists,  who  were  determined  to  put  the 
 decree,  made  at  the  diet  of  Augsburg,  rigorously  into  execution. 
 
 The  court  of  Rome  was  greatly  disturbed  at  what  had  beett 
 transacted  at  the  diet  at  Augsburg;  and  the  Pope  employea 
 his  nuncios  to  dissuade  the  emperor  from  holding  a  council : 
 but  the  emperor  urged  the  necessity  of  it ;  and  the  Pope,  on 
 the  first  day  of  December,  1530,  wrote  a  circular  to  all  the 
 Christian  princes,  informing  them  that  a  council  should  be  held, 
 and  desiring  them  to  countenance  so  holy  a  cause  by  their  per- 
 sonal attendance.  The  protestant  princes  also  wrote  circular 
 letters  to  the  European  sovereigns,  and  particularly  to  the 
 kings  of  England  and  France,  requesting  their  interest  and 
 protection  in  obtaining  a  reformation,  which  had  been  attempted 
 by  John  Colet  in  England,  by  John  Garson  and  Nicolas  Cle- 
 mangis  in  France,  and  by  Luther  in  Germany.  The  kings  of 
 England  and  France  declared  for  a  general  council,  peace,  and 
 reformation ;  which  encouraged  the  confederate  princes  to 
 meet  again  in  Smalkald,  on  the  twenty-nintli  of  March,  1591, 
 when  they  renewed  their  league ;  and  Luther  composed  a 
 treatise  against  the  diet  of  Augsburg,  to  prove  that  it  was  laAV- 
 ful  to  resist  the  magistrates,  if  they  commanded  any  person  to 
 assault  those  who  would  not  submit  to  the  decree. 
 
 The  protestant  princes  held  another  assembly  at  Francfort, 
 on  the  fourth  of  July;  and  the  emperor,  on  the  thirteenth  of 
 July,  1532,  by  the  treaty  of  Nuremberg,  agreed  that  all  the 
 disputes  concerning  religion  should  cease,  until  a  general  coun- 
 
LIFE  OF  MAUtlN  LUTHEK.  Ixv 
 
 cU  was  held,  which  was  to  be  within  a  year.  The  Protestants 
 insisted  that  no  innovation  in  doctrine  should  be  made  from 
 their  confession,  nor  any  ceremonies  introduced  contrary 
 thereto;  which  was  granted  by  the  emperor,  and  the  protestant 
 princes  agreed  to  assist  him  in  the  war  against  the  Turks.  -| 
 
 The  elector  of  Saxony  died  in  August,  and  was  succeeded 
 by  his  son,  John  Frederic,  in  his  dominions  and  zeal  for  the 
 protestant  cause.  The  Pope  sent  his  nuncio,  in  January,  1541, 
 to  the  new  elector,  to  settle  with  him  the  conditions  of  holding 
 a  council ;  and  the  protestant  princes  met  upon  this  occasion 
 at  Smalkald,  on  the  twenty-fourth  of  June,  when  they  desired 
 that  the  council  might  be  free,  and  be  held  in  Germany,  where 
 these  differences  in  religion  first  began;  but  the  Pope  refused 
 to  comply  with  their  request. 
 
 Luther  dissuaded  the  elector  of  Saxony  from  making  an  al- 
 liance with  the  Switzers,  and  persisted  to  unite  more  zealously 
 than  ever  against  the  Sacramentarians ;  but  Buoer  undertook 
 to  reconcile  the  Lutherans  and  Zuinglians.  Luther  met  Bucer 
 and  Capito  at  Wittenberg,  on  the  twenty-second  of  May,  1536, 
 when  they  entered  into  a  long  debate  upon  their  faith  and  doc- 
 trine concerning  the  sacrament ;  and  they  delivered  to  Luther 
 the  confession  of  faith  of  the  churches  of  Switzerland ;  but 
 they  could  not  agree  in  their  articles  of  the  form  of  union  about 
 the  sacrament.  Luther  explained  himself  concerning  the  Lord's 
 Supper,  by  saying,  he  had  never  taught  that  Jesus  Christ  came 
 down  from  heaven  to  the  earth,  either  visible  or  invisible ;  and 
 that  he  left  it  to  the  almighty  power  of  God  to  effect,  how  the 
 body  and  blood  of  Christ  are  offered  in  the  Lord's  Supper, 
 keeping  himself  entirely  close  to  the  words  of  the  scripture; 
 "  This  is  my  body,  this  is  my  blood."  He  observed,  that  as 
 they  could  not  understand  each  other,  it  was  convenient  they 
 should  be  friends,  and  entertain  a  good  opinion  reciprocally  of 
 themselves,  till  the  spirit  of  contention  should  cease  among 
 them ;  and  so  he  committed  to  the  care  of  Bucer  and  Capito 
 to  finish  what  they  had  begun. 
 
 About  the  beginning  of  the  year  1527,  Luther  was  attacked 
 by  a  very  severe  illness,  which  brought  him  near  to  his  grave. 
 He  applied  himself  to  prayer,  made  a  confession  of  his  faith, 
 and  lamented  grievously  his  unworthiness  of  martyrdom,  which 
 he  had  so  often  and  so  ardently  desired.  In  this  situation  ho 
 made  a  will,  for  he  had  a  son,  and  his  wife  was  again  with 
 child,  in  which  he  recommended  his  family  to  the  care  of  hea- 
 ven. "  Lord  God,"  says  he,  "  I  thank  thee,  that  thou  wouldest 
 have  me  poor  on  earth,  and  a  beggar.  I  have  neither  house, 
 nor  land,  nor  possessions,  nor  money,  to  leave.  Thou  hast 
 given  me  a  wife  and  children :  take  them,  I  beseech  thee, 
 under  thy  care,  and  preserve  them,  as  thou  hast  preserved  me." 
 He  bequeathed  his  detestation  of  popery  to  his  friends  an 
 brethren;  agreeably  to  what  he  often  used  to  say,  ^^ Pesti 
 
 e 
 
Ixvi  LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER. 
 
 eram  vivus,  moriens  ero  mors  tua  papa  ;"  i.  e.  "  Living-,  I  was 
 the  plagne  of  the  Pope,  and  dying-,  I  shall  be  his  death." 
 
 Luther,  from  about  this  period,  having  laid  the  great  foun- 
 dation of  the  Reformation,  was  chiefly  employed  in  raising  and 
 completing  the  superstructure.  The  remainder  of  his  life  was 
 spent  in  exhorting  princes,  states,  and  universities,  to  confirm  the 
 great  work,  which  had  been  brought  about  through  him ;  and 
 in  publishing,  from  time  to  time,  such  writings  as  might  encou- 
 rage, direct,  and  assist  them  in  doing  it.  The  emperor  threatened 
 temporal  punishment,  with  armies ;  and  the  Pope,  eternal  pains 
 with  bulls  and  curses  :  but  Luther,  armed  with  the  intrepidity 
 of  grace,  over  and  above  his  own  courageous  nature,  regarded 
 neither  the  one  nor  the  other.  His  friend  and  assistant,  Me- 
 lancthon,  could  not  be  so  indiiferent ;  for  Melancthon  had  a 
 great  deal  of  softness,  moderation,  and  diffidence  in  his  consti- 
 tution, which  made  him  very  uneasy  and  alarmed  at  these  for- 
 midable appearances.  Hence  we  find  many  of  Luther's  letters 
 were  written  on  pui-pose  to  comfort  him  under  these  anxieties. 
 "  I  am,"  says  he,  in  one  of  his  letters,  "  much  weaker  than  you, 
 in  private  conflicts,  if  I  may  call  those  conflicts  private,  which  I 
 have  with  the  devil ;  but  you  are  much  weaker  than  me  in 
 public.  You  are  all  distrust  in  the  public  cause ;  I,  on  the 
 contrary,  am  very  confident ;  because  I  know  it  is  a  just  and 
 true  cause,  the  cause  of  God  and  of  Christ,  which  need  not 
 tremble  or  be  abashed.  But  the  case  is  different  with  me  in 
 my  private  conflicts,  feeling  myself  a  most  miserable  sinner, 
 and  therefore  have  great  reason  to  look  pale  and  tremble.  Upon 
 this  account  it  is,  that  I  can  almost  be  an  indifferent  spectator 
 amidst  all  the  noisy  threats  and  bullyings  of  the  Papists ;  for  if 
 we  fall,  the  kingdom  of  Christ  falls  with  us ;  and  if  it  should 
 fall,  I  had  rather  fall  with  Christ,  than  stand  with  Csesar."  So 
 again,  a  little  farther  :  "  You,  Melancthon,  cannot  bear  these 
 disorders,  and  labour  to  have  things  transacted  by  reason,  and 
 agreeably  to  that  spirit  of  calmness  and  moderation  which  your 
 philosophy  dictates.  You  might  as  well  attempt  cum  ratione 
 insanire,  to  be  mad  with  reason.  Don't  you  see  that  the  mat- 
 ter is  entirely  out  of  your  poAver  and  management,  and  that 
 even  Christ  himself  forbids  your  measures  to  take  place  ?  If 
 the  cause  be  bad,  indeed,  let  us  renounce  it ;  but  if  it  be  good, 
 why  do  we  make  God  a  liar,  who  has  promised  to  support  us? 
 Does  he  make  his  promises  to  the  wind,  or  to  his  people  ?" 
 
 About  the  year  1533,  he  had  a  terrible  controversy  with 
 George,  duke  of  Saxony,  who  had  such  an  aversion  to  Luther's 
 doctrine,  that  he  obliged  his  subjects  to  take  an  oath  tha,t  they 
 would  never  embrace  it.  However,  sixty  or  seventy  citizens 
 of  Leipsic  were  found  to  have  deviated  a  little  from  the  catholic 
 way,  in  some  point  or  other,  and  they  were  known  previously 
 to  have  consulted  Luther  upon  it.  Upon  which  duke  George 
 complained  to  the  elector  John,  that  Luther  had  not  only  abused 
 
LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER.  Ixdi 
 
 his  person,  but  had  also  preached  up  rebellion  amonjr  his  sub- 
 jects. The  elector  ordered  Luther  to  be  made -acquainted  with 
 this,  and  to  be  told,  at  the  same  time,  that  if  he  did  not  clear 
 himself  from  the  charge,  he  could  not  possibly  escape  punish- 
 ment. But  Luther  easily  refuted  the  accusation  by  proving, 
 that  he  had  been  so  far  from  stirring  up  his  subjects  against  him, 
 on  the  score  of  religion,  that,  on  the  contrary,  he  had  exhorted 
 them  rather  to  undergo  the  greatest  hardships,  and  even  sufiPer 
 themselves  to  be  banished.  Indeed,  it  appears,  from  all  his 
 conduct  and  writings,  that  no  man  more  abhorred  that  impious 
 principle  of  subverting  kingdoms  and  states,  under  a  pretence 
 of  advancing  the  cause  of  God  or  his  gospel.  The  Almighty 
 is  surely  able  to  effect  his  own  will  in  this  case ;  and  it  is  the 
 duty  of  Christians  to  suffer  and  obey  it. 
 
 In  this  year,  1533,  Luther  wrote  a  consolatory  letter  to  the 
 citizens  of  Oschatz,  Avho  had  been  banished  for  the  gospel ;  in 
 which  letter  he  uses  these  words :  "  The  devil  is  the  host  in 
 the  world,  and  the  world  is  his  inn.  Go  where  you  will  iu 
 the  world,  you  will  be  sure  to  find  this  ugly  host  walking  up 
 and  down  in  it." 
 
 In  the  year  1534,  he  printed,  and  in  the  next  year  he  pub- 
 lished, his  translation  of  the  bible  into  German:  in  which  latter 
 year,  he  began  publicly  to  preach  upon  the  book  of  Genesis, 
 which  task  he  ended  with  his  life,  as  he  is  said  to  have  foretold. 
 
 In  the  year  1538,  arose  the  vile  sect  of  the  Antinomians, 
 who  taught  that  it  mattered  not  how  wicked  a  man  was,  if  he 
 had  but  faith.  The  principal  person  among  them  was  Johannes 
 Isebius  Agricola.  Luther  had  the  honour  not  only  of  confut- 
 ing, but  of  converting  this  man,  and  of  bringing  liim  back  to 
 his  senses  and  his  duty. 
 
 In  the  year  1540,  Luther  printed  and  prefaced  the  con- 
 fession of  Robert  Barnes,  his  intimate  friend,  and  a  learned 
 divine,  who  was  burnt  this  year  at  London,  for  the  gospel. 
 They  became  acquainted  through  Barnes's  coming  to  Witten- 
 berg about  the  business  of  king  Henry  the  Eighth's  divorce. 
 
 Luther  was  continually  baited  at  by  a  world  of  furies ;  and 
 he  was  particularly  set  up  by  Providence  to  effect  a  Reformation. 
 He  published  seventy-five  propositions  against  the  divines  of 
 Louvain,  and  also  a  short  confession  of  faith ;  after  Avhich  he 
 was  sent  for  to  his  native  country,  to  compose  a  difference  be- 
 tween the  counts  of  Mansfeld.  He  preached  his  last  sermon 
 at  Wittenberg,  on  the  seventeenth  of  January,  1546 ;  and  on 
 the  twenty-third,  set  out  for  Isleben,  where  he  was  honourably 
 entertained  by  the  count,  who  escorted  him  to  his  apartments 
 with  one  hundred  horse.  Luther  attended  the  business  upon 
 which  he  came,  from  the  twenty-ninth  of  January,  to  the  seven- 
 teenth of  February,  when  he  sickened,  a  little  before  supper,  of 
 his  usual  illness.  This  was  an  oppression  of  humours  in  the 
 opening  of  the  stomach,  with  which  Melancthon,  who  was 
 
Ixviii  LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUVHEIl. 
 
 with  him,  had  seen  him  frequently  afflicted.  His  pain  increased, 
 and  he  went  to  bed,  where  he  slept  till  midnight,  when  ho 
 awaked  in  such  anguish  that  his  life  was  near  at  an  end.  He 
 prayed  in  these  words  :  "  I  pray  God  to  preserve  the  doctrine 
 of  his  gospel  among  us ;  for  the  Pope  and  council  of  Trent 
 have  grievous  things  in  hand."  After  which  he  said,  "  O  hea- 
 venly Father,  my  gracious  God,  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
 Christ,  thou  God  of  all  consolation,  I  give  thee  hearty  thanks, 
 that  thou  hast  revealed  to  me  thy  Son,  Jesus  Christ,  whom  I 
 believe,  whom  I  profess,  whom  I  love,  whom  I  glorify,  and 
 whom  the  Pope  and  the  multitude  of  the  wicked  do  persecute 
 and  dishonour.  I  beseech  thee.  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  receive 
 my  soul.  O  my  heavenly  Father,  though  I  be  taken  out  of 
 this  life,  and  must  lay  down  this  frail  body,  yet  I  certainly 
 know  that  I  shall  live  with  thee  eternally,  and  that  I  cannot 
 be  taken  out  of  thy  hands.  '  God  so  loved  the  world,'  &c. 
 Lord,  I  render  up  my  spirit  into  thy  hands,  and  come  to  thee : 
 Lord,  into  thy  hands  I  commend  my  spirit :  thou,  O  God  of 
 truth,  hast  redeemed  me !"  Albert,  count  of  Mansfeld,  Me- 
 lancthon,  Justus  Jonas,  and  several  other  friends,  attended  him 
 in  his  last  moments,  joining  him  in  prayer,  that  God  would 
 preserve  the  doctrine  of  his  gospel  among  them.  Melancthon 
 says  of  Luther,  that  having  frequently  repeated  his  prayers,  he 
 was  called  to  God,  "  unto  whom  he  so  faithfully  commended 
 his  spirit,  to  enjoy,  no  doubt,  the  blessed  society  of  the  pa- 
 triarchs, prophets,  and  apostles,  in  the  kingdom  of  God  the 
 Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost." 
 
 Luther  died  on  the  eighteenth  of  February,  1546,  in  the 
 sixty-fourth  year  of  his  age.  A  thousand  fables  have  been  in- 
 vented concerning  his  death ;  nor  would  his  enemies  forbear 
 publishing  lies  on  this  subject,  long  after  he  had  left  this  world. 
 Some  have  said  that  he  died  suddenly ;  others,  that  he  killed 
 himself;  and  some  have  impudently  proceeded  so  far  as  to 
 give  out  that  he  was  taken  away  by  the  devil.  Nor  are  they 
 people  of  mean  figure  or  credit,  who  vent  these  calumnies,  but 
 the  most  famous  writers ;  as  Cochlaius,  Bessaeus,  Bozius,  Fa- 
 bianus,  Justinian,  and  Bellarmine.  This,  says  Bayle,  reflects 
 on  the  whole  body  of  popery ;  for  such  fables  ought  not  to  pass 
 the  press.  Father  Maimbourg  has  rejected  all  these  foolish 
 stories ;  but  he  has  been  mistaken  in  a  notable  fact.  Speak- 
 ing of  Luther,  he  says  the  elector  of  Saxony  caused  his  body 
 to  be  conveyed  with  a  magnificent  pomp  to  Wittenberg,  where 
 he  erected  for  him  a  monument  of  white  marble,  surrounded 
 with  the  statues  of  the  twelve  apostles,  as  if  he  had  been  the 
 thirteenth,  with  respect  to  Germany.  He  was  honourably 
 interred  at  Wittenberg,  but  Seckendorf  has  shewn  that  no 
 such  statues  were  placed  round  his  tomb. 
 
 The  virulent  partisans  of  the  church  of  Rome  tell  us,  that 
 Luther  was  not  only  no  divine,  but  even  an  outrageous  enemy 
 
LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER.  IxiX 
 
 and  calumniator  of  all  kinds  of  science  •  and  that  he  committed 
 gToss,  stupid,  and  abominable  errors  against  the  principles  of 
 divinity  and  philosoph)%  They  accuse  him  of  having  con- 
 fessed, that,  after  struggling  for  ten  years  together  Avith  his 
 conscience,  he  at  last  became  a  perfect  master  of  it,  and  fell 
 into  atheism ;  and  add,  that  he  frequently  said  he  would  re- 
 nounce his  portion  in  heaven,  provided  God  would  allow  him 
 a  pleasant  life  for  a  hundred  years  upon  earth.  And,  lest  we 
 sliould  wonder  that  so  monstrous  and  unheard-of  impiety 
 should  be  found  in  a  mere  human  creature,  they  make  no  scru- 
 ple to  say,  that  an  incubus  begat  him.  These,  and  many  more 
 such  scandalous  imputations,  Mr.  Bayle  has  been  at  the  pains 
 to  collect,  under  the  article  of  Luther,  in  his  Dictionary,  and 
 has  treated  them  with  all  the  contempt  and  just  indignation 
 they  deserve.  But  let  us  leave  these  impotent  railers,  and  at- 
 tend a  little  to  more  equitable  judges.  "Luther,"  says  Mr. 
 Warton,  in  his  appendix  to  Dr.  Cave's  Historia  Literaria, 
 "  was  a  man  of  prodigious  sagacity  and  acuteness,  very  warm, 
 and  formed  for  great  undertakings ;  being  a  man,  if  ever  there 
 was  one,  whom  nothing  could  daunt  or  intimidate.  When  the 
 cause  of  religion  was  concerned,  he  never  regarded  whose  love 
 he  was  likely  to  gain,  or  whose  displeasure  to  incur.  He 
 treated  the  Pope's  bulls  and  the  emperor's  edicts  just  alike ; 
 that  is,  he  heartily  despised  both.  In  the  meantime  it  must  be 
 owned,  that  Luther  often  gave  a  greater  loose  to  his  passions 
 than  he  ought,  and  did  not  in  his  writings  pay  that  deference 
 to  crowned  heads  which  it  is  always  necessary  to  pay ;  but 
 every  man  has  his  foible,  and  this  was  Luther's.  However, 
 he  was  very  diligent  in  his  application  to  letters,  and  very 
 learned,  considering  the  times  he  lived  in.  His  chief  pursuit 
 was  in  the  study  of  the  scriptures,  upon  a  great  part  of  which 
 he  wrote  commentaries.  He  reformed  the  Christian  religion 
 from  many  errors  and  superstitions,  with  which  it  had  been 
 long  corrupted,  and  reduced  it,  as  well  as  he  could,  to  its  pri-^ 
 niitive  purity.  If  in  some  places  he  appears  not  quite  so  or- 
 thodox, we  must  impute  it  to  the  times,  and  not  to  him ;  for  it 
 is  no  wonder  that  one  who  attempts  to  cleanse  such  a  stable  of 
 Augeas  as  the  church  of  Rome,  should  not  escape  free  from 
 spots  and  blemishes.  He  kept  primitive  antiquity  constantly 
 before  his  eyes,  as  his  guide  and  rule ;  and,  as  Erasmus  has 
 observed,  many  things  are  condemned  as  heretical  in  the  writ- 
 ings of  Luther,  which  are  thought  very  orthodox  and  pious  in 
 the  books  of  Erasmus  and  Bernard.  Erasmus  also  says,  that 
 Luther  wrote  many  things  rather  imprudently  than  impiously. 
 His  style  was  rough  and  harsh  ;  for  in  those  days  every  body 
 could  not  write  like  Erasmus,  Politian,  Bemhus,  &c.  who 
 were  always  reading  Tully,  Livy,  and  Terence.  Yet  how  un- 
 couth and  inelegant  soever  his  style  may  be,  it  every  where 
 breathes  a  genuine  zeal  and  piety,  which  is  more  solicitoia 
 about  things  than  Avords." 
 
iXX  LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER. 
 
 Luther  left  a  widow,  three  sons,  and  two  daughters.  His 
 family  Avas  not  extinct,  when  Seckendorf  published  his  history, 
 towards  the  latter  end  of  the  last  century.  Whilst  the  troops 
 of  Charles  V.  Avere  at  Wittenberg-,  in  the  year  1547,  the 
 Spaniards  solicited  the  emperor  to  pull  down  Luther's  monu- 
 ment, and  wanted  to  dig  up  his  bones;  but  the  emperor  had 
 more  generosity  and  prudence,  than  to  consent  to  a  procedure 
 so  base  and  infamous. 
 
 Luther  had  a  very  sharp  and  satirical  style;  but  his  Commen- 
 tary on  the  Epistle  to  the  Galatians  was  his  favourite  work, 
 which  he  used  1o  call  his  wife,  his  Catharine  de  Bore.  It  was 
 a  very  great  imprudence  to  publish  such  a  collection  as  the 
 Sermones  Menmlcs,  or  Colloqiiia  Mensalia;  for  Luther's  table- 
 talk  is  the  subject  of  the  book.  It  was  published  in  1571,  by 
 Henry  Peter  Uebenstock,  minister  of  Fischerheim;  but  Luther 
 was  not  the  author  of  that  book,  the  publication  of  which  was 
 the  effect  of  an  inconsiderate  zeal. 
 
 His  favourite  doctrine  was  justification  by  faith  alone,  and 
 not  by  works,  moral,  legal,  or  evangelical ;  but  we  must  do  him 
 the  justice  to  observe,  that  he  perpetually  inculcated  the  abso- 
 lute necessity  of  good  works.  According  to  him,  a  man  is 
 justified  only  by  faith;  but  he  cannot  be  justified  without 
 works ;  and  where  those  works  are  not  to  be  found,  there  is 
 assuredly  no  true  faith.  He  was  once  somewhat  inclined  to 
 bhe  opinion,  that  souls  after  death  sleep  till  the  resurrection ; 
 fDut  he  afterwards  said,  that  the  souls  of  the  faithful  are  in  a 
 tate  of  felicity ;  and  this  seems  to  have  been  his  last  and  settled 
 opinion.  He  thought  that  the  Jewish  nation  would  never  be 
 converted ;  and  that  St.  Paul's  expressions  concerning  this  sub- 
 ject were  misunderstood. 
 
 Luther  was  a  magnanimous  pei*son,  even  by  the  concession 
 of  his  enemies ;  and  undertook  such  things  as  the  world  may 
 reasonably  admire,  having  opposed  himself  alone  to  the  whole 
 earth.  His  followers  called  themselves  Lutherans,  much  against 
 his  mind;  but  they  recede  from  him  in  many  things,  as  may  be 
 seen  by  their  writings. 
 
 Melancthon  says,  "  Pomeranus  is  a  grammarian;  I  am  a  lo- 
 gician; and  Justus  Jonas  is  an  orator;  but  Luther  is  good  at 
 every  thing:  the  wonder  of  mankind;  for  whatever  he  says, 
 or  writes,  it  penetrates  the  heart,  and  makes  a  lasting  im- 
 pression." 
 
 It  is  also  to  be  said  of  Luther,  that  it  was  a  great  miracle  a 
 poor  friar  should  be  able  to  stand  against  the  Pope;  it  was  a 
 greater  that  he  should  prevail;  and  the  greatest  of  all,  that  he 
 should  die  in  peace,  as  well  as  Erasmus,  when  surrounded  by 
 Bo  many  enemies. 
 
 The  doctrine  of  this  eminent  divine,  and  great  reformer, 
 was  soon  extended  all  through  Germany,  Denmark,  Sweden, 
 Cngland,  and  other  countries,  under  different  modifications. 
 
LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER.  Ixxi 
 
 Luther's  works  were  collected  after  his  death,  and  printed 
 at  Wittenberg,  iii  seven  volumes  folio.  Catharine  de  Bore 
 survived  her  husband  a  few  years,  and  continued  the  first  year 
 of  her  widowhood  at  Wittenberg,  though  Luther  had  advised 
 her  to  seek  another  place  of  residence.  She  went  from  thence 
 in  the  year  1547,  when  the  town  Avas  surrendered  to  the  em- 
 peror Charles  V.  Before  her  departure,  she  had  received  a 
 present  of  fifty  crowns  from  Christian  IIL,  king  of  Denmark; 
 and  the  elector  of  Saxony,  and  the  counts  of  Mansfeld,  gave 
 her  good  tokens  of  their  liberality.  With  these  additions  to 
 what  Luther  had  left  her,  she  had  scarce  wherewithal  to  main- 
 tain herself  and  her  family.  She  returned  to  Wittenberg, 
 when  the  town  was  restored  to  the  elector,  where  she  lived  in 
 a  very  devout  and  pious  maimer,  till  the  plague  obliged  her  to 
 leave  it  again,  in  the  year  1552.  She  sold  what  she  had  at  Wit- 
 tenberg, and  retired  to  Torgau,  with  a  resolution  to  end  her 
 life  there.  An  awful  providence  befel  her  in  her  journey  thi- 
 ther, which  proved  fatal  to  her.  The  horses  growing  unruly, 
 and  attempting  to  run  away,  she  leaped  out  of  the  vehicle  she 
 was  conveyed  in;  and,  by  leaping,  got  a  fall,  of  Avhich  she  died 
 about  a  quarter  of  a  year  after,  at  Torgau,  upon  the  twentieth 
 of  December,  1552.  She  was  buried  there,  in  the  great  church, 
 where  her  tomb  and  epitaph  are  still  to  be  seen;  and  the  uni- 
 versity of  Wittenberg',  which  was  then  at  Torgau,  because  the 
 plague  raged  at  Wittenberg,  made  a  public  programma  con- 
 cerning the  funeral  pomp. 
 
 Upon  Luther's  tomb  the  university  of  Wittenberg  directed 
 the  following  inscription: — 
 
 MARTINI  LUTHERI  S.  THEOLOGIZE 
 D.  CORPUS  H.  L.  S.  E.  QUI  ANNO 
 CHRISTI  MDXLVI.  XII.  CAL. 
 MARTII  EISLEBII  IN  PA- 
 TRIAS.  M.  O.  C.  V.  AN. 
 LXIII.  M.  III.  D.  X. 
 
 Translation. 
 
 "  In  tliis  place  lies  buried  the  body  of  Martin  Luther, 
 doctor  of  divinity,  who  died  at  Isleben,  his  birth-place,  on  the 
 twelfth  of  the  calends  of  March,  in  the  year  1546;  when  he 
 had  lived  sixty-three  years,  three  months,  and  ten  days." 
 
 Beza's  epigram  upon  Luther  has  been  much  admired,  and 
 therefore  we  will  present  it  to  our  reader. 
 
 Roma  orbem  domuil ;  Romam  sibi  papa  subegit : 
 
 Firibus  ilia  sui!i,fraudibus  isle  suis.' 
 Quanta  islo  major  Lulherus,  major  el  ilia: 
 
 Intum  illamque  uno  qui  domuil  calamo  I 
 I  uiiacf  bidden  mimorato,  Grada  mendaxf 
 
 1  ulheri  ad  calamumferrea  clava  nihil 
 
Ixxii  LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER. 
 
 The  learned  reader  will  excuse  the  following  unequal  trans- 
 lation:— 
 
 Rome  lamed  the  world;  yet  Rome  the  Pope  hath  awed; 
 She  rose  by  force,  but  he  by  holy  fraud. 
 Greater  than  both  how  much  was  Luther,  when 
 He  vanquish'd  both  with  nothing  but  a  pen  ! 
 Go,  fabiing  Greece,  and  bid  Alcides  know, 
 ,  His  club,  as  Luther's  pen,  gave  no  such  blow. 
 
 Our  serious  reiders  will,  perhaps,  be  pleased  with  the  inser- 
 tion of  some  remarkable  sayings  and  observations  of  this  gi*eat 
 man,  which  we  will  extract  from  that  able  and  faithful  biogra- 
 pher,  Melohior  Adam.  Erasmus  confessed,  "that  there  Avas 
 more  solid  divinity  contained  in  one  leaf  of  Luther's  commen- 
 taries, than  could  be  found  in  many  prolix  treatises  of  school- 
 men, and  such  kind  of  authors." 
 
 Speaking  of  the  Pope's  using  the  mass  for  departed  souls, 
 Luther  observed,  that  "  he  with  his  mass  was  not  satisfied  to 
 thrust  himself  into  all  corners  of  the  earth,  but  he  must  needs 
 go  tumbling  down  into  the  veiy  bosom  of  hell." 
 
 He  used  to  call  the  indulgence-merchants,  piu*se-threshers. 
 
 There  were  many  plots  laid  against  his  life,  which  the  bloody 
 Papists  sought  after  by  all  means.  Poison,  daggers,  pistols, 
 were  intended,  when  fire  and  faggots  could  not  be  used, 
 through  the  elector's  protection.  A  Polish  Jew  was  hired  for 
 two  thousand  crowns  to  poison  liim.  The  plot  (says  Luther) 
 was  discovered  to  me  by  the  letters  of  my  friends.  He  is  a 
 doctor  of  physic,  and  dares  to  attempt  any  thing;  he  would  go 
 about  this  business  with  incredible  craft  and  agility.  He  is 
 j\ist  now  apprehended." — However,  God  preserved  him  from 
 the  malice  of  his  enemies.  It  shews,  however,  what  Papists 
 can  attempt  (says  Melchior  Adam);  and  if  we  wanted  further 
 proof  of  it,  the  words  of  Aloander,  the  Pope's  legate,  are  quite 
 sufficient.  "Though  you  Germans  (said  he),  who  pay  the 
 least  of  all  people  to  the  Roman  see,  have  shaken  off"  the  Pope's 
 yoke;  yet  Ave  will  take  care,  that  ye  shall  be  devoured  with 
 civil  wars,  and  perish  in  your  own  blood." — A  pious  resolution, 
 indeed ! 
 
 When  Luther's  bold  manner  of  expressing  himself  Avas  cen- 
 sured, he  replied:  "Almost  all  men  condemn  my  tartness  of 
 expression;  but  I  am  of  your  opinion,  (says  he  to  his  friend,) 
 that  God  Avill  have  the  deceits  of  men  thus  powerfully  exposed. 
 For  I  plainly  perceive,  that  those  things  Avhich  are  softly  dealt 
 with  in  our  corrupt  age,  give  people  but  light  concern,  and  are 
 presently  forgotten.  If  I  have  exceeded  the  bounds  of  mode- 
 ration, the  monstrous  tvu'pitude  of  the  times  has  transported  me. 
 Nor  do  I  transcend  the  example  of  Christ,  Avho,  having  to  do 
 Avith  men  of  like  manners,  called  them  sharply  by  their  own 
 proper  names,  such  as,  "  an  adulterous  and  perverse  genera- 
 tion, a  brood  of  vipers,  hypocrites,  children  of  the  dcAol,  who 
 
LIFE  OF  MARTJN  LUTHER.  Ixxlu 
 
 eould  not  escape  the  damnation  of  hell."  Erasmus,  with  all  his 
 refinement,  could  own,  "  that  God  had  sent  in  Luther  a  sharp 
 physician,  in  consideration  of  the  immensity  of  the  diseases 
 which  had  infected  this  last  age  of  the  world." 
 
 Luther  caused  the  Psalms,  used  in  worship,  to  be  translated 
 into  German.  "  We  intend  (says  he  to  Spalatinus),  after  the 
 example  of  the  prophets  and  primitive  fathers  of  the  church,  to 
 turn  the  Psalms,  for  spiritual  singing-,  into  the  vulgar  tongue 
 for  the  common  people,  so  that  the  word  of  God  may  remain 
 among  the  people,  even  in  their  singing.  Upon  this  account  we 
 seek  for  some  poets,  and  as  you  possess  the  copiousness  and 
 elegance  of  the  German,  which  you  have  greatly  cultivated,  I 
 would  request  your  assistance  in  this  business,  in  translating 
 some  of  the  Psalms  into  German  verse,  according  to  the  in- 
 closed example.  My  wish  is,  to  avoid  all  difficult  and  coui-tly 
 terms,  and  to  use  the  simplest  and  most  common  phrases,  so 
 that  they  are  fit  and  proper  for  the  edification  of  the  lowest 
 among  the  people.  Let  the  sense  be  clear,  and  as  close  as  pos- 
 sible to  the  original.  To  preserve  the  sense,  when  you  cannot 
 render  word  for  word,  it  may  be  right  to  use  such  a  phrase  as 
 will  most  perfectly  convey  the  idea.  I  confess  I  am  not  suffi- 
 ciently qualified  myself,  and  therefore  would  request  you  to  try 
 how  near  you  can  approach  to  Heman,  Asaph,  and  Jeduthun." 
 
 He  used  to  say  of  himself  and  the  other  ministers,  "  We  are 
 only  planters  and  waterers,  in  administering  the  word  and  sa- 
 craments ;  but  the  increase  is  not  in  our  power." 
 
 Concerning  our  righteousness,  he  observed,  "Thou,  Lord 
 Jesus,  art  my  righteousness ;  but  I  am  altogether  sin :  thou  hast 
 taken  what  was  mine,  and  hast  given  me  Avhat  was  thine;  thou 
 hast  taken  what  thou  wast  not,  and  hast  given  me  what  I  was 
 not  before." 
 
 Respecting  ceremonies,  he  said,  "  I  condemn  no  ceremonies, 
 but  such  as  oppose  or  obscure  the  gospel." 
 
 With  regard  to  human  learning,  he  thus  expressed  himself: 
 "  I  am  persuaded  that  true  divinity  could  not  well  be  supported 
 without  the  knowledge  of  letters :  of  this  we  have  sad  proof, 
 for  while  learning  was  decayed  and  in  ruins,  theology  fell  too, 
 and  lay  most  wretchedly  obscm'ed.  I  am  sure  that  the  reve- 
 lation and  manifestation  of  the  word  of  God  would  never  have 
 been  so  extensive  and  glorious  as  it  is,  if  preparatorily,  like  so 
 many  John  Baptists  smoothing  the  way,  the  knowledge  of  lan- 
 guages and  good  learning  had  not  risen  up  among  us. — They 
 are  most  exceedingly  mistaken  who  imagine  that  the  knowledge 
 of  nature  and  true  philosophy  is  of  no  use  to  a  divine." 
 
 He  advised,  in  the  case  of  temptations,  in  this  manner :  "  I 
 would  comfort  those  that  are  tried  in  their  faith  and  hope  to- 
 wards God  in  this  way:  first,  let  them  avoid  solitariness,  keep 
 ahvays  in  good  company,  sing  the  Psalms,  and  converse  upon 
 the  holy  scriptures.     Secondly,  though  it  be  the  most  difficult 
 
IxXlV  LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER. 
 
 point  to  work  upon  the  mind,  yet  it  is  the  most  present  remedy, 
 if  they  can  through  ^race  persuade  themselves  that  these 
 grievous  thoughts  are  not  their  own,  but  Satan's;  and  that, 
 therefore,  they  should  earnestly  endeavour  to  turn  the  heart  to 
 other  objects,  and  quit  these  evil  suggestions:  for  to  dwell  upon 
 them,  or  fight  with  them,  or  to  aim  to  overcome  them,  or  to 
 wait  for  an  end  of  them,  is  only  to  irritate  and  strengthen  them 
 over  to  perdition,  without  relief." 
 
 It  is  well  known  that  Luther  earnestly  defended  Christ's 
 corporeal  presence  in  the  sacrament;  but  it  is  said  that  he  was 
 of  a  contrary  sentiment  a  little  before  his  death,  and  owned  it. 
 For  as  he  was  preparing  to  make  his  last  journey  to  Isleben, 
 he  confessed  to  Melancthon,  on  the  twenty-third  of  January, 
 1546,  "that  he  had  gone  too  far  in  the  sacramentarian  contro- 
 versy." Melancthon  persuaded  him  to  explain  himself  by  some 
 public  writing;  but  to  this  he  objected,  "  that  by  so  doing  he 
 should  make  all  his  doctrine  doubtful;  but  that  he  (Melancthon) 
 might  do  as  he  thought  fit,  after  his  decease."  This  speech  was 
 made  before  several  Avitnesses. 
 
 Luther  fi-equently  said,  "  That  a  preacher  should  take  care 
 not  to  bring  three  little  sly  dogs  into  his  profession,  viz.  pride, 
 covETOUSNESS,  and  envy."  To  which  he  added,  to  preachers, 
 "  When  you  observe  the  people  hear  most  attentively,  be  as- 
 sured they  will  return  the  more  readily.  Three  things  make  a 
 divine:  meditation,  prayer,  and  temptation.  And  three  things 
 are  to  be  remembered  by  a  minister;  tui-n  over  and  over  the 
 Bible,  pray  devoutly,  and  be  never  above  learning.  They  are 
 the  best  preachers  for  the  common  people,  who  speak  in  the 
 meanest,  lowest,  humblest,  and  most  simple  style." 
 
 In  private  life,  Luther  was  an  example  of  the  strictest  virtue . 
 At  dinner  or  supper,  he  would  often  dictate  matter  of  preach- 
 ing to  others,  or  correct  the  press;  and  sometimes  amuse  him- 
 self with  music,  in  which  he  took  great  delight.  Though  a 
 large  man,  he  was  a  very  moderate  eater  and  drinker,  and  not 
 at  all  delicate  in  his  appetite,  for  he  usually  fed  upon  the  sim- 
 plest diet.  He  much  delighted  in  his  garden,  and  was  very 
 fond  of  cultivating  it  Avith  all  kinds  of  plants.  In  short,  he  was 
 never  idle. 
 
 Though  he  had  not  much  himself,  he  very  freely  bestowed 
 of  what  he  had  upon  others.  A  poor  student,  asking  money  of 
 him,  he  desired  his  wife  to  give  some,  who  excusing  herself  on 
 account  of  their  poverty,  he  took  up  a  silver  cup  and  gave  it  to 
 the  scholar,  bidding  him  sell  it  to  the  goldsmith,  and  keep  the 
 money  for  his  occasions.  When  a  friend  sent  him  two  hun- 
 dred pieces  of  gold,  he  bestowed  them  all  on  poor  scholars. 
 And  when  the  elector  gave  him  a  new  gOAvn,  he  wrote,  in 
 answer,  "That  too  much  was  done;  for  if  we  receive  all  in 
 this  life,  we  shall  have  nothing  to  hope  for  in  the  next."  He 
 took  nothing  of  printers  for  his  works,  to  h'g  own  use,  saying, 
 
LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER.  IxXV 
 
 "*Tis  true,  I  have  no  money,  but  am  indeed  poor;  yet  I  deal 
 in  this  moderate  manner  with  printers,  and  take  nothing  from 
 them  for  my  variety  of  labours,  except  sometimes  a  copy  or 
 two.  This,  I  believe,  may  be  due  to  me,  when  other  authors, 
 even  translators,  for  every  sheet  have  their  stipulated  price." 
 When  he  had  some  money  sent  him,  he  wrote  thus  to  a  friend: 
 "  I  have  received  by  Taubenheim  a  hundred  pieces  of  gold ; 
 and  at  the  same  time  Schart  has  sent  me  fifty;  so  that  I  ibegin 
 to  fear,  lest  God  should  give  me  my  portion  here.  But  I  so- 
 lemnly protest,  that  I  would  not  be  so  satisfied  from  Him.  I 
 will  either  presently  return,  or  get  rid  of  them.  For  what  is 
 so  much  money  to  me?  I  have  given  half  of  it  to  Prior,  and 
 made  him  very  happy." 
 
 He  had  great  tenderness  for  his  family.  When  he  saw  Mag- 
 dalen, his  eldest  daughter,  at  the  point  of  death,  he  read  to  her 
 this  passage  from  the  26th  of  Isaiah,  "  Thy  dead  men  shall 
 live,  together  with  my  dead  body  shall  they  arise:  Awake  and 
 sing,  ye  that  dwell  in  the  dust;  for  thy  dew  is  as  the  dew  of 
 herbs,  and  the  earth  shall  cast  out  the  dead.  Come,  my  people, 
 enter  thou  into  thy  chambers,  and  shut  thy  doors  about  thee: 
 hide  thyself,  as  it  were  for  a  little  moment,  until  the  indignation 
 be  overpast.  My  daughter,  do  thou  enter  (says  he)  into  thy 
 chamber  with  peace:  I  shall  soon  be  with  thee;  for  God  will 
 not  permit  me  to  see  the  judgments  that  hang  over  Germany." 
 And  upon  this  he  poured  forth  a  flood  of  tears.  Yet,  after- 
 wards, when  he  attended  the  funeral,  he  contained  himself,  so 
 as  not  to  appear  to  weep. 
 
 Wliat  he  said  of  the  covetousness  of  the  Germans,  and  of  the 
 prevailing  scarcity  in  his  time,  may  be  applied  to  some  other 
 professing  people  besides  them.  "  We  are  in  dread  of  famine; 
 and  famine  we  shall  feel  without  remedy.  And  as  we,  without 
 necessity,  and  like  impious  and  faithless  heathens,  have  been 
 distracted  with  carefulness,  solicitous  lest  we  should  be  de- 
 stroyed by  famine,  and  utterly  neglecting  the  word  and  work 
 of  God:  so  he  will  permit  the  evil  day  shortly  to  come,  which 
 will  bring  with  it  a  most  heavy  load  of  sorrows,  beyond  our 
 power  either  to  sustain  or  remove." 
 
 Being  once  asked,  "  Whether  we  should  know  each  other  in 
 heaven r"  He  answered,  "How  was  it  with  Adam?  He  had 
 never  seen  Eve;  for  when  God  formed  her,  he  was  in  a  deep 
 sleep:  yet  when  he  awaked  and  saw  her,  he  did  not  ask  who 
 she  was,  or  from  Avhence  she  came;  but  immediately  said,  that 
 she  was  flesh  of  his  flesh,  and  bone  of  his  bone.  How,  then,  did 
 he  know  this  ?  Being  tilled  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  endued 
 with  the  true  knowledge  of  God,  he  was  able  to  determine 
 upon  the  nature  of  things.  In  like  manner,  we  shall  be  per- 
 fectly renewed  hereafter,  through  Christ;  and  shall  know,  with 
 far  greater  perfection  than  can  be  conceived  of  here,  om-  dearest 
 
Ixxvi  LIFE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER. 
 
 relations,  and  indeed  whatever  exists;  and  in  a  mode,  too,  much 
 superior  to  that  of  Adam  in  paradise." 
 
 He  was  of  a  proper  stature  and  of  a  robust  body,  with  such  a 
 piercing  vivacity  in  his  eyes,  that  but  few  could  look  upor>  him 
 directly,  when  he  attentively  looked  upon  them.  He  had  but  a 
 soft  voice,  and  that  not  very  clear;  so  that  when  mention  was 
 made  one  day  at  table  of  Paul's  voice,  that  it  was  rather  weak, 
 he  observed  of  his  own,  that  it  could  not  deliver  his  words  but 
 with  a  low  pronunciation:  "  Yes,  (said  Melancthon,)  but  that 
 feeble  voice  of  thine  is  powerfully  received,  both  far  and  near." 
 
 Sturmius  says,  that  he  saw  a  letter  written  by  Luther  to 
 Wolfgang  Capito,  in  which  he  affirmed,  that  scarce  any  of  his 
 Avritings  pleased  himself,  except  his  Catechism,  and  his  book 
 De  servo  arbitrio,  or  "  Free-will  a  Slave."  Of  this  last  work, 
 the  late  Mr.  Toplady  had  begun  a  translation,  and  had  carried 
 it  on  a  considerable  Avay;  but  being  prevented  from  finishing  it 
 by  his  death,  (it  having  been  long  delayed,  through  other  avo- 
 cations), we  are  deprived  of  this  valuable  companion  to  Zan- 
 ohius  in  an  English  dress. 
 
 We  will  conclude  this  account  of  Luther,  with  the  high  en- 
 comium paid  to  his  memory  by  Wolfgang  Severus,  preceptor 
 to  the  emperor  Ferdinand. 
 
 *'  Japeti  di  gente  prior  mtyorque  Lutkero 
 Nemvjuitf  std  nee  tndofuttcrn*  stii.^* 
 
TO  ALL 
 
 AFFLICTED  CONSCIENCES, 
 
 IVhich  groan  for  Salvation,  and  wrestle  under  the  Crostfor  the  Kingdom  of 
 Christ;  Grace,  Peace,  and  Victory  in  the  Lord  Jesus  our  Saviour 
 
 J  N  few  words  to  declare  what  is  to  be  said  for  the  commenda- 
 tion of  this  work,  although  in  few  words  all  cannot  be  ex- 
 pressed that  may  be  said,  yet  briefly  to  signify  that  may  suffice, 
 this  much  we  thought  good  to  certify  thee,  godly  reader,  that 
 amongst  many  other  godly  English  books,  in  these  our  days 
 printed  and  translated,  thou  shalt  find  but  few,  wherein  either 
 thy  time  shall  seem  better  bestowed,  or  thy  labour  better  re- 
 compensed to  the  profit  of  thy  soul,  or  wherein  thou  mayest 
 see  the  spirit  and  vein  of  St.  Paul  more  lively  represented  to 
 thee,  than  in  the  diligent  reading  of  this  present  Commentary 
 upon  the  Epistle  of  St.  Paul  to  the  Galatians.  In  which,  as  in 
 a  mirror  or  glass,  or  rather  as  St.  Stephen  iia  the  heavens  being 
 opened,  thou  mayest  see  and  behold  the  admirable  glory  of  the 
 Lord,  and  all  the  riches  of  heaven;  thy  salvation  freely  and 
 only  by  faith  in  Christ;  his  love  and  grace  toward  thee  so 
 opened,  thy  victory  and  conquest  in  him  so  proved,  the  wrath 
 of  God  so  pacified,  his  law  satisfied,  the  full  kingdom  of  life 
 set  open;  death,  hell,  and  hell-gates,  be  they  never  so  strong, 
 with  all  the  power  of  sm,  flesh,  and  the  world,  vanquished ;  thy 
 conscience  discharged,  all  fears  and  terrors  removed,  thy  spiri- 
 tual man  so  refreshed  and  set  at  liberty,  that  either  thy  heart 
 must  be  heavier  than  lead,  or  the  reading  hereof  will  lift  thee 
 up  above  thyself,  and  give  thee  to  know  that  of  Christ  Jesu, 
 that  thyself  shalt  say  thou  never  knewest  before,  though  befoi*e 
 thou  knewest  him  right  well. 
 
 I  Such  spiritual  comfort,  such  heavenly  doctrine,  such  expe- 
 rience and  practice  of  conscience  herein  is  contained,  such 
 triumphing  over  Satan  and  all  his  power  infernal,  such  con- 
 tempt of  the  law  compared  Avith  the  gospel,  such  a  holy  pride 
 and  exaltation  of  the  believing  man,  (whom  here  he  maketh  a 
 person  divine,  the  Son  of  God,  the  heir  of  the  whole  earth, 
 conqueror  of  the  world,  of  sin,  of  death,  and  the  devil,)  with 
 such  phrases  and  speeches  of  high  contemplation,  of  Christ,  of 
 
Ixxviii  ADDRESS  TO  AFFLICTED  CONSCIENCES. 
 
 grace,  of  justification,  and  of  faith,  (which  faith,  saith  he,  trane* 
 figureth  a  man  into  Christ,  and  coupleth  him  more  near  unto 
 Christ  than  the  husband  is  coupled  to  his  wife,  and  maketh  a 
 man  more  than  a  man,)  with  such  other  voices,  full  of  spiritual 
 glory  and  majesty,  as  the  like  hath  not  been  used  lightly  of  any 
 writer  since  the  apostle's  time;  neither  durst  he  ever  have  used 
 the  same  himself,  had  not  great  experience  and  exercise  of  con- 
 science, by  inward  conflicts  and  profound  agonies,  framed  him 
 thereunto,  and  ministered  to  him  both  this  knowledge  of  spirit 
 and  boldness  of  speech. 
 
 And  this  commonly  is  the  working  and  proceeding  of  God's 
 vocation,  ever  to  work  things  by  the  contrary:  of  infidelity,  to 
 make  faith;  of  poverty,  to  make  riches;  in  misery,  to  shew 
 mercy;  to  tui'n  sorrow  to  solace,  mourning  to  mirth;  from 
 afflictions,  to  advance  to  glory;  from  hell,  to  bring  to  heaven; 
 from  death,  to  life;  from  darkness,  to  light;  from  thraldom,  to 
 liberty;  in  wilderness,  to  give  waters;  the  barren,  to  make 
 fruitful;  of  things  that  be  not,  to  make  things  to  be;  briefly, 
 to  make  all  things  of  nought.  Thus  began  God  first  to  work, 
 thus  he  proceeded,  thus  he  continueth,  and  so  will,  unto  the 
 world's  end.  The  first  seed  of  promise,  next  to  Eve,  was 
 given  to  Sarah:  yet  in  what  case  was  Eve,  before  she  had  the 
 promise?  And  in  what  barrenness  and  despair  Avas  Sarah,  be- 
 fore she  enjoyed  her  well-beloved  Isaac?  The  like  is  to  be 
 said  of  the  two  mothers  of  two  most  excellent  children,  Samuel 
 and  John  Baptist;  and  yet  what  griefs  and  sorroAvs  passed 
 over  their  hearts,  being  both  past  all  hope  in  nature,  before  the 
 goodness  of  God  did  work  ?  How  long  did  Jacob  the  patriarch 
 serve  in  miserable  thraldom  for  his  Rachael?  In  what  excel- 
 lent glory  Avas  Joseph  exalted?  Yet  Avhat  suffered  he  before 
 of  his  brethren,  and  how  long  imprisonment?  In  Avhat  and 
 how  long  servitude  Avere  the  sons  of  Israel,  before  Moses  was 
 sent  unto  them?  and,  afterAvards,  in  Avhat  distress  were  they 
 compassed  on  every  side,  Avhen  the  sea  was  forced  to  give  them 
 place?  after  that,  again,  Avhat  an  excellent  land  Avas  promised 
 and  given  unto  them,  flowing  with  milk  and  honey?  but  how 
 were  they  scourged  before  in  the  desart,  and  yet  had  not  they 
 the  land,  but  their  children?  To  overpass  many  things  here 
 by  the  way.  what  an  excellent  Avork  was  it  of  God  to  set  up 
 David  in  his  kingdom?  also  Avhat  excellent  promises  were 
 given  to  his  throne?  yet  how  hardly  escaped  he  with  life?  how 
 did  the  Lord  mortify  and  frame  him  to  his  hand,  before  he 
 placed  him  in  quiet?  Infinite  it  were  to  recite  all.  Briefly,  in 
 all  the  works  of  God,  this  is  usual  to  be  seen :  that  he  Avorketh 
 evermore  most  excellent  things  by  instruments  most  humble, 
 and  which  seem  farthest  off.  Which  of  all  the  apostles  did 
 ever  think,  Avhen  Christ  was  so  humbled  and  crucified  upon 
 the  tree,  that  they  should  ever  see  him  again,  although  he  fore- 
 
ADDRESS  TO  AFFLICTED  CONSCIENCES.  Ixxix 
 
 told  them  of  his  rising  before;  insomuch  that  Thomas  did 
 scarcely  beUeve  when  he  with  his  eyes  saw  him?  What  man 
 would  ever  have  thought  that  Paul,  in  the  raging  heat  of  his 
 persecuting  spii'it,  would  have  turned  from  a  persecutor,  to 
 such  a  professor;  from  such  infidelity,  to  such  a  faith;  insomuch 
 that  Ananias  would  scarcely  believe  the  Lord  when  he  told 
 him?  Such  is  the  omnipotency  of  the  Lord  our  God,  ever 
 working  lightly  by  the  contrary,  especially  when  he  hath  any 
 excellent  thing  to  work  to  his  own  glory. 
 
 After  like  sort  may  we  esteem  also  of  Martin  Luther,  who 
 being  first  a  friar,  in  what  blindness,  superstition  and  darkness, 
 in  what  dreams  and  dregs  of  monkish  idolatry  Avas  he  drowned, 
 his  history  declareth,  witness  recordeth,  and  this  book  also  partly 
 doth  specify;  whose  religion  was  all  in  Popish  ceremonies,  his 
 zeal  without  knowledge,  understanding  no  other  justification 
 but  in  works  of  the  law  and  merits  of  his  own  making,  only 
 believing  the  history  (as  many  do)  of  Christ's  death  and  resm-- 
 rection,  but  not  knojving  the  power  and  strength  thereof.  After 
 he  had  thus  continued  a  long  space,  more  pharisaical  and  zealous 
 in  these  monkish  ways  than  the  common  sort  of  that  order,  at 
 length  it  so  pleased  Almighty  God  to  begin  with  this  man: 
 first,  to  touch  his  conscience  with  some  remorse  and  feeling  of 
 sin,  his  mind  with  fears  and  misdoubts,  whereby  he  was  driven 
 to  seek  further:  so  that  by  searching,  seeking,  conferring,  and 
 by  reading  of  St.  Paul,  some  sparkles  of  better  knowledge  be- 
 gan by  little  and  little  to  appear,  which  after  in  time  grew  up 
 to  greater  increase.  But  here  it  happened  to  him,  as  com- 
 monly it  doth  to  all  good  Christians:  the  more  that  the  true 
 knowledge  of  Christ  in  him  increased,  the  more  Satan  the 
 enemy  stirred  with  his  fiery  darts,  with  doubts  and  objections, 
 with  false  terrors  and  subtle  assaults,  seeking,  by  all  means 
 possible,  how  to  oppress  the  inward  soul,  which  would  fain 
 take  his  rest  in  Christ.  In  these  spiritual  conflicts  and  inward 
 wrestlings,  how  grievously  he  was  encumbered,  fighting  against 
 incredulity,  error,  and  desperation,  marvellous  it  is  to  consider; 
 insomuch  that  three  days  and  three  nights  together  he  lay  upon 
 his  bed  without  meat,  drink,  or  any  sleep,  like  a  dead  man,  (as 
 some  of  him  do  write,)  labouring  in  soul  and  spirit  upon  a  cer- 
 tain place  of  St.  Paul,  in  the  third  chapter  to  the  Romans, 
 which  was  "  to  shew  his  justice  :"  thinking  Christ  to  be  sent  to 
 no  other  end  but  to  shew  forth  God's  justice  as  an  executor  of 
 the  law;  till  at  length,  being  answered  and  touched  by  the 
 Lord  concerning  the  right  meaning  of  these  words,  signifying 
 the  justice  of  God  to  be  executed  upon  his  Son,  to  save  us  from 
 the  stroke  thereof,  he  immediately  upon  the  same  started  up 
 from  his  bed,  so  confirmed  in  faith,  as  nothing  afterward  could 
 discoiu'age  him.  Beside  other  manifold  and  grievous  emp- 
 tations  (which  I  speak  not  of)  of  all  sorts  and  kinds,  except 
 
tXXX  ADDRESS  TO  AFFLICTED  CONSCIENCES. 
 
 only  of  avarice :  with  the  which  vice  only  he  never  was  tempted 
 nor  touched,  as  of  him  is  written  by  them  that  Avere  conversant 
 with  him. 
 
 In  this  meanwhile,  dm-ing  these  conflicts  and  exercises  of 
 M.  Luther,  which  notwithstanding-  did  him  no  hurt,  but  rather 
 turned  to  his  more  furtherance  in  spiritual  knoAvledge,  Pope 
 Leo  X.  sent  a  jubilee  with  his  pardon  abroad  through  all 
 Christian  realms  and  dominions,  whereby  he  g-athered  together 
 innumerable  riches  and  treasure:  the  collectors  whereof  pro- 
 mised to  every  one  that  would  put  ten  shillings  in  the  box, 
 licence  to  eat  white  meat  and  flesh  in  lent,  and  power  to  deliver 
 what  soul  he  Avould  out  of  purgatory;  and,  moreover,  full  pai'- 
 don  from  all  his  sins,  were  they  never  so  heinous.  But  if  it 
 were  one  jot  less  than  ten  shillings,  they  preached  it  would 
 profit  him  nothing.  The  abomination  whereof  was  so  horrible, 
 that  when  no  other  man  durst  speak,  yet  Luther  could  not  of 
 conscience  hold  his  peace;  but,  drawing  out  certain  articles, 
 desired  gently  to  dispute  the  matter,  writing  Avithal  a  most 
 humble  admonition  to  the  Pope,  submitting  himself  in  a  most 
 humble  manner  to  his  censure  and  judgment.  But  the  Pope, 
 thinking  great  scorn  to  be  controlled  of  such  a  friar,  took  the 
 matter  so  hot,  that  he,  with  all  his  cardinals,  Avith  all  the  rabble 
 of  monks  and  friars,  bishops  and  archbishops,  colleges  and  uni- 
 versities, kings  and  princes,  with  the  emperor  also  himself, 
 were  all  upon  him.  If  the  omnipotent  providence  of  the  Lord 
 from  above  had  not  sustained  him,  what  Avas  it  for  one  poor 
 friar  to  have  endured  all  these  sharp  assaults  of  Satan,  all  the 
 violence  of  the  Avhole  Avorld,  having  no  less  than  the  sun,  the 
 moon,  and  all  the  seven  stars  (as  they  say)  against  him;  being 
 hated  of  men,  impugned  of  devils,  rejected  of  nations,  by 
 solemn  authority  condemned,  distressed  with  infirmities,  and  with 
 all  manner  of  temptations  tried  and  proved.  And  yet,  for  all 
 these  temptations,  such  Avas  his  life,  that  (as  Erasmus,  writing 
 to  cardinal  Wolsey,  affirmeth)  none  of  his  enemies  could  ever 
 charge  him  with  any  note  of  just  reprehension.  Again,  such 
 were  his  allegations  out  of  the  scripture,  that  RofFensis,  writing 
 to  Erasmus,  confesseth  himself  to  be  astonished  at  them. 
 
 And  thus  much  by  the  way  of  preface,  touching  the  conflicts 
 and  exercises  of  this  man,  Avhich  we  thought  fit  to  insinuate  to 
 the  Christian  reader,  for  sundry  purposes.  First,  to  note  the 
 merciful  clemency  of  Christ  our  Saviour,  in  calling  so  super- 
 stitious and  idolatrous  a  friar  so  graciously  to  such  a  light  of 
 his  gospel,  his  grace  in  jiistifying  him,  his  might  in  preserving 
 him,  his  help  in  comforting  him,  his  glory  in  prospering  him, 
 one  against  so  many;  and  so  prospering  him,  that  the  whole 
 kingdom  of  the  Pope  had  no  power  either  to  Avithstand  him, 
 or  to  maintain  itself.  Secondly,  for  this  respect  also  and  pur- 
 {K>se:  that  the  reader,  considering  ^he  marvellous  working  of 
 
ADDRESS  TO  AFFLICTED  CONSCIENCES.  IxXXI 
 
 the  Lord  in  this  man,  may  the  better  credit  the  doctrine  that 
 he  teacheth.  And  though  his  doctrine,  as  touching  a  little 
 circiunstance  of  the  sacrament,  cannot  be  thoroughly  defended, 
 yet  neither  is  that  any  great  marvel  in  him,  who,  being  occu- 
 pied in  weightier  points  of  religion,  had  no  leisure  to  travel  in 
 the  searching  out  of  this  matter;  neither  ought  it  to  be  any 
 prejudice  to  all  the  rest,  which  he  taught  so  soundly,  of  the 
 weightier  principles  and  grounds  of  Christ's  gospel,  and  our 
 justification  only  by  faith  in  Christ.  And  yet,  in  the  same 
 matter  of  the  sacrament,  notwithstanding  that  he  altereth  some- 
 what from  Zuinglius,  sticking  too  near  the  letter;  yet  he  joineth 
 not  so  with  the  Papist,  that  he  leaveth  there  any  trans  ubstan- 
 tiation  or  idolatry.  Wherefore,  the  matter  being  no  greater 
 than  so,  nor  directly  against  any  article  of  our  creed,  let  us  not 
 be  so  nice,  for  one  little  wart,  to  cast  away  the  whole  body 
 It  were  doubtless  to  be  wished,  that  in  good  teachers  and 
 preachers  of  Christ,  there  were  no  defect  or  imperfection.  But 
 he  that  can  abide  nothing  with  his  blemish,  lert  him,  if  he  can, 
 name  any  doctor  or  writer,  (the  scripture  only  except,)  Greek 
 or  Latin,  old  or  new,  either  beyond  the  Alps,  or  on  this  side 
 the  Alps,  or  himself,  whatsoever  he  be,  which  hath  not  erred 
 in  some  sentence  or  in  some  exposition  of  holy  scripture. 
 But  if  he  cannot  so  do,  then  let  him  learn  by  himself  to  bear 
 with  other ;  to  take  the  best  and  leave  the  worst,  (although 
 there  is  no  such  matter  in  this  book  to  be  feared ;  forasmuch 
 as  we,  having  a  respect  to  the  simple,  have  purposely  sponged 
 out  and  omitted  such  stumbling-places,  being  but  few,  which 
 might  offend)  and  to  give  God  thanks  for  any  thing  that  is 
 good ;  and,  namely,  for  this  which  he  hath  given  us  by  Lu- 
 thei',  in  opening  to  us  his  grace,  mercy,  and  good-will  in  his 
 Son,  so  excellently,  through  the  preaching  of  this  man ;  who, 
 if  he  had  not  taught  the  difference  between  the  law  and  the 
 gospel,  and  set  out  to  us  our  justification,  victory,  and  liberty, 
 by  faith  only  in  Christ  so  plainly,  so  plentifully,  and  so  as- 
 suredly as  he  hath  done,  who  ever  durst  have  been  so  bold 
 to  open  his  mouth  in  such  words,  or  so  confidently  to  stand 
 in  this  doctrine  of  faith  and  grace  ?  For  if  there  have  been, 
 since  the  time  of  Luther,  and  be  yet,  some  which  openly  de- 
 fend "  that  works  be  necessary  to  salvation,"  where  he  before 
 so  mightily  had  taught  the  contrary ;  what  then  would  these 
 have  done,  if  Luther  had  not  been  ?  who  also  did  forewarn  us 
 of  the  same,  prophesying  that,  after  his  time,  this  doctrine  of 
 justification  would  be  almost  extinguished  in  the  church,  as,  in 
 certain  places,  experience  beginneth  partly  to  prove. 
 
 Wherefore,  so  much  as  the  Lord  shall  give  us  grace,  let  us 
 hold  constantly  the  comfortable  doctrine  of  faith  and  justifica- 
 tion, and  not  lose  that  the  Lord  so  freely  hath  given,  calling 
 upon  the  T^ord  with  all  obedience  and  diligence,  to  give  us 
 
 / 
 
Ixxxii  ADDRESS  TO  AFFLICTED  CONSCIENCES. 
 
 grace  with  St.  Paul,  not  to  refuse  the  grace  Avhich  he  bestowetli 
 upon  us,  nor  to  be  offended  with  this  joyful  doctrine,  as  many 
 be.  And,  therefore,  as  our  duty  was  for  our  part  to  set  it 
 abroad,  so  our  counsel  is  no  less  to  every  studious  reader 
 thereof,  to  pray  for  grace  rightly  to  understand  that  he  readeth. 
 For  else,  unless  the  special  grace  of  Christ  do  help,  hard  it  is 
 to  flesh  and  blood  to  comprehend  this  mystical  doctrine  of  faith 
 only.  So  strange  it  is  to  carnal  reason,  so  dark  to  the  world, 
 so  many  enemies  it  hath,  that  except  the  Spirit  of  God  from 
 above  do  reveal  it,  learning  cannot  reach  it,  wisdom  is  offended, 
 nature  is  astonished,  devils  do  not  know  it,  men  do  persecute 
 it.  Briefly,  as  there  is  no  way  of  life  so  easy,  so  there  is  none 
 so  hard :  easy  to  whom  it  is  given  fi-om  above ;  hard  to  carnal 
 sense  not  yet  inspired.  The  ignorance  whereof  is  the  root  of 
 all  errors,  sects,  and  divisions,  not  only  in  all  Christendom,  but 
 also  in  the  world.  The  Jew  thinketh  to  be  saved  by  his  Moses' 
 law,  the  Turk  by  his  Alcoran,  the  philosopher  by  his  moral 
 virtues.  Besides  these,  cometh  another  sort  of  people,  not  so 
 ill  as  the  Jews,  nor  so  heathen  as  the  philosopher,  but  having 
 some  part  of  both;  "which  refuse  not  utterly  the  name  of 
 Christ;  but  with  Christ  do  join,  partly  the  law  of  Moses,  partly 
 the  moral  and  natural  discipline  of  philosophy,  and  partly  their 
 own  ceremonies  and  traditions,  to  make  a  perfect  way  to  hea- 
 ven :**  and  these,  here  in  this  Commentary,  are  called  Papists, 
 of  the  Pope  their  author ;  being  divided  within  themselves 
 more  than  into  a  hundred  divers  sects,  orders,  and  professions 
 of  cardinals,  friars,  monks,  nuns,  priests,  hermits,  and  other 
 votaries ;  all  which  seem  to  spring  up  of  no  other  cause  but 
 only  of  ignorance  upon  this  doctrine.  And  no  marvel;  for 
 take  away  this  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith  only  in  Christ, 
 and  leave  a  man  to  his  own  inventions,  what  end  will  there  be 
 of  new  devices  ?  Such  a  perilous  thing  it  is  to  err  in  the 
 foundations ;  whereupon  the  higher  ye  build,  the  greater  is  the 
 fall.  And  yet  such  builders  are  not  without  their  props  to 
 hold  up  their  workmanship  of  works  against  this  doctrine  of 
 justifying  faith,  pretending,  for  their  defence,  the  testimony  of 
 St.  James,  where  he  seemeth  to  attribute  justification  to  works, 
 and  not  to  faith  only. 
 
 Touching  which  matter  of  justification,  forasmuch  as  in  the 
 sequel  of  this  treatise  the  author  hath  discoursed  upon  the 
 same  at  large,  it  shall  not  be  much  needful  to  use  many  words 
 at  this  present.  This  briefly  may  suflice,  by  the  way  of  preface, 
 in  a  word  or  two  to  advertise  the  Christian  reader,  whoso  taketh 
 it  in  hand  with  profit  and  judgment  to  read  this  book,  that  in 
 him  tAvo  things  are  especially  to  be  required :  first,  to  read  it 
 wholly  together,  and  not  by  pieces  and  parts,  here  and  there  ; 
 but  to  take  it  in  order  as  it  lieth,  conferring  one  place  with 
 anothei;,  whereby  to  understand  the  better  the  right  meaning 
 
ADDRESS  TO  AFFLICTED  CONSCIENCES.  IxXXlll 
 
 of  the  writer,  how  and  in  what  sense  he  excludeth  good 
 works,  and  how  not ;  how  he  neglecteth  the  law,  and  how  he 
 magnifieth  the  law.  For,  as  in  case  of  justifying  before  God, 
 the  free  promise  of  the  gospel  admitteth  no  condition,  but  faith 
 only  in  Christ  Jesu ;  so,  in  case  of  dutiful  obedience,  Luther 
 here  excludeth  no  good  works,  but  rather  exhorteth  thereunto, 
 and  that  in  many  places.  Thus  times  and  cases  discreetly  must 
 be  distinguished. 
 
 The  second  thing  to  be  required  is,  that  in  reading  hereof, 
 he  that  seeketh  to  take  the  fruit  hereby,  do  bring  such  a  mind 
 with  him  to  the  reading,  as  the  author  himself  did  to  the  preach- 
 ing thereof;  that  is,  he  had  need  to  have  his  senses  exercised 
 somewhat  in  such  spiritual  conflicts,  and  to  be  well  hiunbled 
 before  with  the  fear  of  God,  and  inward  repentance,  or  else 
 he  shall  hardly  conceive  the  excellent  sweetness  either  of  this 
 writer  or  any  other.  For  albeit  most  true  it  is,  that  no  greater 
 comfort  to  the  soul  of  man  can  be  found  in  any  book  next  to 
 the  holy  scripture,  than  in  this  Commentary  of  M.  Luther ; 
 so  this  comfort  hath  little  place,  but  only  where  the  conscience, 
 being  in  heaviness,  hath  need  of  the  physician's  hand.  The 
 other,  who  feel  themselves  whole,  and  are  not  touched  in  soul 
 with  any  sorrow,  as  they  little  care  for  these  books,  so  they 
 have  little  understanding  of  this  doctrine  when  they  read  it. 
 And  this  is  the  cause,  in  my  mind,  why  the  Pope  and  his  Pa- 
 pists have  so  little  feeling  and  liking  of  Luther's  doctrine ;  and 
 all  because  they  commonly  are  never  greatly  vexed  in  spirit  with 
 any  deep  affliction,  but  rather  deride  them  that  be  beaten  down 
 with  such  conflicts  and  temptations  of  Satan,  as  they  did  by 
 Luther ;  whom,  because  God  suffered  to  be  tried  and  exer- 
 cised with  the  buffets  of  the  enemy,  they  say  therefore  that 
 he  learned  his  divinity  of  the  devil.  But  how  he  learned  his 
 divinity,  let  us  hear  what  he  himself  in  this  book  confesseth, 
 saying :  "  If  we  were  not  outwardly  exercised  with  force  and 
 subtlety  by  tyrants  and  sectaries,  and  inwardly  with  terrors 
 and  fiery  darts  of  the  devil,  Paul  should  be  as  obscure  and 
 unknown  to  me  as  he  was  in  times  past  to  the  world,  and  yet 
 is  to  the  Papists,  the  Anabaptists,  and  other  our  adversaries. 
 Therefore  the  gift  of  the  interpretation  of  the  scriptures  and 
 our  studies,  together  with  our  inward  and  outward  temptations, 
 open  unto  us  the  meaning  of  Paul,  and  the  sense  of  all  holy 
 scriptures." 
 
 But  let  these  ignorant  Papists,  whosoever  they  be,  taste  a 
 little  the  same,  or  the  like  as  Luther  did,  and  then  see  what 
 they  will  say.  Experience  giveth  demonstration.  For  how 
 many  of  them  do  we  see,  for  all  their  auricular  confession, 
 which  puffeth  them  up  in  all  security,  but  at  length  they  lay  at 
 the  point  of  death,  where  death  on  the  one  side,  and  God's 
 justice  on  the  other  side,  is  before  their  eyes;  for  the  most  part 
 
IXXXIV  ADDRESS  TO  AFFLICTED  CONSCIENCES. 
 
 either  they  despair,  or  else,  leaving  all  other  helps,  they  only 
 stick  to  faith  and  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  in  very  deed 
 many  of  them  are  glad  to  die  Lutherans,  howsoever  they  hated 
 Luther  before.  And  what  shall  we  say,  then,  of  this  doctrine 
 of  Luther?  If  the  Papists  themselves  be  glad  to  die  in  it,  why 
 are  they  unwilling  to  live  in  it?  "  And  if  it  be  true  at  one  time, 
 how  can  alteration  of  time  make  that  false  which  is  once  true." 
 
 And  therefore,  where  these  men  so  stoutly  withstand  this 
 doctrine  of  justification  by  faith  only,  they  are  much  deceived. 
 And  when  they  allege  St.  James  for  them,  that  is  soon  ans- 
 wered, if  we  rightly  discern  the  meaning  of  St.  James  and  St. 
 Paul ;  of  whom  the  one  speaketh  of  man's  righteousness  or  jus- 
 tification only  before  men,  which  is  a  demonstration  of  a 
 true  faith  or  a  true  believer  before  man,  rather  than  the  work- 
 ing of  true  justification  before  God.  And  so  it  is  true  which 
 St.  James  saith,  how  that  faith  without  works  do  not  justify : 
 whose  purpose  is,  not  to  shew  us  what  maketh  a  man  just 
 before  God;  but  only  to  declare  the  necessary  conjunction  of 
 good  works  in  him  that  by  faith  is  justified.  The  other  speak- 
 eth of  righteousness  or  justification,  not  before  men,  but  only 
 before  God;  meaning  not  to  exclude  good  works  from  true 
 faith,  that  they  should  not  be  done,  but  to  teach  us  wherein 
 the  true  stay  and  hope  of  our  salvation  oiight  to  be  fixed;  that 
 is,  in  faith  only.  And  so  it  is  true  likewise  that  St.  Paul 
 saith,  that  faith  only,  without  works,  doth  justify. 
 
 Which  proposition  of  St.  Paul,  the  better  to  understand  and 
 to  join  it  with  St.  James,  here  is  to  be  noted,  for  the  satisfying 
 of  the  cavilling  adversary,  that  the  proposition  is  to  be  taken 
 full  and  whole,  as  St.  Paul  doth  mean  it;  so  that  with  the  right 
 subject,  we  join  the  right  predicatum,  as  the  schoolmen  term 
 it;  that  is,  so  that  faith  of  Christ,  in  justifying,  ever  have  rela- 
 tion to  the  true,  penitent,  and  lamenting  sinner.  And  so  is  the 
 article  most  true,  that  "  faith  only  without  works,  doth  justify." 
 But  whom  doth  it  justify?  the  worldling?  the  licentious  ruf- 
 fian? the  voluptuous  epicure?  the  carnal  gospeller?  Paul 
 meaneth  no  such  thing,  but  only  the  mourning  and  labouring 
 soul,  the  grieved  conscience,  the  repenting  heart,  the  amending 
 sinner.  And  in  him  the  proposition  is  true,  according  to  the 
 doctrine  of  St.  Paul:  "  to  him  that  believeth  in  him  which  jus- 
 tifieth  the  ungodly,  his  faith  is  counted  for  righteousness."  Con- 
 trariwise, let  faith  have  relation  to  the  obstinate  and  Avilful 
 rebel,  who,  contrary  to  conscience,  continueth  and  delighteth 
 in  sin:  and  in  him  is  true  likewise  that  St.  James  saith,  "  and 
 not  by  faith  only;"  meaning  thereby,  that  faith  availeth  not  to 
 justification,  but  only  in  such  persons  as  have  a  good  will  and 
 purpose  to  amend  their  lives;  "  not  that  repentance  and  turning . 
 from  iniquity  doth  save  them;  but  that  faith  in  Christ  worketii 
 justification  in  none  but  only  such  as  heartily  repent  and  arc 
 
ADDRESS  TO  AFFLICTED  CONSCIENeES.  IxXXV 
 
 willing  to  amend."  So  that,  "  believe  the  gospel,"  hath  ever 
 *' repent  and  amend,"  going  with  it.  Not  that  repentance 
 saveth  any  malefactor  from  the  law;  but  only  sheweth  the  per- 
 son whom  faith  in  Christ  only  doth  save  and  justify.  But  of 
 this  enough,  and  more  than  greatly  needed;  especially  seeing 
 the  book  itself  here  following  will  satisfy  the  reader,  at  large, 
 in  all  such  doubts  to  this  matter  appertaining.  And  thus  ceasing 
 to  trouble  thee,  gentle  reader,  with  any  longer  preface,  as  we 
 commend  this  good  work  to  thy  godly  studies;  so  we  commend 
 both  thee  and  thy  studies  to  the  grace  of  Christ  Jesu,  the  Son 
 of  God:  heartily  wishing  and  craving  of  his  majesty,  that 
 thou  mayest  take  no  less  profit  and  consolation  by  reading 
 hereof,  than  our  purpose  was  to  do  thee  good  in  setting  the 
 same  forth  to  thy  comfort  and  edification:  which  the  Lord 
 grant.     Amen.     Amen. 
 
[  Ixxxvl  ] 
 
 FIFTY  INCONVENIENCES 
 
 That  arist  out  of  Man's  ovm  Bighteoumess  proceeding  of  Works,  gathered  out  of 
 this  Evistle  to  the  Galatians. 
 
 BY  M.  LUTHER. 
 
 CHAP.  I. 
 
 1 .  To  bring  men  from  the  calling  of 
 
 grace. 
 
 2.  To  receive  another  gospel. 
 
 3.  To  trouble  the  minds  of  the  faithful. 
 
 4.  To  pervert  the  gospel  of  Christ. 
 
 5.  To  be  accursed. 
 
 6.  To  obey  human  traditions. 
 
 7.  To  please  man. 
 
 8.  Not  to  be  the  servant  of  Christ. 
 
 9.  To  build  upon  men,  and  not  upon 
 
 God. 
 
 10.  That  the  most  excellent  righteous- 
 
 ness of  the  law  is  nothing. 
 
 1 1.  To  destroy  the  church  of  God. 
 
 CHAP.  II. 
 
 12.  To  teach  a  man  to  be  justified  by 
 
 works,  is  to  teach  to  be  justified 
 by  impossibility. 
 
 13.  To  make  the  righteous  in  Christ, 
 
 sinners. 
 
 14.  To  make  Christ  a  minister  of  sin. 
 
 15.  To  build   up  sin  again,  when  it  is 
 
 destroyed. 
 
 16.  To  be  made  a  transgressor. 
 
 17.  To  reject  the  grace  of  God. 
 
 IS.  To  judge  that  Christ  died  in  vain, 
 
 CHAP.  III. 
 
 19.  To  become  foolish  Galatians. 
 
 20.  To  be  bewitched. 
 
 21.  Not  to  hear  the  truth. 
 
 22.  To  crucify  Christ  again. 
 
 23.  To  hold  that  the  spirit  is  received 
 
 by  works, 
 
 24.  To  forsake   the  spirit  and  to  end 
 
 in  the  flesh. 
 
 25.  To  be  under  the  curse. 
 
 26.  To  set  the  testament  of  men  abo  e 
 
 tlie  testament  of  God. 
 97.  To  make  sin  to  abound. 
 
 28.  To  be  shut  under  sin. 
 
 29.  To  serve  beggarly  ceremonies. 
 
 CHAP.  IV. 
 
 30.  That  the  gospel  is  preached  in  vain. 
 
 31.  That   all    is  vain    whatsoever  the 
 
 faithful  do  work  or  suffer. 
 
 32.  To  be  made  a  servant  and  the  son 
 
 of  the  bond-woman. 
 S3.  To  be  cast  out  with  the  son  of  the 
 bond -woman,  from   the   inheri- 
 tance. 
 
 34.  That  Christ  profiteth  nothing. 
 
 35.  That  we  are  debtors  to  fulfil  the 
 
 whole  law. 
 
 CHAP.  V. 
 
 86.  To  be  separate  from  Christ, 
 
 37.  To  fall  from  grace. 
 
 38.  To   be  hindered    from    the  good 
 
 course  of  well-doing. 
 
 39.  That  this  persuasion  of  the  doctrine 
 
 of  works  cometh  not  of  God. 
 
 40.  To  have  the  leaven  of  corruption. 
 
 41.  The  judgment  remaineth  for  him 
 
 who  teacheth  this  doctrine. 
 
 42.  To  bite  and  consume  one  another, 
 
 43.  That  this  doctrine    is   accounted 
 
 among  the  works  of  the  flesh. 
 
 CHAP.  VI. 
 
 44.  To  think  thyself  to  be  something 
 
 when  thou  art  nothing. 
 
 45.  To  glory  in  others  than  in  God. 
 
 46.  Carnally    to   please   the  carnally 
 
 minded, 
 
 47.  To  hate  the  persecution  of  the  cross. 
 
 48.  Not  to  keep  the  law  itself. 
 
 49.  To  glory  in  the  master  and  teacher 
 
 of  carnal  things. 
 
 50.  That  nothing  profiteth,  and  whaU 
 
 soever  a  man  doth  is  vain. 
 
MARTIN  LUTHER'S 
 PREFACE 
 
 UPON  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS. 
 
 I  MYSELF  can  scarcely  believe  that  I  was  so  plentiful  in  words, 
 when  I  did  publicly  expound  this  Epistle  of  St.  Paul  to  the 
 Galatians,  as  this  book  sheweth  me  to  have  been.  Notwith- 
 standing, I  perceive  all  the  cogitations  which  I  find  in  this 
 treatise,  by  so  great  diligence  of  the  brethren  gathered  toge- 
 ther, to  be  mine:  so  that  I  must  needs  confess,  either  all,  or 
 perhaps  more,  to  have  been  uttered  by  me  in  this  public  trea- 
 tise; "for  in  my  heart  this  one  article  reigneth,  even  the  faith 
 of  Christ."  From  whom,  by  whom,  and  unto  whom,  all  my 
 divine  studies,  day  and  night,  have  recourse  to  and  fro  conti- 
 nually. And  yet  I  perceive  that  I  could  not  reach  anything 
 near  unto  the  height,  breadth,  and  depth  of  such  high  and  in- 
 estimable wisdom;  only  certain  poor  and  bare  beginnings,  and 
 as  it  were  fragments,  do  appear.  Wherefore,  I  am  ashamed 
 that  my  so  barren  and  simple  commentaries  should  be  set  forth 
 upon  so  worthy  an  apostle  and  elect  vessel  of  God.  But  wheu 
 I  consider  again  the  infinite  and  horrible  profanation  and  abo- 
 mination which  always  hath  raged  in  the  church  of  God,  and 
 yet  at  this  day  caaseth  not  to  rage  against  this  only  and 
 grounded  rock,  which  we  hold  to  be  the  article  of  our  justifi- 
 cation, (that  is  to  say,  hoAv,  not  by  ourselves,  neither  by  our 
 works,  which  are  less  than  ourselves,  but  by  another  help, 
 even  the  Son  of  God,  Jesus  Christ,  we  are  redeemed  from  sin, 
 death,  the  devil,  and  made  partakers  of  eternal  life, )  I  am  com- 
 pelled to  cast  off  all  shame,  and  to  be  "  bold  above  measure." 
 
 This  rock  did  Satan  shake  in  paradise,  (Gen.  iii.  2.)  when 
 he  persuaded  our  first  parents  that,  by  their  o^vn  wisdom  and 
 power,  they  should  be  like  unto  God;  forsaking  true  faith  in 
 God,  who  had  given  them  life,  and  promised  the  continuance 
 thereof.  By  and  by  after,  this  liar  and  murderer,  "  which  will 
 be  always  like  unto  himself,"  stirred  up  the  brother  to  the 
 murdering  of  his  brother,  (Gen.  iv.)  and  for  none  other  cause 
 but  that  for  his  godly  brother,  by  faith,  had  offered  up  a  more 
 excellent  sacrifice,  and  he  offering  up  his  own  works,  wi.hout 
 faith,  had  not  pleased  God.  Against  this,  against  the  same 
 faith,  folloAved  a  most  intolerable  persecution  of  Satan  by  the 
 sons  of  Cain;  until  God  was  even  constrained  at  once,  by  thi 
 
IxXXviii  PREFACE. 
 
 flood,  to  purg^e  the  ^vhole  world,  and  to  defend  Noah,  the 
 preacher  of  rig-hteousness.  This  notwithstanding,  Satan  conti- 
 nued his  seed  in  Cham,  the  third  son  of  Noah.  But  who  is 
 able  to  reckon  up  all  examples?  After  these  things,  the  whole 
 world  waxed  mad  against  this  faith,  finding  out  an  infinite 
 number  of  idols  and  strange  religions,  whereby  every  one  (as 
 St.  Paul  saith),  walked  his  own  way,  trusted  by  their  works, 
 some  to  pacify  and  please  a  god,  some  a  goddess,  some  gods, 
 some  goddesses:  that  is  to  say,  without  the  help  of  Christ;  and 
 by  their  o^vn  works  to  redeem  themselves  from  all  calamities 
 and  from  their  sins,  as  all  the  examples  and  monuments  of  all 
 nations  do  sufficiently  witness. 
 
 But  these  are  nothing  in  comparison  of  that  people  and 
 congregation  of  God,  Israel;  which  not  only  had  the  sure 
 promise  of  the  fathers,  and  afterward  the  law  of  God  given 
 unto  them  from  God  himself  by  his  angels,  above  all  other; 
 but  always  and  in  all  things  were  also  certified  by  the  words, 
 by  the  miracles,  and  by  the  examples  of  the  prophets.  Not- 
 withstanding, even  among  them  also,  Satan,  (that  is  to  say,  the 
 mad  and  outrageous  opinion  of  their  own  righteousness,)  did  so 
 prevail,  that  afterwards  they  killed  all  the  prophets,  yea,  even 
 Chi'ist  himself,  the  Son  of  God,  their  promised  Messiah;  for 
 that  they  had  taught  that  men  are  accepted  and  received  unto 
 the  favour  of  God,  by  grace  only,  and  not  by  their  own 
 righteousness.  And  this  is  the  sum  of  the  doctrine  of  the 
 devil,  and  of  the  world,  from  the  beginning:  We  will  not  seem 
 to  do  evil;  but  yet,  whatsoever  we  do,  that  must  God  allow, 
 and  all  his  prophets  must  consent  to  it;  which  if  they  refuse 
 to  do,  they  shall  die  the  death.  Abel  shall  die,  but  Cain  shall 
 flourish.  Let  this  be  our  law,  (say  they,)  and  even  so  it  cometh 
 to  pass. 
 
 But  in  the  church  of  the  Gentiles,  the  matter  is  and  hath 
 been  so  vehemently  handled,  that  the  fury  of  the  Jewish  syna- 
 gogue may  well  seem  to  have  been  but  a  sport.  For  they  (as 
 St.  Paul  saith)  "  did  not  know  Christ  their  anointed,  and  there- 
 fore they  crucified  the  Lord  of  glory."  But  the  church  of  the 
 Gentiles  hath  received  and  confessed  Christ  to  be  the  Son  of 
 God,  "being made  our  righteousness;"  and  this  doth  she  pub- 
 licly record,  read,  and  teach.  And  yet,  notwithstanding  this 
 confession,  they  that  would  be  accounted  the  church  do  kill 
 and  persecute,  and  continually  rage  against  those  which  believe 
 and  teach,  and  in  their  deeds  declare  nothing  else,  but  that 
 Christ  is  the  self-same  thing  that  they  themselves  (though  with 
 feigned  words  and  hypocritical  deeds)  are  constrained,  in  spite 
 of  their  teeth,  to  allow  and  confess.  For  under  the  name  of 
 Christ,  at  this  day,  they  reign.  And  if  they  could,  without  the 
 name  of  Christ,  hold  that  seat  and  kingdom,  no  doubt  but  they 
 would  express  him  to  be  such  a  one  openly,  as  in  their  hearts 
 they  esteem  him  secretly.     But  they  esteem  him  a  great  deal 
 
PREFACE  Ixxxix 
 
 less  than  the  Jews  do,  which,  at  the  least,  thmk  lum  to  hd 
 Thola,  that  is  to  say,  a  thief  worthily  hanged  on  the  cross.  But 
 these  men  account  him  as  a  fable,  and  take  him  as  "  a  feignerf 
 god  among  the  Gentiles;"  as  it  may  plainly  appear  at  Rome,  in 
 the  Pope's  court,  and  almost  throughout  all  Italy. 
 
 Because,  therefore,  Christ  is  made,  as  it  were,  a  mock  against 
 his  Christians,  (for  Christians  they  will  be  called,)  and  because 
 Cain  doth  kill  Abel  continually,  and  the  abomination  of  Satan 
 now  chiefly  reigneth,  it  is  very  necessary  that  we  should  dili- 
 gently handle  this  article,  and  set  it  against  Satan,  whether  we 
 be  rude  or  eloquent,  learned  or  unlearned;  for  this  rock  must 
 be  published  abroad,  yea,  though  every  man  should  hold  his 
 peace,  yet  even  of  the  very  rocks  and  stones  themselves. 
 Wherefore  I  do  most  willingly  herein  accomplish  my  duty, 
 and  am  contented  to  suffer  this  long  commentary  and  full  of 
 words,  to  be  set  forth  for  the  stirring  up  of  all  the  brethren  in 
 Christ,  against  the  sleights  and  maUce  of  Satan;  which  in  these 
 days  is  turned  into  such  extreme  madness  against  this  "  health- 
 ful knowledge  of  Christ,  now  revealed  and  raised  up  again;'* 
 that,  as  hitherto  men  have  seemed  to  be  possessed  with  devils,  and 
 stark  mad,  even  so  now  the  devils  themselves  do  seem  to  be  pos- 
 sessed of  far  worse  devils,  and  to  rage  even  above  the  fury  of  devils ; 
 which,  indeed,  is  a  great  argument  that  the  enemy  of  truth  and 
 life  doth  perceive  the  day  of  judgment  to  be  at  hand,  which  is 
 the  horrible  day  of  his  destruction,  but  the  most  comfortable 
 day  of  our  redemption;  and  shall  be  the  end  of  all  his  tyranny 
 and  cruelty.  For,  not  without  cause  is  he  disquieted,  when 
 his  members  and  powers  are  so  assailed;  even  as  a  thief  or  an 
 adulterer,  when  the  morning  appeareth  and  discloseth  his 
 wickedness,  is  taken  tardy  and  apprehended  for  the  same.  For 
 who  ever  heard  (to  pass  over  the  abominations  of  the  Pope)  so 
 many  monsters  to  burst  out  at  once  into  the  world,  as  we  see 
 at  this  day  in  the  Anabaptists  alone?  In  whom  Satan,  breathing 
 out,  as  it  were,  the  last  blast  of  his  kingdom,  through  horrible 
 uproars,  setteth  them  every  where  in  such  a  rage,  as  though  he 
 would  by  them  suddenly,  not  only  destroy  the  whole  world 
 with  seditions,  but  also  by  innmnerable  sects  swallow  up  and 
 devour  Christ  wholly  with  his  church. 
 
 Against  the  wicked  lives  and  opinions  of  others  he  doth  not 
 so  rage:  to  wit,  against  whoremongers,  thieves,  murderers, 
 perjured  persons,  rebels  against  God,  unbelievers.  No,  to 
 these  rather  he  giveth  peace  and  quietness;  these  he  maintain- 
 eth  in  his  court,  with  all  manner  of  pleasures  and  delights,  and 
 giveth  to  them  all  things  at  will;  even  like  as  sometime  in  the 
 beginning  of  the  church,  he  did  not  only  suffer  all  the  idolatries 
 and  false  religions  of  the  whole  world  to  be  quiet  and  un- 
 touched, but  also  mightily  maintained,  defended,  and  nourished 
 the  same.  But  the  church  and  religion  of  Christ  alone  he  vexed 
 on  every  side.     After  this  permittmg  peace  and  quietness  to 
 
XC  PKEFACE. 
 
 many  heretics,  he  troubled  only  the  cathoUc  doctrine.  Even 
 so  likewise  at  this  day  he  hath  no  other  business  in  hand  but 
 this  only,  (as  his  own,  and  always  proper  unto  himself, )  to  per- 
 secute and  vex  our  Saviour  Christ,  which  is  our  perfect 
 righteousness,  "  without  any  of  our  works:"  as  it  is  written  of 
 him,  (Gen.  iii.  15.)  "Thou  shalt  bruise  his  heel." 
 
 But  I  do  not  set  forth  these  my  meditations  so  much  against 
 these  men,  as  "for  my  brethren,"  which  wiU  either  shew  them- 
 selves thankful  in  the  Lord  for  this  my  travail,  or  else  will 
 pardon  this  my  weakness  and  temerity.  But  of  the  wicked  I 
 would  not  in  any  wise  they  should  be  liked  or  allowed ;  but 
 rather  that  thereby  both  they  and  their  god  might  be  the  more 
 vexed,  seeing  with  my  great  travail  they  are  set  forth  only 
 for  such  as  St.  Paul  writeth  this  Epistle  unto ;  that  is  to  say, 
 "  the  troubled,  afflicted,  vexed,  tempted,  (for  they  only  under- 
 stand these  things,)  and  miserable  Galatians  in  the  faith." 
 Whoso  are  not  such,  let  them  hear  the  Papists,  monks.  Anabap- 
 tists, and  such  other  masters  of  profound  wisdom  and  of  their 
 own  religion,  and  let  them  stoutly  contemn  our  doctrine  and 
 our  doings.  For  at  this  day  the  Papists  and  Anabaptists  con- 
 spire together  against  the  church  in  this  one  point,  (though 
 they  dissemble  in  words,)  that  the  work  of  God  dependeth  upon 
 the  worthiness  of  the  person.  For  thus  do  the  Anabaptists 
 teach,  that  baptism  is  nothing  except  the  person  do  believe. 
 Out  of  this  principle  must  needs  follow,  that  all  the  works  of 
 God  be  nothing,  if  the  man  be  nothing.  But  baptism  is  the 
 work  of  God,  and  yet  an  evil  man  maketh  it  not  to  be  the  work 
 of  God.  Moreover,  hereof  it  must  follow,  that  matrimony, 
 authority,  liberty,  and  bondage,  are  the  works  of  God :  but 
 because  men  are  evil,  therefore  they  are  not  the  works  of  God. 
 Wicked  men  have  the  sun,  the  moon,  the  earth,  the  water,  the 
 air,  and  all  other  creatures  which  are  subject  unto  man-;  but  be- 
 cause they  be  wicked  and  not  godly,  therefore  the  sun  is  not 
 the  sun,  the  moon,  the  earth,  the  water,  are  not  that  which  they 
 are.  The  Anabaptists  themselves  had  bodies  and  souls  before 
 they  were  re-baptized ;  but  because  they  were  not  godly, 
 therefore  they  had  not  true  bodies  and  true  souls.  Also  their 
 parents  were  not  lawfully  married  (as  they  grant  themselves) 
 because  they  were  not  re-baptized ;  therefore  the  Anabaptists 
 themselves  are  aU  bastards,  and  their  parents  were  all  adul- 
 terers and  whoremongers,  and  yet  do  they  inherit  their  pa- 
 rents' lands  and  goods,  although  they  grant  themselves  to  be 
 bastards,  and  unlawful  heirs.  "  Who  seeth  not  here,  in  the 
 Anabaptists,  men  not  possessed  with  devils,  but  even  devils 
 themselves  possessed  with  worse  devils  ?" 
 
 The  Papists  in  like  manner,  until  this  day,  do  stand  upon 
 works  and  the  worthiness  of  man,  contrary  to  grace,  and  so 
 (in  words  at  Ifiast)  do  strongly  assist  their  brethren,  the 
 Anabaptists.     For  these  foxes  are  tied  together  by  the  tails, 
 
PREFACE.  XCl 
 
 although  by  their  heads  they  seem  to  be  contrary.  For  out- 
 wardly they  pretend  to  be  their  great  enemies,  where  is  in- 
 W^ardly,  notwithstanding,  they  think,  teach,  and  defend,  indeed, 
 all  one  thing  against  our  Saviour  Christ,  who  is  our  only 
 righteousness.  Let  him,  therefore,  that  can,  hold  fast  this  one 
 article,  and  let  us  suffer  the  rest,  which  have  made  shipwreck 
 thereof,  to  be  carried  whither  the  sea  and  winds  shall  drive 
 them,  until  either  they  return  to  the  ship,  or  swim  to  the  shore. 
 The  conclusion  and  end  of  this  complaint  is,  to  hope  for  no 
 quietness  or  end  of  complaint,  so  long  as  Christ  and  Belial  do 
 not  agree.  "  One  generation  passeth,  and  another  cometh," 
 (Eccles.  i.  4.)  If  one  heresy  die,  by  and  by  another  springeth 
 up ;  for  the  devil  doth  neither  slumber  nor  sleep.  I  myself, 
 which  (although  I  be  nothing)  have  been  now  in  the  ministry 
 of  Christ  about  twenty  years,  can  truly  witness  that  I  have 
 been  assailed  Avith  more  than  twenty  sects,  of  the  which  some 
 are  already  destroyed ;  other  some  (as  the  parts  and  members 
 of  worms  and  bees  that  are  cut  asunder)  do  yet  pant  for  life. 
 But  Satan,  the  god  of  all  dissension,  stirreth  up  daily  new  sects, 
 and  last  of  all  (which  of  all  other  I  should  never  have  foreseen 
 or  once  suspected)  he  hath  raised  up  a  sect  of  such  as  teach 
 that  the  Ten  Commandments  ought  to  be  taken  out  of  the 
 church,  and  that  men  should  not  be  terrified  with  the  law,  but 
 gently  exhorted  by  the  preaching  of  the  grace  of  Christ,  that 
 the  saying  of  the  prophet  Micah  might  be  fulfilled,  "Let  no 
 man  strive  nor  reprove  another,"  Hosea  iv.  4.  "  They  shall 
 not  prophesy  to  them,"  Micah  ii.  6.  As  though  Ave  were  ig- 
 norant, or  had  never  been  taught  that  afflicted  and  broken  spi- 
 rits must  be  comforted  by  Christ ;  but  the  hard-hearted  Pha- 
 risees, unto  whom  the  grace  of  God  is  preached  in  vain,  must 
 be  terrified  with  the  law.  And  they  themselves  also  are  forced 
 to  devise  and  imagine  certain  revelations  of  God's  wrath  against 
 the  Avicked  and  unbelievers.  As  though  the  law  Avere  or  could 
 be  any  thing  elso  but  a  revealing  of  God's  wrath  against  im- 
 piety. Such  is  the  blindness  and  presumption  of  these  frantic 
 heads,  which  even  by  their  OAvn  judgment  do  condemn  them- 
 selves. Wherefore  it  behoveth  the  ministers  of  God's  word 
 to  be  surely  persuaded,  (if  they  will  be  accounted  faithful  and 
 wise,  in  the  day  of  Christ,)  that  the  word  of  St.  Paul  is  not 
 spoken  in  vain,  or  prophesied  of  a  matter  of  no  importance : 
 to  Avit,  "  There  must  be  also  heresies  among  you,  that  they 
 Avhich  are  approved  may  be  made  manifest,"  1  Cor.  xi.  19.  Yea, 
 I  say,  let  the  minister  of  Christ  know,  that  so  long  as  he 
 teacheth  Christ  purely,  there  shall  not  be  wanting  perverse 
 spirits,  yea,  even  of  our  own,  and  among  ourselves,  which 
 shall  seek,  by  all  means  possible,  to  trouble  the  church  of  Christ. 
 And  hercAvithal  let  him  comfort  himself,  that  there  is  "no  peace 
 between  Christ  and  Belial,  or  between  the  seed  of  the  serpent 
 and  the  seed  of  the  woman,"  2  Cor.  vi.  15.  Gen.  iii.  15.     Yea, 
 
Xcil  PREFACE. 
 
 let  him  rejoice  in  the  troubles  which  he  suffereth  by  these  sects 
 and  seditious  spirits,  continually  spring-in^  up  one  after  another. 
 For  this  is  our  rejoicing-, "even  the  testimony  of  our  conscience," 
 2  Cor.  i.  12,  that  we  be  found  standing  and  fighting  in  the  be- 
 half of  the  seed  of  the  woman  against  the  seed  of  the  serpent. 
 Let  him  bite  us  by  the  heel,  and  spare  not.  We  again  will  not 
 cease  to  crush  his  head,  by  the  grace  and  help  or  Christ,  the 
 principal  bruiser  thereof^  who  is  blessed  for  ever. 
 
 After  M.  Luther  had  once  publicly  expounded  this  Epistle,  he 
 took  in  hand  to  interpret  the  same  again,  in  such  sort  as  in 
 this  Treatise  hereafter  doth  ensue;  the  cause  whereof  he  doth 
 declare  in  these  few  words  following : — 
 
 I  HAVE  taken  in  hand,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  yet  once 
 again  to  expound  this  Epistle  of  St.  Paul  to  the  Galatians; 
 not  because  I  do  desire  to  toach  new  things,  or  such  as  ye 
 have  not  heard  before,  especially  since  that,  by  the  grace  of 
 Christ,  Paul  is  now  thoroughly  known  unto  you ;  but  for  that 
 (as  I  have  often  forewarned  you)  this  we  have  to  fear  as  the 
 greatest  and  nearest  danger,  lest  Satan  take  from  us  this  doc- 
 trine of  faith,  and  bring  into  the  church  again  the  doctrine 
 of  works  and  men's  traditions.  Wherefore  it  is  very  neces- 
 sary that  this  doctrine  be  kept  in  continual  practice  and  public 
 exercise,  both  of  reading  and  hearing.  And  although  it  be 
 never  so  well  known,  never  so  exactly  learned,  yet  the  devil, 
 who  continually  rangeth  about,  seeking  to  devour  us,  is  not 
 dead.  Likewise  our  flesh  and  old  man  is  yet  alive.  Besides 
 this,  all  kinds  of  temptations  do  vex  and  oppress  us  on  every 
 side ;  wherefore,  this  doctrine  can  never  be  taught,  urged, 
 and  repeated  enough.  If  this  doctrine  be  lost,  then  is  also  the 
 doctrine  of  truth,  life,  and  salvation,  losf  and  gone.  If  this 
 doctrine  flourish,  then  all  good  things  flourish ;  religion,  the 
 true  service  of  God,  the  glory  of  God,  the  right  knowledge 
 of  all  things  which  are  necessary  for  a  Christian  man  to  know. 
 Because,  therefore,  we  would  be  occupied  and  not  idle,  we  will 
 there  begin  now  where  we  made  an  end,  according  to  the  say- 
 ing of  the  son  of  Sirach :  "  When  a  man  hath  done  what  he 
 can,  he  must  begin  again." 
 
THE  ARGUMENT 
 
 EPISTLE  OF  ST.  PAUL  TO  THE  GALATIANS. 
 
 M*  iRST  of  all  it  behoveth  that  we  speak  of  the  argument  of 
 this  Epistle ;  that  is  to  say,  what  matter  St.  Paul  here  chiefly 
 treateth  of.     The  argument,  therefore,  is  this : — 
 
 St.  Paul  goeth  about  to  establish  the  doctrine  of  faith,  grace, 
 forgiveness  of  sins,  or  Christian  righteousness,  to  the  end  that 
 we  may  have  a  perfect  knowledge  and  difference  between 
 Christian  righteousness  and  all  other  kinds  of  righteousness. 
 For  there  be  divers  sorts  of  righteousness.  There  is  a  poli- 
 tical or  civil  righteousnessj,  which  emperors,  princes  of  the 
 world,  philosophers  and  lawyers  deal  withal.  There  is  also 
 a  ceremonial  righteousness,  which  the  traditions  of  men  do 
 teach.  This  righteousness  parents  and  schoolmasters  may 
 teach  without  danger,  because  they  do  not  attribute  unto  it 
 any  power  to  satisfy  for  sin,  to  please  God,  or  to  deserve  grace; 
 but  they  teach  such  ceremonies  as  are  only  necessary  for  the 
 correction  of  manners,  and  certain  observations  concerning  this 
 life.  Besides  these,  there  is  another  righteousness,  called  the 
 righteousness  of  the  law,  or  of  the  ten  commandments,  which 
 Moses  teacheth.  This  do  we  also  teach,  after  the  doctrine  of 
 faith. 
 
 There  is  yet  another  righteousness  which  is  above  all  these; 
 to  wit,  "  The  righteousness  of  faith,  or  Christian  righteous- 
 ness," the  which  we  must  diligently  discern  from  the  other 
 afore-rehearsed ;  for  they  are  quite  contrary  to  this  righteous- 
 ness, both  because  they  now  out  of  the  laws  of  emperors,  the 
 traditions  of  the  Pope,  and  the  commandments  of  God;  and 
 also  because  they  consist  in  our  works,  and  may  be  wrought  of 
 us  either  by  our  pure  natural  strength,  (as  the  Papists  term  it,) 
 or  else  by  the  gift  of  God.  For  these  kinds  of  righteousness 
 are  also  of  the  gift  of  God,  like  as  other  good  things  are  which 
 we  do  enjoy. 
 
 But  this  most  excellent  righteousness,  of  faith,  I  mean,  (which 
 God  through  Christ,  without  works,  impute th  unto  us,)  is  nei- 
 ther political  nor  ceremonial,  nor  the  righteousness  of  God'a 
 
XCIV  ARGUMENT  OF  IHE  EPISTLE  OF 
 
 law,  nor  conslstetli  in  works,  but  is  clean  contrary :  that  is  to 
 say,  a  mere  passive  righteousness,  as  the  others  above  are  active. 
 For  in  this  we  work  nothing,  we  render  nothing  unto  God,  but 
 only  we  receive  and  suffer  another  to  work  in  us,  that  is  to 
 say,  God.  Therefore  it  seemeth  good  unto  me  to  call  this 
 righteousness  of  faith,  or  Christian  righteousness,  the  passive 
 righteousness. 
 
 This  is  a  righteousness  hidden  in  a  mystery,  which  the  world 
 doth  not  know,  yea.  Christians  themselves  do  not  thoroughly 
 understand  it,  and  can  hardly  take  hold  of  it  in  their  tempta- 
 tions. Therefore  it  must  be  diligently  taught  and  continually 
 practised.  And  whoso  doth  not  understand  or  apprehend  this 
 righteousness,  in  afflictions  and  terrors  of  conscience,  must 
 needs  be  overthrown.  For  there  is  no  comfort  of  conscience 
 so  firm  and  so  sure,  as  this  passive  righteousness  is. 
 
 But  man's  weakness  and  misery  is  so  great,  that  in  the  ter- 
 rors of  conscience  and  danger  of  death,  we  behold  nothing  else 
 but  our  works,  our  worthiness,  and  the  law ;  which  when  it 
 sheweth  unto  us  our  sin,  by  and  by  our  evil  life  past  cometh 
 to  remembrance.  Then  the  poor  sinner  with  great  anguish  of 
 spirit  groaneth,  and  thus  thinketh  with  himself:  "  Alas  !  how 
 desperately  have  I  lived  !  would  to  God  I  might  live  longer ; 
 then  would  I  amend  my  life."  Thus  man's  reason  cannot  re- 
 strain itself  from  the  sight  and  beholding  of  this  active  or 
 working  righteousness,  that  is  to  say,  her  own  righteousness ; 
 nor  lift  up  her  eyes  to  the  beholding  of  the  passive  or  Chris- 
 tian righteousness,  but  resteth  altogether  in  the  active  righteous- 
 ness ;  so  deeply  is  this  evil  rooted  in  us. 
 
 On  the  other  side,  Satan,  abusing  the  infirmity  of  our  nature, 
 doth  increase  and  aggravate  these  cogitations  in  us.  Then 
 can  it  not  be  but  that  the  poor  conscience  must  be  more  griev- 
 ously troubled,  terrified,  and  confounded.  For  it  is  impossible 
 that  the  mind  of  man  itself  should  conceive  any  comfort,  or 
 ook  up  unto  grace  only  in  the  feeling  and  horror  of  sin,  or 
 constantly  reject  all  disputing  and  reasoning  about  works.  For 
 this  is  far  above  man's  strength  and  capacity,  yea,  and  above 
 the  law  of  God  also.  True  it  is,  that  of  all  things  in  the 
 world,  the  law  is  most  excellent ;  yet  is  it  not  able  to  quiet  a 
 troubled  conscience,  but  increaseth  terrors,  and  driveth  it  to 
 desperation.  "  That  sin  by  the  commandment  might  become 
 exceeding  sinful,"  Rom.  vii.  13. 
 
 K  "Wherefore  the  afflicted  and  troubled  conscience  hath  no  re- 
 medy against  desperation  and  eternal  death,  unless  it  take  hold 
 of  the  forgiveness  of  sins  by  grace,  freely  offered  in  Christ 
 Jesus,  that  is  to  say,  this  "  passive  faith,  or  Christian  righteous- 
 ness :"  which,  if  it  can  apprehend,  then  may  it  be  at  quiet,  and 
 boldly  say  •  I  seek  not  this  active  or  working  righteousness , 
 although  I  know  that  I  ought  to  have  it,  and  also  to  fulfil  it. 
 
ST.  PAUL  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  XCr 
 
 But  be  it  so  that  I  had  it,  and  did  fulfil  it  indeed,  yet  notwith- 
 standing I  cannot  trust  unto  it,  neither  dare  I  set  it  against  the 
 judgment  of  God.  Thus  I  abandon  myself  from  all  active 
 righteousness,  both  of  mine  own  and  of  God's  law,  and  em- 
 brace only  that  passive  righteousness,  which  is  the  righteous- 
 ness of  grace,  mercy,  and  forgiveness  of  sins.  Briefly,  I  rest 
 only  upon  that  righteousness,  Avhich  is  the  righteousness  of  ^^ 
 Christ  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 Like  as  the  earth  engendereth  not  rain,  nor  is  able  by  her 
 own  strength,  labour,  and  travail  to  procure  the  same,  but  re- 
 ceiveth  it  of  the  mere  gift  of  God  from  above,  so  this  heavenly 
 righteousness  is  given  us  of  God,  without  our  works  or  deserv- 
 ings.  Look,  then,  how  much  the  earth  of  itself  is  able  to  do  in 
 getting  and  procuring  to  itself  seasonable  showers  of  rain  to 
 make  it  fruitful;  even  so  much,  and  no  more,  are  we  able  to  do 
 by  our  strength  and  works  in  winning  this  heavenly  and  eter- 
 nal righteousness;  and  therefore  shall  never  be  able  to  attain 
 unto  it,  imless  God  himself,  by  mere  imputation,  and  by  his 
 unspeakable  gift,  do  bestow  it  upon  us.  The  greatest  know- 
 ledge, then,  and  the  greatest  wisdom  of  Christians  is,  not  to 
 know  the  law,  to  be  ignorant  of  works,  and  of  the  whole 
 active  righteousness,  especially  when  the  conscience  wrestleth 
 with  the  judgment  of  God.  Like  as  on  the  contrary,  amongst  , 
 those  which  are  not  of  the  number  of  God's  people,  the  greatest  / 
 point  of  wisdom  is,  to  know  and  earnestly  to  urge  the  Jaw  and  ' 
 the  active  righteousness. 
 
 But  it  is  a  thing  very  strange  and  unknown  to  the  world,  to 
 teach  Christians  to  learn  to  be  ignorant  of  the  law,  and  so  to 
 live  before  God,  as  if  there  were  no  law:  notwithstanding, 
 except  thou  be  ignorant  of  the  law,  and  be  assuredly  persuaded 
 in  thine  heart  that  there  is  now  no  law  nor  wrath  of  God,  but 
 altogether  grace  and  mercy  for  Christ's  sake,  thou  canst  not  be 
 saved;  for  by  the  law  comieth jyheJknQ\5dedge,,of^^n.  Contra- 
 riwise, works  and  the~Tceeping  of  the  law  must  be  so  straitly 
 required  in  the  world,  as  if  there  were  no  promise  or  grace; 
 and  that  because  of  the  stubborn,  proud,  and  hard-hearted, 
 before  whose  eyes  nothing  must  be  set  but  the  law,  that  they 
 may  be  terrified  and  humbled.  For  the  law  is  given  to  terrify 
 and  kill  such,  and  to  exercise  the  old  man,  and  both  the  word  of 
 grace  and  of  wrath  must  be  rightly  divided,  according  to  the 
 apostle,  2  Tim.  ii. 
 
 Here  is  then  required  a  wise  and  faithful  disposer  of  the 
 word  of  God,  which  can  so  moderate  the  law,  that  it  may  be 
 kept  within  his  bounds.  He  that  teach eth  that  men  are  justi- 
 fied before  God  by  the  observation  of  the  law,  passeth  the 
 bounds  of  the  law,  and  confoundeth  these  two  kinds  of 
 righteousness,  active  and  passive,  and  is  but  an  ill  logician,  for 
 he  doth  not  rightly  divide.     Contrariwise,  he  that  setteth  forth 
 
XCVI  ARGUMENT  OF  THE  EPISTLE  OF 
 
 the  law  and  works  to  the  old  man,  and  the  promise  and  for 
 giveness  of  sins  and  God's  mercy  to  the  new  man,  divideth  the 
 word  well.  For  the  flesh,  or  the  old  man,  must  he  coupled  with 
 the  law  and  works;  the  spirit,  or  new  man,  must  be  joined  with 
 the  promise  of  God  and  his  mercy.  Wherefore,  when  I  see  a 
 man  that  is  bruised  enough  already,  oppressed  with  the  law, 
 terrified  with  sin,  and  thirsting  for  comfort,  it  is  time  that  1 
 should  remove  out  of  his  sight  the  law  and  active  righteousness, 
 and  that  I  should  set  before  him,  by  the  gospel,  the  Christian 
 and  passive  righteousness,  which,  excluding  Moses  with  his 
 law,  offereth  the  promise  made  in  Christ,  who  came  for  the 
 afflicted  and  for  sinners.  Here  is  man  raised  up  again,  and 
 conceiveth  the  good  hope,  neither  is  he  any  longer  under  the 
 law,  but  under  grace.  How  not  under  the  lawr  According 
 to  the  new  man,  to  whom  the  law  doth  not  appertain.  For 
 the  law  hath  his  bounds  unto  Christ,  as  Paul  saith  afterwards: 
 "For  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law,"  (Rom.  x.  4.)  who  being 
 come,  Moses  ceaseth  with  his  law,  circumcision,  the  sacrifices, 
 the  sabbaths,  yea,  and  all  the  prophets. 
 
 This  is  our  divinity,  whereby  we  teach  how  to  put  a  dif- 
 ference between  these  two  kinds  of  righteousness,  active  and 
 passive,  to  the  end  that  manners  and  faith,  works  and  grace, 
 policy  and  religion,  should  not  be  confounded,  or  taken  the  one 
 for  the  other.  Both  are  necessary;  but  both  must  be  kept 
 within  their  bounds;  Christian  righteousness  appertaineth  to 
 the  new  man,  and  the  righteousness  of  the  law  appertaineth  to 
 the  old  man,  which  is  born  of  flesh  and  blood.  Upon  this  old 
 man,  as  upon  an  ass,  there  must  be  laid  a  burden  that  may  press 
 him  down,  and  he  must  not  enjoy  the  freedom  of  the  spirit  of 
 grace,  except  he  first  put  upon  him  the  new  man,  by  faith  in 
 Christ,  (which  notwithstanding  is  not  fully  done  in  this  life,) 
 then  may  he  enjoy  the  kingdom  and  inestimable  gift  of  grace. 
 
 This  I  say,  to  the  end  that  no  man  should  think  we  reject  or 
 forbid  good  works,  as  the  Papists  do  most  falsely  slander  us, 
 neither  understanding  what  they  themselves  say,  or  what  we 
 teach.  They  know  nothing  but  the  righteousness  of  the  law, 
 and  yet  they  will  judge  of  that  doctrine  which  is  far  above  the 
 law,  of  which  it  is  impossible  that  the  carnal  man  should  be 
 able  to  judge.  Therefore  they  must  needs  be  offended,  for 
 they  can  see  no  higher  than  the  law.  Whatsoever,  then,  is 
 above  the  law,  is  to  them  a  great  oflfence.  But  we  imagine,  as 
 it  were,  two  worlds,  the  one  heavenly  and  the  other  earthly.  In 
 these  we  place  these  two  kinds  of  righteousness,  being  separate 
 the  one  far  from  the  other.  The  righteousness  of  the  law  is 
 earthly,  and  hath  to  do  with  earthly  things,  and  by  it  we  do 
 
 food  works.     But  as  the  earth  bringeth  not  forth  fruit  except 
 rst  it  be  watered  and  made  fruitful  from  above ;  even  so  by 
 the  righteousness  of  the  law,  in  doing  many  things  we  do 
 
ST.  PAUL  TO  THE   GAL  ATI  AN  S.  YCVll 
 
 nothing,  and  in  fulfilling  of  the  law  Ave  fulfil  it  not,  except  first, 
 without  any  merit  or  work  of  ours,  we  he  made  righteous  hy      \ 
 the  Christian  righteousness,  which  nothing  appertaineth  to  the       1 
 righteousness  of  the  law,  or  to  the  earthly  and  active  righteous-      / 
 ness.     But  this  righteousness  is  heavenly,  which  (as  is  said) 
 we  have  not  of  ourselves,  but  receive  it  fi'om  heaven;  which 
 we  work  not,  but  which  by  grace  is  wrought  in  us,  and  ap- 
 prehended by  faith;  whereby  we  mount  up  above  all  laws  and 
 works.     Wherefore,  like  as  we  have  borne  (as  St.  Paul  saith) 
 the  image  of  the  earthly  Adam,  so  let  us  bear  the  image  of  the 
 heavenly,  which  is  the  new  man  in  a  new  world,  where  is  no 
 law,  no  sin,  no  remorse  or  sting  of  conscience,  no  death,  but 
 perfect  joy,  righteousness,  grace,  peace,  salvation  and  glory. 
 
 Why,  do  we  then  nothing?  do  we  work  nothing  for  the  ob- 
 taining of  this  righteousness?  I  answer.  Nothing  at  all.  For 
 this  is  perfect  righteousness,  "  to  do  nothing,  to  hear  nothing, 
 to  know  nothing  of  the  law,  or  of  works,"  but  to  know  and 
 believe  this  only,  that  Christ  is  gone  to  the  Father,  and  is  not 
 now  seen;  that  he  sitteth  in  heaven  at  the  right  hand  of  his 
 Father,  not  as  a  judge,  but  made  unto  us,  of  God,  wisdom, 
 righteousness,  holiness,  and  redemption;  briefly,  that  he  is  our 
 high  priest  intreating  for  us,  and  reigning  over  us  and  in  us  by 
 grace.  In  this  heavenly  righteousness  sin  can  have  no  place, 
 for  there  is  no  law;   and  where  no  law  is,  there  can  be  no  ^ 
 
 transgression,  Rom.  iv.  15. 
 
 Seeing,  then,  that  sin  hath  here  no  place,  there  can  be  no 
 anguish  of  conscience,  no  fear,  no  heaviness.  Therefore  St. 
 John  saith,  (1  John  v.  18.)  "  He  that  is  born  of  God  cannot 
 sin."  But  if  there  be  any  fear  or  grief  of  conscience,  it  is  a 
 token  that  this  righteousness  is  withdra^vn,  that  grace  is  hidden, 
 and  that  Christ  is  darkened  and  out  of  sight.  But  where  Christ 
 is  truly  seen  indeed,  there  must  needs  be  full  and  perfect  joy  in 
 the  Lord,  with  peace  of  conscience,  which  most  certainly  thus 
 thinketh:  "Although  I  am  a  sinner  by  the  law,  and  under 
 condemnation  of  the  law,  yet  I  despair  not,  yet  I  die  not,  be- 
 cause Christ  liveth,  who  is  both  my  righteousness  and  my 
 everlasting  life."  In  that  righteousness  and  life  I  have  no  sin, 
 no  fear,  no  sting  of  conscience,  no  care  of  death.  I  am  indeed 
 a  sinner,  as  touching  this  present  life  and  the  righteousness 
 thereof,  as  the  child  of  Adam;  where  the  law  accuseth  me, 
 death  reigneth  over  me,  and  at  length  would  devour  me.  But 
 I  have  another  righteousness  and  life  above  this  life,  which  is 
 Christ  the  Son  of  God,  who  knoweth  no  sin  nor  death,  but  is  -J 
 righteousness  and  life  eternal :  by  whom  this  my  body,  being 
 dead  and  brought  into  dust,  shall  be  raised  up  again,  and  de- 
 livered from  the  bondage  of  the  law  and  sin,  and  shall  be  sanc- 
 tified together  with  the  spirit. 
 
 So  both  these  continue  whilst  we  here  live.     The  flesh  if 
 
XCVlll  ARGUMENT  OF  THE  EPISTLE  OF 
 
 accused,  exercised  Avith  temptations,  oppressed  with  heaviness 
 and  sorrow,  bruised  by  his  active  righteousness  of  the  law;  but 
 the  spirit  reigneth,  rejoiceth,  and  is  saved  by  this  passive  and 
 Christian  righteousness,  because  it  knoweth  that  it  hath  a 
 Lord  in  heaven,  at  the  right  hand  of  his  Fathek,  who  hath 
 aboHshed  the  law,  sin,  death,  and  hath  trodden  under  his  feet 
 all  evils,  led  them  captive,  and  triumphed  over  them  in  himself. 
 Col.  ii.  15. 
 
 St.  Paul  therefore,  in  this  epistle,  goeth  about  diligently  to 
 instruct  us,  to  comfort  us,  to  hold  us  in  the  perfect  knowledge 
 of  this  most  Christian  and  excellent  righteousness.  For  if  the 
 article  of  justification  be  once  lost,  then  is  all  true  Christian 
 doctrine  lost.  And  as  many  as  are  in  the  world  that  hold  not 
 this  doctrine,  are  either  Jews,  Turks,  Papists,  or  heretics.  For 
 between  the  "  righteousness  of  the  law,"  and  "  Christian 
 righteousness,"  there  is  no  mean.  He  then  that  strayeth  from 
 this  "  Christian  righteousness,"  must  needs  fall  into  the 
 "  righteousness  of  the  law;"  that  is  to  say,  "  when  he  hath  lost 
 Christ,  he  must  fall  into  the  confidence  of  his  own  works." 
 
 Therefore  do  we  so  earnestly  set  forth,  and  so  often  re- 
 peat this  doctrine  of  "  faith,"  or  "  Christian  righteousness,"  that 
 by  this  means  it  may  be  kept  in  continual  exercise,  and  may 
 be  plainly  discerned  from  the  "active  righteousness  of  the 
 law."  Otherwise  we  shall  never  be  able  to  hold  the  true  di- 
 vinity (for  by  this  only  doctrine  the  church  is  built,  and  in  this 
 it  consisteth:)  but  by  and  by  we  shall  either  become  canonists, 
 observers  of  ceremonies,  "observers  of  the  law,  or  Papists, 
 and  Christ  so  darkened,  that  none  in  the  church  shall  be  either 
 rightly  taught  or  comforted."  Wherefore,  if  we  will  be 
 teachers  and  leaders  of  others,  it  behoveth  us  to  have  great 
 care  of  these  matters,  and  to  mark  well  this  distinction  be- 
 tween the  righteousness  of  the  law  and  the  righteousness  of 
 Christ.  And  this  distinction  is  easy  to  be  uttered  in  words ;  but 
 in  use  and  experience  it  is  very  hard,  although  it  be  never  so  dili- 
 gently exercised  and  practised ;  for  that  in  the  hour  of  death,  or 
 in  other  agonies  of  the  conscience,  these  two  sorts  of  righteous- 
 ness do  encounter  more  near  together  than  thou  wouldst  wish 
 or  desire.  "  Wherefore  I  do  admonish  you,  especially  such 
 as  shall  become  instructors  and  guiders  of  consciences,  and  also 
 every  one  apart,  that  ye  exercise  yourselves  continually  by 
 study,  by  reading,  by  meditation  of  the  word,  and  by  prayer, 
 that  in  the  time  of  temptation  ye  may  be  able  to  instruct  and 
 comfort  both  your  own  consciences  and  others,  and  to  bring 
 them  from  the  law  to  grace,  from  active  and  working  righteous- 
 ness, to  the  passive  and  received  righteousness ;"  and,  to  con- 
 clude, "  from  Moses  to  Christ."  For  the  devil  is  wont  in 
 affliction,  and  in  the  conflict  of  conscience,  by  the  law  to  make 
 us  afraid,  and  to  lay  against  us  the  guilt  of  sin,  our  wicked 
 
ST.  PAUL  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  XCIX 
 
 life  past,  the  wrath  and  judgment  of  God,  heU,  and  eternal 
 death,  that  by  this  means  he  may  drive  us  to  desperation,  make 
 us  bond-slaves  to  himself,  and  pluck  us  from  Christ.  Further- 
 more, he  is  wont  to  set  against  us  those  places  of  the  gospel, 
 wherein  Christ  himself  requireth  works  of  us,  and  with  plain 
 words  threateneth  damnation  to  those  who  do  them  not.  Now, 
 if  here  we  be  not  able  to  judge  between  these  two  kinds  of 
 righteousness;  if  we  take  not  hold  of  Christ  by  faith,  sitting  at 
 the  right  hand  of  God,  (Heb.  vii.  25.)  who  maketh  intercession 
 uuto  the  Father  for  us  wretched  sinners,  then  are  we  under 
 the  law  and  not  under  grace,  and  Christ  is  no  more  a  Saviour, 
 but  a  lawgiver ;  so  that  now  there  remaineth  no  more  salvation, 
 but  a  certain  desperation  and  everlasting  death,  except  repen- 
 tance follow. 
 
 Let  us  then  diligently  learn  to  judge  between  these  two 
 kinds  of  righteousness,  that  we  may  know  how  far  we  ought  to 
 obey  the  law.     Now,  we  have  said  before,  that  the  law  in  a 
 Christian  ought  not  to  pass  his  bounds,  but  ought  to  have  do- 
 minion only  over  the  flesh,  which  is  in  subjection  unto  it,  and 
 remaineth  under  the  same.     When  it  is  thus,  the  law  is  kept 
 within  his  bounds.     But  if  it  shall  presume  to  creep  into  thy 
 conscience,  and  there  seek  to  reign,  see  thou  play  the  cunning- 
 logician,  and  make  the  true  division.     Give  no  more  to  the 
 law  than  is  convenient,  but  say  thou:  "  O  law,  thou  wouldst 
 chmb  up  into  the  kingdom  of  my  conscience,  and  there  reign 
 and  reprove  it  of  sin,  and  wouldst  take  from  me  the  joy  of 
 my  heart,  which  I  have  by  faith  in  Christ,  and  drive  me  to 
 desperation,  that  I  might  be  without  all  hope,  and  utterly  pe- 
 rish."   This  thou  dost  besides  thine  office ;  keep  thyself  within 
 thy  bounds,  and  exercise  thy  power  upon  the  flesh,  but  touch 
 not  my  conscience ;  for  I  am  baptized,  and  by  the  gospel  am 
 called  to  the  partaking  of  righteousness  and  of  everlasting  life, 
 to  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  wherein  my  conscience  is  at  rest, 
 where  no  law   is,  but  altogether  forgiveness  of  sins,  peace, 
 quietness,  joy,  health,  and  everlasting  life.     Trouble  me  uot  in 
 these  matters,  for  I  will  not  suffer  thee,  so  intolerable  a  iyrant 
 and  cruel  tormentor,  to  reign  in  my  conscience,  for  it  is  the 
 seat  and  temple  of  Christ,   the  Son  of  God,  (1  Cor.  vi.  19.) 
 who  is   the  king  of  righteousness  and  peace,  and  my  most 
 sweet  saviour  and  mediator :  he  shall  keep  my  conscience  joy- 
 ful and  quiet  in  the  sound  and  pure  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  and 
 in  the  knowledge  of  this  Christian  and  heavenly  righteousness. 
 
 When  I  have  this  righteousness  reigning  in  my  heart,  I  de- 
 scend from  heaven  as  the  rain  maketh  fruitful  the  earth :  that 
 is  to  say,  I  come  forth  into  another  kingdom,  and  I  do  "  good 
 works,"  how  and  whensoever  occasion  is  offered.  If  I  be  a 
 minister  of  the  word,  I  preach,  I  comfort  the  broken-hearted, 
 I  administer  the  sacraments.     If  I  be  a  householder,  I  govern 
 
C  ARGUMENT  OF  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS. 
 
 my  house  and  my  family,  I  bring  up  my  children  in  the  know- 
 ledge and  fear  of  God.  If  I  be  a  magistrate,  the  charge  that 
 is  given  me  from  above,  I  diligently  execute.  If  I  be  a  ser- 
 vant, I  do  my  master's  business  faithfully.  To  conclude,  what- 
 soever he  be  that  is  assuredly  persuaded  that  Christ  is  his 
 righteousness,  doth  not  only  cheerfully  and  gladly  work  well 
 in  his  vocation,  but  also  submitteth  himself  through  love  to 
 the  magistrates,  and  to  their  laws,  yea,  though  they  be  severe, 
 sharp,  and  cruel,  and  (if  necessity  do  so  require)  to  all  manner 
 of  burdens,  and  to  all  dangers  of  this  present  life,  because  he 
 knoweth  that  this  is  the  wiU  of  God,  and  that  this  obedience 
 pleaseth  him.  Thus  far  as  concerning  the  argument  of  this 
 Epistle,  whereof  Paul  intreateth,  taking  occasion  of  false 
 teachers  who  had  darkened  this  righteousness  of  faith  among 
 the  Galatians,  against  whom  he  setteth  himself  in  defeudriig 
 and  commending  his  authority  and  office. 
 
A  COMMENTARY 
 
 ON 
 
 SAINT   PAUL  S   EPISTLE 
 
 THE    GALATIANS. 
 
 CHAP.  I. 
 
 Verse  1.     Paul,  an  apoRtle  (not  of  men,  neither  by  man,  but  by  Jesus  Christ, 
 and  God  the  Father,  who  raised  him  from  the  dead.) 
 
 JN  ow  that  we  have  declared  the  argiunent  and  sum  of  this  epis- 
 tle to  the  Galatians,  we  think  it  good,  hetbre  we  come  to  the 
 matter  itself,  to  shew  what  was  the  occasion  St.  Paul  wrote  this 
 epistle.  He  had  planted  among  the  Galatians  the  pure  doc- 
 trine of  the  gospel,  and  the  righteousness  of  faith  ;  but  by  and 
 by,  after  his  departure,  there  crept  in  certain  false  teachers, 
 which  overtlu'ew  all  that  he  had  planted  and  truly  taught  among 
 them.  For  the  devil  cannot  but  furiously  impugn  this  doctrine 
 with  all  force  and  subtlety,  neither  can  he  rest  so  long  as  he 
 seeth  any  spark  thereof  remaining.  We  also,  for  this  only  cause, 
 that  we  preach  the  gospel,  do  suffer  of  the  world,  the  devil,  and 
 his  ministers,  all  the  mischief  that  they  can  work  against  us, 
 both  on  the  right  hand  and  on  the  left. 
 
 For  the  gospel  is  such  a  doctrine  as  teacheth  a  far  higher 
 matter  than  is  the  wisdom,  righteousness,  and  religion  of  the 
 world,  that  is  to  say,  free  remission  of  sins  through  Christ,  &c. 
 It  leaveth  those  things  in  their  degi'ee,  to  be  as  they  are,  and 
 commendeth  them  as  the  good  creatures  of  God.  But  the  world 
 preferreth  these  creatures  before  the  Creator,  and  moreover,  by 
 them  would  put  away  sin,  be  delivered  from  death,  and  deserve 
 everlasting  life.  This  doth  the  gospel  condemn.  Contrariwise,  the 
 world  cannot  suffer  those  things  to  be  condemned  which  it  most 
 esteemeth,  and  best  liketh  of;  and  therefore  it  chargeth  the  gos- 
 pel that  it  is  a  seditious  doctrine,  and  full  of  errors ;  that  it  over- 
 throweth  commonwealths,  countries,  dominions,  kingdoms,  and 
 empires,  and  therefore  offendeth  both  against  God  and  the  Em- 
 peror; abolisheth  laws,  corrupteth  good  manners,  and  setteth  all 
 men  at  liberty  to  do  what  they  list.    Wherefore,  with  just  zeal, 
 
 B 
 
2  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUl's  [CHAP.  I. 
 
 and  high  service  to  God,  (as  it  would  seem)  it  persecuteth  this 
 doctrine,  and  abhorreth  the  teachers  and  professors  thereof,  as 
 the  greatest  plague  that  can  be  in  the  whole  earth. 
 
 Moreover,  by  the  preaching  of  this  doctrine,  the  devil  is  over- 
 thrown, his  kingdom  destroyed,  the  law,  sin,  and  death,  (where- 
 with, as  most  mighty  and  invincible  tyrants,  he  hath  brought  all 
 mankind  in  subjection  under  his  dominion)  are  wrested  out  of 
 his  hands:  briefly,  his  prisoners  are  translated  out  of  the  king- 
 dom of  darkness,  into  the  kingdom  of  Light  and  Liberty. 
 Shoidd  the  devil  suff*er  all  this  ?  "  Should  not  the  father  of 
 lies  employ  all  his  force  and  subtile  policies,  to  darken,  to  cor- 
 rupt, and  utterly  to  root  out  this  doctrine  of  salvation  and  ever- 
 lasting life  ?  Indeed,  St.  Paid  complaineth  in  this,  and  all  other 
 his  epistles,  that  even  in  his  time  the  devil  shewed  himself  a 
 cunning  workman  in  this  business." 
 
 We  thought  good  to  shew  here  by  the  way,  that  the  gospel 
 is  such  a  doctrine  as  condemneth  all  manner  of  righteousness, 
 and  preacheth  the  only  righteousness  of  Christ,  and  to  them 
 that  embrace  the  same,  it  bringeth  peace  of  conscience  and  all 
 good  things  ;  and  yet,  notwithstanding,  the  world  hateth  and 
 persecuteth  it  most  bitterly. 
 
 I  have  said  before,  that  the  occasion  Avhy  St.  Paul  wrote  this 
 epistle,  was  for  that  by  and  by  after  his  departure,  false  teachers 
 had  destroyed  those  things  among  the  Galatians,  which  he  with 
 long  and  great  travel  had  built.  And  these  false  apostles  being 
 of  the  circumcision  and  sect  of  the  Pharisees,  were  men  of  great 
 estimation  and  authority,  who  bragged  among  the  people  that 
 they  were  of  that  holy  and  chosen  stock  of  the  Jews,  (John  viii. 
 Rom.  iv.  4,  5,  6.)  that  they  were  Israelites,  of  the  seed  of  Abra- 
 ham, that  they  had  the  promises  and  the  fathers  ;  and  finally, 
 that  they  were  the  ministers  of  Christ,  and  the  apostles'  scholars, 
 with  whom  they  had  been  conversant,  and  had  seen  their  miracles, 
 and  perhaps  had  also  wrought  some  signs  or  miracles  themselves ; 
 for  Christ  witnesseth  (Matth.  vii.  22.)  that  the  wicked  also  do 
 work  miracles.  Moreover,  these  false  apostles,  by  all  the  crafty 
 means  they  could  devise,  defaced  the  authority  of  St.  Paul,  say- 
 ing: "  Why  do  ye  so  highly  esteem  of  Paul?  Why  have  ye 
 him  in  so  great  reverence?  Forsooth,  he  was  but  the  last  of  all 
 that  were  converted  unto  Christ.  But  we  are  the  disciples  of 
 the  apostles,  and  were  familiarly  conversant  with  them.  We 
 have  seen  Christ  working  miracles,  and  heard  him  preach.  Paul 
 came  after  us,  and  is  inferior  unto  us :  and  it  is  not  possible  that 
 God  should  suffer  us  to  err  who  are  of  his  holy  people,  the  mi- 
 nisters of  Christ,  and  have  received  the  Holy  Ghost.  Again,  we 
 are  many,  and  Paul  is  but  one,  and  alone,  who  neither  is  con- 
 versant with  the  apostles,  nor  hath  seen  Christ.  Yea,  he  perse- 
 cuted the  church  of  Christ  a  great  wliile.  Would  God  (think  ye) 
 for  Paul's  sdki  only,  suffer  so  many  churches  to  be  deceived:"' 
 
VER.  1.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  S 
 
 When  men  having  such  authority  come  into  any  country  or 
 city,  by  and  by  the  people  have  them  in  great  admiration,  and 
 under  this  colour  of  godliness  and  religion,  they  do  not  only 
 deceive  the  simple,  but  also  the  learned;  yea,  and  those  also 
 which  seem  to  be  somewhat  confirmed  in  the  faith,  especially 
 when  they  brag  (as  these  did)  that  they  are  the  offspring  of  the 
 patriarchs,  the  ministers  of  Christ,  the  apostles*  scholars,  &c. 
 jEven  so  the  Pope  at  this  day,  when  he  hath  no  authority  of 
 the  Scripture  to  defend  himself  withal,  useth  this  one  argument 
 continually  against  us,  "the  chm-ch,  the  church."  Thinkest 
 thou  that  God  is  so  offended,  that,  for  a  few  heretics  of  Luther's 
 sect,  he  will  cast  off  liis  whole  chiirch?  Thinkest  thou  that  he 
 would  leave  his  church  in  error  so  many  hundred  years  ?  And 
 this  he  mightily  maintaineth,  "  that  the  church  can  never  be 
 overthrown."  Now,  like  as  many  are  moved  with  this  argument 
 at  this  day,  so,  in  Paul's  time,  these  false  apostles,  through  great 
 bragging,  and  setting  forth  of  their  own  praises,  blinded  the 
 eyes  of  the  Galatians,  so  that  Paul  lost  his  authority  among  them, 
 and  his  doctrine  was  brought  in  suspicion. 
 
 Against  this  vain  bragging  and  boasting  of  the  false  apostles, 
 Paul  with  great  constancy  and  boldness  setteth  his  apostolic  au 
 thority,  highly  commending  his  vocation,  and  defending  his 
 ministry.  And  (although  elsewhere  he  never  doth  the  like)  he 
 will  not  give  place  to  any,  no,  not  to  the  apostles  themselves, 
 much  less  to  any  of  their  scholars.  And  to  abate  their  pharisai- 
 cal  pride  and  shameless  boldness,  he  maketh  mention  of  the  his- 
 tory done  at  Antiochia,  where  he  withstood  Peter  himself.  Besides 
 this,  not  regarding  the  oflPence  that  might  arise  thereof,  he  saith 
 plainly  in  the  text,  that  he  was  bold  to  accuse  and  reprove 
 Peter  himself,  the  chief  of  the  apostles,  who  had  seen  Christ, 
 and  had  been  most  familiarly  conversant  with  him.  I  am  an 
 apostle  (saith  he)  and  such  a  one  as  pass  not  what  others  are  : 
 yea,  I  was  not  afraid  to  chide  the  very  pillar  of  all  the  rest  of 
 the  apostles.  And  to  conclude,  in  the  first  two  chapters,  he 
 doth,  in  a  manner,  nothing  else  but  set  out  his  vocation,  his 
 office,  and  his  gospel,  affirming,  that  it  was  not  of  men,  and  that 
 he  had  not  received  it  by  man,  but  by  the  revelation  of  Jesus 
 Christ.  Also,  that  if  he,  yea,  or  an  angel  from  Heaven,  should 
 bring  any  other  gospel  than  that  which  he  hath  preached,  he 
 shomd  be  holden  accursed. 
 
 The  certainty  of  calling. 
 
 But  what  meaneth  Paid  by  this  boasting?  I  answer:  Tliis 
 common  place  serveth  to  this  end,  that  every  minister  of  God's 
 word  should  be  sure  of  his  calling,  that  before  God  and  man 
 he  may  with  a  bold  conscience  glory  therein,  that  he  preaches 
 the  gospel  as  one  that  is  called  and  sent :  even  as  the  ambas- 
 sador of  a  king  glorieth  and  vamiteth  in  this,  that  he  cometh 
 
4  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUl's  [CHAP.  I 
 
 not  as  a  private  person,  but  as  the  king's  ambassador;  and  be- 
 cause of  this  dignity,  that  he  is  the  king's  ambassador,  he  is 
 honoured  and  set  in  the  highest  place;  which  honour  should  not 
 be  given  unto  him  if  he  came  as  a  private  person.  Wherefore, 
 let  the  preacher  of  the  gospel  be  certain  that  liis  calling  is  from 
 God.  And  it  is  expedient,  that,  according  to  the  example  of' 
 Paul,  he  should  magnify  this  his  calling,  to  the  end  that  he  may 
 win  credit  and  authority  among  the  people,  like  as  the  king's 
 ambassador  magnifieth  his  office  and  calling.  And  thus  to  glory 
 is  not  vain,  but  a  kind  of  necessary  kind  of  glorying,  because  he 
 glorieth  not  in  himself,  but  in  the  king  which  hath  sent  him, 
 whose  authority  he  desireth  to  be  honom-ed  and  magnified. 
 
 Likewise,  when  Paul  so  highly  commendeth  his  calling-,  he 
 seeketh  not  his  own  praise,  but  with  a  necessary  and  a  holy 
 
 ?ride  he  magnifieth  his  ministry;  as  to  the  Romans  xi.  he  saith: 
 'orasmuch  as  I  am  the  apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  I  will  mag- 
 nify mine  office :  that  is  to  say,  I  will  that  men  receive  me,  not 
 as  Paul  of  Tarsus,  but  as  Paul  the  apostle  or  ambassador  of 
 Jesus  Christ.  And  this  he  doth  of  necessity,  to  maintain  his 
 authority,  that  the  people,  in  hearing  this,  might  be  more  attent 
 and  willing  to  give  ear  imto  him.  For  they  hear  not  only  Paul, 
 but  in  Paul,  Christ  himself,  and  God  the  Father,  sending  him 
 out  in  his  message:  Whose  authority  and  majesty,  like  as  men 
 ought  religiously  to  honom*,  so  ought  they  with  great  reverence 
 to  receive  and  to  hear  his  messengers  bringing  his  word  and 
 message. 
 
 This  is  a  notable  place,  therefore,  wherein  Paul  so  glorieth 
 and  boasteth  as  touching  his  vocation,  that  he  despiseth  all  others. 
 If  any  man,  after  the  manner  of  the  world,  should  despise  all 
 others  in  respect  of  himself,  and  attribute  all  unto  himself  alone, 
 he  should  not  only  shew  himself  a  very  fool,  but  also  grievously 
 offend.  But  this  manner  of  boasting  is  necessary,  and  pertain- 
 eth  not  to  the  glory  of  Paul,  but  to  the  glory  of  God,  whereby 
 is  offered  unto  him  the  sacrifices  of  praise  and  thanksgiving. 
 For  by  this  boasting,  the  name,  the  grace,  and  the  mercy  of 
 God,  is  made  known  unto  the  world.  Thus,  therefore,  he  be- 
 ginneth  his  epistle. 
 
 Verse  1.  Paul,  an  apostle,  not  of  men,  &c. 
 Here,  in  the  very  beginning,  he  toucheth  those  false  teachers 
 which  boasted  themselves  to  be  the  disciples  of  the  apostles,  and 
 to  be  sent  of  them,  but  despised  Paid,  as  one  that  was  neither 
 the  apostles'  scholar,  nor  sent  of  any  to  preach  the  gospel,  but 
 came  in  some  other  way,  and  of  his  own  hand  thrust  himself  into 
 that  office.  Against  those  Paul  defendeth  his  calling,  saying, 
 My  calling  seemeth  base  to  your  preachers:  but  whosoever  they 
 be  which  are  come  unto  you,  are  sent  either  of  men,  or  by  man  • 
 that  is  to  say,  they  have  entered  either  of  themselves,  being  not 
 
VER.   I.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  6 
 
 called,  or  else  called  by  others.  Bat  my  calling-  is  not  of  men, 
 nor  by  man,  but  it  is  above  all  manner  of  calling  that  can  be 
 made  by  the  apostles,  "for  it  is  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  ly  God 
 the  Father,"  &c. 
 
 Where  he  saith  of  men,  I  mean  such  as  call  and  thrust  m 
 themselves,  when  neither  God  nor  man  calleth  or  sendeth  them, 
 but  they  run  and  speak  themselves;  as  at  this  day  certain  fan- 
 tastical spirits  do,  which  either  lurk  in  corners,  and  seek  places 
 where  they  may  pour  out  their  poison,  and  come  into  the  public 
 congregations,  or  else  they  resort  thither,  where  the  gospel  is 
 planted  already.     These  I  call  such  as  are  sent  of  men.     But 
 where  he  saith,  by  man,  I  understand  such  as  have  a  divine  calling, 
 but  yet  by  man  as  by  means.    God  caUeth  them  two  manner  of 
 ways:  by  means,  and  without  means.     He  calleth  them  to  the 
 ministry  of  his  word  at  this  day,  not  immediately  by  himself,  but 
 by  other  means;  that  is  to  say,  by  man.     But  the  apostles  were 
 called  immediately  of  Christ  himself,  "  as  the  prophets  in  the 
 old  time  were  called  of  God  himself."     Therefore,  when  Paul 
 saith,  "  not  of  men,  neither  by  men,"  he  beateth  down  the  false 
 apostles;  as  though  he  would  say,  although  those  vipers  brag 
 never  so  much,  what  can  they  brag  more  than  that  they  are 
 either  come  from  men,  that  is  to  say,  of  themselves  without  any 
 calling,  or  by  man,  that  is  to  say,  sent  of  others?  I  pass  not  upon 
 any  of  these  things,  neither  ought  you  to  regard  them.     As  for 
 me,  I  am  called  and  sent  neither  of  men,  nor  by  man,  but  with- 
 out means,  that  is  to  wit,  by  Jesus  Christ  himself,  and  my  calling 
 is  like  in  all  points  the  calling  of  the  apostles,  and  I  am  indeed 
 an  apostle.     Paul,  therefore,  handleth  this  place,  of  the  calling 
 of  the  apostles,  effectually.  And  elsewhere,  he  separateth  the  de- 
 gree of  apostleship  from  others,  as  in  the  first  to  the  Corinthians, 
 chap.  xii.  and  in  the  fom'th  to  the  Ephesians,  where  he  saith, 
 "And  God  hath  ordained  some  in  the  church;  as,  fii'st,  apostles; 
 secondly,  prophets;  thirdly,  teachers,"  &c.  setting  apostles  in  the 
 first  place:  so  that  they  be  properly  called  apostles,   "which 
 are  sent  immediately  of  God  himself,"  without  any  other  ordi- 
 nary means. 
 
 So  Matthias  was  called  only  of  God,  (Acts  i.  23 — 25,)  for 
 when  the  other  apostles  had  appointed  two,  they  durst  not  choose 
 the  one  nor  the  other,  but  they  cast  lots,  and  prayed  that  God 
 would  shew  Avhich  of  them  he  would  have.  For,  seeing  he 
 should  be  an  apostle,  it  behoved  that  he  should  be  called  of 
 God.  So  was  Paul  called  to  be  the  apostle  of  the  Gentiles, 
 (Acts  ix.  15.)  Hereof  the  apostles  also  are  called  saints;  for 
 they  are  sure  of  their  calling  and  doctrine,  and  have  continued 
 faithful  in  their  office,  and  none  of  them  became  a  cast-away 
 saving  Judas,  because  their  calUng  is  holy,  (Matt.  xxvi.  15.) 
 
 This  is  the  first  assault  that  Paul  maketh  against  the  false 
 iipostles,  which  ran  when  no  man  sent  them.  Calling,  therefore, 
 
<>  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  I. 
 
 is  not  to  be  despised ;  for  it  is  not  enough  for  a  man  to  have  the 
 word  and  piu-e  doctrine,  but  also  he  must  be  assured  of  his  call- 
 ing; and  he  that  enter eth  without  this  assurance,  enter eth  to  no 
 other  end  but  to  kill  and  destroy.  For  God  never  prospereth 
 the  labour  of  those  that  are  not  called.  "  And  although  they 
 teach  some  good  and  profitable  matters,  yet  they  edify  not.  So, 
 our  fantastical  spirits  at  this  day,  have  the  words  of  faith  in 
 their  mouths,  but  yet  they  yield  no  fruit,  but  their  chief  end  and 
 purpose  is  to  draw  men  to  their  false  and  perverse  opinions." 
 They  that  have  a  certain  and  holy  calling, — must  sustain  many 
 and  great  conflicts,  as  they  must  do  whose  doctrine  is  pure  and 
 sound,  that  they  may  constantly  abide  in  their  lawful  calling, 
 agftinst  the  infinite  and  continual  assaults  of  the  devil,  and  rage 
 of  the  world.  "  Here,  what  should  he  do  whose  calling  is  un- 
 certain, and  doctrine  corrupt?" 
 
 This  is  therefore  oiu-  comfort  which  are  in  the  ministry  of  the 
 word,  "  that  we  have  an  office  which  is  heavenly  and  holy,"  to 
 the  which  we  being  lawfully  called,  do  triumph  against  all  the 
 gates  of  hell.  On  the  other  side,  it  is  a  horrible  thing  when 
 the  conscience  saith,  "  This  thou  hast  done  without  any  lawful 
 calling."  Here  such  terror  "  shaketh  a  man's  mind  which  is 
 not  called,  that  he  would  wish  he  had  never  heard  the  word 
 which  he  teacheth:"  for,  by  his  disobedience,  he  maketh  all  his 
 works  evil,  were  they  never  so  good,  insomuch,  "  that  even  his 
 greatest  works  and  labours  become  his  greatest  sins." 
 
 We  see  then  how  good  and  necessary  this  boasting  and  glori- 
 fying of  our  ministry  is.  In  times  past,  when  I  was  but  a  youn^ 
 divine,  methought  Paul  did  unwisely  in  glorying  so  oft  of  his 
 calling,  in  his  epistles;  but  I  did  not  understand  his  purpose; 
 for  I  knew  not  that  the  ministry  of  God's  word  was  so  weighty  a 
 matter.  I  knew  nothing  of  the  doctrine  of  faith  and  a  true  con- 
 science indeed,  "  for  that  there  was  then  no  certainty  taught 
 either  in  the  schools  or  churches,  but  all  was  full  of  the  sophistical 
 subtleties  of  the  schoolmen;"  and  therefore  no  man  was  able  to 
 understand  the  dignity  and  power  of  this  holy  and  spiritual 
 boasting  of  the  true  and  lawful  calling,  which  serveth  first  to  the 
 glory  of  God,  and  secondly  to  the  advancing  of  our  office,  and 
 moreover,  "  to  the  salvation  of  ourselves  and  of  the  people. 
 For,  by  this  our  boasting,  we  seek  not  estimation  in  the  world, 
 or  praise  among  men,  or  money,  or  pleasures,  or  favour,  of  the 
 world;  but  forasmuch  as  we  be  in  a  divine  calling,  and  in  the 
 work  of  God,  and  the  people  have  great  need  to  be  assured  of 
 om-  calling,  that  they  may  know  our  words  to  be  the  word  of 
 God,  therefore  we  proudly  vaunt  and  boast  of  it."  It  is  not 
 then  a  vain,  but  a  most  holy  pride  against  the  devil  and  the 
 world,  and  humility  before  God. 
 
VER.  I.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  7 
 
 Verse  1.  And  by  God  the  Father,  which  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead. 
 
 Paul  is  SO  inflamed  here  with  zeal,  that  he  cannot  tarry  till  he 
 come  to  the  matter  itself,  but  forthwith,  in  the  very  title,  he 
 bursteth  out  and  uttereth  what  he  hath  in  his  heart.  His  intent 
 in  this  epistle  is,  to  treat  of  the  righteousness  that  cometh  by 
 faith,  and  to  defend  the  same :  again,  to  beat  down  the  law,  and 
 the  righteousness  that  cometh  by  works.  Of  such  cogitations  he 
 is  full,  and  out  of  this  wonderful  and  exceeding  great  abundance 
 of  the  excellent  Avisdom  and  knowledge  of  Christ  in  his  heart, 
 his  mouth  speaketh.  This  flame,  this  great  burning  fire  of  his 
 heart,  cannot  be  hid,  nor  suft'er  him  to  hold  his  tongue;  and 
 therefore,  he  thought  it  not  enough  to  say,  "  that  he  Avas  an 
 apostle  sent  by  Jesus  Christ,"  but  also  added,  "  by  God  the 
 Father,  Avhich  hath  raised  him  up  from  the  dead." 
 
 But  it  seemeth  here,  that  the  adding  of  these  words,  "  And 
 by  God  the  Father,"  &c.  is  not  necessary.  But  because  (as  I 
 said)  Paul  speaketh  out  of  the  abundance  of  his  heart,  his  mind 
 burnetii  with  desire  to  set  forth,  even  iji  the  very  entry  of  his 
 epistle,  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ,  and  to  preach  the 
 righteousness  of  God,  "  which  is  called  the  resurrection  of  the 
 dead."  Christ  Avho  liveth,  and  is  risen  again,  speaketh  out  of 
 him,  and  moveth  him  thus  to  speak;  therefore,  not  without 
 cause,  he  addeth,  "  that  he  is  also  an  apostle,  by  God  the  Fa- 
 ther, Avho  hath  raised  up  Jesus  Christ  from  the  dead."  As  if 
 he  should  say,  I  have  to  deal  Avith  Satan,  and  Avith  those  vipers, 
 the  instruments  of  Satan,  Avhich  go  about  to  spoil  me  of  the 
 righteousness  of  Christ,  Avho  was  raised  up  by  God  the  Father 
 from  the  dead;  by  the  Avhich  alone  we  are  made  righteous,  by 
 the  Avhich  Ave  also  shall  be  raised  up  at  the  last  day  from 
 death  to  everlasting  life.  "  But  they  that  in  such  sort  go  about 
 to  overthroAv  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  do  resist  the  Father 
 and  the  Son,  and  the  Avork  of  them  both." 
 
 Thus  Paul,  even  at  the  first  entrance,  bursteth  out  into  the 
 whole  matter  Avhereof  he  intreateth  in  this  epistle.  For  (as  I 
 said)  he  "  treateth  of  the  resurrection  of  Christ,"  who  rose  again 
 to  make  us  righteous,  and  in  so  doing,  he  hath  overcome  the  law. 
 sin,  death,  hell,  and  all  evils,  (Rom.  iv.  24,  25.)  Christ's  vic- 
 tory, then,  is  the  overcoming  of  the  law,  of  sin,  our  flesh,  the 
 world,  the  devil,  death,  hell,  and  all  evdls:  And  this  his  victory 
 he  hath  given  unto  us.  "  Although,  then,  that  these  tyrants, 
 and  these  enemies  of  om's,  do  accuse  us,  and  make  us  afraid,  yet 
 can  they  not  drive  us  to  despair,  nor  condemn  us;"  for  Chnst, 
 whom  God  the  Father  hath  raised  up  from  the  dead,  "  is  our 
 righteousness  and  victory,  (1  Cor.  xv.  ST.)  therefore,  thanks,  be 
 to  God,  who  hath  given  us  the  victory  by  our  Lord  Jesus 
 Christ."     Amen. 
 
 But  mark  how  fitly,  and  to  the  purpose^  ^'il  here  speaketh. 
 
8  COMMENTAKY  ON  ST.  P-  UL's  [cHAP.  I. 
 
 He  saith  not,  by  God  which  hath  made  Heaven  and  earth,  Avhich 
 Lord  of  ang-els,  which  commanded  Abraham  to  go  out  of  his 
 cwn  country,  which  sent  Moses  to  Pharaoh  the  king,  which 
 Drought  Israel  out  of  Egypt,  (as  the  false  apostles  did,  who 
 boasted  of  the  God  of  their  fathers,  the  Creator,  Maintainer, 
 and  Preserver  of  all  things,  workmg  wonders  among  his  people:) 
 but  Paul  had  another  thing  in  his  heart,  namely,  "  the  righte- 
 ousness of  Christ,"  and  therefore  he  speaketh  words  that  make 
 much  for  this  his  purpose,  saying:  "  I  am  an  apostle,  neither  of 
 men,  nor  by  men,  but  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  God  the  Father, 
 who  hath  raised  him  up  from  the  dead."  Ye  see,  then,  with 
 what  fervency  of  spirit  Paul  is  led  in  this  matter,  which  he  goeth 
 about  to  establish  and  maintain  against  the  whole  kingdom  of 
 hell,  the  power  and  wisdom  of  the  world,  and  against  the  devil 
 and  his  apostles. 
 
 Verse  2.  And  all  the  breiliren  with  me. 
 This  maketh  much  for  the  stopping  of  the  mouths  of  these 
 false  apostles;  for  all  his  argnmients  tend  to  the  advancing  and 
 magnifying  of  his  ministry,  and  contrariwise,  to  the  discrediting 
 of  theirs;  as  if  he  should  thus  say:  "Although  it  be  enough, 
 that  I,  through  a  divine  calling,  am  sent  as  an  apostle  by  Jesus 
 Christ,  and  God  the  Father,  which  hath  raised  him  up  from  the 
 dead;  yet,  lest  I  should  be  alone,  I  add  over  and  besides  (which 
 is  more  than  needeth)  aU  the  brethren,  Avhich  are  not  apostles, 
 but  fellow  soldiers:  they  write  this  epistle  as  well  as  I,  and  bear 
 Avitness  with  me  that  my  doctrine  is  true  and  godly."  Where- 
 fore, we  be  sure  that  Christ  is  present  with  us,  and  that  he  teach- 
 eth  and  speaketh  in  the  midst  of  us,  and  m  our  church.  As  for 
 the  false  apostles,  if  they  be  any  thing,  they  be  but  sent  either 
 of  men,  or  by  men;  but  I  am  sent  of  God  the  Father,  and  of 
 Jesus  Christ,  who  is  our  life  and  resurrection,  (John  xi.  25.) 
 My  other  brethren  are  sent  from  God,  howbeit  by  man,  that  is, 
 to  Avit,  by  me.  Therefore,  lest  they  might  say  that  I  only  set 
 myself  proudly  against  them,  I  liave  my  brethren  Avith  me,  all  of 
 one  mind,  as  faithful  witnesses,  which  think,  write,  and  teach 
 the  self-same  thing  that  I  do. 
 
 Verse  2.  Unto  the  churches  of  Galatia. 
 Paul  had  preached  the  gospel  throughout  all  Galatia,  and  al- 
 beit he  had  not  wholly  converted  it  unto  Christ,  yet  he  had  many 
 churches  in  it,  into  the  which  the  false  apostles,  Satan's  minis- 
 ters, had  crept.  So  likewise  at  this  day,  the  fantastical  anabap- 
 tists come  not  to  those  places  where  the  adversaries  of  the  gospel 
 bear  rule ;  but  where  Christians  and  good  men  are  which  love 
 the  gospel.  With  such  they  wuid  in  themselves  even  hi  the  do- 
 minions of  tyrants  and  persecutors  of  tlie  gospel:  where  they, 
 creeping  into  houses  under  crafty  pretence,  pour  out  their  poison 
 
VER.  2. J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  9 
 
 to  the  subversion  of  many.  But  why  go  they  not  rather  in  the 
 cities,  countries,  and  dominions  of  the  papists,  and  there  profess 
 and  maintain  their  doctrine  in  the  presence  of  wicked  princes, 
 bishops  and  doctors  in  the  uniA-^ersities,  as  we  by  God's  help  and 
 assistance  have  done  ?  These  tender  martyrs  will  adventure  no 
 peril,  but  they  resort  thither  where  the  gospel  hath  a  harbour 
 already,  where  they  may  live  without  danger  in  great  peace  and 
 quietness^  So  the  false  apostles  would  not  endanger  themselves 
 to  come  to  Jerusalem  to  Caiaphas,  or  to  Rome  to  the  emperor, 
 or  to  other  places  where  no  man  had  preached  afore,  as  Paul 
 and  the  other  apostles  did :  but  they  came  into  Galatia,  which 
 was  won  unto  Christ  already  by  the  labour  and  travel  of  Paul, 
 and  into  Asia,  Corinth,  and  such  other  places,  where  good 
 men  were,  and  professed  the  name  of  Christ,  persecuting  no 
 man,  but  suffering  aU  things  quietly.  There  might  the  enemies 
 of  Christ's  cross  live  in  great  security,  and  without  any  perse- 
 cution. 
 
 And  here  we  may  learn  that  it  is  the  lot  of  all  godly  teachers, 
 that  besides  the  persecution  which  they  suffer  of  the  wicked  and 
 unthankful  world,  and  the  great  travail  which  they  sustain  in 
 planting  of  chm'ches,  they  are  compelled  to  suffer  that  thing, 
 Avhich  they  of  long  time  before  had  purely  taught,  to  be  quickly 
 overthroAvn  of  fantastical  spirits,  who  afterwards  reign  and  rule 
 over  them.  This  grieveth  godly  ministers,  more  than  any  per- 
 secution of  tyi'ants.  Therefore,  let  him  not  be  a  minister  of  the 
 gospel,  which  is  not  content  to  be  thus  despised,  or  is  loth  to 
 bear  this  reproach;  or  if  he  be,  let  him  give  over  his  charge  to 
 another.  We  also  at  this  day  do  find  the  same  thing  to  be  true  by 
 experience.  We  are  miserably  contemned  and  vexed  outwardly 
 by  tyrants,  inwardly  by  those  whom  we  have  restored  to  liberty 
 by  the  gospel,  and  also  by  false  bretlu-en.  "  But  this  is  our . 
 comfort  and  glory,  that,  being  called  of  God,  we  have  a  promise 
 of  everlasting  life,  and  look  lor  that  reward  wliich  eye  hath  not 
 seen,  nor  ear  hath  heard,  nor  hath  entered  into  the  heart  of  man." 
 (1  Cor.  ii.  9.)  "  For  when  the  great  shepherd,  Chi'ist,  shall  ap- 
 pear, we  shall  receive  an  incorruptible  crown  of  glory ;  who  here 
 also  in  this  world  wiU  not  suffer  us  to  perish  for  hunger." 
 (1  Pet.  v.  4.) 
 
 Jerom  moveth  here  a  great  question,  "  why  Paul  called  those 
 chm'ches  which  were  no  churches.  It  is  (saith  he)  because  Paul 
 writeth  to  the  Galatians  that  were  perverted  and  turned  back 
 from  Christ,  and  from  grace,  unto  Moses,  and  the  law  ?"  Here- 
 mito  I  answer,  that  Paul  calleth  them  the  clnirches  of  Galatia, 
 by  putting  a  part  for  the  whole,  which  is  a  common  thing  in  the 
 scriptures.  For  writing  in  hke  manner  to  the  Corinthians,  "  he 
 rejoiceth  on  their  behalf,  that  the  grace  of  God  was  given  them 
 in  Clu-ist,  namely,  that  they  were  made  rich  through  him  in  all 
 utterance  and  knowledge."     And  yet  many  of  them  were  misled 
 
10  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUl's  [CHAP.  1, 
 
 by  false  apostles,  and  believed  not  the  resurrection  of  the 
 dead. 
 
 Albeit  then,  that  the  Galatians  were  fallen  away  from  the 
 doctrine  of  Paid,  yet  did  baptism,  the  word,  and  the  name  of 
 Christ,  remain  among^them.  There  were  also  some  good  men 
 that  were  not  revolted,  which  had  a  right  opinion  of  the  word  and 
 sacraments,  and  used  them  well.  Moreover,  these  things  could 
 not  be  defiled  through  them  that  were  revolted.  For  baptism, 
 the  gospel,  and  other  things,  are  not  therefore  made  imholy,  be- 
 cause many  are  polluted  and  imholy,  and  have  an  evil  opinion  of 
 them :  but  they  abide  holy  and  the  same  that  they  were,  whether 
 they  be  among  the  godly  or  the  migodly :  by  whom  they  can 
 neither  be  polluted,  nor  made  holy.  By  our  good  or  evil  con- 
 versation, by  om*  good  or  evil  life  and  manners,  they  be  polluted 
 or  made  holy  in  the  sight  of  the  heathen,  but  not  afore  God. 
 Wherefore,  wheresoever  the  substance  of  the  word  and  sacraments 
 remaineth,  there  is  the  holy  church,  although  Antichrist  there 
 reign,  who  (as  the  scripture  witnesseth)  sitteth  not  in  a  stable  of 
 fiends,  or  in  a  swine-sty,  or  in  a  company  of  infidels,  but  in  the 
 highest  and  holiest  place  of  all,  namely,  in  the  temple  of  God. 
 Wherefore,  although  spiritual  t)Tants  reign,  yet  there  must  be 
 a  temple  of  God,  and  the  same  must  be  preserved  under  them. 
 Therefore  I  answer  briefly  to  this  question,  that  the  church  is 
 universal  throughout  the  whole  world,  wheresoever  the  gospel  of 
 God  and  the  sacraments  be.  The  Jews,  the  Turks,  and  other 
 vain  spirits,  are  not  the  church,  because  they  fight  against  these 
 things  and  deny  them.  Hitherto  as  touching  the  title  or  inscrip- 
 tion of  this  epistle.  Now  followeth  the  salutation  or  greeting  of 
 PauL 
 
 Verse  3.     Grace  be  with  you,  and  peace  from  God  the  Father,  and  from  our 
 Lord  Jesus  Clirist. 
 
 I  hope  ye  are  not  ignorant  what  gi-ace  and  peace  meaneth, 
 seeing  that  these  terms  are  common  in  Paid,  and  now  not  ob- 
 scure or  unknoAvn.  But  forasmuch  as  we  take  in  hand  to  ex- 
 pound this  epistle,  (which  we  do,  not  because  it  is  needful,  or  for 
 any  hardness  that  is  in  it,  but  that  our  consciences  may  be  con- 
 fii-med  against  heresies  yet  to  come)  let  it  not  be  tedious  imto 
 you,  if  we  repeat  those  things  again,  that  elsewhere,  and  at  other 
 times,  we  teach,  preach,  sing,  and  set  out  by  writing.  For  if  we 
 neglect  the  article  of  justification,  we  lose  it  altogether.  There- 
 fore most  necessary  it  is,  chiefly,  and  above  all  things,  that  we 
 teach  and  repeat  tliis  article  continually :  like  as  Moses  saith  of 
 his  law.  For  it  cannot  be  beaten  into  our  ears  enough,  or  too 
 much.  Yea,  though  we  learn  it  and  understand  it  well,  yet 
 is  there  none  that  taketh  hold  of  it  perfectly,  or  belieyeth  it  with 
 his  heart.  So  frail  a  thing  is  our  flesh,  and  disobedient  to  the 
 spirit. 
 
VFR.  3.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  1 1 
 
 The  greeting  of  the  apostle  is  strange  unto  the  world,  and 
 was  never  heard  of  before  the  preaching  of  the  gospel.  ''''And- 
 these  two  words,  grace  and  peace,  comprehend  in  them  what-  «*^ 
 soever  belongeth  to  Christianity.  ,  .Grace  releaseth  sin,  and  ' 
 peace  maketh  the  conscience  quiet. '  The  two  fiends  that  tor-  --« 
 ment  us,  are  sin  and  conscience.  But  Christ  hath  vanquished 
 these  two  monsters,  and  trodden  them  imder  foot,  both  in  this 
 world,  and  the  world  to  come.  This  the  world  doth  not  know, 
 and  therefore  it  can  teach  no  certainty  of  the  overcoming  of  sin, 
 conscience,  and  death.  Only  Christians  have  this  kind  of  doc- 
 trine, and  are  exercised  and  armed  with  it,  to  get  victory  against 
 sin,  despair,  and  everlasting  death.  And  it  is  a  kind  or  doc- 
 trine, neither  proceeding  of  free-Avill,  nor  invented  by  the  reason 
 or  wisdom  of  man,  but  given  fi'om  above.  Moreover,  these  two 
 words,  grace  and  peace,  do  contain  in  them  the  whole  sum  of 
 Christianity.  Grace  containeth  the  remission  of  sins,  peace, 
 a  quiet  and  joyful  conscience.  But  peace  of  conscience  can 
 never  be  had,  unless  sin  be  first  forgiven.  But  sin  is  not  for- 
 given for  the  fulfilling  of  the  laAV :  for  no  man  is  able  to  satisfy 
 the  law.  But  the  law  doth  rather  shew  sin,  accuse  and  terrify 
 the  conscience,  declare  the  wrath  of  God,  and  drive  to  despera- 
 tion. Much  less  is  sin  taken  away  by  the  works  and  inventions 
 of  men,  as  wicked  worshippings,  strange  religions,  vows,  and 
 pilgrimages.  Finally,  there  is  no  work  that  can  take  away  sin : 
 but  sin  is  rather  increased  by  works.  For  the  justiciaries  and 
 merit-mongers,  the  more  they  labour  and  sweat  to  bring  them- 
 selves out  of  sin,  the  deeper  they  are  plunged  therein.  For  there 
 is  no  means  to  take  away  sin,  but  grace  alone.  Therefore  Paul, 
 in  all  the  gi'eetings  of  his  epistle,  setteth  grace  and  peace  against 
 sin  and  an  evil  conscience.  This  thing  must  be  diligently  mark- 
 ed. The  words  are  easy.  But,  in  temptation,  it  is  the  hard- 
 est thing  that  can  be,  to  be  certainly  persuaded  in  our  hearts, 
 that  by  grace  alone,  all  other  means,  either  in  heaven  or  in 
 earth,  set  apart,  we  have  remission  of  sins,  and  peace  with 
 God. 
 
 The  world  understandeth  not  this  doctrine ;  and  therefore  it 
 neither  will  nor  can  abide  it,  but  condemneth  it  as  heretical  and 
 wicked.  It  braggeth  of  free-will,  of  the  light  of  reason,  of  the 
 soundness,  of  the  powers  and  qualities  of  nature,  and  of  good 
 works,  as  means  whereby  it  could  discern  and  attain  grace  and 
 peace ;  that  is  to  say,  forgiveness  of  sins  and  a  quiet  conscience. 
 But  it  is  impossible  that  the  conscience  should  be  quiet  and  joy- 
 ful, unless  it  have  peace  through  grace ;  that  is  to  say,  through 
 the  forgiveness  of  sins  promised  in  Christ.  Many  have  carefi^y 
 laboured,  by  finding  out  diverse  and  sundry  religious  orders  and 
 exercises  for  this  purpose,  to  attain  peace  and  quietness  of  con- 
 science :  but  by  so  doing,  they  have  plunged  themselves  in  more 
 and  greater  miseries;  for  all  such  devices  are  but  means  to  increase 
 
12  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  Pi  UL's  [CHAP.  I. 
 
 doubtfulness  and  despair.  Therefore  there  shall  be  no  rest  to 
 my  bones  or  to  thine,  unless  we  hear  the  word  of  grace,  and  cleave 
 unto  it  steadfastly  and  faithfully.  Then  shall  oiu*  conscience  un- 
 doubtedly find  grace  and  peace. 
 
 The  apostle  doth  fitly  distinguish  this  grace  and  peace  from 
 all  other  kinds  of  grace  and  peace  whatsoever.  He  wisheth  to 
 the  Galatians  grace  and  peace,  not  from  the  emperor  or  kings 
 and  princes :  for  these  do  commonly  persecute  the  godly,  and 
 rise  up  against  the  Lord,  and  Christ  his  anointed,  (Psalm  ii.  2.) 
 nor  from  the  world,  ("for  in  the  world,"  saith  Christ,  "ye 
 shall  have  trouble  :")  but  from  God  our  Father,  &c.  which  is  as 
 much  as  to  say,  he  Avished  unto  them  a  heavenly  peace.  So 
 Christ  saith :  "  My  peace  I  leave  unto  you :  my  peace  I  give^^ 
 unto  you ;  not  as  the  world  giveth  it,  do  I  giveJt»imto  you." 
 The  peace  of  the  world  granteth  nothing  butine  peace  of  our 
 goods  and  bodies.  So  the  grace  or  favour  of  the  world  giveth 
 us  leave  to  enjoy  our  goods,  and  caste th  us  not  out  of  our  pos- 
 sessions. But  in  affliction,  and  in  the  hour  of  death,  the  grace 
 and  favour  of  the  world  cannot  help  us,  they  cannot  deliver  us 
 from  affliction,  despair,  and  death.  But  when  the  grace  and 
 peace  of  God  are  in  the  heart,  then  is  man  strong,  so  that  he  can 
 neither  be  cast  down  with  adversity,  nor  puffed  up  Avith  prospe- 
 rity, but  walketh  on  plainly,  and  keepeth  the  highway.  For  he 
 taketh  heart  and  com*age  in  the  victory  of  Christ's  death ;  and 
 the  confidence  thereof  beginneth  to  reign  in  his  conscience  over 
 sin  and  death ;  because,  through  him^  he  hath  assured  forgive- 
 ness of  his  sins :  which  after  he  has  once  obtained,  his  conscience 
 is  at  rest,  and  by  the  word  of  grace  is  '  comforted.  So  then  a 
 man,  being  comforted  and  heartened  by  the  grace  of  God,  (that 
 is,  by  forgiveness  of  sin,  and  by  this  peace  of  conscience)  is  able 
 valiantly  to  bear  and  overcome  all  troubles,  yea  even  death  it- 
 self. This  peace  of  God  is  nofrgiven  to  the  world,  because  the 
 world  never  longeth  after  it,  nor  understand eth  it,  but  to  them 
 that  believe.  And  tliis  cometh*  to  pass  by  no  other  means  than 
 by  the  only  grace  of  God. 
 
 A  rule  to  be  observed,  that  men  ought  to  abstain  from  the  curious 
 searching  of  GkM' s ^majesty . 
 
 But  why  doth  the  apostle  add  moreover  in  this  salutation, 
 "  And  from  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  ?"  Was  it  not  enough  to 
 say,  "  And  from  God  our  Father?"  Why  then  doth  he  couple 
 Jesus  Christ  Avith  the  Father?  Ye  have  oftentimes  heard  of  us, 
 now  it  is  a  rule  and  principle  in  the  scriptures,  diligently  to  be 
 marked,  that  Ave  must  abstain  from  the  curious  searching  of 
 God's  majesty,  Avhich  is  intolerable  to  man's  body,  and  much 
 more  to  his  mind.  "  No  man"  (saith  the  Lord)  "shall  see  me 
 and  live,"  (Exod.  xxxiii.  20.)  The  Pope,  the  Turks,  the  JeAvs, 
 and  all  such  as  trust  in  their  own  merits,  regard  not  this  rule, 
 
VER.  3]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  19 
 
 and  therefore  removing-  the  mediator  Christ  out  of  their  sight, 
 they  speak  only  of  God,  and  before  him  only  they  pray,  and  do 
 all  that  they  do. 
 
 As  for  example,  the  monk  imag-ineth  thus  :  "  These  works 
 which  I  do,  please  God,  God  will  regard  these  my  vows,  and 
 for  them  will  save  me."  The  Turk  saith,  "  If  I  keep  the  things 
 that  are  commanded  in  the  Alcoran,  God  will  accept  me,  and 
 give  me  everlasting  life."  The  Jew  thinketh  thus :  "  If  I  keep 
 those  things  which  the  law  commandeth,  I  shall  find  God  merci- 
 ful unto  me,  and  so  shall  I  be  saved."  So  also  a  sort  of  fond 
 heads  at  this  day,  bragging  of  the  spirit  of  revelations,  of  visions, 
 and  such  other  monstrous  matters,  I  wot  not  what,  do  walk  in 
 wonders  above  their  reaches.  These  new  monks  have  invented 
 a  new  cross  and  new  works,  and  they  dream  that  by  doing  them 
 they  please  God.  To  be  brief,  as  many  as  know  not  the  article 
 of  justification  take  away  Christ  the  mercy  seat,  and  will  needs 
 comprehend  God  in  his  majesty  by  the  judgment  of  reason,  and 
 pacify  him  with  their  own  works. 
 
 But  true  christian  divinity,  (as  I  give  you  often  warning)  set- 
 teth  not  God  forth  unto  us  in  his  majesty,  as  Moses  and  other 
 doctrines  do.  It  commandeth  us  not  to  search  out  the  nature  of 
 God:  but  to  know  his  will  set  out  to  us  in  Christ,  whom  he 
 would  have  to  take  our  flesh  upon  him,  to  be  born  and  to  die 
 for  our  sins,  and  that  this  should  be  preached  among  all  nations. 
 "For  after  that,  in^the  wisdom  of  God,  the  world  by  wisdom 
 knew  not  God,  it  pleased  God  by  the  foolishness  of  preaching  to 
 savethjem  that  believe,"  ( 1  Cor.  i.  21.)  Wherefore,  when  thy  con- 
 science standeth  in  conflict,  wrestling  against  the  law,sin,  and  death, 
 in  the  presence  of  God,  there  is  nothing  more  dangerous  than  to 
 wander  with  curious  speculations  in  heaven,  and  there  to  search 
 out  God  in  his  incomprehensible  power,  wisdom,  and  majesty, 
 how  he  created  the  world,  and  how  he  govemeth  it.  If  thou 
 seek  thus  to  comprehend  God,  and  wouldst  pacify  him  without 
 Christ  the  mediator,  making  thy  works  a  means  between  him 
 and  thyself,  it  cannot  be  but  that  thou  must  fall  as  Lucifer  did, 
 and  in  horrible  despair  lose  God  and  all  together.  For  as  God 
 is  in  his  own  nature  unmeasm*able,  incomprehensible,  and  infi- 
 nite, so  is  he  to  man's  nature  intolerable. 
 
 Wherefore,  if  thou  woiddst  be  in  safety,  and  out  of  peril  of 
 conscience  and  salvation,  bridle  this  climbing  and  presumptuous 
 spirit,  and  so  seek  God  as  Paul teacheth  thee,  (1  Cor.  i.)  "We, 
 saith  he,  preach  Christ  crucified,  a  stumbling  block  unto  the 
 Jews,  and  foolishness  unto  the  Grecians ;  but  unto  them  which 
 are  called,  both  of  the  Jews  and  Grecians,  we  preach  Christ  the 
 power  of  God  and  the  wisdom  of  God."  Therefore  begin  thou 
 there  where  Christ  began,  namely,  in  the  womb  of  the  virgin,  in 
 the  manger,  and  at  his  mother's  breasts,  &c.  For  to  this 
 end  he  came  down,  was  born,  was  conversant  among  men, 
 
14  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUl's  [CHAP.  I. 
 
 suffered,  was  crucified,  and  died,  that  by  all  means  he  might 
 set  forth  himself  plainly  before  our  eyes,  and  fasten  the 
 eyes  of  our  hearts  upon  himself,  that  he  thereby  might  keep  us 
 from  climbing  up  into  heaven,  and  from  the  curious  searching  of 
 the  divine  majesty. 
 
 Whensoever  thou  hast  to  do  therefore  in  the  matter  of  justi- 
 fication, and  disputest  with  thyself  how  God  is  to  be  found  that 
 justifieth  and  accepteth  sinners ;  where,  and  in  what  sort  he  is  to 
 b  e  sought ;  then  know  thou  that  there  is  no  other  God  besides  this 
 man,  Christ  Jesus.  Embrace  him,  and  cleave  to  him  with  thy 
 whole  heart,  setting  aside  aU  curious  speculations  of  the  divine 
 majesty :  "  For  he  that  is  a  searcher  of  God's  majesty,  shall  be 
 overwhelmed  of  his  glory."  (Pro v.  xvii.  15.  xxv.  27.)  I  know 
 by  experience  what  I  say.  But  these  vain  spirits  which  so  deal 
 with  God,  that  they  exclude  the  mediator,  do  not  believe  me. 
 Christ  himself  saith,  "  I  am  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life : 
 no  man  cometh  to  the  Father  but  by  me."  (John  xiv.  6.)  There- 
 fore besides  this  way  Christ,  thou  shalt  find  no  way  to  the  Father, 
 but  wandering :  no  verity,  but  hypocrisy  and  lying :  no  life,  but 
 eternal  death.  Wherefore  mark  this  well  in  the  matter  of  jus- 
 tification, that  when  any  of  us  all  shall  have  to  wrestle  with 
 the  law,  sin,  and  death,  and  all  other  evils,  we  must  look  upon 
 no  other  God,  but  only  this  God,  incarnate  and  clothed  with 
 man's  nature. 
 
 But  out  of  the  matter  of  justification,  when  thou  must  dis- 
 pute with  Jews,  Turks,  Papists,  Heretics,  &c.  concerning^  the 
 power,  wisdom,  and  majesty  of  God,  then  employ  all  thy  wit 
 and  industry  to  that  end,  and  be  as  profound  and  as  subtle  a  dis- 
 puter  as  thou  canst :  for  then  thou  art  in  another  vein.  But  in  the 
 case  of  conscience,  of  righteousness  and  life  (which  I  wish  here  di- 
 ligently to  be  marked)  against  the  law,  sin,  death,  and  the  devil, 
 or  in  the  matter  of  satisfaction,  of  remission  of  sins,  of  reconciliation, 
 and  of  everlasting  life,  thou  must  withdraw  thy  mind  wholly  from 
 all  cogitations  and  searching  of  the  majesty  of  God,  and  look  only 
 upon  this  man  Jesus  Christ,  who  setteth  himself  forth  unto  us  to 
 be  a  mediator,  and  saith,  "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labour,  and 
 are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  refresh  you."  (Matt.  xi.  28.)  Thus 
 doing,  thou  shalt  perceive  the  love,  goodness,  and  sweetness  of 
 God :  thou  shalt  see  his  wisdom,  power,  and  majesty  sweetened 
 and  tempered  to  thy  capacity:  yea,  and  thou  shalt  find  it,  this  mir- 
 ror and  pleasant  contemplation,  all  things  according  to  that  say- 
 ing of  Paul  to  the  Colossians :  "  In  Christ  are  hid  all  the  treasures 
 of  wisdom  and  knowledge."  And  in  ch.  ii.  "  For  in  him  dwelleth 
 the  ftdness  of  the  godhead  bodily."  ( Col.  ii.  3.  and  9. )  The  world 
 is  ignorant  of  this,  and  therefore  it  searcheth  out  the  will  of  God, 
 setting  aside  the  promise  in  Christ,  to  his  great  destruction. 
 "  For  no  man  knoweth  the  Father  but  the  Son,  and  he  to  whom 
 the  Son  will  reveal  him."  (Matt.  xi.  27.  John  x.  15.) 
 
VER.  3. J  F-nSTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  15 
 
 And  this  is  the  cause  why  Paul  is  wont  so  often  to  couple  Jes\is 
 Christ  with  God  the  Father,  even  to  teach  us  what  true  Chris- 
 tian religion  is,  Avhich  beginneth  not  at  the  highest,  as  other 
 religions  do,  but  at  the  lowest.  It  will  have  us  to  climb  up  by 
 Jacob's  ladder,  whereupon  God  himself  leaneth,Avhose  feet  touch 
 the  very  earth,  hard  by  the  head  of  Jacob.  (Gen.  xxviii.  12.) 
 Wherefore,  whensoever  thou  art  occupied  in  the  matter  of  thy 
 salvation,  setting  aside  all  curious  speculations  of  God's  \i\\- 
 searchable  majesty,  all  cogitations  of  works,  of  traditions,  of  phi- 
 losophy, yea,  and  of  God's  law  too,  run  straight  to  the  manger, 
 and  embrace  this  infant,  and  the  Virgin's  little  babe  in  thine 
 arms,  and  behold  him  as  he  was  born,  sucking,  growing  up,  con- 
 versant among  men,  teaching,  dying,  rising  again,  ascending  up 
 above  all  the  heavens,  and  having  power  above  all  things.  By 
 this  means  shalt  thou  be  able  to  shake  off  all  terrors  and  errors, 
 like  as  the  sun  driveth  away  the  clouds.  And  this  sight  and 
 contemplation  will  keep  thee  in  the  right  way,  that  thou  mayest 
 foUow  whither  Christ  is  gone.  Therefore,  Paul,  in  wishing 
 grace  and  peace  not  only  from  God  the  Father,  but  also  from 
 Jesus  Christ,  teacheth,  first,  that  we  should  abstain  from  the 
 curious  searching  of  the  divine  majesty  (for  God  no  man 
 knoweth),  and  to  hear  Christ,  who  is  in  the  bosom  of  the 
 Father,  and  uttereth  to  us  his  will,  who  also  is  appointed  of  the 
 Father  to  be  our  teacher,  to  the  end  that  we  should  all  hear  hira. 
 (John  viiL  18.) 
 
 Christ  is  God  by  Nature. 
 
 The  other  thing  that  Paul  teacheth  here,  is  a  confirmation  of 
 our  faith,  "  that  Christ  is  very  God."  And  such  like  sentences 
 as  this  is,  concerning  the  godhead  of  Christ,  are  to  be  gathered 
 together  and  marked  diligently,  not  only  against  the  Arians,  and 
 other  heretics,  which  either  have  been,  or  shall  be  hereafter, 
 but  also  for  the  confirmation  of  our  faith :  for  Satan  will  not  fail 
 to  impugn  in  us  all  the  articles  of  our  faith  ere  we  die.  He  is  a 
 most  deadly  enemy  to  faith,  because  he  knoweth  that  it  is  the 
 victory  which  overcometh  the  world,  (1  John,  v.  4.)  Where- 
 fore, it  standeth  us  in  hand  to  labour  that  our  faith  may  be 
 certain,  and  may  increase  and  be  strengthened  by  diligent  and 
 continual  exercise  of  the  word,  and  fervent  prayer,  that  we  may 
 be  able  to  withstand  Satan. 
 
 Nowfhat  Christ  is  the  very  God,  it  is  manifestly  declared,  in 
 that  r&ul  attributeth  the  same  things  equally  unto  him  which  he 
 doth  unto  the  Father,  namely,  divine  power,  as  the  giving  of 
 grace,  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  peace  of  conscience,  life,  victory 
 over  sin,  death,  the  devil,  and  hell.  This  were  by  no  means 
 lawful  for  him  to  do,  nay,  it  were  sacrilege  this  to  do,  except  he 
 were  very  God,  according  to  this  saying,  "  I  will  not  give  my 
 glory  imto  another,"  (Isa.  xlii.  8.)     Again :  No  man  giveth  that 
 
16  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CIIAP.  I, 
 
 to  others  which  he  himself  hath  not.  But  seeing  Christ  giveth 
 grace,  peace,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  delivereth  fi-om  the  power  of 
 the  devil,  from  sin,  and  death,  it  is  certain  that  he  hath  an  infinite 
 and  divine  power,  equal  in  all  points  to  the  power  of  the  Fa- 
 ther. 
 
 Neither  doth  Christ  give  grace  and  peace,  as  the  apostle  gave, 
 and  brought  the  same  unto  men  by  preaching  of  the  gospel :  but 
 he  giveth  it  as  the  author  and  Creator.  The  Father  createth 
 and  giveth  life,  grace,  peace,  and  all  other  good  things.  The 
 self-same  things  also  the  Son  createth  and  giveth.  Now,  to  give 
 gi'ace,  peace,  everlasting  life,  to  forgive  sins,  to  make  righteous, 
 to  quicken,  to  deliver  fi-om  death  and  the  devil,  are  not  the  works 
 of  any  creatiu-e,  but  of  the  Divine  Majesty  alone.  The  angela 
 can  neither  create  nor  give  these  things;  therefore  these  works 
 pertain  only  to  the  glory  of  the  sovereign  Majestj^,"  the  Maker 
 of  all  things:  and  seeing  Paul  doth  attribute  the  self-same  power 
 of  creating,  and  giving  all  these  things,  unto  Christ  equally  with 
 the  Father,  it  must  needs  follow  that  Christ  is  verily  and  na- 
 turally God. 
 
 Many  such  arguments  are  in  John,  where  it  is  proved  and 
 concluded  by  the  works  which  are  attributed  to  the  Son  as  well 
 as  to  the  Father,  that  the  divinity  of  the  Father,  and  of  the 
 Son,  is  aU  one.  Therefore,  the  gifts  which  we  receive  of  the  Fa- 
 ther, and  Avhich  we  receive  of  the  Son,  are  all  one.  For  else 
 Paul  would  have  spoken  otherwise  after  this  manner :  Grace  from 
 God  the  Father,  and  peace  from  om*  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  but, 
 in  knitting  them  both  together,  he  attributeth  them  equally,  as 
 well  to  the  Son  as  to  the  Father.  I  do  therefore  so  diligently 
 admonish  you  of  this  thing,  because  it  is  dangerous;  lest,  among 
 so  many  errors,  and  in  so  great  variety  and  confusion  of  sects, 
 there  might  step  up  some  Arians,  Eunomians,  Macedonians,  and 
 such  other  heretics,  that  might  do  harm  to  the  churches  with 
 their  subtilty. 
 
 Indeed,  the  Arians  were  sharp  and  subtle  fellows.  They  grant- 
 ed that  Christ  hath  two  natures,  and  that  he  is  called  "  very  God 
 of  very  God,"  howbeit,  in  name  only,  Christ  (said  they)  is  a  most 
 noble  and  perfect  creature,  above  the  angels,  whereby  God  after- 
 ward created  Heaven  and  earth,  and  all  othei'  things.  So  Ma- 
 homet also  speaketh  honourably  of  Christ.  But  all  this  is  nothing 
 else  but  goodly  imaginations,  and  words  pleasant  and  plausible  to 
 man's  reason,  whereby  the  fantastical  spirits  do  deceive  men,  ex- 
 cept they  take  good  heed.  But  Paul  speaketh  otherwise  of  Christ. 
 "  Ye  (saith  he)  are  rooted  and  established  in  this  belief,  namely, 
 that  Christ  is  not  only  a  perfect  creature,  but  very  God,  who  doth 
 the  self-same  things  that  God  the  Father  doth."  He  hath  the 
 divine  works  not  of  a  creature,  but  of  the  Creator,  because  he 
 giveth  grace  and  peace :  and  to  give  them,  is  to  condemn  sin,  to 
 vanquish  death,  and  to  tread  the  devil  under  foot,     These  things 
 
v,o 
 
 VKR.  4.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  17 
 
 no  angel  can  give.     Bnt  seeing  they  are  attributed  unto  Christ, 
 it  must  needs  foUow,  that  he  is  "  very  God  by  nature.'" 
 
 Verse  4.  "Which  gave  himself  for  our  sins. 
 
 Paul  in  a  manner,  in  every  word,  handleth  the  argument  of 
 this  epistle.     He  hath  nothing  in  his  mouth  but  Christ,  and     ^,^-A 
 therefore  in  every  word  there  is  a  fervency  of  spirit  and  life.  And       5 
 mark  how  well  and  to  the  purpose  he  speaketh.     He  saith  not,      c-  --^ 
 which  hath  received  our  works  at  our  hands,  nor  which  hath  re-       <.'-^, 
 ceived  the  sacrifice  of  Moses's  law,  worshipping,  religions,  masses, 
 vows,  and  pilgrimages ;  but  hath  given — What  ?  Not  gold,  nor 
 silver,  nor  beasts,  nor  paschal  lambs,  nor  an  angel,  but  himself! 
 For  what  ?     Not  for  a  crown,  not  for  a  kingdom,  not  for  our 
 holiness  and  righteousness,  but  "for  our  sins."     These  words 
 are  very  thunder-claps  from  Heaven  against  aU  kinds  of  right- 
 eousness.    Like  as  is  also  this  sentence  of  John:  "  Behold  the 
 Lamb  of  God,  that  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the  world."     There- 
 fore, we  must  with  diligent  attention  mark  every  word  of  Paul, 
 and  not  slenderly  consider  them,  or  lightly  pass  them  over ;  for 
 they  are  full  of  consolation,  and  confirm  fearfid  consciences  ex 
 ceedingly. 
 
 Buj;^  w  may  we  obtain  remission  of  our  sins  ?  Paul  ans  wer  eth, 
 *'  that  the  man  which  is  called  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God, 
 hath  given  himself  for  them."  Tliese  are  excellent  and  comfort- 
 able words,  and  are  promises  of  the  old  law,  that  our  sins  are 
 taken  away  by  none  other  means  than  by  the  Son  of  God  delivered 
 unto  death.  With  such  gim-shot  and  such  artillery  must  the 
 papacy  be  destroyed,  and  all  the  religions  of  the  heathen,  all 
 works,  all  merits  and  superstitious  ceremonies.  For  if  our  sins 
 may  be  taken  away  by  our  own  works,  merits,  and  satisfaction, 
 what  needed  the  Son  of  God  to  be  given  for  them?  But  seeing  he 
 was  given  for  them,  it  foUoweth  that  we  cannot  put  them  away 
 by  our  own  works. 
 
 Again,  by  this  sentence  it  is  declared,  that  our  sins  are  so 
 great,  so  infinite  and  invincible,  that  it  is  impossible  for  the  whole 
 world  to  satisfy  for  one  of  them.  And  surely  the  greatness  of 
 the  ransom  (namely,  Christ  the  Son  of  God,  who  gave  himself 
 for  our  sins)  declareth  sufficiently,  that  we  can  neither  satisfy  for 
 sin,  nor  have  dominion  over  it.  Tlie  force  and  power  of  sin  is 
 set  forth  and  ampUfied  exceedingly  by  these  words :  "  Which 
 ^ave  himself  for  our  sins."  Therefore  here  is  to  be  marked  the 
 infinite  greatness  of  the  price  bestowed  for  it,  and  then  it  wiU 
 appear  evidently  that  the  power  of  it  is  so  great,  that  by  no  means 
 it  could  be  put  away,  but  that  the  Son  of  God  must  be  given  for 
 it.  He  that  considereth  these  things  well,  understandeth  that  this 
 one  word  sin  comprehendeth  God's  everlasting  wrath  and  the 
 whole  kingdom  of  Satan,  and  that  it  is  a  tiling  more  horrible  than 
 can  be  expressed ;  which  ought  to  move  us  and  make  us  afraid 
 
 c 
 
IS  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  I 
 
 indeed.  But  we  are  careless,  yea,  we  make  light  of  sin,  and  a 
 matter  of  nothing :  which  although  it  bring  with  it  the  sting  and 
 remorse  of  conscience,  yet  notwithstanding  we  think  it  not  to  be 
 of  such  weight  and  force,  but  that,  by  some  little  work  or  merit, 
 we  rtiay  put  it  away. 
 
 This  sentence  therefore  witnesseth,  "  that  all  men  are  servants 
 and  bond-slaves  to  sin,  and  (as  Paul  saith  in  another  place)  are 
 sold  under  sin,"  (Rom.  vii.  14.)  And  again,  "  that  sin  is  a  most 
 cruel  and  mighty  tyrant  over  all  men ;"  which  cannot  be  van- 
 quished by  the  power  of  any  creatures,  whether  they  be  angels  or 
 men,  but  by  the  sovereign  and  infinite  power  of  Jesus  Christ,  who 
 hath  given  himself  for  the  same. 
 
 Furthermore,  this  sentence  setteth  out  to  the  consciences  of  all 
 men  which  are  terrified  with  the  greatness  of  their  sins,  a  singular 
 comfort.  For,  albeit  sin  be  never  so  invincible  a  tyrant,  yet,  not- 
 withstanding, forasmuch  as  Christ  hath  overcome  it  through  his 
 death,  it  cannot  hurt  them  that  believe  in  him.  Moreover,  if  we 
 arm  oui'selves  with  this  belief,  and  cleave  with  all  our  hearts  unto 
 this  man  Christ  Jesus,  then  is  there  a  Hght  opened,  and  a  sound 
 judgment  given  unto  us,  so  as  we  may  most  certainly  and  freely 
 judge  of  all  kinds  of  life.  For  when  we  hear  that  sin  is  such  an 
 invincible  tp'ant,  thus  incontinent  by  a  necessary  consequence 
 Ave  infer ;  then  what  do  the  Papists,  Monks,  Nuns,  Priests,  Ma- 
 hometists.  Anabaptists,  and  all  such  as  trust  in  their  works,  which 
 will  abolish  and  overcome  sin  by  their  own  traditions,  works  pre- 
 parative, satisfactions,  &c.  Here  forthwith  we  judge  all  those 
 sects  to  be  wicked  and  pernicious,  whereby  the  glory  of  God  and 
 of  Clu'ist  is  not  only  defaced,  but  also  utterly  taken  away,  and 
 our  own  advanced  and  established. 
 
 But  weigh  diligently  every  word  of  Paul,  and  specially  mark 
 well  this  pronoun,  our;  for  the  effect  altogether  consisteth  in  the 
 well  applying  of  the  pronouns,  which  we  find  very  often  in  the 
 scriptm-es ;  Avherein  also  there  is  ever  some  vehemency  and 
 power.  Thou  wilt  easily  say  and  believe  that  Christ  the  Son 
 of  God  was  given  for  the  sins  of  Peter,  of  Paul,  and  of  other 
 saints,  whom  we  account  to  have  been  worthy  of  this  grace ; 
 but  it  is  a  very  hard  thing,  that  thou,  which  judgest  thyself  un- 
 worthy of  this  grace,  shouldst  from  thy  heart  say  and  believe, 
 that  Christ  was  given  for  thine  invincible,  infinite,  and  horrible 
 sins.  Therefore,  generally,  and  without  the  pronoun,  it  is  an 
 easy  matter  to  magnify  and  amplify  the  benefit  of  Christ,  namely, 
 that  Christ  was  given  for  sins,  but  for  other  men's  sins, 
 which  are  worthy.  But  when  it  cometh  to  the  putting  to  of  this 
 pronoun  our^  there  our  weak  natm*e  and  reason  starteth  back, 
 and  dare  not  come  nigh  unto  God,  nor  promise  to  herself,  that 
 so  great  a  treasui'e  shall  be  freely  given  unto  her,  and  therefore 
 she  win  not  have  to  do  with  God,  except  first  she  be  pm'e  and 
 without  sin ;  wherefore,  although  she  read  or  hear  this  sentence: 
 
VER.  4.]  EPISTT.E  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  19 
 
 *'  which  gave  himself  for  our  sins,"  or  such  like,  yet  doth  she 
 not  apply  this  pronoun  (our)  unto  heiself,  hut  unto  others  which 
 are  worthy  and  holy;  and  as  for  herself,  she  wiU  tarry  till  she 
 be  made  worthy  by  her  own  works. 
 
 This  then  is  nothing  else,  but  that  man's  reason  fain  would 
 that  sin  were  of  no  greater  force  and  power  than  she  herself 
 dreameth  it  to  be.  Hereof  it  cometh,  that  the  hypocrites,  being 
 ignorant  of  Christ,  although  they  feel  the  remorse  of  sin,  do  think, 
 notwithstanding,  that  they  shall  be  able  easily  to  put  it  away  by 
 their  good  works  and  merits,  and  secretly,  in  their  hearts,  they 
 wish  that  these  words,  "  which  gave  himself  for  our  sins," 
 were  but  as  words  spoken  in  humility,  and  would  have  their  sins 
 not  to  be  true  and  very  sins  indeed,  but  light  and  small  matters. 
 To  be  short,  man's  reason  would  fain  bring  and  present  unto 
 God  a  feigned  and  counterfeit  sinner,  which  is  nothing  afraid, 
 nor  hath  any  feeling  of  sin.  It  would  bring  him  that  is  whole, 
 and  not  him  that  hath  need  of  a  physician ;  and  when  it  feeleth 
 no  sin,  then  would  it  believe  that  Christ  was  given  for  our 
 sins. 
 
 The  whole  world  is  thus  affected,  and  especially  they  that 
 would  be  counted  more  holy  and  righteous  than  others,  as 
 monks,  and  all  justiciaries.  These  confess  with  their  mouths 
 that  they  are  sinners,  and  they  confess  also  that  they  commit 
 sins  daily,  howbeit  not  so  great  and  many,  but  that  they  are  able 
 to  put  them  away  by  their  own  Avorks:  yea,  and  besides  all  this, 
 they  will  bring  their  righteousness  and  deserts  to  Christ's  judg- 
 ment-seat, and  demand  the  recompence  of  eternal  life  for  them 
 at  the  judge's  hand.  In  the  mean  while,  notwithstanding,  (as 
 they  pretend  great  humility)  because  they  Avill  not  vaimt  them- 
 selves to  be  utterly  void  of  sin,  they  feign  certain  sins,  that,  for 
 the  forgiveness  thereof,  they  may  with  great  devotion  pray  witli 
 the  publican,  "God  be  merciful  unto  me  a  sinner!"  (Luke 
 xviii.  13.)  Unto  them,  these  words  of  St.  Paul,  "for  our 
 sins,"  seem  to  be  but  light  and  trifling ;  therefore,  they  neither 
 understand  them,  nor  in  temptation,  when  they  feel  sin  indeed, 
 can  they  take  any  comfort  of  them,  but  are  compelled  flatly  to 
 despair. 
 
 This  is  then  the  chief  knowledge  and  true  wisdom  of  Chris- 
 tians, to  count  these  words  of  Paul,  "  that  Christ  was  delivered 
 to  death,  not  for  our  righteousness  or  holiness,  but  for  our  sins," 
 (which  are  very  sins  indeed,  great,  many,  yea,  infinite  and  in- 
 vincible) to  be  "  most  true,  effectual,  and  of  great  importance." 
 Therefore,  think  them  not  to  be  small,  and  such  as  may  be  done 
 away  by  thine  own  works ;  neither  yet  despair  thou  for  the 
 greatness  of  them,  if  thou  feel  thyself  oppressed  therewith,  either 
 m  life  or  death ;  but  learn  here  of  Paul,  to  believe  that  Christ 
 was  given,  not  for  feigned  or  counterfeit  sins,  nor  yet  for  small 
 8'ns,  but  for  great  and  huge  sins ;  not  for  one  or  two,  but  for 
 
20  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL''s  [GHAP.  I. 
 
 all ;  not  for  vanquished  sins,  (for  no  man,  no,  nor  angel,  is  able 
 to  overcome  the  least  sin  that  is)  but  for  invincible  sins.  And 
 except  thou  be  found  in  the  number  of  those  that  say  "  our 
 sins,"  that  is,  which  have  this  doctrine  of  faith,  and  teach,  hear, 
 learn,  love,  and  believe  the  same,  there  is  no  salvation  for  thee. 
 
 Labom'  therefore  dilig-ently,  that  not  only  out  of  the  time  of 
 temptation,  but  also  in  the  time  and  conflict  of  death,  when  thy 
 conscience  is  thoroughly  afraid  with  the  remembrance  of  thy 
 sins  past,  and  the  devil  assaileth  thee  with  great  violence,  going 
 about  to  overwhehn  thee  with  heaps,  floods,  and  whole  seas  of 
 sins,  to  terrify  thee,  to  draw  thee  from  Christ,  and  to  drive  thee 
 to  despair,  that  then  I  say,  thou  mayest  be  able  to  say  with  sure 
 confidence,  Cln-ist,  the  son  of  God,  was  given,  not  for  the  righ- 
 teous and  holy,  but  for  the  unrighteous  and  sinners.  If  I  were 
 righteous,  and  had  no  sin,  I  should  have  no  need  of  Christ  to  be 
 my  reconciler.  Why  then,  O  thou  peevish  holy  Satan,  wilt  thou 
 make  me  to  be  holy,  and  to  seek  righteousness  in  myself,  when, 
 in  very  deed,  I  have  nothing  in  me  but  sins,  and  most  grievous 
 sins?  Not  feigned  or  trifling  sins,  but  such  as  are  against  the 
 first  table :  to  wit,  great  infidelity,  doubting,  despair,  contempt 
 of  God,  hatred,  ignorance,  and  blaspheming  of  God,  unthank- 
 fulness,  abusing  of  God's  name,  neglecting,  loathing,  and  des- 
 pising the  word  of  God,  and  such  like.  And  moreover,  these 
 carnal  sins  against  the  second  table:  as  not  to  yield  honom*  to 
 my  parents,  not  to  obey  the  magistrates,  to  covet  another  man's 
 goods,  his  Avife,  and  such  like ;  albeit  that  these  be  light  faults 
 in  respect  of  those  former  sins.  And  admit  that  I  have  not 
 committed  murder,  whoredom,  theft,  and  such  other  sins 
 against  the  second  table,  in  fact,  yet  I  have  committed  them  in 
 heart,  and  therefore  I  am  a  transgressor  of  all  God's  command- 
 ments ;  and  the  multitude  of  my  sins  is  so  great,  that  they  can- 
 not be  nmnbered :  "  for  I  have  sinned  above  the  number  of  the 
 sands  of  the  sea." 
 
 Besides  this,  Satan  is  such  a  cunning  juggler,  that  he  can 
 make  of  my  righteousness  and  good  works,  great  sin.  For  so 
 much,  then,  as  my  sins  are  so  weighty,  so  infinite,  so  horrible, 
 and  invincible,  and  that  my  righteousness  doth  nothing  fm-ther 
 me,  but  rather  hinder  me  before  God ;  therefore  "  Christ,  the 
 Son  of  God,  was  given  to  death  for  them,  to  put  them  away,  and 
 so  save  all  men  which  believe."  Herein  therefore  consisteth  the 
 efi*ect  pf  eternal  salvation,  namely,  in  taking  these  words  to  be  ef- 
 fectual, true,  and  of  great  importance.  I  say  not  this  for  nought, 
 for  I  have  oftentimes  proved  by  experience,  and  I  daily  find 
 what  a  hard  matter  it  is  to  believe  (especially  in  the  conflict  of 
 conscience)  "that  Christ  was  given,"  not  for  the  holy, righteous, 
 worthy,  and  such  as  were  his  friends,  "but  for  wicked  sinners, 
 for  the  unworthy,  and  for  his  enemies,  which  have  deserved 
 God's  wrath  and  everlasting  death." 
 
I'm.  4.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  21 
 
 Let  US  therefore  arm  ourselves  with  these,  and  such  like  sen- 
 tences of  the  holy  scripture,  that  we  may  be  able  to  answer  the 
 devil  (accusing  us,  and  saying,  "thou  art  a  sinner,  and  therefore 
 thou  art  damned,")  in  this  sort:  Because  thou  sayest,  I  am  a 
 sinner,  therefore  I  will  be  righteous  and  saved;  Nay,  (saith  the 
 devil)  "  thou  shalt  be  damned."  No,  (say  I)  for  I  fly  unto 
 Christ,  "who  hath  givenhimself  for  my  sins;"  therefore,  Satan, 
 *'thou  shalt  not  prevail  against  me,"  in  that  thou  goest  about 
 to  terrify  me,  in  setting  forth  the  greatness  of  my  sins,  and  so 
 to  bring  me  into  heaviness,  distrust,  despair,  hatred,  contempt, 
 and  blaspheming  of  God.  Yea,  rather,  in  that  thou  sayest,  I 
 am  a  sinner,  thou  givest  me  armour  and  weapons  against  thy- 
 self, that  with  thine  own  sword  I  may  cut  thy  throat,  and  tread 
 thee  under  my  feet;  for  Christ  died  for  sinners.  Moreover, 
 thou  thyself  preachest  unto  me  the  glory  of  God ;  for  thou 
 puttest  me  in  mind  of  God's  fatherly  love  towards  me,  wretched 
 and  damned  siimer;  "  Wlio  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his 
 only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  shall  not 
 perish,  but  have  everlasting  life,"  (John  iii.  16.)  And  as  often 
 as  thou  objectest  that  I  am  a  sinner,  so  often  thou  callest  me  to 
 remembrance  of  the  benefit  of  Christ  my  Redeemer,  upon  whose 
 shoulders,  and  not  upon  mine,  lie  all  my  sins ;  for  the  Lord 
 hath  "laid  all  om*  iniquity  upon  him,"  (Isaiah  liii.  6.)  Again, 
 "  For  the  transgressions  of  his  people  was  he  smitten,"  (chap. 
 liii.  8.)  Wherefore,  when  thou  sayest  I  am  a  sinner,  thou  dost 
 not  terrify  me,  but  comfortest  me  above  measure. 
 
 Whoso  knoweth  this  one  point  of  cunning  Avell,  shall  easily 
 avoid  all  the  engines  and  snares  of  the  devil,  Avho,  by  putting- 
 man  in  mind  of  his  sins,  driveth  him  to  despair,  and  destroy eth 
 him,  unless  he  withstand  him  with  this  cunning,  and  with  this 
 heavenly  wisdom,  whereby  only  sin,  death,  and  the  devQ,  are 
 overcome.  But  the  man  that  putteth  not  away  the  remembrance 
 of  his  sin,  but  keepeth  it  still  and  tormenteth  himself  with  his 
 own  cogitations,  thinketh  either  to  help  himself  by  his  own 
 strength  or  policy,  or  to  tarry  the  time  till  his  conscience  may 
 be  quieted,  falling  into  Satan's  snares,  and  miserably  afflicteth 
 himself,  and  at  length  is  overcome  with  the  continuance  of  the 
 temptation ;  for  the  devil  will  never  cease  to  accuse  his  con- 
 science. 
 
 [Against  this  temptation  we  must  use  these  words  of  St.  Paul, 
 in  the  which  he  giveth  a  very  good  and  tru^-definition  of  Christ 
 in  this  manner  :  "  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God,  and  of  the  .Virgin, 
 delivered,  and  put  to  death  for  our  sins."  Here,  if  the  devil 
 aUege  any  other  definition  of  Christ,  say  thou,  the  definition, 
 and  the  thing  defined,  are  false  :  therefore,  I  will  not  receive 
 this  definition.  I  speak  not  this  without  cause:  for  I  know  what 
 moveth  me  to  be  so  earnest,  that  we  should  learn  to  define  Christ 
 out  of  the  words  of  Paid.    For  indeed  Christ  is  no  cruel  exac- 
 
22  COMMENTARY  ON  ST    PAUL's  [CHAP.  I. 
 
 tor,  but  a  forgiver  of  the  sins  of  the  whole  world.  Where- 
 fore, if  tliou  be  a  sinner  (as  indeed  we  are  all)  sit  not  Christ 
 down  upon  the  rainbow,  as  a  judge,  (for  so  thou  shalt  not  be  ter- 
 rified, and  despair  of  his  mercy)  but  take  hold  of  his  true  defini- 
 tion, namely,  that  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  and  of  the  Virgin,  is 
 a  person,  not  that  terrifieth,  not  that  afflicteth,  not  that  condem- 
 neth  us  of  sin,  not  that  demandeth  an  account  of  us  for  oiu*  life 
 evil  passed:  but  hath  given  himself  for  our  sins,  and  with  one 
 oblation  hath  put  away  the  "sins  of  the  whole  world,"  (Col.  ii. 
 14.)  hath  fastened  them  upon  the  cross,  and  put  them  clean  out 
 by  himself. 
 
 Learn  this  definition  diligently,  and  especially  so  exercise  this 
 pronoun  our^  that  this  one  syllable  being  believed,  may  swallow 
 up  all  thy  shis :  that  is  to  say,  that  thou  mayest  know  assiu'edly, 
 that  Christ  hath  taken  away  the  sins,  not  of  certain  men  only, 
 but  also  of  thee,  yea,  and  of  the  whole  world.  Then  let  not  thy 
 sins  be  sins  only,  but  even  thy  own  sins  indeed;  that  is,  to  wi^ 
 believe  thou  that  Christ  was  not  only  given  for  other  men's  sins 
 but  also  for  thine^  Hold  this  fast,  and  suffer  not  thyself  by  any 
 means  to  be  drawn  away  from  this  most  sweet  definition  of 
 Christ,  which  rejoiceth  even  the  very  angels  in  heaven:  that  is  to 
 say,  that  Christ,  according  to  the  proper  and  true  definition,  is 
 no  Moses,  no  lawgiver,  no  tyrant,  but  a  mediator  for  sins,  a  free 
 giver  of  grace,  righteousness,  and  life;  who  gave  himself,  not 
 for  oui*  merits,  holiness,  righteousness,  and  godly  life,  but  for  our 
 sins.  Indeed  Christ  doth  interpret  the  law,  but  that  is  not  his 
 proper  and  principal  office. 
 
 These  things,  as  touching  the  words,  we  know  well  enough, 
 and  can  talk  of  them.  But  in  practice,  and  in  the  conflict,  when 
 the  devil  goeth  about  to  deface  Chi'ist,  and  to  pluck  the  word 
 of  gi'ace  out  of  our  hearts,  we  find  that  we  do  not  yet  know 
 them  well,  and  as  we  should  do.  He  that  at  that  time  could 
 define  Christ  truly,  and  could  magnify  him  and  behold  him  as 
 his  most  sweet  Saviour  and  High-priest,  and  not  as  a  strait  judge, 
 this  man  hath  overcome  all  evus,  and  were  already  in  the  king- 
 dom of  heaven.  But  this  to  do  in  the  conflict,  is  of  all  things 
 the  most  hard.  I  speak  this  by  experience.  For  I  know  the 
 devil's  subtleties,  who  at  that  time  not  only  goeth  about  to  fear 
 us  with  the  terror  of  the  law,  yea,  and  also  of  a  little  mote 
 maketh  many  beams;  that  is  to  say,  of  that  which  is  no  sin  he 
 maketh  a  very  hell  (for  he  is  marvellous  crafty  both  in  aggravating 
 sin,  and  in  puffing  up  the  conscience  even  in  good  works):  but 
 also  is  wont  to  fear  us  with  the  very  person  of  the  Mediator:  into 
 the  which  he  transformeth  himself;  and,  laying  before  us  some 
 place  of  scripture  or  saying  of  Christ,  suddenly  he  striketh  our 
 hearts,  and  sheweth  himself  unto  us  in  such  sort  as  if  he  were 
 Christ  indeed,  leaving  us  sticking  so  fast  in  that  cogitation, 
 that  om*  conscience  would  swear  it  were  the  same  Christ  whose 
 
VER.  4.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  23 
 
 saying  he  alleged.  Moreover,  such  is  the  subtlety  of  the  enemy 
 that  he  will  not  set  hefore  us  Christ  entirely  and  wholly 
 but  a  piece  of  Christ  only,  namely,  that  he  is  the  Son  of  God, 
 and  man  born  of  the  Virgin.  And  by-and-by  he  patcheth  there- 
 to some  other  thing;  that  is  to  say,  some  saying  of  Christ, 
 wherewith  he  terrifieth  the  impenitent  sinners,  such  as  that  it  is 
 in  the  thirteenth  of  Luke,  "  Except  ye  repent,  ye  shall  all 
 likewise  perish."  And  so,  corrupting  the  true  definition  of 
 Christ  with  his  poison,  he  bringeth  to  pass  that  albeit  we  believe 
 him  to  be  Christ  the  true  mediator,  yet,  in  very  deed,  our 
 troubled  conscience  feeleth  and  judge th  him  to  be  a  tyrant  and 
 a  judge.  Thus  we,  being  deceived  by  Satan,  do  easily  lose  that 
 sweet  sight  of  our  High-priest  and  Saviour  Christ,  wliich,  being 
 once  lost,  we  shun  him  no  less  than  the  devil  himself. 
 
 And  this  is  the  cause  why  I  do  so  earnestly  call  upon  you, 
 to  learn  the  true  and  proper  definition  of  Christ  out  of  these 
 words  of  Paul,  "  Which  gave  himself  for  our  sins."  If  he  gave 
 himself  to  death  for  our  sins,  then  undoubtedly  he  is  no  tyi'ant 
 or  judge  which  will  condemn  us  for  our  sins.  He  is  no  caster- 
 down  of  the  afflicted,  but  a  raiser-up  of  those  that  are  fallen,  a 
 merciful  reliever  and  comforter  of  the  heavy  and  broken-hearted. 
 Else  should  Paul  lie  in  saying,  "  which  gave  himself  for  our 
 sins."  If  I  define  Christ  thus,  I  define  him  rightly,  and  take 
 hold  of  the  true  Christ,  and  possess  him  indeed.  And  here  I 
 let  pass  all  curious  speculations  touching  the  divine  majesty, 
 and  stay  myself  in  the  himianity  of  Christ,  and  so  I  learn  truly 
 to  know  the  will  of  God.  Here  is  then  no  fear,  but  altogether 
 sweetness,  joy,  peace  of  conscience,  and  such  like.  And  here- 
 withal  there  is  a  light  opened,  which  sheweth  me  the  true  know- 
 ledge of  God,  of  myself",  of  all  creatures,  and  of  all  the  iniquity 
 of  the  devil's  kingdom.  We  teach  no  new  thing,  but  we  re- 
 peat and  establish  old  things,  which  the  apostles  and  aU  godly 
 teachers  have  taught  before  us.  And  would  to  God  we  could  so 
 teach  and  establish  them,  that  we  might  not  only  have  them 
 in  our  mouth,  but  also  well-groimded  in  the  bottom  of  our 
 heart,  and  especially  that  we  might  be  able  to  use  them  in  the 
 agony  and  conflict  of  death. 
 
 ■^ 
 
 Verse  4.  That  he  might  deliver  us  from  this  present  evil  world. 
 
 In  these  words  also  Paul  handleth  yet  more  effectually  the 
 argument  of  this  epistle.  He  calleth  this  whole  world,  which  hath 
 been,  is,  and  shall  be,  the  present  world,  to  put  a  difference  be- 
 tween this  and  the  everlasting  world  to  come.  Moreover  he  calleth 
 it  evil,  because  that  whatsoever  is  in  this  world,  is  subject  to  the 
 malice  of  the  devil  reigning  over  the  whole  Avorld.  For  this  causr 
 the  world  is  the  kingdom  of  the  devil.  For  there  is  in  it  no 
 thing  but  ignorance,  contempt,  blasphemy,  hatred  of  God,  and 
 
24  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL  S  [CHAP.  I. 
 
 disobedience  against  all  the  words  and  works  of  God.  In  and 
 under  this  kingdom  of  the  world  are  we. 
 
 Here  again  you  see  that  no  man  is  able,  by  his  own  works  or 
 his  own  power,  to  put  away  sin,  because  this  present  world  is 
 evil,  and  (as  St.  John  saith)  "  is  set  upon  mischief."  As  many 
 therefore  as  are  in  the  world  are  the  bondslaves  of  the  dev^'. 
 constrained  to  serve  him,  and  do  all  things  at  his  pleasiu*ft 
 What  availed  it  then,  to  set  up  so  many  orders  of  rehgion,  for 
 the  abolishing  of  sin ;  to  devise  so  many  great  and  most  painful 
 works,  as  to  wear  shirts  of  hair,  to  beat  the  body  with  whips 
 till  the  blood  followed,  to  go  on  pilgrimage  to  St.  James  in  har- 
 ness, and  such  other  like  ?  Be  it  so  that  thou  doest  all  these 
 things,  yet  notAvithstanding  this  is  true,  that  thou  art  in  this  nre- 
 sent  evil  world,  and  not  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  And  if  thou 
 bo  not  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  it  is  certain  that  thou  belongest 
 to  the  kingdom  of  Satan,  which  is  this  evil  world.  Therefore 
 all  the  gifts,  either  of  the  body  or  of  the  mind,  which  thou  en- 
 joyest,  as  wisdom,  righteousness,  holiness,  eloquence,  power, 
 beauty,  and  riches,  are  but  the  slavish  instrmnents  of  the  devil, 
 and  with  all  these  thou  art  compelled  to  serve  him,  and  to  ad- 
 vance his  kingdom. 
 
 First,  with  thy  wisdom  thou  darkenest  the  wisdom  and  know- 
 ledge of  Christ,  and,  by  thy  wicked  doctrine,  leadest  them  out 
 of  the  way,  that  they  cannot  come  to  the  grace  and  knowledge 
 of  Christ.  Thou  settest  out  and  praisest  thine  own  righteous- 
 ness and  holiness :  but  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  by  which 
 only  we  are  justified  and  quickened,  thou  dost  hate  and  condemn 
 as  wicked  and  devihsh.  To  be  brief,  by  thy  power  thou  de- 
 stroyest  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  and  abusest  the  same  to  root 
 out  the  gospel,  to  persecute  and  kill  the  ministers  of  Christ,  and 
 80  many  as  hear  them.  Wherefore,  if  thou  be  without  Christ, 
 this  thy  wisdom  is  double  foolishness,  thy  righteousness  double 
 sin  and  impiety,  because  it  knoweth  not  the  wisdom  and  right- 
 eousness of  Ciu-ist :  moreover,  it  darkeneth,  hindereth,  blasphe- 
 meth  and  persecuteth  the  same.  Therefore  Paul  doth  rightly 
 call  it  the  evil  or  wicked  world:  for  when  it  is  at  the  best,  then 
 is  it  worst.  In  the  religious,  wise,  and  learned  men,  the  world 
 is  at  the  best,  and  yet,  in  very  deed,  in  them  it  is  double  evil. 
 I  overpass  those  gross  vices  which  are  against  the  second  table, 
 as  disobedience  to  parents,  to  magistrates,  adulteries,  whore- 
 doms, covetousness,  thefts,  murders,  and  maliciousness,  wherein 
 the  world  is  altogether  drowned,  which  notwithstanding  are  light 
 faults,  if  ye  compare  them  with  the  wisdom  and  righteousness 
 of  the  wicked,  whereby  they  fight  against  the  first  table.  This 
 white  devil,  which  forceth  men  to  commit  spiritual  sins  that  they 
 may  sell  them  for  righteousness,  is  far  more  dangerous  than  the 
 black  devil,  which  only  enforceth  them  to  commit  fleshly  sins, 
 which  the  world  acknowledgeth  to  be  sins. 
 
VEH.  4.J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  25 
 
 By  these  words  then,  *'  That  he  might  deliver  lis,"  &c.  Paul 
 sheweth  what  is  the  argument  of  this  epistle ;  to  wit,  that  we 
 have  need  of  grace  and  of  Christ,  and  that  no  other  creature, 
 neither  man  nor  angel,  can  deliver  man  out  of  this  present  evil 
 world.  For  these  works  are  only  belonging  to  the  divine  ma- 
 jesty, and  are  not  in  the  power  of  any,  eitlier  man  or  angel. 
 That  Christ  hath  put  away  sin,  and  hath  delivered  us  from  the 
 tyranny  and  kingdom  of  the  devil ;  that  is  to  say,  from  this 
 wicked  world,  which  is  an  obedient  servant,  and  a  willing  follower 
 of  the  devil  liis  God.  Whatsoever  the  murderer  and  father 
 of  lies  either  doth  or  speaketh,  that  the  world,  as  his  most  loyal 
 and  obedient  son,  diligently  foUoweth  and  performeth.  And 
 therefore  it  is  fuU  of  the  ignorance  of  God,  of  hatred,  lying, 
 errors,  blasphemy,  and  of  the  contempt  of  God.  Moreover,  of 
 gross  sins,  as  murders,  adulteries,  fornications,  thefts,  robberies, 
 and  such  like,  because  he  knoweth  his  father  the  devil,  who  is 
 a  liar  and  a  murderer.  And  the  more  wise,  righteous,  and 
 holy  that  men  are  without  Christ,  so  much  the  more  hurt  they 
 do  the  gospel.  So  we  also,  that  were  religious  men,  were  double 
 wicked  in  the  papacy,  before  God  did  lighten  us  with  the  know- 
 ledge of  his  gospel,  and  ye,  notwithstanding  under  the  colour  of 
 true  piety  and  holiness. 
 
 Let  these  words  then  of  Paul  remain,  as  they  are  Indeed,  true 
 and  effectual,  not  coloured  or  counterfeit,  namely,  "  that  this 
 present  world  is  evil."  Let  it  nothing  at  all  move  thee,  that,  in 
 a  great  number  of  men,  there  be  many  excellent  virtues,  and 
 that  there  is  so  great  a  show  of  holiness  in  hypocrites.  But  mark 
 thou  rather  what  Paul  saith :  out  of  whose  words  thou  mayest 
 boldly  and  freely  pronounce  this  sentence  against  the  world,  that 
 the  world  with  all  his  wisdom,  power  and  righteousness,  is  the 
 kingdom  of  the  devil :  out  of  the  which  God  alone  is  able  to  de- 
 liver us  by  his  only  begotten  Son. 
 
 Therefore  let  us  praise  God  the  Father,  and  give  him  hearty 
 thanks  for  this  his  unmeasurable  mercy,  that  hath  delivered  us 
 out  of  the  kingdom  of  the  devil  (in  the  which  we  were  liolden 
 captives)  by  his  own  Son,  when  it  was  impossible  to  be  done  by 
 oiu"  own  strength.  And  let  us  acknowledge,  together  with  Paul, 
 "  that  all  our  works  and  righteousness,"  (with  all  which,  we 
 could  not  make  the  devil  to  stoop  one  hair's  breadth)  "  are  but 
 loss  and  dung."  Also  let  us  cast  under  our  feet,  and  utterly  ab- 
 hor all  the  power  of  free-will,  all  pharisaical  wisdom  and  righte- 
 ousness, all  religious  orders,  all  masses,  ceremonies,  vows,  fast- 
 ings, and  such  like,  (Phil.  iii.  8.)  as  a  most  filthy  defiled  cloth, 
 ( Isa.  Ixiv.  6. )  and  as  the  most  dangerous  poison  of  the  devil.  Con- 
 trariwise, let  us  extol  and  magnify  the  glory  of  Christ,  who  hath 
 deUvered  us  by  his  death,  not  from  this  world  only,  but  from 
 this  evil  world. 
 
 Paul  then  by  this  word,  evil,  sheweth  that  the  kingdom  of 
 
S6  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  1. 
 
 the  world,  or  the  devil's  kingdom,  is  the  kingdom  of  iniquity, 
 ignorance,  error,  sin,  death,  blasphemy,  desperation,  and  ever- 
 lasting damnation.  On  the  other  side,  the  kingdom  of  Christ 
 is  the  kingdom  of  equity,  light,  grace,  remission  of  sins,  peace, 
 consolation,  saving  health,  and  everlasting  life,  into  the. which 
 we  are  translated  (Col.  xiii.)  by  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  whom 
 be  glory,  world  without  end.     So  be  it. 
 
 Verse  4.     According  to  the  will  of  God,  even  our  Father. 
 
 Here  Paid  so  placeth  and  ordereth  every  word,  that  there  is 
 not  one  of  them  but  it  fighteth  against  those  false  apostles  for 
 the  article  of  justification.  Christ  (saith  he)  hath  delivered  us 
 from  this  wicked  kingdom  of  the  devil,  and  the  world.  And  this 
 hath  he  done,  "  according  to  the  will,  good  pleasure,  and  com- 
 mandment of  the  Father."  Wherefore  we  be  not  delivered  by 
 our  own  will,  or  cunning,  nor  by  our  own  wisdom  or  po- 
 licy, but  for  that  God  hath  taken  mercy  upon  us,  and  hath 
 loved  us:  Hke  as  it  is  written  also  in  another  place,  "  Herein 
 hath  appeared  the  great  love  of  God  towards  us,  not  that 
 we  have  loved  God,  but  that  he  hath  loved  us,  and  hath 
 sent  his  only  begotten  Son  to  be  a  reconciliation  for  om*  sins." 
 (1  John  iv.  10.)  That  we  are  then  delivered  from  this  present 
 evil  world,  it  is  of  mere  grace,  and  no  desert  of  ours.  Paul  is 
 so  plentifid,  and  so  vehement  in  amplifying  and  extolling  the 
 grace  of  God,  that  he  sharpeneth,  and  directeth  every  word 
 against  the  false  apostles. 
 
 There  is  also  another  cause  why  Paul  here  maketh  mention 
 of  the  Father's  will,  which  also  in  many  places  of  St.  John's 
 gospel  is  declared,  where  Christ,  commending  his  office,  calleth 
 us  back  to  his  Father's  will,  that  in  his  words  and  works  we 
 should  not  so  much  look  upon  him,  as  upon  the  Father.  For 
 Christ  came  into  this  world,  and  took  man's  nature  upon  him, 
 that  he  might  be  made  a  sacrifice  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world, 
 and  so  to  reconcile  us  to  God  the  Father;  that  he  alone  might 
 declare  unto  us  how  that  this  was  done  through  the  good  plea- 
 sure of  his  Father,  that  we,  by  fastening  our  eyes  upon  Christ, 
 might  be  drawn  and  carried  straight  unto  the  Father. 
 
 For  we  must  not  think  (as  before  we  have  warned  you)  that 
 by  the  curious  searching  of  the  majesty  of  God,  any  thing  con- 
 cerning God  can  be  known  to  our  salvation,  but  by  taking  hold 
 of  Christ,  who,  according  to  the  will  of  the  Father,  hath  given 
 himself  to  death  for  our  sins.  When  thou  shalt  acknowledge 
 this  to  be  the  will  of  God  through  Christ,  then  wrath  ceaseth, 
 fear  and  trembling  vanisheth  away,  neither  doth  God  appear 
 any  other  than  merciful,  who  by  his  determinate  counsel  would 
 that  his  Son  shoidd  die  for  us,  that  we  might  live  through 
 him.  This  knowledge  maketh  the  heart  cheerful,  so  that  it  sted- 
 fastiy  believeth  that  God  is  not  angry,  but  he  so  loveth  us  poor 
 
-^ 
 
 VER.  4,  6, 6.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  27 
 
 and  wretched  sinners,  that  he  gave  his  only  hegotten  Son  for 
 us.  It  is  not  for  nought,  therefore,  that  Paul  doth  so  often 
 repeat,  and  beat  into  our  minds,  that  Christ  was  given  for  our 
 sins,  and  that  by  the  good  will  of  the  Father.  On  the  contrary 
 part,  the  curious  searching  of  the  majesty  of  God,  and  his  dread- 
 ful judgments,  namely,  how  he  destroyed  the  whole  world  with 
 the  flood,  how  he  destroyed  Sodom,  and  such  other  things,  are 
 very  dangerous,  for  they  bring  men  to  desperation,  and  cast  them 
 down  headlong  into  utter  destruction,  as  I  have  shewed  before. 
 
 Vhrse  4.     Of  God  and  our  Father. 
 
 This  word  our,  must  be  referred  to  both,  that  the  meaning 
 may  be  this,  "of  our  God,  and  of  our  Father."  Then  is 
 Christ's  Father,  and  our  Father  all  one.  So  in  the  twentieth  of 
 John,  Christ  saith  to  Mary  Magdalen:  "  Go  to  my  brethren, 
 and  say  unto  them,  I  ascend  unto  my  Father,  and  your  Father, 
 to  my  God,  and  to  your  God."  Therefore  God  is  our  Father, 
 and  our  God,  but  through  Christ.  And  this  is  an  apostolic 
 manner  of  speech,  and  even  Paul's  own  phrase,  who,  indeed, 
 speaketh  not  with  such  picked  and  gay  words,  but  yet  very  fit 
 and  to  the  purpose,  and  fiill  of  burning  zeal. 
 
 Verse  6.     To  whom  be  glory  for  ever  and  ever. 
 
 The  Hebrews  are  wont  in  their  writings  to  intermingle 
 praise  and  giving  of  thanks.  This  custom  the  Hebrews  and 
 the  apostles  themselves  do  observe.  Which  thing  may  be  very 
 often  seen  in  Paul.  For  the  name  of  the  Lord  ought  to  be 
 had  in  great  reverence,  and  never  to  be  named  without  praise 
 and  thanksgiving.  And  thus  to  do,  is  a  certain  kind  of  wor- 
 ship and  service  to  God.  So  in  worldly  matters,  when  we 
 mention  the  names  of  kings  or  princes,  we  are  wont  to  do  it 
 with  some  comely  gesture,  reverence,  and  bowing  of  the  knee: 
 much  more  ought  we  when  we  speak  of  God,  to  bow  the  knee 
 of  our  heart,  and  to  name  the  name  of  God  with  thankfulness 
 and  great  reverence. 
 
 Verse  6.     I  marvel. 
 
 Ye  see  here  how  Paul  handleth  his  Galatians,  which  were 
 fallen  away  and  seduced  by  the  false  apostles.  He  doth  not  at  the 
 first  set  upon  them  with  vehement  and  rigorous  words,  but  after 
 a  very  fatherly  sort,  not  only  patiently  bearing  their  fall,  but 
 also  in  a  manner  excusing  the  same.  Furthermore,  he  sheweth 
 towards  them  a  motherly  affection,  and  speaketh  them  very  fair, 
 and  yet  in  such  sort,  that  he  reproveth  them  notwithstanding: 
 howbeit  Avith  very  tit  words,  and  wisely  fi-amed  to  the  purpose. 
 Contrariwise  he  is  very  hot  and  full  of  indignation  against  those 
 false  apostles  their  seducers,  upon  whom  he  layeth  the  whole 
 fault;  and  therefore  forthwith,  even  in  the  entrance  of  hia 
 
28  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  f. 
 
 epistle,  he  bursteth  out  into  plain  thunderings  and  lightnings 
 against  them.  "  If  any  man"  (saith  he)  "  preach  any  other 
 gospel  than  that  ye  have  received,  let  him  be  accursed."  And 
 afterwards,  in  the  fifth  chapter,  he  threateneth  damnation  unto 
 them:  "  Whoso  troubleth  you  shall  bear  his  condemnation, 
 whatsoever  he  be."  (Gal.  v.  10.)  Moreover,  he  curseth  them 
 with  horrible  words,  saying,  "  Would  to  God  they  were  cut 
 off  Avhich  trouble  you."  These  are  dreadful  thunderclaps 
 against  the  righteousness  of  the  flesh  or  the  law. 
 
 He  might  have  handled  the  Galatians  more  uncourtcously,  and 
 have  inveighed  against  them  more  roughly  after  this  manner: 
 "  Out  upon  this  backsliding,  1  am  ashamed  of  you;  your  un- 
 thankfulness  grieveth  me;  I  am  angry  with  you:"  or  else  thus 
 tragically  have  cried  out  against  them:  "  O  ungracious  world,  O 
 wicked  dealings,"  &c.  But  forasmuch  as  his  purpose  is  to  raise 
 up  them  that  were  fallen,  and  with  a  fatherly  care  to  call  them 
 back  again  from  their  error  to  the  purity  of  the  gospel,  he  leaveth 
 those  rough  and  sharp  words,  especially  in  the  first  entrance,  and 
 most  gently  and  mildly  he  speaketh  unto  them.  For,  seeing  he 
 went  about  to  heal  them  that  were  wounded,  it  was  not  meet  that 
 he  should  now  further  vex  their  gi'een  wound,  by  laying  to  it  a 
 sharp  and  a  fretting  plaister,  and  so  rather  hm't  the  woimds  than 
 heal  them.  Therefore,  of  all  the  sweetest  and  mildest  words,  he 
 could  not  have  chosen  any  one  more  fit  than  this,  "  I  marvel:" 
 whereby  he  signifieth  both  that  it  gi'ieved  him,  and  also  dis- 
 pleased him,  that  they  had  fallen  away  from  him. 
 
 And  here  Pavd  is  mindful  of  his  own  rule,  which  he  giveth 
 hereafter  in  the  sixth  chapter,  where  he  saith :  "  Brethren,  if  a 
 man  be  fallen  by  occasion  into  any  fault,  ye  which  are  spiritual, 
 restore  such  a  one  with  the  spirit  of  meekness,  considering  thyself 
 also  tempted."  This  example  must  we  also  follow,  that  we  shew 
 ourselves  to  bear  like  affection  toward  such  as  are  misled,  as  parents 
 bear  towards  their  children,  that  they  may  perceive  our  fatherly 
 and  motherly  affection  towards  them,  and  may  see  that  we  seek 
 not  their  destruction,  but  their  welfai^e.  But  as  for  the  devdl  and 
 his  ministers,  the  authors  of  false  doctrine  and  sects,  against 
 them  we  ought,  by  the  example  of  the  apostle,  to  be  impatient, 
 proud,  sharp,  and  bitter,  detesting  and  condemning  theii*  false 
 jugglings  and  deceits  with  as  much  rigor  and  severity  as  may  be. 
 So  parents,  when  their  child  is  hurt  with  the  biting  of  a  dog,  are 
 wont  to  pursue  the  dog  only,  but  the  weeping  child  tKey  bemoan 
 and  speak  fair  unto  it,  comforting  it  with  the  most  sweet  words. 
 The  spirit  therefore  that  is  in  Paul  is  wonderful  cunning  in 
 handhng  the  afflicted  consciences  of  such  as  are  fallen.  Contrari- 
 wise, the  Pope  (because  he  is  led  with  a  wicked  spirit)  breaketh 
 out  violently  Mke  a  tyrant,  and  rappeth  out  his  thunder-cracks 
 and  cursings  against  the  miserable  and  terrified  in  consciences; 
 which  things  may  be  seen  in  his  bulls,  and  especially  in  that  bull 
 
VER.  6.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  29 
 
 touching  the  Lord's  Supper.  The  bishops  also  do  their  duty  never 
 a  whit  better.  They  teach  not  the  gospel,  they  are  not  careful 
 for  the  saving  of  men's  souls,  but  only  they  seek  lordship  and 
 sovereignty  over  them,  and  therefore  their  speakings  and  doings 
 are  altogether  to  maintain  and  support  the  same.  In  like  man- 
 ner are  all  the  vain-glorious  doctors  and  teachers  affected. 
 
 Verse  6.     That  so  soon. 
 
 Ye  see  how  Paul  complaineth,  that  to  fall  in  faith  is  an  easy 
 matter.  In  respect  whereof,  he  warneth  the  faithful  in  another 
 place,  "  That  he  which  standeth,  should  take  heed  that  he  fall 
 not,"  (1  Cor.  X.  12.)  We  also  do  daily  prove  by  experience, 
 hoAv  hardly  the  mind  conceiveth  and  retaineth  a  sound  and  sted- 
 fast  faith.  Also  with  what  great  difficulty  a  perfect  people  is 
 gotten  to  the  Lord.  A  man  may  labour  half  a  score  years  ere  he 
 shall  get  some  little  church  to  be  rightly  and  religiously  ordered; 
 and,  when  it  is  so  ordered,  there  creepeth  in  some  madbrain,  yea 
 and  a  very  unlearned  idiot,  which  can  do  nothing  else  but  speak 
 slanderously  and  spitefully  against  sincere  preachers  of  the  word, 
 and  he  in  one  moment  ovfirthroweth  all.  Wliom  would  not  this 
 wicked  and  outrageous  dealing  move? 
 
 We,  by  the  grace  of  God,  have  gotten  here  at  Wittenberg  the 
 form  of  a  Christian  church.  The  word  among  us  is  purely  taught, 
 the  sacraments  are  rightly  used,  exhortations  and  prayers  are 
 made  also  for  all  estates;  and,  to  be  brief,  all  things  go  forward 
 prosperously.  This  most  happy  course  of  the  gospel  some  mad 
 head  would  soon  stop,  and,  in  one  moment,  would  overturn  all 
 that  we,  in  many  years,  with  great  labour,  have  builded.  Even 
 so  it  befel  to  Paul,  the  elect  vessel  of  Christ.  He  had  won  the 
 churches  of  Galatia  with  great  care  and  travail,  which  the  false 
 apostles,  in  a  short  tune  after  his  departure,  overthrew,  as  this 
 and  divers  other  of  his  epistles  do  Avitness.  So  great  is  the 
 weakness  and  wretchednes  of  this  present  life;  and  we  so  walk 
 in  the  midst  of  Satan's  snares,  that  one  fantastical  head  may 
 destroy  and  utterly  overthrow,  in  a  short  space,  all  that  which 
 many  true  ministers,  labouring  night  and  day,  have  builded  up 
 many  years  before.  This  we  learn  at  this  day  by  experience 
 to  great  grief,  and  yet  we  cannot  remedy  this  enormity. 
 
 Seeing  then  that  the  church  is  so  soft  and  so  tender  a  thing, 
 and  is  so  soon  overthrown,  men  must  watch  cheerfully  against 
 these  fantastical  spirits;  who,  when  they  have  heard  two  sermons, 
 or  have  read  a  few  leaves  in  the  holy  scriptures,  by-and-by  they 
 make  themselves  masters  and  controllers  of  all  learners  and 
 teachers,  contrary  to  the  authority  of  all  men.  Many  such  also 
 thou  mayest  find  at  this  day  amongst  handicrafts  men,  bold  and 
 malapert  fellows,  who,  because  they  have  been  tried  by  no  temp- 
 tations, did  never  learn  to  fear  God,  nor  had  any  taste  or  feeling 
 of  grace.  These,  for  that  they  are  void  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  teacE 
 
80  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUl's  [cHAP.  I. 
 
 vrfiai  liketh  themselves  best,  and  such  things  as  are  plausible  and 
 
 f)leasant  to  the  common  people.  Then  the  unskilful  multitude, 
 onging  to  hear  news,  do  by-and-by  join  themselves  unto  them 
 Yea,  and  many  also,  which  think  themselves  well  seen  in  the 
 doctrine  of  faith,  and  after  a  sort  have  been  tried  with  tempta- 
 tions, are  seduced  by  them. 
 
 Since  that  Paid  therefore,  by  his  own  experience,  may  teach  us 
 that  congregations,  which  are  won  by  great  labour,  are  easily  and 
 soon  overthrown,  we  ought  with  singular  care  to  watch  against 
 the  devil  ranging  everywhere,  lest  he  come  while  Ave  sleep, 
 and  sow  tares  among  the  whea>  For  though  the  shepherds  be 
 never  so  watchful  and  diligent,  yet  is  the  Christian  flock  in  dan- 
 ger of  Satan.  For  Paul,  (as  I  said)  with  singular  study  and  dili- 
 gence, had  planted  chm-ches  in  Galatia,  and  yet  he  had  scarcely 
 set  his  foot  (as  they  say)  out  of  the  door,  but  by-and-by  the 
 false  apostles  overthrew  some,  whose  fall  afterward  was  the 
 cause  of  great  ruin  in  the  chm-ches  of  Galatia.  This  so  sudden, 
 and  so  great  a  loss,  no  doubt,  was  more  bitter  unto  the  apostle 
 than  death  itself.  Therefore  let  us  watch  dihgently;  first,  every 
 one  for  himself;  secondly,  all  teachers,  not  only  for  themselves, 
 but  also  for  the  whole  church,  that  we  enter  not  into  temptation. 
 
 Verse  6.    Ye  are  removed  away. 
 
 Here  once  again  he  useth  not  a  sharp,  but  a  most  gentle  word. 
 He  saith  not:  I  marvel  that  ye  so  suddenly  faU  away,  that  ye 
 are  so  disobedient,  light,  inconstant,  unthankful;  but  that  ye 
 are  so  soon  removed.  As  if  he  should  say,  ye  are  altogether  pa- 
 tients or  sufferers ;  for  ye  have  done  no  harm,  but  ye  have  suf- 
 fered and  received  harm.  Tjo  the  intent  therefore,  that  he  might 
 call  back  again  those  backsHders,  he  rather  accuseth  those  that  did 
 remove,  than  those  that  were  removed,  and  yet  very  modestly  he 
 blameth  them  also,  when  he  complaineth  that  they  were  removed. 
 As  if  he  should  say :  Albeit  I  embrace  you  with  a  fatherly  affection, 
 and  know  that  ye  are  deceived,  not  by  your  own  default  but  by 
 the  default  of  the  false  apostles:  yet  notwithstanding  I  would  have 
 wished,  that  ye  had  been  grown  up  a  little  more  in  the  strength 
 of  sound  doctrine.  Ye  took  not  hold  enough  upon  the  word,  ye 
 rooted  not  yourselves  deep  enough  in  it,  and  that  is  the  cause 
 that  with  so  light  a  blast  of  wind,  ye  are  carried  and  removed. 
 Jerom  thinketh,  that  Paul  meant  to  interpret  this  word  [Gala- 
 tians]  by  alluding  to  the  Hebrew  word  Galath,  which  is  as  much 
 as  to  say,  as  fallen  or  carried  away.  As  though  he  would 
 say  :  ye  are  right  Galatians,  both  in  name  and  in  deed ;  that  is 
 to  say,  fallen  or  removed  away.  Some  think  that  the  Germans 
 are  descended  of  the  Galatians.  Neither  is  this  divination  per- 
 haps untrue.  For  the  Germans  are  not  much  unlike  to  them  in 
 natm-e.  And  I  myself  also  am  constrained  to  wish  to  my  coun- 
 trymen more  steadfastness  and  constancy;  fcr  in  all  things  we 
 
VER.  6.]  EFlSrLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  31 
 
 do,  at  the  first  brunt  we  be  very  hot;  but  when  the  heat  of  our 
 affections  is  allayed,  anon  we  become  more  slack,  and  look,  with 
 what  rashness  we  begin  things,  with  the  same  we  give  them  over, 
 and  utterly  reject  them. 
 
 At  the  first,  when  the  light  of  the  gospel,  after  so  great  dark- 
 ness of  men's  traditions,  began  to  appear,  many  were  zealously 
 turned  to  godliness;  they  heard  sermons  greedily,  and  had  the 
 ministers  of  God's  word  in  reverence.  But  now,  when  religion 
 is  happily  reformed  with  so  great  increase  of  God's  word,  many 
 which  before  seemed  to  be  earnest  disciples,  are  become  con- 
 temners and  very  enemies  thereof.  Who  not  only  cast  off  the 
 study  and  zeal  of  God's  word,  and  despise  the  ministers  thereof, 
 but  also  hate  all  good  learning,  and  become  plain  hogs,  and  belly- 
 gods,  worthy  (doubtless)  to  be  compared  unto  the  foolish  and  in- 
 constant Galatians. 
 
 Verse  6.    From  hiin  that  bath  called  you  in  the  grace  of  Christ. 
 
 This  place  is  somewhat  doubtful,  and  therefore  it  hath  a  dou- 
 ble understanding.  The  first  is  :  "  From  that  Clarist  that  hath 
 called  you  in  grace."  The  other  is:  "  From  him;"  that  is  to 
 say,  from  God  which  hath  called  you  in  the  grace  of  Christ.  I 
 embrace  the  former.  For  it  liketh  me,  that  even  as  Paul,  a  little 
 before,  made  Christ  the  Redeemer,  who  by  his  death  delivereth 
 us  from  this  present  evil  world;  also  the  giver  of  grace  and  peace 
 equally  with  God  the  Father;  so  he  should  make  him  here  also 
 the  caller  in  grace ;  for  Paul's  Special  purpose  is,  to  beat  into 
 our  minds  the  benefit  of  Christ,  by  whom  we  come  unto  the 
 Father. 
 
 There  is  also  in  these  words — ^fi*om  him  that  hath  called  us  in 
 grace,  a  great  vehemency;  wherein  is  contained  withal  a  con- 
 trary relation,  as  if  he  should  say,  alas !  how  lightly  do  you  suf- 
 fer yourselves  to  be  withdrawn  and  removed  from  Christ,  which 
 hath  called  you,  not  as  Moses  did,  to  the  law,  works,  sins, 
 wrath,  and  damnation,  but  altogether  to  grace !  So  we  also  com- 
 plain at  this  day  with  Paul,  that  the  blindness  and  perverseness 
 of  men  is  horrible,  in  that  none  will  receive  the  doctrine  of  grace 
 and  salvation.  Or  if  there  be  any  that  receive  it,  yet  they  quickly 
 shde  back  again,  and  fall  fi'om  it;  whereas,  notwithstanding, 
 it  bringeth  with  it  all  good  things,  as  well  ghostly  as  bodily, 
 namely,  forgiveness  of  sins,  true  righteousness,  peace  of  con- 
 science, and  everlasting  life.  Moreover,  it  bringeth  light  and 
 sound  judgment  of  all  kinds  of  doctrine  and  trades  of  life;  itap- 
 proveth  and  estabhsheth  civil  government,  household  govern- 
 ment, and  all  kinds  of  life  that  are  ordained  and  appointed  of 
 God;  it  rooteth  out  all  doctrines  of  error,  sedition,  confusion, 
 and  such  like;  and  it  putteth  away  the  fear  of  sin  and  death; 
 and  to  be  short,  it  discovereth  all  the  subtile  slights  and  works 
 of  the  devil,  and  openf»th  the  benefits  and  love  of  God  toward. 
 
82  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL  S  [CHAl.  I. 
 
 US  in  Clirist.  Wliat  (with  a  mischief)  means  the  world  to  hale 
 this  word,  tliis  glad  tidings  of  everlasting  comfort,  grace,  salva- 
 tion, and  eternal  life,  so  bitterly,  and  to  persecute  it  with  such 
 hellish  outrage? 
 
 Paul  before  called  this  present  world  evil  and  wicked,  that  is 
 to  say,  the  doil's  kingdom;  for  else  it  would  acknowledge  the 
 benefit  and  mercy  of  God.  Forasmuch  as  it  is  under  the  power 
 of  the  devil,  therefore  doth  it  most  spitefully  hate  and  persecute 
 the  same,  loving  darkness,  errors,  and  the  kingdom  of  the  devil, 
 more  than  the  light,  the  truth  and  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  (John 
 iii.  19.)  And  this  it  doth,  not  through  ignorance  or  error,  but 
 throiio-h  the  malice  of  the  devil;  which  tiling  hereby  may  suffi- 
 ciently appear,  in  that  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  by  gi^'ing  him- 
 self to  death  for  the  sins  of  all  men,  hath  thereby  gained  nothing 
 else  of  this  perverse  and  damnable  world,  but  that  for  this  liis 
 uiestimable  benefit,  it  blasphemcth  him,  and  persecuteth  his  most 
 healtliful  word,  and  fain  would  yet  stiU  nail  him  to  the  cross  if 
 it  could :  therefore  not  only  the  world  dwelleth  in  darkness,  but 
 it  is  darkness  itself,  as  it  is  written  in  the  first  of  John. 
 
 Paul  therefore  standeth  much  upon  these  words :  "  From 
 Chi-ist  who  hath  called  you;"  as  thoughhe  would  say,  My  preach- 
 ing was  not  of  the  hard  laws  of  Moses,  neither  taught  I  that  ye 
 shoidd  be  bond-slaves  under  the  yoke;  but  I  preached  the  only 
 doctrine  of  grace  and  freedom  from  the  law,  sin,  wrath,  and 
 damnation,  that  is  to  say,  that  Christ  hath  mercifiUly  called  you 
 in  grace,  that  ye  should  be  freemen  under  Christ,  and  not  bond- 
 men under  Moses,  whose  disciples  ye  are  now  become  again  by 
 the  means  of  your  false  apostles,  who,  by  the  law  of  Moses,  called 
 you  not  unto  grace,  but  unto  wrath,  to  the  hating  of  God,  to 
 sin,  and  death.  But  Christ's  calling  bringeth  grace  and  saving 
 health;  for  they  that  be  called  by  him,  instead  of  the  law  that 
 worketh  sorroAv,  do  gain  the  glad  tidings  of  the  gospel,  and  ai'e 
 translated  out  of  God's  wrath  into  his  favour,  out  of  sin  into 
 righteousness,  and  out  of  death  into  life.  And  will  you  suffer 
 yourselves  to  be  carried,  yea,  and  that  so  soon,  and  so  easily, 
 another  way,  from  such  a  living  fountain,  fiill  of  grace  and  life  ? 
 Now,  if  Moses  call  men  to  God's  wrath,  and  to  sin  by  the  law 
 of  God,  whither  shall  the  Pope  call  men  by  his  own  traditions? 
 Tlie  other  sense,  that  the  Father  calleth  in  the  grace  of  Christ, 
 is  also  good;  but  the  former  sense  concerning  Christ,  serveth 
 more  fitly  for  the  comforting  of  afflicted  consciences. 
 
 Verse  6.  Unto  another  gospel. 
 
 Here  we  may  learn  to  espy  the  crafty  slights  and  subtleties  of 
 the  devil.  No  heretic  cometh  under  the  title  of  errors  and  of 
 tlie  devil,  neither  doth  the  devil  himself  come  as  a  devil  in  his 
 own  likeness,  especially  that  white  devil  which  we  spake  of  be- 
 fore.   Yea,  even  the  black  devil,  which  forceth  men  to  manifest 
 
VER.  6.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  33 
 
 wickedness,  maketh  a  cloak  for  them  to  cover  that  sin  which 
 they  commit,  or  purpose  to  commit.  The  murderer,  in  his  rage, 
 seeth  not  that  murder  is  so  great  and  horrible  a  sin  as  it  is  in- 
 deed, for  that  he  hath  a  cloak  to  cover  the  same.  Whoremon- 
 gers, thieves,  covetous  persons,  drunkards,  and  such  other,  have 
 wherewith  to  flatter  themselves,  and  cover  their  sins.  So  the 
 black  devil  also  cometh  out  disguised  and  counterfeit  in  all  his 
 works  and  devices.  But  in  spiritual  matter,  where  Satan 
 cometh  forth  not  black,  but  white,  in  this  likeness  of  an  angel, 
 or  of  God  himself,  there  he  passeth  himself  Avith  most  crafty 
 dissimulation,  and  wonderful  slights,  and  is  wont  to  set  forth  to 
 sale  his  most  deadly  poison  for  the  doctrine  of  grace,  for  the 
 word  of  God,  for  the  gospel  of  Christ.  For  this  cause,  Paul 
 calleth  the  doctrine  of  the  false  apostles,  Satan's  ministers,  a 
 gospel  also,  saying,  "Unto  another  gospel;"  but  in  derision;  as 
 though  he  woidd  say.  Ye  Galatians  have  now  other  evangelists, 
 and  another  gospel;  my  gospel  is  now  despised  of  you;  it  is  now 
 no  more  in  estimation  among  you. 
 
 Hereby  it  may  be  easily  gathered,  that  these  false  apostles  had 
 condemned  the  gospel  of  Paul  among  the  Galatians,  saying,  Paul 
 indeed  hath  begun  well,  but  to  have  jjegun  it  Avell  is  not  enough, 
 for  there  remains  yet  many  higher  matters;  like  as  tliey  say  in 
 the  fifteenth  chapter  of  the  Acts,  "  It  is  not  enough  for  you  to 
 believe  in  Christ,  or  to  be  baptized,  but  it  behovetli  also  that  ye 
 be  circumcised;  for  except  ye  be  circumcised  after  the  law  of 
 Moses,  ye  cannot  be  saved."  This  is  as  much  as  to  say,  as 
 Christ  is  a  good  workman,  which  hath  indeed  begun  a  build- 
 ing, but  he  hath  not  finished  it:  for  this  must  Moses  do. 
 
 So  at  this  day,  when  the  fantastical  Anabaptists  and  others 
 cannot  manifestly  condemn  us,  they  say,  these  Lutherans  have 
 the  spirit  of  fearfulness,  they  dare  not  frankly  and  freely  profess 
 the  truth,  and  go  through  with  it.  Indeed,  they  have  laid  a 
 foundation,  that  is  to  say,  they  have  well  taught  faith  in  Christ, 
 but  the  beguming,  the  middle,  and  the  end,  must  be  joined  to- 
 gether. To  bring  this  to  pass,  God  hath  not  given  it  unto  them, 
 but  hath  left  it  unto  us.  So  these  perverse  and  devilish  spirits 
 extol  and  magnify  their  cursed  doctrine,  calling  it  the  word  of 
 God,  and  so,  under  the  colour  of  God's  name,  they  deceive  many. 
 For  the  devil  will  not  be  ugly  and  black  in  his  ministers,  but 
 fair  and  white;  and  to  the  end  he  may  appear  to  be  such  a  one, 
 he  setteth  forth  and  decketh  all  his  words  and  works  with  the 
 colom*  of  truth,  and  with  the  name  of  God.  Hereof  is  spruno- 
 that  common  proverb  among  f  he  Germans,  "  In  God's  name 
 beginneth  all  mischief!" 
 
 Wherefore  let  us  learn,  that  this  is  a  special  point  of  the  de- 
 vil's cunning,  that  if  he  cannot  hurt  by  persecuting  and  destroy- 
 ing, he  doth  it  under  a  colour  of  correcting  and  building  up.  So 
 now-a-{la)'s  he  persecuteth  us  with  power  and  sword,  that  when 
 
 D 
 
SJ4  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  I, 
 
 we  are  once  taken  away  and  dispatched,  he  may  not  only  deface 
 the  g-Qspel,  but  utterly  overthrow  it.  But  hitherto  he  hath  pre- 
 vailed nothing-,  for  he  hath  slain  many  Avho  have  constantly  con- 
 fessed this  our  doctrine  to  be  holy  and  heavenly,  tlu'ongli  whose 
 !^  -blood  the  church  is  not  destroyed,  but  watered.  Forasmuch, 
 t^jierefore,  as  he  could  prevail  nothing-  that  Avay,  he  stirreth  up 
 wjfked  spirits  and  ungodly  teachers,  Avhich,  at  the  first,  alloAV 
 our  doctrine,  and  teach  the  same  with  a  common  consent  toge- 
 ther Avith  us;  but  afterwards  they  say,  that  it  is  our  vocation  to 
 teach  the  first  principles  of  Christian  doctrine,  and  that  the  mys- 
 teries of  the  scriptiu'es  are  revealed  unto  them  from  above,  by 
 God  himself;  and  that  they  are  called  for  this  pm'pose,  that 
 they  should  open  them  to  the  world.  After  this  maimer  doth 
 the  devil  hinder  the  course  of  the  gospel,  both  on  the  right-hand 
 and  on  the  left,  but  more  on  the  right-hand  (as  I  said  before) 
 by  building  and  correcting,  than  on  the  left  by  persecuting  and 
 destroying;  wherefore  it  behoveth  us  to  pray  without  ceasing, 
 to  read  the  holy  scriptures,  to  cleave  fast  unto  Christ  and  his 
 holy  word,  that  we  may  overcome  the  devil's  subtleties,  with 
 the  which  he  assaileth  us  both  on  the  right-hand  and  on  the 
 left.  **  For  Ave  wrestle  not  against  flesh  and  blood,  but  against 
 rule,  against  poAver,  against  the  Avorldly  governors,  the  princes 
 of  the  darkness  of  this  world,  against  the  spiritual  Avickednesses 
 in  heavenly  things." 
 
 Verse  7.     Which  is  not  another  Gospel,  but  that  there  be  some  which  trouble 
 
 you. 
 
 Here  again  he  excuseth  the  Galatians,  and  most  bitterly  re- 
 proveth  the  false  apostles;  as  though  he  Avould  say.  Ye  Galatians 
 are  borne  in  hand,  that  the  gospel,  which  ye  have  received  of 
 me,  is  not  the  true  and  sincere  gospel,  and  therefore  ye  think 
 ye  do  AA'ell  to  receive  that  ncAv  gospel,  Avhich  the  false  apostles 
 teach,  and  seemeth  to  be  l)etter  than  mine.  I  do  not  so  much 
 charge  you  with  this  fault,  as  those  disturbers  Avhich  troul)le 
 your  consciences,  and  pull  you  out  of  my  hand.  Here  you  see 
 again  hoAv  vehement  and  hot  he  is  against  those  deceivers,  and 
 Avith  what  rough  and  sharp  words  he  painteth  them  out,  calling 
 them  troublers  of  the  churches,  which  do  nothing  else  but  se- 
 duce and  deceive  innumerable  poor  consciences,  giAdng  occa- 
 sions of  horrible  mischiefs  and  calamities  in  the  congregations. 
 This  great  enormity  Ave  also  at  this  day  are  constrained  to  see, 
 to  the  great  grief  of  our  hearts,  and  yet  are  Ave  no  more  able 
 to  remedy  it,  than  Paul  Avas  at  that  time. 
 
 This  place  Avitnesseth,  that  those  false  apostles  had  reported 
 Paid  to  be  an  unperfect  apostle,  and  also  a  Aveak  and  erroneous 
 preacher;  therefore  he  again  here  calleth  them  the  troublers  of 
 the  church,  and  overthroAvers  of  the  gospel  of  Christ.  Thus 
 ihey  condeitui  each  other.    The  false  apostles  condemned  Paul. 
 
VEn.  7.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  .  Sf» 
 
 and  Paul  again  the  false  apostles.  The  like  contending  and  con- 
 demning is  always  in  the  chui-ch ;  especially  when  the  doctrine 
 of  the  gospel  flourisheth;  to  wit,  that  wicked  teachers  do  prose- 
 cute, condemn,  and  oppress  the  godly ;  and  on  the  other  side, 
 that  the  godly  do  reprove  and  condemn  the  ungodly. 
 
 The  papists,  and  the  fantastical  spirits,  do  at  this  day  hate  us 
 deadly,  and  condemn  oui'  doctrine  as  wicked  and  erroneous;  y^ea, 
 moreover,  they  lie  in  wait  for  our  goods  and  lives;  and  we  again 
 do,  Avith  a  perfect  hatred,  detest  and  condemn  their  cursed  and 
 blasphemous  doctrine.  In  the  mean  time,  the  miserable  people 
 are  at  no  stay,  wavering  hither  and  thither,  as  uncertain  and 
 doubtful  to  which  part  they  may  lean,  or  Avhom  they  may  safely 
 follow;  for  it  is  not  given  to  every  one  to  judge  christianly  of 
 such  weighty  matters:  but  the  end  will  shew  which  part  teach- 
 eth  truly,  and  justly  condemn  the  other.  Sm-e  it  is,  that  we 
 persecute  no  man,  oppress  no  man,  put  no  man  to  death,  neither 
 doth  our  doctrine  trouble  men's  consciences,  but  dehvereth  them 
 out  of  innmnerable  errors  and  snares  of  the  devil.  For  the  truth 
 hereof,  we  have  the  testimony  of  many  good  men  who  give  tlianks 
 unto  God,  for  that,  by  our  doctrine,  they  have  received  certain 
 and  sure  consolation  to  their  consciences.  Wherefore,  like  as 
 Paul  at  that  time  was  not  to  be  blamed  that  the  churches  were 
 troubled,  but  the  false  apostles,  so  at  this  day  it  is  not  our  fault, 
 but  the  fault  of  the  Anabaptists,  and  such  frantic  spirits,  that 
 many  and  great  troubles  are  in  the  church. 
 
 Mark  here  diligently,  that  every  teacher  of  works,  and  of  the 
 righteousness  of  the  law,  is  a  troubler  of  the  church,  and  of  the 
 consciences  of  men.  And  who  would  ever  have  believed  that 
 the  Pope,  carduials,  bishops,  monks,  and  that  whole  synagogue 
 of  Satan,  specially,  the  founders  of  those  religious  orders  (of 
 which  number,  nevertheless,  God  might  save  some  by  mu^acle) 
 were  troublers  of  men's  consciences  ?  Yea,  verily,  they  be  yet 
 far  worse  than  were  those  false  apostles ;  for  the  false  apostles 
 taught,  that,  besides  faith  in  Christ,  the  works  of  the  law  of  God 
 were  also  necessary  to  salvation;  but  the  papists,  omitting  faith, 
 have  taught  men's  traditions  and  works  not  commanded  of  God, 
 but  devised  by  themselves  without  and  against  the  word  of  God : 
 and  these  have  they  not  only  made  equal  with  the  Avord  of  God, 
 but  also  exalted  them  far  above  it.  But  the  more  holy  the  he- 
 retics seem  to  be  in  outward  shew,  so  much  the  more  mischief 
 they  do;  for  if  the  false  apostles  had  not  been  endued  with  no- 
 table gifts,  with  great  authority,  and  a  shew  of  holiness,  and 
 had  not  vaunted  themselves  to  be  Christ's  ministei's,  the  apostles' 
 disciples,  and  sincere  preachers  of  the  gospel,  they  could  not  so 
 easily  have  defaced  Paul's  authority,  and  led  the  Galatians  out 
 of  the  way. 
 
 Now,  the  causewhyhesetteth  himself  so  sharply  against  them, 
 Ck.  *Ang  them  the  troublers  of  the  churches,  is  for  that  besides 
 
36  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAULAS  [CHAP.  I. 
 
 faith  in  Christ,  they  taught  that  circumcision,  and  the  keeping 
 of  the  law,  was  necessary  to  salvation.  The  which  thing  Paul 
 himself  witnesseth  in  the  fifth  chapter  following;  and  Luke,  in 
 the  fifteenth  of  the  Acts,  declareth  the  same  thing  in  these  words, 
 "  That  certain  men  coming  down  from  Judea,  taught  the 
 brethren,  saying,  Except  ye  be  circumcised  after  the  custom  of 
 Moses,  ye  cannot  be  saved,"  (Actsxv.  1.)  Wherefore,  the  false 
 apostles  most  earnestly  and  obstinately  contended  that  the  law 
 ought  to  be  observed;  unto  whom  the  stiff"-necked  Jews  forth- 
 with joined  themselves,  and  so  afterwards  easily  persuaded 
 such  as  were  not  established  in  the  faith,  that  Paul  was  not  a 
 sincere  teacher,  because  he  regarded  not  the  law,  but  preached 
 such  a  doctrine  as  did  abolish  and  overthrow  the  law.  For  it 
 seemed  unto  them  a  very  strange  thing,  that  the  law  of  God 
 should  utterly  be  taken  away,  and  the  Jews,  which  had  always 
 until  that  time  been  counted  the  people  of  God,  to  Avhom  also 
 the  promises  were  made,  shoidd  now  be  rejected:  yea,  it  seemed 
 yet  a  more  strange  thing  unto  them,  that  the  Gentiles,  being 
 wicked  idolaters,  shoidd  attain  to  this  glory  and  dignity,  to  be 
 the  people  of  God  without  circumcision,  and  without  the  works 
 of  the  law,  by  grace  only,  and  faith  in  Christ. 
 
 These  things  had  the  false  apostles  amplified  and  set  forth  to 
 the  uttermost,  that  they  might  bring  Paul  into  more  hatred 
 among  the  Galatians.  And  to  the  end  that  they  might  set  them 
 the  more  sharply  against  him,  they  said,  that  he  preached  unto 
 the  Gentiles  freedom  from  the  law,  to  bring  into  contempt,  yea, 
 and  utterly  to  abolish  the  law  of  God  and  the  kingdom  of  the 
 Jews,  contrary  to  the  law  of  God,  contrary  to  the  custom  of  the 
 Jewish  nation,  contrary  to  the  example  of  the  apostles,  and  to 
 be  short,  contrary  to  his  own  example  ;  whereof,  he  was  to  be 
 shunned  as  an  open  blasphemer  against  God,  and  a  rebel  against 
 the  whole  commonweal  of  the  Jews,  saying,  that  they  themselves 
 ought  rather  to  be  heard,  who,  besides  that  they  preached  the 
 gospel  rightly,  were  also  the  very  disciples  of  the  apostles,  with 
 whom  Paul  was  never  conversant.  By  this  policy,  they  defamed 
 and  defaced  Paul  among  the  Galatians,  so  that  by  this  their  per- 
 verse dealing,  of  very  necessity,  Paul  was  compelled  with  all  his 
 might  to  set  himself  against  these  false  apostles,  whom  he  boldly 
 reproveth  and  condemneth,  saying,  that  they  are  the  troublers  of 
 the  churches,  and  overthrowers  of  Christ's  gospel,  as  foUoweth. 
 
 Verse  7.  And  intend  {o  pervert  the  gospel  of  Christ. 
 That  is  to  say,  they  do  not  only  go  about  to  trouble  you,  but 
 also  utterly  to  abolish  and  overthrow  Christ's  gospel.  For  these 
 two  things  the  devil  practiseth  most  busily  :  first,  he  is  not  con- 
 tented to  trouble  and  deceive  many  by  his  false  apostles,  but 
 moreover  he  laboureth  by  them  utterly  to  overthrow  the  gospel, 
 and  never  resteth  till  he  hath  brought  it  to  pass.     Yet  such 
 
VER.   7.3  EPIS'/LE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  37 
 
 perverters  of  the  gospel  can  abide  nothing  less  than  to  hear  that 
 they  are  the  apostles  of  the  devil;  nay,  rather  they  glory  above 
 others  in  the  name  of  Christ,  and  boast  themselves  to  be  the 
 most  sincere  preachers  of  the  gospel.  But  because  they  mingle 
 the  law  with  the  gospel,  they  must  needs  be  perverters  of  the 
 gospel.  For  either  Christ  must  remain,  and  the  law  perish,  or 
 the  law  must  remain,  and  Christ  perish ;  for  Christ  and  the  law 
 can  by  no  means  agree  and  reign  together  in  the  conscience. 
 ■ — Where  the  righteousness  of  the  law  ruleth,  there  caimot  the 
 righteousness  of  grace  rule;  and  again,  where  the  righteousness 
 of  grace  reigneth,  there  cannot  the  righteousness  of  the  law 
 reign ;  for  one  of  them  must  needs  give  place  unto  the  other. 
 And  if  thou  canst  not  believe  that  God  will  forgive  thy  sins  for 
 Christ's  sake,  whom  he  sent  into  the  world  to  be  our  high  priest: 
 how  then,  I  pray  thee,  wilt  thou  believe  that  he  will  forgive  the 
 same  for  the  works  of  the  law,  which  thou  couldst  never  per- 
 form ;  or  for  thine  own  works,  Avhich  (as  thou  must  be  con- 
 strained to  confess)  be  such  as  it  is  impossible  for  them  to  coun 
 tervail  the  judgment  of  God  ? 
 
 Wherefore,  the  doctrine  of  gi'ace  can  by  no  means  stand  with 
 the  doctrine  of  the  law.  The  one  must  simply  be  refused  and 
 abolished,  and  the  other  confirmed  and  established.  For  as  Paul 
 saith  here,  to  mingle  the  one  with  the  other,  is  to  overthrow  the 
 gospel  of  Christ.  And  yet,  if  it  come  to  debating,  the  greater 
 part  overcometh  the  better ;  for  Christ,  with  his  side  is  weak, 
 and  the  gospel  is  but  a  foolish  preaching;  contrariwise,  the 
 kingdom  of  the  world,  and  the  devil,  the  prince  thereof,  are 
 strong.  Besides  that,  the  wisdom  and  righteousness  of  the  flesh 
 carry  a  goodly  shew ;  and  by  this  means  the  righteousness  of 
 grace  and  faith  is  lost,  and  the  other  righteousness  of  the  law  and 
 works  advanced  and  maintained.  But  this  is  oui*  comfort,  that 
 the  devil,  with  all  his  limbs,  cannot  do  what  he  would.  He  may 
 trouble  many,  but  he  cannot  overthrow  Christ's  gospel.  The 
 truth  may  be  assailed,  but  vanquished  it  cannot  be ;  for  the 
 word  of  the  Lord  endiu"eth  for  ever. 
 
 It  seemeth  to.be  a  light  matter  to  mingle  the  law  and  the  gos- 
 pel, faith  and  works,  together ;  but  it  doth  more  mischief  than  a 
 man's  reason  can  conceive ;  for  it  doth  not  only  blemish  and 
 darken  the  knowledge  of  grace,  but  also  it  taketh  away  Christ, 
 with  all  his  benefits,  and  it  utterly  overthi  OAveth  the  gospel,  as 
 Paul  saith  in  this  place.  The  cause  of  this  great  evil  is  our 
 flesh,  which,  being  plunged  in  sins,  seeth  no  way  how  to  get 
 out,  but  by  works,  and  therefore  it  would  live  in  the  righteous- 
 ness of  the  law,  and  rest  in  the  trust  and  confidence  of  her  own 
 ^■  <•»  ks.  WTierefore,  it  is  utterly  ignorant  of  the  doctrine  of 
 faith  and  grace,  without  the  which,  notwithstanding,  it  is  im- 
 possible tor  the  conscience  to  find  rest  and  q\uetness. 
 
 It  appeareth  also  by  these  words  of  Paul :  "  And  intend  to 
 
38  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CIIAP.  I. 
 
 pervert  the  gospel  of  Christ,"  that  the  false  apostles  were  exceed- 
 ing bold  and  shameless,  which  with  all  their  might  set  themselves 
 against  Paul ;  wherefore  he  again,  using  his  spirit  of  zeal  and 
 fervency,  and  being  fully  persuaded  of  the  certainty  of  his  calling, 
 setteth  himself  strongly  against  them,  and  wonderfully  magni- 
 fietli  his  ministry,  saying, 
 
 Verse  8.   But  though  that  we,  or  an  angel  from  heaven,  preach  unto  you  other- 
 wise than  that  we  have  preached  unto  you,  let  him  be  accursed. 
 
 Here  Paul  casteth  out  very  flames  of  fire,  and  his  zeal  is  so 
 fervent,  that  he  beginneth  also  almost  to  curse  the  angels.  Al- 
 though, saith  he,  that  we  ourselves,  even  I  and  my  brethren 
 Timothy  and  Titus,  and  as  many  as  teach  Christ  purely  with 
 me  (I  speak  not  now  of  those  seducers  of  consciences;)  "  yea, 
 or  if  an  angel  from  heaven  preach  unto  you,"  &c.  notwithstand- 
 ing I  would  rather,  that  I  myself,  my  brethren,  yea,  and  the 
 very  angels  from  heaven  also,  should  be  holden  accursed,  than 
 that  my  gospel  should  be  overtlu-own.  This  is  indeed  a  vehement 
 zeal,  that  he  dare  so  boldly  curse,  not  only  liimself,  and  his  bre- 
 thren, but  also  even  an  angel  from  heaven. 
 
 The  Greek  word  anathema,  in  Hebrew  herem,  signifieth  a 
 thing  accursed,  execrable,  and  detestable,  which  hath  nothing 
 to  do,  no  participation,  or  communion  with  God.  So  saith 
 Joshua:  "  Cursed  be  the  man  before  the  Lord,  that  raiseth  up 
 and  buildeth  this  city  Jericho,"  (Josh.  vi.  26.)  And  in  the 
 last  of  Leviticus  it  is  written :  "  Notliing  separate  from  the 
 common  use,  which  shall  be  separate  from  man,  shall  be  redeem- 
 ed, but  die  the  death,  whether  it  be  man  or  beast."  So  God  had 
 appointed  Amaleck,  and  certain  other  cities,  accursed  by  God's 
 own  sentence,  should  be  utterly  rased  and  destroyed.  This  is  then 
 the  mind  of  Paul :  "  I  had  rather  that  myself,  and  other  my 
 brethren,  yea,  and  an  angel  from  heaven,  should  be  accursed, 
 than  that  we  or  others  should  preach  any  other  gospel  than  that 
 we  have  preached  already."  So  Paul  first  curseth  himself;  for 
 cunning  artificers  are  wont  first  to  find  fault  with  themselves,  that 
 they  may  the  more  freely  and  sharply  afterwards  reprove  others. 
 
 Paul  therefore  concludeth,  that  there  is  no  other  gospel  be- 
 sides that  which  he  himself  had  preached.  But  he  preached 
 not  a  gospel  which  he  had  himself  devised,  but  the  same  which 
 God  promised  before  by  his  prophets  in  the  holy  scriptures, 
 (Rom.  i.)  therefore  he  pronounceth  himself  and  others,  yea,  even 
 an  angel  from  heaven,  to  be  midoubtedly  accm*sed,  if  they  teach 
 any  tniaig  contrary  to  the  former  gospel :  for  the  voice  of  the 
 gospel  once  sent  forth,  shall  not  be  called  back  again  till  the  day 
 of  judgment. 
 
 Verse  9.     As  we  said  before,  so  say  we  now  again,  if  any  man  preach   unto 
 you  otherwise  than  that  you  have  received,  let  him  be  accursed. 
 
 repeateth  tlie  self-same  thing,  only  changmg  the  persons. 
 
VER.  8, 9.}  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  39 
 
 Before  he  cursed  himself,  his  brethren,  and  an  angel  from  heaven^ 
 here  if  there  be  any  (saith  he)  besides  us,  which  preach  unto 
 you  any  other  gospel  than  that  ye  have  received  of  us,  let  them 
 also  be  accursed.  Therefore,  he  plainly  excommunicateth  and 
 curseth  all  teachers  in  general,  himself,  his  brethren,  an  angel, 
 and  moreover  aU  others  whatsoever,  namely,  all  those  false  teach- 
 ers his  adversaries.  Here  appeareth  an  exceeding  great  fervency 
 of  spu-it  in  the  apostle,  that  he  dare  curse  all  teachers  throughout 
 the  whole  world  and  in  heaven,  which  pervert  his  gospel  and 
 teach  any  other:  for  aU  men  must  either  believe  that  gospel  that 
 Paul  preached,  or  else  they  must  be  accursed  and  condemned. 
 Would  to  God  this  terrible  sentence  of  the  apostle  might  strike 
 a  fear  into  their  hearts  that  seek  to  pervert  the  gospel  of  Paul; 
 of  which  sort,  at  this  day,  (the  more  it  is  to  be  lamented)  the 
 world  is  full. 
 
 This  changing  of  persons  is  here  to  be  marked.  For  Paul 
 speaketh  otherwise  in  his  fii'st  cursing,  than  he  doth  in  the 
 second.  In  the  first  he  saith:  "If  we,  or  an  angel  from  heaven, 
 preach  unto  you  any  other  gospel  than  that  we  have  preached 
 unto  you;"  in  the  second,  "Than  that  ye  have  received." 
 And  this  he  doth  of  purpose,  lest  the  Galatians  should  say,  We, 
 O  Paul,  do  not  pervert  the  gospel  that  thou  hast  preached  unto 
 us :  we  understood  thee  not  rightly,  but  the  teachers  that  came 
 after  thee  have  declared  unto  us  the  true  meaning  thereof.  This 
 (saith  he)  will  I  in  no  case  admit.  They  ought  to  add  nothing, 
 neither  to  correct  it;  but  that  which  ye  heard  of  me  is  the  sin- 
 cere word  of  God:  let  this  only  remain.  Neither  do  I  desire 
 myself  to  be  another  manner  of  teacher  than  I  was,  nor  you 
 other  disciples.  Wlierefore,  if  ye  hear  any  man  bringing  any 
 other  gospel  than  that  ye  have  heard  of  me,  or  bragging  that  he 
 will  deliver  better  things  than  ye  have  received  of  me,  let  him 
 and  his  disciples  be  both  accursed. 
 
 The  first  two  chapters,  in  a  manner,  contain  nothing  else  but 
 defences  of  his  doctrine,  and  confutations  of  errors ;  so  that, 
 until  he  cometh  to  the  end  of  the  second  chapter,  he  toucheth  not 
 the  chiefest  matter  which  he  handleth  in  this  epistle,  namely,  the 
 article  of  justification.  Notwithstanding,  this  sentence  of  Paul 
 ought  to  admonish  us,  that  so  many  as  think  the  Pope  to  be  the 
 'utlge  of  the  scripture,  are  accm'sed:  which  thing  the  popish 
 schoolmen  have  wickedly  taught,  standing  upon  this  groimd: 
 The  church  hath  allowed  four  gospels  only,  therefore  there  are 
 but  four;  for  if  it  had  allowed  more,  there  had  been  more. 
 Now,  seeing  the  chm'ch  might  receive  and  allow  such  and  so 
 many  gospels  as  it  would,  therefore  the  church  is  above  the  gos- 
 pel. A  goodly  argmnent,  forsooth. — I  approve  the  scripture, 
 ergo,  I  am  above  the  scripture  !  John  Baptist  acknowledgeth 
 and  confesseth  Christ,  and  pointeth  to  liira  with  his  finger, 
 therefore  he  is  above  Christ !  The  chm'ch  approvetli  the  Christian 
 
40  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [cIIAP.  I. 
 
 faith  and  doctrine,  therefore  the  cliurchis  ahove  them!  For  the 
 overthrowing  of  this  their  wicKed  and  blasphemous  doctrine, 
 thou  hast  here  a  plain  text  like  a  thunderbolt,  Avherein  Paul  sub- 
 jected both  himself  and  an  angel  from  heaven,  and  doctors  upon 
 eai'th,  and  aU  others  teachers  and  masters  whatsoever,  imder  the 
 authority  of  the  scripture;  for  they  ought  not  to  be  masters, 
 jndges,  or  arbiters,  but  only  witnesses,  disciples,  and  confessors, 
 of  the  church,  whether  it  be  the  Pope,  Luther,  Augustine,  Paul, 
 or  an  angel  from  heaven.  Neither  ought  any  doctrine  to  be 
 taught  or  heard  in  the  church  besides  the  pure  word  of  God, 
 that  is  to  say,  the  holy  scripture ;  otherwise  accursed  be  both 
 the  teachers  and  hearers  together  with,  their  doctrine. 
 
 Verse  10.  For  now  preach  I  man's  doctrine,  or  God's? 
 
 These  words  are  spoken  Avith  the  same  vehemency  of  spirit 
 that  the  former  were;  as  if  he  would  say.  Am  I,  Paul,  so  un- 
 known amongst  you,  which  have  preached  so  openly  in  your 
 churches?  Are  my  bitter  conflicts,  and  so  many  sharp  battles 
 against  the  Jews,  yet  unknown  unto  you?  It  appeareth  (I  think) 
 sufficiently  unto  you  by  my  preaching  and  by  so  many  and  so 
 great  afflictions  which  I  have  sidFered,  whether  I  serve  men  or 
 God ;  for  all  men  see  that  by  this  my  preaching,  I  have  not 
 only  stirred  up  persecution  against  me  in  every  place,  but  have 
 also  procured  the  cruel  hatred  both  of  mine  own  nation,  and  of 
 all  other  men.  I  shew,  therefore,  plainly  enough,  that  I  seek  not 
 by  my  preaching  the  favour  or  praise  of  men,  but  to  set  forth 
 the  benefit  and  glory  of  God. 
 
 Neither  do  we  seek  the  favour  of  men  by  our  doctrine:  for  we 
 teach  that  all  men  are  wicked  by  nature,  and  the  children  of 
 wrath.  We  condemn  man's  free-will,  his  strength,  wisdom,  and 
 righteousness,  and  all  religion  of  man's  own  devising;  and  to  be 
 short,  we  say  that  there  is  nothing  in  us  that  is  able  to  deserve 
 grace,  and  the  forgiveness  of  sins;  but  we  preach,  that  we  ob- 
 tain this  grace  by  the  free  mercy  of  God  only,  for  Christ's  sake: 
 for  so  the  heavens  shew  forth  the  glory  of  God,  and  his  works, 
 condemning  all  men  generally  with  their  works,  (Eph.  ii.  3.) 
 This  is  not  to  preach  for  the  favour  of  men,  and  of  the  world; 
 for  the  world  can  abide  nothing  less  than  to  hear  his  wisdom, 
 righteousness,  religion,  and  power,  condemned ;  and  to  speak 
 against  those  mighty  and  glorious  gifts  of  the  world,  is  not  to  flat- 
 ter the  world,  but  rather  to  procure  hatred  and  indignation  of 
 the  world,  (Ps.  xix.  1.)  for  if  we  speak  against  men,  or  any  thing 
 else  that  pertaineth  to  their  glory,  it  cannot  be  but  that  cruel 
 hatred,  persecutions,  excommunications,  murders,  and  con- 
 demnations, must  needs  foUow. 
 
 If  then  (saith  Paul)  they  see  other  matters,  why  see  they  not 
 this  also,  that  I  teach  the  things  that  are  of  God,  and  not  of 
 nen  ?  that  is  to  say,  that  I  seek  no  ms!^''*  favom'  by  my  doctrine, 
 
VER.  10.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  41 
 
 but  I  set  out  God's  mercy,  offered  unto  us  in  Christ ;  for  if  I 
 sought  the  favour  of  men  I  would  not  condemn  their  works. 
 Now,  forasmuch  as  I  condemn  men's  works,  that  is  to  say,  be- 
 cause I  shew  God's  judgment  out  of  his  word  (whereof  I  am  a 
 minister)  against  all  men,"how  that  they  are  sinners,  unrighteous, 
 wicked,  children  of  wrath,  bond-slaves  of  the  devil,  and  damned, 
 and  that  they  are  not  made  righteous  by  works  or  by  circum- 
 cision, but  by  grace  only,  and  faith  in  Christ;  therefore  I  pro- 
 cure unto  myself  the  deadly  hate  of  men;  for  they  can  abide 
 nothing  less  than  to  hear  that  they  are  such;  nay,  rather,  they 
 woidd  be  praised  for  wise,  righteous  and  holy.  Wherefore  this 
 witnesseth  sufficiently,  that  I  teach  not  man's  doctrine.  After 
 the  same  manner  Christ  speaketh  also  in  the  seventh  of  John ; 
 "  The  world  cannot  hate  you,  but  me  it  hateth,  because  I  tes- 
 tify of  it  that  the  works  thereof  are  evil,"  (John  vii.  7.)  And  in 
 the  third  of  John,  "  This  is  condemnation,  that  light  is  come 
 into  the  woi'ld,  and  men  loved  darkness  more  than  light  because 
 their  works  are  evil,"  (John  iii.  19.) 
 
 Now,  that  I  teach  the  things  which  are  of  God,  saith  the 
 apostle,  hereby  it  may  sufficiently  appear,  that  I  preach  the 
 only  grace,,  the  mercy,  the  goodness  and  the  glory  of  God. 
 Moreover,  he  that  speaketh,  as  Christ  saith,  those  things  which 
 his  Lord  and  Master  hath  commanded  him,  and  glorilieth  not 
 himself,  but  him  whose  messenger  he  is,  bringeth  and  teacheth 
 the  true  word  of  God.  But  I  teach  those  things  only  which  are 
 commanded  me  from  above :  neither  glorify  I  myself,  but  him 
 that  sent  me.  Besides  that,  I  stir  up  against  myself  the  wrath 
 and  indignation  of  both  the  Jews  and  Gentiles:  therefore 
 my  doctrine  is  true,  sincere,  certain,  and  of  God,  neither  can 
 there  be  any  other,  much  less  any  better,  than  this  my  doctrine 
 is.  Wherefore,  whatsoever  doctrine  else  teacheth  not  as  mine 
 doth,  that  all  men  are  siimers,  and  are  justified  by  faith  only  in 
 Christ,  must  needs  be  false,  wicked,  blasphemous,  accm'sed  and 
 devilish ;  and  even  such  also  are  they  which  either  teach  it  or 
 receive  it. 
 
 So  we  with  Paul  do  boldly  pronounce  all  such  doctrine  to  be 
 accursed  as  agreeth  not  with  ours.  For  neither  do  we  speak  by 
 our  preaching  the  praise  of  men,  or  the  favour  of  princes  or  bi- 
 shops, but  the  favour  of  God  alone,  whose  only  grace  and  mercy 
 wc'preach,  despising  and  treading  under  foot  whatsoever  is  of 
 ourselves.  Whosoever  he  be  then  which  shall  teach  any  other 
 gospel,  or  that  which  is  contrary  to  ours,  let  us  be  bold  to  say, 
 that  he  is  sent  of  the  devil,  and  hold  him  accursed. 
 
 Versb  10.     Or  go  I  about  to  please  men  ? 
 That  is,  do  I  serve  men  or  God  ?  he  hath  always  a  glance  at 
 the  false  apostles.     These,  saith  he,  must  needs  seek  to  please 
 and  to  flatter  men;  for  by  this  means  they  seek,  that  they  again 
 
42  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  I. 
 
 may  glory  in  their  flesh. — Moreover,  because  they  will  not  bear 
 the  hatred  and  persecution  of"  men,  they  teach  circumcision,  only 
 to  avoid  the  persecution  of  the  cross,  as  foUoweth  in  the  fifth 
 chapter. 
 
 So  at  this  day,  ye  may  find  many  which  seek  to  please  men, 
 and  to  the  end  they  may  live  in  peace  and  security  of  the  flesh, 
 they  teach  the  things  which  are  of  men,  that  is  to  say,  Avicked 
 things,  or  else  they  allow  the  blasphemies  and  wicked  judgments 
 of  the  adversaries,  contrary  to  the  word  of  God,  against  their 
 own  conscience,  that  they  may  keep  still  the  favour  of  princes 
 and  bishops,  and  enjoy  their  goods.  But  we,  because  we  en- 
 deavour to  please  God  and  not  men,  do  stir  up  against  us  the 
 malice  of  the  devil,  and  hell  itself;  we  suffer  the  reproaches  and 
 slanders  of  the  world,  death,  and  all  the  mischiefs  that  can  be 
 devised  against  us. 
 
 So  saith  Paul  here:  "  I  seek  not  to  please  men,"  that  they 
 may  praise  my  doctrine,  and  report  me  to  be  an  excellent  teacher, 
 but  I  desire  only  that  my  doctrine  may  please  God:  and  by  this 
 means  I  make  men  my  mortal  enemies.  Which  thing  I  find  by 
 experience  to  be  most  true :  for  they  requite  me  with  infamy, 
 slander,  imprisonment,  and  the  sword.  Contrariwise  the  false 
 apostles  teach  the  things  that  are  of  men,  that  is  to  say,  such 
 things  as  be  pleasant  and  plausible  to  man's  reason,  and  that  to 
 the  end  they  may  live  in  ease,  and  pm-chase  the  favour,  good- 
 will, and  praise  of  the  people.  And  such  men  find  that  they 
 seek  for:  for  they  are  praised  and  magnified  of  men.  So  saith 
 Christ  also,  (Matt,  vi.)  "  That  hypocrites  do  all  things  to  be 
 praised  of  men."  And  in  the  fifth  of  John  he  sharply  reproveth 
 such;  "  How  can  ye  believe,"  saith  he,  "which  receive  honour 
 one  of  another,  and  seek  not  the  honovu-  that  cometh  of  God 
 alone?"  The  things  which  Paul  hath  hitherto  taught,  are  in  a 
 maimer  examples  only.  In  the  mean  time,  notwithstanding, 
 he  is  very  earnest  every  where  in  proving  his  doctrine  to  be 
 sincere  and  sound. — Therefore  he  exhorteth  the  Galatians  that 
 they  forsake  it  not  for  any  other  doctrine.   ' 
 
 Verse  10.     For  if  1  should  yet  please  men,  I  were  not  the  servant  of  God. 
 
 These  things  are  to  be  referred  to  the  whole  office  and  minis- 
 try of  Paul,  to  show  what  a  contrariety  there  was  between  his 
 conversation  before  in  the  Jewish  law,  and  his  conversation  now 
 under  the  gospel.  As  if  he  would  say,  do  ye  think  that  I  go 
 about  still  to  please  men,  as  I  did  in  times  past?  So  he  speaketh 
 afterwards  in  the  fifth  chapter:  "  If  I  yet  preach  circumcision, 
 why  do  I  sufter  persecution?  As  though  he  woidd  say,  do  ye 
 not  see  and  hear  of  my  daily  conflicts,  great  persecutions,  and 
 afflictions?  After  I  was  converted  and  called  to  the  office  of  apos- 
 tleship,  I  never  taught  man's  doctrine,  neither  sought  I  to  please 
 
VER.  10,  11.  1'2.]       EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  43 
 
 men,  but  God  alone.    That  is  to  say,  I  seek  not  by  my  ministry 
 and  doctrine  the  praise  and  favour  of  men,  but  of  God. 
 
 Here  again  is  to  be  marked,  how  maliciously  and  craftily  the 
 false  apostles  went  about  to  bring  Paul  into  hatred  among 
 the  Galatians.  They  picked  out  of  his  preachings  and  writings 
 certain  contradictions  (as  our  adversaries  at  this  day  do  out  of 
 om*  books)  and  by  this  means  they  would  have  convinced  him 
 that  lie  had  taught  contrary  things.  Wlierefore  they  said,  that 
 there  was  no  credit  to  be  given  imto  him:  but  that  circumcision 
 and  the  law  ought  to  be  kept:  which  thing  he  himself  also  by 
 his  example  had  allowed,  because  he  had  circumcised  Timothy 
 according  to  the  law,  had  purified  himself  with  other  four  men 
 in  the  temple  at  Jerusalem,  and  had  shaven  his  head  at  Cenchrea, 
 (Acts  xvi.  3.  xviii.  18.)  These  things  they  craftily  sui'mised 
 that  Paul  by  the  commandment  and  authority  of  the  apostles 
 was  constrained  to  do :  which  notAvithstanding  he  had  kept  as 
 indiiferent,  bearhig  with  the  infirmity  of  the  weak  brethren 
 (which  yet  understood  not  the  Christian  liberty)  lest  they  should 
 be  offended.  To  whose  cavillations  thus  he  answereth:  how 
 true  it  is  which  the  false  apostles  forge  against  me  for  the  over- 
 throwing of  my  gospel,  and  setting  up  of  the  law  and  cir- 
 cumcision again,  the  matter  itself  sufficiently  declareth.  For  if 
 I  would  preach  the  law  and  circumcision,  and  commend  the 
 strength,  the  power,  and  the  will  of  man,  I  should  not  be  so 
 odious  unto  them,  but  should  please  them. 
 
 Verse  11,  12.  Now  I  certify  you  brethren,  that  the  gospel  which  was 
 preached  of  me,  was  not  after  man.  For  neither  received  I  it  of  man, 
 neither  was  I  taught  it  but  by  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ. 
 
 Here  is  the  principal  point  of  this  matter :  which  containeth  a 
 confutation  of  his  adversaries,  and  a  defence  of  his  doctrine,  to 
 the  end  of  the  second  chapter.  Upon  this  he  standeth,  this  he 
 urgeth  and  with  an  oath  confirmeth,  that  he  learned  not  his  gos- 
 pel of  a  man,  but  received  it  by  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ. 
 And  in  that  he  sweareth,  he  is  constrained  so  to  do,  that  the 
 Galatians  may  believe  him,  and  also,  that  they  should  give  no 
 ear  to  the  false  apostles:  Avhom  he  reproveth  as  liars,  because 
 they  had  said,  that  he  ledrned  and  received  his  gospel  of  the 
 apostles. 
 
 Where  he  saith  that  his  gospel  is  not  after  man,  he  meaneth 
 not  that  his  gospel  is  not  earthly,  for  that  is  manifest  of  itself: 
 and  the  false  apostles  bragged  also  that  their  doctrine  was  not 
 earthly  but  heavenly:  but  he  meaneth,  that  he  learned  not  his 
 gospel  by  the  ministry  of  men,  or  received  it  by  any  earthly 
 means,  as  we  all  learn  it  either  by  the  ministry  of  men,  or  else 
 receive  it  by  some  earthly  means;  some  by  hearing,  some  by 
 readmg,  and  some  by  writing:  but  he  received  the  same  only 
 by  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ.    If  any  man  list  to  make  any 
 
4-1-  COMMENTARY  ON   ST.  PAUL's  LCHAP.  I, 
 
 other  distinction,  I  am  not  against  it.  Here  tlie  apostle  sheweth 
 by  the  way,  that  Christ  is  not  only  man,  hut  that  he  is  both  God 
 and  very  man,  when  he  saith,  that  he  received  not  his  gospel  by 
 man. 
 
 Now,  Paul  received  his  gospel  in  the  way  as  he  was  going  to 
 Damascus,  where  Christ  appeared  unto  him  and  talked  with 
 him.  Afterwards  also  he  talked  with  him  in  the  temple  at  Jeru- 
 salem. But  he  received  his  gospel  in  the  way,  as  Luke  reciteth 
 the  story  in  the  ninth  of  the  Acts.  "Arise,"  saith  Christ,  "and 
 go  into  the  city,  and  it  shall  be  told  thee  what  thou  must  do." 
 He  doth  not  bid  him  go  into  the  city,  that  he  might  learn  the 
 gospel  of  Ananias :  but  Ananias  was  bid  to  go  and  baptize  him, 
 to  lay  his  hands  upon  him,  to  commit  the  ministry  of  the  word 
 unto  him,  and  to  commend  him  unto  the  church,  and  not  to 
 teach  him  the  gospel,  which  he  had  received  afore,  as  he  glo- 
 rieth  in  the  same  place,  by  the  only  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ. 
 And  this  Ananias  himself  confesseth,  saying,  "  Brother  Saul,  the 
 Lord  which  appeared  to  thee  in  the  way,  hath  sent  me,  that 
 thou  mightest  receive  thy  sight."  Therefore  he  received  not 
 his  doctrine  of  Ananias,  but  being  already  called,  lightened  and 
 taught  of  Christ  in  the  way,  he  was  sent  to  Ananias,  that  he 
 might  also  have  the  testimony  of  men,  that  he  was  called  of  God 
 to  preach  the  gospel  of  Christ. 
 
 This  Paul  was  constrained  to  recite,  to  put  away  the  slander 
 of  the  false  apostles,  who  laboured  to  bring  him  into  hatred  with 
 the  Galatians,  saying  that  Paul  was  inferior  to  the  rest  of  the 
 apostles'  scholars,  who  had  received  of  the  apostles  that  which 
 they  taught  and  kept;  whose  conversation  also  they  had  seen  a 
 long  time,  and  that  Paul  himself  had  also  received  the  same 
 things  of  them,  although  he  did  now  deny  it.  Why,  then, 
 would  they  rather  obey  an  inferior,  and  despise  the  authority 
 of  the  apostles  themselves,  who  were  not  only  the  fore-elders 
 and  teachers  of  the  Galatians,  but  also  of  all  the  churches 
 throughout  the  whole  world? 
 
 This  argument,  which  the  same  apostles  grounded  upon  the 
 authority  of  the  apostles,  was  strong  and  mighty,  whereby  the 
 Galatians  were  suddenly  overthrown,  especially  in  this  matter. 
 I  would  never  have  believed,  had  I  not  been  taught  by  these 
 examples  of  the  chm"ches  of  Galatia,  of  the  Corinthians  and 
 others,  that  they  which  had  received  the  word  of  God  in  the 
 beginning  with  such  joy,  among  whom  Avere  many  notable  men, 
 could  so  quickly  be  overthrown.  O  good  Lord,  what  horrible  and 
 infinite  mischiefs  may  one  only  argument  easily  bring !  which  so 
 pierceth  a  man's  conscience,  when  God  withdraweth  his  grace, 
 that  in  one  moment  he  loseth  all  together.  By  this  subtilty  then 
 the  false  apostles  did  easily  deceive  the  Galatians,  being  not  filly 
 established  and  grounded,  but  as  yet  weak  in  the  faith. 
 
 Moreover,  the  matter  of  justification  is  brittle:  not  of  itself, 
 
VER.  11,  12. 1  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  46 
 
 for  of  itself  it  is  most  sure  and  certain,  but  in  respect  of  us. 
 Wliereof  I  myself  have  good  experience.  For  I  know  in  what 
 hours  of  darkness  I  sometimes  wrestle.  I  know  how  orten  I 
 suddenly  lose  the  beams  of  the  gospel  and  grace,  as  being  sha- 
 dowed from  me  with  thick  and  dark  clouds.  Briefly  I  know  in 
 what  a  slippery  place  even  such  also  do  stand,  as  are  Avell  exer- 
 cised and  seem  to  have  sure  footing  in  matters  of  faith.  We 
 have  good  experience  of  this  matter:  for  we  are  able  to  teach 
 it  unto  others,  and  this  is  a  sure  token  that  we  understand  it. 
 But  when  in  the  very  conflict  we  should  use  the  gospel,  which 
 is  the  word  of  grace,  consolation,  and  life,  there  doth  the  law, 
 the  word  of  wrath,  heaviness  and  death  prevent  the  gospel,  and 
 beginneth  to  rage,  and  the  terrors  which  it  raiseth  up  in  the 
 conscience,  are  no  less  than  was  that  horrible  shew  in  the  mount 
 Sinai.  So  that  even  one  place  of  the  Scripture  containing  some 
 threatening  of  the  law  (Exod.  xix.  18.)  overwhelmeth  and 
 drowneth  all  consolations  besides,  and  so  shaketh  all  our  inward 
 powers,  that  it  maketh  us  to  forget  justification,  grace,  Christ, 
 the  gospel,  and  all  together. 
 
 Therefore,  in  respect  of  us,  it  is  a  very  brittle  matter,  because 
 we  are  brittle.  Again,  we  have  against  us  even  the  one  half  of 
 ourselves:  that  is  to  say,  reason,  and  all  the  powers  thereof. 
 Besides  all  this,  the  flesh  resisteth  the  spirit,  which  cannot  be- 
 lieve assuredly  that  the  promises  of  God  are  true.  It  flghteth 
 therefore  against  the  spirit,  and  as  Paul  saith,  "  it  holdeth  the 
 spirit  captive."  (Gal.  v.  17.  Rom.  vii.  23.)  so  that  it  cannot  be- 
 lieve so  stedfastly  as  it  would.  Wherefore,  we  teach  continu- 
 ally, that  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  and  of  faith,  is  no  work  of 
 man,  but  simply  the  gift  of  God,  who  as  he  createth  faith,  so 
 doth  he  keep  it  in  us.  And  even  as  he  flrst  giveth  faith  unto 
 us  through  the  word,  so  afterAvards  he  exerciseth,  increaseth, 
 strengtheneth  and  maketh  perfect  the  same  in  us  by  the  Avord. 
 Therefore  the  greatest  service  that  a  man  can  do  unto  God,  and 
 the  very  sabbath  of  sabbaths,  is,  to  exercise  himself  in  true  god- 
 liness, diligently  to  hear  and  to  read  the  word.  Contrariwise,  >^ 
 there  is  nothing  more  dangerous  than  to  be  weary  of  the  word. 
 He  therefore  that  is  so  cold,  that  he  thinketh  himself  to  knoAV 
 enough,  and  beginneth  by  little  and  little  to  loathe  the  word, 
 that  man  hath  lost  Christ  and  the  gospel,  and  that  which  he 
 "  thinketh  himself  to  know,"  he  attaineth  only  by  bare  specu- 
 lation: and  he  is  like  unto  a  man,  as  St.  James  saith,  "  who 
 beholding  his  face  in  a  glass,  goeth  liis  way,  and  by-and-by  for- 
 getteth  what  his  countenance  Avas,"  (James  i.  23,  24.) 
 
 Wherefore  let  every  faithful  man  labour  and  strive  Avith  all 
 diligence  to  learn  and  to  keep  this  doctrine:  and  to  that  end,  let 
 him  use  humble  and  hearty  prayer,  Avith  continual  study  and 
 meditation  of  the  word. — And  Avhen  Ave  have  done  never  so 
 much,  yet  shall  we  have  enough  to  keep  us  occupied.     For  we 
 
4^  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CHAP.  I. 
 
 have  to  do  with  no  small  enemies,  but  strong  and  mighty,  and 
 such  as  are  in  continual  war  against  us,  namely,  our  o^vn  flesh, 
 all  the  dangers  of  the  world,  the  law,  sin,  death,  the  wrath  and 
 judgment  of  God,  and  the  devil  himself,  who  never  ceaseth  to 
 tempt  us  inwardly  by  his  fiery  darts,  and  outwardly  by  his  false 
 apostles,  to  the  end  that  he  may  overthrow,  if  not  all,  yet  the 
 most  part  of  us. 
 
 This  argiunent  therefore  of  the  false  apostles  had  a  goodly 
 shew,  and  seemed  to  be  very  strong.  Which  also  at  this  day 
 prevaileth  with  many,  namely,  that  the  apostles,  the  holy  fathers 
 and  their  successors  have  so  taught:  that  the  church  so  think- 
 eth  and  believeth.  Moreover  that  it  is  impossible  that  Christ 
 should  suffer  his  church  so  long  a  time  to  err.  Art  thou  alone, 
 say  they,  wiser  than  so  many  holy  men?  wiser  than  the  Avhole 
 chm'ch?  After  this  manner,  the  devil  being  changed  into  an 
 angel  of  light,  setteth  upon  us  craftily  at  this  day,  by  certain 
 pestiferous  hj'pocrites,  who  say,  we  pass  not  for  the  Pope,  we 
 abhor  the  hypocrisy  of  monks,  and  such  like;  but  we  Avould 
 have  the  authority  of  the  holy  church  to  remain  untouched. 
 The  church  hath  thus  believed,  and  taught,  this  long  time.  So 
 have  all  the  doctors  of  the  primitive  chm'ch,  holy  men,  more 
 ancient  and  better  learned  than  thou.  Who  art  thou,  that 
 darest  dissent  from  all  these,  and  bring  unto  us  a  contrary  doc- 
 trine? When  Satan  reasoneth  thus,  conspiring  with  the  flesh 
 and  reason,  then  is  thy  conscience  terrified  and  utterly  despair- 
 eth,  unless  thou  constantly  return  to  thyself  again,  and  say, 
 Avhether  it  be  Cj'prian,  Ambrose,  Augustine,  either  St.  Peter, 
 Paul,  or  John,  yea,  or  an  angel  from  heaven,  that  teacheth 
 otherwise,  yet  this  I  know  assm^edly,  that  I  teach  not  the  things 
 of  men,  but  of  God:  that  is  to  say,  I  attribute  all  things  to 
 God  alone,  and  nothing  to  man. 
 
 When  I  first  took  upon  me  the  defence  of  the  gospel,  I  re- 
 member that  Doctor  Staupitius,  a  worthy  man,  said  thus  unto 
 me:  "This  liketh  me  well,  that  this  doctrine  which  thou 
 preachest,  yieldeth  glory,  and  all  things  else  unto  God  alone, 
 and  nothing  unto  man;  for  unto  God  there  cannot  be  attribu- 
 ted too  much  glory,  goodness,  mercy,"  &c.  This  saying  did 
 then  greatly  comfort  and  confirm  me.  And  true  it  is,  that  the 
 doctrine  of  the  gospel  taketh  from  men  all  glory,  wisdom,  righ- 
 teousness, &c.  and  giveth  the  same  to  the  Creator  alone,  wJio 
 made  all  things  of  nothing,  (Matt.  vi.  12.)  We  may  also  more 
 safely  attribute  too  much  unto  God,  than  unto  man:  for  in  this 
 case  I  may  say  boldly:  be  it  so,  that  the  church,  Augustine  and 
 other  doctors,  also  Peter  and  Apollo,  yea,  even  an  angel  from 
 heaven,  teach  a  contrary  doctrine,  ye-t  my  doctrine  is  such,  that 
 it  setteth  forth  and  preacheth  the  grace  and  glory  of  God  alone, 
 and  in  the  matter  of  salvation,  it  condemneth  the  righteousness 
 and  wisdom  of  all  men.    In  tliis  I  cannot  offend,  because  I  give 
 
VER.  II,  19. J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  4T 
 
 both  to  God  and  man,  that  which  properly  and  truly  belongeth 
 unto  them  both. 
 
 But  thou  wilt  say,  the  church  is  holy,  the  fathers  are  holy. 
 It  is  true,  notwithstanding,  albeit  the  church  be  holy,  yet  is  it 
 compelled  to  pray:  "forgive  us  our  trespasses."  So,  though  the 
 fathers  be  holy,  yet  are  they  saved  through  the  forgiveness  of 
 eins.  Therefore  neither  am  I  to  be  believed,  nor  the  church,  nor 
 the  fathers,  nor  the  apostles,  no,  nor  an  angel  from  heaven,  it 
 we  teach  any  thing  against  the  word  of  God;  but  let  the  word 
 of  God  abide  for  ever;  for  else  this  argument  of  the  false  apos- 
 tles had  mightily  prevailed  against  Paul's  doctrine.  For  indeed 
 it  was  a  great  matter,  a  great  matter,  I  say,  to  set  before  the 
 Galatians  the  Avhole  church,  with  all  the  company  of  the  apos- 
 tles, against  Paul  alone,  but  lately  sprung  up,  and  of  small 
 authority.  This  was  therefore  a  strong  argument,  and  concluded 
 mightily.  For  no  man  saith  willingly,  that  the  church  erreth, 
 and  yet  it  is  necessary  to  say  that  it  erreth,  if  it  teach  any  thing 
 besides  or  against  God's  Avord. 
 
 Peter,  the  chief  of  the  apostles,  taught,  both  in  life  and  doc- 
 trine, besides  God's  word,  therefore  he  erred,  and  was  deceived. 
 Neither  did  Paul  dissemble  that  error,  although  it  seemed  to  be 
 but  a  light  fault,  because  he  saw  it  would  turn  to  the  hurt  of 
 the  whole  chiu-ch,  but  "withstood  him  even  to  his  face,  because 
 he  walked  not  after  the  truth  of  the  gospel,"  (Gal.  ii.  11.) 
 Therefore  neither  is  the  church,  nor  Peter,  nor  the  apostles, 
 nor  angels  from  heaven,  to  be  1  .eard,  unless  they  bring  and 
 teach  the  pure  word  of  God. 
 
 This  argument,  even  at  this  day,  is  not  a  little  prejudicial  to 
 our  cause.  For  if  we  may  neither  believe  the  Pope,  nor  the  fa- 
 thers, nor  Luther,  nor  any  other,  except  they  teach  us  the  pure 
 word  of  God,  whom  shall  we  then  believe?  who,  in  the  mean- 
 while, shall  certify  our  adversaries?  for  they  brag  that  they  also 
 have  the  pure  word  of  God,  and  teach  it.  Again,  we  believe 
 not  the  Papists,  because  they  teach  not  the  word  of  God,  neither 
 can  they  teach  it.  Contrariwise,  they  hate  us  most  bitterly,  and 
 persecute  us  as  most  pestilent  heretics  and  seducers  of  the  people. 
 What  is  to  be  done  in  this  case?  Shall  it  be  lawful  for  every 
 fantastical  spirit  to  teach  what  himself  listeth,  seeing  the 
 world  can  neither  hear  or  abide  our  doctrine?  For  although 
 we  glory  with  Paul,  that  we  teach  the  pure  gospel  of  Christ, 
 yet  we  profit  nothing,  but  are  compelled  to  hear,  that  this  our 
 glorying  is  not  only  vain,  rash,  and  arrogant,  but  also  devilish 
 and  full  of  blasphemy.  But  if  Ave  abase  ourselves,  and  give 
 place  to  the  rage  of  our  adversaries,  then  both  the  Papists  and 
 Anabaptists  Avax  proud.  The  Anabaptists  will  vaunt  that  they 
 bring  and  teach  some  strange  thing  Avhich  the  world  never 
 heard  of  before.  The  Papists  Avill  set  up  again,  and  establisli 
 their  old  abominations.     Let  every  man  therefore  take  heed, 
 
48  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUl's  [GHAP.  I. 
 
 that  he  he  more  sure  of  his  calling  and  doctrine,  that  he  may 
 boldly  say  with  Paul:  "  Although  we,  or  an  angel  from  heaven, 
 preach  unto  you  otherwise  than  that  we  have  preached  unto 
 you,  let  him  be  accursed,"  (Gal.  i.  8.) 
 
 Veivse  13.  For  ye  have  heard  of  my  conversation  in  times  past,  in  Jewish 
 religion,  how  that  I  persecuted  the  church  of  God  extremely,  and  wasted  it ; 
 and  profited  in  the  Jewish  religion,  above  many  of  my  companions  of  mine 
 own  nation. 
 
 This  place  hath  m  it  no  singular  doctrine.  Notwithstanding, 
 Paul  allegeth  here  his  own  example,  saying,  I  have  defended 
 the  traditions  of  the  Pharisees,  and  the  Jewish  religion,  more 
 constantly  than  ye,  and  all  your  false  teachers.  Wherefore,  if 
 the  righteousness  of  the  law  had  been  any  thing  worth,  I  had 
 not  turned  back  from  it:  in  the  keeping  whereof,  notwithstand- 
 ing, before  I  knew  Christ,  I  did  so  exercise  myself,  and  so  profit 
 therein,  that  I  excelled  many  of  my  companions  of  mine  own 
 nation.  Moreover,  I  was  so  zealous  in  defence  of  the  same,  that 
 I  persecuted  the  church  of  God  extremely,  and  wasted  it.  For 
 having  received  authority  of  the  high  priests,  I  put  many  in 
 prison,  (Acts  xxvi.  10.)  and  when  they  should  be  put  to  death, 
 I  pronounced  the  sentence,  and  punished  them  throughout  all 
 the  synagogues.  I  compelled  them  to  blaspheme,  and  was  so 
 exceeding  mad  upon  them,  that  I  persecuted  them  even  unto 
 strange  cities. 
 
 Verse  14.     And  was  much  more  zea.  <us  of  the  traditions  of  my  fathers. 
 
 He  calleth  not  here  the  traditions  of  the  fathers,  pharisaical 
 or  human  traditions:  for  in  this  place  he  treateth  not  of  the  pha- 
 risaical traditions,  but  of  a  far  higher  matter,  and  therefore  he 
 calleth  even  that  holy  law  of  Moses,  the  fathers'  traditions:  that 
 is  to  say,  received  and  left  as  an  inheritance  from  the  fathers. 
 For  these,  said  he,  "  when  I  was  in  the  Jewish  religion,  I  was 
 very  zealous."  He  speaketh  after  the  same  manner  to  the  Philip- 
 pians,  (chap.  iii.  6.)  "As  concerning  the  law,"  saith  he,  "I  was 
 a  Pharisee,  concerning  zeal,  I  persecuted  the  church,  and  as  con 
 cerning  the  righteousness  of  the  law,  I  was  unrebukeable."  As 
 though  he  would  say;  Here  I  may  glory,  and  may  compare  with 
 the  whole  nation  of  the  Jews,  yea,  even  with  the  best  and  holiest 
 of  all  those  who  are  of  the  circumcision:  let  them  shew  me,  if 
 they  can,  a  more  zealous  and  earnest  defender  of  Moses'  law, 
 than  I  have  been.  This  thing  (O  ye  Galatians)  ought  to  ha,ve 
 persuaded  you  not  to  believe  these  deceivers,  which  magnify 
 the  righteousness  of  the  law,  as  a  matter  of  great  importance: 
 whereas,  if  there  were  any  cause  to  glory  in  the  righteousness 
 of  the  law,  I  have  more  cause  to  glory  than  any  other. 
 
 In  like  manner  say  I  of  myself,  that  before  1  was  lightened 
 with  the  knowledge  of  the  gospel,  I  was  as  zealous  for  the  papis- 
 
VER.  14—17.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIAN;;.  49 
 
 tical  laws  and  traditions  of  the  fathers,  as  ever  any  was,  most  ear- 
 nestly maintaining  and  defending  them  as  holy  and  necessary  to 
 salvation.  Moreover,  I  endeavoured  to  observe  and  keep  them 
 mvself,  as  much  as  was  possible  for  me  to  do;  punishing  ray  poor 
 body  with  fasting,  watching,  praying,  and  other  exercises,  more 
 than  all  they  Avhich  at  this  day  do  so  bitterly  hate  and  persecute 
 me,  because  now  I  take  from  them  the  glory  of  justifying  by 
 works  and  merits.  For  I  was  so  diligent  and  superstitious  in  the 
 observation  hereof,  that  I  laid  more  upon  my  body,  than,  with- 
 out danger  of  health,  it  was  able  to  bear.  I  honoured  the  Pope 
 of  mere  conscience,  and  mifeignedly,  not  seeking  after  prebends, 
 promotions,  and  livings :  but  whatsoever  I  did,  I  did  it  with  a 
 single  heart,  of  a  good  zeal,  and  for  the  glory  of  God.  But  those 
 things  which  then  were  gainful  unto  me,  now  with  Paul,  I  count 
 to  be  but  loss  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ 
 my  Lord.  But  oui*  adversaries,  as  idle  bellies,  and  tried  with  no 
 temptations,  believe  not  that  I  and  many  others  have  endured 
 such  things:  I  speak  of  such,  as  Avith  great  desire  sought  for 
 peace  and  quietness  of  conscience,  which  notwithstanding  in  so 
 great  darkness  it  was  not  possible  for  them  to  find. 
 
 Verse  15,  16,  17.  But  when  it  had  pleased  God  (which  had  separated  me 
 from  my  mother's  womb,  and  called  ine  by  his  grace)  to  reveal  his  Son  in 
 me,  that  1  should  preach  him  among  the  Gentiles,  immediately  I  communi- 
 cated not  with  tlesh  and  blood.  Neither  came  I  again  to  Jerusalem,  to  them 
 which  were  apostles  before  me,  but  I  went  unto  Arabia,  and  turned  again 
 unto  Damascus. 
 
 This  is  the  first  journey  of  Paid.  And  here  he  Avitnesseth, 
 that  straightway,  after  he  was  called  by  the  grace  of  God,  to 
 preach  Christ  among  the  Gentiles,  he  went  unto  Arabia,  without 
 the  advice  of  any  man,  to  that  work  Avhereunto  he  was  called. 
 And  this  place  witnesseth  by  whom  he  was  taught,  and  by  what 
 means  he  came  to  the  knowledge  of  the  gospel,  and  to  his  apos- 
 tleship.  "When  it  had  pleased  God,"  saith  he.  As  if  he  would 
 say :  I  have  not  deserved  it,  because  I  was  zealous  of  the  law  of 
 God  without  judgment,  nay  rather,  this  foolish  and  wicked  zeal 
 stirred  me  up,  that,  God  so  permitting,  I  fell  headlong  into  more 
 abominable  and  outrageous  sins;  I  persecuted  the  church  of  God, 
 I  was  an  enemy  to  Christ,  I  blasphemed  his  gospel,  and  to  con- 
 clude, I  was  the  author  of  shedding  much  innocent  blood.  This 
 was  my  desert.  In  the  midst  of  this  cruel  rage,  I  was  called  to 
 such  inestimable  grace.  What !  was  it  because  of  this  outrage- 
 ous cruelty?  No,  forsooth.  But  the  abundant  grace  of  God,  who 
 calleth,  and  sheweth  mercy  to  whom  he  Avill,  pardoned  and  for- 
 gave me  all  those  blasphemies:  and  for  these  my  horrible  sins, 
 which  then  I  thought  to  be  pei-fect  righteousness,  and  an  accep- 
 table service  unto  God,  he  gave  unto  me  his  gi-ace,  the  know- 
 ledge of  his  truth,  and  called  me  to  be  an  apostle. 
 
 £ 
 
50  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.   PAUl's  [cHAP.   1. 
 
 We  also  are  come  at  this  day,  to  the  knowledge  of  grace  by 
 the  self-same  merits.  I  crucified  Christ  daily  in  my  monkish  life, 
 and  blasphemed  God  through  my  false  faith,  Avherein  I  then 
 continually  lived.  Outwardly  I  was  not  as  ether  men,  extor- 
 tioners, unjust,  whoremongers:  but  I  kept  chastity,  poverty,  and 
 obedience.  Moreover,  I  was  free  from  the  cares  of  this  present 
 life.  I  was  only  given  to  fasting,  watching,  praying,  saying  of 
 masses,  and  such  like.  Notwithstanding,  in  the  mean  time,  I 
 fostered  under  this  cloaked  holiness,  and  trust  in  mine  own  righ- 
 teousness, continual  mistrust,  doubtfulness,  fear,  hatred,  and 
 blasphemy  against  God.  And  this  my  righteousness  was  nothing 
 else  but  a  filthy  puddle,  and  the  very  kingdom  of  the  devil. 
 For  Satan  loveth  such  saints,  and  accounteth  them  for  his  deai' 
 darlings,  who  destroy  their  own  bodies  and  souls,  and  deprive 
 themselves  of  all  the  blessings  of  God's  gifts.  In  the  mean  time, 
 notwithstanding,  wickedness,  blindness,  contempt  of  God,  igno- 
 rance of  tlie  gospel,  profanation  of  the  sacraments,  blaspheming 
 and  treading  of  Christ  under  foot,  and  the  abuse  of  all  the  be- 
 nefits and  gifts  of  God,  do  reign  in  them  at  the  full.  To  con- 
 'iude,  such  saints  are  the  bond-slaves  of  Satan,  and  therefore 
 are  driven  to  speak,  think,  and  do  whatsoever  he  Avill,  although 
 Outwardly  they  seem  to  excel  all  others  in  good  works,  in  ho- 
 liness and  strictness  of  life. 
 
 Such  we  were  under  the  popedom:  verily  no  less,  if  not  more 
 contumelious  and  blasphemous  against  Christ  and  his  gospe?, 
 than  Paul  himself,  and  specially  I :  for  I  did  so  highly  esteem  the 
 Pope's  authority,  that  to  dissent  from  him,  even  in  the  least  point, 
 I  thought  it  a  sin  worthy  of  everlasting  death.  And  that  wicked 
 opinion  caused  me  to  think  that  John  Huss  was  a  cursed  heretic, 
 yea,  and  I  accounted  it  a  heinous  offence,  but  once  to  think  of 
 him,  and  I  would  myself,  in  defence  of  the  Pope's  authority,  have 
 ministered  fire  and  sword,  for  the  burning  and  destroying  of  that 
 heretic,  and  thought  it  a  high  service  mito  God  so  to  do.  Where- 
 fore if  you  compare  publicans  and  harlots  with  these  holy  hypo- 
 crites, they  are  not  evil.  For  they,  when  they  offend,  have  re- 
 morse of  conscience,  and  do  not  justify  their  wicked  doings;  but 
 these  men  are  so  far  from  acknowledging  their  abominations,  ido- 
 latries, wicked  will- worshippings  and  ceremonies,  to  be  sins,  that 
 they  afiirm  the  same  to  be  righteousness,  and  a  most  acceptable 
 sacrifice  imto  God,  yea,  they  adore  them  as  matters  of  singular 
 holiness,  and  tlu-ough  them,  do  promise  salvation  unto  others, 
 and  also  sell  them  for  money,  as  things  available  to  salvation. 
 
 This  is  then  our  goodly  righteousness,  this  is  our  high  merit, 
 which  bringeth  unto  us  the  knowledge  of  grace;  to  wit,  that  we 
 have  so  deadly  and  so  devilishly  persecuted,  blasphemed,  trodden 
 under  foot,  and  condemned  God,  Chi'ist,  the  gospel,  faith,  the 
 sacraments,  all  godly  men,  the  true  worship  of  God,  and  have 
 ta\ight  and  stablished  quite  contrary  things.  And  the  more  holy 
 
VEH.  16.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  51 
 
 we  were,  the  more  were  we  blinded,  and  the  more  did  we  wor- 
 ship the  devil.  There  was  not  one  of  us,  but  he  was  a  blood- 
 sucker, if  not  in  deed,  yet  in  heart. 
 
 Verse  15.     When  it  pleased  God. 
 
 As  though  he  would  say:  It  is  the  alone  and  inestimable  fa- 
 vour of  God,  that  not  only  he  hath  spared  me,  so  wicked  and  so 
 cursed  a  wretch,  such  a  blasphemer,  a  persecutor,  and  a  rebel 
 against  God,  but  besides  that,  hath  also  given  unto  me  the  know- 
 ledge of  salvation,  his  Spirit,  Christ  his  Son,  the  office  of  an 
 apostle,  and  everlasting  iue.  So  God  beholding  us  guilty  in  the 
 like  sins,  hath  not  only  pardoned  our  impieties  and  blasphemies 
 of  his  mere  mercy  for  Christ's  sake,  but  hath  also  overwhelmed 
 us  with  great  benefits  and  spiritual  gifts.  But  many  of  us  are 
 not  only  unthankful  unto  God  for  this  his  inestimable  grace,  and, 
 as  it  is  written,  (2  Pet.  i.)  do  forget  the  cleansing  of  their  old 
 sins,  but  also  opening  again  a  window  to  the  devil,  they  begin 
 to  loathe  his  word,  and  many  also  do  pervert  and  corrupt  it,  and 
 so  become  authors  of  new  errors.  "  The  ends  of  these  men  are 
 worse  than  the  beginnings,"  (Matt,  xii,  45.) 
 
 Verse  15.     Which  had  separated  me  from  tny  mother's  womb. 
 
 This  is  a  Hebrew  phrase.  As  if  he  said:  which  had  sancti- 
 fied, ordained,  and  prepared  me.  That  is,  God  had  appointed, 
 when  I  was  yet  in  my  mother's  womb,  that  I  should  so  rage 
 against  his  church,  and  that  afterwards  he  would  mercifully  call 
 me  back  again  from  the  midst  of  my  cruelty  and  blasphemy,  by 
 his  mere  grace  into  the  way  of  truth  and  salvation.  To  be  short, 
 when  I  was  not  yet  born,  I  was  an  apostle  in  the  sight  of  God, 
 and  when  the  time  was  come,  I  was  declared  an  apostle  before 
 the  whole  world. 
 
 Thus  Paul  cutteth  off  all  deserts,  and  giveth  glory  to  God 
 alone,  but  to  himself  all  shame  and  confusion.  As  though  he 
 would  say :  all  the  gifts  both  small  and  gi'eat,  as  well  spiritual 
 as  corporal,  which  God  purposed  to  give  unto  me,  and  all  the 
 good  things  which  at  any  time  in  all  my  life  I  should  do,  God 
 himself  had  before  appointed  when  I  was  yet  in  my  mother's 
 womb,  where  I  could  neither  wish,  think,  nor  do  any  good 
 thing.  Therefore  this  gift  also  came  unto  me  by  the  mere  pre- 
 destmation  and  free  mercy  of  God  before  I  was  yet  born. 
 Moreover,  after  I  was  born,  he  supported  me,  being  loaded 
 with  innumerable  and  most  horrible  iniquities.  And  that  he 
 might  the  more  manifestly  declare  the  unspeakable  and  inesti- 
 mable greatness  of  his  mercy  towards  me,  he  of  his  mere  grace 
 forgave  my  abominable  and  infinite  sins,  and  moreover  reple- 
 nished me  with  such  plenty  of  his  grace,  that  I  did  not  only 
 know  what  things  are  given  unto  us  in  Christ,  but  preached  the 
 same  also  unto  others.     Such  are  the  deserts  and  merits  of  ail 
 
52  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  fCHAP.  I. 
 
 men,  and  especially  of  those  old  dotards,  who  exercise  them- 
 selves wholly  in  the  stinking  puddles  of  man's  own  righteousness. 
 
 Verse  15.     And  called  me  by  his  grace. 
 
 Mark  the  diligence  of  the  apostle.  "  He  called  me,"  saith 
 he,  How?  Was  it  for  my  pharisaical  religion,  or  for  my  blame- 
 less and  holy  life?  For  my  prayers,  fastings,  and  works?  No. 
 Much  less  then  for  my  blasphemies,  persecutions,  oppressions. 
 How  then?  By  his  mere  grace  alone. 
 
 Verse  16.     To  reveal  his  Son  in  me. 
 
 You  hear  in  this  place,  what  manner  of  doctrine  is  given  and 
 committed  to  Paul :  to  wit,  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  which  is 
 the  revelation  of  the  Son  of  God.  This  is  a  doctrine  quite  con- 
 trary to  the  laAv,  which  revealeth  not  the  Son  of  God,  but  it 
 sheAveth  forth  sin,  it  terrifietli  the  conscience,  it  revealeth  death, 
 the  wrath  and  judg-ment  of  God,  and  hell.  The  gospel  there- 
 fore is  such  a  doctrine,  as  admitted  no  laAv :  yea  it  must  be  se- 
 parate as  far  from  the  law,  as  there  is  distance  between  heaven 
 and  earth.  This  diiference  in  itself  is  easy  and  plain,  but  unto 
 us  it  is  hard  and  ftdl  of  difficulty.  For  it  is  an  easy  matter  to 
 say,  that  the  gospel  is  nothing  else  but  the  revealing  of  the  Son 
 of  God,  or  the  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  not  the  revealing 
 of  the  law.  But  in  the  agony  and  conflict  of  conscience,  to  hold 
 this  fast,  and  to  practise  it  in  deed,  it  is  a  hard  matter,  yea,  and 
 to  them  also  that  be  most  exercised  therein. 
 
 Now,  if  the  gospel  be  the  revealing  of  the  Son  of  God,  as  Paul 
 defineth  it  in  this  place,  then  surely  it  accuseth  not,  it  feareth 
 not  the  consequence,  it  threateneth  not  death,  it  bringeth  not  to 
 despair,  as  the  law  doth:  but  it  is  a  doctrine  concerning  Christ, 
 Avhich  is  neither  law  nor  work,  but  om-  righteousness,  wisdom, 
 sanctification,  and  redemption,  (1  Cor.  i.  30.)  Although  this  thing 
 be  more  clear  than  the  sun-light,  yet  notwithstanding  the  mad- 
 ness and  blindness  of  the  Papists  hath  been  so  great,  that  of  the 
 gospel  they  have  made  a  law  of  charity,  and  of  Christ  a  law- 
 maker, giving  more  strait  and  heavy  commandments  than  Moses 
 himself.  But  the  gospel  teacheth,  that  Christ  came  not  to  set 
 forth  a  new  law,  and  to  give  commandments  as  touching  man- 
 ners :  but  that  he  came  to  this  end,  that  he  might  be  made  an 
 oblation  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world,  and  that  our  sins  might 
 be  forgiven,  and  everlasting  life  given  unto  us  for  his  sake,  and 
 not  for  the  works  of  the  law,  or  for  our  own  righteousness.  Of 
 this  inestimable  treasure  freely  bestowed  upon  us,  the  gospel 
 properly  preacheth  unto  us.  Wherefore  it  is  a  kind  of  docirine 
 that  is  not  learned  or  gotten  by  any  study,  diligence,  or  wisdom 
 of  man,  nor  yet  by  the  law  of  God,  but  it  is  revealed  by  God 
 himself,  as  Paul  saith  in  this  pla(.e;  first  by  the  external  word; 
 then  by  the  working  cf  God's  spirit  inwardly.     The  gospel 
 
VER.  16,  17.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  63 
 
 therefore  is  a  divine  word  that  came  down  from  heaven,  and  is 
 revealed  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  was  also  sent  tor  the  same 
 purpose :  yet  in  such  sort  notwithstanding,  that  the  outward 
 word  must  go  before.  For  Paul  himself  had  no  inward  reve- 
 lation, until  he  had  heard  the  outward  word  from  heaven,  which 
 was  this,  "  Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutest  thou  me  ?"  (Acts  ix.  4.) 
 First,  therefore,  he  heard  the  outward  word,  then  afterwards 
 followed  revelations,  the  knoAvledge  of  the  word  faith,  and  the 
 gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 Verse  16.     That  I  should  preach  him  among  the  Gentiles. 
 
 It  pleased  God,  said  he,  "  to  reveal  himself  in  me."  To 
 what  purpose?  Not  only  that  I  myself  should  believe  in  the  Son 
 of  God,  but  also  that  I  should  preach  him  among  the  Gentiles. 
 And  why  not  among  the  Jews  ?  Lo,  here  we  see  that  Paul  is 
 properly  the  apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  albeit  he  preached  Christ 
 among  the  Jews  also. 
 
 Paul  comprehendeth  here  in  few  words,  as  is  his  wont,  his 
 whole  divinity,  which  is,  to  preach  Christ  among  the  Gentiles. 
 As  if  he  would  say,  I  wiU  not  burden  the  Gentiles  with  the  law, 
 because  I  am  the  apostle  and  evangelist  of  the  Gentiles,  and  not 
 their  lawgiver.  Thus  he  directeth  all  his  words  against  the  false 
 apostles.  As  though  he  would  say :  O  ye  Galatians,  ye  have 
 not  heard  the  righteousness  of  the  law,  or  of  works,  to  be  taught 
 by  me :  for  this  belongeth  to  Moses,  and  not  to  me  Paul,  being 
 the  apostle  of  Ih-:  Gentiles.  For  my  office  and  ministry  is  to 
 bring  the  gospel  unto  you,  and  to  shew  unto  you  the  same  reve- 
 lation which  I  myself  have  had.  Therefore  ought  you  to  hear 
 no  teacher  that  teaclieth  the  law.  For  among  the  Gentiles,  the 
 law  ought  not  to  be  preached,  but  the  gospel;  not  Moses,  but 
 the  Son  of  God;  net  the  righteousness  of  works,  but  the  righ- 
 teousness of  faith.  This  is  the  preaching  that  properly  belongeth 
 to  the  Gentiles. 
 
 Vekse  17.  Immediately  I  communicated  not  with  flesh  and  blood. 
 Paul  here  making  mention  of  flesh  and  blood,  speaketh  not  of 
 the  apostles.  For  by-and-by  he  addeth:  "  Neither  came  I  again 
 to  Jerusalem,  to  them  which  were  apostles  before  me."  But  this 
 is  Paul's  meaning,  that  after  he  had  once  received  the  revelation 
 of  the  gospel  from  Christ,  he  consulted  not  with  any  man  in 
 Damascus,  much  less  did  he  desire  any  man  to  teach  him  the 
 gospel :  again,  that  he  went  not  to  Jerusalem,  to  Peter  and  the 
 other  apostles,  to  learn  the  gospel  of  them,  but  that  forthwith  he 
 preached  Jesus  Christ  in  Damascus,  where  he  received  baptism 
 of  Ananias,  and  imposition  of  hands :  for  it  was  necessary  for 
 him  to  have  the  outward  sign  and  testimony  of  his  calling.  The 
 same  ako  writeth  Luke,  Acts  ix. 
 
54  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CHAP.  I 
 
 Yerbe  17.    Neither  came  I  to  Jeiusalem,  to  them  that  were  apostles  before 
 me,  but  went  into  Arabia,  and  turned  again  into  Damascus. 
 
 That  is,  I  went  into  Arabia  before  I  saw  the  apostles,  or  con- 
 sulted with  them,  and  forthwith  I  took  upon  me  the  office  of 
 preaching  among  the  Gentiles :  for  thereunto  I  was  called,  and  had 
 also  received  a  revelation  from  God.  He  did  not  then  receive  his 
 gospel  of  any  man,  or  of  the  apostles  themselves,  but  was  content 
 with  his  heavenly  calling,  and  with  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ 
 alone.  ^Vherefore  this  whole  place  is  a  confutation  of  the  false 
 apostles'  argiunent,  which  they  used  against  Paul,  saying  that 
 he  was  but  a  scholar,  and  a  hearer  of  the  apostles,  who  lived  after 
 the  law:  and  moreover,  that  Paul  himself  also  had  lived  accord- 
 ing to  the  law,  and  therefore  it  was  necessary  that  the  Gentiles 
 themselves  should  keep  the  law,  and  be  circumcised.  To  the 
 end  therefore  that  he  might  stop  the  mouths  of  these  cavillers,  he 
 rehearseth  this  long  history :  before  my  conversion,  saith  he,  I 
 learned  not  my  gospel  of  the  apostles,  nor  of  any  other  of  the 
 brethren  that  believed  (for  I  persecuted  extremely,  not  only  this 
 doctrine,  but  also  the  church  of  God,  and  wasted  it):  neither  after 
 my  conversion;  for  forthwith  I  preached,  not  Moses  with  his 
 law,  but  Jesus  Christ  at  Damascus,  consulting  with  no  man, 
 neither  as  yet  having  seen  any  of  the  apostles. 
 
 Verse  18,  19.  Then  after  three  years,  I  came  again  to  Jerusaiem,  to  visit 
 Peter,  and  abode  with  him  fifteen  days.  And  none  other  of  the  apostles 
 saw  I,  save  James,  the  Lord's  brother. 
 
 Paul  granteth  that  he  was  with  the  apostles,  but  not  with  all 
 the  apostles.  Howbeit  he  declareth,  that  he  went  up  to  Jerusa- 
 lem to  them,  not  commanded,  but  of  his  OAvn  accord,  not  to  learn 
 any  thing  of  them,  but  to  see  Peter.  The  same  thing  Luke  also 
 writeth  in  the  ninth  chapter  of  the  Acts,  that  Barnabas  led  Paul 
 to  the  apostles,  and  declared  to  them,  how  that  he  had  seen  the 
 Lord  in  the  way,  and  that  he  spake  unto  him :  also  that  he  had 
 preached  boldly  at  Damascus,  in  the  name  of  Jesus.  This  wit- 
 ness beareth  Barnabas  of  him.  All  his  words  are  so  framed, 
 that  they  prove  his  gospel  not  to  be  of  man.  Indeed  he  grant- 
 eth that  he  had  seen  Peter,  and  James  the  brother  of  our  Lord, 
 but  none  other  of  the  apostles  besides  these  two,  and  that  he 
 learned  nothing  of  them. 
 
 He  granteth  therefore  that  he  was  at  Jerusalem  with  the 
 apostles ;  and  this  did  the  false  apostles  only  report.  He  grants 
 eth  moreover,  that  he  had  lived  after  the  manner  of  the  Jews, 
 but  yet  only  among  the  Jews.  And  this  is  it  which  he  saith  in 
 the  ninth  chapter  of  hislirst  epistle  to  the  Corinthians:  "when 
 I  was  free  from  all  men,  I  made  myself  servant  to  all  men,  that 
 I  might  win  the  more.  To  the  Jews  I  became  as  a  Jew,  that  I 
 might  win  the  Jews,  and  I  was  made  s\\  things  to  ft!l  men,  that 
 
VER.  17—20.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  55 
 
 I  might  by  all  means  save  some.  He  granteth  therefore,  that 
 he  was  at  Jerusalem  with  the  apostles,  but  he  denieth  that  he 
 had  learned  his  gospel  of  them.  Also  he  denieth  that  he  was 
 constrained  to  teach  the  gospel  as  the  apostles  had  prescribed. 
 The  whole  effect  then  of  this  matter  lieth  in  this  word,  "to  see;" 
 "  I  went,"  saith  he,  "to  see  Peter,  and  not  to  learn  of  him.  There- 
 fore neither  is  Peter  my  master,  nor  yet  James."  And  as  for 
 the  other  apostles,  he  utterly  denieth  that  he  saw  any  of  them. 
 
 But  why  doth  Paul  repeat  this  so  often,  that  he  learned  not 
 his  gospel  of  men,  nor  of  the  apostles  themselves?  His  purpose 
 is  tms,  to  persuade  the  churches  of  Galatia,  which  were  now  led 
 away  by  the  false  apostles,  and  to  put  them  out  of  all  doubt  that 
 his  gospel  was  the  true  word  of  God,  and  for  this  cause  he  re- 
 peateth  it  so  often.  And  if  he  had  not  prevailed  herein,  he  never 
 could  have  stopped  the  mouths  of  the  false  apostles.  For  thus 
 they  would  have  objected  against  him:  We  are  as  good  as  Paul, 
 we  are  disciples  of  the  apostles  as  Avell  as  he;  moreover,  he  is 
 but  one  alone,  and  we  are  many;  therefore  we  excel  liim,  both 
 in  authority  and  in  number  also. 
 
 Here  Paul  was  constrained  to  glory,  to  affirm  and  swear,  that 
 he  learned  not  his  gospel  of  any  man,  neither  received  it  of  the 
 apostles  themselves.  For  his  ministry  was  here  in  great  danger, 
 and  all  the  churches  likewise,  which  had  used  him  as  their  chief 
 pastor  and  teacher.  The  necessity  therefore  of  his  ministry, 
 and  of  all  the  churches  required,  that  Avith  a  holy  pride  he 
 should  vaunt  of  his  vocation,  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the  gospel 
 revealed  unto  him  by  Christ,  that  their  consciences  might  be 
 thoroughly  persuaded  that  his  doctrine  was  the  true  Avord  or 
 God.  Here  had  Paul  a  weighty  matter  in  hand :  namely,  that 
 all  the  churches  in  Galatia  might  be  kept  in  sound  doctrine :  yea, 
 the  controversy  was  in  deed,  as  touching  life  and  death  everlast- 
 ing. For  if  the  pure  word  of  God  be  once  taken  away,  there 
 remaineth  no  consolation,  no  life,  no  salvation.  The  cause  there- 
 fore why  he  reciteth  these  things,  is  to  retain  the  churches  in 
 true  and  sovmd  doctrine.  His  purpose  is  therefore  to  shew  by 
 this  history,  that  he  receiveth  his  gospel  of  no  man.  Again,  that 
 he  preached  for  a  certain  time,  namely,  the  space  of  three  or 
 four  years,  both  in  Damascus  and  Arabia,  by  revelation  from 
 God,  before  he  had  seen  any  of  the  apostles,  even  the  self-same 
 gospel  that  the  apostles  had  preached. 
 
 Verse  20.     And  now  the   things  which  I  write  unto   you,  behold  I  witness 
 before  God  I  lie  not. 
 
 Wherefore  addeth  he  an  oath?  Because  he  reporteth  a  his- 
 tory, he  is  constrained  to  swear,  to  the  end  that  the  churches 
 might  believe  him,  and  also  that  the  false  apostles  should  not 
 say,  who  knoweth  whether  Paul  speaketh  the  truth  or  no?  Here 
 you  see  that  Paul,  the  elect  vessel  of  God,  was  in  so  great  con* 
 
56  COMMENTARY   ON  ST.  PAUL's  [cHAP.  II. 
 
 tempt  among  liis  own  Galatians,  to  whom  he  had  preached 
 Christ,  that  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  swear  that  he  spake  the 
 truth.  If  this  happened  then  to  the  apostles,  to  have  so  mighty 
 adversaries,  that  they  dm'st  despise  them,  and  accuse  them  of 
 lying,  what  marvel  is  it  if  the  like  at  this  day  happen  unto  us, 
 which  in  no  respect  are  worthy  to  be  compared  with  the  apostles? 
 He  sAveareth,  therefore,  in  a  matter  (as  it  seemeth)  of  no  weight, 
 that  he  speaketh  the  truth,  namely,  that  he  tarried  not  with 
 Peter  to  learn  of  liim,  but  only  to  see  him;  but  if  you  weigh  the 
 matter  diligently,  it  is  very  weighty  and  of  great  importance,  as 
 may  appear  by  that  is  said  before.  In  like  manner  we  swear 
 after  the  example  of  Paul,  in  this  wise :  God  knoweth  that  we 
 lie  not,  &c. 
 
 Verse  21.     After  that,  I  went  into  the  coafts  of  Syria  and  Cilicia. 
 
 Syria  and  Cilicia  are  countries  near  situate  together.  This  is 
 it  that  he  still  goeth  about  to  persuade,  that  as  well  before  he 
 had  seen  the  apostles  as  after,  he  was  always  a  teacher  of  the 
 gospel,  and  that  he  received  it  by  the  revelation  of  Christ,  and 
 was  never  any  disciple  of  the  apostles. 
 
 Verse  22,  23,  24.  For  I  was  unknown  by  face  unto  the  churches  of  Judea, 
 which  were  in  Christ.  But  they  heard  only  some  say, he  which  persecuted 
 in  times  past,  now  preacheth  the  faith,  which  before  he  destroyed,  and 
 they  glorified  God. 
 
 This  he  addeth  for  the  sequel  and  continuance  of  the  history, 
 that  after  he  had  seen  Peter,  he  Avent  into  Syria  and  Cilicia,  and 
 there  preached,  and  so  preached,  that  he  won  the  testimony  of 
 all  the  churches  in  Judea.  As  though  he  would  say,  I  appeal 
 to  the  testimony  of  all  the  churches,  yea,  even  of  those  which 
 are  in  Judea ;  for  the  churches  do  witness,  not  only  in  Damas- 
 cus, Arabia,  Syria,  and  Cilicia,  but  also  Judea,  that  I  have 
 preached  the  same  faith  which  I  once  withstood  and  persecuted. 
 And  they  glorified  God  in  me;  not  because  I  taught  that  circumci- 
 sion and  the  law  of  Moses  ought  to  be  kept,  but  for  the  preach- 
 ing of  faith,  and  for  the  edifying  of  the  churches  by  my  ministry 
 in  the  gospel.  Ye  therefore  have  the  testimony  not  only  of 
 the  people  of  Damascus  and  of  Arabia,  but  also  of  the  whole 
 catholic  or  universal  churches  of  Judea. 
 
 CHAP.  II. 
 
 Verse  1.     Then  fourteen  years  after,  I  went  up  to  Jerusalem. 
 Paul    taught  that  the  Gentiles  were  justified  by  faith  only, 
 without  the  works  of  the  laAv.  This  doctrine  when  he  had  pub- 
 lished abroad  among  the  Gentiles,  he  cometh  to  Antioch,  and 
 declareth  to  the  disciples  what  he  had  done.    Then  they  which 
 
VER.  ].]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  57 
 
 had  been  trained  up  in  the  old  customs  of  the  law,  rose  against 
 Paul  with  great  indignation,  for  that  he  preached  to  the  Gen- 
 tiles liberty  from  the  bondage  of  the  law.  Whereupon  followed 
 great  dissension,  which  afterwards  stirred  up  new  troubles.  Paul 
 and  Barnabas  stood  strongly  to  the  truth,  and  testified,  saying, 
 wheresoever  we  preached  among  the  Gentiles,  "the  Holy  Ghost 
 came  and  fell  upon  those  which  heard  the  word:  and  this  was 
 done  throughout  all  the  churches  of  the  Gentiles.  But  we 
 preached  not  circmncision,  neither  did  we  require  the  keeping  of 
 the  law,  but  we  preached  only  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  at  this 
 preaching  of  faith,  God  gave  to  the  hearers  the  Holy  Ghost." 
 The  Holy  Ghost,  therefore,  doth  approve  the  faith  of  the  Gen- 
 tiles, without  the  law  and  circumcision ;  for  if  the  preaching  of 
 the  gospel,  and  faith  of  the  Gentiles  in  Christ,  had  not  pleased 
 him,  he  had  not  come  down  in  a  visible  shape  upon  the  uncir- 
 cumcised  which  heard  the  word.  Seeing  then  by  the  only  hear- 
 ing of  faith,  he  came  down  upon  them,  it  is  certain  that  the  Holy 
 Ghost  by  this  sign  hath  approved  the  faith  of  the  Gentiles ;  for 
 it  doth  not  appear  that  this  was  ever  done  before  at  the  preach- 
 ing of  the  law. 
 
 Then  the  Jews,  and  many  of  the  Pharisees,  which  did  be- 
 lieve, and  notwithstanding  bear  yet  a  great  zeal  to  the  law,  ear- 
 nestly striving  to  maintain  the  glory  thereof,  set  themselves 
 fiercely  against  Paul,  (who  affirmed  that  the  Gentiles  were  jus- 
 tified by  faith  only,  without  the  works  of  the  law, )  contendmg, 
 that  the  law  ought  to  be  kept,  and  that  the  Gentiles  ought  to  be 
 circumcised ;  for  otherwise  they  could  not  be  saved.  And  no 
 marvel ;  for  the  very  name  of  the  law  of  God  is  holy  and  dread- 
 ful. The  heathen  man,  which  never  knew  any  thing  of  the  law 
 of  God,  if  he  hear  any  man  say,  this  doctrine  is  the  law  of  God, 
 he  is  moved  therewith:  how  then  could  it  be  but  the  Jews  must 
 needs  be  moved,  and  vehemently  contend  for  the  maintenance 
 of  the  law  of  God,  which  even  fi-om  their  infancy  had  been  nur- 
 sled  and  trained  up  therein  ? 
 
 We  see  at  this  day,  how  obstinate  the  Papists  be,  in  defend- 
 ing their  traditions  and  doctrines  of  devils ;  wherefore,  it  was 
 much  less  to  be  marvelled  that  the  Jews  did  so  vehemently  and 
 zealously  strive  for  the  maintenance  of  their  law,  which  they  had 
 received  from  God.  Custom  is  of  such  force,  that  whereas  na- 
 ture is  of  itself  inclined  to  the  observation  of  the  law,  by  long 
 continuance,  it  so  confirmeth  natm'e,  that  now  it  becometh  a 
 double  nature;  therefore,  it  was  not  possible  for  the  Jews  which 
 were  newly  converted  to  Christ,  suddenly  to  forsake  the  law ; 
 who,  though  they  had  received  the  faith  of  Christ,  thought  it 
 necessary,  notwithstanding,  to  observe  the  law.  And  with  this 
 their  weakness  God  did  bear  for  a  time,  until  the  doctrine  of  the 
 gospel  might  be  plainly  discerned  from  the  law;  so  he  bare  with 
 the  infirmity  of  Israel  in  the  time  of  king  Achab,  when  the  peo- 
 
68  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  U. 
 
 pie  halted  between  two  religions.  He  bare  also  with  our  weak- 
 ness whilst  we  were  under  the  blindness  of  the  Pope.  "  For  he  is 
 long-sufFerinff  and  full  of  mercy."  But  we  must  not  abuse  this 
 goodness  and  patience  of  the  Lord,  nor  continue  still  in  our 
 weakness  and  error,  since  the  truth  is  now  revealed  by  the  clear 
 light  of  the  gospel. 
 
 Moreover,  they  that  stood  against  Paul,  affirming,  that  the 
 Gentiles  ought  to  be  circumcised,  had  to  lay  for  themselves,  first, 
 the  law  and  custom  of  the  country,  then  the  example  of  the 
 apostles,  and  last  of  aiU,  the  example  of  Paul  himself,  who  had 
 circumcised  Timothy.  Wherefore,  if  Paul  in  his  defence  said, 
 that  he  did  not  this  of  necessity,  but  for  christian  love  and 
 liberty,  lest  they  which  were  weak  in  faith  should  be  offended, 
 which  of  them  would  believe  him  ?  Hereunto  all  the  people 
 would  answer:  Since  it  is  evident  that  thou  hast  circumcised 
 Timothy,  thou  mayest  say  what  thou  wilt;  notwithstanding  thou 
 hast  done  it.  For  this  is  a  matter  far  passing  all  men's  capacity, 
 and  therefore  they  could  not  understand  it.  Moreover,  no 
 defence  can  serve  when  a  man  hath  lost  the  favoui*  of  the  people, 
 and  is  fallen  into  such  deadly  hatred  and  contempt.  Paul  there- 
 fore seeing  this  contention,  and  these  clamours  daily  to  increase 
 more  and  more,  and  being  also  warned  by  revelation  from  God, 
 after  fourteen  years  (besides  those  wherein  he  had  preached  in 
 Damascus  and  Arabia)  goeth  up  again  to  Jerusalem,  to  confer 
 his  gospel  with  the  other  apostles :  yet  not  for  his  own  cause, 
 but  for  the  people's  sake. 
 
 Now,  this  contention  touching  the  observation  of  the  law, 
 exerciseth  Paul  a  long  time  after,  and  Avrought  him  much  trouble; 
 but  I  do  not  think  that  this  is  the  contention  which  Luke  speak- 
 eth  of  in  the  fifteenth  of  the  Acts,  which  happened,  as  it  appear- 
 pth  by-and-by,  after  the  beginning  of  the  gospel ;  but  this 
 history  which  Paul  here  mentioneth,  seemeth  to  be  done  long 
 after,  when  Paul  had  now  almost  eighteen  years  preached  the 
 gospel. 
 
 Verse  1.     With  Barnabas,  and  took  with  me  Titus. 
 
 He  jolneth  unto  himself  two  witnesses,  Barnabas  and  Titus. 
 Barnabas  was  Paul's  companion  in  preaching  to  the  Gentiles 
 freedom  from  the  servitude  of  the  law.  He  was  also  a  witness 
 of  all  those  things  which  Paul  did,  and  had  seen  the  Holy  Ghost 
 given  unto  the  Gentiles,  which  were  uncircumcised  and  free  from 
 Moses's  law,  by  the  only  preaching  of  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  and 
 he  only  stuck  to  Paul  in  this  point,  that  it  was  not  necessary 
 that  the  Gentiles  should  be  burdened  with  the  law,  but  that  it 
 was  enough  for  them  to  believe  in  Christ :  wherefore,  by  his 
 own  experience,  he  testifieth  with  Paul  against  the  laws,  that  the 
 Gentiles  were  made  the  children  of  God,  and  saved  by  faith 
 &lone  in  Jesus  Christ,  without  the  law  of  circumcision. 
 
VEH.   2.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  59 
 
 Titus  was  not  only  a  Christian,  but  also  the  chief  overseer 
 in  Crete;  for  unto  him  Paul  had  committed  the  charge  ofgovern- 
 ing  the  churches  there  (Tit.  i.),  and  this  Titus  was  a  Gentile. 
 
 Verse  2.    And  I  went  up  by  revelation. 
 
 For  unless  Paul  had  been  admonished  by  revelation,  he  had 
 not  gone  up  to  Jerusalem:  but  because  God  warned  him  by  a 
 special  revelation,  and  commanded  him  to  go  up,  therefore  he 
 went.  And  this  he  did  to  bridle,  or  at  least  to  appease,  the 
 Jews  that  believed,  and  yet  obstinately  contended  about  the 
 keeping  of  the  law,  to  the  end  that  the  truth  of  the  gospel  might 
 the  more  be  advanced  and  confirmed. 
 
 Verse  2.     And  I  communicated  with  them  teaching  the  gospel. 
 
 You  hear  then,  that  at  length,  after  eighteen  years,  he  went 
 up  to  Jerusalem,  and  conferred  with  the  apostles  touching  his 
 gospel. 
 
 Verse  8.     Which  I  preach  among  the  Gentiles. 
 
 For  among  the  Jews  he  suffered  the  law  and  circumcision  for 
 a  time,  as  the  other  apostles  tiid:  "I  am  made  all  things  unto 
 all  men,"  saith  he,  ( 1  Cor.ix.  22.)  Yet  ever  holding  the  true  doc- 
 trine of  the  gospel,  which  he  preferred  above  the  law,  circumci- 
 sion, the  apostles,  yea,  and  an  angel  from  heaven.  For  thus 
 he  saith  unto  the  Jews :  "  Through  this  Christ  is  preached 
 unto  you  the  forgiveness  of  sins."  And  he  addeth  very  plainly: 
 *'  and  from  all  things,  from  the  which  ye  could  not  be  justi- 
 fied," (Acts  xiii.  39.)  For  this  cause  he  teacheth  and  defendeth 
 the  doctrine  of  the  gospel  so  diligently  every  where,  and  never 
 suffer eth  it  to  come  in  danger.  Notwithstanding,  he  did  not 
 suddenly  break  out  at  the  first,  but  had  regard  unto  the  weak. 
 And  because  the  weak  should  not  be  offended,  there  is  no  doubt 
 but  he  spake  to  the  Jews  after  this  manner:  if  that  unprofitable 
 service  of  Moses'  law,  which  nothing  availeth  to  righteousness, 
 do  so  highly  please  you,  ye  may  keep  it  still  for  me,  so  that  the 
 Gentiles  which  are  not  bound  to  this  law,  be  not  charged  there- 
 withal. 
 
 Paul  therefore  confesseth,  that  he  conferred  the  gospel  with 
 the  apostles,  but  saith  he,  they  profited  me,  or  taught  me  nothing; 
 but  I  rather  for  the  defence  of  the  liberty  of  the  gospel,  in 
 the  presence  of  the  apostles,  did  constantly  resist  those  which 
 would  needs  force  the  observation  of  the  law  upon  the  Gentiles, 
 and  so  did  overcome  them.  Wherefore  yom-  false  apostles  lie, 
 in  saying  that  I  circumcised  Timothy,  that  I  shaved  my  head  in 
 Cenchrea,  and  that  1  went  up  to  Jerusalem,  at  the  command- 
 ment of  the  apostles.  Nay,  rather,  I  glory,  that  in  going  up  to 
 Jerusalem,  by  the  revelation  of  God,  and  not  at  the  command- 
 inent  of  the  apostles,  and  there  conferring  my  gospel  with  them* 
 
CO  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  II. 
 
 I  brought  to  pass  to  the  contrary,  that  is  to  say,  obtained  that 
 the  apostles  did  approve  me,  and  not  those  wliich  were  against 
 me. 
 
 Now,  the  question  whereupon  the  apostles  conferred  together 
 in  this  assembly,  was  this:  whether  the  keeping  the  law  were 
 necessary  to  justification  or  no.  To  this  Paul  answereth :  I 
 have  preached  unto  the  Gentiles,  according  to  my  gospel  which 
 I  received  from  God,  faith  in  Christ,  and  not  the  law,  and  at 
 this  preaching  of  faith,  they  received  the  Holy  Ghost;  and  hereof 
 Barnabas  shall  bear  me  witness.  Wherefore  I  conclude,  that 
 the  Gentiles  ought  not  to  be  burdened  with  the  law,  nor  to  be 
 circumcised.  Notwithstanding,  I  give  no  restraint  to  the  Jews 
 herein,  who  if  they  will  needs  keep  the  law  and  be  circumcised, 
 I  am  not  against  it,  so  that  they  do  it  with  freedom  of  conscience. 
 And  thus  have  I  taught  and  hved  among  the  Jcavs,  "being 
 made  a  Jew  unto  the  Jews ;"  holding  ever  the  truth  of  the  gos- 
 pel notwithstanding. 
 
 Verse  2,     But  particularly  with  them  that  were  the  chiefest. 
 
 That  is  to  say,  I  did  not  only  confer  with  the  brethren,  but 
 with  those  that  were  the  chiefest  among  them. 
 
 Verse  2.     Lest  by  any  means  I  should  run,  or  had  run  in  vain. 
 
 Not  that  Paul  doubted,  that  he  ran,  or  had  run  in  vain,  foras- 
 much as  he  had  now  preached  the  gospel  eighteen  years,  (for  it 
 followeth  incontinent  in  the  text,  that  he  had  continued  firm  and 
 constant  all  this  while,  and  had  prevailed)  but  for  that  many  did 
 think  that  Paul  had  therefore  preached  the  gospel  so  many  years 
 in  vain,  because  he  had  set  the  Gentiles  at  liberty  from  the  ob- 
 servation of  the  law.  Moreover,  this  opinion  daily  more  and 
 more  increased,  that  the  law  Avas  necessary  to  justification. 
 Wherefore,  in  going  up  to  Jerusalem  by  revelation,  he  meant  so 
 to  remedy  this  evil,  that  by  this  conference  all  men  might  plainly 
 see  his  gospel  to  be  in  dhe  point  contrary  to  the  doctrine  of  the 
 other  apostles,  to  the  end  that  by  this  means  he  might  stop  the 
 mouths  of  the  adversaries,  which  would  else  have  said,  that  he 
 ran,  or  had  run  in  vain.  Note  here  by  the  way,  the  virtue  of 
 man's  own  righteousness,  or  the  righteousness  of  the  law  to  be 
 such,  that  they  which  teach  it,  do  run  and  live  in  vain. 
 
 Verse  3.    But  neither  yet  Titus,  which  was  with  me,  though  he  were  a  Grecian, 
 was  compelled  to  be  circumcised. 
 
 This  word  (was  compelled)  sufficiently  declareth  what  the 
 conference  and  conclusion  was:  to  wit,  that  the  Gentiles  should 
 not  be  constrained  to  be  circmncised,  but  that  circumcision 
 should  be  permitted  to  them  for  a  time :  not  as  necessary  to 
 righteousness,  but  for  a  reverence  to  the  fathers;  and  for  charU 
 ty's  sake  towards  the  weak,  lest  they  should  be  offended>  until 
 
VEIL  2,  S.J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  61 
 
 they  were  grown  up  more  strong  in  faith.  For  it  might  have 
 seerrted  a  very  strange  and  imseemly  thing,  upon  a  sudden  to 
 forsake  the  law  and  traditions  of  the  fathers,  which  had  been 
 given  to  this  people  from  God  with  so  great  glory. 
 
 Paul  then  did  not  reject  circumcision  as  a  damnable  thin^, 
 neither  did  he  by  word  or  deed  enforce  the  Jews  to  forsake  it. 
 For  in  the  seventh  chapter  of  his  first  epistle  to  the  Corinthians, 
 he  saith:  "  If  any  man  be  called,  being  circumcised,  let  him  not 
 add  uncircumcision." — But  he  rejected  circumcision  as  a  thing, 
 net  necessary  to  righteousness,  seeing  the  fathers  themselves 
 were  not  justified  thereby,  (Rom.  iv.  11.)  but  it  was  unto  them 
 as  a  sign  only,  or  a  seal  of  righteousness,  whereby  they  testified 
 and  exercised  their  faith.  Notwithstanding  the  believing  Jews 
 which  were  yet  weak,  and  bare  a  zeal  to  the  law,  hearing  that 
 circumcision  Avas  not  necessary  to  righteousness,  could  under- 
 stand tliis  no  otherwise,  but  that  it  was  altogether  unprofitable 
 and  damnable.  And  this  fond  opinion  of  the  Aveak  Jews,  the 
 false  apostles  did  increase,  to  the  end,  that  the  hearts  of  the  peo- 
 ple being  stirred  up  against  Paul,  by  this  occasion,  they  might 
 thorouglily  discredit  his  doctrine.  So  we  at  this  day  do  not 
 reject  fasting,  and  other  good  exercises  as  damnable  things:  but 
 we  teach,  that  by  these  exercises  we  do  not  obtain  remission 
 of  sins.  Wlien  the  people  hear  this,  by-and-by  they  judge  us  to 
 speak  against  good  Avorks.  And  this  opinion  the  Papists  do 
 confirm  and  increase  by  their  preachings  and  writings.  But  they 
 lie,  and  do  us  great  wrong.  For  many  years  past,  there  was 
 never  any  that  taught  more  sound  and  godly  doctrine  as  touch- 
 ing good  Avorks,  than  Ave  do  at  tliis  day. 
 
 Paul  therefore  did  not  so  condemn  circumcision,  as  though  it 
 were  sin  to  receive  it,  or  keep  it :  for  the  Jcavs  would  have  been 
 highly  offended;  but  it  Avas  decided  in  this  conference  and  coun- 
 cil, that  it  Avas  not  necessary  to  justification,  and  therefore  not  to 
 be  forced  upon  the  Gentiles.  So  this  moderation  was  found, 
 that  for  the  reverence  of  the  fathers,  and  charity  towards  the 
 weak  in  faith,  the  JeAvs  should  keep  the  law  and  circumcision 
 still  for  a  time;  notwithstanding  they  should  not  thereby  seek 
 to  be  justified.  And  moreover,  that  the  Gentiles  should  not  be 
 burthened  thercAvith,  both  because  it  would  have  been  to  them 
 a  very  strange  thing,  and  also  a  burden  intolerable,  (Acts  xv.  10.) 
 Briefly,  that  none  should  be  constrained  to  be  circumcised,  or 
 any  constrained  from  circumcision. 
 
 Paul  therefore  compelled  none  that  Avould  be  circimicised,  to 
 remain  uncircumcised,  so  that  he  knew  circumcision  not  to  be 
 necessary  to  justification.  This  constraint  Avould  Paul  take  away. 
 Therefore  he  suffered  the  Jews  to  keep  the  law,  so  that  they  did 
 it  with  a  free  conscience.  For  he  had  ever  taught,  as  well  the 
 Jews  as  the  Gentiles,  that  in  conscience  they  ought  to  be  free 
 from  the  laAV  and  circumcision;  like  as  all  the  patriarchs,  and 
 
62  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  II. 
 
 all  the  faithful  In  the  Old  Testament,  were  free  in  conscience, 
 and  justified  by  faith,  and  not  by  the  law  or  circumcision.  And 
 indeed,  Paul  might  have  suffered  Titus  to  be  circumcised ;  but 
 because  he  saw  that  they  would  compel  him  thereunto,  he  would 
 not.  For  if  they  had  prevailed  therein,  by-and-by  they  would 
 have  gathered  that  it  had  been  necessary  to  justification,  and  so 
 through  this  sufferance,  they  would  have  triumphed  against  Paul. 
 
 Now,  as  the  false  apostles  would  not  leave  circumcision  and 
 tlie  observation  of  the  law  indifferent,  but  required  the  same  as 
 necessary  to  salvation,  so  at  this  day  om*  adversaries  do  obsti- 
 nately contend,  that  men's  traditions  cannot  be  omitted  without 
 peril  of  salvation;  and  thus  of  an  example  of  charity,  they  make 
 an  example  of  faith,  when  notwithstanding  there  is  but  one  ex- 
 ample of  faith,  which  is  to  believe  in  Jesus  Christ.  And  this, 
 as  it  is  alone  necessary  to  salvation,  so  doth  it  also  indifferently 
 pertain  to  all  men.  Notwithstanding  the  adversaries  would 
 rather  Avorship  the  devil  ten  times  instead  of  God,  than  they 
 would  suffer  this.  Therefore  they  are  daily  hardened  more 
 and  more,  and  seek  to  establish  their  impieties  and  blasphemies 
 against  God,  defending  the  same  by  force  and  tyranny,  and  will 
 not  agree,  or  consent  unto  us  in  any  point.  But  what  then? 
 Let  us  go  on  boldly  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  and  for 
 all  this,  let  us  not  cease  to  set  forth  the  glory  of  Jesus  Christ : 
 and  let  us  fight  valiantly  against  the  kingdom  of  Antichrist,  by 
 the  word,  and  by  prayer,  "  that  the  name  of  God  alone  may  be 
 sanctified,  that  his  kingdom  may  come,  and  that  his  will  may 
 be  done."  (Matt.  vi.  9,  10.)  And  that  this  may  speedily  come 
 to  pass,  we  desire  even  from  the  bottom  of  our  hearts,  and  say, 
 Amen,  Amen. 
 
 This  triumph  of  Paul,  therefore,  was  very  glorious:  namely, 
 that  Titus,  Avho  was  a  Gentile,  although  he  were  in  the  midst 
 of  the  apostles,  and  all  the  faithful,  where  this  question  was  so 
 vehemently  debated,  was  not  yet  constrained  to  be  circimicised. 
 This  victory  Paul  carrieth  away,  and  saith,  that  on  this  confer- 
 ence, it  was  decided,  by  the  consent  of  all  the  apostles,  the  whole 
 church  also  approving  the  same,  that  Titus  should  not  be  circimi- 
 cised.  This  is  a  strong  argiunent,  and  maketh  very  much  against 
 the  false  apostles.  And  with  this  argiunent:  neither  was  Titus 
 compelled  to  be  circmncised,  Paul  was  able  to  repress  and  migh- 
 tily to  convince  all  his  adversaries :  as  if  he  should  say,  why  do 
 these  counterfeit  apostles  so  falsely  report  of  me,  saying,  that  I 
 am  compelled  to  keep  circumcision  by  the  commandment  of  the 
 apostles,  seeing  I  have  the  witness  of  all  the  faithful  in  Jeru- 
 salem, and  moreover,  of  all  the  apostles  themselves,  that  by  my 
 pursuit  and  travel,  the  contrary  Avas  there  determined,  and  that 
 I  did  not  only  there  prevail  that  Titus  should  not  be  circum- 
 cised, but  that  the  apostles  also  did  approve  and  ratify  the  same** 
 Your  counterfeit  apostles  therefore  do  lie  deadly,  which  slander 
 
VEn.  4, 8.1  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  63 
 
 lue  under  the  name  of  the  apostles,  and  thereby  deceive  you; 
 for  I  have  the  apostles,  and  all  the  faithful,  not  against  me,  but 
 with  me.     And  this  I  prove  by  the  example  of  Titus. 
 
 Notwithstanding,  Paul,  as  I  have  often  said,  did  not  condemn 
 circumcision  as  an  unprofitable  thing,  nor  constrained  any  mar 
 thereunto.  For  it  is  neither  sin  nor  righteousness  to  be  circum- 
 cised or  uncircumcised,  as  it  is  neither  sin  nor  righteousness  to 
 eat  or  drink.  "  For  whether  thou  eat  or  eat  not,  thou  art 
 neither  better  nor  worse,"  (1  Cor.  viii.  8.)  But  if  any  man 
 should  add  thereto  either  sin  or  righteousness,  and  say :  if  thoti 
 eat  thou  sinnest,  if  thou  abstain  thou  art  righteous,  he  should 
 shew  himself  both  foolish  and  wicked.  Therefore  to  join  cere- 
 monies with  sin  or  righteousness,  is  great  impiety ;  as  the  Pope 
 doth,  who  in  his  form  of  excommunication,  threateneth  to  all 
 those  that  do  not  obey  the  law  of  the  bishop  of  Rome,  God's 
 great  curse  and  indignation,  and  so  maketh  all  his  laws  necessary 
 to  salvation.  Wlierefore  the  devil  himself  speakethin  the  per- 
 son of  the  Pope,  in  all  the  Pope's  decrees. — For  if  salvation  con- 
 sisteth  in  keeping  of  the  Pope's  laws,  what  need  have  we  of 
 Christ  to  be  our  justifier  and  saviour. 
 
 Verse  4,  5.  For  all  the  false  brethren  tliat  crept  in,  who  came  in  privily  to 
 espy  out  our  liberty  which  we  have  in  Christ  Jesus,  that  they  might  bring 
 us  into  bondage.  To  whom  we  gave  not  place  by  subjection  for  an  hour, 
 that  the  truth  of  the  gospel  might  continue  with  you. 
 
 Here  Paul  sheweth  the  cause  why  he  went  up  to  Jerusalem, 
 and  there  conferred  his  gospel  with  the  other  apostles,  and  why 
 he  would  not  circumcise  Titus;  not  that  he  might  be  the  more 
 certain,  or  confirmed  in  the  gospel  by  the  apostles,  for  he  no- 
 thing doubted  thereof;  but  that  the  truth  of  the  gospel  might 
 continue  in  the  churches  of  the  Galatians,  and  in  all  the  churches 
 of  the  Gentiles.  We  see,  then,  that  the  business  of  Paul  was 
 no  light  matter. 
 
 Now,  where  he  speaketh  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  he  sheweth 
 that  there  be  two  gospels,  a  true  and  a  false  gospel.  Indeed, 
 the  gospel  of  itself  is  simple,  true,  and  sincere ;  but  by  the  ma- 
 lice of  Satan's  ministry,  it  is  corrupt  and  defaced.  Therefore 
 where  he  saith  "  the  truth  of  the  gospel,"  he  would  have  us  to 
 understand  also  the  contrary.  As  if  he  would  say :  the  false 
 apostles  do  also  preach  a  faith  and  a  gospel,  but  they  are  both 
 false  :  therefore  have  I  set  myself  so  constantly  against  them. 
 And  in  that  I  would  not  give  place  unto  them,  this  have  I 
 brought  to  pass,  that  the  truth  of  the  gospel  continueth  with 
 you.  So  the  Pope  and  Anabaptists  do  brag  at  this  day,  that 
 they  teach  the  gospel,  and  faith  in  Christ.  True  it  is :  but  with 
 such  fruit  as  the  false  apostles  once  did,  whom  Paid  calleth  be- 
 fore, in  the  first  chapter,  troublers  of  the  church,  and  subverters 
 of  the  gospel  of  Christ.     On  the  other  side,  he  saith  "  that  ho 
 
64-  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  II, 
 
 teacheth  the  truth  of  the  gospel."  As  if  he  should  say :  those 
 things  which  the  false  apostles  teach,  brag  they  never  so  much 
 that  they  teach  the  truth,  are  nothing  else  but  stark  lies.  So  all 
 heretics  pretend  the  name  of  God,  of  Christ,  and  of  the  church. 
 Also  they  pretend  that  they  will  not  teach  errors  or  lies,  but 
 most  certain  truth  and  the  pure  gospel  of  Christ. 
 
 Now,  the  truth  of  the  gospel  is,  that  our  righteousness  cometh 
 by  faith  alone,  without  the  works  of  the  law.  The  corruption, 
 or  falsehood  of  the  gospel  is,  that  we  are  justified  by  faith,  but 
 not  without  the  works  of  the  law.  With  the  like  condition  the 
 felse  apostles  also  preached  the  gospel.  Even  so  do  our  Papists 
 at  this  day.  For  they  say,  that  Ave  must  believe  in  Christ,  and 
 that  faith  is  the  foimdation  of  oiu*  salvation:  but  it  justifieth  not, 
 except  it  be  furnished  with  charity.  This  is  not  the  truth  of  the 
 gospel,  but  falsehood  and  dissimulation.  But  the  true  gospel 
 indeed  is,  that  the  works  of  charity  are  not  the  ornament  or  per- 
 fection of  faith :  but  that  faith  of  itself  is  God's  gift,  and  God's 
 work  in  our  hearts,  which  therefore  justifieth  us,  because  it  ap- 
 prehendeth  Christ  our  Redeemer.  Man's  reason  hath  the  law 
 for  his  object,  thus  thinking  with  itself:  this  I  have  done,  this 
 I  have  not  done.  But  faith  being  in  her  own  proper  office,  hath 
 no  other  object  but  Jesus  Christ  the  Son  of  God,  delivered  to 
 death  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world.  Itlookethnot  to  charity; 
 it  saith  not:  what  have  I  doner  what  have  I  offended?  what 
 have  I  deserved  ?  but,  what  hath  Christ  done  ?  what  hath  he 
 deserved?  Here  the  truth  of  the  gospel  answereth  thee :  he  hath 
 redeemed  thee  from  thy  sin,  from  the  devil,  and  from  eternal 
 death. — Faith  therefore  acknowledgeth  that  in  this  one  person, 
 Jesus  Christ,  it  hath  forgiveness  of  sins  and  eternal  life.  He 
 that  turneth  his  eyes  away  from  this  object,  hath  no  true  faith, 
 but  a  fantasy  and  a  vain  opinion,  and  turneth  his  eyes  fi*om 
 the  promise  to  the  law,  which  terrifieth  and  driveth  to  despe- 
 ration. 
 
 Wherefore  those  things  which  the  popish  schoolmen  have 
 taught  concerning  the  justifying  faith  being  furnished  with  cha- 
 rity, are  nothing  else  but  mere  dreams.  For  that  faith  which 
 apprehendeth  Christ  the  Son  of  God,  and  is  furnished  with  him, 
 is  the  same  faith  that  justifieth,  and  not  the  faith  which  includeth 
 charity.  For  a  true  and  steadfast  faith  must  lay  hold  upon  no- 
 thing else  but  Christ  alone,  and  in  the  affections  and  terrors  of 
 conscience,  it  hath  nothing  else  to  lean  unto,  but  this  diamond, 
 Christ  Jesus.  Wherefore  he  that  apprehendeth  Christ  by  faith, 
 although  he  be  never  so  much  terrified  with  the  law,  and  op- 
 pressed with  the  weight  of  his  sins,  yet  may  he  be  bold  to  glory 
 that  he  is  righteous.  How,  or  by  what  means?  Even  by  that  pre- 
 cious pearl  Christ  Jesus,  which  he  possesseth  by  faith.  This 
 our  adversaries  understand  not,  and  therefore  they  cast  away 
 this  precious  pearl  Christ,  and  in  his  place  they  set  charity. 
 
VER.  4,  ft.]  KPISIXE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  (W> 
 
 which,  they  say,  is  their  precious  diamond.  Now  when  they  can- 
 not tell  what  faith  is,  it  is  impossible  that  they  should  have  faith : 
 much  less  can  they  teach  it  in  our  opinion  to  others.  And  as 
 for  that  which  they  will  seem  to  have,  it  is  nothing  else  but  na- 
 tural reason,  an  opinion,  a  very  dream,  and  no  faith. 
 
 This  I  say,  to  the  end  ye  may  perceive  and  note  that  by 
 these  words,  "the  truth  of  the  gospel,"  Paul  vehemently  reprove  th 
 the  contrary.  For  he  reprehend  eth  the  false  apostles,  because 
 they  had  taught  a  false  gospel,  requiring  circumcision,  and  the 
 observation  of  the  law  as  necessary  to  salvation.  Moreover,  they 
 went  about  by  Avonderful  craft  and  subtilty  to  entrap  Paid ;  for 
 they  watched  him  narrowly,  to  see  whether  he  would  circiun- 
 cise  Titus  or  no;  also,  whether  he  durst  withstand  them  in  the 
 
 Eresence  of  the  apostles,  and  for  this  cause  he  reprehendeth  them 
 itterl)\  "  They  went  about,"  saith  he,  "  to  spy  out  our  liberty 
 which  Ave  have  in  Christ  Jesus,  that  they  might  bring  us  into 
 bondage."  Wherefore  the  false  apostles  armed  themselves 
 on  every  side,  that  they  might  convince  and  confound  him  be- 
 fore the  Avhole  congregation.  Besides  this,  they  went  about  to 
 abuse  the  authority  of  the  apostles,  in  whose  presence  they  ac- 
 cused him,  saying,  Paul  hath  brought  Titus,  being  uncircum- 
 cised,  into  the  company  of  all  the  faithful;  he  denieth  and  con- 
 demneth  the  law  in  your  presence,  which  are  apostles.  If  he 
 dare  be  so  bold  to  attempt  this  here  and  before  you,  what  will 
 not  he  attempt  in  your  absence  among  the  Gentiles  ? 
 
 Wlierefore,  Avhen  he  perceived  that  he  was  so  craftily  assailed, 
 he  strongly  withstood  the  false  apostles,  saying,  We  did  not  suf- 
 fer our  liberty  which  we  have  in  Christ  Jesus  to  come  in  danger, 
 although  the  false  brethren  sought  by  all  means  to  snare  us,  and 
 put  us  to  much  trouble  :  but  we  overcame  them  even  by  the 
 judgment  of  the  apostles  themselves,  and  we  would  not  yield 
 unto  them,  no,  not  one  hour  (for,  no  doubt,  their  drift  was  to 
 have  caused  Paul  to  surcease  from  this  liberty  for  a  time),  since 
 we  saw  that  they  required  the  observation  oi  the  law,  as  neces- 
 sary to  salvation.  But  if  they  had  alleged  nothing  else  but 
 charitable  bearing  with  the  brethren,  no  doubt  but  Paul  would 
 have  given  them  place.  But  it  was  another  thing  that  they 
 soiight :  to  wit,  that  they  might  bring  Paul,  and  all  that  stuck 
 to  his  doctrine,  into  bondage.  Therefore  he  would  not  yield 
 unto  them,  no,  not  the  space  of  one  moment. 
 
 In  like  manner  do  we  also  offer  to  the  Papists  all  that  is  to  be 
 offered,  yea,  and  more  than  we  ought.  Only  Ave  except  the  liberty 
 of  conscience  Avhich  Ave  have  in  Christ  Jesus.  For  Ave  Avill  not 
 suffer  our  consciences  to  be  bound  to  any  Avork,  so  that  by 
 doing  this  thing  or  that,  Ave  should  be  righteous,  or  leaving -the 
 same  undone  we  should  be  damned.  We  are  contented  to  eat 
 the  same  meats  that  they  eat,  we  Avill  keep  their  feasts  and  fast- 
 ing- days,  sc  tlit'y  will  suffer  as  to  do  the  san  e  with  a  free  con- 
 
 F 
 
66  COMMENIAKY  ON  ST.  PAUl's  [CHAP.  II. 
 
 science,  and  leave  these  threatening  words,  wherewith  they  have 
 terrified  and  brought  under  their  subjection  the  whole  world, 
 saying,  We  command,  we  charge,  we  charge  again,  we  excom- 
 municate, &c.  but  this  liberty  we  cannot  obtain;  like  as  Paul 
 also  could  not  in  his  time.  Therefore  we  do  as  he  did.  For 
 Avhen  he  saw  that  he  coidd  not  obtain  this  liberty,  he  would  not 
 give  place  to  the  false  apostles,  the  space  of  one  hour. 
 
 Wherefore,  like  as  our  adversaries  will  not  leave  this  free  unto 
 us,  that  only  faith  in  Clirist  justifieth;  so  on  the  other  side, 
 neither  will  we  nor  can  we  give  place  imto  them,  that  faith  fur- 
 nished Avith  charity  justifieth.  Here  we  Avill,  and  we  ought  also 
 to  be  rebellious  and  obstinate  against  them,  for  else  we  should 
 lose  the  truth  of  the  gospel:  Ave  should  lose  our  liberty,  Avhich 
 we  have,  not  in  the  emperor,  not  in  kings  and  princes,  not  in 
 that  monster  the  Pope,  not  in  the  Avorld,  not  in  flesh,  blood, 
 reason,  &c.  but  Avhich  Ave  have  in  Christ  Jesus.  We  should 
 lose  faith  in  Christ,  Avhich,  as  before  I  have  said,  apprehended 
 nothing  else  but  that  precious  diamond  Christ  Jesus,  Thia 
 faith,  Avhereby  Ave  are  regenerate,  justified,  and  engrafted  into 
 Christ,  if  our  adversaries  Avill  leave  unto  us  sound  and  uncor- 
 rupt,  Ave  offer  luito  them  that  Ave  Avill  do  all  things,  so  that 
 they  be  not  contrary  to  this  faith.  But  because  Ave  cannot  ob- 
 tain this  at  their  hands,  Ave  again  for  our  part  Avill  not  yield  unto 
 them  one  hair's  breadth.  For  the  matter  Avhich  Ave  have  in  hand 
 is  Aveight)'^  and  of  great  importance,  even  touching  the  death  of 
 the  Son  of  God;  avIio  by  the  Avill  and  commandment  of  the 
 Father  Avas  made  flesh,  Avas  crucified,  and  died  for  the  sins  of  the 
 Avorld.  If  faith  here  give  place,  then  is  this  death  and  resurrec- 
 tion of  the  Son  of  God  in  vain;  then  is  it  but  a  fable,  that  Christ 
 is  the  Saviour  of  the  Avorld;  then  is  God  foimd  a  liar,  because 
 he  hath  not  performed  that  he  promised.  Our  stoutness  there- 
 fore in  this  matter  is  godly  and  holy.  For  by  it  Ave  seek  to 
 preserve  our  liberty  Avhich  Ave  have  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  thereby 
 to  retain  the  truth  of  the  gospel;  Avhich  if  Ave  lose,  then  do  Ave 
 also  lose  God,  Christ,  all  the  promises,  faith,  righteousness,  and 
 everlasting  life. 
 
 But  here  Avill  some  men  say,  the  laAv  is  divine  and  holy.  Let 
 the  laAv  have  his  glory,  but  yet  no  laAv,  be  it  never  so  divine  and 
 hol)^,  ought  to  teach  me  that  I  am  justified,  and  shall  live  through 
 it.  I  grant  it  may  teach  me  that  I  ought  to  love  God  and  my 
 neighbour;  also  to  live  in  chastity,  soberness,  patience,  &c.  but 
 it  ought  not  to  shew  me,  hoAV  I  should  be  delivered  from  sin,  the 
 devil,  death,  and  hell.  Here  I  must  take  counsel  of  the  gospel. 
 I  must  hearken  to  the  gospel,  Avhich  teacheth  me,  not  Avhat  I 
 ought  to  do  (for  that  is  the  proper  office  of  the  laAv),  but  what 
 Jesus  Christ  the  Son  of  God  hath  done  for  me:  to  Avit,  that  he 
 sutrered  and  died  to  deliver  me  from  sin  and  death.  The  gospel 
 wilieth  me  to  receive  this,  and  to  believe  it.     And  this  is  the 
 
VFR.  4—7.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  6T 
 
 truth  of  the  g-ospel.  It  is  also  the  principal  article  of  all  Chris- 
 tian doctrine,  wherein  the  knowledge  of  all  godliness  consisteth. 
 Most  necessary  it  is,  therefore,  that  we  should  know  this  article 
 well,  teach  it  unto  others,  and  heat  it  into  their  heads  continually. 
 For  as  it  is  very  tender,  so  it  is  soon  hurt.  This  Paid  had  well 
 tried,  and  of  this  have  all  the  godly  also  good  experience. 
 
 To  conclude,  Paul  would  not  circumcise  Titus,  and,  as  he 
 saith,  for  no  other  cause,  hut  for  that  certain  false  brethren  were 
 crept  in,  to  espy  out  their  liberty,  and  would  have  constrained 
 Paul  to  circumcise  Titus.  Paul  seeing  this  constraint  and  ne- 
 cessity, would  give  no  place,  no  not  for  one  hour,  but  strongly 
 resisted  them,  and  therefore  he  saith,  "  Neither  Titus  which 
 was  with  me,  being  a  Gentile,  was  compelled  to  be  circumcised." 
 (Gal.  ii.  3.)  If  they  had  required  this  in  the  way  of  brotherly 
 charity,  doubtless  he  Avould  not  have  denied  it.  But  seeing  they 
 would  have  done  it  as  a  necessary  thing,  and  that  by  compul- 
 sion, to  the  evil  example  of  others,  to  the  overthrowing  of  the 
 gospel,  and  to  bring  men's  consciences  into  bondage,  therefore 
 he  set  himself  mightily  against  them,  and  prevailed  so,  that 
 Tims  was  not  circumcised. 
 
 It  may  seem  but  a  small  matter  to  be  circumcised,  or  not  cir- 
 cumcised. But  when  a  man  hath  an  affiance  in  keeping  of  it,  or 
 else  is  in  fear  for  not  keeping  of  it,  here  God  is  denied,  Christ  is 
 rejected,  the  grace  and  all  the  promises  of  God  are  refused.  But 
 if  the  circumcision  be  kept  without  this  addition,  there  is  no 
 danger.  If  the  Pope  Avould  in  this  sort  require  of  us  the  keep- 
 ing of  his  traditions,  as  bare  ceremonies,  it  should  not  be  so 
 grievous  unto  us  to  keep  them :  but  to  bind  men's  consciences 
 to  these  ceremonies,  and  to  make  of  them  a  high  and  acceptable 
 service  unto  God,  yea,  and  moreover  to  add,  that  life  and  salva- 
 tion, or  death  and  damnation,  consisteth  in  the  observation 
 liereof,  is  a  devilish  superstition,  and  full  of  blasphemy.  Whoso 
 will  not  cry  against  this,  accursed  be  he. 
 
 Verse  6,  7.    And  of  them  which  seemed  to  be  great,  I  was  not  taught,  (what 
 they  were  in  times  past,  it  is  no  matter  to  me,  &c.) 
 
 This  is  a  vehement  and  a  stout  confutation.  For  he  giveth 
 not  to  the  true  apostles  themselves  any  glorious  title:  but  as  it 
 were  abasing  their  dignity,  he  saith :  "  Which  seemed  to  be 
 great;"  that  is,  which  were  in  authority,  upon  Avhom  the  deter- 
 mination of  all  matters  depended.  NotAvithstanding,  the  autho- 
 rity of  the  apostles  was  indeed  very  great  in  all  the  churches. 
 And  Paul  also  did  not  seek  any  whit  to  diminish  their  autho- 
 rity, but  he  thus  contemptuously  answereth  the  false  apostles, 
 which  set  the  authority  and  dignity  of  the  apostles  against  Paul  iu 
 all  the  churches,  that  thereby  they  might  weaken  his  authority, 
 and  bring  his  whole  ministry  into  contempt.  This  Paul  mignt 
 not  suifer.     To  the  end  therefore,  that  the  truth  of  the  gospel, 
 
68  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUl's  [CHAP.  II. 
 
 and  liberty  of  conscience  in  Christ,  might  continue  among  the 
 Galatians,  and  in  all  the  churches  of  the  Gentiles,  he  answereth 
 stoutly  to  the  false  apostles,  that  he  passed  not  hoAv  gi-eat  the 
 apostles  were,  or  what  they  had  been  in  times  past;  and  where- 
 as they  alleged  the  authority  of  the  name  of  the  apostles  against 
 him,  it  touched  him  nothing  at  all.  He  confesseth  that  the 
 apostles  are  indeed  somewhat,  and  their  authority  is  to  be  reve- 
 renced. Notwithstanding  his  gospel  and  ministry  ought  not  to 
 be  overthrown  for  the  name  or  title  of  any,  whatsoever  he  be, 
 an  apostle,  or  an  angel  from  heaven. 
 
 And  this  was  one  of  the  greatest  arguments  that  the  false 
 apostles  used  against  Paul.  The  apostles,  said  they,  were  fami- 
 liarly conversant  with  Christ  for  the  space  of  three  years.  They 
 heard  and  saw  all  his  preachings  and  miracles.  Moreover,  they 
 themselves  preached  and  wrought  miracles  while  Christ  was  yet 
 living  in  the  world;  whom  Paul  never  saw  in  the  flesh,  and  as 
 touching  his  conversion,  it  was  long  after  the  glorification  of 
 Christ.  Wherefore,  they  should  now  consider  which  of  these 
 they  ought  more  to  believe;  Paul,  which  Avas  but  one  and  alone, 
 and  also  but  a  disciple,  yea,  and  one  of  the  last  of  all;  or  the 
 chiefest  and  most  excellent  apostles,  which,  long  before  Paul, 
 were  sent  and  confirmed  by  Christ  himself.  To  this  Paul  an- 
 swereth: What  of  all  this?  This  argument  concludeth  nothing. 
 Let  the  apostles  be  never  so  great,  yea,  let  them  be  angels  from 
 heaven,  it  is  no  matter  to  me.  The  controversy  is  not  here  con- 
 cerning the  excellency  of  the  apostles,  but  concerning  the  word 
 of  God,  and  the  truth  of  the  gospel.  This  ought  to  be  kept 
 pure  and  uncorrupt;  this  ought  to  be  preferred  above  all  things. 
 Therefore  how  great  Peter  and  the  other  apostles  have  been, 
 what  great  miracles  they  have  wrought,  it  is  no  matter  to  me. 
 This  is  it  that  I  only  seek,  even  that  the  truth  of  the  gospel  may 
 continue  among  you.  This  seemeth  to  be  but  a  slender  answer 
 of  Paul,  when  of  purpose  he  so  contemneth  the  authority  of 
 the  apostles,  which  the  false  apostles  alleged  against  him,  and 
 giveth  no  other  solution  to  their  mighty  argument  than  this:  It 
 is  no  matter  to  me.  Notwithstanding,  he  addeth  a  reason  of 
 the  confutation. 
 
 Verse  6.  God  accepteth  no  man's  person. 
 This  place  he  allegeth  out  of  Moses,  who  useth  the  same,  not 
 once  but  many  times:  "  Thou  shalt  not  accept  in  judgment  the 
 person  of  the  rich  man  or  of  the  poor,"  (Levit.  xix.  15.)  And 
 this  is  a  principle  of  divinity:  "  God  is  no  accepter  of  per- 
 sons," (2  Chron.  xix.  7.  Rom.ii.  11.  Acts  X.  34.  Eph.vi.9.  Col. 
 iii.  25.)  With  the  which  saying  he  stopped  the  mouths  of  the 
 false  apostles.  As  tboxigh  he  would  say:  Ye  set  those  against  me 
 which  seem  to  be  somewhat;  but  God  careth  not  for  such  out-- 
 svard  things.^  He  regardeth  not  the  office  of  apostleship.     It  i» 
 
▼ER.  fl.]  EPISTLK  TO  THE  6ALATIANS.  69 
 
 not  the  di^iity  or  authority  of  men  that  he  looketh  upon.  And 
 in  token  hereof,  he  suffered  Judas,  one  of  the  chiefest  apostles, 
 and  Saul,  one  of  the  greatest  kings,  yea,  and  the  first  of  all,  to 
 fiiU  away  and  to  he  damned.  Ishmael  also  and  Esau  he  refused, 
 being  both  first-born.  So  shall  you  find  throughout  all  the  whole 
 scripture,  that  God  oftentimes  rejected  tliose  which  in  outward 
 shew  were  very  good  and  holy  men,  And  in  these  examples 
 God  seemeth  sometimes  to  be  cruel;  but  it  was  most  necessar)'-, 
 that  such  fearful  examples  should  be  shewn,  and  also  be  writ- 
 ten. For  this  vice  is  naturally  grafted  in  us,  that  we  highly 
 esteem  the  persons  and  outward  appearance  of  men,  and  more 
 regard  the  same  than  the  word  of  God.  Contrariwise,  God  will 
 have  us  to  fix  our  eyes,  and  to  rest  wholly  upon  the  word  itself^ 
 he  will  not  have  us  to  reverence  and  adore  the  apostleship  in  the 
 persons  of  Peter  and  Paul,  but  Christ  speaking  in  them,  and 
 the  word  Avhich  they  bring  and  preach  unto  us. 
 
 This  the  natural  man  cannot  see:  but  the  spiritual  man  only 
 discerneth  the  person  from  the  word,  the  veil  of  God  from  God 
 himself.  Now  this  veil  of  God  is  every  creature.  Moreover, 
 God  here  in  this  life  dealeth  not  with  us  face  to  face,  but  co- 
 vered and  shadowed  from  us:  that  is,  as  Paul  saith  in  another 
 place,  "We  see  now  as  it  were  through  a  glass,  darkly;  but 
 then  we  shall  see  face  to  face."  (1  Cor.  xiii.  12.)  Therefore 
 we  cannot  be  without  veils  in  this  life.  But  here  wisdom  is  re- 
 quired, Avhich  can  discern  the  veil  from  God  himself;  and  this 
 wisdom  the  world  hath  not.  The  covetous  man  hearing,  "  that 
 man  liveth  not  by  bread  alone,  but  by  every  word  that  pro- 
 ceedeth  out  of  the  mouth  of  God,"  (Deut.  viii.  3.  Matt.  iv.  4.) 
 eateth  the  bread,  but  he  seeth  not  God  in  the  bread;  for  he  be- 
 holdeth  the  veil  only  and  outward  shew.  So  he  doth  with 
 gold  and  other  creatures,  trusting  to  them  so  long  as  he  hath 
 them;  but  when  they  leave  him,  he  despaireth.  And  thus  he 
 honoureth  not  the  Creator,  but  the  creatures,  not  God,  but  his 
 own  belly. 
 
 This  I  speak,  lest  any  man  should  think  that  Paul  utterly 
 condemneth  these  outward  veils  or  persons.  For  he  saith  no^ 
 that  there  ought  to  be  no  person,  but  that  there  is  no  respect  of 
 persons  with  God.  There  must  be  persons  and  outward  veils: 
 God  hath  given  them,  and  they  are  his  good  creatures;  but  we 
 must  not  trust  in  them.  All  the  matter  is  in  the  right  using  of 
 things,  and  not  in  the  things  themselves,  as  before  I  have  said. 
 There  is  no  fault  in  circumcision  or  uncircumcision,  ("for  cir- 
 cumcision is  nothing,  and  uncircmncision  is  nothing,")  but  in  the 
 use  thereof.  To  put  righteoiisness  in  the  one,  and  unrighteous- 
 ness in  the  other,  that  use  is  damnable,  and  ought  to  be  taken 
 away:  which  being  removed,  circumcision  and  imcircumcision 
 are  things  tolerable. 
 
 So  the  prince,  the  magisti'ate,  the  preacher,  the  schoolmaster. 
 
70  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL  i  [CHAP.  II. 
 
 the  scholar,  the  father,  the  mother,  the  children,  the  master,  the 
 servant,  are  persons  and  outAvard  veils,  which  God  will  have  us 
 to  acknowledge,  love,  and  reverence  as  his  creatures,  which  also 
 must  needs  be  had  in  this  life;  but  he  Avill  not  have  us  so  to  re- 
 verence them,  or  trust  unto  them,  that  Ave  forget  him.  And  to 
 the  end  that  Ave  should  not  too  much  magnify  the  outAvard  per- 
 sons, or  put  any  trust  in  them,  God  leaveth  in  them  offences  and 
 sins,  yea,  great  and  foul  sins,  to  teach  us  Avhat  difference  there  is 
 betAveen  the  person  and  God  himself.  David,  that  good  king, 
 because  he  should  not  seem  to  be  a  person  upon  Avhom  men 
 should  trust,  fell  into  horrible  sins,  adultery  and  murder.  Peter, 
 that  excellent  apostle,  denied  Christ.  These,  and  such-like  ex- 
 amples, Avhereof  the  scripture  is  full,  ought  to  Avarn  us,  that  we 
 repose  not  our  trust  in  the  person  and  outAvard  veil,  nor  think, 
 that  Avhen  Ave  have  the  outAvard  shcAvs  and  shadoAvs,  Ave  have  all 
 things;  as  it  is  in  popery,  Avhere  they  judge  all  things  according 
 to  the  outward  veil,  and  therefore  all  popery  is  nothing  else  but 
 a  mere  respecting  of  persons  and  outward  shcAvs.  God  hath 
 given  his  creatures  to  our  use,  and  to  do  us  service,  and  not  as 
 idols,  that  Ave  should  do  service  unto  them.  Let  us  then  use 
 bread,  Avine,  apparel,  possessions,  gold,  silver,  and  all  other 
 creatures.  But  let  us  not  trust  and  glory  in  them:  for  we  must 
 trust  and  glory  in  God  alone.  He  only  is  to  be  loved,  he  only 
 is  to  be  feared  and  honoured. 
 
 Paul  calleth  here  the  apostleship  or  office  of  the  apostles 
 (Avhich  Avrought  many  and  great  miracles,  taught  and  converted 
 many  to  the  faith,  and  were  also  familiar  Avith  Clu'ist,)  the  per- 
 son of  man. 
 
 Briefly,  this  Avord,  person,  comprehendeth  the  Avhole  outward 
 conversation  of  the  apostles,  Avhich  was  holy,  and  their  autho- 
 rity, which  Avas  great.  NotAvithstanding,  saith  he,  God  esteemeth 
 not  these  things;  not  that  he  esteemeth  them  not  at  all,  but  in  the 
 matter  of  justification  he  regardeth  them  not,  be  they  never  so 
 great  and  so  glorious.  For  we  must  diligently  mark  this  dis- 
 tinction, that  in  matters  of  divinity  we  must  speak  far  otherAvise 
 than  in  matters  of  policy.  In  matters  of  policy,  as  I  have  said, 
 God  will  have  us  to  honour  and  reverence  these  outAvard  veils 
 or  persons  as  his  instruments  by  whom  he  governeth  and  preser- 
 veth  the  world.  But  when  the  question  is  as  touching  religion, 
 conscience,  the  fear  of  God,  faith,  and  the  service  of  God,  we 
 must  not  fear  these  outward  persons,  we  must  put  no  trust  in 
 fliem,  look  for  no  comfort  from  them,  or  hope  deliverance  by 
 hem,  either  corporally  or  spiritually.  For  this  cause  God  will 
 nave  no  respect  of  persons  in  judgment;  for  judgment  is  a  di- 
 vine thing.  Wlierefore  I  ought  neither  to  fear  the  judge,  nor 
 trust  in  the  judge;  but  my  fear  and  trust  ought  to  be  in  God 
 alone,  who  is  the  true  judge.  The  civil  judge  or  magistrate,  I 
 ought  indeed  to  reverence  for  God's  cause,  (Deut.  i.)  Avhose  mi- 
 
VER.   Gj}  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIAN8.  7  . 
 
 iiister  he  is:  but  my  conscience  may  not  stay  or  trust  upon  his  jus- 
 tice and  equity,  or  be  feared  through  his  unjust  dealing  or  tyranny, 
 whereby  I  might  fall  into  any  onence  against  God,  in  lying,  in 
 bearing  false  witness,  in  denying  the  truth,  &c.  Otherwise  I 
 will  reverence  and  honour  the  magistrate  ^vith  all  my  heart. 
 
 So  I  would  also  honour  the  Pope,  and  love  his  person,  if  ho 
 would  leave  my  conscience  free,  and  not  compel  me  to  sin  against 
 God.  But  he  will  so  be  feared  and  adored,  as  cannot  be  done 
 without  offence  to  the  majesty  of  God.  Here,  since  we  must 
 needs  lose  the  one,  let  us  lose  the  person,  and  stick  to  God.  We 
 could  not  be  content  to  suffer  the  dominion  of  the  Pope:  but  be- 
 cause he  abuseth  the  same  so  tyrannously  against  us,  and  would 
 compel  us  to  deny  and  blaspheme  God,  and  him  only  to  acknow- 
 ledge as  our  lord  and  master,  clogging  our  consciences,  and 
 spoiling  us  of  the  fear  and  trust  which  we  should  have  in  God, 
 therefore  we  are  compelled,  by  the  commandment  of  God,  to 
 resist  the  Pope;  for  it  is  written,  "  That  we  must  rather  obey 
 God  than  men,"  (Acts  iv.  19.)  Therefore,  without  offence  of 
 conscience,  which  is  our  singular  comfort,  we  contemn  the  au- 
 thority of  the  Pope. 
 
 There  is  a  certain  vehemency  therefore  to  be  noted  in  this 
 word  [_God.']  For  in  the  cause  of  religion,  and  the  word  of  God, 
 there  must  be  no  respect  of  persons.  But  in  matters  of  policy 
 we  must  have  regard  to  the  person:  for  otherwise,  there  must 
 needs  foUov/  a  contempt  of  all  reverence  and  order.  In  this 
 world  God  will  have  an  order,  a  reverence,  and  a  difference  of 
 persons.  For  else  the  child,  the  servant,  the  subject  would  say,  I 
 am  a  Christian  as  well  as  my  father,  my  schoolmaster,  my  master, 
 my  prince:  why  then  should  I  reverence  him?  Before  God, 
 then,  there  is  no  respect  of  persons,  neither  of  Grecian  nor  of 
 Jew,  but  all  are  one  in  Christ:  although  not  so  before  the  world. 
 
 Thus  Paul  confuteth  the  argument  of  the  false  apostles,  as 
 touching  the  authority  of  the  apostles,  and  saith,  that  it  is  no- 
 thing to  the  purpose.  For  the  question  is  not  here  concerning  the 
 respect  of  persons,  but  there  is  a  far  weightier  matter  in  hand, 
 that  is  to  say,  a  divine  matter  concerning  God  and  his  word,  and 
 whether  this  word  ought  to  be  preferred  before  the  apostleship 
 or  no.  Whereunto  Paul  answereth:  So  that  the  truth  of  the 
 gospel  may  continue,  so  that  the  word  of  God,  and  the  righ- 
 teousness of  faith,  may  be  kept  pure  and  uncorrupt,  let  the 
 apostleship  go,  let  an  angel  firom  heaven,  let  Peter,  let  Paul, 
 altogether  perish. 
 
 Verse  6.     Nevertheless,  they  that  seemed  to  be  the  chief  did  communicate 
 nothing  with  me. 
 
 As  though  he  would  say,  I  did  not  so  confer  with  the  apostles, 
 that  they  taught  me  any  thing;  for  what  should  they  teach  me, 
 since  Christ,  by  his  revelation,  had  before  sufficiently  taught  me 
 
72  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [cHAP.  II. 
 
 all  thing^s?  And  moreover,  since  I  have  now  preached  the  gos- 
 
 Eel  the  space  of  eighteen  years  among  the  Gentiles,  and  Christ 
 ath  wrouglit  so  many  miracles  by  me,  whereby  he  hath  con- 
 firmed my  doctrine:  wherefore  it  was  but  a  conference,  and  nu 
 disputation.  Wherein  I  learned  nothing,  neither  did  I  recant, 
 nor  yet  defend  my  cause,  but  only  declared  what  things  I  had 
 done,  to  wit,  that  I  had  preached  to  the  Gentiles  faith  only  in 
 Chi-ist,  without  the  law,  and  that  by  this  preaching  of  faith  the 
 Holy  Ghost  came  down  upon  the  Gentiles,  which  immediately 
 spake  with  divers  tongiies.  Wliich  thing,  when  the  apostles 
 heard,  they  witnessed  that  I  had  taught  the  truth;  Avherefore 
 the  false  apostles  do  me  great  wrong,  which  pervert  and  turn 
 all  these  things  clean  contrary. 
 
 Now,  if  Paul  would  give  no  place  to  the  false  apostles,  which 
 set  the  authority  of  the  true  apostles  against  him,  much  less  ought 
 we  to  give  place  to  our  adversaries,  which  have  nothing  else  to 
 brag  of  but  the  authority  of  their  idol  the  Pope.  I  know  that 
 the  godly  ought  to  be  humble,  but  against  the  Pope  I  will  and 
 I  ought  to  be  proud  with  a  holy  pride,  and  say.  Thou  Pope,  I 
 win  not  be  subject  unto  thee:  I  wiU  not  take  thee  for  my  mas- 
 ter, for  I  am  sure  that  my  doctrine  is  true  and  godly.  But  the 
 Pope  will  not  hear  this  doctrine:  nay,  he  would  force  us  to  obey 
 his  laws  and  his  decrees,  and  if  we  will  not,  he  will  by-and-by 
 excommunicate,  curse,  and  condemn  us  as  heretics.  Such  pride 
 therefore  against  the  Pope  is  most  necessary.  And  if  we  should 
 not  be  thus  stout  and  proud,  and  in  the  Holy  Ghost  utterly  con- 
 demn both  him,  with  all  his  doctrine,  and  the  devil,  the  father 
 of  lies,  speaking  in  him,  we  should  never  be  able  to  defend  this 
 article  of  the  righteousness  of  faith.  We  do  not  then  contemn 
 the  authority  of  the  Pope  becaiise  we  would  bear  rule  over 
 him,  neither  would  we  go  about  to  exalt  ourselves  above  all 
 sovereign  power,  since  it  is  evident  that  we  teach  all  men  to 
 humble  and  submit  themselves  to  the  higher  powers,  ordained 
 of  God;  but  this  is  it  that  we  only  seek,  that  the  glory  of  God 
 may  be  maintained,  and  the  righteousness  of  faith  may  be  kept 
 pure  and  soxmd. 
 
 Wherefore,  if  the  Pope  will  grant  rmto  us,  that  God  alone  by 
 his  mere  grace  through  Christ  doth  justify  sinners,  we  will  not 
 only  carry  him  in  our  hands,  but  will  also  kiss  his  feet.  But 
 since  we  cannot  obtain  this,  we  again  in  God  are  proud  against 
 him  above  measure;  and  will  give  no  place,  no,  not  one  hair's 
 breadth,  to  all  the  angels  in  heaven,  not  to  Peter,  not  to  Paul, 
 not  to  a  hundred  emperors,  nor  to  a  thousand  Popes,  nor  to  the 
 whole  world.  But  be  it  far  from  us  that  we  should  here  hvunble 
 ourselves,  since  they  would  take  from  us  our  glory,  even  God 
 himself,  that  hath  created  us,  and  given  us  all  things,  and  Jesus 
 Christ,  who  hath  redeemed  us  with  his  blood.  Let  this  be  then 
 the  conclusion  of  aU  together,  that  we  will  suffer  our  goods  to 
 
VER.  6,  7,  8.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  T3 
 
 be  taken  away,  our  name,  our  life,  and  all  that  we  have;  but  the 
 ffospel,  our  faith,  Jesus  Christ,  we  will  never  suffer  to  be  wrested 
 from  us.  And  cursed  be  that  humility  which  here  abaseth  and 
 submitteth  itself:  nay,  rather,  let  every  Christian  man  here  be 
 proud  and  spare  not,  except  he  wdl  deny  Christ. 
 
 Wherefore,  God  assisting  me,  my  forehead  shall  be  more  hard 
 than  all  men's  foreheads.  Here  I  take  upon  me  this  title,  accord- 
 ing- to  the  proverb,  cedo  nulli,  I  give  place  to  none.  Yea,  I  am 
 glad  even  with  all  my  heart,  in  this  point  to  seem  rebellious  and 
 obstinate.  And  here  I  confess  that  I  am,  and  ever  will  be  stout 
 and  stern,  and  will  not  one  inch  give  place  to  any  creature. 
 Charity  giveth  place,  "  for  it  suifereth  all  things,  believeth  all 
 things,  hopeth  all  things,  endureth  all  things,"  (1  Cor.  xiii.  7.) 
 but  faith  giveth  no  place,  yea,  it  can  suffer  nothing,  according  to 
 this  ancient  verse  :  Non  patiter  litdum  fama^  Jides,  oculus  ;  that 
 is,  Man's  good  name,  his  faith,  and  his  eye,  will  not  be  dallied 
 withal.  Wherefore,  a  Christian,  as  touching  his  faith,  can  never 
 be  too  proud  nor  too  stout,  neither  must  he  relent  or  give  place, 
 no,  not  the  breadth  of  one  hair ;  for  faith  maketh  a  man  here 
 like  unto  God :  but  God  suffereth  nothing,  he  giveth  place  to 
 none,  for  he  is  immutable ;  so  is  faith  immutable,  and  therefore 
 may  suffer  nothing,  give  place  to  no  man.  But  as  touching  cha- 
 rity, let  a  Christian  man  yield  and  suffer  all  things,  for  thereiu 
 he  is  but  a  man. 
 
 Verse  7,  8.  But  contrariwise,  when  they  saw  that  the  gospel  over  uncircum- 
 cision  was  committed  unto  me,  as  the  gospel  over  circumcision  was  unto 
 Peter  (for  he  that  was  mighty  by  Peter  in  the  apostleship  over  the  circumcision, 
 was  also  mighty   by  me  towards  the  Gentiles.) 
 
 With  these  words  Paul  mightily  confuteth  the  false  apostles, 
 for  here  he  challengeth  to  himself  the  same  authority  which  the 
 false  apostles  attributed  to  the  true  apostles ;  and  he  useth  here 
 a  figure  which  is  called  an  inversion,  returning  their  argument 
 agamst  themselves.  The  false  apostles,  saith  he,  do  allege  against 
 me  the  authority  of  the  great  apostles,  to  maintain  their  cause; 
 but  I,  contrariwise,  do  allege  the  same  against  them,  for  my 
 defence,  for  the  apostles  are  on  my  side.  WTierefore,  O  my 
 Galatians,  believe  not  these  counterfeit  apostles,  which  brag  so 
 much  of  the  authority  of  the  apostles  against  me.  For  the  apostles, 
 when  they  saw  the  gospel  over  the  uncircumcision  to  be  com- 
 mitted to  me,  and  knew  of  the  grace  that  to  me  was  given,  gave 
 to  me  and  Barnabas  the  right-hand  of  fellowship,  approving  my 
 ministry,  and  giving  thanks  unto  God  for  the  gifts  which  f  had 
 received.  Thus  he  returned  the  argument  of  the  false  apostles 
 upon  themselves.  And  in  these  words  there  is  an  ardent  vehe- 
 mency,  and  more  contained  in  matter,  than  in  words  is  able  to  be 
 expressed.  / 
 
 What  meaneth  Paul,  when  he  saith,  that  the  gospel  over  th« 
 
74  COMMKNTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  II. 
 
 uncircumcision  was  committed  unto  him,  and  over  the  circumci- 
 sion rnito  Peter,  when,  notwithstanding,  Paul,  almost  every- 
 where preached  to  the  Jews  in  their  synagogues,  and  Peter  like- 
 wise to  the  Gentiles?  There  are  examples  and  testimonies  of 
 both  in  the  Acts.  Peter  converted  the  centurion,  with  his  family, 
 which  was  a  Gentile,  (Acts  x.  3.)  He  wrote  also  to  the  Gentdes, , 
 as  his  first  epistle  testifieth.  Paul  preaching  Christ  among  the 
 Gentiles,  entereth  notwithstanding  into  the  synagogues  of  the 
 Jews,  and  there  preacheth  the  gospel,  (Acts  xiv.  1.)  And  our 
 Saviour  Christ,  in  Matthew  and  Mark,  commandeth  his  apostles 
 to  go  throughout  the  whole  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to 
 every  creature,  (Matt,  xxviii.  20.  Markxvi.  15.)  Paul  likewise 
 saith,  "  the  gospel  preached  to  every  creature  which  is  under 
 heaven,"  (Col.  i.  23.  )  Why  then  doth  he  call  himself  the  apostle 
 of  the  Gentiles,  and  Peter,  with  the  other,  the  apostles  of  the 
 circumcision  ? 
 
 Paul  hath  respect  imto  this,  that  the  other  apostles  remained 
 specially  in  Jerusalem,  imtil  God  called  them  unto  other  places. 
 Thus  stood  the  matter  then  for  the  time,  that  while  the  political 
 state  of  the  Jews  continued,  the  apostles  still  remained  in  Judea; 
 but  when  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  approached,  they  were 
 dispersed  throughout  the  whole  world.  But  Paul,  as  it  is  written 
 in  the  Acts  (chap,  xiii.2.),  by  a  singular  vocation  was  chosen  to 
 be  the  apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  and  being  sent  out  of  Judea,  he 
 travelled  through  the  countries  of  the  Gentiles.  Now  were  the 
 Jews  dispersed  almost  throughout  the  whole  world,  and  dwelt 
 here  and  there  in  cities  and  other  places  among  the  Gentiles. 
 Paul  coming  thither,  was  wont  to  go  into  the  synagogues  of  the 
 Jews,  (Acts  xiv.  1.)  and  by  this  occasion  he  first  brought  unto 
 them,  as  the  children  of  the  kingdom,  this  glad  tidings,  that  the 
 promises  made  unto  the  fathers  were  accomplished  by  Jesus 
 Christ.  When  they  would  not  hear  this,  he  turned  to  the  Gen- 
 tiles, as  Luke  witnesseth.  Acts  xiii.  where  he  bringeth  in  Paul 
 thus  boldly  speaking  against  the  Jews:  It  was  necessary  that  we 
 should  first  preach  the  word  of  God  unto  you;  but  seeing  ye 
 reject  it,  and  judge  yourselves  unworthy  of  everlasting  life,  lo ! 
 we  turn  to  the  Gentiles.  And  in  the  Acts  (chap,  xxviii.  28,) 
 "  Be  it  known,  therefore,  unto  you,  that  this  salvation  of  God  is 
 sent  unto  the  Gentiles,  and  they  shall  hear  it."  Wherefore,  Paul 
 was  sent  specially  unto  the  Gentiles.  But  because  he  was  a 
 debtor  unto  all,  and  became  all  things  unto  all  men,  therefore, 
 occasion  being  offered,  he  went  into  the  synagogues  of  the  Jews, 
 where,  not  only  the  Jews,  but  also  the  Gentiles,  heard  him 
 preaching  Christ.  Otherwise,  he  preached  publicly  in  the 
 market-place,  in  houses,  and  by  the  rivers'  sides.  He  was  spe- 
 cially then  the  apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  as  Peter  was  of  the  Jews; 
 who,  notAvithstanding,  preached  Christ  to  the  Gentiles  also  when 
 occasion  was  offered. 
 
VER.  7,  8.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  6AI.ATIANS.  76 
 
 And  here  he  calleth  uncircumcision  the  Gentiles,  and  circum- 
 cision the  Jews,  by  a  figm-e  named  synecdoche,  which,  under  a 
 part,  comprehendeth  the  whole;  which  figure  is  commonly  used 
 in  the  scripture;  the  gospel  then  over  uncircumcision,  is  that 
 which  was  appointed  to  be  sent  unto  the  Gentiles.  This  gospel, 
 saith  he,  Avas  committed  unto  him,  as  the  gospel  over  circumci- 
 sion was  unto  Peter;  for  as  Peter  preached  the  gospel  among 
 the  Jews,  so  did  he  among  the  Gentiles. 
 
 This  he  often  repeateth,  that  Peter,  James,  and  John,  which 
 seemed  to  be  the  pillars  of  the  church,  taught  him  nothing,  nor 
 committed  unto  him  the  office  of  preaching  the  gospel,  as  having 
 authority  and  rule  over  him.  But  they  themselves,  saith  he,  did 
 see  that  the  gospel  was  committed  unto  me,  but  not  by  Peter ; 
 for  as  I  did  not  receive  or  learn  any  gospel  of  man,  so  did  I  receive 
 no  commandment  by  man  to  preach  the  same ;  but  both  the 
 knowledge  and  the  commandment  to  preach  it  among  the 
 Gentiles,  I  received  immediately  from  God;  like  as  the  charge 
 was  given  of  God  unto  Peter  to  preach  the  same  among  the  Jews. 
 
 This  place  witnesseth  very  plainly  that  the  apostles  had  like 
 calling,  like  charge,  and  all  one  gospel.  Peter  preached  no  other 
 gospel  than  the  rest  of  the  apostles  did,  neither  did  he  appoint 
 to  others  their  charge  and  office ;  but  there  was  an  equality 
 among  them  all,  for  they  were  all  taught  of  God,'  that  is,  both 
 their  vocation  and  charge  was  wholly  and  immediately  from 
 God.  There  was  none,  therefore,  greater  than  other,  none  that 
 had  any  prerogative  above  other.  And  therefore,  when  the 
 Pope  vaunteth  that  Peter  was  the  chief  of  the  apostles,  that 
 thereby  he  might  confirm  and  establish  his  usm'ped  primacy,  it 
 is  an  impudent  lie. 
 
 Verse  8.     For  he  that  was  mighty  by  Peter. 
 
 This  is  a  confutation  of  another  argument  of  the  false  apostles. 
 Why  do  the  false  apostles  boast,  saith  he,  that  the  gospel  of 
 Peter  was  mighty,  that  he  converted  many,  that  he  wrought 
 many  and  great  miracles,  raised  up  the  dead,  and  with  his  shadow 
 healed  the  sick?  (Acts  v.  15.)  I  grant  all  these  things  to  be 
 true;  but  Peter  received  this  power  from  Heaven.  God  gave 
 a  virtue  to  his  word,  so  that  many  did  believe  him,  and  great 
 miracles  were  Avrought  by  him.  The  same  power  had  I  also; 
 which  I  received  not  of  Peter,  but  the  same  God  and  the  same 
 spirit  which  was  mighty  in  Peter,  was  mighty  to  me  also.  I 
 had  the  same  grace;  I  taught  many;  I  wrought  many  miracles, 
 and  through  my  shadow  also  I  healed  the  sick.  And  this  Luke 
 testifieth  in  these  words:  "And  God  wrought  no  small  miracles 
 by  the  hands  of  Paul,  so  that  from  his  body  were  brought  nap- 
 kins and  handkerchiefs,  and  the  diseases  departed  from  them,  and 
 the  evil  spirits  went  out  of  them,"  (Acts  xix.  11,  12.)  Read 
 more  hereof  in  Acts  xiii.  xvi.  xx.  xxviii. 
 
76  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [cHAP.  Jl. 
 
 To  conclude,  Paul  will  be  counted  in  no  point  inferior  to  the 
 rest  of  the  apostles;  and  herein  he  glorieth  with  a  godly  and  a 
 holy  pride.  Necessity  constrained  him  stoutly  to  withstand  Peter, 
 and  the  burning  zeal  he  had  for  the  glory  of  God,  moved  him  so 
 to  do.  Certain  profane  spirits,  as  Julianus  and  Porphirius,  not 
 considering  this,  thought  it  to  be  but  a  carnal  pride  that  caused 
 Paul  thus  to  do;  such  as  at  this  day  we  see  in  the  Pope  and 
 his  generation.  But  Paul  had  not  here  his  own  business  in  hand, 
 but  a  matter  of  faith.  Now,  as  concerning  faith  we  ought  to  be 
 invincible,  and  more  hard,  if  it  might  be,  than  the  adamant 
 stone;  but  as  touching  charity,  we  ought  to  be  soft,  and  more 
 flexible  than  the  reed  or  leaf  that  is  shaken  with  the  wind,  and 
 ready  to  yield  to  every  thing;  therefore,  the  controversy  was 
 not  here  touching  the  glory  of  Paul,  but  the  glory  of  God,  the 
 word  of  (jod,  the  true  worship  of  God,  true  religion,  and  the 
 righteousness  of  faith,  to  the  end  that  these  things  might  still 
 remain  pure  and  uncorrupt. 
 
 Verse  9.  And  when  James,  and  Cephas,  and  John,  knew  of  the  grace  that 
 was  given  unto  me,  which  are  counted  to  be  pillars,  they  gave  to  me,  and 
 to  Barnabas,  the  right-hands  of  fellowship,  that  we  should  preach  unto  tho 
 Gentiles,  and  they  unto  the  circumcision. 
 
 That  is  to  say,  when  they  heard  that  I  had  received  my  call- 
 ing and  charge  from  God,  to  preach  the  gospel  among  the  Gen- 
 tiles, and  that  God  had  wrought  so  many  miracles  by  me:  more- 
 over, that  so  great  a  number  of  the  Gentiles  were  come  to  the 
 knowledge  of  Christ  through  my  ministry,  and  that  the  Gentiles 
 had  received  the  Holy  Ghost,  without  the  law  and  circitmcision, 
 by  the  only  preaching  of  faith,  they  glorified  God  for  his  grace 
 which  was  given  unto  me. 
 
 He  calleth  grace  here,  whatsoever  he  had  received  of  God ;  to 
 wit,  that  of  a  persecutor  and  waster  of  the  church  he  was  made 
 an  apostle,  was  taught  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  enriched  with  spirit- 
 ual gifts.  And  here  withal  he  sheweth,  that  Peter  gave  testimony 
 unto  him,  that  he  was  a  true  apostle,  sent  and  taught  not  by 
 himself,  nor  by  the  other  apostles,  but  by  God  alone,  and  not 
 only  acknowledged  the  ministry  and  authority  of  Paul,  and  the 
 gifts  of  the  spirit,  which  were  in  him,  as  heavenly  things,  but 
 also  approved  and  confirmed  the  same,  and  yet  not  as  a  superior 
 and  ruler,  but  as  a  brother  and  witness.  James  and  John  did 
 likewise  the  same.  Wherefore  he  concludeth,  that  they  which 
 m-e  esteemed  for  the  chief  pillars  among  the  apostles,  are  wholly 
 w  ith  him,  and  not  against  him. 
 
 Verse  9.     The  right-hands  of  fellowship. 
 
 As  if  they  should  have  said:  We,  O  Paul,  in  preaching  the 
 
 gospel,  do  agree  with  thee  in  all  things ;  therefore,  in  doctrine 
 
 we  are  companions,  and  have  fellowship  together  therein;  that 
 
 is  to  say,  we  have  all  one  doctrine,  for  we  preach  one  gospel,  one 
 
VER.  9,  10.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  QAI.ATIANS.  77 
 
 baptism,  one  Christ,  and  one  faith.  Wherefore  we  can  teach  or 
 enjoin  thee  nothing,  since  there  is  one  mutual  consent  betwixt 
 us  in  all  things.  For  we  do  not  teach  any  other  or  more  excel- 
 lent things  than  thou  dost ;  but  the  same  gifts  which  we  have, 
 we  see  to  be  in  thee  also,  saving  that  to  thee  is  conimitted  the 
 gospel  over  uncircumcision,  as  the  gospel  over  the  circumcision 
 is  unto  us.  But  we  conclude  here,  that  neither  uncircumcision 
 nor  circumcision  ought  to  hinder  our  society  and  fellowship, 
 since  it  is  but  one  gospel  which  we  both  preach. 
 
 Hitherto  Paul  hath  proved  by  manifest  witness,  not  only  from 
 God,  but  also  from  man,  that  is  to  say,  the  apostles,  that  he  had 
 truly  and  faithftdly  preached  the  gospel ;  therefore  he  sheweth, 
 that  whatsoever  the  false  apostles  said  to  diminish  his  authority, 
 is  but  feigned  and  forged  matter,  and  that  the  testimony  of  the 
 apostles  maketh  for  him,  and  not  for  the  false  apostles.  But  for 
 that  he  is  alone,  and  without  witness,  therefore  he  addetli  an 
 oath,  and  calleth  God  to  record  that  the  things  which  he  hath 
 spoken  are  true. 
 
 Verse  10.     Warning  only  that  we  should  remember  the  poor,  which  thing 
 also  I  was  diligent  to  do. 
 
 After  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  the  office  and  charge  of  a 
 true  and  faithful  pastor  is,  to  be  mindful  of  the  poor.  For  where 
 the  church  is,  there  must  needs  be  poor;  who,  for  the  most  part, 
 are  the  only  true  disciples  of  the  gospel,  as  Christ  saith :  "  The 
 poor  receive  the  glad  tidings  of  the  gospel,"  (Isa.  Ixi.  1.  Matt, 
 xi.  5.  Luke  iv.  26.)  for  the  world  and  the  devil  do  persecute 
 the  church,  and  bring  many  to  poverty,  Avho  are  afterwards  for- 
 saken and  despised  of  the  Avorld.  Moreover,  the  world  not  only 
 offendeth  herein,  but  also  is  careless  for  the  preservation  of  the 
 gospel,  true  religion,  and  the  true  service  of  God.  There  is 
 none  that  will  now  take  any  care  for  the  maintenance  of  the 
 ministers  of  the  church,  and  erecting  of  schools ;  but  for  the 
 erecting  and  establishing  of  false  worship,  superstition,  and  idola- 
 try, no  cost  was  spared,  but  every  man  was  ready  to  give  most 
 liberally  and  largely.  And  hereof  came  so  many  monasteries, 
 so  many  cathedral  churches,  so  many  bishoprics  in  the  Pope's 
 church,  where  all  impiety  reigned,  with  so  great  revenues  pro- 
 vided for  their  sustentation ;  whereas  now  a  whole  city  thinketh 
 much  to  find  one  or  two  poor  ministers  and  preachers  of  the 
 gospel,  which  before,  while  the  Pope  and  all  impiety  reigned, 
 did  sustain  sundry  monasteries  of  monks,  friars,  nuns,  and  whole 
 swarms  of  massing  priests.  To  be  brief,  true  religion  is  ever  in 
 need.  And  Christ  complaineth,  "that  he  is  hungry,  thirsty, 
 harbourless,  naked,  and  sick,"  (Matt.  xxv.  42.)  Contrariwise, 
 false  religion  and  impiety  flourisheth  and  aboundeth  with  all 
 worldly  wealth  and  prosperity.     Wherefore  a  true  and  faithful 
 
 {Mistor  must  have  a  care  of  the  poor  also :  and  this  care  Paul 
 lere  confesseth  that  he  had. 
 
78  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  II. 
 
 Verse  11.     And  when  Peter  was  come   to  Antiochia,  I  withstood  him  to  hii 
 face :  for  he  was  to  be  blamed, 
 
 Paul  goeth  on  still  in  his  confutation,  saying,  "  that  he  not 
 only  hath  for  his  defence  the  testimony  of  Peter,  and  the  other 
 apostles  which  were  at  Jerusalem,  but  also  that  he  withstood 
 Peter,  in  the  presence  of  the  whole  church  of  Antioch."  He 
 sheweth  here  a  matter,  not  done  in  a  corner,  but  in  the  face  of 
 the  whole  church.  For,  as  before  I  have  said,  he  hath  here  no 
 trifling  matter  in  hand,  but  the  chiefest  article  of  all  Christian 
 doctrine.  The  utility  and  majesty  whereof  whoso  rightly  es- 
 teemeth,  to  him  uU  other  things  shall  seem  but  vile  and  nothing 
 worth.  For  what  is  Peter?  What  is  Paul?  What  is  an  angel 
 from  heaven?  What  are  all  other  creatures  to  the  articles  of  jus- 
 tification ?  Which,  if  we  know,  then  are  we  in  clear  light :  but 
 if  we  be  ignorant  thereof,  then  are  we  in  most  miserable  darkness. 
 Wherefore,  if  we  see  this  article  impugned,  or  defaced,  fear  not 
 to  resist  either  Peter  or  an  angel  from  heaven,  following  the 
 example  of  Paul,  who  seeing  the  majesty  of  this  article  to  be  in 
 danger  for  the  dignity  of  Peter,  had  no  regard  of  his  dignity  and 
 estimation,  that  he  might  keep  the  same  pure  and  vmcorrupt. 
 For  it  is  written :  "  He  that  loveth  father  or  mother,  or  his  own 
 life  more  than  me,  is  not  worthy  of  me,"  (Matt.  x.  37.) 
 
 Wherefore  we  are  not  ashamed,  for  the  (lefence  of  the  truth,  to 
 be  counted  and  called  of  the  hypocrites,  proud  and  obstinate,  and 
 such  as  Avill  be  only  wise,  will  hear  none,  will  give  place  to  none. 
 Here  we  must  needs  be  obstinate  and  inflexible.  For  the  cause 
 why  we  offend  man,  that  is  to  say,  tread  doAvn  the  majesty  of  the 
 person  or  of  the  world,  is  so  great,  that  the  sins  which  the  world 
 Judgeth  to  be  most  heinous,  are  counted  singular  virtues  before 
 God.  "  In  that  we  love  our  parents,  honour  the  magistrates, 
 shew  reverence  to  Peter  and  other  ministers  of  the  word,  we  do 
 well."  But  here  we  have  in  hand  the  cause  neither  of  Peter, 
 nor  parents,  nor  magistrates,  nor  of  the  world,  nor  of  any  other 
 creatures,  but  of  God  himself.     Here  if  I  give  no  place  to  my 
 
 Barents,  to  the  magistrate,  or  an  angel  from  heaven,  I  do  well, 
 or  what  is  the  creatm-e  in  respect  of  the  Creator  ?  Yea,  what 
 are  all  creatures,  being  compared  unto  him  ?  Even  as  one  drop 
 of  water  in  respect  of  the  whole  sea.  Why  then  should  I  so 
 highly  esteem  Peter,  which  is  but  a  drop,  and  set  God  aside, 
 which  is  the  whole  sea?  Let  the  drop  therefore  give  place  to 
 the  sea,  and  let  Peter  give  place  unto  God.  This  I  say  to  the 
 end  that  ye  should  diligently  weigh  and  consider  the  matter 
 wherefore  Paul  intreateth :  for  he  intreateth  of  the  word  of 
 God,  which  can  never  be  magnified  enough. 
 
 And  where  he  saith  (to  his  face)  this  clause  maketh  specially 
 against  the  venomous  vipers  and  apostles  of  Satan,  which  slander 
 those  that  are  absent,  and  in  their  presence  dare  not  once  open 
 their  mouths :  as  the  false  apostles  did,  whom  also  here  he  touch* 
 
VER.  U.]  EPISTLK  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  79 
 
 ed  by  the  way:  which  durst  not  speak  evil  of  him  in  his  presence, 
 but  in  his  absence  slandered  him  most  spitefully.  "  So  did  not 
 I  (saith  he)  speak  evil  of  Peter,  bxit  frankly  and  openly  I  with- 
 stood him,  not  of  any  colourable  pretence,  ambition,  or  other  carnal 
 affection,  but  because  he  was  to  be  blamed  and  sharply  reproved." 
 
 Here  let  other  men  debate  whether  an  apostle  may  sin  or  no: 
 this,  say  I,  that  we  ought  not  to  make  Peter's  fault  less  than  it 
 was  indeed. — The  prophets  themselves  have  sometimes  erred 
 and  been  deceived.  Nathan  "of  his  own  spirit  said  unto  David, 
 that  he  should  build  the  house  of  the  Lord,"  (2  Sam.  v4i.  3,  4.) 
 But  this  prophecy  was  by-and-by  after  corrected  by  a  revelation 
 from  God,  "  that  it  should  not  be  David,  because  he  was  a  man  of 
 war  and  had  shed  much  blood,  but  his  son  Solomon,  that  should 
 build  up  the  house  of  the  Lord."  So  did  the  apostles  err  also; 
 for  they  imagined  that  the  kingdom  of  Christ  should  be  carnal 
 and  worldly,  as  we  may  see  in  the  first  of  the  Acts,  when  they 
 asked  of  Christ,  saying,  "  Lord,  wilt  thou  at  this  time  restore  the 
 kingdom  of  Israel?"  (Acts  i.  6.)  and  Peter,  although  he  heard 
 this  commandment  of  Christ:  "  go  into  the  Avhole  world,"  &c. 
 (Matt,  xxviii.)  had  not  gone  unto  Cornelius,  if  he  had  not  been 
 admonished  by  a  vision,  (Acts  x.  10.)  And  in  this  matter  he 
 did  not  only  err,  but  also  committed  a  great  sin;  and  if  Paul 
 had  not  resisted  him,  all  the  Gentiles  wliich  did  believe,  had  been 
 constrained  to  receive  circumcision,  and  to  keep  the  law.  The 
 believing  Jews  also  had  been  confirmed  in  their  opinion;  to  wit, 
 that  the  observation  of  these  things  were  necessary  to  salvation; 
 and  by  this  means  they  had  received  again  the  law  instead  of  the 
 gospel,  Moses  instead  of  Christ.  And  of  all  this  great  enormity 
 and  horrible  sin,  Peter,  by  his  dissimulation,  had  been  the  only 
 occasion.  Therefore  we  may  not  attribute  to  the  saints  such 
 perfection,  as  though  they  could  not  sin. 
 
 Luke  witnessetli  "  that  there  was  such  great  dissension  be- 
 tween Paul  and  Barnabas  (which  were  put  apart  together  for 
 the  ministry  of  the  gospel  among  the  Gentiles,  and  had  travelled 
 through  many  regions  (Acts  xv.  2,  39.)  and  preached  unto  them 
 the  gospel)  that  the  one  departed  from  the  other."  Here  we 
 must  needs  say,  that  there  was  a  fault  either  in  Paul  or  Bar- 
 nabas. And  doubtless  it  could  not  be,  but  that  the  discord  was 
 exceeding  great  which  separated  these  two,  being  joined  toge- 
 ther in  such  a  holy  fellowship,  as  the  text  witnesseth.  Such 
 examples  are  written  for  our  consolation.  For  it  is  a  great  com- 
 fort unto  us,  when  we  hear,  that  even  the  saints,  Avhich  have 
 the  Spirit  of  God,  do  sin.  Which  comfort  they  would  take 
 from  us  which  say,  that  the  saints  do  not  sin. 
 
 Samson,  David,  and  many  other  excellent  men,  full  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  fell  into  great  sins,  (Judges  xvi.  2  Sam.  xi.  15.)  Job  and 
 Jeremy  curse  the  day  of  their  nativity,  (Job  iii.  1 — 12.  Jer. 
 XX.  14.)  Elias  and  Jonas  are  weary  of  their  life,  and  desire  death 
 
80  COMMENTARY  ON  BT.  PAUl.'s  [CHAP.  II, 
 
 (Jonas  iv.)  Such  errors  and  offences  of  the  saints,  the  scripture 
 setteth  forth  to  the  comfort  of  tliose  that  are  afflicted  and  op- 
 pressed with  desperation,  and  to  the  terror  of  the  proud.  No  man 
 hath  so  grievously  fallen  at  any  time,  but  he  may  rise  again.  And 
 on  the  other  side,  no  man  taketh  so  fast  footing,  but  he  may  fall. 
 If  Peter  fell,  I  may  likewise  fall.  If  he  rose  again,  I  may  also 
 rise  again.  And  such  examples  as  these  are,  the  Aveak  hearted 
 and  tender  consciences  ought  to  make  much  of,  that  they  may  the 
 better  understand  what  they  pray  for,  when  they  say,  "  forgive 
 us  our  trespasses;"  and,  "I  believe  the  forgiveness  of  sins."  We 
 have  the  self-same  spirit  of  grace  and  prayer  which  the  apostles 
 and  all  the  saints  had,  neither  had  they  any  prerogative  above  us. 
 We  have  the  same  gifts  which  they  had,  the  same  Christ,  baptism, 
 word,  forgiveness  of  sins;  all  which  they  had  no  less  need  of 
 than  we  have,  and  by  the  same  are  sanctified  and  saved  as  we  be. 
 
 Vkrse  12.     For  before  that  certain  came  from  James,  he  did  eat  with  the 
 
 Gentiles. 
 
 The  Gentiles  which  were  converted  to  the  faith  did  eat  meats 
 forbidden  by  the  law,  and  Peter  being  conversant  with  the  Gen- 
 tiles which  were  converted,  did  eat  with  them,  and  drank  wine 
 also,  which  was  forbidden,  knowing  that  herein  he  did  well,  and 
 therefore  boldly  transgressed  the  law  with  the  Gentiles.  Paul 
 confesseth  that  he  also  did  the  like,  when  he  saith,  "  that  he  be- 
 came as  a  Jew  to  the  Jews,  and  to  them  that  were  without  law, 
 as  though  he  were  without  law:"  that  is  to  say,  with  the  Gen- 
 tiles he  did  eat  and  drink  like  a  Gentile,  and  kept  no  law  at  all: 
 with  the  Jews,  according  to  the  law,  he  abstained  from  all  things 
 forbidden  in  the  law:  for  he  laboured  "to  serve  and  please  all 
 men,  that  he  might  gain  all,"  (1  Cor.  ix.  19,  20,  21.)  Where- 
 fore Peter,  in  eating  and  drinking  with  the  Gentiles,  sinned  not, 
 but  did  well,  and  knew  that  it  was  lawful  for  him  so  to  do.  For 
 he  shewed  by  this  transgression  that  the  law  was  not  necessary  to 
 righteousness,  and  also  delivered  the  Gentiles  from  the  observa- 
 tion of  the  law.  For  if  it  were  lawful  for  Peter  in  one  thing  to 
 break  the  law,  it  was  lawful  for  him  to  break  it  in  all  things. 
 And  Paul  doth  not  here  reprove  Peter  for  his  transgression,  but 
 for  his  dissimulation  as  followeth. 
 
 Verse  12.     But  when  they  were  come,  he  withdrew  and  separated  himself, 
 fearing  them  which  were  of  the  circumcision. 
 
 Here,  then,  ye  see  Peter's  offence,  as  Paul  plainly  setteth  it 
 forth.  Paul  accuseth  him  not  of  malice  or  ignorance,  btit  of 
 dissimulation  and  infirmity,  in  that  he  abstained  from  meats  for- 
 bidden in  the  law,  fearing  lest  the  Jews  which  came  from  James 
 should  be  offended  thereby,  and  had  more  respect  to  the  Jews 
 than  to  the  Gentiles.  Hereby  he  gave  occasion,  as  much  as  in 
 him  was,  to  overthrow  the  Christian  liberty  and  truth  of  tlie 
 
VER.  12.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  81 
 
 gospel.  For  in  that  he  did  withdraw,  and  utterly  separate  him- 
 self, abstaining"  from  meats  forbidden  in  the  law  (which  notwith- 
 standing he  had  eaten  of  before)  he  ministered  a  scruple  of  con- 
 science to  the  faithful,  thus  to  gather  upon  his  example:  Peter 
 abstained  from  meats  forbidden  in  the  law ;  therefore  he  that 
 eateth  meats  forbidden  in  the  law,  sinneth  and  transgresseth  the 
 laAv;  but  he  that  abstaineth  is  righteous  and  keepeth  the  law, 
 for  else  would  not  Peter  have  withdrawn  himself;  but  because 
 he  did  so,  and  of  purpose  reftiseth  those  meats  which  before  he 
 did  eat,  it  is  a  sure  argument  that  such  as  eat  against  the  law  do 
 sin,  and  such  as  abstain  from  meats  which  the  law  forbiddeth, 
 do  keep  the  law,  and  are  justified  thereby. 
 
 Here  note,  that  the  end  of  this  fact  of  Peter,  is  reproved  of 
 Paul,  and  not  the  fact  itself:  for  the  fact  in  itself  was  not  evil. 
 To  eat  and  drink,  or  not  to  eat  or  drink,  is  nothing :  but  the 
 end,  that  is:  "if  thou  eat  thou  sinnest:  if  thou  abstain,  thou 
 art  righteous,"  is  evil.  So  circumcision  of  itself  is  good,  but  the 
 end  is  evil:  if  thou  be  not  circumcised  after  the  law  of  Moses, 
 thou  canst  not  be  saved.  Also  to  eat  meats  prohibited  in  the 
 law,  is  not  evil;  but  this  shrinking  and  dissimulation  of  Peter 
 is  evil.  For  it  might  be  said,  Peter  abstaineth  from  meats  for- 
 bidden in  the  law,  Avherefore  if  thou  dost  not  likewise  abstain, 
 thou  canst  not  be  saved.  This  Paul  might  in  no  wise  dissemble ; 
 for  the  truth  of  the  gospel  was  here  in  danger.  To  the  end 
 therefore  that  this  truth  might  continue  sound  and  uncorrupt, 
 he  resisted  Peter  to  his  face. 
 
 And  here  we  must  make  a  distinction.  For  meats  may  be  re- 
 vised two  manner  of  ways,  (1  Cor.  ix.)  first,  for  Christian  charity 
 sake.  And  herein  there  is  no  danger;  for  to  bear  Avith  the  in- 
 firmity of  my  brother,  it  is  good.  So  Paul  himself  both  bid  and 
 taught.  Secondly,  by  abstauiing  from  them  to  obtain  righteous- 
 ness, and  for  not  abstaining,  to  sin,  and  to  be  damned.  Here 
 accursed  be  charity,  with  all  the  service  and  works  of  charity 
 whatsoever.  For  thus  to  refrain  from  meats,  is  to  deny  Christ, 
 to  tread  his  body  under  our  feet,  to  blaspheme  the  Holy  Ghost, 
 and  to  despise  all  holy  things.  Wherefore,  if  we  must  lose  the 
 one,  let  us  rather  lose  man,  our  friend  and  brother,  than  God 
 our  father.  For  if  we  lose  God  our  father,  man  our  friend 
 and  brother  cannot  continue. 
 
 Jerome,  who  neither  understood  this  place,  nor  the  whole  epistle 
 besides,  thinketh  this  to  be  but  a  feigned  reprehension  of  Paul, 
 and  therefore  he  excuseth  Peter's  fall,  saying,  "that  it  was  done 
 by  ignorance."  But  Peter  offended  through  dissimulation,  and 
 thereby  had  established  the  necessity  of  the  law,  had  constrained 
 both  Gentiles  and  Jews  to  revolt  from  the  truth  of  the  gospel, 
 had  given  them  great  occasion  to  forsake  Christ,  to  despise  grace, 
 to  return  to  the  Jewish  religion,  and  to  bear  all  the  burdens  of 
 the  law,  if  Paul  had  not  reproved  him,  and  by  that  means  re- 
 
82  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL'S  fCIIAl'.  II. 
 
 yoked  the  Gentiles  and  Jews,  which  were  offended  through  this 
 example  of  Peter,  to  the  liberty  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  and 
 to  the  truth  of  the  gospel.  Wherefore,  if  a  man  would  here  set 
 forth  and  amplify  Peter's  offence,  it  should  appear  to  be  very 
 great,  and  yet  was  it  not  done  by  malice  or  ignorance,  but  by 
 occasion  and  fear  only.  Thus  we  see  what  niins  may  come 
 by  one  man's  fall  and  offence,  if  it  be  not  well  seen  to  and  cor- 
 rected in  time.  Wherefore,  we  may  not  trifle  with  this  article 
 of  justification;  neither  is  it  without  good  cause,  that  we  do  so 
 often  and  so  diligently  put  you  in  mind  thereof. 
 
 And  it  is  much  to  be  marvelled,  that  Peter  being  such  an  ex- 
 cellent apostle,  should  thus  do;  who  before,  in  the  councd  at 
 Jerusalem,  stood  in  a  manner  alone  in  defence  of  this  article, 
 and  prevailed  therein,  namely,  that  salvation  cometh  by  faith 
 without  thelaw,  (Acts  xv.) — He  that  before  did  so  constantly  de- 
 fend the  truth  and  liberty  of  the  gospel,  now  by  his  fall  in  ab- 
 staining from  meats  forbidden  in  the  law,  is  not  only  the  cause 
 of  great  offence,  but  also  offendeth  against  his  own  decree. 
 "Wherefore  let  him  which  thinketh  he  standeth,  take  heed 
 lest  he  fall."  (1  Cor.  x.  12.)  No  man  would  think  what  danger 
 there  is  in  traditions  and  ceremonies:  which  notwithstanding 
 we  cannot  want.  What  is  more  necessary  than  the  law  and  the 
 works  thereof?  and  yet  there  is  great  danger,  lest  by  the  same 
 men  be  brought  to  the  denial  of  Christ.  For  of  the  law  cometh 
 oftentimes  a  trust  and  affiance  in  works,  and  where  that  is,  there 
 can  be  no  trust  in  Christ.  Christ  therefore  is  soon  denied  and 
 soon  lost,  as  we  may  see  in  Peter,  who  knew  this  article  of  justifi- 
 cation better  than  we  do;  and  yet  how  easily  should  we  have  given 
 occasion  of  such  a  horrible  ruin,  if  Paul  had  not  withstood  him, 
 that  all  the  Gentiles  should  thereby  have  fallen  away  from  the 
 preaching  of  Paul,  and  by  this  means  should  have  lost  the  gospel 
 and  Christ  himself?  And  this  should  have  been  done  under  a 
 holy  pretence.  For  they  might  have  said:  Patd,  hitherto  thou 
 hast  taught  us  that  we  must  be  justified  by  grace  without  the 
 law;  thou  seest  now  that  Peter  doth  the  contrary:  for  he  ab- 
 staineth  from  meats  forbidden  in  the  law,  and  hereby  he  teach- 
 eth  us  that  we  cannot  be  saved,  except  we  receive  circumcision 
 and  observe  the  law. 
 
 Verse  13.     And  the  other  Jews  dissembled  likewise  with  him,  insomuch  that 
 Barnabas  was  brought  into  their  dissimulation  also. 
 
 Here  you  may  plainly  see  that  Paul  chargeth  Peter  with  dis- 
 simulation. If  Peter  dissembled,  then  did  he  certainly  know 
 what  was  the  truth,  and  what  was  not.  He  that  dissembleth, 
 sinneth  not  of  ignorance,  but  deceiveth  by  a  colour  which  he 
 knoweth  himself  to  be  false.  "  And  others,"  saith  he,  "  dis- 
 sembled likewise  with  Peter,  insomuch  that  Barnabas  also,  (who 
 was  Paul's  companion,  and  had  now  a  long  time  preached  amotjg 
 
VER.  i3.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS  8S 
 
 the  Gentiles,  faith  in  Christ,  without  the  law,  together  with 
 Paul)  was  brought  into  their  dissimulation."  Ye  have  here  then 
 Peter's  offence  plainly  described  to  be  mere  dissimulation,  which 
 afterwards  had  been  an  occasion  of  the  ruin  of  the  gospel  then 
 newly  received,  if  Paul  had  not  resisted  him. 
 
 And  this  is  a  wonderful  matter,  that  God  preserved  the  church, 
 being  yet  but  young,  and  the  gospel  itself,  by  one  only  person. 
 Paul  alone  standeth  to  the  truth:  for  he  had  lost  Barnabas  his 
 companion,  and  Peter  was  against  him.  So  sometimes  one  man 
 is  able  to  do  more  in  a  council  than  the  whole  council  besides. 
 Which  things  the  Papists  themselves  do  witness.  And  for  ex- 
 ample, they  allege  Paphnutius,  who  withstood  the  whole  council 
 of  Nice,  (Avhich  was  the  best  of  all  that  were  after  the  council 
 of  the  apostles  at  Jerusalem,)  and  prevailed  against  it. 
 
 This  I  say,  to  the  end  that  we  should  diligently  learn  the  ar- 
 ticle of  justification,  and  make  a  plain  difference  between  the  law 
 and  the  gospel,  and  that,  in  this  matter,  we  should  do  nothing 
 by  dissimulation,  or  give  place  to  any  man,  if  we  will  retain  the 
 truth  of  the  gospel,  and  faith  sound  and  uncorrupt:  which,  as  I 
 have  said,  are  soon  hurt.  Wherefore  in  this  case,  away  with 
 reason,  Avhich  is  an  enemy  to  faith :  which  also  in  temptations  of 
 sin  and  death,  leaneth  not  to  the  righteousness  of  faith,  (for 
 thereof  it  is  utterly  ignorant)  but  to  her  own  righteousness,  or, 
 at  the  least,  to  the  righteousness  of  the  law.  Now,  as  soon  as 
 the  law  and  reason  join  together,  faith  looseth  her  virginity:  for 
 nothing  fighteth  more  strongly  against  faith,  than  the  laAv  and 
 reason.  And  these  two  enemies  cannot  be  conquered,  but  with 
 great  labour  and  difficulty ;  which  we  must  conquer  notwith- 
 standing, if  we  will  be  saved. 
 
 Wherefore,  Avhen  thy  conscience  is  terrified  with  the  law,  and 
 wrestleth  with  the  judgment  of  God,  ask  counsel  neither  of  rea- 
 son nor  of  the  law,  but  rest  only  upon  grace  and  the  word  of  con- 
 solation, and  so  stand  herein,  as  if  thou  hadst  never  heard  any 
 thing  of  the  law,  ascending  up  to  the  glass  of  faith,  where  nei- 
 ther the  law  nor  reason  do  shine,  but  only  the  light  of  faith, 
 which  assureth  us  that  we  are  saved  by  Christ  alone,  without 
 any  law.  Thus  the  gospel  leadcth  us  beyond  and  above  the 
 light  of  the  law  and  reason,  into  the  deep  secrets  of  faith,  where 
 the  law  and  reason  have  nothing  to  do.  Notwithstanding  we 
 must  hearken  also  unto  the  law,  but  in  place  and  time.  Moses, 
 while  he  was  in  the  mountain  where  he  talked  with  God  face  to 
 face,  had  no  law,  made  no  law,  ministered  no  law.  But  when 
 he  was  come  down  from  the  mountain,  he  was  a  law-giver,  and 
 governed  the  people  by  the  law.  So  the  conscience  must  be  free 
 from  the  law,  but  the  body  must  be  obedient  to  the  law. 
 
 Hereby  it  appeareth  that  Paul  reproved  Peter  for  no  light 
 matter,  but  for  the  chiefest  article  of  all  Christian  doctrine, 
 Avhich,  by  Peter's  dissimulation,  was  in  great  danger.  For  Bar- 
 
84  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.   II, 
 
 nabas  and  the  other  Jews  dissembled  together  with  him,  which 
 did  all  offend,  not  through  ignorance  or  malice,  but  for  tear  of 
 the  Jews:  whereby  their  hearts  were  so  blinded,  that  they  did 
 not  see  their  sin.  And  certainly  it  is  much  to  be  marvelled,  that 
 such  excellent  men  as  Peter,  Barnabas,  and  others,  should  so 
 suddenly  and  so  lightly  fall,  especially  in  that  thing  which  they 
 knew  to  be  well  done,  and  had  also  before  tau§^t  unto  others. 
 It  is  a  perilous  thing,  therefore,  to  trust  to  oui*  own  strength,  be 
 we  never  so  holy,  never  so  well  learned,  and  although  we  think 
 ourselves  never  so  sure  of  that  we  know:  for  in  that  whereof  we 
 think  ourselves  most  sure,  we  may  err  and  fall,  and  bring 
 ourselves  and  others  into  great  danger.  Let  us  therefore  dili- 
 gently, and  with  all  humihty,  exercise  ourselves  in  the  study  of 
 the  holy  scriptui'es,  and  let  us  heartily  pray  that  we  never  lose 
 the  truth  of  the  gospel 
 
 Thus  we  see,  then,  that  we  are  nothing  with  all  our  gifts,  be 
 they  never  so  great,  except  God  assist  us.  When  he  leaveth  us 
 to  ourselves,  our  wisdom  and  knowledge  is  nothing.  For,  in  the 
 hour  of  temptation,  it  may  suddenly  come  to  pass,  that,  by  the 
 subtilty  of  the  devil,  all  the  comfortable  places  of  the  scriptm'o 
 shall  be  taken  out  of  our  sight,  and  such  places  only  as  contain 
 threatenings,  shall  be  set  before  our  eyes,  which  shall  oppress  us 
 and  utterly  confound  us.  Let  us  learn  therefore,  that,  if  God 
 withdraw  his  hand,  we  may  soon  be  overthrown;  and  let  no 
 man  glory  of  his  own  righteousness,  wisdom,  and  other  gifts ; 
 but  let  him  humble  himself,  and  pray  with  the  apostles,  "  Lord, 
 increase  our  faith  !"  (Luke  xvii.  5.) 
 
 Verse  14.      But  when  I  saw  that  they  went  not  the  right  way  to  the  truth  of 
 
 the  gospel. 
 
 This  is  a  wonderful  example  of  such  excellent  men  and  pillars 
 of  the  church.  There  is  none  but  Paul  that  hath  his  eyes  open, 
 and  seeth  the  offence  of  Peter,  of  Barnabas,  and  the  other  Jews 
 which  dissembled  with  Peter.  On  the  other  side,  they  do  not  see 
 their  own  offence :  nay,  they  rather  think  that  they  do  well  in 
 bearing  Avith  the  infirmity  of  the  weak  Jews.  Wherefore  it  was 
 very  necessary  that  Paul  should  reprove  their  offence,  and  not 
 dissemble  it,  and  therefore  he  accuseth  Peter,  Barnabas,  and 
 others,  that  they  went  not  the  right  way  to  the  truth  of  the  gos- 
 pel: that  is  to  say,  they  swerved  from  the  truth  of  the  gospel.  It 
 IS  a  great  matter  that  Peter  should  be  accused  of  Paul  as  one  that 
 was  fallen  from  the  truth  of  the  gospel.  He  could  not  be  more 
 grievously  reprehended.  Yet  he  suffered  it  patiently ;  and,  no 
 doubt,  but  he  gladly  acknowledged  his  offence.  I  said  before, 
 that  many  have  the  gospel,  but  not  the  truth  of  the  gospel.  So 
 Paul  saith  here,  that  Peter,  Barnabas,  and  other  of  the  Jews, 
 "went  not  the  right  way  to  the  truth  of  the  gospel:"  that  is  to 
 say,  they  had  the  gospel,  but  they  Avalked  not  uprightly  accord- 
 ing to  the  gospel.     For  albeit  they  preached  the  gospel,  yet, 
 
VF.n.  14. j  EFISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  85 
 
 through  theu*  dissimulation,  (which  could  not  stand  with  the 
 truth  of  the  gospel)  they  established  the  law:  hut  the  establish- 
 ing of  the  law  is  the  abolishing  of  the  gospel. 
 
 Whoso  then  can  rightly  judge  between  the  law  and  the  gos- 
 pel, let  him  thank  God,  and  know  that  he  is  a  right  divine  In 
 the  time  of  temptation,  I  confess  that  I  myself  do  not  know  how- 
 to  do  it  as  I  ought.  Now  the  way  to  discern  the  one  from  the 
 other,  is  It)  place  the  gospel  in  heaven,  and  the  law  on  the  earth; 
 to  call  the  i  ighteousness  of  the  gospel  heavenly,  and  the  righteous- 
 ness of  tb(;  law  earthly,  and  to  put  as  great  difference  between 
 the  righteousness  of  the  gospel  and  of  the  law,  as  God  hath  made 
 between  heaven  and  earth,  between  light  and  darkness,  between 
 day  and  night.  Let  the  one  be  as  the  light  and  the  day,  and 
 the  other  as  the  darkness  and  the  night.  And  would  to  God 
 we  could  yet  further  separate  the  one  from  the  other!  Where- 
 fore, if  the  question  be  concerning  the  matter  of  faith  or  con- 
 science, let  us  utterly  exclude  the  law,  and  leave  it  on  the  earth; 
 but,  if  we  have  to  do  with  works,  then  let  us  lighten  the  lan- 
 tern ol  works  and  of  the  righteousness  of  the  law.  So  let  the 
 sun  and  the  inestimable  light  of  the  gospel  and  grace  shine  in 
 the  day,  and  the  lantern  of  the  law  m  the  night.  Wherefore, 
 if  thy  conscience  be  terrified  with  the  sense  and  feeling  of  sin, 
 think  thus  with  thyself:  Thou  art  noAV  remaining  upon  earth: 
 there  let  the  ass  labour  and  travel;  there  let  him  serve  and  carry 
 the  biu-den  that  is  laid  upon  him;  that  is  to  say,  let  the  body 
 with  his  members  be  subject  to  the  law.  But  when  thou 
 mountest  up  into  heaven,  then  leave  the  ass  with  his  burden  on 
 the  earth;  for  the  conscience  hath  nothing  to  do  with  the  law, 
 or  works,  or  with  the  eartlily  righteousness.  So  doth  the  ass 
 remain  in  the  valley,  but  the  conscience  ascendeth  with  Isaac 
 into  the  mountain,  knoAving  nothing  at  all  of  the  law  or  works 
 thereof,  but  only  looking  to  the  remission  of  sins  and  pure 
 righteousness  offered  and  freely  given  unto  us  in  Christ. 
 
 Contrariwise  in  civil  policy,  obedience  to  the  law  must  be  se- 
 verely required.  TTiere  nothing  must  be  knoAvn  as  concerning 
 the  gospel,  conscience,  grace,  remission  of  sins,  heavenly  righ- 
 teousness, or  Christ  himself,  but  Moses  only,  with  the  law  and 
 the  works  thereof.  If  we  mark  well  this  distinction,  neither  the 
 one  nor  the  other  shall  pass  his  bounds,  but  the  law  shall  abide 
 without  heaven,  that  is,  without  the  heart  and  conscience;  and 
 contrariwise,  the  liberty  of  the  gospel  shall  abide  without  the 
 earth;  that  is  to  say,  Avithout  the  body  and  members  thereof. 
 Now  therefore,  as  soon  as  the  law  and  sin  come  into  heaven, 
 (that  is,  into  the  conscience)  let  them  by-and-by  be  cast  out.  For 
 the  conscience,  being  feared  with  the  terror  of  the  wrath  and 
 iudgment  of  God,  ought  to  know  nothing  of  the  law  and  sin,  hut 
 of  Christ  only.  And  on  the  other  side,  when  grace  and  liberty 
 come  into  the  earth,  (that  is,  into  the  body,)  then  say:  thou 
 
86  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  H. 
 
 oughtest  not  to  dwell  in  the  dregs  and  dunghill  of  this  corporeal 
 life,  but  thou  belongest  unto  heaven. 
 
 This  distinction  of  the  law  and  the  gospel,  Peter  confoundeth 
 through  his  dissimulation,  and  thereby  persuaded  the  believing 
 Jews,  that  they  must  be  justified  by  the  gospel  and  the  law  to- 
 gether.   This  might  not  Paul  suffer,  and  therefore  he  reproved 
 Peter,  not  to  put  him  to  any  reproach,  but  to  the  end  that  he 
 might  again  establish  a  plain  difference  between  these  two, 
 namely,  that  the  gospel  justifieth  in  heaven,  and  the  law  on  earth. 
 jThe  Pope  hath  not  only  mixed  the  law  with  the  gospel,  but  also 
 I  of  the  gospel  hath  made  mere  laws,  yea,  and  such  as  are  cere- 
 '  monial  only.    He  hath  also  confounded  and  mixed  political  and 
 ecclesiastical  matters  together;  which  is  a  devilish  and  hellish 
 confusion. 
 
 This  place,  touching  the  difference  between  the  law  and  the 
 gospel,  is  very  necessary  to  be  known,  for  it  containeth  the  sum  of 
 all  Christian  doctrine.  Wherefore,  let  all  that  love  and  fear  God, 
 diligently  learn  to  discern  the  one  from  the  other,  not  only  in 
 Avords,  but  in  deed  and  in  practice;  that  is  to  say,  in  heart  and 
 conscience.  For,  as  touching  the  words,  the  distinction  is  easy: 
 but  in  time  of  temptation,  thou  shalt  find  the  gospel  but  as  a 
 stranger  and  a  rare  guest  in  thy  conscience ;  but  the  law,  contra- 
 riwise, thou  shalt  find  a  familiar  and  a  continual  dweller  within 
 thee  :  for  reason  hath  the  knowledge  of  the  law  naturally. 
 Wherefore,  Avhen  thy  conscience  is  terrified  with  sin,  which  the 
 law  uttereth  and  increaseth,  then  say  thou:  there  is  a  time  to 
 die,  and  a  time  to  live;  there  is  a  time  to  hear  the  law,  and  a 
 time  to  despise  the  law;  there  is  a  time  to  hear  the  gospel,  and 
 there  is  a  time  to  be  ignorant  of  the  gospel.  Let  the  law  now 
 depart,  and  let  the  gospel  come:  for  there  is  now  no  time  to  hear 
 the  law,  but  the  gospel.  But  thou  hast  done  no  good:  nay, 
 thou  hast  done  wickedly,  and  hast  grievously  sinned.  I  grant, 
 notwithstanding,  I  have  remission  of  all  my  sins  for  Christ's  sake. 
 But  out  of  the  conflict  of  conscience,  when  external  duties  must 
 be  done,  there  is  no  time  to  hearken  to  the  gospel:  then  must 
 thou  folloAv  thy  vocation,  and  the  works  thereof. 
 
 Verse  14,    I  said  unto  Peter  openly,  if  thou,  being  a  Jew,  live«t  as  the  Gen 
 tiles,  and  not  as  the  Jews,  why  constrainest  thou  the  Gentiles  to  do  like 
 the  Jews? 
 
 That  is,  to  wit,  thou  art  a  Jew,  and  therefore  thou  art  bound 
 xo  live  like  a  Jew;  that  is,  to  abstain  from  meats  forbidden  in 
 the  law.  Notwithstanding  thou  livest  like  a  Gentile :  that  is  to 
 say,  thou  dost  contrary  to  the  law,  and  transgressest  the  law. 
 For,  as  a  Gentile,  which  is  free  from  the  law,  thou  eatest  com- 
 mon and  unclean  meats,  and  therein  thou  dost  well.  But  in  that 
 thou,  being  afraid  at  the  presence  of  the  brethren  converted  from 
 the  Jewish  religion,  abstainest  from  meats  forbidder  in  the  law. 
 
VER.   14.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  87 
 
 ar.d  keepest  the  law,  thou  compellest  the  Jews  likewise  to  keep 
 the  law:  that  is,  thou  constrainest  them,  of  necessity,  to  observe 
 the  law.  For  in  that  thou  abstainest  from  profane  meats,  thou 
 givest  occasion  to  the  Gentiles  thus  to  think:  Peter  abstaineth 
 from  those  meats  which  the  Gentiles  use  to  eat,  which  also  he 
 himself  before  did  eat;  therefore  we  ought  likewise  to  avoid  the 
 same,  and  to  live  after  the  manner  of  the  Jews;  otherwise  we 
 cannot  be  justified  or  saved.  We  see  then  that  Paul  reproveth,, 
 not  ignoj  ance  in  Peter,  (for  he  knew  that  he  might  freely  eat  with 
 the  Genwies  all  manner  of  meats)  but  dissimulation,  whereby  he 
 comp«  lletn.  the  Gentiles  to  live  like  the  Jews. 
 
 H«i  a  1  sny  again,  that  to  live  as  the  Jew,  is  not  evil  of  itself, 
 for  it  is  a  thing  indifferent,  either  to  cat  swine's  flesh,  or  any 
 .'.jlirr  meats.  But  so  to  play  the  Jew,  that  for  conscience  sake 
 thou  abstainest  from  certain  meats,  this  is  to  deny  Christ,  and 
 to  overthrow  the  gospel.  Therefore,  when  Paul  saw  that  Peter's 
 act  tended  to  this  end,  he  withstood  him,  and  said,  "  Thou 
 knowest  that  the  keeping  of  the  law  is  not  necessary  to  righteous- 
 ness, but  that  we  are  justified  only  through  faith  in  Christ,  and 
 therefore  thou  keepest  not  the  law,  but  transgressest  the  law,  and 
 eatest  all  manner  of  meats.  Notwithstanding  by  thy  example 
 thou  constrainest  the  Gentiles  to  forsake  Christ,  and  to  return  to 
 the  law."  For  thou  givest  them  occasion  thus  to  think :  faith 
 only  is  not  sufficient  to  righteousness,  but  the  law  and  works  are 
 also  required;  and  this  Peter  teacheth  us  by  his  example: 
 therefore  the  observation  of  the  law  must  needs  be  joined  with 
 faith  in  Christ,  if  we  will  be  saved.  Wherefore  Peter,  by  his 
 example,  is  not  only  prejudicial  to  the  purity  of  doctrine,  but 
 also  to  the  truth  of  faith  and  Christian  righteousness.  For  t/ie 
 Gentiles  received  this  of  him,  that  the  keeping  of  the  law  Avas 
 ■lecessary  to  righteousness;  which  error,  in  case  it  be  admitted, 
 then  doth  Christ  profit  lis  nothing  at  all. 
 
 Hereby  it  plainly  appeareth  to  what  end  this  discord  between 
 Paul  and  Peter  tendeth.  Paul  doth  nothing  by  dissimulation, 
 but  dealeth  sincerely,  and  goeth  plainly  to  work;  Peter  dissem- 
 bleth,  but  his  dissimulation  Paul  reproveth.  The  controversy 
 was  for  the  maintenance  of  pure  doctrine,  and  the  yerity  of  the 
 gospel:  and  in  this  quarrel  Paul  did  not  care  for  the  offence  of 
 an)\  In  this  case,  all  people  and  nations,  all  kings  and  princes, 
 all  judges  and  magistrates  ought  to  give  place.  Since  then  it  is 
 so  dangerous  a  thing  to  have  to  do  with  the  law,  and  that  this 
 fall  was  so  sudden  and  so  great,  as  it  had  been  from  heaven 
 above,  even  down  into  hell,  let  every  Christian  diligently  learn  to 
 discern  between  the  law  and  the  gospel.  Letjnmjuffer_the  law 
 to  ride  over  the  bo£ly.JJi.d  the  members  thereof  but  not  over  the 
 conscience.  For  that  queen  and  spouse  may  not  be  defiled  with 
 Che  law,  but  must  be  kept  without  spot  for  her  only  husband 
 Christ,  as  Paul  saith,  (2  Cor.  xi.  2.)  "  I  have  espoused  you  to  one 
 
88  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP,  II. 
 
 husband,  &c."  Let  the  conscience  have  her  bride-chamber,  not 
 in  the  low  valley,  but  in  the  high  mountain;  in  the  which  let 
 Christ  lie,  and  there  rule  and  reign,  who  doth  not  terrify  and 
 afflict  sinners,  but  comforteth  them,  pardoneth  their  sins,  and 
 saveth  them.  Wherefore  let  the  afflicted  conscience  think  upon 
 nothing,  know  nothing,  set  nothing  against  the  judgment  of 
 God,  but  the  word  of  Christ,  which  is  the  word  of  grace,  of 
 remission  of  sins,  of  salvation  and  everlasting  life.  But  this  to 
 perform  indeed,  is  a  hard  matter.  For  man's  reason  and  natm-e 
 cannot  stedfastly  cleave  unto  Christ,  but  oftentimes  it  is  carried 
 away  with  the  cogitations  of  the  law  and  sin,  and  so  always 
 seeketh  to  be  at  liberty  after  the  flesh,  but  according  to  con- 
 science, a  servant  and  slave. 
 
 Verse  15.     V/e  which  are  Jews  by  nature,  and  not  sinners  of  the  Gentiles. 
 
 That  is  to  say,  we  are  born  unto  the  righteousness  of  the  law, 
 to  Moses,  and  to  circimicision,  and  even  in  our  birth  we  bring  the 
 law  with  us.  We  have  the  righteousness  of  the  law  by  nature, 
 as  Paul  before  saith  of  himself  in  the  first  chapter:  "being 
 zealous  of  the  traditions"  of  the  fathers.  Wherefore,  if  we  be 
 compared  with  the  Gentiles,  we  are  no  sinners;  Ave  are  not  with- 
 out the  law,  and  without  Avorks,  like  unto  the  Gentiles :  but  we' 
 *re  Jews  born,  we  are  born  righteous,  and  brought  up  in  righ- 
 teousness. Our  righteousness  beginneth  even  with  our  birth;  for 
 che  Jewish  religion  is  natural  unto  us.  "  For  God  commanded 
 Abraham  to  circumcise  every  man-child  the  eighth  day,"  (Gen. 
 xvii.  10.)  This  laAv  of  circumcision,  received  from  the  fathers, 
 Moses  afterwards  confirmed.  It  is  a  gi'eat  matter,  therefore,  that 
 we  are  Jews  by  nature.  NotAvithstanding,  although  we  have 
 this  prerogative,  that  we  are  righteous  by  nature,  born  to  the 
 law,  and  the  works  thereof,  and  are  not  sinners  as  the  Gentiles, 
 yet  are  Ave  not  therefore  righteous  before  God. 
 
 Hereby  it  is  evident  that  Paul  speaketh  not  of  ceremonies  or 
 of  the  ceremonial  laAV,  as  some  do  affirm,  but  of  a  far  weightier 
 matter,  namely,  of  the  nativity  of  the  Jews,  Avhom  he  denieth  to 
 be  righteous,  although  they  be  born  holy,  be  circumcised,  keep 
 the  law,  have  the  adoption,  the  glory,  the  covenant,  the  fathers, 
 the  true  Avorship,  God,  Christ,  the  promises,  live  in  them  and 
 glory  in  the  same;  as  they  say,  (John  viii.)  "we  are  the  seed 
 of  Abraham."  Also,  "  Ave  have  one  father,  which  is  God.'* 
 And  to  the  Romans,  (chap.  ii.  17,)  "behold  thou  art  called  ;i 
 JeAv,  and  restest  in  the  laAv,"  &c.  Wherefore,  although  Peter 
 and  the  other  apostles  Avere  the  children  of  God,  righteous  ac- 
 cording to  the  laAv,  the  Avorks  and  the  righteousness  thereof, 
 circumcision,  the  adoption,  the  covenants,  the  promises,  the 
 apostleship,  &c.  yet  Christian  righteousness  cometh  not  thereby: 
 for  none  of  all  these  is  faith  in  Christ,  which  only  (as  folio Aveth 
 ill  the  text)  justifieth,  and  not  the  law:  not  that  the  law  is  evil 
 
VEIL   15,  10  ]  EI'ISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  89 
 
 or  damnable,  for  the  law,  circumcision,  and  such  like,  are  not 
 therefore  condemned  because  they  justify  not:  but  Paul  there- 
 fore taketh  from  them  the  office  of  justification,  because  the 
 false  apostles  contended  that  by  them,  without  faith,  and  only 
 by  the  work  wrought,  men  are  justified  and  saved.  This  was 
 not  to  be  suffered  of  Paul;  for  without  faith  all  things  are 
 deadly.  The  law,  circumcision,  the  adoption,  the  temple,  the 
 worship  of  God,  the  promises,  yea,  God  and  Christ  himself, 
 without  faith,  profiteth  nothing.  Paul  therefore  speaketh  ge- 
 nerally against  all  things  which  are  contrary  to  faith,  and  not 
 against  ceremonies  only. 
 
 Verse  16.     Know  that  a  man  is  not  justified  by  the  works  of  the  law,  but  by 
 the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ. 
 
 This  word  [the  work  of  the  law]  reacheth  far,  and  compre- 
 hendeth  much.  We  take  the  work  of  the  law  therefore  gene- 
 rally for  that  which  is  contrary  to  grace.  Whatsoever  is  not 
 grace,  is  the  law,  whether  it  be  judicial,  ceremonial,  or  the  ten 
 commandments.  Wherefore,  if  thou  couldst  do  the  works  of 
 the  law  according  to  this  commandment:  "  Thou  shalt  love  the 
 Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,"  &c.  (which  no  man  yet  ever 
 did  or  could  do)  yet  thou  shouldst  not  be  justified  before  God* 
 for  a  man  is  not  justified  by  the  works  of  the  law.  But  hereof 
 we  will  speak  more  largely  hereafter. 
 
 The  work  of  the  law,  then,  according  to  Paul,  signifleth  the 
 work  of  the  whole  law,  whether  it  be  judicial,  ceremonial,  or 
 moral.  Now,  if  the  work  of  the  moral  law  do  not  justify,  much 
 less  doth  circumcision  justify,  which  is  a  work  of  the  ceremonial 
 law.  Wherefore,  when  Paid  saith  (as  he  oftentimes  doth)  "  that 
 a  man  is  not  justified  by  the  law,  or  by  the  works  of  the  law," 
 (which  are  both  one)  he  speaketh  generally  of  the  whole  law, 
 setting  the  righteousness  of  faith  against  the  righteousness  of  the 
 whole  law.  "For  by  the  righteousness  of  the  law,"  saith  he,  "a 
 man  is  not  pronounced  righteous  before  God:  but  the  righteous- 
 ness of  faith  God  imputeth  freely  through  grace,  for  Christ's 
 sake."  The  law,  no  doubt,  is  holy,  righteous,  and  good,  and  con- 
 sequently the  works  of  the  law  are  holy,  righteous,  and  good:  yet 
 notwithstanding  a  man  is  not  justified  thereby  before  God. 
 
 Now,  the  works  of  the  law  may  be  done  either  before  justifi- 
 cation or  after.  There  were  many  good  men  even  amongst  the 
 Pagans,  as  Xenophon,  Aristides,  Fabius,  Cicero,  Pomponius, 
 Atticus,  and  others,  which  before  justification  performed  the 
 deeds  of  the  laAv,  and  did  notable  works.  Cicero  suffered  death 
 valiantly  in  a  good  and  just  cause.  Pomponius  was  a  constant 
 man,  and  loved  truth,  for  he  never  made  a  lie  himself,  nor  could 
 suffer  the  same  in  any  other.  Now,  constancy  and  truth  are 
 noble  virtues  and  excellent  works  of  the  law,  and  yet  were  they 
 not  justified  thereby.     After  justification,  Peter,  Paul,  and  aU 
 
90  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [cHAP.  II. 
 
 other  Christians  have  done  and  do  the  works  of  the  law,  yet  avo 
 they  not  justified  thereby.  "  I  know  not  myself  guilty  in  any 
 thing-  (saith  Paul)  and  yet  am  I  not  thereby  justified,"  (1  Cor. 
 iv.  4.)  We  see  then  that  he  speaketh  not  of  any  part  of  the 
 law,  but  of  the  whole  law,  and  all  the  works  thereof. 
 
 The  divinity  of  the  Popish  Sophisters,  commonly  called  the 
 Schoolmen. 
 
 Wherefore,  the  wicked  and  pernicious  opinion  of  the  Papists 
 is  utterly  to  be  condemned,  which  attributes  the  merit  of  grace 
 and  remission  of  sins  to  the  work  wrought.  For  they  say,  that  a 
 good  Avork  before  grace,  is  able  to  obtain  grace  of  congruence, 
 (which  they  call  meritum  de  congruo,)  because  it  is  meet  that 
 God  should  rcAvard  such  a  work.  But  when  grace  is  obtained, 
 the  work  following  deserveth  everlasting  life  of  due  debt  and 
 worthiness,  which  they  call  meritum  de  condigno.  As  for  ex- 
 ample :  if  a  man  being  in  deadly  sin,  without  grace,  do  a  good 
 Avork  of  his  own  good  natural  inclination :  that  is,  if  he  say  or 
 hear  a  mass,  or  give  alms  and  such  like,  this  man  of  congruence 
 deserveth  grace.  When  he  hath  thus  obtained  grace,  he  doth 
 now  a  work  which  of  worthiness  deserveth  everlasting  life.  For 
 the  first,  God  is  no  debtor :  but  because  he  is  just  and  good,  it 
 behoveth  him  to  approve  such  a  good  work,  though  it  be  done 
 in  deadly  sin,  and  to  give  gi'ace  for  such  a  service.  But  when 
 grace  is  obtained,  God  is  become  a  debtor,  and  is  constrained  of 
 right  and  duty  to  give  eternal  life.  For  now  it  is  not  only  a 
 work  of  free  Avill,  done  according  to  the  substance,  but  also  done 
 in  grace,  which  maketh  a  man  acceptable  unto  God,  that  is  to 
 say,  in  charity. 
 
 This  is  the  divinity  of  the  Antichristian  kingdom;  which  here 
 I  recite,  to  the  end  that  the  disputation  of  Paul  may  be  the  bet- 
 ter understood  (for  two  contrary  things  being  set  together,  may 
 be  the  better  known:)  and  moreover,  that  all  men  may  see  how 
 far  from  the  truth  these  blind  guides,  and  leaders  of  the  blind 
 have  wandered,  and  how  by  this  wicked  and  blasphemous  doc- 
 trine they  have  not  only  darkened  the  gospel,  but  have  taken  it 
 clean  away,  and  buried  Christ  utterly.  For  if  I,  being  in  deadly 
 sui,  can  do  any  little  work  which  is  not  only  acceptable  in  God's 
 sight  of  itself,  and  according  to  the  substance,  but  also  is  able  to 
 deserve  grace  of  congruence,  and  Avhen  I  have  received  grace, 
 I  may  do  works  according  to  grace,  that  is  to  say,  according  to 
 charity,  and  get  of  right  and  duty  eternal  life;  what  need  have 
 I  now  of  the  grace  of  God,  forgiveness  of  sins,  of  the  promise, 
 and  of  the  death  and  victory  of  Christ?  Christ  is  now  to  me 
 unprofitable,  and  his  benefit  of  none  effect:  for  I  have  free  will 
 and  power  to  do  good  works,  whereby  I  deserve  grace  of  con- 
 gruence, and  afterwards,  ^  y  the  worthiness  of  my  work,  eternal 
 
VEK.  16.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  91 
 
 Such  monstrous  and  horrible  blasphemies  should  have  been 
 set  for  til  to  the  Turks  and  Jews,  and  not  to  the  church  of  Christ. 
 And  hereby  it  plainly  appeareth,  that  the  Pope,  with  his  bishops, 
 doctors,  priests,  and  all  his  religious  rabble,  had  no  knowledge 
 or  regard  of  holy  matters,  and  that  they  were  not  careful  for  the 
 health  of  the  silly  and  miserable  scattered  flock.  For  if  they 
 had  seen,  but  as  it  were  through  a  cloud,  what  Paul  calleth  sin, 
 and  what  he  calleth  grace,  they  would  never  haA^e  compelled 
 the  people  to  believe  such  abominations  and  execrable  lies.  By 
 deadly  sin  they  vmderstood  only  the  external  work  committed 
 against  the  laAv,  as  murder,  theft,  and  such  like.  They  could 
 not  see,  that  ignorance,  hatred,  and  contempt  of  God  in  the 
 heart,  ingratitude,  murmuring  against  God,  and  resisting  the 
 will  of  God,  are  also  deadly  sin,  and  that  the  flesh  cannot  think, 
 speak,  or  do  any  thing,  but  that  which  is  devilish  and  altogether 
 against  God.  If  they  had  seen  these  mischiefs  fast  rooted  in  the 
 nature  of  man,  they  would  never  have  devised  such  impudent 
 and  execrable  dreams  touching  the  desert  of  congruence  and 
 worthiness. 
 
 Wherefore  we  must  properly  and  plainly  define  what  a  wicked 
 man  or  deadly  sinner  is.  He  is  such  a  holy  and  bloody  hypo- 
 crite as  Paul  was,  Avhen  he  went  to  Damascus,  to  persecute 
 Jesus  of  Nazareth,  to  abolish  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  to  mur- 
 der the  faithful,  and  utterly  to  overthrow  the  church  of  Christ. 
 And  who  will  not  say,  but  that  these  were  horrible  sins?  Yet 
 could  not  Paul  see  them.  For  he  was  so  blinded  with  a  per- 
 verse zeal  of  God,  that  he  thought  these  abominations  to  be 
 perfect  righteousness,  and  high  service  unto  God:  and  shall 
 we  say,  that  such  as  defend  these  horrible  sins  to  be  perfect 
 righteousness,  to  deserve  grace? 
 
 Wherefore  with  Paul,  we  utterly  deny  the  merit  ot  congruence 
 and  worthiness,  and  affirm,  that  these  speculations  are  nothing 
 else  but  mere  deceits  of  Satan,  wliich  were  never  done  in  deed, 
 nor  notified  by  any  examples.  For  God  never  gave  to  any  man 
 grace  and  everlasting  life  for  the  merit  of  congruence  or  worthi- 
 ness. These  disputations  therefore  of  the  schoolmen,  touching 
 the  merit  of  congruence  and  worthiness,  are  nothing  else  but  vain 
 toys  and  dreams  of  idle  brains,  to  no  other  end  and  purpose  but 
 to  draw  men  from  the  true  worship  of  God.  And  hereupon  is 
 the  whole  papacy  grounded.  For  there  is  no  religious  person, 
 but  he  hath  this  imagination:  I  am  able  by  the  observation  of 
 my  holy  order  to  deserve  grace  of  congruence,  and  by  the  work, 
 which  I  do  after  that  I  have  received  this  grace,  I  am  able  to 
 heap  up  such  treasure  of  merit,  as  shall  not  only  be  sufficient 
 for  me  to  obtain  eternal  life,  but  also  to  give  or  sell  unto  others. 
 Thus  have  all  the  religious  orders  taught,  and  thus  have  they 
 lived.  And  to  defend  this  horrible  blasphemy  against  Christ, 
 the  Papists  do  at  this  iay  attempt  against  us  what  they  ca'i. 
 And  there  is  not  one  of  tnem  all,  but  the  more  holy  hypocriie 
 
92  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CH/.p    U 
 
 and  merit-monger  he  is,  the  more  cruel  and  de  idly  enemy  he  iz 
 to  the  g-Qspel  of  Christ. 
 
 ^  The  true  way  to  Christianity. 
 
 Now,  the  true  way  to  Christianity  is  this,  that  a  man  do  first  ac- 
 knowledge himself  by  the  law,  to  be  a  sinner,  and  that  it  is  im- 
 possible for  him  to  do  any  good  work.  For  the  law  saith,  "  thou 
 art  an  evil  tree,  and  therefore  all  that  thou  thinkest,  speakest,  or 
 dost,  is  against  God,"  (Matt.  vii.  17.)  Thou  canst  not  there- 
 fore deserve  grace  by  thy  works :  which  if  thou  go  about  to  do, 
 thou  doublest  thy  offence:  for  since  thou  art  an  evil  tree,  thou 
 canst  not  but  bring  forth  evil  fruits,  that  is  to  say,  sins.  "  For 
 whatsoever  is  not  of  faith,  is  sin,"  (Rom.  xiv.  23.)  Wherefore  he 
 that  would  deserve  grace  by  works  going  before  faith,  goeth 
 about  to  please  God  with  sins,  which  is  nothing  else  but  to  heap 
 sin  upon  sin,  to  mock  God,  and  to  provoke  his  wrath.  When  a 
 man  is  thus  taught  and  instructed  by  the  law,  then  is  he  terrified 
 and  humbled,  then  he  seeth  indeed  the  greatness  of  his  sin,  and 
 cannot  find  in  himself  one  spark  of  the  love  of  God :  therefore 
 he  justifieth  God  in  his  word,  and  confesseth  that  he  is  guilty  of 
 death  and  eternal  damnation.  The  first  part  then  of  Christianity 
 is  the  preaching  of  repentance,  and  the  knowledge  of  ourselves. 
 
 The  second  part  is:  if  thou  wilt  be  saved,  thou  may  est  not  seek 
 salvation  by  works:  "for  God  hath  sent  his  only  begotten  Son 
 into  the  world,  that  we  might  live  through  him.  He  was  cruci- 
 fied and  died  for  thee,  and  offered  up  thy  sins  in  his  own  body.'* 
 Here  is  no  congruence  or  work  done  before  grace,  but  wrath, 
 sin,  terror  and  death.  Wherefore  the  law  doth  nothing  else  but 
 utter  sin,  terrify  and  humble,  and  by  this  means  prepareth  us  to 
 justification,  and  driveth  us  to  Christ.  For  God  hath  revealed 
 unto  us  by  his  word,  that  he  will  be  unto  us  a  mercifiil  father, 
 and  without  our  deserts  (seeing  we  can  deserve  nothing)  will 
 freely  give  unto  us  remission  of  sins,  righteousness,  and  life  ever- 
 lasting for  Christ  his  Son's  sake.  For  God  giveth  his  gifts  freely 
 imto  all  men,  and  that  is  the  praise  and  glory  of  his  divinity. 
 But  the  justiciaries  and  merit-mongers  will  not  receive  grace 
 and  everlasting  life  of  him  freely,  but  will  deserve  the  same  by 
 their  own  works.  For  this  cause  they  Avould  utterly  take  from 
 him  the  glory  of  his  di^dnity.  To  the  end  therefore  that  he  may 
 maintain  and  defend  the  same,  he  is  constrained  to  send  his  law 
 before,  which,  as  a  lightning  and  thundering  fi'om  heaven,  may 
 bruise  and  break  those  hard  rocks. 
 
 This  briefly  is  our  doctrine  as  touching  Christian  righteousness, 
 contrary  to  the  abominations  and  blasphemies  of  the  Papists,  con- 
 cerning the  merit  of  congruence  and  wortliiness,  or  works  before 
 grace  and  after  grace.  Which  monstrous  dreams  were  devised 
 by  such  as  were  never  exercised  with  any  temptations,  never  had 
 any  true  feeling  of  sin,  or  of  the  terror  of  death,  and  therefore 
 they  loiow  not  what  they  say,  or  what  they  teacli*    Moreover, 
 
VER.  16.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  93 
 
 they  can  shew  no  example  of  any  work  done  either  before  or 
 after  ^race  that  could  justify  before  God.  Wherefore  they  are 
 nothing-  else  but  vain  toys  and  foolish  fables,  whereby  the  Papists 
 deceive  both  themselves  and  others.  For  Paul  here  plainly 
 affirmeth,  "that  no  man  is  justified  by  the  works  of  the  law 
 either  jfoin^  before  grace  (whereof  he  speaketh  in  this  place) 
 Dr  coming  after  grace."  You  see  then  that  Christian  righteous- 
 ness is  not  such  an  essential  quality  engrafted  in  the  nature  of 
 man,  as  the  schoolmen  do  imagine,  when  they  say : 
 
 (The  Divinity  of  the  Schoolmen:) 
 When  a  man  doth  any  good  work,  God  accepteth  it,  and  for 
 this  work  he  poureth  into  him  charity,  which  they  call  charity 
 infused. — This  charity,  say  they,  is  a  quality  remaining  in  the 
 heart,  and  this  they  call  formal  righteousness  (which  manner  of 
 speaking  it  is  expedient  for  you  to  know)  and  they  can  abide 
 nothing  less  than  to  hear  that  this  quality,  forming  and  adorning 
 the  soul,  as  whiteness  doth  the  wall,  should  not  be  coimted  right- 
 eousness. They  can  climb  no  higher  than  to  this  cogitation  of 
 man's  reason,  that  man  is  righteous  by  his  own  formal  righteous- 
 ness, which  is  grace  making  him  acceptable  unto  God,  that  is  to 
 say,  charity.  So  to  this  quality  cleaving  unto  the  soul,  that  is  to 
 wit,  charity,  (which  is  a  work  after  the  law,  for  the  law  saitli, 
 "  thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God,"  &c.)  they  attribute  formal 
 righteousness,  that  is  to  say,  true  Christian  righteousness,  and 
 they  say  that  this  righteousness  is  worthy  of  everlasting  life,  and 
 he  that  hath  it  is  formally  righteous:  and  moreover  he  is  effec- 
 tually or  actually  righteous,  because  he  now  doth  good  works, 
 whereunto  everlasting  life  is  due. — This  is  the  opinion  of  the 
 Popish  schoolmen,  yea,  even  of  the  best  of  them  all. 
 
 Some  others  there  be  which  are  not  so  good,  as  Scotus  and 
 Occam,  which  said,  "that  for  the  obtaining  of  the  grace  of  God, 
 this  charity  infused  or  given  of  God,  is  not  necessary:  but  that  a 
 man  even  by  his  own  natural  strength  may  procure  this  charity 
 above  all  things."  For  so  reasoneth  Scotus:  if  a  man  may  love  a 
 creature,  a  young  man  a  maiden,  a  covetous  man  money,  which 
 are  the  less  good,  he  may  also  love  God,  which  is  the  greater 
 good.  If  behave  a  love  of  the  creature  through  his  natural 
 strength,  much  more  hath  he  a  love  of  the  Creator.  With  this 
 argument  were  all  the  sophisters  convicted,  and  none  of  them  all 
 was  able  to  refute  it.     Notwithstanding  thus  they  reply: 
 
 The  scripture  compelleth  us  to  confess,  say  they,  that  God, 
 besides  that  natural  love  and  charity  which  is  engrafted  in  us 
 (wherewith  alone  he  is  not  contented)  requireth  also  charity, 
 which  he  himself  giveth.  And  hereby  they  accuse  God  as  a 
 tyrant  and  a  cruel  exactor,  who  is  not  content  that  we  keep  and 
 fulfil  his  law,  but  above  the  law  (which  we  ourselves  are  able  to 
 fulfil)  requireth  also,  that  we  should  accomplish  it  with  other 
 circumstance  and  furniture,  as  apparel  to  the  same.     As  if  a 
 
«Mi  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  fCHAP.  II. 
 
 mistress  should  not  be  contented  that  her  cook  had  dressed  her 
 meat  excellently  well,  but  should  chide  her  for  that  she  did  not 
 prepare  the  same,  being  decked  with  precious  apparel  and 
 adorned  with  a  crown  of  gold.  Now,  what  a  mistress  were 
 this,  who  when  her  cook  had  done  all  that  she  was  bound  to  do, 
 and  also  exactly  performed  the  same,  would  moreover  require 
 that  she  shoixld  wear  such  ornaments  as  she  could  not  have? 
 Even  so,  what  a  one  should  God  be,  if  he  should  require  his 
 law  to  be  fulfilled  of  us  (which  notAvithstanding  by  our  own 
 natural  strength  we  observe  and  fulfil)  with  such  ftu'niture  as 
 we  cannot  have  ? 
 
 But  here,  lest  they  should  seem  to  avouch  contrary  things, 
 they  make  a  distinction,  and  say  that  the  law  is  fulfilled  two 
 manner  of  ways :  first,  according  to  the  substance  of  the  deed, 
 and  secondly,  according  to  the  mind  of  the  commander.  Accord- 
 ing to  the  substance  of  the  deed,  say  they,  we  may  fulfil  all 
 things  which  the  law  command eth,  but  not  according  to  the  mind 
 of  the  commander,  Avhich  is,  that  God  is  not  contented  that  thou 
 hast  done  all  things  which  are  commanded  in  the  law  [although 
 he  can  require  no  more  of  thee]  but  he  further  requireth,  that 
 thou  shouldst  fulfil  the  law  in  charity:  not  that  charity  which 
 thou  hast  by  nature,  but  that  which  is  above  nature  and  heavenly, 
 which  he  himself  giveth.  And  what  is  this  else  but  to  make  of 
 God  a  tyrant  and  a  tormentor,  which  requireth  that  of  us  which 
 we  are  not  able  to  perform?  And  it  is  in  a  manner  as  much  as 
 if  they  should  say,  that  the  fault  is  not  in  us  if  we  be  damned, 
 but  in  God,  which  with  this  circumstance  requireth  his  law  to 
 be  accomplished  of  us. 
 
 These  things  I  do  the  more  diligently  repeat,  that  you  may 
 see  how  far  they  have  strayed  from  the  true  sense  of  the  scrip- 
 ture, which  have  said  that  by  our  own  natural  strength  we  may 
 love  God  above  all  things,  or  at  least  by  the  work  wrought  we 
 may  deserve  grace  and  everlasting  life.  And  because  God  is  not 
 content  that  we  fulfil  the  law  according  to  the  substance  of  the 
 deed,  but  will  have  us  also  to  fulfil  the  same  according  to  the  mind 
 of  the  commander:  therefore  the  scripture  further  compelleth 
 us  to  have  a  quality  above  nature  poured  into  us  from  above, 
 and  that  is  charity,  which  they  call  formal  righteousness,  adorning 
 and  beautifying  faith,  being  also  the  cause  that  faith  justifieth 
 us.  So  faith  is  the  body,  and  the  shell:  charity  the  fife,  the 
 kernel,  the  form  and  furniture.  These  are  the  monstrous  dreams 
 of  the  schoolmen. 
 
 But  we,  in  the  stead  of  this  charity,  do  place  faith,  and  we  say, 
 that  faith  apprehendeth  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  the  form  which 
 adorneth  and  furnisheth  faith,  as  the  colom*  adorneth  and  beauti- 
 fieth  the  wall.  Christian  faith,  therefore,  is  not  an  idle  quality 
 or  empty  husk  in  the  heart,  which  may  be  in  deadly  sin  until 
 charity  come  and  quicken  it :  but  if  it  be  true  faith,  is  a 
 fiure  trust  and   confidence  in   the    heart,  and  a  firm  consent 
 
VF.K.  10.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE   iiALATIANS.  95 
 
 whereby  Christ  is  apprehended:  so  that  Christ  is  the  object  ot 
 faith,  y  ea  rather  even  in  faith  Christ  himself  is  present.  Faith 
 therefore  is  a  certain  obscure  knowledge,  or  rather  darkness 
 which  seeth  nothing;  and  yet  Christ,  apprehended  by  faith,  sit- 
 teth  in  this  darkness  :  like  as  God  in  Sinai  and  in  the  temple 
 sat  in  the  "  midst  of  darkness,"  &c.  (Exod.  xix.  9.  1  Kings  viii. 
 10.)  Wherefore  our  formal  righteousness  is  not  charity  furnish- 
 ing- and  beautifying  faith,  but  it  is  faith  itself,  which  is,  as  it 
 were,  a  certain  cloud  in  our  hearts:  that  is  to  say,  a  stedfast  trust 
 and  affiance  in  the  thing  which  we  see  not,  which  is  Christ  • 
 who  although  he  be  not  seen  at  all,  yet  he  is  present. 
 
 Faith  therefore  justifieth,  because  it  apprehendeth  and  possess- 
 eth  this  treasure,  even  Christ  present.  But  this  presence  can- 
 not be  comprehended  of  us,  because  it  is  in  darkness,  as  I  have 
 said.  Wherefore,  where  assured  trust  and  affiance  of  the  heart 
 is,  there  Christ  is  present,  yea,  even  in  the  cloud  and  obscurity 
 of  faith.  And  this  is  the  true  formal  righteousness,  whereby  a 
 man  is  justified,  and  not  by  charity,  as  the  Popish  schoolmen  do 
 most  wickedly  affirm. 
 
 To  conclude,  like  as  the  schoolmen  say,  that  charity  furnish^ 
 eth  and  adorneth  faith  :  so  do  we  say,  that  it  is  Christ  which 
 fiirnisheth  and  adorneth  faith,  or  rather,  that  he  is  the  very  form 
 and  perfection  of  faith.  "Wlierefore  Christ  apprehended  by  faith, 
 and  dwelling  in  the  heart,  is  the  true  Christian  righteousness,  for 
 the  which  God  counteth  us  righteous,  and  giveth  us  eternal  life. 
 Here  is  no  work  of  the  law,  no  charity,  but  a  far  other  manner 
 of  righteousness,  and  a  certain  new  world  beyond  and  above  the 
 law.  For  Christ  or  faith  is  not  the  law,  nor  the  work  of  the 
 law.  But  concerning  this  matter,  ^vhicli  the  schoolmen  neither 
 well  understood  nor  taught,  we  intend  to  speak  more  largely 
 hereafter.  Now  it  shall  be  enough  that  we  have  shewed,  that 
 Paul  speaketh  not  here  of  the  ceremonial  law  only,  but  of  the 
 whole  law. 
 
 The  true  rule  of  Christianity. 
 
 Contrary  to  these  vain  trifles  and  doting  dreams  (as  we  have 
 also  noted  before)  we  teach  faith,  and  give  a  true  rule  of  Chris- 
 tianity in  this  sort:  first,  that  a  man  must  be  taught  by  the  law 
 to  know  himself,  that  so  he  may  learn  to  say  with  the  prophet: 
 *'  All  have  sinned,  and  have  need  of  the  glory  of  God."  Also, 
 "  There  is  not  one  righteous,  no  not  one:  not  one  that  under- 
 standeth,  not  one  that  seeketh  after  God :  all  have  gone  astray." 
 Also,  "Against  thee  only  have  I  sinned."  (Rom.  i.  23.  Psalm 
 xiv.  3.  Psal.  liii.  3.  Psal.  li.  4.)  Thus  we,  by  a  contrary  way, 
 do  drive  men  from  the  merit  of  congruence  and  worthiness. 
 Now,  when  a  man  is  humbled  by  the  law,  and  brought  to  the 
 knowledge  of  himself,  then  foUoweth  true  repentance,  (for  true 
 repentance  beginneth  at  the  fear  and  judgment  of  God)  and  he 
 seeth  himself  to  be  so  great  a  sinner,  that  he  can  find  no  means 
 
Vf.  COMMENTARV   ON  ST.   PAUl's  [rHAf,  li. 
 
 how  he  maybe  delivered  from  his  sins  by  his  own  strength,  works 
 or  merits.  Then  he  perceiveth  well  what  Paul  meaneth  when 
 he  saith,  "that  man  is  the  servant  and  bond-slave  of  sin."  Also, 
 "that  God  hath  shut  up  all  under  sin,"  (Rom.  vii.  14.  Rom. 
 xi.  32.  Rom.  iii.  19.)  and  that  the  whole  world  is  guilty  before 
 God,  &:c.  then  he  seeth  that  all  the  divinity  of  the  schoolmen, 
 touching  the  merit  of  congruence  and  worthiness,  is  nothing 
 else  but  mere  foolishness,  and  that  by  this  means  the  whole 
 papacy  falleth. 
 
 Here  now  he  beginneth  to  sigh,  and  saith  in  this  Avise:  who 
 then  can  give  succour?  For  he  being  thus  terrified  with  the  law, 
 utterly  despaireth  of  his  own  strength :  he  looketh  about,  and 
 sigheth  for  the  help  of  a  mediator  and  saviour.  Here  then 
 Cometh  in  good  time  the  healthful  word  of  the  gospel,  and  saith, 
 "  Son,  thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee,"  (Matt.  ix.  2.)  Believe  in 
 Christ  Jesus  crucified  for  thy  sins.  If  thou  feel  thy  sins  and 
 the  burden  thereof,  look  not  upon  them  in  thyself,  but  remember 
 that  they  are  translated  and  laid  upon  Christ,  whose  stripes  have 
 made  thee  whole,  (Isa.  liii.  5.) 
 
 This  is  the  beginning  of  health  and  salvation.  By  this  means 
 we  are  delivered  from  sin,  justified  and  made  inheritors  of  ever- . 
 lasting  life ;  not  for  our  own  works  and  deserts,  but  for  our 
 faith,  whereby  we  lay  hold  upon  Christ.  Wherefore  we 
 also  do  acknowledge  a  quality  and  a  formal  righteousness 
 of  the  heart:  not  charity  (as  the  sophisters  do)  but  faith, 
 and  yet  so  notwithstanding,  that  the  heart  must  behold  and 
 apprehend  nothing  but  Christ  the  Saviour.  And  here  it  is 
 necessary  that  you  know  the  true  definition  of  Christ.  The 
 schoolmen  being  utterly  ignorant  hereof,  have  made  Christ  a 
 judge  and  a  tormentor,  devising  this  fond  fancy  concerning  the 
 merit  of  congruence  and  worthiness. 
 
 But  Christ,  according  to  his  true  definition,  is  no  lawgiver, 
 but  a  forgiver  of  sins,  and  a  saviour.  This  doth  faith  appre- 
 hend, and  undoubtedly  believe,  that  he  hath  wrought  works  and 
 merits  of  congruence  and  worthiness  before  and  after  grace  abun- 
 dantly. For  he  might  have  satisfied  for  all  the  sins  of  the  world 
 by  one  only  drop  of  his  blood;  but  now  he  hath  shed  it  plenti- 
 fully, and  hath  satisfied  abundantly.  (Heb.  ix.)  "By  his  own 
 blood  hath  he  entered  into  the  holy  place  once  for  all,  and 
 obtained  eternal  redemption."  Also  Rom.  iii.  and  iv.  "  And  we 
 are  justified  freely  by  his  grace,  through  the  redemption  that  is 
 in  Christ  Jesus,  whom  God  hath  set  forth  to  be  a  reconciliation 
 \mto  us,  through  faith  in  his  blood."  Wlierefore  it  is  a  great 
 matter  to  lay  hold  upon  Christ,  by  faith,  bearing  the  sins  of  the 
 world.     And  this  faith  alone  is  counted  for  righteousness. 
 
 Here  is  to  be  noted,  that  these  three  things,  faith,  Christ,  ac- 
 ceptation, or  imputation,  must  be  joined  together.  Faith  taketh 
 hold  of  Christ,  and  hath  him  present,  and  holdeth  him  inclosed, 
 a«  the  ring  doth  the  precious  stone.     And  whosoever  shall  be 
 
VEH.  1^.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  97 
 
 found  having-  this  confidence  in  Christ  apprehended  in  the  heait, 
 him  will  God  account  for  righteous.  This  is  the  mean,  and  this 
 is  the  merit  whereby  we  attain  the  remission  of  sins  and  right- 
 eousness. "  Because  thou  believest  in  me,  saith  the  Lord, 
 and  thy  faith  layeth  hold  upon  Christ,  whom  I  have  freely 
 given  unto  thee,  that  he  might  be  thy  mediator  and  high- 
 priest,  therefore  be  thou  justified  and  righteous."  Wherefore 
 God  doth  accept  or  account  us  as  righteous,  only  for  our  faith  in 
 Christ. 
 
 And  this  acceptation,  or  imputation,  is  very  necessary:  first, 
 because  we  are  not  yet  perfectly  righteous,  "but  while  we  remain 
 in  this  life,  sin  dwelleth  still  in  our  flesh :"  and  this  remnant 
 of  sin  God  purgeth  in  us.  Moreover  we  are  sometimes  left  of 
 the  Holy  Ghost,  and  fall  into  sins,  as  did  Petei',  David,  and 
 other  holy  men.  Notwithstanding  Ave  have  always  recourse  to 
 this  article:  "That  our  sins  are  covered,  and  that  God  will  not 
 lay  them  to  our  charge,"  (Psal.  xxxii.  and  Rom.  iv.)  Not  that  sin  \ 
 is  not  in  us,  (as  the  Papists  have  taught,  saying,  that  we  must  / 
 be  always  working  well  until  we  feel  that  there  is  no  guilt  of  sin  ) 
 remaining  hi  us;)  yea,  sin  is  indeed  always  in  us,  and  the  godly 
 do  feel  it,  but  it  is  covered,  and  is  not  imputed  unto  us  of  God, 
 for  Christ's  sake:  wKom  because  we  do  apprehend  by  faith,  all 
 our  sins  are  now  no  sins.  But  where  Christ  and  faith  be  not, 
 there  is  no  remission  or  covering  of  sins,  but  mere  imputation  of 
 sins  and  condemnation.  Thus  will  God  glorify  his  Son,  and 
 will  be  glorified  himself  in  us  through  him. 
 
 When  we  have  thus  taught  faith  in  Christ,  then  do  we  teach 
 also  good  works.  Because  thou  hast  laid  hold  upon  Christ  by 
 faith,  through  whom  thou  art  made  righteousness,  begin  now  to 
 work  well.  Love  God  and  thy  neighbour,  call  upon  God,  give 
 thanks  unto  him,  praise  him,  confess  him.  These  are  good 
 works  indeed,  which  flow  out  of  this  faith,  and  this  cheerfulness 
 conceived  in  the  heart,  for  that  we  have  remission  of  sins  freely 
 by  Christ. 
 
 Now  what  cross  or  affliction  soever  does  afterwards  ensue, 
 is  easily  borne,  and  cheerfully  sufi'ered,  (Matt.  xi.  30.)  "  For 
 the  yoke  that  Christ  layeth  upon  us  is  sweet,  and  his  burden  is 
 easy."  When  sin  is  pardoned,  and  the  conscience  dehvered  from 
 the  burden  and  sting  of  sin,  then  may  a  Christian  bear  all  things 
 easily;  because  he  feeleth  all  things  within  sweet  and  comfort- 
 able, therefore  he  doth  and  sufl'ereth  all  things  willingly.  But 
 when  a  man  walketh  in  his  own  righteousness,  whatsoever  he 
 doth  is  grievous  and  tedious  unto  him,  because  he  doth  it  im- 
 willingly. 
 
 We  therefore  do  make  this  definition  of  a  Christian:  that  a 
 Christian  is  not  he  which  hath  no  sin,  but  he  to  whom  God 
 imputeth  not  his  sin,  through  faith  in  Christ.  This  doctrine 
 bring-eth  great  consolation  to  poor  afflicted  consciences  in  serious 
 
 H 
 
0^  COMMENTATIY  ON  ST.  PAUl's  L':H>?P.  II. 
 
 and  inward  terrors.  It  is  not  without  good  cause,  therefore, 
 ihat  we  do  so  often  repeat  and  beat  into  your  minds  the  forgive- 
 ness of  sins,  and  imputation  of  righteousness  for  Christ's  sake: 
 also  that  a  Christian  hath  nothing  to  do  with  the  law  and  sin, 
 especially  in  the  time  of  temptation.  For  in  that  he  is  a  Chris- 
 tian, he  is  above  the  law  and  sin.  For  he  hath  Christ  the'TTord 
 of  the  law  present  and  inclosed  in  his  heart,  (as  we  have  said), 
 even  as  a  ring  hath  a  jewel  or  precious  stone  inclosed  in  it. 
 Therefore  when  the  law  accuseth  and  sin  terrifieth  him,  he  look- 
 eth  upon  Christ,  and  when  he  hath  apprehended  him  by  faith, 
 he  hath  present  with  him  the  conqiieror  of  the  law,  sin,  death, 
 and  the  devil:  who  reigneth  and  ruleth  over  them,  so  that  they 
 cannot  hurt  him.  Wherefore  a  Christian  man,  if  ye  define  hiiu 
 rightly,  is  free  from  all  laws,  and  is  not  subject  unto  any  crea- 
 ture, either  within  or  without:  in  that  he  is  a  Christian,  1  say,  and 
 not  in  that  he  is  a  man  or  a  woman;  that  is  to  say,  in  that  he 
 hath  his  conscience  adorned  and  beautified  with  this  faith,  with 
 this  great  and  inestimable  treasure,  or,  as  Paid  saith,  "this  un- 
 speakable gift,"  (2  Cor.  ix.  15.)  which  cannot  be  magnified  and 
 praised  enough,  for  it  maketh  us  the  children  and  heirs  of  God 
 And  by  this  means  a  Christian  is  greater  than  the  whole  world; 
 for  he  hath  such  a  gift,  such  a  treasure  in  his  heart,  that  although 
 it  seemeth  to  be  but  little,  yet  notwithstanding  the  smallness 
 thereof,  is  greater  than  heaven  and  earth,  because  Clirist,  which 
 is  this  gift,  is  greater. 
 
 While  this  doctrine,  pacifying  and  quieting  the  conscience, 
 remaineth  pure  and  uncorrupt.  Christians  are  made  judges  over 
 all  kinds  of  doctrine,  and  are  lords  over  the  laws  of  the  whole 
 world.  Then  can  they  certainly  judge  that  the  Tm-k  with  his 
 Alcoran  is  damned,  because  he  goeth  not  the  right  way,  that  is, 
 he  acknowledgeth  not  himself  to  be  miserable  and  damnable, 
 nor  apprehendeth  Christ  by  faith,  for  Avhose  sake  he  might  be 
 assured  that  his  sins  are  pardoned.  In  like  manner  they  boldly 
 pronounce  sentence  against  the  Pope,  that  he  is  condemned  with 
 all  his  kingdom,  because  he  so  walketh  and  so  teacheth,  (with 
 all  his  religious  rabble  of  sophisters  and  schoolmen)  that  by  the 
 merit  of  congruence  we  must  come  to  grace,  and  that  afterward 
 by  the  merit  of  worthiness  we  are  received  into  heaven.  Here, 
 saith  the  Christian,  this  is  not  the  right  way  to  justify  us,  nei- 
 ther doth  this  way  lead  to  heaven.  For  I  cannot,  saith  he,  by 
 my  works  going  before  grace,  deserve  grace,  nor  by  my  works 
 following  grace,  deserve  eternal  life;  but  to  him  that  believeth, 
 sin  is  pardoned,  and  righteousness  imputed.  This  truth,  and 
 this  confidence,  maketh  him  the  child  of  God,  and  heir  of  his 
 kingdom;  for  in  hope  he  possesseth  already  everlasting  life,  as- 
 sured unto  him  by  promise.  Through  faith  in  Christ  therefore 
 all  things  are  given  unto  us,  grace,  peace,  forgiveness  of  sins, 
 salvation,  and  everlasting  life,  and  not  for  the  merit  of  con- 
 gruence and  worthiness. 
 
VEK.  I6.3  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIAN8.  99 
 
 Wherefore  this  doctrine  of  the  schoobnen,  with  their  cere- 
 monies, masses,  and  infinite  foundation  of  the  papistical  king- 
 dom, are  most  abominable  blasphemies  against  God,  sacrileges 
 and  plain  denials  of  Christ,  as  Peter  hath  foretold  in  these 
 words:  "There  shall  be,"  &c.  (2  Pet.  ii.  1.)  As  though  he 
 would  say:  the  Lord  hath  redeemed  and  bought  us  with  his 
 blood,  that  he  might  justify  and  save  us;  this  is  the  way  of 
 righteousness  and  salvation.  But  there  shall  come  false  teachers, 
 which  denying  the  Lord,  shall  blaspheme  the  way  of  truth,  of 
 righteousness,  and  salvation:  they  shall  find  out  new  ways  of 
 falsehood  and  destruction,  and  many  shall  follow  their  damnable 
 ways.  Peter,  throughout  this  whole  chapter,  most  lively  paint- 
 eth  out  the  Papacy,  which,  neglecting  and  despising  the  gospel  of 
 faith  in  Christ,  hath  taught  the  works  and  traditions  of  men ; 
 as  the  merit  of  congruence  and  worthiness,  the  dift'erence  of 
 days,  meats,  vows,  invocation  of  saints,  pilgrimages,  purgatory, 
 and  such  like.  In  these  fantastical  opinions  the  Papists  are  so 
 nusled,  that  it  is  impossible  for  them  to  understand  one  sylla- 
 ble of  the  gospel,  of  faith,  or  of  Christ. 
 
 And  this  the  thing  itself  doth  well  declare.  For  they  take 
 that  privilege  unto  themselves  whichbelongethunto  Christ  alone. 
 He  only  forgiyeth  sins,  he  only  giveth  righteousness  and  ever- 
 lasting life.  And  they  most  impudently  and  wickedly  do  vaunt 
 that  they  are  able  to  obtain  these  things  by  their  own  merits  and 
 worthiness  before  and  after  gi*ace.  This,  saith  Peter  and  the 
 other  apostles,  is  to  bring  in  damnable  heresies  and  sects  of  per- 
 dition. For  by  these  means  they  deny  Christ,  tread  his  blood 
 under  their  feet,  blaspheme  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  despise  the 
 grace  of  God.  Wherefore  no  man  can  sufficiently  conceive  how 
 horrible  the  idolatry  of  the  Papists  is.  As  inestimable  as  the 
 gift  is  which  is  offered  unto  us  by  Christ,  even  so  and  no  less 
 abominable  are  these  profanations  of  the  Papists.  Wherefore 
 they  ought  not  to  be  lightly  esteemed  or  forgotten,  but  diligently 
 weighed  and  considered.  And  this  maketh  very  much  also 
 for  the  amplifying  of  the  grace  of  God,  and  benefit  of  Christ,  as 
 by  the  contrary.  For  the  more  we  know  the  profanation  of  the 
 papistical  mass,  so  much  the  more  we  abhor  and  detest  the  same, 
 and  embrace  the  true  use  of  the  holy  communion,  which  the 
 Pope  hath  taken  away,  and  hath  made  merchandise  thereof,  that 
 being  bought  for  money,  it  might  profit  others.  For  he  saith, 
 that  the  massing  priest,  an  apostate,  denying  Christ  and  blas- 
 pheming the  Holy  Ghost,  standing  at  the  altar,  doth  a  good 
 work,  not  only  for  huuself,  but  also  for  others,  both  quick  and 
 dead,  and  for  the  whole  church,  and  that  only  by  the  work 
 wrought,  and  by  no  other  means. 
 
 Wherefore  even  by  tliis  we  may  plainly  see  the  inestimable 
 patience  of  God,  in  that  he  hath  not  long  ago  destroyed  the 
 whole  papacy,  and  consumed  it  with  fire  and  brimstone,  as  he 
 did  Sodom  and  Gomorrah.  But  now  these  jolly  fellows  go  about, 
 
lOO  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CHAP.  II. 
 
 not  only  to  cover,  but  highly  to  advance  their  impiety  and  filthi- 
 ness.  This  we  may  in  no  case  dissemble.  We  must  therefore 
 with  all  diligence  set  forth  the  article  of  justification,  that,  as  a 
 most  clear  sun,  it  may  bring  to  light  the  darkness  of  their  hy- 
 pocrisy, and  discover  their  filthiness  and  shame.  For  this  cause 
 we  do  so  often  repeat,  and  so  earnestly  set  forth  the  righteous- 
 ness of  faith,  that  the  adversaries  may  be  confounded,  and  this 
 article  established  and  confirmed  in  our  hearts.  And  this  is  a 
 most  necessary  thing;  for  if  Ave  once  lose  this  sun,  we  fall  again 
 into  our  former  darkness.  And  most  horrible  it  is,  that  the  Pope 
 should  ever  be  able  to  bring  this  to  pass  in  the  church,  that  Christ 
 shoidd  be  denied,  trodden  under  foot,  spit  upon,  blasphemed, 
 yea,  and  that  even  by  the  gospel  and  sacraments;  which  he  hath 
 so  darkened,  and  turned  into  such  horrible  abuse,  that  he  hath 
 made  them  to  serve  him  against  Christ,  for  the  establishing  and 
 confirming  of  his  detestable  abominations.  O  deep  darkness  ! 
 O  horrible  wrath  of  God ! 
 
 Verse  16.     Even  we,  I  say,  have  believed  in  Jesus  Christ,  that  we  might  be 
 
 justified. 
 
 This  is  the  true  mean  of  becoming  a  Christian,  even  to  be 
 justified  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  not  by  the  works  of  the 
 law.  Here  we  must  stand,  not  upon  the  wicked  gloss  of  the 
 schoolmen,  which  say,  that  faith  then  justifieth,  when  charity 
 and  good  works  are  joined  withal.  With  this  pestilent  gloss  the 
 sophisters  have  darkened  and  corrupted  this,  and  other  like  sen- 
 tences in  Paul,  wherein  he  manifestly  attributeth  justification 
 to  faith  only  in  Christ.  But  when  a  man  heareth  that  he  ought 
 to  believe  in  Christ,  and  yet  notwithstanding  faith  justifieth  not 
 except  it  be  formed  and  furnished  with  charity,  by-and-by  he 
 falleth  from  faith,  and  thus  he  thinketh:  If  faith  without  charity 
 justifieth  not,  then  is  faith  in  vain  and  unprofitable,  and  charity 
 alone  justifieth;  for  except  faith  be  formed  with  charity,  it  is 
 nothing. 
 
 And  to  confirm  this  pernicious  and  pestilent  gloss,  the  adver- 
 saries do  allege  this  place,  (1  Cor.  xiii.  1.)  "Though  I  speak 
 with  the  tongues  of  men  and  angels,  and  have  no  love,  I  am  no- 
 thing." And  this  place  is  their  brazen  wall.     But  they  are  men 
 without  understanding,  and  therefore  they  can  see  or  understand 
 nothing  in  Paul:  and  by  this  false  interpretation,  they  have  not 
 only  perverted  the  words  of  Paul,  but  have  also  denied  Christ, 
 and  buried  all  his  benefits.  Wherefore  we  must  avoid  this  gloss 
 as  a  most  deadly  and  devilish  poison,  and  conclude  with  Paul, 
 "  that  we  are  justified,  not  by  faith  furnished  with  charity,  but 
 by  faith  only,  and  alone." 
 1       We  grant  that  we  must  teach  also  good  works  and  charity, 
 I  but  it  must  be  done  in  time  and  place,  that  is  to  say,  when  the 
 \  question  is  concerning  Avorks,  and  toucheth  not  this  article  of 
 'tistification.     But  here  the  question  is,  By  what  means  we  are 
 
VER.   16.  J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  101 
 
 justified,  and  attain  eternal  life?  To  this  we  answer,  with  Paul, 
 *'  that  by  faith  only  in  Christ  we  are  pronounced  righteous,  and 
 not  by  the  works  of  the  laAv  or  charity:"  not  because  we  reject 
 good  works,  but  for  that  we  will  not  suffer  ourselves  to  be  re- 
 moved from  this  anchor-hold  of  our  salvation,  which  Satan  most 
 desireth.  Wherefore,  since  we  are  now  in  the  matter  of  justifi- 
 cation, we  reject  and  condemn  all  good  works;  for  this  place 
 will  admit  no  disputation  of  good  works.  In  this  matter  there- 
 fore we  do  generally  cut  off  all  laws,  and  all  the  works  of  the 
 law. 
 
 But  the  law  is  good,  just,  and  holy.  True,  it  is.  But  when 
 we  are  in  the  matter  of  justification,  there  is  no  time  or  place  to 
 speak  of  the  law:  but  the  question  is,  what  Christ  is,  and  what 
 benefit  he  hath  brought  unto  us.  Christ  is  not  the  law;  he  is  not 
 my  work,  or  the  work  of  the  law ;  he  is  not  my  charity,  my 
 obedience,  my  poverty ;  but  he  is  the  lord  of  life  and  death,  a 
 mediator,  a  saviour,  a  redeemer  of  those  that  are  under  the  law 
 and  sin.  In  him  we  are  by  faith,  and  he  in  us.  The  bridegroom 
 must  be  alone  with  the  bride  in  his  secret  chamber,  all  the  ser- 
 vants and  family  being  put  apart.  But  afterwards,  when  the 
 door  is  open,  and  he  cometh  forth,  then  let  the  servants  and 
 handmaidens  return,  to  minister  unto  them :  then  let  charity  do 
 her  office,  and  let  good  works  be  done. 
 
 We  must  learn  therefore  to  discern  all  laws,  yea,  even  the 
 law  of  God,  and  all  works,  from  the  promise  of  the  gospel,  and 
 from  faith,  that  we  may  define  Christ  rightly.  For  Christ  is  no 
 law,  and  therefore  he  is  no  exactor  of  the  law  and  works,  "but 
 he  is  the  Lamb  of  God,  that  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the  world," 
 (John  i.  29.)  This  doth  faith  alone  lay  hold  of,  and  not  charity, 
 which  notwithstanding,  as  a  certain  thankfulness,  must  follow 
 faith.  Wherefore  victory  over  sin  and  death,  salvation  and 
 everlasting  life,  came  not  by  the  law,  nor  by  the  works  of  the 
 law,  nor  yet  by  the  power  of  free-will,  but  by  the  Lord  Jesus 
 Christ  only  and  alone. 
 
 Verse  16.     That  we   might  be  justified  by  faith  in  Christ,  and  not  by  th* 
 works  of  the  law. 
 
 Paul  speaketh  not  here  of  the  ceremonial  law  only,  as  before  we 
 have  said,  but  of  the  whole  law ;  for  the  ceremonial  law  was  as 
 well  the  law  of  God,  as  the  moral  law.  As  for  example,  circum- 
 cision, the  institation  of  the  priesthood,  the  service  and  ceremo- 
 nies of  the  temple,  were  as  well  commanded  of  God,  as  the  ten 
 commandments.  Moreover,  when  Abraham  was  commanded  to 
 offer  up  his  son  Isaac  in  sacrifice,  it  was  a  law.  This  work  of 
 Abraham  pleased  God  no  less  than  other  works  of  the  ceremonial 
 law  did,  and  yet  was  he  not  justified  by  this  work,  but  by  faith; 
 for  the  scripture  saith:  "Abraham  believed  God,  and  it  was 
 counted  to  him  for  righteousness."  (Geu.  xv.  6.  Rom.  iv.  3) 
 
 But  since  the  revealing  of  Christ,  say  they,  the  ceremonial  law 
 
102  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [cHAP.  II. 
 
 killeth  and  bringeth  to  death.  Yea,  so  doth  the  law  of  the  ten 
 commandments  also,  without  faith  in  Christ.  Moreover,  there 
 may  no  law  be  suffered  to  reign  in  the  conscience,  but  only  the 
 law  of  the  spirit  and  life,  whereby  we  are  made  fi-ee  in  Christ 
 from  the  law  of  the  letter  and  of  death,  from  the  works  thereof^ 
 and  from  all  sins:  not  because  the  law  is  evil,  but  for  that  it  is 
 not  able  to  justify  us:  for  it  hath  a  plain  contrary  effect  and 
 working.  It  is  a  high  and  an  excellent  matter  to  be  at  peace 
 Avith  God,  and  therefore,  in  this  case,  we  have  need  of  a  far  other 
 mediator  than  Moses  or  the  law.  Here  we  must  be  nothing  at 
 all,  but  only  receive  the  treasure, which  is  Clmst,  and  apprehend 
 him  in  our  hearts  by  faith,  although  we  feel  ourselves  to  be  never 
 so  full  of  sin.  These  words  therefore  of  the  apostle:  "That 
 we  might  be  justified  by  faith,  and  not  by  the  works  of  the 
 law,"  are  very  effectual,  and  not  in  vain  or  unprofitable,  as  the 
 schoolmen  think,  and  therefore  they  pass  them  over  so  lightly 
 Hitherto  ye  have  heard  the  words  of  Paul  which  he  spake  imto 
 Peter;  wherein  he  hath  briefly  comprised  the  principal  article  of 
 all  Christian  doctrine,  which  maketh  true  Christians  indeed. 
 Now  he  turneth  to  the  Galatians,  to  whom  he  Avriteth,  and  thus 
 he  concludeth:  Since  it  is  so,  that  we  are  justified  by  faith  in 
 Chi-ist,  then  by  the  works  of  the  law  shall  no  flesh  be  justified. 
 
 Versb  16.    Because  by  the  deeds  of  the  law,  no  flesh  shall  be  justified. 
 
 Flesh,  in  Paul,  doth  not  signify  (as  the  schoolmen  dream) 
 manifest  and  gross  sins,  for  those  he  useth  to  call  by  their  proper 
 names,  as  adidtery,  fornication,  uncleanness,  and  such  like:  but 
 by  flesh,  Paul  meaneth  here,  as  Christ  doth  in  the  third  chapter 
 of  John,  "  That  which  is  born  of  the  flesh,"  saith  he,  "  is 
 flesh."  (Johniii.6.)  Flesh  therefore  signifieth  the  whole  nature  of 
 man,  with  reason  and  all  other  powers  whatsoever  do  belong  to 
 man.  This  flesh,  saith  he,  is  not  justified  by  works,  no,  not  of  the 
 law.  Flesh  therefore,  according  to  Paul,  signifieth  all  the  righ- 
 teousness, wisdom,  devotion,  religion,  understanding  and  will, 
 that  is  possible  to  be  in  a  natural  man;  so  that  if  a  man  be  never 
 so  righteous,  according  to  reason  and  the  law  of  God,  yet  with 
 all  this  righteousness,  works,  merits,  devotion,  and  religion,  he 
 is  not  justified. 
 
 This  the  Papists  do  not  believe,  but  being  blind  and  obstinate, 
 they  defend  their  abominations  against  their  own  conscience, 
 and  continue  still  in  this  their  blasphemy,  having  in  their  mouths 
 these  execrable  words:  He  that  doth  this  good  work,  or  that,  de- 
 serveth  forgiveness  of  his  sins:  whosoever  enterethinto  this  or 
 that  holy  order,  and  keepeth  his  rule,  to  him  we  assuredly  j)ro- 
 mise  everla&tiiig  life.  It  cannot  be  uttered  what  a  horrible 
 blasphemy  it  is  to  attribute  that  to  the  doctrine  of  devils,  to  the 
 decrees  and  ordinances  of  men,  to  the  wicked  traditions  of  the 
 Pope,  to  the  hypocritical  works  and  merits  of  monks  and  friars, 
 which  Paul  the  apostle  of  Christ  taketh  from  the  law  of  God 
 
VER.  16.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  ^^3 
 
 For  if  no  flesh  be  justified  by  the  works  of  the  law,  much  les« 
 shall  it  be  justified  by  the  rules  of  Benedict,  Francis,  or  Augus- 
 tine, in  which  there  is  not  one  jot  of  true  faith  in  Christ;  but 
 this  oiily  they  teach,  that  whosoever  keepeth  these  things  hath 
 life  everlasting. 
 
 Wherefore  I  have  much  and  often  marvelled,  that  these  sects 
 of  perdition  reigning  so  many  years  in  so  great  darkness  and  er- 
 rors, the  church  could  endure  and  continue  as  it  hath  done. 
 Some  there  were  whom  God  called  by  the  text  of  the  gospel 
 and  by  Ijaptism.  These  walked  in  simplicity  and  humbleness  of 
 heart,  thinking  the  monks  and  friars,  and  such  only  as  were 
 anointed  of  the  bishops,  to  be  religious  and  holy,  and  themselves 
 to  be  profane  and  seculai*,  and  not  worthy  to  be  compared  unto 
 tliem.  Wherefore  they  finding  in  themselves  no  good  works  to 
 set  against  the  wrath  and  judgment  of  God,  did  fly  to  the  death 
 and  passion  of  Christ,  and  were  saved  in  this  simplicity. 
 
 Horrible  and  unspeakable  is  the  wrath  of  God,  in  that  he  hath 
 so  long  time  punished  the  contempt  of  the  gospel  and  Christ 
 in  the  Papists,  and  also  their  ingratitude,  in  giving  them  over 
 into  a  reprobate  sense,  insomuch  that  they  blaspheming  and  de- 
 nying Christ  altogether  as  touching  his  office,  instead  of  the  gos- 
 pel, received  the  execrable  rules,  ordinances  and  traditions  of 
 men,  which  they  devoutly  adored  and  honoured,  yea,  and  pre- 
 ferred the  same  far  above  the  word  of  God,  until  at  length  they 
 were  forbidden  to  marry,  and  were  bound  to  that  incestuous 
 single  life ;  wherein  they  were  outwardly  polluted  and  defiled 
 with  all  kinds  of  horrible  wickedness,  as  adultery,  whoredom, 
 uncleanness,  sodomy,  and  such  other  abominations.  This  waa 
 the  firuit  of  that  filthy  single  life. 
 
 So  God  punishing  sin  with  sin,  inwardly  gave  them  over  into 
 a  reprobate  mind,  and  outwardly  suffered  them  to  fall  into  sucli 
 horrible  abominations,  and  that  justly,  because  they  blasphemed 
 the  only  Son  of  God,  in  whom  the  Father  would  be  glorified, 
 and  whom  he  delivered  to  death,  that  all  which  believe  in  him, 
 might  be  saved  by  him,  and  not  by  their  own  execrable  rules 
 and  orders,  "Him  that  honoureth  me,"  saith  he,  "I  will  ho- 
 nour," (1  Sam.  ii.  30.)  Now,  God  is  honoured  in  his  Son. 
 Whoso  then  believeth  that  the  Son  is  our  mediator  and  saviour, 
 he  honoureth  the  Father,  and  him  again  doth  God  honour ;  that 
 is  to  say,  adorneth  him  with  bis  gifts,  forgiveness  of  sins,  righte- 
 ousness, the  Holy  Ghost,  and  everlasting  life.  Contrariwise, 
 "  They  that  despise  me,"  saith  he,  "  shall  be  despised." 
 
 This  is  then  a  general  conclusion':  "  by  the  deeds  of  the  law 
 no  flesh  shall  be  justified."  The  law  of  God  is  greater  than  the 
 whole  world,  for  it  comprehendeth  all  men,  and  the  works  of  the 
 law  do  far  excel  even  the  most  glorious  will-workers  of  all  the 
 merit-mongers;  and  yet  Paul  saith,  "that  neither  the  law,  nor 
 *l»e  works  of  the  law,  do  justify."  Therefore  we  conclude  with 
 
104  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  11, 
 
 Paul,  "  that  faith  only  justifieth."  This  proposition  he  goeUi 
 about  to  confirm  in  this  manner. 
 
 Verse  17.     If  then  while  we  seek  to  be  made  righteous  by  Christ,  we  our- 
 selves are  found  sinners,  is  Christ  therefore  the  minister  of  sin  ?     God  forbid. 
 
 If  this  be  true,  saith  he,  that  we  are  justified  by  Christ,  then 
 is  it  impossible  that  Ave  should  be  sinners,  or  should  be  justified 
 by  the  law.  On  the  contrary,  if  this  be  not  true,  but  that  we 
 must  be  justified  by  the  law,  and  the  works  of  the  law,  it  is  then 
 impossible  that  we  should  be  justified  by  Christ.  One  of  these 
 two  must  needs  be  false.  Either  we  are  not  justified  by  Christ, 
 or  we  are  not  justified  by  the  law.   But  the  truth  is,  that  we  are 
 
 Sstified  by  Christ:  therefore  we  are  not  justified  by  the  law. 
 e  reasoneth  therefore  after  this  manner:  "  If  then  while  we 
 seek  to  be  made  righteous  by  Christ,  &c."  That  is,  if  we  seek 
 to  be  justified  by  Christ,  and  so  being  justified  are  yet  found 
 sinners,  having  need  of  the  law  to  justify  us,  being  sinners:  if 
 we  have  need,  I  say,  of  the  observation  of  the  law  to  justify  us, 
 80  that  they  which  are  righteous  in  Christ  are  not  righteous,  but 
 have  yet  need  of  the  law  to  justify  them:  or  if  he  that  is  justified 
 by  Christ,  must  yet  further  be  justified  by  the  law,  then  is  Christ 
 nothing  else  but  a  lawgiver,  and  a  minister  of  sin.  Therefore 
 he  that  is  justified  and  holy  in  Christ,  is  not  justified  or  holy, 
 but  hath  yet  need  of  the  righteousness  and  holiness  of  the  law. 
 
 But  we  are  indeed  justified  and  made  righteous  in  Christ;  for 
 the  truth  of  the  gospel  teachcth  us,  that  a  man  is  not  justified  in 
 the  laAv,  but  in  Christ.  Now,  if  they  which  are  justified  in  Christ, 
 are  yet  found  sinners,  that  is,  do  yet  still  belong  to  the  law,  and 
 are  under  the  law  (as  the  false  apostles  teach)  then  are  they  not 
 vet  justified;  for  the  law  accuseth  them,  and  sheweth  them  to 
 be  yet  sinners,  and  requireth  of  them  the  works  of  the  law,  as 
 necessary  to  their  justification.  Therefore  they  that  are  justified 
 in  Christ,  are  not  justified;  and  so  it  foUoweth,  that  Christ  is 
 not  a  justifier,  but  a  minister  of  the  law. 
 
 With  these  wards'  he  vehemently  chargeth  the  false  apostles 
 and  all  merit-mongers,  that  they  pervert  all  together;  for  they 
 make  of  the  law  grace,  and  of  grace  the  law;  of  Moses  Christ, 
 and  of  Christ  Moses.  For  they  teach,  that  besides  Christ,  and 
 all  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  the  observance  of  the  law  is  ne- 
 cessary to  justification.  And  thus  we  see,  that  by  their  intoler- 
 able perverseness,  they  make  the  law  Christ;  for  by  this  means 
 they  attribute  that  to  the  law,  which  properly  belongeth  unto 
 Christ.  If  thou  do  the  works  of  the  law,  say  they,  thou  shalt  be 
 saved;  but  if  thou  do  them  not,  thou  shalt  not  be  justified,  al- 
 though thou  do  believe  in  Christ  ever  so  much.  Now,  if  it  be 
 so,  that  Christ  justifieth  not,  but  is  the  minister  of  sin  (as  it  needs 
 must  follow  by  their  doctrine)  then  is  Christ  the  law;  for  we 
 have  nothing  else  of  him,  seeing  he  teacheth  that  we  are  sinners, 
 
VER.  17.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIaNS.  x05 
 
 than  that  we  have  by  the  law.  So  Christ  bemg  the  minister  of 
 sin,  sendeth  us  to  the  law  and  lo  Moses,  as  to  our  justifier. 
 
 It  cannot  be,  therefore,  but  that  the  Papists,  and  all  such  as 
 are  ignorant  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  or  have  not  the  true 
 knowledge  thereof,  must  needs  make  of  Christ  Moses  and  the 
 law,  and  of  the  law  Christ.  For  thus  they  teach:  it  is  true, 
 say  they,  that  faith  in  Christ  jus tifieth,  but  withal  we  must  needs 
 keep  the  commandments  of  God.  For  it  is  written,  "  If  thou 
 ivilt  enter  into  life,  keep  the  commandments,"  (Matt.  xix.  17.) 
 Here,  even  at  the  first  dash,  Christ  is  denied,  and  faith  abolished, 
 because  that  is  attributed  to  the  commandments  of  God,  or  to 
 the  law,  which  belongeth  to  Christ  alone.  For  Christ,  according 
 to  his  true  definition,  is  a  justifier  and  a  redeemer  from  sins.  If 
 I  attribute  this  to  the  law,  then  is  the  law  my  justifier,  delivering 
 me  from  my  sins,  because  I  do  the  works  thereof;  and  so  now 
 the  law  is  Christ,  and  Christ  utterly  loseth  his  name,  his  office, 
 and  glory,  and  is  nothing  else  but  a  minister  of  the  law,  reprov- 
 ing, terrifying,  presenting  and  sending  the  sinner  to  another  that 
 may  justify  him;  which  is  the  proper  office  of  the  law. 
 
 But  the  proper  office  of  Christ  is,  after  the  law  hath  pro- 
 nounced a  man  to  be  guilty,  to  raise  him  up  again,  and  to  loose 
 him  from  his  sins,  if  he  believe  the  gospel.  For  to  all  that  do 
 believe,  "  Christ  is  the  end  and  the  foil  finishing  of  the  law  unto 
 righteousness :  he  is  the  Lamb  of  God  that  taketh  away  the  sins 
 of  the  world,"  (Rom.  x.  4.  John.  i.  29.)  But  the  Papists  and 
 Anabaptists,  because  they  understand  not  this  doctrine,  do  turn 
 all  clean  contrary,  making  of  Christ  Moses,  and  of  Moses  Christ. 
 And  this  is  indeed  (although  they  will  say  otherwise)  their  prin- 
 cipal proposition:  that  Christ  is  Moses.  Moreover,  they  deride 
 us,  because  we  do  diligently  teach,  and  so  earnestly  require  faith. 
 Ha,  ha,  say  they,  faith,  faith:  wait  thou  the  time  until  thou 
 come  to  heaven  by  faith.  Nay,  thou  must  strive  to  do  greater 
 and  weightier  matters.  Thou  must  fulfil  the  law,  according  to 
 that  saying:  "Do  this  and  thou  shalt  live,"  (Luke  x.  28.) 
 Faith,  which  ye  so  highly  extol,  does  nothing  else  but  make  men 
 careless,  idle  and  negligent.  Thus  are  they  become  nothing  else 
 but  ministers  of  the  law  and  law-workers,  calHng  back  the  peo- 
 ple from  baptism,  faith,  the  promises  of  Clu'ist,  to  the  law  and 
 works,  turning  grace  into  the  law,  and  the  law  into  grace. 
 
 Who  would  ever  believe  that  these  things  could  so  easily  be 
 confounded  and  mingled  together  ?  There  is  no  man  so  insensi- 
 ble, which  doth  not  perceive  this  distinction  of  the  law  and  ^race 
 to  be  most  plain  and  manifest.  For  the  very  nature  and  signi- 
 fication of  the  words  maketh  this  distinction  and  difference.  For 
 who  understandeth  not  that  these  words,  law  and  grace,  do  dif- 
 fer in  name  and  signification?  Wherefore  it  is  a  monstrous  thing 
 that,  this  distinction  being  so  plain,  the  adversaries  should  be  so 
 devilish  and  perverse,  as  to  mingle  together  the  law  and  grace, 
 and  to  transform  Christ  into  Moses.    Therefore  I  oftentimes 
 
]06  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*s'  [CHAP.  II. 
 
 say,  that  this  doctrine  of  faith  is  very  plain,  and  that  every  man 
 may  easily  imderstand  this  distinction  of  the  law  and  grace,  as 
 touching  the  words,  but  as  touching  the  use  and  practice,  it  is 
 very  hard. 
 
 The  pope  and  his  school-doctors  do  plainly  confess,  that  the 
 law  and  grace  are  diverse  and  distinct  things,  and  yet,  when  they 
 come  to  the  use  and  practice  thereof,  they  teach  clean  contrary. 
 Faith  in  Christ,  say  they,  whether  it  be  gotten  by  the  strength, 
 operation  and  qualities  of  nature,  or  whether  it  be  faith  infused 
 and  poured  into  us  of  God,  yet  is  it  but  a  dead  faith,  if  charity 
 be  not  joined  therewith.  Where  is  now  the  distinction  and  dif- 
 ference of  the  law  and  grace  ?  Indeed,  they  do  distinguish  them 
 in  name,  but  in  effect  they  call  them  charity.  Thus  do  all  they 
 which  do  straightly  require  the  observation  of  the  law,  and  attri- 
 bute justification  to  the  law  and  works.  Wherefore,  whosoever 
 doth  not  perfectly  understand  the  article  of  justification,  must 
 needs  confound  and  mingle  the  law  and  grace  together. 
 
 Let  every  man  therefore  diligently  learn,  above  all  things,  to 
 put  a  difference  between  the  law  and  grace  in  deed  and  in  prac- 
 tice: not  in  words  only,  as  the  pope  and  the  fantastical  anabap- 
 tists do :  who,  as  touching  the  words,  do  confess  that  they  are 
 two  distinct  things:  but  in  very  deed  (as  I  have  said)  they  con- 
 found and  mingle  them  together,  for  they  will  not  grant  that 
 faith  justifieth  without  works.  If  this  be  true,  then  Christ  pro- 
 fiteth  me  nothing.  For  though  my  faith  be  never  so  perfect, 
 yet  after  their  opinion,  if  this  faith  be  without  charity,  I  am  not 
 justified.  And  thus  Christ  apprehended  by  faith  is  not  ajus- 
 tifier,  grace  profiteth  nothing,  neither  can  faith  be  true  laith 
 without  charity. 
 
 With  this  doctrine  these  lying  spirits  and  sects  of  perdition  do 
 darken  and  deface  the  benefit  of  Christ  at  this  day:  they  take 
 aAvay  from  him  the  glory  of  a  justifier,  and  make  him  a  minister 
 of  sin.     They  are  in  all  things  like  to  the  false  apostles.    For 
 even  as  they  throughout  all  the  churches  did  require  circumci- 
 sion and  the  observation  of  the  law  besides  faith  in  Christ,  inso- 
 much that,  without  circumcision  and  the  keeping  of  the  law, 
 they  denied  the  justification  of  faith,  ("  for  except  ye  be  circima- 
 cised,"  said  they,  "  after  the  law  of  Moses,  ye  cannot  be  saved;") 
 even  so  at  this  day,  these  strait  exactors  of  the  law,  besides 
 the  righteousness  of  faith,  do  require  the  keeping  of  the  com- 
 mandments of  God,  according  to  that  saying:  "Do  this  and 
 thou  shalt  live."  Also,  "  If  thou  wilt  enter  into  life,  keep  the 
 commandments,"  (Luke  x.  28.  Matt.  xix.  17.)  Wherefore  there 
 is  not  one  among  them,  be  he  never  so  wise,  that  understandeth 
 the  difference  between  the  law  and  grace. 
 .      But  we  put  a  difference,  and  say  that  we  do  not  here  dispute 
 I  whether  we  ought  to  do  good  works :  whether  the  law  be  good, 
 I  holy  and  just:  whether  it  ought  to  be  kept  or  no?  for  this  is 
 another  manner  of  question.     But  our  qu»»stion  is  concerning 
 
VER.  17.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  107 
 
 iustification,  and  whether  the  law  do  justify  or  no?  Tliis  the  ad- 
 versaries will  not  hear;  they  will  not  answer  to  this  question, 
 nor  make  any  distinction  as  we  do;  hut  only  cry  out,  that  good 
 works  ought  to  be  done,  that  the  law  ought  to  be  observed.  \ 
 We  know  that  well  enough.  But  because  these  are  divers  dis-'^ 
 tinct  matters,  we  will  not  suffer  them  to  be  mingled  together. 
 That  good  works  ought  to  be  done,  we  will  hereafter  declare 
 them  when  time  shall  serve.  But  since  we  are  now  on  the  mat- 
 ter of  justification,  we  set  aside  here  all  good  works,  for  the  which 
 the  adversaries  do  so  earnestly  strive,  ascribing  unto  them  wholly 
 the  office  of  justifying:  which  is  to  take  from  Christ  his  glory, 
 arid  to  ascribe  the  same  unto  works. 
 
 Wherefore  this  is  a  sti'ong  argument,  which  I  have  oftentimes 
 used  to  my  great  comfort:  "If  then  while  we  seek  to  be  made 
 righteous  by  Christ,"  &c.  As  though  Paul  should  say;  if  we, 
 being  justified  by  Christ,  are  comited  yet  as  not  justified  and 
 righteous,  but  as  sinners  which  are  yet  to  be  justified  by  the  law, 
 then  may  we  not  seek  justification  in  Christ,  but  in  the  law.  But 
 if  justification  cometh  by  the  law,  then  cometh  it  not  by  grace. 
 Now  if  justification  cometh  not  by  grace,  but  by  the  law,  what 
 hath  Christ  done  and  wrought  by  his  death,  by  his  preaching, 
 by  his  victory  which  he  hath  obtained  over  the  law,  sin,  and 
 death,  and  by  sending  the  Holy  Ghost  ?  We  must  conclude, 
 therefore,  that  either  we  are  justified  by  Christ,  or  else  that  we 
 are  made  sinners,  culpable  and  guilty  through  him.  But  if  the 
 law  do  justify,  then  can  it  not  be  avoided,  but  needs  it  must  fol- 
 low, that  we  are  made  sinners  through  Christ,  and  so  Christ  is 
 a  minister  of  sin.  The  case  standing  thus,  let  us  then  set 
 down  this  proposition;  every  one  that  belie veth  in  the  Lord 
 Jesus  Christ  is  a  sinner,  and  is  guilty  of  eternal  death,  and  if 
 he  fly  not  unto  the  law,  doing  the  works  thereof,  he  shall  not 
 be  saved. 
 
 The  holy  scripture,  especially  the  New  Testament,  maketh 
 often  mention  of  faith  in  Christ,  and  highly  advanceth  the  same; 
 which  saith,  "  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  is  saved,  perish- 
 eth  not,  is  not  judged,  is  not  confounded,  hath  eternal  life,"  &c. 
 (John  iii.  16.  John  v.  24.)  But  contrariwise  they  say,  he  that 
 beheveth  in  him  is  condemned,  &c.  because  he  hath  laith  with- 
 out works,  which  doth  condemn.  Thus  do  they  pervert  all 
 things,  making  of  Christ  a  destroyer  and  a  murderer,  and  of 
 Moses  a  saviour.  And  is  not  this  a  horrible  blasphemy,  so 
 to  teach,  that  by  doing  good  works  thou  shalt  b  3  made  worthy 
 of  eternal  life;  but  by  beheving  in  Christ  thou  shalt  be  made 
 culpable  and  guilty  of  eternal  death !  That  the  law  being  kept 
 and  accomplished  saveth,  and  faith  in  Christ  condemneth  ? 
 
 The  self-same  words,  I  grant,  the  adversaries  do  not  use:  but 
 in  very  deed,  such  is  their  doctrine.  For  faith  infused,  say 
 they,  Avhich  properly  they  call  faith  in  Christ,  doth  not  make 
 us  free  from  sin,  but  that  faith  which  is  furnished  with  charity. 
 
108  COMMENTARY   ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  II. 
 
 Hereof  it  foUoweth,  that  faith  in  Christ,  without  the  law,  saveth 
 as  not.  This  is  plainly  to  ajftirm,  that  Christ  leaveth  us  in  our 
 sins,  and  in  the  wrath  of  God,  and  maketh  us  guilty  of  eternal 
 death.  On  the  other  side,  if  thou  keep  the  laAv,  and  do  the 
 works  thereof,  then  faith  justifieth  thee,  because  it  hath  works, 
 without  the  which  faith  availeth  nothing-.  Therefore  works  jus- 
 tify, and  not  faith.  O  horrible  impiety  !  What  pernicious  and 
 cursed  doctrine  is  this? 
 
 Paul  therefore  groundeth  his  argument  upon  an  impossibility 
 and  a  sufficient  division.  If  we  being  justified  in  Christ,  are  yet 
 found  sinners,  and  cannot  be  justified  but  by  another  mean  than 
 Christ,  that  is,  to  wit,  by  the  law,  then  cannot  Christ  justify  us, 
 but  he  only  accuseth  and  condemneth  us ;  and  so  consequently 
 it  foUoweth,  that  Christ  died  in  vain,  and  these  with  other  like 
 places  are  false.  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  that  taketh  away 
 the  sins  of  the  world."  Also,  "  He  that  believeth  in  him  hath 
 everlasting  life,"  (Johni.  29.  iii.  16.)  Yea,  the  whole  scripture  is 
 false,  which  beareth  witness  that  Christ  isthe  justifierand  saviour 
 of  the  world.  For  if  we  be  found  sinners  after  that  we  be  jus- 
 tified by  Christ,  it  foUoweth  of  necessity,  that  they  which  fulfil 
 the  law  are  justified  without  Christ.  If  this  be  true,  then  are  we 
 either  Turks,  or  Jews,  or  Tartarians,  professing  the  name  and 
 word  of  God  in  outward  shew,  but  in  deed  and  verity  utterly  deny- 
 ing Christ  and  his  word.  It  is  great  impiety  therefore  to  affirm 
 that  faith,  except  it  be  formed  with  charity,  justifieth  not.  But 
 if  the  adversaries  will  needs  defend  this  doctrine,  why  do  they 
 not  then  reject  faith  in  Christ  altogether:  especially  seeing  they 
 make  nothing  else  of  it  but  a  vain  quality  in  the  soul,  which 
 without  charity  availeth  nothing?  Why  do  they  not  say  in  plain 
 words,  that  works  do  justify  and  not  faith?  Yea,  why  do  they 
 not  generally  deny  not  only  Paul,  but  also  the  whole  gospel; 
 as  in  very  deed  they  do,  which  attribute  righteousness  to  works, 
 and  not  to  faith  alone?  For  if  faith  and  works  together  do  jus- 
 tify, then  is  the  disputation  of  Paul  altogether  false,  which  plainly 
 })ronounceth,  "  that  a  man  is  not  justified  by  the  deeds  of  the 
 aw,  but  by  faith  alone  in  Jesus  Christ." 
 
 Verse  17.     Is  Christ  therefore  the  minister  of  sin? 
 
 This  is  a  kind  of  speech  used  of  the  Hebrews,  which  Paul  in 
 2  Cor.  iii.  doth  also  use:  where  he  most  divinely  and  plainly 
 speaketh  of  these  two  ministers:  to  wit,  of  the  letter  and  the 
 spirit  of  the  law  and  grace,  or  of  death  and  life.  And  he  saith, 
 "  That  Moses  the  minister  of  the  law,  hath  the  minister  of  sin," 
 as  he  calleth  it,  "  of  wrath,  death,  and  condemnation."  For 
 Paul  is  woiit  to  give  reproachful  names  unto  the  law,  and 
 amongst  all  the  apostles  he  only  useth  this  manner  of  speech:  the 
 other  do  not  so  speak.  And  very  necessary  it  is,  that  such  as 
 are  studious  of  the  holy  scripture  should  understand  this  manner 
 of  speech  used  of  the  apostle. 
 
yrn.  17  1  epistle  to  the  gai^atiaks.  lOf^ 
 
 Now  a  minister  of  sin  is  nothing  else  but  a  lawgiver,  or  a 
 schoolmaster  of  the  law,  which  teacheth  good  works  and  charity, 
 and  that  a  man  must  suffer  the  cross  and  afflictions,  and  follow 
 the  example  of  Christ  and  of  the  saints.  He  that  teacheth  and 
 requireth  this,  is  a  minister  of  the  law,  of  sin,  wrath  and  of 
 death:  for  by  this  doctrine  he  doth  nothing  else  but  terrify 
 and  afflict  men's  consciences,  and  shut  them  under  sin.  For  it 
 is  impossible  for  the  nature  of  man  to  accomplish  the  law:  yea, 
 in  those  that  are  justified  and  have  tlie  Holy  Ghost,  the  law 
 of  the  members  fighteth  against  the  law  of  the  mind,  { Rom.  vii. 
 23.)  What  will  it  not  then  do  in  the  wicked  which  have  not  the 
 Holy  Ghost?  Wlierefore  he  that  teacheth  that  righteousness 
 Cometh  by  the  law,  doth  not  understand  what  he  saith  or  what 
 he  affii'meth,  and  much  less  doth  he  keep  the  law,  but  rather  he 
 deceiveth  himself  and  others,  and  layeth  upon  them  such  a  bur- 
 den as  they  are  not  able  to  bear,  requiring  and  teaching  impos- 
 sible things,  and  at  the  last  he  bringeth  himself  and  his  disciples 
 unto  desperation. 
 
 The  right  use  and  end  therefore  of  the  law  is,  to  accuse  and 
 condemn  as  guilty  such  as  live  in  security,  that  they  may  see 
 themselves  to  be  in  danger  of  sin,  wrath,  and  death  eternal,  that 
 so  they  may  be  terrified  and  brought  even  to  the  brink  of  des- 
 peration, trembling  and  quaking  at  the  falling  of  a  leaf;  and  in 
 that  they  are  such,  they  are  under  the  law.  For  the  law  requi- 
 reth'per&ct  obedience  unto  God,  and  condemneth  aU  those  that 
 do  not  accomplish  the  same.  Now,  it  is  certain,  that  there  is  no 
 man  living  which  is  able  to  perform  this  obedience :  which  not- 
 withstanding God  straitly  requireth  of  us.  The  law  therefore 
 justifieth  not,  but  condemneth,  according  to  that  saying,  "  Cursed 
 is  he  that  abideth  not  in  all  things  that  are  written  in  this  book." 
 (Deut.  xxvii.  26.  Gal.  iii.  10.)  Therefore  he  that  teacheth  the 
 law  is  the  minister  of  the  law. 
 
 Wherefore  it  is  not  without  good  cause,  that  Paul,  in  2  Cor.  iii. 
 calleth  the  minister  of  the  law,  the  minister  of  sin:  for  the  law 
 sheweth  and  uttereth  sin,  which  without  the  law  is  dead.  Now 
 the  knowledge  of  sin  (I  speak  not  here  of  that  speculative  know- 
 ledge of  hypocrites,  but  of  a  true  knowledge,  by  the  which  we 
 see  the  wrath  of  God  against  sin,  and  feel  a  true  taste  of  death) 
 terrifieth  the  heart,  driveth  down  to  desperation,  kiUeth  and  des- 
 troyeth,  (Rom.  vii.)  Wherefore  these  schoolmasters  of  the  law 
 ana  works  are  called  in  the  scripture  oppressors  and  tyrants. 
 For  as  the  taskmasters  in  Egypt  did  oppress  the  children  of 
 Israel  (Exod.  v.)  with  corporal  servitude,  so  do  these  lawgivers 
 and  taskmasters  drive  men  into  spiritual  and  most  miserable  bon- 
 dage of  soul,  and  at  length  bring  them  to  desperation  and  utter 
 destruction.  These  do  neither  know  themselves  nor  the  force  of 
 the  law;  neither  is  it  possible  for  them  to  have  quietness  and 
 peace  of  conscience  in  great  and  inward  terrors,  and  in  the  agony 
 of  death,  yea,  though  they  hav  e  observed  the  law,  loved  their 
 
110  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CHAP.  W. 
 
 neighbours,  done  many  good  works,  and  suffered  great  afflictions; 
 for  the  law  always  terrifieth  and  accuseth,  saying,  thou  never 
 didst  accomplish  all  that  is  commanded  in  the  law;  but  accursed 
 is  he  that  hath  not  done  all  things  contained  therein.  Wherefore 
 these  terrors  remain  still  in  the  conscience,  and  increase  more 
 and  more.  And  if  such  schoolmasters  of  the  law  be  not  raised 
 up  by  faith  and  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  they  are  driven 
 down  headlong  to  desperation. 
 
 This  also  was  notably  figured  when  the  law  was  given,  as  we 
 may  see  in  the  19th  and  20th  of  Exodus.  Moses  brought  the  peo- 
 ple out  of  the  tents  to  meet  with  the  Lord,  that  they  might  hear 
 him  speak  unto  them  out  of  the  dark  cloud.  Then  the  people 
 being  astonished  and  trembling  for  fear,  fled  back  (which  a  little 
 before  had  promised  to  do  all  that  God  had  commanded)  and 
 standing  aloof,  off,  said  unto  Moses :  "  Who  can  abide  to  see 
 the  fire,  and  to  hear  the  thunderings  and  noise  of  the  trumpet  ? 
 Talk  thou  with  us,  and  we  will  hear  thee :  but  let  not  God  talk 
 with  us,  lest  we  die."  So  the  proper  office  of  the  law  is  to  lead 
 us  out  of  our  tents  and  tabernacles,  that  is  to  say,  from  the  quiet- 
 ness and  security  wherein  we  dwell,  and  from  trusting  in  our- 
 selves, and  to  bring  us  before  the  presence  of  God,  to  reveal  his 
 wrath  unto  us,  and  to  set  before  us  our  sins.  Here  the  con- 
 science feeleth  that  it  hath  not  satisfied  the  law,  neither  is  it  able 
 to  satisfy  it,  nor  to  bear  the  Avrath  of  God,  which  the  law  re- 
 vealeth  when  it  bringeth  us  forth  after  this  manner  before  the 
 presence  of  God;  that  is  to  say,  when  it  feareth  us,  accuseth  us, 
 and  setteth  before  us  our  sins.  Here  it  is  impossible  that  we 
 should  be  able  to  stand:  and  therefore,  being  thoroughly  afraid, 
 we  fly,  and  we  cry  out  with  the  children  of  Israel,  "  We  shall 
 die,  we  shall  die :  let  not  the  Lord  speak  unto  us,  but  speak 
 thou  unto  us,"  &c. 
 
 He  then  which  teacheth  that  faith  in  Christ  justifieth  not 
 without  the  observation  of  the  law,  maketh  Christ  a  minister  of 
 sin,  that  is  to  say,  a  schoolmaster  of  the  law,  which  teacheth  the 
 self-same  doctrine  that  Moses  did.  By  this  means  Christ  is  no 
 saviour,  no  giver  of  grace,  but  a  cruel  tyrant,  who  requireth  such 
 things  (as  Moses  did)  which  no  man  is  able  to  perform.  See 
 how  all  the  merit-mongers  do  take  Christ  to  be  but  a  new  law- 
 giver, and  the  gospel  to  be  nothing  else  but  a  certain  book  which 
 containeth  new  laws  concerning  works,  as  the  Turks  dream  of 
 their  Alcoran.  But  as  touching  laws  there  is  enough  in  Moses. 
 The  gospel  then  is  a  preaching  of  Christ,  which  forgiveth  sins, 
 ffiveth  grace,  justifieth  and  saveth  siimers.  Now,  whereas  there 
 ■Sre  commandments  found  in  the  gospel,  they  are  not  the  gospel, 
 but  expositions  of  the  law,  and  matters  depending  upon  the 
 gospel. 
 
 To  conclude,  if  the  law  be  the  ministry  of  sin,  then  it  is  also 
 the  ministry  of  wrath  and  of  death.  For  as  the  law  revealeth 
 sin,  80  doth  it  terrify  a  man,  it  sheweth  unto  him  his  sin  and  the 
 
V^P.  r?.  ]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  )  1  I 
 
 wrath  of  God,  and  striketh  into  him  a  terror  of  death  and  dam- 
 nation. For  this  the  conscience  by-and-hy  gathereth :  thou  hast 
 not  kept  the  commandments  of  God,  therefore  is  God  angry 
 with  thee.  If  he  be  angry  with  thee,  he  will  destroy  and  con- 
 demn thee  for  ever.  And  it  thinketh  this  to  be  an  infallible  con- 
 sequence: I  have  sinned,  therefore  I  must  die.  And  so  it  folio w- 
 eth,  that  the  ministry  of  sin,  is  the  ministry  of  wrath  and  con- 
 demnation. For  after  that  sin  is  revealed,  by-and-by  ensueth 
 the  wrath  of  God,  death,  and  damnation.  And  hereof  it  cometh, 
 that  many  which  are  not  able  to  bear  the  judgment  and  wrath 
 of  God,  wliich  the  law  setteth  before  their  eyes,  do  kill,  hang, 
 or  drown  themselves. 
 
 Verse  17.     God  forbid. 
 
 As  though  he  would  say,  Christ  is  not  the  minister  of  sin,  but 
 the  giver  of  righteousness  and  eternal  life.  Wherefore  Paul 
 separateth  Moses  far  from  Christ.  Let  Moses  then  tarry  on  the 
 earth;  let  him  be  the  schoolmaster  of  the  letter,  and  exactor  of 
 the  law :  let  him  torment  and  crucify  sinners.  But  the  believers, 
 saith  Paid,  have  another  schoolmaster  in  their  conscience:  not 
 Moses,  but  Christ,  which  hath  abolished  the  law  and  sin,  hath 
 overcome  the  wrath  of  God,  and  destroyed  death.  He  biddeth 
 us  that  labour  and  are  oppressed  with  all  manner  of  calamities, 
 to  come  unto  him.  Therefore  ivhen  ye  fly  unto  him,  Moses  with 
 his  law  vanishes  away,  (Deut.  xxxiii.  4.)  so  that  his  sepulchre 
 can  no  where  be  seen,  sin  and  death  can  hurt  us  no  more.  For 
 Christ  our  instructor  is  Lord  over  the  law,  sin,  and  death ;  so 
 that  they  which  believe  in  him,  are  delivered  from  the  same.  It 
 is  therefore  the  proper  office  of  Christ  to  deliver  from  sin  and 
 death ;  and  this  Paul  teacheth  and  repeateth  every  where. 
 
 We  are  condemned  and  killed  by  the  law,  but  by  Christ  we 
 ai*e  justified  and  restored  to  life.  The  law  astonisheth  us,  and 
 driveth  us  from  God:  but  Christ  reconcileth  us  to  God,  and 
 maketh  for  us  an  entrance,  that  we  may  boldly  come  unto  him. 
 "  For  he  is  the  I-ramb  of  God,  that  hath  taken  away  the  sins  of 
 the  world."  Now,  if  the  sin  of  the  world  be  taken  away,  then  is 
 it  taken  away  from  me  also,  which  do  believe  in  him.  If  sin  be 
 taken  away,  then  is  the  wrath  of  God,  death,  and  damnation 
 taken  away  also.  And  in  the  place  of  sin  succeedeth  righteous- 
 ness; in  the  place  of  Avrath,  reconciliation  and  grace;  in  the 
 place  of  death,  life ;  and  in  the  place  of  damnation,  salvation. 
 Let  us  learn  to  practise  this  distinction,  not  in  words  only,  but 
 in  life  and  lively  experience,  and  with  an  inward  feeling.  For 
 where  Christ  is,  there  must  needs  be  joy  of  heart  and  peace  of 
 conscience :  for  Christ  is  our  reconciUation,  righteousness,  peace, 
 life,  and  salvation.  Briefly,  whatsoever  the  poor  afllicted  con- 
 science desireth,  it  findeth  in  Christ  abundantly.  Now  Paul 
 goeth  about  to  amplify  this  argument,  and  to  persuade  as  fol- 
 loweth. 
 
1  \2  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CHAP.  H 
 
 Verse  18.     For  if  I  build  again  the  things  that  I  have   destroyed,  1  make 
 myself  a  trespasser. 
 
 As  if  he  should  say:  I  have  not  preached  to  this  end,  that  I 
 might  build  again  those  things  which  I  once  destroyed.  For  if 
 I  should  so  do,  I  should  not  only  labour  in  vain,  but  should 
 make  myself  also  a  transgressor,  and  overthrow  aU  together,  as 
 the  false  apostles  do;  that  is  to  say,  of  grace,  and  of  Christ,  I 
 should  again  make  the  law  and  Moses:  and  contrariwise,  of  the 
 law  and  Moses,  I  should  make  grace  and  Christ.  Now,  by  the 
 ministry  of  the  gospel,  I  have  abolished  sin,  heaviness  of  heart, 
 wrath  and  death.  For  thus  have  I  taught:  Thy  conscience,  O 
 man,  is  subject  to  the  law,  sin,  and  death;  from  which  thou 
 canst  not  be  delivered  either  bym<>,n  or  angels.  But  now  cometh 
 the  gospel,  and  preacheth  unto  thee  remission  of  sin  by  Jesus 
 Christ,  who  hath  abolished  the  law,  and  hath  destroyed  sin  and 
 death:  believe  in  him:  so  shalt  thou  be  delivered  from  the  curse 
 of  the  law,  and  from  the  tyranny  of  sin  and  death:  thou  shalt 
 become  righteous,  and  have  eternal  life. 
 
 Behold  how  I  have  destroyed  the  law,  by  the  preaching  of 
 the  gospel,  to  the  end  that  it  should  not  reign  in  the  conscience 
 any  more.  For  when  the  new  guest  Christ  Jesus  cometh  into 
 the  new  house,  there  to  dwell  alone,  Moses  the  old  inhabiter 
 must  give  place  unto  him,  and  depart  some  whither  else.  Also 
 where  Christ  the  newguestiscome  to  dwell,  there  can  sin,  wrath, 
 and  death  have  no  place:  but  there  now  dwelleth  mere  grace, 
 righteousness,  joy,  life,  true  affiance  and  trust  in  the  Father,  now 
 pacified  and  reconciled  unto  us,  gracious,  long-suffering,  and  full 
 of  mercy,  for  his  Son  Christ's  sake.  Should  I  then,  driving  out 
 Christ,  and  destroying  his  kingdom,  which  I  have  planted  through 
 the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  now  build  up  again  the  law,  and 
 set  up  the  kmgdom  of  Moses?  Indeed  this  should  I  do,  if  I 
 should  teach  circumcision  and  the  observation  of  the  law  to  be 
 necessary  to  salvation,  as  the  false  apostles  do:  and  by  this  means, 
 in  the  stead  of  righteousness  and  life,  I  should  restore  again  sin 
 and  death.  For  the  law  doth  nothing  else  but  utter  sin,  pro- 
 em'e  God's  wrath,  kill  and  destroy. 
 
 What  are  the  Papists  (I  pray  you)  yea,  the  best  of  them  all, 
 but  destroyers  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  and  builders  up  of  the 
 kingdom  of  the  devil  and  of  sin,  of  wrath  and  eternal  death? 
 Yea,  they  destroy  the  church,  which  is  God's  building,  not  by 
 the  law  of  Moses,  as  did  the  false  apostles,  but  by  men's  tradi- 
 tions and  doctrines  of  devils.  And  even  so  the  fantastical  heads 
 which  are  at  this  day,  and  shall  come  after  us,  do  destroy  and 
 shall  destroy  those  things  which  we  have  built ;  do  build,  and 
 shall  build  up  again  those  things  which  we  have  destroyed. 
 
 But  we  by  the  grace  of  Christ  holding  the  article  of  justifica- 
 tion, do  assm-edly  know  that  we  are  justified  and  reputed  right- 
 eous before  God  by  faith  only  in  Christ.  Therefore  we  do  not 
 mingle  the  law  nnd  grace,  faith  and  works  together:  but  wo 
 
VER.  18.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  1  IS 
 
 separate  them  far  asunder.  And  this  distinction  or  difference 
 between  the  law  and  grace,  let  every  true  Clii-istian  mark  dili- 
 gently, and  let  him  suffer  the  same  to  take  place,  not  in  letters 
 and  syllables,  but  in  practice  and  inward  experience:  so  that 
 when  he  heareth  that  good  works  ought  to  be  done,  and  that  the 
 example  of  Christ  is  to  be  followed,  he  may  be  able  to  judge 
 rightlv,  and  say.  Well,  all  these  things  will  I  gladly  do.  What 
 then  followeth?  Thou  shalt  then  be  saved  and  obtain  everlasting 
 life.  Nay,  not  so.  I  grant  indeed,  that  I  ought  to  do  good  works, 
 patiently  to  suffer  troubles  and  afflictions,  and  to  shed  my  blood 
 also,  if  need  be,  for  Christ's  cause:  but  yet  am  I  not  j ustified, 
 neither  do  I  obtain  salvation  thereby. 
 
 We  must  not  therefore  draw  good  works  into  the  article  of 
 justification  as  the  monks  have  done,  which  say,  that  not  only 
 good  works,  but  also  the  punishment  and  torments  which  male- 
 factors suffer  for  their  wicked  deeds  do  deserve  everlasting  life. 
 For  thus  they  comfort  them,  when  they  are  brought  to  the  gal- 
 lows, or  place  of  execution:  thou  must  suffer  willingly  and  pa- 
 tiently this  shameful  death:  which  if  thou  do,  thou  shalt  deserve 
 remission  of  thy  sins  and  everlasting  hfe.  What  a  horrible  thing 
 is  this,  that  a  wretched  thief,  a  murderer,  a  robber,  should  be  so 
 miserably  seduced  in  that  extreme  anguish  and  distress,  that 
 even  at  the  very  point  of  death,  when  he  is  now  ready  to  be 
 hanged,  or  to  have  his  head  cut  off,  he  should  refuse  the  gospel 
 and  sAveet  promises  in  Christ,  which  are  only  able  to  bring  com- 
 fort and  salvation,  and  should  be  commanded  to  hope  for  pardon 
 of  his  sins,  if  he  wiUingly  and  patiently  endure  this  opprobrious 
 death  which  he  suffereth  for  his  mischievous  deeds?  What  is  this 
 else  but  to  heap  upon  him  which  is  already  most  miserably  afflict- 
 ed, extreme  perdition  and  destruction,  and  through  a  false  con- 
 science in  his  own  death,  to  shew  him  the  readv  way  to 
 hell? 
 
 Hereby  these  hypocrites  do  plainly  declare,  that  they  neither 
 teach  nor  understand  one  letter  or  syllable  concerning  grace,  the 
 gospel,  or  Christ.  They  retain  only  in  outward  shew  the  name 
 of  the  gospel  and  of  Christ,  that  they  may  beguile  the  hearts  of 
 the  people.  Notwithstanding  they  denying  and  rejecting  Christ 
 indeed,  do  attribute  more  to  the  traditions  of  men,  than  to  the 
 gospel  of  Christ.  Which  thing  to  be  true,  so  many  kinds  of  false 
 worships,  so  many  religious  orders,  so  many  ceremonies,  and  so 
 many  will- workers  do  plainly  witness :  all  which  things  were  in- 
 stituted as  available  to  deserve  grace,  righteousness  and  everlast- 
 ing life.  Ifk  their  confessions  they  make  no  mention  of  faith  or 
 the  merit  of  Christ,  but  they  teach  and  set  forth  the  satisfactions 
 and  merits  of  men,  as  it  may  plainly  appear  in  this  form  of  ab- 
 solution ( I  speak  nothing  here  of  other  matters)  which  the  monks 
 used  among  themselves,  yea,  and  such  as  would  be  counted 
 more  devout  and  more  religious  than  others:  which  I  think 
 
1 14  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  IT. 
 
 good  here  to  set  down,  that  our  posterity  may  see  how  great 
 and  how  horrible  the  kingdom  of  the  pope  is. 
 
 THE  FORM  OF  A  MONKISH  ABSOLUTION. 
 
 God  forgive  thee,  my  brother.  The  merit  of  the  passion  of  our 
 Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  of  blessed  S.  Mary,  always  a  virgin, 
 and  of  all  the  saints :  the  merit  of  thine  order,  the  straitness  of 
 thy  religio^i,  the  humility  of  thy  confession,  the  contrition  of  thy 
 heart,  the  good  works  which  thou  hast  done  and  shalt  do  for  the 
 love  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  be  unto  thee  available  for  the  re- 
 mission of  thy  sins,  the  increase  of  desert  and  grace,  and  the 
 reward  of  everlasting  life.  Amen. 
 
 Ye  hear  the  merit  of  Christ  mentioned  in  these  words:  but  if 
 ye  weigh  them  well,  ye  shall  perceive  that  Christ  is  there  alto- 
 gether unprofitable,  and  that  the  glory  and  name  of  ajustifier 
 and  saviour  is  quite  taken  from  him,  and  given  to  monkish  merits. 
 Is  not  this  to  take  the  name  of  God  in  vain?  Is  not  this  to  confess 
 Christ  in  words,  and  in  very  deed  to  deny  his  power,  and  blas- 
 pheme his  name?  I  myself  also  was  once  entangled  with  this 
 error:  I  thought  Christ  to  be  a  judge  (although  I  confessed  with 
 my  mouth  that  he  suffered  and  died  for  man's  redemption)  and 
 ought  to  be  pacified  by  the  observation  of  my  rule  and  ordei*. 
 Therefore,  when  I  prayed,  or  when  I  said  mass,  I  used  to  add 
 this  in  the  end:  O  Lord  Jesus,  I  come  unto  thee,  and  I  pray 
 thee  that  these  burdens  and  this  straitness  of  my  rule  and  reli- 
 gion may  be  a  full  recompence  for  all  my  sins.  But  now  I  give 
 thanks  unto  God  the  Father  of  all  mercies,  which  hath  called  me 
 out  of  darkness  unto  the  light  of  his  glorious  gospel,  and  hath 
 given  unto  me  plentiful  knoAvledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord : 
 for  whose  sake  I  count  all  things  to  be  but  loss,  yea,  I  esteem 
 them  but  as  dung,  that  I  may  gain  Christ,  and  that  I  may  be 
 found  in  him,  not  having  mine  own  righteousness  out  of  the  rule 
 of  Augustine,  but  that  righteousness  which  cometh  by  faith  in 
 Christ:  imto  whom,  with  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  be 
 praise  and  glory,  world  without  end.     Amen. 
 
 We  conclude  therefore  Avith  Paul,  "that  we  are  justified  by 
 5  faith  only  in  Christ,  without  the  law."  Noav  after  that  a  man  is 
 jjonce  iustified,  and  possesseth  Christ  by  faith,  and  knoweth  that 
 «_       II  he  is  his  righteousness  and  life,  doubtless  he  will  not  be  idle,  but 
 *  *  1 1  as  a  good  tree  he  will  bring  forth  good  fruits.  For  the  believing 
 man  hath  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  where  the  Holy  Ghost  dwelleth, 
 ; ;  he  will  not  suffer  a  man  to  be  idle,  but  stirreth  him  up  to  all 
 /)  exercises  of  piety  and  godliness,  and  of  true  religion,  to  the  love 
 ■'     of  God,  to  the  patient  suffering  of  afflictions,  to  prayer,  to  thanks- 
 giving, to  the  exercise  of  charity  towards  all  men. 
 V"  Hitherto  we  have  handled  the  first  argument,  Avherein  Paul 
 ■x^        I  contend eth  that  either  we  cannot  be  justified  hy  the  law,  or  else 
 •M    iKl  that  Christ  must  needs  be  the  minister  of  sin.     But  this  is  im- 
 /   possible:  wherefore  we  conclude,  that  justification  cometh  not 
 
VER.  19.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  115 
 
 by  the  law.  Of  this  place  we  have  largely  intreated,  as  it  is  well 
 worthy,  and  yet  can  it  not  be  taught  and  beaten  into  men's  heads 
 sufficiently. 
 
 Verse  19.     For  I  through  the  law  am  dead  to  the  law,  that  I  might  live  unto 
 
 God. 
 
 These  are  marvellous  words,  and  unknown  kinds  of  speech, 
 which  man's  reason  can  in  no  wiso  understand.  And  although 
 they  be  but  few,  yet  are  they  uttered  with  great  zeal  and  vehe- 
 mency  of  spirit,  and  as  it  were  in  great  displeasure.  As  if  he 
 should  say,  why  do  ye  boast  so  much  of  the  law  ?  Whereof,  in 
 this  case,  I  will  be  ignorant.  But  if  ye  will  needs  have  the  law, 
 I  also  have  the  law.  Wherefore,  as  though  he  were  moved 
 through  indignation  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  calleth  grace  itself 
 the  law,  giving  a  new  name  to  the  effect  and  working  of  grace, 
 in  contempt  of  the  law  of  Moses  and  the  false  apostles,  which 
 contended  that  the  law  was  necessary  to  justification:  and  so  he 
 setteth  the  law  against  the  law.  And  this  is  a  sweet  kind  of 
 speech,  and  full  of  consolation,  when  in  the  scriptures,  and  spe- 
 cially in  Paul,  the  law  is  set  against  the  law,  sin  against  sin, 
 death  against  death,  captivity  against  captivity,  hell  against  hell, 
 the  altar  against  the  altar,  the  lamb  against  the  lamb,  the  pass- 
 over  against  the  passover. 
 
 In  the  eighth  to  the  Romans  it  is  said,  "  For  sin  he  con- 
 demned sin."  Psal.  Ixviii.  Eph.  iv.  "  He  hath  led  captivity 
 captive."  Hos.  xiii.  "  O  death,  I  will  be  thy  death :  O  hell,  I 
 will  be  thy  destruction."  So  he  saith  here,  that  through  the 
 law  he  is  dead  to  the  law.  As  if  he  said :  the  law  of  Moses  ac- 
 cuseth  and  conderaneth  me:  but  against  that  accusing  and  con- 
 demning law,  I  have  another  law,  which  is  grace  and  liberty, 
 (James  i.  25.)  This  law  accuseth  the  accusing  law,  and  con- 
 demneth  the  condemning  law.  So  death  killed  death;  but  this 
 killing  death  is  life  itself.  But  it  is  called  the  death  of  death, 
 by  a  vehement  indignation  of  spirit  against  death.  So  righte- 
 ousness taketh  the  name  of  sin,  because  it  condemneth  sin,  and 
 this  condemning  of  sin  is  true  righteousness. 
 
 And  here  Paul  seemeth  to  be  a  heretic;  yea,  of  all  heretics 
 the  greatest,  and  his  heresy  is  strange  and  monstrous.  For  he 
 saith,  "  That  he  being  dead  to  the  law,  liveth  to  God."  The 
 false  apostles  taught  this  doctrine :  Except  thou  live  to  the  law, 
 thou  art  dead  to  God;  that  is  to  say,  unless  thou  live  after  the 
 law,  thou  art  dead  before  God.  But  Paul  saith  quite  contrary: 
 "Except  thou  be  dead  to  the  law,  thou  canst  not  live  to  God." 
 The  doctrine  of  our  adversaries  at  this  day,  is  like  to  the  doc- 
 trine of  the  false  apostles  of  that  time.  If  thou  wilt  live  to  God, 
 say  they,  live  to  the  law,  or  after  the  law.  But  contrariwise  we 
 say;  if  thou  wilt  live  to  God,  thou  must  be  utterly  dead  to  the 
 law.  Man's  reason  and  wisdom  understandeth  not  this  doctrine : 
 Aerefore  it  teacheth  always  the  contrary:  that  is,  if  thou  wilt 
 
116  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CHAP.  II. 
 
 live  unto  God,  thovx  must  keep  the  law:  for  it  Is  written,  "Do 
 this  and  thou  shalt  live."  And  this  is  a  special  principle  amongst 
 all  the  popish  divines:  he  that  liveth  after  the  law,  liveth  unto 
 God.  Paul  saith  the  contrary:  that  is,  we  cannot  live  unto 
 God,  unless  we  be  thoroughly  dead  to  the  law.  Wherefore  we 
 must  mount  up  to  this  heaverily  altitude,  that  we  may  be  as- 
 sured, that  we  are  far  above  the  law,  yea,  that  we  are  utterly 
 dead  unto  the  law.  Now,  if  we  be  dead  unto  the  law,  then  hath 
 the  law  no  power  over  us,  like  as  it  hath  no  power  over  Christ, 
 who  hath  delivered  us  from  the  same,  that  we  might  live  unto 
 God.  All  these  things  tend  to  this  end,  to  prove  that  we  are 
 not  justified  by  the  law,  but  by  faith  only  in  Jesus  Christ. 
 
 And  here  Paul  speaketh  not  of  the  ceremonial  law  only  (as 
 before  we  have  declared  more  at  large)  but  of  the  whole  law, 
 whether  it  be  ceremonial  or  moral,  which  to  a  Christian  is  utterly 
 abrogated,  for  he  is  dead  unto  it:  not  that  the  law  is  utterly  taken 
 away;  nay,  it  remaineth,  liveth,  and  reigneth  still  in  the  wicked. 
 But  a  godly  man  is  dead  unto  the  law,  like  as  he  is  dead  unto 
 sin,  the  devil,  death,  and  hell;  which  notwithstanding  do  still 
 remain,  and  the  world  with  all  the  wicked  shall  still  abide  in 
 them.  Wherefore  when  the  Papist  understandeth  that  the  ceremo- 
 nial law  only  is  abolished,  understand  thou,  that  Paul  and  eveiy 
 Christian  is  dead  to  the  law,  and  yet  the  whole  remaineth  still. 
 As  for  example:  Christ  rising  from  death  is  free  from  the 
 grave,  and  yet  the  grave  remaineth  still.  Peter  is  delivered 
 from  the  prison,  the  sick  of  the  palsy  from  his  bed,  the  young 
 man  from  his  coffin,  the  maiden  from  her  couch,  and  yet  the 
 prison,  the  bed,  the  coffin,  the  couch  do  remain  still.  Even  so 
 the  law  is  abolished  when  I  am  not  subject  unto  it,  the  law  is 
 dead  when  I  am  dead  unto  it,  and  yet  it  remaineth  still.  But 
 because  I  am  dead  unto  it  by  another  law,  therefore  it  is  dead 
 also  unto  me ;  as  the  grave  of  Christ,  the  prison  of  Peter,  the  couch 
 of  the  maiden,  &c.  do  still  remain:  and  yet  Christ  by  his  resurrec- 
 tion is  dead  unto  the  grave,  Peter  by  his  deliverance  is  freed  from 
 the  prison,  and  the  maid  through  life  is  delivered  from  the  couch. 
 ;  j  Wherefore  these  words:  "I  am  dead  to  the  law,"  are  very 
 I  j  effectual.  For  he  saith  not:  I  am  free  from  the  law  for  a  time, 
 I  or  I  am  lord  over  the  law:  but  simply  I  am  dead  to  the  law; 
 that  is  to  say,  I  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  law.  Paul  could 
 have  uttered  nothing  more  effectual  against  the  righteousness  of 
 the  law,  than  to  say:  I  am  dead  to  the  law,  that  is,  I  care  no- 
 thing at  all  for  the  law:  therefore  I  am  not  justified  by  it. 
 
 Now,  to  die  to  the  law,  is,  not  to  be  bound  to  the  law,  but  to 
 be  free  from  the  law,  and  not  to  know  it.  Therefore  let  him  that 
 will  live  to  God,  endeavour  that  he  may  be  found  without  the 
 law,  and  let  him  come  out  of  the  grave  with  Christ.  The  sol- 
 diers were  astonished  when  Christ  was  risen  out  of  the  giave: 
 and  they  also  which  saw  the  maiden  raised  up  from  death  to  life. 
 
VER.   18.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  117 
 
 were  amazed.  So  man's  reason  and  wisdom  is  astonished,  and 
 oecometh  foolish,  when  it  heareth  that  we  are  not  justified,  ex- 
 cept we  be  dead  to  the  law:  for  it  is  not  able  to  reach  unto  this 
 mystery.  But  we  know  that  when  we  apprehend  Christ  by  faith 
 inwardly  in  conscience,  we  enter  into  a  certain  new  law,  which 
 swalloweth  up  the  old  law  that  held  us  captive.  As  the  grave 
 in  which  Christ  lay  dead,  after  that  he  was  risen  again,  was 
 void  and  empty,  and  Christ  vanished  away:  so  when  I  believe 
 in  Christ,  I  rise  again  with  him,  and  die  to  my  grave,  that  is  to 
 say,  the  law,  which  held  me  captive:  so  that  now  the  law  is 
 void,  and  I  am  escaped  out  of  my  prison  and  grave,  that  is  to 
 say,  the  law.  Wherefore  the  law  hath  no  right  to  accuse  me, 
 or  to  hold  me  any  longer,  for  I  am  risen  again. 
 
 It  is  necessary  that  men's  consciences  sho^dd  be  diligently 
 instructed,  that  they  may  well  understand  the  difference  be- 
 tween the  righteousness  of  the  law  and  grace.  The  righteous- 
 ness of  grace,  or  the  liberty  of  conscience,  doth  in  no  wise 
 pertain  to  the  flesh.  Fop  the  flesh  may  not  be  at  liberty,  but 
 must  remain  in  the  grave,  the  prison,  the  couch:  it  must  be  in 
 subjection  to  the  law,  and  exercised  by  the  Egyptians.  But 
 the  Christian  conscience  must  be  dead  to  the  law,  that  is  to  say, 
 free  from  the  law,  and  must  have  nothing  at  all  to  do  with  it. 
 It  is  good  to  know  this:  for  it  helpeth  very  much  to  the  com- 
 forting of  poor  afflicted  consciences.  Wherefore,  when  you  see 
 a  man  terrified  and  cast  down  with  the  sense  and  feeling  of  his 
 sin,  say  unto  him:  Brother,  thou  dost  not  rightly  distinguish. 
 Thou  placest  the  laAV  in  thy  conscience,  which  should  be  placed 
 in  the  flesh.  Awake,  arise  up,  and  remember  that  thou  must 
 believe  in  Christ,  the  conqueror  of  the  law  and  sin.  W^ith  this 
 faith  thou  shalt  mount  up  above  and  beyond  the  laAV,  into  that 
 heaven  of  grace  where  is  no  law  nor  sin.  And  albeit  the  law 
 and  sin  do  still  remain,  yet  they  pertain  nothing  to  thee:  for 
 thou  art  dead  to  the  law  and  sin. 
 
 This  is  easily  said,  but  blessed  is  he  which  knoweth  how  to 
 lay  sure  hold  on  these  things  in  time  of  distress;  that  is,  which 
 can  say,  when  sin  overweigheth  him,  and  the  law  accuseth  him: 
 what  is  this  to  me,  oh  law,  that  thou  accusest  me,  and  sayest  that 
 I  have  committed  many  sins?  Indeed  I  grant  that  I  have  com- 
 mitted many  sins,  yea,  and  yet  still  do  commit  sins  daily  without 
 number.  This  toucheth  me  nothing:  I  am  now  deaf,  and  can- 
 not hear ;  therefore  thou  talkest  to  me  in  vain,  for  I  am  dead 
 unto  thee.  But  if  thou  wilt  needs  dispute  with  me  as  touching 
 my  sins,  get  thee  to  my  flesh  and  members,  my  servants:  teach 
 them,  exercise  and  crucify  them:  but  trouble  not  me,  not  me. 
 Conscience,  I  say,  which  am  a  lady  and  a  queen,  and  have  nothing 
 to  do  with  thee;  for  I  am  dead  to  thee,  and  now  I  live  to  Christ, 
 with  Avhom  I  am  under  another  law,  to  wit,  the  law  of  grace, 
 which  ruleth  over  sin  and  the  law.  By  what  means?  By  faith 
 in  Christ,  as  Paul  declareth  hereafter. 
 
118  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CHAP.  II. 
 
 But  this  seemeth  a  strang-e  and  wonderful  delinition,  that  to 
 live  to  the  law,  is  to  die  to  God :  and  to  die  to  the  law,  is  to  live 
 to  God. — These  two  propositions  are  clean  contrary  to  reason, 
 and  therefore  no  crafty  sophister  or  law-worker  can  understand 
 them.  But  learn  thou  the  true  understanding  thereof.  He 
 that  liveth  to  the  law,  that  is,  seeketh  to  be  justified  by  the  works 
 of  the  law,  is  and  remaineth  a  sinner :  therefore  he  is  dead  and 
 condemned.  For  the  law  cannot  justify  and  save  him,  but  ac- 
 cuseth,  terrifieth,  and  killeth  him.  Therefore,  to  live  unto  the 
 law,  is  to  die  unto  God:  and  contrariwise,  to  die  to  the  law,  is 
 to  live  unto  God.  Wherefore  if  thou  wilt  live  unto  God,  thou 
 must  die  to  the  law:  but  if  thou  wilt  hve  to  the  laAv,  thou  shalt 
 die  to  God.  Now  to  live  unto  God,  is  to  be  justified  by  grace 
 or  by  faith,  for  Christ's  sake,  without  the  law  and  works. 
 
 This  is  then  the  proper  and  true  definition  of  a  Christian:  that 
 he  is  the  child  of  grace  and  remission  of  sins,  because  he  is 
 under  no  law,  but  is  above  the  law,  sin,  death,  and  hell.  And 
 even  as  Christ  is  free  from  the  grave,  and  Peter  from  the  prison, 
 so  is  a  Christian  free  li'om  the  law.  And  such  a  respect  there 
 is  between  the  justified  conscience  and  the  law,  as  is  between 
 Christ  raised  up  from  the  grave,  and  the  grave :  and  as  is  be- 
 tween Peter  delivered  from  the  prison,  and  the  prison.  And 
 like  as  Christ  by  his  death  and  resurrection  is  dead  to  the  grave, 
 so  that  it  hath  now  no  power  over  him,  nor  is  able  any  longer 
 to  hold  him,  but  the  stone  being  rolled  away,  (Matt,  xxviii.)  the 
 seals  broken,  and  the  keepers  astonished,  he  riseth  again,  and 
 goeth  away  without  any  let;  and  as  Peter  by  his  deliverance  is 
 freed  from  the  prison,  and  goeth  whither  he  will;  even  so  the 
 conscience  by  grace  is  delivered  from  the  law.  So  is  every  one 
 that  is  boni  of  the  spirit.  But  the  flesh  knoweth  not  from 
 whence  this  cometh,  nor  whither  it  goeth,  for  it  cannot  judge 
 but  after  the  law.  But  on  the  contrary,  the  spirit  saith:  let 
 the  law  accuse  me,  let  sin  and  death  terrify  me  never  so  much, 
 yet  I  do  not  therefore  despair :  for  I  have  the  law  against  the 
 law,  sin  against  sin,  and  death  against  death. 
 
 Therefore,  when  I  feel  the  remorse  and  sting  of  conscience 
 for  sin,  I  behold  that  brazen  serpent  Christ  hanging  upon  the 
 cross.  There  I  find  another  sin  against  my  sin  which  accuseth 
 and  devoureth  me.  Now,  this  other  sin,  namely  in  the  flesh  of 
 Christ,  which  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the  world,  is  almighty,  it 
 condemneth  and  swalloweth  up  my  sin. — So  my  sin  is  con- 
 demned by  sin,  that  is,  by  Christ  crucified:  "  who  is  made  sin 
 for  us,  that  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  through 
 him,"  (2  Cor.  v.  21.)  In  like  manner  I  find  death  in  my  flesh, 
 which  afilicteth  and  killeth  me:  but  I  have  in  me  a  contrary 
 death,  which  is  the  death  of  death:  for  this  death  crucifieth  and 
 swalloweth  up  my  death. 
 
 Tl>ese  things  be  not  done  by  the  law  or  works,  but  by  Christ 
 crucified:  upon  whose  shoulders  lie  all  the  evils  and  miseries  of 
 
,VER.  19.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  119 
 
 mankind,  the  law,  sin,  death,  the  devil,  and  hell:  and  all  these 
 do  die  in  him,  for  by  his  death  he  hath  killed  them.  But  we 
 must  receive  the  benefit  of  Christ  with  a  sure  faith.  For  like  as 
 neither  the  law  nor  any  work  thereof  is  oftered  unto  us,  but 
 Christ  alone:  so  nothing  is  required  of  us  but  faith  alone,  where- 
 by we  apprehend  Christ,  and  believe  that  our  sins  and  our  death 
 are  condemned  and  abolished  in  the  sin  and  death  of  Christ. 
 
 Thus  have  we  always  most  certain  and  sure  arguments  which 
 necessarily  conclude  that  justification  cometh  by  faith  alone. 
 For  how  should  the  law  and  works  avail  to  justification,  seeing 
 that  Paul  is  so  earnest  both  against  the  law  and  works,  and  saith 
 plainly,  that  we  must  b&  dead  to  the  law,  if  Ave  will  live  to  God. 
 But  if  we  be  dead  to  the  law,  and  the  law  be  dead  to  us,  then 
 hath  it  nothing  to  do  Avith  us.  How  then  should  it  avail  any 
 thing  at  all  to  our  justification?  Wherefore  we  must  needs  say, 
 that  we  be  justified  by  grace  alone,  or  by  faith  alone  in  Christ, 
 without  the  law  and  works. 
 
 This  the  blind  sophisters  do  not  understand,  and  therefore 
 they  dream  that  faith  justifieth  not,  except  it  do  the  works  of 
 charity.  By  this  means  faith  which  believeth  in  Christ,  beco- 
 meth  unprofitable  and  of  none  effect:  for  the  virtue  of  justifying 
 is  taken  from  it,  except  it  be  fuiniishcd  with  charity.  But  let 
 us  now  set  apart  the  law  and  charity  until  another  time,  and  let 
 us  rest  upon  the  principal  point  of  this  present  matter:  which  is 
 this,  that  Jesus  Christ  the  Son  of  God  died  upon  the  cross,  did 
 bear  in  his  body  my  sins,  the  law,  death,  the  devil  and  hell. 
 These  invincible  enemies  and  tyrants  do  oppress,  vex  and  trouble 
 me,  and  therefore  I  am  careful  how  I  may  be  delivered  out  of 
 their  hands  justified  and  saved.  Here  I  find  neither  law,  work, 
 nor  charity,  Avhich  is  able  to  deliver  me  from  their  tyranny. 
 There  is  none  but  the  Lord  Jesus  only  and  alone,  which  taketh 
 away  the  law,  killeth  and  destroyeth  my  death  in  his  body,  and 
 by  this  means  spoileth  hell,  judgeth  and  crucifieth  the  devil,  and 
 throAveth  him  doAvn  into  hell.  To  be  brief,  all  the  enemies 
 which  did  before  torment  and  oppress  me,  Christ  Jesus  hath 
 brought  to  nought:  "hath  spoiled  them,  and  made  a  sheAV  of 
 them  openly,  triumphing  by  himself  over  them,"  (Col.  ii.  15.)  in 
 such  sort,  that  they  can  noAv  rule  and  reign  no  more  over  me,  but 
 are  constrained  to  obey  me. 
 
 By  this  we  may  plainly  see,  that  there  is  nothing  here  for  lis 
 to  do ;  only  it  belongeth  unto  us,  to  hear  that  these  things  have 
 been  wrought  and  done  in  this  sort,  and  by  faith  to  apprehend 
 the  same.  And  this  is  the  true  formed  and  furnished  faith  in- 
 deed. Now,  Avhen  I  have  thus  apprehended  Chrktjjjjfgitji,. and 
 through  him  am  dead  to  the  law,  justified  from  sin,  delivered 
 from"  oeath,  the  devil  and  hell,  then  I  do  good  Avorks,  I  love 
 God,  Tgive  thanks  to  him,  I  exercise  charity  towards  my  neigh- 
 bour. But  this  charity  or  works  foUoAving,  do  neither  form  nor 
 adorn  u.y  faith,  but  my  faith  formeth  and  adorneth  charity. 
 
120  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUI^'s  [CHAP.  II, 
 
 This  is  our  divinity,  which  seemeth  strang-e  and  marvellous,  or 
 rather  foolish  to  carnal  reason:  to  wit,  that  I  am  iY)t  only  blind 
 and  deaf  to  the  law,  yea,  delivered  and  freed  from  the  law,  but 
 also  wholly  dead  unto  the  same. 
 
 This  sentence  of  Paul,  "  Through  the  law  I  am  dead  to  the 
 law,"  is  full  of  consolation;  which  if  it  may  enter  into  a  man 
 in  due  season,  and  take  sure  hold  in  his  heart,  with  good  under- 
 standing, it  may  so  work,  that  it  will  make  him  able  to  stand 
 against  all  dangers  of  death,  and  all  terrors  of  conscience  and 
 sin,  although  they  assail  him,  accuse  him,  and  would  drive  him 
 to  desperation  never  so  much.  True  it  is,  that  every  man  is 
 tempted:  if  not  in  his  life,  yet  at  his  death.  There,  when  the 
 law  accuseth  him  and  sheweth  unto  him  his  sins,  his  conscience 
 by-and-by  saith,  thou  hast  sinned.  If  then  thou  take  good  hold 
 of  that  which  Paul  here  teacheth,  thou  wilt  answer:  I  grant  I 
 have  sinned.  Then  God  Avill  punish  thee.  Nay,  he  will  not 
 do  so.  Why,  doth  not  the  law  of  God  so  say?  I  have  nothing 
 to  do  with  that  law.  Why  so?  Because  I  have  another  law 
 which  striketh  this  law  dumb,  that  is  to  say,  liberty.  What 
 liberty  is  that?  The  liberty  of  Christ,  for  by  Christ  I  am  ut- 
 terly freed  from  the  law.  Therefore,  that  law  which  is  and  re- 
 maineth  a  law  to  the  wicked,  is  to  me  liberty,  and  bindeth  that 
 law  which  would  condemn  me:  and  by  this  means,  that  law 
 which  would  bind  me  and  hold  me  captive,  is  now  fast  bound 
 itself,  and  holden  captive  by  grace  and  liberty,  which  is  now  my 
 law:  which  saith  to  that  accusing  law,  thou  shalt  not  hold  this 
 man  bound  and  captive,  for  he  is  mine,  but  I  will  hold  thee  cap- 
 tive, and  bind  thy  hands  that  thou  shalt  not  hurt  him,  for  he 
 liveth  now  unto  Christ,  and  is  dead  unto  thee. 
 
 This  to  do,  is  to  dash  out  the  teeth  of  the  law,  to  wrest  his 
 sting,  and  all  his  weapons  from  him,  and  to  spoil  him  of  all  his 
 force.  And  yet  the  same  law  notwithstanding  continueth  and 
 remaineth  still  to  the  wicked  and  unbelievers;  and  to  us  also 
 that  be  weak,  so  far  forth  as  we  lack  faith,  it  continueth  yet  still 
 in  its  force;  here  it  hath  its  edge  and  teeth.  But  if  I  do  believe 
 in  Christ,  although  sin  drive  me  never  so  much  to  despair,  yet 
 staying  upon  this  liberty  which  I  have  in  Christ,  1  confess  that 
 I  have  sinned;  but  my  sin,  which  is  a  condemned  sin,  is  in 
 Christ  which  is  a  condemning  sin.  Now  this  condemning  sin  is 
 stronger  than  that  which  is  condemned;  for  it  is  justifying  grace, 
 righteousness,  life  and  salvation.  Thus  when  I  feel  the  terror 
 of  death,  I  say,  thou  hast  nothing  to  do  with  me,  O  death,  for 
 I  have  another  death  which  killeth  thee,  my  death;  and  that  death 
 which  killeth,  is  stronger  than  that  which  is  killed. 
 
 Thus  a  faithful  man  by  faith  only  in  Christ,  may  raise  up 
 himself,  and  conceive  such  sure  and  sound  consolation,  that  he 
 shall  not  need  to  fear  the  devil,  sin,  death,  or  any  evils.  And 
 although  the  devil  set  upon  him  with  all  might  and  main,  and  go 
 about  with  all  the  terrors  of  the  world  to  oppose  him,  yet  he  con- 
 
TER.  19.J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  121 
 
 ceiveth  good  hope  even  in  the  midst  thereof,  and  thus  he  saith : 
 Sir  DeviL,  I  fear  not  thy  threatenings  and  terrors,  for  there  is  one 
 whose  name  is  Jesus  Christ,  in  whom  I  helieve;  he  hath  abolished 
 the  law,  condemned  sin,  vanquished  death,  and  destroyed  hell : 
 and  he  is  thy  tormentor,  O  Satan,  for  he  hath  bound  thee  and 
 holdeth  thee  captive,  to  the  end  that  thou  shouldst  no  more  hurt 
 me,  or  any  that  believeth  in  him.  This  faith  the  devil  cannot 
 overcome,  but  is  overcome  of  it.  "  For  this  is  the  victory 
 (saith  St.  John)  that  overcometh  the  world,  even  our  faith," 
 (1  John  V.  4).  Who  is  it  that  overcometh  the  world,  but  he 
 which  believeth  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God? 
 
 Paul  therefore,  through  a  vehement  zeal  and  indignation  of 
 spirit,  calleth  grace  itself  the  law,  which  notwithstanding  is  an 
 exceeding  and  inestimable  liberty  of  grace  which  we  have  in 
 Christ  Jesus.  Moreover,  he  giveth  this  opprobrious  name  unto 
 the  law  (to  let  us  understand  for  our  consolation,  that  there  is 
 now  a  new  name  given  unto  it)  that  it  is  not  now  alive  any 
 more,  but  dead  and  condemned.  And  here  (which  is  a  pleasant 
 sight  to  behold)  he  bringeth  forth  the  law,  and  setteth  it  before 
 us  as  a  thief  and  a  robber  which  is  already  condemned  and 
 adjudged  to  death.  For  he  describeth  it  as  it  were  a  prisoner, 
 having  both  hands  and  feet  fast  bound,  and  all  his  power  taken 
 away,  so  that  it  cannot  exercise  his  tyranny,  that  is  to  say,  it 
 cannot  accuse  and  condemn  any  more;  and  with  this  most  plea- 
 sant sight,  he  maketh  it  odious  and  contemptible  to  the  con- 
 science; so  that  now  he  which  believeth  in  Christ,  dare  boldly 
 and  with  a  holy  pride  triumph  over  the  law  after  this  manner:  I 
 am  a  sinner ;  if  thou  canst  do  any  thing  against  me,  O  law,  now 
 do  thy  worst.  So  far  off  is  it  then,  that  the  law  is  now  terrible 
 unto  him  which  doth  believe. 
 
 Since  Christ  is  risen  from  death,  why  should  he  now  fear  the 
 grave?  Since  Peter  is  delivered  from  the  prison,  why  should  he 
 now  fear  it?  When  the  maiden  was  at  the  point  of  death,  then 
 might  she  indeed  fear  the  bed:  but  being  now  raised  up,  why 
 should  she  fear  it?  In  like  manner,  why  should  a  Christian 
 which  enjoyeth  and  possesseth  Christ  by  faith,  fear  the  law?  True 
 it  is,  that  he  feeleth  the  terrors  of  the  law,  but  he  is  not  over- 
 come of  them;  but  staying  upon  the  liberty  which  he  hath  in 
 Christ,  he  saith:  I  hear  thee  m\irmuring,  O  law,  that  thou 
 wouldst  accuse  me  and  condemn  me :  but  this  troubleth  me  no- 
 thing at  all;  thou  art  to  me  as  the  grave  was  unto  Christ:  for  I 
 see  that  thou  art  fast  bound  hand  and  foot,  and  this  hath  my 
 law  done.  What  law  is  that?  Liberty,  which  is  called  the 
 law,  not  because  it  bindeth  me,  but  because  it  bindeth  my  law. 
 The  law  of  the  ten  commandments  did  bind  me.  But  against 
 that  law  I  have  another  law,  even  the  law  of  grace :  which  not- 
 withstanding is  to  me  no  law,  neither  doth  it  bind  me,  but 
 setteth  me  at  liberty.  And  this  is  a  law  against  that  accusing 
 Mid  condemning  law:  which  law  it  so  bindeth,  that  it  hath  no 
 
122  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUl/s  [CHAP.  II. 
 
 power  to  hurt  me  any  more.  So  against  my  death  whicli  bindeth 
 me,  I  have  another  death,  that  is  to  say,  life,  which  quicken  eth 
 me  in  Christ :  and  this  death  looseth  and  freeth  me  from  the 
 bonds  of  my  death,  and  with  the  same  bonds  bindeth  my  death. 
 So  death  which  bound  me,  is  now  fast  bound,  which  killed  me, 
 is  now  killed  by  death,  that  is  to  say,  by  life  itself. 
 
 Thus  Christ,  with  most  sweet  names,  is  called  my  law,  my 
 sin,  my  death,  against  the  law,  against  sin,  against  death; 
 whereas,  in  very  deed,  he  is  nothing  else  but  mere  liberty, 
 righteousness,  life  and  everlasting  salvation.  And  for  this 
 cause  he  is  made  the  law  of  the  law,  the  sin  of  sin,  the  death  of 
 death,  that  he  might  redeem  from  the  ciu-se  of  the  law,  justify 
 me  and  quicken  me.  So  then,  while  Christ  is  the  law,  he  is 
 also  liberty,  while  he  is  sin,  he  is  righteousness,  and  Avhile  he  is 
 death,  he  is  life.  For  in  that  he  suffered  the  law  to  accuse  him, 
 sin  to  condemn  him,  and  death  to  devour  him,  he  abolished  the 
 law,  he  condemned  sin,  he  destroyed  death,  he  justified  and 
 saved  me.  So  is  Christ  the  poison  of  the  law,  sin,  and  death, 
 and  the  remedy  for  the  obtaining  of  liberty,  righteousness,  and 
 everlasting  life. 
 
 This  manner  of  speech  which  Paul  here  useth,  and  is  proper 
 unto  him  alone,  is  full  of  consolation.  Likewise,  in  the  seventh 
 chapter  to  the  Romans,  he  setteth  the  law  of  the  spirit  against 
 the  law  of  the  members.  And  because  this  is  a  strange  and 
 marvellous  manner  of  speaking,  therefore  it  entereth  more  easily 
 into  the  mind,  and  sticketh  faster  in  the  memory.  Moreover, 
 Avhen  he  saith:  "  I  through  the  law  am  dead  to  the  laAv,"  it 
 soundeth  more  sweetly  than  if  he  should  say,  I  through  liberty 
 am  dead  to  the  law.  For  he  setteth  before  us,  as  it  were,  a 
 certain  picture,  as  if  the  law  were  fighting  against  the  law. 
 As  though  he  should  say,  O  law,  if  thou  canst  accuse  me, 
 terrify  me,  and  bind  me,  I  will  set  above  and  against  thee 
 another  law,  that  is  to  say  another  tormentor,  which  shall 
 accuse  thee,  bind  thee,  and  oppress  thee.  Indeed,  thou  art  my 
 tormentor:  but  I  have  another  tormentor,  even  Christ,  which 
 shall  torment  thee.  When  thou  art  thus  bound,  tormented 
 and  suppressed,  then  am  I  at  liberty.  So  then  grace  is  a  law, 
 not  to  me,  for  it  bindeth  me  not,  but  to  my  law:  which  this 
 law  so  bindeth,  that  it  cannot  hurt  me  any  more. 
 
 Thus  Paul  goeth  about  to  draw  us  wholly  from  the  behold- 
 ing of  the  law,  sin,  death,  and  all  other  evils,  and  to  bring  us 
 unto  Christ,  that  there  we  might  behold  this  joyful  conflict:  to 
 wit,  the  law  fighting  against  the  law,  that  it  may  be  to  me  li- 
 berty: sin  against  sin,  that  it  may  be  to  me  righteousness: 
 death  agali.st  death,  that  I  may  obtain  life:  Christ  fighting 
 against  the  devil,  that  I  may  be  the  child  of  God:  and  destroy- 
 ing hell,  that  I  may  enjoy  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
 
VER,  19,  20.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  123 
 
 Verse  19.  That  I  might  live  unto  God 
 
 That  is  to  say,  that  I  mig-ht  live  before  God.  Ye  see  then  that 
 there  is  no  life  unless  ye  be  without  the  law,  yea,  unless  ye  be 
 utterly  dead  unto  the  law,  I  mean  in  conscience.  Notwithstand- 
 ing, in  the  mean  season  (as  I  have  often  said)  so  long  as  the 
 body  liveth,  the  flesh  must  be  exercised  with  laws,  and  vexed 
 with  exactions  and  penalties  of  laws,  as  were  the  Egyptians. 
 But  the  inward  man,  not  subject  to  the  law,  but  delivered  and 
 freed  from  it,  is  a  lively,  a  just,  and  a  holy  person,  not  of  him- 
 self, but  in  Christ,  because  he  believeth  in  him,  as  foUoweth. 
 
 Verse  20,    I  am  crucified  with  Christ, 
 
 This  he  addeth,  to  declare  that  the  law  is  a  devourer  of  the 
 law.  Not  only,  saith  he,  I  am  dead  to  the  law  through  the  law, 
 that  I  may  live  to  God,  but  also  I  am  crucified  with  Christ. 
 But  Christ  is  Lord  over  the  law,  because  he  is  crucified  and 
 dead  unto  the  law:  therefore  am  I  also  Lord  over  the  law;  for 
 I  likewise  am  crucified  and  dead  unto  the  law,  forasmuch  as 
 I  am  crucified  and  dead  with  Christ.  By  what  means?  By^ 
 grace  and  faith.  Through  this  faith,  because  I  am  noAv  cruci- 
 fied and  dead  unto  the  law,  therefore  the  law  loseth  all  its  power 
 which  it  had  over  me,  even  as  it  hath  lost  all  its  power  which  it 
 had  over  Christ.  Wherefore,  even  as  Christ  himself  was  cru- 
 cified to  the  law,  sin,  death,  and  the  devil,  so  that  they  have  no 
 forthei  power  over  him:  even  so  I  through  faith  being  now  cru- 
 cified with  Christ  in  spirit,  am  crucified  and  dead  to  the  law, 
 sin,  death,  and  the  devil,  so  that  they  have  no  further  power 
 over  me,  but  are  now  crucified  and  dead  unto  me. 
 
 Paul  speakethnot  here  of  crucifying  by  imitation  or  example, 
 (for  to  follow  the  example  of  Christ,  is  also  to  be  crucified  with 
 him)  which  crucifying  belongeth  to  the  flesh.  Whereof  Peter 
 speaketh  in  his  fii'st  epistle  and  second  chapter,  "  Christ  sufi"ered 
 for  us,"  saith  he,  "  leaving  unto  us  an  example  that  we  should 
 follow  his  steps."  But  he  speaketh  here  of  that  high  crucitying, 
 whereby  sin,  the  devil,  and  death  are  crucified  in  Christ,  and 
 not  in  me.  Here  Christ  Jesus  doth  all  himself  alone.  But  I 
 believing  in  Christ,  am  by  faith  crucified  also  with  Christ,  so 
 that  all  these  things  are  crucified  and  dead  imto  me. 
 
 Verse  20.  Thus  I  live. 
 I  speak  not  so,  saith  he,  ofmy  death  and  crucifying,  as  though 
 I  now  lived  not:  yea,  I  live,  for  I  am  quickened  by  this  death 
 and  crucifying,  through  the  which  I  die :  that  is,  forasmuch  as 
 I  am  dehvered  from  the  law,  sin,  and  death,  I  now  live  indeed. 
 Wlierefore  that  crucifying  and  that  death  whereby  I  am  cru- 
 cified and  dead  to  the  law,  sin,  death,  and  all  evils,  is  to  me 
 resurrection  and  life.  For  Christ  crucifieth  the  devil,  ho 
 killeth  death,  condemneth  sin,  and  bindeth  the  law;  and  I  be- 
 lieving this,  am  delivered  from  the  law,  sin,  death,  and  the  devil. 
 
124  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  II. 
 
 The  law  therefore  is  hound,  dead,  and  crucified  unto  me,  and  I 
 again  am  bound,  dead,  and  crucified  unto  it.  Wherefore,  even 
 by  this  death  and  crucifying,  that  is  to  say,  by  this  grace  or 
 liberty,  I  now  live. 
 
 Here  (as  before  I  have  said)  we  must  observe  Paul's  manner 
 of  speaking.  He  saith  that  we  are  dead  and  crucified  to  the 
 law,  Avhereas  in  very  deed  the  law  itself  is  dead  and  crucified 
 unto  us.  But  this  manner  of  speech  he  useth  here  of  piirpose, 
 that  it  may  be  the  more  sweet  and  comfortable  unto  us.  For 
 the  law  (which  notwithstanding  continueth,  liveth  and  reigneth 
 in  the  whole  world,  which  also  accuseth  and  condemneth  all 
 men)  is  crucified  and  dead  unto  those  only  which  believe  in 
 Christ:  therefore  to  them  alone  belongeth  this  glory,  that  they 
 are  dead  to  sin,  hell,  death,  and  the  devil. 
 
 Verse  20.    Yet  now  not  I. 
 
 That  is  to  say,  not  in  mine  own  person,  nor  in  mine  own 
 substance.  Here  he  plainly  she weth  by  what  means  he  liveth : 
 and  he  teacheth  what  true  Christian  righteousness  is,  namely, 
 that  righteousness  whereby  Christ  liveth  in  us,  and  not  that 
 which  is  in  our  person.  Therefore,  when  we  speak  of  Christian 
 righteousness,  we  must  utterly  reject  the  person.  And  here 
 Christ  and  my  conscience  must  become  one  body,  so  that  no- 
 thing remain  in  my  sight  but  Christ  crucified  and  raised  from 
 the  dead.  But  if  I  behold  myself  only,  and  set  Christ  aside, 
 I  am  gone.  For  by-and-by  I  fall  into  this  cogitation:  Christ 
 is  in  heaven,  and  thou  art  on  the  earth,  how  shalt  thou  now 
 'come  mito  him?  Forsooth  I  Avill  live  holily,  and  do  that  which 
 the  law  requireth,  so  shall  I  enter  into  life.  Here,  returning  to 
 myself,  and  considering  what  I  am,  and  what  I  ought  to  be,  and 
 what  I  am  bound  to  do,  I  lose  the  sight  of  Christ,  who  is  my 
 righteousness  and  life.  Who  being  lost,  there  is  no  counsel 
 nor  succour  now  remaining,  but  certain  desperation  and 
 destruction  must  needs  follow. 
 
 And  this  is  a  common  evil  among  men.  For  such  is  our 
 misery,  that  when  temptation  or  death  cometh,  by-and-by  set- 
 ting Christ  aside,  we  consider  our  own  life  past,  and  what  we 
 have  done.  Here,  except  we  be  raised  up  again  by  faith,  Ave 
 must  needs  perish.  Wherefore  we  must  learn  in  such  conflicts 
 and  terrors  of  conscience  (forgetting  ourselves  and  setting  the 
 law,  our  life  past,  and  all  our  works  apart,  which  drive  us  to 
 the  consideration  of  ourselves  only)  to  t\irn  our  eyes  wholly  to 
 the  brazen  serpent  Jesus  Christ  crucified,  and  assuredly  believe 
 that  he  is  our  righteousness  and  life,  not  fearing  the  threaten- 
 ings  and  terrors  of  the  law,  sin,  death,  and  the  judgment  of  God. 
 For  Christ,  on  whom  our  eyes  are  fixed,  in  Avhom  we  live,  who 
 also  liveth  in  us,  is  lord  and  conqueror  of  the  law,  sin,  death,  and 
 all  evils:  in  whom  most  certain  and  sure  consolation  is  set  forth 
 unto  us,  and  victory  given. 
 
VtR.  20.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  125 
 
 Verse  20.  Thus  I  live,  yet  not  I  now,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me. 
 
 Wliere  he  saith,  "  Thus  I  live,"  he  speaketh  It,  as  It  were, 
 in  his  own  person.  Therefore  he  by-and-by  correcteth  himself, 
 saying,  "  Yet  not  I  now."  That  is  to  say,  I  live  not  now  in 
 my  own  person,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me.  Indeed  the  person 
 liveth,  but  not  in  himself,  nor  for  any  thing-  that  is  in  him.  But 
 who  is  that  I,  of  whom  he  saith,  "Yet  not  I?"  This  I  is  he 
 which  hath  the  law,  and  is  bound  to  do  the  works  thereof:  who 
 also  is  a  certain  person  separate  from  Christ.  This  person  Paul 
 rejecteth.  For  as  he  is  separate  from  Christ,  he  belongeth  to 
 death  and  hell.  Therefore  he  saith,  "  Now  not  I,  but  Christ 
 liveth  in  me."  He  is  my  form,  my  furniture  and  perfection, 
 adorning-  and  beautifying  my  faith,  as  the  colour,  the  clear 
 light,  or  the  whiteness  do  garnish  and  beautify  the  wall.  Thus 
 are  we  constrained  grossly  to  set  forth  this  matter.  For  we 
 cannot  spiritually  conceive  that  Christ  is  so  nearly  joined  and 
 united  unto  us,  as  the  colour  or  whiteness  are  unto  the  wall. 
 Christ  therefore,  saith  he,  thus  joined  and  united  unto  me  and 
 abiding  in  me,  liveth  this  life  in  me  which  now  I  live;  yea  Christ 
 himseS"  is  this  life  which  now  I  Jive.  Wherefore  Christ  and  I 
 in  this  behalf  are  both  one. 
 
 Now  Christ  living  in  me,  abolisheth  the  law,  condemneth  sin, 
 and  destroyeth  death;  for  it  cannot  be,  but  at  his  presence  all 
 these  must  needs  vanish  away.  For  Christ  is  everlasting  peace, 
 consolation,  righteousness  and  life:  and  to  these  the  terror  of 
 the  law,  heaviness  of  mind,  sin,  hell,  and  death,  must  needs  give 
 place.  So  Christ  living  and  abiding  in  me,  taketh  away  and 
 swalloweth  up  all  evils  which  vex  and  afflict  me.  This  union 
 or  conjimction,  then,  is  the  cause  that  I  am  delivered  from  the 
 terror  of  the  law  and  sin,  am  separate  from  myself,  and  trans- 
 lated unto  Christ  and  his  kingdom,  which  is  a  kingdom  of 
 grace,  righteousness,  peace,  joy,  life,  salvation,  and  eternal 
 glory.  Whilst  I  thus  abide  and  dwell  in  him,  what  evil  is  there 
 that  can  hurt  me? 
 
 In  the  mean  season  the  old  man  abideth  without,  and  is  sub- 
 ject to  the  law:  but  as  concerning  justification,  Christ  and  I 
 must  be  entirely  conjoined  and  united  together,  so  that  he  may 
 live  in  me,  and  I  in  him.  And  this  is  a  wonderful  manner  of 
 speech.  Noav  because  Christ  liveth  in  me,  therefore  look  what 
 grace,  righteousness,  life,  peace  and  salvation  is  in  me,  it  is  his, 
 and  yet  notwithstanding  the  same  is  mine  also,  by  that  insepara- 
 ble union  and  conjunction  which  is  through  faith;  by  the  which 
 Christ  and  I  are  made  as  it  were  one  body  in  spirit.  Forasmuch 
 then  as  Christ  liveth  in  me,  it  followeth  that  as  I  must  needs  be 
 with  him  partaker  of  grace,  righteousness,  life,  and  eternal  sal- 
 vation: so  the  law,  sin,  and  death  can  have  no  place  in  me; 
 yea,  the  law  is  crucified  and  swallowed  up  of  the  law.  Sin  of 
 sin,  and  death  of  death.  Thus  Paul  goeth  about  to  draw  us 
 from  the  beholding  of  ourselves,  the  law  and  works,  and  to  plant 
 
126  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CHAP.  II. 
 
 in  Tis  true  faith  in  Christ:  so  that  in  the  matter  of  justification 
 we  should  think  upon  nothing-  else  but  grace,  separating  the 
 same  far  from  the  law  and  works,  which  in  this  matter  ought  to 
 have  no  place. 
 
 Paul  hath  his  peculiar  phrase  or  kind  of  speech,  Avhich  is  not 
 after  the  manner  of  men,  but  divine  and  heavenly,  nor  used  of 
 the  evangelist  or  of  the  rest  of  the  apostles,  saving  only  of  John; 
 who  is  also  wont  sometimes  so  to  speak.  And  if  Paul  had  not 
 first  used  this  phrase,  and  set  forth  the  same  unto  us  in  plain 
 words,  the  very  saints  themselves  durst  not  have  used  it.  For  it 
 seemeth  a  very  strange  and  monstrous  manner  of  speaking  thus 
 to  say;  I  live,  I  live  not;  I  am  dead,  I  am  not  dead;  I  am  a 
 sinner,  I  am  not  a  sinner;  I  have  the  law,  I  have  not  the  law. 
 Which  phrase  is  sweet  and  comfortable  to  all  those  that  believe 
 in  Christ.  For  in  that  they  behold  themselves,  they  have  both 
 the  law  and  sin;  but  in  that  they  look  unto  Christ,  they  are 
 dead  to  the  laAV,  and  have  no  sin.  If  therefore  in  the  matter  of 
 justification  thou  separate  the  person  of  Chi'ist  from  thy  person, 
 then  art  thou  in  the  law,  thou  livest  in  the  law  and  not  in  Christ, 
 and  so  thou  art  condemned  of  the  law,  and  dead  before  God. 
 For  thou  hast  that  faith  which  (as  the  sophisters  dream)  is  fur- 
 nished with  charity.  Thus  I  speak  for  example's  sake.  For 
 there  was  never  any  one  found  that  was  saved  by  this  faith. 
 And  therefore  what  things  soever  the  popish  sophisters  have 
 written  touching  this  faith,  are  nothing  else  but  vain  toys  and 
 mere  deceits  of  Satan.  But  let  us  grant  that  such  there  be  as 
 have  tliis  faith:  yet  are  they  not  therefore  justified.  For  they 
 have  but  an  historical  faith  concerning  Christ,  which  the  devil 
 also  and  all  the  wicked  have. 
 
 Faith  therefore  must  be  purely  taught:  namely,  that  thou 
 art  so  entirely  and  nearly  joined  unto  Christ,  that  he  and  thou 
 art  made  as  it  were  one  person;  so  that  thou  mayest  boldly  say, 
 I  am  now  one  with  Christ,  that  is  to  say,  Christ's  righteousness, 
 victory  and  life  are  mine.  And  again,  Christ 'may  say,  I  am 
 that  sinner,  that  is,  his  sins  and  his  death  are  mine,  because  he 
 is  united  and  joined  unto  me,  and  I  unto  him.  For  by  faith  we 
 are  so  joined  together,  "  that  we  are  become  one  flesh  and  one 
 bone,"  (Eph.  V.31.)  we  are  the  members  of  the  body  of  Christ, 
 flesh  of  his  flesh,  and  bone  of  his  bones;  so  that  this  faith  doth 
 couple  Christ  and  me  more  near  together,  than  the  husband  is 
 coupled  to  his  wife.  This  faith  therefore  is  not  an  idle  quality, 
 but  the  excellency  thereof  is  such,  that  it  utterly  confoundeth 
 these  foolish  dreams  of  the  sophisters  touching  their  formed  faith 
 and  counterfeit  charity,  their  merits,  works,  and  worthiness. 
 These  things  I  would  gladly  set  forth  more  fully,  if  by  any 
 means  I  could. 
 
 Hitherto  we  have  declared  this  to  be  the  first  argument  of 
 Paul,  that  either  Christ  m\ist  needs  be  the  minister  of  sin,  or 
 else  the  law  doth  not  jiistify.    When  he  had  finished  this  argu- 
 
VER.  20.3  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GAI.ATTANS.  127 
 
 raent,  he  set  forth  himself  for  an  example,  saying',  "  that  he 
 was  dead  unto  that  old  law  by  a  certain  new  law.''  Now  he 
 answereth  two  objections  which  mig-ht  have  been  made  ag'ainst 
 him.  His  first  answer  is  against  the  cavillations  of  the  proud, 
 and  the  offence  of  the  weak.  For  when  remission  of  sins  is 
 freely  preached,  then  do  the  malicious  by-and-by  slander  tbis 
 preaching,  as  Rom.  iii.  8,  "  Let  us  do  evil  that  good  may  come 
 thereof."  For  these  fellows,  as  soon  as  they  hear  that  we  are 
 not  justified  by  the  law,  forthwith  do  maliciously  conclude  and 
 say,  why  then  let  us  reject  the  law.  Again,  if  grace  do  there 
 abound,  say  they,  where  sin  doth  abound,  let  us  then  abound  in 
 sin,  that  we  may  become  righteous,  and  that  grace  may  the  more 
 abound.  These  are  the  malicious  and  proud  spirits  which 
 spitefully  and  wittingly  slander  the  scriptures  and  sayings  of 
 the  Holy  Ghost,  even  as  they  slandered  Paul  whilst  the  apostles 
 lived,  to  their  own  confusion  and  condemnation,  as  it  is  said, 
 2  Pet.  iii. 
 
 Moreover,  the  weak,  which  are  not  malicious,  are  offended 
 when  they  hear  that  the  law  and  good  works  are  not  to  be  done 
 as  necessary  to  justification.  These  must  be  holpen,  and  must 
 be  instructed  how  good  works  do  not  justify;  how  they  ought 
 to  be  done,  how  not  to  be  done.  These  ought  to  be  done,  not 
 as  the  cause,  but  as  the  fruits  of  righteousness;  and  when  we 
 are  made  righteous,  we  ought  to  do  them,  but  not  contrari- 
 wise, to  the  end  that  when  we  are  unrighteous,  we  may  be 
 made  righteous.  The  tree  maketh  the  apple,  but  not  the  apple 
 the  tree. 
 
 He  said  before,  "  I  am  dead,"  &c.  Here  the  presumptuous 
 and  malicious  might  soon  take  occasion  to  cavil  after  this  man- 
 ner. What  sayest  thou,  Paul?  Art  thou  dead?  How  then  dost 
 thou  speak?  How  dost  thou  write?  The  Aveak  also  might  soon 
 be  offended,  and  say  unto  him.  What  art  tho\i,  Paul?  Do  we 
 not  see  that  thou  art  living,  and  dost  such  things  as  pertain  to 
 this  life?  To  this  he  answereth,  "  I  live  indeed,  and  yet  now 
 not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me."  There  is  then  a  double  life. 
 The  first  is  mine,  which  is  natural;  the  second  is  the  life  of 
 another,  that  is  to  say,  the  life  of  Christ  in  me.  As  touching  my 
 natural  life  I  am  dead,  and  now  I  live  another  life,  I  live  not 
 now  as  Paul,  but  Paul  is  dead.  Who  is  it  then  that  liveth? 
 The  Christian.  Paul  therefore,  as  he  liveth  in  himself,  is  wholly 
 dead  through  the  law:  but  as  he  liveth  in  Christ,  or  rather  as 
 Christ  Hveth  in  him,  he  liveth  by  another  life :  for  Christ  speak- 
 eth  in  him,  liveth  in  him,  and  exerciseth  all  the  operations  of 
 life  in  him.  This  cometh  not  now  of  the  life  of  Paul,  but  of 
 the  life  of  the  Christian  and  regenerate  person.  Therefore  thou 
 malicious  spirit,  where  I  say  that  I  am  dead,  now  slander  my 
 words  no  more.  And  thou  that  art  weak,  be  not  offended,  but 
 distinguish  and  divide  this  matter  rightly.  For,  as  I  said,  there 
 are  two  lives;  tj  wit,  my  natural  life,  and  the  life  of  another. 
 
J29  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAIjL's  [cHAP.  11. 
 
 By  mine  own  life  I  live  not:  for  if  I  did,  the  law  would  have 
 dominion  over  me,  and  hold  me  in  captivity.  To  the  end  there- 
 fore that  it  should  not  hold  me  in  captivity  and  bondage,  I  am 
 dead  to  it  by  another  law:  and  this  death  purchaseth  unto  me 
 the  life  of  another,  even  the  life  of  Christ;  which  life  is  not  mine 
 by  nature,  but  is  given  unto  me  by  Christ  through  faith. 
 
 Secondly,  this  objection  might  have  been  made  against  Paul. 
 "What  sayest  thou,  Paul?  Dost  thou  not  live  by  thine  OAvn  life, 
 or  in  thine  own  flesh,  but  in  Christ?  We  see  thy  flesh,  but  we 
 see  not  Christ.  Wouldst  thou  then  delude  us  by  thine  enchant- 
 ments, that  we  should  not  see  thee  present  in  flesh,  living  as  thou 
 didst  before,  and  doing  all  things  in  this  corporal  life  as  others 
 do?     He  answereth: 
 
 Verse  20.     And  in  that  I  now  live  in  the  flesh,  I   live  by  faith  in  the  Son  of 
 
 God. 
 
 As  if  he  should  say,  True  it  is  that  I  live  in  the  flesh,  but 
 this  life,  whatsoever  it  is,  I  esteem  as  no  life;  for  in  very  deed  it  is 
 no  true  life,  but  a  shadow  of  life,  under  the  which  another  liveth, 
 that  is  to  say,  Christ,  who  is  my  true  life  indeed:  which  life 
 thou  seest  not,  but  only  hearest,  and  I  feel.  "  Thou  hearest 
 the  wind,  but  know  not  whence  it  cometh,  or  whither  it  goeth," 
 (John  iii.)  Even  so  thou  seest  me  speaking,  eating,  labouring, 
 sleeping,  and  doing  other  things,  and  yet  thou  seest  not  my 
 life.  For  this  time  of  life  which  I  now  live,  I  live  indeed  in  the 
 flesh,  but  not  through  the  flesh,  or  according  to  the  flesh,  but 
 through  faith  and  according  to  faith.  Paul  then  denieth  not  that 
 he  liveth  in  the  flesh,  because  he  doth  all  things  that  belong  to  a 
 natural  man.  He  useth  also  carnal  things,  as  meat,  drink,  ap- 
 parel, and  such  like,  which  is  to  live  in  the  flesh;  but  he  saith 
 that  this  is  not  his  life:  and  although  he  useth  these  things,  yet 
 he  liveth  not  tlirough  them,  as  the  world  liveth  through  the 
 flesh  and  after  the  flesh:  so  it  neither  knoweth  nor  hopeth  for 
 any  life  besides  this. 
 
 Therefore  saith  he,  "this  life  which  I  now  live  in  the  flesh," 
 whatsoever  it  is,  "  I  live  in  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God."  For 
 this  word  which  I  now  corporally  speak,  is  the  Avord  not  of  flesh, 
 but  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  of  Christ.  This  sight  which  goeth 
 in,  or  cometh  out  at  mine  eyes,  proceedeth  not  of  flesh,  that  is 
 to  say,  it  is  not  governed  of  the  flesh,  but  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  So 
 my  hearing  cometh  not  of  the  flesh,  although  it  be  in  the  flesh,  but 
 of  the  Holy  Ghost.  A  Christian  speaketh  none  other  but  chaste, 
 sober,  and  holy  things,  which  pertain  unto  Christ,  to  the  glory  of 
 God  and  the  profit  of  his  neighbour.  These  things  come  not  of  the 
 flesh,  neither  are  done  according  to  the  flesh,  and  yet  are  they  in  the 
 flesh.  For  I  cannot  teach,  write,  pray,  or  give  thanks,  but  with 
 tliese  instruments  of  the  flesh,  which  are  necessary  to  the  ac- 
 complishing of  these  works;  and  yet  notwithstanding  these 
 works  proceed  not  of  the  flesh,  but  are  given  by  God  frons 
 
"VER.  20,]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  ISO 
 
 al)ovc.  In  like  manner  I  behold  a  woman  but  with  a  chaste 
 eye,  not  lusting  after  her.  This  beholding-  cometh  not  of  the 
 flesh,  although  it  be  in  the  flesh,  because  the  eyes  are  the  carnal 
 instruments  of  this  sight:  but  the  chasteness  of  this  sight  cometh 
 from  heaven. 
 
 Thus  a  Christian  useth  the  world  and  all  creatures,  so  that 
 there  is  no  difference  between  him  and  the  infidel.  For  in  their 
 apparel,  in  their  feeding,  hearing,  seeing,  speaking,  gestures, 
 countenances,  and  such  other  things,  they  are  like,  and  in  outward 
 appearance  they  seem  to  be  all  one  (as  Paul  speaketh  of  Christ; 
 "In  outward  appearance  he  was  found,"  saith  he,  "as  a  man," 
 Philip,  ii.  8.)  yet  notwithstanding  there  is  great  difference.  For  I 
 live  in  the  flesh,  I  grant,  but  I  live  not  of  myself:  but  in  that  I 
 now  live,  I  live  in  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God.  This  which  I 
 now  speak,  springeth  out  of  another  fountain  than  that  which 
 thou  heardest  of  me  before.  Paul,  before  his  conversion,  spake 
 with  the  same  voice  and  tongue  wherewith  he  spake  afterwards; 
 but  his  voice  and  his  tongue  Avere  then  blasphemous,  and  there- 
 fore he  could  speak  nothing  else  but  blasphemies  and  abominations 
 against  Christ  and  his  church.  After  he  was  converted  he  had  the 
 same  flesh,  the  same  voice  and  tongue  which  he  had  before,  and 
 nothing  was  changed :  but  his  voice  and  his  tongue  then  uttered 
 no  blasphemies,  but  spiritual  and  heavenly  words,  to  wit,  thanks- 
 giving and  the  praise  of  God:  which  came  of  faith  and  the  Holy 
 Ghost.  So  then  I  live  in  the  flesh,  but  not  of  the  flesh  or  after 
 the  flesh,  but  in  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God. 
 
 Hereby  we  may  plainly  see  whence  this  spiritual  life  cometh: 
 which  the  natural  man  can  in  no  wise  perceive,  for  he  knoweth 
 not  what  manner  of  life  this  is.  He  heareth  the  wind,  but  whence 
 it  cometh,  or  whither  it  goeth,  he  knoweth  not.  He  heareth  the 
 voice  of  the  spiritual  man,  he  knoweth  his  face,  his  manners,  and 
 his  gestures:  but  he  seeth  not  whence  those  words,  which  are  not 
 now  wicked  and  blasphemous  as  before,  but  holy  and  godly,  or 
 whence  those  motions  and  actions  do  come.  For  this  life  is  in 
 the  heart  by  faith,  where  the  flesh  is  killed,  and  Christ  reigneth 
 with  his  Holy  Spirit,  who  now  seeth,  heareth,  speaketh,  work- 
 eth,  suffereth,  and  doth  all  other  things  in  him,  although  the 
 flesh  do  resist.  To  conclude,  this  is  not  the  life  of  the  flesh,  al- 
 though it  be  in  the  flesh:  but  of  Christ  the  Son  of  God,  whoip 
 the  Christian  possesseth  by  faith. 
 
 Verse  20.  Who  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me. 
 Here  have  ye  the  true  manner  of  justification  set  before  your 
 eyes,  and  a  perfect  example  of  the  assurance  of  faith.  He  that 
 can  with  a  firm  and  a  constant  faith  say  these  words  with  Paul, 
 "I  live  by  faith  in  the  Son  of  God,  Avno  loved  me,  and  gave 
 himself  for  me,"  is  happy  indeed.  And  with  these  words  Paul 
 taketh  away  the  whole  righteousness  of  the  law  and  works,  as 
 afterwards  we  will  declare.    We  must  therefore  diligently  weigh 
 
 K 
 
130  coMMENTARsr  ON  ST.  Paul's  [chap.  ii. 
 
 and  consider  these  words:  "The  Son  of  God  loved  me,  and  gave 
 himself  for  me."  It  was  not  I  then  that  first  loved  the  Son  of 
 God,  and  delivered  myself  for  him:  as  the  sophisters  dream,  that 
 they  love  the  Son  of  God  and  deliver  themselves  for  him.  For 
 they  teach  that  a  man,  ex  puris  naturalibus,  that  is,  of  his  own 
 pure  natural  strength,  is  able  to  do  meritorious  works  before 
 grace,  and  love  God  and  Christ  above  all  things.  These  fellowa 
 pervert  the  love  of  God  and  Christ:  for  they  do  that  is  in  them, 
 say  they,  that  is,  they  do  not  only  fulfil  the  commandments,  but 
 also  they  observe  the  counsels,  they  do  the  works  of  supereroga- 
 tion, and  sell  their  superfluous  merits  to  laymen,  and  so,  as  they 
 dream,  they  give  themselves  for  Christ,  and  thereby  save  both 
 themselves  and  others,  turning  the  words  of  Paul,  "  which 
 loved  me,"  &c.  clean  contrary,  and  saying:  we  have  loved  Christ, 
 and  given  ourselves  for  him.  Thus  when  the  wicked,  being  puff'ed 
 up  with  the  wisdom  of  the  flesh,  imagine  that  they  do  what  in 
 them  lieth,  they  love  God,  they  deliver  themselves  for  Christ, 
 what  do  they  else  but  abolish  the  gospel,  deride,  deny,  and 
 blaspheme  Christ,  yea,  spit  upon  him,  and  tread  him  under  foot? 
 They  confess  in  words  that  he  is  a  justifier  and  a  saviour:  in  very 
 deed  they  take  fi'om  him  the  poAver  both  to  justify  and  save,  and 
 give  the  same  to  their  own  will-works,  their  ceremonies  and  de- 
 votions. This  is  to  live  in  their  own  righteousness  and  works, 
 and  not  in  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God. 
 
 Wherefore  this  is  not  the  true  way  to  attain  justification,  to  do 
 that  which  in  thee  lieth:  as  the  Popish  sophisters  and  school-doc- 
 tors do  teach,  which  affirm,  that  if  a  man  doth  what  in  him 
 lieth,  God  will  undoubtedly  give  unto  him  his  gi'ace;  but  this 
 saying  may  not  be  straitly  urged,  say  they;  for  if  we  do  those 
 works  which  may  be  approved  by  the  judgment  of  any  good 
 man,  it  is  enough;  for  then  grace  shall  surely  follow,  because  God, 
 in  that  he  is  good  and  just,  must  needs  give  grace  as  a  recom- 
 pence  for  such  good  works.  And  hereof  cometh  this  verse : — 
 Ultra  posse  viri  non  vult  Deus  ulla  requiri.     That  is, 
 
 God  will  no  more  require  of  man. 
 Than  of  himself  perform  he  can. 
 
 Indeed  this  is  a  good  saying  if  it  be  used  rightly,  and  in  place 
 convenient:  that  is,  in  the  government  of  commonweals  or 
 families.  As  if  I  being  in  the  kingdom  of  reason,  do  execute 
 the  office  of  a  magistrate,  or  govern  a  family,  doing  that  in  me 
 lieth,  I  am  excused.  This  kingdom  hath  its  bound  and  limits: 
 to  the  which  also  these  sayings  do  pertain:  to  do  what  in  us 
 lieth:  to  do  as  much  as  we  are  able.  But  the  Papists  apply  these 
 sayings  to  the  spiritual  kingdom,  wherein  a  man  can  do  nothing 
 else  but  sin:  for  he  is  "sold  under  sin,"  (Rom.  vii.  14.)  But 
 in  external  things  (such  I  mean  as  pertain  to  civil  and  household 
 government)  he  is  not  a  servant,  but  a  lord  and  a  ruler.  Where- 
 fore they  have  done  wickedly  in  applying  these  sentences  to 
 ♦he  church,  which  properly  pertain  to  the  government  of  com- 
 
VER.  fiO.^  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIAN8.  )3t 
 
 monweals  and  families.  For  the  kingdom  of  man's  reason  and 
 the  spiritual  kingdom  must  be  separate  far  asunder. 
 
 Moreover,  they  say,  that  nature  is  corrupt,  but  the  qualities 
 of  nature  notwithstanding  are  sound  and  uncorrupt,  which  also 
 they  attribute  even  unto  devils.  Upon  this  ground  they  reason 
 after  this  manner:  if  the  natural  qualities  of  man  be  sound  and 
 uncorrupt,  then  is  his  understanding  and  his  will  sound  and  un- 
 corrupt, and  so  conseqiiently  all  other  qualities  of  nature  are  pure 
 and  perfect  in  him.  To  know  these  things,  it  is  necessary  for 
 vou,  that  ye  may  hold  the  sincerity  of  the  doctrine  of  faith. 
 \Vhere  they  say  then  that  the  natural  qualities  of  man  are  sound 
 and  uncorrupt,  and  therefore  do  infer,  that  a  man  is  able  of  him- 
 self to  fulfil  the  law,  and  to  love  God  with  all  his  heart,  applying 
 these  qualities  to  the  spiritual  kingdom,  I  deny  the  consequence. 
 And  here  I  make  a  distinction  between  the  natui-al  and  the  spiritual 
 qualities,  (wliich  they  confound  and  mingle  together)  and  I  say, 
 that  the  spiritual  qualities  are  not  sound,  but  corrupt,  yea,  utterly 
 quenched,  through  sin  both  in  man  and  devil,  so  that  there  is 
 ui  them  nothing  else  but  corrupt  imderstanding,  and  a  will  con- 
 tinually striving  against  the  Avill  of  God,  which  can  think  nothing 
 else  but  that  which  is  altogether  against  God.  Notwithstanding, 
 I  grant  that  the  natural  qualities  are  uncorrupt.  But  what 
 quahties  are  they?  That  a  man  drowned  in  sin  and  iniquity,  and 
 a  bondslave  of  Satan,  hath  will,  reason,  and  power,  notwith- 
 standing, to  execute  the  office  of  a  magistrate,  to  govern  a  family, 
 to  guide  a  ship,  to  build  a  house,  and  to  do  such  other  things  as 
 are  subject  unto  man:  for  these  things  are  not  taken  from  him. 
 We  do  not  then  deny  but  that  these  sentences  are  true  in  the 
 corporal  kingdom:  but  if  ye  wrest  them  to  the  spiritual  king- 
 dom, I  utterly  deny  them;  for  there,  as  I  said,  we  are  clean  over- 
 whelmed and  drowned  in  sin.  Whatsoever  is  in  our  will  is  evil: 
 whatsoever  is  in  our  understanding  is  error.  ^Vllerefore  in  spi- 
 ritual matters  man  hath  nothing  but  darkness,  errors,  ignorance, 
 malice  and  perverseness  both  of  will  and  understanding.  How- 
 then  shall  he  work  well,  fulfil  the  law,  and  love  God? 
 
 Wherefore  Paul  saith  here  that  Christ  first  began  and  not  we. 
 *'He,  even  he  (saith  Paul)  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me." 
 As  if  he  said,  he  found  in  me  no  goodwill  or  right  understand- 
 ing: but  this  good  Lord  had  mercy  upon  me.  He  saw  me  to  be 
 nothing  else  but  wicked,  going  astray,  contemning  God,  and  fly- 
 ing from  him  more  and  more:  yea,  rebelling  against  God,  taken, 
 led,  and  carried  away  captive  of  the  devil.  Thus  of  his  mere 
 mercy  preventing  my  reason,  my  will,  and  my  understanding, 
 he  loved  me,  and  so  loved  me,  that  he  gave  himself  for  me,  to 
 the  end  that  I  might  be  freed  from  the  law,  sin,  the  devil,  and 
 death. 
 
 Again,  these  words,  "The  Son  of  God  loved  me,  and  gave 
 himself  for  me,"  are  mighty  thunderings  and  lightnings  irom 
 Beaven  against  the  righteousness  of  the  law  and  all  the  works 
 
132  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  FcHAP.  11. 
 
 thereof^  So  great  and  so  horrible  wickedness,  error,  darkness, 
 and  ignorance  was  in  my  will  and  understanding,  that  it  was  im- 
 possible for  me  to  be  ransomed  by  any  other  means  than  by  such 
 an  inestimable  price.  Wliy  do  we  then  vaunt  the  integrity  and, 
 soundness  of  nature,  of  the  rule  of  reason,  of  free-Avill,  and  of 
 doing  what  in  us  lieth?  Why  do  I  offer,  to  pacify  the  wrath  of 
 God,  who,  as  Moses  saith,  "is  a  consuming  fire,"  this  my  rotten 
 stubble  and  straw,  yea  horrible  sins,  and  claim  of  him  to  reward 
 me  with  grace  and  everlasting  life  for  them,  since  here  I  learn 
 such  wickedness  to  lie  lurking  in  my  nature,  that  the  whole  world 
 and  all  creatures  therein  were  not  able  to  countervail  the  indig- 
 nation of  God,  but  that  the  very  Son  of  God  himself  must  needs 
 be  delivered  for  the  same? 
 
 But  let  us  consider  well  this  price,  and  let  us  behold  the  cap- 
 tive, delivered,  as  Paul  saith,  for  me;  the  Son  of  God,  I  mean, 
 and  we  shall  see  him,  without  all  comparison,  to  exceed  and  ex- 
 cel all  creatures.  What  wilt  thou  do  Avhen  thou  hearest  the 
 apostle  say,  that  such  an  inestimable  price  was  given  for  thee? 
 Wilt  thou  bring  thy  coavI,  thy  shaven  crown,  thy  chastity,  thy 
 obedience,  thy  poverty,  thy  works,  thy  merits?  What  shall  aU 
 these  do?  Yea,  what  shall  the  law  of  Moses  avail?  What 
 shall  tlie  works  of  all  men,  and  all  the  sufferings  of  the  martyrs 
 profit  thee?  What  is  the  obedience  of  all  the  holy  angels  in  com- 
 parison of  the  Son  of  God  delivered,  and  that  most  shamefully, 
 even  to  the  death  of  the  cross,  so  that  there  was  no  drop  of  his 
 most  precious  blood,  but  it  was  shed,  and  that  for  thy  sins?  If 
 thou  couldst  rightly  consider  this  incomparable  price,  thou 
 shouldst  hold  as  accursed  of  all  these  ceremonies,  vows,  works, 
 and  merits  before  gi-ace  and  after,  and  throw  them  all  down  to 
 hell.  For  it  is  a  horrible  blasphemy  to  imagine  that  there  is 
 any  work  whereby  thou  shouldst  presume  to  pacify  God,  since 
 thou  seest  that  there  is  nothing  which  is  able  to  pacify  him  but 
 this  inestimable  price,  even  the  death  and  blood  of  the  Son  of 
 God,  one  drop  whereof  is  more  precious  than  the  whole  world. 
 
 •  Verse  20.     For  me. 
 
 Who  is  this  me?  Even  I,  wretched  and  damnable  sinner,  so 
 dearly  beloved  of  the  Son  of  God,  that  he  gave  himself  for  me. 
 If  I  then  through  works  or  merits  could  have  loved  the  Son  of 
 God,  and  so  come  unto  him,  what  needed  he  to  deliver  himself 
 for  me?  Hereby  it  appeareth  how  coldly  the  Papists  handled, 
 yea,  how  they  utterly  neglected  the  holy  scriptures,  and  the  doc 
 trine  of  faith.  For  if  they  had  considered  but  only  these  words, 
 that  it  behoved  the  Son  of  God  to  be  given  for  me,  it  had  been 
 impossible  that  so  many  monstrous  sects  should  have  sprung  up 
 amongst  them.  For  faith  would  by-and-by  have  ansAvered- 
 why  dost  thou  choose  this  kind  of  life,  this  religion,  this  Avork''' 
 Dost  thou  this  to  please  God,  or  to  be  justified  thereby?  Doat 
 thou  not  hear,  O  thou  wretch,  that  th^  Son  of  God  slied  his 
 
VERSE  20.J  EPISTI-E  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  IB'6 
 
 blood  for  thee?  This  true  faith  in  Chi'ist  would  easily  have  with- 
 stood all  manner  of  sects. 
 
 Wherefore  I  say  (as  I  have  oftentimes  said,)  that  there  is  no 
 remedy  against  sects,  or  power  to  resist  them,  but  this  only  ar- 
 ticle of  Christian  righteousness.  If  we  lose  this  article,  it  is  im- 
 possible for  us  to  withstand  any  errors  or  sects;  as  we  may  see 
 at  this  day  in  the  fantastical  spirits  the  Anabaptists,  and  such 
 like:  who  being  fallen  away  from  this  article  of  justiiication,  will 
 never  cease  to  fall,  err,  and  seduce  others,  until  they  come  to  ihe 
 fulness  of  all  iniquity.  There  is  no  doubt  but  they  will  raise  up 
 innumerable  sects,  and  still  devise  new  works.  But  what  are  all 
 these  things  (though  they  have  never  sogoodly  a  shew  of  holiness) 
 if  ye  compare  them  to  the  death  and  blood  of  the  Son  of  God, 
 "who  gave  himself  for  me?"  Consider  well,  I  pray  you,  who  this 
 Son  of  God  is,  how  glorious  he  is,  how  mighty  he  is.  What  is 
 heaven  and  earth  in  comparison  of  him?  Let  all  the  Papists  and 
 all  the  authors  of  sects,  yea,  though  the  whole  world  take 
 their  part,  be  thrown  down  into  hell,  with  all  their  righteousness, 
 works,  and  merits,  rather  than  the  truth  of  the  gospel  should  be 
 blemished,  and  the  glory  of  Christ  perish.  What  mean  they, 
 then,  to  brag  so  much  of  works  and  merits?  If  I,  being  a 
 wretch  and  a  damned  sinner,  could  be  redeemed  by  any  other 
 price,  what  needed  the  Son  of  God  to  be  given  for  me?  But 
 because  there  was  no  other  price  either  in  heaven  or  in  earth, 
 but  Christ  the  Son  of  God,  therefore  it  was  most  necessary  that 
 he  should  be  delivered  for  me.  Moreover,  this  he  did  of  inesti  • 
 mable  love:  for  Paul  saith,  "which  loved  me." 
 
 Wherefore  these  words,  "  which  loved  me,"  are  full  of  faith. 
 And  he  that  can  utter  this  word  "me,"  and  apply  it  unto  him- 
 self with  a  true  and  a  constant  faith,  as  Paul  did,  shall  be  a  good 
 disputer  with  Paul  against  the  laAv.  For  he  delivered  neither 
 sheep,  ox,  gold,  nor  silver,  but  even  God  himself,  entirely  and 
 wholly,  "  for  me,"  even  for  "  me,"  I  say,  a  miserable  and 
 wretched  sinner.  Now  therefore,  in  that  the  Son  of  God  was 
 thus  delivered  to  death  for  me,  I  take  comfort  and  apply  this 
 unto  myself.  And  this  manner  of  applying  is  the  very  true  force 
 and  power  of  faith. 
 
 These  words  (which  are  the  pure  preaching  of  grace  and 
 Christian  righteousness  indeed)  Paul  setteth  against  the  right- 
 eousness of  the  law.  As  if  he  said:  be  it  so  that  the  law  is  a 
 heavenly  doctrine,  and  hath  also  his  glory;  yet  notwithstanding 
 it  loved  not  me,  nor  gave  itself  for  me:  yea,  it  accuseth  me, 
 terrifieth  me,  and  driveth  me  to  desperation.  But  I  have  now 
 another  which  hath  delivered  me  from  the  terrors  of  the  law, 
 sin,  and  death,  and  hath  brought  me  into  liberty,  the  righteous- 
 ness of  God,  and  eternal  life;  who  is  called  the  Son  of  God, 
 to  whom  be  praise  and  glory  for  ever. 
 
 Faith  therefore,  as  I  ha\'^e  said,  embraceth  and  wrappeth  ia 
 itself  Christ  Jesus  the  Son  of  God,  delivered  to  death  for  us,  'd$ 
 
J  34  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  |,CHAP.  H. 
 
 Paul  here  teacheth,  who  being  apprehended  by  faith,  giveth  un- 
 to us  righteousness  and  life.  And  here  he  setteth  out  most  live- 
 ly the  priesthood  and  offices  of  Christ;  which  are,  to  pacify  God, 
 to  make  intercession  for  sinners,  to  oifer  up  himself  a  sacrifice  for 
 their  sins,  to  redeem,  to  instruct,  and  to  comfort  them.  Let  us 
 learn  therefore  to  give  a  true  definition  of  Christ,  not  as  the 
 school-divines  do,  and  such  as  seek  righteousness  by  their  own 
 works,  which  make  him  a  new  lawgiver,  who  abolishing  the  old 
 law  hath  established  a  new.  To  these  Christ  is  nothing  else  but 
 an  exactor  and  a  tyrant.  But  let  us  define  him  as  Paul  here  doth: 
 namely,  that  he  is  the  Son  of  God,  who  not  for  our  desert  or 
 any  righteousness  of  ours,  but  of  his  own  free  mercy  offered  up 
 himself  a  sacrifice  for  us  sinners,  that  he  might  sanctify  us  for 
 ever. 
 
 Clu-ist  then  is  no  Moses,  no  exactor,  no  giver  of  laws,  but  a 
 giver  of  grace,  a  saviour,  and  one  that  is  full  of  mercy:  briefly, 
 he  is  nothing  else  but  infinite  mercy  and  goodness,  freely  given 
 and  bountifully  giving  unto  us.  And  thus  shaU  you  paint  out 
 Christ  in  his  right  colours.  If  you  sufi'er  him  any  otherwise  to 
 be  painted  out  unto  you,  when  temptation  and  trouble  cometh, 
 you  shall  soon  be  overthrown.  Now,  as  it  is  the  greatest  know- 
 ledge and  cunning  that  Christians  can  have,  thus  to  define  Christ; 
 so  of  all  things  it  is  the  hardest.  For  I  myself,  even  in  this 
 great  light  of  the  gospel,  wherein  I  have  been  so  long  exercised, 
 have  much  ado  to  hold  this  definition  of  Christ  which  Paul  here 
 giveth :  so  deeply  hath  the  doctrine  and  pestilent  opinion  that 
 Christ  is  a  lawgiver,  entered  even  as  it  were  oil  into  my  bones.  Ye 
 young  men  therefore  are  in  this  case  much  more  happy  than  we 
 that  are  old.  For  ye  are  not  infected  with  these  pernicious  errors, 
 wherein  I  have  been  so  nusled  and  so  drowned  even  from  my 
 youth,  that  at  the  very  hearing  of  the  name  of  Christ  my  heart 
 hath  trembled  and  quaked  for  fear;  for  I  was  persuaded  that 
 he  was  a  severe  judge.  Wherefore  it  is  to  me  a  double  travail 
 and  trouble  to  correct  and  reform  this  evil:  first  to  forget,  to 
 condemn,  and  to  resist  tKis  old  grounded  error,  that  Christ  is  a 
 lawgiver  and  a  judge;  for  it  always  returneth  and  plucketh  me 
 back;  then  to  plant  in  my  heart  a  new  and  a  true  persuasion  of 
 Christ  that  he  is  a  justifier  and  a  saviom*.  Ye,  I  say,  that  are 
 young,  may  learn  with  much  less  difficulty,  to  know  Christ  pure- 
 ly and  sincerely,  if  ye  will.  Wherefore  if  any  man  feel  himself 
 oppressed  with  heaviness  and  anguish  of  heart,  he  must  not  im- 
 pute it  unto  Christ,  although  it  come  mider  the  name  of  Christ, 
 but  unto  the  devil,  who  oftentimes  cometh  luider  the  colour  of 
 Christ,  and  transformeth  himself  into  an  angel  of  light. 
 
 Let  us  learn,  therefore,  to  put  a  difference  between  Christ  and 
 a  lawgiver,  not  only  in  word  but  also  in  deed  and  in  practice : 
 that  when  the  devil  shall  come  under  the  shadow  of  Christ, 
 and  shall  go  about  to  trouble  us  under  his  name,  we  may  know 
 him.  not  to  be  Christ,  but  a  very  fiend  indeed.     For  Christ, 
 
VER.91,  21.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  133 
 
 when  he  cometh,  is  nothing  else  but  joy  and  sweetness  to  a 
 trembling  and  broken  heart,  as  here  Paul  witnesseth,  who 
 setteth  him  out  with  this  most  sweet  and  comfortable  title  when 
 he  saith,  "  which  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me."  Christ 
 therefore,  in  very  deed,  is  a  lover  of  those  which  are  in  trouble 
 and  anguish,  in  sin,  and  death,  and  such  a  lover  as  gave  himself 
 for  us:  who  is  also  our  high  priest,  that  is  to  say,  a  mediator 
 between  God  and  us  miserable  and  wretched  sinners.  What 
 could  be  said,  1  pray  you,  more  sAveet  and  comfortable  to  the 
 poor  afflicted  conscience?  Now,  if  these  things  be  true  (as 
 they  are  indeed  most  true,  or  else  the  gospel  must  be  nothing 
 but  a  fable)  then  are  we  not  justified  by  the  righteousness  ot 
 the  law;  but  much  less  by  our  own  righteousness. 
 
 Read  therefore  with  great  vehemency  these  words,  "  me," 
 and  "  for  me,"  and  so  inwardly  practise  with  thyself,  that  thou, 
 with  a  sure  faith,  mayst  conceive  and  print  this  "  me"  in  thy 
 heart,  and  apply  it  unto  thyself,  not  doubting  but  that  thou  art 
 of  the  number  of  those  to  whom  this  "me"  belongeth:  also 
 that  Christ  hath  not  only  loved  Peter  and  Paul,  and  given  him- 
 self for  them,  but  that  the  same  grace  also  which  is  compre- 
 hended in  this  "  me,"  as  well  pertaineth  and  cometh  unto  us, 
 as  unto  them.  For  as  we  cannot  deny  but  that  we  are  all  sinners, 
 and  are  constrained  to  say  that  through  the  sin  of  Adam  we 
 are  all  lost,  were  made  the  enemies  of  God,  subject  to  the 
 wrath  and  judgment  of  God,  and  guilty  of  eternal  death  (for 
 this  do  all  terrified  hearts  feel  and  confess,  and  more  indeed 
 than  they  should  do:)  so  can  we  not  deny  but  that  Christ  died 
 for  om*  sins,  that  he  might  make  us  righteous.  For  he  died  not 
 to  justify  the  righteous,  but  the  unrighteous,  and  to  make  them 
 the  children  of  God,  and  inheritors  of  all  spiritual  and  heavenly 
 gifts.  Therefore,  when  I  feel  and  confess  myself  to  be  a  sinner 
 through  Adam's  transgression,  why  should  I  not  say,  that  I  am 
 made  righteous  through  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  especially 
 when  I  hear  that  he  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me  r  This 
 did  Paul  most  stedfastly  believe,  and  therefore  he  speaketh  these 
 words  with  so  great  vehemency  and  full  assurance;  which  he 
 grant  unto  us,  in  some  part  at  the  least,  who  hath  loved  us,  and 
 griven  himself  for  us. 
 
 Verse  21.  I  do  not  abrogate  or  reject  the  grace  of  God. 
 
 Now  he  prepareth  a  way  to  the  second  argument  of  this 
 epistle.  And  here  ye  must  diligently  consider,  that  to  seek  to  be 
 justified  by  the  works  of  the  law,  is  to  reject  the  grace  of  God. 
 But,  I  pray  you,  what  sin  can  be  more  execrable  or  horrible, 
 than  to  reject  the  grace  of  God,  and  to  refuse  that  righteousness 
 which  cometh  by  Christ?  It  is  enough  and  too  much  already 
 that  we  are  wicked  sinners  and  transgressors  of  all  the  command- 
 ments of  God:  and  yet  we  commit  moreover  the  most  execrable 
 Bin  of  all  sins,  in  that  we  do  most  contemptuously  refuse  the 
 
13C  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  H, 
 
 grace  of  God  and  remission  of  sins  offered  unto  us  by  Christ. 
 This  blasphemy  is  more  horrible  than  can  be  expressed.  There 
 is  no  sin  which  Paul  and  the  other  apostles  did  so  much  detest, 
 as  the  contempt  of  grace,  and  denial  of  Christ,  and  yet  there  is 
 no  sin  more  common.  Hereof  it  cometh,  that  Paul,  above  the 
 rest,  doth  so  sharply  inveigh  against  Antichrist,  for  that  he 
 despiseth  the  grace  of  God,  and  refuseth  the  benefit  of  Christ  our 
 high  priest,  who  offered  up  himself  a  sacrifice  for  our  sins.  Now, 
 thus  to  deny  Christ,  what  is  it  else  but  to  spit  in  his  face,  to 
 tread  him  under  foot,  to  set  himself  in  his  place,  and  to  say,  I 
 will  justify  thee,  and  I  will  sav<;  thee?  By  what  means?  By 
 masses,  pilgrimages,  pardons,  merits,  and  such  like.  We  see 
 then  how  proudly  Antichrist  hath  lift  up  himself  against  and 
 vibove  God,  and  set  himself  in  the  place  of  Christ,  rejected  the 
 grace  of  God,  and  denied  the  faith.  For  this  is  his  doctrine : 
 faith  availeth  nothing,  saith  he,  unless  it  be  joined  with  works; 
 and  by  this  false  and  detestable  doctrine  he  hath  defaced,  dark- 
 ened, and  utterly  buried  the  benefit  of  Christ;  and  in  the  stead 
 of  the  grace  of  Christ  and  his  kingdom,  he  hath  established  the 
 doctrine  of  works  and  the  kingdom  of  ceremonies,  and  hath  con- 
 firmed the  same  with  mere  trifles  and  doting  dreams,  and  by 
 this  means  he  hath  wrested  the  whole  world  out  of  Christ's 
 hands,  (who  alone  ought  to  reign  in  the  conscience)  and  hath 
 thrown  it  down  headlong  into  hell. 
 
 Hereby  we  may  easily  luiderstand  what  it  is  to  reject  and  re- 
 fuse the  grace  of  God,  even  to  seek  righteousness  by  the  law. 
 NoAv  who  hath  ever  heard  that  a  man,  by  keeping  of  the  law, 
 rejecteth  grace?  Do  we  then  sin  in  keeping  of  the  law?  No, 
 forsooth.  But  we  despise  grace  when  we  observe  the  law  to 
 this  end,  that  we  may  be  justified  through  it.  The  law  is  good, 
 holy,  and  profitable,  and  yet  it  justifieth  not.  He  then  that 
 keepeth  the  law  to  be  justified  thereby,  rejecteth  grace,  denieth 
 Christ,  despiseth  his  sacrifice,  and  will  not  be  saved  by  this 
 inestimable  price,  but  will  satisfy  for  his  sins  through  the  right- 
 eousness of  the  law,  or  deserve  grace  by  his  ovm.  righteousness. 
 And  this  man  blasphemeth  and  despiseth  the  grace  of  God. 
 Now,  what  a  horrible  thing  it  is  to  say  that  any  man  should 
 be  so  devilish  as  to  despise  the  grace  and  mercy  of  God  ? 
 And  yet  notwithstanding  aU  the  world  doth  so :  albeit  it  cannot 
 abide  that  any  man  should  so  judge  of  it,  but  will  seem  to  do 
 high  service  and  honour  unto  God.  Now  foUoweth  the  second 
 argument. 
 
 Verse  21.  For  if  righteousness  come  by  tlie  law,  then  Christ  died  in  vain. 
 These  words  of  Paul  ought  diligently  to  be  weighed  and  con- 
 sidered in  this  wise.  Is  it  true  mat  Christ  suffered  death  or 
 not?  Again,  did  he  suffer  in  vain  or  not?  Here  we  are  con- 
 strained to  answer,  except  we  be  stark  mad,  that  he  suffered  in 
 very  deed,  and  that  he  suffered  not  in  vain,  nor  for  himself,  but 
 
TER.  20,  21.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  CiALATIANS.  137 
 
 for  US.  If  then  he  suffered  not  in  vain,  it  followeth  of  necessity 
 that  righteousness  cometh  not  by  the  law. 
 
 Here  again  I  admonish  you,  that  Paul  speaketh  not  of  the 
 ceremonial  law  only,  as  the  Papists  do  continually  dream.  Take 
 now  therefore  the  ceremonial  law,  and  even  the  moral  law  itself 
 also,  or  the  laAV  of  the  ten  commandments,  wherein  is  contained 
 the  most  perfect  religion,  and  the  highest  service  of  God :  that 
 is  to  say,  faith,  the  fear  of  God,  the  love  of  God,  and  the  love  of 
 our  neighbour,  and  shew  me  any  man  that  hath  been  justified 
 thereby,  yet  it  is  true  notwithstanding  that  Christ  died  in  vain. 
 For  he  that  is  justified  by  this  law,  hath  power  in  himself  to  obtain 
 righteousness.  For  in  that  he  doth  what  in  him  lieth,  he  deserveth 
 grace,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  is  poured  into  him,  whereby  he  is  now 
 able  to  love  God  and  his  neighbour.  This  being  granted,  it  must 
 needs  follow  that  Christ  died  in  vain.  For  what  need  of  Christ 
 hath  he  which  both  loveth  Clu-ist  and  giveth  himself  for  him, 
 so  that  he  is  able  by  the  merit  of  congruence  before  gi*ace  to  ob 
 tain  grace,  and  then  to  do  such  works  as  by  the  merit  of  worthi- 
 ness after  grace,  he  is  able  to  deserve  eternal  life?  Then  take 
 away  Christ  Avith  all  his  benefits,  for  he  is  utterly  unprofitable. 
 But  why  was  he  born  ?  Why  was  he  crucified  ?  Why  did  he 
 suffer?  Why  Avas  he  made  my  high  priest,  loving  me  and  giv- 
 ing "himself"  an  inestimable  sacrifice  for  me?  In  vain,  no  doubt, 
 and  to  no  pm*pose  at  all,  if  righteousness  come  by  no  other  means 
 than  the  Papists  teach:  for  without  grace  and  without  Christ,  I 
 find  no  righteousness  either  in  myself  or  in  the  law. 
 
 Is  this  horrible  blasphemy  to  be  suffered  or  dissembled,  that 
 the  divine  Majesty,  not  sparing  his  OAvn  dear  son,  but  delivering 
 him  up  to  death  for  us  all,  should  not  do  all  these  things  serious- 
 ly and  in  good  earnest,  but  as  it  were  in  sport?  Before  I  would 
 admit  this  blasphemy,  I  would  not  only  that  the  holiness  of  all 
 the  Papists  and  merit-mongers,  but  also  of  all  the  saints  and  holy 
 angels,  should  be  thrown  into  the  bottom  of  hell,  and  condemned 
 with  the  devil.  Mine  eyes  shall  behold  nothing  else  but  this 
 inestimable  price,  my  Lord  and  Saviour  Christ.  He  ought  to  be 
 such  a  treasure  unto  me,  that  all  other  things  should  be  but  dung 
 in  comparison  of  him.  He  ought  to  be  such  a  light  unto  me,  that 
 when  1  have  apprehended  him  by  faith,  I  should  not  know  whe- 
 ther there  be  any  law,  any  sin,  any  righteousness,  or  any  unright- 
 eousness in  the  world.  For  what  are  all  things  which  are  in 
 heaven  and  earth,  in  comparison  of  the  Son  of  God,  Christ  Jesus 
 my  Lord  and  Saviour,  "who  loved  me  and  gave  himself  for  me?" 
 
 Wherefore,  to  reject  the  grace  of  God,  is  a  horrible  sin,  and 
 commonly  reigning  throughout  the  world ;  whereof  all  they  are 
 guilty  which  seek  righteousness  by  their  OAvn  works.  For  while 
 they  seek  to  be  justified  by  their  own  works  and  merits,  or  by 
 the  law,  they  reject  the  grace  of  God  and  Christ,  as  I  have  said. 
 And  of  all  these  abominations  the  Pope  hath  been  the  only 
 author.     For  he  hath  not  only  defaced  and  trodden  under  his 
 
138  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  11. 
 
 feet  the  gospel  of  Christ,  but  hath  also  replenished  the  world 
 with  his  cursed  traditions.  And  hereof,  among  other  enormities, 
 his  bulls  and  pardons  are  a  suj9Gicient  witness;  whereby  he  ab- 
 solveth,  not  such  as  believe,  but  such  as  are  contrite,  make 
 confession  to  a  priest,  and  reach  out  their  helping  hand  to  the 
 maintenance  of  his  pomp  and  traditions.  Yet  notwithstanding 
 in  this  great  light  of  the  gospel,  the  blind  and  obstinate  Papists 
 do  continue  still  in  their  wicked  opinions  and  doting  dreams, 
 saying,  that  the  qualities  of  nature  do  remain  sound  and  uncor- 
 rupt,  and  that  men  are  able  to  prepare  themselves  to  grace,  or 
 to  deserve  grace  by  their  own  works  and  merits.  And  so  far  off 
 is  it  that  they  will  acknowledge  their  impiety  and  error,  that 
 they  do  yet  still  obstinately  defend  the  same,  even  against  their 
 own  conscience. 
 
 But  we  do  constantly  affirm  with  Paul  (for  we  will  not  reject 
 the  ^race  of  God)  that  either  Christ  died  in  vain,  or  else  the 
 law  justifieth  not.  But  Christ  died  not  in  vain:  therefore  the 
 law  justitieth  not.  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  of  his  own  free  grace 
 and  mercy,  has  justified  us:  therefore  the  law  could  not  jus- 
 tify us,  for  if  it  could,  then  had  Christ  done  unwisely  in  that 
 he  gave  himself  for  our  sins,  that  we  thereby  might  be  jus- 
 tified. We  conclude  therefore,  that  we  are  justified  neither  by 
 oiu-  own  works  and  merits  before  grace  or  after,  neither  yet 
 by  the  law. 
 
 Now  if  my  salvation  was  so  costly  and  dear  a  price  unto  Christ, 
 that  he  was  constrained  to  die  for  my  sins,  then  all  my  works, 
 with  all  the  righteousness  of  the  law,  are  but  vile  and  nothing 
 worth  in  comparison  of  this  inestimable  price.  For  how  can  I 
 buy  that  for  a  farthing,  which  cost  many  thousand  talents  of 
 gold?  Now  the  law  (to  speak  nothing  of  other  matters  which  are 
 of  much  less  value)  with  all  the  works  and  righteousness  thereof, 
 is  but  as  a  farthing,  if  ye  compare  it  unto  Christ:  who  by  his 
 death  hath  vanquished  my  death,  and  hath  purchased  righteous- 
 ness and  everlasting  life.  Should  I  then  despise  and  reject  this 
 incomparable  price,  and  by  the  law  or  by  the  works  and  merits 
 of  men  (vile  dross  and  dung,  for  so  Paul  calleth  them,  if  they  be 
 compared  unto  Christ)  seek  that  righteousness  which  Christ 
 freely  and  of  mere  love  hath  given  unto  me  already,  and  hath 
 cost  him  so  great  a  price,  that  he  was  constrained  to  give  himself 
 and  even  his  own  heart-blood  for  me?  This,  as  I  have  said,  the 
 whole  world  doth,  and  especially  such  as  will  be  counted  more 
 holy  and  religious  than  others.  Whereby  they  plainly  witness, 
 that  Christ  died  in  vain,  although  with  their  mouths  they  con- 
 fess the  contrary  never  so  much:  which  is  most  horrible,  to 
 blaspheme  the  Son  of  God,  to  spit  in  his  face,  to  tread  him 
 under  foot,  to  count  the  blood  of  the  Testament  as  an  unholy 
 thing,  and  utterly  to  despise  the  spirit  of  grace. 
 
 Paul  here  disputing  of  righteousness,  hath  no  civil  matter  in 
 hand,  that  is,  he  speaketh  not  of  civil  righteousness;  which  God 
 
VF.R.  21,"]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  139 
 
 notwithstanding  alloweth  and  requireth,  and  giveth  rewards 
 thereunto  accordingly:  which  also  reason  is  ahle  in  some  part 
 to  perform :  but  he  intreateth  here  of  the  righteousness  that 
 availeth  before  God,  whereby  we  are  delivered  from  the  law, 
 sin,  death,  and  all  evils,  and  are  made  partakers  of  grace, 
 righteousness  and  everlasting  life,  and  finally,  are  now  become 
 lords  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  of  aU  other  creatures.  This 
 righteousness  neither  man's  law,  neither  the  law  of  God  is 
 able  to  perform. 
 
 The  law  is  given  besides  and  above  reason,  to  be  a  light  and 
 a  help  to  man,  and  to  shew  him  what  he  ought  to  do,  and  what 
 to  leave  undone.  Notwithstanding,  man  with  aU  his  strength 
 and  reason,  yea,  with  this  great  light  also  and  heavenly  benefit 
 (the  law  I  mean),  cannot  be  justified.  Now  if  that  which  is  the 
 most  excellent  thing  in  the  world  (the  law  I  say),  which  as  a 
 bright  shming  sun  is  joined  to  the  dim  and  obscure  light  of  man's 
 reason  to  lighten  and  to  direct  it,  is  not  able  to  justify,  what 
 can  reason  do,  I  pray  you,  without  the  law?  What?  Doubtless 
 nothing  else  but  that  which  the  Pope  with  his  dreaming  so- 
 phisters  and  his  whole  synagogue  hath  done,  who  with  their 
 own  traditions  have  darkened  the  light  even  of  the  first  com- 
 mandment. Wherefore  there  is  not  one  of  them  that  is  able 
 rightly  to  understand  any  one  syllable  of  the  law,  but  every 
 man  walketh  in  mere  darkness  of  man's  reason.  And  this 
 error  is  much  more  pernicious  and  deadly,  than  that  which 
 proceedeth  of  the  doctrine  of  works  and  the  law. 
 
 These  words  therefore  are  very  effectual  and  full  of  power 
 when  he  saith :  "  If  righteousness  come  by  the  law,  then  Christ 
 died  in  vain." — He  speaketh  here  nothing  of  man's  strength, 
 reason  or  wisdom,  be  it  never  so  great  (for  the  greater  it  is, 
 the  sooner  it  deceiveth  a  man)  but  he  saith  plainly  without  all 
 condition:  "  If  by  the  law,"  &c.  Wherefore  reason,  lightened, 
 aided  and  directed  by  the  law,  yea,  even  by  the  law  of  God,  is 
 so  unable  to  attain  righteousness,  that  it  draweth  a  man  from 
 righteousness,  and  rejecteth  Christ.  Set  thou  therefore  the 
 death  of  Christ  alone  against  all  laws,  and  with  Paul,  "  know 
 nothing  but  Jesus  Christ  crucified,"  (  1  Cor.ii.2.)  Receive  no 
 light  either  of  reason,  or  of  the  law,  or  of  any  thing  else,  than 
 of  Christ  alone.  Then  shalt  thou  be  learned  indeed,  righteous 
 and  holy,  and  shalt  receive  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  shall  pre- 
 serve thee  in  the  purity  of  the  word  and  faith:  but  set  Christ 
 aside,  and  all  things  are  but  vain. 
 
 Here  again  we  see  what  a  goodly  commendation  Paul  giveth 
 to  the  righteousness  of  the  law,  or  man's  own  righteousness, 
 namely,  that  it  is  a  contemning  and  rejecting  of  the  grace  of 
 God,  and  an  abolishing  of  the  death  of  Cm-ist.  Paul  is  no 
 great  rhetorician,  and  yet  see  what  matter  he  ministereth  to 
 him  that  listeth  to  play  the  rhetorician.  What  eloquence  is 
 able  sufficiently  to  set  forth  these  words:  to  reject  the  grace. 
 
140  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUl's  [CHAP.  HI, 
 
 the  grace  of  God:  also,  that  Christ  died  in  vain.  The  horri- 
 bleness  whereof  is  such,  that  all  the  eloquence  in  the  world  is 
 not  able  to  express  it.  It  is  a  small  matter  to  say,  that  any  man 
 died  in  vain:  but  to  say  that  Christ  died  in  vain,  is  to  take  him 
 quite  away.  Whoso  listeth  to  play  the  rhetorician,  hath  here 
 matter  enough  to  dilate  and  amplify  at  large,  what  a  horrible 
 and  blasphemous  doctrine  it  is  to  set  up  the  righteousness  of 
 the  laAv  and  works.  For  what  can  be  more  blasphemous  and 
 horrible,  than  to  make  the  death  of  Christ  unprofitable  ?  And 
 what  do  they  else  Avhich  keep  the  law  to  this  end,  that  they  may 
 be  justified  thereby?  Now  to  make  the  death  of  Christ  unpro- 
 fitable, is  to  make  the  resurrection,  his  victory,  his  glory,  his 
 kingdom,  heaven,  earth,  God  himself,  the  majesty  of  God,  and 
 briefly  all  things  else  unprofitable,  and  of  none  effect. 
 
 This  thundering  and  lightning  from  heaven  against  the  right- 
 eousness of  the  law  and  man's  own  righteousness,  should  make 
 us  to  abhor  it. — And  here  with  this  thunderclap  falleth  down 
 all  the  orders  of  monk  and  friars,  with  all  such  superstitious 
 religions.  For  who  will  not  detest  his  own  vows,  his  cowls, 
 his  shaven  crown,  all  men's  traditions,  yea,  the  very  law  of  Moses 
 also,  if  he  hear  that  for  these  things  he  rejected  the  grace  of 
 God,  and  maketh  the  death  of  Christ  unprofitable:  the  world 
 hearing  this,  doth  not  believe  that  it  is  true.  It  thinketh  that 
 such  horrible  wickedness  cannot  enter  into  any  man's  heart, 
 that  he  should  reject  the  grace  of  God,  and  esteem  the  death  of 
 Christ  as  a  thing  of  nought?  And  yet  this  sin  commonly 
 reigneth.  For  whosoever  seeketh  righteousness  without  Christ's, 
 either  by  works,  merits,  satisfactions,  afflictions,  or  by  the  law, 
 rejecteth  the  grace  of  God,  and  despiseth  the  death  of  Christ, 
 whatsoever  he  protesteth  with  his  mouth  to  the  contrary. 
 
 CHAP.  III. 
 
 Verse  1.  O,  foolish  Galatians  ! 
 Paul  here  sheweth  his  apostolical  care,  and  biirning  zea,t 
 which  he  beareth  to  the  church:  so  that,  in  disputing  and  con- 
 futing, he  intermingleth  sometimes  gentle  exhortation,  and  some- 
 times he  sharply  reproveth,  according  to  his  own  rule  given  to 
 Timothy.  "  Preach,'"  saith  he,  "  the  word:  be  instant  in  sea- 
 son and  out  of  season:  reprove,  rebuke,  exhort,"  (2Tim.iv.  2.) 
 Here  the  simple  reader  may  haply  be  deceived,  if  he  be  not  cir- 
 cumspect, to  think  that  Paul  in  teaching  keepeth  no  order  at  all. 
 And  indeed,  after  the  manner  of  the  rhetoricians,  he  observeth 
 none;  but  as  concerning  the  spirit  he  useth  a  goodly  order. 
 
 Now  after  that  he  hath  sufiiciently  proved,  and  with  two 
 strong  arguments  confirmed  this  article,  that  Christian  righte- 
 ousness  Cometh   not  by  keeping  of  the  law,  but  by  faith  ill 
 
VER.   I.]  EPrSTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  141 
 
 Christ,  and  withal  hath  confuted  the  doctrine  of  the  false  apos- 
 tles; in  the  midst  of  this  discourse  he  turneth  his  talk  to  the 
 Galatians,  and  reproveth  them,  saying,  "O  ye  foolish  Galatians," 
 &c.  As  if  he  should  say:  Alas,  from  whence  are  ye  fallen,  O 
 ye  miserable  Galatians?  I  have  most  carefully  and  diligently 
 taught  you  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  and  ye  also  have  received 
 the  same  of  me  with  fervent  zeal  and  great  diligence.  How 
 then  cometh  it  to  pass,  that  ye  are  so  suddenly  fallen  away  from 
 it?     "  Who  hath  bewitched  you?" 
 
 He  reproveth  the  Galatians  very  sharply,  as  it  seemeth,  when 
 he  calleth  them  fools,  bewitched  and  disobedient  to  the  truth. 
 Now  whether  he  did  this  of  zeal  or  compassion,  I  will  not  here 
 contend :  both  may  be  true.  A  carnal  man  would  interpret  this 
 to  be  a  reviling,  rather  than  a  godly  reprehension.  Did  Paul 
 then  give  an  evil  example,  or  was  he  spiteful  against  the 
 churches  of  Galatia,  because  he  called  them  foolish  and  be- 
 witched? No,  not  so.  For  with  a  Christian  zeal  it  is  laAvful 
 for  an  apostle,  a  pastor,  or  preacher,  sharply  to  reprove  the 
 people  committed  to  his  charge:  and  such  reprovings  are  both 
 Fatherly  and  godly.  So  parents,  of  a  fatherly  and  motherly 
 affection,  do  sharply  reprove  and  rebuke  their  children;  which 
 they  would  not  bear,  if  another  should  do  it.  The  schoolmaster 
 sometimes  is  angry  with  his  scholar,  he  rebuketh  him  and  beateth 
 him:  all  which  he  taketh  in  good  part,  and  would  not  bear  it  at 
 the  hands  of  Ins  equal.  The  magistrate  likewise  is  angry:  he 
 reproveth  and  punisheth  such  as  are  under  his  chai'ge.  And  this 
 discipline  is  not  only  good,  but  also  very  necessary;  without  the 
 which,  nothing  can  be  well  done.  Wherefore,  unless  the  ma- 
 gistrate, the  minister,  the  father  and  mother  be  angry,  and  use 
 to  reprove  or  rebuke  when  the  case  requireth,  he  is  unprofit- 
 able, and  never  shall  discharge  his  office  rightly. 
 
 Wherefore  sharp  chidings  and  bitter  words  are  as  necessary  in 
 every  kind  of  life,  as  any  other  virtue  else.  Yet  notwithstanding 
 this  anger  must  be  so  tempered,  that  it  proceed  not  of  any  envy 
 or  malice,  but  only  of  a  fatherly  affection  and  Christian  zeal: 
 that  is  to  say,  it  ought  not  to  be  childish  or  woman-like,  seeking 
 revenge;  but  only  for  the  correcting  of  the  fault:  as  the  father 
 correcteth  not  his  child  with  desire  to  revenge,  but  oidy  that 
 the  child  thereby  may  be  the  better.  And  these  kinds  of  anger  are 
 good,  and  are  called  in  the  scripture  zeals  or  jealousies.  For  in 
 chastising  my  brother,  my  child,  my  scholar,  or  subject  in  this 
 sort,  I  seek  not  his  destruction,  but  his  profit  and  welfare. 
 
 It  may  be  then  that  Paul  here  rebuketh  the  Galatians,  either 
 of  a  very  zeal  (not  to  destroy  them,  but  by  this  means  to  reduce 
 them  into  the  way  again,  and  to  amend  them)  or  else  of  pity 
 and  compassion,  as  it  were  by  way  of  complaint,  for  that  it 
 grieveth  him  that  they  should  be  so  miserably  reduced.  As  if 
 he  should  say:  I  am  sorry  and  ashamed  to  hear  of  this  your 
 miserable  case,  your  wretched  doings,  &c.     In  like  manner  do 
 
142  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUl's  [cHAP.  lit. 
 
 we  also  reprehend  the  miserable :  not  that  we  tread  them  down, 
 or  upbraid  them  with  their  misery,  but  as  having  compassion 
 on  them,  and  seeking  their  amendment.  This  I  say,  lest  any 
 man  should  cavil,  that  Paul  railed  upon  the  churches,  contrary 
 to  the  rule  of  the  gospel. 
 
 In  like  manner  Christ  rebuketh  the  Pharisees,  calling  them 
 serpents,  the  generation  of  vipers,  the  children  of  the  devil.  But 
 these  are  the  rebukings  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  They  are  fatherly 
 and  motherly,  and  as  the  chidings  of  a  faithful  friend :  as  it  is 
 said  also  in  the  Proverbs:  "  better  are  the  wounds  of  a  friend 
 than  the  kisses  of  an  enemy,"  (Prov.  xxvii.  6.)  Thus  one  and 
 the  self-same  rebuke,  if  it  come  out  of  the  mouth  of  a  father, 
 may  be  a  great  benefit:  but  if  it  proceed  out  of  the  mouth  of 
 our  equal  or  enemy,  it  is  a  spiteful  reproach.  When  two  men 
 do  one  thing,  in  the  one  it  is  commendable,  and  in  the  othe^it 
 is  reproved.  But  when  Christ  and  Paul  do  reprove,  it  is  done 
 with  singular  virtue  and  commendation:  but  when  a  private 
 man  should  do  the  like,  it  is  in  him  a  great  vice.  Therefore 
 one  and  the  self-same  word  in  the  mouth  of  Paul  is  a  benefit, 
 but  in  the  mouth  of  another  it  is  a  reproach. 
 
 There  is  a  certain  vehemency  to  be  noted  in  this  word,  Gala- 
 tians ;  for  he  calleth  them  not  his  brethren,  as  elsewhere  he  is 
 wont  to  do :  but  he  calleth  them  by  the  name  which  was  proper 
 to  their  country.  And  it  seemeth  that  it  was  the  natural  vice 
 of  that  nation  to  be  foolish;  like  as  it  was  the  fault  of  the  Cre- 
 tenses  to  be  liars.  As  if  he  should  say:  As  ye  are  called,  even 
 so  are  ye  indeed,  and  so  ye  continue:  that  is  to  say,  foolish 
 Galatians;  and  so  you  shew  yourselves  to  be  even  now,  in  the 
 business  of  the  gospel  (wherein  notwithstanding  ye  ought  to 
 have  been  most  wise),  yet  ye  continue  still  in  your  own  nature, 
 and  are  no  changelings.  Thus  Paul,  by  way  of  correction, 
 putteth  the  Galatians  in  mind  of  their  corrupt  nature. 
 
 Moreover  we  are  here  admonished,  that,  according  to  the  flesh, 
 there  are  yet  natural  vices  remaining  in  the  churches,  and  in  the 
 godly.  Grace  maketh  not  such  a  change  in  the  faithful,  that 
 by-and-by  they  become  altogether  new  creatures,  and  perfect  in 
 all  things:  but  there  remain  yet  certain  dregs  of  their  old  and 
 natural  corruption.  As  if  a  man,  that  is  naturally  inclined  to 
 anger  be  converted  to  Christ,  although  he  be  mollified  by  grace, 
 (the  Holy  Ghost  so  framing  his  heart,  that  he  is  now  become 
 more  meek  and  gentle)  yet  this  natural  vice  is  not  utterly  quench- 
 ed in  his  flesh.  Likewise,  such  as  are,  by  nature,  severe  and 
 sharp,  although  they  be  converted  to  the  faith,  yet  notwithstand- 
 ing they  cannot  utterly  forsake  this  vice.  Hereof  it  cometh,  that 
 the  holy  scriptures,  which  do  contain  all  one  truth,  of  diverse 
 spirits  are  diversely  handled.  One,  in  teaching,  is  mild  and 
 gentle:  another  more  rough  and  rigorous.  Thus  the  Spirit  of 
 God,  being  poured  into  diverse  vessels,  doth  not  quench  at  once 
 the  vices  of  nature:  but  by  little  and  little,  during  this  life,  he 
 
VER.   1]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIAN8.  143 
 
 purgeth  that  sin  which  is  rooted,  not  only  in  the  Ga.atians,  but 
 also  in  all  men  of  all  nations. 
 
 Albeit  then  that  the  Galatians  were  lightened  and  did  believe, 
 and  had  now  received  the  Holy  Ghost  by  the  preaching  of  faitli, 
 notwithstanding  this  remnant  of  vice,  (this  foolishness  I  mean) 
 and  the  original  corruption,  which  afterwards  did  easily  burst 
 out  into  a  flame  of  false  doctrine,  remained  in  them  still.  Where- 
 fore let  no  man  trust  so  much  in  himself,  as  to  think  that  when 
 he  hath  received  grace,  he  is  thoroughly  purged  from  his  old 
 vices.  Indeed,  many  things  are  purged  in  us,  and  principally  the 
 heafl  of  the  serpent;  that  is  to  say,  infidelity  and  ignorance  of 
 God  is  cut  off  and  bruised,  but  the  slimy  body  and  the  remnants 
 of  sin  remain  still  in  us.  Let  not  man  therefore  presume  so 
 much  of  himself,  that  when  he  hath  once  received  faith,  he  can 
 by-and-by  be  thoroughly  changed  into  a  new  man:  nay,  he 
 shall  keep  somewhat  of  his  old  vices  still  cleaving  unto  him, 
 (Heb.  xii.  1.)  though  he  be  never  so  good  and  so  perfect  a 
 Christian.  I'or  we  are  not  yet  dead,  but  we  still  live  in  the  flesh  : 
 which,  because  it  is  not  yet  pure,  continually  lusteth  against  the 
 spirit.  "I  am  carnal,"  saith  Paul,  "sold  under  sin.  I  see  another 
 law  in  my  members  rebelling  against  the  law  of  my  mind."  ( Rom. 
 vii.  14.  23.  Gal.  v.  17.)  Wherefore  the  natural  vices  that  were 
 in  us  before  we  received  faith,  do  still  remain  in  us  after  that 
 we  have  received  faith:  saving  that  now  they  are  subdued  to 
 the  spirit,  which  hath  the  upper  hand  to  keep  them  under,  that 
 they  rule  not;  and  yet  not  without  great  conflict.  This  glory 
 is  due  to  Christ  alone;  and  this  title  he  beareth,  "that  he  is 
 pure  and  without  blemish:  who  did  no  sin,  neither  was  there 
 any  guile  fovmd  in  his  mouth."   1  Pet.  ii.  22. 
 
 Verse  1.     Wbo  hath  bewitched  you,  that  you  should  not  believe  the  truth? 
 
 Here  have  ye  another  commendation  of  this  goodly  righteous- 
 ness of  the  law,  and  of  our  own  righteousness,  namely,  that  it 
 maketh  us  to  contemn  the  truth:  it  bewitcheth  us  in  such  sort, 
 that  we  do  not  believe  nor  obey  the  truth,  but  rebel  against  it. 
 
 Of  the  bodily  and  spiritual  witchcraft. 
 
 Paul  calleth  the  Galatians  foolish  and  bewitched,  comparing 
 them  to  children,  to  whom  witchcraft  doth  much  harm.  As 
 though  he  should  say:  It  happeneth  to  you  as  it  doth  to  chil- 
 dren, whom  witches,  sorcerers,  and  enchanters  are  wont  to  charm 
 by  their  enchantments,  and  by  the  illusions  of  the  devil.  After- 
 wards, in  the  fifth  chapter,  he  rehearseth  sorcery  among  the 
 works  of  the  flesh,  which  is  a  kind  of  witchcraft,  whereby  he 
 plainly  testifieth,  that  indeed  such  witchcraft  and  sorcery  there 
 IS,  and  that  it  may  be  done.  Moreover,  it  cannot  be  denied  but 
 that  the  devil  liveth,  yea,  and  reigneth  throughout  the  whole 
 world.  Witchcraft  and  sorcery  therefore  are  the  works  of  the 
 devil;  whereby  he  doth  not  only  hurt  men,  but  also,  by  tho 
 
144  COMMENTART  ON  ST.  PAUl/s  ^CHAP.  ilF. 
 
 permission  of  God,  he  sometimes  destroy eth  them.  Further- 
 more, we  are  all  subject  to  the  devil,  both  m  body  and  goods; 
 and  we  be  strangers  in  this  world,  whereof  he  is  the  prince  and 
 god.  Therefore  the  bread  which  we  eat,  the  drink  which  we 
 drink,  the  garments  which  we  wear,  yea,  the  air,  and  whatso- 
 ever  we  live  by  in  the  flesh,  is  under  his  dominion. 
 
 But  he  doth  not  only  bewitch  men  after  this  gross  manner, 
 but  also  after  a  more  subtle  sort,  and  much  more  dangerous; 
 Avherein  he  is  a  marvellous  cunning  workman.  And  hereof  it 
 Cometh  that  Paul  applieth  the  bewitching  of  the  senses  *^o  the 
 bewitching  of  the  spirit.  For  by  this  spiritual  witchcraft  that  old 
 serpent  bewitcheth  not  men's  senses,  but  their  minds  with  false 
 and  wicked  opinions:  which  opinions,  they  that  are  so  bewitched, 
 do  take  to  be  true  and  godly.  Briefly,  so  great  is  the  malice 
 of  this  sorcerer  the  devil,  and  his  desire  to  hurt,  that  not  only 
 he  deceiveth  those  secure  and  proud  spirits  with  his  enchant- 
 ments, but  even  those  also  which  are  professors  of  true  Christi- 
 anity, and  well  affected  in  religion:  yea,  as  touching  myself,  to 
 say  the  truth,  he  sometimes  assaileth  me  so  mightily,  and  oppres- 
 seth  me  with  such  heavy  cogitations,  that  he  utterly  shadoweth 
 my  Saviom'  Christ  from  me,  and  in  a  manner  taketh  him  clean 
 out  of  my  sight.  To  be  brief,  there  is  none  of  us  all  which  is 
 not  oftentimes  bewitched  by  false  persuasions:  that  is  to  say, 
 which  doth  not  fear,  trust,  or  rejoice  where  he  ought  not,  or 
 doth  not  sometimes  think  otherwise  of  God,  of  Christ,  of  faith» 
 of  his  vocation,  &c.  than  he  shoidd  do. 
 
 Let  us  therefore  learn  to  knoAv  the  subtle  sleights  of  this  sor- 
 cerer, lest  if  he  find  us  sleeping  in  security  he  deceive  us  by  liis 
 enchantments.  True  it  is,  that  by  his  sorcery  he  can  do  no 
 hurt  to  our  ministry:  yet  is  he  with  us  in  spirit.  Day  and 
 night  he  rangeth  about,  seeking  how  he  may  devour  every  one 
 of  us  alone,  and  unless  he  find  us  sober,  and  armed  with  spiritual 
 weapons,  that  is  to  say,  with  the  word  of  God  and  faith,  he  mil 
 devour  us. 
 
 This  is  the  cause  that  he  oftentimes  stirreth  up  new  battles 
 against  us.  And  indeed  it  is  very  profitable  for  us  that  he  thus 
 assaileth  us,  and  by  his  subtle  trains  exerciseth  us;  for  by  this 
 means  he  confirmeth  our  doctrine,  he  stirreth  up  and  increaseth 
 faith  in  us.  Indeed,  we  have  been  many  times  cast  down,  and 
 yet  still  are  cast  down  in  this  conflict,  but  we  perish  not:  for 
 Christ  hath  always  triumphed,  and  doth  triumph  through  us. 
 Wherefore  we  hope  assuredly,  that  we  shall  also  hereafter  by 
 Jesus  Christ  obtain  the  victory  against  the  devil.  And  this 
 hope  bringeth  imto  us  sure  consolation,  so  that  in  the  midst  of 
 our  temptations  we  take  com'age  and  say.  Behold,  Satan  hath 
 heretofore  tempted  us,  and  by  his  false  illusions  hath  provoked 
 ns  to  infidelity,  to  the  contempt  of  God,  despair,  &c.  yet  hath 
 he  not  prevailed,  nor  shall  he  prevail  hereafter.  "  He  is  greater 
 tliat  is  in  us,  than  he  that  is  in  the  world,"  (1  John  iv.4.)  Christ 
 
VCa.  1.3  EPISTLE  TO  THE  QALATIAKS.  i45 
 
 is  stronger,  who  hath  and  doth  overcome  that  strong  one  in  us, 
 and  shall  overcome  him  for  ever.  Notwithstanding  the  devil 
 sometimes  overcometh  us  in  the  flesh,  that  we  may  have  expe- 
 rience of  the  power  of  a  stronger  against  that  strong  one,  and  may 
 say,  with  Paul,  "When  I  am  weak,  then  am  I  strong." 
 
 Let  no  man  think  therefore  that  the  Galatians  only  were  be- 
 witched of  the  devil:  but  let  every  man  think  that  he  himself 
 might  have  been,  and  yet  may  be  bewitched  by  him.  There  is 
 none  of  us  so  strong  that  he  is  able  to  resist  him,  and  specially 
 if  he  attempt  to  do  it  by  his  own  strength.  "Job  was  an  upright 
 and  a  just  man,  fearing  God,  and  there  was  none  like  unto  him 
 upon  the  earth,"  (Job  i.  8.)  Bat  what  power  had  he  against  the 
 devil,  when  God  withdrew  his  hand?  Did  not  this  holy  man  hor- 
 ribly fall?  Therefore  this  enchanter  was  not  only  mighty  in  the 
 Galatians,  but  he  goeth  about  continually  to  deceive,  if  not  all 
 men,  yet  as  many  as  he  can,  with  his  illusions  and  false  persua- 
 sions: "  For  he  is  a  liar,  and  the  father  of  lies,"  (John  viii.  44.) 
 
 Verse  1.     Who  hath  bewitched  you  ? 
 
 Here  Paul  excuseth  the  Galatians,  and  layeth  the  fault  upon 
 the  false  apostles.  As  though  he  should  say,  I  see  that  ye  are 
 not  fallen  through  wilfulness  or  malice ;  but  the  devil  hath  sent 
 the  enchanting  false  apostles,  his  children,  amongst  you,  and  they 
 do  so  bewitch  you,  in  teaching  you  that  ye  are  justified  by  the 
 law,  that  now  ye  think  otherwise  of  Christ  than  ye  did  afore, 
 when  ye  heard  the  gospel  preached  by  me.  But  we  labour,  both 
 by  preaching  and  writing  unto  you,  to  uncharm  that  sorcery 
 whereAvith  the  false  apostles  have  bewitched  you,  and  to  set  at 
 liberty  those  which  are  snared  therewith. 
 
 So  we  also  at  this  day  do  laboiu*  by  the  word  of  God  against 
 those  fantastical  opinions  of  the  Anabaptists,  that  we  may  set  at 
 liberty  those  that  are  entangled  therewith,  and  reduce  them  to 
 the  pure  doctrine  of  faith,  and  there  hold  them.  And  this  our 
 labour  is  not  altogether  in  vain;  for  we  have  called  back  many 
 whom  they  have  bewitched,  and  have  delivered  them  out  of  their 
 snares.  Notwithstanding  such  there  are,  as  will  not  suffer  them- 
 selves to  be  taught,  especially  the  chief  sorcerers  and  authors  of 
 this  witchery.  They  will  hear  no  reason,  nor  admit  the  scrip- 
 ture: yea,  they  abuse  and  corrupt  the  scripture,  and  avoid  such 
 places  as  are  alleged  against  them,  with  their  false  glosses  and 
 aevilish  dreams,  clean  contrary  to  the  scripture;  which  is  a  ma- 
 nifest sign  that  they  are  bewitched  of  the  devil.  Wherefore 
 they  are  nothing  amended  by  our  admonitions,  but  are  much 
 more  hardened  and  more  obstinate  than  they  were  before.  And 
 surely  I  could  never  have  believed,  but  that  I  have  good  ex- 
 perience thereof  at  this  day,  that  the  power  of  the  devil  is  so 
 great,  that  he  is  able  to  make  falsehood  so  like  the  truth.  More- 
 over (which  is  yet  much  more  horrible)  when  he  goeth  about 
 to  oer whelm  sorro^vful  consciences  with  overmuch  heaviness, 
 
146  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  tCHAP.  III. 
 
 he  can  so  cunningly  and  so  lively  cliange  himself  into  the  like- 
 ness of  Christ,  that  it  is  impossible  for  the  poor  tempted  and 
 afflicted  soul  to  perceive  it:  Avhereby  many  simple  and  ignorant 
 persons  are  deceived  and  driven  down  to  desperation,  and  some 
 also  to  destroy  themselves;  for  they  are  so  bewitched  of  the 
 devil,  that  they  believe  this  to  be  a  most  certain  truth,  that  they 
 are  tempted  and  accused,  not  of  the  devil,  but  of  Christ  himself. 
 
 Such  a  thing  of  late  happened  to  that  miserable  man  Dr.  Kraws 
 of  Halle,  which  said,  "I  have  denied  Christ,  and  therefore  he 
 standeth  now  before  his  Father  and  accuseth  me."  He  being 
 blinded  with  the  illusion  of  the  devil,  hath  so  strongly  conceived 
 in  his  mind  this  imagination,  that  by  no  exhortation,  no  consola- 
 tion, no  promises  of  God  he  could  be  brought  from  it ;  where- 
 upon he  despaired,  and  so  miserably  destroyed  himself  This 
 was  a  mere  lie,  a  bewitching  of  the  devil,  and  a  fantastical  defini- 
 tion of  a  strange  Christ,  whom  the  scripture  knoweth  not.  For 
 the  scripture  setteth  forth  Christ,  not  as  a  judge,  a  tempter,  an 
 accuser;  but  a  reconciler,  a  mediator,  a  comforter,  and  a  throne 
 of  grace. 
 
 But  the  poor  man,  deluded  by  the  devil,  could  not  then  see 
 this;  and  therefore,  against  all  scripture,  he  thinketh  this  to  be 
 an  undoubted  truth:  "Christ  accuseth  thee  before  his  Father; 
 he  standeth  not  for  thee,  but  against  thee;  therefore  thou  art 
 damned."  And  this  temptation  is  not  of  man,  but  of  the  devil, 
 which  that  enchanter  most  strongly  imprinteth  in  the  heart  of 
 the  tempted.  But  unto  us  which  are  led  and  taught  by  another 
 spirit,  it  is  a  cursed  lie,  and  a  bewitching  of  the  devil.  But  imto 
 those  that  are  thus  bewitched,  it  is  so  certain  a  truth,  that  none 
 can  be  more  certain. 
 
 Seeing  then  that  the  de\41  is  able  to  print  in  our  heart  so  ma- 
 nifest a  lie,  that  we  would  swear  a  thousand  times  it  were  an 
 undoubted  truth,  we  must  not  be  proud,  but  walk  in  fear  and 
 humility,  caUing  upon  the  Lord  Jesus,  that  we  be  not  led  into 
 temptation.  Worldly  and  seciu'e  men,  which,  having  heard  the 
 gospel  once  or  twice  preached,  do  by-and-by  imagine  that  they 
 have  received  abundance  of  the  spirit,  fall  at  length  in  like 
 manner,  because  they  fear  not  God,  they  are  not  thankful  unto 
 him,  but  persuade  themselves  that  they  are  able,  not  only  to 
 hold  and  defend  the  doctrine  of  true  religion,  but  also  to  stand 
 against  the  devil  in  any  assault  or  conflict,  be  it  ever  so  great. 
 Such  are  meet  instruments  for  the  devil  to  bewitch  and  to 
 throw  down  to  desperation. 
 
 On  the  other  side,  say  not  then:  I  am  perfect:  I  cannot  fall: 
 but  humble  thyself,  and  fear,  lest,  if  thou  stand  to-day,  to-mor- 
 row thou  be  overthrown.  I  myself,  although  I  be  a  doctor  of 
 divinity,  and  have  now  preached  Christ,  and  fought  against  the 
 devil  in  his  false  teachers  a  great  while,  by  mine  own  experience 
 have  found  how  hard  a  matter  this  is.  For  I  cannot  shake  of 
 Satan  as  I  desire :  neither  can  I  so  apprehend  Christ  as  tb«» 
 
VER.   I.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  147 
 
 scripture  setteth  him  forth:  but  oftentimes  the  devil  setteth 
 before  mine  eyes  a  false  Christ.  But,  thanks  be  to  God  who 
 keepeth  us  in  the  word,  in  faith  and  in  prayer,  that  we  may 
 walk  before  him  in  humility  and  fear,  and  not  presume  of  our 
 own  wisdom,  righteousness,  and  strength,  but  trust  in  the 
 poAver  of  Christ,  who  is  strong  when  we  are  weak,  and  by  us 
 weak  and  feeble  creatures  continually  overcometh  and  tri- 
 umpheth;  to  whom  be  glory  for  ever. 
 
 This  bewitching  then,  and  this  sorcery,  is  nothing  else  but  a 
 plain  illusion  of  the  devil,  printing  in  the  heart  a  false  opinion  of 
 Christ  and  against  Christ,  and  he  that  is  deluded  with  this  opi- 
 nion, is  bewitched.  They  therefore  that  have  this  opinion,  that 
 they  are  justified  by  the  works  of  the  law,  or  by  the  traditions  of 
 men,  are  bewitched;  for  this  opinion  is  against  faith  and  against 
 Christ.  Paul  useth  this  word  [bewitching]  in  contempt  of  the 
 false  apostles,  which  so  vehemently  urged  the  doctrine  of  the 
 law  and  works.  As  'i£  he  should  say,  What  a  devilish  be- 
 witching is  this?  For  as  the  senses  are  perverted  by  bodily 
 witchcraft,  so  are  the  minds  of  men  also  deluded  by  this  spi- 
 ritual witchcraft. 
 
 Verse  1.  That  ye  should  not  obey  the  truth  ? 
 
 The  Galatians  at  the  first  did  gladly  hear  and  obey  the  truth. 
 Therefore  when  he  saitli,  *'  Who  hath  bewitched  you?"  he 
 sheweth  that  they  were  bewitched  by  these  false  apostles,  and 
 were  fallen  away  from  the  truth,  which  before  they  did  obey. 
 But  this  seemeth  yet  a  more  bitter  and  vehement  kind  of  speech, 
 when  he  saith,  that  they  do  not  believe  the  truth.  For  he  sig- 
 nifieth  by  these  words  that  they  are  bewitched,  and  that  he 
 would  deliver  them  from  this  witchery,  and  yet  they  will  not 
 acknowledge  nor  receive  this  benefit.  For  it  is  certain  that  he 
 did  not  reduce  all  from  the  errors  of  the  false  apostles  unto  the 
 truth,  but  that  many  of  them  remained  yet  still  bewitched. 
 Therefore  he  useth  these  sharp  and  vehement  words,  "  Who 
 hath  bewitched  you?"  As  if  he  would  say.  Ye  are  so  deluded 
 and  bewitched  that  now  ye  cannot  obey  the  truth.  I  fear  lest 
 many  of  you  are  utterly  lost,  and  so  fallen  awav  that  ye  will 
 never  return  again  to  the  truth. 
 
 And  here  you  have  again  to  note  by  the  way,  another  goodly 
 commendation  of  the  law  and  man's  own  righteousness,  that 
 the  doctrine  and  preaching  thereof,  be  it  never  so  fervent,  if  the 
 preaching  of  Christ  and  of  the  gospel  do  not  go  withal,  never 
 bringeth  with  it  true  conversion  and  hearty  repentance. 
 Hereof  manifest  demonstrations  Ave  have,  not  only  by  plain 
 words  of  the  scripture,  but  also  by  evident  experience.  For  as 
 it  is  true  which  is  written  to  the  Hebrews,  that  the  law  bringeth 
 none  to  perfection:  so  in  this  epistle,  St.  Paul,  by  manifest  ex- 
 ample, confirmeth  the  same,  reasoning  thus  with  the  Galatians: 
 Tell  me,  saith  he,  ye  that  would  be  justified  by  the  law,  re- 
 
148  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUl/s  [CHAP.  Ill* 
 
 ceived  ye  the  Spirit  of  God  by  hearing  the  law,  or  by  the  gospel 
 of  faith  preached?  Proving  by  their  own  experience,  that  it  is 
 not  the  law  nor  the  preaching  thereof,  but  the  gospel  and 
 preaching  of  faith  that  raiseth  a  man  being  fallen,  and  quickeneth 
 him  to  true  repentance,  as  more  fully  is  to  be  expressed  here- 
 after, when  we  come  to  the  place.  And  yet  neither  is  the 
 preaching  of  the  law  without  its  effect:  the  use  thereof  only 
 serveth  to  shew  forth  the  wrath  of  God,  and  to  cast  down:  but 
 to  raise  up  a  man,  that  cometh  by  the  ministration  of  the  gospel, 
 and  the  preaching  of  faith  only  in  Christ. 
 
 Verse  1.    To  «liom  Jesus  Christ  before  was  described  in  your  sight. 
 
 It  was  bitterly  spoken  where  he  said  before,  that  they  were 
 so  bewitched,  that  they  could  not  obey  the  truth;  but  it  is  more 
 bitterly  said,  when  he  addeth,  that  Christ  was  so  lively  described 
 before  them,  that  they  might  handle  him  with  their  hands,  and 
 yet  they  would  not  obey  the  truth.  Thus  he  convinceth  them 
 even  by  their  own  experience.  As  though  he  would  say:  Ye 
 are  so  bewitched  and  deluded  with  the  devilish  opinions  of  the 
 false  apostles,  that  now  ye  will  not  obey  the  truth.  And  whereas 
 I  have  with  great  travel  and  diligence  set  forth  Christ  plainly 
 before  your  eyes,  yet  doth  this  profit  nothing  at  all. 
 
 In  these  words  he  hath  respect  to  the  former  arguments, 
 whereby  he  proved,  that  to  those  that  will  be  justified  by  the 
 law,  Christ  is  but  the  minister  of  sin;  that  such  do  reject  the 
 grace  of  God,  and  that  to  them  Christ  died  in  vain.  Which  ar- 
 guments he  had  before  more  vehemently  prosecuted  and  more 
 largely  amplified  in  their  presence,  even  as  if  a  painter  had  pour- 
 trayed  Christ  Jesus  before  their  eyes.  Now  being  absent,  he 
 putteth  them  in  mind  of  the  same  things,  saying,  "to  whom  Jesus 
 Christ  was  described  in  your  sight."  As  if  he  said :  There  is  no 
 painter  that  with  his  colours  can  so  lively  set  out  Christ  unto 
 you,  as  I  have  painted  him  out  by  my  preaching;  and  yet  not- 
 withstanding ye  still  remain  most  miserably  bewitched. 
 
 Verse  1.  And  was  among  you  crucified. 
 What  did  I  then  paint  out?  Even  Christ  himself.  How  was 
 that  done?  In  this  sort,  that  he  is  crucified  in  you  or  among  you. 
 He  useth  here  very  rough  and  sharp  words.  Before  he  said, 
 that  they  sought  righteousness  by  the  law,  rejected  the  grace  of 
 God,  and  that  to  them  Christ  died  in  vain.  Noav  he  addeth 
 moreover,  that  they  crvicify  Christ,  who  before  lived  and  reigned 
 in  them.  As  if  he  should  say.  Ye  have  now,  not  only  rejected 
 the  grace  of  God,  not  only  to  you  Christ  died  in  vain,  but  also 
 he  is  most  shamefully  crucified  among  you.  After  the  same 
 manner  he  speaketh,  Heb.  vi.  "  Crucifying  to  themselves  again 
 the  Son  of  God,  and  making  a  mock  of  him,  &c." 
 
 If  a  man  did  but  hear  the  name  of  a  monk,  of  his  shaven  crown, 
 of  his  cowl,  of  his  rule»  it  o\  ould  make  him  afraid,  (how  much  so-  , 
 
VEU.    1.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GAI.ATIANS.  Hi) 
 
 ever  the  Papists  do  adore  these  abominations,  and  brag  that  they 
 are  perfect  religion  and  holiness,  as  I  and  others  did  judge  of 
 them,  before  God  revealed  his  gospel  unto  us:  for  we  were 
 brought  up  in  the  traditions  of  men,  which  darkened  Christ  and 
 made  him  utterly  unprofitable  unto  us),  when  he  heareth  Paul 
 say,  that  even  they  Avhich  seek  to  be  justified  by  the  law  of  God, 
 be  not  only  deniers  and  murderers  of  Christ,  but  also  they  do 
 most  wickedly  crucify  him  again.  Now,  if  they  be  cruciliers  of 
 Christ  which  seek  to  be  justified  by  the  righteousness  of  the 
 Jaw  of  God,  and  the  works  thereof,  what  are  they,  I  pray  you, 
 which  seek  salvation  and  eternal  life  by  the  dregs  and  filthy 
 dung  of  man's  righteousness,  and  by  the  doctrine  of  devils? 
 
 But  who  could  ever  believe  or  think  that  it  was  so  horrible  and 
 so  abominable  a  sin  to  be  made  a  religious  man  (for  so  they  call 
 them)  namely  to  be  made  a  massing  priest,  a  monk,  a  friar,  a  nun? 
 Doubtless,  no  man.  Yea,  they  themselves  say  moreover,  that 
 monkery  is  a  new  baptism.  Can  there  be  any  thing  more  hor- 
 rible than  that  the  kingdom  of  the  Papists  is  the  kingdom  of  such 
 as  spitefully  spit  in  the  face  of  Christ  the  Son  of  God,  and  crucify 
 him  again?  For  indeed  they  crucify  him  afresh  (who  was  once 
 crucified  and  rose  again)  both  in  themselves,  in  the  chm'ch,  and 
 in  the  hearts  of  the  faithful:  for  with  their  spiteful  reproaches, 
 rebukes,  slanders,  and  injuries,  they  spit  upon  him,  and  with 
 their  wicked  opinions  they  wound  him,  and  thrust  hiin  through, 
 that  in  them  he  may  die  most  miserably:  and  in  the  stead  of  him 
 they  set  up  a  glorious  witchcraft,  whereby  men  are  so  miserably 
 charmed  and  deluded,  that  they  cannot  know  Christ  to  be  their 
 justifier,  their  reconciler  and  saviour,  but  a  minister  of  sin, 
 their  accuser,  their  judge,  and  their  destroyer,  which  must  be 
 pacified  no  otherwise  than  by  our  works  and  merits. 
 
 And  out  of  this  opinion  did  afterwards  spring  the  most  pesti- 
 lent and  pernicious  doctrine  that  is  in  the  whole  papacy,  which 
 is  this:  If  thou  wilt  serve  God,  thou  must  merit  foi'giveness  of 
 sins  and  everlasting  life,  and  must  also  help  others  that  they  may 
 attain  to  salvation:  thou  must  enter  into  a  monastery,  vow 
 obedience,  chastity,  poverty,  &c.  Monks  and  friars,  and  the  rest 
 of  that  religious  rabble,  being  puffed  up  with  this  opinion  of 
 their  own  holiness,  bragged  that  they  only  were  in  the  life  and 
 state  of  perfection,  and  that  other  Christians  led  but  a  common 
 life,  for  they  did  no  undue  works,  or  more  than  they  were  bound 
 to  do,  that  is,  they  did  not  vow  and  keep  chastity,  poverty, 
 obedience,  &c.  they  were  but  only  baptized,  and  kept  the  ten 
 commandments:  but  as  for  themselves,  besides  that  which  was 
 common  as  well  to  them  as  to  other  Christians,  they  kept  also 
 the  works  of  supererogation,  and  the  counsels  of  Christ;  where- 
 fore they  hoped  to  have  merits  and  a  place  in  heaven  among  the 
 principal  saints,  far  above  the  common  sort  of  Christians. 
 
 This  was  undoubtedly  a  horrible  illusion  of  the  devil,  Avhereby 
 he  hath  bewitched  almost  the  whole  world.  And  every  man,  tlie 
 
150  COMMENTARY  CN  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  Ill, 
 
 more  holy  lie  would  seem  to  be,  the  more  he  is  snared  with  that 
 witchery,  that  is  to  say,  Avith  the  pestilent  persuasion  of  his  own 
 righteousness.  And  this  was  the  cause  that  we  could  not  know 
 that  Jesus  Christ  was  our  mediator  and  saviour,  but  we  thought 
 that  he  was  a  severe  judge,  which  should  be  pacified  by  our 
 works:  which  was  nothing  else  but  most  horribly  to  blaspheme 
 Christ,  and,  as  Paul  said  before,  to  reject  the  grace  of  God,  to 
 make  the  death  of  Christ  of  none  effect,  and  not  only  to  kill 
 him,  but  also  most  shamefully  to  crucify  him  again.  And  this 
 is  the  right  meaning  of  that  which  Christ  allegeth  out  of  Da- 
 niel: "  That  abomination  stand eth  in  the  holy  place,"  (Dan.  ix. 
 27.  Matt.  xxiv.  15.)  Wherefore  every  monk  and  religious 
 person,  and  every  justiciary,  seeking  remission  of  sins  and  right- 
 eousness by  his  own  works  or  by  his  afflictions,  is  a  crucifier  of 
 Christ  now  reigning  and  living,  although  not  in  the  proper  per- 
 son of  Christ,  yet  in  his  own  heart  and  in  the  hearts  of^  others. 
 A.nd  whosoever  do  enter  into  monasteries,  to  the  end  that  by 
 their  keeping  of  their  rule  they  may  be  justified,  do  enter  into 
 the  den  of  thieves,  and  are  such  as  crucify  Christ  again. 
 
 Wherefore  Paul  useth  in  this  place  very  severe  and  sharp 
 words,  to  the  end  that  he  may  fear  and  call  back  the  Galatians 
 from  the  doctrine  of  the  false  apostles.  As  if  he  o'nould  say: 
 Consider  well  what  you  have  done.  Ye  have  crucified  Christ 
 again  (and  this  I  do  so  plainly  shew  and  paint  out  before  your 
 eyes,  that  ye  may  see  it,  and  touch  it  with  your  hands)  because 
 ye  seek  to  be  justified  by  the  law.  But  if  righteousness  come 
 by  the  law,  then  is  Christ  a  minister  of  sin,  and  his  death  alto- 
 gether in  vain.  If  this  be  true,  then  must  it  needs  follow  that 
 Christ  is  crucified  again  in  you. 
 
 And  it  is  not  without  cause  that  he  addeth  this  clause,  "  in 
 you  or  among  you."  For  Chi'ist  is  no  more  crucified,  he  dieth 
 no  more  in  his  own  person,  as  is  said,  Rom.  vi.,  but  he  dieth  in 
 us  when  we,  rejecting  true  doctrine,  grace,  faith,  free  remission 
 of  sins,  seek  to  be  justified  by  our  own  works,  or  else  by  the 
 v/orks  commanded  in  the  law.  Here  Christ  is  crucified  in  us* 
 again.  Now  this  false  and  wicked  persuasion,  to  seek  righteous- 
 ness by  the  law  and  works  is  nothing  else  (as  I  have  before  more 
 amply  declared,)  but  the  illusion  of  the  devil,  wherewith  men  are 
 so  bewitched,  that  in  noAvise  they  can  acknowledge  the  benefit 
 of  Christ:  yea,  in  all  their  life  they  can  do  nothing  else,  but 
 deny  the  Lord  who  had  bought  them,  and  in  Avhose  name  they 
 were  baptized,  and  crucify  him  again  in  themselves.  Whoso- 
 ever then  hath  any  fear  of  God,  or  love  unto  Christ  and  his  true 
 religion,  let  him  fly  quickly  out  of  this  Babylon,  and  let  him 
 tremble  at  the  very  name  of  the  papacy.  For  the  impiety  and 
 abomination  thereof  is  so  horrible,  that  no  man  is  able  to  ex- 
 press it  with  words,  neither  can  it  be  otherwise  seen,  than  with 
 spiritual  eyes  only. 
 
 These  two  arguments  Paul  prosecuteth  and  beateth  into  the 
 
VER.  1,8.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  151 
 
 heads  of  the  Gahitians  very  diligently:  first,  that  they  are  so  be- 
 Tvitched  of  the  devU,  that  they  obey  not  the  truth  most  clearly 
 before  their  eyes:  secondly,  that  they  crucify  Christ  again  in 
 themselves.  These  seem  to  be  simple  and  plain  words,  and 
 without  any  high  eloquence,  but  in  very  deed  they  are  so 
 mighty,  that  they  exceed  all  the  eloquence  of  man.  It  cannot 
 therefore  be  comprehended,  but  only  in  spirit,  how  great  an  im- 
 piety it  is  to  seek  to  be  justified  by  the  righteousness  of  the  law, 
 or  by  the  righteousness  and  merits  of  man.  For,  as  Paul  saith 
 here,  it  is  nothing  else  but  to  be  bewitched  of  the  devil,  to  be 
 disobedient  to  the  truth,  and  to  crucify  Christ  again.  Are  not 
 these  goodly  commendations  of  the  righteousness  of  the  law  and 
 man's  own  righteousness? 
 
 The  apostle  therefore  is  inflamed  with  a  vehement  zeal,  and 
 with  bitter  words  he  reproveth  and  condemneth  the  presumption 
 of  man's  own  righteousness,  rising  upon  the  observation  of  the 
 law  of  God,  and  charge  th  it  with  this  impiety,  that  it  crucifieth 
 again  the  Son  of  God.  Seeing  then  it  is  so  dangerous  a  thing, 
 it  cannot  be  beaten  down  enough,  or  condemned  as  it  should  be; 
 for  thereof  ensueth  such  a  fall  as  is  no  less  than  the  fall  of  Lu- 
 cifer, and  such  a  loss  can  never  be  recovered,  and  therefore  he 
 useth  so  sharp  and  rigorous  words  against  it,  that  he  spareth  not 
 the  very  law  of  God :  against  the  which  he  so  bitterly  inveigheth, 
 that  he  seemeth  utterly  to  reject  and  condemn  it.  And  this  doth 
 he,  being  constrained  by  great  necessity;  for  otherwise  he  could 
 not  withstand  the  false  apostles,  nor  defend  the  righteousness  of 
 faith  against  them.  Albeit  then  that  the  law  be  holy,  just,  and 
 good,  yet  must  it  put  on,  as  it  were,  the  vizor  of  an  hypocrite, 
 seeking  to  be  justified  by  works.  Now  he  presseth  them  with  an 
 argument,  whereof  they  themselves  had  good  experience,  and 
 which  they  could  not  deny. 
 
 Verse  2.     This  only  would   I   learn  of  you :  Received  ye  the  Spirit  by  the 
 works  of  the  law,  or  by  the  hearing  of  faith  preached  ? 
 
 He  speaketh  these  words  with  a  certaui  indignation  and  con- 
 tempt of  the  false  apostles.  If  I  had  nothing  else  against  you 
 but  even  your  own  experience,  saith  he,  yet  have  I  enough  As 
 if  he  should  say.  Go  to,  now;  ansAver  me,  I  pray  you,  which  am 
 your  scholar,  for  ye  are  so  suddenly  become  doctors,  that  ye  are 
 now  my  masters  and  teachers:  "  Received  ye  the  Holy  Ghost 
 by  the  works  of  the  law,  or  by  the  preaching  of  the  gospel?" 
 With  this  argument  he  so  convinceth  them,  that  they  have  no- 
 thing to  reply  again.  For  their  own  experience  is  altogether 
 against  them;  to  wit,  that  they  had  received  the  Holy  Ghost,  not 
 by  the  works  of  the  law,  but  by  the  preaching  of  the  gospel. 
 
 Here  again  I  warn  you,  that  Paul  speaketh  not  only  of  the 
 ceremonial  law,  but  of  the  whole  law.  For  he  grouudeth  his 
 argument  upon  a  sufficient  division.  If  he  should  speak  of  the 
 ceremonial  laAV  onlv,  it  were  not  a  sufficient  division.     It  is  an 
 
152  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 argument  therefore  standing  upon  two  parts,  whereof  the  one 
 must  needs  be  true,  and  the  other  false;  that  is,  either  ye  re- 
 ceived the  Holy  Ghost  by  the  law,  or  by  the  hearing  of  faith. 
 If  by  the  law,  then  not  by  the  preaching  of  faith:  if  by  the 
 preaching  of  faith,  then  not  by  the  law.  There  is  no  mean  be- 
 twixt these  two.  For  all  that  is  not  the  Holy  Ghost  or  the 
 preaching  of  faith,  is  the  law.  Here  are  we  in  the  matter  of 
 justification.  But  to  attain  to  justification,  there  is  no  other 
 way  but  either  the  voice  of  the  gospel,  or  the  voice  of  the  law. 
 Wherefore  the  law  is  here  taken  generally,  as  wholly  separate 
 from  the  gospel.  But  it  is  not  the  ceremonial  law  only  that  is 
 separate  from  the  gospel,  but  also  the  moral  law,  or  the  law  of 
 the  ten  commandments.  Wherefore  Paul  speaketh  here  of  the 
 whole  law. 
 
 He  groundeth  this  argument  upon  a  sufficient  distinction,  after 
 this  sort.  Tell  me,  saith  he,  "  Received  ye  the  Holy  Ghost  by 
 the  works  of  the  law,  or  by  the  preaching  of  the  gospel?"  Answer 
 me  to  this.  Ye  cannot  say  that  this  was  done  by  the  laAv.  For 
 so  long  as  ye  were  under  the  law,  and  did  the  works  thereof, 
 ye  never  received  the  Holy  Ghost.  Indeed  ye  taught  and  heard 
 the  law  of  Moses  every  Sabbath;  but  it  hath  not  been  heard  or 
 seen  that  ever  the  Holy  Ghost  was  given  to  any,  either  doctor  or 
 disciple,  through  the  preaching  of  the  law.  Moreover,  ye  have 
 not  only  taught  and  heard  the  law,  but  also  ye  have  laboured 
 Avith  all  your  power  to  perform  the  same  by  your  works,  where- 
 by ye  should  most  of  all  have  received  the  Holy  Ghost,  if  he  had 
 been  given  by  the  law,  seeing  ye  were  not  only  teachers  and 
 hearers,  but  also  doers  of  the  law;  and  yet  ye  cannot  shew  me 
 that  this  was  done  at  any  time.  But,  as  soon  as  the  hearing  of 
 faith  or  the  gospel  came  unto  you,  by-and-by  ye  received  the 
 Holy  Ghost  by  the  only  hearing  of  faith,  before  ye  had  done 
 any  work,  or  shewed  any  fruit  of  the  gospel.  For  as  Luke  wit- 
 nesseth  in  the  Acts,  at  the  only  preaching  of  Peter  and  Paul, 
 *'  the  Holy  Ghost  came  upon  those  which  heard  the  word, 
 through  whom  also  they  received  divers  gifts,  so  that  they  spake 
 with  new  tongues,"  (Acts  x.  44.  xi.  15.  xix.  5,  6.) 
 
 It  is  manifest  therefore  that  by  the  only  preaching  of  faitli 
 ye  received  the  Holy  Ghost  before  ye  did  any  good  work,  or 
 brought  forth  any  fruits  of  the  gospel.  On  the  other  side,  the 
 accomplishing  of  the  law  never  brought  the  Holy  Ghost:  much 
 less  could  the  only  hearing  of  the  law  do  it.  Therefore  not 
 only  the  hearing  of  the  law,  but  that  affection  and  zeal  also, 
 whereby  ye  go  about  to  accomplish  the  law  by  your  works,  is 
 vain  and  unprofitable.  Wherefore  although  a  man  labour  to  do 
 all  things:  that  is  to  say,  although  he  have  a  zeal  of  God,  and 
 with  all  his  endeavour  go  about  to  be  saved  by  the  law,  and 
 exercise  himself  day  and  night  in  the  righteousness  thereof,  not- 
 withstanding he  doth  but  labour  and  consume  himself  in  vain. 
 For  they  which  are  ignorant  of  the  righteousness  of  God,  autl 
 
VERSE  2.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  158 
 
 **go  about  to  establish  their  own  righteousness,"  (Rom.  x.  3.) 
 (as  Paul  saith  in  another  place)  do  not  submit  themselves  unto 
 the  righteousness  of  God.  Again:  "  Israel  which  followed  the 
 law  of  righteousness,  attained  not  the  law  of  righteousness," 
 &c.  ( Rom.  ix.  3 1. )  Now,  Paul  speaketh  here  of  the  manifestation 
 of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  primitive  chm-ch.  For  "the  Holy 
 Ghost  came  down  in  a  manifest  likeness  upon  those  that  did  be- 
 lieve," (Matt.  iii.  16.)  and  by  this  sign  did  plainly  witness  that 
 he  was  there  present  at  the  preaching  of  the  apostles;  also  that 
 they  Avhich  heard  the  word  of  faith  preached  by  the  apostles, 
 were  accepted  as  righteous  before  God :  for  else  the  Holy  Ghost 
 would  not  have  come  down  upon  them. 
 
 The  argument  of  the  Book  containing  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles. 
 
 Wherefore  we  must  diligently  weigh  and  consider  the  force 
 of  this  argument,  which  is  so  often  repeated  in  the  Acts  of  the 
 Apostles.  Which  book  is  written  to  confirm  and  establish  this 
 argument:  for  it  teacheth  nothing  else  but  that  the  Holy  Ghost 
 is  not  given  by  the  law,  but  by  the  hearing  of  the  gospel.  For 
 when  Peter  preached,  the  Holy  Ghost  forthwith  fell  upon  all 
 those  that  heard  him,  "  and,  in  one  day,  three  thousand,  which 
 were  present  at  the  preaching  of  Peter,  believed  and  received 
 the  Holy  Ghost,"  (Acts  ii.)  So  Cornelius  received  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  not  by  the  alms  which  he  gave,  but  when  Peter  had 
 opened  his  mouth,  and  was  yet  speaking,  the  Holy  Ghost  fell 
 upon  all  them  which  with  Cornelius  heard  the  word,  (Acts  x. 
 44.)  These  are  manifest  arguments,  experiences,  and  divine 
 works,  which  cannot  deceive  us. 
 
 Luke  also  writeth  of  Paul,  in  the  fifteenth  of  the  Acts,  that 
 when  he  had  preached  the  gospel  together  with  Barnabas  among 
 the  Gentiles,  and  was  returned  to  Jerusalem,  he  set  himself 
 against  the  Pharisees  and  disciples  of  the  apostles,  which  urged 
 circumcision  and  the  keeping  of  the  law,  as  necessary  to  salva- 
 tion: whose  mouths  he  so  stopped  (saith  Luke)  in  shewing  what 
 things  he  and  Barnabas  had  done  amongst  the  Gentiles,  that 
 the  whole  church  was  amazed  at  the  hearing  thereof,  especially 
 when  they  heard  that  God  had  wrought  so  many  and  so  great 
 miracles  and  wonders  by  them  among  the  Gentiles:  and  when 
 they  which  bare  a  zeal  to  the  law,  did  wonder  how  it  could  be 
 that  the  uncircmncised  Gentiles,  not  doing  the  law,  nor  the 
 works  thereof,  nor  having  the  righteousness  of  the  law,  should 
 notwithstanding  attain  to  this  grace,  to  be  justified  and  receive 
 the  Holy  Ghost  as  well  as  the  Jews  that  were  circumcised;  here 
 Paul  and  Barnabas  did  allege  nothing  else  but  manifest  ex- 
 perience: wherewith  they  Avere  so  confounded,  that  they  had 
 nothing  to  reply  again.  By  this  means  Paulus  Sergius,  the 
 lieutenant,  and  all  those  cities,  regions,  kingdoms,  and  countries 
 where  the  apostles  had  preached,  by  the  only  preaching  of  faith 
 did  believe,  without  the  law  and  the  works  thereof. 
 
154  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUl's  [cHAP.  III. 
 
 In  tho  whole  book  therefore  of  the  Acts,  there  is  nothing-  else 
 handled  in  effect,  but  that  it  behovtth  as  Avell  Jews  as  Gentiles, 
 as  well  righteous  as  unrig-hteous,  to  be  justified  by  faith  alone 
 in  Christ  Jesus,  without  the  law  and  the  works  thereof.  The 
 which  thing-  doth  appear  as  well  by  the  preaching  of  Peter,  of 
 Paul,  of  Stephen,  of  Philip,  and  the  other  apostles,  as  also  by 
 the  examples  of  the  Gentiles  and  Jews.  For  as  God  gave  the 
 Holy  Ghost  to  the  Gentiles  which  lived  without  the  law,  by  the 
 preaching  of  the  gospel,  so  did  he  give  the  same  to  the  Jews: 
 yet  not  by  the  law,  nor  by  the  ceremonies  and  sacrifices  com- 
 manded in  the  law,  but  by  the  only  preaching  of  faith.  Now 
 if  the  law  had  been  able  to  justify,  and  the  righteousness  of  the 
 law  had  been  necessary  to  salvation,  then  doubtless  the  Holy 
 Ghost  had  not  been  given  to  the  Gentiles  which  kept  not  the 
 law.  But  expei-ience  itself  doth  plainly  witness,  that  the  Holy 
 Ghost  was  given  mito  them  without  the  law  (and  this  did  the 
 apostles,  both  Peter,  Paul,  Barnabas,  and  others  see)  therefore 
 the  law  doth  not  justify,  but  faith  only  in  Christ,  which  the  gos- 
 pel setteth  forth. 
 
 These  things  are  diligently  to  be  marked,  because  of  the  ad- 
 versaries, which  do  not  consider  what  is  handled  in  the  Acts  of 
 the  Apostles.  I  myself,  in  times  past,  also  read  this  book,  when 
 indeed  I  understood  in  it  nothing  at  all.  Therefore  when  thou 
 hearest  or  readest  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  or  wheresoever  it 
 be  in  the  scriptures,  this  word  "  Gentiles,"  thou  must  think 
 that  it  is  not  to  be  understood  literally  of  the  common  nature  of 
 the  Gentiles,  but  it  carrieth  with  it  a  spiritual  meaning,  and 
 is  to  be  taken,  not  for  those  which  are  under  the  law,  as  were 
 the  Jews,  (as  before  is  said  in  the  second  chapter:  "  we  by  na- 
 ture Jews,"  &c.) — ^but  for  those  which  are  without  the  law. 
 Wherefore,  to  say  that  the  Gentiles  are  justified  by  faith,  is 
 nothing  else,  but  that  they  which  observe  not  the  law  nor  do 
 the  works  thereof,  which  are  not  circiuncised,  which  sacrifice 
 not,  &c.  are  justified  and  receive  the  Holy  Ghost.  By  what 
 means?  Not  by  the  law  and  the  works  thereof  (for  they  have 
 no  law)  but  freely,  and  without  any  other  means,  except  only 
 the  hearing  of  the  gospel. 
 
 So  Cornelius  and  his  friends,  whom  he  had  called  to  his  house, 
 do  nothing,  neither  look  they  upon  any  works  going  before,  and 
 yet  as  many  as  are  present  receive  the  Holy  Ghost.  No  man 
 speaketh  but  Peter.  They,  sitting  by,  do  nothing:  they  think 
 not  of  the  law,  much  less  do  they  keep  it:  they  sacrifice  not: 
 they  care  not  for  the  receiving  of  circumcision,  but  only  ai'e 
 bent  to  hear  that  which  Peter  speaketh.  He  by  his  preaching 
 brought  the  Holy  Ghost  into  their  hearts,  as  it  were  visibly: 
 "for  they  spake  with  tongues,  and  glorified  God." 
 
 But  some  men  may  liere  cavil  and  say:  who  knoweth  whether 
 it  were  the  Holy  Ghost  or  no?  Well,  let  them  cavil.  Sure  it 
 is  that  the  Holy  Ghost,  so  bearing  witness,  doth  not  lie,  but 
 
VER.  2.]  EPISTl.E  TO  THE  GAL\TIANS.  155 
 
 hereby  sheweth  that  he  accepteth  the  Gentiles  for  righteous,  and 
 justifieth  them  by  no  other  means,  than  by  the  only  voice  of  the 
 gospel,  or  hearing  of  faith  in  Christ  preached.  We  may  see 
 also  in  the  Acts  how  greatly  the  Jews  marvelled  at  this  new  and 
 strange  thing.  For  the  faithful  which  were  of  the  circumcision, 
 and  came  Avith  Peter  to  Caesarea,  seeing  the  gift  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost  to  be  poured  out  also  upon  the  Gentiles  in  the  house  of 
 Cornelius,  were  astonished,  (Acts  x.  45.)  Also  they  that  were 
 at  Jerusalem  complained  of  Peter  for  that  he  went  in  to  men 
 uncirciuncised,  "and  did  eat  with  them,"  (Acts  xi.  3.)  But 
 when  they  heard  the  matter  declared  by  Peter,  in  order,  as  it 
 was  done  touching  Cornelius,  they  marvelled  and  glorified  God, 
 saying:  "then  hath  God  also  given  salvation  unto  the  Gen- 
 tUes." 
 
 This  report  therefore,  and  this  fame,  that  God  had  given  sal- 
 vation also  to  the  Gentiles,  Avas  at  the  first  not  only  intolerable, 
 but  also  a  great  offence  even  to  the  believing  Jews,  Avhich 
 they  could  not  easily  shake  off";  for  they  had  this  prerogative 
 above  all  other  nations,  "that  they  were  the  people  of  God, 
 The  adoption,  the  glory,  the  worship,  &c  belongea  to  them," 
 Rom.  ix.  Moreover  they  exercised  themselves  in  the  righteous- 
 ness of  the  law,  they  laboured  all  the  day  long,  they  bare  the  bur- 
 den and  heat  of  the  day.  Moreover,  they  had  the  promise,  as 
 touching  the  observation  of  the  law;  therefore  they  could  not  but 
 murmur  against  the  Gentiles,  (Matt,  xx.)  and  say:  "behold  the 
 Gentiles  come  but  even  now,  and  have  not  sufl'ered  any  heat  or 
 borne  any  burden;  notwithstanding  they  have  the  same  righteous- 
 ness and  Holy  Ghost,  Avithout  labour,  which  we  by  labour  and 
 by  the  heat  and  burden  of  the  day  could  not  obtain."  Indeed  they 
 have  laboured,  but  that  was  but  one  hour,  and  by  this  labour 
 they  are  more  refreshed  than  wearied.  Wlierefore  then  hath 
 God  tormented  us  with  the  law,  if  it  avail  nothing  to  the  obtain- 
 ing of  righteousness?  He  noAv  preferreth  the  Gentiles  before  us, 
 Avhich  have  been  so  long  burdened  with  the  yoke  of  the  law. 
 For  Ave  which  are  the  people  of  God,  have  been  vexed  all  the 
 day  long:  but  they  which  are  not  the  people  of  God,  neither 
 have  any  law,  nor  have  done  any  good  at  all,  are  made  equal 
 with  us. 
 
 And  for  this  cause  the  council  of  the  apostles,  upon  great  ne- 
 cessity was  assembled  at  Jerusalem,  to  satisfy  and  pacify  the 
 Jews,  who  though  they  believed  in  Christ,  yet  was  this  opmion 
 notwithstanding  deeply  rooted  in  their  hearts,  that  the  laAv  of 
 Moses  ought  to  be  observed. — There  Peter,  upon  his  OAvn  ex- 
 perience, set  himself  against  them,  saying:  "if  God  hath  given 
 the  same  grace  unto  the  Gentiles,  which  he  hath  given  unto  us 
 which  have  believed  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  was  I,  thaf- 
 I  could  let  God?"  (Acts  xi.  17.)  Again:  "God,  who  knowetli 
 their  hearts,  bare  them  Avitness  in  giving  unto  them  the  Holv 
 Ghost,  even  as  he  did  unto  us.     And  he  put  no  difference  be- 
 
J56  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  CHAP,  III, 
 
 twoen  lis  and  them,  purifying  their  hearts  by  faith.  Now  there- 
 fore, why  tempt  ye  God,  to  lay  a  yoke  on  the  disciples'  necks, 
 which  neither  our  fathers  nor  we  were  able  to  bear?"  &;c.  (Acts 
 XV.  8,  9,  10.)  With  these  words  Peter  at  once  overthroweth 
 the  whole  law.  As  if  he  should  say:  we  will  not  keep  the  law, 
 for  we  are  not  able  to  keep  it;  but  we  believe  through  the  grace 
 of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to  be  saved,  even  as  they  did.  So 
 Peter  here  standeth  altogether  upon  this  argument,  that  God 
 gave  unto  the  Gentiles  the  self-same  grace  that  he  gave  to  the 
 Jews.  As  though  he  would  say:  when  I  preached  to  Corne- 
 lius, I  learned,  by  my  own  experience,  that  the  Holy  Ghost  Avas 
 given  without  the  law  to  the  Gentiles,  by  the  only  hearing  of 
 faith;  therefore  in  no  case  are  they  to  be  burthened  with  the 
 law.  To  conclude,  since  it  is  certain  that  neither  we  nor  our 
 fathers  were  ever  able  to  fulfil  the  law,  it  behoveth  you  also  to 
 reject  this  error,  that  righteousness  and  salvation  cometh  by 
 the  law.  And  this  the  believing  Jews  did,  by  little  and  little; 
 but  the  wicked,  which  by  this  preaching  were  oflPended,  at  the 
 length  were  altogether  hardened. 
 
 The  commendation  of  the  Book  containing  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles. 
 
 So  in  the  Acts  ye  shall  find  the  experience,  the  preachings, 
 and  also  the  examples  of  the  apostles  for  the  confirmation  of  this 
 matter,  against  this  obstinate  opinion  touching  the  righteousness 
 of  the  law.  And  we  ought  therefore  the  more  to  love,  and  the 
 more  diligently  to  read  this  book,  because  it  containeth  most 
 substantial  testimonies,  which  are  able  to  comfort  and  confirm 
 us  against  the  Papists  or  Jews;  whose  abominations  and  coloured 
 hypocrisy  we  impugn  and  condemn  by  our  doctrine,  that  we 
 may  set  forth  the  benefits  and  glory  of  Christ.  Who  though 
 they  have  no  substantial  matter  to  allege  against  us  (whereas 
 the  Jews  might  have  laid  against  the  apostles,  that  they  had 
 received  the  law  and  all  these  ceremonies  from  God)  yet  not- 
 withstanding they  are  no  less  obstinate  in  defending  their  cursed 
 traditions  and  abominations,  than  the  Jews  were  in  maintaining 
 their  law,  which  they  had  received  from  God,  glorying  and  brag- 
 ging that  they  sit  in  the  place  of  bishops,  and  that  the  authority 
 to  govern  the  churches  is  committed  unto  them. — Whereby 
 they  would  bring  us  into  bondage,  and  wrest  from  us  this  article, 
 that  we  are  justified,  not  by  faith  formed  and  adorned  with 
 charity  (as  they  say)  but  by  faith  alone!  But  we  set  against 
 them  the  book  of  the  Acts.  Let  them  read  this  book,  and  con- 
 sider the  examples  contained  in  it,  and  they  shall  find  this  to 
 be  the  sum  and  the  argument  thereof,  that  Ave  are  justified  by 
 faith  only  in  Christ  without  works,  and  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is 
 given  by  the  only  hearing  of  faith  at  the  preaching  of  the  gos- 
 pel, and  not  at  the  preaching  of  the  law,  nor  by  the  works  of 
 the  law. 
 
VER.  8.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  157 
 
 Wherefore  thus  teach  we,  O  man:  Although  thou  fast,  give 
 alms,  honour  thy  parents,  obey  the  magistrate,  &c.  yet  art  thou 
 not  justified  thereby.  This  voice  of  the  laAV,  honour  tliy 
 parents,  or  any  other  else,  either  heard  or  fulfilled,  doth  not 
 justify.  What  then?  To  hear  the  voice  of  the  spouse,  to  hear 
 the  word  of  faith:  this  word  being  heard,  doth  justify.  Where- 
 fore? Because  'it  bringeth  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  justifieth  a 
 man,  and  maketh  him  righteous  before  God. 
 
 Hereby  we  may  see  what  is  the  difference  betAveen  the  law  and 
 the  gospel.  The  law  never  bringeth  the  Holy  Ghost,  but  only 
 teacheth  what  we  ought  to  do :  therefore  it  justifieth  not.  But 
 the  gospel  bringeth  the  Holy  Ghost,  because  it  teacheth  what 
 we  Ought  to  receive. — Therefore  the  law  and  the  gospel  are  two 
 contrary  doctrines.  To  put  righteousness  therefore  in  the  law, 
 is  nothing  else  but  to  fight  against  the  gospel.  For  Moses  with 
 his  law  is  a  severe  exactor,  requireth  of  us  that  we  should  work, 
 and  that  we  should  give:  briefly,  it  requireth  and  exacteth. 
 Contrariwise  the  gospel  giveth  freely  and  requireth  of  us  nothing 
 else,  but  to  hold  out  our  hands,  and  to  take  that  which  is  offered. 
 Now  to  exact  and  to  give,  to  take  and  to  offer,  are  clean  con- 
 trary, and  cannot  stand  together.  For  that  which  is  given,  1 
 take:  but  that  which  I  give,  I  do  not  take,  but  I  offer  it  unto 
 another.  Therefore  if  the  gospel  be  a  gift,  it  requireth  nothing. 
 Contrariwise  the  law  giveth  nothing,  but  it  requireth  and  straitly 
 exacteth  of  us,  yea  even  impossible  things. 
 
 Of  Cornelius,  in  the  Tenth  of  the  Acts. 
 
 Here  our  adversaries  set  against  us  the  example  of  Cornelius. 
 Cornelius,  say  they,  was,  (as  Luke  witnesseth)  "  a  good  man, 
 just,  and  fearing  God,  which  gave  alms  to  the  people,  and  prayed 
 to  God  continually :"  therefore  of  congruence  he  did  merit  the 
 forgiveness  of  sins,  and  the  sending  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  I  answer: 
 Cornelius  was  a  Gentile,  and  this  cannot  the  adversaries  deny: 
 for  the  words  which  Peter  allegeth,  Acts  x.  28,  do  plainly  wit- 
 ness the  same.  "  Ye  know,"  saith  he,  "  that  it  is  unlawful  for  a 
 man  that  is  a  Jew,  to  accompany  with  one  of  another  nation: 
 but  God  hath  shewed  me  that  I  should  not  call  any  man  polluted 
 or  unclean."  He  was  therefore  a  Gentile,  and  not  circumcised, 
 not  keeping  the  law,  yea,  not  once  thinking  of  it,  because  it 
 pertaineth  nothing  unto  him:  and  yet  notwithstanding  he  was 
 justified  and  received  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  this  argument,  as 
 I  said,  is  handled  throughout  the  whole  book  of  the  Acts:  to 
 wit,  that  the  law  availeth  nothing  to  righteousness. 
 
 Let  this  suffice  then  for  the  defence  of  the  article  of  justifica- 
 tion, that  Cornelius  was  a  Gentile,  not  circumcised,  not  keeping 
 the  law:  therefore  he  was  not  justified  by  the  law,  but  by  the 
 hearing  of  faith. — God  justifieth  therefore  without  the  law,  and 
 so  consequently  the  law  availeth  nothing  to  righteousness.  For 
 otherwise  God  would  have  given  the  Holy  Ghost  to  the  Jews 
 
15S  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [.CHAP.  Ill, 
 
 only,  which  had  the  law  and  kept  it,  and  not  to  the  Gentiles 
 Avhich  had  not  the  law,  and  much  less  did  not  accomplish  it. 
 But  God  wrought  clean  contrary;  for  the  Holy  Ghost  was  given 
 to  them  that  kept  not  the  law ;  wherefore  righteousness  coraeth 
 not  by  the  law.  By  this  means  the  objection  of  the  adversaries 
 which  do  not  understand  the  true  manner  of  justification  is 
 answered. 
 
 Here  again  the  adversaries  object  against  us,  and  say,  be  it  so 
 that  Cornelius  was  a  Gentile,  and  did  not  receive  the  Holy  Ghost 
 by  the  law,  yet  notwithstanding,  forasmuch  as  the  text  saith 
 plainly,  "  that  he  was  a  just  man  fearing  God,  giving  alms,'* 
 &c.  it  may  seem  that  by  these  works  he  deserved  to  have  the 
 Holy  Ghost  afterwards  given  unto  him.  I  answer,  that  Corne- 
 lius was  a  just  and  a  holy  man  in  the  Old  Testament,  because  of 
 his  faith  in  Christ  which  was  to  come,  as  all  the  fathers,  pro- 
 phets and  godly  kings  were  righteous,  and  received  secretly  the 
 Holy  Ghost  through  faith  in  Christ  to  come.  But  these  Popish 
 sophisters  put  no  difference  between  faith  in  Christ  to  come,  and 
 in  Christ  which  is  already  come.  Wherefore,  if  Cornelius  had 
 died  before  Christ  was  revealed,  yet  had  he  not  been  damned, 
 because  he  had  the  faith  of  the  fathers,  which  were  saved  by 
 faith  only  in  Christ  to  come,  (Actsxv.  11.)  He  remaineth  then 
 always  a  Gentile,  uncircumcised  and  without  the  law,  and  yet 
 notwithstanding  he  worshipped  the  self-same  God  whom  the 
 fathers  worshipped  by  faith  in  the  Messias  to  come.  But  now, 
 because  the  Messias  was  already  come,  necessary  it  was  that  it 
 should  be  shewed  unto  him  by  the  apostle  Peter,  that  he  was 
 not  now  to  be  looked  for,  but  that  he  was  already  come. 
 
 And  this  article  concerning  faith  in  Christ  to  be  revealed, 
 and  in  Christ  now  revealed  (that  I  may  touch  this  also  by  the 
 way)  is  very  necessary  to  be  known.  For  seeing  that  Christ 
 is  now  revealed,  we  cannot  be  saved  by  faith  in  Christ  to  come, 
 but  we  must  believe  that  he  is  already  come,  hath  fidfilled  all 
 things,  and  abolished  the  law.  Therefore,  necessary  it  was  also 
 that  Cornelius  should  be  brought  to  another  belief,  not  that 
 Christ  was  yet  to  come,  as  he  did  believe  before:  but  that  he 
 was  already  come.  So  faith  giveth  place  to  faith:  "  from  faith 
 to  faith."  (Rom.  i.  17.) 
 
 The  popish  schoolmen  therefore  are  deceived,  when  they  say, 
 for  the  maintenance  of  their  opus  congruum,  or  merit  before 
 
 frace,  that  Cornelius,  by  the  natural  and  moral  work  of  reason, 
 eserved  grace  and  the  sending  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  For  to  be 
 a  just  man  and  fearing  God,  are  the  properties,  not  of  a  Gentile 
 or  of  a  natural  man,  but  of  a  spiritual  man,  who  hath  faith 
 already.  For  unless  he  did  believe  in  God,  and  fear  God,  he 
 could  not  hope  to  obtain  any  thing  of  him  by  prayer.  The  first 
 commendation  therefore  that  Luke  giveth  unto  Cornelius,  is 
 this,  "  That  he  is  a  righteoas  man  and  fearing  God:"  after- 
 wards he  commendeth  him  for  his  works  and  alms-deeds.  This 
 
▼F.R.  8.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  1/|9 
 
 oiir  adversaries  do  not  consider,  but  lay  hold  upon  this  sentence, 
 "that  he  gave  alms  unto  the  poor:"  for  that  seemeth  to  make 
 for  the  estabUshing  of  their  merit  of  congruence  or  desert  going 
 before  grace.  But  first  the  person  or  the  tree  must  be  com- 
 mended, and  then  the  works  and  the  fruit.  Cornelius  is  a  good 
 tree,  for  he  is  righteous  and  feareth  God :  therefore  he  bringeth 
 forth  good  fruit,  he  giveth  alms,  he  calleth  upon  God,  and  these 
 fruits  please  God,  because  of  his  faith.  Wlierefore  the  angel 
 commendeth  Cornelius  for  his  faith  in  Christ  to  come,  and 
 bringeth  him  from  that  faith,  to  another  faith  in  Christ  which 
 was  already  come,  when  he  saith:  "  Call  for  Simon,  whose  sir- 
 name  is  Peter :  he  shall  tell  thee  what  thou  oughtest  to  do,"  &c. 
 (Actsx.  5,  6.)  Like  as  then  Cornelius  was  without  the  law  be- 
 fore Christ  was  revealed:  even  so,  after  Christ  was  revealed,  he 
 received  neither  the  law  nor  circumcision.  And  as  he  kept  not 
 the  law  before,  so  did  he  not  keep  it  afterwards.  This  argu- 
 ment therefore  concludeth  strongly:  Cornelius  was  justified 
 without  the  law,  therefore  the  law  justifieth  not. 
 
 Naaman  the  Syrian. 
 
 Likewise  Naaman  the  Syi'ian  was,  no  doubt,  a  good  and  godly 
 man,  and  had  a  religious  and  reverent  opinion  of  God.  And 
 although  he  was  a  Gentile,  and  belonged  not  to  the  kingdom  of 
 Moses,  which  then  flourished;  yet  notwithstanding  his  flesh  was 
 cleansed,  and  the  God  of  Israel  was  revealed  unto  him,  and  he 
 received  the  Holy  Ghost.  For  thus  he  saith:  "now  I  know 
 assuredly  that  there  is  no  other  God  in  all  the  world  but  in 
 Israel,"  (2  Kings  v.  15,  &c.)  He  doth  nothing  at  all,  he  keepeth 
 not  the  law,  he  is  not  circumcised :  but  only  he  prayeth  that 
 80  much  of  that  earth  might  be  given  unto  him,  as  two  mules 
 should  be  able  to  carry  away.  Moreover  it  appeareth  that  faith 
 was  not  idle  in  him.  For  thus  he  speaketh  to  the  prophet  He- 
 liseus:  "  Thy  servant  will  henceforth  neither  offer  burnt  sacri- 
 fice, nor  offering  unto  any  other  God,  saving  the  Lord.  But  in 
 this  thing  the  Lord  be  merciful  unto  thy  servant:  that  when  my 
 master  goeth  into  the  house  of  Rimmon  to  worship  there,  and 
 leaneth  on  my  hand,  and  I  bow  myself  in  the  house  of  Rimmon ; 
 when  I  do  bow  down,  I  say,  in  the  house  of  Rimmon,  the  Lord 
 be  merciful  to  thy  servant  in  this  point."  To  whom  the  prophet 
 saith,  "  Go  in  peace."  So  was  he  justified.  The  Jew  hearing 
 this,  fretteth  for  anger,  and  saith:  What!  Should  the  Gentile 
 be  justified  without  the  keeping  of  the  law?  Should  he  be 
 compared  with  us  which  are  circumcised? 
 
 'llie  Gentiles  justified  without  the  law^  even  when  the  law  and 
 policy  of  Moses  was  yet  in  force. 
 
 Tlierefore  God,  long  before,  when  the  kingdom  of  Moses  was 
 yet  standing  and  flourishing,  did  shew  that  he  justified  men 
 without  the  law,  as  indeed  he  justified  many  kings  in  Egypt 
 
160  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUl/s  lCHAP.  Ill, 
 
 and  itj  Babylon:  also  Job,  and  many  other  nations  of  the  East. 
 Moreover,  Nineveh,  a  ^eat  city,  was  justified,  and  received  the 
 promise  of  God,  that  it  should  not  be  destroyed.  By  what 
 means?  Not  because  it  heard  and  fulfilled  the  law:  but  because 
 it  believed  the  word  of  God  which  the  prophet  Jonas  preached. 
 For  so  saith  the  prophet:  "  and  the  Ninevites "believed  God, 
 and  proclaimed  a  fast,  and  put  on  sackcloth;"  that  is  to  say,  they 
 repented.  Our  adversaries  do  craftily  pass  over  this  word 
 [believed],  and  yet  the  effect  of  all  together  resteth  therein. 
 Thou  readest  not  in  Jonas:  and  the  Ninevites  received  the  law 
 of  Moses,  were  circumcised,  off'ered  sacrifice,  fulfilled  the  works 
 of  the  law:  but  believing  the  word,  they  repented  in  sackcloth 
 and  ashes. 
 
 This  was  done  before  Christ  was  revealed,  when  that  faith 
 yet  reigned,  which  believed  in  Christ  to  come.  If  then  the 
 Gentiles  were  justified  without  the  law,  and  received  secretly  the 
 Holy  Ghost,  when  the  law  was  yet  in  force,  why  should  the  Iuav 
 be  required  as  necessary  to  righteousness,  which  by  the  coming 
 of  Christ  is  now  abolished?  Wherefore  this  is  a  strong  argu- 
 ment, grounded  upon  the  experience  of  the  Galatians:  "  Re- 
 ceived ye  the  Holy  Ghost  by  the  works  of  the  law,  or  by  the 
 hearing  of  faith  preached?"  (Gal.  iii.  2.)  For  they  were  com- 
 pelled to  grant  that  they  heard  nothing  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
 before  the  preaching  of  Paul;  but  when  he  preached  the  gospel, 
 then  they  received  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 So  we  also,  at  this  day,  convicted  by  the  testimony  of  our  own 
 conscience,  are  constrained  to  confess,  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is 
 not  given  by  the  law,  but  by  the  hearing  of  faith.  For  many 
 heretofore  in  the  papacy  have  gone  about  with  great  labour 
 and  study,  to  keep  the  law,  the  decrees  of  the  fathers,  and  the 
 traditions  of  the  Pope;  and  some,  with  painful  and  continual 
 exercises  in  watching  and  praying,  did  so  weary  and  weaken 
 their  bodies,  that  afterwards  they  were  able  to  do  nothing; 
 whereby  notwithstanding  they  gained  nothing  else,  but  that 
 they  miserably  afflicted  and  tormented  themselves.  They  could 
 never  attain  to  a  quiet  conscience,  and  peace  in  Christ,  but  con- 
 tinually doubted  of  the  good  will  of  God  towards  them.  But 
 now,  since  the  gospel  teacheth  that  the  law  and  works  do  not 
 justify,  but  faith  alone  in  Jesus  Christ,  hereupon  followeth  a 
 most  certain  knowledge  and  understanding,  a  most  joyful  con- 
 science, and  a  true  judgment  of  every  kind  of  life,  and  of  all 
 things  else  whatsoever.  The  believing  man  may  now  easily 
 judge  that  the  papacy,  with  all  the  religious  orders  and  tradi- 
 tions thereof,  is  wicked;  which  before  he  could  not  do.  For  so 
 great  blindness  reigned  in  the  world,  that  we  thought  those 
 works  which  men  had  advised,  not  only  without  the  will  of 
 God,  but  also  contrary  to  his  commandment,  to  be  much  better 
 than  those  which  the  magistrate,  the  householder,  the  child, 
 the  servant  did  at  the  commandment  of  God. 
 
VER.  2.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  161 
 
 Indeed  we  ought  to  liave  learned  by  the  word  of  God,  that 
 the  religious  orders  of  the  Papists  (which  only  they  call  holy) 
 are  wicked,  since  there  is  no  commandment  of  God,  or  testimony 
 in  the  holy  scriptures  as  touching  the  same.  Contrariwise,  other 
 orders  of  life,  which  have  the  word  and  commandment  of  God, 
 are  holy  and  ordained  of  God.  But  we  were  then  wrapped  in 
 such  horrible  darkness,  that  we  could  not  truly  judge  of  any 
 thing.  But  now,  since  the  clear  light  of  the  gospel  doth  ap- 
 pear, all  kinds  of  life  in  the  world  are  under  our  judgment. 
 We  may  boldly  pronounce  out  of  the  word  of  God,  that  the 
 condition  of  servants,  which  before  the  world  is  most  vile,  is  far 
 more  acceptable  unto  God,  than  all  the  religious  orders  of  the 
 Papists.  For  by  this  word  he  commendeth,  approveth,  and 
 adorneth  the  state  of  servants,  and  so  doth  he  not  the  orders  of 
 monks,  friars,  and  such  other.  Therefore  this  argument,  ground- 
 ed upon  experience,  ought  to  prevail  with  us  also.  For  although 
 many  men  in  the  papacy  wrought  many  and  great  works,  yet 
 could  they  never  be  certain  of  the  will  of  God  towards  them, 
 but  they  were  always  in  doubt:  they  coidd  never  attain  to  the 
 knowledge  of  God,  of  themselves,  of  their  calling:  they  never 
 felt  the  testimony  of  the  Spirit  in  their  hearts.  But  now  that 
 the  truth  of  tlie  gospel  appeareth,  they  are  fully  instructed  by 
 the  only  hearing  of  faith,  in  all  these  things. 
 
 It  is  not  without  cause  that  I  do  so  largely  intreat  of  these 
 things. — For  it  seemeth  to  reason  but  a  small  matter,  that  the 
 Holy  Ghost  is  received  by  the  only  hearing  of  faith,  and  that 
 there  is  nothing  else  required  of  us,  but  that  we,  setting  apart 
 all  our  Avorks,  should  give  ourselves  only  to  the  hearing  of 
 the  gospel.  Man's  heart  doth  not  understand  nor  believe  that 
 so  great  a  treasure,  namely,  the  Holy  Ghost,  is  given  by  the 
 only  hearing  of  faith;  but  reasoneth  after  this  manner:  forgive- 
 ness of  sins,  deliverance  from  death,  the  giving  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  of  righteousness,  and  everlasting  life,  are  great  things; 
 therefore,  if  thou  wilt  obtain  these  inestimable  benefits,  thou  must 
 perform  some  other  great  and  weighty  matter.  This  opinion 
 the  devil  doth  well  like  and  approve,  and  also  increaseth  the 
 same  in  the  heart.  Therefore,  when  reason  heareth  this:  thou 
 canst  do  nothing  for  the  obtaining  of  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  but 
 must  only  hear  the  word  of  God,  by-and-by  it  crieth  out,  and 
 saith.  Fie,  thou  raakest  too  small  account  of  the  remission  of 
 sins,  &c.  So  the  inestimable  greatness  of  the  gift,  is  the  cause 
 that  we  cannot  believe  it:  and  because  this  incomparable  trea- 
 sure is  freely  offered,  therefore  it  is  despised. 
 
 But  tliis  we  must  needs  learn,  that  forgiveness  of  sins,  Christ, 
 and  the  Holy  Ghost  are  freely  given  unto  us  at  the  only  hearing 
 of  faith  preached,  notwithstanding  our  horrible  sins  and  demerits. 
 And  we  must  not  weigh  how  great  the  thing  is  that  is  given, 
 and  how  \inworthy  we  are  of  it  (for  so  should  the  greatness  of 
 the  gift,  and  our  unworthiness  terrify  us),  but  we  must  think  that 
 
 M 
 
COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CHAP.  HI 
 
 it  pleaseth  God  freely  to  give  unto  us  this  unspeakable  gift, 
 unto  us,  I  say,  which  are  unworthy,  as  Christ  in  Luke  saith, 
 "fear  not,  little  flock:  for  it  is  your  father's  pleasure  to  give  it 
 unto  you:  lo,  to  give  unto  you,"  saith  he,  "  a  kingdom,"  (Luke 
 xii.  32.)  To  whom?  to  you,  unworthy,  which  are  his  little  flock. 
 If  I  then  be  little,  and  the  thing  great  (nay,  rather,  of  all  things 
 the  greatest)  which  God  hath  given  unto  me,  I  must  think 
 that  he  also  is  great,  and  only  great,  which  giveth  it.  If  he  offer 
 it  and  will  give  it,  I  consider  not  my  own  sin  and  unworthiness, 
 but  his  fatherly  good- will  towards  me  which  is  the  giver,  and  I 
 receive  the  greatness  of  the  gift  with  joy  and  gladness,  and  am 
 thankful  for  so  inestimable  a  gift,  given  freely  unto  me,  to  me, 
 I  say,  unworthy,  by  the  hearing  of  faith. 
 
 Here,  again,  foolish  reason  is  off^ended,  and  reproveth  us,  say- 
 ing, where  ye  teach  men  to  do  nothing  at  all  for  the  obtaining  of 
 so  great  and  inestimable  a  gift,  but  to  hear  the  word  of  God,  this 
 seemeth  to  tend  to  the  great  contempt  of  grace,  and  to  make  men 
 secure,  idle,  and  dissolute,  so  that  they  slack  their  hands  and  do 
 no  good  at  all.  Therefore  it  is  not  good  to  preach  this  doctrine, 
 for  it  is  not  true:  but  men  must  be  urged  to  labour  and  to  exercise 
 themselves  unto  righteousness,  and  then  shall  they  obtain  this  gift. 
 The  self-same  thing  the  Pelagians,  in  times  past,  objected  against 
 the  Christians.  But  hear  what  Paul  saith  in  this  place:  "  ye  have 
 received  the  Holy  Ghost:"  not  by  your  own  labour  and  travel, 
 not  by  the  works  of  the  law,  "  but  by  the  hearing  of  faith." 
 Briefly,  hear  what  Christ  himself  saith,  and  what  he  answereth 
 to  Martha,  being  very  careful,  and  hardly  bearing  that  her  sister 
 Mary,  sitting  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  and  hearing  his  word,  should 
 leave  her  to  minister  alone.  "  Martha,  Martha,"  saith  he, 
 *'thou  carest,  and  art  troubled  about  many  things;  but  one  thing 
 is  needful.  Mary  hath  chosen  the  good  part,  which  shall  not  be 
 taken  from  her,"  (Luke  x.  41,  42.)  A  man  therefore  is  made 
 a  Christian,  not  by  working,  but  by  hearing;  wherefore,  he  that 
 wiU  exercise  himself  to  righteousness,  must  first  exercise  him- 
 self in  hearing  the  gospel.  Now,  when  he  hath  heard  and  re- 
 ceived the  gospel,  let  him  give  thanks  to  God  with  a  joyful  and 
 a  glad  heart,  and  afterwards  let  him  exercise  himself  in  those 
 good  works  whicH  are  commanded  in  the  law,  so  that  the  Jaw 
 and  works  may  follow  the  hearing  of  faith.  So  may  he  quietly 
 walk  in  the  light,  which  is  Christ,  and  boldly  choose  and  do 
 works,  not  hypocritical,  but  good  works  indeed,  such  as  he 
 knoweth  to  please  God  and  to  be  commanded  of  him,  and  con- 
 temn all  those  hypocritical  shadows  of  free-will  works. 
 
 Our  adversaries  think  that  faith,  whereby  we  receive  the 
 Holy  Ghost,  is  but  a  light  matter:  but  how  high  and  hard  a 
 matter  it  is,  I  myself  do  find  by  experience,  and  so  do  aU  they 
 which  with  me  do  earnestly  embrace  the  same.  It  is  soon  said, 
 that  by  the  only  hearing  of  faith,  the  Holy  Ghost  is  received: 
 but  it  is  not  so  easily  heard,  laid  hold  on,  believed  and  retained. 
 
VBR.  9, 0.J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  163 
 
 as  it  is  said.  Wherefore  if  thou  hear  of  me  that  Christ  is  that 
 lamb  of  God,  sacrificed  for  thy  sins,  see  also  that  thou  hear  it 
 effectually.  Paul,  very  aptly,  calleth  it  the  "  hearing-  of  faith," 
 and  not  the  word  of  faith  (although  there  be  small  difference), 
 that  is,  such  a  word  as  thou  hearing-  dost  believe,  so  that  the 
 word  be  not  only  my  voice,  but  may  be  heard  of  thee,  and  may 
 enter  into  thy  heart,  and  may  be  believed  of  thee:  then  it  is 
 truly  and  indeed  the  hearing-  of  faith,  through  the  which  thou 
 receivest  the  Holy  Ghost:  which,  after  thou  hast  once  received, 
 thou  shalt  also  mortify  thy  flesh. 
 
 The  faithful  do  find,  by  their  own  experience,  how  gladly  they 
 would  hold  and  embrace  the  word  when  they  hear  it,  with  a  fiill 
 faith,  and  abandon  this  opinion  of  the  law  and  of  their  own 
 righteousness:  but  they  ^el  in  their  flesh  a  mighty  resistance 
 against  the  spirit.  For  reason  and  the  flesh  wiU  needs  work  to- 
 gether. This  saying:  "  Ye  must  be  circumcised  and  keep  the 
 law,"  cannot  be  utterly  rooted  out  in  our  minds,  but  it  sticketh 
 fast  in  the  hearts  of  all  the  faithful.  There  is  in  the  faithful, 
 therefore,  a  continual  conflict  between  the  hearing  of  faith  and  the 
 works  of  the  law.  For  the  conscience  always  murmureth,  and 
 thinketh,  that  this  is  too  easy  a  way,  that  by  the  only  hearing  of 
 the  word,  righteousness,  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  life  everlasting  is 
 promised  unto  us.  But  come  once  to  an  earnest  trial  thereof,  and 
 then  tell  me  how  easy  a  thing  it  is  to  hear  the  word  of  faith.  In- 
 deed he  which  giveth  is  great;  moreover,  he  giveth  great  things 
 willingly  and  freely,  and  upbraideth  no  man  therewith:  but  thy 
 capacity  is  hard  and  faith  weak,  still  striving  against  thee,  so  that 
 thou  art  not  able  to  receive  this  gift.  But  let  thy  conscience 
 murmur  against  thee  never  so  much,  and  let  this  (must)  come 
 never  so  often  into  thy  mind,  yet  stand  fast  and  hold  out,  until 
 thou  overcome  this  (must).  So  as  faith  increaseth  by  little  and 
 little,  that  opinion  of  the  righteousness  of  the  law  will  diminish. 
 But  this  cannot  be  done  without  great  conflicts. 
 
 Verse  S.     Are  ye  so  foolish,  that  after  ye  have  beg;un  in  the  spirit,  ye  would 
 now  end  in  the  flesh  i 
 
 This  argument  being  concluded,  how  that  the  Holy  Ghost 
 Cometh  not  by  the  works  of  the  law,  but  by  the  preaching  of 
 faith,  he  beginneth  here  to  exhort  and  terrify  them  from  a 
 double  danger  or  incommodity.  The  first  is :  "  Are  ye  so 
 foolish,  that  after  ye  have  begun  in  the  spirit,  ye  would  now  end 
 in  the  flesh?"  The  other  followeth:  "  Have  ye  suffered  so 
 great  things  in  vain?"  As  if  he  said,  Ye  began  in  the  spirit: 
 that  is,  your  religion  was  excellently  well  begun.  As  also  a  little 
 after,  he  saith:  "  Ye  ran  well,"  &c.  But  what  have  ye  gotten 
 thereby?     Forsooth,  ye  will  now  end  in  the  flesh. 
 
 Paul  setteth  here  the  spirit  against  the  flesh.  He  calleth  not 
 the  flesh  (as  before  I  have  said)  fleshly  lust,  beastly  passions,  or 
 sensual  appetites:  for  he  intreateth  not  here  of  lust  and  si.rh 
 
■J64  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  Paul's  fcriAP.  Ill 
 
 other  fleshly  desires;  but  of  forgiveness  of  sins,  of  justifying-  the 
 conscience,  of  obtaining  righteousness  before  God,  of  deliverance 
 from  the  law,  sin,  and  death;  and  yet  notwithstanding  he  saitli 
 here,  that  they,  forsaking  the  spirit,  do  now  end  in  the  flesh. 
 Flesh  therefore  is  here  taken  away  for  the  very  righteousness 
 and  wisdom  of  the  flesh,  and  the  judgment  of  reason,  which 
 seeketh  to  be  justified  by  the  law.  Whatsoever  then  is  most  ex- 
 cellent in  man,  the  same  here  Paul  calleth  flesh,  as  the  wisdom 
 of  reason,  and  the  righteousness  of  the  law  itself. 
 
 And  this  place  must  be  well  considered,  because  of  the  slan- 
 derous and  cavilling  Papists,  which  wrest  the  same  against  us, 
 saying,  that  we  in  popery  began  in  the  spirit,  but  now,  having 
 married  Avives,  Ave  end  in  the  flesh.  As  though  a  single  life,  or 
 that  to  have  a  Avife,  Avere  a  spiritual  life ;  and  as  though  it  no- 
 thing hindered  their  spiritual  life,  if  a  man,  not  contented  with 
 one  Avhore,  have  many.  They  are  mad  men,  not  understanding 
 what  the  spirit,  or  Avhat  the  flesh  is.  The  spirit  is  whatsoever  is 
 done  in  us  according  to  the  spirit;  the  flesh,  Avhatsoever  is  done 
 in  us  according  to  the  flesh,  Avithout  the  spirit.  Wherefore,  all 
 the  duties  of  a  Christian  man,  as  \o  love  his  Avife,  to  bring  up  his 
 children,  to  govern  his  family,  and  such  like  (Avhich  unto  them 
 are  worldly  and  carnal)  are  the  fruits  of  the  spirit.  These  blind 
 buzzards  cannot  discern  things  Avhich  are  the  good  creatures  of 
 God,  from  vices. 
 
 Here  is  also  to  be  noted  the  manner  of  speech  Avhich  the  apoa , 
 tie  useth  Avhen  he  saith,  Ut  come  consmnmamini,  speaking  in 
 the  passive  voice.  As  if  he  said,  ye  end,  yea  rather  ye  are  ended 
 in  the  flesh.  For  the  righteousness  of  the  laAv,  Avhich  Paul  here 
 calleth  the  flesh,  is  so  far  ofl"  from  justifying,  that  they  Avhich 
 after  the  receiving  of  the  Holy  Ghost  through  the  hearing  of 
 faith,  fall  back  again  unto  it,  are  ended  in  it;  that  is  to  say,  are 
 utterly  destroyed.  Therefore,  whosoever  teach  that  the  laAv  ought 
 to  be  fulfilled  to  this  end,  that  men  might  be  justified  thereby, 
 while  they  go  about  to  quiet  their  consciences,  they  hurt  them, 
 and  while  they  would  justify  them,  they  condemn  them. 
 
 Paul  hath  ahvays  a  glance  at  the  false  apostles;  for  they  still 
 urged  the  law,  saying,  Faith  only  in  Christ  taketh  not  away  sin, 
 pacitieth  not  the  wrath  of  God,  justifieth  not;  therefore,  if  ye 
 will  obtain  these  benefits,  ye  must  not  only  believe  in  Clu'ist, 
 but  therewith  ye  must  also  keep  the  laAV,  be  circumcised,  keep, 
 the  feasts,  sacrifices,  &c.  Thus  doing  ye  shall  be  free  from  sin, 
 irom  the  wrath  of  God,  from  everlasting  death.  Yea,  rather, 
 saith  Paul,  by  the  self-same  things  ye  establish  unrighteousness, 
 ye  provoke  the  wrath  of  God,  ye  add  sin  to  sin,  ye  quench  the 
 spii-it,  ye  fall  away  from  grace,  and  utterly  reject  the  same,  and 
 ye,  together  with  your  disciples,  do  end  in  the  flesh.  This  is 
 the  first  danger,  from  the  which  he  terrifieth  the  Galatians,  lest, 
 if  they  seek  to  be  justified  by  the  laAv,  they  lose  their  spirit,  and 
 forego  their  good  beginning's  for  a  Avretched  end. 
 
VEn.  4.  !  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  16<'J 
 
 Verse  4.     Have  ye  suft'ered  so  many  things  in  vain  > 
 
 The  other  danger  or  incommodity  is  this:  "Have  ye  suffered 
 80  many  things  in  vain?"  As  though  he  would  say,  Consider,  not 
 only  how  well  ye  began,  and  how  miserably  ye  have  forsaken 
 your  good  beginning,  and  your  course  well  begun:  moreover, 
 that  not  only  ye  have  lost  the  first  fruits  of  the  spirit,  being 
 fallen  again  into  the  ministry  of  sin  and  death,  and  into  a  dole- 
 ful and  a  miserable  bondage  of  the  law:  but  consider  this  also, 
 that  ye  have  suffered  much  for  the  gospel's  sake,  and  for  the 
 name  of  Christ:  to  wit,  the  spoiling  of  your  goods,  railings 
 and  reproaches,  dangers  both  of  bodies  and  lives,  &c.  All  things 
 were  in  a  happy  course  and  great  towardness  with  you.  Ye 
 taught  purely,  ye  lived  holily,  and  ye  endm'ed  many  evils  con- 
 stantly, for  the  name  of  Christ.  But  now,  all  is  lost,  as  well 
 doctrine  as  faith,  as  well  doing  as  suffering,  as  well  the  spirit  as 
 the  fi'uits  thereof. 
 
 Hereby  it  appear  eth  sufficiently,  what  incommodity  the  righte- 
 ousness of  the  law,  and  man's  own  righteousness  bringeth:  to  wit, 
 that  they  which  trust  in  it  do  lose  at  once  mispeakable  benefits. 
 Now,  what  a  miserable  thing  is  it,  so  suddenly  to  lose  such  ines- 
 timable glory  and  assurance  of  conscience  towards  God  ?  Also 
 to  endure  so  many  great  and  grievous  afflictions,  as  loss  of  goods, 
 wife,  children,  body  and  life,  and  yet  notwithstanding  to  sustain 
 all  these  things  in  vain?  And  out  of  these  two  places,  much 
 matter  may  be  gathered  to  set  forth  and  amplify  at  large  the 
 goodly  commendation  of  the  law  and  man's  own  righteousness, 
 if  a  man  would  stand  upon  every  parcel  by  itself,  and  declare 
 what  spirit  it  was  wherewith  he  began;  what,  how  great, 
 and  how  many  the  afflictions  were  Avhich  he  endured  for 
 Christ's  sake.  But  no  eloquence  can  sufficiently  set  forth 
 these  matters:  for  they  are  inestimable  things  whereof  Paul 
 here  entreateth:  to  Avit,  the  glory  of  God,  victory  over  the 
 world,  the  flesh  and  the  devil;  righteousness  and  everlasting 
 life:  and  on  the  other  side,  sin,  desperation,  eternal  death,  and 
 hell.  And  yet,  notwithstanding,  in  a  moment  we  lose  all  these 
 incomparable  gifts,  and  procure  unto  ourselves  these  horrible 
 and  endless  miseries,  and  all  by  false  teachers,  Avhen  they  lead 
 us  away  from  the  truth  of  the  gospel  unto  false  doctrine. 
 And  this  do  they,  not  only  very  easily,  but  also  under  a  shew  of 
 great  holiness,  bring  to  pass. 
 
 Verse  4.     If  notwithstanding  it  be  in  vain. 
 
 This  he  addeth  as  a  correction :  whereby  he  mitigateth  the 
 reprehension  that  goeth  before,  which  was  somewhat  sharp. 
 And  this  he  doth  as  an  apostle,  lest  he  should  terrify  the  Ga- 
 latians  too  much.  Although  he  chide  them,  yet  notwithstanding 
 he  always  doth  it  in  such  sort,  that  he  poureth  in  sweet  oil 
 withal,  lest  he  should  drive  them  to  desperation. 
 
 He  saith  therefore,  "  If  notwithstanding  it  be  in  vaiu."     As 
 
J  66  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUl's  fCHAP.  Ill, 
 
 if  he  would  say,  Yet  I  do  not  take  away  all  hope  from  you. 
 But  if  ye  will  so  end  in  the  flesh,  that  is  to  say,  follow  the 
 righteousness  of  the  law  and  forsake  the  spirit,  as  ye  have 
 begun,  then  know  ye,  that  all  your  g-lory  and  affiance  which  ye 
 have  in  God,  is  in  vain,  and  all  your  afflictions  are  unprofitable. 
 Indeed  I  must  needs  speak  somewhat  roughly  unto  you  in  this 
 matter;  I  must  be  fervent  in  the  defence  thereof,  and  somewhat 
 sharp  in  the  chiding  of  you,  especially  the  matter  being  so 
 weighty,  and  constraining  me  thereunto,  lest  ye  should  think 
 it  to  be  but  a  trifle  to  reject  the  doctrine  of  Paul,  and  receive 
 another.  Notwithstanding,  I  will  not  utterly  discourage  you, 
 so  that  ye  repent  and  amend.  For  sickly  and  scabbed  children 
 may  not  be  cast  away,  but  must  be  tendered  and  cherished  more 
 diligently  than  they  which  are  in  health.  So  that  Paul  here, 
 like  a  cunning  physician,  layeth  all  the  fault  in  a  manner  upon 
 the  false  apostles,  the  authors  and  only  cause  of  this  deadly  dis- 
 ease. Contrariwise  he  handleth  the  Galatians  very  gently,  that 
 by  his  mildness  he  might  heal  them.  We  therefore,  by  the  ex- 
 ample of  Paul,  ought  in  like  manner  to  reprehend  the  weak, 
 and  so  to  cure  their  infirmity,  that  in  the  meantime  we  leave 
 not  off"  to  cherish  and  comfort  them,  lest  if  we  handle  them  too 
 sharply,  they  fall  into  desperation. 
 
 Verse  5.  He  therefore  that  ministereth  to  you  the  spirit,  and  worketh  miracles 
 among  you,  dotli  he  it  through  the  works  of  the  law,  or  by  the  hearing 
 of  faith  preached  ? 
 
 This  argument,  grounded  upon  the  experience  of  the  Gala- 
 tians, doth  so  well  like  the  apostle,  that  after  he  hath  reproved 
 and  terrified  them,  setting  before  them  a  double  danger,  he  now 
 repeateth  the  same  again,  and  that  with  a  more  large  amplifica- 
 tion, saying,  "  He  which  ministereth,"  &c.  That  is  to  say,  ye 
 have  not  only  received  the  spirit  by  the  hearing  of  faith,  but 
 whatsoever  ye  have  either  known  or  done,  it  came  by  the  hear- 
 ing of  faith.  As  though  he  would  say.  It  was  not  enough  that 
 God  gave  you  once  the  spirit;  but  the  same  God  hath  also  en- 
 riched you  with  the  gifts  of  the  spirit,  and  increased  the  same  in 
 you,  to  the  end  that  when  ye  have  once  received  the  spirit,  it 
 might  always  grow,  and  be  more  and  more  eff'ectual  in  you. 
 Hereby  it  is  plain,  that  the  Galatians  had  wrought  miracles,  or 
 at  the  least,  had  shewed  such  fruits  of  faith  as  the  true  disciples 
 of  the  gospel  are  wont  to  bring  forth.  For  the  apostle  else- 
 where saith:  "  That  the  kingdom  of  God  is  not  in  word,  but  in 
 power,"  (1  Cor.  iv.  20.)  Now,  this  power  is  not  only  to  be 
 able  to  speak  of  the  kingdom  of  God;  but  also  in  very  deed  to 
 shew  that  God  through  his  spirit  is  effectual  in  us.  So  before, 
 in  the  second  chapter,  he  saith  of  himself:  "  He  that  was  efFec- 
 tu-il  in  Peter  among  the  Jews,  was  also  eff'ectual  in  me ;  he  that 
 w  s  mighty  by  Peter  in  the  apostleship  over  the  circumcision, 
 was  also  mighty  by  me  towards  the  Gentiles." 
 
VEIL  6.3  EP1ST1.K  TC  THE  GALATIANS.  ICt 
 
 When  a  preacher  then  so  preacheth.  that  the  word  is  not  fruit- 
 less, but  effectual  m  the  hearts  of  the  hearers,  that  is  to  say,  when 
 faith,  hope,  love,  and  patience  do  follow,  then  God  giveth  his 
 spirit,  and  worketh  miracles  in  the  hearers.  In  like  manner  Paul 
 saith  here,  "  that  God  hath  given  his  spirit  to  the  Galatians,  and 
 hath  v/rought  miracles  among  them."  As  though  he  would  say: 
 God  hath  not  only  brought  to  pass,  through  my  preaching,  that 
 ye  should  believe,  but  also  that  ye  should  live  holily,  bring  forth 
 many  fruits  of  faitb,  and  suff(er  many  afflictions.  Also,  by  the 
 same  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  of  adulterers,  of  wrathfid,  im- 
 
 f>atient,and  covetous  persons,  and  of  very  enemies,  ye  are  become 
 iberal,  chaste,  gentle,  patient,  and  lovers  of  your  neighbours. 
 Whereupon  afterwards  he  giveth  testimony  of  them  in  the  fourth 
 chapter,  tliat  they  received  him  as  an  angel  of  God,  yea  rather  as 
 Christ  Jesus:  and  that  they  loved  him  so  entirely,  that  they  were 
 ready  to  have  plucked  out  their  own  eyes  for  him. 
 
 Now,  to  love  thy  neighbour  so  heartily,  that  thou  art  ready  to 
 bestoAv  thy  money,  thy  goods,  thine  eyes,  and  all  that  thou  hast 
 for  his  salvation,  and  moreover  to  suffer  patiently  all  adversities 
 and  afflictions,  these,  no  doubt,  are  the  effects  and  fruits  of  the 
 spirit,  and  these,  saith  he,  ye  received  and  enjoyed  before  these 
 false  teachers  came  among  you.  But  ye  received  them  not  by 
 the  law,  but  of  God,  who  so  ministered  imto  you,  and  daily  in- 
 creased in  you  his  Holy  Spirit,  that  the  gospel  had  a  most  happy 
 course  among  you,  in  teaching,  believing,  working  and  suffering. 
 Now,  seeing  ye  know  these  things,  (being  convicted  even  by  the 
 testimony  of  your  own  consciences)  how  cometh  it  to  pass  that 
 ye  shew  not  the  same  fruits  that  ye  did  before:  that  is,  that  ye 
 teach  not  tridy,  that  ye  believe  not  faithfully,  that  ye  live  not 
 holily,  that  ye  work  not  rightly,  and  that  ye  suffer  not  patiently: 
 finally,  who  hath  so  corrupted  you,  that  you  bear  not  so  loving 
 affection  towards  me,  as  ye  did  before?  That  ye  receive  not 
 Paul  now  as  an  angel  of  God,  nor  as  Jesus  Christ?  That  ye 
 will  not  pluck  out  your  eyes  to  give  them  unto  me?  How 
 cometh  it  to  pass,  I  say,  that  this  fervent  zeal  of  yours  waxeth 
 so  cold  towards  me,  and  that  ye  now  prefer  before  me  the  false 
 apostles,  Avhich  do  so  miserably  seduce  you? 
 
 In  like  manner  it  happeneth  unto  us  at  this  day.  When  we 
 first  preached  the  gospel,  there  were  very  many  that  favoured 
 our  doctrine,  and  had  a  good  and  reverend  opinion  of  us:  and 
 after  the  preaching  thereof,  followed  the  fruits  and  effects  of  faith. 
 But  what  ensued?  A  sort  of  light  and  brain-sick  heads  sprang  up, 
 and  by-and-by  destroyed  all  that  we  had  in  long  time  and  with 
 much  travel  planted  before,  and  also  made  us  so  odious  unto 
 them  wliich  before  loved  us  dearlj'^,  and  thankfully  received  our 
 doctrine,  that  now  they  hate  nothing  more  than  our  name.  But 
 of  this  mischief  the  devil  is  the  author,  woi'king  in  his  members 
 contrary  works,  which  wholly  fight  against  the  works  of  the 
 Holy  Ghost.   Therefore,  saitli  the  apostle,  your  experience  (O 
 
IG8  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 ye  Galatiaiis)  ought  to  teach  you,  that  these  excellent  virtues 
 proceeded  not  of  the  works  of  the  law;  for  as  ye  had  them  not 
 before  the  hearmg  of  faith  preached,  so  ye  have  them  not  now, 
 although  the  false  apostles  reign  in  the  midst  of  you. 
 
 We  likewise  may  say,  at  this  day,  to  those  which  vaunt  them- 
 selves to  be  gospellers,  and  to  be  freed  from  the  tyranny  of  the 
 Pope :  have  ye  overcome  the  tyranny  of  the  Pope,  and  obtained 
 liberty  in  Christ  through  the  Anabaptists,  and  such  other  fantas- 
 tical spirits,  or  through  us  who  have  preached  faith  in  Jesus 
 Chi'ist?  Here,  if  they  will  confess  the  truth,  they  must  needs  say : 
 no  doubt,  by  the  preaching  of  faith.  And  true  it  is,  that  at  the 
 beginning  of  our  preaching,  the  doctrine  of  faith  had  a  most  happy 
 course,  and  down  fell  the  Pope's  pardons,  purgatory, vows,  masses, 
 and  such  like  abominations,  which  drew  with  them  the  ruin  of  all 
 popery.  No  man  could  justly  condemn  us:  for  oiu*  doctrine  was 
 pure,  raising  up  and  comforting  many  poor  consciences,  which 
 had  been  long  oppressed  with  men's  traditions  under  the  papacy, 
 which  was  a  plain  tyranny,  a  racking  and  crucifying  of  conscien- 
 ces. Many  therefore  gave  thanks  unto  God,  that  through  the 
 gospel  (which  we  first,  by  the  grace  of  God,  then  preached)  they 
 were  so  mightily  delivered  out  of  these  snares,  and  this  slaughter- 
 house of  consciences.  But  when  these  new-found  heads  sprang  up 
 (who  went  about  by  all  means  to  work  our  discredit),  then  began 
 our  doctrine  to  be  evil  thought  of:  for  it  was  commonly  bruited 
 abroad  that  the  professors  thereof  disagreed  among  themselves. 
 Whereat  many  being  greatly  offended,  fell  quite  from  the  truth, 
 putting  the  Papists  in  comfort,  that  we,  together  with  our  doc- 
 trine, should  shortly  come  to  nought,  and  by  this  means  they 
 should  recover  their  former  dignity  and  authority  again. 
 
 Wherefore,  like  as  the  false  apostles  vehemently  contended 
 that  the  Galatians,  now  justified  by  faith  in  Christ,  ought  to  he 
 circumcised  and  keep  the  hnv  of  Moses,  if  they  would  be  deli- 
 vered from  their  sins,  and  from  the  wrath  of  God,  and  obtain 
 the  Holy  Ghost,  and  yet  notwithstanding  by  the  self-same 
 means  they  burthened  them  the  more  with  sins,  (for  sin  is  not 
 taken  away  by  the  law,  neither  is  the  Holy  Gliost  given  through 
 it,  but  only  it  Avorketh  wrath,  and  driveth  men  into  great  ter- 
 rors), so  at  this  day  these  rash  heads,  which  ought  to  provide 
 for  the  safety  of  the  catholic  church,  and  at  once  to  drive  down 
 all  popery,  have  done  no  good,  but  much  hurt  to  the  church : 
 they  have  not  overthrown  the  papacy,  but  have  more  estab- 
 lished it. 
 
 But  if  they  had,  as  they  begun,  with  a  common  consent  to- 
 gether with  us,  taught  and  diligently  urged  the  article  of  jus- 
 tification: that  is  to  say,  that  we  are  justified  neither  by  the 
 righteousness  of  the  law,  nor  by  our  own  righteousness,  but  by 
 only  faith  in  Jesus  Christ;  doubtless  this  one  article,  by  little 
 and  little,  as  it  began,  had  overthrown  the  whole  papacy,  with 
 all  her  brotherhoods,  pardons,  religious  orders,  relics,  ceremo- 
 
VER.   6.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  169 
 
 iiies,  invocation  of  saints,  purgatory,  masses,  watcliings,  vows, 
 and  infinite  other  like  abominations.  But  they,  leaving  off  the 
 preaching  of  faith  and  true  Christian  righteousness,  have  gone 
 another  Avay  to  work,  to  the  great  hindrance  both  of  sound 
 doctrine  and  of  the  churches. 
 
 Verse  6,     As  Abraham  believed  God,  and  it  was  imputed  to  him  for 
 righteousness. 
 
 Hitherto  Paul  reasoneth  upon  the  experience  of  the  Gala- 
 tians,  and  with  this  argument  he  urgeth  them  vehemently.  Ye, 
 saith  he,  have  believed,  and  believing  have  done  miracles,  and 
 have  shewed  many  notable  signs;  and  moreover  ye  have  suf- 
 fered many  afflictions,  all  which  things  are  the  effects  and  opera- 
 tions, not  of  the  law,  but  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  This  the  Gala- 
 tians  were  constrained  to  confess;  for  they  could  not  deny 
 these  things  which  were  before  their  eyes,  and  manifest  to  their 
 senses:  and  therefore  this  argument,  grounded  upon  their  own 
 experience,  is  very  strong. 
 
 Now  he  addeth  the  example  of  Abraham,  and  rehearseth 
 the  testimony  of  the  scripture.  The  first  is  out  of  Gen.  xv.  6. 
 "  Abraham  believed  God,"  &c.  This  place  the  apostle  here 
 mightily  prosecuteth,  as  also  he  did  in  his  epistle  to  the  Ro- 
 mans :  "  If  Abraham,"  saith  he,  "  was  justified  by  the  works  of 
 the  law,  he  hath  righteousness  and  rejoicing,  but  not  before  God, 
 but  before  men,"  (Rom.  iv.  2,  3.)  For  before  God  there  is  in 
 him  nothing  but  sin  and  wrath.  Now  he  was  justified  before 
 God,  not  because  he  did  Avork,  but  because  he  did  believe.  For 
 the  scripture  saith :  "  Abraham  believed  God,  and  it  was  im- 
 puted to  him  for  righteousness."  This  place  doth  Paul  there  no- 
 tably set  forth  and  amplify,  as  it  is  most  worthy:  "Abraham," 
 saith  he,  "  was  not  weak  in  the  faith,  neither  considered  he  his 
 own  body  which  was  now  dead,  being  almost  a  hundred  years 
 old;  neither  the  deadness  of  Sarah's  womb;  neither  did  he  doubt 
 of  the  promise  of  God  through  unbelief,  but  was  strengthened 
 in  the  faith,  and  gave  glory  to  God,  being  fully  assured,  that 
 whatsoever  God  had  promised,  he  was  able  to  do.  Now,  it  is 
 not  written  for  him  only,  that  it  was  imputed  to  him  for  right- 
 eousness, but  for  us  also,"  &c.  (Rom.  iv.  19,  20,  &c.) 
 
 Paul  by  these  words,  "  Abraham  believed,"  of  faith  in  God 
 maketh  the  chiefest  worship,  the  chiefest  duty,  the  chiefest  obe- 
 dience, and  the  chiefest  sacrifice.  Let  him  that  is  a  rhetorician, 
 amplify  this  place,  and  he  shall  see  that  faith  is  an  almighty 
 thing,  and  that  the  power  thereof  is  infinite  and  inestimable; 
 for  it  giveth  glory  unto  God,  which  is  the  highest  service  that 
 can  be  given  unto  him.  Now,  to  give  glory  unto  God,  is  to 
 believe  in  him,  to  count  him  true,  wise,  righteous,  merciful, 
 almighty:  briefly,  to  acknowledge  him  to  be  the  author  and  giver 
 of  all  goodness.  This  reason  doth  not,  but  faith.  That  is  it 
 which  maketh  us  divine  people,  and  (as  a  man  would  say)  it  is 
 
170  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [cHAP.  Hi. 
 
 the  creator  of  a  certain  divinity,  not  in  the  substance  of  God,  but 
 in  us.  For  without  faith  God  loseth  in  us  his  glory,  wisdom, 
 rig-hteousness,  truth,  and  mercy.  To  conclude,  no  majesty  or 
 divinity  remaineth  unto  God,  where  faith  is  not.  And  the  chiefest 
 thing  that  God  requireth  of  man  is,  that  he  give  unto  him  his 
 glory  and  his  divinity:  that  is  to  say,  that  he  take  him  not  for 
 an  idol,  but  for  God,  who  regard  eth  him,  heareth  him,  sheweth 
 mercy  unto  him,  and  helpeth  him.  This  being  done,  God  hath 
 his  full  and  perfect  divinity,  that  is,  he  hath  whatsoever  a  faith- 
 ful heart  can  attribute  unto  him.  To  be  able  therefore  to  give 
 that  glory  unto  God,  it  is  the  wisdom  of  wisdoms,  the  righte- 
 ousness of  righteousness,  the  religion  of  religions,  and  sacrifice 
 of  sacrifices.  Hereby  we  may  perceive,  what  a  high  and  an  ex- 
 cellent righteousness  faith  is,  and  so,  by  the  contrary,  what  a 
 horrible  and  grievous  sin  infidelity  is. 
 
 Whosoever  then  believeth  the  word  of  God,  as  Abraham  did, 
 is  righteous  before  God,  because  he  hath  faith,  which  giveth 
 glory  unto  God :  that  is,  he  giveth  to  God  that  which  is  due  to 
 him.  For  faith  saith  thus,  I  believe  thee,  O  God,  when  thou 
 speakest.  And  what  saith  God?  Impossible  things,  lies,  foolish, 
 weak,  absurd,  abominable,  heretical,  and  devilish  things,  if  ye 
 believe  reason.  For  what  is  more  absurd,  foolish,  and  impos- 
 sible, than  when  God  saith  unto  Abraham,  that  he  should  have 
 a  son  of  the  barren  and  dead  body  of  his  wife  Sarah? 
 
 So,  if  we  will  follow  the  judgment  of  reason,  God  setteth 
 forth  absurd  and  impossible  things,  Avhen  he  setteth  out  unto 
 us  the  articles  of  the  Christian  faith.  Indeed,  it  seemeth  to 
 reason  an  absurd  and  a  foolish  thing,  that  in  the  Lord's  Sup- 
 per is  oifered  unto  us  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ ;  that  bap- 
 tism is  the  laver  of  the  new  birth,  and  of  the  renewing  of  the 
 Holy  Ghost;  that  the  dead  shall  rise  in  the  last  day;  that  Christ 
 the  Son  of  God  was  conceived  and  carried  in  the  womb  of  the 
 Virgin  Mary;  that  he  was  born;  that  he  suffered  the  most 
 reproachful  death  of  the  cross;  that  he  was  raised  up  again; 
 that  he  now  sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  God  the  father;  and  that 
 he  hath  all  power  both  in  heaven  and  earth.  For  this  cause  Paul 
 calleth  the  gospel  of  Christ  crucified,  the  word  of  the  cross  and 
 foolish  preaching,  (1  Cor.  i.  18.)  which  to  the  Jews  was  offen- 
 sive, and  to  the  Gentiles  foolish  doctrine.  Wherefore  reason 
 doth  not  understand  that  to  hear  the  word  of  God  and  to  believe 
 it,  is  the  chiefest  service  that  God  requireth  of  us;  but  it 
 thinketh  that  those  things  which  it  chooseth  and  doth  of  a  good 
 intent,  as  they  call  it,  and  of  her  own  devotion,  please  God. 
 Therefore,  when  God  speaketh,  reason  judgeth  his  word  to  be 
 heresy,  and  the  word  of  the  devil,  for  it  seemeth  unto  it 
 absurd  and  foolish. 
 
 But  faith  killeth  reason,  and  slayeth  that  beast  which  the 
 whole  world  and  all  creatures  cannot  kill.  So  Abraham  killed 
 it  by  faith  in  the  word  of  God,  whereby  seed  was  promised  to 
 
VER.  6.]  KPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  171 
 
 him  of  Sarah,  who  was  barren  and  now  past  child-bearing. 
 Unto  this  word,  reason  yielded  not  straightway  in  Abraham, 
 but  it  fought  against  faith  in  him,  judging  it  to  be  an  absurd,  a 
 foolish  and  an  impossible  thing  that  Sarah,  who  was  now  not  only 
 ninety  years  old,  but  also  was  barren  by  nature,  should  bring 
 forth  a  son.  Thus  faith  wrestled  with  reason  in  Abraham;  but 
 herein  faith  got  the  victory,  killed  and  sacrificed  reason,  that 
 most  cruel  and  pestilent  enemy  of  God.  So  all  the  godly  enter- 
 ing with  Abraham  into  the  darkness  of  faith,  do  kill  reason,  say- 
 ing: reason,  thou  art  fooHsh;  thou  dost  not  savour  those  things 
 which  belong  unto  God:  therefore  speak  not  against  me,  but 
 hold  thy  peace:  judge  not,  but  hear  the  word  of  God  and  be- 
 lieve it.  So  the  godly  by  faith  kill  such  a  beast  as  is  greater  than 
 the  whole  world,  and  thereby  do  offer  to  God  a  most  acceptable 
 sacrifice  and  service. 
 
 And  in  comparison  of  this  sacrifice  of  the  faithful,  all  the  re- 
 ligions of  all  nations,  and  all  the  works  of  all  monks  and  merit- 
 mongers  are  nothing  at  all.  For  by  this  sacrifice,  first,  as  I 
 said,  they  kill  reason,  a  great  and  mighty  enemy  of  God.  For 
 reason  despiseth  God,  denieth  his  Avisdom,  justice,  power,  truth, 
 mercy,  majesty,  and  divinity.  Moreover,  by  the  same  sacrifice 
 t]iey  yield  glory  unto  God:  that  is,  they  believe  him  to  be  just, 
 good,  faithful,  true,  &c.  they  believe  that  he  can  do  all  things, 
 that  all  his  words  are  holy,  true,  lively,  and  effectual,  &c.  which 
 is  a  most  acceptable  obedience  unto  God.  Wherefore  there  can 
 be  no  greater  or  more  holy  religion  in  the  world,  nor  more 
 acceptable  service  unto  God,  than  faith  is. 
 
 Contrariwise,  the  justiciaries,  and  such  as  seek  righteousness 
 by  theii*  own  works,  lacking  faith,  do  many  things.  They  fast, 
 they  pray,  they  watch,  they  lay  crosses  upon  themselves.  But 
 because  they  think  to  appease  the  wrath  of  God,  and  deserve 
 grace  by  things,  they  give  no  glory  to  God,  that  is,  they  do  not 
 judge  him  to  be  merciful,  true,  and  keeping  promise,  &c.  but  to 
 be  an  angry  judge,  which  must  be  pacified  with  works,  and  by 
 this  means  they  despise  God,  they  make  him  a  liar  in  all  his  pro- 
 mises, they  deny  Christ  and  all  his  benefits;  to  conclude,  they 
 thrust  God  out  of  his  seat,  and  set  themselves  in  his  place.  For 
 they,  rejecting  and  despising  the  word  of  God,  do  choose  unto 
 themselves  such  a  service  of  God,  and  such  works  as  God  hath 
 not  commanded.  They  imagine  that  God  hath  a  pleasure  therein, 
 and  they  hope  to  receive  a  reward  of  him  for  the  same.  There- 
 fore they  kill  not  reason,  that  mighty  enemy  of  God,  but  quicken 
 it;  and  they  take  from  God  his  majesty  and  his  divinity,  and 
 attribute  the  same  unto  their  own  works.  Wherefore  only  faith 
 giveth  glory  unto  God,  as  Paul  witnesseth  of  Abraham.  "  Abra- 
 ham, saith  he,  was  made  strong  in  the  faith,  and  gave  glory  to 
 God,  being  fully  assured,  that  whatsoever  God  had  promised  he 
 was  able  to  perform,  and,  therefore,  it  was  imputed  to  him  for 
 righteousness."  (Rom.  iv.  20,  21,  22.) 
 
 Christian  righteousness  consisteth  in  faith  of  the  heart,  and 
 
172  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUl's  [cHAP.  lit. 
 
 God's  imputation.  It  is  not  without  cause  that  he  addeth  this 
 sentence  out  of  the  fifteenth  chapter  of  Genesis:  "and  it  was 
 imputed  to  him  for  righteousness."  For  Christian  righteousness 
 consists th  in  two  things,  that  is  to  say,  in  faith  of  the  heart,  and 
 in  God's  imputation.  Faith  is  indeed  a  formal  righteousness, 
 and  yet  this  righteousness  is  not  enough;  for,  after  faith,  there 
 remain  yet  certain  remnants  of  sin  in  our  flesh.  This  sacrifice 
 of  faith  began  in  Abraham,  but,  at  the  last,  it  was  finished  in  his 
 death.  Wherefore  the  other  part  of  righteousness  must  needs 
 be  added  also,  to  finish  the  same  in  us:  that  is  to  say,  God's  im- 
 putation. For  faith  giveth  not  enough  to  God,  because  it  is 
 imperfect,  yea  rather,  our  faith  is  but  a  little  spark  of  faith,  which 
 beginneth  only  to  render  unto  God  his  true  divinity.  We  have 
 received  the  first  fruits  of  the  spirit,  but  not  yet  the  tenths.  Be- 
 sides this,  reason  is  not  utterly  killed  in  this  life;  which  may 
 appear  by  our  concupiscence,  wrath,  impatience,  and  other  fruits 
 of  the  flesh  and  of  infidelity  yet  remaining  in  us.  Yea,  the  ho- 
 liest that  live,  have  not  yet  a  full  and  continual  joy  in  God,  but 
 have  their  sundry  passions,  sometimes  merry,  as  the  scriptures 
 witness  of  the  prophets  and  apostles.  But  such  faults  are  not 
 laid  to  their  charge,  because  of  their  faith  in  Christ,  for  other- 
 Avise  no  flesh  should  be  saved.  We  conclude,  therefore,  upon 
 these  words:  "  It  was  imputed  to  him  for  righteousness,"  that 
 righteousness  indeed  beginneth  through  faith,  and  by  the  same 
 we  liave  the  first  fruits  of  the  Spirit;  but  because  faith  is  weak, 
 it  is  not  made  perfect  without  God's  imputation.  Wlierefore 
 faith  beginneth  righteousness,  but  imputation  maketh  it  perfect 
 unto  the  day  of  Christ. 
 
 The  popish  sophisters  and  schoolmen  dispute  also  of  imputa- 
 tion, when  they  speak  of  the  good  acceptation  of  the  work:  but 
 besides  and  clean  contrary  to  the  scripture;  for  they  wrest  it 
 only  to  works.  They  do  not  consider  the  uncleanness  and  in- 
 ward poison  lurking  in  the  heart;  as  incredulity,  doubting,  con- 
 temning, and  hating  of  God,  which  most  pernicious  and  perilous 
 beasts  are  the  fountain  and  cause  of  all  mischief.  They  consider 
 no  more  but  outward  and  gross  faults  and  unrighteousness, 
 which  are  little  rivers  proceeding  and  issuing  out  of  those  foun- 
 tams.  Therefore  they  attribute  acceptation  to  works:  that  is  to 
 say,  that  God  doth  accept  our  works,  not  of  duty,  but  of  con- 
 gruence. Contrariwise  we,  excluding  all  works,  do  go  to  the  very 
 head  of  this  beast  which  is  called  reason,  which  is  the  fountain  and 
 headspring  of  all  mischiefs.  For  reason  feareth  not  God,  it 
 loveth  not  God,  it  trusteth  not  in  God,  but  proudly  contemneth 
 him.  It  is  not  moved  either  with  his  threalenings  or  his  pro- 
 mises. It  is  not  delighted  with  his  words  or  works,  but  it 
 murmureth  against  him,  it  is  angry  with  him,  judgeth  and 
 hatethhim:  to  be  short,  "it  is  an  enemy  to  God,  not  giving 
 him  his  glory,"  (Rom.  viii.  7.)  This  pestilent  beast  (reason,  I 
 say)  being  once  slain,  all  outward  and  gross  vices  should  be 
 nothing 
 
VER.   6. J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  173 
 
 Wherefore  we  must  first  and  before  all  things  go  about,  liy 
 faith,  to  kill  infidelity,  the  contempt  and  hating  of  God,  murmur- 
 ing against  his  judgment,  his  wrath,  and  all  his  Avords  and  Avorks: 
 for  then  do  we  kill  reason,  which  can  be  killed  by  none  other 
 means  but  by  faith,  which,  in  believing  God,  giveth  unto  him 
 his  glory,  notwithstanding  that  he  speaketh  those  things  which 
 seem  both  foolish,  absurd,  and  impossible  to  reason :  notwith- 
 standing also,  that  God  setteth  forth  himself  otherwise  than  rea- 
 son is  able  either  to  judge  or  conceive,  that  is  to  say,  after  this 
 manner:  I  will  account  and  pronounce  thee  as  righteous,  not  for 
 the  keeping  of  the  laAv,  not  for  thy  works  and  thy  merits,  but 
 for  thy  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  mine  only  begotten  Son,  Avho  was 
 born,  suffered,  was  crucified,  and  died  for  thy  sins:  and  that  sin 
 which  remaineth  in  thee,  I  will  not  impute  unto  thee.  If  reason 
 then  be  not  killed,  and  all  kinds  of  religion  and' service  of  God 
 under  heaven,  that  are  invented  by  men  to  get  righteousness 
 before  God,  be  not  condemned,  the  righteousness  of  faith  can 
 take  no  place. 
 
 When  reason  heareth  this,  by-and-by  it  is  offended:  it  rageth 
 and  uttereth  all  her  malice  against  God,  saying,  "Are  then  my 
 good  Avorks  nothing?  Have  I  then  laboured  and  borne  the  bur- 
 then and  heat  of  the  day  in  vain?"  (Matt.  xx.  11.)  Hereof  rise 
 those  uproars  of  nations,  kings,  and  princes,  against  the  Lord 
 and  his  Christ,  (Psal.  ii.  2.)  For  the  world  neither  will  nor  can 
 suffer  that  her  wisdom,  righteousness,  religions,  and  worship- 
 pings should  be  reproved  and  condemned.  The  Pope,  with  all 
 his  popish  rabblement,  will  not  seem  to  err,  much  less  Avill  he 
 suffer  himself  to  be  condemned. 
 
 Wherefore  let  those  which  give  themselves  to  the  study  of  the 
 holy  scripture,  learn  out  of  this  saying:  "Abraham  believed  God, 
 and  it  Avas  counted  to  him  for  righteousness,"  to  set  forth  truly 
 and  rightly  this  true  Christian  righteousness  after  this  manner : 
 that  it  is  a  faith  and  confidence  in  the  Son  of  God,  or  rather  a 
 confidence  of  the  heart  in  God  through  Jesus  Christ:  and  let 
 them  add  this  clause  as  a  difference :  which  faith  and  confidence 
 is  accounted  righteousness  for  Christ's  sake.  For  these  two 
 things  (as  I  said  before)  work  Christian  righteousness :  namely, 
 faith  in  the  heart,  Avhich  is  a  gift  of  God,  and  assuredly  belie  veth 
 in  Christ:  and  also  that  God  accepteth  this  imperfect  Mth  for 
 perfect  righteousness,  for  Christ's  sake,  in  whom  I  have  begun 
 to  believe.  Because  of  this  faith  in  Christ,  God  seeth  not  my 
 doubting  of  his  good-Avill  toAvards  me,  my  distrust,  heaviness  of 
 spirit,  and  other  sins  which  are  yet  in  me.  For  as  long  as  I  live 
 in  the  flesh,  sin  is  truly  in  me.  But  because  I  am  covered  under 
 the  shadoAV  of  Christ's  wings,  as  is  the  chicken  under  the  wing 
 of  the  hen,  and  dwell  without  all  fear  \mder  that  most  ample 
 and  large  heaven  of  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  Avhich  is  spread  over 
 me,  God  covereth  and  pardoneth  the  remnant  of  sin  in  me:  that 
 13  to  say,  because  of  that  faith  Avherewith  I  began  to  lay  hold 
 
174  COMMENTARY  ON  STo  PAUL's  [CHAP,  III, 
 
 upon  Christ,  he  accepteth  my  Imperfect  righteousness  even  for 
 perfect  rig-hteoiisness,  and  counteth  my  sin  for  no  sin,  which  not- 
 withstanding is  sin  indeed. 
 
 So  we  shroud  ourselves  under  the  covering  of  Christ's  flesh, 
 who  is  our  "cloudy  pillar  for  the  day,  and  our  pillar  of  fire  for 
 the  night,"  (Exod.  xiii.  21.)  lest  God  should  see  our  sin.  And 
 although  we  see  it,  and  for  the  same  do  feel  the  terrors  of  con- 
 science, yet  flying  unto  Christ  our  mediator  and  reconciler, 
 (through  whom  we  are  made  perfect)  we  are  sure  and  safe :  for 
 as  all  things  are  in  him,  so  through  him  we  have  all  things,  who 
 also  doth  supply  whatsoever  is  wanting  in  us.  When  we  believe 
 this,  God  winketh  at  the  sins  and  remnants  of  sin  yet  sticking  in 
 our  flesh,  and  so  covereth  them,  as  if  they  were  no  sin.  Because, 
 saith  he,  thou  believest  in  my  Son,  although  thou  have  many 
 sins,  yet  notwithstanding  they  shall  be  forgiven  thee,  mitil  thou 
 be  clean  delivered  from  them  by  death. 
 
 Let  Christians  learn  with  all  diligence  to  understand  this  ar- 
 ticle of  Christian  righteousness.  And  to  this  end  let  them  read 
 Paul,  and  read  him  again,  both  often  and  with  great  diligence, 
 and  let  them  compare  the  first  with  the  last;  yea,  let  them  com- 
 pare Paul  wholly  and  fully  with  himself:  then  shall  they  find  it 
 to  be  true,  that  Christian  righteousness  consisteth  in  these  two 
 things:  namely,  in  faith,  which  giveth  glory  unto  God,  and  in 
 God's  imputation.  For  faith  is  weak  (as  I  have  said)  and  there- 
 fore God's  imputation  must  needs  be  joined  withal;  that  is  to 
 say,  that  God  will  not  lay  to  our  charge  the  remnant  of  sin;  that 
 he  will  not  punish  it,  nor  condemn  us  for  it,  but  wiU  cover  it 
 and  wiU  freely  forgive  it,  as  though  it  were  nothing  at  all;  not 
 for  our  sake,  neither  for  oiu*  worthiness,  and  works,  but  for 
 Jesus  Christ's  sake,  in  whom  we  beheve. 
 
 Thus  a  Christian  man  is  both  righteous  and  a  sinner,  holy 
 and  profane,  an  enemy  of  God  and  yet  a  child  of  God.  These 
 contraries  no  sophisters  will  admit,  for  they  know  not  the  true 
 manner  of  justification.  And  this  was  the  cause  why  they  con- 
 strained men  to  work  well  so  long,  until  they  should  feel  in 
 themselves  no  sin  at  all.  Whereby  they  gave  occasion  to  many 
 (which,  striving  with  all  their  endeavour  to  be  perfectly  right- 
 eous, could  not  attain  thereunto)  to  become  stark  mad:  yea, 
 an  infinite  number  also  of  those  which  were  the  authors  of  this 
 devihsh  opinion,  at  the  hour  of  death  were  driven  unto  despe- 
 ration: which  thing  had  happened  unto  me  also,  if  Christ  had 
 not  mercifully  looked  upon  me,  and  delivered  me  out  of  this 
 error. 
 
 Contrariwise,  we  teach  and  comfort  the  afflicted  sinner  after 
 this  manner:  Brother,  it  is  not  possible  for  thee  to  become  so 
 righteous  in  this  life,  that  thou  shouldst  feel  no  sin  at  all,  that 
 thy  body  should  be  clear  like  the  sun,  without  spot  or  blemish: 
 but  thou  hast  as  yet  wrinkles  and  spots,  and  yet  art  thou  holy 
 notwithstanding    But  thou  wilt  say:  How  can  I  be  holy,  when 
 
VEn.  «.J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  SALATIANS.  175 
 
 1  have  and  feel  sin  in  me?  I  answer:  In  that  thou  dost  feel  and 
 acknowledge  thy  shi,  it  is  a  good  token:  give  thanks  unto  God, 
 and  despair  not.  It  is  one  step  of  health,  when  the  sick  man 
 doth  acknowledge  and  confess  his  infirmity.  But  how  shall  I  be 
 delivered  from  sin?  Run  to  Christ,  the  physician,  which  healeth 
 them  that  are  broken  in  heart,  and  saveth  sinners.  Follow  not 
 the  judgment  of  reason,  which  telleth  thee,  that  he  is  angry  with 
 sinners :  but  kill  reason,  and  believe  in  Christ.  If  thou  believe, 
 thou  art  righteous,  because  thou  givest  glory  unto  God,  that  he 
 is  almighty,  merciful,  true,  &c.  thou  justifiest  and  praisest  God. 
 To  be  brief,  thou  yieldest  unto  him  his  divinity,  and  whatsoever 
 else  belongeth  unto  him:  and  the  sin  which  remaineth  in  thee, 
 is  not  laid  to  thy  charge,  but  is  pardoned  for  Christ's  sake,  in 
 whom  thou  believest,  who  is  perfectly  just:  whose  righteousness 
 is  thy  righteousness,  and  thy  sin  is  his  sin. 
 
 Here  we  see  that  every  Christian  is  a  high-priest:  for  first  he 
 oflFereth  up  and  killeth  his  own  reason,  and  the  wisdom  of  the 
 flesh :  then  he  giveth  glory  unto  God,  that  he  is  righteous,  true, 
 patient,  pitiful,  and  merciful.  And  tliis  is  that  dauy  sacrifice  of 
 the  New  Testament  which  must  be  offered  evening  and  morning. 
 The  evening  sacrifice  is  to  kill  reason :  the  morning  sacrifice  is 
 to  glorify  God.  Thus  a  Christian  daily  and  continually  is  occu- 
 pied in  this  double  sacrifice  and  in  the  exercise  thereof.  And 
 no  man  is  able  to  set  forth  sufficiently  the  excellency  and  dignity 
 of  this  Christian  sacrifice. 
 
 This  is  therefore  a  strange  and  wonderful  definition  of  Chris- 
 tian righteousness,  that  it  is  the  imputation  of  God  for  righteous- 
 ness or  unto  righteousness,  because  of  our  faith  in  Christ,  or  for 
 Christ's  sake.  When  the  popish  schoolmen  hear  this  definition, 
 they  laugh  at  it;  for  they  imagine  that  righteousness  is  a  cer- 
 tain quality  poured  into  the  soul,  and  afterwards  spread  into  all 
 the  parts  of  man.  They  cannot  put  away  the  vain  imaginations 
 of  reason,  which  teacheth  that  a  right  judgment,  and  a  good  will 
 or  a  good  intent  is  true  righteousness.  This  unspeakable  gift 
 therefore  excelleth  all  reason,  that  God  doth  account  and  acknow- 
 ledge him  for  righteous  without  works,  which  embraceth  his  son 
 by  faith  alone,  who  was  sent  into  the  world,  was  born,  sufi'ered, 
 and  was  crucified  for  us. 
 
 This  matter,  as  touching  the  words,  is  easy,  (to  wit,  that  right- 
 eousness is  essentially  in  us,  as  the  Papists  reason  out  of  Aristotle, 
 but  without  us  in  the  grace  of  God  only  and  in  his  imputation: 
 and  that  there  is  no  essential  substance  of  righteousness  in  us 
 besides  that  weak  faith  or  first  fruits  of  faith,  whereby  we  have 
 begun  to  apprehend  Christ,  and  yet  sin  in  the  mean  time  remain- 
 eth verily  in  us),  but  in  very  deed  it  is  no  small  or  light  matter, 
 but  very  weighty  and  of  great  importance.  For  Christ  which 
 was  given  for  us,  and  whom  we  apprehend  by  faith,  hath  done 
 no  pmall  thing  for  us,^  but  (as  Paid  said  before)  "  he  hath  loved 
 U6,  ana  given  himself  in  very  deed  for  us:  he  was  made  accursed 
 
176  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUl/s  [CHAP.  IH. 
 
 for  US,"  &c.  (Gal.  ii.  20.  iii.  13.)  Atid  this  is  no  vain  specu- 
 lation, that  Christ  was  delivered  for  my  sins,  and  was  made 
 accursed  for  me,  that  I  might  be  delivered  from  everlasting- 
 death.  Therefore  to  apprehend  that  Son  by  faith,  (Isa.  ix.  6.) 
 and  with  the  heart  to  believe  in  him  given  imto  us  and  for  us  of 
 God,  causeth  that  God  doth  account  that  faith,  although  it  be 
 imperfect,  for  perfect  righteousness. 
 
 And  here  we  are  altogether  in  another  world,  far  from  reason, 
 where  we  dispute  not  what  we  ought  to  do,  or  with  what  works 
 we  may  deserve  grace  and  forgiveness  of  sins:  but  we  are  in  a 
 matter  of  most  high  and  heavenly  divinity,  where  we  do  hear 
 this  gospel  or  glad  tidings,  that  Christ  died  for  us,  and  that  we, 
 believing  this,  are  counted  righteous,  though  sins  notwithstand- 
 ing do  remain  in  us,  and  that  great  sins.  So  our  Saviour  Christ 
 also  defineth  the  righteousness  of  faith. — "The  Father,"  saith 
 '•e  "loveth  yon."  Wherefore  doth  he  love  you?  Not  because 
 ye  were  Pharisees,  unreprovable  in  the  righteousness  of  the  law, 
 circumcised,  doing  good  works,  fasting,  &c.  but  because  I  have 
 chosen  you  out  of  the  world,  and  ye  have  done  nothing,  but  that 
 ye  have  loved  me  and  believed  that  I  came  out  from  the  Father. 
 This  object  (I)  being  sent  from  the  Father  into  the  world,  pleased 
 you.  And  because  you  have  apprehended  and  embraced  this 
 object,  therefore  the  Father  loveth  you,  and  therefore  ye  please 
 him.  And  yet  notwithstanding  in  another  place  he  calleth  them 
 evil,  and  commandeth  them  to  ask  forgiveness  of  their  sms. 
 These  two  tilings  are  quite  contrary:  to  wit,  that  a  Christian  is 
 righteous  and  beloved  of  God,  and  yet  notwithstanding  he  is  a 
 sinner.  For  God  cannot  deny  his  own  nature ;  that  is,  he  must 
 needs  hate  sin  and  sinners:  and  this  he  doth  of  necessity,  for 
 otherwise  he  should  be  unrighteous  and  love  sin.  How  then  can 
 these  two  contradictions  stand  together:  I  am  a  sinner,  and  most 
 worthy  of  God's  wrath  and  indignation;  and  yet  the  Father 
 loveth  me?  Here  nothing  cometh  between,  but  only  Christ  the 
 mediator.  The  Father,  saith  he,  doth  not  therefore  love  you 
 because  ye  are  worthy  of  love,  but  because  ye  have  loved  me, 
 and  have  believed  that  I  came  out  from  him,  (John  xvi.  27. 
 John  xviii.  8.) 
 
 Thus  a  Christian  man  abideth  in  true  humility,  feeling  sin  in 
 him  eifectually,  and  confessing  himself  to  be  worthy  of  wrath, 
 the  judgment  of  God,  and  everlasting  death  for  the  same,  that 
 he  may  be  humbled  in  this  life:  and  yet  notwithstanding  he  con- 
 tinueth  still  in  his  holy  pride,  in  the  which  he  turneth  unto 
 Christ,  and  in  him  he  lifteth  up  himself  against  this  feeling  of 
 God's  wrath  and  judgment,  and  believeth  that,  not  only  the 
 remnants  of  sin  are  not  imputed  unto  him,  but  that  also  he  is 
 loved  of  the  Father,  not  for  his  own  sake,  but  for  Christ's  sake, 
 whom  the  Father  loveth. 
 
 Hereby  now  we  may  see  how  faith  justifieth  without  woiks. 
 ftud  yet  notwithstanding,  hoAV  imputation  of  righteousness  is  also 
 
▼IB.  e,  7.J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  117 
 
 necessary.  Sins  do  remain  in  us,  which  God  utterly  hateth. 
 Therefore  it  is  necessary  that  we  should  have  imputation  of 
 rig'hteousness,  which  we  obtain  through  Christ  and  for  Christ's 
 sake,  who  is  g'iven  unto  us  and  received  of  us  by  faith.  In  the 
 mean  time,  as  long-  as  we  live  here,  we  are  carried  and  nourished 
 in  the  bosom  of  the  mercy  and  long-suiFerance  of  God,  until  the 
 body  of  sin  be  abolished,  and  we  raised  up  as  new  creatures  in 
 that  great  day.  Then  shall  there  be  new  heavens  and  a  new 
 earth,  in  which  righteousness  shall  dwell.  In  the  mean  Avhile, 
 under  this  heaven  sin  and  wicked  men  do  dwell,  and  the  godly 
 also  have  sin  dwelling  in  them.  For  this  cause,  Paul  (Rom.  vii.) 
 complaineth  of  sin  which  remaineth  in  the  saints  :  yet  notwith- 
 standing he  saith  afterwards,  in  the  eighth  chapter,  "  that  there 
 is  no  damnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ  Jesus."  Now,  how 
 shall  these  things,  so  contrary  and  repugnant,  be  reconciled  to- 
 2'ether:  that  sin  in  us  is  no  sin?  that  he  which  is  damnable,  shall 
 not  be  condemned?  that  he  which  is  rejected,  shall  not  be  re- 
 
 i'ected?  that  he  which  is  worthy  of  the  wrath  of  God  and  ever- 
 asting  damnation,  shall  not  be  punished?  The  only  reconciler 
 hereof  is  the  mediator  between  God  and  man,  even  the  man 
 Jesus  Christ,  as  Paul  saith:  "  there  is  no  condemnation  to 
 them  which  are  in  Christ  Jesus,"  (1  Tim.  i.  15.  Rom.  viii.  1.) 
 
 Verse  7    Know  ye  therefore,  that  they  which  are  of  faith,  the  same  are  tlie 
 children  of  Abraham. 
 
 This  is  the  general  argument  and  whole  disputation  of  Paul 
 against  the  Jews,  that  they  which  believe  are  the  children  of 
 Abraham,  and  not  they  which  are  born  of  his  flesh  and  his 
 blood,  ( Rom.  ix.  7,  8.)  This  disputation  Paul  vehemently  pro- 
 secuteth  in  this  place,  and  in  the  fourth  and  ninth  chapters  to 
 the  Romans.  For  this  was  the  greatest  confidence  and  glory 
 of  the  Jews:  "we  are  the  seed  and  children  of  Abraham."  He 
 was  circumcised  and  kept  the  law:  therefore,  if  we  will  be  the 
 true  children  of  Abraham,  we  must  follow  our  father,  &c.  It 
 was,  no  doubt,  an  excellent  glory  and  dignity  to  be  the  seed  of 
 Abraham;  for  no  man  could  deny  but  that  God  spake  to  the 
 seed,  and  of  the  seed  of  Abraham.  But  this  prerogative  nothing 
 profited  the  unbelieving  Jews.  By  reason  whereof  Paid,  espe- 
 cially in  this  place,  mightily  striveth  against  this  argument,  and 
 wrestethfrom  the  Jews  this  strong  affiance  in  themselves;  and 
 this  could  he,  as  the  elect  vessel  of  Christ  (Acts  ix.  15.)  do 
 above  all  other.  For  if  we  at  the  beginning  should  have 
 disputed  with  the  Jews  without  Paul,  peradventure  we  should 
 have  prevailed  very  little  against  them. 
 
 So,  when  Paul  reasoneth  against  the  Jews  which  stood  so 
 proudly  in  this  opinion,  that  they  were  the  children  of  Abraham, 
 saying :  "  we  are  the  seed  of  Abraham."  Well,  Avhat  then  ? 
 Abraham  was  circmncised  and  kept  the  law :  we  do  the  same. 
 All  this  I  grant :  but  will  ye  therefore  look  to  be  justified  antl 
 
 N 
 
f  Kd  COMMFNTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CHAP.   III. 
 
 saved?  Nay,  not  so.  But  let  us  come  to  the  patriarch  Abraham 
 himself,  and  let  us  see  by  what  means  he  was  justified  and  saved. 
 Doubtless,  not  for  his  excellent  virtues  and  holy  works :  not 
 because  he  forsook  his  country,  kindred,  and  father's  house:  not 
 because  he  was  circumcised  and  observed  the  law:  not  because 
 he  was  about  to  oifer  up  in  sacrifice,  at  the  commandment  of  God, 
 his  son  Isaac,  in  whom  he  had  the  promise  of  posterity;  but 
 because  he  believed,  (Gen.  xii.  1.  xvii.  24.  xxii.  1,  3.)  Wherefore 
 he  was  not  justified  l)y  any  other  means  than  by  faith  alone.  If 
 ye  then  will  be  justified  by  the  law,  much  more  oughi  Abraham 
 your  father  to  be  justified  by  the  law.  But  Abraham  could  not 
 otherwise  be  justified,  nor  receive  forgiveness  of  sins  and  the 
 Holy  Ghost,  than  by  faith  alone.  Since  this  is  true  by  the 
 testimony  of  the  scripture,  why  stand  ye  so  much  upon  circum- 
 cision and  the  law,  contending-  that  ye  have  righteousness  and 
 salvation  thereby,  whereas  Abraham  himself,  your  father,  your 
 fountain  and  head-spring,  of  whom  ye  do  so  much  glory,  wa'» 
 justified  and  saved  without  these,  by  faith  alone?  What  can  b. 
 said  against  this  argument? 
 
 Paul  therefore  concludeth  with  this  sentence:  "  they  Avhich 
 are  of  faith,  are  the  children  of  Abraham,"  that  corporal  birth 
 or  carnal  seed  maketh  not  the  children  of  Abraham  before  God. 
 As  though  he  would  say,  thei-e  is  none  before  God  accounted 
 as  the  child  of  this  Abraham  (who  is  the  servant  of  God,Avhoni 
 God  hath  chosen  and  made  righteous  by  faith)  through  carnal 
 generation:  but  such  children  must  be  given  him  before  God, 
 as  he  was  a  father.  But  he  was  a  father  of  faith,  was  justified 
 and  pleased  God,  not  because  he  could  beget  children  after  the 
 flesh,  not  because  he  had  circimacision  and  the  law,  but  because 
 be  believed  in  God.  He  therefore  that  Avill  be  a  child  of  the 
 believing  Abraham,  must  also  himself  believe,  or  else  he  is  not 
 a  child  of  the  elect,  the  beloved  and  the  justified  Abraham,  but 
 only  of  the  begetting  Abi'aham,  which  is  nothing  else  but  a  man 
 conceived,  born,  and  wrapped  in  sin,  without  the  forgiveness  of 
 sins,  without  faith,  without  the  Holy  Ghost,  as  another  man  is, 
 and  therefore  condemned.  Such  also  are  the  children  carnally 
 begotten  of  him,  having  nothing  in  them  like  unto  their  father, 
 but  flesh  and  blood,  sin  and  death :  therefore  these  are  also 
 damned.  This  glorious  boasting  then :  "  we  are  the  seed  of 
 Abraham,"  (John  viii.  33,  39.)  is  to  no  purpose. 
 
 This  argument  Paul  setteth  out  plainly  in  the  ninth  to  the 
 Romans,  by  two  examples  of  the  holy  scripture.  The  first  is  of 
 Ishmael  and  Isaac,  which  were  both  the  seed  and  natural  chil- 
 dren of  Abraham ;  and  yet,  notwithstanding,  Ishmael  (Avhich  was 
 begotten  of  Abraham,  as  Isaac  was,  yea,  and  should  also  have 
 been  the  first  begotten,  if  carnal  generation  had  had  any  pre- 
 rogative, or  could  have  made  children  to  Abraham)  is  shut  out. 
 and  yet  the  scripture  saith,  "  in  Isaac  shall  thy  seed  be  calh'd." 
 The  second  is  of  Esa  i  and  Jacob,  who  when  they  were  as  vet  lu 
 
VEIl    7.1  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  179 
 
 their  mother's  womb,  and  had  done  neither  good  nor  evil,  it 
 was  said :  "  the  elder  shall  serve  the  younger.  I  have  loved 
 Jacob,  and  Esau  have  I  hated."  Therefore  it  is  plain,  that  they 
 which  are  of  faith,  are  the  children  of  Abraham. 
 
 But  some  will  here  object  (as  the  Jews  do,  and  certain  cavil- 
 ling spirits  at  this  day)  saying-,  that  this  word  faith,  in  the  He- 
 brew, signifieth  truth,  and  therefore  we  do  not  rightly  apply  it  • 
 and  moreover,  that  this  place  out  of  Gen.  xv.  5.,  speaketh  of  a 
 corporal  thing,  namely,  of  the  promise  of  posterity,  and  there- 
 fore is  not  well  applied  of  Paul  to  faith  in  Christ,  but  ought 
 simply  to  be  understood  of  the  faith  of  Abraham,  whereby  he 
 believed  according  to  the  promise  of  God,  that  he  shoidd  have 
 seed;  and  hereby  they  would  prove  that  the  arguments  and  al- 
 legations of  Paul  do  conclude  nothing.  In  like  manner  they  may 
 cavil  also,  that  the  place  which  Paul  a  little  after  allegeth  out  of 
 Heb.  ii.  4.,  speaketh  of  faith  as  touching  the  full  accomplishing 
 of  the  whole  vision,  and  not  of  faith  only  in  Christ,  for  the  which 
 Paul  allegeth  it.  Likewise  they  may  wrest  all  the  eleventh 
 chapter  to  the  Hebrews,  which  speaketh  of  faith  and  the  exam- 
 ples of  faith.  By  these  things  such  vain- glorious  and  arrogant 
 spirits  do  hunt  for  praise,  and  seek  to  be  counted  wise  and 
 learned,  where  they  least  of  all  deserve  it.  But  because  of  the 
 simple  and  ignorant,  we  will  briefly  answer  to  their  cavillations. 
 
 To  the  fu'st  I  answer  thus:  that  faith  is  nothing  else  but  the 
 truth  of  the  heart;  that  is  to  say,  a  true  and  a  right  opinion  of 
 the  heart  as  touching  God.  Now,  faith  only  think  eth  and 
 judgeth  rightly  of  God,  and  not  reason.  And  then  doth  a  man 
 think  rightly  of  God,  when  he  believeth  his  word.  But  when 
 he  will  measure  God  without  the  word;  and  believe  him  accord- 
 ing to  the  wisdom  of  reason,  he  hath  no  right  opinion  of  God  in 
 his  heart,  and  therefore  he  cannot  think  or  judge  of  him  as  he 
 should  do.  As  for  example,  when  a  monk  imagineth  that  his 
 cowl,  or  shaven  crown,  and  his  vows  do  please  God,  and  that 
 grace  and  everlasting  life  is  given  unto  him  for  the  same,  he 
 hath  no  true  opinion  of  God,  but  false  and  full  of  iinpiety. 
 Truth  therefore  is  faith  itself,  which  judgeth  rightly  of  God, 
 namely,  that  God  regardeth  not  our  woi'ks  and  righteousness, 
 because  we  are  unclean;  but  that  he  will  have  mercy  upon  us, 
 look  upon  us,  accept  us,  justify  us,  and  save  us,  if  we  believe  in 
 his  Son,  whom  he  hath  sent  to  be  a  sacrifice  for  the  sins  of  the 
 whole  world,  (1  John  ii.  2.)  This  is  a  true  opinion  of  God,  and 
 in  very  deed  nothing  else  but  faith  itself.  I  cannot  comprehend 
 nor  be  fully  assured  by  reason,  that  I  am  received  into  God's 
 favour  for  Christ's  sake:  but  I  hear  this  to  be  pronounced  by 
 the  gospel,  and  I  lay  hold  upon  it  by  faith. 
 
 To  the  second  cavillatiou  I  answer,  that  Paul  doth  rightly 
 allege  the  place  out  of  the  fifteenth  of  Genesis,  applying  it  to 
 faith  in  Christ.  For  with  faith  always  must  be  joined  a  cer- 
 tain assui-ance  of  God's  mercy.     Now  this  assurance  compre- 
 
180  COMMtNTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP,  III. 
 
 liendeth  a  faithful  trust  of  remission  of  sins  for  Christ's  sake. 
 For  it  was  impossible  that  thy  conscience  should  look  for  any 
 thing  at  God's  hand,  except  first  it  be  assured  that  God  is  mer- 
 ciful unto  thee  for  Christ's  sake.  Therefore  all  the  promises  are 
 to  be  referred  to  that  first  promise  concerning  Christ;  "  the 
 seed  of  the  woman  shall  bruise  the  serpent's  head,"  (Gen.  iii.  15.) 
 So  did  all  tlie  prophets  both  understand  it  and  teach  it.  By  this 
 we  may  see  that  the  faith  of  our  fathers  in  the  Old  Testament, 
 and  ours  now  in  the  New  is  all  one,  although  they  differ  as  touch- 
 ing their  outward  objects.  \Miich  thing  Peter  Avitnesseth  in 
 the  Acts,  when  he  saith,  "  which  neither  we  nor  our  fathers  were 
 able  to  bear.  But  we  believe  through  the  grace  of  our  Lord 
 .lesus  Christ,  to  be  saved  even  as  they  did,"  (Acts  xv.  10,  11.) 
 And  Paul  saith :  "  our  fathers  did  all  drink  of  that  spiritual 
 rock  that  followed  them,  which  rock  was  Christ,"  (1  Cor.  x.  4.) 
 And  Christ  himself  saith:  "  Abraham  rejoiced  to  see  my  day,  and 
 he  saw  it  and  was  glad,"  (John  viii.  56.)  NotAvithstanding  thf? 
 faith  of  the  fathers  was  gi'ounded  on  Christ  Avhich  was  to  come, 
 as  ours  is  on  Christ  which  is  now  come.  Abraham,  in  his  time, 
 was  justified  by  faith  in  Christ  to  come,  but  if  he  lived  at  this 
 day,  he  would  be  justified  by  faith  in  Christ,  now  revealed  and 
 present;  like  as  T  have  said  before  of  Cornelius,  who  at  the 
 first  believed  in  Christ  to  come,  but  being  instructed  by  Peter, 
 he  believed  that  Christ  was  already  come,  (Acts  x.  1,  3.) 
 Therefore  the  diversity  of  times  never  changeth  faith,  nor  the 
 Holy  Ghost,  nor  the  gifts  thereof.  For  there  hath  been,  is, 
 and  ever  shall  be,  one  mind,  one  judg-ment  and  understanding 
 concerning  Christ,  as  well  in  the  ancient  fathers,  as  in  the 
 faithful,  which  are  at  this  day,  and  shall  come  hereafter.  So 
 Ave  have  as  well  Christ  to  come  and  believe  in  him,  as  tiie  fa- 
 thers in  the  Old  Testament  had;  for  Ave  look  for  him  to  come 
 again  in  the  last  day  Avith  glory,  to  judge  both  the  quick  and 
 the  dead,  whom  noAv  we  believe  to  be  come  already  for  our 
 salvation.  Therefore  this  allegation  of  Paul  offendeth  none 
 but  those  blind  and  ignorant  cavillers. 
 
 Paul  therefore,  as  I  have  said,  rightly  allegeth  that  place  out 
 of  Genesis,  of  faith  in  Christ,  when  he  speaketh  of  the  faith  of 
 Abraham;  for  all  the  promises  past,  were  contained  in  Christ 
 to  come.  Therefore  as  Avell  Abraham  and  the  other  fathers,  as 
 also  we,  are  made  righteous  by  faith  in  Christ:  they  by  faith  in 
 him  then  to  come,  we  by  faith  in  him  noAv  present.  For  Ave  en- 
 treat now  of  the  nature  and  manner  of  justification,  which  is  all 
 one,  both  in  them  and  in  us,  whether  it  be  in  Christ  to  be  re- 
 vealed, or  in  Christ  noAV  revealed  and  present.  It  is  enough, 
 therefore,  that  Paul  sheweth  that  the  law  justifieth  not,  but  only 
 faith,  Avhetlier  it  be  in  Christ  to  come,  or  in  Christ  already  come. 
 
 At  this  day  also  Christ  to  some  is  present,  to  other  some  he  is 
 to  come.  To  all  believers  he  is  present;  to  the  unbelievers  he 
 is  not  yet  come,  neither  doth  he  profit  them  any  thing  at  ail! 
 
VER.  7,  8.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIAN8.  181 
 
 but  if  they  hear  the  gospel,  and  believe  that  he  is  present  unto 
 them,  he  justifieth  and  saveth  them. 
 
 Ver£E  7.     Ye  know  therefore,  that  they  which  are  of  faith,  the  same  are  th« 
 children  uf  Abraham. 
 
 As  if  he  would  say,  ye  know  by  this  example  of  Abraham, 
 and  by  the  plain  testimony  of  the  scripture,  that  they  are  the 
 children  of  Abraham  which  are  of  faith,  whether  they  be  Jews 
 or  Gentiles,  without  any  respect  either  unto  the  law,  or  unto 
 works,  or  to  the  carnal  generation  of  the  fathers.  For  not  by 
 the  law,  but  by  the  righteousness  of  faith,  the  promise  Avas  made 
 unto  Abraham,  that  he  should  be  heir  of  the  world :  that  is  to 
 say,  that  in  his  seed  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  should  be 
 blessed,  and  that  he  should  be  called  the  father  of  nations.  And 
 lest  the  Jews  should  falsely  interpret  this  word  nations,  apply- 
 ing it  unto  themselves  alone,  the  scripture  prevent eth  this,  and 
 saith  not  only,  "a  father  of  nations:"  but  "a  father  of  many 
 nations  have  I  made  thee,"  (Gen.  xvii.  4.  Rom.  iv,  17.)  There- 
 fore Abraham  is  not  only  the  father  of  the  Jews,  but  also  of  the 
 Gentiles. 
 
 Hereby  we  may  plainly  see  that  the  children  of  Abraham  are 
 not  the  children  of  the  flesh,  but  the  children  of  faith,  as  Paul, 
 Rom.  iv.  declareth:  "who  is  the  father  of  us  all,  (as  it  is  Avrit- 
 ten,  I  have  made  thee  a  father  of  many  nations),  even  before 
 God,  whom  he  did  believe."  So  that  Paul  maketh  two  Abra- 
 hams, a  begetting  and  a  believing  Abraham.  Abraham  hath  chil- 
 dren, and  is  a  father  of  many  nations. — Where?  Before  God, 
 where  he  believeth ;  not  before  the  world,  Avhere  he  begetteth. 
 
 For,  in  the  world,  he  is  a  child  of  Adam,  and  a  sinner,  or, 
 which  is  more,  he  is  a  worker  of  the  righteousness  of  the  law, 
 living  after  the  rule  of  reason,  that  is,  after  the  manner  of  men; 
 but  this  pertaineth  nothing  to  the  believing  Abraham. 
 
 This  example  therefore  of  Abraham,  wrappeth  in  it  the  holy 
 scripture  itself,  which  saith  that  we  are  counted  righteous  by 
 faith.  Wherefore  this  is  a  strong  and  a  mighty  argument  two 
 manner  of  ways,  both  by  the  example  of  Abraham,  and  also  by 
 the  authority  of  the  scripture. 
 
 Verse  8.     For  the   Scripture  foreseeing  that  God  would  justify  the  Gentiles 
 
 through  faith. 
 
 These  things  pertain  to  the  former  argument.  As  if  he  should 
 say,  ye  Jews  do  glory  in  the  law  above  measure:  ye  highly  com- 
 mend Moses,  because  God  spake  unto  him  in  the  bush,  &g.  As 
 the  Jews  do  proudly  brag  against  us  (as  I  myself  at  sundry  times 
 heard)  sapng,  ye  Christians  have  apostles,  ye  have  a  Pope,  and 
 ye  have  bishops;  but  we  Jews  have  patriarchs,  prophets,  yea 
 we  have  God  himself,  who  spake  unto  us^in  the  busn,  in  Sinai, 
 where  he  gave  unto  us  the  law,  and  in  the  temple,  &c.  Such  a 
 glory  and  such  an  excellent  testimony  allege  ye  for  yourselvoi 
 
I8B  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  Ill, 
 
 against  us,  if  ye  can.  To  this  answereth  Paul,  the  apostle  of 
 the  Gentiles:  this  your  proud  bragging'  and  boasting  is  to  no 
 puqiose,  for  the  scripture  preventeth  it,  and  foresa  »v,  long  before 
 the  law,  that  the  Gentiles  should  not  be  justified  by  the  law,  but 
 oy  the  blessing  of  Abraham's  seed,  which  was  promised  unto 
 him  (as  Paid  saith  afterwards)  four  hundred  and  thirty  years 
 before  the  law  was  given.  Now  the  law  being  given  so  many 
 years  after,  could  not  hinder  or  abolish  this  promise  of  the  bles- 
 sing made  unto  Abraham,  but  it  hath  continued  firm,  and  shall 
 continue  for  ever.     What  can  the  Jews  answer  to  this? 
 
 This  argument,  grounded  upon  the  certainty  of  time,  is  very 
 strong.  The  promise  of  blessing  is  given  unto  Abraham  four 
 hundred  and  thirty  years  before  the  people  of  Israel  received 
 the  law.  For  it  is  said  to  Abraham:  because  thou  hast  believed 
 God,  and  hast  given  glory  unto  him,  therefore  thou  shalt  be  a 
 "father  of  many  nations,"  (Gen.  xvii.  4.)  There  Abraham,  by 
 the  promise  of  God,  is  appointed  a  father  of  many  nations,  and 
 the  inheritance  of  the  world  for  his  posterity  and  issue  after  him, 
 is  given  unto  him  before  the  law  was  published.  Why  do  ye 
 then  brag,  O  ye  Galatians,  that  ye  obtain  forgiveness  of  sins, 
 and  are  become  children,  and  do  receive  the  inheritance  through 
 the  law,  which  followed  a  long  time,  that  is  to  say,  four  hun- 
 dred and  thirty  years,  after  the  promise? 
 
 Thus  the  false  apostles  did  advance  the  law  and  the  glory 
 thereof. — But  the  promise  made  unto  Abraham,  foiu"  hundred 
 and  thirty  years  before  the  law  was  given,  they  neglected  and 
 despised,  and  woidd  in  nowise  know  that  Abraham  (of  Avliom 
 they  gloried  notwithstanding,  as  the  father  of  their  Avhole  nation) 
 being  yet  uncircumcised,  and  living  so  many  ages  before  the  law, 
 was  made  righteous  by  no  other  means  than  by  faith  alone,  as 
 the  scriptiu'e  most  plainly  witnesseth:  "Abraham  believed  God, 
 and  it  was  counted  to  him  for  righteousness,"  (Gen.  xv.  6.) 
 Afterwards,  when  he  was  now  accounted  righteous  because  of 
 his  faith,  the  scriptui'e  maketh  mention  of  circumcision,  in  the 
 seventeenth  of  Genesis,  where  it  saith:  "  This  is  my  covenant 
 which  ye  shall  keep  between  me  and  you,"  (Gen.  xvii.  10.) 
 With  this  argument  Paid  mightily  convinceth  the  false  apos- 
 tles, and  sheweth  plainly  that  Abraham  was  justified  by  faith 
 oidy,  both  without  and  before  circumcision,  and  also  four  hun- 
 dred and  thirty  years  before  the  law.  This  self-same  argument 
 he  handleth  in  the  fom*th  chapter  to  the  Romans;  to  wit,  that 
 righteousness  was  imputed  to  Abraham  before  cu'cumcision, 
 and  that  he  was  righteous  being  yet  uncircumcised:  much  more 
 then  he  was  righteous  before  the  law. 
 
 Therefore,  saith  Paul,  the  scripture  did  well  provide  against 
 this  your  glorious  bragging  of  the  righteousness  of  the  law  and 
 works.  When?  Before  circumcision  and  before  the  law.  For 
 the  law  was  given  four  hundred  and  thirty  years  after  the  pro- 
 mise, whereas  Abraham  was  not  only  justified  without  the  law 
 
VExt.   8.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  183 
 
 and  before  the  law,  but  was  also  dead  and  buried;  and  his  right- 
 eousness without  the  law  did  not  only  flourish  until  the  law,  but 
 also  shall  flourish  even  to  the  end  of  the  world.  If,  then,  the 
 father  of  the  whole  Jewish  nation  was  made  righteous  without 
 the  law  and  before  the  law,  much  more  are  the  children  made 
 righteous  by  the  same  means  that  tlieir  father  was.  Therefore 
 righteousness  cometh  by  faith  only,  and  not  by  the  law. 
 
 Verse 8.  Preached  the  Gospel  before  unto  Abraham,  saying:  In  thee  shall  ali 
 the  Gentiles  be  blessed, 
 
 Tlie  Jews  do  not  only  lightly  pass  over,  but  also  do  deride, 
 and  with  their  wicked  glosses  do  corrupt  these  excellent  and  no- 
 table sentences:  "Abraham  believed  God,"  &c.  "  I  have  ap- 
 pointed thee  a  father,"  &c.  and  such  like,  which  highly  com- 
 mend faith,  and  contain  promises  of  spiritual  things.  For  they  are 
 blind  and  hard-hearted,  and  therefore  they  see  not  that  these 
 places  do  entreat  of  faith  towards  God,  and  of  righteousness  before 
 God.  With  like  malice  also  they  handle  this  notable  place  of  the 
 spiritual  blessing:  "In  thee  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  shall  be 
 blessed,"  (Gen.  xii.  3.  Acts  iii.  25.)  For,  say  they,  to  bless  signi- 
 fied nothing  else  but  to  praise,  to  pray  for  prosperity,  and  to  be 
 glorious  in  the  sight  of  the  v/orld.  After  this  manner,  the  Jew, 
 say  they,  which  is  born  of  the  seed  of  Abraham,  is  blessed:  and 
 the  proselyte  or  stranger  which  worshippeth  the  God  of  the  Jews, 
 and  joineth  himself  unto  them,  is  also  blessed.  Therefore  they 
 think  that  blessing  is  nothing  else  but  praise  and  glory  in  this 
 world;  in  that  a  man  may  glory  and  vaunt  that  he  is  of  the 
 stock  and  family  of  Abraham.  But  this  is  to  corrupt  and  pervert 
 the  sentences  of  the  scriptures,  and  not  to  expound  them.  By 
 these  words,  "  Abraham  believed,"  Paul  defineth,  and  setteth  be- 
 fore our  eyes  a  spiritual  Abraham,  faitlifid,  righteous,  and  having 
 the  promise  of  God;  an  Abraham,  I  say,  which  is  not  in  error, 
 and  in  the  old  flesh:  which  is  not  born  of  Adam,  but  of  the 
 Holy  Ghost.  And  of  this  Abraham,  renewed  by  faith  and  re-* 
 generate  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  speaketh  the  scripture,  and  pro- 
 no  unceth  of  him,  that  he  should  be  a  father  of  many  nations: 
 also,  that  all  the  Gentiles  should  be  given  unto  him  for  an  inheri- 
 tance, when  it  saith:  "in  thee  shall  all  the  nations  of  the  earth 
 be  blessed."  This  Paul  vehemently  urgetli  by  the  authority  of 
 the  scripture  which  saith, "Abraham  believed  God,"  &c.  Gen.xv. 
 
 The  scripture  then  attributeth  no  righteousness  to  Abraham, 
 but  in  that  he  belie veth:  and  it  speaketh  of  such  an  Abraham, 
 as  he  is  accounted  before  God.  Such  sentences  therefore  of  the 
 scripture  do  set  forth  unto  us  a  new  Abraham,  which  is  separate 
 from  the  carnal  marriage  and  bed,  and  from  the  carnal  genera- 
 tion, and  make  him  such  a  one  as  he  is  before  God;  that  is  to 
 say,  believing  and  justified  through  faith:  to  whom  now  God 
 maketh  this  promise  because  of  his  faith:  "  thou  shalt  be  a  father 
 of  many  nations."     Again,  "  in  thee  shall  all  the  nations  of  the 
 
184  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  i^CHAP.  III. 
 
 earth  be  blessed."  And  this  is  the  meaning  of  Paa'i,  where  he 
 sheweth  how  the  scripture  preventeth  the  vain  presumption  and 
 proud  brags  of  the  Jews  as  touching  the  law.  For  the  inheritance 
 of  the  Gentiles  was  given  unto  Abraham,  not  by  the  law  and  cir- 
 cumcision, but  long  before  the  same,  by  the  only  righteousness 
 of  faith. 
 
 Therefore,  whereas  the  Jews  Avill  be  counted  and  called  blessed, 
 because  they  are  the  children  and  seed  of  Abraham,  it  is  nothing 
 else  but  a  vain-glorious  brag.  It  is,  no  doubt,  a  great  preroga- 
 tive and  glory  before  the  world,  to  be  born  of  Abraham's  seed, 
 as  Paul  sheweth,  Rom.  ix.  but  not  so  before  God.  Wherefore 
 the  Jews  do  wickedly  pervert  this  place  concerning  the  blessing, 
 in  applying  it  only  to  a  carnal  blessing,  and  do  great  injury  to 
 the  scripture,  which  speaketh  most  manifestly  of  the  spiritual 
 blessing  before  God,  and  neither  can  or  ought  otherwise  to  be 
 understood.  This  is  then  the  true  meaning  of  this  place:  "  In 
 thee  shall  be  blessed."  In  which  thee?  In  thee  Abraham  believ- 
 ing, or  in  thy  faith,  or  in  Christ  (thy  seed)  to  come,  in  whom 
 thou  believest,  "all  the  nations  of  the  earth  (I  say)  shall  be 
 blessed;"  that  is,  all  the  nations  shall  be  thy  blessed  children, 
 even  like  as  thou  art  blessed:  as  it  is  written,  "so  shall  thy  seed 
 be."  (Gen.  xv.  5.) 
 
 Hereof  it  folio  weth  that  the  blessing  and  faith  of  Abraham  is 
 the  same  that  ours  is;  that  Abraham's  Christ  is  our  Christ;  that 
 died  as  well  for  the  sins  of  Abraham,  as  for  us.  Abraham 
 which  saw  my  day  and  rejoiced,  (John  viii.)  Therefore  all  found 
 one  and  the  same  thing.  We  may  not  suffer  this  word  blessing 
 to  be  corrupted.  The  Jews  look  but  through  a  veil  into  the 
 scripture,  and  therefore  they  understand  not  what  or  Avhereof 
 the  promise  is,  which  was  made  to  the  fathers;  which  we  not- 
 withstanding ought  to  consider  above  all  things:  so  shall  we 
 see  that  God  speaketh  to  Abraham,  the  patriarch,  not  of  the  law 
 nor  of  things  to  be  done,  but  of  things  to  be  believed;  that  is 
 'to  say,  that  God  speaketh  unto  him  or  promises  which  are  ap- 
 prehended by  faith.  Now,  what  doth  Abraham?  He  believeth 
 those  promises.  And  what  doth  God  to  that  believing  Abra- 
 ham? He  impute th  faith  unto  him  for  righteousness;  and 
 addeth  further  many  more  promises:  as,  "I  am  thy  defender. 
 In  thee  shall  all  nations  be  blessed.  Thou  shalt  be  a  father 
 of  many  nations.  So  shall  thy  seed  be,"  (Gen.  xv.  1.  xii.  3. 
 XV.  5.)  These  are  invincible  arguments,  against  the  which 
 nothing  can  be  said,  if  the  places  of  the  holy  scripture  be 
 thoroughly  considered. 
 
 Verse  9,   So  then  they  which  are  of  faith,  are  blessed  with  faithful  Abraham. 
 
 All  the  weight  and  force  hereof  lieth  in  these  words,  "  With 
 faithful  Abraham."  For  he  putteth  a  plain  difference  between 
 Abraham  and  Abraham;  of  one  and  the  self-same  person 
 making  two.     As  if  he  said:   There  is  a  working,  and  there  is 
 
VEB.  9.]  EIISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  185 
 
 a  believing  Abraham.  With  the  working  Abraham  we  have 
 nothing  to  do.  For  if  he  be  justified  by  works,  he  hath  to 
 rejoice,  but  not  Avith  God.  Let  the  Jews  glory  as  much  as  they 
 will  of  that  begetting  Abraham,  which  is  a  Avorker,  is  circum- 
 cised, and  keepeth  the  law;  but  we  glory  of  the  faithful  Abraham, 
 of  whom  the  scripture  saith,  that  he  received  the  blessing  of 
 righteousness  through  his  faith,  not  only  for  himself,  but  also  for 
 all  those  which  believe  as  he  did;  and  so  the  world  was  promised 
 to  Abraham,  because  he  believed.  Therefore  all  the  world  is 
 blessed;  that  is  to  say,  receiveth  imputation  of  righteousness,  if 
 it  believe  as  Abraham  did. 
 
 Wherefore  the  blessing  is  nothing  else  but  the  promise  of  the 
 gospel.  And  that  all  nations  are  blessed,  is  as  much  as  to  say, 
 as  all  nations  shall  hear  the  blessing;  that  is,  the  promise  of  God 
 shall  be  preached  and  published  by  the  gospel  among  all  nations. 
 And  out  of  this  place  the  prophets  have  drawn  many  prophecies 
 by  spiritual  understanding:  as,  "Ask  of  me,  and  I  will  give 
 thee  the  heathen  for  thine  inheritance,  and  the  ends  of  the  earth 
 for  thy  possession."  (Ps.  ii.  8.)  And  again,  "Their  voice  hath 
 gone  through  all  the  earth."  (Ps.  xix.)  Briefly,  all  the  pro- 
 phecies of  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  and  of  the  publishing  of  the 
 gospel  throughout  all  the  world,  have  sprung  out  of  this  place ; 
 "In  thee  shall  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  be  blessed."  Where- 
 fore to  say  that  the  nations  are  blessed,  is  nothing  else  but  that 
 righteousness  is  freely  given  unto  them;  or  that  they  are  count- 
 ed righteous  before  God,  not  by  the  law,  but  by  the  hearing  of 
 faith;  for  Abraham  was  not  justified  by  any  other  means  than 
 by  hearing  the  word  of  promise,  of  blessing,  and  of  grace. 
 Therefore  like  as  Abraham  obtained  imputation  of  righteousness 
 by  the  hearing  of  faith,  even  so  did  all  the  Gentiles  obtain,  and 
 yet  do  obtain  the  same.  For  the  same  word  that  was  first  de- 
 clared unto  Abraham,  was  also  afterAvard  published  to  all  the 
 Gentiles. 
 
 Hereby  then  we  see  that  to  bless  signifieth  nothing  else,  but 
 (as  I  said  before)  to  preach  and  teach  the  word  of  the  gospel,  to 
 confess  Christ,  and  to  spread  abroad  the  knowledge  of  him  among 
 all  the  Gentiles.  And  this  is  the  priestly  office,  and  continual 
 sacrifice  of  the  church  in  the  New  Testament,  which  distributeth 
 this  blessing  by  preaching  and  by  ministering  of  the  sacraments, 
 by  comforting  the  broken-hearted,  by  distributing  the  Avord  of 
 grace  Avh\ch  Abraham  had,  and  Avhich  was  also  his  blessing; 
 which  Avhen  he  believed,  he  received  the  blessing.  So  Ave  also 
 believing  the  same  are  blessed.  And  this  blessing  is  a  great 
 glory,  not  before  the  Avorld,  but  before  God.  For  we  have 
 heard  that  our  sins  are  forgiven  us,  and  that  Ave  are  accepted 
 of  God:  that  God  is  our  father,  and  that  Ave  are  his  children; 
 with  Avhom  he  Avill  not  be  angry,  but  will  deliver  us  from  sin, 
 from  death,  and  all  evils,  and  will  give  unto  us  righteousness, 
 life,  and  eternal  salvation.     Of  this  blessing  (as  I  have  said) 
 
186  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 do  the  prophets  preach  in  every  place,  who  did  not  so  coldly 
 consider  those  promises  made  unto  the  fathers  as  the  wick- 
 ed Jews  did,  and  as  the  popish  schoolmen  and  sectaries  do 
 dt  this  day,  hut  did  read  them  and  weigh  them  with  great 
 diligence,  and  also  drew  out  of  those  promises  whatsoever  they 
 prophesied  concerning-  Christ  or  his  kingdom.  So  the  prophecy 
 of  Hosea — "I  will  redeem  them  from  the  power  of  the  grave: 
 I  will  deliver  them  from  death:  O  death,  I  will  be  thy  death: 
 O  grave,  I  will  be  thy  destruction,"  (Hos.  xiii.  14.)  and  such 
 like  places  of  the  other  prophets,  did  all  spring  out  of  these 
 promises,  in  the  which  God  promised  to  the  fathers  the  bruising 
 of  the  serpent's  head,  and  the  blessing  of  all  nations.  (Gen. 
 iii.  15.) 
 
 Moreover,  if  the  nations  be  blessed,  that  is  to  say,  if  they 
 be  accounted  righteous  before  God,  it  followeth  that  they  are 
 free  from  sin  and  death,  and  are  made  partakers  of  righteous- 
 ness, salvation,  and  everlasting  life,  not  for  their  works,  but  for 
 their  faith  in  Christ.  Wherefore  that  place  of  Gen.  xii.  3,  "In 
 thee  shall  all  the  nations  be  blessed,"  speaketh  not  of  the  bless- 
 ing of  the  mouth,  but  of  such  a  blessing  as  belongeth  to  the  im- 
 putation of  righteousness,  which  is  available  before  God,  and  re- 
 deemeth  from  the  curse  of  sin,  and  from  all  those  evils  that  do 
 accompany  sin.  Now,  this  blessing  is  received  only  by  faith ;  for 
 the  text  saith  plainly,  "Abraham  believed,  audit  was  accounted 
 unto  him  for  righteousness."  Wherefore,  it  is  a  mere  spiritual 
 blessing,  and  there  is  no  blessing  indeed  but  this:  Avhich  although 
 it  be  accursed  in  the  world  (as  indeed  it  is)  yet  is  it  available 
 before  God.  This  place  therefore  is  of  great  force,  that  they, 
 Avhich  are  of  faith,  are  become  partakers  of  this  promise  of  tlie 
 Idessing  made  unto  the  believing  Abraham.  And  by  this  means 
 Paul  preventeth  the  cavillation  of  the  Jews,  which  brag  of  a 
 begetting  and  a  working  Abraham,  and  just  before  men,  and 
 not  of  a  believing  Abraham. 
 
 Now,  like  as  the  Jews  do  glory  only  of  a  working  Abraham, 
 even  so  the  Pope  setteth  out  only  a  working  Christ,  or  rather 
 an  example  of  Christ.  He  that  will  live  godly  (saith  he)  must 
 walk  as  Christ  hath  walked,  according  to  his  own  saying  in  John 
 xiii.  15,  "1  have  given  you  an  example,  that  you  should  do  even 
 as  I  have  done  to  you."  We  deny  not  but  that  the  faithful 
 ought  to  follow  the  example  of  Christ,  and  to  work  well;  but  we 
 say  that  they  are  not  justified  thereby  before  God.  And  Paul 
 doth  not  here  reason  what  we  ought  to  do,  but  by  what  means 
 we  are  made  righteous.  In  this  matter  we  must  set  nothing  else 
 before  oiu'  eyes,  but  Jesus  Christ  dying  for  oui*  sins,  and  rising 
 again  for  our  righteousness;  and  him  must  we  apprehend  by 
 faith,  as  a  gift,  not  as  an  example.  This,  reason  understandeth 
 not;  and  therefore  as  the  Jews  follow  a  working  and  not  a  be- 
 lieving Abraham,  even  so  the  Papists,  and  all  that  seek  right- 
 eousness by  works,  do  behold  and  apprehend,  not  a  justifying, 
 
VEIL   9. J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  1151 
 
 but  a  working'  Christ:  and  by  this  means  they  swerve  from 
 Christ,  from  righteousness  and  salvation.  And  like  as  the  Jews, 
 which  were  saved,  ought  to  follow  the  believing  Abraham,  so 
 we  also,  if  we  will  be  delivered  from  our  sins  and  be  saved, 
 must  take  hold  of  the  justifying  and  saving  Christ,  whom 
 Abraham  himself  also,  by  faith,  did  apprehend,  and  through 
 him  was  blessed. 
 
 It  was  indeed  a  great  glory  that  Abraham  received  circumci- 
 sion at  the  commandment  of  God,  that  he  was  endued  with 
 excellent  vh-tues,  that  he  obeyed  God  in  all  things:  as  it  is  also 
 a  gi'eat  praise  and  felicity  to  follow  the  example  of  Christ  Avork- 
 ing,  to  love  thy  neighbour,  to  do  good  to  them  that  hurt  thee, 
 to  pray  for  thine  enemies,  patiently  to  bear  the  ingratitude  of 
 those  which  render  evil  for  good;  but  all  this  availeth  nothing 
 to  righteousness  before  God.  The  excellent  deeds  and  virtues 
 of  Abraham  Avere  not  the  cause  that  he  was  accounted  righteous 
 before  God;  so  likewise  the  imitation  and  following  of  the 
 example  of  Christ  doth  not  make  us  righteous  before  God. 
 For,  to  make  us  righteous  before  God,  there  is  a  far  more 
 excellent  price  required,  which  is  neither  the  righteousness  of 
 man,  nor  yet  of  the  law.  Here  we  must  have  Christ  to  bless 
 us  and  save  us,  like  as  Abraham  had  him  for  his  blesser  and 
 saviour.  How?  Not  by  works,  but  by  faith.  Wherefore,  as 
 there  is  great  difference  between  the  believing  and  the  working 
 Abraham;  so  there  is  great  difference  between  Christ  blessing 
 and  redeeming,  and  Christ  working  and  giving  example.  Now 
 Paul  speaketh  here  of  Christ  redeeming,  and  Abraham  believ- 
 ing; and  not  of  Christ  giving  example,  or  of  Abraham  working. 
 Therefore  he  addeth  purposely,  and  that  with  great  vehe- 
 mency,  "They  which  are  of  faith,  are  blessed  with  faithful 
 Abraham." 
 
 Wherefore  we  must  separate  the  believing  and  the  working 
 Abraham  as  far  asunder  as  there  is  distance  between  heaven  and 
 earth.  A  man,  believing  in  Christ,  is  altogether  a  divine  person, 
 the  child  of  God,  the  inheritor  of  the  world,  a  conqueror  of  sin, 
 death,  the  world,  and  the  devil:  therefore  he  cannot  be  praised 
 and  magnified  enough.  Let  us  not  suffer  this  faithful  Abraham 
 to  lie  hid  in  his  grave,  as  he  is  hid  from  the  Jews;  but  let  us 
 highly  extol  and  magnify  him;  and  let  us  fill  both  heaven  and 
 earth  with  his  name;  so  that,  in  respect  of  this  faithful  Abraham, 
 we  see  nothing  at  all  in  the  working-  Abraham.  For  when  we 
 speak  of  this  faithful  Abraham,  we  ai*e  in  heaven.  But  after- 
 wards, doing  those  things  which  the  working  Abraham  did,  which 
 were  carnal  and  earthly,  not  divine  and  heavenly,  (but  inasmuch 
 as  they  were  given  unto  him  of  God,)we  are  among  men  in  earth. 
 The  believing  Abraham  therefore  filleth  both  heaven  and  earth. 
 So  every  Christian,  through  his  faith,  filleth  heaven  and  earth; 
 so  that,  besides  it,  he  ought  to  behold  nothing. 
 
 Now,  by  these  words,  *' shall  be  blessed,"  Paul  gatheretb 
 
188  COMME>fTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CHAP.   111. 
 
 an  argument  of  the  contrary:  for  the  scripture  is  full  of  opposi- 
 tions, as  when  two  contraries  are  compared  together.  And  it  is 
 a  point  of  cunning  to  mark  well  these  oppositions  in  the  scrip- 
 tures, and  by  them  to  expound  the  sentences  thereof.  As  here 
 this  word  "  blessing"  importeth  also  the  contrary;  that  is  to 
 say,  "  malediction."  For  when  the  scripture  saith  that  all  na- 
 tions which  are  of  faith  are  blessed  with  faithful  Abraham,  it 
 folio weth  necessarily  that  all,  as  well  Jews  as  Gentiles,  are  ac- 
 cursed without  faith,  or  without  the  faithful  Abraham.  "  For 
 the  promise  of  blessing  was  given  to  Abraham,  that  in  him  all 
 nations  should  be  blessed."  There  is  no  blessing  then  to  be 
 looked  for,  but  only  in  the  promise  made  unto  Abraham,  now 
 published  by  the  gospel  throughout  the  whole  world.  There- 
 fore, whatsoever  is  without  that  blessing,  is  accursed.  And  this 
 Paul  sheweth  plainly  when  he  saith, 
 
 Verse   10.     For  as  many  as  are  of  ihe  works  of  the  law,  are  accursed. 
 
 Here  ye  see  that  the  curse  is  as  it  were  a  flood,  swallowing  up 
 whatsoever  is  without  Abraham;  that  is  to  say,  without  faith, 
 and  the  promise  of  the  blessing  of  Abraham.  Now  if  the  law  it- 
 self, given  by  Moses  at  the  commandment  of  God,  maketh  them 
 subject  to  the  curse  which  ai  e  under  it,  much  more  shall  the  laws 
 and  traditions  so  do,  which  a/e  devised  by  man.  He  therefore 
 that  will  avoid  the  curse,  musv  lay  hold  upon  the  promise  of 
 blessing,  or  upon  the  faith  of  Aoraham,  or  else  he  shall  remain 
 under  the  curse.  Upon  this  placo  therefore,  "shall  be  blessed 
 in  thee,"  it  foUoweth,  that  all  nations,  whether  they  were  before 
 Abraham,  in  liis  time,  or  after,  are  accursed,  and  shall  abide 
 under  the  eiu"se  for  ever,  imless  they  be  blessed  in  the  faith  of 
 Abraham,  imto  whom  the  promise  of  the  blessing  was  given  to 
 be  published  by  his  seed  throughout  the  whole  world. 
 
 To  know  these  things  it  is  very  necessary,  for  they  help 
 greatly  to  comfort  troubled  and  afflicted  consciences;  and  more- 
 over they  teach  us  to  separate  the  righteousness  of  faith  from  the 
 righteousness  of  the  flesh,  or  civil  righteousness.  For  we  must 
 note  that  Paul  is  here  in  hand,  not  with  a  matter  of  policy,  but 
 with  a  divine  and  spiritual  matter,  lest  any  mad-brain  should 
 ca>il,  and  say  that  he  curseth  and  condemneth  politic  laws  and 
 magistrates.  Here  all  the  sophisters  and  popish  schoolmen  are 
 dumb,  and  can  say  nothing.  Wherefore  the  readers  must  be 
 admonished  that  in  this  place  there  is  nothing  handled  as  touch- 
 ing civil  laws,  manners,  or  matters  political,  (which  are  the  ordi- 
 nances of  God,  and  good  things,  and  the  scripture  elsewhere  ap- 
 proveth  and  commendeth  the  same),  but  of  a  spiritual  righteous- 
 ness, by  the  which  we  are  justified  before  God,  and  are  called  the 
 children  of  God  iti  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  To  be  brief,  there 
 is  nothing  handled  here  concerning  the  bodily  life,  but  concern- 
 ing everlasting  life,  where  no  blessing  is  to  be  hoped  for,  or 
 righteousness  to  be  sought,  either  through  the  law,  or  traditions. 
 
TER.  10.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  189 
 
 or  whatsoever  can  be  named  in  this  life,  besides  the  promise  of 
 Abraham's  blessing.  Let  the  civil  laws  and  ordinances  abide  in 
 their  place  and  order;  let  the  magistrate  make  never  so  good 
 and  excellent  laws;  yet  notwithstanding  they  deliver  no  man 
 from  the  curse  of  God's  law.  The  kingdom  of  Babylon,  ordained 
 of  God,  and  by  him  committed  unto  kings,  had  excellent  laws, 
 and  all  nations  were  commanded  to  obey  tliem:  notwithstanding, 
 the  obedience  of  the  laws  did  not  saA'e  it  from  the  curse  of  the 
 law  of  God.  In  like  manner  we  obey  the  laws  of  princes  and 
 magistrates,  but  we  are  not  therefore  righteous  before  God: 
 for  here  we  are  in  another  matter. 
 
 It  is  not  without  cause  that  I  do  so  diligently  teach  and  re- 
 peat this  distinction;  for  the  knowledge  thereof  is  very  necessary. 
 Albeit  there  are  few  that  mark  it  or  understand  it  indeed. 
 Again,  the  confounding  and  mingling  together  of  the  heavenly 
 and  civil  righteousness,  is  very  easy.  In  the  civil  righteousness 
 we  must  have  regard  to  laws  and  works:  but  in  tlie  spiritual, 
 divine,  and  heavenly  righteousness,  we  must  utterly  reject  all 
 laws  and  works,  and  set  tlie  only  promise  and  blessing  before 
 our  eyes,  which  layeth  before  us  Christ  the  giver  of  this  blessing 
 and  grace,  and  our  only  Saviom*.  So  that  this  spiritual  righte- 
 ousness, secluding  the  law  and  iill  works,  looketh  only  unto  the 
 grace  and  blessing  which  is  given  by  Christ,  as  it  was  promised 
 to  Abraham,  and  of  him  believed. 
 
 Hereby  we  may  plainly  see  that  this  argument  is  invincible. 
 For  if  we  must  hope  to  receive  this  blessing  by  Christ  alone, 
 then  it  must  needs  follow  of  the  contrary,  that  it  is  not  received 
 by  the  law.  For  the  blessing  was  given  to  faithful  Abraham 
 before  the  law  and  without  the  law.  Now,  like  as  Abraham  be- 
 lieved in  Christ  which  was  to  come,  the  giver  of  the  blesshig:  so 
 and  by  the  same  faith  we  believe  in  Christ  which  is  come  and 
 present,  and  so  are  we  now  justified  by  faith,  as  Abraham  was 
 then  justified  by  faith.  They  therefore  which  are  under  the 
 law,  ai'e  not  blessed,  but  remain  under  the  curse. 
 
 This  the  Pope  and  his  proud  prelates  do  not  believe,  nor  can 
 believe,  neither  can  they  abide  this  doctrine.  Yet  must  we  not 
 hold  our  peace,  but  must  confess  the  truth  and  say,  that  the  pa- 
 pacy are  accursed:  yea,  all  the  laws  and  civil  ordinances  of  the 
 emperor  are  accursed;  for,  according  to  Paul,  whatsoever  is  with- 
 out the  promise  and  faith  of  Abraham,  is  accursed.  When  our 
 adversaries  hear  this,  by-and-by  they  pervert  and  slander  our 
 words,  as  though  we  taught  that  the  magistrates  should  not  be 
 honoured,  but  that  we  raise  up  seditions  against  the  emperor, 
 that  we  condemn  all  laws,  that  we  overthrow  and  destroy  com- 
 mon-weals, &c.  But  they  do  us  great  wrong.  For  we  put  a 
 difference  between  the  corporal  and  the  spiritual  blessing,  and  we 
 say  that  the  emperor  is  blessed  with  a  corporal  blessing.  For  to 
 have  a  kingdom,  laws,  and  civil  ordinances,  to  have  a  wife,  chil- 
 dren, house,  and  lands,  is  a  blessing.     For  all  these  things  are 
 
190  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUl's  [CHAP.   Ill, 
 
 the  good  creatures  and  g-ifts  of  God.  But  we  are  not  delivered 
 from  the  everlasting  curse  by  this  corporal  blessing,  which  is  but 
 temporal,  and  must  have  an  end.  Therefore  we  condemn  not 
 laws,  neither  do  Ave  stir  up  sedition  against  the  emperor :  but  we 
 teach  that  he  must  be  obeyed,  that  he  must  be  feared,  reveren- 
 C3d,  and  honoured,  but  yet  civilly.  But  when  we  speak  of  the 
 blesi5ing  after  the  manner  of  divines,  then  we  say  boldly,  witVi 
 ■Paul,  "that  all  things  which  are  without  the  faith  and  promise 
 of  Abraham,  are  accursed  and  abide  under  that  everlasting  curse 
 of  God,"  For  there  we  must  look  for  another  life  after  this, 
 and  another  blessing  after  this  corporal  blessing. 
 
 To  conclude,  we  say,  that  all  corporal  things  are  the  good  crea- 
 tures of  God.  Therefore,  (as  I  have  said)  to  have  wife,  children, 
 goods,  to  have  politic  laws  and  ordinances,  are  the  good  blessings 
 of  God  in  their  place;  that  is  to  say,  they  are  temporal  blessings 
 belonging  to  this  life.  But  these  blessings  the  justiciaries  and 
 law-workers  of  all  ages,  as  the  Jews,  Papists,  sectaries,  and 
 such  like,  do  confound  and  mingle  together.  For  they  put  no 
 difference  between  corporal  and  spiritual  blessings.  Therefore 
 they  say:  "we  have  a  law,  and  this  law  is  good,  ,holy,  and 
 righteous :  therefore  we  are  justified  through  it."  Who  denieth 
 but  that  the  law  is  good,  holy,  and  righteous?  But  yet  it  is  also 
 the  law  of  malediction,  of  sin,  of  wrath,  and  of  death.  There- 
 fore we  make  here  a  distinction  between  the  corporal  and  spiri- 
 tual blessing,  and  say,  that  God  hath  a  double  blessing;  one 
 corporal  for  this  life,  and  another  spiritual  for  the  everlasting 
 life.  Therefore,  to  have  riches,  and  children,  and  such  like,  we 
 say  it  is  a  blessing,  but  in  its  degree;  that  is  to  say,  in  this  life 
 present-  But  as  touching  life  everlasting,  it  is  not  enough  to 
 have  corporal  blessings:  for  the  very  wicked  do  therein  aboimd 
 most  of  all.  It  is  not  sufficient  that  we  have  civil  righteousness 
 or  the  righteousness  of  the  law;  for  therein  also  the  wicked  do 
 specially  flourish.  These  things  God  distributeth  in  the  world 
 freely,  and  bestoweth  them  both  upon  the  good  and  bad,  like  as 
 he  suflfereth  the  sun  to  rise  both  upon  the  good  and  evil,  and 
 sendeth  rain  upon  the  righteous  and  unrighteous:  for  he  is  li- 
 beral unto  all;  and  to  him  it  is  a  small  matter  to  put  all  crea- 
 tures under  the  feet  of  the  wicked.  "The  creature  is  subject 
 to  vanity,  not  of  his  own  will."  (llom.  viii.  20.)  They  there- 
 fore which  have  but  only  these  corporal  blessings,  are  not  the 
 children  of  God,  blessed  before  God  spiritually,  as  was  Abraham: 
 but  they  are  under  the  curse,  as  Paul  here  saith,  "  Whosoever 
 is  under  the  works  of  the  law,  is  under  the  curse." 
 
 Paul  might  have  said,  by  a  general  proposition,  whatsoever  is 
 without  faith,  is  under  the  curse.  He  saith  not  so,  but  he  taketh 
 that  whidi,  besides  faith,  is  the  best,  the  greatest  and  most  excel- 
 lent among  all  corporal  blessings  of  the  world ;  to  wit,  the  law 
 of  God.  The  law,  saith  he,  indeed  is  holy  and  given  of  God- 
 noi^vithstanding  it  doth  nothing  else  but  make  all  men  subject 
 
VEn.   10.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  191 
 
 to  the  curse,  and  keep  them  under  the  same.  Now  if  the  Iuav 
 of  God  do  bring  men  under  the  curse,  much  more  may  the  same 
 be  said  of  inferior  laws  and  blessings.  And  that  it  may  be 
 plainly  understood  Avhat  Paul  calleth  it  to  be  under  the  curse,  he 
 declareth  by  this  testimony  of  the  scripture,  saying, 
 
 Ver.  10.  For  it  is  written, Cursed  is  every  man  that  continueth  not  in  all  things 
 which  are  written  in  the  book  of  the  law,  to  do  them.  (Deut.  xxvii.  26.) 
 
 Paul  goeth  about  to  prove,  by  this  testimony  taken  out  of 
 Deuteronomy,  that  all  men  which  are  under  the  law,  or  under 
 the  works  of  the  laAV,  are  accursed,  or  under  the  curse;  that  is 
 to  say,  under  sin,  the  wrath  of  God,  and  everlasting  death.  For 
 he  speaketh  not  (as  I  have  said  before)  of  a  corporal,  but  of  a 
 spiritual  curse,  which  must  needs  be  the  curse  of  everlasting 
 death  and  hell.  And  this  is  a  wonderful  manner  of  proving. 
 For  Paul  proveth  this  affirmative  sentence,  which  he  borroweth 
 out  of  Moses,  "  Whosoever  are  of  the  works  of  the  laAv,  are 
 under  the  curse,"  by  this  negative,  "cursed  is  every  one  that 
 abideth  not  in  all  things,"  &c.  Now  these  two  sentences  of  Paul 
 and  Moses  seem  clean  contrary.  Paul  saith,  whosoever  shall  do 
 the  works  of  the  law,  is  accursed.  Moses  saith,  whosoever  shall 
 not  do  the  works  of  the  law  are  accursed.  How  shall  these  two 
 sayings  be  reconciled  together?  Or  else  (which  is  more)  how 
 shall  the  one  be  proved  by  the  other?  Indeed,  no  man  can  well 
 understand  this  place,  unless  he  also  know  and  understand  the 
 article  of  justification. 
 
 Paul,  no  doubt,  being  among  the  Galatians,  had  before  more 
 largely  entreated  of  this  matter;  for  else  they  could  not  have 
 understood  it,  seeing  he  doth  here  but  touch  it  by  the  way.  But 
 Oecause  they  had  heard  him  declare  the  same  unto  them  before, 
 they,  being  now  again  put  in  mind  thereof,  do  call  it  to  remem- 
 brance. And  these  two  sentences  are  not  repugnant,  but  do 
 very  well  agree.  We  also  do  teach  in  like  manner:  that  the 
 hearers  of  the  law  are  not  righteous  before  God,  but  the  doers 
 of  the  law  shall  be  justified,  (Rom.  ii.)  And  contrariwise,  they 
 that  are  of  the  works  of  the  law,  are  under  the  curse.  For  the 
 article  of  justification  teacheth,  that  whatsoever  is  without  the 
 faith  of  Abraham,  is  accursed.  And  yet,  notwithstanding,  the 
 righteousness  of  the  law  must  be  fulfilled  in  us,  (Rom.  viii.) 
 To  a  man  that  is  ignorant  of  the  doctrine  of  faith,  these  two 
 sentences  seem  to  be  quite  contrary. 
 
 First  of  all,  therefore,  Ave  must  mark  Avell  Avhereupon  Paul  en- 
 treateth  in  this  place,  whereabout  he  goeth,  and  how  he  looketh 
 into  Moses.  He  is  here  (as  before  I  have  often  said)  in  a  spi- 
 ritual matter,  separated  from  policy  and  from  all  laws,  and  he 
 looketh  into  Moses  with  other  eyes  than  the  hypocrites  and 
 false  apostles  do,  and  expoundeth  the  laAV  spiritually.  Where- 
 fore the  Avhole  effect  of  the  matter  consisteth  in  this  word  (to  do.) 
 Now,  to  do  the  laAV,  is  not  only  to  do  it  outwardly,  but  to  do  it 
 
192  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CHAP.  Ill, 
 
 truly  and  perfectly.  There  be  two  sorts  then  of  doers  of  the 
 law :  the  first  are,  they  which  are  of  the  works  of  the  h w,  against 
 whom  Paul  inveigheth  throughout  all  this  epistle.  The  other 
 sort  are  they  which  are  of  faith,  of  whom  we  will  speak  hereafter. 
 Now,  to  be  of  the  law,  or  of  the  works  of  the  laAv,  and  to  be  of 
 fiiith,  are  quite  contrary,  yea,  even  as  contrary  as  God  and  the 
 devil,  sin  and  righteousness,  death  and  life.  For  they  are  of 
 the  law,  which  would  be  justified  by  the  law.  They  are  of 
 faith,  which  do  assuredly  trust  that  they  are  justified  through 
 mercy  alone,  for  Christ's  sake.  He  which  saith  that  righteousness 
 is  of  faith,  curseth  and  condemneth  the  righteousness  of  works. 
 Contrariwise,  he  which  saith  that  righteousness  is  of  the  law, 
 curseth  and  condemneth  the  righteousness  of  faith.  Therefore 
 they  are  altogether  contrary  the  one  to  the  other. 
 
 He  that  considereth  this,  shall  easily  understand,  that  to  ob- 
 serve the  law,  is  not  to  do  that  which  is  commanded  in  the  law 
 in  outward  shew  only  (as  the  hypocrites  imagine)  but  in  spirit; 
 that  is  to  say,  truly  and  perfectly.  But  where  shall  we  find  him 
 that  will  so  accomplish  the  law?  Let  us  see  him  and  we  will 
 praise  him.  Here  our  adversaries  have  their  answer  ready,  say- 
 ing. The  doers  of  the  law  shall  be  justified  (Rom.ii.)  Very  well. 
 But  let  us  first  define  who  be  these  doers  of  the  law.  They  call 
 him  a  doer  of  the  law,  which  doth  the  works  of  the  law,  and  so 
 by  those  works  going  before,  is  made  righteous.  This  is  not  to 
 do  the  law  according  to  Paul:  for,  as  I  have  said,  to  be  of  the 
 works  of  the  law,  and  to  be  of  faith,  are  contrary  things.  There- 
 fore to  seek  to  be  justified  by  the  works  of  the  law,  is  to  deny 
 the  righteousness  of  faith.  Wherefore  these  justiciaries  and 
 law-workers,  when  they  do  the  law,  even  in  so  doing  deny  the 
 righteousness  of  faith,  and  sin  against  the  first,  the  second  and 
 third  commandment,  yea,  even  against  the  whole  law.  For  God 
 commandeth  that  we  should  worship  him  in  faith,  and  in  the  fear 
 of  his  name.  On  the  contrary  they  make  righteousness  of  works, 
 without  faith  and  against  faith;  therefore  in  that  they  do  the 
 law,  they  do  clean  contrary  to  the  law,  and  sin  most  deadly. 
 For  they  deny  the  righteousness  of  God,  his  mercy,  and  his  pro- 
 mises; they  deny  Christ  with  all  his  benefits,  and  in  their  heart 
 they  establish,  not  the  righteousness  of  the  law,  (which  they  un- 
 derstand not,  and  much  less  do  it),  but  a  mere  fantasy  and  an  idol 
 of  the  law.  Therefore  we  must  needs  say,  that  not  only  in  do- 
 ing of  the  law,  they  do  it  not,  but  also  they  sin,  and  deny  the 
 divine  Majesty  in  ail  his  promises.  And  to  this  end  the  law  was 
 not  given. 
 
 Wherefore,  they,  not  understanding  the  law,  abuse  the  law, 
 and  as  Paid  saith:  "They  being  ignorant  of  the  righteousness 
 of  God,  and  seeking  to  establish  their  own  righteousness,  have 
 not  submitted  themselves  to  the  righteousness  of  God,"  (Rom.  x. 
 3.)  For  they  are  blind,  and  know  not  how  to  judge  of  faith  and 
 of  the  promises,  and  therefore  without  all  understanding  tho\ 
 
VER.  10.1  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIAN  193 
 
 rush  into  the  scripture,  taking  hold  but  of  one  part  thereof  to 
 wit,  the  law,  and  this  they  imagine  that  they  are  able  to  fulfil  by 
 works.  But  this  is  a  very  dream,  a  bewitching  and  illusion  of 
 the  heart:  and  that  righteousness  of  the  law,  which  they  think 
 they  do  fulfil,  is  nothing  else,  in  very  deed,  but  idolatry  and 
 blasphemy  against  God.  Therefore  it  cannot  be  but  they  must 
 needs  abide  under  the  curse. 
 
 It  is  impossible  therefore  that  we  should  do  the  law  in  such 
 sort  as  they  imagine,  and  much  less  that  we  should  be  justified 
 thereby.  This  thing  first  the  law  itself  testifieth,  which  hath  a 
 clean  contrary  effect;  for  it  increaseth  sin,  it  worketh  wrath,  it 
 accuseth,  it  terrifieth,  and  condemneth.  How  then  should  it 
 justify?  Moreover,  the  promise  also  sheweth  the  very  same 
 thing.  For  it  was  said  unto  Abraham:  "In  thee  shall  all  the 
 nations  of  the  earth  be  blessed,"  (Gen.  xii.)  There  is  no  bles- 
 sing therefore  but  in  the  promise  of  Abraham;  and  if  thou  be 
 without  that  promise,  thou  art  under  the  curse.  If  thou  be 
 under  the  curse,  thou  fulfillest  not  the  law,  because  thou  art 
 under  sin,  the  devil,  and  everlasting  death;  all  which  do  as- 
 suredly follow  the  curse.  To  conclude,  if  righteousness  should 
 come  by  the  law,  then  should  the  promise  of  God  be  in  vain,  and 
 in  vain  should  he  pour  out  his  blessing  in  so  great  abundance. 
 Therefore  when  God  saw  that  we  could  not  fulfil  the  law,  he 
 provided  for  this  long  before  the  law,  and  promised  the  blessing 
 to  Abraham,  saying,  "In  thee  shall  all  the  nations  of  the  earth 
 be  blessed."  And  so  hath  he  testified  that  all  the  nations  should 
 be  blessed,  not  by  the  law,  but  through  the  promise  made  unto 
 Abraham.  They  therefore  that  lay  hold  on  the  law,  and  seek 
 to  be  justified  thereby,  despising  the  promise,  are  accursed. 
 
 Wherefore  (to  do)  is,  first  of  all  to  believe,  and  so  through 
 faith  to  perform  the  law.  We  must  first  receive  the  Holy  Ghost, 
 wherewith  we  being  lightened  and  made  new  creatui  es,  begin  to 
 do  the  law,  that  is  to  say,  to  love  God  and  our  neighbour.  But 
 the  Holy  Ghost  is  not  received  through  the  law  (for  they  which 
 are  under  the  law,  as  Paul  saith,  are  under  the  curse)  but  by 
 the  hearing  of  faith,  that  is  to  say,  through  the  promise.  We 
 must  be  blessed  only  with  Abraham  in  the  promise  made  unto 
 him,  and  in  his  faith.  Therefore,  before  all  things,  we  must  hear 
 and  receive  the  promise,  which  setteth  out  Christ,  and  offereth 
 him  to  all  believers;  and  when  they  have  taken  hold  upon  him 
 by  faith,  the  Holy  Ghost  is  given  unto  them  for  his  sake.  Then 
 do  they  love  God  and  their  neighbour,  then  do  they  good  works, 
 then  do  they  carry  the  cross  patiently.  This  is  to  do  the  law  in- 
 deed; otherwise  the  law  remaineth  always  undone.  Wherefore  if 
 thou  wilt  define  truly  and  plainly  what  it  is  to  do  the  law,  it  is 
 nothing  else,  but  to  believe  in  Jesus  Clirist,  and  when  the  Holy 
 Ghost  is  received  through  faith  in  Christ,  to  work  those  things 
 which  are  commanded  in  the  law;  and  otherwise  we  are  not 
 fibJo  to  perform  the  law.     For  the  scripture  saith  that  there 
 
 o 
 
J  94  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [cHAP.  UI 
 
 is  no  blessing  without  the  promise;  no,  not  in  the  law.     It  is 
 impossible,  therefore,  to  accomplish  the  law  without  the  promise. 
 
 There  is  not  one  therefore  to  be  found  in  all  the  world,  unto 
 whom  this  name  and  title,  to  be  called  a  doer  of  the  law,  apper- 
 taineth,  without  the  promise  of  the  gospel.  ^Vllerefore  this  word 
 (doer  of  the  law)  is  a  feigned  term,  which  no  man  understandeth 
 unless  he  be  without  and  above  the  law  in  the  blessing  and  faith 
 of  Abraham.  So  that  the  true  doer  of  the  law  is  he,  who  re- 
 ceiving the  Holy  Ghost  through  faith  in  Christ,  beginneth  to  love 
 God  and  to  do  good  unto  his  neighbour.  So  that  this  word  (to 
 do  the  law)  must  comprehend  faith  also  which  maketh  the  tree, 
 and  when  the  tree  is  made,  then  follow  the  fruits.  The  tree 
 must  be  first,  and  then  the  fruit.  For  the  apples  make  not  the 
 tree,  but  the  tree  maketh  the  apples.  So  faith  first  maketh  the 
 person  Avhich  afterwards  bringeth  forth  works.  Therefore  to  do 
 the  law  without  faith,  is  to  make  the  apples  of  wood  and  earth, 
 without  the  tree:  which  is  not  to  make  apples,  but  mere  fantasies. 
 Contrariwise,  if  the  tree  be  made,  that  is  to  say,  the  person  or 
 doer,  which  is  made  through  faith  in  Christ,  works  will  follow. 
 For  the  doer  must  needs  be  before  the  things  which  are  done, 
 and  not  the  things  which  are  done  before  the  doer. 
 
 The  doer  then  is  not  so  called  of  the  things  that  are  done,  but 
 of  the  things  that  are  to  be  done.  For  Christians  are  not  made 
 righteous  in  doing  righteous  things,  but  being  now  made  righte- 
 ous by  faith  in  Christ,  they  do  righteous  things.  In  politic 
 matters  it  cometh  so  to  pass,  that  the  doer  or  worker  is  made  of 
 the  things  which  are  wrought,  as  a  man  in  playing  the  carpenter 
 becometh  a  carpenter;  but  in  divine  matters  the  workers  are 
 not  made  of  the  works  going  before,  but  the  persons  made  and 
 framed  already  by  faith,  which  is  in  Christ,  are  now  become 
 doers  and  workers.  Of  such  speaketh  Paul,  when  he  saith, 
 "  the  doers  of  the  law  shall  be  justified,"  (Rom.  ii.  13.)  that  is, 
 shall  be  counted  righteous. 
 
 Yea,  the  very  sophisters  and  schoolmen  are  compelled  to  con- 
 fess, and  so  they  teach  also,  that  a  moral  work  outwardly  done, 
 if  it  be  not  done  with  a  pure  heart,  a  good-will,  and  true  intent, 
 it  is  but  hypocrisy.  And  hereof  cometh  the  proverb  among  the 
 Germans,  such  a  cowl  covereth  many  a  knave.  For  the  vilest  and 
 the  wickedest  knave  in  the  world  may  counterfeit  the  same  works 
 that  a  godly  man  worketh  by  faith.  Judas  did  the  same  works  that 
 the  other  apostles  did.  What  fault  was  there  in  the  works  of 
 Judas,  seeing  he  did  the  self-same  works  that  the  other  apostles 
 did?  Here  mark  what  the  popish  sophister  answereth  out  of  his 
 moral  philosophy.  Although  he  did  the  self-same  works,  saith 
 he,  which  the  other  apostles  did,  notwithstanding,  because  the 
 person  was  reprobate,  and  the  judgment  of  reason  perverse, 
 therefore  his  works  were  hypocritical  and  not  true,  as  were  the 
 works  of  the  other  apostles,  how  like  soever  they  seemed  to  be 
 in  outward  shew.  Wherefore  they  themselves  are  constrained  to 
 
VEK.   lO.J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  195 
 
 grant,  in  politic  and  external  matters,  works  do  not  justify,  unless 
 there  be  joined  withal  an  upright  heart,  will,  and  judgment. 
 How  much  more  are  they  compelled  to  confess  the  same  in  spiri- 
 tual matter,  where  before  all  things,  there  must  be  a  knowledge 
 of  God,  and  faith  which  may  purify  the  heart?  They  walk  there- 
 fore in  works  and  in  the  righteousness  of  the  law,  as  Judas  did 
 in  the  works  of  the  apostles;  not  understanding  what  they  say 
 or  what  they  affirm.  And  although  Paul  saith  plainly  every 
 where  that  the  law  justifieth  not,  but  causeth  wrath,  utter eth 
 sin,  revealeth  the  indignation  and  judgment  of  God,  and  threat- 
 eneth  everlasting  death;  yet  notwithstanding,  reading  these 
 things,  they  see  them  not,  much  less  do  they  understand  them. 
 Therefore  they  deserve  not  to  be  called  hypocrites,  but  visors 
 and  shadows  of  disguised  h}^^ocrites,  most  miserably  bewitched, 
 in  that  they  dream  that  they  are  justified  by  the  works  of  the 
 law.  Wherefore,  as  I  have  said,  this  word  "doer  of  the  law," 
 as  they  define  it,  is  an  imagined  term,  a  very  monster,  and  no 
 where  to  be  found. 
 
 Wherefore,  when  Paul  proveth  this  place,  "  Wliosoever  are 
 of  the  works  of  the  law,  are  under  the  curse,"  (Gal.  iii.)  by  this 
 sentence  of  Moses,  "cursed  is  every  one  that  abideth  not  in  all 
 that  is  written  in  this  book,"  he  proveth  not  one  contrary  by 
 another,  as  at  the  first  sight  it  may  appear,  but  he  proveth  it 
 rightly  and  in  due  order.  For  Moses  meaneth  and  teacheth 
 the  self-same  thing  that  Paul  doth  when  he  saith,  "cursed  is 
 every  one  which  doth  not  all,"  &c.  But  no  man  doth  them. 
 Therefore  whosoever  are  of  the  works  of  the  law,  keep  not  the 
 law.  If  they  keep  it  not,  they  are  under  the  curse,  But  seeing 
 there  be  two  sorts  of  men  that  are  doers  of  the  law,  (as  before  I 
 have  said)  that  is  to  say,  true  doers  and  hypocrites:  the  true 
 doers  must  be  separated  from  the  hypocrites.  The  true  doei's 
 of  the  law  are  they  which  through  faith,  are  the  good  tree  be- 
 fore the  fruit,  doers  and  workers  before  the  works.  Of  these 
 speaketh  Moses  also;  and  except  they  be  such,  they  are  under 
 the  curse.  But  the  hypocrites  are  not  of  this  sort;  for  they 
 think  to  obtain  righteousness  by  works,  and  by  them  to  make 
 the  person  just  and  acceptable.  For  thus  they  dream :  we  that 
 are  sinners  and  unrighteous,  will  be  made  righteous.  How  shall 
 that  be?  By  good  works.  Therefore  they  do  even  like  as  a  fool- 
 ish builder,  which  goeth  about  the  roof  to  make  the  foundation, 
 of  the  fruit  to  make  the  tree.  For  when  they  seek  to  be  justi- 
 fied by  works,  of  the  works  they  would  make  the  worker,  which 
 is  directly  against  Moses,  which  maketh  such  a  worker  subject 
 to  the  cui'se  as  well  as  Paul  doth.  Therefore  while  they  go 
 about  to  do  the  law,  they  not  only  do  it,  but  also  deny  (as  I 
 have  said)  the  first  commandment,  the  promises  of  God,  the 
 ■promised  blessing  of  Abraham,  they  renounce  faith,  and  they  go 
 about  to  make  themselves  blessed  by  their  own  works:  that  is 
 to  say,  to  justify  themselves,  to  deliver  themselves  from  sin  and 
 
196  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 death,  to  overcome  the  devil,  and  violently  to  lay  hold  upon  the 
 kingdom  of  heaven.  And  this  is  plainly  to  renounce  God,  and  to 
 set  themselves  in  the  place  of  God.  For  all  these  are  the  woi'ks 
 of  the  divine  majesty  alone,  and  not  of  any  creature,  either  in 
 heaven  or  in  earth. 
 
 Hereupon  Paul  was  ahle  easily  to  foreshew,  out  of  the  first 
 commandment,  the  abominations  that  were  to  come,  which  Anti- 
 christ should  bring-  into  the  church.  For  all  they  which  teach 
 that  any  other  worship  is  necessary  to  salvation,  than  that  which 
 God  requireth  of  us  by  the  first  commandment,  which  is  the 
 fear  of  God,  faith  and  the  love  of  God,  are  plain  Antichrists,  and 
 set  themselves  in  the  place  of  God.  That  such  shoidd  come, 
 Christ  himself  foretold  when  he  saith.  Matt.  xxiv.  5.  "Many 
 shall  come  in  my  name,  saying-,  I  am  Christ."  So  we  also  at  this 
 day  may  boldly  and  easily  pronounce,  that  whosoever  seeketh 
 righteousness  by  works  without  faith,  denieth  God,  and  maketh 
 himself  God.  For  thus  he  thinketh :  If  I  do  this  work,  I  shall 
 be  righteous,  I  shall  be  a  conqueror  of  sin,  death,  the  devil,  the 
 wrath  of  God,  and  of  hell,  and  shall  obtain  life  everlasting. 
 And  what  is  this  else,  I  pray  you,  but  to  challenge  that  work 
 unto  himself  which  doth  belong  to  God  alone,  and  to  shew  in- 
 deed that  he  himself  is  God?  Therefore  it  is  an  easy  matter 
 for  us  to  prophesy,  and  most  certainly  to  judge  of  all  those  which 
 are  without  faith,  that  they  are  not  only  idolators,  but  very  in- 
 fidels, which  deny  God,  and  set  themselves  in  the  place  of  God. 
 Upon  the  same  ground  Peter  also  prophesieth  when  he  saith: 
 "There  shall  be  amongst  you  false  teachers,  which  privily  shall 
 bring  in  damnable  heresies,  and  shall  deny  the  Lord,  &c.  and 
 make  merchandise  of  the  people,"  (2  Pet.  ii.  1,  2.) 
 
 And  in  the  Old  Testament  all  the  prophecies  against  idolatry 
 sprang  out  of  the  first  commandment.  For  all  the  wicked  kings 
 and  prophets,  with  all  the  unfaithful  people,  did  nothing  else  but 
 that  which  the  pope  and  all  hypocrites  always  do.  They,  con- 
 temning the  first  commandment  and  worship  appointed  of  God, 
 and  despising  the  promise  of  Abraham's  seed,  even  that  seed  in 
 whom  all  nations  should  be  blessed  and  sanctified,  ordained  a 
 wicked  worship  clean  contrary  to  the  word  of  God,  and  said: 
 With  this  worship  will  we  serve  God  and  set  out  his  praise, which 
 hath  brought  us  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt.  So  Jeroboam  made 
 two  golden  calves  and  said:  "Behold  thy  Gods,  O  Israel,  which 
 brought  thee  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,"  (1  Kings  xii.  28.) 
 This  he  said  of  the  true  God  which  had  redeemed  Israel,  and 
 yet  both  he  and  all  his  people  were  idolators :  for  they  worship- 
 ped God  contrary  to  the  first  commandment.  They  oidy  re- 
 garded the  work:  which  being  done,  they  counted  themselves 
 righteous  before  God.  And  what  was  this  else,  but  to  deny 
 God  himself,  whom  they  confessed  with  their  mouth,  and  said, 
 "that  he  had  brought  them  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt?"  Paul 
 speaketh  of  such  idolators  w^eu  he  saith:  "they  confess  that 
 
VER.  10.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  197 
 
 they  know  God,  but  in  their  deeds  they  deny  him,"  (Tit. 
 i.  ]6.) 
 
 Wherefore  all  hypocrites  and  idolators  go  about  to  do  those 
 works  which  properly  pertain  to  the  divine  Majesty,  and  belong 
 to  Christ  only  and  alone.  Indeed  they  say  not  in  plain  words, 
 I  am  God,  I  am  Christ;  and  yet  in  very  deed  they  proudly  chal- 
 lenge unto  themselves  the  divinity  and  office  of  Christ,  and 
 therefore  it  is  as  much  in  effect  as  if  they  said:  I  am  Christ;  I 
 am  a  savioui',  not  only  of  myself^  but  also  of  others. — This  the 
 monks  have  not  only  taught,  but  also  have  made  the  whole  world 
 to  believe :  to  wit,  that  they  are  able,  not  only  to  make  them- 
 selves righteous  through  their  hypocritical  holiness,  but  also 
 others  unto  whom  they  communicate  the  same:  whereas  not- 
 withstanding it  is  the  proper  and  only  office  of  Christ  to  justify 
 the  sinner.  The  Pope,  in  like  manner,  by  publishing  and  spread- 
 ing his  divinity  throughout  the  whole  world,  hath  denied  and 
 utterly  buried  the  office  and  divinity  of  Christ. 
 
 It  is  expedient  that  these  things  should  be  wall  taught  and 
 well  weighed:  for  thereby  we  may  learn  to  judge  of  the  whole 
 Christian  doctrine,  and  the  life  of  man;  also  to  confirm  men's 
 consciences;  to  understand  all  prophecies  and  all  the  holy  scrip- 
 tures, and  rightly  to  judge  of  all  other  things.  He  that  know- 
 eth  all  these  things  rightly,  may  certainly  judge  that  the  pope 
 is  Antichrist,  because  he  teacheth  a  far  other  manner  of  worship 
 than  the  first  table  setteth  out.  He  may  perfectly  know  and 
 understand  what  it  is  to  deny  God,  to  deny  Christ,  and  what 
 Christ  meaneth  when  he  saith,  "  many  shall  come  in  my  name, 
 saying,  I  am  Christ;"  (Matt.  xxiv.  5.)  what  it  is  to  be  against 
 God,  and  to  be  lifted  up  above  aU  that  is  called  God,  or  that  is 
 worshipped;  what  it  signifieth  that  Antichrist  sitteth  in  the  tem- 
 ple of  God,  shewing  himself  as  God;  what  it  is  to  see  the  abomi- 
 nation of  desolation  standing  in  the  holy  place,  &c.  (2Thess.  ii.  4. 
 Matt.  xxiv.  15.   Mark  xiii.  14.  Dan.  Lx.  27.) 
 
 Now  hereof  spring  all  these  mischiefs,  that  this  cursed  hypo- 
 crisy will  not  be  made  righteous  by  the  divine  blessing,  nor 
 created  anew  of  God  the  Creator.  It  will  in  no  wise  be  a  pa- 
 tient, or  suffer  any  thing  to  be  wrought  in  her;  but  ^vill  needs 
 be  altogether  an  agent,  and  work  those  things  which  she  should 
 suffer  God  to  work  in  her  and  receive  of  him. — Therefore  she 
 maketh  herself  a  creator  and  a  justifier  through  her  own  works, 
 despising  the  blessing  promised  and  given  to  Abraham  and  to 
 his  believing  children:  so  that  every  hypocrite  is  both  the  mat- 
 ter and  the  worker:  (although  this  be  against  philosophy,  for 
 one  and  the  self-same  thing  cannot  work  upon  itself)  the  matter, 
 because  he  is  a  sirmer;  the  worker,  becaiise  he  putteth  on  a 
 cowl,  or  chuseth  some  other  work,  through  the  which  he  hopeth 
 to  deserve  grace,  and  to  save  himself  and  others :  therefore  he 
 b  both  the  creature  and  the  creator.  No  man  therefore  can  ex- 
 press with  words,  how  exeorjl  e  and  horrible  it  is  to  seek 
 
198  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUl's  [CHAP.    HJ, 
 
 rlg-hteousness  in  the  law  by  works  without  the  blessing.  For  it  is 
 the  abomination  standing  in  the  holy  place,  which  denieth  God, 
 and  setteth  up  the  creature  in  the  place  of  the  creator. 
 
 The  doers  of  the  law  therefore  are  not  the  hypocrites,  o  b- 
 serving  the  law  outwardly;  but  the  true  believers,  Avho,  receiving 
 the  Holy  Ghost,  do  accomplish  the  law;  that  is  to  say,  they  love 
 Gad  and  their  neighbour,  &c.  So  that  the  true  doer  of  the  law 
 is  to  be  understood,  not  in  respect  of  the  works  Avhich  he  work- 
 eth,  but  in  respect  of  the  persan  now  regenerate  by  faith.  For 
 according  to  the  gospel,  they  that  are  made  righteous,  do 
 righteous  things;  but  according  to  philosophy  it  is  not  so:  but 
 contrariwise,  they  that  do  righteous  things,  are  made  just  and 
 righteous.  Therefore  we,  being  justified  by  faith,  do  good  works; 
 through  the  which  (as  it  is  said,  2  Pet.  i.)  our  calling  and  elec- 
 tion is  confirmed,  and  from  day  to  day  is  made  more  sure.  But 
 because  we  have  only  the  first  fruits  of  the  spirit,  and  have  not 
 as  yet  the  tenths,  and  the  remnants  of  sin  do  stiU  remain  in  us,  I 
 therefore  we  do  not  the  law  perfectly.  But  this  imperfection  is  / 
 not  imputed  unto  us  which  do  believe  in  Christ,  who  was  pro-  i 
 mised  to  Abraham,  and  hath  blessed  us.  For  we  are  nourished 
 and  tenderly  cherished  in  the  mean  season,  for  Christ's  sake,  in 
 the  lap  of  God's  long-sufferance.  We  are  that  wounded  man 
 which  fell  into  the  hands  of  thieves,  whose  wounds  the  Samari- 
 tan bound  up,  pouring  in  oil  and  wine,  and  afterwards  laying 
 him  upon  his  beast,  he  brought  him  into  the  inn,  and  made 
 provision  for  him,  and,  departing,  commended  him  to  the  host, 
 saying,  "take  care  of  him,"  &c.  (Luke  x.  30 — 35.)  And  thus 
 we  in  the  mean  time  are  cherished  as  it  were  in  an  inn,  until 
 the  Lord  put  to  his  hand  the  second  time,  as  Isaiah  saith,  "that 
 he  may  deliver  us."  (Isa.  xi.  11.) 
 
 Wherefore  the  sentence  of  Moses,  "cursed  is  every  one  that 
 abideth  not  in  the  things  that  are  written  in  this  book,"  is  not 
 contrary  to  Paul,  who  pronounceth  all  them  to  be  accursed  which 
 are  of  the  works  of  the  law.  For  Moses  requireth  such  a  doer, 
 as  may  do  the  law  perfectly.  But  where  shaU  we  find  him?  No 
 where.  For  Moses  himself  confesseth  that  he  is  not  such  a  one, 
 for  he  saith.  That  none  is  innocent  before  God,  (Exod.  xxxiv.) 
 And  David  saith,  "  Lord,  enter  not  into  judgment  with  thy 
 servant,  for  no  flesh  is  righteous  in  thy  sight,"  (Ps.  cxliii.  2.) 
 And  Paul  saith,  "  For  what  I  would,  that  do  I  not :  but  what  I 
 hate,  that  do  I."  (Rom.  vii.  15.)  Wherefore  Moses,  together  | 
 with  Paul,  doth  necessarily  drive  us  to  Christ,  through  whom  we  I 
 are  made  doers  of  the  law,  and  are  not  accounted  guilty  of  any  ( 
 transgression.  How  so  ?  First,  by  forgiveness  of  sins  and  impu- 
 tation of  righteousness,  because  of  our  faith  in  Christ.  Se- 
 condly, by  the  gift  of  God  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  bringeth 
 forth  a  new  life  and  new  motions  in  us,  so  that  we  may  also  do 
 the  law  effectually.  Now  that  which  is  not  done  is  pardoned  for 
 Christ's  sake:  and  moreover,  Avhat  sin  soever  is  left  in  us,  is 
 
VEIU  10.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  199 
 
 not  imputed.  So  Moses  agreeth  with  Paul,  and  meaneth  the 
 self-same  thing  that  he  doth,  when  he  saith,  "cursed  is  every 
 one  that  abideth  not,"  &c.  For  he  saith  that  they  do  not  the  law, 
 because  they  would  justify  themselves  by  works,  and  concludeth 
 with  Paul,  that  they  are  under  the  curse.  Therefore  Moses  re- 
 quireth  true  doers  of  the  law,  which  are  of  faith,  even  as  Paul 
 condemneth  those  which  are  not  true  doers  of  the  law;  that  is 
 to  say,  which  are  not  of  faith.  Herein  is  no  repugnance,  that 
 Moses  spake  negatively  and  Paul  affirmatively,  so  9iat  you  de- 
 fine rightly  what  is  meant  by  this  word  "do."  So  both  sentences 
 are  true,  to  wit,  that  all  are  accursed  which  abide  not  in  all  that 
 is  Avritten  in  this  book;  and,  that  all  they  are  accursed,  which 
 are  of  the  works  of  the  law. 
 
 An  Answer  to  those  Arguments  which  the  Adversaries  allege 
 against  the  Doctrine  and  Righteousness  ofJPaith. 
 
 Seeing  this  place  offereth  unto  us  an  occasion,  we  must  say 
 something  as  touching  the  arguments  which  our  adversaries  do 
 object  against  the  doctrine  of  faith,  which  is,  that  we  are  justified 
 by  faith  alone. — There  are  many  places  both  in  the  Old  Testa- 
 ment and  in  the  New,  as  concerning  works  and  rewards  of  works, 
 which  our  adversaries  do  allege,  and  think  themselves  able 
 thereby  utterly  to  overthrow  the  doctrine  of  faith  which  we  teach 
 and  maintain.  Therefore  we  must  be  well  furnished  and  armed, 
 that  we  may  be  able,  not  only  to  instruct  our  brethren,  but  also 
 to  answer  the  objections  of  our  adversaries. 
 
 The  schoolmen,  and  all  such  as  understand  not  the  article  of 
 justification,  do  know  no  other  righteousness  than  the  civil  right- 
 eousness and  the  righteousness  of  the  law,  which  after  a  sort  the 
 Gentiles  also  do  knoAV.  Therefore  they  borrow  certain  words  out 
 of  the  law  and  moral  philosophy,  as  "to  do,  to  work,"  and  such 
 like,  and  they  apply  the  same  unto  spiritual  matters:  wherein  they 
 deal  most  perversely  and  wickedly.  We  must  put  a  diff'erence 
 between  philosophy  and  divinity.  The  schoolmen  themselves 
 grant  and  teach,  that,  in  the  order  of  nature,  being  goeth  before 
 working;  for  natm*ally  the  tree  is  before  the  fruit.  Again,  in 
 philosophy  they  grant,  that  a  work  morally  wrought  is  not  good, 
 except  there  be  first  a  right  judgment  of  reason,  and  a  good  will 
 or  a  good  intent.  So  then  they  will  have  a  right  judgment  of  rea- 
 son, and  a  good  intent  to  go  before  the  work;  that  is  to  say,  they 
 make  the  person  morally  righteous  before  the  Avork.  Contrari- 
 wise, in  divinity,  and  in  spiiitual  matters,  where  they  ought  most 
 of  all  so  to  do,  such  dull  and  senseless  asses  they  are,  that  they 
 pervert  and  turn  all  quite  contrary,  placing  the  work  before  right 
 judgment  of  reason  and  good  intent. 
 
 Wherefore,  doing  is  one  thing  in  nature,  another  in  moral 
 philosophy,  and  another  in  divinity.  In  nature  the  tree  must  be 
 lirst,  and  then  the  fruit.  In  moral  philosophy,  doing  requireth  a 
 good  intent  and  a  sound  judgment  of  reason  to  work  well,  going 
 
200  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  IJI 
 
 before.  And  here  all  the  philosophers  are  at  a  stay,  and  go  no 
 fcirther.  Therefore  the  divines  say,  that  moral  philosophy  taketh 
 not  God  for  the  object,  and  final  cause.  For  Aristotle,  or  a  Sad- 
 ducee,  or  a  man  of  any  civil  honesty,  calleth  this  a  right  reason 
 and  a  good  intent,  if  he  seek  the  public  commodity  of  the  common- 
 wealth and  the  quietness  and  honesty  thereof.  A  philosopher  oi 
 laAv-worker  ascendeth  no  higher.  He  thinketh  not  through  a 
 right  judgment  of  reason  and  a  good  intent  to  obtain  remission 
 of  sins  and  everlasting  life,  as  the  sophister  or  the  monk  doth. 
 Wherefore  the  heathen  philosopher  is  much  better  than  such  a 
 hypocrite.  For  he  abideth  within  his  bounds,  having  only  con- 
 sideration of  the  honesty  and  tranquillity  of  the  commonwealth, 
 not  mingling  heavenly  and  earthly  things  together.  Contrari- 
 wise, the  blind  sophister  imagineth  that  God  regardeth  his  good 
 intent  and  works.  Therefore  he  mingleth  earthly  and  heavenly 
 things  together,  and  polluteth  the  name  of  God.  And  this  imagi- 
 nation he  learneth  out  of  moral  philosophy,  saving  that  he  abu- 
 seth  it  much  worse  than  the  heathen  man  doth. 
 
 Wherefore  we  must  ascend  up  higher  in  divinity  with  this 
 word  "doing,"  than  in  natural  things  and  in  philosophy,  so  that 
 noAV  it  must  have  a  new  signification,  and  be  made  altogether 
 new,  joined  with  a  right  judgment  of  reason,  and  a  good  will, 
 not  morally,  but  divinely:  which  is,  that  I  know  and  believe  by 
 the  word  of  the  gospel,  that  God  hath  sent  his  Son  into  the  world 
 to  redeem  us  fi-om  sin  and  death.  Here  "doing"  is  a  new  thing, 
 unknown  to  reason,  to  philosophers,  to  law- workers,  and  unto  all 
 men :  for  it  is  a  wisdom  hidden  in  a  mystery. — Therefore  in 
 divinity  the  work  necessarily  requireth  faith  going  before. 
 
 Therefore,  when  our  adversaries  do  allege  against  us  the  sen- 
 tences of  the  scripture  touching  the  law  and  works,  where  men- 
 tion is  made  of  working  and  doing,  thou  must  answer  them,  that 
 they  are  terms  pertaining  to  divinity,  and  not  to  natural  or  moral 
 things.  If  they  be  applied  to  natural  or  moral  things,  they 
 must  be  taken  in  their  own  signification.  But  if  they  be  applied 
 to  matters  of  divinity,  they  must  include  such  a  right  judgment, 
 reason  or  good  will,  as  is  incomprehensible  to  man's  reason. 
 Wherefore  doing  in  divinity  must  be  always  understood  of  a 
 faithful  doing.  So  that  this  faithful  doing  is  altogether  as  it  were 
 a  new  kingdom,  separate  from  the  natural  or  moral  doing. 
 Therefore,  when  we  that  are  divines  speak  of  doing,  we  must 
 needs  speak  of  that  faithful  doing:  for  in  divinity  we  have  no 
 other  right  judgment  of  reason,  no  good  will  or  intent  besides 
 faith. 
 
 This  rule  is  well  observed  in  the  eleventh  chapter  to  the  He- 
 brews.— There  are  recited  many  and  sundry  works  of  the  saints, 
 out  of  the  holy  scriptures:  as  of  David,  who  killed  a  lion  and  a 
 bear,  and  slew  Goliah.  There  the  sophister  or  schoolman,  that 
 foolish  ass,  looketh  upon  nothing  else  but  the  outward  appearance 
 of  the  work.    But  this  work  of  David  must  be  so  looked  upon. 
 
VER.   10.]'  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  201 
 
 that  fii-st  we  must  consider  what  manner  of  person  David  was, 
 before  he  did  this  work:  then  shall  we  see  that  he  was  such  a 
 person,  whose  heart  trusted  in  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  as  the 
 text  plainly  witnesseth.  "The  Lord  that  delivered  me  out  of 
 the  paw  of  the  lion,  and  out  of  the  paw  of  the  bear,  will  deliver 
 me  out  of  the  hand  of  the  Philistine:"  moreover,  "thou  comest 
 to  me  with  a  sAvord,  and  with  a  spear,  and  with  a  shield:  but  I 
 come  to  thee  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  of  hosts,  the  God  of  the 
 host  of  Israel,  upon  whom  thou  hast  railed  this  day.  This  day 
 shall  the  Lord  close  thee  in  my  hand,  and  I  shall  smite  thee,  and 
 take  thine  head  from  thee,  &c.  Because  the  Lord  saveth  not 
 with  sword  nor  spear  (for  the  battle  is  the  Lord's)  and  he  will 
 give  you  into  our  hands,"  (1  Sam.  xvii.  37,  45,  46,  47.)  You 
 see  then  that  he  was  a  rig-hteous  man,  beloved  of  God,  strong 
 and  constant  in  faith,  before  he  did  this  work.  This  doing  of 
 David  therefore  is  not  a  natural  or  moral  doing,  but  a  faithful 
 doing. 
 
 So  it  is  said  of  Abel  in  the  same  epistle,  "that  through  faith 
 he  offered  up  a  better  sacrifice  unto  God  than  Cain."  If  the 
 schoohnen  happen  upon  this  place  as  it  is  read  Gen.  iv.  5.  (where 
 it  is  simply  set  out,  how  that  both  Cain  and  Abel  offered  up 
 their  gifts,  and  that  the  Lord  had  respect  unto  Abel  and  his  of- 
 ferings) by-and-by  they  take  hold  of  these  words:  "they  ofi*ered 
 their  oblations  unto  the  Lord:  the  Lord  had  respect  to  the  ofi*er- 
 ings  of  Abel,"  and  cry  out,  saying,  here  ye  see  that  God  had  re- 
 spect to  offerings:  therefore  works  do  justify.  So  that  these 
 filthy  sAvine  do  think  that  righteousness  is  but  a  moral  thing,  only 
 beholding  the  visor  or  outward  shew  of  the  work,  and  not  the 
 heart  of  him  that  doth  the  Avork:  whereas  notwithstanding,  even 
 in  philosophy,  they  are  constrained  not  to  look  upon  the  bare 
 work,  but  the  good  avUI  of  the  Avorker.  But  here  they  stand  al- 
 together upon  these  words:  "they  offered  up  gifts:  the  Lord 
 had  respect  unto  Abel  and  to  his  offerings,"  and  see  not  that  the 
 text  saith  plainly  in  Genesis,  that  the  Lord  had  respect  first  to 
 the  person  of  Abel,  Avhich  pleased  the  Lord  because  of  his  faith, 
 and  afterwards  to  his  offerings.  Therefore  in  divinity  we  speak 
 of  faithful  works,  sacrifices,  oblations,  and  gifts,  that  is  to  say, 
 which  are  offered  up  and  done  in  faith,  as  the  Epistle  to  the 
 Hebrews  declareth,  saying:  "Through  faith  Abel  offered  up  a 
 better  sacrifice:  through  faith  Enoch  Avas  taken  away:  through 
 faith  Abraham  obeyed  God,"  &c.  We  have  here  then  a  rule 
 set  forth  in  the  eleventh  to  the  Hebrews,  hoAv  we  should  simply 
 answer  to  the  arguments  objected  of  the  adversaries  as  touching 
 the  law  and  works,  that  is  to  say:  this  or  that  man  did  this  or 
 that  work  in  faith:  and  by  this  means  thou  givest  a  solution  to 
 all  their  arguments,  and  so  stoppest  their  mouths,  that  they  can 
 have  nothing  to  reply  again. 
 
 Hereby  it  appeareth  manifestly  that  in  divinity  and  divine 
 matters,  the  Avork  is  nothing  worth  Avithout  faith,  but  thou  must 
 
202  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUl's  [cHAP.  Ill, 
 
 needs  have  faith  before  thou  begin  to  work.  "  For  without 
 faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  God,"  (Heb.  xi.  6.)  But  he  that 
 will  come  unto  God,  must  believe.  Wherefore  in  the  Epistle  to 
 the  Hebrews  it  is  said,  that  the  sacrifice  of  Abel  was  better  than 
 the  sacrifice  of  Cain,  because  he  believed;  therefore  the  work  or 
 the  sacrifice  of  Abel  was  faithful.  Contrariwise  in  Cain,  because 
 he  was  wicked  and  a  hypocrite,  there  was  no  faith  or  trust 
 of  God's  grace  or  favour,  but  mere  presumption  of  his  own 
 righteousness,  and  therefore  his  woi'k,  whereby  he  went  about 
 to  please  God,  was  hypocritical  and  unfaithful.  Wherefore  the 
 adversaries  themselves  are  compelled  to  grant  that  in  all  the 
 works  of  the  saints,  faith  is  presupposed  or  goeth  before,  for  the 
 which  their  works  do  please  God,  and  are  accepted  of  him. 
 Therefore  in  divinity  there  is  a  new  doing,  clean  contrary  to 
 the  moral  doing. 
 
 Moreover,  we  are  also  wont  to  distinguish  faith  after  this  man- 
 ner, that  faith  is  sometimes  taken  without  the  work,  sometimes 
 with  the  work.  For  like  as  an  artificer  speaketh  diversely  of  the 
 matter  whereupon  he  worketh,  and  likewise  a  gardener  of  the 
 tree  being  barren  or  fruitful:  even  so  the  Holy  Ghost  speaketU 
 diversely  of  faith  in  the  scriptures:  sometimes  of  an  absolute  faith, 
 sometimes  of  a  compound,  or  (as  a  man  would  say)  an  incarnate 
 faith.  Now,  an  absolute  faith  is  this,  when  the  scripture  speak- 
 eth absolutely  of  justification,  or  of  the  being  justified,  as  is  to  be 
 seen  in  the  Epistles  to  the  Romans  and  to  the  Galatians.  But 
 when  the  scripture  speaketh  of  rewards  and  works,  then  it  speak- 
 eth of  the  compound  or  incarnate  faith.  We  will  rehearse  some 
 examples  of  this  faith:  as,  "Faith  which  worketh  by  love.  Do 
 this  and  thou  shalt  live.  If  thou  wilt  enter  into  life,  keep  the 
 commandments.  He  that  doeth  these  things  shall  live  in  them. 
 Decline  from  evil,  and  do  that  which  is  good,"  (Gal.  v.  6.  Lev. 
 xviii.  5.  Matt.  xix.  17.  Rom.  x.  5.  Psal.  xxxvii.  27.)  In  these 
 and  such  like  places  (as  there  are  many  in  the  holy  scripture) 
 where  mention  is  made  of  doing,  the  scripture  always  speaketh 
 of  faithful  doing.  As  when  it  saith:  "Do  this  and  thou  shalt 
 live,"  it  meaneth  thus:  see  first  that  thou  be  faithful,  that  thou 
 have  a  right  judgment  of  reason  and  a  good  wiU,  that  is  to  say, 
 faith  in  Christ.  When  thou  hast  this  faith,  work  on  a  God's 
 blessing. 
 
 What  marvel  is  it  then  if  rewards  be  promised  to  this  incar- 
 nate faith:  that  is  to  say,  to  the  working  faith,  as  was  the  faith 
 of  Abel,  or  to  faithful  works?  And  why  should  not  the  holy 
 scripture  thus  speak  diversely  of  faith,  when  it  speaketh  divers 
 ways  of  Christ,  as  he  is  God  and  man :  that  is  to  say,  sometimes 
 of  his  whole  person,  sometimes  of  his  two  natures  apart,  either  of 
 his  divine  or  of  his  human  nature  ?  If  it  speak  of  the  natm-es 
 apart,  it  speaketh  of  Christ  absolutely:  but  if  it  speak  of  the  di- 
 vine nature  united  in  one  person  to  the  human  nature,  then  it 
 speaketh  of  Christ  compound  and  incarnate.     There  is  a  coin* 
 
VER.  10.]  Epistle  to  the  galatians.  208 
 
 mon  rule  among  the  schoolmen  of  the  communication  of  the  pro- 
 prieties, when  the  proprieties  belonging- to  the  divinity  of  Christ, 
 are  attributed  to  the  humanity ;  which  we  may  see  everywhere 
 m  the  scriptures.  As  in  Luke  ii.  11,  the  angel  calleth  the  infant 
 born  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  the  Saviour  of  men,  and  the  universal 
 Lord  both  of  the  angels  and  men.  And  in  the  first  chapter  he 
 calleth  him  the  Son  of  God,  (Luke  i.  32.)  Hereupon  I  may 
 truly  say,  that  the  infant  which  lay  in  the  manger  and  in  the 
 lap  of  the  Virgin,  created  heaven  and  earth,  and  is  Lord  of  the 
 angels.  Here  I  speak  indeed  of  a  man;  but  man  in  this  propo- 
 sition is  a  new  word,  and  (as  the  schoolmen  themselves  do  grant) 
 hath  relation  to  the  divinity:  that  is  to  say,  this  God,  which  was 
 made  man,  hath  created  all  things.  Creation  is  attributed  only 
 to  the  divinity  of  Christ;  for  the  humanity  doth  not  create,  and 
 yet  notwithstanding  it  is  truly  said,  man  created,  because  the 
 divinity,  which  only  createth,  is  incarnate  with  the  humanity, 
 and  therefore  the  humanity,  together  with  the  divinity,  is  parta- 
 ker of  the  same  proprieties.  Wherefore  it  is  well  and  godly 
 said:  this  man  Jesus  Christ  brought  Israel  out  of  Egypt,  struck 
 Pharaoh,  and  wi'ought  all  the  wonders  from  the  beginning  of 
 the  world. 
 
 Therefore  when  the  scripture  saith,  "  If  thou  wilt  enter  into 
 life,  keep  the  commandments  of  God:  Do  this  and  thou  shalt 
 live,"  &c. ;  first  we  must  see  of  what  manner  of  keeping  and 
 doing  he  speaketh :  for  in  these  and  such  like  places  (as  I  have 
 said)  he  speaketh  of  a  compound  faith,  and  not  of  a  naked  and 
 simple  faith.  And  the  meaning  of  this  place,  "  Do  this,  and 
 thou  shalt  live,"  is  this:  thou  shalt  live,  because  of  this  faithful 
 doing;  or,  this  doing  shall  give  unto  thee  life,  because  of  thy 
 faith  alone.  After  this  manner  justification  is  attributed  to  faith 
 alone,  as  creation  is  to  the  divinity.  And  yet  notwithstanding, 
 as  it  is  truly  said,  Jesus  the  son  of  Mary  created  all  things :  so 
 also  justification  is  attributed  to  the  incarnate  faith,  or  to  the 
 faithful  doing.  Therefore  we  must  in  no  wise  think,  with  the 
 sophisters  and  hypocrites,  that  works  do  absolutely  justify,  or 
 that  rewards  are  promised  to  moral  works,  but  to  faithful  works 
 only. 
 
 Let  us  therefore  suffer  the  Holy  Ghost  to  speak,  as  he  doth 
 in  the  scriptures,  either  of  naked,  simple,  and  absolute  faith,  or 
 of  compound  and  incarnate  faith.  All  things  which  are  attri- 
 buted to  works  do  properly  belong  unto  faith.  For  works  must 
 not  be  looked  upon  morally,  but  faithfully,  and  with  a  spii'itual 
 eye.  Faith  is  the  divinity  of  works;  and  is  so  spread  through- 
 out the  Avorks  of  the  faithful,  as  is  the  divinity  throughout  the 
 humanity  of  Christ.  Faith  therefore  doth  all  alone  in  the  works 
 of  the  faithful.  Abraham  is  called  faitliful,  because  faith  is 
 spread  throughout  the  whole  person  of  Abraham :  so  that,  be- 
 holding him  working,  I  see  nothing  of  the  carnal  or  of  the 
 working  Abraham,  but  of  the  believing  Abraham. 
 
204  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  111. 
 
 Wherefore  when  thou  readest  in  the  scriptures,  of  the  fathers, 
 prophets,  and  kings,  how  they  wrought  righteousness,  raised  up 
 the  dead,  overcame  kingdoms,  thou  must  remember  that  these 
 and  such  hke  sayings  are  to  be  expounded  as  the  Epistle  to  the 
 Hebrews  expoundeth  them:  "by  faith  they  wrought  righteous- 
 ness, by  faith  they  raised  up  the  dead,  by  faith  they  subdued 
 kings  and  kingdoms,"  &c.  (Heb.  xi.  33,  34,  35.)  So  that  faith 
 incorporateth  the  work,  and  giveth  it  his  perfection.  And  this 
 the  adversaries,  if  they  be  well  in  their  wits,  cannot  deny,  neither 
 have  they  any  thing  to  say  or  object  against  it.  Indeed  they 
 can  cry  out  that  the  scripture  speaketh  oftentimes  of  doing  and 
 working.  And  we  always  answer  them  again,  that  it  speaketh 
 also  of  faithful  doing.  For  first,  reason  must  be  lightened  by 
 faith  before  it  can  work.  Now,  when  it  hath  a  true  opinion  and 
 knowledge  of  God,  then  is  the  work  incarnate  and  incorporate 
 into  it:  so  that  whatsoever  is  attributed  to  faith,  is  afterwards 
 attributed  to  works  also,  but  yet  because  of  faith  only  and  alone. 
 
 Wherefore  in  reading  of  the  scriptures  we  must  Jearn  to  put 
 a  difference  between  the  true  and  the  hypocritical,  the  moral  and 
 the  spiritual  doing  of  the  law.  So  shall  we  be  able  to  declare 
 the  true  meaning  of  all  those  places  which  seem  to  maintain  the 
 righteousness  of  works.  Now,  the  true  doing  of  the  law  is  a 
 faithful  and  a  spiritual  doing,  which  he  hath  not,  that  seeketh 
 righteousness  by  works.  Therefore  every  doer  of  the  law  and 
 every  holy  moral  worker  is  accursed.  For  he  walketh  in  the 
 presumption  of  his  own  righteousness  against  God,  whilst  he 
 will  be  justified  by  man's  free-will  and  reason,  and  so  in  doing 
 of  the  law,  he  doth  it  not.  And  this,  according  to  Paul,  is  to  be 
 under  the  works  of  the  law :  that  is  to  say,  that  hypocrites  do 
 the  law,  and  yet,  in  doing  it,  they  do  it  not:  for  they  understand 
 this  word,  doing,  according  to  the  literal  sense  of  the  law,  which 
 in  true  Christian  divinity  is  nothing  worth.  Indeed  they  work 
 many  things,  but  in  the  presumption  of  their  own  righteousness, 
 and  without  the  knowledge  of  God  and  faith,  as  the  Pharisee 
 did  (Luke  xviii.)  and  as  Paul  did  before  his  conversion:  there- 
 fore they  are  blind  and  miserably  err,  and  so  remain  under  the 
 curse.  Wherefore,  again  I  admonish  you,  that  such  sentences 
 as  the  adversaries  do  allege  out  of  the  scriptures  concerning 
 works  and  rewards,  must  be  spiritually  expounded.  As  if  they 
 allege  this  sentence  out  of  Dan.  iv.  "  Redeem  thy  sins  by  alms 
 deeds,"  thou  must  not  here  expound  these  Avords  morally,  but 
 spiritually.  So  shalt  thou  see  that  this  word  "  redeem,"  signi- 
 fieth  no  moral,  but  a  spiritual  doing,  that  is  to  say,  it  includeth 
 faith.  For  in  the  scriptures,  the  work,  as  I  have  said,  requireth 
 also  a  good  will  and  right  judgment  of  reason  to  ^o  before;  not 
 moral,  as  they  would  have  it,  but  divine  and  spiritual,  which  is 
 faith.  By  this  means  thou  shalt  be  able  to  stop  the  mouths  oi 
 these  peevish  sophisters.  For  they  themselves  are  compelled  to 
 ffrant  (and  so  teach  they  also  out  of  Aristotle)  that  every  good 
 
VER.  lO.J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  205 
 
 woik  pioceedeth  out  of  man's  choice  or  free-will.  If  this  be  true 
 in  philosophy,  much  more  must  this  good  will  and  right  judg- 
 ment of  reason  guided  by  faith,  go  before  the  Avork  in  divinity 
 and  divine  matters.  And  this  do  all  words  of  the  imperative 
 mood,  that  is,  all  such  words  as  are  commanding,  signify  in  the 
 scriptures,  and  all  such  words  also  as  teach  the  law,  as  the  Epis- 
 tle to  the  Hebrews  doth  plainly  declare :  "  By  faith  Abel  of- 
 fered," &c. 
 
 Now,  admit  the  case  that  this  solution  is  not  sufficient,  (although 
 it  be  indeed  most  sure  and  certain),  yet  notwithstanding  let  this 
 be  the  argument  of  all  arguments,  and  the  principal  mirror  of 
 Christians  to  behold,  against  all  the  temptations  and  objections, 
 not  only  of  the  adversaries,  but  also  of  the  devil  himself,  namely, 
 to  apprehend  and  hold  fast  the  head,  which  is  Christ.  More- 
 over, admit  that  the  sophisters,  being  more  crafty  and  subtle  than 
 I,  should  so  snare  and  entangle  me  with  their  arguments,  which 
 they  bring  for  the  maintenance  of  works  against  faith,  that  I 
 shoidd  know  no  way  how  to  wind  myself  out,  (which  notwith- 
 standing it  is  impossible  for  them  to  do,)  yet  will  I  rather  give 
 reverence  and  credit  to  Christ  alone,  thati  be  persuaded  with  all 
 the  places  they  are  able  to  allege  for  the  establishing  of  the 
 righteousness  of  Avorks  against  the  doctrine  of  faith. 
 
 Wherefore,  they  must  be  simply  and  plainly  answered  after 
 this  manner :  Here  is  Christ,  there  are  the  testimonies  of  the 
 scriptures  touching" the  law  and  works.  Now,  Christ  is  the  Lord 
 of  the  scripture  and  of  all  works.  He  also  is  Lord  of  heaven,  the 
 earth,  the  sabbath,  the  temple,  righteousness,  life,  wrath,  sin, 
 death,  and  generally  of  all  things  whatsoever.  And  Paul  his 
 apostle  sheweth  "  that  he  was  made  sin  and  became  accursed  for 
 me,"  (Gal.iii.  13.)  I  hear,  then,  that  I  could  by  no  other  means  be 
 delivered  from  my  sin,  my  death,  and  my  malediction,  but  by  his 
 death  and  blood-shedding ;  wherefore  I  conclude  that  it  properly 
 appertained  to  Christ  himself  to  overcome  my  sin,  death,  and  ma- 
 lediction in  his  own  body,  and  not  to  the  works  of  the  law  or 
 mine  own  works.  And  hereunto  reason  is  constrained  to  yield  and 
 say,  that  Christ  is  not  the  work  of  the  law,  or  my  work :  that  his 
 blood  and  death  is  not  circumcision,  the  observation  of  the  cere- 
 monies of  the  law,  and  much  less  a  monk's  cowl,  a  shaven  crown, 
 abstinence,  vows,  and  such  like.  Wherefore  if  he  be  the  price  of 
 my  redemption,  if  he  be  made  sin  and  malediction  that  he  might 
 justify  and  bless  me,  I  care  not  if  thou  bring  a  thousand  places 
 of  scripture  for  the  righteousness  of  Avorks  against  the  righteous- 
 ness of  faith,  and  cry  out  never  so  much,  that  the  scripture  is 
 against  me.  I  have  the  author  and  Lord  of  the  scripture  with 
 me ;  on  whose  side  I  will  rather  stand,  than  believe  all  the  rabbi e- 
 ment  of  law- workers  and  merit-mongers.  Albeit  it  is  impossible 
 that  the  scripture  should  be  against  this  doctrine,  unless  it  be 
 among  the  senseless  and  obstinate  hypocrites;  but  to  the  godly, 
 and  such  as  have  undemanding,  it  giveth  witness  for  Jesus 
 
200  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [cHAP.  III. 
 
 Christ  his  Lord.  See  therefore  how  thou  canst  reconcile  tie 
 scripture,  Avhich  thou  sayest  is  against  ray  doctrine.  As  for  me, 
 I  will  stick  to  the  author  and  Lord  of  the  scripture. 
 
 Therefore  if  any  man  thinketh  himself  not  well  able  to  recon- 
 cile such  places  of  the  scriptm*e,  or  answer  unto  the  same  suffi- 
 ciently, and  yet  notwithstanding  is  constrained  to  hear  the  ob- 
 jections and  cavillations  of  the  adversaries,  let  him  answer  simply 
 and  plainly  after  this  sort:  Thou  settest  against  me  the  servant, 
 that  is  to  say,  the  scripture,  and  that  not  wholly,  neither  yet 
 the  principal  part  thereof,  but  only  certain  places  as  touching 
 the  law  and  works.  But  I  come  with  the  Lord  himself,  who  is 
 above  the  scripture,  and  is  made  unto  me  the  merit  and  price  of 
 righteousness  and  everlasting  life.  On  him  I  lay  hold,  him  I 
 stick  to,  and  leave  works  unto  thee :  which  notwithstanding  thou 
 never  didst.  This  solution  neither  the  devil  nor  any  justiciary 
 can  ever  wrest  from  thee  or  overthrow.  Moreover,  thou  art  in 
 safety  before  God:  for  thy  heart  abideth  fixed  in  the  object, 
 which  is  called  Christ;  who  being  nailed  to  the  cross  and  ac- 
 cursed, not  for  himself,  but  for  us,  as  the  text  saith,  was  "  made 
 a  curse  for  us."  Hold  fast  this,  and  lay  it  against  all  the  sen- 
 tences of  the  law  and  works  whatsoever,  and  say:  Dost  thou 
 hear  this,  Satan?  Here  he  must  needs  give  place,  for  he 
 knoweth  that  Christ  is  his  Lord  and  master. 
 
 Verse  11.  And  that  no  man  is  justified  by  the  law  in  the  sight  of  God,  it  is 
 evident:  for  the  just  shall  live  by  faith.  (Hab.  ii.  4.  Rom.  i.  17,) 
 
 This  is  another  argument  grounded  upon  the  testimony  of  the 
 prophet  Habakkuk.  And  it  is  a  sentence  of  great  weight  and 
 authority,  which  Paul  setteth  against  all  the  sentences  touching 
 the  law  and  works.  As  if  he  should  say:  What  need  we  any 
 long  disputation?  Here  I  bring  forth  a  most  evident  testimony 
 of  the  prophet,  against  the  which  no  man  can  cavil:  "  The  just 
 man  shall  live  by  faith."  If  he  live  by  faith,  then  he  liveth  not 
 by  the  law:  for  the  law  is  not  of  faith.  And  here  Paul  ex- 
 cludeth  works  and  the  law,  as  things  contrary  to  faith. 
 
 The  sophisters  (as  they  are  always  ready  to  corrupt  the  scrip- 
 tures) do  wrest  and  pervert  this  place  after  this  manner:  "  The 
 just  man  doth  live  by  faith;"  that  is  to  say,  by  a  working  faith, 
 or  formed  and  made  perfect  with  charity:  but  if  it  be  not  formed 
 with  charity,  then  doth  it  not  justify.  This  gloss  they  them- 
 selves have  forged,  and  by  the  same  they  do  injury  to  the  words 
 of  the  prophet.  If  they  did  call  this  formed  or  furnished  faith, 
 the  true  faith  which  the  scripture  teacheth,  this  their  gloss 
 should  not  offend  me,  for  then  faith  should  not  be  separated 
 from  charity,  but  from  the  vain  opinion  of  faith:  as  we  also  put 
 a  (tifference  between  a  counterfeit  faith  and  a  true  faith.  The 
 counterfeit  faith  is  that  which  heareth  of  God,  of  Christ,  and  of 
 all  the  mysteries  of  his  incarnation  and  our  redemption:  which 
 also  apprehendeth  and  beareth  away  those  things  which  it  hear- 
 
%ER    I  I.J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  207 
 
 eth,  yea,  and  can  talk  goodly  thereof,  and  yet  there  reinalneth 
 nothing  else  in  th^  heart,  but  a  naked  opinion,  and  a  sound  of 
 the  gospel.  For  it  neither  reneweth  nor  changeth  the  heart: 
 it  raaketh  not  a  new  man,  but  leaveth  him  in  the  vanity  of  his 
 former  opinion  and  conversation:  and  this  is  a  veiy  pernicious 
 faith.  The  moral  philosopher  is  much  better  than  the  hjrpocrite 
 having  such  a  faith. 
 
 Wherefore,  if  they  would  make  a  distinction  between  faith 
 formed  (and  take  it  as  the  scripture  taketh  it)  and  a  false  or 
 counterfeit  faith,  their  distinction  should  nothing  offend  me. 
 But  they  speak  of  faith  formed  and  made  perfect  with  charity, 
 and  make  a  double  faith,  that  is  to  say,  formed  and  unformed. 
 This  pestilent  and  devilish  gloss  I  utterly  detest.  Although,  say 
 they,  we  have  faith  infused,  called^c^e*  vifusa,  which  is  the  gift  of 
 the  Holy  Ghost,  and  also  faith  gotten  by  our  own  industry,  called 
 Jides  acquisita ;  yet  both  of  them  lack  their  form  and  perfection, 
 which  is  charity,  and  are  formed  with  charity.  This  is  to  prefer 
 charity  before  faith,  and  to  attribute  righteousness,  not  to  faith, 
 but  to  charity.  Wherefore,  when  they  do  not  attribute  right- 
 eousness to  faith,  but  only  in  respect  of  charity,  they  attribute 
 to  faith  nothing  at  all. 
 
 Moreover,  these  perverters  of  the  gospel  of  Clirist  do  teach, 
 that  even  that  faith  which  they  call  faith  infused,  and  not  received 
 by  hearing,  nor  gotten  by  any  working,  but  created  in  man  by 
 the  Holy  Ghost,  may  stand  with  deadly  sin,  and  that  the  worst 
 men  may  have  this  faith :  therefore,  say  they,  if  it  be  alone,  it  is 
 idle  utterly  and  unprofitable.  Thus  they  take  from  faith  her  ofl&ce, 
 and  give  it  unto  charity;  so  that  faith  is  nothing  except  charity, 
 which  they  call  the  form  and  perfection  thereof,  be  joined  withal. 
 This  is  a  devilish  and  blasphemous  kind  of  doctrine,  wliich  utterly 
 defaceth  and  overthroweth  the  doctrine  of  faith,  and  carrieth  a 
 man  clean  from  Christ  the  mediator,  and  fi'om  faith,  which  is  the 
 hand  and  only  means  whereby  we  apprehend  liim.  For  if  charity 
 be  the  form  and  perfection  of  faith,  as  they  dream,  then  am  I 
 by-and-by  constrained  to  say,  that  charity  is  the  principal  part 
 of  the  Christian  religion,  and  so  I  lose  Christ,  his  blood,  and  all 
 his  benefits,  and  now  I  rest  altogether  in  a  moral  doing,  even 
 as  the  Pope,  and  the  heathen  philosopher,  and  the  Turk  doth. 
 
 But  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  giveth  to  all  men  both  mouth  and 
 tongue,  knoweth  how  to  speak.  He  could  have  said,  (as  the 
 sophisters  do  wickedly  imagine, )  the  righteous  man  shall  live  by 
 faith,  formed  and  beautified,  or  made  perfect,  by  charity.  But 
 this  he  omitteth  of  purpose,  and  saith  plainly:  "  The  righteous 
 man  liveth  by  faith."  Let  these  dotish  sophisters  go,  therefore, 
 mth  this  their  wicked  and  pestilent  gloss;  we  will  still  hold  and 
 extol  this  faith,  which  God  himself  hath  called  faith;  that  is  to 
 say,  a  true  and  a  certain  faith,  which  doubteth  not  of  God,  nor 
 of  his  promises,  nor  of  the  forgiveness  of  sins  through  Christ,  that 
 we  may  dwell  sure  and  safe  m  this  our  object  Christ,  and  lUJjy 
 
208  COMMENTAKY  ON  ST.   PAUL's  [Cli  »P.  l.r. 
 
 keep  still  before  our  eyes  the  passion  and  blood  of  the  mediator 
 and  all  his  benefits.  Now,  faith  alone,  whicj,!  layeth  hold  upon 
 Christ,  is  the  only  means  that  we  suffer  not  those  benefits  to  be 
 taken  out  of  our  sight.  Wherefore,  rejecting  this  pestilent  gloss, 
 we  must  understand  this  place  of  faith  only  and  alone.  And  this 
 Paul  himself  declareth,  when  he  reasoneth  against  faith  formed 
 with  charity  after  this  sort. 
 
 Verse  12.    And  the  law  is  not  of  faith. 
 
 The  schoolmen  say:  The  righteous  man  doth  live,  if  his  faith 
 be  formed  and  adorned  with  charity.  But  contrariwise  Paul 
 saith:  "  The  law  is  not  of  faith."  But  what  is  the  law?  Is  it 
 not  also  a  commandment  touching  charity?  Yea,  the  law  com- 
 mandeth  nothing  else  but  charity,  as  we  may  see  by  the  text 
 itself:  "  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God,  with  all  thy  soul," 
 &c.  (Deut.  vi.  5.  Matt.  xxii.  37.)  Again,  "  Shewing  mercy 
 unto  thousands  that  love  him  and  keep  his  commandments," 
 (Exod.  XX.  6.)  Also,  "  In  these  two  commandments  consist- 
 eth  the  law  and  the  prophets,"  (Matt.  xxii.  40.)  If  the  law 
 then'  that  commandeth  charity,  be  contrary  to  faith,  it  must 
 needs  follow,  that  charity  is  not  of  faith.  So  Paul  plainly  con- 
 futeth  the  gloss  which  the  sophisters  have  forged  touching 
 their  formed  faith,  and  speaketh  only  of  faith,  as  it  is  separate 
 from  the  law.  Now,  the  law  being  separate  and  set  apart, 
 charity  is  also  set  apart,  with  all  that  belongeth  to  the  law, 
 and  faith  only  is  left,  which  justifieth  and  quick  eneth  to  ever- 
 lasting life. 
 
 Paul  therefore  reasoneth  here,  out  of  a  plain  testimony  of  the 
 prophet,  that  there  is  none  which  obtaineth  justification  and 
 life  before  God,  but  the  believing  man,  who  obtaineth  righteous- 
 ness and  evei'lasting  life  without  the  law,  and  without  charity, 
 by  faith  alone.  The  reason  is,  because  the  law  is  not  of  faith: 
 that  is,  the  law  is  not  of  faith,  or  any  thing  belonging  to  faith, 
 for  it  believeth  not:  neither  are  the  works  of  the  law  faith,  nor 
 
 }ret  of  faith:  therefore  faith  is  a  thing  much  dijBfering  from  the 
 aw,  like  as  the  promise  is  a  thing  much  differing  from  the  law. 
 For  the  promise  is  not  apprehended  by  working,  but  by  be- 
 lieving. Yea,  there  is  as  great  a  difference  between  the  pro- 
 mise and  the  law,  and  consequently  between  faith  and  works, 
 as  there  is  a  distance  between  heaven  and  earth. 
 
 It  is  impossible  therefore  that  faith  should  be  of  the  law.  For 
 faith  only  resteth  in  the  promise,  it  only  apprehendeth  and  know- 
 eth  God,  and  standeth  only  in  receiving  good  things  of  God. 
 Contrariwise,  the  law  and  works  consist  in  exacting,  in  doing, 
 and  in  giving  unto  God.  As  Abel,  offering  his  sacrifice,  giveth 
 unto  God;  but  he  believing,  receiveth  of  God.  Paul  there- 
 fore concludeth  mightily  out  of  that  place  of  Habakkuk,  that  the 
 righteous  man  liveth  by  faith  alone.  For  the  law  in  no  wise  be- 
 longeth unto  faith,  because  the  law  is  not  the  promise.     But 
 
VrS.  12.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  209 
 
 feitk  resteth  only  upon  the  promise.  Wherefore  as  there  is  a 
 difference  between  the  law  and  the  promise,  so  is  there  also  be- 
 tween works  and  faith.  That  gloss  therefore  of  the  schoolmen  is 
 false  and  wicked,  which  joineth  the  laAv  and  faith  together,  yea, 
 rather  quencheth  faith,  and  setteth  law  in  the  place  of  faith. 
 And  here  note,  that  Paul  always  speaketh  of  such  as  would  do 
 the  law  morally,  and  not  according  to  the  scripture.  But  what- 
 soever is  said  of  such  good  works  as  the  scripture  requireth,  the 
 same  is  attributed  to  faith  alone. 
 
 Verse  12.     But  the  man  that  shall  do  those  things,  shall  live  in  them. 
 
 Paul  here  goeth  about  to  shew  what  is  the  very  true  righte- 
 ousness of  the  law  and  of  the  gospel.  The  righteousness  of 
 the  law  is  to  fulfil  the  law,  according  to  that  saying :  "  He  that 
 shall  do  those  things,  shall  live  in  them."  The  righteousness 
 of  faith  is  to  believe,  according  to  that  saying:  "The  righteous 
 man  doth  Uve  by  faith."  The  law  therefore  requireth  that  we 
 should  yield  somewhat  unto  God.  But  faith  requireth  no  works 
 of  us,  or  that  we  should  give  any  thing  unto  God,  but  that  we, 
 believing  the  promise  of  God,  should  receive  of  him.  There- 
 fore the  office  of  the  law  is  to  work,  as  the  office  of  faith  is  to  as- 
 sent unto  the  promises.  For  faith  is  the  faith  of  the  promise, 
 and  the  work  is  the  work  of  the  law.  Paul  therefore  standeth 
 upon  this  word,  doing:  and  that  he  may  plainly  shew  what  is 
 the  confidence  of  the  law,  and  what  is  the  confidence  of  works, 
 he  compareth  the  one  with  the  other,  the  promise  with  the  law, 
 and  faith  with  works.  He  saith  that  of  the  law  there  cometh 
 nothing  else  but  only  doing:  but  faith  is  a  clean  contrary 
 thing,  namely,  that  which  assenteth  to  the  promise,  and  layeth 
 hold  upon  it. 
 
 These  four  things  therefore  must  be  perfectly  distinguished. 
 For  as  the  law  hath  his  proper  office,  so  hath  the  promise.  To 
 the  law  pertaineth  doing,  and  to  the  promise  believing.  Where- 
 fore, as  far  as  the  law  and  the  promise  are  separate  asunder,  so 
 far  also  are  doing  and  believing.  By  the  which  distinction  Paul 
 here  goeth  about  to  separate  charity  from  faith,  and  to  teach 
 that  charity  justifieih  not,  because  the  law  worketh  or  helpeth 
 nothing  to  justification.  Faith  alone  therefore  justifieth  and 
 quickeneth:  and  yet  it  standeth  not  alone,  that  is  to  say,  it  is 
 not  idle,  albeit  that  in  her  degree  and  office  it  standeth  alone. 
 Ye  see  the  cause  then  why  Paul  here  allegeth  this  place,  namely, 
 that  he  may  separate  faith  and  charity  far  asunder. 
 
 Fie  upon  the  sophisters  therefore,  with  their  cursed  gloss  and 
 their  blind  distinction  of  faith  formed  and  unformed.  1  or  these 
 new  forged  terms,  faith  formed,  faith  unformed,  faith  gotten  by 
 man's  industry,  and  such  like,  are  very  monsters  devised  by  the 
 devil,  to  no  other  end  but  to  deface  and  to  destroy  the  true 
 Christian  doctrine  and  faith,  to  blaspheme  and  tread  Christ 
 under  foot,  and  to  establish  the  righteousness  of  works.     In- 
 
 p 
 
210  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [ClIAr.  III. 
 
 deed,  works  must  follow  faith,  but  faith  must  not  be  works, 
 or  works  faith;  but  the  bounds  and  the  kingdoms  of  the  law 
 or  works,  and  of  faith,  must  be  rightly  distinguished  the  one 
 from  the  other. 
 
 When  we  believe  therefore,  we  live  only  by  faith  in  Christ, 
 who  is  without  sin,  who  is  also  our  mercy-seat  and  remission  of 
 sins.  Contrariwise,  when  we  observe  the  law,  we  work  indeed, 
 but  we  have  no  righteousness  nor  life.  For  the  office  of  the  law 
 is  not  to  justify  and  give  life,  but  to  shew  forth  sin  and  to  de- 
 stroy. Indeed  the  law  saith,  "He  that  shall  do  those  things 
 shall  li\  e  in  them."  But  where  is  he  which  doth  the  law :  that 
 is,  "which  loveth  God  with  all  his  heart,  and  his  neighbour  as 
 himself?"  Therefore  no  man  doth  the  law,  and  although  he  go 
 about  to  do  it  never  so  much,  yet  in  doing  it,  he  doth  it  not; 
 therefore  he  abideth  under  the  curse.  But  faith  worketh  not, 
 but  believeth  in  Christ  the  justifier.  Therefore  a  man  liveth  not 
 because  of  his  doing,  but  because  of  his  belicAang.  But  a  faith- 
 ful man  performeth  the  law,  and  that  which  he  doth  not,  is  for- 
 given him  through  the  remission  of  sins  for  Christ's  sake,  and 
 that  which  is  remaining  is  not  imputed  unto  him. 
 
 Paul  therefore  in  this  place,  and  in  the  tenth  chapter  to  the 
 Romans,  compareth  the  righteousness  of  the  law  and  of  faith  to- 
 gether, where  he  saith,  "  He  that  shall  do  those  things,  shall 
 live  in  them."  As  though  he  would  say.  It  were  indeed  a  goodly 
 matter  if  Ave  could  accomplish  the  law;  but  because  no  man 
 doth  it,  we  must  fly  unto  Christ,  "who  is  the  end  of  the  law 
 to  righteousness  to  every  one  that  believeth.  He  was  made 
 under  the  law,  that  he  might  redeem  us  that  were  under  the 
 law,"  (Rom.  x.  4.  Gal.  iv.  4.)  Believing  in  him  we  receive  the 
 Holy  Ghost,  and  we  begin  to  do  the  law:  and  that  which  we 
 do  not,  is  not  imputed  unto  us  because  of  our  faith  in  Christ. 
 But  in  the  life  to  come  we  shall  no  more  have  need  of  faith, 
 (1  Cor.  xiii.  12.)  For  then  we  shall  not  see  darkly  through  a 
 glass  (as  we  now  do)  but  we  shall  see  face  to  face:  that  is  to  say, 
 there  shall  be  a  most  glorious  brightness  of  the  eternal  majesty, 
 in  which  we  shall  see  God  even  as  he  is.  There  shall  be  a  true 
 and  a  perfect  knowledge  and  love  of  God,  a  perfect  light  of  rea- 
 son and  a  good  will:  not  such  a  moral  and  philosophical  will  as 
 the  popish  schoolmen  dream  of,  but  a  heavenly,  divine,  and  eter- 
 nal will.  Here  in  the  mean  time,  inspirited  by  faith,  we  look  for 
 the  hope  of  righteousness.  Contrariwise,  they  that  seek  forgive- 
 ness of  sins  by  the  law  and  not  by  Christ,  do  never  perform  the 
 law,  bill  abide  under  the  curse. 
 
 Paul  therefore  calleth  them  only  righteous,  which  are  justified 
 through  the  promise,  or  through  faith  in  the  promise  without 
 the  law.  Wherefore,  they  that  are  of  the  works  of  the  laAv,  and 
 will  seem  to  do  the  law,  do  it  not.  For  the  apostle  generally  con- 
 cludeth,  that  all  they  which  are  of  the  works  of  the  law,  are 
 under  the  cuj'se:  under  the  which  tliey  should  not  be,  if  they 
 
VER.   18.J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  211 
 
 fulfilled  the  law.  Indeed  it  is  true,  that  a  man  doing-  the  works 
 of  the  law  shall  hve  in  them,  that  is,  shall  be  blessed:  but 
 sucli  a  one  cannot  be  found.  Now,  seeing  there  is  a  double 
 use  of  the  law,  the  one  politic,  and  the  other  spiritual,  he 
 that  will  understand  this  sentence  civilly,  may  do  it  after  this 
 sort:  "He  that  shall  do  these  things  shall  live  in  them:"  that 
 is,  if  a  man  obey  the  magistrate  outwardly,  and  in  the  politic  go- 
 vernment, he  shall  avoid  punishment  and  death:  for  then  the 
 civil  magistrate  hath  no  power  over  him.  This  is  the  politic  use 
 of  the  law,  which  serveth  to  bridle  those  that  are  rude  and  un- 
 tractable.  But  Paul  here  speaketh  not  of  this  use,  but  en- 
 treateth  of  this  place  like  a  divine:  therefore  there  is  a  condi- 
 tion necessarily  included.  As  if  he  said,  if  men  could  keep  the 
 [a,w,  they  should  be  happy.  But  where  are  they?  They  are 
 not  therefore  doers  of  the  law,  except  they  be  justified  before 
 and  without  the  law,  through  fiiith. 
 
 Wherefore,  when  Paul  ciu-seth  and  condemneth  those  which 
 are  of  the  works  of  the  law,  he  speaketh  not  of  such  as  are  justi- 
 fied through  faith,  but  of  such  as  go  about  to  be  justified  by 
 works,  without  faith  in  Christ.  This  I  say,  lest  any  man  shovdd 
 follow  the  fond  imagination  of  Jerome,  who  being  deceived  by 
 Origen,  understood  notliing  at  all  in  Paul,  but  took  him  as  a 
 mere  civd.  lawyer.  Hereupon  he  reasoneth  after  this  manner: 
 the  holy  patriarch,  prophets,  and  kings,  were  circumcised  and 
 offered  sacrifice;  therefore  they  observed  the  law.  But  it  were 
 a  wicked  thing  to  say,  that  they  are  under  the  curse;  therefore, 
 all  they  that  are  of  the  works  of  the  law  are  not  under  the  curse. 
 Thus  he  setteth  himself  against  Paul  without  all  judgment, 
 making  no  diff"erence  between  the  true  doers  of  the  law  justified 
 by  faith,  and  those  workers  which  seek  to  be  justified  by  the 
 law,  without  faith. 
 
 But  Paul  speaketh  here  nothing  against  those  that  are  justi- 
 fiied  by  faith,  and  are  true  doers  of  the  law  indeed,  for  they  are 
 not  of  the  works  of  the  law;  but  against  those  which  not  only 
 do  not  keep  the  law,  but  also  sin  against  the  same.  For  the 
 law  commandeth  that  we  should  fear,  love,  and  worship  God 
 with  a  true  faith.  This  they  do  not,  but  choose  out  new  kinds 
 of  worship  and  works,  which  were  never  commanded  of  God,  by 
 the  which  God  is  not  pacified,  but  more  provoked  to  anger,  ac- 
 cording to  that  saying:  "They  worship  me  in  vain  with  the 
 commandments  of  men,"  (Matt.  xv.  9.)  Therefore  they  are 
 full  of  impiety,  rebels  against  God,  and  idolaters,  sinning  griev- 
 ously against  the  first  commandment  above  all  the  rest.  More- 
 over, they  are  full  of  wicked  concupiscence,  wrath,  and  other 
 great  passions.  Briefly,  there  is  no  good  thing  in  them,  but 
 that  outwardly  they  would  seem  to  be  righteous  and  to  accom- 
 plish the  law. 
 
 So  we  also  which  are  justified  by  faith,  as  were  the  patriarchs, 
 prophets,  and  all  the  saints,  are  not  of  the  works  of  the  law,  as 
 
aiS  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CHAP.  lit. 
 
 concerning  justification;  but  in  that  we  are  in  the  flesh,  and 
 have  as  yet  the  remnants  of  sin  in  us,  we  are  under  the  law,  and 
 yet  not  under  the  curse,  because  the  remnants  of  sin  are  not  im- 
 puted unto  us  for  Christ's  sake,  in  whom  we  believe.  For  the 
 flesh  is  an  enemy  unto  God,  and  that  concupiscence  which  yet 
 remaineth  in  us,  not  only  fultilleth  not  the  law,  but  also  sinneth 
 against  the  same,  rebelling  against  us  and  leading  us  captive  in- 
 to bondage,  (Rom.  vii.)  Now  if  the  laAv  be  not  fulfilled  in  the 
 saints,  but  that  many  things  are  done  in  them  contrary  to  the 
 law ;  if  evil  concupiscence  and  the  remnants  of  sin  are  yet  re- 
 maining in  them,  which  do  so  hinder  them  that  they  cannot  fear 
 and  love  God,  they  cannot  call  upon  God  with  assured  trust, 
 they  cannot  praise  God  and  reverence  his  word  as  they  should 
 do;  much  more  is  this  true  in  a  man  which  is  not  yet  justified 
 by  faith,  but  is  an  enemy  unto  God,  and  with  all  his  heart  de- 
 spiseth  and  hateth  the  word  and  work  of  God.  Ye  see  then  that 
 Paul  speaketh  here  of  such  as  will  fulfil  the  law,  and  be  justi- 
 fied thereby,  although  they  have  not  yet  received  faith,  and  not 
 of  the  fathers  and  saints  (as  Jerome  imagineth)  which  are  justi- 
 fied by  faith  already. 
 
 Verse  13.  Christ  lialh  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  when  he  was 
 made  a  curse  for  us.  (For  it  is  written  :  Cursed  is  every  one  that  hang- 
 elh  on  a  tree.)     (Deut.  xxi.  23.) 
 
 Here  again  Jerome,  and  the  popish  sophistcrs  which  follow 
 him,  are  much  troubled,  and  miserably  rack  this  most  comfortable 
 place,  seeking,  as  they  would  seem,  with  a  godly  zeal,  to  turn 
 away  this  reproach  from  Christ,  that  he  should  be  called  a  cm-se 
 or  execration.  They  shift  off  this  sentence  after  this  manner: 
 that  Paul  spake  not  here  in  good  earnest;  and  therefore  they 
 most  wickedly  aflirni,  that  the  scripture  in  Paul  agreeth  not  with 
 itself.  And  this  they  prove  after  this  manner;  the  sentence, 
 say  they,  of  Moses,  which  Paul  here  allegeth,  speaketh  not  of 
 Christ.  Moreover,  this  general  clause  (whosoever)  which  Paul 
 allegeth,  is  not  added  in  Moses.  Again,  Paul  omitteth  this 
 word  (of  God)  which  is  in  Moses.  To  conclude,  it  is  evident 
 enough,  that  Moses  speaketh  of  a  thief  or  a  malefactor,  which  by 
 his  evil  deeds  hath  deserved  the  gallows,  as  the  scripture  plainly 
 witnesseth  in  the  twenty-first  chapter  of  Deuteronomy.  Phere- 
 fore  they  ask  this  question.  How  this  sentence  may  be  applied  to 
 Christ,  that  he  is  accursed  of  God,  and  hanged  upon  a  tree,  see- 
 ing that  he  is  no  malefactor  or  thief,  but  righteous  and  holy? 
 This  may  peradventure  move  the  simple  and  ignorant,  thinking 
 that  the  sophisters  do  speak  it,  not  only  wittily,  but  also  very 
 godly,  and  thereby  do  defend  the  honour  and  glory  of  Christ, 
 and  give  warning  to  all  Christians  to  bcAvare  that  they  think  not 
 so  wickedly  of  Christ,  that  he  should  be  made  a  curse,  &c.  Let 
 OS  see  therefore  what  the  meaning  and  purpose  of  Paul  is. 
 
 But  here  again  we  must  make  a  distmction,  as  the  words  of 
 Paul  do  plainly  shew.     For  be  saith  not,  that  Chi'ist  was  made 
 
▼JER.  19.3  EPISTLE  TO  THE  QALATIANS.  213 
 
 a  curse  for  himself,  but  for  us.  Therefore  all  the  weight  of  the 
 matter  standeth  in  this  word,  "  for  us."  For  Christ  is  innocent 
 as  concerning  his  own  person,  and  therefore  he  ought  not  to 
 have  been  hanged  upon  a  tree :  but  because,  according  to  the  law 
 of  Moses,  every  thief  and  malefactor  ought  to  be  hanged,  there- 
 fore Christ  also,  according  to  the  law,  ought  to  be  hanged,  for 
 he  sustained  the  person  of  a  sinner  and  of  a  thief,  not  of  one,  but 
 of  all  sinners  and  thieves.  For  we  are  sinners  and  thieves,  and 
 therefore  guilty  of  death  and  everlasting  damnation.  But  Christ 
 took  all  our  sins  upon  him,  and  for  them  died  upon  the  cross ; 
 therefore  it  behoveth  that  he  should  become  a  transgressor,  and 
 (as  Isaiah  the  prophet  saith,  chap,  liii.)  "  to  be  reckoned  and 
 accounted  among  transgressors  and  trespassers." 
 
 And  this,  no  doubt,  all  the  prophets  did  foresee  in  spu'it,  that 
 Christ  should  become  the  greatest  transgressor,  murderer,  adul- 
 terer, thief,  rebel,  and  blasphemer,  that  ever  was  or  could  be  in 
 the  world.  For  he  being  made  a  sacrifice  for  the  sins  of  the 
 Avhole  world,  is  not  now  an  innocent  person  and  without  sins,  is 
 not  now  the  Son  of  God  bom  of  the  Virgin  Mary ;  but  a  sin- 
 ner, which  hath  and  carrieth  the  sin  of  Faul,  who  was  a  blas- 
 phemer, an  oppressor,  and  a  persecutor ;  of  Peter  which  denied 
 Christ;  of  David,  which  was  an  adulterer,  a  murderer,  and 
 caused  the  Gentiles  to  blaspheme  the  name  of  the  Lord;  and 
 briefly,  which  hath  and  beareth  all  the  sins  of  all  men  in  his  body: 
 not  that  he  himself  committed  them,  but  for  that  he  received 
 them,  being  committed  or  done  of  us,  and  laid  them  upon  his 
 o^vn  body,  that  he  might  make  satisfactlan  for  them  Avith  liis 
 own  blood.  (Isaiah  hii.  5.  Matt.  via.  17.)  Therefore  this  general 
 sentence  of  Moses  comprehendeth  him  also,  (albeit  in  his  own 
 person  he  was  innocent,)  because  it  found  him  amongst  sinners 
 •nd  transgressors :  like  as  the  magistrate  taketh  him  for  a  thief, 
 and  punisheth  him  whom  he  findeth  among  other  thieves  and 
 transgressors,  though  he  never  committed  any  thing  worthy  of 
 death.  Now,  Christ  was  not  only  found  amongst  sinners,  but 
 of  his  own  accord,  and  by  the  will  of  his  Father,  he  would  also 
 be  a  companion  of  sinners,  taking  upon  him  the  flesh  and  blood 
 of  those  which  were  sinners,  thieves,  and  plunged  into  all  kinds 
 of  sin.  When  the  law,  therefore,  found  him  among  thieves,  it 
 condemned  and  killed  him  as  a  thief. 
 
 The  popish  sophisters  do  spoil  us  of  this  knowledge  of  Christ 
 and  most  heavenly  comfort,  (namely,  that  Christ  was  made  a 
 curse,  that  he  might  deliver  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law,)  when 
 they  separate  him  from  sins  and  sinners,  and  only  set  him  out 
 unto  us  as  an  example  to  be  followed.  By  this  means  they  make 
 Christ  not  only  unprofitable  unto  us,  but  also  a  judge  and  a 
 tyrant,  which  is  angry  Avith  our  sins,  and  condemneth  sinners. 
 But  we  must  as  well  wrap  Christ,  and  know  him  to  be  wrapped 
 hx  our  sins,  in  our  malediction,  in  our  death,  and  in  all  our 
 STils,  as  he  is  wrapped  in  our  flesh  and  in  our  blood. 
 
S14  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PA  JL*S  fCHAP.  Ill 
 
 But  some  man  will  say,  it  is  verv  absurd  and  slanderous  to  call 
 the  Son  of  God  a  em'sed  sinner.  I  answer,  if  thou  wilt  deny  him 
 to  be  a  sinner  and  to  be  accursed,  deny  also  that  he  was  cruci- 
 fied and  dead.  For  it  is  no  less  absurd  to  say,  that  the  Son  of 
 God  (as  our  faith  confesseth  and  believeth)  was  crucified  and 
 suffered  the  pains  of  sin  and  death,  than  to  say  that  he  is  a  sin- 
 ner and  accursed.  But  if  it  be  not  absurd  to  confess  and  believe 
 that  Christ  was  crucified  between  two  thieves,  then  it  is  not 
 absurd  to  say  also  that  he  was  accursed,  and  of  all  sinners  the 
 greatest.  These  words  of  Paul  are  not  spoken  in  vain :  "Christ 
 was  made  a  curse  for  us :  God  made  Christ  which  knew  no  sin, 
 to  become  sin  for  us,  that  we  in  him  might  be  made  the 
 righteousness  of  God."  (2  Cor.  v.  21.) 
 
 After  the  same  manner  John  the  Baptist  calleth  him,  "  The 
 Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the  world,"  (John 
 i.  29.)  He  verily  is  innocent,  because  he  is  the  unspotted  and 
 undetiled  Lamb  of  God.  But  because  he  beareth  the  sins  of  the 
 world,  his  innocency  is  bm'dened  with  the  sins  and  guilt  of  the 
 whole  world.  Whatsoever  sins  I,  thou,  and  we  all  have  done, 
 or  shall  do  hereafter,  they  are  Christ's  own  sins,  as  verily  as  if 
 he  himself  had  done  them.  To  be  brief,  our  sin  must  needs 
 become  Christ's  own  sin,  or  else  we  shall  perish  for  ever.  This 
 true  knowledge  of  Christ,  which  Paul  and  the  prophets  have 
 most  plainly  delivered  unto  us,  the  wicked  sopliisters  have 
 darkened  and  defaced. 
 
 Isaiah  speaketh  thus  of  Christ:  "God,"  saith  he,  "laid  the 
 iniquity  of  us  all  upon  him."  (Isa.  liii.)  We  must  not  make 
 these  words  less  than  they  are,  but  leave  them  in  then*  own 
 proper  signification.  For  God  dallieth  not  in  the  words  of  the 
 prophet,  but  speaketh  earnestly,  and  of  great  love ;  to  wit, 
 that  Christ  this  Lamb  of  God  should  bear  the  sins  of  us  all. 
 But  what  is  it  to  bear?  The  sophisters  answer,  to  be  pu- 
 nished. Very  well:  But  wherefore  is  Christ  punished?  Is  it 
 not  because  he  hath  sin  and  beareth  sin?  Now  that  Christ 
 hath  sin,  the  Holy  Ghost  witnesseth  in  the  fortieth  psalm,  "  My 
 sins  have  taken  such  hold  of  me,  that  I  am  not  able  to  look 
 up,  yea,  they  are  more  in  number  than  the  hairs  of  my  head." 
 In  this  psalm,  and  certain  others,  the  Holy  Ghost  speaketh  in 
 the  person  of  Christ,  and  in  plain  words  witnesseth  that  he 
 had  sins.  For  this  testimony  is  not  the  voice  of  an  innocent, 
 but  of  a  suirexiiig  Christ,  which  took  upon  him  to  bear  the 
 person  of  all  sinners,  and  therefore  was  made  guilty  of  the  sins 
 of  the  whole  world. 
 
 Wherefore  Christ  Avas  not  only  crucified  and  died,  but  sin 
 also,  (through  the  love  of  the  divine  Majesty)  was  laid  upon  him. 
 When  sin  was  laid  upon  him,  then  cometh  the  law  and  saith: 
 "  Every  sinner  must  die."  Therefore,  O  Christ,  if  thou  wilt 
 answer,  become  guilty,  and  suifer  punishment  for  siimers,  thou 
 must  also  beai'  sin  and  malediction.     Paul  therefore  doth  very 
 
VER.   13.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  215 
 
 well  allege  tins  general  sentence  out  of  Moses  as  concerning 
 Christ:  "  Every  one  that  hangeth  upon  the  tree  is  the  accursed 
 of  God:"  but  Christ  hath  hanged  upon  the  tree,  therefore 
 Christ  is  the  accursed  of  God. 
 
 And  this  is  a  singular  consolation  for  all  Christians,  so  to 
 clothe  Christ  Avith  our  sins,  and  to  wrap  him  in  my  sins,  thy 
 sins,  and  the  sins  of  the  whole  world,  and  so  to  behold  him 
 bearing  all  our  iniquities.  For  the  beholding  of  him  after  tliis 
 manner,  shall  easily  vanquish  all  the  fantastical  opinions  of  the 
 Papists,  concerning  the  justification  of  works.  For  they  do 
 imagine  (as  I  have  said)  a  certain  faith  formed  and  adorned 
 with  charity.  By  this  (they  say)  sins  are  taken  away,  and  men 
 are  justified  before  God.  And  what  is  this  else  (I  pray  you) 
 but  to  unwrap  Christ,  and  to  strip  him  quite  out  of  our  sins,  to 
 make  him  innocent,  and  to  charge  and  overwhelm  ourselves 
 with  our  own  sins,  and  to  look  upon  them,  not  in  Christ,  but 
 in  ourselves?  yea,  what  is  this  else  but  to  take  Christ  clean 
 away,  and  to  make  him  utterly  unprofitable  unto  us?  For  if  it 
 be  so  that  we  put  away  sin  by  the  works  of  the  law  and  charity, 
 then  Christ  taketh  them  not  away.  For  if  he  be  the  Lamb 
 of  God  ordained  from  everlasting  to  take  away  the  sins  of  the 
 world;  and  moreover,  if  he  be  so  wrapped  in  our  sins  that  he 
 became  accmsed  for  us,  it  must  needs  follow  that  we  cannot  be 
 justified  by  works.  For  God  hath  laid  our  sins,  not  upon  us, 
 but  upon  his  Son  Christ,  that  he,  bearing  the  pmiishment 
 thereof,  might  be  our  peace :  and  that,  by  his  stripes,  we  might 
 be  healed,  (Isa.  liii.  5.)  Therefore  they  cannot  be  taken  away 
 by  us.  To  this  all  the  scripture  beareth  witness;  and  we  also 
 do  confess  the  same  in  the  articles  of  the  Christian  belief,  when 
 we  say:  "I  believe  in  Jesus  Christ,  the  son  of  God,  which 
 suffered,  was  crucified  and  died  for  us." 
 
 Hereby  it  appeareth  that  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel  (which  of 
 all  other  is  most  sweet  and  full  of  singular  consolation)  speaketh 
 nothing  of  our  works,  or  of  the  Avorks  of  the  law,  but  of  the  in- 
 estimable mercy  and  love  of  God  towards  most  wretched  and 
 miserable  sinners:  to  wit,  that  our  most  merciful  Father,  seeing 
 us  to  be  oppressed  and  overwhelmed  with  the  cm'se  of  the  law, 
 and  so  to  be  holden  under  the  same,  that  we  could  never  be 
 delivered  from  it  by  our  own  power,  sent  his  only  Son  into  the  J 
 world,  and  laid  upon  him  all  the  sins  of  all  men,  saying,  be  thou 
 Peter  that  denier;  Paul,  that  persecutor,  blasphemer,  and  cruel 
 oppressor;  David,  that  adulterer;  that  sinner  which  did  eat  the 
 apple  in  paradise;  that  thief  which  hanged  upon  the  cross,  and 
 briefly,  be  thou  the  person  Avhich  hath  committed  the  sins  of  all 
 men :  see  therefore  that  thou  pay  and  satisfy  for  them.  Here 
 now  Cometh  the  law  and  saith:  I  find  him  a  sinner,  and  that 
 such  a  one  as  hath  taken  upon  him  the  sins  of  all  men,  and  I 
 see  no  sins  else  but  in  him:  therefore  let  him  die  upon  the  cross; 
 and  BO  he  setteth  upon  him,  and  killeth  him.     By  this  means 
 
216  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.    PAU1.*S  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 the  whole  world  is  purged  and  cleansed  from  all  sins,  and  bo 
 delivered  from  death  and  all  evils.  Now  sin  being  vanquished 
 and  death  abolished  by  this  one  man,  God  would  see  nothing 
 else  in  the  whole  world,  if  it  did  believe,  but  a  mere  cleansing 
 and  righteousness.  And  if  any  remnants  of  sin  should  remain^ 
 yet  for  the  great  glory  that  is  in  Christ,  God  would  wink  at 
 them,  and  would  not  see  them. 
 
 Thus  we  must  magnify  the  article  of  Christian  righteousness 
 against  the  righteousness  of  the  law  and  works,  albeit  no  elo- 
 quence is  able  sufficiently  to  set  forth  the  inestimable  greatness 
 thereof.  Wherefore  the  argument  that  Paul  handleth  in  this 
 place,  of  all  other  is  most  mighty  against  all  the  righteousness  of 
 the  law.  For  it  containeth  this  invincible  opposition :  that  is,  if 
 the  sins  of  the  whole  world  be  in  that  one  man  Jesus  Christ,  then 
 are  they  not  in  the  world;  but  if  they  be  not  in  him,  then  are 
 they  yet  in  the  world.  Also,  if  Christ  be  made  guilty  of  all  the 
 sins  Avhich  we  all  have  committed,  then  are  we  delivered  from 
 all  sins,  but  not  by  ourselves,  nor  by  our  own  works  or  merits, 
 but  by  him.  But  if  he  be  innocent  and  bear  not  our  sins,  then 
 do  we  bear  them,  and  in  them  we  shall  die  and  be  damned. 
 **  But  thanks  be  to  God  who  hath  given  us  the  victory  by  our 
 Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Amen."  (1  Cor.  xv.  57.) 
 
 But  now  let  us  see  by  what  means  these  two  things,  so  con- 
 trary and  so  repugnant,  may  be  reconciled  in  this  one  peison 
 Christ.  Not  only  my  sins  and  thine,  but  also  the  sins  ot  the 
 whole  world,  either  past,  present,  or  to  come,  take  hold  upon 
 him,  go  about  to  condemn  him,  and  do  indeed  condemn  him. 
 But  because  in  the  self-same  person,  which  is  the  highest,  the 
 greatest,  and  the  only  sinner,  there  is  also  an  everlasting  and 
 mvincible  righteousness:  therefore  these  two  do  encounter 
 together,  the  highest,  the  greatest,  and  the  only  sin,  and  the 
 highest,  the  greatest,  and  the  only  righteousness.  Here  one 
 of  them  must  needs  be  overcome  and  give  place  to  the  other, 
 seeing  they  fight  together  with  so  great  force  and  power.  The 
 sin  therefore  of  the  whole  world  cometh  upon  righteousness 
 with  all  might  and  main.  In  this  combat,  what  is  done? 
 Righteousness  is  everlasting,  immortal  and  invincible.  Sin  also 
 is  a  most  mighty  and  cruel  tyrant,  ruling  and  reigning  over  the 
 whole  world,  subduing  and  bringing  all  men  into  bondage.  To 
 conclude,  sin  is  a  mighty  and  a  strong  god,  which  devoureth  all 
 mankind,  learned,  unlearned,  holy,  mighty,  and  wise  men. 
 This  tyrant,  I  say,  flieth  upon  Christ,  and  will  needs  swallow 
 him  up,  as  he  doth  all  other.  But  he  seeth  not  that  he  is  a  per- 
 son of  invincible  and  everlasting  righteousness.  Therefore,  in 
 this  combat,  sin  must  needs  be  vanquished  and  killed,  and 
 righteousness  must  overcome,  live,  and  reign.  So  in  Christ  all 
 sin  is  vanquished,  killed,  and  buried,  and  righteousness  remaineth 
 a  conqueror  and  reigneth  for  ever. 
 
 In  like  manner  death,  which  is  an  omnipotent  queen  an4  em* 
 
▼«R.  IS.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  217 
 
 press  of  the  whole  world,  killing-  king^,  princes,  and  generally  ah 
 men,  doth  mightily  encounter  with  Hfe,  thinking  utterly  to  over- 
 come it  and  to  swallow  it  up :  and  that  wliich  it  goeth  ahout,  it 
 bringeth  to  pass  indeed.  But  because  life  was  immortal,  there- 
 fore when  it  was  overcome,  yet  did  it  overcome  and  get  the  vic- 
 tory, vanquishing  and  kilHng  death.  Death  therefore  through 
 Christ  is  vanquished  and  abolished  throughout  the  whole  world, 
 80  that  now  it  is  but  a  painted  death,  which,  losing  his  sting,  can 
 no  more  hurt  those  that  beheve  in  Christ,  who  is  become  the 
 death  of  death,  as  Hosea  the  prophet  saith:  "O  death,  I  will  be 
 thy  death."  (Hos.  xiii.  14.) 
 
 So  the  curse,  which  is  the  wrath  of  God  upon  the  whole  world, 
 hath  the  Hke  conflict  with  the  blessing:  that  is  to  say,  with  grace 
 and  the  eternal  mercy  of  God  in  Christ.  The  curse  therefore 
 fighteth  against  the  blessing,  and  would  condemn  it  and  bring  it 
 to  nought:  but  it  cannot  do  so.  For  the  blessing  is  divine  and 
 everljisting,  and  therefore  the  curse  must  needs  give  place.  For 
 if  the  blessing  in  Christ  could  be  overcome,  then  should  God 
 himself  also  be  overcome.  But  this  is  impossible:  therefore 
 Christ  the  power  of  God,  righteousness,  blessing,  grace,  and 
 life,  overcometh  and  destroyeth  these  monsters,  sin,  death,  and 
 the  curse,  without  war  or  weapons,  in  his  own  body,  and  in 
 himself,  as  Paul  delighteth  to  speak:  "Spoiling,"  said  he,  "all 
 principahties  and  powers,  and  triumpliing  over  them  in  himself," 
 (Col.  ii.  15.)  so  that  they  cannot  any  more  hurt  those  that  do 
 believe. 
 
 And  this  circumstance,  "in  himself,"  maketh  that  combat 
 much  more  wonderfid  and  glorious.  For  it  sheweth  that  it  was 
 necessary  that  these  inestimable  tilings  should  be  accomplished 
 in  that  one  only  person,  (to  wit,  that  the  curse,  sin  and  death 
 should  be  destroyed,  and  the  blessing,  righteousness  and  life, 
 should  succeed  in  their  place,)  and  that  so  the  whole  creature 
 through  this  one  person  should  be  renewed.  Therefore,  if  thou 
 look  upon  this  person  Christ,  thou  shalt  see  sin,  death,  the  wrath 
 of  God,  hell,  the  devil,  and  all  evils  vanquished  and  mortified 
 in  him.  Forasmuch  then  as  Christ  reigneth  by  his  grace  in 
 the  hearts  of  the  faithful,  there  is  no  sin,  no  death,  no  curse: 
 but  where  Christ  is  not  known,  there  all  these  things  do  still 
 remain.  Therefore  all  they  wliich  believe  not,  do  lack  this  in- 
 estimable benefit  and  glorious  victory.  "For  this  (as  St.  John 
 saith)  is  our  victory  that  overcometh  the  world,  even  om-  faith." 
 (1  John  V.  4.) 
 
 This  is  the  principal  article  of  all  Christian  doctrine,  which 
 the  popish  schoolmen  have  altogether  darkened.  And  here  yo 
 see  how  necessary  a  thing  it  is  to  believe  and  to  confess  the  ar- 
 ticle of  the  divinity  of  Christ,  which,  when  Anus  denied,  he 
 must  needs  also  deny  the  article  of  our  redemption.  For  to 
 overcome  the  sin  of  the  world,  death,  the  curse,  and  the  wrath 
 ©f  God  in  himself,  is  not  the  work  of  any  creature,  but  of  the 
 
218  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 divine  power.  Therefore  he  which  in  himself  should  overcome 
 these,  must  needs  be  truly  and  naturally  God.  For  against 
 this  mighty  power  of  sin,  death,  and  the  cm'se,  (which  of  itself 
 reigneth  throughout  the  world,  and  in  the  whole  creature)  it  was 
 necessary  to  set  a  more  high  and  mighty  power.  But  besides 
 the  sovereign  and  divine  power,  no  such  power  can  be  found. 
 Wherefore,  to  abolish  sin,  to  destroy  death,  to  take  away  the 
 curse  in  himself;  and  again,  to  give  righteousness,  to  bring  life 
 to  light,  and  to  give  the  blessing,  are  the  works  of  the  divine 
 power  only  and  alone.  Now,  because  the  scripture  doth  attri- 
 bute all  these  to  Christ,  therefore  he  in  himself  is  life, 
 righteousness,  and  blessing,  which  is  naturally  and  substantially 
 God.  Wherefore  they  that  deny  the  divinity  of  Christ,  do  lose 
 all  Christianity,  and  become  altogether  Gentiles  and  Turks. 
 We  must  learn  therefore  diligently  the  article  of  justification 
 (as  I  often  admonish  you.)  For  all  the  other  articles  of  our 
 faitli  are  comprehended  in  it:  and  if  that  remain  sound,  then  are 
 all  the  rest  sound.  Wherefore,  when  we  teach  that  men  are 
 justified  by  Christ,  that  Christ  is  the  conqueror  of  sin,  death, 
 and  the  everlasting  curse,  we  witness  therewithal  that  he  is 
 naturally  and  substantially  God. 
 
 Hereby  Ave  may  plainly  see  how  horrible  the  wickedness  and 
 blindness  of  the  Papists  was,  which  taught  that  these  cruel  and 
 mighty  tyrants,  sin,  death,  and  the  cm'se  (which  swallow  up  all 
 mankind)  must  be  vanquished,  not  by  the  righteousness  of  the 
 law  of  God  (which,  although  it  be  just,  good  and  holy,  can  do 
 nothing  but  bring  men  under  the  curse : )  but  by  the  righteousness 
 of  man's  own  works,  as  by  fasting,  pilgrimages,  masses,  vows, 
 and  such  other  like  paltry.  But,  I  pray  you,  was  there  ever 
 any  found,  that,  being  furnished  with  this  armour,  overcame  sin, 
 death,  and  the  devil?  Paul, in  the  sixth  chapter  to  the  Ephesians, 
 13,  14,  &c.  describeth  a  far  other  manner  of  armour,  Avhich  we 
 must  use  against  these  most  cruel  and  raging  beasts.  There- 
 fore, in  that  these  blind  buzzards,  and  leaders  of  the  blind,  have 
 set  us  naked  and  without  armour  before  these  invincible  and 
 most  mighty  tyrants,  they  have  not  only  delivered  us  unto  them 
 to  be  devoured,  but  also  have  made  us  ten  times  greater  and 
 more  wicked  sinners  than  either  thieves,  whores,  or  murderers. 
 For  it  belongeth  only  to  the  divine  power  to  destroy  sin  and  to 
 abolish  death,  to  create  righteousness  and  to  give  life.  They 
 have  attributed  this  divine  power  to  our  own  works,  saying,  if 
 thou  do  this  work  or  that,  thou  shalt  overcome  sin,  death,  and 
 the  wrath  of  God:  and  by  this  means  they  set  us  in  God's  place, 
 making  us  in  very  deed  naturally,  if  I  may  so  say,  God  himself. 
 And  herein  the  Papists,  under  the  name  of  Christ,  have  shewed 
 themselves  to  be  seven-fold  more  wicked  idolaters  than  ever 
 were  the  Gentiles.  (2  Pet.  ii.  22.)  For  it  happeneth  to  them, 
 as  it  doth  to  the  sow,  which,  after  slie  is  washed,  walloweth  her- 
 self again  in  the  mire,     And  as  Christ  saith,  "after  they  are 
 
VEIL  13.] 
 
 EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS. 
 
 819 
 
 fallen  away  from  faith,  an  evil  spirit  entereth  again  into  the  house, 
 out  of  the  which  he  was  driven,  and  taketh  unto  him  seven  worse 
 spirits  than  himself,  and  there  dwelleth:  and  then  the  latter  end 
 of  that  man  is  worse  than  the  beginning,"  (Luke  xi.  26.)  , 
 
 Let  us  therefore  receive  this  most  sweet  doctrine  and  fiill  of 
 comfort,  with  thanksgiving,  and  with  an  assured  faith,  which 
 teacheth  that  Christ  being  made  a  curse  for  us,  (that  is,  a  sinner 
 subject  to  the  wrath  of  God,)  did  put  upon  him  our  person,  and 
 laid  our  sins  upon  his  own  shoidders,  saying,  I  have  committed 
 the  sins  which  all  men  have  committed. — Therefore  he  was  made 
 a  curse  indeed  according  to  the  law,  not  for  himself,  but,  as  Paul 
 saith,  for  us.  For  unless  he  had  taken  upon  himself  my  sins 
 and  thine,  and  the  sins  of  the  whole  world,  the  law  had  had  no 
 right  over  him,  which  condemneth  none  but  sinners  only,  and 
 holdeth  them  under  the  cm*se.  Wherefore  he  could  neither 
 have  been  made  a  curse  nor  die,  since  the  only  cause  of  the  ciu-se 
 and  of  death  is  sin,  from  the  which  he  was  free.  But  because 
 he  had  taken  upon  him  our  sins,  not  by  constraint,  but  of  his 
 own  good  will,  it  behoved  him  to  bear  the  punishment  and 
 wrath  of  God:  not  for  his  own  person  (which  was  just  and  in- 
 vincible, and  therefore  could  be  found  in  no  wise  guilty)  but 
 for  our  person. 
 
 So  making  a  happy  change  with  us,  he  took  upon  him  our  sin- 
 ful person,  and  gave  unto  us  his  innocent  and  victorious  person: 
 wherewith  we  being  now  clothed,  are  freed  from  the  curse  of 
 the  law.  For  Christ  was  willingly  made  a  curse  for  us,  saying,  as 
 touching  my  own  person,  I  am  blessed,  and  need  nothing.  But 
 I  will  abase  myself,  and  will  put  upon  me  your  person,  (Phil, 
 ii.  7.)  that  is  to  say,  your  human  nature,  and  I  will  walk  in  the 
 same  among  you,  and  will  suffer  death,  to  deliver  you  from  death. 
 Now,  he  thus  bearing  the  sin  of  the  whole  world  in  our  person, 
 was  taken,  suffered,  wjas  crucified  and  put  to  death,  and  became 
 a  curse  for  us.  But  because  he  was  a  person  divine  and  everlast- 
 ing, it  was  impossible  that  death  should  hold  him.  Wherefore 
 he  rose  again  the  third  day  from  death,  and  now  liveth  for  ever: 
 and  there  is  neither  sin  nor  death  found  in  him  any  more,  but 
 mere  righteousness,  life,  and  everlasting  blessedness. 
 
 This  image  and  this  mirror  we  must  have  continuallybefore  us, 
 and  behold  the  same  with  a  stedfast  eye  of  faith.  He  that  doth 
 so,  hath  this  innocency  and  victory  of  Christ,  although  he  be  never 
 so  great  a  sinner.  By  faith  only  therefore  we  are  made  righteous, 
 for  faith  layeth  hold  upon  this  innocency  and  this  victory  of 
 Christ.  Look  then  how  much  thou  believest  this,  so  much  thou 
 dost  enjoy  it.  If  thou  believe  sin,  death,  and  the  curse  to  be  abo-^ 
 lished,  they  are  abolished.  For  Christ  hath  overcome  and  taken-J 
 away  these  in  himself,  and  will  have  us  to  believe, that  like  as  in  his 
 own  person  there  is  now  no  sin  nor  death,  even  so  there  is  none  in 
 ours,  seeing  he  hath  performed  and  accomplished  all  things  for  us. 
 
 Wherefore,  if  sin  vex  thee,  and  death  terrify  thee,  think  that  it 
 
 / 
 
 /y 
 
SJ20  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 is  (as  it  is  indeed)  but  an  imagination,  and  a  false  illusion  of  the 
 devil.  For  in  very  deed  there  is  now  no  sin,  no  curse,  no  death, 
 no  devil,  to  hurt  us  any  more,  for  Christ  hath  vanquished  and  abo- 
 lished all  these  things.  Therefore,  the  victory  of  Christ  is  most 
 certain,  and  there  is  no  defect  in  the  thing  itself,  (since  it  is  most 
 true,)  but  in  our  incredulity:  for  to  reason  it  is  a  hard  matter 
 to  believe  these  inestimable  good  things  and  unspeakable  riches. 
 Moreover,  Satan,  with  his  fiery  darts,  and  his  ministers,  with 
 their  wicked  and  false  doctrine,  go  about  to  wrest  from  us  and 
 utterly  to  deface  this  doctrine;  and  specially  for  this  article, 
 which  we  so  diligently  teach,  we  sustain  the  hati:*ed  and  cruel 
 persecution  of  Satan  and  of  the  world;  for  Satan  feeleth  the 
 power  and  fruit  of  this  article. 
 
 And  that  there  is  no  more  sin,  death,  or  malediction,  since 
 Christ  now  reigneth,  we  daily  confess  also  in  the  creed  of  the 
 apostles,  when  we  say:  "I  believe  that  there  is  a  holy  church." 
 Which  indeed  is  nothing  else  but  as  if  we  should  say:  I  believe 
 that  there  is  no  sin,  no  malediction,  no  death  in  the  church  of 
 God.  For  they  which  do  believe  in  Christ,  are  no  sinners,  are 
 not  guilty  of  death,  but  are  holy  and  righteous,  lords  over  sin 
 and  death,  and  living  for  ever.  But  faith  only  seeth  this:  for  we 
 say,  I  believe  that  there  is  a  holy  church.  But  if  thou  believe 
 reason  and  thine  own  eyes,  thou  wilt  judge  clean  contrary;  for 
 thou  seest  many  things  in  the  godly  which  oiFend  thee.  Thou 
 seest  them  sometimes  to  fall  into  sin,  and  to  be  weak  in  faith;  to 
 be  subject  unto  wrath,  envy,  and  such  other  evil  affections: 
 therefore  the  chiu-ch  is  not  holy.  I  deny  the  consequence.  If  I 
 look  upon  mine  own  person,  or  the  person  of  my  brother,  it 
 shall  never  be  holy.  But  if  I  behold  Christ,  who  hath  sanctified 
 and  cleansed  his  church,  then  is  it  altogether  holy:  for  he  hath 
 taken  away  the  sins  of  the  whole  Avorld. 
 
 Therefore,  where  sins  are  seen  and  felt,  then  are  they  indeed  no 
 sins;  for,  according  to  Paul's  divinity,  there  is  no  sin,  no  death, 
 no  malediction  any  more  in  the  world,  but  in  Christ,  who  is  the 
 Lamb  of  God  that  hath  taken  away  the  sins  of  the  world:  who  is 
 made  a  curse,  that  he  might  deliver  us  from  the  curse.  Con- 
 trariwise, according  to  philosophy  and  reason,  sin,  death,  and  the 
 curse,  are  no  where  else  but  in  the  world,  in  the  flesh,  or  in  sin- 
 ners. For  a  sophistical  divine  can  speak  no  otherwise  of  sin,  than 
 doth  the  heathen  philosopher.  Like  as  the  colour,  saith  he, 
 cleaveth  in  the  wall,  even  so  doth  sin  in  the  world,  in  the  flesh, 
 or  in  the  conscience:  therefore  it  is  to  be  purged  by  contrary 
 operations,  to  wit,  by  charity.  But  the  true  divinity  teacheth  that 
 there  is  no  sin  in  the  world  any  more:  for  Christ,  upon  whom 
 the  Father  hath  cast  the  sins  of  the  whole  world,  hath  vanquished 
 and  killed  the  same  in  his  own  body.  (Isa.  liii.  6.)  He  once 
 dying  for  sin,  and  raised  up  again,  dieth  no  more.  Therefore, 
 wheresoever  is  a  true  faith  in  Christ,  there  sin  is  abolished,  dead, 
 and  buried.  But  where  no  faith  in  Christ  is,  there  sin  doth  slill 
 
VER.   13.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  221 
 
 remain. — And  albeit  the  remnants  of  sin  be  as  yet  in  the  saints, 
 because  they  believe  not  perfectly,  yet  are  they  dead,  in  that  they 
 are  not  imputed  unto  them  because  of  their  faith  in  Christ. 
 
 This  is  therefore  a  strong  and  a  mighty  argument,  which  Paul 
 here  prosecuteth  against  the  righteousness  of  works.  It  is  not 
 the  law  nor  works  that  do  deliver  us  from  the  everlasting  curse, 
 but  Christ  alone. — See  therefore,  good  Christian  reader,  I  be- 
 seech thee,  that  thou  distinguish  Christ  from  the  law,  and  dili- 
 gently mark  how  Paul  speaketh,  and  what  he  saith.  "All,"  saith 
 he,  "which  do  no*^  fulfil  the  law,  are  necessarily  under  the  curse. 
 But  no  man  fultiUeth  the  law :  therefore  all  men  are  mider  the 
 curse."  He  addeth  moreover  another  proposition — "  Christ  hath 
 redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  being  made  a  curse  for 
 us:  therefore  it  folio weth,  that  the  law  and  works  do  not  redeem 
 us  from  the  curse,  but  bring  us  rather  under  the  curse."  Charity 
 therefore  (which,  as  the  schoolmen  say,  giveth  form  and  perfec- 
 tion unto  faith)  hath  not  only  not  redeemed  us  from  the  curse, 
 but  rather  it  wrappeth  us  more  and  more  in  the  curse. 
 
 This  text  then  is  plain,  that  all  men,  yea,  the  apostles,  prophets 
 and  patriarchs  had  remained  under  the  curse,  if  Christ  had  not 
 set  himself  against  sin,  death,  the  curse  of  the  law,  the  wrath  and 
 judgment  of  God,  and  overcome  them  in  his  own  body:  for  no 
 power  of  flesh  and  blood  could  overcome  these  huge  and  hideous 
 monsters.  But  now,  Christ  is  not  the  law,  or  the  work  of  the 
 law,  but  a  divine  and  human  person,  which  took  upon  him  sin, 
 the  condemnation  of  the  law  and  death,  not  for  himself,  but  for 
 us:  therefore  all  the  weight  and  force  hereof  consisteth  in  this 
 word,  "for  us." 
 
 We  must  not  then  imagine  Christ  to  be  innocent,  and  as  a 
 private  person  (as  do  the  schoolmen,  and  almost  all  the  fathers 
 have  done)  which  is  holy  and  righteous  for  himself  only.  True 
 it  is  indeed  that  Christ  is  a  person  most  pure  and  unspotted:  but 
 thou  must  not  stay  there :  for  thou  hast  not  yet  Christ,  although 
 thou  know  him  to  be  God  and  man;  but  then  thou  hast  hun  in 
 deed,  when  thou  believest  that  this  most  pure  and  innocent  per- 
 son is  freely  given  unto  thee  of  the  Father,  to  be  thy  high- 
 priest  and  Saviour,  yea,  rather  thy  servant,  that  he,  putting  otf 
 his  innocency  and  hoHness,  and  taking  thy  sinful  person  upon 
 him,  might  bear  thy  sin,  thy  death,  and  thy  curse,  and  might  be 
 made  a  sacrifice  and  a  curse  for  thee,  that  by  this  means  he  might 
 deliver  thee  from  the  curse  of  the  law. 
 
 Ye  see  then  with  what  an  apostolic  spirit  Paul  handleth  this 
 argument  of  the  blessing  of  the  curse,  whilst  he  not  only  maketh 
 Christ  subject  to  the  curse,  but  saith  also  that  he  is  made  a  curse. 
 So  in  2  Cor.  v.  he  calleth  him  sin,  when  he  saith:  "he  hath  made 
 him  to  be  sin  for  us,  which  knew  no  sin,  that  we  should  be  made 
 the  righteousness  of  God  in  him."  And  although  these  sentences 
 may  be  well  expounded  after  this  manner:  Christ  is  made  a  curs*», 
 that  is  to  say,  a  sacrifice  for  the  curse;  and  sin,  that  is,  a  sucri- 
 
222  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 fice  for  sin:  yet  in  my  judg^ient  it  is  better  to  keep  the  proper 
 signification  of  the  words,  because  there  is  a  greater  force  and 
 vehemency  therein.  For  when  a  sinner  comet!  to  the  knowledge 
 of  himself  indeed,  he  feeleth  not  only  that  he  is  miserable,  but  mi- 
 sery itself:  not  only  that  he  is  a  sinner,  and  is  accursed,  but  even 
 sin  and  malediction  itself.  For  it  is  a  terrible  thing  to  bear  sin, 
 the  wrath  of  God,  malediction  and  «leath.  Wherefore  that  man 
 which  hath  a  true  feeling  of  these  things  (as  Christ  did  truly 
 and  effectually  f^el  them  for  all  mankind)  is  made  even  sin, 
 death,  malediction^  &c.         '         ^      ■ — 
 
 Paul  therefore  handleth  this  place  with  a  true  apostolical  spi- 
 rit. There  is  neither  sophister,  nor  lawyer,  nor  Jew,  nor  Ana- 
 baptist, nor  any  other  that  speaketh  as  he  doth.  For  who  durst 
 allege  this  place  out  of  Moses :  "  accursed  is  every  one  that 
 hangeth  on  a  tree,"  and  apply  it  unto  Christ?  Like  as  Paul 
 then  applied  this  sentence  to  Christ,  even  so  may  Ave  apply  it 
 unto  Christ,  not  only  that  whole  twenty-seventh  chapter  of 
 Deuteronomy,  but  also  may  gather  all  the  curses  of  Moses'  law 
 together,  and  expound  the  same  of  Christ.  For  as  Christ  is  inno- 
 cent in  this  general  law,  touching  his  own  person:  so  is  he  also 
 in  all  the  rest.  And  as  he  is  guilty  in  this  general  law,  in  that 
 he  is  made  a  curse  for  us,  and  is  hanged  upon  the  cross  as  a 
 wicked  man,  a  blasphemer,  a  murderer,  and  a  traitor:  even  so 
 is  he  also  guilty  in  all  others.  For  all  the  curses  of  the  law  are 
 heaped  together  and  laid  upon  him,  and  therefore  he  did  bear 
 and  suffer  them  in  his  own  body  for  us.  He  was  therefore  not 
 only  accursed,  but  also  was  made  a  curse  for  us. 
 
 This  is  to  interpret  the  scriptures  truly  and  like  an  apostle. 
 For  a  man  is  not  able  to  speak  after  this  manner  without  the  Holy 
 Ghost:  that  is  to  say,  to  comprehend  the  whole  law  in  this  one 
 saying,  "Christ  is  made  a  curse  for  us,"  and  lay  the  same  alto- 
 gether upon  Christ:  and  contrariAvise  to  comprehend  all  the  pro- 
 mises of  the  scripture,  and  say,  that  they  are  all  at  once  fulfilled. 
 in  Christ.  Wlierefore  this  is  indeed  an  apostolic  and  invincible 
 argument,  not  taken  out  of  one  place  of  the  law,  but  out  of  the 
 whole  law:  which  Paul  also  useth  as  a  sui'e  ground. 
 
 Here  we  may  see  with  what  diligence  Paul  read  the  holy 
 scriptures,  and  how  exactly  he  weighed  every  word  of  this  place, 
 "in  thy  seed  shall  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  be  blessed."  First, 
 out  of  this  word  blessing  he  gathereth  this  argmnent:  if  blessing 
 shall  be  given  unto  all  nations,  then  are  all  nations  under  the 
 curse,  yea,  the  Jews  also,  who  have  the  law.  And  he  allegeth 
 a  testimony  of  the  scripture,  whereby  he  proveth  that  all  tht? 
 Jews  which  are  under  the  law,  are  under  the  curse;  "cursed 
 is  every  one  that  abideth  not  in  all  the  things  that  are  written 
 in  this  book." 
 
 Moreover,  he  diligently  weigheth  this  clause:  "all  nations." 
 Out  of  the  which  he  gathereth  thus:  that  the  blessing  belongeth 
 not  only  to  the  Jews,  but  also  to  all  the  nations  of  the  whole 
 
VKR.  1S."|  EirSTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  223 
 
 world.  Seeing  then  it  belongeth  to  all  nations,  it  is  impossible 
 that  it  should  be  obtained  through  the  law  of  Moses,  forasmuch 
 as  there  was  no  nation  that  had  the  law,  but  only  the  Jews. 
 And  although  they  had  the  law,  yet  Avere  they  so  far  off  from  ob- 
 taining the  blessing  through  it,  that  the  more  they  endeavom*ed 
 to  accomplish  it,  the  more  they  were  subject  to  the  curse  of  the 
 law.  Wherefore  there  must  needs  be  another  righteousness, 
 which  must  be  far  more  excellent  than  the  righteousness  of  the 
 law,  through  the  which,  not  only  the  JeAvs,  but  also  all  nations 
 throughout  the  whole  world,  must  obtain  the  blessing. 
 
 Finally,  these  words,  "in  thy  seed,"  he  expoundeth  after 
 this  manner:  that  a  certain  man  should  issue  out  of  the  seed  of 
 Abraham,  that  is  to  say,  Christ,  through  whom  the  blessing 
 shoiUd  come  afterwards  upon  all  nations.  Seeing  therefore  it 
 was  Christ  that  should  bless  all  nations,  it  was  he  also  that  should 
 take  away  the  curse  from  them.  But  he  could  not  take  it 
 away  by  the  law,  for  by  the  law  it  is  more  and  more  increased. 
 What  did  he  then?  He  joined  himself  to  the  company  of  the 
 accursed,  taking  unto  him  their  flesh  and  blood,  and  so  set 
 himself  for  a  mediator  between  God  and  men,  saying,  although 
 I  be  flesh  and  blood,  and  now  dwell  among  the  accursed,  yet 
 notwithstanding  I  am  that  blessed  one,  through  whom  all  men 
 must  be  blessed.  So  in  one  person  he  joineth  God  and  man 
 together,  and  being  united  unto  us  which  were  accursed,  he 
 was  made  a  curse  for  us,  and  hid  his  blessing  in  our  sin,  in  our 
 death,  and  in  our  curse,  which  condemned  him  and  put  him  co 
 death.  But  because  he  was  the  Soli  of  God,  he  could  not 
 be  holden  of  them,  but  overcame  them,  led  them  captive  and 
 triumphed  over  them :  and  whatsoever  did  hang  upon  the 
 flesh,  which  for  our  sake  he  took  upon  him,  he  carried  it  with 
 him.  Wherefore  all  they  that  cleave  unto  this  flesh,  are  blessed 
 and  delivered  from  the  curse,  that  is,  from  sin  and  everlasting 
 death. 
 
 They  that  understand  not  this  benefit  of  Christ  (whereof  the 
 gospel  especially  entreateth)  and  know  not  another  righteousness 
 besides  the  righteousness  of  the  law,  when  they  hear  that  the 
 works  of  the  law  are  not  necessary  to  salvation,  but  that  men  do 
 obtain  the  same  by  only  hearing  and  believing  that  Christ  the 
 Son  of  God  hath  taken  upon  him  our  flesh,  and  joined  himself 
 to  the  accursed,  to  the  end  that  all  nations  might  be  blessed, 
 they,  I  say,  are  offended:  for  of  all  this  they  understand  nothing, 
 or  else  they  understand  it  carnally.  For  their  minds  are  occu- 
 pied with  other  cogitations  and  fantastical  imaginations :  there- 
 fore these  things  seem  unto  them  strange  matters.  Yea,  even 
 unto  us  which  have  received  the  first  fruits  of  the  spirit,  it  is 
 impossible  to  understand  these  things  perfectly;  for  they  mightily 
 fight  against  reason. 
 
 To  conclude,  all  evils  should  have  overwhelmed  us,  as  they 
 •^hail  overwhelm  the  wicked  for  ever;  but  Christ  being  mvtoe 
 
COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [«;HAP.  111. 
 
 for  lis  a  trans^essor  of  all  laws,  guilty  of  all  our  malediction, 
 our  sins,  and  all  our  evils,  cometh  between  as  a  mediator,  em- 
 bracing us  wicked  and  damnable  sinners.  He  took  upon  him 
 and  bore  all  our  evils,  which  should  have  oppressed  and  tor- 
 mented us  for  ever;  and  these  cast  him  down  for  a  little  while, 
 and  ran  over  liis  head  like  water,  as  the  prophet  in  the  person  of 
 Christ  complaineth  when  he  saith;  "thy  indignation  sore  pres- 
 seth  me,  and  thou  hast  vexed  me  with  all  thy  storms."  Again, 
 *'  thine  indignations  have  gone  over  me,  and  thy  terrors  have 
 troubled  me."  By  this  means  we  being  delivered  from  these  ever- 
 lasting terrors  and  anguish  through  Christ,  shall  enjoy  an  ever- 
 lasting and  inestimable  peace  and  felicity,  so  that  we  believe  this. 
 These  are  the  reverend  mysteries  of  the  scripture,  which  Moses 
 also  somewhat  darkly  in  some  places  did  foreshew:  which  also 
 tiit  prophets  and  apostles  did  know,  and  did  deliver  to  their  pos- 
 terity. For  this  knowledge  and  benefit  of  Christ  to  come,  the 
 saints  of  the  Old  Testament  rejoiced  more  than  we  now  do,  when 
 he  is  so  comfortably  revealed  and  exhibited  unto  us.  Indeed 
 we  do  acknowledge  that  this  knowledge  of  Christ  and  of  the 
 righteousness  of  faith,  is  an  inestimable  treasure;  but  Ave  con- 
 ceive not  thferujy  such  a  full  joy  of  spirit,  as  the  prophets  and 
 apostles  did.  Hereof  it  cometh,  that  they,  and  especially  Paul, 
 so  plentifully  set  forth  and  so  diligently  taught  the  article  of 
 justification.  For  this  is  the  proper  office  of  an  apostle,  to  set 
 forth  the  glory  and  benefit  of  Christ,  and  thereby  to  raise  up 
 and  comfort  troubled  and  afflicted  consciences. 
 
 Verse  14.     That   the  blessing  of  Abraham  might  come    upon   the  Gentiles 
 through  Christ  Jesus. 
 
 Paul  hath  always  this  place  before  his  eyes:  "in  thy  seed, 
 &c." — For  the  blessing  promised  unto  Abraham,  could  not 
 come  upon  the  Gentiles,  but  only  by  Christ,  the  seed  of  Abra- 
 ham; and  that  by  this  means,  that  it  behoved  him  to  be  made  a 
 curse,  that  this  promise  made  unto  Abraham:  "in  thy  seed 
 shall  all  nations  be  blessed,"  might  so  be  ftdfilled.  Therefore 
 by  no  other  means  could  this  be  done  that  here  is  promised,  but 
 that  Jesus  Christ  must  needs  become  a  curse,  and  join  himself  to 
 those  that  were  accxu-sed,  that  so  he  might  take  away  the  curse 
 from  them,  and  through  his  blessing  might  bring  unto  them 
 righteousness  and  life.  And  here  mark  (as  I  have  also  fore- 
 warned you)  that  this  word,  blessing,  is  not  in  vain,  as  the  Je^vs 
 dream,  who  expound  it  to  be  but  a  salutation  by  word  of  mouth 
 or  by  writing.  But  Paul  entreateth  here  of  sin  and  righteous- 
 ness, of" death  and  life  before  God. — He  speaketh  therefore  of 
 inestimable  and  incomprehensible  things,  when  he  saith:  "  that 
 the  blessing  of  Abraham  might  come  upon  the  Gentiles,  through 
 Jesus  Christ." 
 
 Ye  see  moreover  what  merits  we  bring,  and  by  what  meana 
 we  obtain  this  blessing.  ITiis  is  the  merit  of  congruence  and  wor- 
 
14.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  225 
 
 iness,  these  are  the  works  preparative,  whereby  we  obtain  tliis 
 righteousness,  that  Christ  Jesus  was  made  a  curse  for  us.  For 
 we  are  ignorant  of  God,  enemies  of  God,  dead  in  sin,  and  ac- 
 cursed: and  what  is  our  desert  then?  what  can  he  deserve  that 
 is  accursed,  ignorant  of  God,  dead  in  sins,  and  subject  to  the 
 
 wrath  and  judgment  of  God? When  the  Pope  excommuni- 
 
 cateth  a  man,  whatsoever  he  doth  is  accounted  accui'sed.  How 
 much  more  then  may  we  say,  that  he  is  accursed  before  God  (as 
 all  we  are  before  we  know  Christ)  which  doth  nothing  else  but 
 accursed  things?  Wherefore  there  is  no  other  way  to  avoid  the 
 curse,  but  to  believe,  and  with  assured  confidence  to  say.  Thou 
 Christ  art  my  sin  and  my  curse,  or  rather,  I  am  thy  sin,  thy 
 curse,  thy  death,  thy  wrath  of  God,  thy  hell;  and,  contrariwise, 
 thou  art  my  righteousness,  my  blessing,  my  life,  my  grace  of 
 God,  and  my  heaven.  For  the  text  saith  plainly,  "  Christ  is 
 made  a  curse  for  us."  Therefore  we  are  the  cause  that  he  was 
 made  a  curse :  nay  rather,  we  are  his  curse. 
 
 This  is  an  excellent  place,  and  full  of  spiritual  consolation;  and 
 albeit  it  satisfy  not  the  blind  and  hard-hearted  Jews,  yet  it  satis- 
 fieth  us  that  are  baptized,  and  have  received  this  doctrine,  and 
 concludeth  most  mightily,  that  we  are  blessed  through  the  curse, 
 the  sin,  and  the  death  of  Christ;  that  is  to  say,  we  are  justified 
 and  quickened  imto  life.  So  long  as  sin,  death,  and  the  curse 
 do  abide  in  us,  sin  terrifieth,  death  killeth,  and  the  curse  condera- 
 neth  us.  But  when  these  are  translated  and  laid  upon  Christ's 
 back,  then  are  all  these  evils  made  his  own,  and  his  benefits  are 
 made  ours.  Let  us  therefore  learn  in  all  temptations  to  trans- 
 late sin,  death,  the  curse,  and  all  evils  which  oppress  us,  from 
 ourselves  unto  Christ:  and  again,  fi"om  him  unto  ourselves, 
 righteousness,  mercy,  life  and  blessing.  For  he  beareth  all  our 
 evUs  and  our  miseries,  "  God  the  father  cast  the  iniquities  of  us 
 all,"  as  Isaiah  the  prophet  saith,  "upon  him;  and  he  hath  taken 
 them  upon  him  willingly,  which  was  not  guilty."  But  this  he 
 did,  that  he  might  fulfil  the  will  of  his  Father,  by  the  which  we 
 are  sanctified  for  ever. 
 
 This  is  that  infinite  and  unmeasurable  mercy  of  God,  which 
 Paul  would  gladly  amplify  with  all  eloquence  and  plenty  of 
 words,  but  the  slender  capacity  of  man's  heart  cannot  compre- 
 hend, and  much  less  utter  that  unsearchable  depth  and  burning 
 zeal  of  God's  love  towards  us.  And  verily  the  inestimable  great- 
 ness of  God's  mercy  not  only  engendereth  in  us  a  hardness  to 
 believe,  but  also  incredidity  itself.  For  I  do  not  only  hear  that 
 this  Almighty  God,  the  creator  and  maker  of  all  things,  is  good 
 and  merciful,  but  also  that  the  same  high  sovereign  majesty  was 
 so  careful  for  me  a  damnable  sinner,  a  child  of  wrath  and 
 everlasting  death,  that  he  spared  not  his  own  dear  Son,  but  de- 
 hvered  him  to  a  most  shameful  death,  that  he,  hanging  between 
 two  thieves,  might  be  made  a  curse  and  sin  for  me  a  cursed  sin- 
 ner, tliat  I  might  be  made  blessed;  that  is  to  say,  the  child  and 
 
 Q 
 
226  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CHAP.  111. 
 
 heir  of  God.  Who  can  sufficiently  praise  and  magnify  this  ex- 
 ceeding great  goodness  of  God?  Not  all  the  angels  in  heaven. 
 Therefore  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel  speaketh  of  far  other  mat- 
 ters than  any  book  of  policy  or  philosophy,  yea,  or  the  book  of 
 Moses  himself;  to  wit,  of  the  unspeakable  and  most  divine  gifts 
 of  God,  which  far  pass  the  capacity  and  understanding  both  of 
 men  and  angels. 
 
 Verse  14.     That  we  might  receive  the  promise  of  the  Spirit  through  faith. 
 
 This  is  a  phrase  of  the  Hebrew :  "  The  promise  of  the 
 Spirit :"  that  is  to  say,  the  Spirit  promised.  Noav,  the  Spirit  is 
 freedom  from  the  law,  sin,  death,  the  curse,  hell,  and  from  the 
 wrath  and  judgment  of  God.  Here  is  no  merit  or  worthiness 
 of  ours,  but  a  free  promise  and  a  gift  given  through  the  seed  of 
 Abraham,  that  we  may  be  free  from  all  evils,  and  obtain  all  good 
 things.  And  this  liberty  and  gift  of  the  Spirit  we  receive  not 
 by  any  other  merits  than  by  faith  alone.  For  that  only  taketh 
 hold  of  the  promises  of  God,  as  Paul  plainly  saith  in  this  place: 
 "  that  we  might  receive  the  promise  of  the  Spirit,  not  by  works, 
 but  by  faith." 
 
 This  is  indeed  a  sweet  and  a  true  apostolic  doctrine,  which 
 sheweth  that  those  things  are  fulfilled  for  us,  and  now  given  to 
 us,  which  many  prophets  and  kings  desired  to  see  and  hear.  And 
 such  like  places  as  this  one  is,  were  gathered  together  out  of 
 divers  sayings  of  the  prophets,  which  foresaw  long  before,  in 
 spirit,  that  all  things  should  be  changed,  repaired,  and  governed 
 by  this  man  Christ.  The  Jews  therefore,  although  they  had  the 
 law  of  God,  did  notwithstanding,  besides  that  law,  look  for  Christ. 
 None  of  the  prophets  or  governors  of  the  people  of  God  did 
 make  any  new  law,  but  Eli,  Samuel,  David,  and  all  the  other 
 prophets  did  abide  under  the  law  of  Moses:  they  did  not  ap- 
 point any  new  tables,  or  a  new  kingdom  and  priesthood:  for 
 that  new  change  of  the  kingly  priesthood  of  the  law,  and  the 
 worship,  was  referred  and  kept  to  him  only,  of  whom  Moses 
 had  prophesied  long  before:  "The  Lord  thy  God  shall  raise 
 up  a  prophet  unto  thee  of  thine  own  nation  and  from  among  thy 
 brethren:  him  shalt  thoii  hear."  As  if  he  should  say:  tliou 
 shalt  hear  him  only,  and  none  besides  him. 
 
 This  the  fathers  well  understood,  for  none  could  teach  greater 
 and  higher  points  than  Moses  himself,  who  made  excellent  laws 
 of  high  and  great  matters,  as  are  the  ten  commandments,  espe- 
 cially the  first  commandment:  "  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God:  thou 
 shalt  have  none  other  Gods  but  me :  thou  shalt  love  the 
 Lord  thy  God,  with  all  thy  heart,"  &c.  (Exod.  xx.  2, 3.)  This  law 
 concerning  the  love  of  God,  comprehended  the  very  angels  also. 
 Therefore  it  is  the  head-spring  of  all  divine  wisdom.  And  yet 
 was  it  necessar)',  notwithstanding,  that  another  teacher  should 
 come,  that  is  to  say,  Christ,  which  should  bring  and  teach  ano 
 ther  thing  far  passing  the  excellent  laws:  to  wit,  grace  and 
 
lER.  14,  IS-l  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  S27 
 
 remission  of  sins.  This  text  therefore  is  full  of  power:  for  iu 
 ibis  short  sentence :  *'  That  we  might  receive  the  promise  of 
 the  Spirit  by  faith:"  Paul  poureth  out  at  once  whatsoever  he 
 was  able  to  say.  Therefore  when  he  can  go  no  farther,  (for  he 
 could  not  utter  any  greater  or  more  excellent  thing,)  he 
 breaketb  off,  and  here  no  stayeth. 
 
 Verse  15.  Brethren,  I  speak  according  to  man:  though  it  be  but  a  man's 
 covenant,  when  it  is  confirmed,  yet  no  man  dotb  abrogate  it,  or  addeth  any 
 thing  thereto. 
 
 After  this  principal  and  invincible  argument,  Paul  addeth 
 another,  grounded  upon  the  similitude  of  a  man's  testament: 
 which  seemeth  to  be  very  weak,  and  such  as  the  apostle  ought 
 not  to  use  for  the  confirmation  of  a  matter  of  so  great  im- 
 portance. For  in  high  and  weighty  matters,  we  ought  to  con- 
 firm earthly  things  by  divine  things,  and  not  divine  and  heavenly 
 things  by  earthly  and  worldly  things.  And  indeed  it  is  true, 
 that  these  arguments  of  all  other  are  most  weak,  when  we  go 
 about  to  prove  and  confirm  heavenly  matters  with  earthly  and 
 corruptible  things,  as  Scotus  is  wont  to  do.  A  man,  saith  he, 
 is  able  to  love  God  above  all  things,  for  he  loveth  himself 
 above  all  things;  therefore,  much  more  is  he  able  to  love  God 
 above  all  things :  for  a  good  thing,  the  greater  it  is,  the  more 
 it  is  to  be  loved.  And  hereof  he  inferreth  that  a  man  is  able, 
 ex  pur  is  naturalihus,  that  is  to  say,  even  of  his  own  pure  natu- 
 ral strength,  easily  to  fiilfil  that  high  commandment:  "  Thou 
 shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,"  &c.  For,  saith 
 he,  a  man  is  able  to  love  the  least  good  thing  above  all  things: 
 yea,  he  setteth  at  nought  his  life  (of  all  other  things  most  dear 
 mito  him)  for  a  little  vile  money;  therefore  he  can  much  more 
 do  it  for  God's  cause. 
 
 Ye  have  oftentimes  heard  of  me,  that  civil  ordinances  are  of 
 God:  for  God  hath  ordained  them,  and  allowed  them,  as  he 
 doth  the  sun,  the  moon,  and  other  creatures.  Therefore  an 
 argument  taken  of  the  ordinance  of  the  creatures  of  God  is 
 good,  so  that  we  use  the  same  rightly.  So  the  prophets  have 
 very  often  used  similitudes  and  comparisons  taken  of  creatures, 
 calling  Christ  the  son,  the  church  the  moon,  the  preachers  and 
 teachers  of  the  word  the  stars.  Also  there  are  many  similitudes  in 
 the  prophets,  of  trees,  thorns,  flowers,  and  fruits  of  the  earth.  The 
 New  Testament  likewise  is  full  of  such  similitudes.  Therefore, 
 where  God's  ordinance  is  in  the  creature,  there  may  an  argument 
 be  well  borrowed  and  applied  to  divine  and  heavenly  things. 
 
 So  our  Saviour  Christ,  in  Matt.  vii.  arguing  from  earthly 
 things  to  heavenly  things,  when  he  saith,  "  If  ye  then  which  are 
 evil  can  give  to  your  children  good  gifts,  how  much  more  shall 
 your  Father  which  is  in  heaven,  give  good  things  to  them  that  ask 
 him?*  Likewise  Paul:  *'  We  must  obey  men;  therefore  much 
 more  must  we  obey  God. '  (Acts  v.  29.)  Jeremiah  also,  hi  chap. 
 
228  COMMENTARY-  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 XXXV.  "  The  Rechabites  obeyed  their  fathers;  how  much  more 
 ought  ye  to  have  obeyed  me?"  Now,  these  thing's  are  appointed 
 of  God,  and  are  his  ordinances,  that  fathers  should  give  unto  their 
 children,  and  that  children  should  obey  their  parents;  therefore 
 such  manner  of  arguments  are  good,  when  they  are  grounded 
 upon  the  ordinance  of  God.  But  if  they  be  taken  fi'om  men's 
 corrupt  affections,  they  are  naught.  Such  is  the  argument  of 
 Scotus.  I  love  the  lesser  good  thing,  therefore  I  love  the 
 greater  more.  I  deny  the  consequence.  For  my  loving  is  not 
 God's  ordinance,  but  a  devilish  corruption.  Indeed  it  should 
 be  so,  that  I,  loving  myself  or  another  creature,  should  much 
 more  love  God  the  Creator;  but  it  is  not  so.  For  the  love 
 wherewith  I  love  myself  is  corrupt  and  against  God. 
 
 This  I  say,  lest  any  man  should  cavil  that  an  argument  taken 
 of  corruptible  things,  and  applied  to  divine  and  spiritual  matters, 
 is  nothing  worth.  For  this  argument,  as  I  have  said,  is  strong 
 enough,  so  that  we  ground  the  same  upon  the  ordinance  of  God, 
 as  we  see  in  this  argument  which  we  have  in  hand.  For  the  civil 
 law,  which  is  an  ordinance  of  God,  saith  that  it  is  not  lawful  to 
 break  or  to  change  the  testament  of  a  man.  Yea,  it  commandeth 
 that  the  last  will  and  testament  of  a  man  be  straitly  kept;  for  it 
 IS  one  of  the  holiest  and  most  laudable  customs  that  are  among 
 men.  Now  therefore,  upon  this  custom  of  man's  testament,  Paxil 
 argueth  after  this  manner:  How  cometh  it  to  pass  that  man  is 
 obeyed  and  not  God?  Politic  and  civil  ordinances,  as  concerning 
 testaments  and  other  things,  are  diligently  kept.  There  nothing 
 is  changed,  nothing  is  added  or  taken  away.  But  the  testament 
 of  God  is  changed ;  that  is  to  say,  his  promise  concerning  the 
 spiritual  blessing,  that  is,  concerning  heavenly  and  everlasting 
 things,  which  the  whole  world  ought  not  only  to  receive  with 
 great  zeal  and  affection,  but  also  ought  most  religiously  to  re- 
 verence and  honour.  This  persuadeth  vehemently,  when  we  so 
 argue  from  the  examples  and  laws  of  men.  Therefore  he  saith, 
 I  speak  after  the  manner  of  men;  that  is  to  say,  I  bring  unto 
 you  a  similitude  taken  of  the  custom  and  manner  of  men.  As 
 if  he  should  say,  the  testaments  of  men  and  such  other  corrupti- 
 ble things  are  straitly  executed,  and  that  which  the  law  com- 
 mandeth is  diligently  observed  and  kept.  For  when  a  man  mak- 
 eth  his  last  wiU,  bequeathing  his  lands  and  goods  to  his  heirs, 
 and  thereupon  dieth,  this  last  will  is  confirmed  and  ratified  by 
 the  death  of  the  testator,  so  that  nothing  may  now  be  either 
 added  to  it,  or  taken  from  it,  a(ftording  to  all  law  and  equity. 
 Now,  if  a  man's  will  be  kept  with  so  great  fidelity,  that  nothing 
 is  added  to  it  or  taken  from  it  after  his  death,  how  much  more 
 ought  the  last  wiU  of  God  to  be  faithfully  kept,  which  he  pro- 
 mised and  gave  unto  Abraham  and  his  seed  after  him?  For 
 when  Christ  died,  then  was  it  confirmed  in  him,  and  after 
 his  death  the  writing  of  his  last  testament  was  opened ;  that  is 
 to  say,  "  the  promised  blessing  of  Abraham  was  preached  among 
 
▼EK.  16,  16.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  229 
 
 all  nations  dispersed  throughout  the  whole  world."  Ihis  was 
 the  last  will  and  testament  of  God,  the  great  testator,  confirmed 
 by  the  death  of  Christ;  tlierefo  e  no  man  ought  to  change  it  or 
 add  any  thing  to  it,  as  tliey  that  teach  the  law  and  man's  tra- 
 ditions do :  for  they  say,  unless  thou  be  circumcised,  keep  the 
 law,  do  many  works,  and  suffer  many  things,  thou  canst 
 not  be  saved.  This  is  not  the  last  will  and  testament  of  God. 
 For  he  said  not  unto  Abraham,  if  thou  do  tliis  or  that  thou  shalt 
 obtain  the  blessing;  or  they  that  be  circumcised  and  keep  the 
 law  shall  obtain  the  same:  but  he  saith,  "  In  thy  seed  shall  all 
 the  nations  of  the  earth  be  blessed."  As  if  he  should  say,  I  of 
 mere  mercy  do  promise  unto  thee,  that  Christ  shall  come  of 
 thy  seed,  who  shall  bring  the  blessing  upon  aU  nations  oppressed 
 with  sin  and  death;  that  is  to  say,  which  shaU  deliver  the  nations 
 from  the  everlasting  curse,  to  wit,  from  sin  and  death,  receiv- 
 ing this  promise  by  faith:  "  In  thy  seed,"  &c.  Wherefore, 
 even  as  the  false  apostles  were  in  time  past,  so  are  all  the  Papists 
 and  justiciaries  at  this  day,  perverters  and  destroj'^ers,  not  of 
 man's  testament  (because  they  are'forbiddenby  the  law)  but  of 
 God's  testament,  whom  they  fear  nothing  at  all,  although  he  be 
 a  consuming  fire.  For  such  is  the  nature  of  all  hypocrites,  that 
 they  will  observe  man's  law  exactly;  but  the  laws  of  God  they 
 do  despise,  and  most  wickedly  transgress.  But  the  time  shall 
 come  when  they  shall  bear  a  horrible  judgment,  and  shall  feel 
 what  it  is  to  contemn  and  pervert  the  testament  of  God.  This 
 argument  then,  grounded  upon  the  ordinance  of  God,  is  strong 
 enough. 
 
 Verse  16.  Now  (o  Abraham  and  his  seed  we''e  the  promises  made.  He  saith 
 not :  And  to  the  seeds,  as  speaking  of  many  ;  but,  and  to  thy  seed,  as  of 
 one,  which  is  Christ. 
 
 Here  by  a  new  name  ho  calleth  the  promises  of  God  made 
 unto  Abraham,  concerning  Christ  that  should  bring  the  bles- 
 sing upon  all  nations,  a  testament.  And  indeed  the  promise  is 
 nothing  else  but  a  testament,  not  yet  revealed  but  sealed  up. 
 Now,  a  testament  is  not  a  law,  but  a  donation  or  free  gift. 
 For  heirs  look  not  for  laws,  exactions,  or  any  burdens  to  be 
 laid  upon  them  by  a  testament,  but  they  look  for  the  inlieritance 
 confirmed  thereby. 
 
 First  of  all  therefore  he  expoundeth  the  words.  Afterwards 
 he  applieth  the  similitude,  and  standeth  upon  this  word  "  seed." 
 There  were  no  laws  given  unto  Abraham,  saith  he,  but  a  testa- 
 ment was  made  and  delivered  unto  him;  that  is  to  say,  the 
 promises  were  pronounced  unto  him  as  touching  the  spiritual 
 blessing:  therefore  somewhat  was  promised  and  given  unto 
 him.  If  then  the  testament  of  a  man  be  kept,  why  should  not 
 rather  the  testament  of  God  be  kept?  whereof  the  testament 
 of  man  is  but  a  sign.  Again,  if  we  will  keep  the  signs,  why  do 
 we  not  rather  keep  the  things  which  they  signify? 
 
230  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  LCHAP.  Ill, 
 
 Now,  the  pi'omises  are  made  unto  him,  not  in  all  the  Jews  or 
 m  many  seeds,  but  in  one  seed,  which  is  Christ.  The  Jews  will 
 not  receive  this  interpretation  of  Paul :  for  they  say  that  the  sin- 
 gular number  is  here  put  for  the  plural,  one  for  many.  But  we 
 gladly  receive  this  meaning  and  interpretation  of  Paul,  who  of- 
 tentimes repeateth  this  word  "seed,"  and  expoundeth  this  seed 
 to  be  Christ:  and  this  he  doth  with  an  apostolic  spirit.  Let 
 the  Jews  deny  it  as  much  as  they  will:  we  notwithstanding  have 
 argmnents  strong  enough,  which  Paul  hath  before  rehearsed, 
 which  also  confirm  this  thing,  and  they  cannot  deny  them. 
 Hitherto,  as  touching  the  similitude  of  God's  ordinance,  that  is 
 to  say,  of  man's  testament.  Now  he  expoundeth  and  ampliiieth 
 the  same. 
 
 Verse  17.  And  this  I  say,  that  the  law,  which  was  four  hundred  and  thirty 
 years  after,  cannot  disannul  the  covenant  that  was  confirmed  before  of 
 God  in  respect  of  Christ,  that  it  should  make  the  promise  of  none  effect. 
 
 Here  the  Jews  might  object,  that  God  was  not  only  content 
 to  give  promises  to  Abraham,  but  also  after  four  hundred  and 
 thirty  years  he  made  the  law.  God,  therefore,  mistrusting  his 
 own  promises,  as  insufficient  to  justify,  addeth  thereto  a  better 
 thing:  that  is  to  say,  the  law,  to  the  end  that  when  the  same,  us 
 a  better  successor,  was  come,  not  the  idle,  but  the  doers  of  the 
 law  might  be  made  righteous  thereby.  The  law  therefore,  which 
 followed  the  promise,  did  abrogate  the  promise.  Such  evasions 
 and  starting-holes  the  Jews  seek  out. 
 
 To  this  cavtllation  Paul  answereth  very  well  and  to  the  pur- 
 pose, and  strongly  confuteth  the  same.  The  law,  saith  he,  was 
 given  four  hundred  and  thirty  years  after  this  promise  was  made : 
 "In  thy  seed,"  &c.  and  it  could  not  make  the  promise  void  and 
 unprofitable ;  for  the  promise  is  the  testament  of  God,  confirm- 
 ed by  God  himself,  in  Clnrist,  so  many  years  before  the  law. 
 Now,  that  which  God  once  hath  promised  and  confirmed,  he 
 calleth  not  back  again,  but  it  remaineth  ratified  and  sure  for  ever. 
 
 WTiy  then  was  the  law  added?  Indeed  it  was  delivered,  so 
 many  ages  after,  to  the  posterity  of  Abraham,  not  to  the  end  he 
 might  through  it  obtain  the  blessing  (for  it  is  the  office  of  the 
 law  to  bring  men  under  the  curse,  and  not  to  bless:)  but  that 
 there  might  be  in  the  world  a  certain  people,  which  mig^ht  have 
 the  word  and  testimony  of  Christ,  out  of  the  which,  Christ  also, 
 according  to  the  flesh,  might  be  born;  and  that  men  being  kept 
 and  shut  up  under  the  law,  might  sigh  and  groan  for  their  de- 
 liverance through  the  seed  of  Abraham,  which  is  Christ,  which 
 only  should  and  could  bless,  that  is  to  say,  deliver  all  nations 
 from  sin  and  everlasting  death.  Moreover,  the  ceremonies  com- 
 manded in  the  law,  did  foreshadow  Christ.  Wherefore  the  pro- 
 mise was  not  aboHshed  either  by  the  law,  or  by  the  ceremonies 
 of  the  law;  but  rather  by  the  same,  as  by  certain  seals,  it  was 
 for  a  time  con6rmed,  until  the  letters  themselves,  or  the  writing 
 
VER.  IT.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALAT,*\NS.  2:31 
 
 of  the  testament,  (to  wit,  the  promise)  irig-ht  be  opened,  and 
 by  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  might  be  spread  abroad  among 
 all  nations. 
 
 But  let  us  suffer  the  law  and  the  promise  to  encounter  together, 
 and  then  shall  we  see  which  of  them  is  the  stronger;  that  is  t^ 
 say,  whether  the  promise  be  able  to  abolish  the  law,  or  the  law 
 the  promise.  If  the  law  abolish  the  promise,  then  it  followeth, 
 that  we  by  our  works  make  God  a  liar,  and  his  promise  of  none 
 effect.  For  if  the  law  do  justify  us,  and  deliver  us  from  sin  and 
 death,  and  consequently  our  works  and  our  own  strength  ac- 
 complish the  law,  then  the  promise  made  imto  Abraham  is 
 utterly  void  and  unprofitable,  and  so  consequently  God  is  a  liar 
 and  a  dissembler.  For  when  he  which  promiseth,  will  not  per- 
 form his  promise,  but  maketh  it  of  none  effect,  what  doth  he 
 else  but  shew  himself  to  be  a  liar  and  a  dissembler?  But  it  is  im- 
 possible that  the  law  should  make  God  a  liar,  or  that  our  works 
 should  make  the  promise  void,  nay,  rather  it  must  needs  be  firm, 
 and  stable  for  ever  (for  God  promiseth  not  in  vain)  although 
 we  are  able  to  keep  and  fulfil  the  law.  And  let  us  admit  that 
 all  men  were  as  holy  as  angels,  so  that  they  should  not  need  the 
 promise  (Avhich  notwithstanding  is  impossible:)  yet  must  we 
 think  that  the  same  promise  abideth  most  sure  and  certain,  or 
 else  God  should  be  found  a  liar,  which  either  hath  promised  in 
 vain,  or  else  will  not,  or  cannot  perform  his  promises.  There- 
 fore, like  as  the  promise  was  before  the  law,  so  is  it  far  more 
 excellent  than  the  law. 
 
 And  God  did  excellently  well  in  that  he  gave  the  promise  so 
 long  before  the  law.  Wliich  he  did  of  purpose  and  to  this  end, 
 that  it  should  not  be  said,  that  righteousness  was  given  through 
 the  law,  and  not  through  the  promise.  For  if  he  would  that  we 
 should  have  been  justified  by  the  law,  then  would  he  have  given 
 the  law  fom*  hundred  and  thirty  years  before  the  promise,  or  else 
 together  with  the  promise.  But  now  at  the  first  he  speaketh  not 
 a  word  as  concerning  the  law ;  but  at  length,  after  four  hundred 
 and  thirty  years,  he  giveth  the  law.  In  the  mean  while,  all  that 
 time  he  speaketh  only  of  his  promises.  Therefore  the  blessing 
 and  free  gift  of  righteousness  came  before  the  law  through  the 
 
 1)romise:  the  promise  therefore  is  far  more  excellent  than  the 
 aw.  And  so  the  law  doth  not  abolish  the  promise,  but  faith  in 
 the  promise  (whereby  the  believers  even  before  Christ's  time 
 were  saved)  which  is  now  published  by  the  gospel  throughout 
 the  Avhole  world,  destroyeth  the  law,  so  that  it  cannot  increase 
 sin  any  more,  terrify  sinners,  or  bring  them  into  desperation, 
 laying  hold  upon  the  promise  through  faith. 
 
 And  in  this  also  lieth  a  certain  vehemency  specially  to  be  noted, 
 that  he  expressly  setteth  down  the  number  of  four  hundred  and 
 thirty  years.  As  if  he  would  say.  Consider  with  yourselves 
 how  long  it  was  between  the  promise  given,  and  the  law.  It  is 
 plain  that  Abraham  received  the  promise  a  long  time  before  the 
 
232  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL'S  [CHAP.  Ill 
 
 law  ;  for  the  law  was  given  to  the  people  of  Israel  four  liun- 
 dred  and  thirty  years  after.  And  this  is  an  invincible  argu- 
 ment gathered  and  grounded  upon  a  certain  time.  And  he 
 speaketh  not  here  of  the  law  in  geaieral,  but  only  of  the  writ- 
 ten law.  As  if  he  would  say :  God  could  not  then  have  regard 
 to  the  ceremonies  and  works  of  the  law,  and  give  righteous- 
 ness to  the  observers  thereof;  for  as  yet  the  law  was  not 
 given,  which  commandeth  ceremonies,  requireth  works,  and 
 promises  life  to  those  that  observe  them,  saying.  The  man  that 
 shall  do  these  things,  shall  live  in  them.  And  although  it  promise 
 such  things,  yet  it  followeth  not  therefore  that  we  obtain  these 
 promises:  for  it  saith  plainly,  "  The  man  that  shall  do  these 
 things,"  &c.  Now,  it  is  certain  that  no  man  can  do  them.  More- 
 over, Paul  saith  that  the  law  cannot  abolish  the  promise;  there  • 
 fore  that  promise  made  unto  Abraham  four  hundred  and  thirty 
 years  before  the  law,  remaineth  firm  and  constant.  And  that  the 
 matter  may  be  better  understood,  I  will  declare  the  same  by  a 
 similitude.  If  a  rich  man,  not  constrained,  but  of  his  own  good 
 will,  should  adopt  one  to  be  his  son,  whom  he  knoweth  not,  and 
 to  whom  he  oweth  nothing,  and  should  appoint  him  to  be  the 
 heir  of  all  his  lands  and  goods,  and  certain  years  after  that  he 
 hath  bestowed  this  benefit  upon  him,  he  should  lay  upon  him  a 
 law  to  do  this  or  that:  he  cannot  now  say  that  he  hath  deserved 
 this  benefit  by  his  own  works,  seeing  that  many  years  before, 
 he  asking  nothing,  had  received  the  same  freely  and  of  mere 
 fevour;  so,  God  could  not  respect  our  works  and  deserts  going 
 before  righteousness;  for  the  promise  and  the  gift  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost  was  four  hundred  and  thirty  years  before  the  law. 
 
 Hereby  it  appeareth  that  Abraham  obtained  not  righteousness 
 before  God  through  the  law.  For  there  was  yet  no  law.  If 
 there  were  yet  no  law,  then  was  there  neither  work  nor  merit. 
 What  then?  Nothing  else  but  the  mere  promise.  This  promise 
 Abraham  believed,  and  it  was  counted  to  him-  for  righteous- 
 ness. By  the  self-same  means  then  that  the  father  obtained  this 
 promise,  the  children  do  also  obtain  it  and  retain  it.  So  say  we 
 also  at  this  day:  Our  sins  were  purged  by  the  death  of  Christ 
 above  a  thousand  and  five  hundred  years  ago,  when  there  were 
 yet  no  religious  orders,  no  canon  or  rule  of  penance,  no  merits 
 of  congruence  and  worthiness.  We  cannot  now  therefore  begin 
 to  abolish  the  same  by  our  own  works  and  merits. 
 
 Thus  Paul  gathereth  arguments  of  similitudes,  of  a  certain 
 time,  and  of  persons,  so  sure  and  strong  on  every  side,  that  no 
 man  can  deny  them.  Let  us  therefore  arm  and  fortify  our  con- 
 sciences with  such  like  arguments;  for  it  helpeth  us  exceedingly 
 to  have  them  always  ready  in  temptations.  For  they  lead  us 
 from  the  law  and  works,  to  the  promise  and  to  faith ;  from  wrath 
 to  grace;  from  sin  to  righteousness;  and  from  death  to  life. 
 Therefore  these  two  things  (as  I  do  often  repeat),  to  wit,  the 
 law  and  the  promise,  must  be  diligently  distinguished.     For  in 
 
VER.  I7.J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  233 
 
 time,  in  place,  and  in  person,  and  generally  in  all  other  circum- 
 stances they  are  separate  as  far  asunder  as  heaven  and  earth,  the 
 beginning  of  the  world  and  the  latter  end.  Indeed  they  are 
 near  neighbours,  for  they  are  joined  together  in  one  man,  or  in 
 one  soul ;  but  in  the  outward  affection,  and  as  touching  their 
 office,  they  ought  to  be  separate  far  asunder :  so  that  the  law  may 
 have  dominion  over  the  flesh,  and  the  promise  may  sweetly  and 
 comfortably  reign  in  the  conscience.  When  thou  hast  thus 
 appointed  unto  them  both  their  own  proper  place,  then  thou 
 walkest  safely  between  them  both,  in  the  heaven  of  the  promise 
 and  in  the  earth  of  the  law. 
 
 In  spirit  thou  walkest  in  the  paradise  of  grace  and  peace;  in 
 the  flesh  thou  walkest  in  the  earth  of  works  and  of  the  cross. 
 And  now  the  troubles  which  the  flesh  is  compelled  to  bear  shall 
 not  be  hard  unto  thee,  because  of  the  sweetness  of  the  promise, 
 which  comforteth  and  rejoiceth  the  heart  exceedingly.  But 
 now,  if  thou  confound  and  mingle  these  two  together,  and  place 
 the  law  in  the  conscience,  and  the  promise  of  liberty  in  the  flesh, 
 then  thou  makest  a  confusion  (such  as  was  in  popery:)  so  that 
 thou  shalt  not  know  what  the  law,  what  the  promise,  what  sin, 
 or  what  righteousness  is. 
 
 Wherefore,  if  thou  wilt  rightly  divide  the  word  of  truth,  thou 
 must  put  a  great  difference  between  the  promise  and  the  law,  as 
 touching  the  inward  affections  and  whole  practice  of  life.  It  is 
 not  for  nought  that  Paul  prosecuteth  this  argument  so  diligently; 
 for  he  foresaw  in  spirit  that  this  mischief  should  creep  into  the 
 church,  that  the  word  of  God  should  be  confounded :  that  is  to 
 say,  that  the  promise  should  be  mingled  with  the  law,  and  so 
 the  promise  should  be  utterly  lost.  For  when  the  promise  is 
 mingled  with  the  law,  it  is  now  made  nothing  else  but  the  very 
 law.  Therefore  accustom  thyself  to  separate  the  promise  and 
 the  law  asunder,  even  in  respect  of  time,  that  when  the  law 
 cometh  and  accuseth  thy  conscience,  thou  mayest  say,  Lady  law, 
 thou  comest  not  in  season,  for  thou  comest  too  soon;  tarry  ye 
 until  four  hundred  and  thirty  years  be  expired,  and  when  they 
 are  past,  then  come  and  spare  not.  But  if  thou  come  then,  yet 
 shalt  thou  come  too  late.  For  then  hath  the  promise  prevented 
 thee,  four  hundred  and  thirty  years:  to  the  which  I  assent,  and 
 sweetly  repose  myself  in  the  same.  Therefore  I  have  nothing 
 to  do  with  thee :  I  hear  thee  not.  For  now  I  live  with  the  be- 
 lieving Abraham,  or,  rather,  since  Christ  is  now  revealed  and 
 given  unto  me,  I  live  in  him,  who  is  my  righteousness,  who 
 also  hath  abolished  thee,  O  law.  And  thus  let  Christ  be  always 
 before  thine  eyes,  as  a  certain  summary  of  all  arguments  for 
 the  defence  of  faith,  against  the  righteousness  of  the  flesh, 
 against  the  law,  and  against  all  works  and  merits  whatsoever. 
 
 Hitherto  I  have  rehearsed  almost  all,  but  especially  the  prin- 
 cipal arguments  which  the  apostle  Paul  handleth  in  this  epistle, 
 for  the  confirmation  of  this  doctrine  of  justification.     Among 
 
234  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 wliich,  the  argument  as  touching  the  promise  made  unto  Abra- 
 ham and  to  the  other  fathers,  is  the  weightiest,  and  of  greatest 
 efficacy;  which  Paul  doth  chiefly  prosecute,  both  here  and  in  the 
 epistle  to  the  Romans;  the  words  whereof  he  diUgently  weigh- 
 eth,  and  moreover  entreateth  both  of  the  times  and  persons. 
 Also  he  standeth  upon  this  word  "seed,"  applying  the  same  unto 
 Christ.  Finally,  he  declareth,  by  the  contrary,  what  the  law 
 worketh:  namely,  that  it  holdeth  men  under  the  curse.  And 
 thus  he  fortifieth  the  article  of  christian  righteousness  with  strong 
 and  mighty  arguments.  On  the  other  side,  he  overthroweth  the 
 arguments  of  the  false  apostles,  which  they  used  in  defence  of 
 the  righteousness  of  the  law,  and  turneth  them  upon  their  own 
 heads :  that  is  to  say,  whereas  they  contended  that  righteousness 
 and  life  is  obtained  by  the  law,  Paul  sheweth  that  it  worketh 
 nothing  but  malediction  and  death  in  us.  Ye  contend,  saith  he, 
 that  the  law  is  necessary  to  salvation.  Have  ye  not  read  that  it 
 saith:  "He  that  shall  do  these  things  shall  live  in  them?" 
 (Levit.  xviii.  5.)  Now,  who  is  he  that  performeth  and  accora- 
 plisheth  them?  No  man  living.  Therefore,  "as  many  as  are 
 of  the  works  of  the  law  are  under  the  curse."  (Gal.  iii.  10.)  And 
 again,  in  another  place,  "The  sting  of  death  is  sin,  and  the 
 strength  of  sin  is  the  law."  (1  Cor.  xv.  56.)  Now  folio weth  the 
 conclusion  of  all  these  arguments. 
 
 Ver.  18.  For  if  the  inheritance  be  of  the  law,  it  is  no  more  by  the  promise,  &c. 
 
 So  he  saith  in  the  fourth  to  the  Romans :  "  For  if  they  which 
 be  of  the  law  be  heirs,  then  is  faith  but  vain,  and  the  promise 
 of  none  effect."  And  it  cannot  otherwise  be :  For  this  distinc- 
 tion is  plain,  that  the  law  is  a  thing  far  differing  from  the  pro- 
 mise. Yea,  natural  reason,  although  it  be  never  so  blind,  is  com- 
 pelled to  confess  that  it  is  one  thing  to  promise,  and  another 
 thing  to  require;  one  thing  to  give,  and  another  thing  to  take. 
 The  law  "equireth  and  exacteth  of  us  our  works:  the  promise 
 of  the  st,ed  doth  offer  unto  us  the  spiritual  and  everlasting  bene- 
 fits of  God,  and  that  freely  for  Christ's  sake.  Therefore  we  ob- 
 tain the  inheritance  or  blessing  through  the  promise,  and  not 
 through  the  law.  For  the  promise  saith,  "  In  thy  seed  shall 
 all  nations  of  the  earth  be  blessed."  Therefore  he  that  hath  the 
 law,  hath  not  enough,  because  he  hath  not  yet  the  blessing, 
 without  the  which  he  is  compelled  to  abide  under  the  curse. 
 The  law  therefore  cannot  justify,  because  the  blessing  is  not 
 ioined  unto  it.  Moreover,  if  the  inheritance  were  of  the  law, 
 then  should  God  be  found  a  liar,  and  the  promise  should  be  in 
 vain.  Again,  if  the  law  could  obtain  the  blessing,  why  did  God 
 then  make  this  promise,  "In  thy  seed,  &c.?"  Why  did  he  not 
 rather  say:  Do  this,  and  thou  shalt  receive  the  blessing?  Or 
 else,  by  keeping  of  the  law,  thou  mayest  deserve  everlasting  life? 
 This  argument  is  grounded  upon  contraries :  the  inheritance  is 
 given  by  the  prpmise;  therefore  not  by  the  law. 
 
rER.  \8,  I9."{  EPISTLE  TO  THE  OALATIANS.  235 
 
 Yersr  18.     But  God  gave  it  unto  Abrafaam  by  promise 
 
 It  cannot  he  denied  but  that  God,  before  the  law  was,  gave 
 unto  Abraham  the  inheritance  or  blessing  by  the  promise:  that 
 is  to  say,  remission  of  sins,  righteousness,  salvation,  and  ever- 
 lasting life,  that  we  should  be  sons  and  heirs  of  God,  and  fellow- 
 heirs  with  Christ.  For  it  is  plainly  said  in  Genesis;  "In  thy 
 seed  shall  all  nations  be  blessed."  There  the  blessing  is  given 
 freely,  without  respect  of  the  law  or  works.  For  God  gave  the 
 inheritance  before  Moses  was  born,  or  before  any  man  had  yet 
 once  thought  of  the  law.  Why  vaunt  ye  then,  that  righteous- 
 ness Cometh  by  the  law,  seeing  that  righteousness,  life  and  sal- 
 vation was  given  to  your  father  Abraham  without  the  law,  yea, 
 before  there  was  any  law?  He  that  is  not  moved  with  these 
 things  is  blind  and  obstinate.  But  this  argument  of  the  pro- 
 mise I  have  before  handled  more  largely,  and  therefore  I  will 
 but  touch  it  by  the  way. 
 
 Hitherto  we  have  heard  the  principal  part  of  this  epistle.  Now 
 the  apostle  goeth  about  to  shew  the  use  and  office  of  the  law, 
 adding  certain  similitudes  of  the  school-master,  and  of  the  little 
 heir:  also  the  allegory  of  the  two  sons  of  Abraham,  Isaac  and 
 Ishmael,  &c.  Last  of  all  he  setteth  forth  certain  precepts  con- 
 cerning manners. 
 
 Verse  19.     Wherefore  then  servetli  the  law  ?  X^ 
 
 When  we  teach  that  a  man  is  justified  without  the  law  and 
 works,  then  doth  this  question  necessarily  follow:  If  the  law  do 
 not  justify,  why  then  was  it  given?  Also,  why  doth  God  charge 
 us  and  bm*den  us  with  the  law,  if  it  do  not  justify?  What  is  the 
 cause  that  we  are  so  hardly  exercised  and  vexed  with  it,  if  they 
 which  work  but  one  hour,  are  made  equal  with  us  that  have  borno 
 the  heat  and  burden  of  the  day?  When  as  that  grace  is  once  pub- 
 lished imto  us  which  the  gospel  setteth  out,  by-and-by  ariseth  this 
 great  murmuring:  without  which  the  gospel  cannot  be  preached. 
 The  Jews  had  this  opinion,  that  if  they  kept  the  law  they  should 
 be  justified  thereby.  Therefore,  when  they  heard  that  the  gospel 
 was  preached  concerning  Christ,  who  came  into  the  world  to  save, 
 not  the  righteous,  but  sinners,  and  that  they  should  go  before 
 them  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  (Matt.  xx.  12.)  they  were  won- 
 derfully offended,  complaining  that  they  had  borne  the  heavy  yoke 
 of  the  law  so  many  years  with  great  labour,  and  toil,  and  that 
 they  were  miserably  vexed  and  oppressed  with  the  tyranny  of 
 the  law,  without  any  profit,  yea,  rather,  to  their  great  hurt: 
 again,  that  the  Gentiles,  who  were  idolaters,  obtained  grace  with- 
 out any  labour  or  travel.  So  do  our  Papists  murmur  at  this 
 day,  saying.  What  hath  it  profited  us  that  we  have  lived  in  a 
 cloister  twenty,  thirty,  or  forty  years;  that  we  have  vowed  chas- 
 tity, poverty,  obedience;  that  we  have  said  so  many  psalters, 
 and  so  many  canonical  hours,  and  so  many  masses;  that  we  have 
 
J*' 
 
 236  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  ^CHAP.  Ill, 
 
 SO  punished  our  bodies  with  fasting,  prayers,  chastisements,  Src. 
 if  a  husband,  a  wife,  a  prince,  a  governor,  a  master,  a  scholar, 
 if  a  hireling  or  a  drudge  bearing  sacks,  if  a  wench  sweeping 
 the  house,  shall  not  only  be  made  equal  with  us,  but  also  be  ac- 
 ceptable as  better  and  more  worthy  before  God  than  we? 
 
 This  is  therefore  a  hard  question,  whereunto  reason  cannot 
 answer,  but  is  greatly  offended  with  it.  Reason,  after  a  sort,  un- 
 derstandeth  the  righteousness  of  the  law,  which  also  it  teacheth 
 and  urgeth,  and  imagineth  that  the  doers  of  it  are  righteous: 
 but  it  understandeth  not  the  office  and  end  of  the  law.  There- 
 fore, when  it  heareth  this  sentence  of  Paul  (which  is  strange  and 
 unknown  to  the  world)  "that  the  law  was  given  for  transgres- 
 sions," thus  it  judgeth:  Paul  abolisheth  the  law,  for  he  saith 
 that  we  are  not  justified  through  it;  yea,  he  is  a  blasphemer 
 against  God  which  gave  the  law,  when  he  saith,  "that  the  law 
 was  given  for  transgressions."  Let  us  live  therefore  as  Gentiles 
 which  have  no  law ;  "  yea,  let  us  sin,  and  abide  in  sin,  that 
 grace  may  abomid:"  also,  "let  us  do  evil  that  good  may  come 
 thereof."  This  happened  to  the  apostle  Paul.  And  the  self- 
 same happeneth  at  this  day  tmto  us.  For  when  the  common 
 jf**  people  hear,  out  of  the  gospel,  that  righteousness  cometh  by  the 
 mere  grace  of  God,  through  faith  only,  without  the  law,  and 
 without  works,  they  gather  by-and-by  of  it,  as  did  the  Jews  in 
 times  past:  If  the  law  do  not  justify,  then  let  us  work  nothing; 
 and  this  do  they  truly  perform. 
 
 What  should  we  then  do?  This  impiety  doth  indeed  very 
 much  vex  us,  but  we  cannot  remedy  it.  For  when  Christ 
 preached,  he  must  needs  hear,  that  he  was  a  blasphemer  and  a 
 seditious  person:  that  is  to  say,  that  through  his  doctrine  he 
 deceived  men,  and  made  them  rebels  against  Caesar.  The  self- 
 same thing  happened  to  Paul  and  all  the  rest  of  the  apostles. 
 And  what  marvel  is  it  if  the  world,  in  like  manner,  accuse  us  at 
 this  day?  Let  it  accuse  us,  let  it  slander  us,  let  it  persecute  us 
 and  spare  us  not:  yet  must  not  we  therefore  hold  our  peace,  but 
 speak  freely,  that  afflicted  consciences  may  be  delivered  out  of 
 the  snares  of  the  devil.  And  we  must  not  regard  the  foolish 
 and  ungodly  people,  in  that  they  do  abuse  om*  doctrine :  for, 
 whether  they  have  the  law  or  no  law,  they  cannot  be  reformed. 
 But  we  must  consider  how  afflicted  consciences  may  be  comfort- 
 ed, that  they  perish  not  with  the  multitude.  If  we  should  dis- 
 semble and  hold  our  peace,  miserable  and  afflicted  consciences 
 should  have  no  comfort,  which  are  so  entangled  and  snared  with 
 men's  laws  and  traditions,  that  they  can  wind  themselves  out 
 by  no  means. 
 
 As  Paul  therefore,  when  he  saw  that  some  resisted  his  doc- 
 trine, and  other  some  sought  the  liberty  of  the  flesh,  and  thereby 
 became  worse,  comforted  himself  after  this  sort:  that  he  was 
 an  apostle  of  Jesus  Christ,  sent  to  preach  the  faith  of  God's 
 elect;  and  that  he  must  suffer  all  tlungs  for  the  elect's  sake; 
 
VKR.  19.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  237 
 
 that  they  also  might  obtain  salvation;  so  we  at  this  day  do  all 
 things  for  the  elect's  sake,  whom  we  know  to  be  edified  and  com- 
 forted through  our  doctrine.  But  as  for  the  dogs  and  swine,  (of 
 whom  the  one  sort  persecuteth  our  doctrine,  and  the  other  sort 
 treadeth  under  foot  the  liberty  which  we  have  in  Christ  Jesus,) 
 I  am  so  offended  with  them,  that  in  all  my  life,  for  their  sakes,  I 
 would  not  utter  so  much  as  one  word;  but  I  would  rather  wish 
 that  these  swine,  together  with  our  adversaries  the  dogs,  were 
 yet  still  subject  to  the  Pope's  tyranny,  rather  than  that  the  holy 
 name  of  God  should  be  so  blasphemed  and  evil  spoken  of  through 
 them. 
 
 Therefore,  albeit  not  only  the  foolish  and  ignorant  people,  but 
 they  also  which  seem,  in  their  own  conceits,  to  be  very  wise,  do 
 argue  after  this  sort:  If  the  law  do  not  justify,  then  is  it  in  vain 
 and  of  none  effect;  yet  is  it  not  therefore  true.  For  like  as  this 
 consequence  is  nothing  worth:  Money  doth  not  justify,  or  make 
 a  man  righteous,  therefore  it  is  unprofitable;  the  eyes  do  not 
 justify,  therefore  they  must  be  plucked  out;  the  hands  make 
 not  a  man  righteous,  therefore  they  must  be  cut  off:  so  is  this 
 naught  also.  The  law  doth  not  justify,  therefore  it  is  unprofit- 
 able: for  we  must  attribute  unto  every  thing  his  proper  effect 
 and  use.  We  do  not  therefore  destroy  or  condemn  the  law,  be- 
 cause we  say  that  it  doth  not  justify;  but  we  answer  otherwise 
 to  this  question,  "  To  what  end  then  serveth  the  l§iw?"  than  our 
 adversaries  do,  who  do  wickedly  and  perversely  counterfeit  aa 
 office  and  use  of  the  law,  which  belongeth  not  unto  it. 
 
 Against  this  abuse  and  forged  ofl&ce  of  the  law  Ave  dispute, 
 and  answer  with  Paul,  that  "the  law  doth  not  justify."  But, 
 in  so  saying,  we  affirm  not  that  the  law  is  unprofitable,  as  they 
 do  by-and-by  gather.  If  the  law  do  not  justify  (say  they)  then 
 it  is  given  in  vain.  No,  not  so.  For  it  hath  its  proper  office 
 and  use;  but  not  that  which  the  adversaries  do  imagine,  namely, 
 to  make  men  righteous:  butit  accuseth,  terrific th;  and  Ci)ttdeiian- 
 eth  them.  We  say  with  Paul,  that  the  law  is  good,  if  a  man  do 
 rightly  use  it;  that  is  to  say,  if  he  use  the  law  as  the  law.  If  I 
 give  unto  the  law  his  proper  definition,  and  keep  it  within  the 
 compass  of  his  office  and  use,  it  is  an  excellent  thing.  But  if  I 
 translate  it  to  another  use,  and  attribute  that  unto  it  which  I 
 should  not,  then  do  I  not  only  pervert  the  law,  but  also  the 
 whole  scripture. 
 
 Therefore  Paul  fighteth  here  against  those  pestilent  hypo- 
 crites who  could  not  abide  tliis  sentence:  "The  law  was  added 
 for  transgressions ;"  for  they  think  that  the  office  of  the  law  is 
 to  justify.  And  this  is  the  general  opinion  of  man's  reason 
 among  the  sophiaters,  and  throughout  the  whole  world,  that 
 righteousness  is  gotten  through  the  works  of  the  law;  and  reason 
 will  by  no  means  suffer  this  pernicious  opinion  to  be  wrested  from 
 it,  because  it  understandeth  not  the  righteousness  of  faith. 
 Hereof  it  cometh  that  the  Papists  both  foolishly  and  wickedly  do 
 
\ 
 
 238  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CHAP,  HI. 
 
 say:  The  <,hitrch  hath  the  law  of  God,  the  traditions  of  the 
 fathers,  the  decrees  of  councils:  if  it  live  after  them,  it  is  holy. 
 No  man  shall  persuade  these  men,  that,  when  they  keep  these 
 thing's,  they  please  not  God,  but  provoke  his  wrath.  To  con- 
 clude, they  that  trust  in  their  own  righteousness,  think  to  pacify 
 the  wrath  of  God  by  their  will-worsliip  and  voluntary  religion. 
 Therefore  this  opinion  of  the  righteousness  of  the  law  is  the  sink 
 of  all  evils,  and  the  sin  of  sins  of  the  whole  world.  For  gross 
 sins  and  vices  may  be  known  and  so  amended,  or  else  repressed 
 by  the  punishment  of  the  magistrate.  But  this  sin,  to  wit,  man's 
 opinion  concerning  his  own  righteousness,  will  not  only  be  count- 
 ed no  sin,  but  also  will  be  esteemed  for  a  high  religion  and 
 righteousness.  This  pestilent  sin,  therefore,  is  the  mighty  power 
 of  the  devil  over  the  whole  world,  the  very  head  of  the  serpent, 
 and  the  snare  whereby  the  devil  entangleth  and  holdeth  all  men 
 captive.  For  naturally  all  men  have  this  opinion,  that  they  are 
 made  righteous  by  keeping  of  the  law.  Paul  therefore,  to  the 
 end  he  might  shew  the  true  office  and  use  of  the  law,  and  might 
 root  out  of  men's  hearts  that  false  opinion  concerning  the  righ- 
 teousness thereof,  answer eth  to  this  objection.  Wherefore  then 
 serveth  the  law,  if  it  justify  not?  after  this  sort:  It  was  not 
 given  to  make  men  righteous,  (saith  he)  but, 
 
 Verse  19.     It  was  added  because  of  transgressions. 
 
 As  things  are  divers  and  distinct,  so  the  uses  thereof  are 
 divers  and  distinct:  therefore  they  may  not  be  confounded. 
 For  if  they  be,  there  must  needs  be  a  confusion  of  the  things 
 also.  A  woman  may  not  wear  a  man's  apparel,  nor  a  man  a 
 woman's  attire.  Let  a  man  do  the  Avorks  that  belong  to  a  man, 
 and  the  woman  the  works  that  belong  to  a  woman.  Let  every 
 man  do  that  which  his  vocation  and  office  requLreth.  Let  pas- 
 tors and  preachers  teach  the  word  of  God  purely.  Let  magis- 
 trates govern  their  subjects,  and  let  subjects  obey  their  magis- 
 trates. Let  every  thing  serve  in  his  due  place  and  order.  Let 
 the  Sim  shine  by  day;  the  moon  and  the  stars  by  night.  Let  the 
 sea  give  fishes;  the  earth  grain;  the  woods  wild  beasts  and  trees, 
 &c.  In  like  manner  let  not  the  law  usurp  the  office  and  use  of 
 another,  that  is  to  say,  of  justification;  but  let  it  leave  this  only 
 to  grace,  to  the  promise,  and  to  faith.  W^*  j^  then  the 
 office  of  the  law?  Transgressions;  or  else,  (as  he  saith  in  another 
 place)  "the  law  entered  in  that  sin  should  abound."  (Rom.  v.  20.) 
 A  goodly  office,forsooth !  "The  law,"  saith  he,  "was  added  for 
 transgressions;"  that  is  to  say,  it  was  added  besides  and  after 
 the  promise,  untU  Christ  the  seed  should  come,  unto  whom  it 
 was  promised. 
 
 Of  the  double  use  of  the  Law, 
 
 Here  you  must  understand  that  there  is  a  double  use  of  the 
 law.     One  is  civil:  for  God  hath  ordained  civil  laws,  yea,  all 
 
VER.  19.]  EVISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  989 
 
 laws,  to  punish  transgressions.  Every  law  then  is  given  to  re- 
 strain sin.  If  it  restrain  sin,  then  it  maketh  men  righteous. 
 No,  nothing  less.  For  in  that  I  do  not  kill,  I  do  not  commit 
 adultery,  I  do  not  steal,  or  in  that  I  abstain  from  other  sins,  I 
 do  it  not  willingly,  or  for  the  love  of  virtue,  but  I  fear  the 
 prison,  the  sword,  and  the  hangman.  These  do  bridle  and  re- 
 strain me  that  I  sin  not,  as  bonds  and  chains  do  restrain  a  lion,  or 
 a  bear,  that  he  tear  and  devour  not  every  thing  that  he  meeteth: 
 therefore  the  restraining  from  sin  is  not  righteousness,  but  ra- 
 ther a  signSicafion  of  unrighteousness,  For,  as  a  mad  or  a  Avild 
 b'eastis  bound,  lest  he  should  destroy  every  thing  that  he  meet- 
 eth :  even  so  the  law  doth  bridle  a  mad  and  a  furious  man,  that 
 he  sin  not  after  his  own  kist.  This  restraint  sheweth  plainly 
 enough  that  they  which  have  need  of  the  law  (as  all  they  ha\e 
 which  are  without  Christ)  are  not  righteous,  but  rather  wicked 
 and  mad  men,  whom  it  is  necessary,  by  the  bonds  and  prison  of 
 the  law,  so  to  bridle,  that  they  sin  not.  Therefore  the  law  justi- 
 fieth  not. 
 
 The  first  use  then  of  the  law,  is  to  bridle  the  wicked.  For 
 the  devil  reigneth  throughout  the  whole  world,  and  enforceth 
 men  to  all  kinds  of  horrible  wickedness.  Therefore  God  hath 
 ordained  magistrates,  parents,  ministers,  laws,  bonds,  and  all 
 civil  ordinances,  that  if  they  can  do  no  more,  yet,  at  the  least, 
 they  may  bind  the  devil's  hands,  that  he  rage  not  in  his  bond- 
 slaves after  his  o^vn  lust.  Like  as  therefore  they  that  are  pos- 
 sessed, in  whom  the  devil  mightily  reigneth,  are  kept  in  bonds 
 and  chains,  lest  they  should  hurt  others :  even  so,  in  the  world, 
 which  is  possessed  of  the  devil,  and  carried  headlong  into  all 
 kinds  of  wickedness,  the  magistrate  is  present  with  his  bonds 
 and  chains;  that  is  to  say,  with  his  laws,  binding  his  hands  and 
 feet,  that  he  run  not  headlong  into  all  mischief.  And,  if  he  suf- 
 fer not  himself  to  be  bridled  after  this  sort,  then  he  loseth  his 
 head.  This  civil  restraint  is  very  necessary,  and  appointed  of 
 God,  as  well  for  public  peace,  as  for  the  preservation  of  all 
 things,  but  especially  lest  the  course  of  the  gospel  should  be  hin- 
 dered by  the  tumult  and  seditions  of  wicked,  outrageous,  and 
 proud  men.  But  Paul  entreateth  not  here  of  this  civil  use  and 
 ofiice  of  the  law.  It  is  indeed  very  necessary,  but  it  justifieth 
 not.  For,  as  a  possessed  or  a  mad  man  is  not  therefore  free 
 from  the  snares  of  the  devil,  or  well  in  his  mind,  because  he  hath 
 his  hands  and  his  feet  bound,  and  can  do  no  hurt:  even  so,  the 
 world,  although  it  be  bridled  by  the  law  from  outward  wicked- 
 ness and  mischief,  yet  is  it  not  therefore  righteous,  but  still  con- 
 tinueth  wicked:  yea,  this  restraint  sheweth  plainly  that  the 
 world  is  wicked  and  outrageous,  stirred  up  and  enforced  to  all 
 wickedness  by  his  prince  the  devil;  for,  otherwise,  it  need  not 
 be  bridled  by  laws  that  it  should  not  sin. 
 
 Another  use  of  the  law  is  divine  and  spiritual,  which  is  (as 
 Paul  saith)  "to  increase  transgressions;"  that  is  to  say,  to  reveal 
 
24U  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 unto  a  man  his  sin,  his  blindness,  his  misery,  his  impiety,  igno- 
 rance, hatred,  and  contempt  of  God,  death,  hell,  the  judgment 
 and  deserved  wrath  of  God.  Of  this  use  the  apostle  entreateth 
 notably  in  the  seventh  to  the  Romans.  This  is  altogether  un- 
 known to  hypocrites,  to  the  popish  sophisters  and  school-divines, 
 and  to  all  that  Avalk  in  the  opinion  of  the  righteousness  of  the 
 law,  or  of  their  own  righteousness.  But  to  the  end  that  God 
 might  bridle  and  beat  down  this  monster,  and  this  mad  beast,  (I 
 mean,  the  presumption  of  man's  righteousness  and  religion)  which 
 naturally  maketh  men  proud,  and  puffeth  them  up  in  such  sort, 
 that  they  think  themselves  thereby  to  please  God  highly;  it  be- 
 hoved him  to  send  some  Hercules  which  might  set  upon  this 
 monster,  with  all  force  and  courage,  to  overthrow  him,  and  ut- 
 terly to  destroy  him :  that  is  to  say,  he  was  constrained  to  give 
 a  law  in  mount  Sinai,  with  so  great  majesty  and  with  so  ter- 
 rible a  shew,  that  the  whole  multitude  was  astonished,  (Exod. 
 xix.  XX.) 
 
 This,  as  it  is  the  proper  and  the  principal  use  of  the  law,  so 
 is  it  very  profitable  and  also  most  necessary.  For  if  any  be  not 
 a  murderer,  an  adulterer,  a  thief,  and  outwardly  refrain  from 
 sin,  as  the  Pharisee  did,  which  is  mentioned  in  the  gospel,  he 
 would  swear  (because  he  is  possessed  Avith  the  devil)  that  he  is 
 righteous,  and  therefore  he  conceiveth  an  opinion  of  righteous- 
 ness, and  presumeth  of  his  good  works  and  merits.  Such  a  one 
 God  cannot  otherwise  mollify  and  humble,  that  he  may  acknow- 
 ledge his  misery  and  damnation,  but  by  the  law:  for  that  is 
 the  hammer  of  death,  the  thundering  of  hell,  and  the  lightning 
 of  God's  wrath,  that  beateth  to  powder  the  obstinate  and  sense- 
 less hypocrites.  Wherefore  this  is  the  proper  and  true  use  of 
 the  law,  by  lightning,  by  tempest,  and  by  the  sound  of  the  trum- 
 pet (as  in  mount  Sinai)  to  terrify,  and  by  thundering  to  beat 
 down  and  rent  in  pieces  that  beast  which  is  called  the  opinion 
 of  righteousness.  Therefore,  saith  God,  by  Jeremy  the  prophet, 
 "my  word  is  a  hammer,  breaking  rocks."  (Jer.  xxiii.  29.) 
 For  as  long  as  the  opinion  of  righteousness  abideth  in  man,  so 
 long  there  abideth  also  in  him  incomprehensible  pride,  presump- 
 tion, security,  hatred  of  God,  contempt  of  his  grace  and  mercy, 
 ignorance  of  the  promises  and  of  Christ.  The  preaching  of  free 
 remission  of  sins,  through  Christ,  cannot  enter  into  the  heart  of 
 such  a  one,  neither  can  he  feel  any  taste  or  savour  thereof;  for 
 that  mighty  rock  and  adamant  wall,  to  wit,  the  opinion  of 
 righteousness,  wherewith  the  heart  is  environed,  doth  resist  it. 
 
 As  therefore  the  opinion  of  righteousness  is  a  great  and  a  hor- 
 rible monster,  a  rebellious,  obstinate  and  stiiF-necked  beast,  so,  - 
 for  the  destroying  and  overthrowing  thereof,  God  hath  need  of 
 a  mighty  hammer,  that  is  to  say,  the  law;  which  then  is  in  his 
 proper  use  and  office,  when  it  accuseth  and  revealeth  sin  after 
 this  sort:  Behold,  thou  hast  transgressed  all  the  commandments 
 of  God,  &c.  and  so  it  striketh  a  terror  uto  the  conscience,  so  that 
 
VER.  19  1  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  241 
 
 it  feeleth  God  to  be  offended  and  ang^ry  indeed,  and  itself  to  be 
 guilty  of  eternal  death.  Here  the  poor  afflicted  sinner  feeleth 
 the  intolerable  burden  of  the  law,  and  is  beaten  down  even  to 
 desperation;  so  that  now,  being  oppressed  with  great  anguish  and 
 terror,  he  desireth  death,  or  else  seeketh  to  destroy  himself. 
 Wherefore  the  law  is  that  hammer,  that  fire,  that  mighty  strong 
 wind,  and  that  terrible  earthquake  renting  the  mountains,  and 
 breaking  the  rocks,  (1  Kings  xix.  11,  12,  13,)  that  is  to  say^ 
 the  proud  and  obstinate  hypocrites.  Elijah,  not  being  able  to 
 abide  these  terrors  of  the  law,  which  by  these  things  are  signifi- 
 ed, covefed  his  face  with  his  mantle.  Notwithstanding,  when  the 
 tempest  ceased,  of  which  he  was  a  beholder,  there  came  a  soft 
 and  a  gracious  wind,  in  the  which  the  Lord  was ;  but  it  behoved 
 that  the  tempest  of  fire,  of  wind,  and  the  earthquake  should  pass, 
 before  the  Lord  should  reveal  himself  in  that  gracious  wind. 
 
 The  terrible  shew  and  majesty  wherein  God  gave  his  law  in 
 mount  Sinai,  did  represent  the  use  of  the  law.  There  was  in 
 the  people  of  Israel  which  came  out  of  Egypt,  a  singular  holi 
 ness.  They  gloried  and  said,  "We  are  the  people  of  God* 
 We  will  do  all  those  things  which  the  Lord  our  God  hath  com- 
 manded." (Exod.  xix.  8.)  Moreover,  Moses  did  sanctify  the 
 people,  and  bade  them  wash  their  garments,  refrain  from  their 
 wives,  and  prepare  themselves  against  the  third  day.  There 
 was  not  one  of  them  but  he  was  full  of  holiness.  The  third 
 day,  Moses  bringeth  the  people  out  of  theif  tents  to  the  moun- 
 tjun  into  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  that  they  might  hear  his  voice. 
 What  followed  then?  When  the  children  of  Israel  did  behold 
 the  horrible  sight  of  the  mount  smoking  and  burning,  the  black 
 clouds  and  lightnings  flashing  up  and  down  in  this  horrible  dark- 
 ness, and  heard  the  sound  of  the  trumpet  blowing  long  and  wax- 
 ing louder  and  louder:  and  moreover,  when  they  heard  the 
 thunderings  and  the  lightnings,  they  were  afraid,  and  standing 
 afar  off",  they  said  unto  Moses :  "  We  will  do  all  things  willingly, 
 so  that  the  Lord  speak  not  unto  us,  lest  that  we  die,  and  this 
 great  fire  consume  us.  Teach  thou  us,  and  we  will  hearken 
 unto  thee."  (Exod.  xx.  19.  Deut.  v.  24.  xviii.  16.)  I  pray 
 you,  what  did  their  purifying,  their  white  garments,  and  refrain- 
 ing from  their  wives  profit  then?  Nothing  at  all.  There  was 
 not  one  of  them  that  could  abide  this  presence  of  the  Lord  in 
 his  majesty  and  glory:  but  all  being  amazed  and  shaken  with 
 terror,  fled  back  as  if  they  had  been  driven  by  the  devil.  "  For 
 God  is  a  consuming  fire,"  in  whose  sight  no  flesh  is  able  to 
 stand.     (Deut.  iv.  24.) 
 
 The  law  of  God,  therefore,  hath  properly  and  peculiarly  that 
 office  which  it  had  then  in  mount  Sinai,  when  it  was  first  given, 
 and  was  first  heard  of  them  that  were  washed,  righteous,  purifi- 
 ed, and  chaste:  and  yet,  notwithstanding,  it  brought  that  holy 
 people  into  such  a  knowledge  of  their  own  misery,  that  they 
 were  thrown  do%vn  even  to  death  and  desperation.     No  purity 
 
342  a  MMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUl's  [CHAP.   llf. 
 
 nor  holiness  could  then  help  them;  but  there  was  m  them  such 
 a  feeluig  of  then-  own  uncleamiess,  un  worthiness  and  sin,  and  of 
 the  jvidgment  and  wrath  of  God,  that  they  fled  from  the  sig-ht  of 
 the  Lord,  and  could  not  abide  to  hear  his  voice.  "What  flesh 
 was  there  ever,"  say  they,  "  that  heard  the  voice  of  the  living 
 God  speaking  out  of  the  midst  of  the  fire,  and  yet  lived?  This 
 day  have  we  seen  that  God  talketh  with  man,  and  yet  he  liveth." 
 (Deut.  V.  26.)  They  speak  now  far  otherwise  than  they  did  a 
 little  before,  when  they  said:  "we  are  the  holy  people  of  God, 
 whom  the  Lord  hath  chosen  for  his  OAvn  pecidiar  people,  before 
 all  the  nations  upon  the  earth.  We  will  do  all  things  Avhich  the 
 Lord  hath  spoken."  So  it  happeneth  at  length  to  all  justiciaries, 
 who  being  drunken  with  the  opinion  of  their  own  righteousness, 
 do  think,  when  they  are  out  of  temptation,  that  they  are  belov- 
 ed of  God,  and  that  God  regardeth  their  vows,  their  fastings, 
 their  prayers,  and  their  will-works,  and  that  for  the  same  he 
 must  give  unto  them  a  single  crown  in  heaven.  But  when  that 
 thundering,  lightning,  fire,  and  that  hammer  which  breaketh  in 
 pieces,  that  is  to  say,  the  law  of  God,  cometh  suddenly  upon 
 them,  revealing  unto  them  their  sin,  the  wrath  and  judgment  of 
 God :  then  the  self-same  thing  happeneth  unto  them  which  hap- 
 pened to  the  Jews  standing  at  the  foot  of  mount  Sinai. 
 
 Here  I  admonish  all  such  as  fear  God,  and  especially  such  as 
 shall  become  teachers  of  others  hereafter,  that  they  diligently 
 learn  out  of  Paul  to  understand  the  true  and  proper  use  of  the 
 law:  which,  I  fear,  after  our  time  will  be  trodden  under  foot, 
 and  utterly  abolished  by  the  enemies  of  the  truth.  For  even 
 now,  while  we  are  yet  living,  and  employ  all  our  diligence  to  set 
 forth  the  office  and  use  both  of  the  law  and  the  gospel,  there  be 
 few,  yea,  even  among  those  which  will  be  coimted  Christians, 
 and  make  a  profession  of  the  gospel  with  us,  that  understand 
 these  things  rightly,  and  as  they  should  do.  What  think  ye  then 
 shall  come  to  pass  when  we  are  dead  and  gone?  I  speak  nothing 
 of  the  Anabaptists,  of  the  new  Arians,  and  such  other  vain  spirits, 
 Avho  are  no  less  ignorant  of  these  matters  than  are  *the  Papists, 
 although  they  talk  never  so  much  to  the  contrary ;  for  they  are 
 revolted  from  the  pure  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  to  laws  and  tradi- 
 tions, and  therefore  they  teach  not  Christ.  They  brag  and  they 
 swear  that  they  seek  nothing  else  but  the  glory  of  Christ  and 
 the  salvation  of  their  brethren,  and  that  they  teach  the  word  of 
 God  purely:  but  in  very  deed  they  corrupt  it  and  wrest  it  to 
 another  sense,  so  that  they  make  it  to  sound  according  to  their 
 own  imagination.  Therefore,  under  the  name  of  Christ,  they 
 teach  nothing  else  but  their  own  dreams;  and  under  the  name 
 of  the  gospel,  ceremonies  and  laws.  They  are  like  therefore 
 unto  themselves,  and  so  they  still  continue,  that  is  to  say,  monks, 
 workers  of  the  law,  and  teachers  of  ceremonies,  saving  that 
 they  devise  new  names,  and  new  works. 
 
 is  no  small  matter,  then,  to  understand  rightly  what  the  jaw 
 
 [(ij 
 It 
 
VEE.  19. J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  243 
 
 is,  and  what  is  the  true  use  and  office  thereof.  And  forasmuch 
 as  we  teacli  these  things  both  diligently  and  faithfully,  we  do 
 thereby  plainly  testify  that  Ave  reject  not  the  law  and  works,  as 
 our  adversaries  do  falsely  accuse  us :  but  we  do  altogether  estab- 
 lish the  law,  and  require  the  works  thereof,  and  we  say  that  the 
 law  is  good  and  profitable,  but  in  his  own  proper  use:  which  is, 
 first,  to  bridle  civil  transgressions,  and  then  to  reveal  and  to  in- 
 crease spiritual  transgressions.  Wherefore  the  law  is  also  a  light, 
 which  sheweth  and  revealeth,  not  the  grace  of  God,  not  righte- 
 ousness and  life;  but  sin,  death,  the  wrath  and  judgment  of  God. 
 For  as,  in  the  mount  Sinai,  the  thundering,  lightmng,  the  thick 
 and  dark  cloud,  the  hill  smoking  and  flaming,  and  all  that  ter- 
 rible shew,  did  not  rejoice  nor  quicken  the  children  of  Israel, 
 but  terrified  and  astonished  them,  and  shewed  how  unable  they 
 were,  with  all  their  purity  and  holiness,  to  abide  the  majesty  of 
 God  speaking  to  them  out  of  the  cloud:  even  so  the  law,  when 
 it  is  in  his  true  use,  doth  nothing  else  but  reveal  sin,  engender 
 wrath,  accuse  and  terrify  men,  so  that  it  bringeth  them  to  the 
 very  brink  of  desperation.  This  is  the  proper  use  of  the  law, 
 smdjiere  it  hath  an  end,  and  it  ought  to  go  no  farther. 
 
 Contrariwise,  the  gospel  is  a  light  which  lighteneth,  quicken- 
 eth,  comforteth,  and  raiseth  up  fearful  consciences.  For  it  shew- 
 eth that  God,  for  Christ's  sake,  is  merciftd  unto  sinners,  yea,  and 
 to  such  as  are  most  unworthy,  if  they  believe  that  by  his  death 
 they  are  delivered  from  the  curse,  that  is  to  say,  from  sin  and 
 everlasting  death;  and  that  through  his  victory,  the  blessing  is 
 freely  given  unto  them;  that  is  to  say,  grace,  forgiveness  of  sins, 
 righteousness,  and  everlasting  life.  Thus,  putting  a  diiference 
 between  the  law  and  the  gospel,  we  give  to  them  both  their  own 
 proper  use  and  office.  Of  this  diiference  between  the  law  and  the 
 gospel,  there  is  nothing  to  be  found  in  the  books  of  the  monks, 
 canonists,  schoolmen ;  no,  nor  in  the  books  of  the  ancient  fathers. 
 Augustine  did  somewhat  understand  this  diiference,  and  shewed 
 it.  Jerom  and  others  knew  it  not.  Briefly,  there  was  wonder- 
 ful silence  many  years,  as  touching  this  diiference,  in  all  schools 
 and  churches :  and  this  brought  men's  consciences  into  great 
 danger.  For,  unless  the  gospel  be  plainly  discerned  from  the 
 law,  the  true  Christian  doctrine  cannot  be  kept  sound  and  uncor- 
 rupt.  Contrariwise,  if  this  difference  be  well  known,  then  is  also 
 the  true  manner  of  justification  known,  and  then  it  is  an  easy 
 matter  to  discern  faith  from  works,  Christ  from  Moses,  and  all 
 politic  works.  For  all  things  without  Christ  are  the  ministers  of 
 death  for  the  punishing  of  the  wicked.  Therefore,  Paul  an- 
 swereth  to  this  question  after  this  manner : 
 
 Verse  19.     The  law  was  added,  because  of  transgressions. 
 That  is  to  say,  that  transgressions  might  increase,   and  be 
 more  known  and  seen.    And  indeed  so  it  cometh  to  pass.    For 
 when  sin.  death,  the  wr«Mi  and  judgmpjit  of  God,  and  hell,  are 
 
244  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  Ill 
 
 revealed  to  a  man  through  the  law,  it  is  impossible  but  that  lie 
 should  become  impatient,  murmur  against  God,  and  despise  his 
 will :  for  he  cannot  bear  the  judgment  of  God,  his  own  death 
 and  damnation;  and  yet,  notwithstanding,  he  cannot  escape  them. 
 Here  he  must  needs  fall  into  the  hatred  of  God,  and  blasphemy 
 against  God.  Before,  when  he  was  out  of  temptation,  he  was  a 
 very  holy  man ;  he  worshipped  and  praised  God ;  he  bowed  his 
 knee  before  God,  and  gave  him  thanks  as  the  Pharisee  did,  (Luke 
 xviii.)  But  now,  when  sin  and  death  is  revealed  unto  him,  he 
 wisheth  that  there  were  no  God.  The  law  therefore,  of  itself, 
 bringeth  a  special  hatred  of  God.  And  thus  sin  is  not  only  re- 
 vealed and  known  by  the  law,  but  also  is  increased  and  stirred  up 
 by  the  law.  Therefore  Paul  salth,  "  sin,  that  it  might  appear 
 to  be  sin,  wrought  death  in  me  by  that  which  was  good,  that  sin 
 might  be  out  ot  measure  sinful  by  the  commandment."  (Rom. 
 vii.)  There  he  entreateth  of  this  effect  of  the  law  very  largely. 
 Paul  answereth  therefore  to  this  question,  if  the  law  do  not 
 Justify,  to  what  end  thenserveth  it?  Although  (saithhe)  it  jus- 
 tify not,  yet  it  is  very  profitable  and  necessary.  For,  first,  it 
 civilly  restraineth  such  as  are  carnal,  rebellious,  and  obstinate. 
 Moreover,  it  is  a  glass  that  sheweth  unto  a  man  himself,  that 
 he  is  a  sinner,  guilty  of  death,  and  worthy  of  God's  everlasting 
 wrath  and  indignation.  To  what  end  serveth  this  humbling, 
 this  bruising  and  beating  dowTi  by  this  hammer,  the  law,  I  mean? 
 To  this  end,  that  we  may  have  an  entrance  into  grace.  So  then 
 the  law  is  a  minister ,.tbat.preparetli  the  way  unto  grace.  "For 
 God  is  the  God  of  the  humble,  the  miserable,  the  afflicted,  the 
 oppressed,  and  the  desperate,  and  of  those  that  are  brought  even 
 to  nothing :  and  his  nature  is  to  exalt  the  humble,  to  feed  the 
 hungry,  to  give  sight  to  the  blind,  to  comfort  the  miserable, 
 the  afflicted,  the  bruised  and  broken-hearted,  to  justify  sinners, 
 to  quicken  the  dead,  and  to  save  the  very  desperate  and  damned. 
 For  he  is  an  almighty  Creator,  making  all  things  of  nothing. 
 Now  that  pei'nicious  and  pestilent  opinion  of  man's  own  righte- 
 ousness, which  will  not  be  a  sinner,  unclean,  miserable,  and 
 damnable,  but  righteous  and  holy,  suffereth  not  God  to  come 
 to  his  own  natural  and  proper  work.  Therefore  God  must  needs 
 take  this  maul  in  hand,  (the  law,  I  mean)  to  drive  down,  to  beat  in 
 pieces,  and  to  bring  to  nothing  this  beast,  with  her  vain  confidence, 
 wisdom,  righteououess,  and  power,  that  she  may  so  learn  at  the 
 length,  by  her  own  misery  and  mischief,  that  she  is  utterly  for- 
 lorn, lost,  and  damned.  Here  now,  when  the  conscience  is  thus 
 terrified  with  the  law,  then  cometh  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel 
 and  grace,  which  raiseth  up  and  comforteth  the  same  again, 
 Baying,  Christ  came  into  the  world,  not  to  break  the  bruised 
 reed,  nor  to  quench  the  smoking  flax;  but  to  preach  the  gospel 
 of  glad  tidings  to  the  poor,  to  heal  the  broken  and  contrite  in 
 heai't,  to  preach  forgiveness  of  sins  to  the  captives,  &*  (Isaiah 
 xlii.  3.  Matt.  xii.  20.) 
 
VEK.  19.j  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  245 
 
 But  here  lieth  all  the  difficulty  of  this  matter,  that  when  a 
 man  is  terrified  and  cast  down,  he  may  be  able  to  raise  up  him- 
 self" again,  and  say,  Now  I  am  bruised  and  afflicted  enough, 
 the  time  of  the  law  hath  tormented  and  vexed  me  sharply  enough; 
 now  is  the  time  of  grace ;  now  is  the  time  to  hear  Christ,  out 
 of  whose  mouth  proceed  the  words  of  grace  and  life  ;  now  is 
 the  time  to  see,  not  the  smoking  and  burning  mount  Sinai,  but 
 the  mount  Moria,  where  is  the  throne,  the  temple,  the  mercy- 
 seat  of  God,  that  is  to  say,  Christ,  who  is  the  king  of  righteous- 
 ness and  peace.  There  will  I  hearken  what  the  Lord  speaketh 
 unto  me,  who  speaketh  nothing  else  but  peace  unto  his  people. 
 
 Nay,  the  foolishness  of  man's  heart  is  so  great,  that,  in  this 
 conflict  of  conscience,  when  the  law  hath  done  his  office,  and  ex- 
 ercised his  true  ministry,  he  doth  not  only  not  lay  hold  upon  the 
 doctrine  of  grace,  which  promisethmost  assuredly  the  forgiveness 
 of  sins,  for  Christ's  sake,  but  seeketh  and  procureth  to  himself 
 more  laws,  to  satisfy  and  quiet  his  conscience.  If  1  live,  saith 
 he,  I  will  amend  my  life.  I  will  do  this:  I  will  do  that.  Here, 
 except  thou  do  quite  the  contrary;  that  is  to  say,  except  thou 
 send  Moses  away,  with  his  law,  to  those  that  are  secure,  proud, 
 and  obstinate,  and  in  these  terrors  and  in  this  anguish  lay  hold 
 upon  Christ,  who  was  crucified  and  died  for  thy  sins,  look  for 
 no  salvation. 
 
 So  the  law  with  his  office  helpeth  by  occasion  to  justification, 
 in  that  it  driveth  a  man  to  the  promise  of  grace,  and  maketh 
 the  same  sweet  and  comfortable  unto  him.  Wherefore  we  do  not 
 abrogate  the  law,  but  we  shew  the  true  office  of  the  law ;  to  wit, 
 that  it  is  a  true  and  a  profitable  minister,  which  driveth  a  man 
 to  Christ.  Therefore,  after  the  law  hath  humbled  thee,  terri- 
 fied thee,  and  utterly  beaten  thee  dowm,  so  that  now  thou  art 
 at  the  very  brink  of  desperation,  see  that  thou  learn  how  to  use 
 the  law  rightly ;  for  the  office  and  use  of  it  is  not  only  to  re- 
 veal sin  and  the  wrath  of  God,  but  also  to  drive  men  unto 
 Christ.  This  use  of  the  law  the  Holy  Ghost  only  setteth  forth 
 ill  the  gospel,  where  he  witnesseth  that  God  is  present  unto  the 
 afflicted  and  broken-hearted.  Wherefore,  if  thou  be  bruised 
 with  this  hammer,  use  not  this  bruising  perversely,  so  that  thou 
 load  thyself  with  more  laws,  but  hear  Christ,  saying,  "  Come 
 unto  me,  all  ye  that  labour  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  re- 
 fresh you."  (Matt.  xi.  28.)  When  the  law  so  oppresseth  thee, 
 that  all  things  seem  to  be  utterly  desperate,  and  thereby  driveth 
 thee  unto  Christ,  to  seek  help  and  succour  at  his  hands,  then  is 
 the  law  in  his  true  use ;  and,  through  the  gospel,  it  helpeth  to 
 justification.  And  this  is  the  best  and  most  perfect  use  of  the 
 law. 
 
 Wherefore  Paul  here  beginneth  afresh  to  entreat  of  the  law, 
 and  defineth  what  it  is,  taking  occasion  of  that  which  he  said  be- 
 fore ;  to  wit,  that  the  law  justifieth  not.  For  reason,  hearing 
 this,  by-and-by  doth  thus  infer:  then  God  gave  the  law  in  vain. 
 
246  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 It  was  necessary,  therefore,  to  seek  how  to  define  the  law  truly, 
 and  to  shew  what  the  law  is,  and  how  it  ought  to  be  understood, 
 that  it  be  not  taken  more  largely  or  more  straitly  than  it  should 
 be.  There  is  no  law  (saith  he)  that  is  of  itself  necessary  to  jus- 
 tification. Therefore,  when  we  reason  as  touching  righteous- 
 ness, life,  and  everlasting  salvation,  the  law  must  be  utterly  re- 
 moved out  of  our  sight,  as  if  it  had  never  been,  or  never  should 
 be,  but  as  though  it  were  nothing  at  all.  For,  in  the  matter  of 
 justification,  no  man  can  remove  the  law  far  enough  out  of  his 
 sight,  or  behold  the  only  promise  of  God  sufficiently,  and  as  he 
 should  do.  Therefore  I  said  before  that  the  law  and  the  pro- 
 mise must  be  separate  far  asunder,  as  touching  the  inward  af- 
 fections and  the  inward  man ;  albeit,  indeed,  they  are  nearly 
 joined  together. 
 
 Verse  19.     Until  the  seed  came  unto  the  which  the  promise  was  made. 
 
 Paul  maketh  not  the  law  perpetual,  but  he  saith  that  it  was 
 given,  and  added  to  the  promises  for  transgressions ;  that  is  to 
 say,  to  restrain  them  civilly,  but  especially  to  reveal  and  to  in- 
 crease them  spiritually,  and  that  not  continually,  but  for  a  time. 
 Here  it  is  necessary  to  know  how  long  the  power  and  the  ty- 
 ranny of  the  law  ought  to  endure,  which  discovereth  sin,  sheweth 
 unto  us  what  we  are,  and  revealeth  the  wrath  of  God.  They 
 whose  hearts  are  touched  with  an  imvard  feeling  of  these  mat- 
 ters, should  suddenly  perish,  if  they  should  not  receive  comfort. 
 Therefore,  if  the  days  of  the  law  should  not  be  shortened,  no 
 man  should  be  saved.  A  time  therefore  must  be  set,  and  bounds 
 limited  to  the  law,  beyond  which  it  may  not  reign.  How  long- 
 then  ought  the  dominion  of  the  law  to  endure  ?  Until  the  seed 
 come ;  to  wit,  that  seed,  of  which  it  is  written,  "  In  thy  seed 
 shall  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  be  blessed."  The  tyranny  of 
 the  law  then  must  so  long  continue  until  the  fulness  of  the  time, 
 and  until  that  seed  of  the  blessing  come  ;  not  to  the  end  that 
 the  law  should  bring  this  seed  or  give  righteousness,  but  that  it 
 should  civiUy  restrain  the  rebellious  and  obstinate,  and  shut 
 them  up,  as  it  were,  in  prison ;  and  then  spiritually  should  re- 
 prove them  of  sin,  hmnble  them,  and  terrify  them ;  and,  when 
 they  are  thus  humbled  and  beaten  down,  it  should  constrain 
 them  to  look  up  to  that  blessed  seed. 
 
 We  may  understand  the  continuance  of  the  law  both  accord- 
 ing to  the  letter  and  also  spiritually;  according  to  the  letter  thus, 
 that  the  law  continueth  mitil  the  time  of  grace.  "  The  law  and 
 the  prophets,"  saith  Christ,  "  prophesied  until  John.  From  the 
 time  of  John,  until  this  day,  the  kingdom  of  heaven  suffereth 
 violence,  and  the  violent  take  it  by  force."  (Matt.  xi.  12,  13.) 
 In  this  time  Christ  was  baptized,  and  began  to  preach;  at  what 
 time  also,  after  the  letter,  the  law,  and  all  the  ceremonies  of 
 Moses  ceased. 
 
 Spiritually  the  law  may  be  thus  understood:  that  it  ought  not 
 
VER.  19.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  847 
 
 to  reign  in  the  conscience  any  longer  than  to  the  appointed  time 
 of  this  blessed  seed.     When  the  law  sheweth  unto  me  my  sin, 
 terrifieth  me,  and  revealeth  the  law  and  judgment  of  God,  so 
 that  I  begin  to  tremble  and  to  despair,  there  hath  the  law  his 
 bounds,  his  time  and  his  end  limited,  so  that  he  noAv  ceaseth  to 
 exercise  his  tyranny  any  more.     For  when  he  hath  done  his 
 office  sufficiently,  he  hath  revealed  the  wrath  of  God,  and  ter- 
 rified enough.     Here  we  must  say,  Now  leave  off,  law ;  thou 
 hast  done  enough;  thou  hast  terrified  and  tormented  me  enough. 
 "  All  thy  floods  have  run  over  me,  and  thy  terrors  have  troubled 
 me.     Lord,  turn  not  away  thy  face  in  thy  wrath  from  thy  ser- 
 vant; rebuke  me  not,  I  beseech  thee,  in  thine  anger,"  &c.    (Ps. 
 xlii.  7.  Ixix.  17.  vi.  1.)    Wlien  these  terrors  and  troubles  come, 
 then  is  the  time  and  the  hour  of  the  blessed  seed  come.    Let  the 
 law  then  give  place;  which  indeed  is  added  to  reveal  and  to  in- 
 crease transgressions,  and  yet  no  longer,  but  until  that  blessed 
 seed  be  come.     Wlien  that  is  come,  then  let  the  law  leave  off, 
 to  reveal  sin  and  to  terrify  any  more,  and  let  him  deliver  up  his 
 kingdom  to  another;  that  is  to  say,  to  the  blessed  seed,  which 
 is  Christ :  who  hath  gracious  lips,  wherewith  he  accuseth  and 
 terrifieth  not,  but  speaketh  of  far  better  things  than  doth  the 
 law;  namely,  of  grace,  peace,  forgiveness  of  sins,  victory  over 
 sin,  death,  the  devil,  and  damnation,  gotten  by  his  death  and 
 passion,  unto  all  believers. 
 
 Paul  therefore  sheweth  by  these  words :  "  Until  the  seed 
 should  come,  unto  whom  the  blessing  was  promised,"  how  long 
 the  law  should  endure  literally  and  spiritually.  According  to  the 
 letter,  it  ceased  after  the  blessed  seed  came  into  the  world, 
 taking  upon  him  our  flesh,  giving  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  writing 
 a  new  law  in  our  hearts.    But  the  spiritual  time  of  the  law  doth 
 not  end  at  once,  but  continueth  fast  rooted  in  the  conscience. 
 Therefore  it  is  a  hard  matter  for  a  man  which  is  exercised  with 
 the  spiritual  use  of  the  law,  to  see  the  end  of  the  law.     For  in 
 these  terrors  and  feeling  of  sin,  the  mind  cannot  conceive  this 
 hope,  that  God  is  merciful,   and  that  he  will  forgive  sins,  for 
 Christ's  sake ;  but  it  judgeth  only  that  God  is  angry  with  sin- 
 ners, and  that  he  accuseth  and  condemneth  them.    If  faith  come 
 not  here  to  raise  up  again  the  troubled  and  afilicted  conscience, 
 or  else,  according  to  that  saying  of  Christ,  "M^iere  two  or  three 
 are  gathered  together  in  my  name,"  &c.  (Matt,  xviii.  20.)  there 
 be  some  faithfiil  brother  at  hand  that  may  comfort  him,  by  the 
 word  of  God,  which  is  so  oppressed  and  beaten  down  by  the  law, 
 desperation  and  death  must  needs  follow.     Therefore  it  is  a 
 perilous  thing  for  a  man  to  be  alone.     "  Woe  be  to  him  that  is 
 alone,"  (saith  the  preacher)  "  for  when  he  falleth,  he  hath  none 
 to  raise  him  up,"   (Eccles.  iv.  10.)     Wherefore  they  that  or- 
 dained that  cursed  monkish  and  solitary  life,  gave  occasion  to 
 many  thousands  to  despair.     If  a  man  should  separate  himself 
 from  the  company  of  others  for  a  day  or  two,  to  be  occupied  'm 
 
248  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUl/.S  [_C1IAP.  HI. 
 
 prayer,  (as  we  read  of  Christ,  that  sometime  he  went  aside  alone 
 into  the  mount,  and  by  night  continued  in  prayer,)  there  were  no 
 danger  therein.  (Matt.  xxvi.  39.  Luke  xxii.  41.)  But  when 
 they  constrained  men  continually  to  live  a  solitary  life,  it  was  a 
 device  of  the  devil  himself.  For  when  a  man  is  tempted  and  is 
 alone,  he  is  not  able  to  raise  up  himself,  no,  not  in  the  least 
 temptation  that  can  be. 
 
 Verse  19.     And  it  was  ordained  by  angels  in  ihe  hand  of  a  mediator. 
 
 This  is  a  little  digression  from  his  purpose,  which  he  neither 
 declareth  nor  finisheth,  but  only  toucheth  it  by  the  way,  and  so 
 proceedeth.  For  he  returneth  incontinent  to  his  purpose,  when 
 lie  saith,  "  What,  is  the  law  then  contrary  to  tlie  promises  of 
 God  ?"  Now,  this  was  the  occasion  of  his  digression.  He  fell 
 into  this  difference  between  the  law  and  the  gospel:  that  the  law, 
 added  to  the  promises,  did  differ  fi-om  the  gospel,  not  only  in 
 respect  of  the  time,  l)ut  also  of  the  author  and  the  efficient  cause 
 thereof.  For  the  law  was  delivered  by  the  angels,  (Heb.  i.)  but 
 the  gospel  by  the  Lord  himself.  Wherefore  the  gospel  is  far 
 more  excellent  than  the  law ;  for  the  law  is  the  voice  of  the 
 servants,  but  the  gospel  is  the  voice  of  the  Lord  himself.  There- 
 fore, to  abase  and  to  diminish  the  authority  of  the  law,  and  to 
 exalt  and  magnify  the  gospel,  he  saith  that  the  law  was  a  doc- 
 trine given  to  continue  but  for  a  small  time,  (for  it  endured  but 
 only  until  the  fulness  of  the  promise,  that  is  to  say,  until  the 
 blessed  seed  came  which  fulfilled  the  promise:)  but  the  gospel 
 was  for  ever.  For  all  the  faithful  have  had  always  one  and  the 
 self-same  gospel  from  the  beginning  of  the  world,  and  by  that 
 they  were  saved.  The  law,  therefore,  is  far  inferior  to  the  gos- 
 pel, because  it  was  ordained  by  the  angels,  which  are  but  ser- 
 vants, and  endured  but  for  a  short  time,  whereas  the  gospel  was 
 ordained  by  the  Lord  himself,  to  continue  for  ever.  (Heb.  i.) 
 For  it  was  promised  before  all  worlds.  (Tit.  i.) 
 
 Moreover,  the  word  of  the  law  was  not  only  ordained  by  the 
 angels  being  but  servants,  but  also  by  another  servant  far  infe- 
 rior to  the  angels,  namely,  by  a  man;  that  is,  (as  here  he  saith) 
 by  the  hand  of  a  mediator,  that  is  to  say,  Moses.  Now,  Christ 
 is  not  a  servant,  but  the  Lord  himself.  He  is  not  a  mediator 
 between  God  and  man,  according  to  the  law,  as  Moses  was;  but 
 he  is  a  mediator  of  a  better  testament.  The  law  therefore  was 
 ordained  by  angels  as  servants.  For  Moses  and  the  people  heard 
 God  speaking  in  the  mount  Sinai;  that  is  to  say,  they  heard  the 
 angels  speaking  in  the  person  of  God.  Therefore  Stephen,  in 
 the  seventh  chapter  of  the  Acts,  saith,  «'  Ye  have  received  the 
 law  by  the  ministry  of  angels,  and  ye  have  not  regarded  it.'* 
 Also  the  text  in  the  third  of  Exodus  sheweth  plainly  that  the 
 angel  appeared  unto  Moses  in  a  flame  of  fire,  and  spake  unto 
 him  from  the  midst  of  the  bush. 
 
 Paul  therefore  signifieth  that  Christ  is  a  mediator  of  a  far  better 
 
VER.  19.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  OALATIANS.  249 
 
 testament  than  Moses.  And  here  he  alludeth  to  that  history 
 in  Moses  concerning-  the  giving  of  the  law,  Avhich  saith  that 
 Moses  led  the  people  out  of  their  tents  to  meet  with  God,  and 
 that  he  placed  them  at  the  foot  of  the  mount  Sinai.  There  was  a 
 heavy  and  a  horrible  sight.  The  whole  mount  was  on  a  flame 
 of  fire.  When  the  people  saw  this,  they  began  to  tremble;  for 
 they  thought  that  they  should  have  been  suddenly  destroyed  in 
 this  fearful  tempest.  Because  therefore  they  could  not  abide  the 
 law  sounding  so  horribly  out  of  mount  Sinai,  (for  that  terrifying 
 voice  of  the  law  would  have  killed  the  people,)  they  said  unto 
 Moses,  their  mediator,  "  Come  thou  hither,  and  hear  what  the 
 Lord  saith,  and  speak  thou  unto  us."  And  he  answered,  "  I  my- 
 self," saith  he,  "was  a  mediator,  and  one  that  stood  between  God 
 and  you,"  &c.  By  these  places  it  is  plain  enough  that  Moses  was 
 appointed  a  mediator  between  the  people  and  the  law  speaking. 
 
 Wherefore  Paul  by  this  history  goeth  about  to  declare,  that  it 
 is  impossible  that  righteousness  should  come  by  the  law.  As  if 
 he  should  say,  How  can  the  law  justify,  seeing  the  whole  people 
 of  Israel,  being  purified  and  sanctified,  yea,  and  Moses  himself, 
 the  mediator  between  God  and  the  people,  were  afraid,  and  trem- 
 bled at  the  voice  of  the  law  ?  as  it  is  said  in  the  epistle  to  the 
 Hebrews,  "  Here  was  nothing  but  fear  and  trembling."  But 
 what  righteousness  and  holiness  is  this,  not  to  be  able  to  bear, 
 yea,  not  to  be  able  or  willing  to  hear  the  law,  but  to  fly  from  it, 
 and  so  to  hate  it,  that  it  is  impossible  to  hate  and  abhor  any 
 thing  more  in  the  whole  world  ?  As  the  history  most  plainly 
 testifieth  that  the  people,  when  they  heard  the  law,  did  hate  no- 
 thing more  than  the  law,  and  rather  wished  death,  than  to  hear 
 the  law. 
 
 So,  when  sin  is  discovered,  as  it  were,  by  certain  bright  beams 
 which  the  law  striketh  into  the  heart,  there  is  nothing  more 
 odious  and  more  intolerable  to  man  than  the  law  is.  Here  he 
 would  rather  chuse  death,  than  be  constrained  to  bear  these 
 terrors  of  the  law,  never  so  little  a  time ;  which  is  a  most  certain 
 token  that  the  law  justifieth  not.  For  if  the  law  did  justify,  then, 
 no  doubt,  men  would  love  it;  they  would  delight  and  take  plea- 
 sure in  it,  and  would  embrace  it  with  hearty  good-will.  But 
 where  is  this  good- will?  No  where;  neither  in  Moses,  nor  in  the 
 whole  people,  for  they  were  all  astonished  and  fled  back.  And 
 how  doth  a  man  love  that  which  he  flieth  ?  Or  how  delighteth 
 he  in  that  which  he  deadly  hateth  ? 
 
 Wherefore  this  flight  sheweth  a  deadly  hatred  of  man's  heart 
 against  the  law,  and  so  consequently  ag-ainst  God  himself,  the 
 author  of  the  law.  And  if  there  were  no  other  argument  to 
 prove  that  righteousness  cometh  not  by  the  law,  this  one  history 
 were  enough,  which  Paul  setteth  out  in  these  few  words  :  "  In 
 the  hand  of  a  mediator."  As  though  he  would  say,  Do  ye  not  re- 
 member that  your  fathers  were  so  far  unable  to  hear  the  law, 
 that  they  had  need  of  Moses  to  be  their  mediator  ?  And  when 
 
250  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 he  was  appointed  to  that  office,  they  were  so  far  from  lovmg  of 
 the  law,  that  they,  by  a  fearful  flight,  together  with  their  medi- 
 ator, shewed  themselves  to  hate  the  same,  as  the  epistle  to  the 
 Hebrews  witnesseth ;  and  if  they  could,  they  would  have  gone 
 even  through  an  iron  mountain  back  again  into  Egypt.  But 
 they  were  enclosed  round  about,  so  that  they  had  no  way  to 
 escape.  Therefore  they  cry  unto  Moses :  "  Speak  thou  unto 
 us ;  for  if  we  hear  the  voice  of  the  Lord  our  God  any  more,  we 
 shall  die,"  (Exod.  xx.  19.  Deut.  v.  25.)  Now  therefore,  if  they 
 be  not  able  to  hear  the  law,  how  should  they  be  able  to  accom- 
 plish it? 
 
 Wherefore,  if  the  people  that  were  under  the  law,  were  con- 
 strained by  necessity  to  have  a  mediator,  it  followeth,  by  an  infal- 
 lible consequence,  that  the  law  justifieth  them  not.  What  did 
 it  then  ?  Even  the  same  thing  that  Paul  saith :  "  The  law  is 
 added  that  sin  might  aboimd."  (Rom.  v.  20.)  The  law,  there- 
 fore, was  a  light  and  a  sun,  which  struck  his  beams  into  the  hearts 
 of  the  children  of  Israel,  whereby  it  terrified  them,  and  struck 
 into  them  such  a  fear  of  God,  that  they  hated  both  the  law  and 
 the  author  thereof,  which  is  a  horrible  impiety.  Would  ye 
 now  say  that  these  men  were  righteous  ?  They  are  righteous 
 which  hear  the  law,  and  with  a  good-will  embrace  the  same  and 
 delight  therein.  But  the  history  of  giving  the  law  witnesseth 
 that  all  men  in  the  whole  world,  be  they  never  so  holy,  (especially 
 seeing  that  they  which  were  purified  and  sanctified  could  not  hear 
 the  law,)  do  hate  and  abhor  the  law,  and  wish  that  the  law  were 
 not.  Therefore  it  is  impossible  that  men  should  be  justified  by 
 the  law ;  nay,  it  hath  a  clean  contrary  effect. 
 
 Although  Paul  (as  I  have  said)  doth  but  only  touch  this 
 place  by  the  way,  and  doth  not  thoroughly  weigh  it,  nor  fully 
 finish  the  same,  yet  he  that  shall  diligently  and  attentively  read 
 it,  may  easily  understand  that  he  speaketh  very  well  of  both 
 mediators ;  that  is  to  say,  of  Moses  and  of  Christ,  and  com- 
 pareth  the  one  with  the  other,  as  hereafter  Ave  will  declare.  If 
 he  would  have  prosecuted  this  matter  more  largely,  this 
 only  place  would  have  ministered  unto  him  an  argument  and 
 occasion  plentifid  enough  to  write  a  new  epistle :  and  that  his- 
 tory also  in  the  nineteenth  and  twentieth  of  Exodus,  concerning 
 the  giving  of  the  law,  would  minister  matter  enough  to  write  a 
 new  volume,  although  it  were  read  but  slightly,  and  without  af- 
 fection ;  albeit  it  may  seem  to  be  very  barren  to  those  which 
 know  not  the  true  office  and  use  of  the  law,  if  it  be  compared 
 with  other  holy  histories. 
 
 Hereby  we  may  see  that  if  all  the  woi'ld  had  stood  at  the 
 mount,  as  the  people  of  Israel  did,  they  would  have  hated  the 
 law,  and  would  have  fled  from  it,  as  they  did.  The  whole 
 world,  therefore,  is  an  enemy  to  the  law,  and  hateth  it  most 
 deadly;  but  the  law  is  holy,  righteous,  and  good,  and  is  the 
 perfect  rule  of  the  will  of  God.    How  then  can  he  be  righteous* 
 
VER.  19.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  251 
 
 which  doth  not  only  abhor  and  detest  the  law,  and  fly  from  it, 
 but,  moreover,  is  an  enemy  of  God,  who  is  the  author  of  the 
 law?  And  true  it  is  that  the  flesh  can  do  no  otherwise,  as  Paul 
 witnesseth,  Rom.  viii.  "The  wisdom  of  the  flesh  is  enmity 
 against  God:  for  it  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither 
 indeed  can  it  be."  Therefore  it  is  an  extreme  madness  so  to 
 hate  God  and  his  law,  that  thou  canst  not  abide  to  hear  it; 
 and  yet,  notwithstanding,  to  afiirm  that  we  are  made  righteous 
 thereby. 
 
 Wherefore  the  sophisters  and  school-divines  are  stark  blind, 
 and  understand  nothing  at  all  of  this  doctrine.  They  look  only 
 upon  the  outward  vizor  of  the  law,  thinking. that  it  is  accomplish- 
 ed by  civil  works,  and  that  they  are  righteous  before  God,  which 
 do  the  same  externally,  not  considering  the  true  and  spiritual 
 effect  thereof:  which  is  not  to  justify,  and  to  quiet  and  pacify 
 afflicted  consciences,  but  to  increase  sin,  to  terrify  the  conscience, 
 and  to  engender  wrath.  They  being  ignorant  of  this,  do  vaunt 
 that  man  hath  a  good  will,  and  a  right  judgment  of  reason  to 
 do  the  law  of  God.  But  whether  this  be  true  or  no,  ask  the 
 people  of  the  law,  with  their  mediator,  who  heard  the  voice  of 
 the  law  in  the  mount  Sinai.  Ask  David  himself,  who,  as  often 
 as  he  complaineth  in  the  Psalms  that  he  was  cast  from  the  face 
 of  God,  that  he  was  even  in  hell,  and  that  he  was  terrified  and 
 oppressed  with  the  greatness  of  his  sin,  with  the  wrath  and  judg- 
 ment of  God,  set  not  sacrifices,  nor  yet  the  law  itself,  against 
 these  mighty  tyrants,  but  was  raised  up  and  comforted  by  the 
 only  free  mercy  of  God.     Therefore  the  law  justifieth  not. 
 
 If  the  law  should  serve  mine  affections,  that  is  to  say,  if  it 
 should  approve  mine  hj^ocrisy,  mine  opmion  and  confidence  of 
 mine  Own  righteousness :  if  it  should  say  that,  without  the  mer- 
 cy of  God  and  faith  in  Christ,  through  the  help  of  it  alone  (as 
 all  the  world  naturally  judgeth  of  the  law)  I  might  be  justified 
 before  God:  and,  moreover,  if  it  should  say  that  God  is  pacified 
 and  overcome  by  works,  and  is  bound  to  reward  the  doers  there- 
 of, that  so,  having  no  need  of  God,  I  might  be  a  God  unto  my- 
 self, and  merit  grace  by  my  works,  and  setting  my  Saviom- 
 Christ  apart,  might  save  myself  by  my  own  merits:  if,  I  say, 
 the  law  should  thus  serve  mine  affections,  then  should  it  be 
 sweet,  delectable,  and  pleasant  indeed;  so  well  can  reason  flatter 
 itself.  Notwithstanding  this  should  no  longer  continue,  but  un- 
 til the  law  should  come  to  his  own  use  and  office;  then  should 
 it  appear  that  reason  cannot  suffer  those  bright  beams  of  the 
 law.  There  some  Moses  must  needs  come  between  as  a  media 
 tor,  and  yet  notwithstanding  without  any  fruit,  as  I  will  declare 
 hereafter. 
 
 To  this  purpose  serveth  that  place  in  the  third  chapter  of  the 
 second  epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  concerning  the  covered  face 
 of  Moses,  where  Paul,  out  of  the  history  of  the  thirty-fourth 
 chapter  of  Exodus,  sheweth  that  the  cliildren  of  Israe]^  not  only 
 
252  COMMENTAU\   ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 did  not  know,  but  also  could  not  abide  the  true  and  spiritual  use 
 of  the  law;  first,  for  that  they  could  not  look  unto  the  end  of 
 the  law,  (saith  Paul)  because  of  the  veil  Avhich  Moses  put  upon 
 his  face.  Again,  they  could  not  look  upon  the  face  of  Moses, 
 being  Jbare  and  uncovered,  for  the  glory  of  his  countenance. 
 For  when  Moses  went  about  to  talk  with  them,  he  covered  his 
 face  with  a  veil,  without  which  they  could  not  bear  his  talk; 
 that  is,  they  could  not  hear  Moses  himself,  their  mediator,  unless 
 he  had  set  another  mediator  between,  that  is  to  say,  the  veil. 
 How,  then,  should  they  hear  the  voice  of  God,  or  of  an  angel, 
 when  they  could  not  hear  the  voice  of  Moses,  being  but  a  man, 
 vea,  and  also  their  mediator,  except  his  face  had  been  covered? 
 Therefore,  except  the  blessed  seed  come  to  raise  up  and  comfort 
 him  which  hath  heard  the  law,  he  perishcth  through  desperation, 
 in  detesting  of  the  law,  in  hating  and  blaspheming  of  God,  and 
 daily  more  and  more  offending  against  God.  For  this  fear  and 
 confusion  of  conscience  which  the  law  bringeth,  the  deeper 
 it  pierceth,  and  the  longer  it  continueth,  the  more  it  increaseth 
 hatred  and  blasphemy  against  God. 
 
 This  history  therefore  teacheth  what  is  the  power  of  free-will. 
 The  people  are  stricken  with  fear,  they  tremble,  and  they  fly 
 back.  Where  is  now  free-will?  Where  is  now  that  good-will, 
 that  good  intent,  that  right  judgment  of  reason,  which  the 
 Papists  do  so  much  brag  of?  What  availeth  free-will  here  in 
 these  sanctified  and  holy  men?  It  can  say  nothing.  It  blindeth 
 their  reason;  it  perverteth  their  will:  It  receiveth  not,  it  sa- 
 luteth  not,  it  embracetL  not,  with  joy,  the  Lord  coming,  with 
 thundering,  lightning,  and  fire  unto  the  mount  Sinai:  It  cannot 
 hear  the  voice  of  the  Lord:  but  contrariwise,  it  saith,  "let  not 
 the  Lord  speak  unto  us,  lest  we  die."  We  see  then  what  the 
 strength  and  power  of  free-will  is  in  the  children  of  Israel,  who, 
 though  they  were  cleansed  and  sanctified,  could  not  abide  the 
 hearing  of  one  syllable  or  letter  of  the  law.  Therefore  these 
 high  commendations,  which  the  Papists  give  to  their  free-will, 
 are  nothing  else  but  mere  toys  and  doting  dreams. 
 
 Verse  20.  Now,  a  mediator  is  not  a  mediator  of  one. 
 Here  he  compareth  these  two  mediators  together,  and  that 
 with  a  marvellous  brevity:  yet  so,  notwithstanding,  that  he  sa- 
 tisfieth  the  attentive  reader,  who,  because  this  word  mediator  is 
 general,  by-and-by  understandeth  that  Paul  speaketh  of  the  me- 
 diator generally,  and  not  of  Moses  only.  "A  mediator,"  saith 
 he,  "is  not  a  mediator  of  one  only."  But  this  word  necessarily 
 cemprehendeth  two,  that  is  to  say,  him  that  is  offended  and  him 
 that  is  the  offender:  of  whom,  the  one  hath  need  of  intercession, 
 and  the  other  needeth  none.  Wherefore  a  mediator  is  not  of 
 one,  but  of  two,  and  of  such  two  as  be  at  variance  between 
 themselves.  So  Moses,  by  a  general  definition,  is  a  mediator, 
 because  h?-  doth  the  oflSce  of  a  mediator  between  the  law  and  the 
 
VEn.  SO.3  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIAN8.  258 
 
 people,  which  cannot  ahide  the  tnie  and  spiritual  use  of  the  law. 
 The  law  therefore  mnst  have  a  new  face,  and  his  voice  must  be 
 changed:  that  is  to  say,  the  voice  of  the  law  must  be  made  spi- 
 ritual, or  the  law  must  be  made  lively  in  the  inward  affection,  and 
 must  put  on  a  vizor  or  a  veil,  that  it  may  noAv  become  more  toler- 
 able, so  that  the  people  maybe  able  to  hear  itby  the  voice  of  Moses. 
 
 Now,  the  laAV  being  thus  covered,  speaketh  no  more  in  his 
 majesty,  but  by  the  mouth  of  Moses.  After  this  manner  it  doth 
 not  his  office  any  more :  that  is,  it  terrifieth  not  the  conscience. 
 And  this  is  the  cause  that  they  do  neither  understand  nor  re- 
 gard it:  by  means  whereof  they  become  secure,  negligent,  and 
 presumptuous  hypocrites.  And  yet,  notwithstanding,  the  one  of 
 these  two  must  needs  be  done:  to  wit,  that  either  the  law  must 
 be  without  his  use,  and  covered  with  a  veil  (but  then,  as  I  have 
 said,  it  maketh  hypocrites)  or  else  it  must  be  in  his  true  use  with- 
 out the  veil,  and  then  it  killeth.  For  man's  heart  cannot  abide 
 the  law  in  his  true  use  without  the  veil.  It  behoveth  thee,  there- 
 fore, if  thou  look  to  the  end  of  the  law  without  the  veil,  either 
 to  lay  hold  on  that  blessed  seed  by  faith;  that  is  to  say,  thou 
 must  look  beyond  the  end  of  the  law  unto  Christ,  which  is  the 
 accomplishment  of  the  law,  which  may  say  unto  thee,  The  law 
 hath  terrified  thee  enough,  be  of  good  comfort,  my  son,  thy  sins 
 are  forgiven  thee,  (whereof  I  will  speak  more  anon;)  or  else 
 surely  thou  must  have  Moses  for  thy  mediator,  with  his  veil. 
 
 For  this  cause  Paul  saith,  "  A  mediator  is  not  a  mediator  of 
 one."  For  it  could  not  be  that  Moses  should  be  a  mediator  of 
 God  alone,  for  God  needeth  no  mediatoi*.  And  again,  he  is  not 
 a  mediator  of  the  people  only,  but  he  doth  the  office  of  a  media 
 tor  between  God  and  the  people,  which  were  at  variance  with 
 God.  For  it  is  the  office  of  a  mediator  to  pacify  the  party  that 
 is  offended,  and  to  reconcile  unto  him  the  party  that  is  the  offen- 
 der. Notwithstanding  Moses  is  such  a  mediator  (as  I  have  said) 
 as  doth  nothing  else  but  change  the  voice  of  the  law,  and  maketh 
 it  tolerable,  so  that  the  people  may  abide  the  hearing  thereof, 
 but  he  giveth  no  power  to  accomplish  the  same.  To  conclude, 
 he  is  a  mediator  of  the  veil,  and  therefore  he  giveth  no  power 
 to  perform  the  law,  but  only  in  the  veil.  Therefore  his  disciples, 
 in  that  he  is  a  mediator  of  the  veil,  must  always  be  hypocrites. 
 
 But  what  should  have  come  to  pass,  think  ye,  if  the  law  had 
 been  given  without  Moses,  either  else  before  or  after  Moses, 
 and  that  there  had  been  no  mediator,  and,  moreover,  that  the 
 people  should  neither  have  been  suffered  to  fly,  nor  to  have  a 
 mediator?  Here  the  people,  being  beaten  down  with  intolerable 
 fear,  should  either  have  perished  forthwith,  or  if  they  should 
 have  escaped,  there  must  needs  have  come  some  other  mediator, 
 which  should  have  set  himself  between  the  law  and  the  people, 
 to  the  end  that  both  the  people  might  be  preserved,  and  the  law 
 remain  in  his  force,  and  also  an  atonement  might  be  made  be- 
 tween the  law  and  the  people.     Indeed,  Moses  cometh  in  the 
 
254  COMMENTARY    ON    ST.    PAUL'S 
 
 meantime,  and  is  made  a  mediator;  he  putteth  on  a  reil  and 
 covereth  his  face;  but  he  cannot  deliver  men's  conscierces  from 
 the  anguish  and  terror  which  the  law  bringeth.  Therefore,  when 
 the  poor  sinner,  at  the  hour  of  death,  or  in  the  conflict  of  consci- 
 ence, feeieth  the  wrath  and  judgment  of  God  for  sin,  which  the 
 law  reyealeth  and  increaseth,  here,  to  keep  him  from  despera- 
 tion, setting  Moses  aside  with  his  law,  he  must  have  a  mediator 
 which  may  say  unto  him.  Although  thou  be  a  sinner,  yet  shalt 
 thou  remain;  that  is,  thou  shalt  not  die,  although  the  law,  with 
 his  wrath  and  malediction,  do  still  remain. 
 
 This  mediator  is  Jesus  Christ,  which  changeth  not  the  voice 
 of  the  law,  nor  hideth  the  same  with  a  veil,  as  Moses  did,  nor 
 leadeth  me  out  of  the  sight  of  the  law;  but  he  setteth  himself 
 against  the  wrath  of  the  law  and  taketh  it  away,  and  satisfieth 
 the  law  in  his  own  body  by  himself  And  by  the  gospel  he 
 saith  unto  me,  "  Indeed  the  law  threateneth  unto  thee  the  Avrath 
 of  God  and  eternal  death;  but  be  not  afraid:  fly  not  away,  but 
 stand  fast.  I  supply  and  perform  all  things  for  thee;  I  satisfy 
 the  law  for  thee."  This  is  a  mediator  which  far  excelleth 
 Moses,  who  setteth  himself  between  God  being  offended,  and 
 the  offonder.  The  intercession  of  Moses  here  profiteth  nothing: 
 he  hath  done  his  office,  and  he  with  his  veil  is  now  vanished 
 away.  Here  the  miserable  sinner  being  utterly  desperate,  or  a 
 man  now  approaching  unto  death,  and  God  being  ofi'ended,  do 
 encounter  together.  Therefore  there  must  come  a  far  other 
 mediator  than  Moses,  which  may  satisfy  the  law,  take  away  the 
 wrath  thereof,  and  may  reconcile  unto  God  which  is  angry,  that 
 poor  sinner,  miserable  and  guilty  of  eternal  death. 
 -  Of  this  mediator  Paul  speaketh  briefly  when  he  saith,  "a 
 mediator  is  not  a  mediator  of  one."  For  this  word  mediator  pro- 
 perly signifieth  such  a  one  as  doth  the  office  of  a  mediator  between 
 the  party  that  is  off'ended  and  the  off"ender.  We  are  the  offend- 
 ders;  God,  with  his  law,  is  he  which  is  offended:  And  the  of- 
 fence is  such,  that  God  cannot  pardon  it,  neither  can  we  satisfy 
 for  the  same.  Therefore,  between  God  (who  of  himself  is  but 
 one)  and  us,  there  is  wonderful  discord.  Moreover,  God  cannot 
 revoke  his  law,  but  he  will  have  it  observed  and  kept.  And  we, 
 which  have  transgressed  the  law,  cannot  fly  from  the  presence 
 of  God.  Christ  therefore  hath  set  himself  a  mediator  between 
 two  which  are  quite  contrary,  and  separate  asunder  with  ah  infi- 
 nite and  everlasting  separation,  and  hath  reconciled  them  toge- 
 ther. And  how  hath  he  done  this?  "  He  hath  put  away  (as  Paul 
 saith  in  another  place)  the  hand-writing  which  was  against  us, 
 which  by  ordinances  (that  is,  by  the  law)  was  contrary  unto 
 us,  and  he  hath  taken  it  and  fastened  it  to  the  cross,  and  hath 
 spoiled  principalities  and  powers,  and  hath  made  a  shew  of  them 
 openly,  and  hath  triumphed  over  them  by  himself"  Therefore 
 he  Ls  not  a  mediator  of  one,  but  of  two,  utterly  disagreeing  be- 
 tween themselves. 
 
VER.  20.]  EPISTLi;  TO  THE  GAT.ATIANS.  255 
 
 This  is  also  a  place  fiill  of  power  and  efficacy  to  confound 
 the  righteousness  of  the  law,  and  to  teach  us,  that,  in  the 
 matter  of  justification,  it  ought  to  be  utterly  removed  out  of 
 our  sight.  Also  this  word  [mediator]  ministereth  sufficient 
 matter  to  prove  that  the  law  justifieth  not:  for  else  what  need 
 should  we  have  of  a  mediator?  Seeing  then  that  man's  nature 
 cannot  abide  the  hearing  of  the  law,  much  less  is  it  able  to 
 accomplish  the  law,  or  to  agree  with  the  law. 
 
 This  doctrine  (which  I  do  so  often  repeat,  and  not  without 
 tediousness  do  still  beat  into  your  heads)  is  the  true  doctrine  of 
 tlie  law,  which  every  Christian  ought  with  all  diligence  to 
 learn,  that  he  may  be  able  truly  to  define  what  the  law  is, 
 what  is  the  true  use  and  office,  what  are  the  limits,  what  is  the 
 poAver,  the  time,  and  the  end  thereof.  For  it  hath  an  effect 
 clean  contrary  to  the  judgment  of  all  men,  which  have  this 
 pestilent  and  pernicious  opinion  naturally  rooted  in  them,  that 
 the  law  justifieth.  Therefore  I  fear  lest  this  doctrine  will  be 
 defaced  and  darkened  again,  when  Ave  are  dead.  For  the 
 world  must  be  replenished  Avith  horrible  darkness  and  errors, 
 before  the  latter  day  come. 
 
 Whoso,  therefore,  is  able  to  understand  this,  let  him  under- 
 stand it,  that  the  law,  in  true  Christian  divinity,  and  in  his  true 
 and  proper  definition,  doth  not  justify,  but  hath  quite  a  contrary 
 effect.  For  it  sheweth  and  revealeth  unto  us  om-selves;  it  setteth 
 God  before  us  in  his  anger;  it  revealeth  God's  Avrath;  it  terri- 
 fieth  us ;  and  it  doth  not  only  reveal  sin,  but  also  mightily  in- 
 creaseth  sin,  so  that  where  sin  was  before  but  little,  noAV  by  the 
 law,  which  bringeth  the  same  to  light,  it  becometh  exceeding 
 sinful:  so  that  a  man  now  beginneth  to  hate  the  law  and  fly  from 
 it,  and  with  a  perfect  hatred  to  abhor  God,  the  maker  of  the 
 laAv.  This  is  not  to  be  justified  by  the  law  (and  that  reason  itself 
 is  compelled  to  grant)  but  to  commit  a  double  sin  against  the 
 law:  first,  not  orJy  to  have  a  Avill  so  disagreeing  from  the  law 
 that  thou  canst  not  hear  it,  but  also  to  do  contrary  to  that  which 
 it  commandeth:  and  secondly,  so  to  hate  it  that  thou  wouldst 
 wish  it  were  abolished,  together  with  God  himself,  who  is  the 
 author  thereof,  and  absolutely  good. 
 
 Now,  Avhat  greater  blasphemy,  what  sin  more  horrible  can 
 be  imagined  than  to  hate  God,  to  abhor  his  law,  and  not  to  suff'er 
 the  hearing  thereof,  which  notwithstanding  is  good  and  holy? 
 For  the  history  doth  plainly  Avitness  that  the  people  of  Israel 
 refused  to  hear  that  excellent  laAv,  those  holy  and  most  gracious 
 words,  namely,  "  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  which  brought  thee 
 out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  out  of  the  house  of  bondage.  Thou 
 shalt  have  none  other  gods,  &c.  SheAving  mercy  to  thoixsands, 
 &c.  Honour  thy  father  and  thy  mother,  that  it  may  go  Avell  Avith 
 thee,  and  that  thy  days  may  be  prolonged  upon  the  earth,  &:c." 
 (Exod.  XX.  2.  Deut.  iv.  40.)  and  that  they  had  need  of  a  me- 
 diator.    They  could  not  abide  this  most  excellent,  perfect,  and 
 
256  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  LCHAP.  11  T 
 
 divine  wisdom,  this  most  gracious,  sweet,  and  comfortable  doc- 
 trine. "  Let  not  the  Lord  speak  unto  us,"  say  they,  "  lest  we 
 die.  Speak  thou  unto  us,"  &c.  Doubtless,  it  is  a  marvellous 
 thing  that  a  man  cannot  hear  that  which  is  his  whole  felicity, 
 namely,  that  he  hath  a  God,  yea,  and  a  merciful  God,  which 
 will  shew  mercy  unto  him  in  many  thousands  of  generations, 
 &c.  And  moreover  that  he  cannot  abide  that  which  is  his  chief 
 safety  and  defence,  namely,  "  Thou  shalt  not  kill ;  tliou  shalt 
 not  commit  adultery;  thou  shalt  not  steal."  For  by  these 
 words  the  Lord  hath  defended  and  fortified  the  life  of  man,  his 
 wife,  his  children,  and  his  goods,  as  it  were,  with  a  wall,  against 
 the  force  and  violence  of  the  wicked. 
 
 The  law  then  can  do  nothing,  saving  that  by  his  light  it  lighten- 
 eth  the  conscience,  that  it  may  know  sin,  death,  the  judgment, 
 and  the  wrath  of  God.  Before  the  law  come,  I  am  secure ;  I 
 feel  no  sin.  But  when  the  law  cometh,  sin,  death,  and  hell,  are 
 revealed  unto  me.  This  is  not  to  be  made  righteous,  but  guilty, 
 and  the  enemy  of  God,  to  be  condemned  to  death  and  hell-fire. 
 The  principal  point  therefore  of  the  law  in  true  Christian  divinity 
 is  to  make  men  not  better,  but  worse;  that  is  to  say,  it  sheweth 
 unto  them  their  sin,  that  by  the  knowledge  thereof,  they  may 
 be  humbled,  terrified,  bruised,  and  broken,  and  by  this  means 
 may  be  driven  to  seek  comfort,  and  so  to  come  to  that  blessed 
 seed. 
 
 Verse  20.    But  God  is  one. 
 
 God  offendeth  no  man,  and  therefore  needeth  no  mediator.  But 
 we  offend  God,  and  therefore  we  have  need  of  a  mediator;  not 
 Moses,  but  Christ,  which  speaketh  far  better  things  for  us,  &c. 
 Hitherto  he  hath  continued  in  his  digression ;  now  he  rotumeth 
 to  his  piu'pose. 
 
 Verse  21.     Is  the  law  then  against  the  promise  of  God  ? 
 
 Paul  said  before  that  the  law  justifieth  not.  Shall  we  then  take 
 away  the  law?  No,  not  so.  For  it  bringeth  with  it  a  certain  com- 
 modity. What  is  that?  It  bringeth  men  unto  the  knowledge  of 
 themselves.  It  discovereth  and  increaseth  sin,  &c.  Here  now 
 ariseth  another  objection :  If  the  law  do  nothing  else  but  make 
 men  worse,  in  shewing  unto  them  their  sin,  then  is  it  contrary  to 
 the  promises  of  God.  For  it  seemeth  that  God  is  but  only  pro- 
 voked to  anger  and  off'ended  through  the  law,  and  therefore  he 
 regardeth  not,  nor  performeth  his  promises.  We  Jews  have 
 thought  the  contrary ;  to  wit,  that  we  are  restrained  and  bri- 
 dled by  this  external  discipline,  to  the  end  that  God,  being  pro- 
 voked thereby,  might  hasten  the  performing  of  his  promise, 
 and  that  by  this  discipline  we  might  deserve  the  promise. 
 
 Paul  answereth  :  It  is  nothing  so.  But  contrariwise,  if  ye 
 have  regard  to  the  law  the  promise  is  ra  her  hindered ;  for  na- 
 tural reason  offendeth  God,  which  so  faithfully  promiseth,  while 
 it  will  not  hear  his  good  and  holy  law.     For  it  saith,  "Let  not 
 
NTEILSl.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  257 
 
 the  Lord  speak  unto  us,"  &c.  How  can  it  be,  then,  that  God 
 should  perform  his  promise  unto  those,  which  not  oidy  receive 
 not  his  law  and  his  discipline,  but  also  with  a  mortal  hatred  do 
 shun  it,  and  fly  from  it  ?  Here,  therefore,  as  I  said,  riseth  this 
 objection :  "  Is  the  law  against  the  promise  of  God?"  This  ob- 
 jection Paul  toucheth  by  the  way,  and  briefly  answcrcth,  saying. 
 
 Verse  21.     God  forbid. 
 
 Why  so  ?^  First,  for  that  God  maketh  no  promise  unto  us  be- 
 cause of  our  worthiness,  our  merits,  our  good  works:  but  for  his 
 own  goodness  and  mercy  sake  in  Christ.  He  saith  not  to  Abra- 
 ham, All  nations  shall  he  blessed  in  thee,  because  thou  hast 
 kept  the  law.  But  wiien  he  was  uncircumcised,  had  no  law, 
 and  was  yet  an  idolater,  he  said  unto  him:  "Go  out  of  thine 
 own  land,  &c.  I  will  be  thy  protector,  &c. — Also:  "In  thy 
 seed  shall  all  nations  be  blessed."  (Gen.  xii.  1.  xv.  1.  xxii.  18.) 
 These  are  absolute  and  mere  promises,  which  God  freely  giveth 
 unto  Abraham,  without  any  condition,  or  respect  of  works, 
 either  going  before,  or  coming  after. 
 
 This  maketh  especially  against  the  Jews,  which  think  that  the 
 promises  of  God  are  hindered  because  of  their  sins.  "  God,'* 
 (saith  Paul)  "  doth  not  slack  his  promises  because  of  our  sins, 
 or  hasten  the  same  for  our  righteousness  and  merits.  He  re 
 gardeth  neither  the  one  nor  the  other."  "Wherefore,  although  we 
 become  more  sinful,  and  are  brought  into  greater  contempt  and 
 hatred  of  God  by  means  of  the  law,  yet,  notwithstanding,  God  is 
 not  moved  thereby  to  differ  his  promise.  For  his  promise  doth 
 not  stand  upon  our  weakness,  but  upon  his  biily  goodness  and 
 mgfcy."  Therefore,  where  the  Jews  say,  "The  Messias  is  not  yet 
 come,  because  our  sins  do  hinder  his  coming,"  it  is  a  detestable 
 dream.  As  though  God  should  become  unrighteous  because  of 
 our  sins,  or  made  a  liar  because  we  are  liars.  He  abideth  always 
 just  and  true :  his  truth  therefore  is  the  only  cause  that  he  ac- 
 complisheth  and  performeth  his  promise. 
 
 Moreover,  although  the  law  do  reveal  and  increase  sin,  yet  is 
 it  not  against  the  promises  of  God;  yea,  rather,  it  confirmeth  the 
 
 Eromises;  for  as  concerning  his  proper  work  and  end,  it 
 umbleth  and  prepareth  a  man  (so  that  he  use  it  rightly)  to 
 sigh  and  seek  for  mercy.  For  when  sin  is  revealed  to  a  man,  and 
 so  increased  by  the  law,  then  he  beginneth  to  perceive  the  wicked- 
 ness and  hatred  of  man's  heart  against  the  law,  and  against  God 
 himself,  the  author  of  the  law.  Then  he  feeleth,  indeed,  that  not 
 only  he  loveth  not  God,  but  also  hateth  and  blasphemeth  God, 
 who  is  full  of  goodness  and  mercy,  and  his  law  which  is  just  and 
 holy.  Then  is  he  constrained  to  confess  that  there  is  no  good 
 thing  in  him.  And  thus,  when  he  is  thrown  down  and  humbled 
 by  the  law,  he  acknowledgeth  himself  to  be  most  miserable 
 and  damnable.  When  the  law,  therefore,  constraineth  a  man  so 
 to  acknowledge  his  own  corruption,  and  to  confess  his  sin  from 
 
 s 
 
258  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAITL's  [CHAP.  Ill, 
 
 the  bottom  of  his  heart,  then  it  hath  done  his  office  truly,  and 
 his  time  is  accomplished  and  ended :  and  now  is  the  time  of  grace, 
 that  the  blessed  seed  may  come  to  raise  up  and  comfort  him  that 
 is  so  cast  down  and  humbled  by  the  law. 
 
 After  this  manner  the  law  is  not  against  the  promises  of  God. 
 For,  first,  the  promise  hangeth  not  upon  the  law,  but  upon  the 
 truth  and  mercy  of  God  only  and  alone.  Secondly,  when  the 
 law  is  in  his  chief  end  and  office,  it  humbleth  a  man,  and  in 
 humbling  him,  it  maketh  him  to  sigh  and  groan,  and  to  seek  the 
 hand  and  aid  of  the  mediator,  and  maketh  his  grace  and  his 
 mercy  exceeding  sweet  and  comfortable^  (as  is  said,  "thy  mercy 
 is  sweet,"  Ps.  cix.)  and  his  gift  precious  and  inestimable.  And 
 by  this  means  it  prepareth  us,  and  maketh  us  apt  to  apprehend 
 and  to  receive  Christ.  For,  as  the  poet  saith,  Dulcia  non  me- 
 ruit, qui  non  gustavit  amara  :  that  is, 
 
 Whoso  liath  not  tasted  the  things  that  are  bitter, 
 Is  not  worthy  to  taste  the  things  that  are  sweeter. 
 
 There  is  a  common  proverb,  that  hunger  is  the  best  0001*. 
 Like  as,  therefore,  the  dry  earth  coveteth  the  rain,  even  so  the 
 law  maketh  troubled  and  afflicted  soids  to  thirst  after  Christ. 
 To  such,  Christ  savoureth  sweetly :  to  them,  he  is  nothing  else 
 but  joy,  consolation,  and  life.  And  there  beginneth  Christ  and 
 his  benefit  rightly  to  be  known. 
 
 This  is,  then,  the  principal  use  of  the  law  :  namely,  when  a 
 man  can  so  use  it,  that  it  may  humble  him  and  make  him  thirst 
 after  Christ.  And,  indeed,  Christ  requireth  thirsty  souls,  whom 
 he  most  lovingly  and  graciously  allureth  and  calleth  unto  him, 
 when  he  saith,  "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labour  and  are 
 heavy  laden,  and  I  will  refresh  you."  (Matt.  xi.  28.)  He  de- 
 lighteth  therefore  to  water  these  dry  grounds.  He  poureth 
 not  his  waters  upon  fat  and  rank  grounds,  or  such  as  are  not  dry 
 and  covet  no  water.  His  benefits  are  inestimable,  and  therefore 
 he  giveth  them  to  none  but  unto  such  as  have  need  of  them,  and 
 earnestly  desire  them.  He  preacheth  glad  tidings  to  the  poor, 
 he  giveth  drink  to  the  thirsty.  "  If  any  thirst,"  (saith  St.  John) 
 "let  him  come  unto  me,"  &c.  "  He  healeth  the  broken  hearted," 
 &c.  (John  vii.  37.  Psal.  cxlvii.  3.)  That  is,  he  comforteth 
 those  that  are  bruised  and  afflicted  by  the  law.  Therefore  the 
 law  is  not  against  the  promises  of  God. 
 
 Vbrse  21.  For  if  there  had  been  a  law  given  which  bringeth  life,  sureljr 
 righteousness  should  have  been  by  the  law. 
 
 By  these  words  Paul  signifieth,  that  no  law  of  itself  is  able  to 
 quicken  or  give  life,  but  only  killeth.  Therefore  such  works  as 
 are  done,  not  only  according  to  the  laws  and  traditions  of  the 
 Pope,  but  also  according  to  the  very  law  of  God,  do  notjustif/ 
 a  man  before  God,  but  make  him  a  sinner :  they  do  not  pacify 
 the  wrath  of  God,  but  thev  kindle  it:  they  obtain  not  righteous- 
 
VER.  21.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  255) 
 
 ness,  but  they  hinder  it :  they  quicken  not,  but  they  kill  and 
 destroy.  Therefore,  when  he  saith,  "  If  a  law  had  been 
 given  which  could  have  brought  life,"  &c.  he  teacheth  plainly 
 that  the  law  of  itself  justifieth  not,  but  that  it  hath  a  clean  con- 
 trary effect. 
 
 Although  these  words  of  Paul  be  plain  enough,  yet  are  they 
 obscure  and  utterly  unknown  to  the  Papists.  For  if  they  did 
 understand  them  indeed,  they  would  not  so  magnify  their  fi-ee 
 will,  their  own  natural  strength,  the  keeping  of  the  counsels,  the 
 works  of  supererogation,  &c.  But,  lest  they  should  seem  to  be 
 manifestly  wicked,  and  plain  infidels,  in  denying  the  words  of  the 
 apostle  of  Christ  so  impudently,  they  have  this  pestilent  gloss  al- 
 ways ready,  (whereby  they  pervert  the  places  of  Paul  concern- 
 ing the  law,  which  revealeth  sin  and  engendereth  wrath,  that  is 
 to  say,  the  ten  commandments, )  that  Paul  speaketh  only  of  the 
 ceremonial,  and  not  of  the  moral  law.  But  Paul  speaketh  plainly 
 when  he  saith,  "  if  a  law  had  been  given,"  &c. ;  and  he  ex- 
 cepteth  no  law.  Wherefore,  this  gloss  of  the  Papists  is  not 
 worth  a  rush ;  for  the  laws  of  the  ceremonies  were  as  well  com- 
 manded of  God,  and  as  strictly  kept,  as  the  moral  laws.  The 
 Jews  also  kept  circumcision  as  precisely  as  they  did  the  sab- 
 bath day ;  it  is  evident  enough,  therefore,  that  Paul  speaketh 
 of  the  whole  law. 
 
 These  words  of  the  apostle  are  sung  and  said  in  the  Papacy, 
 and  in  all  their  churches ;  and  yet,  notwithstanding,  they  both 
 teach  and  live  quite  contrary.  Paul  saith  simply  that  no  law 
 was  given  to  quicken  and  to  bring  life  :  but  the  Papists  teach 
 the  contrary,  and  affirm  that  many  and  infinite  laws  are  given  to 
 quicken  and  to  bring  life.  Although  they  say  not  this  in  plain 
 words,  yet,  in  very  deed,  such  is  their  opinion,  as  their  monkish 
 religion  doth  plainly  witness,  besides  many  other  laws  and  tradi- 
 tions of  men,  their  works  and  merits  before  grace  and  after,  and 
 innumerable  wicked  ceremonies  and  false  worshippings,  which 
 they  have  devised  of  their  own  heads,  and  those  only  have  they 
 preached,  treading  the  gospel  under  their  feet,  and  assuredly 
 promising  grace,  remission  of  sins,  and  life  everlasting,  to  all  such 
 as  should  keep  and  accomplish  the  same.  This,  I  say,  cannot 
 be  denied ;  for  their  books  which  are  yet  extant,  give  certain 
 testimony  thereof. 
 
 But  contrariwise,  we  affirm  with  Paul  that  there  is  no  law, 
 whether  it  be  man's  law  or  God's  law,  that  giveth  life.  Tliere- 
 fore  we  put  as  great  a  difference  between  the  law  and  righteous- 
 ness, as  is  between  life  and  death,  between  heaven  and  hell.  And 
 the  cause  that  moveth  us  so  to  affirm,  is  that  plain  and  evident 
 place  of  Paul,  where  he  saith,  that  the  law  is  not  given  to  jus- 
 tify, to  give  life,  and  to  save,  but  only  to  kill  and  to  destroy,  con- 
 trary to  the  opinion  of  all  men:  for  naturally  they  can  judge  no 
 otherwise  of  the  law,  but  that  it  is  given  to  work  righteousness, 
 and  to  give  life  and  salvation. 
 
260  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUl's  [CHAP.  Ill, 
 
 This  difference  of  the  offices  of  the  law  and  of  the  gospel, 
 keepeth  all  Christian  doctrine  in  his  true  and  proper  use.  Also 
 it  maketh  a  faithfid  man  judge  over  all  kinds  of  life,  over  the 
 laAvs  and  decrees  of  all  men,  and  over  all  doctrine  whatsoever, 
 and  it  giveth  them  power  to  try  all  manner  of  spirits.  On  the 
 other  side,  the  Papists,  because  they  confound  and  mingle  the 
 law  and  the  gospel  together,  can  teach  no  certainty  touching 
 faith,  works,  the  states  and  conditions  of  life,  nor  of  the  dif- 
 ference of  spirits. 
 
 Now,  therefore,  after  that  Paul  hath  prosecuted  his  confutations 
 and  arguments  sufficiently,  and  in  good  order,  he  teacheth  that 
 the  law  (if  ye  consider  his  true  and  perfect  use)  is  nothing  else 
 but  as  a  certain  schoolmaster  to  lead  us  unto  righteousness.  For 
 it  humbleth  men,  it  prepareth  and  maketh  them  apt  to  riiceive 
 the  righteousness  of  Christ,  when  it  doth  his  own  proper  work 
 and  office,  that  is,  when  it  maketh  them  guilty,  terrifieth  and 
 bringeth  them  to  the  knowledge  of  sin,  wrath,  death,  and  hell. 
 For  Avhen  it  hath  done  this,  the  opinion  of  man's  own  righteous- 
 ness and  holiness  vanisheth  away,  and  Christ  with  his  benefits 
 beginneth  to  wax  SAveet  unto  him.  Wherefore  the  law  is  not 
 against  the  promises  of  God,  but  rather  confirm  eth  them.  True 
 it  is,  that  it  doth  not  accomplish  the  promise,  nor  bring  righteous- 
 ness :  notwithstanding  it  humbleth  us  with  his  exercise  and 
 office,  and  so  maketh  us  more  thirsty,  and  more  apt  to  receive 
 the  benefit  of  Christ.  Therefore,  saith  he,  if  any  law  had  been 
 given  which  might  have  brought  righteousness,  and  through 
 righteousness  life,  (for  no  man  can  obtain  life,  except  first  he  be 
 righteous,)  then,  indeed,  righteousness  should  come  by  the  law. 
 Moreover,  if  there  were  any  state  of  life,  any  work,  any  religion, 
 whereby  a  man  might  obtain  remission  of  sins,  righteousness,  and 
 life,  then  should  these  things  indeed  justify  and  give  life.  But 
 this  is  impossible  :  for 
 
 Verse  22.  The  scripture  hath  concluded  all  men  under  sin. 
 Where  ?  First,  in  the  promises  themselves,  as  touching  Christ, 
 as  Genesis  iii.  "  the  seed  of  the  woman  shall  break  the  head  of 
 the  serpent."  And  Gen.  xxii.  "  in  thy  seed,"  &c.  Wheresoever, 
 then,  is  any  promise  in  the  scriptures  made  unto  the  fathers  con- 
 cerning Christ,  there  the  blessing  is  promised,  that  is,  righteous- 
 ness, salvation,  and  eternal  life.  Therefore,  by  the  contrary  it 
 is  evident  that  they  which  must  receive  the  blessing  are  sub- 
 ject to  the  curse,  that  is  to  say,  sin  and  eternal  death :  for  else 
 to  what  end  was  the  blessing  promised  ? 
 
 Secondly,  the  scripture  shutteth  men  under  sin,  and  under 
 the  curse,  especially  by  the  law,  because  it  is  his  peculiar  office 
 to  reveal  sin  and  engender  wrath,  as  we  have  declared  through- 
 out this  epistle,  but  chiefly  by  this  sentence  of  Paul :  "  Whoso- 
 ever are  of  the  works  of  the  law,  are  under  the  curse:"  (Gal. 
 iii.  10.)     Also  by  that  place  which  the  apostle  allegeth  out  of 
 
VER.  22.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  26 i 
 
 the  twenty-seventh  chapter  of  Deuteronomy:  "  cursed  is  every 
 one  that  abideth  not  in  all  the  words  of  this  law  to  do  them," 
 &c.  For  these  sentences  in  plain  words  do  shut  under  sin  and 
 under  the  curse,  not  only  those  which  sin  manifestly  against  the 
 law,  or  do  not  outwardly  accomplish  the  law ;  but  also  those 
 which  are  under  the  law,  and  Avith  all  endeavovu*  go  about  to 
 perform  the  same ;  and  such  were  the  Jews,  as  before  I  have 
 said.  Much  more,  then,  doth  the  same  place  of  Paul  shut  up 
 under  sin  and  under  the  curse,  all  monks,  friars,  hermits,  Car- 
 thusians, and  such-like,  with  their  professions,  rules,  and  re- 
 ligions, to  the  which  they  attributed  such  holiness,  that  when  a 
 man  had  once  made  a  vow  of  his  profession,  if  he  died  by-and-by, 
 they  dreamed  that  he  went  straight  to  heaven.  But  here  ye  hear 
 plainly  that  the  scripture  shutteth  all  under  sin.  Therefore, 
 neither  the  vow  nor  the  religion  of  the  Carthusian,  be  it  never 
 so  angelical,  is  righteousness  before  God:  for  the  scripture  hath 
 shut  all  under  sin,  all  are  accursed  and  damned.  Who  pro- 
 nouncetli  this  sentence?  the  scripture.  And  where?  First,  by 
 this  promise,  "the  seed  of  the  woman  shall  bruise  the  serpent's 
 head ;"  "  in  thee  shall  be  blessed,"  &c.  and  such-like  places : 
 moreover,  by  the  Avhole  law,  Avhereof  the  principal  office  is  to 
 make  men  guilty  of  sin.  Therefore,  no  monk,  no  Carthusian, 
 no  Celestine,  bruiseth  the  serpent's  head,  but  they  abide  bruised 
 and  broken  under  the  head  of  the  serpent,  that  is,  under  the 
 power  of  the  devil.     Who  Avill  believe  this? 
 
 Briefly,  whatsoever  is  without  Clwist  and  his  promise,  whether 
 it  be  the  law  of  God  or  the  law  of  man,  the  ceremonial  or  the 
 moral  law,  without  all  exception,  is  shut  under  sin :  for  the 
 scripture  shutteth  all  under  sin.  Now,  he  that  saith  "  all,"  ex- 
 cepteth  nothing.  Therefore  we  conclude,  Avith  Paul,  that  the 
 policies  and  laws  of  all  nations,  be  they  never  so  good  and  ne- 
 cessary, with  all  ceremonies  and  religions,  without  faith  in  Christ, 
 are  and  abide  imder  sin,  death,  and  eternal  damnation,  except 
 faith  in  Jesus  Christ  go  withal,  or  rather  before,  as  followeth  in 
 the  text.     Of  this  matter  we  have  spoken  largely  before. 
 
 Wherefore  this  is  a  true  proposition  :  Only  faith  justifieth, 
 Avithout  works,  (which,  notwithstanding,  our  adversaries  can 
 by  no  means  abide  :)  for  Paul  here  strongly  concludeth  that  the 
 law  doth  not  quicken  or  give  life,  because  it  is  not  given  to 
 that  end.  If^  then,  the  laAv  do  not  justify  and  give  life,  much 
 less  do  works  justify.  For  Avhen  Paul  saith  that  the  laAv  giveth 
 not  life,  his  meaning  is,  that  Avorks  also  do  not  give  life.  For 
 it  is  more  to  say  that  the  law  quickeneth  and  giveth  life,  than 
 to  say  that  AVorks  do  quicken  and  give  life.  If,  then,  the  laAv 
 itself,  being  fulfilled,  (although  it  be  impossible  that  it  should 
 be  accomplished,)  do  not  justify,  much  less  do  Avorks  justify. 
 I  conclude  therefore  that  faith  only  justifieth  and  bringeth 
 life,  without  works.  Paul  cannot  sufter  this  addition :  faith 
 joiiied  Avith  Avorks  justifieth ;  but  he  proceedeth  simply  by  the 
 
262  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CHAP.  111. 
 
 negative,  (Rom.  iii.)  as  he  doth  also  before  m  the  second  chap- 
 ter: "therefore  by  the  works  of  the  law  (saithhe)  shall  no  flesh 
 be  justified."  And  again  in  this  place :  "  the  law  is  not  given 
 to  bring  life." 
 
 Verse  22.  That  the  promise  by  the   faith  of  Jesus  Christ  should  be  given  to 
 tliem  that  believe. 
 
 He  said  before,  that  the  scripture  hath  shut  all  under  sin. 
 What !  for  ever  ?  No ;  but  until  the  promise  should  be  given. 
 Now,  the  promise  is  the  inheritance  itself,  or  the  blessing  pro- 
 mised to  Abraham;  to  wit,  the  deliverance  from  the  law,  sin, 
 death,  and  the  devil,  and  a  free  giving  of  grace,  righteousness, 
 salvation,  and  eternal  life.  This  promise,  saith  he,  is  not  ob- 
 tained by  any  merit,  by  any  law,  or  by  any  work,  but  it  is 
 given.  To  whom  ?  To  those  that  believe.  In  whom  ?  In  Jesus 
 Christ,  who  is  the  blessed  seed,  which  hath  redeemed  all  be- 
 lievers from  the  curse,  that  they  might  receive  the  blessing. 
 These  words  be  not  obscure,  but  plain  enough :  notwithstand- 
 ing we  must  mark  them  diligently,  and  weigh  well  the  force 
 and  weight  thereof.  For  if  all  be  shut  under  sin,  it  fol- 
 loweth  that  all  nations  are  accursed  and  are  destitute  of  the 
 grace  of  God :  also  that  they  are  under  the  wrath  of  God, 
 and  the  power  of  the  devil,  and  that  no  man  can  be  delivered 
 from  them  by  any  other  means  than  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ. 
 With  these  words,  therefore,  Paul  inveigheth  mightily  against 
 the  fantastical  opinions  of  the  Papists  and  all  justiciaries  touch- 
 ing the  law  and  works,  when  he  saith,  "  that  the  promise  by 
 faith  in  Jesus  Christ  might  be  given  to  all  believers." 
 
 Now,  how  we  should  answer  to  those  sentences  which  speak 
 of  works  and  rewards,  I  have  sufficiently  declared  before.  And 
 the  matter  requireth  not  now,  that  we  should  speak  any  thing 
 of  works.  For  we  have  not  here  taken  in  hand  to  entreat  of 
 works,  but  of  justification ;  to  wit,  that  it  is  not  obtained  by  the 
 law  and  works,  since  all  things  are  shut  under  sin  and  under  the 
 curse :  but  by  faith  in  Christ.  When  we  are  out  of  the  matter 
 of  justification,  we  cannot  sufficiently  praise  and  magnify  those 
 works  which  are  commanded  of  God.  For  who  can  sufficiently 
 commend  and  set  forth  the  profit  and  fruit  of  only  one  work, 
 which  a  Christian  doth  through  faith  and  in  faith  ?  Indeed  it  is 
 more  precious  than  heaven  or  earth.  The  whole  world,  there- 
 fore, is  not  able  to  give  a  worthy  recompence  to  such  a  good 
 work.  Yea,  the  world  hath  not  the  grace  to  magnify  the  holy 
 works  of  the  faithful  as  they  are  worthy,  and  much  less  to  re- 
 ward them :  for  it  seeth  them  not,  or  if  it  do,  it  esteemeth  them 
 not  as  good  works,  but  as  most  wicked  and  detestable  crimes, 
 and  riddeth  the  world  of  those  which  are  the  doers  thereof,  as 
 most  pestilent  plagues  to  mankind. 
 
 So  Christ,  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  for  a  recompence  of  his 
 incomprehensible  and  inestimable  benefits,  was  put  to  the  most 
 
VER.  22,  23. J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANt..  263 
 
 ignominious  death  of  the  cross.  The  apostles  also,  hringing'  tlie 
 word  of  grace  and  eternal  life  into  the  world,  were  counted  tlie 
 off-scouring  and  outcasts  of  the  whole  world.  This  is  the  goodly- 
 reward  which  the  world  giveth  for  so  gi'eat  and  unspeakahle 
 benefits.  But  works  done  without  faith,  although  they  have 
 never  so  goodly  a  shew  of  holiness,  are  under  the  curse.  Where- 
 fore, so  far  off  it  is,  that  the  doers  thereof  should  deserve  grace, 
 righteousness,  and  eternal  life,  that  rather  they  heap  sin  upon 
 sin.  After  this  manner  the  Pope,  that  child  of  perdition,  and 
 all  that  follow  him,  do  work.  So  work  all  merit-mongers  and 
 heretics  which  are  fallen  from  the  faith. 
 
 Verse  23.  But  before  failli  came. 
 He  proceedeth  in  declaring  the  profit  and  necessity  of  the  law. 
 He  said  before,  that  the  law  Avas  added  for  transgressions :  not 
 that  it  was  the  principal  purpose  of  God  to  make  a  law  that 
 should  bring  death  and  damnation,  as  he  saith,  Ilom.  vii.  "Was 
 that  which  was  good,"  saith  he,  "  made  death  unto  me  ?  God 
 forbid."  For  the  law  is  a  word  that  sheweth  life,  and  driveth 
 men  unto  it.  Therefore,  it  is  not  only  given  as  a  minister  of 
 death,  but  the  principal  use  and  end  thereof  is  to  reveal  death, 
 that  so  it  might  be  seen  and  known  how  horrible  sin  is.  Not- 
 withstanding, it  doth  not  so  reveal  death,  as  though  it  tended  to 
 no  other  end  but  to  kill  and  to  destroy ;  but  to  this  end  it  re- 
 vealeth  death,  that  v/hen  men  are  terrified,  cast  down,  and  hiun- 
 bled,  they  should  fear  God.  And  this  doth  the  twentieth  chap- 
 ter of  Exodus  declare  :  "  Fear  not,"  (saith  Moses)  "  for  God 
 is  come  to  prove  you,  and  that  his  fear  may  be  before  you,  that 
 ye  sin  not,"  (Exod.  xx.  20.)  The  office,  therefore,  of  the  law  is 
 to  kill,  and  yet  so  that  God  may  revive  and  quicken  again. 
 The  law,  then,  is  not  given  only  to  kill :  but  because  man  is 
 proud,  and  dreameth  that  he  is  wise,  righteous,  and  holy 
 therefore  it  is  necessary  he  should  be  humbled  by  the  law,  that  so 
 this  beast,  the  opinion  of  righteousness,  I  say,  might  be  slain : 
 for  otherwise  no  man  can  obtain  life. 
 
 Albeit  then  that  the  law  killeth,  yet  God  useth  this  effect  of 
 the  law,  this  death,  I  mean,  to  a  good  end;  that  is,  to  bring  life. 
 For  God,  seeing  that  this  universal  plague  of  the  whole  world,  to 
 wit,  man's  opinion  of  his  own  righteousness,  his  hypocrisy,  and 
 confidence  in  his  own  holiness,  could  not  be  beaten  down  by  any 
 other  means,  he  Avould  that  it  should  be  slain  by  the  law  :  not 
 for  ever ;  but  that,  when  it  is  once  slain,  man  might  be  taised 
 up  again,  above  and  beyond  the  law,  and  there  might  hear  this 
 voice,  Fear  not :  I  have  not  given  the  law,  and  killed  thee  by 
 the  law,  that  thou  shouldst  abide  in  this  death;  but  that  thou 
 shouldst  feai  me  and  live.  For  the  presuming  of  good  works 
 and  righteousness  standeth  not  with  the  fear  of  God;  and  where 
 the  fear  of  God  is  not,  there  can  be  no  thirsting  for  grace  or 
 life.     God  must  therefore  have  a  strong  hammer,  or  a  mighty 
 
5i64  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUl's  [cHAP.  Ill 
 
 maul,  to  break  the  rocks,  and  a  hot  burnhig  fire  in  the  midst  of 
 heaven  to  overthrow  the  mountains ;  that  is  to  say,  to  destroy 
 this  furious  and  obstinate  beast,  (this  presumption,  I  say ;) 
 that  when  a  man,  by  this  bruising  and  breaking-,  is  brought  to 
 nothing,  he  should  despair  of  his  own  strength,  righteousness, 
 and  holiness ;  and  being  thus  thoroughly  terrified,  should  thirst 
 after  mercy  and  remission  of  sins. 
 
 Veree  23.   But  before   faith  came,  we  were  under  the  law,  shut  up  unto  the 
 faith  which  should  afterwards  be  revealed. 
 
 This  is  to  say,  before  the  time  of  the  gospel  and  grace  came, 
 the  office  of  the  law  was,  that  we  should  be  shut  up,  and  kept 
 under  the  same,  as  it  were  in  prison.  This  is  a  goodly  and  a  fit 
 similitude,  shewing  the  effect  of  the  law,  and  how  righteous  it 
 maketh  men;  therefore  it  is  diligently  to  be  weighed.  No 
 thief,  no  murderer,  no  adulterer,  or  other  malefactor,  loveth  the 
 chains  and  fetters,  the  dark  and  loathsome  prison  wherein  he 
 lieth  fast  bound ;  but  rather,  if  he  could,  he  would  beat  and 
 break  into  poAvder  the  prison,  with  his  irons  and  fetters.  In- 
 deed, while  he  is  in  prison,  he  refraineth  from  doing  of  evil ; 
 but  not  of  a  good  will,  or  for  righteousness'  sake,  but  because 
 the  prison  restraiueth  him,  that  he  cannot  do  it :  and  now,  being 
 fast  fettered,  he  hateth  not  his  theft  and  his  murder,  (yea,  he 
 is  sorry,  with  all  his  heart,  that  he  cannot  rob  and  steal,  cut  and 
 tslay,)  but  he  liateth  the  prison,  and,  if  he  could  escape,  he 
 Would  rob  and  kill,  as  he  did  before. 
 
 21ie  Law  shutteih  men  under  sin  two  ways,  civilly  and 
 spiritually. 
 
 Such  is  the  force  of  the  law,  and  the  righteousness  that  cometh 
 of  the  law,  compelling  us  to  be  outwardly  good,  Avhen  it  threat- 
 eneth  death,  or  any  other  punishment,  to  the  transgressors 
 thereof.  Here  we  obey  the  law,  indeed,  but  for  fear  of  punish- 
 ment ;  that  is,  unwillingly,  and  with  great  indignation.  But 
 what  righteousness  is  this,  when  we  abstain  from  evil,  for  fear 
 of  punishment  ?  Wherefore,  this  righteousness  of  works  is  in- 
 deed nothing  else  but  to  love  sin  and  to  hate  righteousness,  to 
 detest  God  with  his  law,  and  to  love  and  reverence  that  which 
 is  most  horrible  and  abominable.  For  look,  how  heartily  the 
 thief  loveth  the  prison  and  hateth  his  theft;  so  gladly  do  we 
 obey  the  laAv,  in  accomplishing  that  which  it  commandeth,  and 
 avoiding  that  which  it  forbiddeth. 
 
 Notwithstanding,  this  fi'uit  and  this  profit  the  law  bringeth, 
 although  men's  hearts  remain  never  so  wicked  :  that,  first,  out- 
 wardly and  civilly,  after  a  sort,  it  restraineth  thieves,  murderers, 
 and  other  malefactors ;  for,  if  they  did  not  see  and  understand 
 that  sin  is  punished  in  this  life,  by  imprisonment,  by  the  gal- 
 lows, by  the  sword,  and  such-like,  and  after  this  life  with  eternal 
 damnatioD  and  hell-fire,  no  magistrate  should  be  able  to  bridla 
 
Vr-R.  23.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  26b 
 
 the  fury  and  rage  of  men  by  any  laws,  bonds,  or  chains. — Bu* 
 the  threatenings  of  the  law  strike  a  terror  into  the  hearts  of  the 
 wicked,  whereby  they  are  bridled  after  a  sort,  that  they  run  not 
 headlong,  as  otherwise  they  would  do,  into  all  kinds  of  wicked- 
 ness. Notwithstanding,  they  Avould  rather  that  there  were  no 
 law,  no  pimishraent,  no  hell,  and,  finally,  no  God.  If  God  had 
 no  hell,  or  did  not  punish  the  wicked,  he  should  be  loved  and 
 praised  of  men.  But,  because  he  punisheth  the  wicked,  and  all 
 are  wicked;  therefore,  inasmuch  as  they  are  shut  under  the  law 
 they  can  do  no  otherwise  but  mortally  hate  and  blaspheme  Gou. 
 
 Furthermore,  the  law  shutteth  men  imder  sin,  not  only  civilly, 
 but  also  spiritually;  that  is  to  say,  the  law  is  also  a  spiritual  pri- 
 son, and  a  very  hell.  For  when  it  revealeth  sin,  threateneth 
 death,  and  the  eternal  wrath  of  God,  a  man  cannot  avoid  it,  nor 
 find  any  comfort.  For  it  is  not  in  the  poAver  of  man  to  shake  oiF 
 these  horrible  terrors  which  the  law  stirreth  up  in  the  con- 
 science, or  any  other  anguish  or  bitterness  of  spirit.  Hereof 
 come  those  lamentable  complaints  of  the  saints,  which  are  every 
 where  in  the  Psalms:  "In  hell,  who  shall  confess  thee,"  &c.? 
 Ps.  vi.  5.  For  then  is  a  man  shut  up  in  prison;  out  of  the 
 which  he  cannot  escape,  nor  seeth  hoAV  he  may  be  delivered  out 
 of  these  bonds,  that  is  to  say,  these  horrible  terrors. 
 
 Thus  the  law  is  a  prison,  both  civilly  and  spiritually.  For, 
 first,  it  restraineth  and  shutteth  up  the  wicked,  that  they  run  not 
 headlong,  according  to  their  own  lust,  into  all  kinds  of  mischief. 
 Again,  it  sheweth  unto  us  spiritually  our  sin,  terrifieth  and  hum- 
 bleth  us,  that,  when  wc  are  so  terrified  and  humbled,  we  may 
 learn  to  know  our  own  misery  and  condemnation.  And  this  is 
 the  true  and  proper  use  of  the  law,  so  that  it  be  not  perpetual. 
 For  this  shutting  up  and  holding  under  the  law,  must  endure  no 
 longer,  but  until  faith  come ;  and  when  faith  cometh,  then  must 
 this  spiritual  prison  have  his  end. 
 
 Here  again  we  sec,  that  although  the  law  and  the  gospel  be 
 separate  far  asunder,  yet,  as  touching  the  inward  affections,  they 
 are  very  nearly  joined  the  one  to  the  other.  This  Paul  shew- 
 eth when  he  saith,  "we  were  kept  under  the  law,  and  shut  iip 
 unto  the  faith  which  should  be  revealed  unto  us."  Wherefore 
 it  is  not  enough  that  we  are  shut  under  the  law:  for  if  nothing 
 else  should  follow,  we  should  be  driven  to  desperation,  and  die 
 in  our  sins.  But  Paul  addeth,  moreover,  that  we  are  shut  up, 
 and  kept  under  a  schoolmaster  (which  is  the  law)  not  for  ever, 
 but  to  bring  us  unto  Christ,  who  is  the  end  of  the  law.  There- 
 fore, this  terrifying,  this  humbling,  and  this  shutting  up  must 
 not  always  continue,  but  only  until  faith  be  revealed ;  that  is,  it 
 shall  so  long  contiime,  as  shall  be  for  our  profit  and  our  salva- 
 tion: so  that  when  we  are  cast  down  and  humbled  by  the  law, 
 then  grace,  remission  of  sins,  deliverance  from  the  law,  sin,  and 
 death,  may  become  sweet  unto  us:  Avhich  are  not  obtained  by 
 works,  but  are  received  by  faith  alone. 
 
266  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP    III. 
 
 He  which,  in  time  of  temptation,  can  join  these  two  things 
 together,  so  repugnant  and  contrary;  that  is  iso  say,  which,  when 
 he  is  thoroughly  terrified  and  cast  down  by  the  law,  doth  know 
 that  the  end  of  the  law,  and  the  beginning  of  grace,  or  of  faith 
 to  be  revealed,  is  now  come,  useth  the  law  rightly.  AH  the 
 wicked  are  utterly  ignorant  of  this  knowledge  and  this  cunning. 
 Cain  knew  it  not,  when  he  was  shut  up  in  the  prison  of  the  law; 
 that  is,  he  felt  no  terror,  although  he  had  nuw  killed  his  brother; 
 but  dissembled  the  matter  craftily,  and  tnought  that  God  was 
 ignorant  thereof.  "Am  I  my  brother's  keeper?"  saith  he:  but 
 when  he  heard  this  word:  "What  hast  thou  done?  Behold,  the 
 voice  of  the  blood  of  thy  brother  crieth  unto  me  from  the  earth," 
 (Gen.  iv.  10.)  he  began  to  feel  this  prison  indeed.  What  did  he 
 then?    He  remained  still  shut  up  in  prison.  He  joined  not  the 
 
 fospel  with  the  law,  but  said:  "My  punishment  is  greater  than 
 can  bear."  Gen.  iv.  13.  He  only  respected  the  prison,  not  con- 
 sidering that  his  sin  was  revealed  unto  him  to  this  end,  that  he 
 should  ifly  unto  God  for  mercy  and  pardon.  Therefore  he  de- 
 spaired and  denied  God.  He  believed  not  that  he  was  shut  up 
 to  this  end,  that  grace  and  faith  might  be  revealed  unto  him: 
 but  only  that  he  should  still  remain  in  the  prison  of  the  law. 
 
 These  words,  "to  be  kept  under,  and  to  be  shut  up,"  are  not 
 vain  and  unprofitable,  but  most  true,  and  of  great  importance. 
 This  keeping  under,  and  this  prison  signifieth  the  true  and  spi- 
 ritual terrors,  whereby  the  conscience  is  so  shut  up,  that  in  the 
 wide  world  it  can  find  no  place  where  it  may  be  in  safety.  Yea, 
 as  long  as  these  terrors  endure,  the  conscience  feeleth  such  an- 
 guish and  sorrow,  that  it  thinketh  heaven  and  earth,  yea,  if  they 
 were  ten  times  more  wide  and  large  than  they  are,  to  be  straiter 
 and  narrower  than  a  mouse-hole.  Here  is  a  man  utterly  des- 
 titute of  all  wisdom,  strength,  righteousness,  counsel,  and  suc- 
 cour. For  the  conscience  is  a  marvellous  tender  thing,  and 
 therefore  when  it  is  so  shut  up  under  the  prison  of  the  law,  it 
 seeth  no  way  how  to  get  out;  and  this  straitness  seemeth  daily 
 so  to  increase,  as  though  it  would  never  have  an  end.  For  then 
 doth  it  feel  the  wrath  of  God,  which  is  infinite  and  inestimable, 
 whose  hand  it  cannot  escape,  as  the  139th  Psalm  witnesseth: 
 *'  Whither  shall  I  fly  from  thy  presence,"  &c. 
 
 Like  as  therefore  this  worldly  prison  or  shutting  up  is  a  bodily 
 afiliction,  and  he  that  is  so  shut  up  can  have  no  use  of  his  body; 
 even  so  the  trouble  and  anguish  of  mind  is  a  spiritual  prison, 
 and  he  that  is  shut  up  in  this  prison  cannot  enjoy  quietness  of 
 heart  and  peace  of  conscience.  And  yet  it  is  not  so  for  ever,  (as 
 reason  judgeth,  when  it  feeleth  this  prison)  but  until  faith  bo 
 revealed.  The  silly  conscience,  therefore,  must  be  raised  up,  and 
 comforted  after  this  sort:  Brother,  thou  art  indeed  shut  up; 
 but  persuade  thyself  that  this  is  not  done  to  the  end  that  thou 
 ghouldst  remain  in  this  prison  for  ever.  For  it  is  written,  "that 
 we  are  shut  up  unto  the  faith  which  shall  be  revealed."    Thou 
 
VER.  23.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  807 
 
 art  then  afflicted  in  this  prison,  not  to  thy  destruction,  but  that 
 thou  mayest  be  refreshed  by  the  blessed  seed.  Thou  art  killed 
 by  the  law,  that  throug-h  Christ  thou  mayest  be  quickened  again, 
 and  restored  to  life.  Despair  not,  therefore,  as  Cain,  Saul,  and 
 Judas  did,  who  being  thus  shut  up,  looked  no  farther  but  to 
 their  dark  prison,  and  there  still  remained:  therefore  they  des- 
 paired. But  thou  must  take  another  way  in  these  terrors  of 
 conscience  than  they  did ;  that  is,  thou  must  know  that  it  is  well 
 done,  and  good  for  thee  to  be  so  shut  up,  confounded,  and 
 brought  to  nothing.  Use,  therefore,  this  shutting  up  rightly, 
 and  as  thou  shouldst  do :  that  is,  to  the  end  that,  when  the  law 
 hath  done  his  office,  faith  may  be  revealed.  For  God  doth  not 
 therefore  afflict  thee,  that  thou  shouldst  still  remain  in  this  af- 
 fliction. He  will  not  kill  thee,  that  thou  shoiddst  abide  in  death. 
 "I  will  not  the  death  of  a  sinner,"  &c.  (saith  he,  by  the  prophet 
 Ezekiel,  chap,  xxxiii.  11.)  But  he  will  afflict  thee,  that  so  thou 
 mayest  be  humbled,  and  know  that  thou  hast  need  of  mercy, 
 and  the  benefit  of  Christ. 
 
 This  holding  in  prison,  then,  under  the  law,  must  not  always 
 endure,  but  must  only  continue  to  the  coming  or  revealing  of 
 faith;  which  this  sweet  verse  of  the  Psalm  doth  teach  us:  "the 
 Lord  delighteth  in  those  that  fear  him:"  (Psalm  cxlvii.  11.) 
 that  is  to  say,  which  are  in  prison  under  the  laAV.  But  by-and- 
 by  after  he  addeth,  "and  in  those  that  attend  upon  his  mercy." 
 Therefore,  we  must  join  these  two  things  together,  which,  in- 
 deed, are  as  contrary  the  one  to  the  other  as  may  be.  For  what 
 can  be  more  contrary  than  to  hate  and  abhor  the  wrath  of  God; 
 and,  again,  to  trust  in  his  goodness  and  mercy?  The  one  is 
 hell,  the  other  is  heaven,  and  yet  they  must  be  nearly  joined 
 together  in  the  heart.  By  speculation  and  naked  knowledge  a 
 man  may  easily  join  them  together;  but  by  experience  and  in- 
 ward practice  so  to  do,  of  all  things  it  is  the  hardest;  which  1 
 myself  have  often  proved  by  my  own  experience.  Of  this  matter 
 the  Papists  and  sectaries  know  nothing  at  all.  Therefore,  these 
 words  of  Paul  are  to  them  obscure  and  altogether  unknown: 
 and  when  the  law  revealeth  unto  them  their  sin,  accuseth  and 
 terrifieth  them,  they  can  find  no  counsel,  no  rest,  no  help,  or 
 succour;  but  fall  to  desperation,  as  Cain  and  Saul  did. 
 
 Seeing  the  law  therefore  (as  is  said)  is  our  tormentor  and  our 
 prison,  certain  it  is  that  we  cannot  love  it,  but  hate  it.  He, 
 therefore,  that  saith  he  loveth  the  law,  is  a  liar,  and  knoweth 
 not  what  he  saith.  A  thief  and  a  robber  should  shew  himself 
 to  be  stark  mad,  that  would  love  the  prison,  the  fetters  and 
 clmins.  Seeing,  then,  the  law  shutteth  us  up,  and  holdeth  us  in 
 prison,  it  cannot  be  but  we  must  needs  be  extreme  enemies  to 
 the  law.  To  conclude,  so  well  we  love  the  law  and  the  right- 
 eousness thereof,  as  a  murderer  loveth  the  dark  prison,  the  strait 
 bonds  and  irons.     How  then  should  the  law  justify  us? 
 
268  COMMENTARY  ON  £T.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  Ill, 
 
 Verse  23.     And  shut  up  under  the  faith  which  should  after  be  revealed. 
 
 This  Paul  speaketh  in  respect  of  the  fulness  of  the  time  where- 
 in Christ  came.  But  we  must  apply  it,  not  only  to  that  time, 
 but  also  to  the  inward  man;  for  that  which  is  done  is  a  history, 
 and  according  to  the  time  wherein  Christ  came,  abolishing  the 
 law,  and  bringing  liberty  and  eternal  life  to  light,  is  always  done 
 spiritually  in  every  Christian,  in  whom  is  found  continually,  some 
 while  the  time  of  the  law,  and  some  while  the  time  of  grace. 
 For  the  Christian  man  hath  a  body,  in  whose  members  (as  Paul 
 saith  in  another  place)  sin  dwelleth  and  warreth.  Now,  I  un- 
 derstand sin  to  be,  not  only  the  deed  or  the  work,  but  also  the 
 root  and  the  tree,  together  with  the  fruits,  as  the  scripture  useth 
 to  speak  of  sin;  which  is  yet  not  only  rooted  in  the  baptized 
 flesh  of  every  Christian,  but  also  is  at  deadly  war  within  it,  and 
 holdeth  it  captive :  if  not  to  give  consent,  unto  it,  or  to  a<;com- 
 plish  the  work,  yet  doth  it  force  him  mightily  thereunto.  For 
 albeit  a  Christian  man  do  not  fall  into  outward  and  gross  sins, 
 as  murder,  adultery,  theft,  and  such-like,  yet  is  he  not  free  from 
 impatiency,  murmuring,  hating,  and  blaspheming  of  God;  which 
 sins,  to  reason  and  the  carnal  man,  are  altogether  unknown. 
 These  things  constrain  him,  yea,  sore  against  his  will,  to  detest 
 the  law;  they  compel  him  to  fly  from  the  presence  of  God;  they 
 compel  him  to  hate  and  blaspheme  God.  For  as  carnal  lust  is 
 strong  in  a  young  man,  in  a  man  of  full  age  the  desire  and  love 
 of  glory,  and  in  an  old  man  covetousness;  even  so  in  a  holy  and 
 a  faithful  man  impatience,  murmuring,  hatred,  and  blasphemy 
 against  God,  do  mightily  prevail.  Examples  hereof  there  are 
 many  in  the  Psalms,  in  Job,  in  Jeremiah,  and  throughout  the 
 whole  scripture.  Paul,  therefore,  describing  and  setting  forth 
 this  spiritual  warfare,  useth  very  vehement  words,  and  fit  for  the 
 purpose,  as  of  fighting,  rebelling,  holding  and  leading  captive,  &c. 
 
 Both  these  times,  then,  (of  the  law  and  the  gospel,  I  mean,) 
 are  in  a  Christian,  as  touching  the  affections  and  inward  man. 
 The  time  of  the  law  is  when  the  law  exerciseth  me,  tormenteth 
 me  with  heaviness  of  heart,  oppresseth  me,  bringeth  me  to  the 
 knowledge  of  sin,  and  increaseth  the  same.  Here  the  law  is  in 
 his  true  use  and  perfect  work:  which  a  Christian  oftentimes 
 feeleth  as  long  as  he  liveth.  So  there  was  given  unto  Paul  a 
 prick  in  the  flesh,  that  is,  "the  angel  of  Satan,  to  buffet  him," 
 (2  Cor.  xii.  7.)  He  would  gladly  have  felt  every  moment  the 
 joy  of  conscience,  the  laughter  of  the  heart,  and  the  sweet  taste 
 of  eternal  life.  Again,  he  would  gladly  have  been  delivered 
 from  all  trouble  and  anguish  of  spirit,  and  therefore  he  desired 
 that  this  temptation  might  be  taken  from  him.  Notwithstanding 
 this  was  not  done,  but  the  Lord  said  unto  him :  "  My  grace  is 
 sufficient  for  thee:  for  my  power  is  made  perfect  through  weak- 
 ness." (2  Cor.  xii.  9.)  This  battle  doth  every  Christian  feel. 
 To  speak  of  myself,  there  are  many  hours  ii?  :he  which  I  chide 
 
VER.  23.]  EPISl'LE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  26S 
 
 and  contend  with  God,  and  impatiently  resist  him.  The  wrath 
 and  judgment  of  God  displeaseth  me ;  and  again,  my  impatience, 
 my  murmuring",  and  such-hke  sins,  do  displease  him.  And  this 
 is  the  time  of  the  law,  under  the  which  a  Christian  man  conti- 
 nually liveth,  as  touching-  the  flesh.  "  For  the  flesh  lusteth 
 continually  against  the  spirit,  and  the  spirit  against  the  flesh," 
 (Gal.  V.  17.)  but  in  some  more,  and  in  some  less. 
 
 The  time  of  grace  is,  when  the  heart  is  raised  up  again  by 
 the  promise  of  the  free  mercy  of  God,  and  salth,  "  Why  art 
 thou  heavy,  O  my  soul,  and  why  dost  thou  trouble  me?"  (Psal. 
 xliii.  5.)  Dost  thou  see  nothing  but  the  law,  sin,  terror,  heavi- 
 ness, desperation,  death,  hell,  and  the  devil?  Is  there  not  also 
 firace,  remission  of  sins,  righteousness,  consolation,  joy,  peace, 
 ife,  heaven,  Christ,  and  God?  Trouble  me  no  more,  O  my  soul. 
 What  is  the  law,  what  is  sin,  what  are  all  evils  in  comparison  of 
 these  things?  Trust  in  God,  who  hath  not  spared  his  own  dear 
 Son,  but  hath  given  him  to  the  death  of  the  cross  for  thy  sins. 
 This  is  then  to  be  shut  up  under  the  law  after  the  flesh;  not  for 
 ever,  but  till  Christ  be  revealed.  Therefore,  when  thou  art 
 beaten  down,  tormented,  and  afflicted  by  the  law,  then  say:  Lady 
 Law,  thou  art  not  alone,  neither  art  thou  all  things;  but,  besides 
 thee,  there  are  yet  other  things  much  greater  and  better  than 
 thou  art;  namely,  grace,  faith,  and  blessing.  This  grace,  this 
 faith,  and  this  blessing,  do  not  accuse  me,  terrify  me,  condemn 
 me;  but  they  comfort  me,  they  bid  me  trust  in  the  Lord,  and 
 promise  unto  me  victory  and  salvation  in  Christ.  There  is  no 
 cause,  therefore,  why  I  should  despair. 
 
 He  that  is  skilful  in  this  art  and  this  cunning,  may  indeed  be 
 called  a  right  divine.  The  fantastical  spirits  and  their  disciples 
 at  this  day,  which  continually  brag  of  the  spirit,  do  persuade 
 themselves  that  they  are  very  expert  and  cunning  therein.  But 
 I,  and  such  as  I  am,  have  scarcely  learned  the  first  principles 
 thereof.  It  is  learned,  indeed;  but,  so  long  as  the  flesh  and  sin 
 do  endure,  it  can  never  be  perfectly  learned,  and  as  it  should  be. 
 So,  then,  a  Christian  is  divided  into  two  times.  In  that  he  is 
 flesh,  he  is  under  the  law;  in  that  he  is  spirit,  he  is  under  grace. 
 Concupiscence,  covetousness,  ambition,  and  pride,  do  always 
 cleave  to  the  flesh;  also,  ignorance,  contempt  of  God,  impatience, 
 murmuring  and  grudging  against  God,  because  he  hindereth 
 and  breaketh  off  our  counsels,  our  devices,  and  enterprises,  and 
 because  he  speedily  punisheth  not  such  as  are  wicked,  rebellious, 
 and  contemptuous  persons,  &c.  Such  manner  of  sins  are  rooted 
 in  the  flesh  of  the  faithful.  Wherefore,  if  thou  behold  nothing 
 but  the  flesh,  thou  shalt  abide  always  under  the  time  of  the  law. 
 But  these  days  must  be  shortened,  or  else  no  flesh  should  be 
 saved.  The  law  must  have  his  time  appointed,  wherein  it 
 must  have  his  end.  The  time  of  the  law,  therefore,  is  not  per- 
 petual, but  hath  his  end,  which  end  is  Jesus  Christ.  But  the 
 time  of  grace  is  eternal.     For  "  Christ  being  once  dead,  dieth 
 
270  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL  S  [CHAP.  HI. 
 
 no  more."  (Rom.  vi.  9.)  He  is  eternal:  therefore  the  time  of 
 g-race  is  also  eternal. 
 
 Such  notable  sentences  in  Paul,  we  may  not  lightly  pass  over, 
 as  the  Papists  and  sectaries  are  wont  to  do;  for  they  contain 
 words  of  life,  Avhich  do  wonderfully  comfort  and  confirm  afflicted 
 consciences,  and  they  which  know  and  understand  them  well, 
 can  judge  of  faith :  they  can  discern  a  true  fear  from  a  false 
 fear;  they  can  judge  of  all  inward  afi^ctions  of  the  heart,  and 
 discern  all  spirits.  The  fear  of  God  is  a  holy  and  a  precious 
 thing,  but  it  must  not  always  continue.  Indeed  it  ought  to  be 
 always  in  a  Christian,  because  sin  is  always  in  him;  but  it  must 
 not  be  alone,  for  then  is  it  the  fear  of  Cain,  Saul,  and  Judas, 
 that  is  to  say,  a  servile  and  a  desperate  fear.  A  Christian,  there- 
 fore, must  vanquish  fear,  by  faith  in  the  word  of  grace ;  he  must 
 turn  away  his  eyes  from  the  time  of  the  law,  and  look  mito 
 Christ  and  unto  faith  which  is  to  be  revealed.  Here  beginneth 
 fear  to  be  sweet  unto  us,  and  maketh  us  to  delight  in  God.  For 
 if  a  man  do  only  behold  the  law  and  sin,  setting  faith  aside,  he 
 shall  never  be  able  to  put  away  fear,  but  shall  at  length  fall  to 
 desperation. 
 
 Thus  doth  Paul  very  well  distinguish  the  time  of  the  law  and 
 grace.  Let  us  also  learn  rightly  to  distinguish  the  time  of  them 
 both,  not  in  words,  but  in  the  inward  affections:  which  is  a 
 very  hard  matter.  For  albeit  these  two  things  are  separate 
 far  asunder,  yet  are  they  most  nearly  joined  together  in  one 
 heart.  Nothing  is  joined  more  nearly  together  than  fear  and 
 trust,  than  the  law  and  the  gospel,  than  sin  and  grace;  for 
 they  are  so  united  together,  that  the  one  is  swallowed  up  of  the 
 other.    Wherefore,  there  is  no  conjunction  like  imto  this. 
 
 At  this  place,  "  Wherefore  then  serveth  the  law?"  Paul 
 beginneth  to  dispute  of  the  law;  also  of  the  use  and  the  abuse 
 thereof;  taking  occasion  of  that  wliich  before  he  had  affirmed, 
 that  the  faithful  do  obtain  righteousness  by  grace  only,  and  by 
 the  promise,  and  not  by  the  law.  Upon  that  disputation  rose 
 this  question:  Wherefore  then  serveth  the  law?  For  reason, 
 hearing  that  righteousness  or  the  blessing  is  obtained  by  grace 
 and  by  the  promise,  by-and-by  inferreth:  then  the  law  profiteth 
 nothing.  Wherefore  the  doctrine  of  the  law  must  be  diligently 
 considered,  that  we  may  know  what  and  how  we  ought  to  judge 
 thereof,  lest  that  either  we  reject  the  same  altogether,  as  the  fan- 
 tastical spirits  do  (which  in  the  year  1525,  stirring  up  the  rus- 
 tical people  to  sedition,  said,  that  the  liberty  of  the  gospel  giveth 
 freedom  to  all  men  from  all  manner  of  laws:)  or  else  lest  we 
 should  attribute  the  force  of  justification  to  the  law.  For  both 
 sorts  do  offend  against  the  law;  the  one  on  the  right  hand,  which 
 will  be  justified  by  the  law,  and  the  other  on  the  left  hand,  which 
 will  be  clean  delivered  from  the  law.  We  must  therefore  keep 
 the  highway,  so  that  we  neither  reject  the  ?aw,  nor  attribute 
 more  unto  it  than  we  ought  to  do. 
 
VER.  28.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  271 
 
 That  which  I  have  before  so  often  repeated,  concerning  both 
 the  uses  of  the  law,  namely,  the  civil  and  the  spiritual  use,  do 
 sufficiently  declare  that  the  law  is  not  given  for  the  righteous; 
 but  (as  Paul  saith  in  another  place)  for  the  unrighteous  and  re- 
 bellious. Now,  of  the  unrighteous  there  are  two  sorts,  that  is  to 
 say,  they  Avhich  are  to  be  justified,  and  they  which  are  not  to  be 
 justified.  They  which  are  not  to  be  justified  must  be  bridled  by 
 the  civil  use  of  the  law :  for  they  must  be  bound  with  the  bonds 
 of  the  law,  as  savage  and  untamed  beasts  are  bound  with  cords 
 and  chains.  This  use  of  the  law  hath  no  end:  and  of  this  Paul 
 here  speaketh  nothing.  But  they  that  are  to  be  justified,  are 
 exercised  with  the  spiritual  use  of  the  law  for  a  time;  for  it  doth 
 not  always  continue,  as  the  civil  use  of  the  law  doth,  but  it  look- 
 eth  to  faith  which  is  to  be  revealed,  and  when  Christ  cometh  it 
 shall  have  its  end.  Hereby  we  may  plainly  see  that  all  the  sen- 
 tences wherein  Paul  entreateth  of  the  spiritual  use  of  the  law, 
 must  be  understood  of  those  which  are  to  be  justified,  and  not  of 
 those  which  are  justified  already.  For  they  which  are  justified 
 already,  inasmuch  as  they  abide  in  Christ,  are  far  above  all  law. 
 The  law  then  must  be  laid  upon  those  that  are  to  be  justified, 
 that  they  may  be  shut  up  in  the  prison  thereof,  until  the  rigli- 
 teousness  of  faith  come :  not  that  they  attain  this  righteousness 
 through  the  law  (for  that  were  not  to  use  the  law  rightly,  but 
 to  abuse  it:)  but  that  when  they  are  cast  down  and  humbled  by 
 the  law,  they  should  fly  unto  Christ,  "  who  is  the  end  of  the  law 
 for  righteousness,  to  every  one  that  believeth."     (Rom.  x.  4.) 
 
 Now,  the  abusers  of  the  law  are,  first  of  all,  the  justiciaries  and 
 hypocrites,  which  dream  that  men  are  justified  by  the  law.  For 
 that  use  of  the  law  doth  not  exercise  and  drive  a  man  to  faith 
 which  is  to  be  revealed,  but  it  maketh  careless  and  arrogant 
 hypocrites,  swelling  and  presuming  of  the  righteousness  of  the 
 law,  and  hindereth  the  righteousness  of  faith.  Secondly,  they 
 abuse  the  law,  which  will  utterly  exempt  a  Christian  man  from 
 the  law,  as  the  brainsick  Anabaptists  went  about  to  do:  which 
 was  the  occasion  that  they  raised  up  that  sedition  of  the  rustical 
 people.  Of  this  sort  there  are  very  many  also  at  this  day  which 
 profess  the  gospel  with  us;  who  being  delivered  from  the  tyranny 
 of  the  Pope  by  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  do  dream  that  the 
 Christian  liberty  is  a  dissolute  and  a  carnal  liberty  to  do  what- 
 soever they  list.  These  (as  Peter  saith,  1  Pet.  ii.  16.)  have  the 
 liberty  of  the  spu-it  as  a  cloak  of  maliciousness,  through  which 
 the  name  of  God  and  the  gospel  of  Christ  is  slandered  every 
 where,  and  therefore  they  shall  once  siiffer  worthy  punishment 
 for  this  their  ungodliness.  Thirdly,  such  do  also  abuse  the  law, 
 who  feeling  the  terrors  thereof,  do  not  understand  that  such 
 terrors  ought  no  longer  to  continue,  but  unto  Christ.  This 
 abuse  in  them  is  the  cause  that  they  fall  to  desperation;  as  in  thft 
 hypocrites  it  is  the  cause  of  arrogancy  and  presumption. 
 
 Contrariwise,  the  true  use  of  the  law  can  never  be  esteemea 
 
2T2  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  III. 
 
 and  magnified  as  it  is  worthy,  namely,  that  when  the  conscience 
 shut  Tip  wider  the  law  despaireth  not,  hut  heing-  instructed  by 
 the  Avisdom  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  concludeth  with  itself  after  this 
 sort:  1  am  indeed  shut  up  as  a  prisoner  under  the  law,  hut  not 
 for  ever;  yea,  this  shutting  up  shall  turn  to  my  great  profit. 
 How  so?  Because  that  I,  being  thus  shut  up,  shall  be  driven  to 
 sigh  and  seek  the  hand  of  a  helper,  &c.  After  this  manner  the 
 law  is  an  enforcer,  which  by  compulsion  bringeth  the  hungry 
 unto  Christ,  that  he  may  satisfy  them  with  his  good  things. 
 Wherefore  the  true  office  of  the  law  is  to  shew  unto  us  our 
 sins,  to  make  us  guilty,  to  hmnble  us,  to  kill  us,  and  to  bring 
 us  down  to  hell,  and  finally,  to  take  from  us  all  help,  all  suc- 
 cour, all  comfort ;  but  yet  altogether  to  this  end,  that  we  may 
 be  justified,  exalted,  quickened  to  life,  carried  up  into  heaven, 
 and  obtain  all  good  things.  Therefore  it  doth  not  only  kill, 
 but  it  killeth  that  we  may  live. 
 
 Verse  24,     Wherefore  the  law  was  our  schoolmaster  to  bring  us  to  Christ. 
 
 Here  again  he  joineth  the  law  and  the  gospel  together  (which 
 are  separate  so  far  asunder)  as  touching  the  atfections  and  inward 
 man,  when  he  saith.  The  law  is  a  schoolmaster  to  Christ.  This 
 similitude  also  of  the  schoolmaster  is  worthy  to  be  noted.  Al- 
 though a  schoolmaster  be  very  profitable  and  necessary  to  instruct 
 and  to  bring  up  children,  yet  shew  me  one  child  or  scholar  which 
 loveth  his  master.  W^hat  love  and  obedience  the  Jews  shewed 
 unto  their  Moses,  it  appeareth  in  that  every  hour  (as  the  history 
 witnesseth)  they  would  with  all  their  hearts  have  stoned  him  to 
 death,  (Exod.  xvii.  4,)  It  is  not  possible,  therefore,  that  the 
 scholar  should  love  his  master ;  for  how  can  he  love  him  which 
 keepeth  him  in  prison,  that  is  to  say,  which  suffereth  him  not  to 
 do  that  which  gladly  he  would  ?  And  if  he  do  any  thing  against 
 his  commandment,  by-and-by  he  is  rebuked  and  chastised,  yea, 
 and  is  constrained,  moreover,  to  kiss  the  rod  when  he  is  beaten. 
 Is  not  this  (I  pray  you)  a  goodly  righteousness  and  obedience 
 of  the  scholar,  that  he  obeyeth  his  master  so  severely  threatening 
 and  so  sharply  correcting  him,  and  kisseth  the  rod?  But  doth 
 he  this  with  a  good  wUl?  As  soon  as  his  master  hath  turned  his 
 back,  he  breaketh  the  rod,  or  casteth  it  into  the  fire.  And  if  he 
 had  any  power  over  his  master,  he  would  not  suffer  himself  to 
 be  beaten  of  him,  but  rather  he  would  beat  him ;  and  yet, 
 notwithstanding,  the  schoolmaster  is  very  necessai'y  for  the 
 child,  to  instruct  and  to  chastise  him :  otherwise  the  child,  Avith- 
 out  his  discipline,  instruction,  and  good  education,  should  be 
 utterly  lost. 
 
 The  schoolmaster,  therefore,  is  appointed  for  the  child  to 
 teRch  him,  to  bring  him  up,  and  to  keep  him,  as  it  were,  in  prison. 
 But  to  what  end,  or  how  long?  Is  it  to  the  end  that  this  strait 
 and  sharp  dealing  of  the  schoolmaster  should  always  continue, 
 or  that  the  child  should  remain  in  continual  bondage?    Not  so. 
 
rEn.  S4.1  EPISTLE  TO   THE  GALATIANS.  213 
 
 tout  only  for  a  time,  that  this  obedience,  this  prison  and  correction 
 might  turn  to  the  profit  of  the  child,  that  when  the  time  cometh 
 he  might  be  his  father's  heir;  for  it  is  not  the  father's  will  that 
 his  son  should  be  always  subject  to  the  schoolmaster,  and  always 
 beaten  with  rods :  but  that  by  his  instruction  and  discipline  he 
 might  be  made  able  and  meet  to  be  his  father's  successor. 
 
 Even  so  the  law  (saith  Paul)  is  nothing  else  but  a  school- 
 master: not  for  ever,  but  until  it  have  brought  us  to  Christ:  as 
 in  other  words  he  said  also  before:  "The  law  was  given  for 
 transgressions  until  the  blessed  seed  shovdd  come."  Also,  "  the 
 scripture  hath  shut  all  under  sin,"  &c.  Again:  "  We  were  kept 
 under,  and  shut  up  unto  faith  which  should  after  be  revealed." 
 Wherefore  the  law  is  not  only  a  schoolmaster,  but  it  is  a  school- 
 master to  bring  us  unto  Christ.  For  what  a  schoolmaster  were 
 he  which  would  always  torment  and  beat  the  child,  and  teach 
 him  nothing  at  all?  And  yet  such  schoolmasters  there  were,  in 
 time  past,  when  schools  were  nothing  else  but  a  prison  and  a  very 
 hell,  and  the  schoolmasters  cruel  tyrants  and  very  butchers.  The 
 children  were  always  beaten;  they  learned  with  continual  pain 
 and  travail,  and  yet  few  of  them  came  to  any  proof.  The  law  is 
 not  such  a  schoolmaster.  For  it  doth  not  only  terrify  and  torment 
 (as  the  foolish  schoolmaster  beateth  his  scholars  and  teacheth 
 them  nothing;)  but  with  his  rods  he  driveth  us  unto  Christ:  like 
 as  a  good  schoolmaster  instructeth  and  exerciseth  his  scholars  in 
 reading  and  writing,  to  the  end  that  they  may  come  to  the  know- 
 ledge of  good  letters  and  other  profitable  things,  that  afterwards 
 they  may  have  a  delight  in  doing  of  that,  which  before,  when 
 they  were  constrained  thereunto,  they  did  against  their  wills. 
 
 By  this  goodly  similitude  Paul  sheweth  what  is  the  true  use  of 
 the  law,  namely,  that  it  justifieth  not  hypocrites,  for  they  remain 
 without  Christ  in  their  presumption  and  security:  and  contrari- 
 wise, that  it  leaveth  not  in  death  and  damnation  those  that  are  of 
 a  contrite  heart  {so  that  they  use  it  as  Paul  teacheth)  but  driveth 
 them  unto  Christ.  But  they  which  in  these  terrors  continue  still 
 in  their  wickedness,  and  do  not  apprehend  Christ  by  faith,  do 
 fall  at  length  into  desperation.  Paul,  therefore,  in  this  allegory 
 of  the  schoolmaster,  most  lively  expresseth  the  true  use  of 
 the  law.  For  like  as  the  schoolmaster  reproveth  his  scholars,  he 
 gi'ieveth  them,  and  maketh  them  heavy,  and  yet  not  to  the  end 
 that  this  bondage  sliould  always  continue,  but  that  it  should  cease 
 when  the  children  are  well  brought  up  and  instructed  accord- 
 ingly, and  that  afterwards,  without  any  constraint  of  the  school- 
 master, they  should  cheerfully  enjoy  their  liberty  and  their  fa- 
 thers'goods:  even  so  they  which  are  vexed  and  oppressed  with  the 
 law,  do  know  that  these  terrors  and  vexations  shall  not  always 
 continue,  but  that  thereby  they  are  prepared  to  come  unto 
 Christ,  which  is  to  be  revealed,  and  to  receive  the  liberty  of 
 the  spirit,  &c. 
 
274  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  IIJ. 
 
 "V  ERSE  24.     That  we  may  be  made  righteous  by  fuith. 
 
 The  law  is  not  a  schoolmastei*  to  bring-  us  unto  another  law- 
 giver which  requireth  good  works,  but  unto  Christ  our  justifier 
 and  Saviour,  that  by  faith  in  him  we  might  be  justified,  and  not 
 by  works.  But  when  a  man  feeleth  the  force  and  strength  of 
 the  law,  he  doth  not  understand  nor  believe  this;  therefore  he 
 saitli:  I  have  lived  wickedly,  for  I  have  transgressed  all  the 
 commandments  of  God,  and  therefore  I  am  guilty  of  eternal 
 death.  If  God  would  prolong  my  life  certain  years,  or  at  least 
 certain  months,  I  would  amend  my  life  and  live  holily  hereafter. 
 Here,  of  the  true  use  of  the  law  he  maketh  an  abuse.  Reason 
 being  overtaken  in  these  terrors  and  straits,  is  bold  to  promise 
 unto  God  the  fulfilling  of  all  the  works  of  the  whole  law.  And 
 hereof  came  so  many  sects,  and  swarms  of  monks  and  religious 
 hypocrites,  so  many  ceremonies,  and  so  many  works,  devised  to 
 deserve  grace  and  remission  of  sins.  And  they  which  devised 
 these  things,  thought  that  the  law  was  a  schoolmaster  to  lead 
 them,  not  unto  Christ,  but  to  a  new  law,  or  unto  Christ  as  a 
 lawgiver,  and  not  as  one  that  hath  abolished  the  law. 
 
 But  the  true  use  of  the  law  is  to  teach  me  that  I  am  brought 
 to  the  knowledge  of  my  sin,  and  humbled,  that  so  I  may  come 
 unto  Christ,  and  may  be  jiistitied  by  faith.  But  faith  is  neither 
 law  nor  work,  but  an  assured  confidence  which  apprehendeth 
 Christ,  "Avho  is  the  end  of  the  law,"(Rom.x.)  And  how?  Not 
 that  he  hath  abolished  the  old  law  and  given  a  new:  or  that  he 
 is  a  judge  which  must  be  pacified  by  works,  as  the  Papists  have 
 taug'ht;  but  he  is  the  end  of  the  law  to  all  those  that  believe: 
 that  is  to  say,  every  one  that  believeth  in  him  is  righteous,  and 
 the  law  shall  never  accuse  him.  The  law  then  is  good,  holy, 
 and  just,  so  that  a  man  use  it  as  he  should  do.  Now,  they  that 
 abuse  the  law  are,  first,  the  hypocrites  which  attribute  unto  the 
 law  a  power  to  justify:  and,  secondly,  they  which  do  despair,  not 
 knowing  that  the  law  is  a  schoohuaster  to  lead  men  unto  Christ : 
 that  is  to  say,  that  the  law  humbleth  them,  not  to  their  destruc- 
 tion, but  to  their  salvation.  For  God  woundeth  that  he  may 
 heal  again :  he  killeth  that  he  may  quicken  again. 
 
 Now,  Paid,  as  before  I  have  said,  speaketh  of  those  which  are 
 to  be  justified,  and  not  of  those  which  are  justified  already. 
 Therefore,  when  thou  goest  about  to  reason  as  concerning  the 
 law,  thou  must  take  the  matter  of  the  law,  or  that  whereupon 
 the  law  worketh,  namely,  the  sinner  and  the  wicked  person, 
 whom  the  law  justitieth  not,  but  setteth  sin  before  his  eyes, 
 casteth  him  doAvn,  and  bringeth  him  to  the  knowledge  of  him- 
 self: It  sheweth  unto  him  hell,  the  wrath,  and  the  judgment  of 
 God.  This  is  indeed  the  proper  oifice  of  the  law.  Then  fol- 
 loweth  the  use  of  this  office :  to  wit,  that  the  sinner  may  know 
 that  the  law  doth  not  reveal  unto  him  his  sin,  and  tlnis 
 humbleth  him,  to  the  end  he  should  despair :  but  that  by  this 
 accusing  and  bruising,  it  may  drive  him  unto  Christ  the  Saviour 
 
VER.  «4,  25.]  EriSTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  276 
 
 and  comforter.  When  this  is  done,  he  is  no  longer  under  the 
 schoolmaster.  And  this  use  is  very  necessary.  For  seeing  the 
 whole  world  is  overwhelmed  with  sin,  it  h£.th  need  of  this  mi- 
 nistry of  the  law,  that  sin  may  be  revealed ,  otherwise  no  man 
 should  ever  attain  to  righteousness,  as  before  we  have  largely 
 declared.  But  what  worketh  the  law  in  them  that  are  already 
 justified  by  Christ?  Paul  answereth  by  these  words,  Avhich 
 are,  as  it  were,  an  addition  to  that  which  goeth  before  : 
 
 Yersb  25.     But   after  that   faith    is  come,  we  are  no  longer  under  a 
 Bchooluiaster. 
 
 That  is  to  say,  we  are  free  from  the  law,  from  the  prison, 
 and  from  our  schoolmaster ;  for  Avhen  faith  is  revealed,  the 
 law  terrilieth  and  tormenteth  us  no  more.  Paul  here  speaketh 
 of  faith  as  it  was  preached  and  published  to  the  world  by  Clirist 
 in  the  time  before  appointed.  For  Christ,  taking  upon  him  our 
 flesh,  came  once  into  the  world :  he  abolished  the  law  with  all 
 his  effects,  and  delivered  from  eternal  death  all  those  which  re- 
 ceive his  benefit  by  faith.  If,  therefore,  ye  look  unto  Christ,  and 
 that  which  he  hath  done,  there  is  now  no  law.  For  he,  comings 
 in  the  time  appointed,  took  away  the  law.  Now,  since  the  law 
 is  gone,  we  are  not  kept  under  the  tyranny  thereof  any  more ; 
 but  we  live  in  joy  and  safety  under  Chi'ist,  who  now  sweetly 
 reigneth  in  us  by  his  spirit.  Now,  where  the  Lord  reigneth, 
 there  is  liberty.  Wherefore,  if  Ave  could  perfectly  apprehend 
 Christ,  which  hath  abolished  the  law  by  his  death,  and  hath  re- 
 conciled us  unto  his  Father,  that  schoolmaster  should  have  no 
 power  over  us  at  all.  But  the  law  of  the  members,  rebelling 
 against  the  law  of  the  mind,  letteth  us,  that  we  cannot  perfectly 
 lay  hold  upon  Christ.  The  lack,  therefore,  is  not  in  Christ,  but 
 in  us,  which  have  not  yet  put  off  this  flesh,  to  which  sin  con- 
 tinually cleaveth,  as  long  as  we  live.  Wherefore,  as  touching 
 ourselves,  we  are  partly  free  from  the  law,  and  partly  under 
 the  law.  According  to  the  spirit,  we  serve  with  Paul,  the  "  law 
 of  God  :  but  according  to  the  flesh,  the  law  of  sin,"  (Rom.  vii.) 
 
 Hereof  it  foUoweth,  that,  as  touching  the  conscience,  we  are 
 fully  delivered  from  the  law,  and  therefore  that  schoolmaster 
 must  not  rule  in  it;  that  is,  he  must  not  afilict  it  with  his  terrors, 
 threatenings,  and  captivity.  And  albeit  it  go  about  so  to  do 
 never  so  much,  yet  is  not  the  conscience  moved  therewith.  For 
 it  hath  Christ  crucified  before  her  eyes,  who  hath  removed  all 
 the  ofiicesof  the  laAv  out  of  the  conscience,  "putting  out  the  hand- 
 writing of  ordinances  that  was  against  us,"  &c.  (Col.  ii.)  There- 
 fore, even  as  a  virgin  knoweth  no  man,  so  the  conscience  must 
 not  only  be  ignorant  of  the  law,  but  also  it  must  be  utterly  dead 
 unto  the  law,  and  the  law  likewise  unto  the  conscience.  This 
 is  not  done  by  any  Avorks,  or  by  the  righteousness  of  the  law, 
 but  by  faith,  Avhich  apprehendeth  and  layeth  hold  upon  Christ. 
 
276  COMMENTARY   ON  ST.  PAUl's  [cIXAV.  Ill, 
 
 Notwithstanding-  sin  cleaveth  still  in  the  flesh,  as  touching  the 
 effect  thereof,  which  oftentimes  accuseth  and  troubleth  the  con- 
 science. So  long,  then,  as  the  flesh  doth  remain,  so  long  this 
 schoolmaster  the  law  doth  also  remain,  which  many  times  ter- 
 riiieth  the  conscience,  and  maketh  it  heavy  by  revealing  of  sin 
 and  threatening  of  death.  Yet  is  it  raised  up  again  by  the  daily 
 coming  of  Christ,  who,  as  he  came  once  into  the  world,  in  the 
 time  before  appo'jited,  to  redeem  us  fi'om  the  hard  and  sharp 
 servitude  of  our  schoolmaster  ;  even  so  he  cometh  daily  unto  us 
 spiritually,  to  the  end  that  we  may  increase  in  faith,  and  in  the 
 knowledge  of  him;  that  the  conscience  may  apprehend  him  more 
 fully  and  perfectly  from  day  to  day;  and  that  the  law  of  the  flesh 
 and  of  sin,  with  the  terror  of  death  and  all  evils  that  the  law 
 bringeth  with  it,  may  be  daily  diminished  in  us  more  and  more. 
 As  long  then  as  we  live  in  the  flesh,  which  is  not  without  sin, 
 the  law  oftentimes  returneth  and  doth  his  office,  in  one  more, 
 and  in  another  less,  as  their  faith  is  strong  or  weak,  and  yet  not 
 to  their  destruction,  but  to  their  salvation.  For  this  is  the  ex- 
 ercise of  the  law  in  the  saints,  namely,  the  continual  mortifica- 
 tion of  the  flesh,  of  reason,  and  of  our  own  strength,  and  the 
 daily  renewing  of  our  inward  man,  as  it  is  said  in  2  Cor.  iv. 
 
 We  receive,  then,  the  first  fruits  of  the  spirit.  The  leaven  is 
 hid  in  the  mass  of  the  dough;  but  all  the  dough  is  not  yet  lea- 
 vened :  no,  it  is  yet  but  only  begun  to  be  leavened.  If  I  be- 
 hold the  leaven,  I  see  nothing  else  but  pure  leaven ;  but  if  I 
 behold  the  whole  mass,  I  see  that  it  is  not  all  pm'e  leaven.  That 
 is  to  say,  if  I  behold  Christ,  I  am  altogether  pure  and  holy, 
 knowing  nothing  at  all  of  the  law;  for  Christ  is  my  leaven:  but 
 if  I  behold  my  own  flesh,  I  feel  in  myself  covetousness,  lust, 
 anger,  pride,  and  arrogance ;  also,  the  fear  of  death,  heaviness, 
 hatred,  murmuring,  and  impatience  against  God.  The  more 
 these  sins  are  in  me,  the  more  is  Christ  absent  from  me  ;  or  if 
 he  be  present,  he  is  felt  but  a  little.  Here  have  we  need  of  a 
 schoolmaster,  to  exercise  and  vex  this  strong  ass,  the  flesh,  that 
 by  this  exercise  sins  may  be  diminished,  and  a  way  prepared 
 unto  Christ.  For  as  Christ  came  once  corporally,  at  the  time 
 appointed,  abolished  the  whole  law,  vanquished  sin,  destroyed 
 death  and  hell ;  even  so  he  cometh  spiritually,  without  ceasing, 
 and  daily  quencheth  and  killeth  these  sins  in  us. 
 
 This  I  say,  that  thou  mayest  be  able  to  answer,  if  any  shall 
 thus  object:  Christ  came  into  the  world,  and  at  once  took  away 
 all  our  sins,  and  cleansed  us  by  his  blood:  what  need  we,  then, 
 to  hear  the  gospel,  or  to  receive  the  sacraments  ?  True  it  is,  that 
 inasmuch  as  thou  beholdest  Christ,  the  law  and  sin  are  quite 
 abolished.  But  Christ  is  not  yet  come  unto  thee  ;  or  if  he  be 
 come,  yet  notwithstanding  there  are  remnants  of  sin  in  thee ; 
 thou  art  not  yet  thoroughly  leavened ;  for  where  concupiscence, 
 heaviness  of  spirit,  and  fear  of  death  is,  there  is  yet  also  the  law 
 aud  sin.   Christ  is  not  yet  thoroughly  come :  but  when  he  cometh 
 
VER.  25,  «C.j  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  277 
 
 indeed,  he  driveth  away  fear  and  heaviness,  and  bringeth  peace 
 and  quietness  of  conscience.  So  far  forth,  then,  as  I  do  appre- 
 hend Christ  by  faith,  so  much  is  the  law  aboHshed  unto  me. 
 But  my  flesh,  the  world,  and  the  devil,  do  hinder  faith  in  me, 
 that  it  cannot  be  perfect.  Right  gladly  I  wovild  that  that  little 
 light  of  faith  which  is  in  my  heart,  were  spread  throughout  all  my 
 body,  and  all  the  members  thereof;  but  it  is  not  done;  it  is  not 
 by-and-by  spread,  but  only  beginneth  to  be  spread.  In  the 
 mean  season  this  is  our  consolation,  that  we  who  have  the  first 
 fruits  of  the  spirit,  do  now  begin  to  be  leavened;  but  we  sball 
 be  thoroughly  leavened,  when  this  body  of  sin  is  dissolved,  and 
 we  shall  rise  new  creatures  wholly,  together  with  Christ. 
 
 Albeit  then  that  Christ  be  one  and  the  same  yesterday,  to- 
 day, and  shall  be  for  ever,  ( Heb.  xiii.  8, )  and  albeit  that  all  the 
 faithful  which  were  before  Christ,  had  the  gospel  and  faith;  yet 
 notwithstanding  Christ  came  once  in  the  time  before  deter- 
 mined. Faith  also  came  once  when  the  apostles  preached  and 
 published  the  gospel  throughout  the  world.  Moreover,  Christ 
 Cometh  also  spiritually  every  day.  Faith  likewise  cometh  daily 
 by  the  word  of  the  gospel.  Now,  when  faith  is  come,  the 
 schoolmaster  is  constrained  to  give  place,  with  his  heavy  and 
 grievous  office.  Christ  cometh  also  spiritually,  when  we  still 
 more  and  more  do  know  and  understand  those  things  which  by 
 him  are  given  unto  us,  and  increase  in  grace  and  in  the  know- 
 ledge of  him,  2  Pet.  iii. 
 
 Verse  26.  For  ye  are  all  the  sons  of  God  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus. 
 Paul,  as  a  true  and  an  excellent  teacher  of  faith,  hath  ahvays 
 these  words  in  his  mouth,  "  by  faith,  in  faith,  of  faith,"  which 
 is  in  Christ  Jesus.  He  saith  not,  ye  are  the  children  of  God,  be- 
 cause ye  are  circumcised,  because  ye  have  heard  the  law,  and 
 have  done  the  works  thereof,  (as  the  Jews  do  imagine,  and  the 
 false  apostles  teach,)  but  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  The  law, 
 then,  maketh  us  not  children  of  God,  and  much  less  men's  tra- 
 ditions. It  cannot  beget  us  into  a  new  nature,  or  a  new  birth : 
 but  it  setteth  before  us  the  old  birth,  whereby  we  were  born  to 
 the  kingdom  of  the  devil;  and  so  it  prepareth  us  to  a  new  birth, 
 which  is  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  not  by  the  law,  as  Paul 
 plainly  witnesseth :  "  For  ye  are  all  the  sons  of  God  by  faith," 
 &c.  As  if  he  said,  Albeit  ye  be  tormented,  humbled,  and  killed 
 by  the  law,  yet  hath  not  the  law  made  you  righteous,  or  made 
 you  the  children  of  God:  this  is  the  work  of  faith  alone.  What 
 faith?  Faith  in  Christ.  Faith,  therefore,  in  Christ,  maketh  us 
 the  children  of  God,  and  not  the  law.  The  same  thing  Avitnes- 
 seth  also  St.  John — "  He  gave  power  to  as  many  as  believed  in 
 him,  to  be  the  children  of  God,"  (John  i.  12.  Rom.  viii.  16,  17.) 
 What  tongue,  either  of  men  or  angels,  can  sufficiently  extol  an<^ 
 magnify  the  great  mercy  of  God  towards  us,  that  we,  which 
 are  miserable  sinners,  and  by  nature  the  children  of  wrath^ 
 
SJ78  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  Ill 
 
 should  be  called  to  his  grace  and  glory,  to  be  made  the  children 
 and  heirs  of  God,  fellow-heirs  with  the  Son  of  God,  and  lords 
 over  heaven  and  earth,  and  that  by  the  only  means  of  our  faith 
 which  is  in  Christ  Jesus. 
 
 Verse 27.     For  all  ye  (hat  are  baptized  into  Christ,  have  put  on  Christ. 
 
 To  put  on  Christ  is  taken  two  manner  of  ways:  according  to 
 the  law,  and  according  to  the  gospel.  According  to  the  law,  as 
 it  is  said  in  the  13th  chapter  to  the  Romans:  "Put  ye  on  the 
 Lord  Jesus  Christ:"  that  is,  follow  the  example  and  virtues  of 
 Christ.  Do  that  which  he  did,  and  suffer  that  which  he  suffered. 
 And  in  1  Pet.  ii.  "  Christ  hath  suffered  for  us,  leaving  us  an  ex- 
 ample that  we  should  follow  his  steps."  Now,  we  see  in  Christ 
 a  singular  patience,  an  inestimable  mildness  and  love,  and  a 
 wonderful  modesty  in  all  things.  This  goodly  apparel  we  must 
 put  on,  that  is  to  say,  follow  these  virtues. 
 
 But  the  putting  on  of  Christ,  according  to  the  gospel,  consist- 
 eth  not  in  imitation,  but  in  a  new  birth  and  a  new  creation:  that 
 is  to  say,  in  putting  on  Christ's  innocency,  his  righteousness, 
 his  wisdom,  his  power,  his  saving  health,  his  life,  and  his  spirit. 
 We  are  clothed  with  the  leather  coat  of  Adam,  which  is  a  mor- 
 tal garment,  and  a  garment  of  sin;  that  is  to  say,  we  are  all 
 subject  unto  sin,  all  sold  under  sin.     There  is  in  us  horrible 
 blindness,  ignorance,  contempt  and  hatred  of  God:  moreover, 
 evil  concupiscence,  uncleanness,  covetousness,  &c.     This  gar- 
 ment, that  is  to  say,  this  corrupt  and  sinful  nature,  we  received 
 fi'om   Adam,  which  Paid    is  wont    to    call  "the   old    man." 
 This  old  man  must  be  put  off,  with  all  his  works,  (Eph.  iv.  Cor. 
 i.)  that  of  the  children  of  Adam  we  may  be  made  the  children  of 
 God.     This  is  not  done  by  changing  of  a  garment,  or  by  any 
 laws  or  works,  but  by  a  new  birth,  and  by  the  renewing  of  the 
 inward  man,  which  is  done  in  baptism,  as  Paul  saith:  "AH  ye 
 that  are  baptized,  have  put  on  Christ."  Also  :  "According  to  his 
 mercy  hath  ho  saved  us  by  the  washing  of  the  new  birth,  and 
 the  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  (Tit.  iii.)    For,  besides  that 
 they  which  are  baptized  are  regenerate  and  renewed  by  the 
 Holy  Ghost  to  a  heavenly  righteousness  and  to  eternal  life,  there 
 riseth  in  them  also  a  new  light  and  a  new  flame;  there  rise  in 
 them  new  and  holy  affections,  as  the  fear  of  God,  true  faith  and 
 assured  hope,  &c.;  there  beginneth  in  them  also  a  new  will. 
 And  this  is  to  put  on  Christ  truly,  and  according  to  the  gospel. 
 Therefore,  the  righteousness  of  the  law,  or  of  our  o^vn  woi'ks, 
 is  not  given  unto  us  in  baptism;  but  Christ  himself  is  our  gar- 
 ment.    Now,  Christ  is  no  law,  no  lawgiver,  no  work;  but  a 
 divine  and  an  inestimable  ^ift,  whom  God  hath  given  unto  us, 
 that  he  might  be  our  justiher,  our  saviour,  and  our  redeemer. 
 Wherefore,  to  be  apparelled  with  Christ  according  to  the  gos- 
 pel, is  not  to  be  apparelled  with  the  law  nor  with  works,  but 
 with  an  incomparable  gift;  that  is  to  say,  with  remission  of  sins, 
 
VER.  «7,  28.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  OALATTANS.  '27^ 
 
 righteousness,  peace,  consolation,  joy  of  spirit,  salvation,  life, 
 and  Christ  himself. 
 
 This  is  diligently  to  be  noted,  because  of  the  fond  and  fantas- 
 tical spirits,  Avhich  go  about  to  deface  the  majesty  of  baptism, 
 and  speak  wickedly  of  it.  Paul,  contrariwise,  commendeth  and 
 setteth  it  forth  with  honourable  titles,  calling  it  "  the  washing 
 of  the  new  birth,  and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  (Tit.  iii.) 
 And  here  also  he  saith,  that  all  they  which  are  baptized,  have 
 put  on  Chi'ist.  As  if  he  said.  Ye  are  carried  out  of  the  law  hito 
 a  new  birth,  which  is  wrought  in  baptism.  Therefore  }'e  are 
 not  now  any  longer  under  the  law,  but  ye  are  clothed  Avith  a 
 new  garment;  to  wit,  with  the  righteousness  of  Christ.  Where- 
 fore baptism  is  a  thing  of  great  force  and  efficacy.  Now,  when 
 we  are  apparelled  with  Christ,  as  with  the  robe  of  righteousness 
 and  our  salvation,  then  we  must  put  on  Christ  also  as  the  ap- 
 parel of  imitation  and  example.  These  things  I  have  handled 
 more  largely  in  another  place,  therefore  I  here  briefly  pass 
 them  over. 
 
 Vf,rse  28.     There  is  neither  Jew  nor  Grecian,  there  is  neither  bond  nor  free, 
 <here  is  neither  male  nor  female ;  for  ye  are  all'one  in  Christ  Jesus. 
 
 Here  might  be  added  moreover  many  more  names  of  persons 
 and  offices  which  are  ordained  of  God,  as  these :  there  is  neither 
 magistrate  nor  subject,  neither  teacher  nor  hearer,  neither 
 schoolmaster  nor  scholar,  neither  master  nor  servant,  neither 
 mistress  nor  maid,  &:c.  for  in  Christ  Jesus  all  states,  yea,  even 
 such  as  are  ordained  of  God,  are  nothing.  Indeed,  the  male,  the 
 female,  the  bond.,  the  free,  the  Jew,  the  Gentile,  the  prince,  the 
 subject,  are  the  good  creatures  of  God:  but  in  Christ,  that  is, 
 in  the  matter  of  salvation,  they  are  nothing,  with  all  their  wis- 
 dom, righteousness,  religion,  and  power. 
 
 Wherefore,  with  these  words,  "  There  is  neither  Jew,"  &c. 
 Paul  mightily  abolisheth  the  law.  For  here,  that  is,  when  a  man 
 is  renewed  by  baptism,  and  hath  put  on  Christ,  there  is  neither 
 Jew  nor  Grecian,  &c.  The  apostle  speaketh  not  here  of  the 
 Jew  according  to  his  nature  and  substance;  but  he  calleth  him 
 a  Jew  which  is  the  disciple  of  Moses,  is  subject  to  the  law,  is 
 circumcised,  and  with  all  his  endeavour  keepeth  the  ceremonies 
 commanded  in  the  law.  Wlien  Christ  is  put  on,  saith  he,  there 
 is  neither  Jew  nor  circumcision,  nor  ceremony  of  the  law  any 
 more ;  for  Christ  hath  abolished  all  the  laws  of  Moses  that  ever 
 were.  Wherefore,  the  conscience  believing  in  Christ  must  be 
 so  surely  persuaded  that  the  law  is  abolished,  with  all  his  terrors 
 and  threatenings,  that  it  should  be  utterly  ignorant  whether 
 there  were  ever  any  Moses,  any  law,  or  any  Jew.  For  Christ 
 and  Moses  can  in  no  wise  agree.  Moses  came  with  the  law, 
 with  many  works,  and  with  many  ceremonies;  but  Christ  came 
 without  any  law,  without  any  exacting  of  works,  giving  grace 
 
880  COMMENTARY    ON    ST.    PAUl/s 
 
 and  righteousness,  &c.  For  "the  law  was  given  by  Moses,  but 
 grace  and  truth  came  by  Jesus  Christ."  (John  i.  17.) 
 
 Moreover,  when  he  saith,  "nor  Grecian,"  he  also  rejecteth 
 and  condemneth  the  wisdom  and  righteousness  of  the  Gentiles; 
 for  among  the  Gentiles  there  were  many  notable  men,  as  Xeno- 
 phon,  Themistocles,  Marcus  Fabius,  Attilius  Regulus,  Cicero, 
 Fomponius  Atticus,  and  many  others,  which  being  endued  with 
 singular  virtues,  governed  commonwealths  excellently,  and  did 
 many  worthy  acts  for  the  preservation  thereof:  and  yet  all  these 
 were  nothing  before  God,  Avith  their  wisdom,  their  power,  their 
 notable  acts,  their  excellent  virtues,  laws,  religions,  and  ceremo- 
 nies; for  we  must  not  think  that  the  Gentiles  did  contemn  all 
 honesty  and  religion.  Yea,  all  nations  of  all  ages  dispersed 
 throughout  the  world  had  their  laws,  religions,  and  ceremonies, 
 without  the  which  it  is  not  possible  that  mankind  should  be  go- 
 verned. All  righteousness,  therefore,  concerning  either  the  go- 
 vernment of  families,  or  commonwealths,  or  divine  matters,  (as 
 was  the  righteousness  of  the  law,)  with  all  the  obedience,  execu- 
 tion, and  holiness  thereof,  be  it  never  so  perfect,  is  nothing 
 worth  before  God.  What  then?  The  garment  of  Christ  which 
 we  put  on  in  baptism. 
 
 So,  if  the  servant  do  his  duty,  obey  his  master,  serve  in  his 
 vocation  never  so  diligently  and  faithfiilly;  if  he  that  is  at  liberty 
 he  in  authority  and  govern  the  commonwealth,  or  guide  his 
 own  family,  honestly  and  with  praise ;  if  the  man  do  that  per- 
 taineth  to  the  man  in  marrying  a  wife,  in  governing  his  family, 
 in  obeying  the  magistrate,  in  behaving  himself  decently  towards 
 all  men;  if  the  woman  live  chastely,  obey  her  husband,  see  well 
 to  her  household,  bring  up  her  children  godly,  (wliich  are  in- 
 deed excellent  gifts  and  holy  works,)  yet  are  all  these  nothing  in 
 comparison  of  that  righteousness  which  is  before  God.  To  be 
 brief,  all  the  laws,  ceremonies,  religions,  righteousness,  and 
 works  in  the  whole  world,  yea,  of  the  Jews  themselves,  which 
 were  the  first  that  had  the  kingdom  and  priesthood  ordained 
 and  appointed  of  God,  with  theii'  holy  laws,  religions,  ceremo- 
 nies, and  worshippings,  all  these  (I  say)  take  not  away  sin,  de- 
 liver not  from  death,  nor  purchase  life. 
 
 Therefore  your  false  apostles  do  subtilly  seduce  you,  (O,  ye 
 Galatians, )  when  they  teach  you  that  the  law  is  necessary  to  sal- 
 vation; and  by  this  means  they  spoil  you  of  that  excellent  glory 
 of  your  new  birth  and  your  adoption,  and  call  you  back  to  your 
 old  birth,  and  to  the  most  miserable  servitude  of  the  law,  mak- 
 ing you,  of  the  free  children  of  God,  bond-children  of  the  law, 
 whilst  they  will  have  a  diiference  of  persons  according  to  the 
 law.  Indeed  there  is  a  difference  of  persons  in  the  law,  and  in 
 the  world,  and  there  it  ought  to  be;  but  not  before  God.  "All 
 have  sinned,  and  are  destitute  of  the  glory  of  God."  {Rom.  iii. 
 23.)  Let  the  Jews,  therefore,  the  Gentiles,  and  the  whole 
 world,  keep  silence  in  the  presence  of  God.  God,  hath,  indeed. 
 
VER.  tfi.j  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  281 
 
 many  ordinances,  laws,  degrees,  and  kinds  of  life,  but  all  these 
 help  nothing  to  deserve  grace,  and  obtain  eternal  life.  So  many 
 as  are  justified,  therefore,  are  justified,  not  by  the  observation 
 of  man's  law,  or  God's  law,  but  by  Christ  alone,  who  hath  abo- 
 lished all  laws.  Him  alone  doth  the  gospel  set  forth  unto  us  for 
 a  pacifier  of  God's  wrath  by  the  shedding  of  his  own  blood,  and 
 a  Saviour:  and  without  faith  in  him,  neither  shall  the  Jew  be 
 saved  by  the  law,  nor  the  monk  by  his  order,  nor  the  Grecian 
 by  his  wisdom,  nor  the  magistrate  or  master  by  his  upright  go- 
 vernment, nor  the  servant  by  his  obedience. 
 
 Verse  28.     For  ye  are  ali  one  in  Christ  Jesus. 
 
 These  are  excellent  words.  In  the  world,  and  according  to 
 the  flesh,  there  is  a  great  difference  and  inequality  of  persons, 
 and  the  same  must  be  diligently  observed.  For  if  the  woman 
 would  be  the  man,  if  the  son  would  be  the  father,  the  servant 
 would  be  the  master,  the  subject  would  be  the  magistrate,  there 
 should  be  nothing  else  but  a  confusion  of  all  estates  and  of  all 
 things.  Contrariwise,  in  Christ  there  is  no  law,  no  difference 
 of  persons;  there  is  neither  Jew  nor  Grecian,  but  all  are  one; 
 for  there  is  but  one  body,  one  spirit,  one  hope  of  vocati(Tn; 
 there  is  but  one  gospel,  "one  faith,  one  baptism,  one  God  and 
 Father  of  all,  one  Christ  and  Lord  of  all."  (Eph.  iv.  4—6.)  We 
 have  the  same  Christ,  I,  thou,  and  all  the  faithful,  which  Peter, 
 Paul,  and  all  the  saints  had.  Here,  therefore,  the  conscience 
 knoweth  nothing  of  the  law,  but  hath  Christ  only  before  her 
 eyes;  therefore,  Paul  is  always  wont  to  add  this  clause,  "In 
 Christ  Jesus;"  who,  if  he  be  taken  out  of  our  sight,  then  coraeth 
 anguish  and  terror. 
 
 The  popish  school-divines  do  dream  that  faith  is  a  quality 
 cleaving  in  the  heart,  without  Christ.  This  is  a  devilish  error. 
 But  Christ  should  be  so  set  forth,  that  thou  shouldst  see  nothing 
 besides  him,  and  shouldst  think  that  nothing  can  be  more  near 
 unto  thee,  or  more  present  within  thy  heart  than  he  is.  For  he 
 sitteth  not  idly  in  heaven,  but  is  present  with  us,  working  and 
 living  in  us;  as  he  saith  before,  in  the  second  chapter,  "I  live; 
 yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me."  And  here  likewise:  "Ye 
 have  put  on  Christ."  Faitli,  therefore,  is  a  certain,  stedfast  be- 
 holding, which  looketh  upon  nothing  else  but  Christ,  the  con- 
 queror of  sin  and  death,  and  the  giver  of  righteousness,  salva- 
 tion, and  eternal  life.  This  is  the  cause  that  Paul  nameth  and 
 setteth  forth  Jesus  Christ  so  often  in  his  epistles,  yea,  almost  in 
 every  verse.  But  he  setteth  liim  forth  by  the  word:  for  other- 
 wise he  cannot  be  comprehended  than  by  the  word. 
 
 This  was  notably  and  lively  represented  by  the  brazen  ser- 
 pent, which  is  a  figure  of  Christ.  Moses  commanded  the  Jews 
 which  were  stung  of  serpents  in  the  desart,  to  do  nothing  else 
 but  stedfastly  behold  the  brazen  serpent,  and  not  to  turn  away 
 their  eyes.  They  that  did  so,  were  healed  only  by  that  stedfast 
 
282  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  P/ UL's  [CHAP.  Ill, 
 
 and  constant  beholding  of  the  serpent.  (Numb.  xxi.  6,  7,  8.)  But, 
 contrariwise,  they  died  which  obeyed  not  the  commandment  of 
 Moses,  but  looked  upon  their  wounds  and  not  upon  the  serpent. 
 So,  if  I  would  find  comfort  when  my  conscience  is  afflicted,  or 
 when  I  am  at  the  point  of  death,  I  must  do  nothing  but  appre- 
 hend Clu'ist  by  faith,  and  say:  I  believe  in  Jesus  Christ  the  Son 
 of  God,  who  suffered,  was  crucified,  and  died  for  me,  &c.  in 
 whose  wounds  and  in  whose  death  I  see  my  sin,  and  in  liis  re- 
 sm'rection  victory  over  sin,  death,  and  the  devil,  also  righteous- 
 ness and  eternal  life.  Besides  him  I  see  nothing,  I  hear  nothing. 
 This  is  true  faith  concerning  Christ,  and  in  Christ,  whereby 
 "we  are  made  members  of  his  body,  flesh  of  his  flesh,  and  bone 
 of  his  bones.  In  him,  therefore,  we  live,  we  move,  and  we  have 
 our  being."  (Eph.  v.  30.  Acts  xvii.  28.)  Christ  and  our  faith 
 must  be  thoroughly  joined  together.  We  must  be  in  heaven, 
 and  Christ  must  live  and  work  in  us.  Now,  he  liveth  and  work- 
 eth  in  us,  not  by  specidation  and  naked  knowledge,  but  in  deed, 
 and  by  a  true  and  a  substantial  presence. 
 
 Verse  29.     And  if  ye  be  Christ's,  then  are  ye  Abraham  s  seed,  and  heirs  by 
 the  promise. 
 
 That  is  to  say,  if  ye  believe,  and  be  baptized  into  Christ;  if  ye 
 believe,  I  say,  that  he  is  that  promised  seed  of  Abraham  which 
 brought  the  blessing  to  all  the  Gentiles,  then  are  ye  the  children 
 of  Abraham,  not  by  nature,  but  by  adoption;  for  the  scripture 
 attributeth  unto  him,  not  only  the  children  of  the  flesh,  but  also 
 of  adoption  and  of  the  promise,  and  foresheweth  that  they  shall 
 receive  the  inheritance,  and  the  other  shall  be  cast  out  of  the 
 hoxise.  So  Paid,  in  few  words,  translateth  the  whole  glory  of 
 Libanus,  that  is  to  say,  of  the  nations  of  the  Jews,  unto  the 
 desart,  that  is,  unto  the  Gentiles.  And  this  place  comprehend- 
 eth  a  singular  consolation:  to  wit,  that  the  Gentiles  are  the 
 children  of  Abraham,  and  consequently  the  people  of  God;  But 
 they  are  the  children  of  Abraham,  not  by  carnal  generation, 
 but  by  the  promise.  The  kingdom  of  heaven,  then,  life,  and  the 
 eternal  inheritance,  belongeth  to  the  Gentiles.  And  this  the 
 scripture  signified  long  before,  when  it  saith:  "I  have  made 
 thee  a  father  of  many  nations."  (Gen.  xvii.  5.)  Again,  "In  thy 
 seed  shall  all  nations  be  blessed."  (Gen.  xxii.  18.)  Now,  there- 
 fore, because  we  which  are  Gentiles  do  believe,  and  by  faith  do 
 receive  the  blessing  promised  to  Abraham,  and  exhibited  by 
 Christ,  therefore  the  scripture  calleth  us  the  children  and  heirs 
 of  Abraham,  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  promise.  So  that 
 promise,  "  In  thy  seed,"  &c.  belongeth  also  to  all  the  Gentiles, 
 and  according  to  this  promise  Christ  is  become  ours. 
 
 Indeed,  the  promise  was  made  only  to  the  Jews,  and  not  to 
 us  that  are  Gentiles.  (Psal.  cxlvii.)  "  He  sheweth  his  word  unto 
 Jacob,  &c.  He  hath  not  dealt  so  with  every  nation,"  &cc.  Not- 
 withstanding, that  which  was  promised  cometh  unto  us  by  faith, 
 
VEB.  89.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  OAI  ATIANS.  283 
 
 by  the  which  o  ily  we  apprehend  the  promise  of  God.  Albeit, 
 then,  that  the  promise  be  not  made  unto  us,  yet  is  it  made  as 
 touching-  us  and  for  us :  for  we  are  named  in  the  promise :  "  In 
 thy  seed  shall  all  nations  be  blessed;"  for  the  promise  sheweth 
 plainly  that  Abraham  shoidd  be  the  father,  not  only  of  the  Jew- 
 ish nation,  but  of  many  nations,  and  that  he  should  be  the  heir, 
 not  of  one  kingdom,  but  of  all  the  world,  (Rom.  iv.)  So  the 
 glory  of  the  whole  kingdom  of  Christ  is  translated  unto  us. 
 Wherefore  all  laws  are  utterly  abolished  in  the  heart  and  con- 
 science of  a  Chinstian:  notwithstanding  they  remain  without, 
 still  in  the  flesh.  And  hereof  we  have  spoken  largely  before. 
 
 CHAP.  IV. 
 
 Verse  I .     This  I  say,  That  the  heir,  as  long  as  he  is  a  child,  diifcreth  nothing 
 from  a  servant,  though  he  be  lord  of  all ; 
 
 Verse  2.     But  is  under  tutors  and  governors,  until  the  time  appointed  of  the 
 
 father. 
 
 Yk  see  Avith  what  vehement  affection  Paul  goeth  about  to  call 
 back  the  Galatians,  and  what  strong  arguments  he  useth  in  de- 
 bating the  matter,  gathering  similitudes  of  experience  of  the  ex- 
 ample of  Abraham,  of  the  testimonies  of  the  scripture,  and  of 
 the  time,  so  that  oftentimes  he  seemeth  to  renew  the  whole  mat- 
 ter again;  for  before,  he  had,  in  a  manner,  finished  the  disputa- 
 tion concerning  justification,  concluding  that  a  man  is  justified 
 before  God  by  faith  only  and  alone.  But,  because  he  calleth 
 also  to  remembrance  this  political  example  of  the  little  heir,  he 
 bringetlithe  same  also  for  the  confirmation  of  his  matter;  thus 
 trying  every  Avay,  he  lieth  in  wait,  with  a  certain  holy  subtlety, 
 to  take  the  Galatians  unawares;  for  the  ignorant  people  are 
 sooner  persuaded  Avith  similitudes  and  examples,  than  with  deep 
 and  subtle  disputations.  They  will  rather  behold  an  image  well 
 painted,  than  a  book  well  written.  Paul  therefore  now,  after 
 that  he  hath  brought  the  similitude  of  a  man's  testament,  of  the 
 person  of  the  schoolmaster,  useth  also  this  similitude  of  an  heir, 
 (which  is  familiar  and  well  known  to  all  men,)  to  move  and  to 
 persuade  them.  And,  sm'ely,  it  is  a  very  profitable  thing  to  be 
 furnished  with  similitudes  and  examples,  which  not  only  Paul, 
 but  also  the  prophets,  and  Christ  himself  also  did  often  use. 
 
 Ye  see,  saith  he,  that  it  is  ordained  by  the  civil  laws,  that  an 
 heir,  albeit  he  be  the  lord  of  all  his  father's  goods,  differeth  not 
 from  a  servant.  Indeed,  he  hath  an  assured  hope  of  the  inheri- 
 tance :  but  before  he  come  to  his  years,  his  tutors  hold  him  in 
 subjection,  like  as  the  schoolmaster  doth  his  scholai*.  They 
 commit  not  unto  him  the  ordering  of  his  own  goods,  but  con- 
 strain him  to  serve,  so  that  he  is  kept  and  maintained  with  his 
 
284  CC  MMENTARK  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP,  IV. 
 
 own  goods  like  a  servant.  Therefore,  as  long  as  this  bondage 
 endureth,  that  is,  so  long  as  he  is  under  tutors  and  governors, 
 he  differeth  nothing  from  a  servant.  And  this  subjection  and 
 servitude  is  very  profitable  for  him;  for  otherwise,  through  folly, 
 he  woidd  soon  waste  all  his  goods.  This  captivity  endureth 
 not  always,  but  hath  a  certain  time  limited  and  appointed  by  the 
 father,  Avherein  it  must  end. 
 
 Ybksb  3.     So  also  we,  as  long  as  we  were  children,  weie  in   bondage  under 
 the  rudiments  of  the  world. 
 
 In  like  manner,  when  we  were  little  children,  we  were  heirs, 
 having  the  promise  of  the  inheritance  to  come,  which  should  be 
 given  unto  us  by  the  seed  of  Abraham,  that  is  to  say,  by  Christ, 
 in  whom  all  nations  should  be  blessed.  But  because  the  fiduess 
 of  time  was  not  yet  come,  Moses,  our  tutor,  governor,  and  school- 
 master, came,  holding  us  in  captivity,  with  our  hands  bound,  so 
 that  we  could  bear  no  rule,  nor  possess  our  inheritance.  In  the 
 mean  time,  notwithstanding,like  as  an  heir  is  nourished  and  main- 
 tained in  hope  of  liberty  to  come,  even  so  Moses  did  nourish  us 
 with  the  hope  of  the  promise  to  be  revealed  hi  the  time  appoint- 
 ed ;  to  wit,  when  Christ  should  come,  who,  by  his  coming,  shovdd 
 put  an  end  to  the  time  of  the  law,  and  begin  the  time  of  grace. 
 
 Now  the  time  of  the  law  endeth  two  manner  of  Avays :  first, 
 (as  I  said)  by  the  coming  of  Christ  in  the  flesh,  at  the  time  ap- 
 pointed of  his  Father.  "  But  when  the  fulness  of  time  was 
 come,  God  sent  forth  his  Son,  made  of  a  woman,  and  made  un- 
 der the  law,  that  he  might  redeem  them  Avhich  were  under  the 
 law,"  &c.  (Gal.  iv.  4,  5.)  "He  entered  into  the  holy  sanctuary 
 once  through  his  blood,  and  obtained  eternal  redemption  for  us." 
 (Heb.  ix.  12.)  Moreover,  the  same  Christ,  who  came  once  in 
 the  time  appointed,  cometh  also  unto  us  daily  and  hourly  in 
 spirit.  Indeed,  once  with  his  own  blood  he  redeemed  and  sanc- 
 tified all;  but  because  we  are  not  yet  perfectly  pui-e  (for  the  rem- 
 nants of  sin  do  yet  cleave  to  our  flesh,  Avhich  striveth  against  the 
 spirit,  (Heb.  x.  14.  Gal.  v.  17.)  therefore  daily  he  cometh  unto 
 us  spiritually,  and  continually  more  and  more  accomplisheth  the 
 appointed  time  of  his  Father,  abrogating  and  abolishing  the  law. 
 
 So  he  came  also  in  spirit  to  the  fathers  of  the  Old  Testament, 
 before  he  appeared  in  the  flesh.  They  had  Christ  in  spirit. 
 They  believed  in  Christ  Avhich  should  be  revealed,  as  we  believe 
 in  Christ  which  is  now  revealed,  and  were  saved  by  him,  as  we 
 are,  according  to  that  saying:  "Jesus  Christ  is  one,  yesterday, 
 and  to-day,  and  shall  be  the  same  for  ever."  Yesterday,  before 
 the  time  of  his^ coming  in  the  flesh;  to-day,  Avhen  he  was  reveal- 
 ed in  the  time  before  appointed;  now  and  for  ever  he  is  one  and 
 the  same  Christ.  For  even  by  him  only,  and  alone,  all  the  faith- 
 ful which  either  have  been,  be,  or  shall  be,  are  delivered  from 
 the  law,  justified,  and  saved. 
 
 "In  like  manner,  we  also,"  saith  he,  "when  we  were  chil- 
 
VFR.   8.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  285 
 
 dren,  served  under  the  rudiments  of  the  world;"  that  is  to  say, 
 the  law  had  dominion  over  us,  oppressed  us,  and  kept  us  in  a 
 strait  bondage,  as  servants  and  captives.  For,  first,  it  restrained 
 carnal  and  rebellious  persons,  that  they  shoidd  not  run  headlong 
 into  all  kinds  of  ^dce.  For  the  law  threateneth  punishment  to 
 transgressors ;  which  if  they  feared  not,  there  is  no  mischief  which 
 they  Avould  not  commit;  and  over  those  whom  the  law  so  bri- 
 dleth,  it  rideth  and  reigneth.  Again,  it  did  accuse  us,  terrify  us, 
 kill  us,  and  condemn  us  spiritually  and  before  God :  and  this  was 
 the  principal  dominion  that  the  law  had  over  us.  Therefore,  like 
 as  an  heir  is  subject  mito  his  tutors,  is  beaten,  and  is  compelled 
 to  obey  their  laws,  and  dihgently  to  execute  their  commandments: 
 cren  so,  men's  consciences,  before  Clu'ist  come,  are  oppressed 
 with  the  shai-p  servitude  of  the  law;  that  is  to  say,  they  are  ac- 
 cused, terrified,  and  condemned  of  the  law.  But  this  dominion, 
 or  rather  this  tyranny  of  the  law  is  not  continual,  but  must  only 
 endure  until  the  time  of  grace.  "Wherefore  the  office  of  the  law 
 is  to  reprove  and  increase  sins,  not  to  bring  righteousness;  to 
 kill,  not  to  bring  life.  For  "the  law  is  a  schoolmaster  unto 
 Christ."  (Gal.  iii.  20.)  Like  as  therefore  the  tutors  do  handle 
 the  heir,  being  yet  a  child,  straitly  and  hardly,  rule  him  and 
 command  him  as  a  servant,  and  he  again  is  constrained  to  be  sub- 
 ject unto  them:  even  so  the  law  accuseth  us,  humbleth  us,  and 
 bringeth  us  into  bondage,  that  we  may  be  the  servants  of  sin, 
 death,  and  of  the  wrath  of  God,  which  is  indeed  a  most  miserable 
 kind  of  bondage.  But  as  the  power  of  the  tutors,  and  the  subjec- 
 tion and  bondage  of  the  little  heu*  is  not  continual,  but  only  en- 
 dureth  unto  the  time  appointed  of  the  father,  which,  being  ended, 
 he  needeth  not  to  be  governed  by  his  tutors,  nor  remaineth 
 under  their  subjection  any  more,  but  with  liberty  enjoyeth  the 
 inheritance :  even  so  the  law  hath  dominion  over  us,  and  we  are 
 constrained  to  be  servants  and  captives  under  his  government, 
 but  not  for  ever;  for  this  clause  which  foUoweth  must  be  added: 
 "Until  the  time  appointed  of  the  Father."  For  Christ,  which 
 was  promised,  came  and  redeemed  us  which  were  oppressed 
 with  the  tyranny  of  the  law. 
 
 Contrariwise,  the  coming  of  Christ  profiteth  not  the  careless 
 hypocrites,  the  wicked  contemners  of  God,  nor  the  desperate, 
 which  think  that  nothing  else  remaineth  but  the  terrors  of  the 
 law  which  they  feel.  His  coming  only  profiteth  those  which  are 
 tormented  and  terrified  with  the  law  for  a  time;  that  is  to  say, 
 such  as  despair  not  in  those  great  and  inward  terrors  which  the 
 laAv  stirreth  up,  but  with  a  sure  trust  come  unto  Christ  the 
 throne  of  grace,  which  hath  redeemed  them  from  the  curse  of 
 the  law,  being  made  a  curse  for  them,  and  so  obtain  mercy  and 
 find  grace.  (Heb.  iv.  16.  Gal.  iii.  13.) 
 
 There  is  a  certain  vehemency,  therefore,  in  this  word,  "we 
 did  serve."  As  if  he  would  say:  our  conscience  was  subject  to 
 the  law,  which  holding  us  as  bondslaves  and  captives,  like  as  a 
 
286  COMMENTARY  ON  ST  PAUL's  [cHAP.  IV. 
 
 tyrant  holdeth  his  prisoners,  whipped  us,  and  with  aU  his  power 
 exercised  his  tyranny  upon  us;  that  is  to  say,  it  brought  unto  us  a 
 terror  and  a  heaviness  of  spirit,  it  made  us  to  tremble  and  ready 
 to  despair,  threatening  unto  us  everlasting  death  and  damnation. 
 This  spiritual  bondage  and  slavery  of  the  law  is  most  sharp  and 
 bitter,  and  yet  (as  I  have  said)  it  is  not  continual,  but  endureth 
 so  long  as  we  are  children;  that  is,  as  long  as  Clu*ist  is  absent. 
 Whilst  he  is  absent,  we  are  servants,  shut  under  the  law,  desti- 
 tute of  grace,  faith,  and  all  the  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 Verse  3.     Under  the  elements  or  rudiments  of  the  world. 
 
 Some  have  thought  that  Paul  speaketh  here  of  those  corporal 
 elements,  the  fire,  the  air,  the  Avater,  and  the  earth.  But  Paul 
 hath  his  peculiar  manner  of  speech;  and  he  speaketh  here  even 
 of  the  law  of  God,  which  he  calleth  the  elements  or  rudiments 
 of  the  world:  and  his  words  seem  to  be  very  heretical.  So  is  he 
 wont  in  other  places  also  to  diminish  and  to  abase  the  authority 
 of  the  law  very  much,  when  he  calleth  it  the  letter  that  killeth, 
 the  ministry  of  death  and  damnation,  and  the  power  of  sin.  And 
 these  most  odious  names,  which  shew  plainly  the  poAver  and  use 
 of  the  law,  he  chuseth  of  pui-pose,  to  admonish  us,  that  in  the 
 terrors  of  sin,  wrath,  and  the  judgment  of  God,  we  trust  not  to 
 our  own  righteousness,  or  to  the  righteousness  of  the  law,  seeing 
 that  the  law,  in  his  principal  use,  can  do  nothing  else  but  accuse 
 our  consciences,  increase  sin,  threaten  death  and  eternal  damna- 
 tion. Wherefore  this  diminishing  and  abasing  of  the  law  must 
 be  apphed  to  the  conflict  of  conscience,  and  not  to  the  civil  life, 
 nor  to  secm'e  and  careless  minds. 
 
 He  calleth  therefore  the  law,  the  elements  of  the  world:  that 
 is  to  say,  the  outward  laws  and  traditions  written  in  a  certain 
 book.  For,  although  the  law  do  civilly  bridle  a  man  fi-om  evil, 
 and  constrain  him  to  do  well,  yet  notwithstanding  being  kept 
 after  this  sort,  it  doth  not  deliver  him  fi'om  sin;  it  justifieth  him 
 not,  it  prepareth  not  a  way  for  him  to  heaven,  but  leaveth  him 
 in  the  world.  I  do  not  obtain  righteousness  and  everlasting  life, 
 because  I  kill  not,  I  commit  not  adultery,  I  do  not  steal,  &c. 
 These  outward  virtues  and  honest  conversations  be  not  the 
 kingdom  of  Christ,  nor  the  heavenly  righteousness,  but  the 
 righteousness  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  Avorld;  which  also  the 
 Gentiles  had,  and  not  only  the  merit-mongers,  as  in  the  time  of 
 Christ  the  Pharisees,  and  in  our  time  the  monks  and  friars,  &c. 
 This  righteousness  some  do  observe,  to  avoid  the  punishments 
 of  the  laAv;  some,  that  they  may  be  praised  of  men  and  esteem- 
 ed righteous,  constant,  and  patient;  and  therefore  it  is  rather  to 
 be  called  coloured  hypocrisy,  than  righteousness. 
 
 Moreover,  the  law,  when  it  is  in  his  principal  use  and  ofiice, 
 can  do  nothing  but  accuse,  terrify,  condemn,  and  kill.  But 
 where  such  terror,  such  feeling  of  sin,  of  death,  of  the  wrath  and 
 judgment  of  God  is,  there  is  no  righteousness,  no  divine  or 
 
VER.  3.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  287 
 
 heavenly  thing,  hut  all  these  are  mere  things  of  the  world;  which 
 (because  it  is  the  kingdom  of  the  devil)  is  nothing  else  hut  a 
 certain  puddle  of  sin,  of  death,  of  hell,  and  of  all  evils  which 
 the  feartul,  sorrowful,  and  heavy-hearted  do  feel;  hut  the  se- 
 cm-e  and  careless  contemners  do  not  feel  them.  Wherefore  the 
 law,  even  in  his  best  and  most  perfect  use,  doth  nothing  else  hut 
 reveal  and  increase  sin,  and  strike  into  us  the  terror  of  death ; 
 and  these  are  but  worldly  things.  We  see,  then,  that  the  law 
 giveth  no  lively,  no  healthful,  no  divine  or  heavenly  thing,  but 
 only  woi'ldly  things.  Wherefore  Paul  doth  very  fitly  call  the 
 law  the  elements  or  rudiments  of  the  world. 
 
 And  although  Paul  call  the  Avhole  law  the  rudiments  of  the 
 v/orld,  (as  may  appear  by  that  I  have  said  before)  yet  princi- 
 pally he  speaketh  thus  in  contempt  of  the  ceremonial  laws  $ 
 which,  although  they  profit  never  so  much,  yet  (saith  he)  the) 
 consist  only  in  outward  things,  as  meat,  drink,  apparel,  places, 
 times,  the  temple,  the  feasts,  Avashings,  sacrifices,  &c.  which  be 
 but  mere  woi'ldly,  and  things  ordained  of  God  only  for  the  use 
 of  this  present  life,  but  not  to  justify  or  save  before  God. 
 Therefore,  by  this  clause,  "  the  rudiments  of  the  world,"  he  re- 
 jecteth  and  condemneth  the  righteousness  of  the  law,  which 
 consisteth  in  these  outward  ceremonies,  being  notwithstanding 
 ordained  and  commanded  of  God  to  be  observed  for  a  time,  and 
 by  a  contemptible  name  calleth  it  the  rudiments  of  the  world. 
 So  the  emperor's  laws  be  rudiments  of  the  world,  for  they  en- 
 treat of  worldly  matters :  that  is  to  say,  of  things  concerning 
 this  present  life,  as  of  goods,  possessions,  inheritances,  murders, 
 adulteries,  robberies,  &c.  whereof  speaketh  also  the  second 
 table  of  the  commandments.  As  for  the  Pope's  canon  laws 
 and  decretals,  which  forbid  marriage  and  meats,  those  Paul,  in 
 another  place,  calleth,  the  doctrines  of  devils ;  which  are  also 
 rudiments  of  the  world,  but  that  they  do  most  wickedly  bind 
 men's  consciences  to  the  observation  of  outward  things,  con- 
 trary to  the  word  of  God  and  faith. 
 
 Wherefore  the  law  of  Moses  giveth  nothing  but  worldly 
 things ;  that  is  to  say,  it  doth  but  only  shew,  civilly  and  spi- 
 ritually, the  evils  that  be  in  the  world.  Notwithstanding,  if  it 
 be  in  his  true  use,  it  driveth  the  conscience,  by  his  terrors,  to 
 seek  and  thirst  after  the  promise  of  God,  and  to  look  unto 
 Christ.  But  that  thou  mayest  so  do,  thou  hast  need  of  the  aid 
 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  of- 
 fice in  thee,  thou  shoiddst  only  be  terrified  and  killed;  but  that, 
 Avhen  thou  art  l)rought  by  the  law  to  the  knoAvledge  of  thy  mi- 
 sery and  damnation,  thou  shouldst  not  despair,  but  believe  in 
 Christ,  "  who  is  the  end  of  the  law  to  righteousness,  to  every 
 one  that  believeth."  (Rom.  x.  4.)  Here  is  no  worldly  thing 
 done ;  but  here  all  Avorldly  matters,  and  all  laws  cease,  and 
 heavenly  things  begin  now  to  appear.     Therefore,  so  long  aa 
 
288  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CHAP.  IV. 
 
 we  be  under  the  rudiments  of  the  world;  that  is  to  say,  under 
 the  law,  which  giveth  not  only  no  righteousness  and  peace  of 
 conscience,  but  revealeth  and  increaseth  sins  and  engendereth 
 wrath,  we  be  servants  thrall  and  subject  to  the  law,  although 
 we  have  the  promise  of  the  blessing  to  come.  Indeed,  the  law 
 saith,  "  thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  :"  but  that  I  may  be 
 able  so  to  do,  or  to  apprehend  Christ,  this  cannot  the  law  give. 
 
 I  speak  not  this  to  the  end  that  the  law  should  be  despised, 
 neither  doth  Paul  so  mean,  but  it  ought  to  be  had  in  great  esti- 
 mation. But  because  Paul  is  here  in  the  matter  of  justification, 
 it  was  necessary  that  he  shoidd  speak  of  the  law,  as  of  a  thing 
 very  contemptible  and  odious ;  for  justification  is  a  far  other 
 manner  of  thing  than  the  law  is.  We  cannot  speak  basely  and 
 contemptuously  enough  of  the  law,  when  we  are  in  this  matter. 
 When  the  conscience  therefore  is  in  the  conflict,  then  should  she 
 think  upon  nothing,  know  nothing  at  all  but  Christ  only  and 
 alone.  Then  should  she  remove  the  law  utterly  out  of  her  sight, 
 and  embrace  nothing  but  the  promise  concerning  Christ.  To 
 say  this,  it  is  an  easy  matter  ;  but  in  the  time  of  temptation, 
 Avhen  the  conscience  wrestleth  in  the  presence  of  God,  to  do  it 
 indeed,  of  all  things  it  is  the  hardest ;  to  wit,  that  when  the  law 
 accuseth  thee,  terrifieth  thee,  revealeth  unto  thee  thy  sin,  threat- 
 enetli  the  wrath  of  God  and  eternal  death,  that  then  (I  say) 
 thou  shouldst  have  such  sti'ength  of  faith  in  Christ,  as  if  there 
 had  never  been  any  law  or  any  sin,  but  only  Christ,  mere  grace, 
 and  redemption ;  or  that  thou  shouldst  be  able  to  say,  O  law,  I 
 will  not  hear  thee,  for  thou  hast  a  stammering  and  a  slow  tongue: 
 moreover,  the  fulness  of  time  is  now  come,  and  therefore  I  am 
 free,  and  will  not  suffer  thy  tyranny  any  longer.  Here  a  man 
 may  see  how  hard  a  matter  it  is  to  separate  the  law  from  grace. 
 Again,  how  divine  and  heavenly  a  thing  it  is  to  hope  here  even 
 against  hope,  and  how  true  this  proposition  of  Paul  is,  that 
 "  we  are  justified  by  faith  alone." 
 
 Learn  here,  therefore,  to  speak  of  the  law  as  contemptuously 
 as  thou  canst,  in  the  matter  of  justification,  by  the  example  of 
 the  apostle,  which  calleth  the  law,  "the  rudiments  of  the  world, 
 peri\icious  traditions,  the  strength  of  sin,  the  ministry  of  death," 
 Sic.  For  if  thou  suffer  the  law  to  bear  rule  in  thy  conscience, 
 when  thou  standest  before  God,  wrestling  against  sin  and  death, 
 then  is  the  law  indeed  nothing  else  but  a  sink  of  all  evils,  here- 
 sies, and  blasphemies :  for  it  doth  nothing  but  increase  sin,  ac- 
 cuse and  terrify  the  conscience,  threaten  death,  and  set  forth 
 God  as  an  angry  judge,  which  rejecteth  and  condemneth  sinners. 
 Here,  therefore,  if  thou  be  wise,  banish  this  stuttering  and  stam- 
 mering Moses  far  from  thee,  with  his  law,  and  in  any  wise  let 
 not  his  terrors  and  threatenings  move  thee.  Here  let  him 
 be  utterly  suspected  unto  thee,  as  a  heretic,  as  an  excommuni- 
 cated and  condemned  person,  worse  than  the  Pope  and  the  Devil 
 himself,  and  thei."efore  not  to  be  heard  or  obeyed  in  any  case. 
 
VER.    S.J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  289 
 
 But,  out  of  the  matter  of  justification,  we  ought  with  Paul  to 
 think  reverently  of  the  law,  to  coramend  it  highly,  to  call  it 
 holy,  righteous,  good,  spiritual,  and  divine,  (Rom.  vii.  12.)  Out 
 of  the  case  of  conscience  we  should  make  a  god  of  it,  but  in 
 the  case  of  conscience  it  is  a  very  devil.  For,  in  the  least  temp- 
 tation that  can  be,  it  is  not  able  to  raise  up  and  comfort  the 
 conscience ;  but  it  doth  clean  contrary :  it  terrifieth,  it  op- 
 presseth  it  with  heaviness,  and  plucketh  it  from  the  assurance 
 of  righteousness,  of  life,  and  of  all  goodness.  Hereupon  Paul, 
 a  little  after,  calleth  it  "weak  and  beggarly  rudiments."  (Gal. 
 iv.  9.)  Wherefore  let  us  not  suffer  the  law,  in  any  case,  to 
 bear  rule  in  our  conscience,  especially  seeing  it  cost  Christ  so 
 great  a  price  to  deliver  the  conscience  from  the  tyranny  of  the 
 law.  "  For  he  was  made  a  curse  for  us,  that  he  might  deliver 
 us  from  the  curse  of  the  law."  Let  the  godly  learn,  therefore, 
 that  the  law  and  Christ  are  two  contrary  things,  whereof  the 
 one  cannot  abide  the  other.  For  when  Christ  is  present,  the 
 law  may  in  no  case  rule,  but  must  depart  out  of  the  conscience, 
 and  leave  the  bed,  (which  is  so  strait  that  it  cannot  hold  two, 
 as  Isaiah  saith,  chap,  xxviii.  20,)  and  give  place  only  to  Christ. 
 Let  him  only  reign  in  righteousness,  in  peace,  in  joy,  and  life, 
 that  the  conscience  may  sleep  and  repose  itself  joyfully  in  Christ, 
 without  any  feeling  of  the  law,  sin,  and  death. 
 
 Paul  here  of  purpose  useth  this  figm-ative  speech,  "  elements 
 of  the  world;"  whereby  (as  I  said)  he  doth  much  abase  and 
 diminish  the  glory  and  authority  of  the  law,  to  stir  up  our 
 minds.  (2  Cor.  iii.)  For  he  that  readeth  Paul  attentively,  when 
 he  heareth  that  he  calleth  the  law  the  ministry  of  death,  the  letter 
 that  kiUeth,  &c.  by-and-by  he  thinketh  thus  with  himself:  why 
 doth  he  give  such  odious,  and,  as  it  appeareth  to  reason,  blas- 
 phemous terms  to  the  law,  which  is  a  divine  doctrine  revealed 
 from  heaven?  To  this  Paul  answereth,  that  the  law  is  both  holy, 
 just,  and  good,  and  that  it  is  also  the  ministry  of  sin  and  death, 
 but  in  divers  respects.  Before  Christ,  it  is  holy ;  after  Christ, 
 it  is  death.  Therefore,  when  Christ  is  come,  we  ought  to  know 
 nothing  at  all  of  the  law,  unless  it  be  in  this  respect:  that  it  hath 
 power  and  dominion  over  the  flesh,  to  bridle  it,  and  to  keep  it 
 under.  Here  is  a  conflict  between  the  law  and  the  flesh  (to  whom 
 the  yoke  of  the  law  is  hard  and  grievous)  as  long  as  we  live. 
 
 Only  Paul,  among  all  the  apostles,  calleth  the  law  "  the  rudi- 
 ments of  the  world,  weak  and  beggarly  elements,  the  strength  of 
 sin,  the  letter  that  killeth,"  &c.  (2  Cor.  iii.  6.)  The  other  apos- 
 tles spake  not  so  of  the  law.  Whosoever,  then,  will  be  a  right 
 scholar  in  Clu'ist's  school,  let  him  mark  diligently  this  manner  of 
 speech  used  of  the  apostle.  Christ  calleth  him  an  elect  vessel, 
 and  therefore  gave  unto  him  an  exquisite  utterance,  and  a  sin- 
 gular kind  of  speech  above  all  the  rest  of  the  apostles,  that  he,  as 
 an  elect  vessel,  might  faithfully  lay  the  foundations  of  the  article 
 of  justification,  and  clearly  set  forth  the  same.  (Acts  ix.  15.) 
 
 u 
 
a90  COMMENTARY    ON  ST.  PAIJl-'s  [CHAP.  IV. 
 
 Vkhse  4.  But  after  the  fulness  of  time  was  come,  God  sent  his  Son,  made 
 of  a  woman,  and  made  under  the  law,  that  he  might  redeem  them  which 
 were  under  the  law. 
 
 T'hat  is  to  say,  after  that  the  time  of  the  law  was  fulfilled, 
 and  that  Christ  was  revealed,  and  had  delivered  us  from  the 
 law,  and  that  the  promise  was  published  among  all  nations,  &c. 
 
 Mark  here  diligently  how  Paul  defineth  Christ.  Christ  (saith 
 he)  is  the  Son  of  God  and  of  a  woman,  which  for  us  sinners  was 
 made  under  the  law,  to  redeem  us  that  were  under  the  law.  In 
 these  words  he  comprehendeth  both  the  person  of  Christ  and 
 the  ofiice  of  Christ.  His  person  consisteth  of  his  divine  and 
 human  nature.  This  he  sheweth  plainly,  when  he  saith,  "  God 
 sent  his  own  Son,  born  of  a  woman."  Christ,  therefore,  is  very 
 God  and  very  man.  His  office  he  setteth  forth  in  these  words : 
 "  being  made  under  the  law,  to  redeem  them  that  were  under 
 the  law,"  &c. 
 
 And  it  seemeth  that  Paul  here,  as  it  were  in  reproach, 
 calleth  the  Virgin  Mary  but  only  a  woman ;  which  thing  was 
 not  well  taken,  even  of  some  of  the  ancient  doctors,  who  would 
 that  he  should  rather  have  called  her  a  virgin,  than  a  Avoman. 
 But  Paul  entreateth  in  this  epistle  of  the  most  high  and  prin- 
 cipal matter  of  all ;  to  wit,  of  the  gospel,  of  faith,  of  Christian 
 righteousness  :  also,  what  the  person  of  Christ  is,  what  is  his 
 office,  what  he  hath  taken  upon  him  and  done  for  our  cause, 
 and  what  benefits  he  hath  brought  to  us  wretched  sinners. 
 Wherefore  the  excellency  of  so  high  and  so  wonderful  a  matter 
 was  the  cause  that  he  had  no  regard  to  her  \irginity.  It  was 
 enough  for  him  to  set  forth  and  preach  the  inestimable  mercy 
 of  God,  which  would  that  his  Son  should  be  born  of  that  sex. 
 Therefore  he  maketh  no  mention  of  the  dignity  of  the  sex,  but 
 of  the  sex  only.  And  in  that  he  nameth  the  sex,  he  signifieth 
 that  Christ  was  made  true  and  very  man  of  womankind.  As  if 
 he  said,  he  was  not  born  of  man  and  woman,  but  only  of  wo- 
 mankind. Therefore,  when  he  nameth  but  only  the  woman- 
 kind, saying,  "  made  of  a  woman,"  it  is  as  if  he  should  have 
 said,  made  of  a  virgin.  John  the  evangelist,  when  he  thus  set- 
 teth forth  the  word,  that  "  it  was  in  the  beginning,  and  was 
 made  flesh,"  (John  i.  1.)  speaketh  not  one  word  of  his  mother. 
 
 Furthermore,  this  place  also  witnesseth  that  Christ,  when  the 
 time  of  the  law  was  accomplished,  did  abolish  the  same,  and  so 
 brought  liberty  to  those  that  were  oppressed  therewith,  but 
 made  no  new  law  after,  or  besides  that  old  law  of  Moses. 
 "Wherefore  the  monks  and  Popish  schoolmen  do  no  less  err  and 
 blaspheme  Christ,  in  that  they  imagine  that  he  hath  ^iven  a  new 
 law  besides  the  law  of  Moses,  than  do  the  Turks,  which  vaunt  of 
 their  Mahomet,  as  of  a  new  lawgiver  after  Christ,  and  better  than 
 Christ.  Christ  then  came  not  to  abolish  the  old  law,  that  he 
 might  make  a  new,  but  (as  Paul  here  saith)  he  was  sent  of  his 
 Father  into  the  world,  to  redeem  those  which  were  kept  in  thral- 
 
VER.  4.j  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  291 
 
 dom  under  the  law.  These  words  paint  out  Christ  lively  and 
 truly  j  they  do  not  attribute  unto  him  the  office  to  make  any 
 new  law,  but  to  redeem  them  which  were  under  the  law.  And 
 Christ  himself  saith,  "  I  judge  no  man."  And  in  another  place : 
 "  1  come  not  to  judge  the  world,  but  that  the  world  should  be 
 saved  by  me,"  (John  viii.  15.  xii.  47.)  that  is  to  say,  I  came 
 not  to  bring-  any  law,  nor  to  judge  men  according  to  the  same, 
 as  Moses  and  other  lawgivers;  but  I  have  a  higher  and  a  better 
 office.  The  law  killed  you,  and  I  again  do  judge,  condemn  and 
 kill  the  law,  and  so  I  deliver  you  from  the  tyranny  thereof. 
 
 We  that  are  old  men,  which  have  been  so  nusled  up  in  this 
 pernicious  doctrine  of  the  Papists,  that  it  hath  taken  deep  root, 
 even  in  our  bones  and  marrow,  have  conceived  an  opinion  quite 
 conti-ary  to  that  which  Paul  here  teacheth.  For,  although  we 
 confessed  with  our  mouth  tliat  Christ  redeemed  us  from  the 
 tyranny  of  the  law,  yet  in  very  deed  in  our  hearts  we  thought 
 him  to  be  a  lawgiver,  a  tyrant,  and  a  judge,  more  terrible  than 
 Moses  himself.  And  this  perverse  opinion  we  cannot  yet  at  tliis 
 day,  in  so  great  light  of  the  truth,  utterly  reject;  so  strongly 
 are  those  things  rooted  in  our  hearts  which  we  learn  in  our 
 youth.  But  ye  which  are  yet  young,  and  are  not  infected  with 
 this  pernicious  opinion,  may  learn  Christ  purely  with  less  diffi- 
 culty than  we  that  are  old  can  remove  out  of  our  minds  these 
 blasphemous  imaginations  which  we  have  conceived  of  him,  not- 
 withstanding ye  have  not  utterly  escaped  the  deceits  of  the  devil. 
 For  although  ye  be  not  as  yet  infected  with  this  cursed  opinion, 
 that  Christ  is  a  lawgiver,  yet  have  ye  in  you  the  root  whereof  it 
 springeth;  that  is,  ye  have  the  flesh,  reason,  and  the  corruption 
 of  nature,  which  can  judge  no  otherwise  of  Christ,  but  that  he  is 
 a  lawgiver.  Therefore  ye  must  endeavour,  with  all  your  power, 
 to  learn  so  to  know  and  to  apprehend  Christ,  as  Paul  has  set 
 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  increase  this  corruption  of  nature,  and 
 so  shall  the  evil  be  doubled  :  that  is  to  say,  evil  instruction  will 
 increase  and  confirm  the  pernicious  error  of  blind  reason, 
 which  naturally  judgeth  Christ  to  be  a  lawgiver,  and  printeth 
 that  error  mightily  in  our  minds,  that  without  great  travail 
 and  difficulty  it  can  never  be  abolished. 
 
 Wherefore,  it  is  very  profitable  for  us  to  have  always  before 
 our  eyes  this  sweet  and  comfortable  sentence,  and  such-like, 
 which  set  out  Christ  truly  and  lively,  that  in  our  whole  life,  in 
 all  dangers,  in  the  confession  of  our  faith  before  tyrants,  and 
 in  the  hour  of  death,  we  may  boldly  and  with  sure  confidence 
 say  O  law,  thou  hast  no  power  over  me,  and  therefore  thou 
 dost  accuse  and  condemn  me  in  vain.  For  I  believe  in  Jesus 
 Christ  the  Son  of  God,  whom  the  Father  sent  into  the  world  to 
 redeem  us  miserable  sinners  oppressed  with  the  tyranny  of  the 
 .aw^.    He  gave  his  life,  and  shed  his  blood  for  me.    Therefore^ 
 
292  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CHAP.  I\. 
 
 feeling  thy  terrors  and  threatening-s,  O  law,  I  plunge  my  con- 
 science in  tlie  wounds,  blood,  death,  resurrection  and  victory  of 
 my  saviour,  Christ.  Besides  him  I  will  see  nothing,  I  will  hear 
 nothing.  This  faith  is  our  victory,  whereby  we  overcome  the 
 terrors  of  the  law,  sin,  death,  and  all  evils,  and  yet  not  without 
 great  conflicts.  And  here  do  the  children  of  God,  which  are 
 daily  exercised  with  grievous  temptations,  wrestle  and  sweat 
 indeed.  For  oftentimes  it  cometh  into  their  minds  that  Christ 
 will  accuse  them,  and  plead  against  them :  that  he  will  require 
 an  account  of  their  former  life,  and  that  he  will  condemn  them. 
 They  cannot  assure  themselves  that  he  is  sent  of  his  Father  to 
 redeem  us  from  the  tyranny  and  oppression  of  the  law.  And 
 whereof  cometh  this?  They  have  not  yet  fully  put  off  the  flesh, 
 which  rebelleth  against  the  spirit :  therefore,  the  terrors  of  the 
 law,  the  fear  of  death,  and  such-like  sorrowful  and  heavy  sights, 
 do  oftentimes  return,  which  hinder  our  faith,  that  it  cannot  ap- 
 prehend the  benefit  of  Christ  (who  hath  redeemed  us  from  the 
 bondage  of  the  law)  with  such  assui-ance  as  it  should  do. 
 
 But  how,  or  by  what  means  hath  Christ  redeemed  us?  This 
 was  the  manner  of  our  redemption:  "he  was  made  mider  the 
 laAv."  Christ,  Avhen  he  came,  found  us  all  captives  under  gover- 
 nors and  tutors,  that  is  to  say,  shut  up  and  holden  in  prison 
 under  the  law.  What  doth  he  then?  Although  he  be  lord  of 
 the  law,  and  therefore  the  law  hath  no  authority  or  power  over 
 him,  (for  he  is  the  Son  of  God),  yet  of  his  own  accord  he  maketh 
 himself  subject  to  the  law.  Here  the  law  executcth  upon  him 
 all  the  jurisdiction  it  had  over  us.  It  accuseth  and  territieth  us 
 also:  it  maketh  us  subject  to  sin,  death,  the  wrath  of  God,  and 
 with  his  sentence  condemneth  us.  And  this  it  doth  by  good 
 right :  "  for  we  are  all  sinners,  and  by  nature  the  children  of 
 wrath."  (Eph.  ii.  3.)  Contrariwise,  Christ  did  no  sin,  neither 
 was  there  any  guile  found  in  his  mouth.  (1  Pet.  ii.  22.)  There- 
 fore he  was  not  subject  to  the  law.  Yet  notwithstanding  the 
 law  was  no  less  cruel  against  this  innocent,  righteous,  and  blessed 
 lamb,  than  it  was  against  us  cursed  and  damned  sinners,  yea 
 much  more  rigorous.  For  it  accused  him  as  a  blasphemer,  and 
 a  seditious  person:  it  made  him  guilty  before  God  of  the  sins  of 
 the  whole  world;  it  so  terrified  and  oppressed  him  with  heavi- 
 ness and  anguish  of  spirit,  that  he  sweat  blood;  and,  briefly,  it 
 condemned  him  to  death,  yea  even  to  the  death  of  the  cross. 
 (Matth.  xxvi.  65.    Luke  xxiii.  5.  xxii.  44.) 
 
 This  was  indeed  a  wonderful  combat,  where  the  law,  being  a 
 croature,  giveth  such  an  assault  to  his  creator;  and,  against  all 
 right  and  equity,  practiseth  his  whole  tyranny  upon  the  Son  of 
 God  which  it  exerciseth  upon  us  the  children  of  wrath.  Now, 
 therefore,  because  the  law  did  so  horribly  and  cursedly  sin 
 against  his  God,  it  is  accused  and  arraigned.  There  Christ  saith : 
 O  law,  thou  mighty  queen,  and  cruel  regent  of  all  mankind,  what 
 hfive  I  done  that  thou  hast  accused  me,  terrified  me,  and  ecu- 
 
VER.  4.J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  293 
 
 demned  me,  which  am  innocent?  Here  the  law,  which  had 
 before  condemned  and  killed  all  men,  when  it  hath  nothing- 
 wherewith  to  defend  or  purge  itself,  is  again  so  condemned  and 
 vanqviished,  that  it  loseth  his  whole  right,  not  only  over  Christ, 
 (whom  it  so  cruelly  handled  and  killed)  but  also  over  all  them 
 that  believe  in  him ;  for  to  those  Christ  saith,  "  Come  unto  me 
 all  ye  that  labour  under  the  yoke  of  the  law."  (Matt.  xi.  28.) 
 I  could  have  overcome  the  law  by  my  absolute  powei',  without 
 mine  own  smart :  for  I  am  the  Lord  of  the  law,  and  therefore 
 it  hath  no  right  over  me.  But  I  have  made  myself  subject  unto 
 the  law  for  your  cause  which  were  under  the  law,  taking  your 
 flesh  upon  me  :  that  is  to  say,  of  mine  inestimable  love  I  hum- 
 bled and  yielded  myself  to  the  same  prison,  tyranny,  and  bon- 
 dage of  the  law,  under  the  which  ye  served  as  captives  and 
 bond-slaves ;  I  suffered  the  law  to  have  dominion  over  me 
 which  was  his  Lord,  to  terrify  mc,  to  make  me  thrall  and  cap- 
 tive unto  sin,  death,  and  the  wrath  of  God,  which  it  ought  not 
 to  have  done.  Therefore  I  have  vanquished  the  law  by  double 
 right  and  authority :  first,  as  the  Son  of  God,  and  Lord  of  the 
 law  ;  secondly,  in  your  person ;  which  is  as  much  as  if  ye  had 
 overcome  the  law  yourselves ;  for  my  victory  is  yours. 
 
 After  this  manner  Paul  speaketh  every  where  of  this  mar- 
 vellous combat  between  Christ  and  the  law ;  and,  to  make  the 
 matter  more  delectable  and  more  apparent,  he  is  wont  to  set 
 forth  the  law  by  a  figure  called  prosopopoeia,  as  a  certain 
 mighty  person,  which  had  condemned  and  killed  Christ :  whom 
 Christ,  again  overcoming  death,  had  conquered,  condemned 
 and  killed,  (Eph.  ii.)  "  Killing  enmity  in  himself."  Again, 
 *'  Thou  hast  gone  up  on  high,  thou  hast  led  captivity  captive," 
 &c.  (Psalm  Ixviii.)  He  useth  the  same  figm*e  also  in  his 
 epistles  to  the  Romans,  Corinthians,  and  Colossians.  "  By  sin 
 he  condemned  sin,"  &c.  (Rom.  viii.  3.)  Christ,  therefore,  by 
 this  victory  banished  the  law  out  of  our  conscience,  so  that  now 
 it  can  no  more  confound  us  in  the  sight  of  God,  drive  us  to 
 desperation,  or  condemn  us.  Indeed,  it  ceaseth  not  still  to  re- 
 veal our  sin,  to  accuse  and  terrify  us  :  but  the  conscience,  tak- 
 ing hold  of  this  word  of  the  apostle,  "  Christ  hath  redeemed  us 
 from  the  law,"  is  raised  up  by  faith,  and  conceiveth  great  com- 
 fort. Moreover,  it  triumpheth  over  the  law  with  a  certain 
 holy  pride,  saying,  I  care  not  for  thy  terrors  and  threatenings; 
 for  thou  hast  crucified  the  Son  of  God,  and  this  hast  thou  done 
 most  unjustly;  therefore,  the  sin  that  thou  hast  committed 
 against  him  cannot  be  forgiven.  Thou  hast  lost  thy  right  and 
 sovereignty,  and  now  for  ever  thou  art  not  only  overcome, 
 condemned,  and  slain  unto  Christ,  but  also  to  me  believing  in 
 him,  unto  whom  he  hath  freely  given  this  victory.  So  the  law 
 is  dead  to  us  for  ever,  so  that  we  abide  in  Christ.  Thanks  be 
 therefore  to  God,  which  hath  given  us  the  victory,  througL 
 our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  (1  Cor.  xv.  57.) 
 
294  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CHAP.  IV. 
 
 These  tilings  do  also  confirm  this  doctrine,  that  we  are  jus- 
 tified by  faith  only.  For  when  this  combat  Avas  ft)ught  betwixt 
 Christ  and  the  law,  none  of  our  works  or  deserts  came  be- 
 tween, but  only  Christ  was  found,  who  putting  upon  him  our 
 person,  made  himself  subject  to  the  law,  and  in  perfect  inno- 
 cency  suffered  all  tyranny.  Therefore  the  law,  as  a  thief  and 
 a  cursed  murderer  of  the  Son  of  God,  loseth  all  his  right,  and 
 deserveth  to  be  condemned  in  such  sort,  that  wheresoever 
 Christ  is,  or  is  once  named,  there  it  is  compelled  to  avoid  and 
 fly  away,  no  otherwise  than  the  devil  (as  the  Papists  imagine) 
 flieth  from  the  cross.  Wherefore,  if  we  believe,  we  are  deli- 
 vered from  the  law  through  Christ,  who  hath  triumphed  over 
 it  by  himself,  (Col.  ii.  15.)  Therefore  this  glorious  triiimph, 
 purchased  unto  us  by  Christ,  is  not  gotten  by  any  works,  but 
 only  by  faith:  therefore  faith  onlyjustifieth. 
 
 These  words,  then,  *'  Christ  was  made  under  the  law,"  &c. 
 as  they  are  pithy,  and  import  a  certain  vehemency,  so  are  they 
 diligently  to  be  weighed  and  considered.  For  they  declare  tliat 
 the  Son  of  God  being  made  mider  the  law,  did  not  only  perform 
 one  or  two  works  of  the  law,  that  is  to  say,  he  was  not  only  cir- 
 cumcised, or  presented  in  the  temple,  or  went  up  to  Jerusalem 
 with  other  at  the  times  appointed,  or  only  lived  civilly  under 
 the  law,  but  he  suffered  all  the  tyranny  of  the  law.  For  the  law 
 being  in  his  principal  use,  and  full  power,  set  upon  Christ, 
 and  so  horribly  assailed  him,  that  he  felt  such  anguish  and  ter- 
 ror, as  no  man  upon  the  earth  had  ever  felt  the  like.  This  his 
 bloody  sAveat  doth  sufficiently  witness,  his  comfort  ministered  by 
 the  angel,  that  mighty  prayer  which  he  made  in  the  garden,  and 
 briefly,  that  lamentable  complaint  upon  the  cross:  "  O  my  God, 
 why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  ?"  These  things  he  suffered,  to  re- 
 deem those  that  were  under  the  law ;  that  is  to  say,  in  heavi- 
 ness of  spirit,  in  anguish  and  terror,  and  ready  to  despair,  which 
 were  oppressed  with  the  heavy  burden  of  their  sins,  as  indeed 
 we  are  all  oppressed.  For  as  touching  the  flesh  we  sin  daily 
 against  aU  the  commandments  of  God.  But  Paul  giveth  us 
 good  comfoi't  when  he  saith,  "  God  sent  his  Son,"  &c. 
 
 So  Christ,  a  divine  and  human  person,  begotten  of  God  with- 
 out beginning,  and  born  of  the  virgin  in  the  time  appointed, 
 came  not  to  make  a  law,  but  to  feel  and  suffer  the  terrors  of  the 
 law  with  all  extremity,  and  to  overcome  the  same,  that  so  he 
 might  utterly  abolish  the  law.  He  was  not  made  a  teacher  of 
 the  law,  but  an  obedient  disciple  to  the  law,  that  by  this  his 
 obedience  he  might  redeem  them  which  were  mider  the  law. 
 This  is  against  the  doctrine  of  the  Papists,  who  have  made 
 Christ  a  lawgiver,  yea,  much  more  severe  and  rigorous  than 
 Moses.  Paul  teacheth  here  clean  contrary ;  to  wit,  that  God 
 humbled  his  Son  under  the  law,  that  is  to  say,  constrained  him 
 to  beai'  the  judgment  and  curse  of  the  laAV,  sin,  death,  &c.  For 
 Moses,  the  mmister  of  *he  law,  sin,  wrath,  and  death,  appre- 
 
▼ER.  4.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  29o 
 
 hended,  bound,  condemned,  and  killed  Christ:  and  all  this  he 
 suffered.  Therefore,  Christ  standeth  as  a  mere  patient,  and  not 
 as  an  agent,  in  respect  of  the  law.  He  is  not  then  a  lawgiver, 
 or  a  judge  after  the  law;  but  in  that  he  made  himself  subject  to 
 the  law,  bearing  the  condemnation  of  the  law,  he  delivered  us 
 from  the  curse  thereof. 
 
 Now,  whereas  Christ,  in  the  gospel,  giveth  commandments, 
 and  teacheth  the  law,  or  rather  expoundeth  it,  this  pertaineth  not 
 to  the  doctrine  of  justification,  but  of  good  works.  Moreover,  it 
 is  not  the  proper  office  of  Christ  (for  the  which  he  came  princi- 
 pally into  the  world)  to  teach  the  law,  but  an  accidental  or  by- 
 office  :  like  as  it  was  to  heal  the  weak,  to  raise  up  the  dead,  &c. 
 These  are  indeed  excellent  and  divine  works,  but  yet  not  the 
 very  proper  and  principal  works  of  Clu-ist.  For  the  prophets  also 
 taught  the  law,  and  wrought  miracles.  But  Christ  is  God  and 
 man,  who,  fighting  against  the  law,  suffered  the  utmost  cruelty 
 and  tyranny  thereof.  And  in  that  he  suffered  the  tyranny  of 
 the  law,  he  vanquished  it  in  himself:  and  afterward,  being  raised 
 up  again  from  death,  he  condemned  and  utterly  abolished  the 
 law,  which  was  our  deadly  enemy,  so  that  it  cannot  condemn 
 and  kill  the  faithful  any  more.  Wherefore,  the  true  and  proper 
 office  of  Christ  is  to  wrestle  with  the  law,  with  the  sin  and  the 
 death  of  the  whole  world,  and  so  to  wrestle  that  he  must  suffer 
 and  abide  all  these  things ;  and  by  suffering  them  in  himself, 
 conquer  and  abolish  them,  and  by  this  means  deliver  the  faithful 
 from  the  law  and  fi-om  all  evils.  Therefore,  to  teach  the  law 
 and  to  work  miracles,  are  particular  benefits  of  Christ,  for  the 
 which  he  came  not  principally  into  the  world.  For  the  pro- 
 phets, and  especially  the  apostles,  did  greater  miracles  than 
 Christ  did,  (John  xiv.  12.) 
 
 Seeing  then  that  Christ  hath  overcome  the  law  in  his  owti 
 person,  it  followeth  necessarily  that  he  is  naturally  God.  For 
 there  is  none  else,  whether  he  be  man  or  angel,  which  is  above 
 the  law,  but  only  God.  But  Christ  is  above  the  law,  for  he 
 hath  vanquished  it:  therefore  he  is  the  Son  of  God,  and  naturally 
 God.  If  thou  lay  hold  upon  Christ,  in  such  sort  as  Paul  hero 
 painteth  him  out,  thou  canst  not  err  nor  be  confounded.  More- 
 over, thou  shalt  easily  judge  of  all  kinds  of  life,  of  the  religions 
 and  ceremonies  of  the  whole  world.  But  if  this  true  picture  of 
 Christ  be  defaced  or  in  any  wise  darkened,  then  followeth  a  con- 
 fusion of  all  things.  For  the  natural  man  cannot  judge  of  the 
 law  of  God.  Here  faileth  the  cunning  of  the  philosophers,  of 
 the  canonists,  and  of  all  men.  For  the  law  hath  power  and 
 dominion  over  man.  Therefore  the  law  judgeth  man,  and  not 
 man  the  law.  Only  the  Christian  hath  a  true  and  a  certain  judg- 
 ment of  the  law.  And  how?  That  it  doth  not  justify.  Where-' 
 fore  then  is  the  law  made,  if  it  do  not  justify:  Righteousness 
 before  God,  which  is  received  by  faith  alone,  is  not  the  final 
 cause  why  the  righteous  do  obey  the  law,  but  the  peace  of  the 
 
296  COMMENTARY   ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CHAP.  IV. 
 
 world,  thankfulness  towards  God,  and  good  example  of  life, 
 whereby  others  be  provoked  to  believe  the  gospel.  The  Pope 
 hath  so  confounded  and  mingled  the  ceremonial  law,  the  moral 
 law,  and  faith  together,  that  he  hath  at  length  preferred  the 
 ceremonial  law  before  the  moral  law,  and  the  moral  law  be- 
 fore faith. 
 
 Verse  5.     That  we  might  receive  the  adoption  of  sons. 
 
 Paul  setteth  forth  and  amplifieth  very  largely  this  place  of 
 Gen.  xxii.  "  In  thy  seed  shall  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  be 
 blessed."  A  little  before  he  called  this  blessing  of  the  seed  of 
 Abraham,  righteousness,  life,  the  promise  of  the  spirit,  delive- 
 rance from  the  law,  the  testament,  &c.  Here  he  calleth  it  the 
 adoption  and  inheritance  of  everlasting  life.  All  these  this  word 
 blessing  doth  comprehend.  For  when  the  curse  (which  is  sin, 
 death,  &c.)  is  abolished,  then,  in  the  stead  thereof,  succeedeth 
 the  blessing-,  that  is,  righteousness,  life,  and  all  good  things. 
 
 But  by  what  merit  have  we  received  this  blessing,  that  is  to 
 say,  this  adoption  and  inheritance  of  everlasting  life?  By  none  at 
 all.  For  what  can  men  deserve  that  are  shut  under  sin,  subject  to 
 the  curse  of  the  law,  and  worthy  of  everlasting  death?  We  have 
 then  received  this  blessing  freely,  and  being  utterly  unworthy 
 thereof,  but  yet  not  without  merit.  What  merit  is  that  ?  Not 
 ours;  but  the  merit  of  Jesus  Christ  the  Son  of  God,  who  being 
 made  under  the  law,  not  for  himself  but  for  us,  (as  Paul  said  afore, 
 that  "he  was  made  a  curse  for  us,")  redeemed  us  which  were 
 under  the  law.  Wherefore  we  have  received  this  adoption  by 
 the  only  redemption  of  Jesus  Christ  the  Son  of  God,  which  is 
 our  rich  and  everlasting  merit,  whether  it  be  of  congruence  or 
 worthiness,  going  before  grace  or  coming  after.  And  with  this 
 free  adoption  we  have  also  received  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  God 
 hath  sent  into  our  hearts,  crying,  Abba,  Father,  as  followeth. 
 
 Verse  6.     And  because  you  are  sons,  God  hath  sent  forth  the  spirit  of  his  Son 
 into  your  hearts. 
 
 //     The  Holy  Ghost  is  sent  two  manner  of  ways.     In  the  primi- 
 
 '    tive  chm'ch  he  was  sent  in  a  manifest  and  visible  appearance.  So 
 
 he  came  upon  Christ,  at  Jordan,  in  the  likeness  of  a  dove,  (Matt. 
 
 •^  iii.  16.)  and  in  the  likeness  of  fire  upon  the  apostles  and  other 
 
 ^   /       believers.  ( Acts  ii.  3. )  And  this  was  the  first  sending  of  the  Holy 
 
 *  '  >        Ghost:  which  was  necessary  in  the  primitive  church;  for  it  was 
 
 V^  expedient  that  it  should  be  established  by  many  miracles,  be- 
 
 »     \v\    cause  of  the  unbelievers,  as  Paul  witnesseth.  "  Strange  tongues,'* 
 
 v"        saith  he,  "  be  for  a  sign  and  a  token,  not  to  them  that  believe, 
 
 y*^  but  to  them  that  believe  not,"  (1  Cor.  xiv.  23.)     But  after  that 
 
 the  church  was  gathered  together,  and  confirmed  with  those 
 
 miracles,  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 
 
VER.  6.J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  297 
 
 of  the  believers,  as  here  it  is  said,  "  God  sent  the  spirit  of  his 
 Son,"  &c.  This  sending  is  without  any  visible  appearance;  to 
 wit,  when,  by  the  hearing  of  the  external  word,  we  receive  an 
 inward  fervency  and  light,  whereby  we  are  changed  and  become 
 new  creatures;  whereby  also  we  receive  a  new  judgment,  a  new 
 feeling,  and  a  new  moving.  Tlis  change,  and  this  new  judg- 
 ment, is  no  work  of  reason,  or  of  the  power  of  man,  but  is  the  gift 
 and  operation  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  coraeth  with  the  word 
 preached,  which  purifieth  our  hearts  by  faith,  and  bringeth  forth 
 in  us  spiritual  motions.  fTherefore,  there  is  a  great  difference 
 betwixt  us  and  those  wliich  with  force  and  subtilty  persecute 
 the  doctrine  of  the  gospel.  For  we,  by  the  grace  of  God,  can 
 certainly  judge  by  the  word,  of  the  will  of  God  towards  us:  also 
 of  all  laws  and  doctrines;  of  our  own  life,  and  of  the  life  of  others. 
 Contrariwise,  the  Papists  and  sectaries  cannot  certainly  judge 
 of  any  thing.  For  they  corrupt,  they  persecute,  and  blaspheme 
 the  word.  Now,  without  the  word,  a  man  can  give  no  certain 
 judgment  of  any  thing.]] 
 
 And  although  it  appear  not  before  the  Avorld,  that  we  be  re- 
 newed in  spirit,  and  have  the  Holy  Ghost,  yet  notwithstanding 
 our  judgment,  our  speech,  and  our  confession  do  declare  suffi- 
 ciently, that  the  Holy  Ghost  with  his  gifts  is  in  us.  For  before 
 we  could  judge  rightly  of  nothing.  We  spake  not  as  now  we  do. 
 We  confessed  not  that  all  our  works  were  sin  and  damnable,  that 
 Christ  was  our  only  merit,  both  before  grace  and  after,  as  now  we 
 do,  in  the  true  knowledge  and  light  of  the  gospel.  Wherefore 
 let  this  trouble  us  nothing  at  all,  that  the  world  (whose  works  we 
 testify  to  be  evil)  judgeth  us  to  be  most  pernicious  heretics  and 
 seditious  persons,  destroyers  of  religion,  and  troublers  of  the  com- 
 mon peace,  possessed  of  the  devil  speaking  in  us,  and  governing 
 all  our  actions.  Against  this  perverse  and  wicked  judgment  of  the 
 woi'ld,  let  this  testimony  of  our  conscience  be  sufficient,  whereby 
 we  assuredly  know  that  it  is  the  gift  of  God,  that  we  do  not  only 
 believe  in  Jesus  Christ,  but  that  we  also  preach  and  confess  him 
 before  the  Avorld.  As  Ave  believe  with  our  heart,  so  do  we  speak 
 with  our  mouth,  according  to  that  saying  of  the  Psalmist,  "  I 
 believed,  and  therefore  have  I  spoken."  (Psal.  cxvi.  10.) 
 
 Moreover  we  exercise  ourselves  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  avoid 
 sin  as  much  as  we  may.  If  we  sin,  we  sin  not  of  purpose,  but 
 of  ignorance,  and  we  are  sorry  for  it.  We  may  slip,  for  the  devil 
 lieth  in  wait  for  us,  both  day  and  night.  Also  the  remnants  of 
 sin  cleave  yet  fast  in  our  flesh:  therefore,  as  touching  the  flesh, 
 we  are  sinners,  yea,  after  that  we  have  received  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 And  there  is  no  great  difference  betwixt  a  Christian  and  a  civil 
 honest  man.  For  the  works  of  a  Christian  in  outward  shew  are 
 but  base  and  simple.  He  doth  his  duty  according  to  his  vocation, 
 he  guideth  his  family,  he  tilleth  the  ground,  he  giv^th  counsel, 
 he  aideth  and  succoureth  his  neighbour.  These  works  the  carnal 
 man  doth  not  much  esteem,  but  thinketh  them  to  be  common  to  all 
 
298  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUl's  [cHAP.  IV. 
 
 men,  and  such  as  the  heathen  may  also  do.  For  the  world  under- 
 standeth  not  the  things  which  are  of  the  spirit  of  God,  and  there- 
 fore it  judgeth  perversely  of  the  works  of  the  godly.  But  the  mon- 
 strous superstition  of  hypocrites,  and  their  will-works,  they  have 
 m  great  admiration.  They  count  them  holy  works,  mid  spare  no 
 charges  in  maintaining  the  same.  Contrariwise,  the  works  of  the 
 faithful,  (which,  although  in  outward  appearance  they  seem  to  be 
 but  ^n.\e  and  nothing  worth,  yet  are  they  good  works  indeed,  and 
 accepted  of  God,  because  they  are  done  in  faith,  with  a  cheerful 
 heart,  and  with  obedience  and  thankfulness  towards  God,)  these 
 works,  I  say,  they  do  not  only  not  acknowledge  to  be  good  works, 
 but  also  they  despise  and  condemn  them  as  most  wicked  and  abo- 
 minable. The  world,  therefore,  believeth  nothing  less  than  that 
 we  have  the  Holy  Ghost.  Notwithstanding,  in  the  time  of  tribu- 
 lation or  of  the  cross,  and  of  the  confession  of  our  faith,  (which  is 
 the  proper  and  principal  work  of  those  that  believe)  when  we 
 must  either  forsake  wife,  children,  goods,  and  life,  or  else  deny 
 Christ,  then  it  appeareth  that  we  make  confession  of  our  faith,  that 
 we  confess  Christ  and  his  word,  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 We  ought  not,  therefore,  to  doubt  whether  the  Holy  Ghost 
 dwelleth  in  us  or  not ;  but  to  be  assm*edly  persuaded  that  we 
 "are  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost,"  as  Paul  saith,  (1  Cor.  iii. 
 16.)  For  if  any  man  feel  in  himself  a  love  towards  the  word  of 
 God,  and  willingly  heareth,  talketh,  writeth,  and  thinketh  of 
 Christ,  let  that  man  know,  that  this  is  not  the  work  of  man's 
 will  or  reason,  but  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost :  for  it  is  impos- 
 sible that  these  things  should  be  done  without  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 Contrariwise,  where  hatred  and  contempt  of  the  word  is,  there 
 the  devil,  the  god  of  this  world,  reigneth,  "blinding  men's 
 hearts,  and  holding  them  captive,  that  the  light  of  the  glorious 
 gospeji  of  Christ  should  not  shine  unto  them."  (2  Cor.  iv.  4.) 
 Which  thing  we  see  at  this  day  in  the  most  part  of  the  common 
 people,  which  have  no  love  to  the  word,  but  contemn  it,  as 
 though  it  pertained  nothing  at  all  unto  them.  But  whosoever 
 do  feel  any  love  or  desire  to  the  word,  let  them  acknowledge 
 Avith  thankfulness,  that  this  affection  is  poured  unto  them  by  the 
 Holy  Ghost.  For  we  bring  not  this  affection  and  desire  with 
 us,  neither  can  we  be  taught  by  any  laws  how  we  may  obtain 
 it;  but  this  change  is  plaiiily  and  simply  the  work  of  the  right 
 hand  of  the  Most  High.  Therefore,  when  we  willingly  and 
 gladly  hear  the  word  preached,  concerning  Christ  the  Son  of 
 God,  who  for  us  was  made  man,  and  became  subject  to  the  law, 
 to  deliver  us  from  the  malediction  of  the  law,  hell,  death,  and 
 damnation;  then  let  us  assure  ourselves  that  God,  by  and  with 
 this  preaching,  sendeth  the  Holy  Ghost  into  our  hearts. 
 Wherefore  it  is  very  expedient  for  the  godly  to  know  that 
 they  have  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 £This  I  say,  to  confute  that  pernicious  doctrine  of  the  Papists, 
 which  taught  that  no  man  can  certainly  know  (although  his  life 
 
VER    6.3  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  299 
 
 be  never  so  upright  and  blameless)  whether  he  be  in  the  favour 
 of  God  or  no.  And  this  sentence,  commonly  received,  was  a 
 special  principle  and  article  of  faith  in  the  whole  papacy, 
 whereby  they  utterly  defaced  the  doctrine  of  faith,  tormented 
 men's  consciences,  banished  Christ  quite  out  of  the  church, 
 darkened  and  denied  all  the  benefits  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  abo- 
 lished the  whole  worship  of  God,  set  up  idolatry,  contempt  of 
 God,  and  blasphemy  against  God  in  men's  hearts. 
 
 Augustine  saith  very  well  and  godly,  that  "  every  man 
 seeth  most  certainly  his  own  faith,  if  he  have  faith."  This  do 
 they  deny.  God  forbid  (say  they)  that  I  should  assure  myself 
 that  I  am  under  grace,  that  I  am  holy,  and  that  I  have  the 
 Holy  Ghost,  yea,  although  I  live  godly,  and  do  all  good  works. 
 Ye  which  are  young,  and  are  not  infected  with  this  pernicious 
 opinion,     (whereupon    the   whole    kingdom    of   the   Pope  is  ^ 
 
 grounded,)  take  heed  and  fly  from  it,  as  from  a  most  horrible 
 plague.  We  that  are  old  men  have  been  trained  up  in  this 
 error,  even  from  our  youth,  and  have  been  so  nusled  therein, 
 that  it  hath  taken  deep  root  in  our  hearts.  Therefore  it  is  to 
 us  no  less  labour  to  unlearn  and  forget  the  same,  than  to  learn 
 and  lay  hold  upon  true  faith.  But  we  must  be  assured  and  out 
 of  doubt  that  we  are  under  grace,  that  we  please  God  for 
 Christ's  sake,  and  that  we  have  the  Holy  Ghost :  "  For  if  any 
 man  have  not  the  spirit  of  Christ,  the  same  is  none  of  his.'* 
 (Rom.  viii.  9.) 
 
 Wherefore,  whether  thou  be  a  minister  of  God's  word,  or  a 
 magistrate  in  the  commonwealth,  thou  must  assuredly  think 
 that  thy  office  pleaseth  God:  but  this  thou  canst  never  do,  unless 
 thou  have  the  Holy  Ghost.  But  thou  wilt  say,  I  doubt  not 
 but  that  my  office  pleaseth  God,  because  it  is  God's  ordinance; 
 but  I  doubt  of  mine  own  person,  whether  it  please  God  or  no. 
 Here  thou  must  resort  to  the  word  of  God,  which  teacheth  and 
 assureth  us,  that  not  only  the  office  of  the  person,  but  also  the 
 
 {)erson  itself  pleaseth  God.  For  the  person  is  baptized,  be- 
 iev^eth  in  Christ,  is  purged  in  his  blood  from  all  his  sins,  liveth 
 in  the  communion  and  fellowship  of  his  church.  Moreover, 
 he  doth  not  only  love  the  pure  doctrine  of  the  word,  but  also 
 he  is  glad,  and  greatly  rejoiceth  when  he  seeth  it  advanced,  and 
 the  number  of  the  faithful  increased.  Contrariwise,  he  de- 
 testeth  the  Pope  and  all  sectaries,  with  their  wicked  doctrine, 
 according  to  that  saying  of  the  Psalm :  "  I  hate  them  that 
 imagine  evil  things,  but  thy  law  do  I  love."  (Psal.  cxix.  113.)  J 
 
 We  ought,  therefore,  to  be  surely  persuaded,  that  not  only 
 our  office,  but  also  our  person  pleaseth  God ;  yea,  whatsoever 
 it  saith,  doth,  or  thinketh  particularly,  the  same  pleaseth  God, 
 riot  for  our  own  sakes,  but  for  Christ's  sake,  who  was  made  / 
 
 under  the  law  for  us.  Now,  we  are  sure  that  Christ  pleaseth 
 God,  that  he  is  holy,  &c.  Forasmuch,  then,  as  Christ  pleaseth 
 God,  and  we  are  in  him,  we  also  please  God,  and  are  holy. 
 
800  a:)MMENTARY  ON  ST.  paul's  [chap.  iv. 
 
 And  although  sin  do  still  remain  in  our  flesh,  and  we  also  daily- 
 fall  and  offend,  yet  grace  is  more  abundant  and  stronger  than 
 sin.  The  mercy  and  truth  of  the  Lord  reigneth  over  us  for 
 ever.  Wherefore  sin  cannot  terrify  us,  and  make  us  doubtful 
 of  the  grace  of  God  which  is  in  us.  For  Christ,  that  most 
 mighty  giant,  hath  quite  abolished  the  law,  condemned  sin,  van- 
 quished death,  and  all  evils.  So  long  as  he  is  at  the  right  hand 
 of  God,  making  intercession  for  us,  Ave  cannot  doubt  of  the 
 grace  and  favour  of  God  towards  us. 
 
 ^Moreover,  God  hath  also  sent  the  spirit  of  his  Son  into  our 
 hearts,  as  Paul  here  saith.  But  Christ  is  most  certain  in  his 
 spirit  that  he  pleaseth  God,  &c. ;  therefore  we  also,  having  the 
 same  spirit  of  Christ,  must  be  assured  that  we  are  under  grace 
 for  his  sake  which  is  most  assuredTj  This  I  have  said  concern- 
 ing the  inward  testimony,  whereby  a  Christian  man's  heart 
 ought  to  be  fully  persuaded  that  he  is  under  grace,  and  hath 
 the  Holy  Ghost.  Now,  the  outward  signs  f( as  before  I  have 
 said) J  are,  gladly  to  hear  of  Christ,  to  preach  and  teach  Christ, 
 to  render  thanks  unto  him,  to  praise  him,  to  confess  him,  yea, 
 with  the  loss  of  goods  and  life  :  moreover,  to  do  our  duty  ac- 
 cording to  our  vocation  as  we  are  able:  to  do  it  (I  say)  in  faith, 
 joy,  &c.  Not  to  delight  in,  nor  to  thrust  ourselves  into  another 
 man's  vocation,  but  to  attend  upon  our  own,  to  help  o\u*  needy 
 brother,  to  comfort  the  heavy  hearted,  &c.  By  these  signs,  as 
 by  certain  effects  and  consequents,  we  are  fuUy  assured  and  con- 
 firmed that  we  are  in  God's  favour.  [The  wicked  also  do  ima- 
 gine that  they  have  the  same  signs,  but  they  have  nothing  less. 
 Hereby  we  may  plainly  perceive  that  the  Pope  with  his  doc- 
 trine doth  nothing  else  but  trouble  and  torment  men's  con- 
 sciences, and  at  length  driveth  them  to  desperation.  For  he 
 not  only  teacheth,  but  also  commandeth  men  to  doubt.  There- 
 fore, as  the  Psalm  saith,  "  There  is  no  truth  or  certainty  in  his 
 mouth,"  (Ps.  V.  9.)  And  in  another  place  :  "  Under  his  tongue 
 is  iniquity  and  mischief,"   (Ps.  x.  7.) 
 
 Here  Ave  may  see,  Avhat  great  infirmity  is  yet  in  the  faith  of 
 the  godly.  For  if  Ave  could  be  fully  persuaded  that  we  are 
 under  grace,  that  our  sins  are  forgiven,  that  we  have  the  spirit  of 
 Christ,  that  we  are  the  children  of  God,  then,  doubtless,  Ave 
 should  be  joyfid,  and  thankful  to  God  for  this  inestimable  gift. 
 But  because  Ave  feel  contrary  motions,  that  is  to  say,  fear,  doubt- 
 fulness, anguish  and  heaviness  of  heart,  and  such-like,  there- 
 fore Ave  cannot  assure  ourselves  hereof:  yea,  our  conscience 
 judgeth  it  a  great  presumption  and  pride  to  challenge  this  glory. 
 Wherefore,  if  we  will  understand  this  thing  rightly,  and  as  we 
 should  do,  we  must  put  it  in  practice  ;  for  without  experience 
 and  practice  it  can  never  be  learned.]} 
 
 Wherefore,  let  every  man  so  practise  with  himself,  that  his 
 conscience  may  be  fully  assured  that  he  is  under  grace,  and  that 
 his  person  and  his  works  do  please  God.     And  if  he  feel  in 
 
VER,  6.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  301 
 
 himself  any  wavering-  or  doubting-,  let  him  exercise  his  faith,  and 
 wrestle  against  this  doubting,  and  let  him  labour  to  attain  more 
 strength  and  assurance  of  faith,  so  that  he  may  be  able  to  say, 
 I  know  that  I  am  accepted,  and  that  I  have  the  Holy  Ghost:  not 
 for  mine  own  v/orthiness,  my  work,  my  merit,  but  for  Christ's 
 sake,  who,  of  his  inestimable  love  towards  us,  made  himself  thrall 
 and  subject  to  the  law,  and  took  away  the  sins  of  the  world.  In 
 him  do  I  believe.  If  I  be  a  sinner  and  err,  he  is  righteous 
 and  cannot  err.  Moreover,  I  gladly  hear,  read,  sing,  and  write 
 of  him,  and  I  desire  nothing  more  than  that  his  gospel  may  be 
 known  to  the  whole  world,  and  that  many  may  be  converted 
 unto  him. 
 
 These  things  do  plainly  witness,  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  pre- 
 sent with  us  and  in  us.  For  such  things  are  not  wrought  in  the 
 heart  by  man's  strength,  nor  gotten  by  man's  industry  or  travel, 
 but  are  obtained  by  Christ  alone,  who  first  maketh  us  righteous 
 by  the  knowledge  of  himself  in  his  holy  gospel,  and  afterwards 
 he  createth  a  new  heart  in  us,  bringeth  forth  new  motions,  and 
 giveth  unto  us  that  assurance,  whereby  we  are  persuaded  that 
 we  please  the  Father  for  his  sake.  Also  he  giveth  us  a  true 
 judgment,  whereby  we  prove  and  try  those  things  which  before 
 we  knew  not,  or  else  altogether  despised.  It  behoveth  us, 
 therefore,  to  wrestle  against  this  doubting,  that  we  may  daily 
 overcome  it  more  and  more,  and  attain  to  a  full  persuasion 
 and  certainty  of  God's  favour  towards  us;  rooting  out  of  oui* 
 hearts  this  cursed  opinion,  that  a  man  ought  to  doubt  of  the 
 grace  and  favour  of  God,  which  hath  infected  the  whole  world. 
 
 LVerse  6.     Crying,  Abba,  Father, 
 
 Paul  might  have  said,  "  God  sent  the  spirit  of  his  Son  into 
 our  hearts,"  calling,  Abba,  Father.  He  saith  not  so,  but  cry- 
 ing "Abba,  Father,"  that  he  might  shew  and  set  forth  the 
 temptation  of  a  Christian,  which  yet  is  but  weak,  and  weakly 
 believeth.  In  the  eighth  to  the  Romans,  he  calleth  this  crying 
 an  unspeakable  groaning.  Likewise  he  saith:  "  The  spirit 
 helpeth  our  infirmities:  for  we  know  not  how  to  pray  as  we 
 ought,  but  the  spirit  maketh  intercession  for  us,  with  unspeak- 
 able groanings,"  &c. 
 
 And  this  is  a  singular  consolation  when  he  saith,  "  that  the 
 spirit  of  Christ  is  sent  into  our  hearts,  crying,  Abba,  Father:" 
 and  again,  "  that  he  helpeth  our  infirmities,  making  intercession 
 for  us  with  unspeakable  groanings."  He  that  could  assuredly 
 believe  this,  should  never  be  overcome  with  any  affliction,  were  it 
 never  so  great.J  But  there  are  many  things  that  hinder  this  faith 
 in  us.  First,  our  heart  is  born  in  sin:  moreover,  this  evil  is  na- 
 turally grafted  in  us,  that  we  doubt  of  the  good- will  of  God  to- 
 wards us,  and  cannot  assure  ourselves  that  we  please  God,  &c. 
 Besides  all  this,  the  devil  our  adversary  rangeth  about  with  ter- 
 
30&  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CHAP.  IV. 
 
 rible  roarings,  and  saith:  Thou  art  a  sinner;  therefore  God  n 
 angry  with  thee,  and  will  destroy  thee  for  ever.  Against  these 
 horrible  and  intolerable  roarings,  we  have  nothing  whereupon  to 
 hold  and  stay  ourselves,  but  only  the  word,  which  setteth  Christ 
 before  us  as  a  conqueror  over  sin  and  death,  and  over  all  evils. 
 But  to  cleave  fast  to  the  word,  in  this  temptation  and  these  tei*- 
 rors  of  conscience,  herein  standeth  all  the  difficulty.  For  then 
 Christ  appeareth  to  no  sense.  We  see  him  not;  the  heart  feel- 
 eth  not  his  presence  or  succour  in  temptation;  but  rather  it 
 Beemeth  that  he  is  angry  Avith  us,  and  that  he  forsaketh  us. 
 Moreover,  when  a  man  is  tempted  and  afflicted,  he  feeleth  the 
 strength  of  sin,  and  the  infirmity  of  the  flesh,  he  doubteth,  he 
 feeleth  the  fiery  darts  of  the  devil,  the  terrors  of  death,  the 
 anger  and  judgment  of  God.  All  these  things  cry  out  horribly 
 against  us,  so  that  we  see  nothing  else  but  desperation  and 
 eternal  death.  But  yet,  in  the  midst  of  these  terrors  of  the 
 law,  thunderings  of  sin,  assaults  of  death,  and  roarings  of  the 
 devil,  the  Holy  Ghost  (saith  Paul)  crieth  in  our  hearts,  "Abba, 
 Father!"  And  this  cry  surmounteth  the  horrible  cries  of  the 
 law,  sin,  death,  the  devil,  &;c. ;  it  pierceth  the  clouds  and  the 
 heavens,  and  ascendeth  up  into  the  ears  of  God. 
 
 Paul  signifieth,  therefore,  by  these  words,  that  there  is  yet  in- 
 firmity in  the  godly:  As  he  doth  also  in  the  eighth  chapter  to 
 the  Romans,  when  he  saith,  "the  spirit  helpeth  our  infirmities." 
 Forasmuch,  therefore,  as  the  sense  and  feeling  of  the  contrary 
 is  strong  in  us;  that  is  to  say,  forasmuch  as  we  feel  more  the 
 displeasure  of  God,  than  his  good-will  and  favour  towards  us, 
 therefore  the  Holy  Ghost  is  sent  into  our  hearts,  which  doth  not 
 only  sigh  and  make  request  for  us,  but  mightily  crieth,  "Abba, 
 Father !"  and  prayeth  for  us  according  to  the  will  of  God,  with 
 tears  and  unspeakable  groanings.  And  how  is  this  done?  When 
 we  are  in  terrors,  and  in  the  conflict  of  conscience,  Ave  take  hold 
 of  Christ,  and  believe  that  he  is  our  Saviour;  but  then  do  the 
 law  and  sin  terrify  and  torment  us  most  of  all.  Moreover,  the 
 devil  assaileth  us  with  all  his  engines  and  fiery  darts,  and  goeth 
 about  with  all  his  power  to  take  away  Christ  and  all  consolations 
 from  us.    Here  we  feel  ourselves  almost  gone,  and  at  the  point 
 
 1  of  desperation:  for  then  are  we  that  bruised  reed  and  smoking 
 flax,  which  Isaiah  speaketh  of,  chap.  xlii.  3.     Notwithstanding, 
 
 jin  the  mean  season,  the  Holy  Ghost  helpeth  our  infirmities,  and  j 
 maketh  intercession  for  us  with  unspeakable  groanings,  (Rom. 
 viii.  28.)  and  certifieth  our  spirits  that  we  are  the  children  of 
 God.  Thus  is  the  mind  raised  up  in  terrors:  it  looketh  unto 
 his  Saviour  and  high  bishop,  Jesus  Christ;  it  overcometh  the 
 infirmity  of  the  flesh;  it  conceiveth  comfort  again,  and  saith, 
 "  Abba,  Father."  This  groaning  which  then  we  scantly  feel, 
 Paul  calleth,  a  crying  and  unspeakable  groaning,  which  filleth 
 both  heaven  and  earth.  Moreover,  he  calleth  it  the  crying  and 
 groaning  of  the  spirit,  because  the  Holy  Ghost  stirreth  up  the 
 
TER.  6.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  SOS 
 
 same  in  our  hearts  when  we  are  weak,  and  oppressed  with  temp- 
 tation and  terror. 
 
 Although,  then,  the  law,  sin,  and  the  devil  cry  out  agaList  us 
 never  so  much,  with  great  and  terrible  roarings,  which  seem  to 
 fill  heaven  and  earth,  and  far  to  exceed  this  groaning  of  our 
 heart,  yet  can  they  not  luu't  us.  For  the  more  fiercely  they 
 assail  us,  accuse,  and  torment  us  with  their  cryings,  so  much 
 the  more  do  we  groan;  and  in  groaning  lay  hold  upon  Christ, 
 call  upon  him  with  heart  and  mouth,  cleave  unto  him,  and  be- 
 lieve that  he  was  made  under  the  law,  that  he  might  deliver  us 
 from  the  curse  of  the  law,  and  destroy  both  sin  and  death. 
 And  thus,  when  we  have  taken  hold  of  Christ  by  faith,  we  cry 
 through  him,  "Abba,  Father."  (Gal.  iv.  6.)  And  this  our  cry  y>'' 
 doth  far  surmount  the  roaring  of  the  law,  sin,  the  devil,  &c.  // 
 
 But  so  far  off  is  it  that  we  think  this  groaning,  which  we  make 
 in  these  terrors  and  this  our  weakness,  to  be  a  cry,  that  scarcely 
 we  perceive  it  to  be  a  groaning.  For  our  faith,  which  in  temp- 
 tation thus  groaneth  unto  Christ,  is  very  weak,  if  we  consider 
 our  own  sense  and  feeling;  and  therefore  we  hear  not  the  cry. 
 "  But  he,"  saith  Paul,  "  which  searcheth  the  hearts,  knoweth 
 what  is  the  meaning  of  the  spirit,"  &c.  (Rom.  viii.  27.)  To  this 
 searcher  of  the  hearts,  this  small  and  feeble  groaning  (as  it 
 seemeth  unto  us)  is  a  loud  and  a  mighty  cry,  and  an  unspeak- 
 able groaning;  in  comparison  whereof,  the  great  and  horrible 
 roarings  of  the  law,  of  sin,  of  death,  of  the  devil,  and  of  hell, 
 are  nothing;  neither  can  they  be  once  heard.  Paul,  therefore, 
 not  without  cause,  calleth  this  groaning  of  a  godly  afflicted 
 heart,  a  cry  and  a  groaning  of  the  spirit,  which  cannot  be  ex- 
 pressed; for  it  filleth  heaven,  so  that  the  angels  think  they 
 hear  nothing  else  but  this  cry. 
 
 But  in  us  there  is  a  clean  contrary  feeling.  "  For  it  seemeth 
 unto  us  that  tliis  our  small  groaning  doth  not  so  pierce  the 
 clouds,  that  there  is  nothing  else  heard  in  heaven  of  God  or  his 
 angels.  Nay,  we  think,  and  especially  during  the  time  of  temp- 
 tation, the  devil  horribly  roareth  against  us,  that  the  heavens 
 thunder  and  the  earth  trembleth,  that  all  will  fall  upon  us,  that 
 all  creatures  threaten  our  destruction,  that  heU  is  open  and 
 ready  to  swallow  us  up.  This  feehng  is  in  our  heart;  these 
 horrible  voices,  and  this  fearful  shew  we  hear  and.  we  see.  And 
 this  is  it  that  Paul  saith,  in  2  Cor.  xii.  9,  that  "  the  strength  of 
 Christ  is  made  perfect  through  our  weakness."  For  then  is 
 Christ  almighty  indeed;  then  doth  he  truly  reign  and  triumph 
 in  us,  when  we  are  so  weak  that  we  can  scarcely  groan.  But 
 Paul  saith,  that  this  groaning  is,  in  the  ears  of  God,  a  most 
 mighty  cry,  which  fiUeth  both  heaven  and  earth. 
 
 Christ  also,  in  the  eighteenth  of  Luke,  in  the  parable  of  the 
 wicked  judge,  calleth  this  groaning  of  a  faithful  heart,  a  cry, 
 yea,  ana  such  a  cry  as  ceaseth  not  day  and  night  to  cry  unto 
 God,  where  he  saith:  "Hear  what  the  unrighteous  judge  saith. 
 
304  COMMENTARY  ON  ST  PAUL*S  [CHAP.  IT. 
 
 InIow,  shall  not  God  avenge  his  elect,  which  cry  day  and  night 
 unto  him,  yea  though  he  suffer  long  for  them?  yea,  I  tell  yon, 
 he  will  avenge  them  quickly."  We  at  this  day,  in  so  great  per- 
 secution and  contradiction  of  the  Pope,  of  tyrants  and  sectaries, 
 which  fight  against  us  both  on  the  right  hand  and  on  the  left, 
 can  do  nothing  else  but  utter  such  groanings.  And  these  were 
 our  guns  and  artillery,  wherewith  we  have  so  many  years  scat- 
 tered the  counsels  and  enterprises  of  our  adversaries ;  whereby, 
 also,  Ave  have  begun  to  overthrow  the  kingdom  of  Antichrist. 
 They  also  shall  provoke  Christ  to  hasten  the  day  of  his  glo- 
 rious coming,  wherein  he  shall  abolish  all  rule,  authority,  and 
 power,  and  shall  put  all  his  enemies  under  his  feet.    So  be  it. 
 
 In  the  fourteenth  of  Exodus,  the  Lord  speaketh  unto  Moses 
 at  the  Red  Sea,  saying,  "  Why  criest  thou  unto  me?"  Yet 
 Moses  cried  not,  but  trembled  and  almost  despaired,  for  he  was 
 in  great  trouble.  It  seemed  that  infidelity  reigned  in  him,  and. 
 not  faith.  For  he  saw  the  people  of  Israel  so  compassed  and 
 enclosed  with  the  Egyptian  host  and  with  the  sea,  that  there 
 was  no  way  Avhereby  they  might  escape.  Here  Moses  durst  not 
 once  open  his  mouth.  How,  then,  did  he  cry  ?  We  must  not 
 judge,  therefore,  according  to  the  feeling  of  our  own  heart,  but 
 according  to  the  word  of  God,  which  teacheth  us  that  the  Holy 
 Ghost  is  given  to  those  that  are  aiflicted,  terrified,  and  re^dy 
 to  despair,  to  raise  them  up  and  to  comfort  them,  that  they  be 
 not  overcome  in  their  temptations'and  afflictions,  but  may  over- 
 come them,  and  yet  not  without  great  terrors  and  troubles. 
 
 The  Papists  dreamed,  "  that  holy  men  had  the  Holy  Ghost 
 in  such  sort  that  they  never  had  nor  felt  any  temptation." 
 They  spake  of  the  Holy  Ghost  only  by  speculation  and  naked 
 knowledge.  But  Paul  saith,  that  "  the  strength  of  Christ  is 
 made  perfect  through  our  weakness."  Also,  that  "  the  spirit 
 helpeth  our  iiifirmities,  and  maketh  intercession  for  us  with  un- 
 speakable groanings."  Therefore  we  have  then  most  need  of 
 the  help  and  comfort  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  yea,  and  then  is  he 
 most  ready  to  help  us,  when  we  are  most  weak,  and  nearest  to 
 desperation.  If  any  man  suffer  affliction  with  a  constant  and 
 a  joyful  heart,  then  hath  the  Holy  Ghost  done  his  office  in  him. 
 And,  indeed,  he  exerciseth  his  work  specially  and  properly  in 
 those  which  have  suffered  great  terrors  and  afflictions,  "  and 
 have,"  as  the  Psalm  saith,  "  approached  nigh  to  the  gates  of 
 hell."  As  I  said  of  Moses,  which  saw  present  death  in  the 
 waters,  and  on  every  side  whithersoever  he  turned  his  face.  He 
 was  therefore  in  extreme  anguish  and  desperation;  and  (no 
 doubt)  he  felt  in  his  heart  a  mighty  cry  of  the  devil  against  him, 
 saying.  All  this  people  shall  this  day  perish,  for  they  can  escape 
 no  way;  and  of  this  great  calamity  thou  only  shalt  be  found  to 
 be  the  author,  because  thou  hast  led  them  out  of  Egypt?  Be- 
 sides all  this,  the  people  cried  out  against  him,  saying,  "  Were 
 there  no  graves  in  Egypt?   Thou  hast  brought  us  out,  that  we 
 
VER.  6.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  305 
 
 should  die  here  in  the  wilderness.  Had  it  not  been  better  for 
 U3  to  have  served  the  Egyptians,  than  here  wretchedly  to  die 
 in  the  wilderness?"  (Exod.  xiv.  11.)  The  Holy  Ghost  was 
 not  here  in  Moses  by  bare  speculation  and  knowledge  only, 
 but  truly  and  effectually,  who  made  intercession  for  him  with 
 an  unspeakable  groaning,  so  that  he  sighed  unto  the  Lord  and 
 said,  "  O  Lord,  at  thy  commandment  have  I  led  forth  this 
 people  :  help  us,  therefore."  This  groaning  or  sighing  unto 
 God,  the  scripture  calleth  a  crying. 
 
 This  matter  I  have  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  temptation,  therefore,  we 
 must  in  no  wise  judge  thereof  according  to  our  own  sense 
 and  feeling,  or  by  the  crying  of  the  law,  sin,  and  the  devil,  &c. 
 If  we  then  foUoAv  our  own  sense,  and  believe  those  cryings, 
 we  shall  think  ourselves  to  be  destitute  of  all  help  and  succour 
 of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  utterly  cast  away  from  the  presence  of 
 God.  Nay,  rather  let  us  then  remember  what  Paul  saith,  "The 
 Spirit  helpeth  oui*  infirmities,"  &c.  Also  it  crieth,  "Abba, 
 Father;"  that  is  to  say,  it  uttereth  a  certain  feeble  sighing  and 
 groaning  of  the  heart,  (as  it  seemeth  unto  us),  which,  notwith- 
 standing, before  God  is  a  loud  cry  and  an  unspeakable  groaning. 
 Wherefore,  in  the  midst  of  thy  temptation  and  infirmity,  cleave 
 only  unto  Christ,  and  groan  unto  him :  he  giveth  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  which  crieth,  "Abba,  Father."  And  this  feeble  groan- 
 ing is  a  mighty  cry  in  the  ears  of  God,  and  so  filleth  heaven 
 and  earth,  that  God  heareth  nothing  else :  and  moreover,  it 
 stoppeth  the  cries  of  all  other  things  whatsoever. 
 
 Thou  must  mark  also  that  Paul  saith,  that  the  Spirit 
 maketh  intercession  for  us  in  our  temptation ;  not  with  many 
 words,  or  long  prayer,  but  only  with  a  groaning,  which  not- 
 withstanding cannot  be  expressed.  And  that  he  crieth  not 
 aloud  with  tears,  saying,  "  Have  merey  on  me,  O  God,"  &c. 
 (Ps.  li.  1.)  but  only  uttereth  a  little  sound,  and  a  feeble  groan- 
 ing, as  "  Ah,  father."  This  is  but  a  little  word,  and  yet,  not- 
 withstanding, it  comprehendeth  all  things.  The  mouth  speaketh 
 not,  but  the  affection  of  the  heart  speaketh  after  this  manner : 
 Although  I  be  oppressed  with  anguish  and  terror  on  every 
 side,  and  seem  to  be  forsaken  and  utterly  cast  away  from  thy 
 presence,  yet  am  I  thy  child,  and  thou  art  my  father,  for 
 Christ's  sake.  I  am  beloved,  because  of  the  Beloved.  Where- 
 fore, this  little  word,  "father,"  conceived  effectually  in  the 
 heart,  passeth  all  the  eloquence  of  Demosthenes,  Cicero,  and 
 of  the  most  eloquent  rhetoricians  that  ever  were  in  the  world. 
 This  matter  is  not  expressed  with  words,  but  with  groanings  ; 
 which  groanings  cannot  be  expressed  with  any  words  or  elo- 
 quence, for  no  tongue  can  express  them. 
 
 I  have  used  many  woi-ds  to  declare  that  a  Christian  must 
 ass.ue  himself  that  he  is  in  the  favour  of  God,  and  that  he  halh 
 
306  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  TAUl's  [CHAP.  IV, 
 
 the  crying"  of  the  Holy  Ghost  m  his  heart.  This  have  I  done, 
 that  we  may  leai'n  to  reject  and  utterly  to  ahandon  that  devilish 
 opinion  of  the  whole  kingdom  of  the  Pope,  Avhich  taught  that 
 a  man  ought  to  he  uncertain,  and  to  stand  in  douht  of  the  grace 
 and  favour  of  God  towards  him.  If  this  opinion  be  received, 
 then  Christ  profiteth  nothing ;  for  he  that  doubteth  of  God's 
 favour  towards  him,  must  needs  doubt  also  of  the  promises  of 
 God,  and  so,  consequently,  of  the  will  of  God,  and  of  the  be- 
 nefits of  Christ ;  namely,  that  he  was  born,  suffered,  died,  and 
 rose  again  for  us,  &c.  But  there  can  be  no  gi-eater  blasphemy 
 against  God,  than  to  deny  his  promises,  to  deny  God  himself, 
 to  deny  Christ,  &c.  Wherefore,  it  was  not  only  an  extreme 
 madness,  but  a  horrible  impiety  that  the  monks  did  so  earnestly 
 entice  the  youth,  both  men  and  women,  to  their  monasteries, 
 and  to  their  holy  orders,  (as  they  called  them)  as  to  a  most  cer- 
 tain state  of  salvation;  and  yet,  when  they  had  thus  done,  they 
 bade  them  doubt  of  the  grace  and  favour  of  God  towards  them. 
 
 Moreover,  the  Pope  called  all  the  world  to  the  obedience  of 
 the  holy  church  of  Rome,  as  to  a  holy  state,  in  the  which  they 
 might  undoubtedly  attain  salvation ;  and  yet,  after  he  had 
 brought  them  under  the  obedience  of  his  laws,  he  commanded 
 them  to  doubt  of  their  salvation.  So  the  kingdom  of  Antichrist 
 braggeth  and  vaunteth,  at  the  first,  of  the  holiness  of  his  or- 
 ders, his  rules,  and  his  laws,  and  assuredly  promiseth  everlast- 
 ing life  to  such  as  observe  and  keep  them.  But  afterwards, 
 when  these  miserable  men  have  long  afflicted  their  bodies  with 
 watching,  fasting,  and  such-like  exercises,  according  to  the  tra- 
 ditions and  ordinances  of  men,  this  is  all  that  they  gain  thereby, 
 that  they  are  uncertain  whether  this  obedience  please  God  or 
 no.  Thus  Satan  most  horribly  dallied  in  the  death  and  destruc- 
 tion of  souls  through  the  Pope  ;  and  therefore  is  the  papacy  a 
 slaughter-house  of  consciences,  and  the  very  kingdom  of  the 
 devil. 
 
 Now,  to  establish  and  confirm  this  pernicious  and  cursed 
 error,  they  alleged  the  saying  of  Solomon — "  The  just  and  the 
 Avise  men  are  in  the  hands  of  God ;  and  yet  no  man  knoweth 
 whether  he  be  worthy  of  love  or  of  hatred."  (Eccles.  ix.  1.) 
 Some  understand  this  of  that  hatred  which  is  to  come ;  and 
 some  again  of  that  which  is  present ;  but  neither  of  them  un- 
 <lerstan'd  Solomon,  Avho  in  that  place  meaneth  nothing  less  than 
 that  which  they  dream.  Moreover,  the  whole  scripture  teacheth 
 us,  especially  and  above  all  things,  that  we  should  not  doubt, 
 but  assure  ourselves  and  undoubtedly  believe  that  God  is  mer- 
 ciful, loving,  and  patient;  that  he  is  neither  a  dissembler  nor  a 
 deceiver ;  but  that  he  is  faithful  and  true,  and  keepeth  his  pro- 
 mise :  yea,  and  hath  performed  that  he  promised  in  delivering 
 his  only  begotten  Son  to  death  for  our  sins,  that  every  one  that 
 beiieveth  in  him  might  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life. 
 Htre  we  cannot  doubt  but  that  God  is  pleased  with  us,  that 
 
VER.  6.]  EPISTLE  TC    THE  GALATIANS,  307 
 
 he  loveth  us  indeed,  that  the  hatred  and  wrath  of  God  is  taken 
 away,  seeing  he  suffered  his  Son  to  die  for  us  wretched  sinners. 
 Although  this  matter  is  set  out  and  often  repeated  throughout 
 the  whole  gospel,  yet  it  profited  nothing  at  all.  This  one  say- 
 ing of  Solomon,  perversely  understood,  did  more  prevail  (espe- 
 cially among  the  votaries  and  hypocrites  of  the  straiter  religion) 
 than  all  the  promises  and  consolations  of  the  whole  scripture, 
 yea,  than  Christ  himself.  They  abused  the  scriptures  there- 
 fore, to  their  own  destruction,  and  were  most  justly  punished 
 for  despising  the  scriptures,  and  rejecting  the  gospel. 
 
 It  is  expedient  for  us  to  know  these  things:  first,  because  the 
 Papists  vaunt  of  their  holiness,  as  if  they  had  never  committed 
 any  evil.  Therefore  they  must  be  convinced  by  their  own  abo- 
 minations, wherewith  they  have  filled  the  whole  world,  as  their 
 own  books  do  witness,  whereof  there  is  yet  an  infinite  number. 
 Secondly,  that  we  may  be  fully  certified  that  Ave  have  the  pure 
 doctrine  of  the  gospel:  of  which  certainty  the  Pope  cannot  glory, 
 in  whose  kingdom,  though  all  things  else  were  sound  and  un- 
 corrupt,  yet  this  monstrous  doctrine,  of  doubting  of  God's  grace 
 and  favour,  passeth  all  other  monsters.  And  although  it  be 
 manifest  that  the  enemies  of  Christ's  gospel  teach  uncertain 
 things,  because  they  command  that  men's  consciences  should  re- 
 main in  doubt,  yet  notwithstanding  they  condemn  and  kill  us  as 
 heretics,  because  we  dissent  from  them,  and  teach  those  things 
 which  are  certain.  And  this  they  do  with  such  devilish  rage 
 and  cruelty,  as  if  they  were  most  assured  of  their  doctrine. 
 
 Let  us  therefore  giv^e  thanks  imto  God,  that  we  are  delivered 
 from  this  monstrous  doctrine  of  doubting,  and  can  now  assure 
 ourselves  that  the  Holy  Ghost  crieth,  and  bringeth  forth  in  oui' 
 hearts  unspeakable  groanings ;  and  this  is  our  anchor-hold,  and 
 our  foundation.  The  gospel  commandeth  us  to  behold,  not  our 
 own  good  works,  our  own  perfection;  but  God  the  promiser, 
 and  Christ  the  mediator.  Contrariwise,  the  Pope  commandeth 
 us  to  look,  not  unto  God  the  promiser,  nor  unto  Christ  our 
 high  bishop,  but  unto  our  works  and  merits.  Here,  on  the  one 
 side,  doubting  and  desperation  must  needs  follow :  but  on  the 
 other  side,  assurance  of  God's  favour  and  joy  of  the  spirit.  For 
 we  cleave  unto  God,  who  cannot  lie.  For  he  saith.  Behold,  I 
 deliver  my  Son  to  death,  that  through  his  blood  he  may  redeem 
 thee  from  thy  sins,  and  from  eternal  death.  In  this  case  I  can- 
 not doubt,  unless  I  will  utterly  deny  God.  And  this  is  the  rea- 
 son that  our  doctrine  is  most  sure  and  certain,  because  it  carrieth 
 us  out  of  ourselves,  that  we  should  not  lean  to  our  own 
 strength,  our  own  conscience,  our  own  feeling,  our  own  person, 
 and  our  own  works;  but  to  that  which  is  without  us,  that  is  to 
 say,  the  promise  and  truth  of  God,  which  cannot  deceive  us. 
 This  the  Pope  knoweth  not,  and  therefore  he  wickedly  ima- 
 gineth  that  no  man  knoweth,  be  he  never  so  just  or  so  wise, 
 whether  he  be  worthy  of  love  or  of  hatred.     But  if  he  be  iust 
 
S08  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [cHAP.  IV. 
 
 and  wise,  he  knoweth  assuredly  that  he  is  beloved  of  God,  or 
 else  he  is  neither  just  nor  wise. 
 
 Moreover,  this  sentence  of  Solomon  speaketh  nothing  at  all 
 of  the  hatred  or  favour  of  God  towards  men,  but  it  is  a  moral 
 sentence,  reproving  the  ingratitude  of  men.  For  such  is  the  per- 
 verseness  and  ingratitude  of  the  world,  that  the  better  a  man 
 deserveth,  the  less  thanks  he  shall  have,  and  oftentimes  he  that 
 should  be  his  most  friend,  shall  be  his  most  enemy.  Contrari- 
 wise, such  as  least  deserve,  shall  be  most  esteemed.  So  David,  a 
 holy  man,  and  a  good  king,  was  cast  out  of  his  kingdom.  The 
 prophets,  Christ,  and  his  apostles  were  slain.  To  conclude,  tlie 
 histories  of  all  nations  witness,  that  many  men,  well  deserving  of 
 their  country,  were  cast  into  banishment  by  their  own  citizens, 
 and  there  lived  in  great  misery,  and  some  also  shamefully 
 perished  in  prison.  Wherefore  Solomon  in  this  place  speaketh 
 not  of  the  conscience  having  to  do  with  God,  nor  of  the  favour 
 or  judgment,  the  love  or  hatred  of  God;  but  of  the  judgments 
 and  affections  of  men  among  themselves.  As  though  he  would 
 say,  There  are  many  just  and  wise  men,  by  whom  God  worketh 
 much  good,  and  giveth  peace  and  quietness  unto  men.  But  so 
 far  off"  are  they  from  acknowledging  the  same,  that  oftentimes 
 they  requite  them  again  most  unkindly  and  uncourteously  for 
 their  well-doings  and  deservings.  Therefore,  although  a  man 
 do  all  things  well,  and  never  so  well,  yet  he  knoweth  not 
 whether  by  this  his  diligence  and  faithfulness  he  deserve  the 
 hatred  or  favour  of  men. 
 
 So  we,  at  this  day,  when  we  thought  we  should  have  found 
 favour  among  oui*  own  countrymen,  for  that  we  preach  unto 
 them  the  gospel  of  peace,  life,  and  eternal  salvation ;  instead  of 
 favour,  we  have  found  bitter  and  cruel  hatred.  Indeed,  at  the 
 first,  many  were  greatly  delighted  with  our  doctrine,  and  re- 
 ceived it  gladly.  We  thought  they  would  have  been  our  friends 
 and  brethren,  and  that  with  one  consent,  together  with  us,  they 
 would  have  planted  and  preached  this  doctrine  to  others.  But 
 now  we  find  that  they  are  false  brethren  and  our  deadly  ene- 
 mies, which  sow  and  spread  abroad  false  doctrine;  and  that 
 which  we  teach  well  and  godly,  they  wickedly  pervert  and  over- 
 throw, stirring  up  offences  in  the  churches.  Whosoever,  there- 
 fore, doth  his  duty  godly  and  faitlifiilly,  in  what  kind  of  life 
 soever  he  be,  and  for  his  well-doing  receiveth  nothing  again  but 
 the  unkindness  and  hatred  of  men,  let  him  not  vex  and  torment 
 himself  therefore,  but  let  him  say  with  Christ,  "They  hated  me 
 without  a  cause."  Again,  "  For  that  they  shoidd  have  loved 
 me,  they  slandered  me;  but  I  did  pray."   (Ps.  cix.  3,  4.) 
 
 The  Pope,  therefore,  with  this  devilish  doctrine,  whereby  he 
 commanded  men  to  doubt  of  the  favour  of  God  towards  them, 
 took  away  God  and  all  his  promises  out  of  the  church,  buried  all 
 the  benefits  of  Christ,  and  abolished  the  whole  gospel.  These 
 inconveniences  do  necessarily  follow;  for  men  do  not  leai.  to  the 
 
VEn    6,  7.J  IMMSTLE  TO  THi:  GAI  VriANS.  309 
 
 promises  of  God,  but  to  their  own  works  and  merits.  There- 
 fore they  cannot  be  assured  of  the  good-will  of  God  towards 
 fliem,  but  must  needs  doubt  thereof,  and  so  at  length  despair. 
 No  man  can  understand  what  God's  will  is,  and  what  pleaseth 
 him,  but  in  his  good  word.  This  word  assureth  us  that  God 
 cast  away  all  the  anger  and  displeasure  which  he  had  conceived 
 against  us,  when  he  gave  his  only-begotten  Son  for  our  sins,  &c. 
 Wherefore,  let  us  utterly  abandon  this  devilish  doubting, 
 wherewith  the  whole  papacy  was  poisoned,  and  let  us  be  fully 
 assured  that  God  is  merciful  unto  us,  that  we  please  him,  that 
 he  hath  a  care  over  us,  that  we  have  the  Holy  Ghost,  which 
 niaketh  intercession  for  us  with  such  crying  and  groaning  as 
 cannot  be  expressed. 
 
 Now,  this  is  the  true  crying  and  gi'oauing  indeed,  when  a  man 
 in  temptation  calleth  upon  God :  not  as  a  tyrant,  not  as  an  angry 
 judge,  not  as  a  tormentor,  but  as  a  father,  although  this  groan- 
 ing be  so  soft  and  so  secret,  that  it  can  scarcely  be  perceived. 
 For  in  serious  temptations,  and  in  the  time  of  trial,  where  the 
 conscience  wrestleth  with  the  judgment  of  God,  it  is  wont  to 
 call  God,  not  a  father,  but  an  unjust,  an  angi-y,  a  cruel  tyrant 
 and  judge.  And  this  crying,  Avhich  Satan  stirreth  up  in  the 
 heart,  far  passeth  the  cry  of  the  spirit,  and  is  strongly  felt.  For 
 then  it  seemeth  that  God  hath  forsaken  us,  and  will  throw  us 
 down  into  hell.  So  the  faithful  complain  oftentimes,  in  the 
 Psalms :  "  I  am  cast  down  from  the  presence  of  God."  ( Ps. 
 xxxi.  22.)  Also,  "I  am  become  as  a  broken  vessel,  &c."  This 
 is  not  the  groaning  that  crieth,  "Abba,  Father;"  but  the  roaring 
 of  God's  wrath,  which  crieth  strongly,  O  cruel  judge,  O  cruel 
 tormentor,  &c.  Here  it  is  noAv  time  that  thou  turn  away  thine 
 e.yes  from  the  law,  from  works,  and  from  the  sense  and  feeling 
 of  thine  own  conscience,  and  lay  hold  by  faith  of  the  promise; 
 that  is  to  say,  of  the  word  of  grace  and  life,  which  raiseth  up 
 the  conscience  again,  so  that  it  now  beginneth  to  groan  and  say, 
 Although  the  law  accuse  me,  sin  and  death  terrify  me  never  so 
 much,  yet,  O  my  God,  thou  promisest  grace,  righteousness  and 
 ever  lasting  life  through  Jesus  Christ.  And  so  the  promise 
 bringeth  a  sighing  and  a  groaning,  which  crieth,  Abba,  Father. 
 
 Verse  7.    Wherefore  thou  art  no  more  a  servant,  but  a  son. 
 
 This  is  the  shutting  up  and  the  conclusion  of  that  which  he 
 said  before.  As  if  he  should  say.  This  being  true,  that  we  have 
 received  the  spirit  by  the  Gospel,  whereby  we  cry,  Abba,  Fa- 
 ther, then  is  this  decree  pronounced  in  heaven,  that  there  is  now 
 no  bondage  any  more,  but  mere  liberty  and  adoption.  And  who 
 bringeth  this  liberty?  Verily,  this  groaning.  By  what  means? 
 The  Father  offereth  unto  me,  by  his  promise,  his  grace  and  his 
 fatherly  favour.  This  remaineth  then,  that  I  should  receive  this 
 grace.  And  this  is  done  when  I  again  with  this  groaning  do  cry, 
 and  with  a  childly  heart  do  assent  unto  this  name,  Father. 
 
310  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL'S  (^CHAP.  IV 
 
 Here,  then,  the  father  and  son  meet,  and  the  marriag-e  is  made 
 up  without  all  pomp  and  solemnity:  that  is  to  say,  nothing  at  all 
 Cometh  between,  no  law  nor  work  is  here  required.  For  Avhat 
 should  a  man  do  in  these  terrors  and  horrible  darkness  of  temp- 
 tations? Here  is  nothing-  else  but  the  Father  promising,  and 
 calling  me  his  son,  by  Christ,  who  was  made  under  the  laAv, 
 &c. ;  and  I  receiving  and  answering  by  this  groaning,  saying, 
 "  Father."  Here  then  is  no  exacting;  nothing  is  required,  but 
 only  that  childly  groaning  that  apprehendeth  a  sure  hope  and 
 trust  in  tribulation,  and  saith,  Thou  promisest,  and  callest  me 
 thy  child,  for  Christ's  sake;  and  I  again  receive  thy  promise, 
 and  call  thee  Father.  This  is,  indeed,  to  be  made  children, 
 simply,  and  without  any  works.  But  these  things,  without 
 experience  and  practice,  cannot  be  understood. 
 
 Paul  in  this  place  taketh  this  word  "  servant,"  otherwise  than 
 lie  did  before,  in  the  third  chapter,  where  he  saith,  "  There  is 
 neither  bond  nor  free,"  &c.  Here  he  calleth  liim  a  servant  of  the 
 law  which  is  subject  to  the  law,  as  he  did  a  little  before:  "  We 
 were  in  bondage  under  the  rudiments  of  the  world."  Where- 
 fore to  be  a  servant,  according  to  Paul  in  this  place,  is  to  be 
 guilty  and  captive  under  the  law,  under  the  wrath  of  God  and 
 death,  to  behold  God,  not  as  a  merciful  father,  but  as  a  tormen- 
 tor, an  enemy,  and  a  tyrant.  This  is,  indeed,  to  be  kept  in 
 bondage  and  Babylonical  captivity,  and  to  be  cruelly  tormented 
 therein.  For  the  law  delivereth  not  from  sin  and  death,  but  re- 
 veal eth  and  increaseth  sin,  and  engeudereth  wrath.  This  bond- 
 age (saith  Paul,  Rom.  iii.  20,  iv.  15.)  continueth  no  longer:  it 
 oppresseth  us  not,  nor  maketh  us  heavy  any  more,  &c.  &c.  Paul 
 saith:  "Thou  shalt  be  no  more  a  servant."  But  the  sentence  is 
 more  general,  if  we  say:  there  shall  be  no  bondage  in  Christ  any 
 more,  but  mere  freedom  and  adoption.  For  when  faith  cometh, 
 that  bondage  ceaseth,  as  he  said  before,  in  the  third  chapter. 
 
 Now,  if  we,  by  the  spirit  of  Christ  crying  in  our  hearts, 
 *' Abba,  Father,"  be  no  more  servants,  but  children;  then  it  fol- 
 io weth  that  Avc  are  not  only  delivered  from  the  Pope,  and  all 
 the  abominations  of  men's  traditions,  but  also  fi'om  all  the  juris- 
 diction and  power  of  the  law  of  God.  Wherefore  we  ought  in 
 no  wise  to  suffer  the  law  to  reign  in  our  conscience,  and  much 
 less  the  Pope,  with  his  vain  threatenings  and  terrors.  Indeed,  he 
 roareth  mightily  as  a  lion  (Apoc.  x.  3.);  and  threateneth  to  all 
 those  that  obey  not  his  laws,  the  wrath  and  indignation  of  Al- 
 mighty God  and  of  his  blessed  apostles,  &c.  But  here  Paul  arm- 
 eth  and  comforteth  us  against  these  roarings,  when  he  saith: 
 "  Thou  art  no  more  a  servant,  but  a  son."  Take  hold  of  this 
 consolation  by  faith,  and  say,  O  law,  thy  tyranny  can  have  no 
 place  in  the  throne  where  Christ  my  Lord  sitteth:  there  I  can- 
 not hear  thee,  (much  less  do  I  hear  thee,  O  Antichrist,)  for  I  am 
 free  and  a  son,  who  must  not  be  subject  to  any  bondage,  or  sei- 
 vile  law.     Let  not  Moses,  therefore,  Avith  his  laws,  (much  less 
 
VER.  7.]  KPISTLK  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  311 
 
 the  Pope)  as(  end  up  into  the  bride-chamber,  there  to  lie,  that  is 
 to  say,  to  reign  in  the  conscience,  which  Clirist  hath  delivered 
 from  the  hiw,  to  the  end  that  it  shouhi  not  be  subject  to  any 
 bondage.  Let  the  servants  abide  with  the  ass  in  the  valley:  Let 
 none  but  Isaac  ascend  up  into  the  mountain  with  his  father 
 Abraham.  ( Gen.  xxii.  5. )  That  is,  let  the  law  have  dominion 
 over  the  body,  and  over  the  old  man:  let  him  be  under  the  law, 
 and  suffer  the  burden  to  be  laid  upon  him:  let  him  suffer  him- 
 self to  be  exercised  and  vexed  with  the  law:  let  the  law  limit  and 
 prescribe  unto  him  what  he  ought  to  do,  what  he  ought  to  suffer, 
 and  how  he  ought  to  live  and  govern  himself  among  men.  But 
 let  it  not  defile  the  bed  in  which  Christ  should  rest  and  sleep 
 alone:  that  is  to  say,  let  it  not  trouble  the  conscience.  For  she 
 alone  ought  to  live  with  Christ  her  spouse  in  the  kingdom  of 
 liberty  and  adoption. 
 
 If  then  (saith  he)  by  the  spirit  of  Christ  ye  cry,  Abba,  Father, 
 then  are  ye  indeed  no  longer  servants,  but  free  men  and  sons. 
 Therefore  ye  are  without  the  law,  without  sin,  without  death; 
 that  is  to  say,  ye  are  saved,  and  ye  are  now  quite  delivered  from 
 all  evils.  Wherefore  the  adoption  bringeth  Avith  it  the  eternal 
 kingdom,  and  all  the  heavenly  inheritance.  Now,  how  inesti- 
 mable the  glory  of  this  gift  is,  man's  heart  is  not  able  to  con- 
 ceive, and  much  less  to  utter.  In  the  mean  time  Ave  see  this  but 
 darkly,  and  as  it  were  afar  off:  we  have  this  little  groaning  and 
 feeble  faith  which  only  resteth  upon  the  hearing  and  the  sound 
 of  the  voice  of  Christ  in  giving  the  promise.  Therefore  we  must 
 not  measure  this  thing  by  reason,  or  by  om*  OAvn  feeling,  but 
 by  the  promise  of  God.  Noav,  because  he  is  infinite,  therefore 
 his  promise  is  also  infinite,  although  it  seem  to  be  never  so 
 much  inclosed  in  these  narroAV  straits,  these  anguishes,  I  mean. 
 Wherefore  there  is  nothing  that  can  noAV  accuse,  terrify,  or 
 bind  the  conscience  any  more.  For  there  is  no  more  servitude, 
 but  adoption :  which  not  only  bringeth  unto  us  liberty  from 
 the  law,  sin,  and  death,  but  also  the  inheritance  of  everlasting 
 life,  as  followeth. 
 
 Verse  7.     Now,  if  ihou  be  a  son,  thou  art  also  the  heir  of  God  through  Christ. 
 
 For  he  that  is  a  son,  must  be  also  an  heir:  for  by  his  birth 
 he  is  Avorthy  to  be  an  heir.  There  is  no  Avork  or  merit  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 
 born  is  that  which  maketh  him  an  heir.  So  we  obtain  eternal 
 gifts,  namely,  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  righteousness,  the  glory  of 
 the  resurrection,  and  everlasting  life,  not  as  agents,  but  as  pa- 
 tients ;  that  is,  not  by  doing,  but  by  receiving.  Nothing  hero 
 Cometh  betAveen,  but  faith  alone  apprehendeth  the  promise 
 offered.  Like  as  therefore  a  son,  in  the  politic  and  household 
 government,  is  made  an  heir  by  his  only  birth:  so  here,  faith 
 
312  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.   Pa  Ul/S  |,tHAP.  IV, 
 
 only  maketh  us  sons  of  God,  born  of  the  woi  fl,  which  is  the 
 womb  of  God,  wherein  we  are  conceived,  carried,  born,  ami 
 noiu-ished  up,  &c.  By  this  birth,  then,  Ave  are  made  new  crea- 
 tures, formed  by  faith  in  the  word:  we  are  made  Christians, 
 children  and  heirs  of  God  through  Jesus  Christ.  Now,  being 
 hens,  we  are  delivered  from  death,  sin,  and  the  devil,  and  we 
 have  righteousness  and  eternal  life. 
 
 But  this  far  passeth  all  man's  capacity,  that  he  calleth  us  heirs; 
 not  of  some  rich  and  mighty  prince,  not  of  the  emperor,  not  of 
 the  world,  but  of  God,  the  almighty  creator  of  all  things.  This, 
 our  inheritance,  then,  (as  Paul  saith  in  another  place)  is  inesti- 
 mable. And  if  a  man  could  comprehend  the  gi-eat  excellency  of 
 this  matter,  that  he  is  the  son  and  heir  of  God,  and  with  a  con- 
 stant faith  believe  the  same,  this  man  would  esteem  all  the  power 
 and  riches  of  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  Avorld  but  as  filthy  dung, 
 in  comparison  of  his  eternal  inheritance.  He  would  abhor  what- 
 soever is  high  and  glorious  in  the  world ;  yea,  the  greater  the 
 pomp  and  glory  of  the  Avorld  is,  the  more  would  he  hate  it.  To 
 conclude,  whatsoever  the  Avorld  most  highly  esteemeth  and  mag- 
 nifieth,  that  should  be,  in  his  eyes,  most  vile  and  abominable. 
 For  what  is  all  the  world,  with  all  his  power,  riches,  and  glory, 
 in  comparison  of  God,  whose  son  and  heir  he  is?  Furthermore, 
 he  would  heartily  desire  with  Paul,  (Philip,  i.  23.)  to  be  loosed, 
 and  to  be  with  Christ;  and  nothing  could  be  more  Avelcome  unto 
 him  than  speedy  death,  which  he  would  embrace  as  a  most  joyful 
 peace,  knowing  that  it  should  be  the  end  of  all  his  miseries,  and 
 that  through  it  he  should  attain  to  his  inheritance,  &c.  Yea,  a 
 man  that  could  perfectly  believe  this,  should  not  long  remain 
 alive,  but  should  be  swallowed  up  incontinent  with  excessive  joy. 
 
 But  the  law  of  the  members,  striving  against  the  law  of  the 
 mind,  hindereth  faith  in  us,  and  suffereth  it  not  to  be  perfect. 
 Therefore  we  have  need  of  the  help  and  comfort  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  which  in  our  troubles  and  afflictions  may  make  inter- 
 cession for  us  with  unspeakable  groanings,  as  before  I  have  said. 
 Sin  yet  remaineth  in  the  flesh,  which  oftentimes  oppresseth  the 
 conscience,  and  so  hindereth  faith,  that  we  cannot  with  joy  per- 
 fectly behold  and  desire  those  eternal  riches  which  God  hath 
 given  unto  us  through  Christ.  Paul  himself,  feeling  this  battle 
 of  the  flesh  against  the  spirit,  crieth  out:  "  O  wretched  man  that 
 I  am,  who  shall  deliver  me  from  this  body  of  death?"  (Rom. 
 vii.  24.)  He  accuseth  his  body,  which  notwithstanding  it  be- 
 hoved him  to  love,  calling  it  by  an  odious  name,  his  Death. 
 As  if  he  would  say :  My  body  doth  more  afflict  me,  and  more 
 grievously  vex  me,  than  death  itself.  For  it  hindered  in  him  also 
 this  joy  of  spirit.  He  had  not  always  the  sweet  and  joyful  cogi- 
 tations of  the  heavenly  inheritance  to  come,  but  he  felt  often- 
 times also  much  heaviness  of  spirit,  great  anguish,  and  terrors. 
 
 Hereby  we  may  plainly  see  how  hard  a  matter  faith  is:  which 
 is  not  easily  and  quickly  apprehended,  as  certain  full  and  loath- 
 
VER.  7,  8,  9.J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  31S 
 
 iug  spirits  dream,  which  swallow  up  at  once  all  that  is  contained 
 in  the  holy  scriptures.  The  ^reat  infirmity  which  is  in  the 
 saints,  and  the  striving  of  the  flesh  against  the  spirit,  do  suffi- 
 ciently witness  how  feeble  faith  is  in  them.  For  a  perfect  faith 
 bringeth  by-and-by  a  perfect  contempt  and  loathing  of  this 
 present  life.  If  we  could  fully  assure  ourselves,  and  constantly 
 believe  that  God  is  our  father,  and  we  his  son  and  heirs, 
 then  should  we  utterly  contemn  this  Avorld,  with  all  the  glory, 
 righteousness,  wisdom,  and  power,  with  all  the  royal  sceptres 
 and  crowns,  and  with  all  the  riches  and  pleasures  thereof.  We 
 should  not  be  so  careful  for  this  life:  we  should  not  be  so  ad- 
 dicted to  the  world  and  worldly  things,  trusting  unto  them 
 when  we  have  them,  lamenting  and  despairing  when  we  lose 
 them ;  but  we  should  do  all  things  with  great  love,  humility, 
 and  patience.  But  we  do  the  contrary:  for  the  flesh  is  yet 
 strong,  but  faith  is  feeble,  and  the  spirit  weak.  Therefore  Paul 
 saith  very  well,  that  we  have  here,  in  this  life,  but  only  the 
 first-fruits  of  the  spirit,  and  that,  in  the  world  to  come,  we  shall 
 have  the  tenths  also. 
 
 Verse  7.     Through  Christ. 
 
 Paul  hath  Christ  always  in  his  mouth:  he  cannot  forget  him. 
 for  he  did  well  foresee  that  nothing  should  be  less  known  in  the 
 world  (yea,  among  them  which  should  profess  themselves  to  be 
 Christians)  than  Christ  and  his  gospel.  Therefore  he  talketh 
 of  him,  and  setteth  him  before  our  eyes  continually.  And  as 
 often  as  he  speaketh  of  grace,  righteousness,  the  promise,  adop- 
 tion, and  inheritance,  he  is  always  wont  to  add,  "  in  Christ," 
 or  "  through  Christ,"  covertly  impugning  the  law.  As  if  he 
 would  say :  These  things  come  unto  us  neither  by  the  law  nor 
 by  the  works  thereof;  much  less  by  our  own  strength,  or  by 
 the  works  of  men's  traditions;  but  only  by  Christ. 
 
 Verse  8,  9.  But  even  then,  when  ye  knew  not  God,  ye  did  service  unto  them 
 which  by  nature  are  no  gods.  But  now,  seeing  ye  know  God,  yea,  rather, 
 are  known  of  God,  how  turn  you  again  unto  impotent  and  beggarly  rudi- 
 ments, whereunto,  as  from  the  beginning,  ye  will  be  in  bondage  again  ? 
 
 This  is  the  conclusion  of  Paul's  disputation.  From  this  place 
 unto  the  end  of  the  epistle  he  doth  not  much  dispute,  but  only 
 giveth  precepts  as  touching  manners.  Notwithstanding  he  first 
 reproveth  the  Galatians,  being  sore  displeased  that  this  di^dne 
 and  heavenly  doctrine  should  be  so  suddenly  and  easily  removed 
 out  of  their  hearts.  As  if  he  would  say.  Ye  have  teachers 
 which  will  bring  you  back  again  into  the  bondage  of  the  law. 
 This  did  not  I;  but  by  my  doctrine  I  called  you  out  of  dark- 
 ness, and  out  of  the  ignorance  of  God,  into  a  wonderful  light 
 and  knowledge  of  him.  I  brought  you  out  of  bondage,  and  set 
 you  in  the  freedom  of  the  sons  of  God,  not  by  preaching  unto 
 
314  COMMENTARY  ON   ST.  PAUl's  [CHAP.  IV, 
 
 you  the  works  of  the  \-dw,  or  the  merits  of  men,  but  the  grace 
 aud  righteousness  of  God,  and  the  giving  of  heavenly  and  eter- 
 nal blessings  through  Christ.  Now,  seeing  this  is  true,  why 
 do  you  so  soon  forsake  the  light,  and  return  to  darkness?  Why 
 do  ye  suffer  yourselves  so  easily  to  be  brought  from  grace  unto 
 the  law,  from  freedom  to  bondage  ? 
 
 Here  again  we  see  (as  before  I  have  said)  that  to  fall  in  faith 
 is  an  easy  matter,  as  the  example  of  the  Galatians  witnesseth. 
 The  example  of  the  Anabaptists,  libertines,  and  such  other  here- 
 tics, witnesseth  the  same  also  at  this  day.  We,  for  our  part,  do 
 set  forth  the  doctrine  of  faith  with  continual  travel,  by  preach- 
 ing, by  reading,  and  by  writing;  we  purely  and  plainly  distin- 
 guish the  gospel  from  the  law,  and  yet  do  we  little  prevail.  This 
 Cometh  of  the  devil,  who  goeth  about  by  all  subtle  means  to  se- 
 duce men,  and  to  hold  them  in  error:  he  can  abide  nothing  less 
 than  the  true  knowledge  of  grace,  and  faith  in  Christ.  There 
 fore,  to  the  end  he  may  take  Christ  clean  out  of  sight,  he  set 
 teth  before  them  other  shows,  Avherewith  he  so  deceiveth  them, 
 that  by  little  and  little  he  leadeth  them  from  faith  and  the 
 knowledge  of  grace,  to  the  disputation  of  the  law.  When  he 
 hath  brought  this  about,  then  is  Christ  taken  away.  It  is  not 
 without  cause,  therefore,  that  Paul  speaketh  so  much  and  so 
 often  of  Christ,  and  that  he  goeth  about  so  purely  to  set  forth 
 the  doctrine  of  faith;  Avhereunto  he  attributeth  righteousness 
 only  and  alone,  and  taketli  it  from  the  law,  declaring  that  the 
 law  hath  a  clean  contrary  effect;  that  is,  to  engender  wrath,  to 
 increase  sin,  &c.  For  he  would  gladly  persuade  us  that  we 
 should  not  suffer  Christ  to  be  plucked  out  of  our  heart :  that 
 the  spouse  should  not  suffer  her  husband  to  depart  out  of  her 
 arms,  but  should  always  embrace  him,  and  cleave  fast  unto  him, 
 who,  being  present,  there  is  no  danger ;  yea,  there  is  the  faith- 
 ful groaning,  fatherly  good-will,  adoption,  and  inheritance. 
 
 But  why  saith  Paul  that  the  Galatians  turned  back  again  to 
 weak  and  beggarly  rudiments  or  ceremonies ;  that  is  to  say,  to 
 the  law,  whereas  they  never  had  the  law;  for  they  were  Gen- 
 tiles, (notwithstanding  he  %vrote  these  things  to  the  Jews  also,  as 
 afterwards  we  will  declare,)  or  why  speaketh  he  not  after  this 
 manner? — Once,  when  ye  knew  not  God,  ye  did  service  unto 
 them  which  by  nature  were  no  gods;  but  now,  seeing  ye  know 
 God,  Avhy  turn  ye  back  again,  forsaking  the  true  God,  to  wor- 
 ship idols?  Doth  Paul  take  it  to  be  all  one  thing,  to  fall  from 
 the  promise  to  the  law,  from  faith  to  works,  and  to  do  service 
 unto  gods  which  by  nature  are  no  gods?  I  answer,  whosoever 
 is  fallen  from  the  article  of  justification,  is  ignorant  of  God,  and 
 an  idolater.  Therefore,  it  is  all  one  thing,  whether  he  after- 
 wards turn  again  to  the  law,  or  to  the  worshipping  of  idols;  it 
 is  all  one  whether  he  be  called  i  Monk,  a  Tm*k,  a  Jew,  or  an 
 Anabaptist.  For  when  this  article  is  taken  away,  there  re- 
 maineth  nothing  else  but  error,  hypocrisy^  impiety,  and  idolatry, 
 
VER.  8.]  EPISTLE  TC  THE  GALAIIANS.  315 
 
 how  much  soever  it  seem  in  outward  appearance  to  be  the  very 
 truth,  the  true  service  of  God,  and  true  hoHness,  &c. 
 
 The  reason  is,  because  God  will  or  can  be  known  no  other- 
 wise than  by  Christ,  according  to  that  saying  of  John  i.  "  The 
 only  begotten  Son,  which  is  in  the  bofeom  of  the  Father,  he 
 hath  declared  him."  He  is  the  seed  promised  unto  Abraham, 
 in  whom  God  hath  established  all  his  promises.  Wlierefore, 
 Christ  is  the  only  mean,  and,  as  ye  would  say,  the  glass,  by  the 
 which  we  see  God  ;  that  is  to  say,  we  know  his  will.  For  in 
 Christ  we  see  that  God  is  not  a  cruel  exactor  or  a  judge,  but  a 
 most  favourable,  loving,  and  merciful  Father,  who,  to  the  end 
 he  might  bless  us,  that  is  to  say,  deliver  us  from  the  law,  sin, 
 death,  and  all  evils,  and  might  endue  us  with  grace,  righteous- 
 ness, and  everlasting  life,  "  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  gave 
 him  for  us  all,"  &c.  (Rom.  viii.  32.)  This  is  a  true  know- 
 ledge of  God,  and  a  divine  persuasion,  which  deceiveth  us  not, 
 but  painteth  out  God  unto  us  lively. 
 
 He  that  is  fallen  from  this  knowledge,  must  needs  conceive 
 this  fantasy  in  his  heart :  I  will  set  up  such  a  service  of  God ; 
 I  will  enter  into  such  an  order;  I  will  choose  this  or  that  work: 
 and  so  I  will  serve  God,  and  I  doubt  not  but  God  Avill  accept 
 this,  and  reward  me  with  everlasting  life,  for  the  same.  For 
 he  is  merciful  and  liberal,  giving  all  good  things  even  to  the 
 UHAvorthy  and  unthankful ;  much  more  Avill  he  give  unto  me 
 grace  and  everlasting  life,  for  my  great  and  manifold  good 
 deeds  and  merits.  This  is  the  highest  wisdoju,  righteousness, 
 and  religion,  that  reason  can  judge  of;  which  is  common  to  all 
 nations,  to  the  Papists,  Jews,  Turks,  heretics,  &c.  They  can 
 go  no  liigher  than  that  Pharisee  did,  of  whom  mention  is  made 
 in  the  gospel,  (Luke  xviii.  11,  12.)  They  have  no  knowledge 
 of  the  Christian  righteousness,  or  of  the  righteousness  of  faith; 
 "  For  the  natural  man  perceiveth  not  the  mysteries  of  God," 
 (1  Cor.  ii.  14.)  Also,  "There  is  none  that  understandeth, 
 there  is  none  that  seeketh  after  God,"  &c.  (Rom.  iii.  11.) 
 Therefore,  there  is  no  difference  at  all  between  a  Papist,  a 
 Jew,  a  Turk,  and  an  heretic.  Indeed,  there  is  a  difference  of 
 the  persons,  the  places,  rites,  religions,  works,  and  worship- 
 pings ;  notwithstanding,  there  is  all  one  and  the  same  reason, 
 the  same  heart,  opinion,  and  cogitation,  in  them  alL  For  the 
 Turk  thinketh  the  self-same  thing  that  the  Charter-house 
 monk  doth ;  namely,  if  I  do  this  or  that  work,  God  will  be 
 merciful  imto  me  ;  if  I  do  it  not,  he  will  be  angry.  There  is 
 no  mean  betwixt  man's  working  and  the  knowledge  of  Christ. 
 If  this  knowledge  be  darkened  or  defaced,  it  is  all  one,  whe- 
 ther thou  be  a  monk,  a  Turk,  a  Jew,  &c. 
 
 Wherefore,  it  is  an  extreme  madness  that  the  Papists  and 
 Turks  do  so  strive  among  themselves  about  the  religion  and 
 service  of  God,  contending  that  both  of  them  have  the  true  re- 
 %ion  and  true  worship  of  God.     And  the  monks  themselves 
 
316  COMMENTARY  OK  ST.  PAUl/s  [CHAP.  IV. 
 
 agree  not  together :  for  one  of  them  will  be  accounted  more 
 holy  than  another,  for  certain  foolish  outward  ceremonies  ;  and 
 yet,  in  their  hearts,  the  opinion  of  them  all  is  so  alike,  that  one 
 egg  is  not  more  like  to  another.  For  this  is  the  imagination 
 of  them  all :  If  I  do  this  work,  God  will  have  mercy  upon  me; 
 if  I  do  it  not,  he  will  be  angry.  And,  therefore,  every  man 
 that  revolteth  from  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  must  needs  fall 
 into  idolatry,  and  conceive  such  an  imagination  of  God,  as  is 
 not  agreeable  to  his  nature.  As  the  Charter-house  monk  for 
 the  oJjserving  of  his  rule,  the  Turk  for  the  keeping  of  his 
 Alcoran,  hath  this  assurance,  that  he  pleaseth  God,  and  shall 
 receive  a  reward  of  him  for  his  labour. 
 
 Such  a  god  as,  after  this  sort,  forgiveth  sins,  and  justitieth 
 sinners,  can  no  where  be  found,  and  therefore  this  is  but  a  vain 
 imagination,  a  dream,  and  an  idol  of  the  heart.  For  God  hath 
 not  promised  that  he  will  save  and  justify  men  for  the  religions, 
 observations,  ceremonies,  and  ordinances,  devised  by  men  ;  yea, 
 God  abhorreth  nothing  more  (as  the  whole  scripture  witnesseth) 
 than  such  will-works,  such  service,  rites,  and  ceremonies ;  for 
 the  which  also  he  overthroweth  whole  kingdoms  and  empires. 
 Therefore,  as  many  as  trust  to  their  own  strength  and  righteous- 
 ness, do  serve  a  god,  but  such  a  god  as  they  themselves  have  de- 
 vised, and  not  the  true  God  indeed.  For  the  true  God  speaketh 
 thus:  No  righteousness,  wisdom,  nor  religion,  pleaseth  me,  but 
 that  only  whereby  the  Father  is  glorified  through  the  Son. 
 Whosoever  apprehendeth  this  Son,  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,  justify,  and  save.  All  others  abide  under  wrath, 
 because  they  worship  that  thing  which  by  nature  is  no  god. 
 
 Whosoever  forsaketh  this  doctrine,  must  needs  fall  into  the 
 ignorance  of  God;  he  understandeth  not  what  the  true  Christian 
 righteousness,  wisdom,  and  service  of  God  is;  he  is  an  idolater, 
 abiding  under  the  law,  sin,  death,  and  the  power  of  the  devil, 
 and  all  things  that  he  doth,  are  accursed  and  condemned. 
 Therefore  the  Anabaptist,  imagining  with  himself  that  he 
 pleaseth  God,  if  he  be  re-baptized,  if  he  forsake  his  house,  wife, 
 and  children;  if  he  mortify  his  flesh,  and  suffer  much  adversity, 
 and  at  length  death  itself;  yet  there  is  not  one  drop  of  the 
 knowledge  of  Christ  in  him,  but,  secluding  Christ,  he  dreameth 
 altogether  of  his  own  works,  of  the  forsaking  of  his  goods,  of 
 bis  affliction  and  mortification,  and  now  differeth  nothing  from 
 the  Turk,  Jew,  or  Papist,  in  spirit  or  in  heart,  but  only  in  the 
 outward  appearance,  works,  and  ceremonies,  which  he  hath 
 chosen  to  himself.  The  same  confidence  in  works  have  all  the 
 monks  and  other  religious  orders;  notwithstanding,  in  their  ap- 
 parel and  other  outward  ^Jiings,  there  is  a  difference. 
 
 There  are  at  this  liay  very  many  like  unto  these,  which, 
 notwithstanding,  would  be  counted  amon^  the  true  professors 
 and  teachers  of  the  gospel ;  and,  as  touchmg  the  words,  they 
 
VEH.  8.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS  317 
 
 teach  that  men  are  delivered  from  their  sins  by  the  death  of 
 Christ.  But  because  they  teach  faith  in  such  sort,  that  they 
 attribute  more  to  charity  than  to  faith,  they  highly  dishonour 
 Christ,  and  wickedly  pervert  his  word.  For  they  dream  that 
 God  regardeth  and  accepteth  us  for  our  charities'  sake; 
 whereby,  we  being  reconciled  to  God,  do  love  God  and  our 
 neighbour.  If  this  be  true,  then  have  we  no  need  of  Christ  at 
 all.  Such  men  serve  not  the  true  God,  but  an  idol  of  their 
 own  heart,  which  they  themselves  have  devised.  For  the  true 
 God  doth  not  regard  or  accept  us  for  our  charity,  virtues,  or 
 newness  of  life,  but  for  Christ's  sake,  &c. 
 
 But  they  make  this  objection:  Yet,  notwithstanding,  the  scrip- 
 ture commandcth  that  we  should  love  God  with  aU  our  heart, 
 &c.  It  is  true.  But  it  followeth  not,  that,  because  God  com- 
 mandcth us,  therefore  we  do  it.  If  we  did  love  God  with  all 
 our  heart,  &c.  then  no  doubt  we  should  be  justified,  and  live 
 through  this  obedience,  as  it  is  written:  "  He  that  shall  do  these 
 things  shall  live  in  them,"  (Lev.  xviii.  5.  Rom.  x.  5.)  But  the 
 gospel  saith:  Thou  doest  not  these  things,  therefore  thou  shalt 
 not  live  in  them.  For  this  sentence,  "thou  shalt  love  the  Lord 
 thy  God,"  &c.  requireth  a  perfect  obedience,  a  perfect  fear,  trust, 
 and  love  towards  God.  These  things  men  neither  do  nor  can  per- 
 form, in  this  corrupt  naturo.  Therefore  this  law,  "  Thou  shalt 
 love  the  Lord  thy  God,"  &c.  justitieth  not,  but  accuseth  and  con- 
 demneth  all  men,  according  to  that  saying,  "  the  law  causeth 
 wrath,"  &c.  Contrariwise,  "  Christ  is  the  finishing  and  accom- 
 plishing of  the  law  to  righteousness,  to  every  one  that  believ- 
 eth,"  (Rom.  iv.  15.  x.  4.)  Of  this  we  have  spoken  largely  before. 
 
 In  like  manner  the  Jew,  keeping  the  law,  with  this  opinion, 
 that  he  by  this  obedience  will  please  God,  serveth  not  the  true 
 God;  but  is  an  idolater,  worshipping  a  dream,  and  an  idol  of 
 his  own  heart,  which  is  no  where  to  be  found.  For  the  God 
 of  his  fathers,  whom  he  saith  he  worshippeth,  promised  to  Abra- 
 ham "a  seed,"  through  the  which  all  nations  shoidd  be  blessed. 
 Therefore  God  is  known,  and  the  blessing  is  given,  not  by  the 
 law,  but  by  the  gospel  of  Christ.  Although  Paul  speaketh  these 
 words,  "  Then,  when  ye  knew  not  God,  ye  did  service,"  &;c. 
 properly  and  principally  to  the  Galatians,  which  were  Gentiles; 
 yet,  notwithstanding,  by  the  same  words  he  also  toucheth  the 
 Jews,  who,  though  they  had  rejected  their  idols  outwardly,  yet 
 in  their  hearts  they  Avorshipped  them  more  than  did  the  Gen- 
 tiles, as  it  is  said,  in  Rom.  ii.  "  Thou  abhorrest  idols,  and  com- 
 mittest  sacrilege."  The  Gentiles  were  not  the  people  of  God,, 
 they  had  not  his  word,  and  therefore  their  idolatry  was  gross, 
 but  the  idolatrous  Jews  cloaked  their  idolatry  with  the  name 
 and  word  of  God,  (as  all  justiciaries  which  seek  righteousness 
 by  works,  are  wont  to  do,)  and  so  with  this  outward  shew  of 
 holiness  they  deceived  many.  Therefore  idolatry,  the  more 
 holy  and  spiritual  it  is,  the  more  hurtful  it  is. 
 
318  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  fCHAP.  IV. 
 
 Bi^liow  may  these  two  contrary  sayings  which  the  apostle 
 
 here  setteth  down,  he  reconciled  together?  "Ye  knew  not  God, 
 
 and  ye  Avorshipped  God."     1  answer,  all  men  naturally  have 
 
 this  general  knowledge,  that  there  is  a  God,  according  to  that 
 
 r  ^'-     saying,  Rom.  i.     "  Forasmuch  as  that  which  may  be  known  of 
 
 God  was  manifest  in  them."  For  God  was  manifest  unto  them, 
 
 in  that  the  invisible  things  of  him  did  appear  by  the  creation  of 
 
 .     the  world.      Moreover,  the  ceremonies  and  religions  which 
 
 K^      were,  and  always  remained  among  all  nations,  sufficiently  wit- 
 
 iA    ness  that  all  men  have  had  a  certain  general  knowledge  of  God. 
 
 But  whether  they  had  it  by  nature,  or  by  the  tradition  of  their 
 
 forefathers,  I  wiU  not  here  dispute. 
 
 But  here  some  will  object  again:  If  all  men  knew  God,  where- 
 fore then  doth  Paul  say,  that  the  Galatians  knew  not  God,  before 
 the  preaching  of  the  gospel?  I  answer,  there  is  a  double  know- 
 ledge of  God :  general  and  particular.  All  men  have  the  general 
 knowledge,  namely,  that  there  is  a  God,  that  he  created  heaven 
 and  earth,  that  he  is  just,  that  he  punisheth  the  wicked.  But 
 what  God  thinketh  of  us,  what  his  Avill  is  toAvards  us,  what  he 
 will  give  or  what  he  will  do,  to  the  end  we  may  be  delivered  from 
 sin  and  death,  and  be  saved,  (Avhich  is  the  true  knowledge  of 
 God  indeed,)  this  they  know  not.  As  it  may  be  that  I  know 
 some  man  by  sight,  Avhom  yet,  indeed,  I  kiaow  not  thoroughly, 
 because  I  understand  not  what  affection  he  beareth  towards  me. 
 So  men  know  naturally  that  there  is  a  God;  but  what  his  will 
 is,  or  what  is  not  his  will,  they  do  not  know.  For  it  is  written, 
 "There  is  none  that  understandeth  God,"  (Rom.  iii.  11.)  And 
 in  another  place,  "  No  man  hath  seen  God,"  (Johni.  18.)  That 
 is  to  say,  no  man  hath  known  what  is  the  Avill  of  God.  Now, 
 what  doth  it  avail  thee,  if  thou  know  that  there  is  a  God,  and 
 yet  art  ignorant  what  is  his  will  towards  thee?  Here  some  think 
 3ne  thing,  and  some  another.  The  Jews  imagine  this  to  be  the 
 will  of  God,  if  they  worship  him  according  to  the  rule  of  Moses' 
 law;  the  Turk,  if  he  observe  his  Alcoran;  the  monk,  if  he  keep 
 his  order  and  perform  his  vows.  But  all  these  are  deceived,  and 
 become  vain  in  their  oAvn  cogitations,  as  Paul  saith,  (Rom.  i.) 
 not  knowing  what  pleaseth  or  displeaseth  God.  Therefore,  in- 
 stead of  the  true  and  natural  God,  they  worship  the  dreams  and 
 imaginations  of  their  own  heart. 
 
 This  is  it  that  Paul  meaneth,  when  he  saith,  "  When  ye  knew 
 not  God;"  that  is,  when  ye  knew  not  the  will  of  God,  ye  served 
 those  which  by  nature  were  no  gods,  that  is  to  say,  ye  served 
 the  dreams  and  imaginations  of  your  own  heart,  whereby  ye 
 imagined,  without  the  word,  that  God  was  to  be  worshipped 
 with  this  or  that  work,  with  this  or  that  rite  or  ceremony.  For 
 upon  this  proposition,  which  all  men  do  naturally  hold,  namely, 
 that  there  is  a  God,  hath  sprung  all  idolatry,  which,  without 
 the  knowledge  of  the  Divinity,  could  never  have  come  into  tlie 
 world.    But,  because  men  had  this  natural  knowledge  of  God, 
 
V»i'R.  H,  9.]  KI'ISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  310 
 
 they  conceived  vain  and  wicked  imaginations  of  God,  without 
 and  against  the  word,  Avhich  they  esteemed  and  maintained  as 
 the  very  truth  itself,  and  so  dreamed  that  God  is  such  a  one, 
 as  hy  nature  he  is  not.  So  the  monk  imagineth  him  to  be  such 
 a  God  as  forgiveth  sins,  giveth  grace  and  everlasting  life,  for 
 tlie  keeping  of  his  rule.  This  god  is  no  where  to  be  found  : 
 therefore  he  serveth  not  the  true  God,  but  that  which  by  nature 
 is  no  god ;  to  wit,  the  imagination  and  idol  of  his  own  heart : 
 that  is  to  say,  his  own  false  and  vain  opinion  of  God,  which  he 
 dreameth  to  be  an  undoubted  truth.  Now,  reason  itself  will 
 enforce  us  to  confess,  that  man's  opinion  is  no  god.  There- 
 fore, whosoever  will  worship  God  without  his  word,  serveth 
 not  the  true  God,  (as  Paul  saith,)  but  that  which  by  nature  is 
 no  god. 
 
 Therefore,  whether  ye  call  "  rudiments"  here  the  law  of 
 Moses,  or  else  the  traditions  of  the  Gentiles,  (albeit  he  speaketh 
 here  properly  and  principally  of  the  rudiments  of  Moses)  there 
 is  no  great  difference.  For  he  that  falleth  from  grace  to  the 
 law,  falleth  with  no  less  danger  than  he  that  falleth  from  grace 
 to  idolatry.  For  without  Christ  there  is  nothing  else  but  mere 
 idolatry,  an  idle  and  false  imagination  of  God/lWhether  it  be 
 called  Moses'  law,  or  the  Pope's  ordinances,'^  or  the  Turk's 
 Alcoran,  &;c.     Therefore  he  saith,  with  a  certain  admiration, 
 
 Verse  9.  But  now,  seeing  ye  know  God. 
 As  though  he  woxdd  say,  This  is  a  marvellous  thing,  that 
 ye,  knowing  God  by  the  preaching  of  faith,  do  so  suddenly  re- 
 volt from  the  true  knowledge  of  his  will,  (wherein  I  thought  ye 
 were  so  surely  established,  that  I  thought  nothing  less  than 
 that  ye  should  be  so  easily  overthrown,)  and  do  noAV  again,  by 
 the  instigation  of  the  false  apostles,  return  to  the  weak  and 
 beggarly  ceremonies,  which  ye  would  serve  again  afresh.  Ye 
 heard  l)efore,  by  my  preaching,  that  this  is  the  will  of  God,  to 
 bless  all  nations ;  not  by  circumcision,  or  by  the  observation 
 of  the  law,  but  by  Christ  promised  to  Abraham,  (Gal.  iii.  7.) 
 They  that  believe  in  him,  shall  be  blessed  with  faithful  Abra- 
 ham, (Gal.  iii.  9.)  They  are  the  sons  and  heirs  of  God.  Thus 
 (I  say)  have  ye  known  God. 
 
 Verse  9.     Yea,  r.ntlier  are  known  of  God,  &c. 
 
 He  correcteth  the  sentence  going  before,  "  but  now  seeing 
 ye  have  known  God ;"  or  rather  turneth  it  after  this  mannei', 
 "  yea,  rather  ye  are  known  of  God  ;"  for  he  feared  lest  they 
 had  lost  God  utterly.  As  if  he  would  say:  Alas  !  are  ye  come 
 to  this  point,  that  now  ye  know  not  God,  but  return  again  from 
 grace  to  the  law  ?  Yet,  notwithstanding,  God  knoweth  you. 
 And,  indeed,  our  knowledge  is  rather  passive  than  active ;  that 
 U  to  say,  it  consisteth  in  this,  that  we  are  rather  known  of 
 God,  than  that  we  know  him.     All  our  doing,  that  is,  all  our 
 
COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  IV. 
 
 endear  our  to  know  and  to  apprehend  God,  is  to  suffer  God  to 
 work  in  us.  He  giveth  the  word,  which,  when  we  have  re- 
 ceived by  faith  given  from  above,  we  are  new-born,  and  made 
 the  sons  of  God.  This  is,  then,  the  sense  and  meaning :  "  Ye 
 are  known  of  God ;"  that  is,  ye  are  visited  with  the  word,  ye 
 are  endued  with  faith  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  whereby  ye  are  re- 
 newed, &c.  Wherefore,  even  by  these  words,  "  ye  are  known 
 of  God,"  he  taketh  away  all  righteousness  from  the  law,  and 
 denieth  that  we  attain  the  knowledge  of  God  through  the  wor 
 thiness  of  our  own  works.  "For  no  man  knoweth  the  Father, 
 but  the  Son,  and  he  to  whom  the  Son  will  reveal  him."  (Luke 
 X.  22.)  And  also,  "  He  by  his  knowledge  shall  justify  many, 
 because  he  shall  bear  their  iniquities,"  (Isa.  liii.  11.)  Where- 
 fore, our  knowledge  concerning  God  consisteth  in  suffering, 
 and  not  in  doing. 
 
 He  much  marvelleth,  therefore,  that,  seeing  they  knew  God 
 truly  by  the  gospel,  they  retm-ned  so  suddenly  to  weak  and 
 beggarly  rudiments,  by  the  persuasion  of  the  false  apostles.  As 
 I  myself  also  should  greatly  marvel,  if  our  church  (which  by 
 the  grace  of  God  is  godly  reformed  in  pure  doctrine  and  faith) 
 should  be  seduced  and  perverted  by  some  fond  and  frantic  head, 
 through  the  preaching  of  one  or  two  sermons,  that  they  would 
 not  acknowledge  me  for  their  pastor  any  more.  Which  thing, 
 notwithstanding,  shall  one  day  come  to  pass,  if  not  whilst  we 
 live,  yet  when  we  are  dead  and  gone.  For  many  shall  then  rise 
 up,  which  will  be  masters  and  teachers,  who,  under  a  colour  of 
 true  religion,  shall  teach  false  and  perverse  doctrine,  and  shall 
 quickly  overthrow  all  that  we  in  so  long  time  and  with  so  great 
 travail  have  builded.  We  are  not  better  than  the  apostles,  who. 
 whilst  they  yet  lived,  saw  (not  without  their  great  grief  and 
 sorrow)  the  subversion  of  those  churches  which  they  them- 
 selves had  planted  through  their  ministry.  Therefore  it  is  no 
 great  marvel  if  we  be  constrained  to  behold  the  like  evil  at  this 
 day,  in  those  churches  where  sectaries  do  reign,  who  hereafter, 
 when  we  are  dead,  shall  possess  those  churches  which  we  have 
 won  and  planted  by  our  ministry,  and  with  their  poison  infect 
 and  subvert  the  same.  And  yet,  notwithstanding,  Christ  shall 
 remain  and  reign  to  the  end  of  the  world,  and  that  marvel- 
 lously, as  he  did  under  the  papacy. 
 
 Paul  seemeth  to  speak  very  spitefully  of  the  law,  when  he 
 calleth  it  the  rudiments  (as  he  did  also  before,  in  the  beginning 
 of  this  chapter)  and  not  only  rudiments,  but  weak  and  beggarly 
 rudiments,  and  ceremonies.  Is  it  not  blasphemy  to  give  such 
 odious  names  to  the  law  of  God  ?  The  law  being  in  his  true 
 use,  ought  to  serve  the  promises,  and  to  stand  Avith  the  pro- 
 mises and  grace.  But,  if  it  fight  against  them,  it  is  no  more 
 the  holy  law  of  God,  but  a  false  and  devilish  doctrine,  and 
 doth  nothing  else  but  drive  men  to  desperation,  and  therefore 
 must  be  rejected. 
 
VEH.  9.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  S21 
 
 Wherefore,  when  he  calleth  the  law  weak  and  beggarly  rudi- 
 ments, he  speaketh  of  the  law  in  respect  of  proud  and  presump- 
 tuous hypocrites,  which  would  be  justified  by  it,  and  not  of  the 
 law  being  spiritually  understood,  which  engendereth  wrath, 
 (Rom.  iv.  15.)  For  the  law  (as  I  have  often  said)  being  in  his  own 
 proper  use,  accuseth  and  condemneth  a  man:  and  in  this  respect 
 it  is  not  only  a  strong  and  a  rich  rudiment,  but  also  most  mighty 
 and  most  rich,  yea,  rather,  an  invincible  poAver  and  riches;  and 
 if  here  the  conscience  be  compared  with  the  law,  then  is  it  most 
 weak  and  beggarly.  For  it  is  so  tender  a  thing,  that  for  a  small 
 sin  it  is  so  troubled  and  terrified,  that  it  utterly  despaireth,  unless 
 it  be  raised  up  again.  Wherefore,  the  law,  in  his  proper  use, 
 hath  more  strength  and  riches  than  heaven  and  earth  is  able  to 
 contain;  insomuch  that  one  letter  or  one  tittle  of  the  law  is  able 
 to  kill  all  mankind,  as  the  history  of  the  law  given  by  Moses 
 doth  witness.  (Exod.  xix.  20.)  This  is  the  true  and  divine  use 
 of  the  law,  of  which  Paul  speaketh  not  in  this  place. 
 
 Paul  therefore  entreateth  here  of  hypocrites,  which  are  fallen 
 from  grace,  or  which  have  not  yet  attained  to  grace.  These, 
 abusing  the  law,  seek  to  be  justified  by  it.  They  exercise  and 
 tire  themselves  day  and  night  in  the  works  thereof,  as  Paul  wit- 
 nesseth  of  the  Jews — "For  I  bear  them  record,"  saith  he,  "that 
 they  have  the  zeal  of  God,  but  not  according  to  knowledge;  for 
 they  being  ignorant  of  the  righteousness  of  God,"&c.  (Rom.  x.) 
 Such  do  hope  so  to  be  strengthened  and  enriched  by  the  law, 
 that  they  may  be  able  to  set  their  power  and  riches,  which 
 they  have  gotten  by  the  righteousness  thereof,  against  the  wrath 
 and  judgment  of  God,  and  so  to  appease  God,  and  to  be  saved 
 thereby.  In  this  respect,  then,  we  may  well  say,  that  the  law 
 is  a  weak  and  a  beggarly  rudiment;  that  is  to  say,  which  can 
 give  neither  help  nor  counsel. 
 
 And  whoso  listeth  to  amplify  this  matter,  may  further  say, 
 that  the  law  is  a  weak  and  a  beggarly  rudiment,  because  it  mak- 
 eth  men  more  weak  and  beggarly :  again,  because  that  of  itself 
 it  hath  no  power,  or  riches,  whereby  it  is  able  to  give  or  to 
 bring  righteousness:  and  moreover,  that  it  is  not  only  weak 
 and  beggarly,  but  even  weakness  and  beggary  itself.  How, 
 then,  shall  it  enrich  or  strengthen  those,  Avhich  were  before 
 both  weak  and  beggarly?  Therefore  to  seek  to  be  justified  by 
 the  law,  is  as  much  as  if  a  man,  being  weak  and  feeble  already, 
 would  seek  some  otber  greater  evil,  whereby  he  might  over- 
 come his  weakness  and  poverty,  which  notwithstanding  would 
 bring  him  unto  utter  destruction.  As  if  he  which  hath  the  fall- 
 ing sickness,  would  seek  to  join  unto  it  the  pestilence  for  a  re- 
 medy; or  if  a  leper  should  come  to  a  leper,  or  a  beggar  to  a 
 beggar,  the  one  to  help  and  to  enrich  the  other. 
 
 Paul  therefore  sheweth,  that  they  which  seek  to  be  justified  by 
 the  law,  have  this  commodity  thereby,  that  daily  they  become 
 lucre  and  more  weak  and  beggarly.     For  they  be  weak  and 
 
 Y 
 
822  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  fCHAP.  IT. 
 
 beggarly  of  themselves;  that  is  to  say,  they  are  by  nature  the 
 children  of  wrath,  subject  to  death  and  everlasting  damnation, 
 and  yet  they  lay  hold  upon  that  which  is  nothing  else  but  mere 
 weakness  and  beggary,  seeking  to  be  strengthened  and  enriched 
 thereby.  Therefore,  every  one  that  falleth  fi'om  the  promise 
 to  the  law,  from  faith  to  works,  doth  nothing  else  but  lay  upon 
 himself  such  a  burden,  being  weak  and  feeble  already,  as  he  is 
 not  able  to  bear;  (Acts  xv.)  and  in  bearing  thereof  is  made  ten 
 times  more  weak,  so  that  at  length  he  is  driven  to  despair, 
 unless  Christ  come  and  deliver  him. 
 
 This  thing  the  gospel  also  witnesscth,  speaking  of  the  woman 
 which  was  grieved  twelve  years  with  a  bloody  issue,  and  suf- 
 fered many  things  of  many  physicians,  upon  whom  she  had  spent 
 all  her  sulsstance,  and  yet  could  not  be  cured :  but  the  longer 
 she  was  under  their  hands,  the  worse  she  was.  (Mark  v.  25.) 
 As  many,  therefore,  as  do  the  works  of  the  law,  to  be  justified 
 thereby,  are  not  only  not  made  righteous,  b\it  twice  more  un- 
 righteous than  they  were  before;  that  is,  (as  I  have  said)  more 
 weak  and  beggarly,  and  more  unapt  to  do  any  good  work.  This 
 have  I  proved  to  be  true,  both  in  myself  and  in  many  others. 
 I  have  knoAvn  many  monks  in  the  papacy,  which  with  great  zeal 
 have  done  many  great  works,  for  the  attaining  of  righteousness 
 and  salvation,  and  yet  Avere  they  more  impatient,  more  weak, 
 more  miserable,  more  faitliless,  more  fearful,  and  more  ready 
 to  despair  than  any  other.  The  civil  magistrates,  who  were 
 ever  occupied  in  great  and  weighty  aifairs,  were  not  so  im- 
 patient, so  fearful,  so  faint-hearted,  so  superstitious,  and  so 
 faithless,  as  these  justiciaries  and  merit-mongers  were. 
 
 Whosoever,  then,  seeketh  righteousness  by  the  law,  what 
 can  he  imagine  else,  but  that  God,  being  angry,  must  needs  be 
 pacified  with  works.''  Now,  when  he  hath  once  conceived  tliis 
 fantasy,  he  beginneth  to  work.  But  he  can  never  find  so  many 
 good  works  as  are  able  to  quiet  his  conscience,  but  still  he 
 desireth  more;  yea,  he  findeth  sin  in  those  works  he  hath  done 
 already.  Therefore,  his  conscience  can  never  be  certified,  but 
 must  needs  be  always  in  doubt,  and  thus  think  with  itself:  Thou 
 hast  not  sacrificed  as  thou  shouldst  do;  thou  hast  not  prayed 
 aright;  this  thou  hast  left  undone;  this  or  tliat  sin  thou  hast 
 committed.  Here  the  heart  trembleth,  and  feeleth  itself  op- 
 pressed with  innumerable  sins,  which  still  increase  without 
 end,  so  that  he  swerveth  from  righteousness  more  and  more, 
 until  at  length  he  fall  to  desperation.  Hereof  it  cometh,  that 
 many,  being  at  the  point  of  death,  have  uttered  these  desperate 
 words:  O  wretch  that  I  am!  I  have  not  kept  mine  order.  Whi- 
 ther shall  I  flee  from  tlie  wrath  of  Christ,  that  angry  judge? 
 Would  to  God  I  had  been  mad^  a  swineherd,  or  the  vilest 
 wretch  in  the  whole  world. 
 
 Thus  the  monk,  in  the  end  of  his  life,  is  more  weak,  more 
 beggarly,  more  faithless  and  fearful  than  he  was  at  the  beginning, 
 
VER.  9.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  328 
 
 when  he  first  entered  into  his  order.  The  reason  is,  because 
 he  would  strengthen  himself  through  weakness,  and  enrich  him- 
 self through  poverty.  The  law,  or  men's  traditions,  or  the  rule 
 of  his  order,  should  have  healed  him  when  he  was  sick,  and  en- 
 riched him  when  he  was  poor ;  but  he  is  become  more  feeble 
 and  more  poor  than  the  publicans  and  harlots.  The  publicans 
 and  harlots  have  not  a  heap  of  good  works  to  trust  unto,  as 
 the  monks  have :  but,  although  they  feel  their  sins  never  so 
 much,  yet  they  can  say  with  the  publican,  "  O  Lord,  be  mer- 
 ciful unto  me  a  sinner  !"  (Luke  xviii.  13.)  But,  contrariwise, 
 the  monk,  which  hath  spent  all  his  time  in  weak  and  beggarly 
 elements,  is  confirmed  in  this  opinion :  if  thou  keep  thy  rule, 
 thou  shalt  be  saved,  &c.  With  this  false  persuasion  he  is  so 
 deluded  and  bewitched,  that  he  cannot  apprehend  grace,  no, 
 nor  once  remember  grace.  Thus,  notAvithstanding  all  the 
 works  which  either  he  doth,  or  hath  done,  be  they  never  so 
 many  and  so  great,  he  thinketh  that  he  hath  never  done  enough, 
 but  hath  still  an  eye  to  more  works ;  and  so,  by  heaping  up  of 
 works,  he  goeth  about  to  appease  the  wrath  of  God  and  to  jus- 
 tify himself,  until  he  be  driven  to  utter  desperation.  Where- 
 fore, whosoever  falleth  from  faith,  and  followeth  the  law,  is  like 
 to  -/Esop's  dog,  which  foregoeth  the  flesh,  and  snatcheth  at 
 the  shadow.  Wherefore,  it  is  impossible  that  such  as  seek 
 righteousness  and  salvation  by  the  law,  (whereunto  men  are 
 naturally  inclined)  should  ever  find  quietness  and  peace  of  con- 
 science :  yea,  they  do  nothing  else  but  heap  laws  upon  laws, 
 whereby  they  torment  both  themselves  and  others,  and  afflict 
 men's  consciences  so  miserably,  that  through  extreme  anguish 
 of  heart,  many  die  before  their  time.  For  one  law  always 
 bringeth  forth  ten  more,  and  so  they  increase,  without  number 
 and  without  end. 
 
 Now,  who  would  have  thought  that  the  Galatians,  which  had 
 learned  so  sound  and  so  pure  a  doctrine,  of  such  an  excellent 
 apostle  and  teacher,  could  be  so  suddenly  led  away  from  the 
 same,  and  utterly  perverted  by  the  false  apostles  ?  It  is  not 
 without  cause  that  I  repeat  this  so  often,  that  to  fall  away  from 
 the  truth  of  the  gospel  is  an  easy  matter.  The  reason  is,  be- 
 cause men  do  not  sufficiently  consider,  no,  not  the  very  faithful, 
 what  an  excellent  and  precious  treasure  the  true  knowledge  of 
 Christ  is.  Therefore  they  do  not  labour  so  diligently  and  so 
 carefully  as  they  should  do,  to  obtain  and  to  retain  the  same. 
 Moreover,  the  greater  part  of  those  that  hear  the  word,  are 
 exercised  with  no  cross  or  afliiction ;  they  wrestle  not  against 
 sin,  death,  and  the  devil,  but  live  in  security,  without  any  con- 
 flict. Such  men,  because  they  are  not  proved  and  tried  with 
 temptations,  and  therefore  are  not  armed  with  the  word  of  God 
 against  the  subtleties  of  the  devil,  never  feel  the  use  and  power 
 of  the  word.  Indeed,  whilst  they  are  among  faithful  ministers 
 and  preachers,  they  can  follow  their  words,  and  say  as  they  say. 
 
S24  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CHAP.  IV. 
 
 persuading  themselves  that  they  perfectly  understand  the  matter 
 of  justification ;  but  when  they  are  gone,  and  wolves  in  sheep's 
 clothing  are  come  in  their  place,  it  happeneth  unto  them  as  it 
 did  to  the  Galatians  ;  that  is  to  say,  they  are  suddenly  seduced, 
 and  easily  turned  back  to  weak  and  beggarly  rudiments. 
 
 Paul  hath  here  his  peculiar  manner  of  speech,  which  the 
 other  apostles  did  not  use.  For  there  was  none  of  them  be- 
 sides Paul,  that  gave  such  names  to  the  law  ;  to  wit,  that  it  is  a 
 weak  and  a  beggarly  rudiment,  that  is  to  say,  utterly  unpro- 
 fitable to  righteousness.  And,  surely,  I  durst  not  have  given 
 such  terms  unto  the  law,  but  should  have  thought  it  great 
 blasphemy  against  God,  if  Paul  had  not  done  so  before.  But 
 of  this  1  have  entreated  more  lai'gely  before,  where  I  shewed 
 when  the  law  is  weak  and  beggarly,  and  when  it  is  most  strong 
 and  rich,  &c.  Now,  if  the  law  of  God  be  Aveak  and  unpro- 
 fitable to  justification,  much  more  are  the  laws  and  decrees  of 
 the  Pope,  weak  and  unprofitable  to  justification.    Therefore  we 
 
 five  sentence  against  the  ordinances,  laws,  and  decrees  of  the 
 'ope,  with  such  boldness  and  assurance  as  Paul  did  against  the 
 law  of  God,  that  they  are  not  only  weak  and  beggarly  rudi- 
 ments, and  utterly  unprofitable  to  righteousness,  but  also  exe- 
 crable, accursed,  devilish,  and  damnable :  for  they  blaspheme 
 grace,  they  overthrow  the  gospel,  abolish  faith,  take  away 
 Christ,  &c. 
 
 Forasmuch,  then,  as  the  Pope  requireth  that  we  should  keep 
 his  laws  as  necessary  to  salvation,  he  is  very  Antichrist,  and  the 
 vicar  of  Satan ;  and  as  many  as  cleave  unto  him,  and  confirm 
 his  abominations  and  blasphemies,  or  keep  them  to  this  end, 
 that  thereby  they  may  merit  the  forgiveness  of  their  sins,  are 
 the  servants  of  Antichrist  and  of  the  devil.  Now,  such  hath 
 the  doctrine  of  the  papistical  church  been  of  a  long  time,  that 
 these  laws  ought  to  be  kept  as  necessary  to  salvation.  Thus 
 the  Pope  sitteth  in  the  temple  of  God,  vamiting  himself  a? 
 God:  he  setteth  himself  against  God,  and  exalteth  himself 
 above  all  that  is  called  God,  or  worshipped,  &c. ;  and  men's 
 consciences  more  feared  and  reverenced  the  laws  and  ordinances 
 of  the  Pope,  than  the  word  of  God  and  his  ordinances.  By 
 this  means  he  was  made  the  Lord  of  heaven,  of  earth,  and  of 
 hell,  and  bare  a  triple  crown  upon  his  head.  The  cardinals 
 also  and  bishops,  his  creatures,  were  made  kings  and  princes 
 of  the  world :  and  therefore,  if  he  did  not  burden  men's  con- 
 sciences with  his  laws,  he  could  not  long  maintain  his  terrible 
 power,  his  dignity,  and  his  riches;  but  his  whole  kingdom  would 
 quickly  fall. 
 
 This  place  which  Paul  here  handleth,  is  weighty  and  of  great 
 importance,  and  therefore  the  more  diligently  to  be  marked :  to 
 wit,  that  they  which  fall  fi'om  grace  to  the  law,  do  utterly  lose 
 the  knowledge  of  the  truth :  they  see  not  their  own  sins :  they 
 udther  know  God,  nor  tbe  devil,  nor  themselves;  and,  more- 
 
VER.  9. J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  325 
 
 over,  they  understand  not  the  force  and  use  of  the  law,  although 
 they  brag  never  so  much  that  they  keep  and  observe  the  same. 
 For  without  the  knowledge  of  grace,  that  is  to  say,  without  the 
 gospel  of  Christ,  it  is  impossible  for  a  man  to  give  this  definition 
 of  the  law,  that  it  is  a  weak  and  a  beggarly  rudiment,  and  un- 
 profitable to  righteousness;  but  he  rather  judgeth  quite  contrary 
 of  the  law:  to  wit,  that  it  is  not  only  necessary  to  salvation,  but 
 also  that  it  strengtheneth  such  as  are  weak,  and  enricheth  such 
 as  are  poor  and  beggarly:  that  is  to  say,  that  such  as  obey  and 
 observe  the  same,  shall  be  able  to  merit  righteousness  and  ever- 
 lasting salvation.  If  this  opinion  remain,  the  promise  of  God  is 
 denied,  Christ  is  taken  away,  lying,  impiety,  and  idolatry  is  es- 
 tablished. Now,  the  Pope,  with  all  his  bishops,  his  schools  and 
 whole  synagogue,  taught  that  his  laws  are  necessary  to  salva- 
 tion :  therefore,  he  was  a  teacher  of  weak  and  beggarly  ele- 
 ments, wherewith  he  made  the  church  of  Christ,  throughout  the 
 whole  world,  most  weak  and  beggarly;  that  is  to  say,  he  bur- 
 dened and  miserably  tormented  the  church  with  his  wicked 
 laws,  defacing  Christ,  and  burying  his  gospel. 
 
 Verse  9.     Whereiinto  ye  will  be  in  bondage  again. 
 
 This  he  addeth,  to  declare  that  he  speaketh  of  prot  d  and  pre- 
 sumptuous hypocrites,  which  seek  to  be  justified  by  the  law,  as 
 I  have  shewn  before.  For  otherwise  he  calleth  the  law  holy 
 and  good.  As,  "we  know  that  the  law  is  good,  if  a  man  use  it 
 rightly,"  (1  Tim.  i.  8.)  that  is  to  say,  civilly  to  bridle  evil-doers, 
 and  spiritually  to  increase  transgressions.  (Gal.  iii.  19.)  But 
 whosoever  observeth  the  law,  to  obtain  righteousness  before 
 God,  maketh  the  law,  which  is  good,  damnable  and  hurtful  unto 
 himself.  He  reproveth  the  Galatians,  therefore,  because  they 
 would  be  in  bondage  to  the  law  again,  which  doth  not  take 
 away  sin,  but  increaseth  sin;  for  whilst  a  sinner,  being  weak 
 and  poor  himself,  seeketh  to  be  justified  by  the  law,  he  findeth 
 nothing  in  it  but  weakness  and  poverty  itself.  And  here  two 
 sick  and  feeble  beggars  meet  together,  of  whom  the  one  is  not 
 able  to  help  and  heal  the  other,  but  rather  molesteth  and 
 troubleth  the  other. 
 
 We,  as  being  strong  in  Christ,  will  gladly  serve  the  law ;  not 
 the  weak  and  beggarly,  but  the  mighty  and  rich  law;  that  is  to 
 say,  so  far  forth  as  it  hath  power  and  dominion  over  the  body : 
 for  then  we  serve  the  law,  but  only  in  our  body  and  outward 
 members,  and  not  in  our  conscience.  But  the  Pope  requireth 
 that  we  should  obey  his  laws  with  this  opinion,  that  if  we  do 
 this  or  that,  we  are  righteous :  if  we  do  it  not,  we  are  damned. 
 Here  the  law  is  no  more  than  a  ireak  and  beggarly  element. 
 For  whilst  this  bondage  of  the  r^int  cience  continueth  under  the 
 law,  there  can  be  nothing  but  M^-'e  weakness  and  poverty. — 
 Wherefore  all  the  weight  of  th.<  matter  lieth  in  this  word  "  to 
 serve."  The  jonasBoing,  therefore    oc  Paul  is  this:  that  he  would 
 
526  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  IT. 
 
 not  have  the  conscience  to  serve  under  the  law  as  a  captive,  but 
 to  be  free,  and  to  have  dominion  over  the  law.  For  the  con- 
 science is  dead  to  the  law  through  Christ,  and  the  law  again 
 unto  the  conscience.  Whereof  we  have  more  largely  entreated 
 afore  in  the  second  chapter. 
 
 Verse  10.     Ye  observe  days  and  months,  times  and  years. 
 
 By  these  words  he  plainly  declareth  what  the  false  apostles 
 taught,  namely,  the  observation  of  days,  months,  times  and 
 years.  The  Jews  were  commanded  to  keep  holy  the  sabbath 
 day,  the  new  moons,  the  first  and  the  seventh  month,  the  three 
 appointed  times  or  feasts,  namely,  the  paschal  or  passover,  the 
 feast  of  weeks,  of  the  tabernacles,  and  the  year  of  jubilee.  These 
 ceremonies  the  Galatians  were  constrained  by  the  false  apostles 
 to  keep,  as  necessary  to  righteousness.  Therefore  he  saith,  that 
 they,  losing  the  grace  and  liberty  which  they  had  in  Christ, 
 were  turned  back  to  the  serving  of  Aveak  and  beggarly  elements. 
 For  they  were  persuaded  by  the  false  apostles,  that  these  laws 
 must  needs  be  kept,  and,  by  keeping  of  them,  they  should  ob- 
 tain righteousness;  but  if  they  kept  them  not,  they  should  be 
 damned.  Contrariwise,  Paul  can  in  no  wise  suffer  that  men's 
 consciences  should  be  bound  to  the  law  of  Moses,  but  always 
 delivered  them  from  the  law.  "Behold  I,  Paul,"  (saith  he,  a 
 little  after,  in  the  fifth  chapter)  "do  write  unto  you,  that  if  ye  be 
 circumcised,  Christ  shall  profit  you  nothing."  And,  "let  no  man 
 judge  you  in  meat  or  drink,  or  in  a  piece  of  a  holiday,  or  of  a 
 new  moon  or  sabbath  day,"  &c.  (Col.  ii.)  So  saith  our  Saviour 
 Christ :  "  the  kingdom  of  God  cometh  not  with  observation  of 
 the  law,"  (Luke  xvii.  20.)  Much  less,  then,  are  men's  con- 
 sciences to  be  burthened  and  snared  with  human  traditions. 
 
 Verse  11.  I  am  in  fear  of  you,  lest  I  have  bestowed  on  you  labour  in  vain. 
 Here  Paul  sheweth  himself  to  be  greatly  troubled  through 
 the  fall  of  the  Galatians ;  whom  he  would  more  bitterly  re- 
 prove, but  that  he  feareth,  lest,  if  he  should  deal  with  them 
 more  sharply,  he  should  not  only  not  make  them  better,  but 
 more  ofi'end  them,  and  so  utterly  alienate  their  minds  from  him. 
 Therefore,  in  writing,  he  changeth  and  mitigateth  his  words : 
 and,  as  though  all  the  harm  redounded  unto  himself,  he  saith, 
 "I  am  in  fear  of  you,  lest  I  have  bestowed  my  labour  on  you  in 
 vain:"  that  is  to  say,  it  grieveth  me  that  I  have  preached  the 
 gospel  with  so  great  diligence  and  faithfulness  amongst  you,  and 
 see  no  fruit  to  come  thereof.  Notwithstanding,  although  he 
 shew  a  very  loving  and  a  fatherly  affection  towards  them,  yet 
 withal  he  chideththem  somewhat  sharply,  but  yet  covertly.  For 
 when  he  saith,  that  he  had  laboured  in  vain ;  that  is  to  say,  that 
 he  had  preached  the  gospel  among  them  without  any  fruit;  he 
 sheweth  covertly  that  either  they  were  obstinate  imbelievers,  or 
 else  ivere  fallen  from  the  doctrine  of  faith.     Now  both  these, 
 
TER.   11,  12.]  IPISTLE  TO  THE  GALITIANS.  S27 
 
 as  well  unbelievers  as  backsliders  from  the  doctrine  of  faith,  are 
 sinners,  wicked,  unrighteous,  and  damned.  Such,  therefore,  do 
 obey  the  law  in  vain;  they  observe  days,  months,  and  years  in 
 vain.  And  in  these  words,  "I  am  in  fear  of  you,  lest  I  have 
 bestowed  on  you  labour  in  vain,"  is  contained  a  certain  secret 
 excommunication.  For  the  apostle  meaneth  hereby  that  the 
 Galatians  were  secluded  and  separate  from  Christ,  unless  they 
 speedily  returned  to  sound  and  sincere  doctrine  again:  yet  he 
 pi'onounced  no  open  sentence  against  them;  for  he  perceived 
 that  he  could  do  no  good  with  over-sharp  dealing;  wherefore 
 he  changeth  his  style,  and  speaketh  them  fair,  saying, 
 
 Verse  12.  Be  ye  as  I ;  for  I  am  even  as  you. 
 
 Hitherto  Paul  hath  been  occupied  wholly  in  teaching;  and 
 being  moved  with  this  great  enormity  and  wicked  revolting  of 
 the  Galatians,  he  was  vehemently  incensed  against  them,  and 
 chid  them  bitterly,  calling  them  fools,  bewitched,  not  believing 
 the  truth,  crucifiers  of  Christ,  &c.  Now,  the  greater  part  of  his 
 epistle  being  finished,  he  beginneth  to  perceive  that  he  had 
 handled  them  too  sharply.  Therefore,  being  careful  lest  he 
 should  do  more  hurt  than  good  through  his  severity,  he  sheweth 
 that  this  his  sharp  chiding  proceeded  of  a  fatherly  affection  and 
 a  true  apostolical  heart;  and  so  he  qualifieth  the  matter  with 
 sweet  and  gentle  words,  to  the  end  that,  if  he  had  offended  any, 
 (as  no  doubt  there  were  many  offended,)  by  these  sweet  and 
 loving  words,  he  might  win  them  again. 
 
 And  here,  by  his  own  example,  he  admonisheth  all  pastors 
 and  ministers,  that  they  ought  to  bear  a  fatherly  and  motherly 
 affection,  not  towards  ravening  wolves,  but  towards  the  poor 
 sheep,  miserably  seduced,  and  going  astray,  patiently  bearing 
 with  their  faults  and  infirmities,  instructing  and  restoritig  them 
 with  the  spirit  of  meekness :  for  they  cannot  be  brought  in  the 
 right  way  by  any  other  means;  and  by  over-sharp  reproving 
 and  rebuking  they  are  provoked  to  anger,  or  else  to  desperation, 
 but  not  to  repentance.  And  here  is  to  be  noted,  by  the  way, 
 that  such  is  the  nature  and  fruit  of  true  and  sound  doctrine, 
 that  when  it  is  well  taught  and  well  understood,  it  joineth  men's 
 hearts  together  with  a  singular  concord:  but  when  men  reject 
 godly  and  sincere  doctrine,  and  embrace  errors,  this  unity  and 
 concord  is  soon  broken.  Therefore,  as  soon  as  thou  seest  thy 
 brethren  seduced  by  vain  and  fantastical  spirits,  to  fall  from  the 
 article  of  justification,  thou  shalt  perceive  that  by-and-by  they 
 will  pursue  the  faithful  with  bitter  hatred,  whom  before  they 
 most  tenderly  loved. 
 
 Tliis  we  find  to  be  true  at  this  day,  in  our  false  brethren  and 
 other  sectaries,  who,  at  the  beginning  of  the  reformation  of  the 
 gospel,  were  glad  to  hear  us,  and  read  our  books  with  great  zeal 
 and  affection;  they  acknowledged  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
 in  us,  and  reverenced  us  for  the  same,  as  the  ministers  of  God. 
 
328  COMMENTARY  ON  ST  PAUL's  [CHAP.  IV. 
 
 Some  of  them  also  lived  familiarly  with  us  for  a  time,  and  be- 
 haved themselves  very  modestly  and  soberly;  but  when  they 
 were  departed  from  us,  and  perverted  by  the  wicked  doctrine 
 of  the  sectaries,  they  shewed  themselves  more  bitter  enemies  to 
 our  doctrine  and  our  name  than  any  other.  I  do  much  and 
 often  marvel  whereupon  they  should  conceive  such  a  deadly 
 hatred  against  us,  whom  they  before  so  dearly  and  so  tenderly 
 loved;  for  we  offended  them  not  in  any  thing,  nor  gave  them 
 any  occasion  to  hate  us.  Yea,  they  are  constrained  to  confess 
 that  we  desire  nothing  more,  than  that  the  glory  of  God  may 
 be  advanced,  the  benefit  of  Christ  truly  known,  and  the  truth  of 
 the  gospel  purely  taught,  which  God  hath  now  again  in  these 
 latter  days  revealed  by  us  unto  this  unthankful  world;  which 
 should  rather  provoke  them  to  love  us,  than  to  hate  us.  I  mar- 
 vel, therefore,  not  without  cause,  whereof  this  change  cometh. 
 Verily,  there  is  no  other  cause,  but  that  they  have  gotten  unto 
 themselves  new  masters,  and  hearkened  to  new  teachers,  whose 
 poison  hath  so  infected  them,  that  now  of  very  fi-iends  they  are 
 become  our  mortal  enemies.  And  I  see  the  condition  of  the 
 apostles  and  all  other  faithftd  ministers  to  be  such,  that  their 
 disciples  and  hearers  being  once  infected  with  the  errors  of  the 
 false  apostles  and  heretics,  have  and  do  set  themselves  against 
 them,  and  become  their  enemies.  There  were  very  few  amongst 
 the  Galatians  which  continued  in  the  sound  doctrine  of  the  apos- 
 tles. All  the  rest,  being  seduced  by  the  false  apostles,  did  not 
 acknowledge  Paid  for  their  pastor  and  teacher  any  more;  yea, 
 there  was  nothing  more  odious  unto  them  than  the  name  and 
 doctrine  of  Paul.  And  I  fear  me,  that  this  epistle  brought  very 
 few  of  them  back  again  from  their  error. 
 
 If  the  like  case  should  happen  unto  us;  that  is  to  say,  if,  in  our 
 absence,  our  church  should  be  seduced  by  fantastical  heads,  and 
 we  should  ^vrite  hither,  not  one  or  two,  but  many  epistles,  we 
 should  prevail  little  or  nothing  at  all.  Our  men  (a  few  only  ex- 
 cepted of  the  stronger  sort)  would  use  themselves  no  otherwise 
 towards  us,  than  they  do  at  this  day  which  are  seduced  by  the 
 sectaries ;  who  would  sooner  worship  the  Pope,  than  they  would 
 obey  our  admonitions,  or  approve  our  doctrine.  No  man  shall 
 persuade  them  that  they,  rejecting  Christ,  do  return  again  to 
 weak  and  beggarly  elements,  and  to  those  which  by  nature  are 
 no  gods.  They  can  abide  nothing  less,  than  to  hear  that  their 
 teachers,  by  whom  they  are  seduced,  are  overthrowers  of  the 
 gospel  of  Christ,  and  troublers  of  men's  conscience.  The  Lu- 
 therans (say  they)  are  not  the  only  wise;  they  alone  do  not  preach 
 Christ,  they  alone  have  not  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  gift  of  prophecy, 
 and  the  true  understanding  of  the  scriptures;  our  teachers  are 
 in  nothing  inferior  unto  them;  yea,  in  many  things  they  excel 
 them,  because  they  follow  the  spirit,  and  teach  spiritual  things. 
 Contrariwise,  they  never  yet  tasted  what  true  divinity  meant, 
 but  stick  in  the  letter,  and  therefore  they  teach  nothing  but  the 
 
TEtt.  12.]  EPISTLE  TC    THE  GALATIAN&  329 
 
 catechism,  faith,  and  charity,  &c.  Wherefore,  (as  I  am  wont 
 to  say,)  like  as  to  fall  in  faith  is  an  easy  matter;  so  is  it  most 
 perilous:  to  wit,  even  from  hig-h  heaven  into  the  deep  pit  of  hell. 
 It  is  not  such  as  properly  followeth  the  nature  of  man,  as  mur- 
 der, adultery,  and  such-like;  but  devilish,  and  the  proper  work 
 of  the  devil.  For  they  which  so  fall,  cannot  be  easily  recovered, 
 but  most  commonly  they  continue  perverse  and  obstinate  in 
 their  error.  Therefore  the  latter  end  of  those  men  is  worse 
 than  the  beginning-,  as  our  Saviour  Christ  witnesseth,  when  he 
 saith,  "  the  unclean  spirit  being  cast  out  of  his  house,  when  he 
 returneth,  he  entereth  in  again,  not  alone,  but  taketh  unto  him 
 seven  spirits  worse  than  himself,  and  there  tlwelleth,"  &c. 
 (Matt.  xii.  43.  45.) 
 
 Paul  therefore  perceiving,  through  the  revelation  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  that  it  was  to  be  feared  lest  the  minds  of  the  Galatians, 
 whom  of  a  godly  zeal  he  had  called  foolish  and  bewitched,  &c. 
 by  this  sharp  chiding  should  rather  be  stirred  up  against  him, 
 than  amended,  (especially  since  he  now  knew  that  the  false  apos- 
 tles were  among  them,  who  would  expound  this  sharp  chiding, 
 which  proceeded  from  a  fatherly  affection,  imto  the  worst,  cry- 
 ing out,  Now  Paul,  which  some  of  you  so  greatly  praise, 
 sheweth  what  he  is,  and  with  what  spirit  he  is  led;  who,  when 
 he  was  with  you,  would  seem  to  be  unto  you  a  father,  but  his 
 letters  shew,  in  his  absence,  that  he  is  a  tyrant,  &c.)  Therefore 
 he  is  so  troubled,  through  a  godly  care  and  fatherly  affection, 
 that  he  cannot  well  tell  how  and  Avhat  to  write  to  them;  for  it 
 is  a  dangerous  thing  for  a  man  to  defend  his  cause  against  those 
 which  are  absent,  and  have  now  begun  to  hate  him,  and  are  per- 
 suaded by  others  that  his  cause  is  not  good.  Therefore,  being 
 in  great  perplexity,  he  saith,  a  little  after,  "  I  am  troubled,  and 
 at  my  wit's  end  for  your  cause;"  that  is,  I  know  not  what  to 
 do,  or  how  to  deal  with  you. 
 
 Verse  12.     Be  ye  as  I  am,  for  I  am  as  ye  are. 
 
 These  words  are  to  be  understood,  not  of  doctrine,  but  of 
 affections.  Therefore  the  meaning  is  not,  "  Be  ye  as  I  am:'* 
 that  is  to  say,  think  of  doctrine  as  I  do;  but  bear  such  an  affec- 
 tion towards  me,  as  I  do  towards  you.  As  though  he  would 
 say,  Perhaps  I  have  too  sharply  chidden  you,  but  pardon  this 
 my  sharpness,  and  judge  not  my  heart  by  my  words,  but  my 
 words  by  the  affection  of  my  heart.  My  words  seem  rough, 
 and  my  chastisement  sharp,  but  my  heart  is  loving  and  fatherly. 
 Therefore,  O  my  Galatians !  take  this  my  chiding  with  such  a 
 mind  as  I  bear  towards  you;  for  the  matter  required  that  I 
 should  shew  myself  so  sharp  and  severe  towards  you. 
 
 Even  so  may  we  also  say  of  ourselves.  Our  correction  is 
 severe,  and  our  manner  of  writing  sharp  and  vehement;  but, 
 certainly,  there  is  no  bitterness  in  our  heart,  no  envy,  no  desire 
 of  revenge  against  our  adversaries;  but  there  is  in  us  a  godly 
 
330  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  IV. 
 
 carefulness  and  sorrow  of  spirit.  We  do  not  so  hate  the  Pope, 
 and  other  erroneous  spirits,  that  we  wish  any  evil  unto  them, 
 or  desire  their  destruction;  but  rather  we  desire  that  they  may 
 return  again  to  the  rig-ht  way,  and  be  saved  together  with  us. 
 The  schoolmaster  chastiseth  the  scholar,  not  to  hurt  him,  but  to 
 reform  him.  The  rod  is  sharp,  but  correction  is  necessary  for 
 the  child,  and  the  heart  of  him  that  correcteth,  loving  and 
 friendly.  So  the  father  chastiseth  his  son,  not  to  destroy  him, 
 but  to  reform  and  amend  him.  Stripes  are  sharp  and  grievous 
 to  the  child,  but  the  father's  heart  is  loving  and  kind;  and  unless 
 he  loved  his  child,  he  would  not  chastise  him,  but  cast  liim  off, 
 despair  of  his  welfare,  and  suffer  him  to  perish.  This  correc- 
 tion, therefore,  which  he  giveth  to  his  child,  is  a  token  of  fa- 
 therly affection,  and  is  profitable  for  the  child.  Even  so,  O  my 
 Galatians !  think  ye  likewise  of  my  dealing  towards  you :  then 
 ye  will  not  judge  my  chiding  to  be  sharp  and  bitter,  but  profit 
 able  for  you.  "  Chastisement  for  the  present  time  seemeth  not 
 to  be  joyous,  but  grievous:  but  afterwards  it  bringeth  the  quiet 
 fruit  of  righteousness  unto  them  which  are  exercised  thereby," 
 (Heb.  xii.  11.)  Let  the  same  affection,  therefore,  be  in  you 
 towards  me,  which  I  have  towards  you.  I  bear  a  loving  heart 
 towards  you:  the  same  I  desire  again  of  you. 
 
 Thus  he  speaketh  them  fair,  and  with  this  fair  speech  he  still 
 continueth,  that  he  might  pacify  their  minds  which  were  stirred 
 up  against  him  by  his  sharp  chiding.  Notwithstanding  he  re- 
 voketh  not  his  severe  words.  Indeed,  he  confesseth  that  they 
 were  sharp  and  bitter:  but  necessity  (saith  he)  compelled  me 
 to  reprehend  you  somewhat  sharply  and  severely;  but  that 
 which  I  did,  proceeded  of  a  sincere  and  loving  heart  towards 
 you.  The  physician  giveth  a  bitter  potion  to  his  patient,  not 
 to  hurt  him,  but  to  cure  him.  If,  then,  the  bitterness  of  the 
 medicine,  which  is  given  to  the  sick  body,  is  not  to  be  imputed 
 to  the  physician,  but  to  the  medicine  and  the  malady,  judge  ye 
 also  in  like  manner  of  my  severe  and  sharp  reprehension. 
 
 Verse  12.  Brethren,  I  beseech  you :  ye  have  not  hurt  me  at  all. 
 Is  this  to  beseech  the  Galatians,  when  he  calleth  them  be- 
 witched, disobedient  to  the  truth,  and  crucifiers  of  Christ  ?  It 
 seemeth  rather  to  be  a  gi-eat  rebuke.  But,  contrariwise,  Paul 
 saith  that  it  is  no  rebuke,  but  an  earnest  beseeching,  and  indeed 
 so  it  is.  And  it  is  as  much  as  if  he  said :  I  confess  that  I  have 
 chidden  you  somewhat  bitterly,  but  take  it  in  good  part,  and 
 then  shall  ye  find  this  my  chiding  to  be  no  chiding,  but  a  pray- 
 ing and  a  beseeching.  If  a  father,  likewise,  do  sharply  correct 
 his  son,  it  is  as  much  as  if  he  said.  My  son,  I  pray  thee  to  be  a 
 good  child,  &;c.  It  seemeth  indeed  to  be  a  correction;  but  if  ye 
 respect  the  father's  heart,  it  is  a  gentle  and  earnest  beseeching. 
 
VER.  12_.14.J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  351 
 
 Verse  12.     Ye  have  not  hurt  me  at  all. 
 
 As  if  he  said,  Why  should  I  be  angry  with  you,  or  of  a  ma- 
 licious mind  speak  evil  of  you,  seeing  ye  have  nothing  offended 
 me  ?  Why,  then,  sayest  thou  that  we  are  perverted,  that  we 
 have  forsaken  thy  doctrine,  that  we  are  foolish,  bewitched,  &c.? 
 These  things  do  witness  that  we  have  offended  thee.  He  an- 
 swereth :  Ye  have  not  offended  me,  but  yourselves ;  and  there- 
 fore I  am  thus  troubled,  not  for  mine  own  cause,  but  for  the 
 love  I  bear  unto  you.  Think  not,  therefore,  that  my  chiding 
 did  proceed  of  malice,  or  any  evil  affection ;  for  I  take  God  to 
 witness,  ye  have  done  me  no  wrong,  but,  contrariwise,  ye  have 
 bestowed  great  benefits  upon  me. 
 
 Thus  speaking  them  fair,  he  prepareth  their  minds  to  suffer 
 his  fatherly  chastisement  with  a  child-hke  affection.  And  this 
 is  to  temper  wormwood  or  a  bitter  potion  with  honey  and 
 sugar,  to  make  it  sweet  again.  So  parents  speak  their  chil- 
 dren fair  when  they  have  well  beaten  them,  giving  them  apples, 
 pears,  and  other  like  things,  whereby  the  children  know  that 
 their  parents  love  them,  and  seek  to  do  them  good,  how  sharp 
 soever  their  correction  doth  appear. 
 
 Verse  13,  14.  And  ye  knotv  how,  through  the  infirmity  of  the  flesh,  I  preached 
 the  gospel  unto  you  at  the  first.  And  the  trial  of  me  which  was  in  my 
 flesh,  ye  despised  not,  neither  abhorred,  but  ye  received  me  as  an  angel 
 of  God,  yea,  as  Christ  Jesus. 
 
 Now  he  declareth  what  pleasures  he  had  received  of  the  Ga- 
 latians.     The  first  benefit,   (saith  he,)  which  I  esteem  as  the 
 greatest  of  all,  was  this :   When  I  began  first  to  preach  the 
 gospel  amongst  you,  and  that  tlu'ough  the  infirmity  of  the  flesh 
 and  great  temptations,  my  cross  did  nothing  at  all  offend  you ; 
 but  ye  shewed  yourselves  so  loving,  so  kind,  and  so  friendly 
 towards  me,  that  not  only  ye  were  not  offended  with  this  my 
 infirmity  of  the   flesh,   with   my  temptations  and   afilictions, 
 wherewith  I  was  almost  overwhelmed ;  but  also  ye  loved  me 
 dearly,  and  received  me  as  an  angel  of  God,  yea,  rather,  as 
 Christ  Jesus  himself.     This  is,  indeed,  a  great  commendation 
 of  the  Galatians,  that  they  received  the  gospel  of  a  man  so  con- 
 temptible and  afflicted  on  every  side  as  Paul  was.     For  where 
 he  preached  the  gospel  amongst  them,  both  the  Jews  and  Gen- 
 tiles murmured  and  raged  against  him.     For  all  the  mighty, 
 wise,  religious,  and  learned  men,  hated,  persecuted,   and  blas- 
 phemed Paul.      With  all  this,   the  Galatians  were  no  whit 
 offended,  but,  turning  their  eyes  from  the  beholding  of  this  in 
 firmity,  these  temptations  and  dangers,  they  did  not  only  hear 
 that  poor,  despised,  wretched,  and  afflicted  Paul,  and  acknow- 
 ledged themselves  to  be  his  disciples,  but  also  they  received 
 and  heard  hiisa  as  an  angel  of  God,  yea,  as  Jesus  Christ  himself. 
 This  is  a  worthy  commendation,   and  a  singular  virtue  of  the 
 Galatians,  and  indeed  such  a  commendation  as  he  giveth  to 
 none  of  all  those  to  whom  he  wrote,  besides  these  Galatians 
 
332  COMMENl'ARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  _fCHAP.  IV. 
 
 Jerome,  and  certain  other  of  the  ancient  fathers,  expound 
 this  infirmity  of  the  flesh  in  Paul,  to  he  some  disease  of  the 
 hody,  or  some  temptation  of  lust.  These  men  lived  when  the 
 church  was  outwardly  in  a  peaceahle  and  prosperous  state, 
 without  any  cross  or  persecution ;  for  then  the  bishops  began 
 to  increase  in  riches,  estimation,  and  glory  in  the  world ;  and 
 many  also  exercised  tyranny  over  the  people  which  were  com- 
 mitted to  their  charge,  as  the  ecclesiastical  history  witnesseth. 
 Few  did  their  duty,  and  they  that  would  seem  to  do  it,  forsak- 
 ing the  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  set  forth  their  own  decrees  to 
 the  people.  Now,  when  the  pastors  and  bishops  are  not  exer- 
 cised in  the  word  of  God,  but  neglect  the  pure  and  sincere 
 preaching  thereof,  they  must  needs  fall  into  security ;  for  they 
 are  not  exercised  with  temptations,  with  the  cross  and  perse- 
 cutions, which  are  wont  always,  undoubtedly,  to  follow  the 
 pure  preaching  of  the  word ;  therefore  it  was  impossible  that 
 they  should  understand  Paul.  But  we,  by  the  grace  of  God, 
 have  sound  and  sincere  doctrine,  which  also  we  preach  and 
 teach  freely,  and  therefore  are  compelled  to  suffer  the  bitter 
 hatred,  afflictions,  and  persecutions  of  the  devil  and  the  world. 
 And  if  we  were  not  exercised  outwardly  by  tyrants  and  sectaries 
 with  force  and  subtil ty,  and  inwardly  with  terrors  and  fiery 
 darts  of  the  devil,  Paul  should  be  as  obscure  and  unknown  unto 
 us,  as  he  was  in  times  past  to  the  whole  world,  and  yet  is  to  the 
 Papists,  the  Anabaptists,  and  other  our  adversaries.  There- 
 fore, the  gift  of  knowledge,  and  interpretation  of  the  scriptures, 
 and  our  study,  together  Avith  our  inward  and  outward  tempta- 
 tions, open  unto  us  the  meaning  of  Paul,  and  the  sense  of  the 
 holy  scriptures. 
 
 Paul,  therefore,  calleth  the  infirmity  of  the  flesh,  no  disease 
 of  the  body,  or  temptation  of  lust,  but  his  suffering  and  afflic- 
 tion, which  he  sustained  in  his  body ;  which  he  setteth  against 
 the  virtue  and  power  of  the  spirit.  But,  lest  we  should  seem 
 to  wrest  and  pervert  Paul's  words,  let  us  hear  himself  speaking 
 in  2  Cor.  xii.  "  Very  gladly  will  I  rejoice  rather  in  mine  in- 
 firmities, that  the  power  of  Christ  may  dwell  in  me.  There- 
 fore, I  take  pleasure  in  infirmities,  in  reproaches,  in  necessities, 
 in  persecutions,  in  anguish,  for  Christ's  sake :  P'or  when  I  am 
 weak,  then  am  I  strong."  And  in  the  eleventh  chapter :  "  In 
 labours  more  abundant,  in  stripes  above  measure,  in  prisons 
 more  plenteous,  in  death  oft.  Of  the  Jews  five  times  received 
 I  forty  stripes  save  one ;  I  was  thrice  beaten  with  rods ;  I  was 
 once  stoned ,  I  suffered  thrice  shipwreck,"  &c.  These  afliic- 
 tions,  Tyvhich  he  suffered  in  his  body,  he  calleth  the  infirmity  of 
 the  flesh,  and  not  any  corporeal  disease.  As  though  he  would 
 say.  When  I  preached  the  gospel  amongst  you,  I  was  op- 
 pressed with  sundry  temptations  and  afflictions ;  I  was  always 
 in  danger,  both  of  the  Jews,  of  the  Gentiles,  and  also  of  false 
 brethren.     I  suffered  hunger,  and  wanted  all  things.     I  was 
 
VEK.  13,  14.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  339 
 
 the  very  filth  and  ofF-scouring  of  the  world.  He  maketh  men- 
 tion of  this  his  infirmity  in  many  places,  as  in  1  Cor.  iv.  12. 
 2  Cor.  iv.  9,  11,  12,  and  in  many  other. 
 
 We  see  then  that  Paul  calleth  afllictions  the  infirmities  of  the 
 flesli,  which  he  suffered  in  the  flesh,  like  as  the  other  apostles, 
 the  prophets,  and  all  godly  men  did  :  notwithstanding  he  was 
 mighty  in  spirit.  For  the  power  of  Christ  was  in  him,  which 
 always  reigned  and  triumphed  through  him.  Which  thing  he 
 testifieth  in  2  Cor.  xii.  in  these  words :  "  For  when  I  am 
 weak,  then  am  I  strong."  Also,  "  1  will  gladly  rejoice  in  my 
 infirmities,  that  the  power  of  Christ  may  dwell  in  me."  And 
 in  the  second  chapter,  "  Thanks  be  to  God,  who  always  maketb 
 us  to  triumph  in  Christ."  As  though  he  would  say.  Indeed 
 the  devil,  the  Jews,  and  the  Gentiles  rage  cruelly  against  us : 
 notwithstanding  we  continue  constant  and  invincible  against  all 
 their  assaults,  and  will  they,  nil  they,  our  doctrine  prevaileth 
 and  triumpheth.  This  was  the  strength  and  power  of  spirit  in 
 Paul,  against  which  he  setteth  here  the  infirmity  and  bondage 
 of  the  flesh. 
 
 Now,  this  infirmity  of  the  flesh  in  the  godly  doth  wonder- 
 fully offend  reason.  Therefore,  Paul  so  highly  commendeth 
 the  Galatians,  because  they  were  not  offended  with  this  great 
 infirmity,  and  with  this  vile  and  contemptible  form  of  the  cross 
 which  they  saw  in  him :  but  received  him  as  an  angel,  yea,  as 
 Christ  Jesus.  And  Christ  himself  also  armeth  the  faithful 
 against  this  base  and  contemptible  form  of  the  cross  in  which 
 he  appeared,  when  he  saith,  "  Blessed  is  he  that  is  not  offended 
 in  me,"  (Matt.  xi.  6.)  And  surely  it  is  a  great  matter  that  they 
 which  believe  in  him,  do  acknowledge  him  to  be  Lord  of  all, 
 and  Saviour  of  the  world  ;  whom  notwithstanding  they  hear  to 
 have  been  the  most  miserable  of  all  others,  the  least  of  men, 
 yea,  a  very  scorn  of  men,  and  a  contempt  of  the  world,  (Ps. 
 xxii.  7.)  Briefly,  despised  and  hated  of  all  men,  and  condemned 
 to  the  death  of  the  cross,  and  even  of  his  own  people,  and  espe- 
 cially of  those  that  were  esteemed  the  best,  the  wisest,  and  ho- 
 liest of  all  other.  This  is  a  great  matter,  I  say,  not  to  be  moved 
 with  these  great  offences,  and  to  be  able,  not  only  to  contemn 
 them,  but  also  to  esteem  this  poor  Christ,  so  spitefully  scorned, 
 spit  upon,  whipped  and  crucified,  more  than  the  riches  of  all  the 
 richest,  the  strength  of  all  the  strongest,  the  wisdom  of  all  the 
 wisest,  the  holiness  of  all  the  holiest  men,  with  all  the  crowns 
 and  sceptres  of  all  the  kings  and  princes  of  the  whole  world. 
 They  therefore  are  worthily  called  blessed  of  Christ,  which  are 
 not  offended  in  him. 
 
 Now  Paul  had  not  only  outward  temptations,  (whereof  I  have 
 spoken  already,  but  also  inward  and  spiritual  temptations,  as 
 Christ  had  in  the  garden :  such,  as  that  was  whereof  he  com- 
 plaineth  in  2  Cor.  xii.  "  That  he  felt  the  prick  or  sting  of  the 
 flesh,  and  the  angel  of  Satan  which  buff*eted  him."     This  I  say 
 
834  COMMENTARY  ON  8T.  PAUL's  [cHAP.  IV, 
 
 by  the  way,  because  the  Papists  expound  this  to  be  a  motion 
 of  fleshly  lust ;  but  it  was  a  spiritual  temptation.  And  herein 
 is  no  repugnance,  that  he  addeth  this  word  flesh,  saying,  "  A 
 prick  was  given  me  in  the  flesh."  Yea,  he  calleth  it  of  purpose 
 a  prick  (or  thorn)  in  the  flesh.  For  the  Galatians,  and  others 
 Avhich  were  conversant  with  Paul,  had  seen  him  oftentimes  in 
 great  heaviness,  anguish,  and  terror.  Wherefore  the  apostles 
 had  not  only  bodily,  but  also  spiritual  temptations ;  which  also 
 he  confesseth  in  2  Cor.  vii.  with  these  words:  "Fightings 
 without,  and  terrors  within."  And  Luke  saith,  in  the  last  of 
 the  Acts,  that  Paid,  when  he  had  long  striven  in  the  tempests  of 
 the  sea,  even  unto  the  heaviness  of  his  spirit,  was  again  re- 
 freshed, and  waxed  bold,  when  he  saw  the  brethren  that  came 
 from  Rome  to  meet  him  at  the  market  of  Appius  and  Three 
 Taverns.  Also,  in  Phil.  ii.  he  confesseth,  that  God  had  mercy 
 upon  him,  in  that  he  restored  Epaphroditus,  so  weak  and  near 
 to  death,  unto  health  again,  lest  he  should  have  sorrow  upon 
 sorrow.  Therefore,  besides  outward  temptations,  the  apostles 
 also  suflered  great  anguish,  heaviness,  and  terrors. 
 
 But  why  saith  Paul  that  he  was  not  despised  of  the  Galatians  ? 
 It  seemeth  that  they  despised  him,  when  they  fell  away  from  his 
 gospel.  Paul  expoundeth  himself.  When  I  first  preached  to 
 you  the  gospel,  (saith  he,)  ye  did  not  as  other  people  have 
 done,  who  being  greatly  offended  through  this  my  infirmity  and 
 temptation  of  the  flesh,  have  despised  and  rejected  me.  For 
 man's  reason  is  soon  offended  with  this  vile  and  contemptible 
 form  of  the  cross,  and  judgeth  those  to  be  stark  mad,  which, 
 being  so  afflicted,  will  go  about  to  comfort,  to  help,  and  to  suc- 
 cour others.  Also,  those  that  boast  of  their  gi'eat  riches,  that 
 is  to  say,  of  righteousness,  strength,  victory  over  sin,  death, 
 and  all  evils ;  of  joy,  salvation,  and  everlasting  life,  and  yet, 
 notwithstanding,  are  needy,  weak,  heavy-hearted,  and  despised, 
 evil-entreated,  and  slain,  as  very  noisome  poisons  both  of  com- 
 monweals and  of  religion ;  and  they  which  kill  them,  think  they 
 do  high  service  unto  God,  (John  xvi.  2.)  Therefore,  when 
 they  promise  unto  others  eternal  treasures,  and  they  themselves 
 perish  so  wretchedly  before  the  world,  they  are  laughed  to 
 scorn,  and  compelled  to  hear,  "  Physician,  cure  thyself,"  (Luke 
 iv.  23.)  And  hereof  come  these  complaints  which  are  every 
 where  in  the  Psalms :  "  I  am  a  worm,  and  no  man,"  &c. 
 Again,  "  Depart  not  from  me,  for  tribulation  is  at  hand,  and 
 there  is  none  to  help,"  (Psalm  xxii.  6,  11.) 
 
 This  is,  therefore,  a  great  commendation  of  the  Galatians, 
 that  they  were  not  offended  with  this  infirmity  and  temptation 
 of  Paul,  but  received  him  as  an  angel  of  God,  yea,  as  Jesus 
 Christ.  It  is,  indeed,  a  great  virtue,  and  worthy  or  great  praise, 
 to  hear  the  apostles ;  but  it  is  a  greater,  and  a  true  Christian 
 virtue,  to  give  ear  unto  one  so  miserable,  weak,  and  contemp- 
 tible, as  Paul  was  among  the  Galatians,  (as  here  he  witnesseth 
 
VER.  13— 15.J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  333 
 
 of  himself,)  and  to  receive  him  as  an  angel  from  heaven,  and 
 to  give  him  such  honour  as  if  he  had  been  Christ  Jesus  himself; 
 and  not  to  be  offended  with  his  afflictions,  being  so  great  and  so 
 many.  Wherefore,  by  these  words,  he  highly  commendeth  the 
 virtue  of  the  Galatians,  which  he  saith  he  will  keep  in  perpe- 
 tual remembrance;  and  so  greatly  esteemeth  the  same,  that  he 
 desircth  it  may  be  known  unto  all  men.  Notwithstanding,  in 
 setting  forth  so  highly  their  benefits  and  praises,  he  sheweth 
 covertly  how  entirely  they  loved  him  before  the  coming  of  the 
 false  apostles,  and  therewithal  he  moveth  them  to  continue  as 
 they  began,  and  to  embrace  him  with  no  less  love  and  reve- 
 rence than  they  did  before.  And  hereby  it  may  also  appear, 
 that  the  false  apostles  had  greater  authority  among  the  Gala- 
 tians than  Paul  himself  had;  for  the  Galatians,  being  moved 
 with  their  authorit)^,  preferred  them  far  above  Paul,  whom  be- 
 fore they  so  dearly  loved,  and  received  as  an  angel  of  God,  &c. 
 
 Verse  15.  What  was  then  your  felicity? 
 As  if  he  would  say:  How  happy  were  ye  counted?  How 
 much  were  ye  then  praised  and  commended  ?  The  like  manner 
 of  speech  we  have  in  the  song  of  the  Virgin  Mary — "All  gene- 
 rations shall  call  me  blessed."  (Luke  i.  48.)  And  these  words, 
 "  What  was  then  your  felicity?"  contain  in  them  a  certain  ve- 
 hemency.  As  if  he  should  say,  Ye  were  not  only  blessed,  but 
 in  all  things  most  blessed  and  highly  commended.  Thus  he 
 goeth  about  to  qualify  and  mitigate  his  bitter  potion,  that  is  to 
 say,  his  sharp  chiding;  fearing  lest  the  Galatians  should  be  of- 
 fended therewith,  especially  seeing  he  knew  that  the  false  apos-: 
 ties  would  slander  him,  and  most  spitefully  interpret  his  words ; 
 for  this  is  the  quality  and  nature  of  these  vipers,  that  they  will 
 slander,  and  maliciously  pervert  those  words  which  proceed  from 
 a  simple  and  sincere  heart,  and  wrest  them  clean  contrary  to  the 
 true  sense  and  meaning  thereof.  They  are  marvellous  cunning 
 workmen  in  this  matter,  far  passing  all  the  wit  and  eloquence 
 of  all  the  rhetoricians  in  the  world.  For  they  are  led  with  a 
 wicked  spirit,  which  so  bewitcheth  them,  that  they,  being  in- 
 flamed with  a  devilish  rage  against  the  faithful,  can  no  other- 
 wise do,  but  maliciously  interpret,  and  wickedly  pervert  their 
 words  and  writings.  Therefore  they  are  like  unto  the  spider, 
 that  aucketh  venom  out  of  sweet  and  pleasant  flowers;  and  this 
 proceedeth  not  of  the  flowers,  but  of  their  own  venemous  na- 
 ture, which  turneth  that  into  poison  that  of  itself  is  good  and 
 wholesome.     Paul,  therefore,  by  these  mild  and  sweet  words, 
 
 f^oeth  about  to  prevent  the  false  apostles,  to  the  end  they  should 
 lave  no  occasion  to  slander  and  pervert  his  words  after  this 
 manner:  Paul  handleth  you  very  ungently;  he  caUeth  you 
 foolish,  bewitched,  and  disobedient  to  the  truth,  which  is  a 
 sure  token  that  he  seeketh  not  your  salvation,  but  accounteth 
 you  as  damned  and  rejected  of  Christ. 
 
336  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAr.  IV. 
 
 Verse  13.  For  I  bear  you  record,  that,  if  it  had  been  possible,  ye  would  have 
 plucked  out  your  own  eyes,  and  have  given  them  to  me. 
 
 He  praiseth  the  Galatians  above  measure.  Ye  did  not  only 
 entreat  me  (saith  he)  most  courteously,  and  with  all  reverence, 
 receiving  me  as  an  angel  of  God,  &c.  but  also,  if  necessity  had 
 required,  ye  would  have  plucked  out  your  own  eyes,  and  given 
 them  to  me;  yea,  you  would  have  bestowed  your  lives  for  me. 
 And,  indeed,  the  Galatians  bestowed  their  lives  for  him :  for  in 
 that  they  received  and  maintained  Paul,  (whom  the  world  ac- 
 counted most  execrable  and  accursed,)  they  turned  upon  their 
 own  heads,  as  receivers  and  mamtainers  of  Paul,  the  cruel 
 hatred  and  indignation  of  all  the  J  ews  and  Gentiles. 
 
 So  also  at  this  day  the  name  of  Luther  is  most  odious  to  the 
 world.  He  that  praiseth  me,  sinneth  worse  than  any  idolater, 
 blasphemer,  perjurer,  Avhoremonger,  adulterer,  murderer,  or 
 thief.  It  must  needs  be,  therefore,  that  the  Galatians  were 
 well-established  in  the  doctrine  and  faith  of  Christ,  seeing  that 
 they  with  so  great  danger  of  their  lives  received  and  maintained 
 Paul,  which  was  hated  throughout  all  the  world;  for  else  they 
 would  never  have  sustained  that  cruel  hatred  of  the  whole  world. 
 
 Verse  16.    Am  I  therefore  becom*  /our  enemy,  because  I  tell  you  the  truth. 
 
 Here  he  sheweth  the  reason  why  he  speaketh  the  Galatians 
 80  fair;  for  he  suspecteth  that  they  take  him  for  their  enemy, 
 because  he  had  reproved  them  so  sharply.  I  pray  you  (saith  he) 
 set  apart  these  rebukes,  and  separate  them  from  doctrine,  and  ye 
 shall  find  that  my  pm-pose  was  not  to  rebuke  you,  but  to  teach 
 you  the  truth.  Indeed,  I  confess  that  my  epistle  is  sharp  and 
 severe;  but  by  this  severity  I  go  about  to  call  you  back  again 
 to  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  fi'om  the  which  ye  are  fallen,  and  to 
 keep  you  in  the  same;  therefore,  apply  this  sharpness  and  this 
 bitter  potion,  not  to  your  persons,  but  to  your  disease;  and 
 judge  me  not  to  be  your  enemy  in  rebuking  you  so  sharply, 
 but  rather  think  that  I  am  your  father:  for  unless  I  loved  you 
 dearly,  as  my  children,  and  knew  also  that  I  am  beloved  of 
 you,  I  would  not  have  reproved  you  so  sharply. 
 
 It  is  the  part  of  a  friend,  freely  to  admonish  his  friend,  if  he 
 do  amiss;  and  when  he  is  so  admonished,  if  he  be  wise,  he  is 
 not  angry  with  the  other,  which  hath  so  friendly  admonished 
 him  and  told  him  the  truth,  but  giveth  him  thanks.  It  is  com- 
 monly seen  in  the  world  that  truth  bringeth  hatred,  and  that 
 he  is  accounted  an  enemy  which  speaketh  the  truth.  But 
 amongst  friends  it  is  not  so,  much  less  amongst  Christians. 
 Seeing,  therefore,  I  have  reprehended  you  of  mere  love,  to  the 
 end  ye  might  abide  in  the  truth,  ye  ought  not  to  be  offended 
 with  me,  nor  lose  the  truth,  or  think  me  your  enemy  because 
 of  my  friendly  and  fatherly  reprehension.  All  these  things  aio 
 spoken  of  Paul,  to  confirm  that  which  he  said  before:  "  Be  Ye 
 as  I  am;  ye  have  not  hurt  me,"  &c. 
 
VER.   If.]  EnSTLlC  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  837 
 
 Vkrse  17.     They  aro  jenlmis  over  you  amiss. 
 
 Hereproveth  here  the  flattery  of  the  false  apostles;  for  Satan 
 is  wont,  by  his  mhiisters,  through  wonderful  subtilty  and  crafty 
 sleights,  to  beguile  the  simple :  As  Paul  saith,  "  With  fair 
 speech  and  flattery  they  deceive  the  hearts  of  the  simple,"  (Rom. 
 xvi.)  For,  first  of  all,  they  make  great  protestations  that  they 
 seek  nothing  else  but  the  advancement  of  God's  glory;  and 
 moreover,  that  they  are  moved  by  the  spirit,  (because  the  mise- 
 lable  people  are  neglected,  or  else  because  the  truth  is  not 
 purely  taught  of  others,)  to  teach  the  infallible  truth,  that  by  this 
 means  the  elect  may  be  delivered  from  error,  and  may  come  to 
 the  true  light  and  knowledge  of  the  truth.  Moreover,  they  pro- 
 mise undoubted  salvation  to  those  that  receive  their  doctrine. 
 If  vigilant  and  faithful  pastors  do  not  withstand  these  ravening 
 wolves,  they  Avill  do  great  harm  to  the  church,  under  this  pre- 
 tence of  godliness,  and  under  this  sheep's  clothing.  For  the 
 Galatians  might  say,  Why  dost  thou  inveigh  so  bitterly  against 
 our  teachers,  for  that  they  be  jealous  over  us?  for  that  which 
 they  do,  they  do  of  zeal  and  mere  love;  this  ought  not  to  oflfend 
 thee,  &c.  Indeed  (saith  he)  they  are  jealous  over  you,  but  their 
 jealousy  is  not  good. 
 
 Here  note,  that  zeal  or  jealousy  properly  signifieth  angry 
 love,  or,  as  ye  would  say,  a  godly  envy.  Elijah  saith:  "  I  have 
 oeen  very  jealous  for  the  Lord  of  Hosts,"  (2  Kings  xix.  10.) 
 After  this  manner  the  husband  is  jealous  towards  his  wife,  the 
 father  towards  his  son,  the  brother  towards  his  brother,  that  is 
 to  say,  they  love  them  entirely;  yet  so,  that  they  hate  their  vices, 
 and  go  about  to  mend  them.  Such  a  zeal  the  false  apostles  pre- 
 tended to  bear  towards  the  Galatians.  Paul,  indeed,  confesseth 
 that  they  were  very  zealous  towards  the  Galatians,  but  their  zeal 
 (saith  he)  was  not  good.  Now,  by  this  colour  and  subtle  pre- 
 tence the  simple  are  deceived,  when  these  seducers  do  make  them 
 to  believe  that  they  bear  a  great  zeal  and  affection  towards  them, 
 and  that  they  are  very  careful  for  them;  Paul  therefore  warneth 
 us  here  to  put  a  difference  between  a  good  zeal  and  an  evil  zeal. 
 Indeed,  a  good  zeal  is  to  be  commended,  but  not  an  evil  zeal. 
 I  am  as  zealous  over  you  (saith  Paul)  as  they:  now  judge  ye 
 which  of  our  zeals  is  better,  mine  or  theirs;  which  is  good  and 
 godly;  which  is  evil  and  carnal:  therefore  let  not  their  zeal  so 
 easily  seduce  you.     For, 
 
 Verse  17.    They  would  exclude  us,  that  you  should  altog^ether  love  them. 
 
 As  if  he  said :  True  it  is,  that  they  are  very  zealous  towards 
 you,  but  by  this  means  they  seek  that  ye  again  should  be  zealous 
 towards  them,  and  reject  me.  If  their  zeal  were  sincere  and 
 godly,  then  surely  they  would  be  content  that  I  should  be  be- 
 loved of  you,  as  well  as  they.  But  they  hate  our  doctrine,  and 
 therefore  their  desire  is,  that  it  may  be  utterly  abolished,  and 
 tl:eir  own  preached  amongst  you.    Now,  to  the  end  they  might 
 
838  •  COMMENTARY    ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  IV, 
 
 bring-  this  to  pass,  they  go  about  by  this  jealousy  to  pluck  your 
 hearts  from  me,  and  to  make  me  odious  unto  you;  that  when  ye 
 have  received  an  hatred  ag-ainst  me  and  my  doctrine,  and  turned 
 your  affection  and  zeal  towards  them,  ye  should  love  them  only, 
 ana  rpceive  no  other  doctrine  but  theirs.  Thus  he  bringeth  the 
 false  apostles  into  suspicion  among  the  Galatians,  shewing  that 
 by  this  goodly  pretence  they  go  about  to  deceive  them.  So  our 
 Saviour  Christ  also  warneth  us,  saying,  "  Take  heed  of  false  pro- 
 phets, which  come  to  you  in  sheep's  clothing,"  (Matt.  vii.  15.) 
 
 Paul  suffered  the  same  temptation  which  we  suffer  at  this  day. 
 He  was  marvellously  troubled  with  this  enormity,  that  after  the 
 preaching  of  his  doctrine,  which  was  divine  and  holy,  he  saw  so 
 many  sects,  commotions,  dissipations  of  commonweals,  changes 
 of  kingdoms,  and  other  like  things,  to  ensue,  which  were  the 
 cause  of  infinite  evils  and  offences.  He  was  accused  by  the  Jews 
 to  be  a  pernicious  fellow,  a  mover  of  sedition  in  his  whole  na- 
 tion, and  to  be  an  author  of  the  sect  of  the  Nazarites,  (Acts  xxiv. 
 5.)  As  if  they  had  said:  This  is  a  seditious  and  a  blasphemous 
 fellow;  for  he  preacheth  such  things  whereby  he  not  only  over- 
 throweth  the  Jewish  commonwealth,  excellently  well  ordered  and 
 established  by  the  laws  of  God,  but  also  abolisheth  even  the  ten 
 commandments,  the  religion  and  service  of  God,  and  our  priest- 
 hood, and  publisheth  throughout  the  world  the  gospel,  (as  he 
 calleth  it);  whereof  are  sprung  infinite  evils,  seditions,  offences, 
 and  sects.  He  was  compelled  to  hear  of  the  Gentiles  also,  which 
 cried  out  against  him  in  Philippi,  that  he  was  a  troubler  of  the 
 city,  and  preached  ordinances  which  were  not  lawful  for  them 
 to  receive,   (Actsxvi.) 
 
 Such  troubles  of  commonweals,  and  other  calamities,  as  fa- 
 mine, wars,  dissensions,  and  sects,  the  Jews  and  Gentiles  im- 
 puted to  the  doctrine  of  Paul,  and  of  the  other  apostles;  and 
 therefore  they  persecuted  them  as  common  plagues,  and  enemies 
 of  the  public  peace  and  of  religion.  The  apostles,  notAvithstand- 
 ing  all  this,  did  not  cease  to  do  their  office,  but  most  constantly 
 preached  and  confessed  Christ;  for  they  knew  that  they  should 
 rather  obey  God  than  men,  (Acts  v.  29.)  and  that  it  was  better 
 that  the  whole  world  should  be  troubled  and  in  an  uproar,  than 
 that  Christ  should  not  be  preached,  or  that  one  soul  should  be 
 neglected  and  perish. 
 
 In  the  mean  time  it  was  (no  doubt)  a  heavy  cross  to  the  apos- 
 tles to  see  these  offences;  for  they  were  not  made  of  iron.  It 
 was  a  wonderful  grief  unto  them,  that  that  people,  for  whose 
 sakes  Paul  wished  to  be  separate  from  Christ,  should  perish  with 
 all  their  ornaments,  (Rom.  ix.)  They  saw  that  great  tumults  and 
 changes  of  kingdoms  should  follow  their  doctrine;  and  (which 
 "vas  more  bitter  unto  them  than  death  itself,  but  especially  unto 
 Paul,)  they  saw  that,  even  amongst  them,  there  sprang  up  many 
 sects.  It  was  heavy  news  to  Paul,  when  he  heard  that  the  Co- 
 rinthians denied  the  resurrection  of  the  dead;  when  he  heard 
 
VER.  17.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  339 
 
 that  the  churches  which  were  planted  by  his  ministry  were 
 troubled;  that  the  gospel  was  overthrown  by  the  false  apostles, 
 *nd  that  all  Asia  was  revolted  from  his  doctrine,  and  certain 
 great  personages  besides. 
 
 But  he  knew  that  his  doctrine  was  not  the  cause  of  these 
 offences  and  sects,  and  therefore  he  was  not  discouraged;  he 
 forsook  not  his  vocation,  but  went  forward,  knowing  that  the 
 gospel  which  he  preached,  was  the  power  of  God  to  salvation 
 to  all  that  believe,  howsoever  it  seemed  to  the  Jews  and  Gen- 
 tiles to  be  a  foolish  and  offensive  doctrine,  (Rom.  i.  16.)  He 
 knew  that  they  are  blessed  which  are  not  offended  by  this  word 
 of  the  cross,  whether  they  be  teachers  or  hearers,  as  Christ 
 himself  saith:  "  Blessed  is  he  which  is  not  offended  in  me." 
 Contrariwise,  he  knew  that  they  were  condemned,  which 
 judged  this  doctrine  to  be  foolish  and  heretical.  Therefore  he 
 saith,  as  Christ  did  of  the  Jews  and  Gentiles  which  were 
 offended  with  his  doctrine :  "  Let  them  alone,  they  are  blind, 
 and  leaders  of  the  blind,"  (Matt.  xv.  14.) 
 
 We  also  are  constrained  at  this  day  to  hear  tlie  same  spoken 
 of  us,  which  Avas  said  of  Paul  and  the  other  apostles;  to  wit, 
 that  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  which  we  profess,  is  the  cause  of 
 many  and  great  enormities,  as  of  seditions,  wars,  sects,  and  in- 
 numerable offences.  Yea,  they  impute  unto  us  all  the  troubles 
 which  are  at  this  day.  Surely,  we  teach  no  heresies  or  wicked 
 doctrine,  but  we  preach  the  glad  tidings  concerning  Christ,  that 
 he  is  our  high  priest  and  oiu"  redeemer.  Moreover,  our  adver- 
 saries are  constrained  (if  they  will  confess  the  truth)  to  grant  us 
 this,  that  we  have  given  no  occasion  through  our  doctrine,  of 
 seditions,  wars,  or  tumults;  but  always  have  taught  that  honour 
 and  reverence  must  be  given  to  the  magistrates,  because  God 
 hath  so  commanded.  Neither  are  we  the  authors  of  offences: 
 but  in  that  the  wicked  are  offended,  the  fault  is  in  themselves, 
 and  not  in  us.  God  hath  commanded  us  to  preach  the  doctrine 
 of  the  gospel,  without  any  respect  of  offence.  But  because  this 
 doctrine  condemneth  the  wicked  doctrine  and  idolatry  of  our 
 adversaries,  they,  being  provoked  thereby,  raise  offences  of 
 themselves,  which  the  schoolmen  called  offences  taken,  which, 
 they  said,  ought  not  to  be  avoided,  nor  can  be  avoided. 
 
 Christ  taught  the  gospel,  having  no  regard  to  the  offence  of 
 the  Jews.  "  Suffer  them,"  (saith  he,)  "  they  are  blind,  and  leadr 
 ers  of  the  blind,"  (Matt.  xv.  14.)  The  more  the  priests  forbade 
 the  apostles  to  preach  in  the  name  of  Christ,  the  more  the  apos- 
 tles gave  Avitness  that  the  same  Jesus,  whom  they  had  crucified, 
 is  both  Lord  and  Christ,  and  whosoever  should  call  upon  him 
 should  be  saved,  and  that  there  is  no  other  name  given  unto 
 men  under  heaven,  whereby  they  must  be  saved,  &c.  (Acts  ii. 
 21,  36.  iv.  12.)  Even  so  we  preach  Christ  at  this  day,  not 
 regarding  the  clamours  of  the  wicked  Papists  and  all  our  ad- 
 versaries, which  cry  out  that  our  doctrine  is  seditious  and  full 
 
S4f*  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUl/s  [CHAP.  IV 
 
 of  blasphemy,  that  it  trouhleth  commonweals,  overthrowetli 
 religion,  and  teacheth  heresies,  and  briefly,  that  it  is  the  cause 
 of  all  evils.  When  Christ  and  his  apostles  preached,  the  same 
 was  said  likewise  of  them.  Not  long  after,  the  Romans  came, 
 and,  according  to  their  own  prophecy,  destroyed  both  the  place 
 and  the  nation.  Wherefore  let  the  enemies  of  the  gospel  at 
 this  day,  take  heed  that  they  be  not  overwhelmed  with  these 
 evils,  which  they  prophesy  unto  themselves. 
 
 These  they  make  grievous  and  heinous  oifences,  that  monks 
 and  priests  do  marry  wives,  that  we  eat  flesh  upon  the  Fridays, 
 and  such-like.  But  this  is  no  offence  to  them  at  all,  that  by 
 their  wicked  doctrine  they  seduce  and  daily  destroy  immmerable 
 souls;  that  by  their  evil  example  they  offend  the  weak;  that  they 
 blaspheme  and  condemn  the  glorious  gospel  of  the  mighty  God; 
 and  that  they  persecute  and  kill  those  that  love  the  sincerity  of 
 doctrine  and  the  word  of  life:  this  (I  say)  is  to  them  no  oflfence, 
 but  an  obedience,  a  service,  and  an  acceptable  sacrifice  unto  God. 
 Let  us  suffer  them,  therefore :  "  For  they  are  blind,  and  leaders 
 of  the  blind,"  (Matt.  xv.  14.)  "  He  that  hurteth,  let  him  hurt 
 still;  and  he  that  is  filthy,  let  him  be  more  filthy,"  ( Apoc.  xxii.) 
 But  we,  because  we  believe,  will  speak  and  set  forth  the  won- 
 derful works  of  the  Lord,  so  long  as  Ave  have  breath,  and  will 
 endure  the  persecutions  of  our  adversaries  until  the  time  that 
 Christ,  our  high  bishop  and  king,  shall  come  from  heaven,  who, 
 we  hope,  will  come  shortly,  as  a  just  judge,  to  take  vengeance 
 of  all  those  that  obey  not  his  gospel.     So  be  it. 
 
 With  these  offences  which  the  wicked  allege,  the  godly  are 
 nothing  moved;  for  they  know  that  the  devil  hateth  nothing 
 more  than  the  pure  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  and  therefore  he 
 goeth  about  to  deface  it  with  innumerable  offences,  that  by  this 
 means  he  might  root  it  out  of  men's  hearts  for  ever.  Before, 
 Avhen  nothing  else  was  taught  in  the  church  but  man's  tradi- 
 tions, the  devil  did  not  so  rage.  For  whilst  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,  then  he  beginneth  to  rage 
 indeed,  (Luke  xi.  21,  22.)  And  this  is  an  infallible  token,  that 
 the  doctrine  which  Ave  profess  is  of  God;  for  else,  (as  it  is  said 
 in  the  fortieth  of  Job)  that  "  Behemoth  Avould  lie  hid  under  the 
 trees,  in  the  covert  of  the  reed  and  fens."  But  noAv,  that  he 
 rangeth  about  like  a  roaring  lion,  and  stirreth  up  such  hurly- 
 burlies,  it  is  a  manifest  token  that  he  feeleth  the  poAver  of  our 
 preaching,  (1  Pet.  v.  8.) 
 
 When  Paul  saith,  "  They  are  jealous  over  you,  but  amiss," 
 he  sheweth,  by  the  way,  Avho  are  the  authors  of  sects;  to  wit, 
 those  jealous  spirits  which  in  all  times  overthrow  the  true  doc- 
 trine,'and  trouble  the  public  peace.  For  these  being  stirred  up 
 with  a  perverse  zeal,  imagine  that  they  have  a  certain  singular 
 holiness,  modesty,  patience,  and  doctrine  above  others,  and  there- 
 
▼ER.  17,    18.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  341 
 
 fore  tliey  think  tJiat  they  are  able  to  provide  for  the  salvation  of 
 all  men;  that  they  can  teach  more  profound  and  profitable  things, 
 ordain  better  service  and  ceremonies  than  all  other  teachers  be- 
 sides, whom  they  despise  as  nothing  in  comparison  of  them- 
 selves, and  abase  their  authority,  and  corrupt  those  things  which 
 they  have  purely  taught.  The  false  apostles  had  such  a  wicked 
 and  perverse  zeal,  stirring  up  sects,  not  only  in  Galatia,  but  also 
 in  all  the  places  wheresoever  Paul  and  the  other  apostles  had 
 preached;  after  the  which  sects  followed  innumerable  offences 
 and  marvellous  troubles.  "  For  the  devil"  (as  Christ  saith)  *'is 
 a  liar  and  a  murderer,"  (John  viii.  44.)  and  therefoie  he  is 
 wont,  not  only  to  trouble  mesi's  consciences  by  false  doctrine, 
 but  also  to  stir  up  tumults,  seditious,  wars,  and  all  mischief. 
 
 There  are  very  many  at  this  day  which  are  possessed  with 
 this  kind  of  jealousy;  which  pretend  great  religion,  modesty, 
 doctrine,  and  patience,  and  yet,  iu  very  deed,  they  are  ravening 
 wolves,  who  with  their  hypocrisy  seek  nothing  else  but  to  dis- 
 credit us,  that  the  people  might  esteem,  love,  and  reverence 
 them  only,  and  receive  no  other  doctrine  but  theirs.  Now,  be- 
 cause these  men  have  a  great  opinion  of  themselves  and  despise 
 others,  it  cannot  be,  but  that  there  must  needs  follow  horrible 
 dissensions,  sects,  divisions,  and  seditions.  But  what  should  we 
 do?  We  cannot  remedy  this  matter;  as  Paul  could  not  do  it  in 
 his  time.  Notwithstanding,  he  gained  some,  which  obeyed  his 
 admonitions ;  so  I  hope,  also,  that  we  have  called  some  back 
 from  the  errors  of  the  sectaries. 
 
 Vbrse  18.     But  it  is  a  good  thing  to  love  earnestly  always  in  a  good  thing 
 and  not  only  when  I  am  present  with  you. 
 
 As  if  he  should  say:  I  commend  you  for  this,  that  ye  loved 
 me  so  entirely  when  I  preached  the  gospel  amongst  you  in  the 
 infirmity  of  the  flesh.  Ye  ought  to  bear  the  same  affection  to- 
 wards me  now,  when  I  am  a])sent,  even  as  if  I  had  never  de- 
 parted from  you;  for,  although  I  be  absent  in  the  body,  yet  have 
 ye  my  doctrine,  which  ye  ought  to  retain  and  maintain,  seeing 
 ye  received  the  Holy  Ghost  through  it;  thinking  with  your- 
 selves, that  Paul  is  always  present  with  you,  as  long  as  ye  have 
 his  doctrine.  I  do  not,  therefore,  reprehend  your  zeal,  but  I 
 praise  it,  and  so  far  forth  I  praise  it,  as  it  is  the  zeal  of  God  or 
 of  the  Spirit,  and  not  of  the  flesh.  Now,  the  zeal  of  the  Spirit 
 is  always  good;  for  it  is  an  earnest  affection  and  motion  of  the 
 heart  to  a  good  thing,  and  so  is  not  the  zeal  of  the  flesh.  He 
 commendeth,  therefore,  the  zeal  of  the  Galatians,  that  thereby 
 he  may  pacify  their  minds,  and  that  they  may  patient'y  suffer 
 his  correction.  As  if  he  would  say:  Take  my  correction  in 
 good  part;  for  it  proceedeth  of  no  displeasure,  but  of  a  sorrow- 
 ful heart  and  careful  for  your  salvation.  This  is  a  lively  ex- 
 ample to  teach  all  ministers  how  to  be  careful  for  their  sheep, 
 and  to  assay  e>  ery  way,  that  by  chiding,  fair  speaking,  or  en- 
 
COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL  S  [CHAP.  IT. 
 
 treating,  they  may  keep  them  in  sound  doctrine,  and  turn  them 
 from  subtle  seducers  and  false  teachers. 
 
 Verse  19.     My  little  chUdren,  of  whom  I  travail  in  birth  again,  until  Christ 
 
 be  formed  in  you. 
 
 All  his  words  are  weighty,  and  fitly  framed  to  the  purpose, 
 that  they  may  move  the  hearts  of  the  Galatians,  and  win  their 
 favour  again;  and  these  are  sweet  and  loving  words,  when  he 
 calleth  them  his  children.  When  he  saith,  "  Of  whom  I  travail 
 in  birth,"  it  is  an  allegory.  For  the  apostles  are  in  the  stead  of 
 parents,  as  schoolmasters  also  are  in  their  place  and  calling. 
 For  as  parents  beget  the  bodily  form,  so  they  beget  the  form  of 
 the  mind.  Now,  the  form  of  a  Christian  mind  is  faith,  or  the 
 confidence  of  the  heart,  that  layeth  hold  upon  Christ,  and 
 cleaveth  to  him  alone,  and  to  nothing  else.  The  heart  being 
 furnished  with  this  confidence  or  assurance,  to  wit,  tliat  for 
 Christ's  sake  we  are  righteous,  hath  the  true  form  of  Christ. 
 Now,  this  form  is  given  by  the  ministry  of  the  word,  as  it  is 
 said,  1  Cor.  iv.  "  I  have  begotten  you  through  the  gospel,"  that 
 is  to  say,  in  spirit,  that  ye  might  know  Christ  and  believe  in  him. 
 Also  2  Cor.  iii.  "  Ye  are  the  epistle  of  Christ,  ministered  by  us 
 and  written,  not  with  ink,  but  with  the  Spirit  of  the  living 
 God."  For  the  word  cometh  from  the  mouth  of  the  apostle  or 
 of  the  minister,  and  enter eth  into  the  heart  of  him  that  heareth 
 it.  There  the  Holy  Ghost  is  present,  and  imprinteth  the  word 
 in  the  heart,  so  that  it  consenteth  unto  it.  Thus,  every  godly 
 teacher  is  a  father,  which  engendereth  and  formeth  the  true 
 shape  of  a  Christian  heart,  and  that  by  the  ministry  of  the  word. 
 
 Moreover  by  these  words,  "Of  whom  I  travail  in  birth,"  he 
 toucheth  the  false  apostles.  As  though  he  would  say:  I  did  be- 
 get you  rightly,  through  the  gospel;  but  these  corrupters  have 
 formed  a  new  shape  in  your  heart,  not  of  Christ,  but  of  Moses: 
 BO  that  noAV  your  affiance  is  not  grounded  any  more  upon  Christ, 
 but  upon  the  works  of  the  law.  This  is  not  the  true  form  of 
 Christ,  but  it  is  another  form,  and  altogether  devilish.  And  he 
 saith  not:  of  whom  I  travail  in  birth  until  my  form  be  fashioned 
 in  you,  but  until  Christ  be  formed  in  you;  that  is  to  say,  I  tra- 
 vail that  ye  may  receive  again  the  form  and  similitude  of  Christ, 
 and  not  of  Paul.  In  which  words  he  again  reproveth  the  false 
 apostles;  for  they  had  abolished  the  form  of  Christ  in  the 
 hearts  of  the  believers,  and  had  devised  another  form,  that  is 
 to  say,  their  own;  as  he  saith  in  chap.  vi.  "  They  would  have 
 you  circumcised,  that  they  might  rejoice  in  your  flesh." 
 
 Of  this  form  of  Christ  he  speaketh  also  in  the  third  to  the 
 Colossians :  "  Put  ye  on  the  new  man,  which  is  renewed  in  know- 
 ledge after  the  image  of  him  that  created  him."  Paul,  therefore, 
 goeth  about  to  repair  the  form  of  Christ  in  the  Galatians,  that 
 was  disfigured  and  corrupted  by  the  false  apostles:  which  is, 
 that  they  should  think,  speak,  and  will,  as  God  doth,  whosu 
 
VEU.I9,  20.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  343 
 
 thought  and  will  is,  that  we  should  oh  tain  remission  of  our  sins 
 and  everlasting  life,  hy  Jesus  Christ  his  only  Son,  whom  he  sent 
 into  the  world,  to  the  end  he  might  he  the  propitiation  for  our 
 sins,  and  that  we  should  know  that  through  this  his  Son  he  is 
 appeased  and  become  our  loving  Father.  They  that  believe 
 this,  are  like  unto  God:  that  is  to  say,  all  their  tlioughts  are  of 
 God,  as  the  affection  of  their  heart  is;  they  have  the  same  form 
 in  their  mind  which  is  in  God,  or  in  Christ.  This  is  to  be  re- 
 newed in  the  spirit  of  our  mind,  and  to  put  on  the  new  man, 
 which,  after  God,  is  created  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness, 
 as  Paul  saith,   (Eph.  iv.) 
 
 He  saith  then,  that  he  travaileth  again  of  the  Galatians  in 
 birth;  and  yet  so,  notwithstanding,  that  the  form  of  the  children 
 should  not  be  the  form  of  the  apostle,  so  that  the  children  should 
 not  resemble  the  form  of  Paul,  or  of  Cephas,  &c.  but  of  ano- 
 ther father,  that  is  to  say,  of  Christ.  I  Avill  fashion  him  (saith 
 he)  in  you,  that  the  same  mind  may  be  in  you,  which  Avas  in 
 Christ  himself,  (Phil.  ii.  5.)  To  be  brief:  "  I  travail  of  you:" 
 that  is  to  say,  I  labour  carefidly  to  call  you  back  to  your  former 
 faith,  the  which  ye  have  lost  (being  deceived  by  the  craft  and 
 subtilty  of  the  false  apostles)  and  are  returned  to  the  law  and 
 works.  Therefore,  I  must  now  again  carefully  travail,  to 
 bring  you  back  from  the  law  to  the  faith  of  Christ.  This  he 
 calleth  to  travail  in  birth,  &c. 
 
 Ver.  20.  And  I  would  I  were  with  you  now,  that  I  might  change  my  voice,  &c. 
 
 These  are  the  true  cares  of  an  apostle.  It  is  a  common  saying, 
 that  a  letter  is  a  dead  messenger;  for  it  can  give  no  more  than 
 it  hath.  And  no  epistle  or  letter  is  written  so  exactly,  wherein 
 there  is  not  somewhat  lacking.  For  the  circumstances  are 
 divers;  there  is  a  diversity  of  times,  places,  persons,  manners 
 and  affections;  all  which  no  epistle  can  express:  therefore  it 
 moveth  the  reader  diversely,  making  him  now  sad,  now  merry, 
 as  he  himself  is  disposed.  But  if  any  thing  be  spoken  sharply, 
 or  out  of  time,  the  lively  voice  of  a  man  may  expound,  mitigate, 
 or  correct  the  same.  Therefore  the  apostle  wisheth  that  he 
 were  with  them,  to  the  end  he  might  temper  and  change  his 
 voice,  as  he  should  see  it  needful,  by  the  qualities  of  their  affec- 
 tions. As,  if  he  should  see  any  of  them  very  much  troubled, 
 he  might  so  temper  his  words,  that  they  should  not  be  oppressed 
 thereby  with  more  heaviness:  contrariwise,  if  he  should  see 
 others  high-minded,  he  might  sharply  reprehend  them,  lest  they 
 should  be  too  secure  and  careless,  and  so  at  length  become 
 contemners  of  God. 
 
 Wherefore  he  could  not  devise  how  he,  being  absent,  should 
 deal  with  them  by  letters.  As  if  he  should  say:  If  my  epistle  be 
 too  sharp,  I  fear  I  shall  more  offend  than  amend  some  of  you. 
 Again :  if  it  be  too  gentle,  it  will  not  profit  those  which  are  per- 
 verse and  obstinate :  for  dead  letters  and  words  give  no  more 
 
344  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUI.'s  [CHAP.  IV, 
 
 than  they  have.  Contrariwise,  the  lively  voice  of  a  man,  com- 
 pared to  an  epistle,  is  a  queen ;  for  it  can  add  and  diminish,  it 
 can  change  itself  into  all  manner  of  affections,  times,  places,  and 
 persons.  To  be  brief,  I  would  gladly  convert  you  by  letters, 
 that  is  to  say,  call  you  back  from  the  law  to  the  faith  of  Jesus 
 Christ ;  but  I  fear  that  I  shall  not  do  so  by  my  dead  letters. 
 But  if  I  were  with  you,  I  could  change  my  voice ;  I  could  re- 
 prove them  bitterly  that  are  obstinate,  and  comfort  the  weak 
 with  sweet  and  loving  words,  as  occasion  should  require. 
 
 Verse  20.  For  I  am  troubled  for  you. 
 
 That  is  to  say,  I  am  so  troubled  in  my  spirit,  that  I  know  not 
 how  by  letters  to  behave  myself  towards  you.  Here  is  a  lively 
 description  of  the  true  affection  of  an  apostle;  he  omitteth 
 nothing:  he  chideth  the  Galatians,  he  entreateth  them,  he 
 speaketh  them  fair,  he  higlily  commendeth  their  faith,  labouring 
 by  all  means  to  bring  them  back  again  to  the  truth  of  the  gos- 
 pel, and  to  deliver  them  out  of  the  snares  of  the  false  apostles. 
 These  are  vehement  words,  proceeding  from  a  heart  stirred  up 
 and  inflamed  with  a  hot  burning  zeal,  and  therefore  ought  dili- 
 gently to  be  considered. 
 
 Ykibe  21.  Tell  me,  ye  that  will  be  under  (he  law,  do  ye  not  hear  the  law  ? 
 
 Here  would  Paul  have  closed  up  his  epistle :  for  he  desired 
 not  to  write  any  more,  but  rather  to  be  present  with  the  Gala- 
 tians, and  to  speak  unto  them  himself.  But  he,  being  in  great 
 perplexity,  and  very  careful  for  this  matter,  taketh  by  the  way 
 this  allegory,  which  then  came  into  his  mind;  for  the  people  are 
 greatly  delighted  with  allegories  and  similitudes,  and  therefore 
 Christ  himself  oftentimes  useth  them.  For  they  are,  as  it  were, 
 certain  pictures,  which  set  forth  things  as  if  they  were  painted 
 before  the  eyes  of  the  simple,  and  therefore  they  move  and  per- 
 suade very  much,  especially  the  simple  and  ignorant.  First, 
 therefore,  he  stirreth  up  the  Galatians  with  words  and  Avritings. 
 Secondly,  he  painteth  out  the  matter  itself  before  their  eyes  with 
 this  goodly  allegory.  . 
 
 Now,  Paul  was  a  marvellous  cunning  workman  in  handling 
 of  allegories;  for  he  is  wont  to  apply  them  to  the  doctrine  of 
 faith,  to  grace,  and  to  Christ,  and  not  to  the  law  and  works 
 thereof,  as  Origen  and  Hierome  do,  who  are  worthily  repre- 
 hended for  that  they  turned  the  plain  sentences  of  the  scripture, 
 where  allegories  have  no  place,  into  unfit  and  foolish  allegories. 
 Therefore  to  use  allegories  it  is  oftentimes  a  very  dangerous 
 thing.  For  unless  a  man  have  the  perfect  knowledge  of  Chris- 
 tian doctrine,  he  cannot  use  allegories  rightly  and  as  he  should  do. 
 
 But  wby  doth  Paul  call  the  book  of  Genesis,  out  of  the  which 
 he  allegeth  the  history  of  Ishmael  and  of  Isaac,  the  law,  seeing 
 that  book  containeth  nothing  at  all  concerning  the  law ;  and  es- 
 pecially that  place,  which  he  allegeth,  speaketh  not  of  any  law, 
 
VER.  21 — 23.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS,  345 
 
 but  only  containeth  a  plain  history  of  Abraham's  two  children? 
 Paul  is  wont  to  call  the  first  book  of  Moses  the  law,  after  the 
 :?anner  of  the  Jews ;  which,  although  it  contain  no  law  besides 
 the  law  of  circumcision,  but  principally  teacheth  faith,  and  wit- 
 nesseth  that  the  patriarchs  pleased  God  because  of  their  faith, 
 yet  the  Jews  notwithstanding,  because  of  the  law  of  circumcision 
 therein  contained,  called  the  book  of  Genesis,  with  the  rest  of 
 the  books  of  Moses,  the  law.  So  did  Paul,  himself  also  being  a 
 Jew.  And  Christ  under  the  name  of  the  law  comprehendeth  not 
 only  the  books  of  Moses,  but  also  the  Psalms — "  But  it  is,  that 
 the  word  might  be  fulfilled  which  is  written  in  their  law :  they 
 hated  mo  without  a  cause,"  (John  xv.  25.  Psalm  xxxv.  19.) 
 
 Verse  22,  23.  For  it  is  written, that  Abraham  had  two  sons,  one  by  a  servant, 
 and  one  by  a  free-woman.  But  he  which  was  of  the  servant,  was  born 
 after  the  flesh ;  and  he  which  was  of  the  free-woman  was  born  after  the 
 promise. 
 
 As  if  he  said :  Ye  forsake  grace,  faith,  arid  Christ,  and  turn 
 back  again  to  the  law ;  ye  will  be  under  the  law,  and  become 
 wise  through  it ;  therefore  I  will  talk  with  you  of  the  law.     I 
 
 Eray  you  consider  the  law  diligently.    Ye  shall  find  that  Abra- 
 am  had  two  sons :  Ishmael  by  Hagar,  and  Isaac  by  Sarah. 
 They  were  both  the  true  sons  of  Abraham.     Ishmael  was  as 
 well  the  true  son  of  Abraham  as  Isaac  was,  for  both  came  of 
 one  father,  of  one  flesh,  and  of  one  seed.     What  was  then  the 
 difference?     This  maketh  not  the  difference  (saith  Paul)  that 
 the  mother  of  the  one  was  free  and  the  other  bond,  (albeit  it 
 pertaineth  to  the  allegory:)  but  that  Ishmael,  which  was  born  of 
 the  bond- woman,  was  born  after  the  flesh,  that  is  to  say,  with- 
 out the  promise  and  the  word  of  God ;  but  Isaac  was  not  only 
 born  of  the  free-woman,  but  also  according  to  the  promise. 
 What  then  ?     Yet  was  Isaac,  notwithstanding,  as  well  born  of 
 the  seed  of  Abraham  as  Ishmael  was.     I  grant  that  they  were 
 both  the  children  of  one  father,  and  yet  notwithstanding  there  is 
 a  difference ;  for  although  Isaac  was  born  of  the  flesh,  yet  the  pro- 
 mise went  before.  None  observed  this  difference  but  only  Paul, 
 which  he  gathered  out  of  the  text  of  Genesis,  after  this  manner. 
 In  that  Hagar  conceived  and  brought  forth  Ishmael,  there 
 was  no  word  of  God  that  foreshewed  that  this  should  come  to 
 pass ;  but,  by  the  permission  of  Sarah,  Abraham  went  in  to  his 
 servant  Hagar,  whom  Sarah,  being  barren,  had  given  to  wife  to 
 Abraham,  as  is  said  in  the  book  of  Genesis.      For  Sarah  had 
 heard  that  Abraham,  by  the  promise  of  God,  should  have  seed 
 of  his  body,  and  she  hoped  that  she  should  be  the  mother  of  this 
 seed.  But  when  she  had  waited  now  for  the  promise  many  years, 
 with  great  anguish  of  spirit,  and  saw  that  the  matter  was  so  long 
 deferred,  she  was  out  of  hope.     This  holy  woman,  therefore, 
 giveth  place  for  the  honour  of  her  husband,  and  resigneth  her 
 right  to  another,  that  is  to  say,  to  her  maid.    Notwithstanding 
 
346  COMMENTAUY  ON  ST.  PAUL  S  fciIAP.   IT. 
 
 she  suft'ereth  not  her  husband  to  marry  another  w  ife  out  of  his 
 house,  but  she  giveth  unto  him  in  marriage  her  servant,  to  the 
 end  that  she  might  be  builded  by  her.  For  so  saith  the  history: 
 "  Now  Sarah,  Abraham's  wife,  bare  him  no  children ;  ai-d  she 
 had  a  maid,  an  Egyptian,  Hagar  by  name.  And  Sarah  said  unto 
 Abraham,  Behold  now  the  Lord  hath  restrained  me  from  child- 
 bearing.  I  pray  thee  go  in  to  my  maid;  it  may  be  that  I  shall  be 
 builded  by  her,"  ( Gen.  xvi. )  This  was  a  great  humility  of  Sarah, 
 who  so  abased  herself,  and  took  in  good  part  this  temptation 
 and  trial  of  her  faith.  For  thus  she  thought:  God  is  no  liar;  that 
 which  he  hath  promised  to  my  husband,  he  will  sm-ely  perform. 
 But  peradventure  God  will  not  that  I  should  be  the  mother  of 
 that  seed.  It  shall  not  grieve  me  that  Hagar  should  have  this 
 honour,  imto  whom  let  my  lord  enter,  for  I  may  peradventure 
 be  builded  by  her. 
 
 Ishmael  therefore  is  born  without  the  word  and  promise,  at 
 the  only  request  of  Sarah.  For  there  is  no  word  of  God  which 
 commanded  Abraham  thus  to  do,  or  promised  unto  him  a  son, 
 but  all  this  is  done  at  adventure.  Which  also  the  words  of 
 Sarah  do  declare — "  It  may  be"  (saith  she)  "  that  I  shall  be 
 builded  by  her."  Seeing,  therefore,  there  was  no  word  of  God 
 spoken  to  Abraham  before,  as  there  was  when  Sarah  should 
 bring  forth  Isaac,  but  only  the  word  of  Sarah,  it  is  evident 
 enough  that  Ishmael  was  the  son  of  Abraham  after  the  flesh 
 only,  without  the  word  of  God ;  therefore  he  was  born  at  ad- 
 venture, and  unlooked-for,  as  another  child  is.  This  Paul  ob- 
 served, and  diligently  considered. 
 
 In  the  ninth  to  the  Romans  he  prosecuteth  the  same  argu- 
 ment which  here  he  repeateth  and  setteth  forth  in  an  allegory, 
 and  concludeth  strongly,  that  all  the  sons  of  Abraham  are  not 
 the  sons  of  God.  Abraham  (saith  he)  hath  two  sorts  of  children. 
 Some  are  born  of  his  flesh  and  blood,  but  the  word  and  promise 
 of  God  goeth  before,  as  Isaac.  Other  are  born  without  the 
 promise,  as  Ishmael.  Therefore,  the  children  of  the  flesh  (saith 
 he)  are  not  the  children  of  God,  but  the  children  of  the  pro- 
 mise, &c.  And  by  this  argument  he  mightily  stoppeth  the 
 mouths  of  the  proud  Jews,  which  gloried  that  they  were  the 
 seed  and  children  of  Abraham:  as  also  Christ  doth,  in  the  third 
 of  Matthew,  and  in  the  eighth  of  John.  As  if  he  said :  It  fol- 
 loweth  not,  I  am  the  carnal  seed  of  Abraham,  therefore  I  am 
 the  child  of  God ;  Esau  is  the  natural  son,  therefore  the  heir. 
 Niiy,  rather,  (saith  he)  they  that  will  be  the  children  of  Abraham, 
 besides  their  carnal  birth,  must  be  also  the  sons  of  the  promise, 
 and  must  beheve.  And  they  are  the  true  children  of  Abraham 
 and,  consequently,  of  God,  who  have  the  promise  and  believe. 
 
 But  Ishmael,  because  he  was  not  promised  of  God  to  Abraham, 
 is  a  son  after  the  flesh  only,  and  not  after  the  promise,  and 
 therefore  he  was  born  at  adventure,  as  other  children  be.  For 
 no  mother  knoweth  whether  she  shall  have  a  child  or  no,  or  if 
 
VER.  24,  25.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  347 
 
 she  perceive  herself  to  be  with  child,  yet  she  cannot  toll  whe- 
 ther it  shall  be  a  son  or  a  daughter.  But  Isaac  was  expressly 
 named,  (Gen.  xvii.)  "  Sarah,  thy  wife"  (saith  the  angel  to 
 Abraham)  "shall  bear  the?  a  son,  and  thou  shalt  call  his  name 
 Isaac."  Here  the  son  and  the  mother  are  expressly  named. 
 Thus,  for  this  humility  of  Sarah,  because  she  gave  up  her  right, 
 and  suffered  the  contempt  of  Hagar,  (Gen.  xvi.)  God  requited 
 her  Avith  this  honour,  that  she  should  be  the  mother  of  the  pro 
 mised  son,  &c. 
 
 Verse  24.  The  which  things  are  spoken  by  allegories. 
 
 Allegories  do  not  strongly  persuade  in  divinity,  but,  as  cer- 
 tain pictures,  they  beautify  and  set  out  the  matter.  For  if  Paul 
 had  not  proved  the  righteousness  of  faith  against  the  righteous- 
 ness of  works  by  strong  and  pithy  arguments,  he  should  have 
 little  prevailed  by  this  allegory.  But,  because  he  had  fortified 
 his  cause  before  with  invincible  arguments,  taken  of  experience, 
 of  the  example  of  Abraham,  the  testimonies  of  the  scripture 
 and  similitudes;  now,  in  the  end  of  his  disputations,  he  addeth 
 an  allegory,  to  give  a  beauty  to  all  the  rest.  For  it  is  a  seemly 
 thing  sometimes  to  add  an  allegory,  when  the  foundation  is 
 well  laid,  and  the  matter  thoroughly  proved ;  for  as  painting  is 
 an  ornament  to  set  forth  and  garnish  a  house  already  builded, 
 80  is  an  allegory  the  light  of  a  matter  which  is  already  other- 
 wise proved  and  confirmed. 
 
 Veri^e  24,  25.  For  these  mothers  are  the  two  Testaments;  the  one,  which  is 
 Hagar  of  mount  Sinai,  wliich  gendereth  unto  bondage.  (For  Agar  or  Sinai 
 is  a  mountain  in  Arabia.) 
 
 Abraham  is  a  figure  of  God,  which  hath  two  sons;  that  is  to 
 say,  two  sorts  of  people  are  represented  by  Ishmael  and  Isaac. 
 These  two  are  born  unto  him  by  Hagar  and  Sarah,  the  which 
 signify  the  two  Testaments,  the  Old  and  the  New.  The  Old 
 is  of  mount  Sinai,  begetting  unto  bondage,  which  js  Hagar. 
 For  the  Arabians  in  their  language  call  Agar  the  same  moun- 
 tain which  the  Jews  call  Sinai,  (which  seemeth  to  have  that 
 name  of  brambles  and  thorns,)  which  also  Ptolemaeus  and  the 
 Greek  commentators  do  witness.  After  the  same  manner  divers 
 names  are  given  to  many  mountains,  according  to  the  diversity 
 of  nations.  So  the  mount  which  Moses  calleth  Hermon,  of  the 
 Sidonians  is  called  Sirion,  and  of  the  Amorites,  Senir. 
 
 Now  this  serveth  very  well  to  the  purpose,  that  mount  Sinai, 
 in  the  Arabian  language  signifieth  as  much  as  a  handmaid; 
 and  I  think  the  likeness  of  this  name  gave  Paul  light  and  occa- 
 sion to  seek  out  this  allegory.  Likewise,  then,  as  Hagar  the 
 bond-maid  brought  forth  to  Abraham  a  son,  and  yet  not  an  heir 
 but  a  servant:  so  Sinai,  the  allegorical  Agar,  brought  forth  to 
 God  a  son,  that  is  to  say,  a  carnal  people.  Again,  as  Ishmael 
 was  the  true  son  of  Abraham,  so  the  people  of  Israel  had  the 
 
348  commentahy  on  st.  Paul's  Lchap.  iv. 
 
 true  God  t*;  be  their  Father,  which  gave  them  his  law,  his  ora- 
 cles, religion,  and  true  service,  and  the  temple :  as  it  is  said,  in 
 Psalm  cxlvii.  "  He  sheweth  his  word  unto  Jacob,  his  statutes 
 and  his  judgment  unto  Israel."  Notwithstanding  this  only  was 
 the  difference:  Ishmael  was  born  of  a  bond-maid  after  the  flesh, 
 that  is  to  say,  without  the  promise,  and  could  not  therefore  be 
 the  heir.  So  the  mystical  Agar,  that  is  to  say,  mount  Sinai, 
 where  the  law  was  given,  and  the  Old  Testament  ordained, 
 brought  forth  to  God,  who  is  the  great  Abraham,  a  people,  but 
 without  the  promise;  that  is  to  say,  a  carnal  and  a  servile  people, 
 and  not  the  heir  of  God.  For  the  promises,  as  touching  Christ, 
 the  giver  of  all  blessing,  and  as  touching  the  deliverance  from 
 the  curse  of  the  law,  from  sin  and  death;  also  as  touching  the 
 free  remission  of  our  sins,  of  righteousness  and  everlasting  life, 
 are  not  added  to  the  law,  but  the  law  saith,  "  He  that  shall  do 
 these  things  shall  Hve  in  them,"  (Lev.  xviii.  5.  Rom.  x.  5.) 
 
 Therefore,  the  promises  of  the  law  are  conditional,promising 
 life,  not  freely,  but  to  such  as  fulfil  the  law;  and  therefore  they 
 leave  men's  consciences  in  doubt:  for  no  man  fulfilleth  the  law. 
 But  the  promises  of  the  New  Testament  have  no  such  condition 
 joined  unto  them,  nor  require  any  thing  of  us,  nor  depend  upon 
 any  condition  of  our  worthiness,  but  brhig  and  give  unto  us 
 freely,  forgiveness  of  sins,  grace,  righteousness  and  life  everlast- 
 ing for  Christ's  sake,  as  I  hare  said  more  largely  in  another  place. 
 
 Therefore  the  law,  or  the  Old  Testament,  containeth  only 
 conditional  promises;  for  it  hath  always  such  conditions  as  these 
 are,  joined  to  it:  "  If  ye  hearken  to  my  voice,  if  ye  keep  my 
 statutes,  if  ye  walk  in  my  ways,  ye  shall  be  my  people,''  &c. 
 The  Jews,  not  considering  this,  laid  hold  of  those  conditional 
 promises,  as  if  they  had  been  absolute  and  without  all  condi- 
 tions: which  they  supposed  that  God  could  never  revoke,  but 
 must  needs  keep  them.  Hereupon,  when  they  heard  the  pro- 
 phets foreshcAV  the  destruction  of  the  city  of  Jerusalem,  of  the 
 temple,  of  the  kingdom  and  priesthood,  (which  could  well  dis- 
 cern betwixt  the  corporal  promises  of  the  law,  and  the  spiritual 
 promises  concerning  Christ  and  his  kingdom,)  they  persecuted 
 and  killed  them,  as  heretics  and  blasphemers  of  God ;  for  they 
 saw  not  this  condition  that  was  annexed:  "  If  ye  keep  my  comr 
 raandments,  it  shall  go  well  with  you,"  &c. 
 
 Therefore  Hagar,  the  bond-maid,  bringeth  forth  but  a  bond- 
 servant. Ishmael,  then,  is  not  the  heir,  although  he  be  the  na- 
 tural son  of  Abraham,  but  remaineth  a  bond-man.  What  is 
 here  lacking?  The  promise,  and  the  blessing  of  the  word.  So 
 the  law  given  in  mount  Sinai,  which  the  Arabians  call  Agar, 
 begetteth  none  but  servants.  For  the  promise  made,  as  con- 
 cerning Christ,  was  not  annexed  to  the  law.  \yherefore,  O  ye 
 Galatians!  if  ye,  forsaking  the  promise  and  faith,  fall  back  to 
 the  law  and  works,  ye  shall  always  continue  servants;  that  is, 
 ye  shall  never  be  delivered  from  sin  and  death,  but  ye  shall 
 
YER.  2";.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  3  tO 
 
 always  abide  under  the  curse  of  the  law.  For  Hagar  gendereth 
 not  the  seed  of  the  promise  and  heirs;  that  is  to  say,  the  law 
 just'fieth  not,  it  bringeth  not  the  adoption  and  inheritance*  but 
 rather  hindereth  the  inheritance,  and  worketh  wrath. 
 
 Verse  25.     And   it  answerelh  to  Jerusalem  which  now  is,  and  she  if  in  bon- 
 dage with  her  children. 
 
 Tliis  is  a  wonderfid  allegory.  As  Paul,  a  little  before,  made 
 Hagar  of  Sinai,  so  now  of  .Jerusalem  he  would  gladly  make 
 Sarah,  but  he  dareth  not,  neither  can  he  so  do;  but  is  compelled 
 to  join  Jerusalem  with  mount  Sinai:  for  he  saith,  "The  same 
 belongeth  to  Hagar,  seeing  mount  Agar  reacheth  even  to  Je- 
 rusalem." And  it  is  true,  that  there  be  continual  moimtains 
 reaching  from  Arabia  Petrea  unto  Cades  Bernea  of  Jury.  He 
 saith,  then,  that  this  Jerusalem  which  now  is,  that  is  to  say,  this 
 earthly  and  temporal  Jerusalem  is  not  Sarah,  but  pertaineth  to 
 Hagar,  for  there  Hagar  reigneth.  For  in  it  is  the  law  beget- 
 ting unto  bondage;  in  it  is  the  worship  and  ceremonies,  the 
 temple,  the  kingdom,  the  priesthood;  and  whatsoever  was  or- 
 dained in  Sinai  by  the  mother,  which  is  the  law,  the  same  is 
 done  in  Jerusalem.  Therefore  I  join  her  Avith  Sinai,  and  I 
 comprehend  both  in  one  word,  to  wit,  Sinai  or  Hagar. 
 
 I  durst  not  have  been  so  bold  to  handle  this  allegory  after  this 
 manner,  but  would  rather  have  called  Jerusalem  Sarah,  or  the 
 New  Testament,  especially  seeing  the  preaching  of  the  gospel 
 began  in  it,  the  Holy  Ghost  was  there  given,  and  the  people  of 
 the  New  Testament  were  there  born;  and  I  would  have 
 thought  that  I  had  found  out  a  very  fit  allegory.  Wherefore  it 
 is  not  for  every  man  to  use  allegories  at  his  pleasure;  for  a 
 goodly  outward  shew  may  soon  deceive  a  man,  and  cause  him 
 to  err.  Who  would  not  think  it  a  very  fit  thing  to  call  Sinai 
 Hagar,  and  Jerusalem  Sarah?  Indeed,  Paul  maketh  Jerusalem 
 Sarah,  but  not  this  corporeal  Jerusalem  which  he  simply  joineth 
 unto  Agar;  but  that  spiritu-al  and  heavenly  Jerusalem,  in  which 
 the  law  reigneth  not,  nor  the  carnal  people,  as  in  that  Jerusalem 
 which  is  in  bondage  with  her  children,  but  wherein  the  pro- 
 mise reigneth,  wherein  is  also  a  spiritual  and  a  free  people. 
 
 And  to  the  end  that  the  laAv  should  be  quite  abolished,  and 
 that  whole  kingdom  which  was  established  in  Hagar,  the  earthly 
 Jerusalem  was  horribly  destroyed,  with  all  her  ornaments,  the 
 temple,  the  ceremonies,  &c.  Now,  although  the  New  Testament 
 began  in  it,  and  so  was  spread  throughout  the  whole  world,  yet 
 notwithstanding  it  appertaineth  to  Agar,  that  is  to  say,  it  is  the 
 city  of  the  law,  of  the  ceremonies,  and  of  the  priesthood,  insti- 
 tuted by  Moses.  Briefly,  it  is  gendered  of  Hagar  the  bond-wo- 
 man, and  therefore  is  in  bondage  with  her  children;  that  is  to 
 say,  it  walketh  hi  the  works  of  the  law,  and  never  attaineth  to 
 the  liberty  of  the  spirit,  but  abideth  continually  under  the  law, 
 ■in,  an  evil  conscience,  the  wrath  and  judgment  of  God,  and 
 
S50  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  IV 
 
 under  the  giiilt  of  death  and  hell.  Indeed  it  hath  the  liberty  of 
 the  flesh,  it  hath  a  corporeal  kingdom,  it  hath  magistrates,  riches, 
 and  possessions,  and  such-like  things:  but  we  speak  of  the 
 liberty  of  the  spirit,  whereby  we  are  deadlo  the  law,  to  sin, 
 and  death,  and  we  live  and  reign  in  grace,  forgiveness  of  sins, 
 righteousness  and  everlasting  life.  This  cannot  the  earthly 
 Jerusalem  perform,  and  therefore  it  abideth  with  Hagar. 
 
 Verse  26.     But  Jerusalem,  which  is  above,  is  free  :    which  is  the  mother 
 
 of  ui  all. 
 
 That  earthly  Jerusalem  (saith  he)  which  is  beneath,  having 
 the  policy  and  ordinances  of  the  laAv,  is  Hagar,  and  is  in  bondage 
 with  her  children ;  that  is  to  say,  she  is  not  delivered  from  the 
 law,  sin,  and  death.  But  Jerusalem,  which  is  above,  that  is  to 
 say,  the  spiritual  Jerusalem,  is  Sarah,  (albfit  Paul  addeth  not 
 the  proper  name  of  Sarah,  but  giveth  her  another  name,  calling 
 her  the  free- woman,)  that  is  to  say,  tbat  true  lady  and  free- wo- 
 man which  is  the  mother  of  us  all,  gendering  us  unto  liberty, 
 and  not  unto  bondage,  as  Hagar  doth.  Now  this  heavenly 
 Jerusalem  Avhich  is  above,  is  the  church,  that  is  to  say,  the  faith- 
 ful dispersed  throughout  the  whole  world,  which  have  one  and 
 the  same  gospel,  one  and  the  same  faith  in  Christ,  the  same 
 Holy  Ghost,  and  the  same  sacraments. 
 
 Therefore  understand  not  this  word  "  above"  of  the  trium- 
 phant church  (as  the  schoolmen  call  it)  in  heaven;  but  of  the 
 militant  church  on  earth.  For  the  godly  are  said  to  have  their 
 conversation  in  heaven — "Our  conversation  is  in  heaven,"  (Phil, 
 iii.)  not  locally,  but  in  that  a  Christian  believeth,  in  that  he 
 layeth  hold  of  those  inestimable,  those  heavenly  and  eternal 
 gifts,  he  is  in  heaven — "  Which  hath  blessed  us  with  all  spiri- 
 tual blessings  in  heavenly  things  in  Christ,"  (Eph.  i.)  We  must 
 therefore  distinguish  the  heavenly  and  spiritual  blessing  from 
 the  earthly.  For  the  earthly  blessing  is  to  have  a  good  civil 
 government,  both  in  commonweals  and  families:  to  have  chil- 
 dren, peace,  riches,  fruits  of  the  earth,  and  other  corporeal  com- 
 modities. But  the  heavenly  blessing  is  to  be  delivered  from  the 
 law,  sin,  and  death:  to  be  justified  and  quickened  to  life;  to 
 have  peace  with  God;  to  have  a  faithful  heart,  a  joyful  con- 
 science, and  a  spiritual  consolation;  to  have  the  knowledge  of 
 Jesus  Christ;  to  have  the  gift  of  prophecy,  and  the  revela- 
 tion of  the  scriptures;  to  have  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
 to  rejoice  in  God.  These  are  the  heavenly  blessings  which 
 Christ  giveth  to  the  church. 
 
 Wherefore  Jerusalem  which  is  above,  that  is  to  say,  the  hea- 
 veidy  Jerusalem,  is  the  church  which  is  now  in  the  world, 
 and  not  the  city  of  the  life  to  come,  or  the  church  triumphant, 
 as  the  idle  and  unlearned  monks  and  the  school-doctors  dreamed, 
 which  taught  that  the  scripture  hath  four  senses;  the  literal 
 sense,  the  figurative  sense,  the  allegorical  sense,  and  the  moral 
 
YER.  86.]  EPISIT-E  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  351 
 
 sense ;  and  according  to  these  senses  they  have  foolishly  inter- 
 preted almost  all  the  words  of  the  scriptures.  As  this  word 
 Jerusalem  literally  signitied  that  city  which  was  so  named; 
 figuratively,  a  pure  conscience ;  allegorically,  the  church  mili- 
 tant ;  morally,  the  celestial  city,  or  the  church  triumphant. 
 With  these  trifling  and  foolish  fables  they  rent  the  scriptures 
 into  so  many  and  diverse  senses,  that  poor  silly  consciences  could 
 receive  no  certain  doctrine  of  any  thing.  But  Paul  saith  here 
 that  the  old  and  earthly  Jerusalem  belongeth  unto  Hagar,  and 
 that  it  is  in  bondage  with  her  children,  and  is  utterly  abolished. 
 But  the  new  and  heavenly  Jerusalem,  which  is  a  queen  and  a  free- 
 woman,  is  appointed  of  God  in  earth  and  not  in  heaven,  to  be 
 the  mother  of  us  all,  of  whom  we  have  been  gendered,  and  yet 
 daily  are  gendered.  Therefore,  it  is  necessary  that  this  our 
 mother  should  be  in  earth  among  men,  as  also  her  generation  is. 
 Notwithstanding  she  gendereth  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  by  the 
 ministry  of  the  word  and  sacraments,  and  not  in  the  flesh. 
 
 This  I  say  to  the  end  that  in  this  matter  we  should  not  be 
 carried  away  with  our  cogitations  into  heaven,  but  that  we 
 should  know  that  Paul  setteth  the  Jerusalem  Avhich  is  above, 
 against  the  earthly  Jerusalem,  not  locally  but  spiritually.  For 
 there  is  a  distinction  between  those  things  which  are  spiritual, 
 and  those  which  are  corporeal  or  earthly.  The  spiritual  things 
 are  above,  the  earthly  are  beneath;  so  Jerusalem  which  is  above, 
 is  distinguished  from  the  carnal  and  temporal  Jerusalem  which 
 is  beneath,  not  locally  (as  I  have  said)  but  spiritually.  For  this 
 spiritual  Jerusalem,  which  took  her  beginning  in  the  corporeal 
 Jerusalem,  hath  not  any  certain  place  as  hath  the  other  in  Judea; 
 but  it  is  dispersed  throughout  the  whole  world,  and  may  be  in 
 Babylon,  in  Turkey,  in  Tartary,  in  Scythia,  in  Judea,  in  Italy, 
 in  Germany,  in  the  isles  of  the  Sea,  in  the  mountains  and  val- 
 leys, and  in  all  places  of  the  world  where  men  d^vell  which 
 have  the  gospel  and  believe  in  Jesus  Christ. 
 
 Wherefore  Sarah,  or  Jerusalem,  our  free  mother,  is  the 
 church  itself,  the  spouse  of  Christ,  of  whom  we  all  are  gen- 
 dered. This  mother  geudereth  free  children  without  ceasing, 
 to  the  end  of  the  world,  as  long  as  she  preacheth  and  publisheth 
 the  gospel,  for  this  is  truly  to  gender.  Now,  she  teacheth  the 
 gospel  after  this  manner :  to  Avit,  that  we  are  delivered  from 
 the  curse  of  the  law,  from  sin,  death,  and  all  other  evils,  by 
 Jesus  Christ,  and  not  by  the  law,  neither  by  works.  There- 
 fore, Jerusalem  which  is  above,  that  is  to  say,  the  church,  is  not 
 subject  to  the  law  and  works,  but  she  is  free  and  a  mother 
 without  the  law,  sin,  and  death.  Now,  such  a  mother  as  she 
 is,  such  children  she  gendereth. 
 
 This  allegory  teacheth  very  aptly  that  the  church  should  do 
 nothing  else  but  preach  and  teach  the  gospel  truly  and  sin- 
 cerely, and  by  this  means  should  gender  children.  So,  we  ai'e 
 all  fathers  and  children,  on  e  to  another ;  for  we  are  begotten 
 
352  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  LcHAP.  IT 
 
 one  of  another.  I,  being  begotten  by  other  through  the  gos- 
 pel, do  now  beget  other,  which  shall  also  beget  other  hereafter, 
 and  so  this  begetting  shall  endure  to  the  end  of  the  world. 
 Now,  I  speak  of  the  generation,  not  of  Hagar,  the  bond-maid, 
 which  gendereth  her  bond-servants  by  the  law ;  but  of  Sarah, 
 the  free-Avoman,  who  gendereth  heirs  without  the  law,  and 
 without  man's  works  or  endeavours.  For  in  that  Isaac  is  heir, 
 and  not  Ishmael,  (albeit  notwithstanding  that  both  of  them 
 were  the  natural  sons  of  Abraham,)  Isaac  had  the  inheritance  by 
 the  word  of  promise,  namely,  "  Sarah  thy  wife  shall  bring  thee 
 a  son,  and  thou  shalt  call  his  name  Isaac,"  (Gen.  xvii.  19.)  This 
 did  Sarah  well  understand,  and  therefore  she  saith,  "  Cast  out 
 the  bond-woman  and  her  son :"  and  Paul  also  allegeth  these 
 words  afterwards.  Wherefore,  as  Isaac  hath  the  inheritance 
 of  his  father  only  by  the  promise  and  by  his  birth,  without  the 
 law  and  without  works  :  even  so  we  are  boini  through  the 
 gospel  of  that  free-woman  Sarah,  that  is  to  say,  the  church,  true 
 heirs  of  the  promise.  She  iustructeth  us,  nourisheth  us,  and 
 carrieth  us  in  her  womb,  in  her  lap,  and  in  her  arms :  she 
 formeth  and  fashioneth  us  to  the  image  of  Christ,  until  we  grow 
 up  to  a  perfect  man,  &c.  So  all  things  are  done  by  the  ministry 
 of  the  word.  Wherefore  the  office  of  the  free-woman  is  to 
 gender  children  to  God  her  husband  without  ceasing  and  with- 
 out end ;  that  is  to  say,  such  children  as  know  that  they  are 
 justified  by  faith,  and  not  by  the  law. 
 
 Verse  27.  For  it  is  written,  Rejoice  thou  barren  that  bearest  no  children, 
 break  forth  and  cry  thou  that  travailest  not ;  for  the  desolate  hath  many 
 more  children  than  she  which  liath  an  husband,   (Isa.  liv.  1.) 
 
 Paul  allegeth  this  place  out  of  Isaiah  the  prophet,  which  is 
 altogether  allegorical.  It  is  written  (saith  he)  that  the  mother  of 
 many  children,  and  she  which  hath  a  husband,  must  be  sick  and 
 die  ;  and  contrariwise,  that  the  barren,  and  she  which  hath  no 
 children,  must  have  abundance  of  children.  After  the  same 
 manner  Hannah  singeth  in  her  song,  out  of  the  which  Isaiah 
 the  prophet  took  his  prophecy,  ( I  Sam.  ii.)  "  The  bow  and  the 
 mighty  men  are  broken,  and  the  weak  have  girded  themselves 
 with  strength.  They  that  were  full  are  hired  forth  for  bread, 
 and  the  hungry  are  no  more  hired  ;  so  that  the  barren  hath 
 born  sev  3..,  and  she  that  had  many  children  is  feeble."  A  mar- 
 vellous matter  (saith  he) :  she  that  was  fruitful  shall  be  made 
 barren,  and  she  that  was  barren,  fruitful.  Moreover,  such  as 
 before  were  strong,  full,  rich,  glorious,  righteous,  and  blessed, 
 shall  become  feeble,  hungry,  poor,  ignominious  sinnei-s,  subject 
 to  death  and  damnation ;  and  contrariwise,  the  feeble  and  hun- 
 gry, &c.  shall  be  strong  and  satisfied,  &c. 
 
 The  apostle  sheweth,  by  this  allegory  of  the  prophet  Isaiah, 
 the  difference  which  is  between  Hagar  and  Sarah ;  that  is  to 
 Bay,  between  the  synagogue  and  the  church,  or  between  the  law 
 
VER.  27.1  EPISTLE  TO  THE  OALATIANS.  353 
 
 and  the  gospel.  The  law  being  the  husband  of  the  fruitful  wo- 
 man, that  is  to  say,  of  the  synagogue,  begetteth  very  many  chil- 
 dren. For  men  of  all  ages,  not  only  idiots,  but  also  the  wisest 
 and  best,  (that  is  to  say,  all  mankind,  except  the  children  of  the 
 free- woman,)  do  neither  see  nor  know  any  other  righteousness 
 than  the  righteousness  of  tlie  law,  much  less  do  they  know  any 
 which  is  more  excellent;  wherefore  they  think  themselves 
 righteous  if  they  follow  the  law,  and  outwardly  perform  the 
 works  thereof. 
 
 Now,  although  these  be  fruitful,  have  many  disciples,  and  shine 
 in  the  righteousness  and  glorious  works  of  the  law,  yet  notwith- 
 standing they  are  not  free,  but  bond-servants;  for  they  are  the 
 children  of  Hagar,  which  gendereth  to  bondage.  Now,  if  they  be 
 servants,  they  cannot  be  partakers  of  the  inheritance,  but  shall 
 be  cast  out  of  the  house;  for  servants  remain  not  in  the  house 
 for  ever,  {John  viii.  35.)  Yea,  they  are  already  cast  out  of  the 
 kingdom  of  grace  and  liberty:  "for  he  that  belie  veth  not,  is  con- 
 demned already,"  ( John  iii.  18.)  They  remain,  therefore,  under 
 the  malediction  of  the  law,  under  sin  and  death,  under  the  power 
 of  the  devil,  and  under  the  wrath  and  judgment  of  God. 
 
 Now,  if  the  moral  law  itself,  or  the  ten  commandments  of  God, 
 can  do  nothing  else  but  gender  servants,  that  is  to  say,  cannot 
 justify,  but  only  terrify,  accuse,  condemn,  and  drive  men's  con- 
 sciences to  desperation;  how  then,  I  pray  you,  shall  the  laws  of 
 men,  or  the  laws  of  the  Pope  justify,  which  are  the  doctrines  ot 
 devils?  They,  therefore,  that  teach  and  set  forth  either  the  tra- 
 ditions of  men,  or  the  law  of  God,  as  necessary  to  obtain  righteous- 
 ness before  God,  do  nothing  else  but  gender  servants.  Notwith- 
 standing, such  teachers  are  counted  the  best  men;  they  obtain 
 the  favour  of  the  world,  and  are  most  fruitful  mothers,  for  they 
 have  an  infinite  number  of  disciples.  For  man's  reason  under- 
 standeth  not  what  faith  and  true  godliness  is,  and  therefore  it 
 neglecteth  and  despiseth  it,  and  is  naturally  addicted  to  super- 
 stition and  hypocrisy;  that  is  to  say,  the  righteousness  of  works. 
 Now,  because  this  righteousness  shineth  and  flourisheth  every- 
 where, therefore  it  is  a  mighty  empress  of  the  whole  world. 
 They,  therefore,  which  teach  righteousness  of  works  by  the  law, 
 beget  many  children,  which  outwardly  seem  to  be  free,  and 
 have  a  glorious  shew  of  excellent  virtues,  but  in  conscience 
 they  are  servants  and  bond-slaves  of  sin;  therefore  they  are  to 
 be  cast  out  of  the  house,  and  condemned. 
 
 Contrariwise,  Sarah  the  free-woman,  that  is  to  say?  the  true 
 church,  seemeth  to  be  barren.  For  the  gospel,  which  is  the  word 
 of  the  cross  and  affliction,  which  the  church  preacheth,  shineth 
 not  so  brightly  as  the  doctrine  of  the  law  and  works,  and  there- 
 fore she  hath  not  so  many  disciples  to  cleave  unto  her;  moreover, 
 she  beareth  this  title,  that  she  forbiddeth  good  works,  maketh 
 men  secure,  idle,  and  negligent,  raiseth  up  heresies  and  seditions, 
 vnd  is  the  cause  of  all  mischief;  and  therefore  she  seemeth  to 
 
 A  a 
 
354  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  IV. 
 
 bring  no  success  or  prosperity,  but  all  things  seem  to  be  full  of 
 barrenness,  desolation,  and  desperation.  Therefore  the  wicked 
 are  certainly  persuaded,  that  the  church  with  her  doctrine  cannot 
 long  endure.  The  Jews  assured  themselves  that  the  church  Avhich 
 was  planted  by  the  apostles  should  be  overthrown;  the  which,  by 
 an  odious  name,  they  called  a  sect.  For  thus  they  speak  to  Paul, 
 in  the  28th  chapter  of  the  Acts:  "As  concerning  this  sect,  we 
 know  that  every  where  it  is  spoken  against."  In  like  manner,  how 
 often  (I  pray  you)  have  our  adversaries  been  deceived,  Avhich 
 some-whiles  appointed  one  time,  and  some-whiles  another,  when 
 we  should  be  certainly  destroyed?  Christ  and  his  apostles  were 
 oppressed :  but  after  their  death  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel  was 
 farther  spread  abroad  than  it  was  during  their  life.  In  like  man- 
 ner our  adversaries  may  oppress  us  at  this  day,  but  the  word  of 
 God  shall  abide  for  ever.  How  much  soever,  then,  the  church 
 seemeth  to  be  barren  and  forsaken,  weak  and  despised,  and  out- 
 wardly to  suffer  persecution,  and  moreover  be  compelled  to  hear 
 tliis  reproach,  that  her  doctrine  is  heretical  and  seditious,  notAvith- 
 standing  she  alone  is  fruitful  before  God;  she  gendereth,  by  the 
 ministry  of  the  word,  an  infinite  number  of  children,  heirs  of 
 righteousness  and  everlasting  Hfe;  and  although  outwardly  they 
 suffer  persecution,  yet  in  spirit  they  are  most  tree:  who  not  only 
 are  judges  over  all  doctrines  and  works,  but  also  are  most  vic- 
 torious conquerors  against  the  gates  of  hell. 
 
 The  prophet  therefore  confesseth  that  the  church  is  in  heavi- 
 ness; for  else  he  would  not  exhort  her  to  rejoice.  He  granteth 
 that  she  is  barren  before  the  world:  for  else  he  would  not  call  her 
 barren  and  forsaken,  having  no  children:  but  before  God,  saith 
 he,  she  is  fruitful,  and  therefore  he  biddeth  her  to  rejoice.  As 
 though  ha  would  say:  Thou  art,  indeed,  forsaken  and  barren,  and 
 hast  not  the  law  for  thy  husband,  and  therefore  thou  hast  no 
 children;  but  rejoice:  for  although  thou  hast  not  the  law  for  thy 
 husband,  but  art  forsaken  as  a  virgin  that  is  ready  to  marry,  (for 
 he  will  not  call  her  widoAv,)  which  should  have  a  husband  if 
 she  were  not  forsaken  of  him,  or  if  he  were  not  slain,  thou  (I 
 say)  which  art  solitary  and  forsaken  of  thy  husband  the  law,  and 
 not  subject  to  the  marriage  of  the  law,  shalt  be  a  mother  of  in- 
 numerable children.  Wherefore  the  people,  or  the  church  of  the 
 New  Testament  is  altogether  without  the  law  as  touching  the 
 conscience,  and  therefore  she  seemeth  to  be  forsaken  in  the 
 sight  of  the  world.  But  although  she  seem  to  be  never  so  barren, 
 without  the  law  and  without  works,  yet  notwithstanding  she  is 
 most  fruitful  before  God,  and  bringeth  forth  an  infinite  number 
 of  children,  not  in  bondage  but  in  fi'eedom.  By  what  means  ? 
 Not  by  the  law,  but  by  the  word  and  spirit  of  Christ,  which  is 
 given  by  the  gospel,  through  the  which  she  conceiveth,  bringeth 
 forth,  and  nourisheth  her  children. 
 
 Paul,  therefore,  plainly  sheweth  by  this  allegory  the  difference 
 between  the  law  and  the  gospel.    First,  when  he  calleth  Hagar 
 
VER.  57.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  S55 
 
 the  Old  Testament,  and  Sarah  the  New;  again,  when  he  calleth 
 the  one  a  bond-maid,  the  other  a  free-woman;  moreover,  when 
 he  saith  that  the  married  and  fr  oitful  is  become  barren  and  cast 
 out  of  the  house  with  her  children;  contrariwise,  when  the 
 barren  and  forsaken  is  become  fruitful,  and  bringeth  forth  an 
 infinite  number  of  children,  and  those  also  inheritors.  By  these 
 differences  are  resembled  the  two  sorts  of  people;  of  faith,  and 
 of  the  law,  I  mean.  The  people  of  faith  have  not  the  law  for 
 their  husband,  they  serve  not  in  bondage,  they  are  not  born  of 
 that  mother  Jerusalem  which  now  is;  but  they  have  the  pro- 
 mise, they  are  free,  and  are  born  of  free  Sarah.  t. 
 
 He  separateth,  therefore,  the  spiritual  people  of  the  New 
 Testament,  from  the  other  people  of  the  law,  when  he  saith 
 that  the  spiritual  people  are  not  the  children  of  Hagar  the  bond- 
 maid, but  of  Sarah  the  free- woman,  which  knoweth  nothing  of 
 the  law;  and  by  this  means  he  placeth  the  people  of  faith  far 
 above  and  without  the  law.  Now,  then,  if  they  be  above  and 
 without  the  law,  then  are  they  justified  by  the  spiritual  birth 
 only,  which  is  notliing  else  but  faith;  and  not  by  the  law,  or  by 
 the  works  thereof.  Now,  as  the  people  of  grace  neither  have 
 nor  can  have  the  law;  so  the  people  of  the  law  neither  have 
 nor  can  have  grace;  for  it  is  impossible  that  the  law  and  grace 
 should  stand  together.  Therefore,  we  must  be  justified  by 
 faith,  and  lose  the  righteousness  of  the  law;  or  else  be  justified 
 by  the  law,  and  lose  the  righteousness  of  faith.  But  this  is  a 
 foul  and  a  lamentable  loss,  to  lose  grace,  and  to  return  to  the 
 law.  Contrariwise,  it  is  a  happy  and  a  blessed  loss,  to  lose  the 
 law,  and  lay  hold  of  grace. 
 
 We,  therefore,  (following  the  example  and  diligence  of  Paul) 
 do  endeavour,  as  much  as  is  possible,  to  set  forth  plainly  the 
 difference  between  the  law  and  the  gospel;  which  is  very  easy 
 as  touching  the  words.  For  who  seeth  not  that  Hagar  is  not 
 Sarah,  and  that  Sarah  is  not  Hagar?  Also,  that  Ishmael  is  not 
 Isaac,  and  that  he  hath  not  that  which  Isaac  hath?  A  man  may 
 easily  discern  these  things.  But,  in  great  terrors,  and  in  the 
 agony  of  death,  when  the  conscience  wrestleth  with  the  judg 
 ment  of  God,  it  is  the  hardest  thing  of  all  others  to  say,  with  a 
 sure  and  a  stedfast  hope :  I  am  not  the  son  of  Hagar,  but  o* 
 Sarah;  that  is  to  say,  the  law  belongeth  nothing  unto  me:  for 
 Sarah  is  my  mother,  who  bringeth  forth  free  children  and 
 heirs,  and  not  servants. 
 
 Paul,  then,  by  this  testimony  of  Isaiah  hath  proved  that  Sarah, 
 that  is  to  say,  the  church,  is  the  true  mother,  which  bringeth 
 forth  free  children  and  heirs.  Contrariwise,  that  Hagar,  that  is 
 to  say,  the  synagogue,  gendereth  many  children  indeed,  but 
 they  are  servants,  and  must  be  cast  out.  Moreover,  because  this 
 pJace  speaketh  also  of  the  abolishing  of  the  law  and  of  Christian 
 liberty,  it  ought  to  be  diligently  considered.  For  as  it  is  the 
 most  principji  and  special  article  of  Christian  doctrine,  to  know 
 
35ft  C031MENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  IV. 
 
 that  we  are  justified  and  saved  by  Christ,  so  is  it  also  very  ne- 
 cessar)  to  know  and  understand  well  the  doctrine  concerning 
 the  abolishment  of  the  law;  for  it  helpeth  very  much  to  confirm 
 our  doctrine,  as  touching-  faith,  and  to  attain  sound  and  certain 
 consolation  of  conscience,  when  we  are  assured  that  the  law  is 
 abolished,  and  specially  in  great  terrors  and  serious  conflicts. 
 
 I  have  often  said  before,  and  now  I  say  again,  (for  it  cannot 
 be  too  often  repeated)  that  a  Christian,  laying  hold  of  the  benefit 
 of  Christ  through  faith,  hath  no  law,  but  all  the  law  is  to  him 
 abolished,  with  all  his  terrors  and  torments.  This  place  of  Isaiah 
 teacheth  the  same  thing,  and  therefore  it  is  very  notable  and  full 
 of  comfort,  stirring  up  the  barren  and  forsaken  to  rejoice,  which 
 was  counted  worthy  to  be  mocked  or  pitied  according  to  the 
 law.  For  such  as  were  barren,  were  accursed  according  to  the 
 law.  But  the  Holy  Ghost  turneth  this  sentence,  and  pronoun- 
 ceth  the  barren  worthy  of  praise  and  blessing;  and  contrariwise, 
 the  fruitful,  and  such  as  bring  forth  children,  accursed;  when 
 he  saith,  "  Rejoice,  thou  barren  which  bearest  not:  break  forth 
 into  joy,  and  rejoice  thou  that  travailest  not:  for  the  desolate 
 hath  many  more  children  than  the  married  wife,"  (Isa.  liv.  1.) 
 Howsoever,  then,  Sarah,  that  is  to  say,  the  church,  seemeth  to 
 be  forsaken  and  barren  before  the  world,  not  having  the 
 righteousness  and  works  of  the  law ;  yet  notwithstanding,  she 
 is  a  most  fruitful  mother,  having  an  infinite  number  of  children 
 before  God,  as  the  prophet  witnesseth.  Contrariwise,  although 
 Hagar  seem  never  so  fruitful,  and  to  bring  forth  never  so  many 
 children,  yet  notwithstanding  she  hath  no  issue  remaining;  for 
 the  children  of  the  bond-woman  are  cast  out  of  the  house  toge- 
 ther with  their  mother,  and  receive  not  the  inheritance  with 
 the  children  of  the  free- woman:  as  Paid  saith  afterwards. 
 
 Because,  therefore,  we  are  the  children  of  the  free-woman, 
 the  law  our  old  husband  is  abolished  (Rom.  vii.);  who,  as  long 
 as  he  had  dominion  over  us,  it  was  impossible  for  us  to  bring 
 forth  children  free  in  spirit,  or  knowing  grace :  but  we  remained 
 with  the  other  in  bondage.  True  it  is,  that,  as  long  as  the  law 
 reigneth,  men  are  not  idle,  but  they  labour  sore,  they  bear  the 
 burthen  and  the  heat  of  the  day,  (Matt.  xx.  12.);  they  bring 
 forth  and  gender  many  children;  but  as  well  the  fathers  as  the 
 children  are  bastards,  and  do  not  belong  to  the  free-mother, 
 therefore  they  are  at  length  cast  out  of  the  house  and  inherits 
 ance  with  Ishmael;  they  die,  and  are  damned.  It  is  impossible, 
 therefore,  that  men  should  attain  to  the  inheritance,  that  is  to 
 say,  that  they  should  be  justified  and  saved  by  the  law,  although 
 they  travail  never  so  much,  and  be  never  so  fruitful  therein. 
 Accursed,  therefore,  be  that  doctrine,  life,  and  religion,  which 
 endcavoureth  to  get  righteousness  before  God,  by  the  law  or 
 the  works  thereof.  But  let  lis  prosecute  our  purpose,  as  touch- 
 ing the  abolishment  of  the  law. 
 
 The  school-doctors,  speaking  of  the  abolishment  of  the  law 
 
VER.  37.1  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GVLATIANS. 
 
 say,  that  the  judicial  and  the  ceremonial  laws  are  pernicious  and 
 deadly,  since  the  coming  of  Christ, ;  and,  therefore,  they  are 
 abolished,  but  not  the  moral  law.  These  blind  doctors  knew 
 not  what  they  said.  But,  if  thou  wilt  speak  of  the  abolishment 
 of  the  law,  talk  of  it  as  it  is,  in  his  own  proper  use  and  office, 
 and  as  it  is  spiritually  taken,  and  comprehend  withal  the  whole 
 law,  making-  no  distinction  at  all  between  the  judicial,  ceremo- 
 nial, and  moral  law.  For  when  Paul  saith,  that  we  are  de- 
 livered from  the  curse  of  the  law  by  Christ,  he  speaketh  of  the 
 Avhole  law,  and  principally  of  the  moral  law,  which  only  ac- 
 cuseth,  curseth,  and  condemneth  the  conscience,  which  the  other 
 two  do  not.  Wherefore  we  say  that  the  moral  law,  or  the 
 law  of  the  ten  commandments,  hath  no  power  to  accuse  and 
 terrify  the  conscience,  in  which  Jesus  Christ  reigneth  by  his 
 grace  :  for  he  hath  abolished  the  power  thereof. 
 
 Not  that  the  conscience  doth  not  at  all  feel  the  terrors  of  the 
 law,  (for  indeed  it  feeleth  them,)  but  that  they  cannot  condemn 
 it,  nor  bring  it  to  desperation.  "  For  there  is  no  condemnation 
 to  them  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus,"  (Rom.  viii.)  Also,  "if  the 
 Son  shall  make  you  free,  ye  shall  be  free  indeed,"  (John  viii.) 
 Howsoever,  then,  a  Christian  man  be  terrified  through  the  law 
 shewing  unto  him  his  sin,  notwithstanding  he  despaireth  not ; 
 for  he  believeth  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  being  baptized  in  him  and 
 cleansed  by  his  blood,  he  hath  remission  of  all  his  sins.  Now, 
 when  our  sin  is  pardoned  through  Christ,  who  is  the  Lord  of 
 the  law,  (and  yet  so  pardoned  that  he  gave  himself  for  it, )  the 
 law,  being  a  servant,  hath  no  more  power  to  accuse  and  condemn 
 us  for  sin,  seeing  it  is  forgiven  us,  and  we  are  now  made  free, 
 forasmuch  as  the  Son  hath  delivered  us  from  bondage.  Where- 
 fore the  law  is  wholly  abolished  to  them  that  believe  in  Christ. 
 
 But  thou  wilt  say:  I  do  nothing.  True  it  is  that  thou  canst 
 do  nothing,  whereby  thou  mayest  be  delivered  from  the  tyranny 
 of  the  law.  But  hear  this  joyful  tidings  which  the  Holy  Ghost 
 bringeth  unto  thee  out  of  the  words  of  the  prophet :  "  rejoice, 
 thou  that  art  barren,"  &c.  As  if  he  would  say.  Why  art  thou 
 so  heavy,  why  dost  thou  so  mourn,  since  there  is  no  cause  why 
 thou  shouldst  so  do?  But  I  am  barren  and  forsaken.  Well: 
 although  thou  be  never  so  barren  and  forsaken,  not  having 
 the  righteousness  of  the  law,  notwithstanding  Christ  is  thy 
 righteousness ;  he  was  made  a  curse  for  thee,  to  deliver  thee 
 from  the  curse  of  the  law.  If  thou  believe  in  him,  the  law  is 
 dead  unto  thee.  And  so  much  as  Christ  is  greater  than  the  law, 
 so  much  hast  thou  a  more  excellent  righteousness  than  the 
 righteousness  of  the  law.  Moreover,  thou  art  fruitful  and  not 
 barren ;  for  thou  hast  many  more  children  than  she  which  hath 
 a  husband. 
 
 There  is  also  another  abolishment  of  the  law,  which  is  out- 
 ward :  to  wit,  that  the  politic  laws  of  Mo^es  do  nothing  belong 
 unto  us.    Wherefore  we  ought  no*,  to  call  them  back  again,  nor 
 
358  COMMENT AKY  ON  ST  PAUL's  [CHAP.  IV. 
 
 superstitiously  bind  ourselves  unto  them,  as  some  went  about  to 
 do,  in  times  past,  being  ignorant  of  this  liberty.  Now,  although 
 the  gospel  make  us  not  subject  to  the  judicial  laws  of  Moses,  yet 
 notwithstanding  it  doth  not  exempt  us  from  the  obedience  of 
 aU  politic  laws,  but  maketh  us  subject,  in  this  corporeal  life,  to 
 the  laws  of  that  govermnent  wherein  we  live;  that  is  to  say,  it 
 commandeth  every  one  to  obey  his  magistrate  and  laws,  "  not 
 only  because  of  wrath,  but  also  for  conscience  sake,"  ( 1  Pet.  ii. 
 Rom.  xiii.)  And  the  emperor,  or  any  other  prince,  should  not 
 offend,  if  he  used  some  of  the  judicial  laws  of  Moses ;  yea,  he 
 might  use  them  freely,  and  without  offence.  Therefore  the  po- 
 pish schoolmen  are  deceived,  which  dream  that  the  judicial  laws 
 of  Moses  are  pernicious  and  deadly  since  the  coming  of  Christ. 
 
 Likewise  we  are  not  bound  to  the  ceremonies  of  Moses, 
 much  less  to  the  ceremonies  of  the  Pope.  But,  because  this 
 bodily  life  cannot  be  altogether  without  ceremonies  (for  there 
 must  needs  be  some  introduction)  therefore  the  gospel  suffereth 
 ordinances  to  be  made  in  the  church,  as  touching  days,  times, 
 places,  &c.  that  the  people  may  know  upon  what  day,  in  what 
 hour,  and  in  what  place  to  assemble  together  to  hear  the  word 
 of  God.  It  permitteth,  also,  that  lessons  and  readings  should 
 be  appointed,  as  in  the  schools,  especially  for  the  instruction  of 
 children  and  such  as  are  ignorant.  These  things  it  permitteth, 
 to  the  end  that  all  may  be  done  comely  and  orderly  in  the 
 church,  (1  Cor.  xiv.)  Not  that  they  which  keep  such  ordi- 
 nances do  thereby  merit  remission  of  sins.  Moreover,  they 
 may  be  changed  or  omitted  without  sin,  so  that  it  be  done 
 withoixt  offence  of  the  weak. 
 
 Now,  Paul  speaketh  here  especially  of  the  abolishment  of 
 the  moral  law,  which  is  diligently  to  be  considered.  For  he 
 speaketh  against  the  righteousness  of  the  law,  that  he  might 
 establish  the  righteousness  of  faith,  concluding  thus:  If  only 
 grace  or  faith  in  Christ  justify,  then  is  the  whole  law  abolished, 
 without  any  exception.  And  this  he  confirmeth  by  the  testi- 
 mony of  Isaiah,  whereby  he  exhorteth  the  barren  and  forsaken 
 to  rejoice;  for  it  seemeth  that  she  hath  no  child,  nor  hope  evef 
 to  have  any;  that  is  to' say,  she  hath  no  disciples,  no  favour  nor 
 countenance  of  the  world,  because  she  preacheth  the  word  of 
 the  cross  of  Christ  crucified,  agauist  all  the  wisdom  of  the  flesh. 
 But  thou  that  ai't  barren,  (saith  the  prophet,)  let  not  this  any 
 whit  trouble  thee :  yea,  rather  lift  up  thy  voice  and  rejoice,  for 
 she  that  is  forsaken  hath  more  children  than  she  that  hath  a 
 husband :  that  is  to  say,  she  that  is  married  and  hath  a  great 
 number  of  children  shall  be  made  weak,  and  she  that  is  for- 
 saken shall  have  many  children. 
 
 He  calleth  the  church  barren,  because  her  children  are  not, 
 begotten  by  the  law,  by  works,  by  any  industry  or  endeavour 
 of  man,  but  by  the  word  of  faith  in  the  spirit  of  God.  Here  is 
 nothing  else  but  birth ;  no  working  at  all.     Contrariwise,  they 
 
VER.  28,  29.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  359 
 
 that  are  fruitful,  labour  and  exercise  tliemsolves  with  great  tra- 
 vail in  bearing  and  bringing  forth.  Here  is  altogether  working, 
 and  no  birth.  But,  because  they  endeavour  to  get  the  right  of 
 children  and  heirs  by  the  righteousness  of  the  law,  or  by  their 
 own  righteousness,  they  are  servants,  and  never  receive  the  in- 
 heritance, no,  though  they  tire  themselves  to  death  with  conti- 
 nual travail.  For  they  go  about  to  obtain  that  by  their  own 
 works  against  the  will  of  God,  which  God  of  his  mere  grace 
 Avill  give  to  all  believers  for  Christ's  sake.  The  faithful  work 
 well  also;  but  they  are  not  thereby  made  sons  and  heirs,  (for 
 this  their  birth  bringeth  unto  them);  but  this  they  do,  to  the 
 end  that  they,  being  now  made  children  and  heirs,  might  glo- 
 rify God  by  their  good  works,  and  help  their  neighbours. 
 
 Yerse  28.     Therefore,  brethren,  v.e  are,  after  the  manner  of  Isaac,  cliildren 
 of  the  promise. 
 
 That  is  to  say,  we  are  not  children  of  the  flesh,  as  Ishmael, 
 or  as  all  the  fleshly  Israel,  which  gloried  that  they  were  the  seed 
 of  Abraham  and  the  people  of  God.  But  Christ  answered 
 them,  John  viii.  "  If  ye  were  the  sons  of  Abraham,  ye  would 
 not  seek  to  kill  me,  which  speak  the  truth  unto  you."  Also, 
 "  If  God  Avere  your  father,  then  would  ye  love  me,  and  receive 
 my  word."  As  if  he  Avould  say:  Brethren  born  and  brought 
 up  together  in  one  house,  know  one  another's  voice:  "but  ye 
 be  of  your  father  the  devil,"  &c.  We  are  not  such  cliildren 
 (saith  he)  as  they  are,  which  remain  servants,  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,  born 
 only  of  the  promise.  Concerning  this  I  have  spoken  sufficiently 
 before  in  the  third  chapter,  in  treating  upon  this  place:  "In 
 thy  seed  shall  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  be  blessed."  There- 
 fore we  are  pronounced  righteous;  not  by  the  law,  by  works, 
 or  otu'  own  righteousness,  but  by  the  mere  mercy  and  grace  of 
 God.  Paul  repeateth  very  often,  and  diligently  setteth  forth 
 the  promise  which  is  received  by  faith  alone;  for  he  knew  that 
 it  was  very  necessary  so  to  do. 
 
 Hitherto,  as  touching  the  allegory  out  of  Genesis,  to  the 
 which  Paul  annexeth  the  place  of  Isaiah  as  an  interpretation. 
 Now  he  applieth  the  history  of  Ishmael  and  Isaac,  for  our  ex- 
 ample and  consolation. 
 
 Veuse  29.     But  as  then  he  that  was  born  after  the  flesh,  persecuted  him  that 
 was  born  after  the  spirit,  even  so  is  it  now. 
 
 This  place  containeth  a  singular  consolation.  Whosoever 
 are  born  and  live  in  Christ,  and  rejoice  in  this  birth  and  inherit- 
 ance of  God,  have  Ishmael  for  their  enemy  and  their  persecutor. 
 This  we  learn  at  this  day  by  experience;  for  we  see  that  all  the 
 world  is  full  of  tumults,  persecutions,  sects,  and  offences. 
 Wherefore,  if  Ave  did  not  arm  ourselves  with  this  consolation 
 
3-30  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [cHAP.    V. 
 
 of  Paul  and  such-like,  and  well  understand  this  article  of  justi- 
 fication, we  should  never  be  able  to  withstand  the  violence  and 
 subtle  sleights  of  Satan.  For  who  should  not  be  troubled  with 
 these  cruel  persecutions  of  our  adversaries,  and  with  these  sects 
 and  infinite  offences,  which  a  sort  of  busy  and  fantastical  spirits 
 stir  up  at  this  day?  Verily,  it  is  no  small  grief  unto  us,  when 
 we  are  constrained  to  hear  that  all  things  were  in  peace  and 
 tranquillity  before  the  gospel  came  abroad;  but  since  the 
 preaching  and  publishing  thereof,  all  things  are  unquiet,  and 
 the  whole  world  is  in  an  uproar,  so  that  every  one  armeth  him- 
 self against  another.  When  a  man  that  is  not  endued  with 
 the  spirit  of  God  heareth  this,  by-and-by  he  is  offended,  and 
 'udgeth  that  the  disobedience  of  subjects  against  their  magis- 
 trates, that  seditions,  wars,  plagues,  and  famine,  that  the  over- 
 throwing of  commonweals,  kingdoms,  and  countries,  that  sects, 
 offences,  and  such  other  infinite  evils  do  proceed  altogether  of 
 the  doctrine  of  the  gospel. 
 
 Against  this  great  offence  we  must  comfort  and  arm  ourselves 
 with  this  sweet  consolation,  that  the  faithful  must  bear  this 
 name  and  this  title  in  the  world,  that  they  are  seditious  and 
 schismatics,  and  the  authors  of  innumerable  evils.  And  hereof 
 it  Cometh,  that  our  adversaries  think  they  have  a  just  cause 
 against  us,  yea  that  they  do  God  high  service. when  they  hate, 
 persecute,  and  kill  us,  (John  xvi.  2.)  It  cannot  be,  then,  but 
 that  Ishmael  must  persecute  Isaac :  but  Isaac  again  persecuteth 
 not  Ishmael.  Whoso  Avill  not  suffer  the  persecution  of  Ishmael, 
 let  him  not  profess  himself  to  be  a  Christian. 
 
 But  let  our  adversaries  (which  so  mightily  amplify  these  evils 
 at  this  day)  tell  us  what  good  things  ensued  the  preaching  of 
 tlie  gospel  of  Christ  and  his  apostles.  Did  not  the  destruction 
 of  the  kingdom  of  the  Jews  follow?  W^as  not  the  Roman  empire 
 overthrown?  Was  not  the  whole  world  in  an  uproar?  And  yet 
 the  gospel  was  not  the  cause  hereof,  which  Christ  and  his  apos- 
 tles preached  for  the  profit  and  salvation  of  men,  and  not  for 
 their  destruction.  But  these  things  followed  through  the  ini- 
 quity of  the  people,  the  nations,  the  kings  and  princes,  who, 
 being  possessed  of  the  devil,  woidd  not  hearken  to  the  word  of 
 grace,  life,  and  eternal  salvation;  but  detested  and  condemned 
 it  as  a  doctrine  most  pernicious  and  hurtful  to  religion  and 
 commonweals.  And  that  this  should  so  come  to  pass,  the  Holy 
 Ghost  foretold  by  David,  when  he  saith,  Psalm  ii.  "  WTiy  do 
 the  heathen  rage,  and  the  people  murmur  in  vain?"  &c. 
 
 Such  tumults  and  hurly-burlies  we  hear  and  see  at  this  day. 
 The  adversaries  lay  the  fault  in  our  doctrine.  But  the  doctrine 
 of  grace  and  peace  stirreth  not  up  these  troubles :  but  the  people, 
 nations,  kings,  and  princes  of  the  earth  (as  the  Psalmist  saith)  rage 
 and  murmur,  conspire  and  take  counsel,  not  against  us  (as  they 
 think)  nor  against  our  doctrine,  which  they  blaspheme  as  false 
 and  seditious,  but  against  the  Lord  and  his  anointed.  Therefore, 
 
viill.  29.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  361 
 
 all  their  counsels  and  practices  are  and  shall  be  disappointed  and 
 brought  to  nought.  "He  that  dwelleth  in  the  heavens  shall  laugh: 
 the  Lord  shall  have  them  in  derision,"  ( Psalm  ii.  4.)  Let  them 
 cry  out,  therefore,  as  long  as  they  list,  that  we  raise  up  these 
 tumults  and  seditions:  notwithstanding  this  Psalm  comforteth 
 us,  and  saith  that  they  themselves  are  the  authors  of  these  trou- 
 bles. They  cannot  believe  this,  and  much  less  can  they  believe 
 that  it  is  they  which  murmur,  rise  up,  and  take  counsel  against 
 the  Lord  and  his  anointed;  nay,  rather  they  think  that  they  main- 
 tain the  Lord's  cause,  that  they  defend  his  glory,  and  do  him  ac- 
 ceptable service  in  persecuting  us ;  but  the  Psalm  lieth  not,  and 
 that  shall  the  end  declare.  Here  we  do  nothing,  but  we  only 
 suffer,  as  our  conscience  beareth  us  witness  in  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 Moreover,  the  doctrine  for  the  which  they  raise  up  such  tumults 
 and  oflPences,  is  not  ours,  but  it  is  the  doctrine  of  Christ.  This 
 doctrine  we  cannot  deny,  nor  forsake  the  defence  thereof,  seeing 
 Christ  saith,  "  Whosoever  shall  be  ashamed  of  me  and  of  my 
 words,  in  this  adulterous  and  sinful  nation,  of  him  shaU  the  Son 
 of  man  be  ashamed,  when  he  shall  come  in  his  glory,  and  in  the 
 glory  of  the  Father  and  of  the  holy  angels,"  (Luke  ix.  26.) 
 
 He,  therefore,  that  will  preach  Christ  truly,  and  confess  him 
 to  be  our  righteousness,  must  be  content  to  hear  that  he  is  a 
 pernicious  fellow,  and  that  he  troubleth  all  things.  "  They  which 
 have  troubled  the  world,  (said  the  Jews,  of  Paul  and  Silas,)  are 
 also  come  unto  us,  and  have  done  contrary  to  the  decrees  of 
 Csesar,"  (Acts  xvii.)  And  in  the  24th  of  the  Acts,  "  We  have 
 found  this  pestilent  fellow  stirring  up  sedition  among  all  the 
 Jews  throughout  the  whole  world,  and  an  author  of  the  sect  of 
 the  Nazarites,"  &c.  In  like  manner  also  the  Gentiles  complain, 
 in  the  16th  of  the  Acts,  "These  men  trouble  our  city."  So  at 
 this  day  they  accuse  Luther  to  be  a  troubler  of  the  papacy,  and 
 of  the  Roman  empire.  If  I  woxdd  keep  silence,  then  all  things 
 should  be  in  peace  which  the  strong  man  possesseth,  (Luke  xi. 
 21,  22.)  and  the  Pope  would  not  persecute  me  any  more.  But 
 by  this  means  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  should  be  blemished 
 and  defaced.  If  I  speak,  the  Pope  is  troubled,  and  cruelly  rageth. 
 Either  we  must  lose  the  Pope,  an  earthly  and  mortal  man,  or 
 else  the  immortal  God,  Christ  Jesus,  life,  and  eternal  salvation. 
 Let  the  Pope  perish,  then,  and  let  God  be  exalted;  let  Christ 
 reign  and  triumph  for  ever. 
 
 Christ  himself,  when  he  foresaw  in  spirit  the  great  troubles 
 which  should  follow  his  preaching,  comforted  himself  after  this 
 manner:  "I  come  (saith  he)  to  send  fire  upon  the  earth,  and 
 what  will  I  but  that  it  be  kindled?"  (Luke  xii.  49.)  In  like 
 manner  we  see,  at  this  day,  that  great  troubles  follow  the  preach- 
 ing of  the  gospel,  through  the  persecution  and  blasphemy  of  our 
 adversaries,  and  the  ingratitude  of  the  world.  This  matter  so 
 grieve  th  us,  that  oftentimes,  after  the  flesh  and  after  the  judgment 
 of  reason,  we  think  it  bad  been  better  tliat  the  doctrine  of  the 
 
36:^  COMMENTARY  ON   ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  JV. 
 
 ffospel  had  not  been  published,  than  that,  after  the  preaching 
 thereof,  the  public  peace  should  be  so  troubled.  But,  according 
 to  the  spirit,  we  say  boldly  with  Christ,  "  I  come  to  send  fire 
 upon  the  earth,  and  what  will  I  but  that  it  should  now  be  kin- 
 dled?" Now,  after  that  this  fire  is  kindled,  there  follow  forthwith 
 great  commotions.  For  it  is  not  a  king  or  an  emperor  that  is 
 thus  provoked;  but  the  God  of  this  wox'ld,  which  is  a  most 
 mighty  spirit,  and  the  Lord  of  the  whole  world.  This  weak  word, 
 "preaching  Chi-ist  crucified,"  setteth  upon  this  mighty  and  ter- 
 rible adversary.  Behemoth,  feeling  the  divine  power  of  tins 
 word,  stirreth  up  all  his  members,  shaketh  his  tail,  and  maketh 
 the  depth  of  the  sea  to  boil  like  a  pot,  (Job.  xli.)  Hereof  come  all 
 these  tumults,  all  these  furious  and  cruel  rages  of  the  world. 
 
 Wherefore  let  it  not  trouble  us  that  our  adversaries  are  of- 
 fended and  cry  out,  that  there  cometh  no  good  by  the  preaching 
 of  the  gospel ;  they  are  infidels,  they  are  blind  and  obstinate, 
 and  therefore  it  is  impossible  that  they  should  see  any  fruit  of 
 the  gospel.  But  contrariwise,  we,  which  believe,  do  see  the 
 inestimable  profits  and  iruits  thereof;  although  outwardly,  for  a 
 time,  we  be  oppressed  with  infinite  evils,  despised,  spoiled,  ac- 
 cused, condemned  as  the  outcasts  and  filthy  dung  of  the  whole 
 world,  and  put  to  death,  and  inwardly  afflicted  with  the  feeling 
 of  our  sin,  and  vexed  with  devils.  For  we  live  in  Christ,  in 
 whom  and  by  whom  we  are  made  kings  and  lords  over  sin, 
 death,  the  flesh,  the  world,  hell,  and  all  evils;  in  whom  and  by 
 whom,  also,  we  tread  under  our  feet  that  dragon  and  basilisk, 
 which  is  the  king  of  sin  and  death.  How  is  this  done?  In  faith. 
 For  the  blessedness,  which  we  hope  for,  is  not  yet  revealed, 
 which  in  the  mean  time  we  wait  for  in  patience ;  and  yet,  not- 
 withstanding, do  now  assuredly  possess  the  same  by  faith. 
 
 We  ought,  therefore,  diligently  to  learn  the  article  of  justifi- 
 cation; for  that  only  is  able  to  support  us  against  these  infinite 
 slanders  and  offences,  and  to  comfort  us  in  all  our  temptations 
 and  persecutions.  For  we  see  that  it  cannot  othermse  be,  but 
 that  the  world  will  be  offended  with  the  pure  doctrine  of  the 
 gospel,  and  continually  cry  out  that  no  good  cometh  of  it.  For 
 *'  the  natural  man  understandeth  not  those  things  which  are  of 
 the  spirit  of  God;  for  they  are  foolishness  to  him,"  ( 1  Cor.  ii.  14.) 
 He  only  beholdeth  the  outward  evils,  troubles,  rebellions,  mur- 
 ders, sects,  and  other  such-like  things;  with  these  sights  he  is 
 offended  and  blinded,  and  finally  falleth  into  the  contempt  and 
 blaspheming  of  God  and  his  word. 
 
 On  the  contrary  part,  we  ought  to  stay  and  comfort  ourselves 
 in  this,  that  our  adversaries  do  not  accuse  and  condemn  us  for 
 any  manifest  wickedness  which  we  have  committed,  as  adultery, 
 murder,  theft,  and  such-like,  but  for  our  doctrine.  And  what 
 do  we  teach?  That  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  by  the  death  of  the 
 cross,  hath  redeemed  us  from  our  sins,  and  fi'om  everlasting 
 death.  Therefore  they  do  not  impum  our  life,  but  our  doctrine: 
 
VER.  «9.3  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  363 
 
 yea,  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  and  not  ours.  Therefore,  if  there 
 be  any  offence,  it  is  Christ's  offence  and  not  ours;  and  so  the 
 fault  wherefore  they  persecute  us,  Christ  has  committed,  and 
 not  we.  Now,  Avhether  they  will  condemn  Christ,  and  pluck 
 him  out  of  Heaven,  as  a  heretic  and  seditious  person,  for  this 
 fault,  that  he  is  our  only  justifier  and  saviour,  let  them  look  to 
 that.  As  for  us,  we,  commending  this  his  own  cause  imto  him- 
 self, are  quiet  beholders  whether  of  them  shall  have  the  victory, 
 Christ  or  they.  Indeed,  after  the  flesh,  it  grieveth  us  that 
 these  Ishmaelites  hate  and  persecute  us  so  furiously ;  notwith- 
 standing, according  to  the  spirit,  we  glory  in  these  afflictions, 
 both  because  we  know  that  we  suffer  them  not  for  our  sins,  but 
 for  Christ's  cause,  whose  benefit  and  whose  glory  we  set  forth, 
 and  also  because  Paul  giveth  us  warning  afore-hand,  that  Ish- 
 mael  must  mock  Isaac  and  persecute  him. 
 
 The  Jews  expound  this  place,  which  Paul  allegeth  out  of  the 
 21st  of  Genesis,  of  Ishmael  mocking  and  persecuting  Isaac  after 
 this  manner,  that  Ishmael  constrained  Isaac  to  commit  idolatry. 
 If  he  did  so,  yet  I  believe  not  that  it  was  any  such  gross  idola- 
 try as  the  Jews  dream  of:  to  wit,  that  Ishmael  made  images  of 
 clay,  after  the  manner  of  the  Gentiles,  Avhich  he  compelled 
 Isaac  to  worship ;  for  this,  Abraham  would  in  no  wise  have  suf- 
 fered. But  I  think  that  Ishmael  was,  in  outward  shew,  a  holy 
 man,  as  Cain  was,  who  also  persecuted  his  brother,  and  at 
 length  killed  him;  not  for  any  corporeal  thing,  but  because  he 
 saw  that  God  esteemed  him  above  the  other.  In  like  manner, 
 Ishmael  was  outwardly  a  lover  of  religion;  he  sacrificed  and  ex- 
 ercised himself  in  well-doing.  Therefore  he  mocked  his  brother 
 Isaac,  and  would  be  esteemed  a  better  man  than  him,  for  two 
 causes:  first,  for  his  religion  and  service  of  God;  secondly,  for 
 his  civil  government  and  inheritance.  And  these  two  things  he 
 seemed  justly  to  challenge  to  himself;  for  he  thought  that  the 
 kingdom  and  priesthood  pertained  to  him  by  the  right  of  God's 
 law,  as  the  first-born,  and  therefore  he  persecuted  Isaac  spiritually 
 because  of  religion,  and  corporeally  because  of  his  inheritance. 
 
 This  persecution  always  remaineth  in  the  church,  especially 
 when  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel  flourisheth:  to  wit,  that  the  chil- 
 dren of  the  flesh  mock  the  children  of  the  promise,  and  persecute 
 them.  The  Papists  persecute  us  at  this  day,  and  for  none  other 
 cause,  but  for  that  we  teach  that  righteousness  cometh  by  the 
 promise;  for  it  vexeth  the  Papists  that  we  will  not  worship 
 their  idols,  that  is  to  say,  that  we  set  not  forth  their  righteous- 
 ness, their  works  and  worshippings,  devised  and  ordained  by  men, 
 as  available  to  obtain  grace  and  forgiveness  of  sins.  And  for 
 this  cause  they  go  about  to  cast  us  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  to  them,  &c.  Con- 
 trariwise, they  excommunicate  and  banish  us,  as  heretics  and  se- 
 ditious persons;  and,  if  they  can,  they  kill  us  also:  and  in  so 
 
364  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUl's  [CHAP.  IV 
 
 doing'  they  think  they  do  God  good  service.  So,  as  much  as  in 
 them  lieth,  they  cast  us  out  of  this  life,  and  of  the  life  to  come. 
 The  Anabaptists,  and  such  other,  do  hate  us  deadly,  because  we 
 impugn  and  detest  their  errors  and  heresies,  which  they  spread 
 abroad  and  daily  renew  in  the  church;  and  for  this  cause  they 
 judge  us  to  be  far  worse  than  the  Papists,  and  therefore  they  have 
 conceived  a  more  cruel  hatred  against  us,  than  against  the  Papists. 
 
 As  soon,  therefore,  as  the  word  of  God  is  brought  to  light,  the 
 devil  is  angry,  and  useth  all  his  force  and  subtle  sleights,  to  per- 
 secute it,  and  utterly  to  abolish  it.  Therefore  he  can  no  other- 
 wise do,  but  raise  up  infinite  sects,  horrible  offences,  cruel  per- 
 secutions, and  abominable  murders ;  for  he  is  the  father  of  lying 
 and  a  murderer.  He  spreadeth  his  lies  throughout  the  world  by 
 false  teachers,  and  he  killeth  men  by  tyrants.  By  these  means 
 he  possesseth  both  the  spiritual  and  the  corporeal  kingdom :  the 
 spiritual  kingdom  by  the  lying  of  false  teachers,  (stirring  up  also, 
 without  ceasing,  every  man,  particularly  by  his  fiery  darts,  to 
 heresies  and  wicked  opinions;)  the  corporeal  kingdom,  by  the 
 sword  of  tyi'ants.  Thus  this  father  of  lying  and  of  murder, 
 stirreth  up  persecution  on  every  side,  both  spiritual  and  corpo- 
 real, against  the  children  of  the  free-woman.  The  spiritual  per- 
 secution which  we  are  at  this  day  constrained  to  suffer  of  here- 
 tics, is  to  us  most  grievous  and  intolerable,  because  of  the  infinite 
 offences  and  slanders  wherewith  the  devil  goeth  about  to  deface 
 our  doctrine ;  for  we  are  enforced  to  hear,  that  the  heresies  and 
 errors  of  the  Anabaptists  and  other  heretics,  and  all  other  enor- 
 mities, do  proceed  from  our  doctrine.  The  corporeal  persecution 
 by  which  tyrants  lie  in  wait  for  our  goods  and  lives,  is  more 
 tolerable;  for  they  persecute  us  not  for  our  sins,  but  for  the 
 testimony  of  the  word  of  God.  Let  us  learn,  therefore,  even  by 
 the  title  which  Clirist  giveth  to  the  devil,  to  wit,  that  he  is  the 
 father  of  lying  and  murder,  (John  viii.)  that  when  the  gospel 
 flourisheth,  and  Christ  reigneth,  then  sects  of  perdition  must 
 needs  spring  up ;  and  murderers,  persecuting  the  gospel,  must 
 rage  every  where.  And  Paid  saith,  "  That  there  must  be 
 heresies,"  (1  Cor.  xi.  19.)  He  that  is  ignorant  of  this,  is  soon 
 offended ;  and,  falling  away  from  the  true  God  and  true  faith, 
 he  returneth  to  his  old  god  and  old  false  faith. 
 
 Paul,  therefore,  in  this  place  armeth  the  godly  before-hand, 
 that  they  should  not  be  offended  with  those  persecutions,  sects, 
 and  offences,  saying,  "  But  as  then  he  that  was  born  after  the 
 flesh,  &c."  As  if  he  would  say.  If  wc  be  the  children  of  the  pro- 
 mise, and  born  after  the  spirit,  we  must  surely  look  to  be  per- 
 secuted of  our  brother,  which  is  born  after  the  flesh;  that  is  to 
 say,  not  only  our  enemies,  which  are  manifestly  wicked,  shall 
 persecute  us,  but  also  such  as  at  the  first  were  our  dear  friends, 
 with  whom  we  were  familiarly  conversant  in  one  house,  which 
 received  from  us  the  true  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  shall  become 
 deadly  enemies,  and  persecute  us  extremely.     For  they  are 
 
VER.  29,   SO.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  305 
 
 brethren  after  the  flesh,  and  must  persecute  the  brethren  which 
 are  born  after  the  spirit.  So  Christ  (in  Ps.  xli.)  complaineth  of 
 Judas,  "  The  man  of  my  peace,  whom  I  trusted,  which  did  eat 
 of  my  bread,  hath  lifted  up  the  heel  against  me."  But  this  is 
 our  consolation,  that  we  have  not  given  any  occasion  to  our 
 Ishmaelites  to  persecute  us.  The  Papists  persecute  us,  because 
 we  teach  the  pure  and  sincere  doctrine  of  the  gospel;  Avhich,  if 
 we  would  forsake,  they  would  persecute  us  no  more.  More- 
 over, if  we  would  approve  the  pernicious  heresies  of  the  secta- 
 ries, they  would  praise  us.  But,  because  we  detest  and  abhor 
 the  impiety  both  of  the  one  and  the  other,  therefore  do  they  so 
 spitefully  hate  and  so  cruelly  persecute  us. 
 
 But  not  only  Paul  (as  I  have  said)  armeth  us  against  such 
 persecutions  and  offences,  but  Christ  himself  also  most  sweetly 
 comforteth  us,  in  the  fifteenth  chapter  of  John,  saying,  "  If  ye 
 were  of  the  world,  the  world  would  love  you;  but  because  ye 
 are  not  of  the  world,  but  I  have  chosen  you  out  of  the  world, 
 therefore  the  world  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  words  and  confess  me,  the  world  would  not  perse- 
 cute you.  But  it  goeth  well  with  you :  For  "  the  servant  is 
 not  greater  than  his  master.  If  they  have  persecuted  me,  they 
 will  also  persecute  you,  for  my  name's  sake,"  (John  xv.  20.) 
 
 By  these  words  Christ  layeth  all  the  fault  upon  himself,  and 
 delivereth  us  from  all  fear.  As  if  he  would  say,  Ye  are  not  the 
 cause  why  the  world  hateth  and  persecuteth  you,  but  my  name, 
 which  ye  preach  and  confess,  is  the  cause  thereof.  "  But  be  of 
 good  comfort:  I  have  overcome  the  world."  This  comfort  up- 
 holdeth  us,  so  that  we  doubt  nothing  but  that  Christ  is  strong 
 enough,  not  only  to  bear,  but  also  to  vanquish  all  the  cruelty  of 
 tyrants,  and  the  subtle  sleights  of  heretics.  And  this  he  hath 
 declared,  in  shewing  forth  his  power  against  the  Jews  and  the 
 Romans,  whose  tyranny  and  persecutions  he  suffered  for  a  time. 
 He  also  suffered  the  subtleties  and  crafty  practices  of  heretics, 
 but  in  time  and  place  he  overthrew  them  all,  and  remained  king 
 and  conqueror.  Let  the  Papists,  then,  rage  as  much  as  they 
 will;  let  the  sectaries  slander  and  corrupt  the  gospel  of  Christ 
 as  much  as  they  can:  notwithstanding,  Christ  shall  reign  etei'- 
 nally,  and  his  word  shall  stand  for  ever,  when  all  his  enemies 
 shall  be  brought  to  nought.  Moreover,  this  is  a  singular  con- 
 solation, that  the  persecution  of  Ishmael  against  Isaac  shall  not 
 always  continue,  but  shall  endure  for  a  little  while,  and  when 
 that  is  ended,  the  sentence  shall  be  pronounced  as  folio weth: 
 
 Versf.  30.  But  what  saith  the  scripture  ?  Cast  out  the  servant  and  her  son  : 
 for  the  son  of  the  servant  shall  not  be  heir  with  the  son  of  the  free-woman 
 (Gen.  xxi.  10.) 
 
 This  word  of  Sarah  was  very  grievous  to  Abraham;  and,  no 
 
6  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  IV. 
 
 doubt,  when  he  heard  this  sentence,  his  fatherly  bowels  were 
 moved  with  compassion  towards  his  son  Ishmael ;  for  he  was 
 born  of  his  flesh.  And  this  the  scripture  plainly  witnesseth, 
 when  it  saith,  "And  this  thing' was  very  grievous  in  Abraham's 
 sight,  because  of  his  son."  But  God  confirmed  the  sentence 
 which  Sarah  pronounced,  sayings  to  Abraham:  "Let  it  not  be 
 grievous  in  thy  sight  for  the  child  and  for  thy  bond-woman;  in 
 all  that  Sarah  shall  say  unto  thee,  hear  her  voice;  for  in  Isaac 
 shall  thy  seed  be  called." 
 
 The  Ishmaelites  hear,  in  this  place,  the  sentence  pronounced 
 against  them,  which  overthroweth  the  Jews,  Grecians,  Romans, 
 and  all  others  which  persecute  the  church  of  Christ.  The  self- 
 same sentence  also  shall  overthrow  the  Papists,  and  as  manv  as 
 trust  in  their  own  works,  which  at  this  day  boast  themselves  to 
 be  the  people  of  God,  and  the  church;  which  also  trust  that  they 
 shall  surely  receive  the  inheritance^  and  judge  us,  which  rest 
 upon  the  promise  of  God,  not  only  to  be  barren  and  forsaken, 
 but  also  heretics  cast  out  of  the  church,  and  that  it  is  impossible 
 that  we  should  be  sons  and  heirs.  But  God  overthroweth  their 
 judgment,  and  pronounceth  this  sentence  against  them:  that, 
 because  they  are  children  of  the  bond-woman,  and  persecute 
 the  children  of  the  free-woman,  therefore  they  shall  be  cast  out 
 of  the  house,  and  shall  have  no  inheritance  with  the  children  of 
 the  promise ;  to  whom  only  the  inheritance  belongeth,  because 
 they  are  the  children  of  the  free-Avoman.  This  sentence  is  ra- 
 tified, and  can  never  be  revoked;  wherefore  it  shall  assuredly 
 come  to  pass,  that  our  Ishmaelites  shall  not  only  lose  the  eccle- 
 siastical and  politic  government  which  now  they  have,  but  also 
 everlasting  life.  For  the  scripture  hath  foretold  that  the  chil- 
 dren of  the  bond-woman  shall  be  cast  out  of  the  house,  that  is 
 to  say,  out  of  the  kingdom  of  grace;  for  they  cannot  be  heirs 
 together  with  the  children  of  the  free-woman. 
 
 Now,  here  is  to  be  noted  that  the  Holy  Ghost  caUeth  the 
 people  of  the  law  and  works,  as  it  were  in  contempt,  the  children 
 of  the  bond-woman.  As  if  he  said.  Why  do  ye  vaunt  of  the 
 righteousness  of  the  law  and  works,  and  why  do  ye  glory  that 
 ye  are  the  people  and  children  of  God  for  the  same?  If  ye  know 
 not  of  whom  ye  are  born,  I  will  tell  you:  ye  are  bond-servants 
 of  a  bond-woman.  And  what  servants?  The  bond-servants  of 
 the  law,  and  consequently  of  sin,  of  death,  and  of  everlasting 
 damnation.  Now,  a  servant  is  no  inheritor,  but  is  cast  out  of 
 the  house;  wherefore  the  Pope,  with  all  his  kingdom,  and  all 
 other  justiciaries,  (what  outward  appearance  of  holiness  soever 
 they  have),  which  hope  to  obtain  grace  and  salvation  by  the 
 law,  are  servants  of  that  bond- woman,  and  have  no  inheritance 
 with  the  children  of  the  free-woman.  I  speak  now,  not  of  the 
 Popes,  cardinals,  bishops,  and  monks,  that  were  manifestly 
 wicked,  who  have  made  their  bellies  their  God,  and  have  com- 
 mitted such  horrible  sins  as  I  will  not  willingly  name;  but  of 
 
VER.  30.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  36T 
 
 the  best  of  them,  such  I  mean  as  lived  holily,  and  went  about, 
 through  great  laboiir  and  travail,  by  keeping  of  their  monkish 
 order,  to  pacify  the  wrath  of  God,  and  to  merit  remission  of 
 their  sins  and  everlasting  life.  These  hear  their  sentence  here 
 pronounced,  that  the  sons  of  the  bond-woman  must  be  cast  out 
 of  the  house,  with  their  mother  the  bond-Avoman. 
 
 Such  sentences  diligently  considered,  make  us  certain  of  our 
 doctrine,  and  confirm  us  in  the  righteousness  of  faith,  against 
 the  doctrine  and  righteousness  of  Avorks,  which  the  world  em- 
 oraceth  and  magnifieth,  condemning  and  despising  the  other. 
 And  this  troubleth  and  ofFeudeth  weak  consciences;  which,  albeit 
 they  plainly  see  the  impiety,  the  execrable  wickedness,  and  hor- 
 rible abominations  of  the  Papists,  yet,  notwithstanding,  they  are 
 not  easily  persuaded  that  all  the  multitude  which  beareth  the 
 name  and  title  of  the  chm'ch  do  err,  and  that  there  are  but  few 
 of  them  which  have  a  sound  and  a  right  opinion  of  the  doctrine 
 of  faith.  And  if  the  papacy  had  the  same  holiness  and  austerity  of 
 life,  which  it  had  in  the  time  of  the  ancient  fathers,  Hierome, 
 Ambrose,  Augustine,  and  others,  when  the  clergy  had  not  yet 
 so  evil  a  fame  for  their  simony,  excess,  abundance  of  riches, 
 dissolute  living,  voluptuousness,  whoredom,  sodomitry,  and 
 such  other  infinite  abominations,  but  lived  after  the  rules  and 
 decrees  of  the  fathers,  religiously  and  holily  in  outward  shew, 
 and  unmarried,  what  could  we  do  now  against  tlie  papacy  ? 
 
 The  single  life  which  the  clergy  kept  very  straitly  in  the  time 
 of  the  fathers,  was  a  goodly  thing,  and  made  of  men  very  angels 
 in  the  sight  of  the  world ;  and  therefore  Paul,  in  the  secoud 
 chapter  to  the  Colossians,  calleth  it  the  religion  of  angels.  And 
 the  Papists  sing  thus  of  their  virgins :  they  led  an  angelical  life, 
 whilst  they  lived  in  the  flesh,  and  yet  lived  contrary  to  the  flesh. 
 Moreover,  the  life  which  they  call  the  contemplative  life  (where- 
 imto  the  clergymen  were  then  very  much  given,  utterly  neglect- 
 ing all  civil  and  household  government)  had  a  goodly  shew  of 
 holiness.  Wherefore,  if  that  outward  shew  and  appearance  of 
 the  old  papacy  remained  at  this  day,  we  sho.uld  peradventure  do 
 but  little  against  it  by  our  doctrine  of  faith,  seeing  we  do  now 
 so  little  prevail,  when  (that  old  shew  of  outward  holiness  and 
 severe  discipline  bemg  utterly  abolished)  there  is  nothing  to  be 
 seen  but  a  very  sink  and  puddle  of  all  vices  and  abominations. 
 
 But,  admit  the  case  that  the  old  discipline  and  religion  of  the 
 papacy  were  yet  remaining:  notwithstanding,  we  ought,  by  the 
 example  of  Paul  (who  vehemently  pursued  the  false  apostles, 
 which  outwardly  appeared  to  be  very  godly  and  holy  men)  to 
 fight  against  the  merit-mongers  of  the  papistical  kingdom,  and 
 to  say :  Although  ye  live  a  single  life,  tiring  and  consuming  your 
 bodies  with  continual  travail,  and  walking  in  the  humility  and 
 religion  of  angels,  yet  are  ye  servants  of  the  law,  of  sin,  and  of 
 the  devil,  and  must  be  cast  out  of  the  house;  for  ye  seek 
 righteousness  and  salvation  by  your  works,  and  not  by  Christ. 
 
868  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CIIAP.  IV. 
 
 Wherefore  we  ought  not  so  much  to  consider  the  wicked  life 
 of  the  Papists,  as  their  abominable  doctrine  and  hypocrisy, 
 against  the  which  we  specially  fight.  Let  us  suppose,  then, 
 that  the  religion  and  discipline  of  the  old  papacy  doth  yet  still 
 flourish,  and  that  it  is  now  observed  with  as  much  severity  and 
 straitness  as  ever  it  was,  yet  must  we  say,  notwithstanding :  If 
 ye  have  nothing  but  this  holiness  and  chastity  of  life  to  set 
 against  the  wrath  and  judgment  of  God,  ye  are,  in  very  deed, 
 the  sons  of  the  bond-woman,  which  must  be  cast  out  of  the 
 kingdom  of  heaven,  and  be  damned. 
 
 And  now  they  themselves  do  not  defend  their  wicked  life  ; 
 nay,  rather,  they  which  are  the  best  and  the  soundest  of  them 
 all,  do  detest  it;  but  they  fight  for  the  maintenance  and  defence 
 of  the  doctrine  of  devils,  for  hypocrisy,  and  for  the  righteous- 
 ness of  works.  Here  they  allege  the  authority  of  councils  and 
 the  examples  of  holy  fathers,  whom  they  affirm  to  have  been 
 the  authors  of  their  holy  orders  and  statutes.  Therefore,  we 
 fight  not  against  the  manifest  wickedness  and  abominations  of 
 the  papacy,  but  against  the  greatest  holiness  and  holiest  saints 
 thereof,  which  think  they  lead  an  angelical  life,  whilst  they 
 dream  that  they  keep  not  only  the  commandments  of  God,  but 
 also  the  counsels  of  Christ,  am'  do  works  of  supererogation, 
 and  such  as  they  are  not  bound  to  do.  This,  we  say,  is  to  la- 
 bour in  vain,  except  they  take  hold  of  that  only  and  alone, 
 which  Christ  saith  is  only  necessary,  and  choose  the  good  part 
 with  Mary,  which  shall  not  be  taken  from  them. 
 
 This  did  Bernard,  a  man  so  godly,  so  holy,  and  so  chaste, 
 that  he  is  to  be  commended  and  preferred  above  them  all.  He 
 being  once  grievously  sick,  and  having  no  hope  of  life,  put  not 
 his  trust  in  his  single  life,  wherein  he  had  lived  most  chastely ; 
 not  in  his  good  works  and  deeds  of  charity,  whereof  he  had 
 done  many;  but  removed  them  far  out  of  his  sight,  and,  receiving 
 the  benefit  of  Christ  by  faith,  he  said :  "  I  have  lived  wickedly. 
 But  thou.  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  double  right  dost  possess  the 
 kingdom  of  heaven :  first,  because  thou  art  the  Son  of  God ;  se- 
 condly, because  thou  hast  purchased  it  by  thy  death  and  passion. 
 The  first  thou  keepest  for  thyself,  by  thy  birth-right.  The  se- 
 cond thou  givest  to  me,  not  by  the  right  of  my  works,  but  by 
 the  right  of  grace."  He  set  not  against  the  wrath  of  God  his 
 monkery,  nor  his  angelical  life ;  but  he  took  hold  of  that  one 
 thing  which  was  necessary,  and  so  was  saved.  1  think  that 
 Hierome,  Gregory,  and  many  other  of  the  fathers,  were  saved 
 after  the  same  sort.  And  it  is  not  to  be  doubted  but  that  also, 
 in  the  Old  Testament,  many  kings  of  Israel  and  other  idolaters 
 were  saved  in  like  manner,  who,  at  the  hour  of  death,  casting 
 away  their  vain  trust  which  they  had  in  idols,  took  hold  of  the 
 promise  of  God,  which  was  made  unto  the  seed  of  Abraham, 
 that  is  to  say,  Christ,  in  whom  all  nations  should  be  blessed. 
 And  if  there  be  any  of  the  papists  whioh  shall  be  saved,  they 
 
VER.  so.]  TEI^ISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  369 
 
 must  simply  lean  not  to  their  own  good  deeds  and  deserts,  but 
 to  the  mercy  of  God  offered  unto  us  in  Christ,  and  say  with 
 Paul:  "I  have  not  mine  own  righteousness  which  is  of  the  law, 
 but  that  which  is  by  faith  in  Christ,"  (Phil.  iii.  9.) 
 
 Verse  SI.  Then,  brethren,  we  are  not  children  of  the  servant,  but  of  the 
 free-woman. 
 
 Paul  here  concludeth  his  allegory  of  the  barren  church,  and 
 of  the  fruitful  people  of  the  law.  We  are  not  (saith  he)  the 
 children  of  the  bond-woman;  that  is  to  say,  we  are  not  under 
 the  law,  which  begetteth  unto  bondage,  that  is,  which  terrifieth, 
 accuseth,  and  bringeth  to  desperation;  but  we  are  delivered 
 from  it  by  Christ:  therefore  it  cannot  terrify  nor  condemn  us* 
 Of  this  we  have  spoken  enough  before.  Moreover,  although 
 the  sons  of  the  bond-woman  do  persecute  us  never  so  much  for 
 a  time,  yet  this  is  our  comfort,  that  they  shall  be  compelled  to 
 leave  the  inheritance  unto  us,  which  belongeth  unto  us  that  are 
 the  sons  of  the  free- woman,  and  shall  at  length  be  cast  into  utter 
 darkness,  (Matt.  xxv.  30.) 
 
 Paul,  therefore,  by  these  words  [bond-woman  and  free-wo* 
 man]  took  occasion  (as  we  have  heard)  to  reject  the  righteous* 
 ness  of  the  law,  and  to  confirm  the  doctrine  of  justification. 
 And  of  purpose  he  taketh  hold  of  this  word  [free-woman] 
 vehemently  urging  and  amplifying  the  same,  especially  in  the 
 beginning  of  the  chapter  following.  Whereupon  he  taketh  oc- 
 casion to  reason  of  Christian  liberty,  the  knowledge  whereof  is 
 very  necessary;  for  the  Pope  hath  in  a  manner  quite  overthrown 
 it,  and  made  the  church  subject  to  man's  traditions  and  ceremo- 
 nies, and  to  a  most  miserable  and  filthy  bondage.  That  liberty 
 which  is  purchased  by  Christ,  is  unto  us  at  this  day  a  most 
 strong  fort,  whereby  we  defend  ourselves  against  the  tyranny 
 of  the  Pope.  Wherefore  we  must  diligently  consider  this  doc- 
 trine of  Christian  liberty,  as  well  to  confirm  the  doctrine  of 
 justification,  as  also  to  raise  up  and  comfort  weak  consciences 
 against  so  many  troubles  and  offences,  which  our  adversaries  do 
 impute  unto  the  gospel.  Now,  Christian  liberty  is  a  very  spi- 
 ritual thing,  which  the  carnal  man  doth  not  understand,  ( Rom. 
 ix.  32.)  Yea,  they  which  have  the  first  fruits  of  the  spirit,  and 
 can  talk  well  thereof,  do  very  hardly  retain  it  in  their  heart.  It 
 seemeth  to  reason  that  it  is  a  matter  of  small  importance ;  there- 
 fore, if  the  Holy  Ghost  do  not  magnify  it,  that  it  may  be  es- 
 teemed accordingly,  it  is  condemued. 
 
 B  tt 
 
aTC  rOMMFNTARY  ON  ST.  PAUl/s  fCHAP.  V, 
 
 CHAP.  V. 
 
 Paul  now  drawing  towards  the  end  of  his  epistle,  disputeth 
 very  vehemently  in  defence  of  the  doctrine  of  faith  and  Chris- 
 tian liberty,  against  the  false  apostles,  the  enemies  and  des- 
 troyers of  the  same ;  against  whom  he  casteth  out  very  thunder- 
 ing words  to  beat  them  down,  and  utterly  to  vanquish  them. 
 And  thereAvithal  he  exhorteth  the  Galatians  to  fly  their  per- 
 nicious doctrine  as  a  dangerous  poison.  In  this  exhortation  he 
 intermingleth  threatenings  and  promises,  trying  every  way  that 
 he  may  keep  them  in  that  liberty  which  Christ  hath  purchased 
 for  them,  saying, 
 
 Yek.  I.  Stand  fast,  therefore,  in  that  liberty  wherein  Christ  hath  made  us  free 
 
 That  is  to  say.  Be  ye  steadfast.  So  Peter  saith,  (1  Pet.  v. 
 8,  9.)  "  Be  sober,  and  watch  ;  for  your  adversary  the  devil,  as  a 
 roaring  lion,  walketh  about,  seeking  whom  he  may  devour: 
 whom  resist,  being  steadfast  in  the  faith."^'  Ee  ye  not  careless, 
 (saith  he,)  but  steadfast  and  constant.  Lie  not  down  and  sleep, 
 but  stand  up.  As  if  he  would  say :  It  standeth  you  in  hand  to 
 be  watchful  and  constant,  that  ye  may  keep  and  hold  fast  that 
 liberty  wherein  Christ  hath  made  you  free.  They  that  are  se- 
 cure and  negligent,  cannot  keep  this  liberty;  for  Satan  most 
 deadly  hateth  the  light  of  the  gospel,  that  is  to  say,  the  doctrine 
 of  grace,  liberty,  consolation,  and  life.  Therefore,  when  he 
 seeth  that  it  beginneth  once  to  appear,  forthwith  he  fighteth 
 against  it  with  all  might  and  main,  stirring  up  storms  and  tem- 
 pests to  hinder  the  course  thereof,  and  utterly  to  overthroAv  it. 
 Wherefore  Paul  warneth  the  faithful  not  to  sleep,  not  to  be 
 negligent ;  but  constantly  and  valiantly  to  resist  Satan,  that  he 
 spoil  them  not  of  that  liberty  which  Christ  hath  purchased  for 
 them. 
 
 Every  word  hath  here  a  certain  vehemency.  "  Stand,"  (saith 
 he) :  as  if  he  should  say.  Here  have  ye  need  of  great  diligence 
 and  vigilance.  "  In  that  liberty."  In  what  liberty?  Not  in 
 that  wherewith  the  emperor  hath  made  us  free,  but  in  that 
 wherewith  Christ  hath  made  us  free. 
 
 The  emperor  hath  given,  or  rather  was  compelled  to  give  to 
 the  bishop  of  Rome  a  free  city,  and  other  lands ;  also  immunities, 
 privileges  and  prerogatives,  &c.  This  is  also  a  liberty;  but  it  is 
 a  civil  liberty,  whereby  the  Pope,  with  all  his  clergy,  is  exempt 
 from  all  public  charges.  Moreover,  there  is  a  fleshly,  or  rather 
 a  devilish  liberty,  whereby  the  devil  chiefly  reigneth  throughout 
 the  whole  world;  for  they  that  enjoy  this  liberty,  obey  neither 
 God  nor  laws,  but  do  what  they  list.  This  liberty  the  people 
 seek  and  err  brace  at  this  day:  and  so  do  the  sectaries,  which 
 
TER.   l.'J  EPISTLE  tO  THE  GALATIANS.  87 
 
 will  be  at  liberty  in  their  opinions  and  in  all  their  doings,  to  the 
 end  they  may  teach  and  do  whatsoever  they  dream  to  be  good 
 and  sound,  without  apprehension.  These  stand  in  that  liberty 
 wherein  the  devil  hath  made  them  free.  But  we  speak  not  here 
 of  this  liberty,  albeit  the  whole  world  seeketh  no  other  liberty; 
 neither  do  we  speak  of  the  civil  liberty,  but  of  a  far  other  man- 
 ner of  liberty,  which  the  devil  hateth  and  resisteth  with  all  his 
 power. 
 
 This  is  that  liberty  whereby  Christ  hath  made  us  free,  not 
 from  an  earthly  bondage,  from  the  Babylonical  captivity,  or 
 from  the  tyranny  of  the  Turks,  but  from  God's  everlasting 
 wrath.  And  where  is  this  done  ?  In  the  conscience.  There 
 resteth  our  liberty,  and  goeth  no  farther.  For  Christ  hath 
 made  us  free,  not  civilly,  nor  carnally,  but  divinely ;  that  is  to 
 say,  we  are  made  free  in  such  sort,  that  our  conscience  is  free  and 
 quiet,  not  fearing  the  wrath  of  God  to  come.  This  is  that 
 true  and  inestimable  liberty,  to  the  excellency  and  majesty 
 whereof  if  we  compare  the  other,  they  are  but  as  one  drop  of 
 water  in  respect  of  the  whole  sea.  For  who  is  able  to  express 
 what  a  thing  it  is,  when  a  man  is  assured  in  his  heart  that  God 
 neither  is,  nor  will  be  angry  with  him,  but  will  be  for  ever  a 
 merciful  and  a  loving  Father  unto  him,  for  Christ's  sake?  This 
 is  indeed  a  marvellous  and  incomprehensible  liberty,  to  have 
 the  most  high  and  sovereign  majesty  so  favourable  unto  us,  that 
 he  doth  not  only  defend,  maintain,  and  succour  us  in  this  life, 
 but  also  as  touching  our  bodies,  will  so  deliver  us,  that  our 
 bodies,  which  are  sown  in  corruption,  in  dishonour  and  infir- 
 mity, shall  rise  again  in  incorruption,  in  glory,  and  power. 
 (1  Cor.  XV.  42 — 44.)  Wherefore,  this  is  an  inestimable  liberty, 
 that  we  are  made  free  from  the  wrath  of  God  for  ever ;  and  is 
 greater  than  heaven  and  earth,  and  all  other  creatures. 
 
 Of  this  liberty  there  followeth  another,  whereby,  through 
 Christ,  we  are  made  free  from  the  law,  sin,  death,  the  power  of 
 the  devil,  hell,  &c.  For,  as  the  wrath  of  God  cannot  terrify 
 us,  for  that  Christ  hath  delivered  us  from  the  same,  so  the  law, 
 sin,  and  death,  cannot  accuse  and  condemn  us.  And  although 
 the  law  accuse  us,  and  sin  terrify  us,  yet  they  cannot  drive  us 
 to  desperation;  for  faith,  which  overcometh  the  world,  by-and- 
 by  saith :  These  things  belong  not  unto  me ;  for  Christ  hath 
 made  me  free,  and  delivered  me  from  them  all.  Likewise 
 death,  which  is  the  most  mighty  and  most  dreadful  thing  in  all 
 the  world,  is  utterly  vanquished  in  the  conscience  by  the  liberty 
 of  the  spirit.  Wherefore  the  majesty  of  this  Christian  liberty 
 is  highly  to  be  esteemed,  and  diligently  considered.  It  is  an 
 easy  matter  for  a  man  to  speak  these  words,  "  Freedom  from 
 the  wrath  of  God,  sin,  and  death ;"  but  in  the  time  of  tempta- 
 tion, experience,  and  practice,  to  apply  them  to  himself,  and  to 
 feel  the  excellency  of  this  liberty  and  the  fruit  thereof,  it  is  a 
 harder  matter  than  can  be  expressed. 
 
372  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  fcHAP.  ^. 
 
 Therefore  our  conscience  must  be  instructed  and  prepared 
 beforehand,  that  when  we  feel  the  recusation  of  the  law,  the 
 terrors  of  sin,  the  horror  of  death,  and  the  wrath  of  God,  Ave 
 may  remove  these  heavy  sights  and  fearful  fantasies  out  of  our 
 minds,  and  set  in  the  place  thereof  the  freedom  purchased  by 
 Christ,  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  righteousness,  life,  and  the  ever- 
 lasting mercy  of  God.  And  albeit  the  feeling  of  the  contrary 
 be  very  strong,  yet  let  us  assure  ourselves  that  it  shall  not  long 
 endure,  according  to  that  saying  of  the  prophet,  "  For  a  mo- 
 ment, in  mine  anger,  I  hid  my  face  from  thee  for  a  little  season, 
 but  with  everlasting  mercy  I  have  compassion  on  thee,"  (Isa. 
 liv.  8.)  But  this  is  very  hard  to  do.  Wherefore,  that  liberty 
 which  Christ  hath  purchased  for  us,  is  not  so  soon  believed  as 
 it  is  named.  If  it  could  be  apprehended  with  a  sure  and  a  stead- 
 fast faith,  then  no  rage  or  terror  of  the  world,  of  the  law,  sin, 
 death,  or  the  devil,  could  be  so  great,  but  by-and-by  it  should 
 be  swallowed  up,  as  a  little  drop  of  water  is  swallowed  of  the 
 main  sea.  And,  certainly,  this  Christian  liberty  swalloweth  up 
 at  once,  and  taketh  quite  away  the  whole  heap  of  evils,  the  law, 
 sin,  death,  God's  wrath,  and  briefly,  the  serpent  himselfj  with 
 his  head  and  whole  power,  and,  in  the  stead  thereof,  it  placeth 
 righteousness,  peace,  and  everlasting  life,  &c  (Luke  xi.  28.) 
 But  blessed  is  he  that  understandeth  and  believeth. 
 
 Let  us  learn,  therefore,  to  magnify  this  our  liberty,  pur- 
 chased by  Jesus  Christ  the  Son  of  God ;  by  whom  all  things 
 ■were  created,  both  in  heaven  and  earth.  Which  liberty  he 
 hath  purchased  with  no  other  price  than  with  his  own  blood,  to 
 deliver  us,  not  from  any  bodily  or  temporal  servitude,  but  from 
 a  spiritual  and  everlasting  bondage  under  mighty  and  invincible 
 tyrants,  to  wit,  the  law,  sin,  death,  and  the  devil,  and  so  to  re- 
 concile us  unto  God  his  Father.  Now,  since  these  enemies  are 
 overcome,  and  we  reconciled  unto  God  by  the  death  of  his 
 Son,  it  is  certain  that  we  are  righteous  before  God,  and  that 
 whatsoever  we  do,  pleaseth  him.  And  although  there  be  cer- 
 tain remnants  of  sin  yet  still  in  us,  they  are  not  laid  to  our 
 charge,  but  pardoned  for  Christ's  sake. 
 
 Paul  useth  words  of  great  force  and  vehemency.  "  Stand 
 (saith  he)  in  that  liberty  wherein  Christ  hath  made  you  free." 
 This  liberty,  then,  is  not  given  unto  us  by  the  law,  or  for  our 
 righteousness,  but  freely  for  Christ's  sake,  which  thing  Paul 
 here  witnesseth,  and  plainly  declareth  throughout  his  whole 
 epistle.  Christ  also,  in  the  eighth  of  John,  saith,  "  If  the  Son 
 shall  make  you  free,  ye  shall  be  free  indeed."  He  only  is  set 
 betwixt  us  and  the  evils  which  trouble  and  afflict  us :  he  hath 
 overcome  them,  and  taken  them  away,  so  that  they  can  no  more 
 oppress  us,  nor  condemn  us.  In  the  stead  of  sin  and  death,  he 
 giveth  unto  us  righteousness  and  everlasting  life ;  and  by  this 
 means  he  changeth  the  bondage  and  terrors  of  the  law,  into 
 the  liberty  of  conscience  and  consolation  of  the  gospel,  which 
 
VEtt,   1.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  373 
 
 salth,  "  Be  of  good  comfort,  my  son,  thy  sins  are  forgiven 
 thee,"  (Matt.  ix.  2.)  Whosoever,  then,  believeoh  in  Christ 
 the  Son  of  God,  he  hath  this  hberty. 
 
 Reason  cannot  perceive  the  excellency  of  this  matter;  which, 
 when  d  man  considereth  in  spirit,  he  shall  see  that  it  is  inesti- 
 mable. For  who  is  able  to  conceive  in  his  mind  how  great  and 
 unspeakable  a  gift  it  is  to  have  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  righteous- 
 ness, and  everlasting  life,  in  the  stead  of  the  law,  sin,  death,  and 
 the  wrath  of  God,  and  to  have  God  himself  favourable  and  mer- 
 ciful for  ever?  The  Papists,  and  the  h}^ocrites  that  seek  the 
 righteousness  of  the  law,  or  their  own  righteo\isness,  do  glory 
 that  they  likewise  have  remission  of  sins,  righteousness,  life, 
 and  the  grace  of  God.  For  they  vaunt  that  they  also  have  this 
 liberty,  and  they  promise  the  same  unto  others;  but,  in  very 
 deed,  they  are  the  servants  of  corruption,  and  in  the  time  of 
 temptation  all  their  confidence  vanisheth  a^vay,  even  in  a  mo- 
 ment. For  they  trust  unto  the  works  and  satisfactions  of  men, 
 and  not  to  the  word  of  God,  nor  unto  Christ.  Wherefore  it  is 
 impossible  for  the  justiciaries,  which  seek  to  win  heaven,  life, 
 and  salvation  by  works  and  merits,  to  know  what  the  liberty 
 and  deliverance  from  sin  is. 
 
 Contrariwise,  our  liberty  hath  for  her  foundation  Christ  him- 
 self, who  is  our  everlasting  high  bishop,  sitting  at  the  right  hand 
 of  God,  and  making  intercession  for  us.  Wherefore  the  for- 
 giveness of  sins,  righteousness,  life,  and  liberty,  which  we  have 
 through  him,  is  sure,  certain,  and  perpetual,  so  that  we  believe 
 the  same.  Wherefore,  if  we  cleave  unto  Christ  with  a  steadfast 
 faith,  and  stand  fast  in  that  liberty  wherein  he  hath  made  us 
 free,  we  shall  obtain  those  inestimable  gifts;  but  if  we  be  care- 
 less and  negligent,  we  shall  lose  them.  It  is  not  without  cause 
 that  Paul  biddeth  us  watch  and  stand  fjist;  for  he  knew  that  the 
 devil  seeketh  nothing  more  than  to  spoil  us  of  this  liberty, 
 which  cost  Christ  so  great  a  price,  and  to  entangle  us  again  by 
 his  ministers  in  the  yoke  of  bondage,  as  followeth. 
 
 Verse  1.  And  be  not  entangled  again  wiib  the  yoke -of  bondage. 
 Paul  hath  spoken  most  effectually  and  profoundly  as  concern- 
 ing grace  and  Christian  liberty,  and  with  high  and  mighty  words 
 liath  exhorted  the  Galatlans  to  continue  in  the  same,  for  it  is 
 easily  lost;  therefore  he  biddeth  them  stand  fast,  lest  that,  through 
 negligence  or  security,  they  fall  back  again  from  grace  and  faith, 
 to  the  law  and  works.  Now,  because  reason  judgeth  that  there 
 can  be  no  danger  in  preferring  the  righteousness  of  the  law 
 before  the  righteousness  of  faith;  therefore,  with  a  certain  indig- 
 nation, he  inveigheth  against  the  law,  and  with  great  contempt 
 he  calleth  it  a  yoke,  yea,  a  yoke  of  bondage.  So  Peter  calleth  it 
 also,  "  Why  tempt  ye  God,  to  lay  a  yoke  on  the  disciples'  necks, 
 which  neither  our  fathers  nor  we  are  able  to  bear?"  (Acts  xv.) 
 And  thus  he  turneth  all  things  to  the  contrary.     For  the  false 
 
87^  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  rAUL*S  [CHAP.  V, 
 
 apostles  did  abase  the  promise,  and  magnified  the  law  and  the 
 works  thereof  in  this  wise:  "If  ye  will  be  made  free"  (say  they) 
 "  from  sin  and  death,  and  obtain  righteousness  and  life,  fulfil  the 
 law,  be  circumcised,  observe  days,  months,  times,  and  years, 
 offer  sacrifices,  and  do  such  other  like  things;  then  shall  this 
 obedience  of  the  law  justify  and  save  you."  But  Paul  saith  the 
 contrary.  They  (saith  he)  that  teach  the  law  after  this  sort,  do 
 not  set  men's  consciences  at  liberty,  but  snare  and  entangle 
 them  with  a  yoke,  yea,  and  that  with  a  yoke  of  bondage. 
 
 He  speaketh,  therefore,  of  the  law  very  basely  and  contemp- 
 tuously, and  calleth  it  a  hard  bondage,  and  a  servile  yoke;  and 
 this  he  doth  not  witliout  great  cause.  For  this  pernicious  opi- 
 nion of  the  laAv,  that  it  justifieth  and  maketh  men  righteous  be- 
 fore God,  is  deeply  rooted  in  man's  reason,  and  all  mankind  is 
 so  wrapped  in  it,  that  it  can  hardly  get  out.  And  Paul  seemeth 
 here  to  compare  those  that  seek  righteousness  by  the  law,  unto 
 oxen  that  be  tied  to  the  yoke,  to  the  end  he  might  take  from  it 
 the  glory  of  justifying  and  of  righteousness.  For,  like  as  oxen 
 that  draw  in  the  yoke  with  great  toil,  receive  nothing  thereby 
 but  forage  or  pasture,  and  when  they  be  able  to  draw  the  yoke 
 no  more,  are  appointed  to  the  slaughter;  even  so  they  that  seek 
 righteousness  by  the  law,  are  captives,  and  oppressed  with  the 
 yoke  of  bondage,  that  is  to  say,  with  the  law;  and  when  they 
 have  tired  themselves  a  long  time  in  the  woi'ks  of  the  law,  with 
 great  and  grievous  toil,  in  the  end  this  is  their  reward,  that  they 
 are  miserable  and  perpetual  servants.  And  wherefore?  Even  of 
 sin,  death,  God's  wrath,  and  of  the  devil.  Wherefore  there  is 
 no  greater  or  harder  bondage  than  the  bondage  of  the  law.  It 
 is  not  without  cause,  then,  that  Paul  calleth  it  the  yoke  of 
 bondage.  For,  as  we  have  often  said  before,  the  law  doth  but 
 reveal,  increase,  and  aggravate  sin,  accuse,  terrify,  condemn, 
 and  gender  wrath,  and  finally  it  driveth  poor  consciences  into 
 desperation,  which  is  the  most  miserable  and  most  grievous 
 bondage  that  can  be,  (Rom.  iii.  3,  4,  5.) 
 
 He  useth,  therefore,  very  vehement  words;  for  he  would 
 gladly  persuade  them  that  they  should  not  suffer  this  intolerablfe 
 burden  to  be  laid  upon  their  shoulders  by  the  false  apostles,  oi 
 be  entangled  again  with  the  yoke  of  bondage.  As  if  he  should 
 say,  We  stand  not  here  upon  a  matter  of  small  importance,  but 
 either  of  everlasting  liberty,  or  everlasting  bondage.  For  like 
 as  freedom  from  God's  wrath  and  all  evils  is  not  temporal  or 
 carnal,  but  everlasting;  even  so  the  bondage  of  sin,  death,  the 
 devil,  and  damnation  (wherewith  all  they  be  oppressed  which 
 will  be  made  righteous  and  saved  by  the  law)  is  not  coi-poreal, 
 and  such  as  continueth  for  a  time,  but  everlasting.  For  such 
 workers  of  the  law  as  go  about  to  perform  and  accomplish  all 
 things  precisely  and  exactly,  (for  of  such  Paul  speaketh, )  can 
 never  find  quietness  and  peace  of  conscience  in  this  life.  They 
 always  doubt  of  the  good-will  of  God  towards  them;  they  are 
 
VER.   i,  2.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  375 
 
 always  in  fear  of  death,  of  the  wrath  and  judgment  of  God;  and 
 after  this  Hfe  they  shall  be  punished  for  their  unbelief  with 
 everlasting"  damnation. 
 
 Therefore  the  doers  of  the  law,  and  such  as  stand  altogether 
 upon  the  righteousness  and  works  thereof,  are  rightly  called  the 
 devil's  martyrs.  They  take  more  pains,  and  punish  themselves 
 more  in  purchasing  hell,  (according  to  the  proverb)  than  the  mar- 
 tyrs of  Christ  do  in  obtaining  heaven.  For  they  are  tormented 
 two  manner  of  ways:  tirst,  they  miserably  afflict  themselves 
 whilst  they  live  here,  by  doing  of  many  hard  and  great  works, 
 and  all  in  vain;  and  afterwards,  when  they  die,  they  reap  for 
 a  recompence  eternal  damnation.  Thus  are  they  most  miserable 
 martyrs,  both  in  this  life  and  in  the  life  to  come,  and  their  bondage 
 is  everlasting.  Contrariwise,  the  godly  have  troubles  in  this 
 world,  but  in  Clu'ist  they  have  peace,  because  they  believe  that 
 he  hath  overcome  the  world,  (Jolmxvi.  33.)  Wherefore  we 
 must  stand  fast  in  that  freedom  which  Christ  hath  purchased 
 for  us  by  his  death,  and  we  must  take  good  heed  that  we  be  not 
 entangled  again  with  the  yoke  of  bondiige ;  as  it  happeneth  at 
 this  day  to  the  fantastical  spirits,  who,  tailing  away  from  faith 
 and  from  tliis  freedom,  have  procured  vmto  themselves  here  a 
 temporal  bondage,  and  in  the  world  to  come  sliall  be  oppressed 
 with  an  everlasting  bondage.  As  for  the  Papists,  the  most  part 
 of  them  are  become  at  this  day  plain  epicures.  Tiierefore, 
 while  they  may,  they  use  the  liberty  of  the  tlesh,  singing  this 
 careless  song,  "£c/e,  bibe,  lude,  post  mortem  nulla  voluptas :" 
 that  is,  "  eat,  drink,  and  make  good  cheer,  for  after  this  life 
 there  is  no  pleasure."  But  they  are  the  very  bond-slaves  of 
 the  devil,  by  whom  they  are  holden  captives  at  his  will  and 
 pleasure :  therefore  they  shall  feel  this  everlasthig  bondage  in 
 hell.  Hitherto,  Paul's  exhortation  hath  been  vehement  and 
 earnest,  but  that  which  followeth  doth  far  pass  it. 
 
 Verse  2.     Behold  I,  Paul,  say  unto  you,  that  if  ye  be  circumcbed,  Christ 
 shall  profit  you  nothing. 
 
 Paul  here,  wonderfully  stiiTed  up  with  zeal  and  fervency  ot 
 spirit,  th under eth  against  the  law  and  circumcision :  and  these 
 thunderings,  proceeding  of  great  zeal,  the  Holy  Ghost  wresteth 
 from  him,  when  he  saith,  "Behold,  I,  Paul,"  &c.  I  (I  say)  Avho 
 know  that  I  have  not  received  the  gospel  by  man,  but  by  the 
 revelation  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  have  commission  and  aiithority 
 from  above,  to  publish  and  to  preach  the  same  unto  you,  do  tell 
 you,  that,  if  ye  be  circumcised,  Christ  shall  profit  you  nothing 
 at  all.  This  is  a  very  hard  sentence,  whereby  Paul  declareth, 
 that  to  be  circumcised  is  as  much  as  to  make  Christ  utterly  un- 
 profitable; not  in  respect  of  himself,  but  of  the  Galatians,  who, 
 being  deceived  by  the  subtlety  of  the  false  apostles,  believed, 
 that,  besides  faith  in  Christ,  it  was  needful  for  the  faithful  to  be 
 cii'cumcised,  without  the  which  they  could  not  obtain  salvation. 
 
876  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PA  JL's  [cHAP.  V. 
 
 "^rhis  place  is  as  it  were  a  touchstone,  whereby  we  may  most 
 certainly  and  freely  judge  of  all  doctrines,  works,  religions,  and 
 ceremonies  of  all  men.  Whosoever  teach  that  there  is  any  thing 
 necessary  to  salvation  (whether  they  be  Papists,  Turks,  Jews, 
 or  sectaries)  besides  faith  in  Christ,  or  shall  devise  any  work  or 
 religion,  or  observe  any  rule,  tradition,  or  ceremony  whatsoever, 
 with  this  opinion,  that  by  sucjh  things  they  shall  obtain  forgive- 
 ness of  sins,  righteousness,  and  everlasting  life ;  they  hear  in 
 this  place  the  sentence  of  the  Holy  Ghost  pronounced  against 
 them  by  the  apostle,  that  Christ  profiteth  them  nothing.  Seeing 
 Paul  durst  give  this  sentence  against  the  law  and  circumcision, 
 which  were  ordained  of  God  himself,  what  durst  he  not  do 
 against  the  chaff  and  the  dross  of  men's  traditions  ? 
 
 Wlierefore,  this  place  is  a  terrible  thunderbolt  against  all  the 
 kingdom  of  the  Pope.  For  all  the  priests,  monks,  and  hermits, 
 that  live  in  their  cloisters  (I  speak  of  the  best  of  them)  reposed 
 all  their  trust  and  confidence  in  their  own  works,  righteousness, 
 vows,  and  merits,  and  not  in  Christ,  whom  they  most  wickedly 
 and  blasphemously  imagined  to  be  an  angry  judge,  an  accuser 
 and  condemner ;  and  therefore  here  they  hear  their  judgment, 
 that  Christ  profiteth  them  nothing.  For  if  they  can  put  away 
 sins,  and  deserve  forgiveness  of  sins  and  everlasting  life,  through 
 their  own  righteousness  and  straitness  of  life,  then  to  what  pm*- 
 pose  was  Christ  born?  What  profit  have  they  by  his  death 
 and  blood-shedding,  by  his  resurrection,  victory  over  sin,  death, 
 and  the  devil,  seeing  they  are  able  to  overcome  these  monsters 
 by  their  own  strength  ?  And  what  tongue  can  express,  or  what 
 heart  can  conceive  how  horrible  a  thing  it  is  to  make  Christ 
 unprofitable  ?  Therefore  the  apostle  casteth  out  these  words 
 with  great  displeasure  and  indignation,  "  If  ye  be  circumcised, 
 Christ  shall  profit  you  nothing ;"  that  is  to  say,  no  profit  shall 
 redound  unto  you  of  all  his  benefits,  but  he  hath  bestowed 
 them  all  upon  you  in  vain. 
 
 Hereby  it  appeareth  sufficiently,  that  nothing  under  the  sun 
 is  more  hurtful  than  the  doctrine  of  men's  ti-aditions  and  works; 
 for  they  utterly  abolish  and  overthrow  at  once  the  truth  of  the 
 gospel,  faith,  the  true  worshipping  of  God,  and  Christ  himself, 
 in  whom  the  Father  hath  ordained  all  things.  In  Christ  are  hid 
 all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge ;  "  in  him  dwelleth 
 the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily,"  (Col.  ii.)  Wherefore,  all 
 they  that  are  either  authors  or  maintainers  of  the  doctrine  of 
 works,  are  oppressors  of  the  gospel;  they  make  the  death  and 
 victory  of  Christ  unprofitable,  blemish  and  deface  his  sacra- 
 ments, and  utterly  take  away  the  true  use  thereof;  and,  briefly, 
 they  are  blasphemers,  enemies  and  deniers  of  God,  and  of  all 
 his  promises  and  benefits.  Whoso  is  not  moved  with  tliese 
 words  of  Paul,  (which  calleth  the  law  a  yoke  of  bondage,  and 
 saith,  that  they  which  affirm  the  keeping  of  circumcision  to  be 
 necessary  to  saivation,  make  Christ  unprofitable,)  and  cannot 
 
VER.  9.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GAI.ATIANS.  377 
 
 be  driven  from  the  law  and  circumcision,  nor  yet  from  the  con- 
 fidence which  he  hath  in  his  own  righteousness  and  works,  nor 
 be  stirred  up  to  seek  tliat  liberty  which  is  in  Christ,  his  heart  is 
 harder  than  stone  and  iron. 
 
 This  is,  therefore,  a  most  certain  and  clear  sentence,  that 
 Christ  is  unprofitable,  that  is  to  say,  he  is  born,  crucified  and 
 risen  again  in  vain  to  him  that  is  circumcised,  that  is,  which 
 putteth  his  trust  in  circumcision.  For  (as  I  have  said  before) 
 Paul  speaketh  not  here  of  the  work  of  circumcision,  (which 
 hurteth  not  him  that  hath  no  affiance  or  opinion  of  righteousness 
 in  it,)  but  of  the  use  of  the  work,  that  is  to  say,  of  the  confidence 
 and  righteousness  which  is  annexed  to  the  work ;  for  we  must 
 understand  Paul  according  to  the  matter  whereof  he  entreateth, 
 or  according  to  the  argument  which  he  hath  in  hand,  which  is, 
 that  men  be  not  justified  by  the  law,  by  works,  by  circumcision, 
 or  such-like.  He  saith  not,  that  works  of  themselves  are 
 nothing,  but  the  confidence  and  righteousness  of  works  are 
 nothing;  for  that  maketh  Christ  unprofitable.  Therefore, 
 whoso  receiveth  circumcision,  with  this  opinion,  that  it  is  ne- 
 cessary to  justification,  to  him  Christ  availeth  nothing. 
 
 Let  us  bear  this  well  in  mind  in  our  private  temptations, 
 when  the  devil  accuseth  and  terrifieth  our  conscience,  to  drive 
 it  to  desperation.  For  he  is  the  father  of  lying,  and  the  enemy 
 of  Christian  liberty ;  therefore  he  tormenteth  us  every  moment 
 witli  false  fears,  that  when  our  conscience  hath  lost  this  Chris- 
 tian liberty,  it  should  feel  the  remorse  of  sin  and  condemnation, 
 and  always  remain  in  anguish  and  terror.  When  that  great 
 dragon,  (I  say,)  that  old  serpent  the  devil,  (who  deceiveth  the 
 whole  world,  and  accuseth  our  brethren  in  the  presence  of  God 
 day  and  night,  Apoc.  xii.)  cometh  and  layeth  unto  thy  charge, 
 that  thou  hast  not  only  done  no  good,  but  hast  also  transgressed 
 the  law  of  God,  say  unto  him.  Thou  troublest  me  with  the  re- 
 membrance of  my  sins  past ;  thou  puttest  me  also  in  mind  that 
 I  have  done  no  good.  But  this  is  nothing  to  me ;  for  if  either 
 I  trusted  in  mine  own  good  deeds,  or  distrusted  because  I  have 
 done  none,  Christ  should  both  ways  profit  me  nothing  at  all. 
 Therefore,  whether  thou  lay  my  sins  before  me,  or  my  good 
 works,  I  pass  not ;  but,  removing  both  far  out  of  my  sight,  I 
 only  rest  in  that  liberty  wherein  Christ  hath  made  me  free.  I 
 know  him  to  be  profitable  unto  me,  therefore  I  will  not  make 
 him  unprofitable;  which  I  should  do,  if  either  I  should  presume 
 to  purchase  myself  favour  and  everlasting  life  by  my  good 
 deeds,  or  should  despair  of  my  salvation  because  of  my  sins. 
 
 Wherefore  let  us  learn  with  all  diligence  to  separate  Christ 
 far  from  all  works,  as  well  good  as  evil:  from  all  laws,  both  of 
 God  and  man,  and  from  all  troubled  consciences :  for  with  all 
 these  Christ  hath  nothing  to  do.  He  hath  to  do,  I  grant,  with 
 afflicted  consciences :  howbeit,  not  to  afflict  them  more,  but  to 
 raise  them  up,  and  in  their  affliction  to  comfort  them.    There* 
 
378  COMMENTARY   ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  V. 
 
 fore,  if  Christ  appear  in  the  likeness  of  an  angry  judge,  or  of  a 
 lawgiver  that  requireth  a  strait  account  of  our  life  past,  then 
 let  us  assure  ourselves  that  it  is  not  Christ,  but  a  raging  fiend. 
 For  the  scripture  paiuteth  out  Christ  to  be  our  reconciliation, 
 our  advocate,  and  our  comforter.  Such  a  one  he  is  and  ever 
 /shall  be :  he  cannot  be  unlike  himself. 
 
 Therefore,  whensoever  the  devil,  transforming  himself  into 
 the  likeness  of  Christ,  disputeth  with  us  after  this  manner  : 
 This  thou  oughtest,  being  admonished  by  my  word,  to  have 
 done,  and  hast  not  done  it ;  and  this  thou  oughtest  not  to  have 
 done,  and  hast  done  it :  know  thou,  therefore,  that  I  will  take 
 vengeance  on  thee,  &c.  Let  this  nothing  at  all  move  us,  but 
 by-and-by  let  us  thus  think  with  ourselves  :  Christ  speaketh  not 
 to  poor,  afflicted,  and  despairing  consciences  after  this  manner : 
 he  addeth  not  affliction  to  the  afflicted;  he  breaketh  not  the 
 bruised  reed,  neither  quencheth  he  the  smoking  flax,  (Isa.  xlii.3.) 
 Indeed,  to  the  hard-hearted  he  speaketh  sharply ;  but  such  as 
 are  terrified  and  afflicted,  he  most  lovingly  and  comfortably  al- 
 lureth  unto  him,  saying,  "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  travail  and 
 be  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  refresh  you,"  (Matt.  xi.  28.)  "  I 
 came  not  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to  repentance," 
 (Matt.  ix.  13.)  "  Be  of  good  comfort,  my  son,  thy  sins  are  for- 
 given thee,"  (Matt.  ix.  2.)  "Be  not  afraid,  I  have  overcome 
 the  woi-ld,"  (Johnxvi.  33.)  "  The  Son  of  man  came  to  seek 
 out  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost,"  (Luke  xix.  10.)  We  must 
 lake  good  heed,  therefore,  lest  that  we,  being  deceived  with  the 
 wonderful  sleights  and  infinite  subtleties  of  Satan,  do  receive  an 
 accuser  and  condemner  in  the  stead  of  a  comforter  and  saviour ; 
 and  so,  under  the  vizor  of  a  false  Christ,  that  is  to  say,  of  the 
 devil,  we  lose  the  true  Clu'ist,  and  make  him  unprofitable  unto 
 us.  Thus  much  have  we  said  as  touching  private  and  particular 
 temptations,  and  how  we  should  use  ourselves  therein. 
 
 V£RSE  3.  for  I  testify  again  unto  every  man  which  is  circumcised,  that  be  is 
 bound  to  keep  the  whole  law. 
 
 The  first  inconvenience  is,  indeed,  very  great,  where  Paul 
 saith,  that  Christ  profiteth  them  nothing  which  are  circumcised, 
 and  this  that  followeth  is  nothing  less,  where  he  saith,  that  they 
 which  are  circumcised,  are  bound  to  keep  the  whole  law.  He 
 speaketh  these  words  Avith  such  earnestness  and  vehemency  of 
 spirit,  that  he  confirmeth  them  with  an  oath :  "  I  testify,"  that 
 is  to  say,  I  swear  by  the  living  God.  But  these  words  may 
 be  expounded  two  ways,  negatively  and  affirmatively.  Nega- 
 tively, after  this  manner :  1  testify  unto  every  man  Avhich  is 
 circumcised,  that  he  is  bound  to  keep  the  whole  law,  that  is  to 
 say,  that  he  performeth  no  piece  of  the  law  :  yea,  that  in  the 
 very  work  of  circumcision  he  is  not  circumcised,  and  even  in 
 the  fulfilling  of  the  law  he  fulfilleth  it  not,  but  transgresseth  it- 
 And  this  seemeth  to  me  to  be  the  simple  and  true  meaning  of 
 
VER.  S.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANSr  379 
 
 Paul  in  this  place.  Afterwards,  in  the  sixth  chapter,  he  ex- 
 poundeth  himself,  saying,  "  they  themselves  which  are  circum- 
 cised, keep  not  the  law."  So  he  saith  also  before,  in  the  third 
 chapter,  "  whosoever  are  of  the  works  of  the  law,  are  under 
 the  curse."  As  if  he  said.  Although  ye  be  circumcised,  yet  are 
 ye  not  righteous  and  free  from  the  law :  but  by  this  deed  ye 
 are  rather  debtors  and  bond-servants  of  the  law ;  and  the  more 
 ye  go  about  to  satisfy  the  law,  and  to  be  set  free  from  it,  the 
 more  ye  entangle  and  snare  yourselves  in  the  yoke  thereof,  so 
 that  it  hath  more  power  to  accuse  and  condemn  you.  This  is 
 to  go  backward  like  the  crab,  and  to  wash  away  filth  with  filth. 
 
 And  this  which  I  say  by  occasion  of  Paul's  words,  I  have 
 learned  both  in  myself  and  others.  I  have  seen  many  which  have 
 painfully  travailed,  and  upon  mere  conscience  have  done  as  much 
 as  was  possible  for  them  to  do,  in  fasting,  in  prayer,  in  Avearing 
 of  hair,  in  punishing  and  tormenting  their  bodies  with  sundry 
 exercises,  (whereby  at  length  they  must  needs  have  utterly  con- 
 sumed them,  yea,  although  they  had  been  made  of  iron,)  and 
 all  to  this  end  that  they  might  obtain  quietness  and  peace  of 
 conscience:  notwithstanding,  the  more  they  travailed,  the  more 
 they  were  stricken  down  with  fear,  and  especially  when  the  hour 
 of  death  approached,  they  were  so  fearful,  that  I  have  seen 
 many  murderers  and  other  malefactors  condemned  to  death, 
 dying  more  courageously  than  they  did,  which  notwithstanding 
 had  lived  very  holily. 
 
 Therefore  it  is  most  true,  that  they  which  do  the  law,  do  it  not, 
 for  the  more  they  go  about  to  fulfil  the  law,  the  more  they 
 transgress  it.  Even  so  we  say  and  judge  of  men's  traditions. 
 The  more  a  man  striveth  to  pacify  his  conscience  thereby,  the 
 more  he  troubleth  and  tormenteth  it.  When  I  was  a  monk,  I 
 endeavoured,  as  much  as  possible,  to  live  after  the  strait  rule 
 of  mine  order.  I  was  wont  to  shrive  myself  with  great  devotion, 
 and  to  reckon  up  all  my  sins,  (yet  being  always  very  contrite 
 before:)  and  I  returned  to  confession  very  often,  and  thoroughly 
 performed  the  penance  that  was  enjoined  unto  me;  yet,  for  all 
 this,  my  conscience  could  never  be  fully  certified,  but  was  always 
 in  doubt,  and  said,  "  This  or  that  thou  hast  not  done  rightly; 
 thou  wast  not  contrite  and  sorrowful  enough;  this  sin  thou  didst 
 omit  in  thy  confession,"  &c.  Therefore,  the  more  I  went  about 
 to  help  my  weak,  wavering,  and  afilicted  conscience,  by  men's 
 traditions,  the  more  weak  and  doubtful,  and  the  more  afflicted 
 I  was.  And  thus,  the  more  I  observed  men's  traditions,  the 
 more  I  transgressed  them,  and  in  seeking  after  righteousness 
 by  mine  order,  I  could  never  attain  unto  it;  for  it  is  impossible 
 (as  Paul  saith)  that  the  conscience  should  be  pacified  by  the 
 works  of  the  law,  and  much  more  by  men's  traditions,  without 
 the  promise  and  glad  tidings  concerning  Christ. 
 
 "Wherefore,  they  that  seek  to  be  justified  and  quickened  by  the 
 law,  are  much  farther  off  from  righteousness  and  life,  than  the 
 
880  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL  S  [CHAP..  V 
 
 publicans,  sinners,  and  harlots.  For  they  cannot  trust  to  their 
 own  works,  seeing  they  be  such  that  they  cannot  hope  to  ob- 
 tain grace  and  forgiveness  of  sins  thereby;  for  if  righteousness, 
 and  works  done  according  to  the  law,  do  not  justify,  how  can 
 sins  justify  which  are  committed  contrary  to  the  law?  There- 
 fore, in  this  point  they  are  in  far  better  case  than  the  justiciaries; 
 for  they  have  no  affiance  in  their  own  works,  which  greatly  hin- 
 dereth  true  faith  in  Christ,  if  it  do  not  utterly  take  it  away. 
 Contrariwise,  the  justiciaries,  which  abstain  outwardly  from 
 suis,  and  live  holily  and  without  blame  in  the  sight  of  the  world, 
 cannot  be  without  the  opinion  of  their  own  righteousness,  with 
 which  the  true  faith  in  Christ  cannot  stand;  and  for  this  cause 
 they  be  more  miserable  than  the  publicans  and  harlots,  who 
 offer  not  their  good  Avorks  to  God  in  his  displeasure,  that  for 
 the  same  he  may  recompense  them  with  everlasting  life,  (as  the 
 justiciaries  do,)  for  they  have  none  to  offer;  but  desire  that 
 their  sins  may  be  pardoned  for  Christ's  sake. 
 
 The  other  exposition  is  affirmative.  He  that  is  circumcised, 
 is  also  bound  to  keep  the  whole  law;  for  he  that  receiveth 
 Moses  in  one  point,  must  of  necessity  receive  him  in  all.  And  it 
 helpeth  nothing  to  say,  that  circumcision  is  necessary,  and  not 
 the  rest  of  Moses'  laws;  for  by  the  same  reason  that  thou  art 
 bound  to  keep  circumcision,  thou  art  also  bound  to  keep  the 
 whole  law.  Now,  to  be  bound  to  keep  the  whole  law,  is  nothing 
 else  but  to  shew,  in  effect,  that  Christ  is  not  yet  come.  If  this 
 be  true,  then  are  we  bound  to  keep  all  the  Jewish  ceremonies, 
 and  laws  touching  meats,  places,  and  times;  and  Christ  must  be 
 looked  for  as  yet  to  come,  that  he  may  abolish  the  Jewish  king- 
 dom and  priesthood,  and  set  up  a  new  kingdom  throughout  the 
 whole  world.  But  the  whole  scripture  witnesseth,  and  the  se- 
 quel thereof  plainly  declareth,  that  Christ  is  already  come;  that, 
 by  his  death,  he  hath  redeemed  mankind;  that  he  hath  abolished 
 the  law;  and  that  he  hath  fulfilled  all  things  which  all  the 
 prophets  have  foretold  of  him.  Therefore,  the  law  being  clean 
 abolished,  and  quite  taken  away,  he  hath  given  unto  us  grace 
 and  truth.  It  is  not  then  the  law,  nor  the  works  thereof,  but 
 it  is  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  that  maketh  a  man  righteous. 
 
 Some  would  bind  us,  at  this  day,  to  certain  of  Moses'  laws 
 that  like  them  best,  as  the  false  apostles  would  have  done  at  that 
 time.  But  this  is  in  no  Avise  to  be  suffered.  For,  if  we  give 
 Moses  leave  to  rule  over  us  in  any  thing,  we  are  bound  to 
 obey  him  in  all  things;  wherefore,  we  will  not  be  burthened 
 with  any  law  of  Moses.  We  grant  that  he  is  to  be  read 
 amongst  us,  and  to  be  heard  as  a  prophet  and  a  witness-bearer 
 of  Christ;  and  moreover,  that  out  of  him  we  may  take  good 
 examples  of  good  laws  and  holy  life;  but  we  will  not  suffer  him 
 in  any  wise  to  have  dominion  over  our  conscience.  In  this  case 
 let  him  be  dead  and  buried,  and  let  no  man  know  where  liis 
 grave  is,  (Deut.  xxxiv.  6.) 
 
VER.  3,  4.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  QALATIANS.  S8l 
 
 The  former  exposition,  that  is  to  say,  the  negative,  seemeth 
 to  me  to  be  more  apt  and  more  spiritual;  notwithstanding  both 
 are  good,  and  both  do  condemn  the  righteousness  of  the  law. 
 The  first  is,  that  we  are  so  far  from  obtaining  righteousness 
 by  the  law,  that  the  more  we  go  about  to  accomplish  the  law, 
 the  more  we  transgress  the  law;  the  second  is,  that  he,  which 
 will  perform  any  piece  of  the  laAv,  is  bound  to  keep  the  whole 
 law;  and,  to  conclude,  that  Christ  profiteth  them  nothing  at  all 
 which  Avill  be  justified  by  the  law. 
 
 Hereby  it  appeareth  that  Paul  meaneth  nothing  else,  but 
 that  the  law  is  a  plain  denial  of  Christ.  Now  it  is  a  wonderfid 
 thing  that  Paul  dare  affirm  that  the  law  of  Moses,  which  was 
 given  by  God  to  the  people  of  Israel,  is  a  denial  of  Christ. 
 Wliy,  then,  did  God  give  it?  Before  the  coming  of  Christ, 
 and  before  his  manifestation  in  the  flesh,  the  law  was  neces- 
 sary; for  the  law  is  our  schoolmaster  to  bring  us  unto  Christ. 
 But,  now  that  Christ  is  revealed,  in  that  we  believe  in  him,  we 
 are  no  longer  under  the  schoolmaster.  Hereof  we  have  spoken 
 largely  enough  before,  in  the  end  of  the  third  chapter.  Whoso 
 teacheth,  then,  that  the  law  is  necessary  to  righteousness, 
 teacheth  a  plain  denial  of  Christ  and  of  all  his  benefits;  he 
 maketh  God  a  liar,  yea,  he  maketh  the  law  also  a  liar;  for  the 
 law  itself  beareth  witness  of  Christ,  and  of  the  promises  made 
 us  concerning  Christ,  and  hath  foretold  that  he  should  be  a 
 king  of  grace,  and  not  of  the  law. 
 
 Verse  4.    Ye  are  abolished  (or  separated)  from  Christ,  whosoever  are  justi- 
 fied by  the  law ;  ye  are  fallen  from  grace. 
 
 Here  Paul  expoundeth  himself,  and  sheweth  that  he  speaketh 
 not  simply  of  the  law,  nor  of  the  work  of  circumcision,  but  of 
 the  confidence  and  opinion  that  men  have  to  be  justified  thereby. 
 As  if  he  would  say,  I  do  not  utterly  condemn  the  law  or  cir- 
 cumcision, (for  it  is  lawful  for  me  to  drink,  to  eat,  and  to  keej; 
 company  with  the  Jews,  according  to  the  law;  it  is  lawful  for 
 me  to  circumcise  Timothy,)  but  to  seek  to  be  justified  by  the 
 law,  as  if  Christ  were  not  yet  come,  or,  being  now  present,  he 
 alone  were  not  able  to  justify,  t'his  is  it  which  I  condemn;  for 
 this  is  to  be  separated  from  Christ.  Therefore,  saith  he,  ye 
 are  abolished,  that  is,  ye  are  utterly  void  of  Christ;  Christ  is 
 not  in  you,  he  worketh  not  in  you  any  more :  ye  are  not  par- 
 takers of  the  knowledge,  the  spirit,  the  fellowship,  the  favour, 
 the  liberty,  the  life,  or  the  doings  of  Christ,  but  ye  are  utterly 
 separate  from  him,  so  that  he  hath  no  more  lo  do  with  you, 
 nor  ye  with  him. 
 
 These  words  of  Paul  are  diligently  to  be  noted,  that  to  seek 
 righteousness  by  the  law,  is  nothing  else  but  to  be  separated 
 from  Christ,  and  to  make  him  utterly  unprofitable.  What  can 
 be  spoken  more  mightily  against  the  law?     What  can  be  set 
 
382  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  V. 
 
 up  against  this  thunderbolt?  Wherefore  it  is  impossible  that 
 Christ  and  the  law  should  dwell  tog-ether  in  one  heart;  for 
 either  the  law  or  Christ  must  give  place.  But,  if  thou  think 
 that  Christ  and  the  law  can  dwell  together,  then  be  thou  sure 
 that  Christ  dwelleth  not  in  thy  heart;  but  the  devil,  in  the  like- 
 ness of  Christ,  accusing  and  terrifying  thee,  and  straitly  exact- 
 ing of  thee  the  laws  and  the  works  thereof;  for  the  true  Christ 
 (as  I  have  said  before)  neither  calleth  thee  to  a  reckoning  for 
 thy  sins,  nor  biddeth  thee  to  trust  to  thine  own  good  works. 
 And  tlie  true  knowledge  of  Christ,  or  faith,  disputeth  not  whe- 
 ther thou  hast  done  good  works  to  righteousness,  or  evil  works 
 to  condemnation;  but  simply  concludeth  after  this  sort:  If  thou 
 have  done  good  works,  thou  art  not  therefore  justified;  or  if 
 thou  have  done  evil  works,  thou  art  not  therefore  condemned. 
 I  neither  take  from  good  works  their  praise,  nor  commend  evil 
 works;  but  in  the  matter  of  justification,  I  say,  we  must  look 
 how  we  may  hold  Christ,  lest,  if  we  seek  to  be  justified  by  the 
 law,  we  make  him  unprofitable  unto  us.  For  it  is  Christ  alone 
 that  justifieth  me,  both  against  my  evil  deeds,  and  without  my 
 good  deeds.  If  I  have  this  persuasion  of  Christ,  I  lay  hold  of 
 the  true  Christ.  But  if  I  think  that  he  exacteth  the  law  and 
 works  of  me  to  salvation,  then  he  becometh  unprofitable  unto 
 me,  and  I  am  utterly  separated  from  him. 
 
 These  are  dreadful  sentences  and  threatenings  against  the 
 righteousness  of  the  law,  and  man's  own  righteousness.  More- 
 over, they  are  also  most  certain  principles  which  confirm  V-  e 
 article  of  justification.  This  is  then  the  final  conclusion:  Either 
 thou  must  forego  Christ,  or  the  righteousness  of  the  law.  If 
 thou  retain  Christ,  thou  art  righteous  before  God;  but  if  thou 
 stick  to  the  law,  Christ  availeth  thee  nothing;  thou  art  bound 
 to  keep  the  whole  law,  and  thou  hast  now  sentence  already  pro- 
 nounced against  thee :  "  Cursed  is  every  one  that  fulfiJleth  not 
 all  the  things  that  are  written  in  this  law,"  (Deut.  xxvii.  26.) 
 As  we  have  said  of  the  law,  so  we  say  also  of  men's  traditions. 
 Either  the  Pope,  with  his  religious  rout,  must  reject  all  those 
 things  wherein  hitherto  he  hath  put  his  trust,  or  else  Christ  shall 
 be  unprofitable  to  them.  And  hereby  we  may  planily  see  how 
 pernicious  and  pestilent  the  Popish  doctrine  hath  been;  for  it 
 hath  led  men  clean  away  from  Christ,  and  made  him  altogether 
 unprofitable.  God  complaineth  in  the  23d  of  Jeremiah,  that 
 the  prophets  prophesied  lies  and  the  dreams  of  their  own  heart, 
 to  the  end  that  his  people  should  forget  his  name.  Therefore, 
 like  as  the  false  prophets,  leaving  the  right  interpretation  of 
 the  law,  and  the  true  doctrine  concerning  the  seed  of  Abraham, 
 in  whom  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  should  be  blessed,  preached 
 their  own  dreams,  to  the  end  that  the  people  should  forget  theii 
 God;  even  so  the  Papists,  having  darkened  and  defaced  the 
 doctrine  of  Christ,  so  that  they  made  it  of  none  effect,  taught 
 and  set  forth  nothing  else  but  the  doctrine  of  works,  whereby 
 
VER.  S,4.j  EPISTLE  TO  THE  OALATIANS.  383^ 
 
 they  drew  the  whole  world  away  from  Christ.     Whoso  ear- 
 nedtly  considereth  this  matter,  cannot  but  fear  and  tremble 
 
 Verse  4.  Ye  are  fallen  from  grace. 
 
 That  is  to  say,  ye  are  no  longer  in  the  kingdom  of  grace. 
 For  like  as  he  that  is  in  a  ship,  on  which  side  soever  he  falleth 
 into  the  sea,  is  drowned,  even  so  he  which  is  fallen  from  gi'ace, 
 must  needs  perish.  He,  therefore,  that  will  be  justified  by  the 
 law,  is  fallen  into  the  sea,  and  hath  cast  himself  into  danger  of 
 eternal  death.  Now,  if  they  fall  from  grace  which  will  be  justi- 
 fied by  the  moral  law,  whither  shall  they  fall,  I  pray  jon,  Avhicli 
 will  be  justified  by  their  own  traditions  and  vows?  Even  to  the 
 bottom  of  hell.  No,  forsooth,  they  fly  up  into  heaven:  for  so 
 they  themselves  have  taught  us.  "  Whosoever  live  (say  they) 
 according  to  the  rule  of  St.  Francis,  Dominick,  Benedict,  or 
 such  other,  the  peace  and  mercy  of  God  is  upon  them."  Again, 
 *'  all  they  that  observe  and  Iceep  chastity,  obedience,  &c.  shall 
 have  everlasting  life."  But  let  these  toys  go  to  the  devil,  from 
 whence  they  came,  and  hearken  what  Paul  teacheth  thee  here, 
 and  what  Christ  teacheth,  saying,  "he  that  believeth  in  the 
 Son  of  God,  hath  everlasting  life:  but  he  that  believeth  not  in 
 the  Son,  shall  not  see  life,  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  upon 
 him,"  (John  iii.  36.)  Again,  "he  that  believeth  not  is  judged 
 alreajdy,"  (John  iii.  18.) 
 
 Now,  like  as  all  the  doctrine  of  the  Papists  (to  note  this  by  the 
 way)  concerning  men's  traditions,  works,  vows,  and  merits,  was 
 most  common  in  the  world,  so  was  it  thought  to  be  the  best 
 and  most  certain  of  all  others;  whereby  the  devil  hath  both  set 
 up  and  established  his  kingdom  most  mightily.  Therefore, 
 when  we  at  this  day  do  impugn  and  vanquish  this  doctrine  by 
 the  power  of  God's  word,  as  chaff  is  driven  away  by  the  wind, 
 it  is  no  marvel  that  Satan  rageth  so  cruelly  against  us,  raiseth 
 up  slanders  and  offences  every  where,  and  setteth  the  whole 
 world  in  our  tops.  Then  will  some  men  say,  it  had  been  better 
 to  have  held  our  peace;  for  then  had  none  of  these  evils  been 
 raised  up.  But  we  ought  more  to  esteem  the  favour  of  God, 
 whose  glory  we  set  forth,  than  to  care  for  the  tyranny  of  the 
 World  which  persecuteth  us.  For  what  is  the  Pope  and  the 
 whole  world  in  comparison  of  God?  Indeed,  we  are  weak,  and 
 bear  a  heavenly  treasure  in  brittle  and  earthly  vessels;  but, 
 although  the  vessels  be  never  eo  brittle,  yet  is  the  treasure  in- 
 estimable, (2  Cor.  iv.  7.) 
 
 These  words,  "ye  are  fallen  from  grace," must  not  be  coldly 
 or  slenderly  considered :  for  they  are  weighty,  and  of  great  im- 
 portance. He  that  falleth  from  grace,  utterly  loseth  the  atone- 
 ment, the  forgiveness  of  sins,  the  righteousness,  liberty,  and  life, 
 that  Jesus  Christ  hath  merited  for  us  by  his  death  and  resiu*- 
 rection;  and,  instead  thereof,  he  purchaseth  to  himself  the  wrath 
 and  judgment  of  God,  sin,  death,  the  bondage  of  the  devil,  and 
 
384  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [cHAV.  V. 
 
 everlasting  damnation.  And  this  place  strongly  confirmeth  and 
 fortifieth  our  doctrine  concerning  faith,  or  the  article  of  justih- 
 cation,  and  marvellously  comfort  eth  us  against  the  cruel  rage  of 
 the  Papists,  that  persecute  and  condemn  us  as  heretics,  hecause 
 we  teach  this  article.  Indeed,  this  place  ought  to  fear  the  ene- 
 mies of  faith  and  grace,  that  is  to  say,  all  that  seek  righteous- 
 ness by  works,  from  persecuting  and  blaspheming  the  word  of 
 grace,  life,  and  evei'lasting  salvation.  But  they  be  so  hard- 
 hearted and  obstinate,  that  seeing  they  see  not,  and  hearing 
 they  hear  not;  and  when  they  read  this  dreadful  sentence  of 
 the  apostle  pronounced  against  them,  they  understand  it  not. 
 Let  us  leave  them,  therefore,  unto  themselves;  for  they  are 
 blind,  and  leaders  of  the  blind,  (Matt.  xv.  14.) 
 
 Vf.rse  5.     For  we,  in  spirit,  wait  for  the  hope  of  righteousness  through  faith. 
 
 Paul  here  knitteth  up  the  matter  with  a  notable  conclusion, 
 saying.  Ye  will  be  justified  by  the  law,  by  circumcision,  and  by 
 works;  but  we  seek  not  to  be  justified  by  this  means,  lest  Christ 
 should  be  made  utterly  unprofitable  unto  us,  and  we  become 
 debtors  to  perform  the  whole  law,  and  so  finally  fall  away 
 from  grace:  but  we  wait  in  spirit,  through  faith,  for  the  hope 
 of  righteoasness.  Every  word  is  here  diligently  to  be  noted, 
 for  they  are  pithy  and  full  of  power.  He  doth  not  only  say,  as 
 he  is  wont,  we  are  justified  by  faith,  or  in  spirit  by  faith,  but 
 moreover  he  addeth,  "  We  wait  for  the  hope  of  righteous- 
 ness," including  hope  also,  that  he  may  comprehend  the  wholo 
 matter  of  faith. 
 
 Hop*',  after  the  manner  of  the  scriptures,  is  taken  two  wa}'s. 
 namely,  for  the  thing  that  is  hoped  for,  and  for  the  affection  of 
 him  that  hopeth.  For  the  thing  that  is  hoped  for,  it  is  taken  in 
 the  first  chapter  to  the  Colossians:  "  For  the  hope's  sake  which 
 is  laid  up  for  you  in  heaven,"  that  is  to  say,  the  thing  which  ye 
 hope  for.  For  the  affection  of  him  that  hopeth,  it  is  taken  in 
 the  eighth  to  the  Romans:  "  For  we  are  saved  by  hope."  So 
 hope  in  this  place  also  may  be  taken  in  two  ways,  and  so  it 
 yieldeth  a  double  sense.  The  first  is:  We  wait  in  spirit,  through 
 faith,  for  the  hope  of  righteousness,  that  is  to  say,  the  righteous- 
 ness hoped  for,  which  shall  be  certainly  revealed  in  such  time 
 as  pleaseth  the  Lord  to  give  it.  Tlie  second :  We  wait  in  spirit, 
 by  faith  for  righteousness  with  hope  and  desire:  that  is  to  say, 
 we  are  righteous;  howbeit  our  righteousness  is  not  yet  re- 
 vealed, but  hangeth  yet  in  hope.  For  as  long  as  we  live  here, 
 sin  remaineth  in  our  flesh;  there  is  also  a  law  in  our  flesh  and 
 members,  rebelling  against  the  law  of  our  mind,  and  leading  us 
 captives  unto  the  service  of  sin,  (Rom.  vii.  23.)  Now,  when 
 these  affections  of  the  flesh  do  rage  and  reign,  and  we  on  the 
 other  side  do,  through  the  spirit,  wrestle  agamst  the  same,  then 
 is  there  a  place  for  hope.  Indeed  we  have  begun  to  be  justified 
 through  faith,  whereby  also  we  have  received  the  first  fruits  of 
 
VER.    6.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  385 
 
 the  spirit ;  and  the  mortification  of  the  flesh  is  also  begun  in  us; 
 but  we  be  not  yet  perfectly  rif^hteous.  It  remaineth,  then,  that 
 we  be  perfectly  justified,  and  this  is  it  which  we  hope  for.  So 
 our  righteousness  is  not  yet  in  actual  possession,  but  lieth 
 under  hope. 
 
 This  is  a  sweet  and  a  sound  consolation,  whereby  afflicted  and 
 troubled  consciences,  feeling  their  sin,  and  terrified  with  every 
 fiery  dart  of  the  devil,  may  be  marvellously  comforted.  For  the 
 feeling-  of  sin,  the  wrath  of  God,  death,  hell,  and  all  other  ter- 
 rors, is  wonderful  strong  in  the  conflict  of  conscience  ;  as  I  my-, 
 self,  being  taught  by  experience,  do  know.  Then  counsel  must 
 be  given  to  the  poor  afflicted,  in  this  wise:  Brother,  thou  desirest 
 to  have  a  sensible  feeling  of  thy  justification ;  that  is,  thou 
 wouldst  have  such  a  feeling  of  God's  favour,  as  thou  hast  of 
 thine  own  sin ;  but  that  will  not  be.  But  thy  righteousness 
 ought  to  surmount  all  feeling  of  sin;  that  is  to  say,  thy  righteous- 
 ness, or  justification,  whereupon  thou  boldest,  standeth  not  upon 
 thine  own  feeling,  but  upon  the  hoping  that  it  shall  be  revealed 
 when  it  pleaseth  the  Lord.  Wherefore,  thou  must  not  judge 
 according  to  the  feeling  of  sin  which  troubleth  and  terrifieth 
 thee,  but  according  to  the  promise  and  doctrine  of  faith,  whereby 
 Christ  is  promised  unto  thee,  who  is  thy  perfect  and  everlasting 
 righteousness.  Thiis  the  hope  of  the  afflicted,  consisting  in  the 
 inward  aftection,  is  stirred  up  by  faith,  in  the  midst  of  all  ter- 
 rors and  feeling  of  sin,  to  hope  that  he  is  righteous.  Moreover, 
 if  hope  be  here  taken  for  the  thing  which  is  hoped  for,  it  is 
 thus  to  be  understood,  and  that  which  a  man  now  seeth  not,  he 
 hopeth  in  time  shall  be  made  perfect  and  clearly  revealed. 
 
 Either  sense  may  well  stand  ;  but  the  first,  touching  the  in- 
 ward desire  and  affection  of  hoping,  bringeth  more  plentiful 
 consolation,  for  my  righteousness  is  not  yet  perfect,  it  cannot  yet 
 be  felt:  yet  I  do  not  despair;  for  faith  sheweth  unto  me  Christ, 
 in  whom  I  trust,  and  when  I  have  laid  hold  of  him  by  faith,  I 
 wrestle  against  the  fiery  darts  of  the  devil,  and  I  take  a  good 
 heart  through  hope  against  the  feeling  of  sin,  assuring  myself 
 that  I  have  a  perfect  righteousness  prepared  for  me  in  heaven. 
 So  both  these  sayings  are  true,  that  I  am  made  righteous  already 
 by  that  righteousness  which  is  begun  in  me ;  and  also  I  am 
 raised  up  in  the  same  hope  against  sin,  and  wait  for  the  full  con- 
 summation of  perfect  righteousness  in  heaven.  These  things  are 
 not  rightly  understood,  but  when  they  be  put  in  practice. 
 
 TVhat  difference  there  is  between  faith  and  hope. 
 
 Here  ariseth  a  question.  What  diff'erence  there  is  between 
 faith  and  hope  ?  The  sophisters  and  schoolmen  have  laboured 
 very  much  in  this  matter,  but  they  could  never  shew  any  cer- 
 tainty. Yea,  to  US' which  ti'avail  in  the  holy  scriptures  with 
 much  diligence,  and  also  with  more  fulness  and  power  of  spirit, 
 (be  it  spoken  without  any  brag,)  it  is  hard  to  find  any  difl'erenco. 
 
386  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUl's  [CHAP.  V. 
 
 For  there  is  so  great  affinity  between  faith  and  hope,  that  the 
 one  cannot  be  separate  from  the  other.  NotAvithstanding,  there 
 is  a  difference  between  them,  which  is  gathered  of  their  several 
 offices,  diversity  of  working,  and  of  their  ends. 
 
 First,  they  differ  in  respect  of  their  subject,  that  is,  of  the 
 gromid  wherein  they  rest.  For  faith  resteth  in  the  understand- 
 ing, and  hope  resteth  in  the  will ;  but,  in  very  deed,  they  cannot 
 be  separated,  the  one  having  respect  to  the  other,  as  the  two 
 cherubims  of  the  mercy  seat,  which  eould  not  be  divided, 
 (Exod.  XXV.  20.) 
 
 Secondly,  they  differ  in  respect  of  their  office,  that  is,  of  their 
 working.  For  faith  telleth  what  is  to  be  done;  it  teacheth,  pre- 
 seribeth,  and  directeth,  and  it  is  a  knowledge.  Hope  is  an  ex- 
 hortation which  Btirreth  up  the  mind  that  it  may  be  strong, 
 bold,  and  courageous ;  that  it  may  suffer  and  endure  adversity, 
 and  in  the  midst  thereof  wait  for  better  things. 
 
 Thirdly,  they  differ  as  touching  their  object,  that  is,  the  spe- 
 cial matter  whereunto  they  look.  For  faith  hath  for  her  object 
 the  truth,  teaching  us  to  cleave  surely  thereto,  and  looking 
 upon  the  word  and  promise  of  the  thing  that  is  promised.  Hope 
 hath  for  her  object  the  goodness  of  God,  and  looketh  upon  the 
 thing  which  is  promised  in  the  word,  that  is,  upon  such  matters 
 as  faith  teacheth  us  to  be  hoped  for. 
 
 Fourthly,  they  differ  in  order.  For  faith  is  the  beginning  of 
 life  before  all  tribulation,  (Heb.  xi.)  But  hope  cometh  after- 
 wards, proceeding  of  tribulation,   (Rom.  v.) 
 
 Fifthly,  they  differ  by  the  diversity  of  working.  For  faith 
 is  a  teacher  and  a  judge,  fighting  against  errors  and  heresies, 
 judging  spirits  and  doctrines;  but  hope  is,  as  it  were,  the  ge- 
 neral or  captain  of  the  field,  fighting  against  tribulation,  the 
 cross,  impatiency,  heaviness  of  spirit,  weakness,  desperation, 
 and  blasphemy,  and  it  waiteth  for  good  things,  even  in  the 
 midst  of  all  evils. 
 
 Therefore,  when  I  am  instructed  by  faith  in  the  word  of  God, 
 and  lay  hold  of  Christ,  believing  in  him  Avith  my  whole  heart, 
 then  am  I  righteous  by  this  knowledge.  When  I  am  so  justified 
 by  faith,  or  by  this  knowledge,  by-and-by  cometh  the  devil,  the 
 father  of  wiles,  and  laboureth  to  extinguish  my  faith  by  wiles  and 
 subtleties ;  that  is  to  say,  by  lies,  errors,  and  heresies.  More- 
 over, because  he  is  a  murderer,  he  goeth  about  also  to  oppress 
 it  by  violence.  Here  hope  wrestling,  layeth  hold  on  the  thing 
 revealed  by  faith,  and  overcometh  the  devil  that  warreth  against 
 faith ;  and  after  this  victory  followeth  peace  and  joy  in  the 
 Holy  Ghost.  So  that,  in  very  deed,  faith  and  hope  can  scarcely 
 be  discerned  the  one  from  the  other,  and  yet  is  there  a  certain 
 difference  between  them.  And  that  it  may  be  the  better  per- 
 ceived, I  will  set  out  the  matter  by  a  similitude. 
 
 In  civil  government,  prudence  and  fortitude  do  differ,  and 
 yet  these  two  virtues  are  so  joined  together,  that  they  cannot 
 
tfeR.  6.1  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  38T 
 
 easily  be  severed.  Now,  fortitude  Is  a  constancy  of  mind,  whick 
 is  not  discouraged  in  adversity,  but  endureth  valiantly,  and 
 waiteth  for  better  things.  But  if  fortitude  be  not  guided  by  pru- 
 dence, it  is  but  temerity  and  rashness.  On  the  other  side,  if  for- 
 titude be  not  joined  with  prudence,  that  prudence  is  but  vain 
 and  unprofitable.  Therefore  like  as,  in  policy,  prudence  is  but 
 vain  without  fortitude;  even  so,  in  divinity,  faith  without  hope 
 is  nothing:  for  hope  endureth  adversity  and  is  constant  therein, 
 and  in  the  end  overcometh  all  evils.  And  on  the  other  side,  like 
 as  fortitude  without  prudence  is  rashness,  even  so  hope  without 
 faith  is  a  presumption  in  spirit,  and  a  tempting  of  God:  for  it 
 hath  no  knowledge  of  Christ  and  of  the  truth  which  faith  teach- 
 eth,  and  therefore  it  is  but  a  blind  rashness  and  arrogancy. 
 Wherefore  a  godly  man,  afore  all  things,  must  have  a  right  un- 
 derstanding instructed  by  faith,  according  to  the  which  the 
 mind  may  be  guided  in  afflictions,  that  it  may  hope  for  those 
 good  things  which  faith  hath  revealed  and  taught. 
 
 To  be  short,  faith  is  conceived  by  teaching;  for  thereby  the 
 mind  is  instructed  what  the  truth  is.  Hope  is  conceived  by  ex- 
 hortation; for  by  exhortation  hope  is  stirred  up  in  afflictions, 
 which  confirmeth  him  that  is  already  justified  by  faith,  that  he 
 be  not  overcome  by  adversities,  but  that  he  may  be  able  more 
 strongly  to  resist  them.  Notwithstanding,  if  the  spark  of  faith 
 should  not  give  light  to  the  will,  it  could  not  be  persuaded  to  lay 
 hold  upon  hope.  We  have  faith,  then,  whereby  we  are  taught, 
 understand,  and  know  the  heavenly  wisdom,  apprehend  Christ, 
 and  continue  in  his  grace.  But,  as  soon  as  we  lay  hold  upon 
 Christ  by  faith,  and  confess  him,  forthwith  our  enemies,  the 
 world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil,  rise  up  against  us,  hating  and 
 persecuting  us  most  cruelly,  both  in  body  and  spirit.  Wherefore 
 we,  thus  believing  and  justified  by  faith  in  spirit,  do  wait  for  the 
 hope  of  our  righteousness :  And  we  wait  throi^h  patience ;  for 
 we  see  and  feel  the  flat  contrary.  For  the  world,  with  his  prince 
 the  devil,  assaileth  us  mightily,  both  within  and  without.  More- 
 over, sin  yet  still  remaineth  in  us,  which  drive th  us  into  heavi- 
 ness. NotAvithstanding  we  give  not  over  for  all  this,  but  raise 
 up  our  mind  strongly  through  faith,  which  lighteneth,  teacheth, 
 and  guideth  the  same.  And  thus  we  abide  firm  and  constant, 
 and  overcome  all  adversities  through  him  which  hath  loved  us, 
 until  our  righteousness  which  we  believe  and  wait  for,  be  re- 
 vealed. By  faith  therefore  we  began,  by  hope  we  continue,  and 
 by  revelation  we  shall  obtain  the  whole.  In  the  mean  time,  whilst 
 we  live  here,  because  we  believe,  we  teach  the  word,  and  publish 
 the  knowledge  of  Christ  unto  others.  Thus  doing,  we  suffer 
 persecution  (according  to  this  text,  "  I  believed,  and  therefore 
 did  I  speak;  and  I  was  sore  troubled,"  Psalm  cxvi.  10.)  with 
 patience,  being  strengthened  and  encouraged  through  hope; 
 whereunto  the  scripture  exhorteth  us  with  most  sweet  and  com- 
 fortable promises  taught  and  revealed  unto  us  by  faith.     And 
 
388  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUl/s  [CHAP.  V* 
 
 thus  doth  hope  spring  up  and  increase  in  us,  (Rom.  xv.)  "  That 
 throug-h  patience  and  comfort  of  the  scripture,  we  may  have  hope." 
 
 Paul  therefore,  not  without  cause,  joineth  patience  in  tribu- 
 lations and  hope  together,  in  the  fifth  and  eighth  to  the  Romans, 
 and  in  other  places  also,  for  by  them  hope  is  stirred  up.  But 
 faith  (as  also  I  have  shewed  before)  goeth  before  hope;  for  it  is 
 the  beginning  of  life,  and  beginneth  before  all  tribulation;  for 
 it  learneth  Christ,  and  apprehendeth  him,  without  the  cross. 
 Notwithstanding,  the  knowledge  of  Christ  cannot  be  long  with- 
 out the  cross,  without  troubles  and  conflicts.  In  this  case  the 
 mind  must  be  stirred  up  to  a  fortitude  of  spirit,  (for  hope  is  no- 
 thing else  but  a  spiritual  fortitude,  as  faith  is  nothing  else  but  a 
 spiritual  prudence,)  which  consisteth  in  suffering,  according  to 
 this  saying,  "  That  through  patience,"  &c.  These  three  things, 
 then,  dwell  together  in  the  faithful:  Faith,  which  teacheth  the 
 truth,  and  defendeth  from  errors:  Hope,  which  endureth  and 
 overcometh  all  adversities,  as  well  bodily  as  ghostly;  and  Cha- 
 rity, which  worketh  all  good  things,  as  it  followeth  in  the  text. 
 And  so  is  a  man  entire  and  perfect  in  this  life,  as  well  within  as 
 without,  until  the  righteousness  be  revealed  which  he  waiteth 
 for;  and  this  shall  be  a  perfect  and  an  everlasting  righteousness. 
 
 Moreover,  this  place  containeth  both  a  singular  doctrine  and 
 consolation.  As  touching  the  doctrine,  it  sheweth  that  Ave  are 
 made  righteous,  not  by  the  works,  sacrifices,  or  ceremonies  of 
 Moses'  law,  much  less  by  the  works  and  traditions  of  men,  but 
 by  Christ  alone.  Whatsoever,  then,  the  world  coimteth  to  be 
 good  and  holy  without  Christ,  is  nothing  else  but  sin,  error, 
 and  flesh.  Wlierefore  circumcision  and  the  observation  of  the 
 law,  also  works,  religions  and  vows  of  the  monks,  and  of  all 
 such  as  trust  in  their  own  righteousness,  are  altogether  carnal. 
 But  we  (saith  Paul)  are  far  above  all  these  things  in  the  spirit 
 and  inward  man;  for  we  possess  Christ  by  faith,  and  in  the 
 midst  of  our  afflictions,  through  hope,  we  wait  for  that 
 righteousness  which  we  possess  already  by  faith. 
 
 The  comfort  is  this:  that,  in  serious  conflicts  and  terrors, 
 w4ierein  the  feeling  of  sin,  heaviness  of  spirit,  desperation,  and 
 such-like,  is  very  strong,  (for  they  enter  deeply  into  the  heart 
 and  mightily  assail  it,)  thou  must  not  follow  thine  own  feeling; 
 for  if  thou  do,  thou  wilt  say:  I  feel  the  horrible  terrors  of  the 
 law  and  the  tyranny  of  sin,  not  only  rebelling  against  me,  but 
 also  subduing  and  leading  me  captive,  and  I  feel  no  comfort  or 
 righteousness  at  all.  Therefore  I  am  a  sinner,  and  not  righteous. 
 If  I  be  a  sinner,  then  am  I  guilty  of  everlasting  death.  But 
 against  this  feeling  thou  must  wrestle,  and  say :  Although  I  feel 
 myself  utterly  overwhelmed  and  swallowed  up  with  sin,  and  my 
 heart  telleth  me  that  God  is  offended  and  angi-y  with  me,  yet 
 in  very  deed  it  is  not  true,  but  that  mine  own  sense  and  feeling 
 so  judgeth.  The  word  of  God  (which  in  these  terrors  I  ought 
 to  follow,  and  not  mine  own  sense)  teacheth  a  far  other  thing; 
 
▼ER.  5.1  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  389 
 
 namely,  "  That  God  is  near  unto  them  that  are  of  a  troubled 
 heart,  and  saveth  them  that  are  of  a  humble  spirit,"  ( Psalm  xxxiv. 
 18.)  Also,  "  He  despiseth  not  a  humble  and  contrite  heart," 
 (Psalm  li.  17.)  Moreover,  Paul  sheweth  here,  that  they  which 
 are  justified  in  spirit  by  faith,  do  not  yet  feel  the  hope  o 
 righteousness,  but  wait  still  for  it. 
 
 Wherefore,  when  the  law  accuseth  and  sin  terrifieth  thee, 
 and  thou  feelest  nothing  but  the  wrath  and  judgment  of  God, 
 despair  not  for  all  that,  but  take  unto  thee  the  armour  of  God, 
 the  shield  of  faith,  the  helmet  of  hope,  and  the  sword  of  the 
 spirit,  and  try  how  good  and  how  valiant  a  warrior  thou  art. 
 Lay  hold  of  Christ  by  faith,  who  is  the  Lord  of  the  law  and  sin, 
 and  of  all  things  else  which  accompany  them.  Believing  in  him 
 thou  art  justified:  which  thing  reason  and  the  feeling  of  thine 
 own  heart,  when  thou  art  tempted,  do  not  tell  thee,  but  the 
 word  of  God.  Moreover,  in  the  midst  of  these  conflicts  and 
 terrors,  which  often  return  and  exercise  thee,  wait  thou  pa- 
 tiently through  hope  for  righteousness,  which  thou  hast  now  by 
 faith,  although  it  be  yet  but  begun  and  imperfect,  until  it  be  re- 
 vealed and  made  perfect  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
 
 But  thou  wilt  say,  I  feel  not  myself  to  have  any  righteousness, 
 or,  at  the  least,  I  feel  but  very  little.  Thou  must  not  feel,  but 
 beheve  that  thou  hast  righteousness.  And  except  thou  believe 
 that  thou  art  righteous,  thou  dost  great  injury  unto  Christ,  who 
 hath  cleansed  thee  by  the  washing  of  water  through  the  word, 
 (Eph.  V.  26,)  who  also  died  upon  the  cross,  condemned  sin  and 
 killed  death,  that  through  him  thou  mightest  obtain  righteous- 
 ness and  everlasting  life,  (1  Cor.  xv.  3.)  These  things  thou  canst 
 not  deny  (except  thou  wilt  openly  shew  thyself  to  be  wicked  and 
 blasphemous  against  God,  and  utterly  to  despise  God  and  all 
 his  promises,  Jesus  Christ  with  all  his  benefits,)  and  so  conse- 
 quently thou  canst  not  deny  but  that  thou  art  righteous. 
 
 Let  us  learn,  therefore,  in  great  and  horrible  terrors,  when 
 our  conscience  feeleth  nothing  but  sin,  and  judgeth  that  God  is 
 angry  with  us,  and  that  Christ  hath  turned  his  face  from  us,  not 
 to  follow  the  sense  and  feeling  of  our  own  heart,  but  to  stick  to 
 the  word  of  God,  which  saith,  that  God  is  not  angry,  but  look- 
 eth  to  the  afflicted,  and  to  such  as  are  troubled  in  spirit  and  trem- 
 ble at  his  word,  (Isa.  Ixvi.  2.)  and  that  Christ  turneth  not  himself 
 away  from  such  as  labour  and  are  heavy  laden,  but  refresheth 
 and  comforteth  them,  (Matt.  vi.  28.)  This  place,  therefore,  teach- 
 eth  plainly,  that  the  law  and  works  bring  unto  us  no  righteous- 
 ness or  comfort  at  all;  but  this  doth  the  Holy  Ghost  only  in  the 
 faith  of  Christ,  who  raiseth  up  hope  in  terrors  and  tribulations, 
 which  endureth  and  overcometh  all  adversities.  Very  few  there 
 be  that  know  how  weak  and  feeble  faith  and  hope  are  under  the 
 cress,  and  in  the  conflict.  For  it  seemeth  that  they  are  but  as 
 smoking  flax,  which  is  ready  by-and-by  to  be  put  out  with  a 
 vehement  wind,  (Isa.  xlii.  3.)    But  the  faithful,  who  believe  in 
 
390  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  ▼, 
 
 the  midst  of  these  assaults  and  terrors,  hoping  against  hope,  that 
 is  to  say,  fighting  through  faith  in  the  promise,  as  touching 
 Christ,  against  the  feeling  of  sin  and  of  the  wi'ath  of  God,  do  af- 
 terwards find,  by  experience,  that  this  spark  of  faith,  being  very 
 little  (as  it  appeareth  to  natural  reason,  for  reason  can  scarcely 
 feel  it)  is  as  a  mighty  fire,  and  swalloweth  up  all  our  sins  and 
 all  terrors. 
 
 There  is  nothing  more  dear  or  precious  in  all  the  world,  to 
 the  true  children  of  God,  than  this  doctrine.  For  they  that  un- 
 derstand this  doctrine,  do  know  that  whereof  all  the  world  is 
 ignorant;  namely,  that  sin,  death,  and  all  other  miseries,  afflic- 
 tions and  calamities,  as  well  coi'poreal  as  spiritual,  do  turn  to 
 the  benefit  and  profit  of  the  elect.  Moreover,  they  know  that 
 God  is  then  most  near  unto  them,  when  he  seemeth  to  be 
 farthest  off;  and  that  he  is  then  a  most  merciful  and  loving  Sar 
 viour,  when  he  seemeth  to  be  most  angry,  to  afflict,  and  to  de- 
 stroy. Also  they  know  that  they  have  an  everlasting  righteous- 
 ness, which  they  wait  for  through  hope,  as  a  certain  and  sure 
 possession  laid  up  for  them  in  heaven;  even  when  they  feel  the 
 horrible  terrors  of  sin  and  death.  Moreover,  that  they  are  then 
 lords  of  all  things,  when  they  are  most  destitute  of  all  things, 
 according  to  that  saying,  "  having  nothing,  and  yet  possessing 
 all  things."  This,  saith  the  scripture,  is  to  conceive  comfort 
 through  hope;  but  this  cunning  is  not  learned,  without  great 
 and  often  temptations. 
 
 Verse  6,  For  in  Jesus  Christ  neither  circumcision  availeth  any  thing,  neither 
 uncircumcision,  but  faith  which  worketh  by  love. 
 
 That  is  to  say,  faith  which  is  not  feigned  nor  hypocritical,  but 
 true  and  lively.  This  is  that  faith  which  exerciseth  and  requir- 
 eth  good  works  through  love.  It  is  as  much  as  to  say,  he  that 
 will  be  a  true  Christian  indeed,  or  one  of  Christ's  kingdom,  must 
 be  a  true  believer.  Now  he  believeth  not  truly,  if  works  of 
 charity  follow  not  his  faith.  So  on  both  hands,  as  well  on  the 
 right  hand  as  on  the  left,  he  shutteth  hypocrites  out  of  Christ's 
 kingdom.  On  the  left  hand,  he  shutteth  out  the  Jews,  and  all 
 such  as  will  work  their  own  salvation,  saying,  "  In  Christ  nei- 
 ther circumcision,"  that  is  to  say,  no  works,  no  service,  no 
 worshipping,  no  kind  of  life  in  the  world,  but  faith,  without  any 
 trust  in  works  or  merits,  availeth  before  God.  On  the  right 
 hand,  he  shutteth  out  all  slothful  and  idle  persons,  which  say,  if 
 faith  justify  without  works,  then  let  us  work  nothing,  but  let 
 us  only  believe  and  do  what  we  list.  Not  so,  ye  enemies  of 
 grace;  Paul  saith  otherwise.  And  although  it  be  true,  that  only 
 faith  justifieth,  yet  he  speaketh  here  of  faith  in  another  respect; 
 that  is  to  say,  that,  after  it  hath  justified,  it  is  not  idle,  but 
 occupied  and  exercised  in  working  through  love.  Paid  there- 
 fore, in  this  place,  setteth  forth  the  whole  life  of  a  Christian 
 man,  namely,  that  inwardly  it  consisteth  in  faith  towards  God, 
 
VER.  6,  7. J  EVISTLE  TO  THE  6ALATIANS.  391 
 
 and  outwardly  in  charity  and  ffood  works  toward  our  neigh- 
 bour. So  that  a  man  is  a  perfect  Christian  inwardly  through 
 faith  before  God,  who  hath  no  need  of  our  works;  and  outwardly 
 before  men,  whom  our  faith  protiteth  nothing,  but  our  charity 
 or  our  works.  Therefore,  when  we  have  heard  or  understood 
 of  this  form  of  Christian  hfe,  to  wit,  that  it  is  faith  and  charity 
 (as  I  have  said)  it  is  not  yet  declared  what  faith  or  what  charity 
 is ;  for  this  is  another  question.  For  as  touching  faith,  or  the 
 inward  nature,  force,  and  use  of  faith,  he  hath  spoken  before, 
 where  he  shewed  that  it  is  our  righteousness,  or  rather  our  jus- 
 tification before  God.  Here  he  joineth  it  with  charity  and  works, 
 that  is  to  say,  he  speaketh  of  the  external  office  thereof,  which 
 is  to  stir  us  up  to  do  good  works,  and  to  bring  forth  in  us  the 
 fruits  of  charity,  to  the  profit  of  our  neighbour. 
 
 Verse  7.     Ye  did  run  well :   who  did  let  you,  that  ye  did  not  obey  the  truth  ? 
 
 These  are  plain  words.  Paul  affirmeth  that  he  teach  eth  them 
 the  truth,  and  the  self-same  thing  that  he  taught  them  before, 
 and  that  they  ran  well  so  long  as  they  obeyed  the  truth,  that  is, 
 they  believed  and  lived  rightly  :  but  now  they  did  not  so,  since 
 they  were  misled  by  the  false  apostles.  Moreover,  he  useth  here 
 a  new  kind  of  speech  in  calling  the  Christian  life  a  course,  or  a 
 race.  For,  among  the  Hebrews,  to  run  or  to  walk  signifieth  as 
 much  as  to  live,  or  to  be  conversant.  The  teachers  do  rim  when 
 they  teach  purely,  and  the  hearers  or  learners  do  run  when  they 
 receive  the  word  with  joy,  and  when  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit  do 
 follow ;  which  thing  was  done  as  long  as  Paul  was  present,  as 
 he  witnessed  before,  in  the  third  and  fourth  chapters.  And  here 
 he  saith,  "  Ye  did  run  well,"  that  is  to  say,  all  things  went  for- 
 ward well  and  happily  among  you ;  ye  lived  very  well,  ye  went 
 on  the  right  way  to  everlasting  life,  which  the  word  of  God 
 promised  you,  &c. 
 
 These  words,  "  Ye  did  run  well,"  contain  in  them  a  singular 
 comfort.  This  temptation  oftentimes  exerciseth  the  godly,  that 
 their  life  seemeth  unto  them  to  be  rather  a  certain  slow  creeping 
 than  a  running.  But  if  they  abide  in  sound  doctrine,  and  walk 
 in  the  spirit,  let  this  nothing  trouble  them,  though  their  doings 
 seem  to  go  slowly  forward,  or  rather  creep.  God  judge th  far 
 otherwise ;  for  that  which  seemeth  unto  us  to  be  very  slow  and 
 scarcely  to  creep,  runneth  swiftly  in  God's  sight.  Again,  that 
 which  is  to  us  nothing  else  but  sorrow,  mourning,  and  death,  is 
 before  God  joy,  mirth,  and  true  happiness.  Therefore  Christ 
 saith,  "  Blessed  are  ye  that  mourn  and  weep,  for  ye  shall  re- 
 ceive comfort,"  (Matt.  v.  4;)  "ye  shall  laugh,"  &c.  (Luke  vi. 
 21.)  All  things  shall  turn  to  the  best,  to  them  which  believe  in 
 the  Son  of  God,  be  it  sorrow,  or  be  it  death  itself.  Therefore 
 they  be  true  runners  indeed,  and  whatsoever  they  do,  it  runneth 
 well  and  goeth  happily  forward,  by  the  furtherance  of  God'a 
 spirit,  which  cannot  skill  of  slow  proceedings. 
 
392  COMMENTARY  ON  ST  PAUL*S  [CHAP.  T 
 
 Verse  7.  Who  did  let  you,  that  you  did  not  obey  the  truth  ? 
 They  are  hindered  in  this  course  which  fall  away  from  faith 
 and  grace,  to  the  law  and  works ;  as  it  happened  to  the  Gala- 
 tians,  being  misled  and  seduced  by  the  false  apostles,  which  co- 
 vertly he  reprehendeth  with  these  words :  "  Who  did  let  you, 
 that  you  did  not  obey  the  truth  ?"  In  like  manner  he  said  be- 
 fore, in  the  third  chapter,  "  Who  hath  bewitched  you,  that  you 
 should  not  obey  the  truth  ?"  And  here  Paul  sheweth,  by  the 
 way,  that  men  are  so  strongly  bewitched  with  false  doctrine,  that 
 they  embrace  lies  and  heresies,  in  the  stead  of  the  truth  and  spi- 
 ritual doctrine.  And  on  the  other  side,  they  say  and  swear  that 
 the  sound  doctrine,  which  before  they  loved,  is  erroneous ;  and 
 that  their  error  is  sound  doctrine,  maintaining  and  defending  the 
 same  with  all  their  power.  Even  so  the  false  apostles  brought 
 the  Galatians  (which  ran  well  at  the  beginning)  into  this  opinion, 
 to  believe  that  they  erred,  and  went  very  slowly  forward  when 
 Paul  was  their  teacher.  But  afterwards,  they  being  seduced  by 
 the  false  apostles,  and  falling  clean  away  from  the  truth,  were  so 
 strongly  bewitched  with  their  false  persuasion,  that  they  thought 
 themselves  to  be  in  a  happy  state,  and  that  they  ran  very  well. 
 The  same  happeneth  at  this  day  to  such  as  are  seduced  by  the 
 sectaries  and  fantastical  spirits.  Therefore  I  am  wont  to  say, 
 that  falling  in  doctrine  cometh  not  of  man,  but  of  the  devil, 
 and  is  most  perilous,  to  wit,  even  from  the  high  heaven  to  the 
 bottom  of  hell.  For  they  that  continue  in  error,  are  so  far  otf 
 from  acknowledging  their  sin,  that  they  maintain  the  same  to 
 be  high  righteousness.  Wherefore  it  is  impossible  for  them  to 
 obtain  pardon. 
 
 Verse  8.     It  is  not  the  persuasion  of  him  that  calleth  yon. 
 
 This  is  a  great  consolation,  and  a  singular  doctrine,  whereby 
 Paul  sheweth  how  the  false  persuasion  of  such  as  are  deceived 
 by  wicked  teachers,  may  be  rooted  out  of  their  hearts.  The 
 false  apostles  were  jolly  fellows,  and  in  outward  appearance  far 
 passing  Paul,  both  in  learning  and  godliness.  The  Galatians, 
 being  deceived  with,  this  goodly  shew,  supposed  that  when  they 
 heard  them,  they  heard  Christ  himself,  and  therefore  they 
 judged  their  persuasion  to  be  of  Christ.  Contrariwise,  Paid 
 sheweth  that  this  persuasion  and  doctrine  was  not  of  Christ, 
 who  had  called  them  in  grace,  but  of  the  devil ;  and  by  this 
 means  he  won  many  of  them  from  this  false  persuasion.  Like- 
 wise we  at  this  day  revoke  many  from  error  that  were  seduced, 
 when  we  shew  that  then-  opinions  are  fantastical,  wicked,  and 
 full  of  blasphemies. 
 
 Again,  this  consolation  pertaineth  to  all  those  that  are  afflicted, 
 nrhich,  through  temptation,  conceive  a  false  opinion  of  Christ. 
 For  the  devil  is  a  marvellous  persuader,  and  knoweth  how  to 
 amplify  the  least  sin,  yea,  a  very  trifle,  in  such  sort,  that  he 
 which  is  tempted  shall  think  it  to  be  a  most  heinous  and  horrible 
 
VER.  8.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  393 
 
 crime,  and  worthy  of  eternal  damnation.  Here  the  troubled 
 conscience  must  be  comforted  and  raised  up  in  such  sort  as  Paul 
 raised  up  the  Galatians,  to  wit,  that  this  cogitation  or  persua- 
 sion Cometh  not  of  Christ,  forasmuch  as  it  fighteth  against  the 
 word  of  the  gospel,  which  painteth  out  Christ,  not  as  an  ac- 
 cuser, a  cruel  exactor,  &c.  but  as  a  meek,  humble-hearted,  and 
 merciful  Saviour  and  comforter. 
 
 But  if  Satan  (who  is  a  cunning  workman,  and  wiU  leave  no 
 way  unassayed)  overthrow  this,  and  lay  against  thee  the  word 
 and  example  of  Christ,  in  this  wise :  True  it  is,  that  Christ  is 
 meek,  gentle,  and  merciful,  but  to  those  which  are  holy  and 
 righteous :  contrariwise,  to  the  sinners  he  threateneth  wrath  and 
 destruction,  (Luke  xiii.)  Also  he  pronounce th  that  the  unbe- 
 lievers are  damned  akeady,  (John  iii.)  Moreover,  Christ 
 wrought  many  good  works ;  he  suffered  also  many  evils,  and 
 commandeth  us  to  follow  his  example.  But  thy  life  is  neither 
 according  to  Christ's  word,  nor  his  example ;  for  thou  art  a  sin- 
 ner, and  there  is  no  faith  in  thee :  yea,  thou  hast  done  no  good  at 
 all,  and  therefore  those  sentences  which  set  forth  Christ  as  a  se- 
 vere judge,  do  belong  to  thee,  and  not  those  comfortable  sentences 
 which  shew  him  to  be  a  loving  and  a  merciful  Saviour,  &c.  Here 
 let  him  that  is  tempted,  comfort  himself  after  this  manner : 
 
 The  scripture  setteth  out  Christ  unto  us  two  manner  of 
 ways  :  First,  as  a  gift.  If  I  take  hold  of  him  in  this  sort,  I  can 
 want  nothing.  "For  in  Christ  are  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wis- 
 dom and  knowledge,"  (Col.  ii.  3.)  He,  with  all  that  is  in  him, 
 *'  is  made  unto  me  of  God,  wisdom,  righteousness,  sanctification, 
 and  redemption,"  (1  Cor.  i.  30.)  Therefore,  although  I  have 
 committed  both  many  and  grievous  sins,  yet  notwithstanding, 
 if  I  believe  in  him,  they  shall  all  be  swallowed  up  by  his  righteous- 
 ness. Secondly,  the  scripture  setteth  him  forth  as  an  example 
 to  be  followed.  Notwithstanding,  I  will  not  suffer  this  Christ 
 (I  mean,  as  he  is  an  example)  to  be  set  before  me,  but  only 
 in  the  time  of  joy  and  gladness,  when  I  am  out  of  temptation 
 (where  I  can  scarcely  follow  the  thousandth  part  of  his  ex- 
 ample), that  I  ro.ay  have  him  as  a  mirror  to  behold  and  view  how 
 much  is  yet  wanting  in  me,  that  I  become  not  secure  and  care- 
 less. But  in  the  time  of  tribulation  I  will  not  hear  nor  admit 
 Christ,  but  as  a  gift,  who,  dying  for  my  sins,  hath  bestowed 
 upon  me  his  righteousness,  and  hath  done  and  accompHshed 
 that  for  me,  which  was  wanting  in  my  life :  "  For  he  is  the  end 
 and  fulfilling  of  the  law  unto  righteousness  to  every  one  that 
 believeth,"  (Rom.  x.  4.) 
 
 It  is  good  to  know  these  things,  not  only  to  the  end  that  every 
 one  of  us  may  have  a  sure  and  a  certain  remedy  in  the  time  of 
 temptation,  whereby  we  may  eschew  that  venom  of  desperation, 
 wherewith  Satan  thinketh  to  poison  us :  but  also  to  the  end  we 
 may  be  able  to  resist  the  furious  sectaries  and  schismatics  of 
 our  time.     For  the  Anabaptists  count  nothing  more  glorious  in 
 
394  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [cHAP.  V 
 
 their  whole  doctrine,  than  that  they  so  severely  urge  the  example 
 of  Christ  and  the  cross ;  especially  seeing  the  sentences  are  mai- 
 uifest  wherein  Christ  commendeth  the  cross  to  his  disciples.  We 
 must  learn,  therefore,  how  we  may  withstand  this  Satan,  trans- 
 forming himself  into  the  likeness  of  an  angel;  which  we  shall 
 do,  if  we  make  a  difference  between  Christ  set  forth  unto  us 
 sometimes  as  a  gift,  and  sometimes  as  an  example.  The  preach- 
 ing of  him  both  ways  hath  his  convenient  time,  which  if  it  be  not 
 observed,  the  preaching  of  salvation  may  so  le  turned  into  poi- 
 son. Christ,  therefore,  must  be  set  forth  unto  those  which  are 
 already  cast  down  and  bruised  through  the  heavy  burden  and 
 weight  of  their  sins,  as  a  Saviour  and  a  gift,  and  not  as  an  ex- 
 ample or  a  lawgiver.  But  to  those  that  are  secure  and  obstinate, 
 he  must  be  set  forth  as  an  example.  Also  the  hard  sentences  of 
 the  scripture,  and  the  horrible  examples  of  the  wrath  of  God, 
 must  be  laid  before  them;  as  of  the  drowning  of  the  whole  world, 
 of  the  destruction  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  and  such  other  like, 
 that  they  may  repent.  Let  every  Christian,  therefore,  when  he 
 is  terrified  and  afflicted,  learn  to  cast  away  the  false  persuasion 
 which  he  hath  conceived  of  Christ,  and  let  him  say :  O  cursed 
 Satan,  why  dost  thou  now  dispute  with  me  of  doing  and  work- 
 ing, seeing  I  am  terrified  and  afflicted  for  my  sins  already  ?  Nay, 
 rather,  seeing  I  now  labour  and  am  heavy  laden,  (Matt.  xi.  28.) 
 I  will  not  hearken  to  thee,  which  art  an  accuser  and  a  destroyer, 
 but  to  Christ,  the  Saviour  of  mankind,  which  saith  that  he  came 
 into  the  world  to  save  sinners,  to  comfort  such  as  are  in  terror, 
 anguish,  and  desperation,  and  to  preach  deliverance  to  the  cap- 
 tives, &c.  This  is  the  true  Christ,  and  there  is  none  other  but 
 he.  I  can  seek  examples  of  holy  life  in  Abraham,  Isaiah,  John 
 Baptist,  Paul,  and  other  saints;  but  they  cannot  forgive  my  sins, 
 they  cannot  deliver  me  from  the  power  of  the  devil  and  from 
 death,  they  cannot  save  me  and  give  me  everlasting  life.  For 
 these  things  belong  to  Christ  alone,  whom  God  the  Father  hath 
 sealed,  (John  vi.  27,)  therefore  I  wiU  not  hear  thee,  nor  acknow- 
 ledge thee  for  my  teacher,  O  Satan,  but  Christ,  of  whom  the 
 Father  hath  said,  "  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am 
 well  pleased ;  hear  him."  Let  us  learn  in  this  wise  to  comfort 
 ourselves  through  faith  in  temptation,  and  in  the  persuasion  of 
 false  doctrhie ;  else  the  devil  will  either  seduce  us  by  his  minis- 
 ters, or  kill  us  with  his  fiery  darts. 
 
 Verse  9.  A  little  leaven  doth  leaven  the  whole  lump. 
 This  whole  epistle  sufficiently  witnesseth  how  Paul  was 
 grieved  with  the  fall  of  the  Galatians,  and  how  often  he  beat 
 into  their  heads  (sometimes  chiding  and  sometimes  entreating 
 them)  the  exceeding  great  and  horrible  enormities  that  should 
 ensue  upon  this  their  fall,  unless  they  repented.  This  fatherly 
 and  apostolical  care  and  admonition  of  Paul  moved  some  of  them 
 nothing  at  all:  for  many  of  them  acknowledged  Paul  no  more  for 
 
VER.  9.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  895 
 
 their  teacher,  but  preferred  the  false  apostles  far  above  him:  of 
 whom  they  thoug^ht  themselves  to  have  received  the  true  doc- 
 trine, and  not  of  Paul.  Moreover,  the  false  apostles,  no  doubt, 
 slandered  Paul  among  the  Galatians,  saying  that  he  was  an  ob- 
 stinate and  a  contentious  fellow,  which  for  a  light  matter  would 
 break  the  unity  of  the  churches,  and  for  no  other  cause  but  that 
 he  alone  would  be  counted  wise,  and  be  maguitied  of  them. 
 Through  this  false  accusation  they  made  Paul  very  odious  unto 
 many. 
 
 Some  others  which  had  not  yet  utterly  forsaken  his  doctrine, 
 thought  that  there  was-no  danger  in  dissenting  a  little  from  him 
 in  the  doctrine  of  justification  and  faith;  wherefore,  when  they 
 heard  that  Paul  made  so  heinous  a  matter  of  that  which  seemed 
 unto  them  to  be  but  light,  and  of  small  importance,  they  mar- 
 velled, and  thus  they  thought  with  themselves:  Be  it  so  that 
 we  have  swerved  something  from  the  doctrine  of  Paul,  and 
 that  there  hath  been  some  fault  in  us;  yet  that  being  but  a 
 small  matter,  he  ought  to  wink  thereat,  or  at  least  not  so 
 vehemently  to  amplify  it,  lest  by  the  occasion  thereof  the  con- 
 cord of  the  churches  should  be  broken.  Whereunto  he  an- 
 swereth  with  this  sentence:  "A  little  leaven  leaveneth  [or 
 maketh  sour]  the  whole  lump  of  dough."  And  this  is  a  caveat 
 or  an  admonition  which  Paul  standeth  much  upon.  And  we  also 
 ought  greatly  to  esteem  the  same  at  this  day.  For  our  adver- 
 saries in  like  manner  object  against  us  that  we  are  contentious, 
 obstinate,  and  intractable  in  defending  our  doctrine,  and  even 
 in  matters  of  no  great  importance.  But  these  are  the  crafty 
 fetches  of  the  devil,  whereby  he  goeth  about  utterly  to  over- 
 throw our  doctrine.  To  this  we  answer,  therefore,  with  Paul, 
 that  "  a  little  leaven  soureth  the  whole  lump." 
 
 In  philosophy,  a  small  fault  in  the  beginning,  is  a  great  and  a 
 foul  f^ult  in  the  end.  So  in  divinity,  one  little  error  over- 
 throweth  the  whole  doctrine;  wherefore  we  must  separate  life 
 and  doctrine  far  asunder.  The  doctrine  is  not  ours,  but  God's, 
 whose  ministers  only  we  are  called;  therefore  we  may  not 
 change  or  diminish  one  tittle  thereof.  The  life  is  ours:  there- 
 fore, as  touching  that,  we  are  ready  to  do,  to  suffer,  to  forgive, 
 &c.  whatsoever  our  adversaries  shall  require  of  us,  so  that  faith 
 and  doctrine  may  remain  sound  and  uncorrupt;  of  the  which 
 we  say  always  with  Paul,  "  a  little  leaven  leaveneth,"  &c. 
 
 A  small  mote  in  the  eye  hurteth  the  eye.  And  our  Saviour 
 Christ  saith:  "The  light  of  the  body  is  the  eye:  therefore, 
 when  thine  eye  is  single,  then  is  thy  whole  body  light:  but  if 
 thine  eye  be  evil,  then  thy  body  is  dark."  Again,  "  If  thy  body 
 shall  have  no  part  dark,  then  shall  all  be  light,"  (Luke  xi.  34, 
 36.)  By  this  allegory  Christ  signifieth  that  the  eye,  that  is  to 
 say,  the  doctrine,  ought  to  be  most  simple,  clear,  and  sincere, 
 naving  in  it  no  darkness,  no  cloud,  &c.  And  James  the  apostle 
 Kiith,  "  He  that  faileth  in  one  point,  is  guilty  of  all."     This 
 
396  COMMENTARY  ON   ST.  PAUL's  !_CHAP.  7. 
 
 {>lace,  therefore,  maketh  very  much  for  us  against  these  cavil- 
 ers,  which  say  that  we  break  charity,  to  the  great  hurt  and 
 damage  of  the  churches.  But  we  protest  that  we  desire  no- 
 thing more  than  to  be  at  unity  with  all  men:  so  that  they  leave 
 unto  us  the  doctrine  of  faith,  entire  and  uncorrupt;  to  the  which 
 all  things  ought  to  give  place,  be  it  charity,  an  apostle,  or  an 
 ang'el  from  heaven. 
 
 Let  us  suffer  them,  therefore,  to  extol  charity  and  concord 
 as  much  as  they  list;  but,  on  the  other  side,  let  us  magnify  the 
 majesty  of  the  word  and  faith.  Charity  may  be  neglected  in 
 time  and  place  without  any  danger;  but  so  cannot  the  word  and 
 faith  be.  Charity  suffereth  all  things,  giveth  place  to  all  men. 
 Contrariwise,  faith  suffereth  nothing,  giveth  place  to  no  man. 
 Charity,  in  giving  place,  in  believing,  in  giving  and  forgiving,  is 
 oftentimes  deceived;  and  yet,  notwithstanding  being  so  deceived, 
 it  suffereth  no  loss  which  is  to  be  called  true  loss  indeed;  that 
 is  to  say,  it  loseth  not  Christ:  therefore  it  is  not  offended,  but 
 continueth  still  constant  in  well-doing,  yea  even  towards  the 
 unthankful  and  unworthy.  Contrariwise,  in  the  matter  of  faith 
 and  salvation,  when  men  teach  lies  and  errors  under  the  colour 
 of  the  truth,  and  seduce  many,  here  hath  charity  no  place :  for 
 here  we  lose  not  any  benefit  bestowed  upon  the  unthankful, 
 but  we  lose  the  word,  faith,  Christ,  and  everlasting  life.  Let 
 it  not  move  us,  therefore,  that  they  urge  so  much  the  keeping 
 of  charity  and  concord;  for  whoso  loveth  not  God  and  his 
 word,  it  is  no  matter  what  or  how  much  he  loveth. 
 
 Paul,  therefore,  by  this  sentence  admonisheth  as  well  teachers 
 as  hearers,  to  take  heed  that  they  esteem  not  the  doctrine  of 
 faith  as  a  light  matter,  whercAvith  they  may  dally  at  their  plea- 
 sure. It  is  as  a  bright  sun-beam  coming  down  from  heaven, 
 which  lighteneth,  directeth,  and  guideth  us.  Now,  like  as  the 
 world,  with  all  the  Avisdom  and  power  thereof,  is  not  able  to 
 stop  or  turn  away  the  beams  of  the  sun  coming  down  from 
 heaven  unto  the  earth:  even  so  can  there  be  nothing  added  to 
 the  doctrine  of  faith,  or  taken  from  it;  for  that  is  an  utter  de- 
 facing and  overthrowing  of  the  whole. 
 
 Verse  10.  I  have  trust  in  you  through  the  Lord. 
 As  if  he  would  say,  I  have  taught,  admonished,  and  reproved 
 you  enough,  so  that  ye  would  hearken  unto  me;  notwithstand- 
 ing, I  hope  well  of  you  in  the  Lord.  Here  riseth  a  question, 
 whether  Paul  doth  well,  when  he  saith  he  hath  a  good  hope  or 
 trust  of  the  Galatians,  seeing  the  holy  scripture  forbiddeth  any 
 trust  to  be  put  in  men?  Both  faith  and  charity  have  their  trust 
 and  belief,  but  after  divers  sorts,  by  reason  of  the  diversity  ot 
 their  objects.  Faith  trusteth  in  God,  and  therefore  it  cannot 
 be  deceived:  Charity  believeth  man,  and  therefore  it  is  often 
 deceived.  Now,  this  faith  that  springeth  of  charity  is  so  neces- 
 sary to  this  present  life,  that  without  it  life  cannot  continue  m 
 
VER.  10.]  EPISTI.E  TO  THE  OALATIANS.  397 
 
 the  world ;  for  if  one  man  should  not  believe  and  trust  another, 
 wliat  life  should  we  live  upon  earth?  The  true  Christians  do 
 sooner  believe  and  give  credit  through  charity,  than  the  chil- 
 dren of  this  world  do.  For  faith  towards  men  is  a  fruit  of  the 
 spirit,  or  of  Christian  faith  in  the  godly.  Hereupon  Paul  had 
 a  trust  in  the  Galatians,  yea,  though  they  were  fallen  from  his 
 doctrine:  but  yet  in  the  Lord.  As  if  he  should  say,  I  have  a 
 trust  in  you  so  far  forth  as  the  Lord  is  in  you,  and  ye  in  him, 
 that  is  to  say,  so  far  forth  as  ye  abide  in  the  truth.  From  which 
 if  you  fall  away,  seduced  by  the  ministers  of  Satan,  I  Avill  not 
 trust  unto  you  any  more.  Tlius  it  is  lawful  for  the  godly  to 
 trust  and  believe  men. 
 
 Verse  10.     That  ye  will  be  none  otherwise  minded. 
 
 To  wit,  concerning  doctrine  and  faith,  than  I  have  taught 
 you,  and  ye  have  learned  of  me;  that  is  to  say,  I  have  a  good 
 hope  of  you,  that  ye  will  not  receive  any  other  doctrine  which 
 shall  be  contrary  to  mine. 
 
 Verse  10,    But  lie  that  troubleth  you  shall  bear  his  condemnation,  whosoever 
 
 lie  be. 
 
 By  this  sentence  Paul,  as  it  were  a  judge  sitting  upon  the 
 judgment-seat,  condemneth  the  false  apostles,  calling  them  by 
 a  very  odious  name,  troublers  of  the  Galatians;  whom  they 
 esteemed  to  be  very  godly  men,  and  far  better  teachers  than 
 Paul.  And  withal  he  goeth  about  to  terrify  the  Galatians 
 with  this  horrible  sentence,  whereby  he  so  boldly  condemneth 
 the  false  apostles,  to  the  end  that  they  should  fly  their  false 
 doctrine,  as  a  most  dangerous  plague.  As  if  he  should  say. 
 What  mean  ye,  to  give  ear  to  those  pestilent  fellows  which 
 teach  you  not,  but  only  trouble  you?  The  doctrine  that  they 
 deliver  unto  you  is  nothing  else  but  a  trouble  unto  your  con- 
 sciences. Wherefore,  how  great  soever  they  be,  they  shall 
 bear  their  condemnation. 
 
 Now,  a  man  may  understand  by  these  words,  "  whosoever 
 he  be,"  that  the  false  apostles,  in  outward  appearance,  were  very 
 good  and  holy  men;  and  peradventure  there  was  amongst  them 
 some  notable  disciple  of  the  apostles,  of  great  name  and  autho- 
 rity. For  it  is  not  without  cause  that  he  useth  such  vehement 
 and  pithy  words.  He  speaketh  after  the  same  manner,  also,  in 
 the  first  chapter,  saying:  "  If  we  or  an  angel  from  heaven 
 preach  unto  you  otherwise  than  we  have  preached  unto  you,  let 
 him  be  accursed."  And  it  is  not  to  be  doubted,  but  that  many 
 were  offended  with  this  vehemency  of  the  apostle,  thinking  thus 
 with  themselves:  Wherefore  doth  Paul  break  charity?  Why 
 is  he  obstinate  in  so  small  a  matter  ?  Why  doth  he  so  rashly 
 pronounce  sentence  of  eternal  damnation  against  those  that  are 
 ministers  as  well  as  he?  He  passeth  nothing  of  all  this;  but 
 procecdeth  on  still,  and  boldly  eurseth  and  condemneth  all 
 
398  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  V. 
 
 those  that  pervert  the  doctrine  of  faith,  be  they  never  so  highly 
 esteemed,  seem  they  never  so  holy  and  learned. 
 
 Wherefore  (as  I  give  often  warning-)  we  must  diligently  dis- 
 cern between  doctrine  and  life.  Doctrine  is  heaven,  life  is  the 
 earth.  In  life  is  sin,  error,  uncleanness,  and  misery,  mingled 
 with  vinegar,  as  the  proverb  saith.  There  let  charity  wink, 
 forbear,  be  beguiled,  believe,  hope,  and  suffer  all  things;  there 
 let  forgiveness  of  sins  prevail  as  much  as  may  be,  so  that  sin  and 
 error  be  not  defended  and  maintained.  But  in  doctrine,  like  as 
 there  is  no  error,  so  it  hath  no  need  of  pardon;  wherefore  there 
 is  no  comparison  between  doctrine  and  life.  One  little  point  of 
 doctrine  is  of  more  value  than  heaven  and  earth;  and  therefore 
 we  cannot  abide  to  have  the  least  jot  thereof  to  be  corrupted; 
 but  we  can  very  well  wink  at  the  offences  and  errors  of  life,  for 
 we  also  do  daily  err  in  Hfe  and  conversation,  yea,  all  the  saints 
 err,  and  this  do  they  earnestly  confess  in  the  Lord's  Prayer, 
 and  in  the  articles  of  our  faith.  But  our  doctrine,  blessed'  be 
 God,  is  pure;  we  have  all  the  articles  of  our  faith  ground e^ 
 upon  the  holy  scripture:  those  the  devil  would  gladly  corrupt 
 and  overthrow;  therefore  he  assaileth  us  so  craftily  with  thi 
 goodly  argument,  that  we  ought  not  to  break  charity  and  the 
 unity  of  the  churches. 
 
 Verse  11.     And  brethren,  if  I  yet  preach  circumcision,  why  do  I  yet  suffer 
 persecution  ?     Then  is  the  slander  of  the  cross  abolished.  ' 
 
 Paul,  labouring  by  aU  means  possible  to  call  the  Galatians 
 back  again,  reasoneth  now  by  his  own  example.  I  have  pro- 
 cured to  myself  (saith  he)  the  hatred  and  persecution  of  the 
 priests  and  elders,  (Acts  xiii.  50.)  and  of  my  whole  nation,  be- 
 cause I  take  away  righteousness  from  circumcision;  which  if  I 
 would  attribute  unto  it,  the  Jews  would  not  only  cease  to  per- 
 secute me,  but  also  would  love  and  highly  commend  me.  But 
 now,  because  I  preach  the  gospel  of  Christ  and  the  righteous- 
 ness of  faith,  abolishing  the  law  and  circumcision,  therefore  1 
 suffer  persecution.  Contrariwise,  the  false  apostles,  to  avoid 
 the  cross  and  this  deadly  hatred  of  the  Jewish  nation,  do  preach 
 circumcision;  and  by  this  means  they  obtain  and  retain  the  fa- 
 vour of  the  Jews,  as  he  saith  in  the  sixth  chapter  following: 
 "  They  compel  you  to  be  circumcised,"  &c.  Moreover,  they 
 would  gladly  bring  to  pass  that  there  should  be  no  dissension, 
 but  peace  and  concord  between  the  Gentiles  and  the  Jews.  But 
 that  is  impossible  to  be  done  without  the  loss  of  the  doctrine  of 
 faith,  which  is  the  doctrine  of  the  cross,  and  full  of  offences. 
 Wlierefore,  when  he  saith,  "If  I  yet  preach  circumcision,  why 
 do  I  yet  suffer  persecution?  Then  is  the  slander  of  the  cross 
 abolished :"  he  meaneth  that  it  Avere  a  great  absurdity  and  in- 
 conveniency,  if  the  offence  of  the  cross  should  cease.  After  the 
 same  manner  he  speaketh,  "  Christ  sent  me  to  preach  the  gos- 
 pel, not  vnth  wisdom  of  words,  lest  the  cross  of  Christ  should 
 
VER.   ll.J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  399 
 
 be  made  of  none  effect,"  (1  Cor.  i.  IT.)  As  if  he  said,  I  would 
 not  that  the  offence  and  cross  of  Christ  should  be  abolished. 
 
 Here  may  some  man  say,  the  Christians,  then,  are  madmen,  to 
 cast  themselves  into  danger  of  their  own  accord ;  for  what  do 
 they  else  by  preaching  and  confessing  the  truth,  but  procure  unto 
 themselves  the  hatred  and  enmity  of  the  whole  world,  and  raise 
 offences  ?  This,  saith  Paul,  doth  nothing  at  all  offend  or  trouble 
 me,  but  maketh  me  more  bold,  and  causeth  me  to  hope  well  of 
 the  happy  success  and  increase  of  the  church,  which  nourisheth 
 and  groweth  under  the  cross ;  for  it  behoveth  that  Christ,  the 
 head  and  spouse  of  the  church,  should  reign  in  the  midst  of  all 
 his  enemies,  (Psalm  ex.)  On  the  contrary  part,  when  the 
 cross  is  abolished,  and  the  rage  of  tyrants  and  heretics  ceaseth 
 on  the  one  side,  and  offences  on  the  other  side,  and  all  things 
 are  in  peace,  the  devil  keeping  the  entry  of  the  house,  this 
 is  a  sure  token  that  the  pure  doctrine  of  God's  word  is  taken 
 away. 
 
 Bernard,  considering  this  thing,  saith,  that  the  church  is  then 
 in  best  state,  when  Satan  assailetli  it  on  every  side,  as  well  by 
 subtle  sleights  as  by  violence;  and  contrariwise,  that  it  is  then  in 
 worst  case  when  it  is  most  at  ease,  and  he  allegeth  very  well, 
 and  to  the  purpose,  that  sentence  of  Hezekiah  in  his  song,  "  Be- 
 hold, for  felicity  I  had  bitter  grief,"  (Isa.  xxxviii.  17.)  applying 
 it  to  the  church  living  in  ease  and  quietness.  Wherefore,  Paul 
 taketh  it  for  a  most  certain  sign  that  it  is  not  the  gospel,  if  it  be 
 preached  in  peace.  Contrariwise,  the  world  taketh  it  for  a  most 
 certain  sign  that  the  gospel  is  heretical  and  seditious  doctrine, 
 because  it  seeth  great  uproars,  tumults,  offences  and  sects,  and 
 such-like,  to  follow  the  preaching  thereof.  Thus  God  some- 
 times sheweth  himself  in  the  similitude  of  the  devil,  and  the 
 devil  likewise  sheweth  himself  in  the  likeness  of  God:  and 
 God  will  be  known  under  the  similitude  of  the  devil,  and  will 
 have  the  devil  known  under  the  likeness  of  God. 
 
 The  cross  immediately  followeth  the  doctrine  of  the  word, 
 according  to  that  saying,  "  I  believed,  and  therefore  have  I  spo- 
 ken, and  I  was  sore  troubled,"  (Ps.  cxvi.)  Now,  the  cross  of 
 Christians  is  persecution,  with  reproach  and  ignominy,  and 
 without  any  compassion,  and  therefore  it  is  very  offensive. 
 First,  they  suffer  as  the  vilest  people  in  the  world;  and  so  did 
 the  prophet  Isaiah  foreshew  even  of  Christ  himself — "  He  was 
 reputed  amongst  the  wicked,"  (Isaiah  liii.)  Moreover,  mm*- 
 derers  and  thieves  have  their  punishments  qualified,  and  men 
 have  compassion  on  them.  Here  is  no  offence  or  slander  joined 
 with  the  punishment.  Contrariwise,  like  as  the  world  judgeth 
 the  Christians  to  be  of  all  other  men  the  most  pestilent  and  per- 
 nicious, so  doth  it  think  that  no  torments  are  sufficient  to  punish 
 them  for  their  heinous  offences.  Neither  is  it  moved  with  any 
 compassion  towards  them,  but  putteth  them  to  the  most  oppro- 
 brious and  shameful  kinds  of  death  that  can  be ;  and  it  thinketh 
 
400  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CHAP.  V. 
 
 that  it  g-aineth  hereby  a  double  commodity.  For,  first,  it  ima* 
 gineth  that  it  doth  high  service  unto  God  in  kilHng  of  them, 
 (John  xvi.  23.)  Secondly,  that  the  common  peace  and  tran- 
 quillity is  restored  and  established  by  taking  away  such  noisome 
 plagues.  Therefore  the  death  and  cross  of  the  faithful  is  full  ot 
 offences.  But  let  not  this  reproacliful  dealing  (saith  Pavd)  and 
 the  continuance  of  Christ's  cross  and  offence  thereof  move  you, 
 but  rather  let  it  confirm  you.  For  as  long  as  the  cross  endureth, 
 it  shall  go  Avell  with  the  gospel. 
 
 In  like  manner  Christ  also  comforteth  his  disciples  in  the  fifth 
 of  Matthew,  "  Blessed  are  ye  (saith  he)  when  men  revile  you, 
 and  persecute  you,  and  shall  falsely  say  all  manner  of  evil  against 
 yovi,  for  my  name's  sake.  Rejoice  and  be  glad,  for  great  is  your 
 reward  in  heaven ;  for  so  persecuted  they  the  prophets  which 
 were  before  you."  The  church  cannot  suffer  this  rejoicing  to 
 be  wrested  from  her ;  Avherefore  I  would  not  wish  to  be  at 
 concord  with  the  pope,  the  bishops,  the  princes,  and  the  secta- 
 ries, vmless  they  would  consent  unto  our  doctrine;  for  such  con- 
 cord were  a  certain  token  that  we  had  lost  the  true  doctrine. 
 To  be  short,  as  long  as  the  church  teacheth  the  gospel  it  must 
 suffer  persecution.  For  the  gospel  setteth  forth  the  mercy  and 
 glory  of  God ;  it  discloseth  the  malice  and  sleights  of  the  devil, 
 painteth  him  out  in  his  right  colours,  and  plucketh  from  him  the 
 counterfeit  visor  of  God's  majesty,  whereby  he  deceiveth  the 
 whole  world ;  that  is  to  say,  it  sheweth  that  all  worshippings, 
 religious  orders  invented  by  men,  and  traditions  concerning 
 single  life,  meats,  and  such  other  things,  whereby  men  think  to 
 deserve  forgiveness  of  sins  and  everlasting  life,  are  wicked  things 
 and  devilish  doctrine.  There  is  nothing,  then,  that  more  stirreth 
 up  the  devil,  than  the  preaching  of  the  gospel;  for  that  plucketh 
 from  him  the  dissembled  visor  of  God,  and  bewrayeth  him  to 
 be  as  he  is  indeed,  that  is  to  say,  the  devil,  and  not  God.  Where- 
 fore it  cannot  be  but  that,  as  long  as  the  gospel  ffourisheth,  the 
 cross  and  the  off'ence  thereof  must  needs  follow  it,  or  else  truly 
 the  devil  is  not  rightly  touched,  but  slenderly  tickled.  But  if 
 he  be  rightly  hit  indeed,  he  resteth  not,  but  beginneth  horribly 
 to  rage,  and  to  raise  up  troubles  every  where. 
 
 If  Christians,  then,  will  hold  the  word  of  life,  let  them  not  be 
 afraid  or  off*ended,  when  they  see  that  the  devil  is  broken  loose, 
 and  rageth  everywhere;  that  all  the  world  is  in  an  uproar;  that 
 tyrants  exercise  their  cruelty,  and  heresies  spring  up ;  but  let 
 them  assure  themselves  that  these  are  signs,  not  of  terror,  but  of 
 joy,  as  Christ  himself  expoundeth  them,  saying,  "  Rejoice  and 
 be  glad,"  &c.  God  forbid,  therefore,  that  the  offence  of  the  cross 
 should  be  taken  aAvay ;  which  thing  should  come  to  pass,  if  we 
 should  preach  that  which  the  prince  of  this  world  and  his  mem- 
 bers should  gladly  hear,  that  is  to  say,  the  righteousness  of 
 works.  Then  should  we  have  a  gentle  devil,  a  favourable  Avorld, 
 a  gracious   Pope,  and  merciful  princes.     But,  because  we  seft 
 
VEU.  18.]  rPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIAN&  401 
 
 forth  the  benefits  and  glory  of  Christ,  they  persecute  and  spoil 
 us  both  of  our  goods  and  lives. 
 
 Verse  12.    Would  to  God  they  were  cut  off  that  do  disquiet  you. 
 
 Is  this  the  part  of  an  apostle,  not  only  to  denounce  the  false 
 apostles  to  be  troublers  of  the  church,  to  condemn  them,  and 
 to  deliver  them  to  Satan,  but  also  to  wish  that  they  might  be 
 utterly  rooted  out  and  perish?  And  what  is  this  else  but  plain 
 cursing?  Paul  (as  I  suppose)  alludcth  here  to  circumcision 
 As  if  he  would  say,  they  compel  you  to  cut  off  the  foreskin  of 
 your  flesh;  but  I  would  that  they  themselves  might  utterly  be 
 out  off  by  the  root. 
 
 Here  riseth  a  question,  whether  it  be  lawful  for  Christians 
 to  curse?  Why  not?  Howbeit  not  ahvays,  nor  for  every  cause •■ 
 but  when  the  matter  is  come  to  this  point,  that  God's  word 
 must  be  evil  spoken  of,  and  his  doctrine  blasphemed,  and  so 
 consequently  God  himself,  then  must  we  turn  this  sentence, 
 and  say,  Blessed  be  God  and  his  word,  and  whatsoever  is  Avith- 
 out  God  and  his  word,  accursed  be  it;  yea,  though  it  be  an 
 apostle,  or  an  angel  from  heaven.  So  he  said  before,  in  the 
 fifth  chapter.  "  Although  we  or  an  angel  from  heaven  preach 
 otherwise  unto  you  than  that  which  we  have  preached,  let  him 
 be  accursed,"  (Gal.  i.  8,  9.) 
 
 Hereby  it  may  appear  how  great  a  matter  Paul  made  of  a 
 little  leaven,  which  for  the  same  durst  cm'se  the  false  apostles, 
 who,  in  outward  appearance,  were  men  of  great  authority  and 
 holiness.  Let  not  us,  therefore,  make  little  account  of  the 
 leaven  of  doctrine;  for  although  it  be  never  so  little,  yet  if  it 
 be  neglected,  it  will  be  the  cause  that  by  little  and  little  the 
 truth  and  our  salvation  shall  be  lost,  and  God  himself  be  denied. 
 For  when  the  word  is  corrupted,  and  God  denied  and  blas- 
 phemed (which  must  needs  follow,  if  the  word  be  corrupted) 
 there  remaineth  no  hope  of  salvation.  But  for  our  parts,  if  we 
 be  cursed,  railed  upon,  and  slain,  there  is  yet  one  than  can  raise 
 us  up  again,  and  deliver  us  from  the  curse,  death,  and  hell. 
 
 Wherefore  let  us  learn  to  advance  and  extol  the  majesty  and 
 authority  of  God's  word.  For  it  is  no  small  trifle,  (as  brain- 
 sick heads  surmise  at  this  day);  but  every  tittle  thereof  is 
 greater  than  heaven  and  earth.  Wherefore,  in  this  respect,  we 
 have  no  regard  of  Christian  charity  or  concord,  but  we  sit,  as 
 it  were,  on  the  judgment-seat;  that  is  to  say,  we  curse  and 
 condemn  all  men  which  in  the  least  point  do  deface  or  corrupt 
 the  majesty  of  God's  word:  "for  a  little  leaven  maketh  soui* 
 the  whole  lump."  But  if  they  leave  us  God's  word  entire  and 
 sound,  we  are  not  only  ready  to  keep  charity  and  peace  with 
 them;  but  also  we  offer  ourselves  to  be  their  servants,  and  to 
 do  for  them  whatsoever  we  are  able :  if  not,  let  them  perish 
 and  be  cast  down  into  hell;  and  not  only  they,  but  even  the 
 whole  world  also,  so  that  God  and  his  true  word  do  remain. 
 
402  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP,  V. 
 
 For  as  long-  as  he  remaineth,  life,  salvation,  and  the  faithful 
 shall  also  remain. 
 
 Paul  therefore  doth  well,  in  cursing  those  troublers  of  the 
 Galatians,  and  in  pronouncing-  sentence  ag'ainst  them,  to  wit, 
 that  they  are  accursed,  with  all  that  they  teach  and  do,  and  in 
 wishing  that  they  might  be  cut  off,  especially  that  they  might 
 be  rooted  out  of  the  church  of  God,  that  is,  that  God  should 
 not  govern  nor  prosper  their  doctrine  nor  their  doings.  And 
 this  cursing  proceedeth  from  the  Holy  Ghost:  as  Peter  also, 
 in  the  eighth  of  the  Acts,  curseth  Simon  the  sorcerer,  "  thy 
 money  and  thou  perish  together."  And  the  holy  scripture 
 oftentimes  useth  cursing  against  such  troublers  of  men's  con- 
 sciences, and  chiefly  in  the  Psalms,  as,  "  Let  death  come  upon 
 them;  let  them  go  quick  into  the  pit  of  corruption,"  (Ps.  Iv.  15.) 
 Also,  "  Let  sinners  be  turned  down  into  hell,  and  all  they  that 
 forget  God." 
 
 Hitherto  Paul  hath  fortified  the  place  of  justification  with 
 strong  and  mighty  arguments;  moreover,  to  the  end  he  might 
 omit  nothing,  here  and  there  he  hath  intermingled  chidings, 
 praisings,  exhortations,  threatenings,  and  such-like.  In  the  end, 
 he  addeth  also  his  own  example,  namely,  that  he  suifereth  per- 
 secution for  this  doctrine,  thereby  admonishing  all  the  faithful, 
 not  to  be  offended  nor  dismayed  when  they  shall  see  such  up- 
 roars, sects  and  offences  raised  up  in  the  time  of  the  gospel, 
 but  rather  to  rejoice  and  be  glad;  for  the  more  the  world  rageth 
 against  the  gospel,  the  more  the  gospel  prospereth  and  goeth 
 happily  forwards. 
 
 This  consolation  ought  at  this  day  to  encourage  us:  for  it  is 
 certain  that  the  world  hateth  and  persecuteth  us  for  none  other 
 cause,  but  for  that  we  profess  the  truth  of  the  gospel.  It  doth 
 not  accuse  us  for  theft,  murder,  whoredom,  and  such-like;  but 
 it  detesteth  and  abhorreth  us,  because  we  teach  Christ  faithfully 
 and  purely,  and  give  not  over  the  defence  of  the  truth.  There- 
 fore, we  may  be  out  of  all  doubt,  that  this  om'  doctrine  is  holy 
 and  of  God,  because  the  world  hateth  it  so  bitterly:  for  other- 
 wise there  is  no  doctrine  so  wicked,  so  foolish,  and  pernicious, 
 which  the  world  doth  not  gladly  admit,  embrace,  and  defend: 
 and  moreover  it  reverently  enter taineth,  cherisheth,  and  flat- 
 tereth  the  professors  thereof,  and  doth  all  that  may  be  done  for 
 them.  Only  the  true  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  life^  and  salvation, 
 and  the  ministers  thereof,  it  utterly  abhorreth,  and  worketh  all 
 the  spite  that  may  be  devised  against  them.  It  is  an  evident 
 token,  therefore,  that  the  world  is  so  cruelly  bent  against  us 
 for  no  other  thing,  but  because  it  hateth  the  word.  Where- 
 fore, when  our  adversaries  charge  us,  that  there  riseth  nothing 
 of  this  doctrine  but  wars,  seditions,  offences,  sects,  and  other 
 such  infinite  enormities,  let  us  answer.  Blessed  be  the  day 
 wherein  we  may  see  these  things.  But  the  whole  world  is  in 
 an  uproar.     And  well  done :  for  if  the  world  were  not  so  trou- 
 
VER.  12,  13.1  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  403 
 
 bled;  if  the  devil  did  not  rage  and  stir  up  such  broils,  we  should 
 not  have  the  pure  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  which  cannot  be 
 preached  but  these  broils  and  turmoils  must  needs  follow. 
 Therefore  that  which  ye  count  to  be  a  great  evil,  we  take  to  be 
 a  special  happiness. 
 
 The  doctrine  of  good  works. 
 
 Now  follow  exhortations,  and  precepts  of  life  and  good  works. 
 For  it  is  the  custom  of  the  apostles,  after  they  have  taught  faith 
 and  instructed  men's  consciences,  to  add  precepts  of  good  works, 
 whereby  they  exhort  the  faithful  to  exercise  the  duties  of  cha- 
 rity towards  one  another.  And  reason  itself,  after  a  sort,  teach- 
 eth  and  miderstandeth  this  part  of  doctrine;  but  as  touching  the 
 doctrine  of  faith,  it  knoweth  nothing  at  all.  To  the  end,  there- 
 fore, that  it  might  appear  that  Christian  doctrine  doth  not 
 destroy  good  works,  or  fight  against  civil  ordinances,  the  apostle 
 also  exhorteth  us  to  exercise  ourselves  in  good  works,  and  in  an 
 honest  and  outward  conversation,  and  to  keep  charity  and  con- 
 cord one  with  another.  Tlie  world  cannot,  therefore,  justly 
 accuse  the  Christians  that  they  destroy  good  works,  that  they 
 are  troublers  of  the  public  peace,  civil  honesty,  &c.  For  they 
 teach  good  works  and  all  other  virtues  better  than  all  the  phi- 
 losophers and  magistrates  of  the  world,  because  they  adjoin 
 faith  with  their  doings. 
 
 Verse  13,   For,  brethren,  ye  have  been  called  unto  liberty ;  only  use  not  your 
 liberty  as  an  occasion  unto  the  tiesh,but  by  love  serve  one  another. 
 
 As  if  he  would  say:  Ye  have  now  obtained  liberty  through 
 Christ,  that  is  to  say,  ye  be  far  above  all  laws,  as  touching  con- 
 science and  before  God:  ye  be  blessed  and  saved;  Christ  is 
 your  life.  Therefore,  although  the  laAV,  sin,  and  death  trouble 
 and  terrify  you,  yet  can  they  not  hurt  you,  nor  drive  you  to  des- 
 pair; and  this  is  your  excellent  and  inestimable  liberty.  Now 
 standeth  it  you  in  hand  to  take  good  heed  that  ye  use  not  that 
 liberty  as  an  occasion  to  the  flesh. 
 
 This  evil  is  common,  and  the  most  pernicious  of  all  others 
 that  Satan  stirreth  up  in  the  doctrine  of  faith;  namely,  that  in 
 very  many  he  turneth  this  liberty,  wherewith  Christ  hath  made 
 us  free,  into  the  liberty  of  the  flesh.  Of  this  the  apostle  Jude 
 also  complaineth  in  his  epistle — "  There  are  crept  in  certain 
 wicked  men  (saith  he)  which  turn  the  grace  of  our  God  into 
 wantonness,"  (Jude  4.)  For  the  flesh  is  utterly  ignorant  of  the 
 doctrine  of  grace,  that  is  to  say,  it  knoweth  not  that  we  are 
 made  righteous,  not  by  works,  but  by  faith  only,  and  that  the 
 law  hath  no  authority  over  us.  Therefore,  when  it  heareth  the 
 doctrine  of  faith,  it  abuseth  and  turneth  it  into  wantonness,  and 
 by-and-by  thus  it  gathereth:  If  we  be  without  law,  let  us  then 
 
404  commi:ntar\  on  sr.  Paul's  [chap.  v< 
 
 jve  as  we  list;  let  us  do  no  good,  let  us  give  nothing  to  the 
 needy,  and  let  us  not  suffer  any  evil,  for  there  is  no  law  to  con- 
 strain us,  or  bind  us  so  to  do. 
 
 Wherefore  there  is  no  danger  on  either  side,  albeit  the  one 
 is  more  tolerable  than  the  other.  If  grace  or  faith  be  not 
 preached,  no  man  can  be  saved;  for  it  is  faith  alone  that  justifieth 
 and  saveth.  On  the  other  side,  if  faith  be  preached,  (as  of  ne- 
 cessity it  must  be,)  the  more  part  of  men  understand  the  doc- 
 trine of  faith  carnally,  and  draw  the  liberty  of  the  spirit  into 
 the  liberty  of  the  flesh;  this  may  we  see  in  all  kinds  of  life,  as 
 well  of  the  high  as  the  low.  All  boast  themselves  to  be  pro- 
 fessors of  the  gospel,  and  all  brag  of  Christian  liberty;  and  yet, 
 serving  their  own  lusts,  they  give  themselves  to  covetousness, 
 pleasures,  pride,  envy,  and  such  other  vices.  No  man  doth  his 
 duty  faithfully,  no  man  charitably  serveth  the  necessity  of  his 
 brother.  The  grief  hereof  maketh  me  sometimes  so  impatient, 
 that  many  times  I  wish  such  swine,  which  tread  precious  pearls 
 under  their  feet,  were  yet  still  remaining  under  the  tyranny  of 
 the  Pope;  for  it  is  impossible  that  this  people  of  Gomorrah 
 should  be  governed  by  the  gospel  of  peace. 
 
 Moreover,  even  we  which  teach  the  word,  do  not  know  our 
 duty  with  so  great  zeal  and  diligence  in  the  light  of  the  gospel,  as 
 we  did  afore  in  the  dai'kness  of  ignorance;  for  the  more  certain 
 we  be  of  the  freedom  purchased  unto  us  by  Christ,  so  much  the 
 more  cold  and  negligent  we  be  in  handling  the  word,  in  prayer, 
 in  well-doing,  and  in  suffermg  adversities.  And  if  Satan  did  not 
 vex  us  inwardly  with  spiritual  temptations,  and  outwardly  with 
 the  persecutions  of  our  adversaries,  and  moreover  with  the  con- 
 tempt and  ingratitude  of  our  own  fellows,  we  should  become 
 utterly  careless,  negligent,  and  untoward  to  all  good  works;  and 
 so  in  time  we  should  lose  the  knowledge  and  faith  of  Christ,  for- 
 sake the  ministry  of  the  word,  and  seek  an  easier  kind  of  life  for 
 the  flesh;  which  thing  many  of  our  men  begin  to  do,  for  that 
 they,  travailing  in  the  ministry  of  the  word,  cannot  only  not  live 
 of  their  labour,  but  also  are  most  miserably  entreated  even  of 
 those  whom  they  delivered  from  the  servile  bondage  of  the  Pope 
 by  the  preaching  of  the  gospel.  These  men,  forsaking  poor  and 
 offensive  Christ,  entangle  themselves  with  the  affairs  of  this 
 present  life,  serving  their  own  bellies,  and  not  Christ ;  but  with 
 what  fruit,  that  shall  they  find  by  experience  in  time  to  come. 
 
 Forasmuch,  then,  as  we  know  that  the  devil  layetli  wait  most 
 of  all  for  us  that  hate  the  world,  (for  the  rest  he  holdeth  in  cap- 
 tivity and  slavery  at  his  pleasure,)  and  laboureth,  with  might 
 and  main,  to  take  from  us  the  liberty  of  the  spirit,  or  at  least 
 wise  to  turn  the  same  into  the  liberty  of  the  flesh;  we  teach 
 and  exhort  our  brethren  with  singular  care  and  diligence,  by  the 
 example  of  Paul,  that  they  think  not  this  liberty  of  the  spirit, 
 purchased  by  the  death  of  Christ,  to  be  given  unto  them,  that 
 they  should  make  it  an  occasion  of  carnal  liberty,  or,  (as  Peter 
 
VER.  IS.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  405 
 
 salth,  1  Pet.  ii.  16.)  should  \ise  the  same  as  a  cloak  for  their 
 wickedness,  but  that  they  should  serve  one  another  through  love. 
 
 To  the  end,  therefore,  that  Christians  should  not  abuse  this 
 liberty,  as  I  have  said,  the  apostle  layeth  a  yoke  and  bondage  upon 
 their  flesh,  by  the  law  of  mutual  love.  Wherefore  let  the  godly 
 remember,  that  in  conscience,  before  God,  they  be  free  from  the 
 curse  of  the  law,  from  sin,  and  from  death,  for  Christ's  sake : 
 but,  as  touching  the  body,  they  are  servants,  and  must  serve  one 
 another  through  charity,  according  to  this  commandment  of  Paul. 
 Let  every  man,  therefore,  endeavour  to  do  his  duty  diligently  in 
 his  calling,  and  to  help  his  neighbour  to  the  uttermost  of  his 
 power.  This  is  it  which  Paul  here  requireth  of  us,  "serve  ye  one 
 another  through  love  ;"  which  words  do  not  set  the  Christians 
 at  liberty,  but  shut  them  under  bondage  as  touching  the  flesh. 
 
 Moreover,  this  doctrine  concerning  mutual  love,  which  we 
 must  maintain  and  exercise  one  towards  another,  cannot  be 
 beaten  into  the  heads  of  carnal  men,  nor  sink  into  their  hearts. 
 The  Christians  do  gladly  receive  and  obey  this  doctrine.  Others, 
 as  soon  as  liberty  is  preached,  by-and-by  do  thus  infer:  If  I  be 
 free,  then  may  I  do  what  I  list ;  this  thing  is  mine  own,  why, 
 then,  should  I  not  sell  it  for  as  much  as  I  may  get  ?  Moreover, 
 seeing  we  obtain  not  salvation  by  our  good  works,  why  should 
 we  give  any  thing  to  the  poor  ?  Thus  do  they  most  carelessly 
 shake  off"  the  yoke  and  bondage  of  the  flesh,  and  turn  the  liberty 
 Vf  the  spirit  into  wantonness  and  fleshly  liberty.  But  we  will  tell 
 «uch  careless  contemners,  (although  they  believe  us  not,  but  laugh 
 us  to  scorn,)  that  if  they  use  their  bodies  and  their  goods  after 
 their  own  lust,  (as  indeed  they  do,  for  they  neither  help  the  poor, 
 nor  lend  to  the  needy,  but  beguile  their  brethren  in  bargaining, 
 snatching  and  scraping  unto  themselves,  by  hook  or  by  crook, 
 whatsoever  they  can  get,)  we  tell  them  (I  say)  that  they  be  not 
 free,  brag  they  never  so  much  of  their  liberty,  but  have  lost 
 Christ  and  Christian  liberty,  are  become  bond-slaves  of  the  devil, 
 and  are  seven  times  worse  under  the  name  of  Christian  liberty, 
 than  they  were  before  under  the  tyranny  of  the  Pope.  For  the 
 devil  which  was  driven  out  of  them,  hath  taken  unto  him  seven 
 other  fiends  worse  than  himself,  and  is  returned  unto  them  again; 
 therefore,  the  end  of  these  men  is  worse  than  the  beginning. 
 
 As  touching  us,  we  have  a  commandment  of  God  to  preach  the 
 gospel,  which  offereth  to  all  men  liberty  from  the  law,  sin,  death, 
 and  God's  wrath,  freely  for  Christ's  sake,  if  they  believe.  It  is 
 not  in  our  power  to  conceal  or  revoke  this  liberty  now  published 
 by  the  gospel ;  for  Christ  hath  given  it  unto  us  freely,  and  pui*- 
 chased  it  by  his  death.  Neither  can  we  constrain  those  swine 
 which  run  headlong  into  all  licentiousness  and  dissoluteness  of 
 the  flesh,  to  help  other  men  with  their  bodies  or  goods:  therefore 
 we  do  Avhat  we  can,  that  is  to  say,  we  diligently  admonish  them 
 that  they  ought  so  to  do.  If  we  nothing  prevail  by  these  admoni- 
 tions, we  commit  the  matter  to  God,  and  he  will  recompence 
 
406  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUjL*S  [CHAP,  V. 
 
 these  scorners  with  just  punishment  in  his  good  time.  In  the 
 meanwhile,  this  is  our  comfort :  that,  as  touching  the  godly,  our 
 labour  is  not  lost ;  of  whom  many,  no  doubt,  by  our  ministry  are 
 delivered  out  of  the  bondage  of  the  devil,  and  translated  into  the 
 liberty  of  the  spirit.  These  (which,  notwithstanding,  are  but 
 few)  which  acknowledge  the  glory  of  this  liberty  of  the  spirit, 
 and  on  the  other  side  are  ready  through  charity  to  serve  other 
 men,  and  know  themselves  to  be  debtors  to  their  brethren  as 
 touching  the  flesh,  do  more  rejoice  us,  than  the  innimierable  mul- 
 titude of  those  that  abuse  this  liberty,  are  able  to  discourage  us. 
 Paul  useth  here  very  apt  and  plain  words,  when  he  saith, 
 "  Brethren,  ye  are  called  into  liberty."  And  because  no  man 
 should  dream  that  he  speaketh  of  the  liberty  of  the  flesh,  he  ex- 
 poundeth  himself  what  manner  of  liberty  he  meaneth,  saying, 
 "  only  use  not  your  liberty  as  an  occasion  to  the  flesh,  but  serve 
 ye  one  another  through  love."  Wherefore  let  every  Christian 
 know,  that,  as  touching  the  conscience,  Christ  hath  made  him 
 lord  over  the  law,  sin,  and  death,  so  that  they  have  no  power 
 over  him.  ContrariAvise,  let  him  know  that  this  outward  bon- 
 dage is  laid  upon  his  body,  that  he  should  serve  his  neighbour 
 through  love.  They  that  understand  Christian  liberty  other- 
 Avise,  enjoy  the  commodities  of  the  gospel  to  their  OAvn  destruc- 
 tion, and  are  worse  idolaters  under  the  name  of  Christ,  than 
 they  were  before  under  the  Pope.  Noav  Paul  goeth  about  to 
 declare,  out  of  the  ten  commandments,  what  it  is  to  serve  one 
 another  through  love. 
 
 Veuse  14.     For  the  whole  law  is  fulfilled  in  one  word,  which  is  this:  Thou 
 shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself. 
 
 Paul,  after  that  he  hath  laid  the  foundation  of  Christian  doc- 
 trine, is  wont  to  build  gold,  silver,  and  precious  stones  upon  it. 
 Now,  there  is  no  other  foundation,  as  he  himself  saith  to  the 
 Corinthians,  than  Jesus  Christ,  or  the  righteousness  of  Christ, 
 (1  Cor.  iii.  11.)  Upon  this  foundation  he  buildeth  noAV  good 
 works,  yea,  good  works  indeed ;  all  which  he  comprehendeth 
 in  one  precept,  "  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself," 
 As  if  he  should  say,  Avhen  I  say  that  ye  must  serve  one  another 
 through  love,  I  mean  the  same  thing  that  the  law  saith  in 
 another  place,  "Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself," 
 (Lev.  xix.  18.)  And  this  is  truly  to  interpret  the  scripture  and 
 God's  commandments. 
 
 NoAv,  in  giving  precepts  of  love,  he  covertly  toucheth  by  the 
 way  the  false  teachers;  against  whom  he  setteth  himself  mightily ; 
 that  he  may  defend  and  establish  his  doctrine  of  good  works 
 against  them.  As  if  he  said,  O  ye  Galatians,  I  have  hitherto 
 taught  you  the  true  and  spiritual  life,  and  noAv  also  I  will  teach 
 you  what  be  good  Avorks  indeed.  And  this  Avill  I  do,  to  the  end 
 ye  may  knoAv  that  the  vain  and  foolish  woi'ks  of  ceremonies, 
 which  the  false  apostles  do  only  urge,  are  far  inferior  to  the  works 
 
VER.  14.1  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  407 
 
 of  charity.  For  such  is  the  foolishr  ess  and  madness  of  all  wicked 
 teachers  and  fantastical  spirits,  that  not  only  they  leave  the  true 
 foundation  and  pure  doctrine,  but  also,  continuing  always  in 
 their  superstitions,  they  never  attain  to  good  works.  Therefore 
 (as  Paul  saith,  1  Cor.  iii.  12,  13.)  they  build  nothing  but  wood, 
 hay  and  stubble  upon  the  foundation.  4  So  the  false  apostles, 
 which  were  the  most  earnest  defenders  of  works,  did  not  teach 
 or  require  the  works  of  charity,  as  that  Christians  should  love 
 one  another,  that  they  should  be  ready  to  help  their  neighbours 
 in  all  necessities,  not  only  with  their  goods,  but  also  with  their  ) 
 body,  that  is  to  say,  with  tongue,  hand,  heart,  and  with  theii>/ 
 whole  strength;  but  only  they  required  that  circumcision  should 
 be  kept,  that  days,  months,  years  and  times  should  be  observed, 
 (Gal.  iv.  10.)  and  other  good  works  they  could  teach  none.  For 
 after  they  had  destroyed  the  foundation,  which  is  Christ,  and 
 darkened  the  doctrine  of  faith,  it  was  impossible  that  there 
 could  remain  any  true  use,  exercise,  or  opinion  of  good  works.  \ 
 Take  away  the  tree,  and  the  fruit  must  needs  perish.   '^ 
 
 The  apostle,  therefore,  diligently  exhorteth  the  Christians  to 
 exercise  themselves  in  good  works,  after  that  they  have  heard 
 and  received  the  pure  doctrine  of  faith.  For  the  remnants  of 
 sin  do  yet  still  remain,  even  in  those  that  be  justified;  which,  as 
 they  are  contrary  to  faith,  and  hinder  it,  so  do  they  hinder  us 
 from  doing  good  works.  Moreover,  man's  reason  and  the  flesh, 
 which  in  the  saints  themselves  resisteth  the  spirit,  and  in  the 
 wicked  doth  mightily  reign,  is  naturally  delighted  with  phari- 
 saical  superstition;  that  is  to  say,  it  taketh  more  pleasui'e  in 
 measuring  God  by  her  own  imagination,  than  by  his  word;  and 
 doth  the  works  that  she  herself  hath  chosen,  with  far  greater 
 zeal  than  those  which  God  hath  commanded.  Wherefore  it  is 
 necessary  that  the  godly  preachers  should  as  diligently  teach 
 and  urge  the  doctrine  of  good  works  as  the  doctrine  of  faith, 
 for  Satan  is  a  deadly  enemy  to  both.  Notwithstanding,  faith 
 must  first  be  planted;  for  without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  un- 
 derstand what  a  good  work  is,  or  what  pleaseth  God. 
 
 Let  no  man  think,  therefore,  that  he  thoroughly  knoweth  this 
 commandment:  "  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself." 
 Indeed,  it  is  very  short  and  easy,  as  touching  the  words;  but 
 shew  me  the  teachers  and  hearers  that,  in  teaching,  learning, 
 and  living,  do  exercise  and  accomplish  it  rightly.  Therefore 
 these  words,  "  Serve  ye  one  another  through  love;"  and  these 
 also,  "  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself,"  are  full  or 
 spirit,  and  none  of  the  faithful  do  sufficiently  consider,  urg'e, 
 and  exercise  the  same.  And  (which  is  wonderful)  the  faithful 
 have  this  temptation,  that  if  they  omit  never  so  light  a  matter 
 which  they  ought  to  do,  by-and-by  their  conscience  is  wounded  • 
 but  they  are  not  so  troubled  if  they  neglect  the  duties  of  cha- 
 rity, (as  daily  they  do,)  or  bear  not  a  sincere  and  brotherly  love 
 and  afiection  towards  their  neighbour.  For  they  do  not  so  much 
 
408  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  V. 
 
 regard  the  commandment  ol'  charity,  as  their  own  superstitions, 
 from  the  which  they  be  not  altogether  free  during  this  Hfe. 
 
 Paul  therefore  reprehendeth  the  Galatians  in  these  words, 
 ♦'  For  the  whole  law  is  fulfilled  in  one  word."  As  if  he  said: 
 Ye  are  drowned  in  your  superstitions  and  ceremonies  concern- 
 ing places  and  times,  which  profit  neither  yourselves  nor  others; 
 and  in  the  meanwhile  ye  neglect  charity,  which  ye  ought  only 
 to  have  kept.  What  madness  is  this?  So  saith  Jerome:  We 
 wear  and  consume  our  bodies  with  watching,  fasting,  and  la- 
 bour; but  we  neglect  charitj^,  which  is  the  only  lady  and  mis- 
 tress of  works.  And  this  may  be  well  seen  in  the  monks,  who 
 straitly  observe  their  traditions  concerning  their  ceremonies, 
 fasting,  watching,  apparel,  and  such-like.  In  this  case,  if  they 
 omit  any  thing,  be  it  never  so  little,  they  sin  deadly:  but  when 
 they  do  not  only  neglect  charity,  but  also  hate  one  another  to 
 the  death,  they  sm  not,  nor  offend  God  at  all. 
 
 Therefore,  by  this  commandment  Paul  not  only  teacheth 
 good  works,  but  also  condemneth  fantastical  and  superstitious 
 woi'ks.  He  not  only  buildeth  gold,  silver,  and  precious  stones 
 upon  the  foundation,  but  also  throweth  down  the  wood,  and 
 burneth  up  the  hay  and  stubble.  God  witnesseth,  by  examples 
 in  the  Old  Testament,  hoAv  much  he  did  always  esteem  of  cha- 
 rity: whereunto  he  would  have  the  very  law  itself,  and  the 
 ceremonies  thereof,  to  give  place.  At  such  time  as  David  and 
 they  that  were  with  liim  were  hungry,  and  had  not  what  to  eat, 
 they  did  eat  the  holy  shew-bread,  which  by  the  law  the  lay- 
 people  might  not  eat,  but  only  the  priests,  (1  Sam.  xxi.  6.) 
 Christ's  disciples  brake  the  Sabbath,  in  plucking  the  ears  of 
 corn;  yea,  and  Christ  himself  brake  the  Sabbath,  (as  said  the 
 Jews,)  in  healing  the  sick  on  the  Sabbath-day,  (Matt.  xii.  1, 10.) 
 All  these  things  shew  that  charity  or  love  ought  to  be  preferred 
 before  all  laws  and  ceremonies,  and  that  God  requireth  nothing 
 so  much  at  our  hands  as  love  towards  our  neighbour.  The 
 same  thing  Christ  also  witnesseth,  when  he  saith,  "  And  the 
 second  is  like  unto  this,"  (Matt.  xxii.  39.) 
 
 Verse  14.  J'or  all  the  law  is  fulfilled  in  one  word. 
 As  if  he  said.  Why  do  ye  bm'then  yourselves  with  the  law.^ 
 Why  do  ye  so  toil  and  turmoil  yourselves  about  the  ceremonies 
 of  the  law,  about  meats,  days,  places,  and  such  other  things;  as 
 how  ye  ought  to  eat,  drink,  keep  your  feasts,  sacrifices,  &c.? 
 Leave  off  these  follies,  and  hearken  Avhat  I  say:  All  the  law  is 
 fully  comprehended  in  this  one  saying,  "  Thou  shalt  love  thy 
 neighbour  as  thyself."  God  delighteth  not  in  the  observation  of 
 the  ceremonies  of  the  law,  neither  hath  he  any  need  of  them. 
 The  only  thing  that  he  requireth  at  your  hands  is  this,  that  ye 
 believe  in  Christ  whom  he  hath  sent;  in  whom  ye  are  made 
 perfect,  and  have  all  things.  But  if  unto  faith,  which  is  the 
 most  acceptable  service  of  God,  ye  will  also  add  laws,  then 
 
VETl.  14.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  409 
 
 assure  yourselves  that  all  laws  are  comprehended  in  this  short 
 commandment,  "  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself." 
 Endeavour  yourselves  to  keep  this  commandment,  which  being 
 kept,  ye  have  fulfilled  all  laws. 
 
 Paul  is  a  very  good  expounder  of  God's  commandments;  for 
 he  draweth  all  Moses  into  a  brief  sum,  shewing  that  nothing  else 
 is  contained  in  all  his  laws  (which  are  in  a  manner  infinite)  but 
 this  short  sentence :  "  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thy- 
 self." Natural  reason  is  offended  with  this  baseness  and  short- 
 ness of  words;  for  it  is  soon  said,  "believe  in  Chi-ist;"  and 
 again,  "  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself."  Therefore  it  despiseth 
 both  the  doctrine  of  faith  and  true  good  works.  Notwithstand- 
 ing, this  base  and  vile  word  of  faith,  (as  reason  taketh  it,)  "be- 
 lieve in  Christ,"  is  the  power  of  God  to  the  faithful,  whereby 
 they  overcome  sin,  death,  the  devil,  &c.  whereby  also  they  attain 
 salvation  and  eternal  life.  Thus,  to  serve  one  another  through 
 love,  that  is,  to  instruct  him  that  goeth  astray,  to  comfort  him 
 that  is  afflicted,  to  raise  up  him  that  is  weak,  to  help  thy  neigh- 
 bour by  all  means  possible,  to  bear  with  his  infirmities,  to  en- 
 dure troubles,  labours,  ingratitude  and  contempt  in  the  church, 
 and  in  civil  life  and  conversation  to  obey  the  magistrate,  to  give 
 due  honour  to  thy  parents,  to  be  patient  at  home  with  a  froward 
 wife  and  an  unruly  family,  &c. ;  these  (1  say)  are  works  which 
 reason  judgeth  to  be  of  no  value.  But,  indeed,  they  are  such 
 works,  that  the  whole  world  is  not  able  to  comprehend  the  ex- 
 cellency and  worthiness  thereof,  (for  it  doth  not  measure  works 
 or  any  other  thing  by  the  word  of  God,  but  by  the  judgment 
 of  Avicked,  blind,  and  foolish  reason:)  yea,  it  knoweth  not  the 
 value  of  any  one  of  the  least  good  works  that  can  be,  which  are 
 true  good  works  indeed. 
 
 Therefore,  when  men  dream  that  they  know  well  enough  the 
 commandment  of  charity,  they  are  utterly  deceived.  Indeed, 
 they  have  it  written  in  their  heart;  for  they  naturally  judge  that 
 a  man  ought  to  do  unto  another,  as  he  would  another  should  do 
 unto  him.  But  it  followeth  not,  therefore,  that  they  understand 
 it;  for  if  they  did,  they  would  also  perform  it  indeed,  and  would 
 prefer  love  and  charity  before  all  their  works.  They  would  not 
 so  highly  esteem  their  own  superstitious  toys,  as  to  go  with  a 
 heavy  countenance,  hanging  down  the  head,  to  live  unmarried, 
 to  live  with  bread  and  water,  to  dwell  in  the  wilderness,  to  be 
 poorly  appareled,  &c.  These  monstrous  and  superstitious  works, 
 which  they  have  devised  and  chosen  unto  themselves,  God  nei- 
 ther commanding  nor  approving  the  same,  they  esteem  to  be  so 
 holy  and  so  excellent,  that  they  surmount  and  darken  charity, 
 which  is,  as  it  were,  the  sun  of  all  good  works.  So  great  and 
 incomprehensible  is  the  blindness  of  man's  reason,  that  it  is  un. 
 able,  not  only  to  judge  rightly  of  the  doctrine  of  faith,  but  alsa 
 of  external  conversation  and  works.  Wherefore,  we  must  fight 
 strongly,  as  well  against  the  opinions  of  our  own  heart,  (to  the 
 
410  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  V. 
 
 which  we  are  naturally  more  inclined  m  the  matter  of  salvation 
 than  to  the  word  of  God),  as  also  against  the  counterfeit  visor 
 and  holy  shew  of  our  own  will-works;  that  so  we  may  learn  to 
 mag-nify  the  works  which  every  man  doth  in  his  vocation,  al- 
 though they  seem  outAvardly  never  so  base  and  contemptible, 
 if  they  have  the  warrant  of  God's  word;  and  contrariwise,  to 
 despise  those  works  which  reason  chooseth  without  the  com- 
 mandment of  God,  seem  they  never  so  excellent  and  holy. 
 
 Of  this  commandment  I  have  largely  entreated  in  another 
 place,  and  therefore  I  will  now  but  lightly  over-run  it.  Indeed, 
 this  is  briefly  spoken,  "  Love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself;"  but  yet 
 very  aptly,  and  to  the  purpose.  No  man  can  give  a  more  cer- 
 tain, a  better,  or  a  nearer  example  than  a  man's  own  self.  There- 
 fore, if  thou  wouldst  know  how  thy  neighbour  ought  to  be  loved, 
 and  wouldst  have  a  plain  example  thereof,  consider  well  how 
 thou  lovest  thyself.  If  thou  shouldst  be  in  necessity  or  danger, 
 thou  wouldst  be  glad  to  have  the  love  and  friendship  of  all  men, 
 to  be  holpen  with  the  counsel,  the  goods,  and  the  strength  of 
 all  men,  and  of  all  creatures.  Wherefore  thou  hast  no  need  of 
 any  book  to  instruct  and  to  admonish  thee  how  thou  oughtest 
 to  love  thy  neighbom';  for  thou  hast  an  excellent  book  of  all 
 laws,  even  in  thy  heart.  Tliou  needest  no  schoolmaster  in  this 
 matter;  ask  counsel  only  of  thine  own  heart,  and  that  shall  teach 
 thee  sufficiently  that  thou  oughtest  to  love  thy  neighboiu"  as 
 thyself.  Moreover,  love  or  charity  is  an  excellent  virtue,  which 
 not  only  maketh  a  man  willing  and  ready  to  serve  his  neighbour 
 with  tongue,  with  hand,  with  money  and  worldly  goods,  but 
 with  his  body,  and  even  with  liis  life  also.  And  thus  to  do,  it  is 
 not  provoked  by  good  deserts  or  any  thing  else,  neither  is  it 
 hindered  th)-ough  evil  deserts  or  ingratitude.  The  mother  doth, 
 therefore,  nourish  ;ind  cherish  her  child,  because  she  loveth  it. 
 
 NoWj  niy  neiglilxnir  is  e\'ery  man,  specially  wliicli  hath  need 
 of  my  help,  as  Christ  expoundeth  it  in  the  tenth  chapter  of  Luke; 
 who,  although  he  hath  done  me  some  wrong,^  or  hurt  me  by 
 any  manner  of  way,  yet  notwithstanding  he  hath  not  put  off"  the 
 nature  of  man,  or  ceased  to  be  flesh  and  blood,  and  the  creature 
 of  God  most  like  unto  myself;  briefly,  he  ceaseth  not  to  be  my 
 neighbour.  As  long,  then,  as  the  nature  ot  man  remaineth  in 
 him,  so  long  also  remaineth  the  commandment  of  love,  which 
 requireth  at  my  hand  that  I  should  not  despise  mine  own  flesh, 
 nor  render  evil  for  evil;  but  overcome  evil  with  good,  or  else 
 shall  love  never  be  as  Paul  describeth  it,  (1  Cor.  xiii.) 
 
 Paul  therefore  commendeth  charity  to  the  Galatians,  and  to 
 all  the  faithful  (for  they  only  love  indeed)  and  exhorteth  them 
 that,  through  charity,  one  of  them  should  serve  another.  As  if 
 lie  Avould  say.  Ye  need  not  to  burden  yourselves  with  circum- 
 cision, and  with  the  ceremonies  of  Moses'  law:  but,  after  all 
 things,  conthme  in  the  doctrine  of  faith  which  ye  have  received 
 of  me.  Afterwards,  if  ye  will  do  good  works,  I  wiU  in  one  word 
 
VER.  14,16.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  411 
 
 sheAV  you  the  chiefest  and  greatest  works,  and  how  ye  shah 
 fulfil  all  laws:  "  Serve  ye  one  another,  through  love."  Ye  shall 
 not  lack  them  to  whom  ye  may  do  good,  for  the  world  is  full  of 
 such  as  need  the  help  of  others.  This  is  a  perfect  and  a  sound 
 doctrine  of  faith  and  love;  and  also  the  shortest  and  the  longest 
 divinity.  The  shortest,  as  touching  the  words  and  sentences; 
 but,  as  touching  the  use  and  practice,  it  is  more  large,  more 
 long,  more  profound,  and  more  high  than  the  whole  world. 
 
 Verse  15.   If  ye  bite  and  devour  one  another,  take  heed  lest  ye  be  consumed 
 one  of  another. 
 
 By  these  words  Paul  witnesseth,  that  if  the  foundation,  that 
 is  to  say,  if  faith  in  Christ  be  overthrown  by  wicked  teachers, 
 no  peace  or  concord  can  remain  in  the  church,  either  in  doc- 
 trine or  life;  but  there  must  needs  be  divers  opinions  and  dis- 
 sensions from  time  to  time,  both  in  doctrine  and  life,  whereby 
 it  Cometh  to  pass  that  one  biteth  and  devoureth  another;  that  is 
 to  say,  one  judgeth  and  condemneth  another,  until  at  length 
 they  be  consumed.  Hereof  not  only  the  scripture,  but  also  the 
 examples  of  all  times  bear  witness.  After  that  Africa  was  per- 
 verted by  the  Manichees,  by-and-by  followed  the  Donatists, 
 who  also  disagreeing  among  themselves,  were  divided  into  three 
 sundry  sects.  And  how  many  sects  have  we  at  this  day  spring- 
 ing up  one  after  another?  One  sect  bringeth  forth  another,  and 
 one  condemneth  another.  Thus,  when  the  unity  of  the  spirit 
 is  broken,  it  is  impossible  that  there  should  be  any  concord 
 either  in  doctrine  or  life,  but  daily  new  errors  must  needs 
 spring  up,  without  measure  and  without  end. 
 
 Paid,  therefore,  teacheth  that  such  occasions  of  discord  are  to 
 be  avoided,  and  he  sheweth  how  they  may  be  avoided.  This, 
 (saith  he)  is  the  way  to  unity  and  concord:  Let  every  man  do 
 his  duty  in  that  kind  of  life  which  God  hath  called  him  unto ; 
 let  him  not  lift  up  himself  above  others,  nor  find  fault  with  any 
 other  men's  works,  and  commend  his  own,  but  let  every  one 
 serve  another  through  love.  This  is  a  true  and  simple  doctrine, 
 touching  good  works.  This  do  they  not  teach  which  have  made 
 shipwreck  of  faith,  and  have  conceived  fantastical  opinions  con- 
 cerning faith  and  good  works:  but,  disagreeing  among-  them- 
 selves, as  touching  the  doctrine  of  faith  and  works,  they  bite  and 
 devour,  that  is  to  say,  they  accuse  and  condemn  one  another,  as 
 Paul  here  saith  of  the  Galatians:  "  If  ye  bite  and  devour  one 
 another,  take  heed  lest  ye  be  consumed  one  of  another."  As  if 
 he  would  say.  Do  not  accuse  and  condemn  one  another  for  cir- 
 cumcision, for  observing  of  holy  days,  or  other  ceremonies,  but 
 rather  give  yourselves  to  serve  and  help  one  another  through 
 charity;  or  else,  if  ye  continue  in  biting  and  devouring  one  ano- 
 ther, take  heed  that  ye  be  not  consumed,  that  is  to  say,  that  ye 
 perish  not  utterly,  yea,  and  that  bodily,  which  commonly  hap- 
 peneth,  especially  to  the  authors  of  sects,  as  it  did  to  Arias  and 
 
412  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  ^CHAP.  V, 
 
 others,  and  to  certiihi  also  in  our  time.  For  he  that  hath  laid 
 his  foundation  on  the  sand,  and  build  eth  hay,  stubble,  and  such" 
 like,  must  needs  fall  and  be  consumed;  for  all  those  things  ard 
 ordained  for  the  fire.  I  will  not  say,  that,  after  such  bitings 
 and  devourings,  the  ruin  and  destruction,  not  of  one  city,  but  of 
 whole  countries  and  kingdoms  are  wont  to  follow.  Now  the 
 apostle  sheweth  what  it  is  to  serve  one  another  through  love. 
 
 It  is  a  hard  and  a  dangerous  matter  to  teach  that  we  are  made 
 righteous  by  faith  without  works,  and  yet  to  require  works 
 withal.  Here,  except  the  ministers  of  Christ  be  faithful,  and  wise 
 disposers  of  the  mysteries  of  God,  rightly  dividing  the  word  of 
 truth,  faith  and  works  are  by-and-by  confounded.  Both  these 
 doctrines,  as  well  of  faith  as  of  works,  must  be  diligently  taught 
 and  urged;  and  yet  so  that  both  may  remain  within  their  bounds. 
 Otherwise,  if  they  teach  works  only,  (as  they  do  in  the  Pope's 
 kingdom,)  then  is  faith  lost.  If  faith  only  be  taught,  then  car- 
 nal men  by-and-by  dream  that  works  be  not  needful. 
 
 The  apostle  began,  a  little  before,  to  exhort  men  to  do  good 
 works,  and  to  teach  that  the  whole  law  was  fulfilled  in  one 
 word,  namely,  "  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself." 
 Here  will  some  man  say:  Paul  thi-oughout  his  whole  epistle 
 taketh  away  righteousness  from  the  law ;  for  saith  he,  "  By  the 
 works  of  the  law  shall  no  flesh  be  justified,"  (Gal.  ii.  16.)  Also, 
 "  As  many  as  are  under  the  works  of  the  law,  are  under  the 
 curse,"  (Gal.  iii.  10.)  But  now,  when  he  saith  that  the  whole 
 law  is  fulfilled  in  one  word,  he  seemeth  to  have  forgotten  tlie 
 matter  whereof  he  hath  entreated  in  all  this  epistle,  and  to  be 
 of  a  quite  contrary  opinion:  to  wit,  that  they  which  do  the 
 works  of  charity,  fidfil  the  law  and  be  righteous.  To  this  ob- 
 jection he  answereth  after  this  manner. 
 
 Verse  16.     But  I  say,  walk  in  the  spirit,  and  ye  shall  not  fulfil  the  works  of 
 
 the  flesh. 
 
 As  if  he  should  have  said:  I  have  not  forgotten  my  former 
 discourse  concerning  faith,  neither  do  I  now  revoke  the  same, 
 in  that  I  exhort  you  to  mutual  love,  saying,  "  that  the  whole 
 law  is  fulfilled  through  love;"  but  I  am  still  of  the  same  mind 
 and  opinion  that  I  was  before.  To  the  end,  therefore,  that  ye 
 may  rightly  understand  me,  I  add  this  moreover,  "  Walk  in 
 the  spirit,  and  ye  shall  not  fulfil  the  lusts  of  the  flesh." 
 
 A  ccnifutabion  of  the  argument  of  the  schoolmen:  Love  is  the  ful- 
 filling of  the  law;  therefore  the  law  justifieth. 
 
 Although  Paul  speaketh  here  expressly  and  plainly  enough, 
 yet  hath  he  little  prevailed;  for  the  schoolmen,  not  understand- 
 ing this  place  of  Paul,  "  Love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law,"  have 
 gathered  out  of  it  after  this  manner :  If  love  be  the  fulfilling  of 
 the  law,  it  folio weth  then  that  love  is  righteousness;  therefore, 
 if  we  love,  we  be  righteous.     These  profound  clerks  do  argu^ 
 
VER.  16.  j  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  '  415* 
 
 from  the  word  to  the  work,  from  doctrine  or  precepts,  to  life, 
 after  this  sort :  The  law  hath  commanded  love,  therefore  the 
 work  of  love  foUoweth  out  of  hand.  But  this  is  a  foolish  con- 
 sequence, to  draw  an  argument  from  precepts,  and  to  ground 
 the  conclusion  upon  works. 
 
 True  it  is  that  we  ought  to  fulfil  the  law,  and  to  he  justified 
 through  the  fulfilling  thereof;  hut  sin  hindereth  us.  Indeed,  the 
 law  prescribeth  and  commandeth  that  we  should  love  God  with 
 all  our  heart,  &c.  and  that  we  should  love  our  neighbour  as 
 ourselves :  but  it  foUoweth  not,  this  is  written,  therefore  it  is 
 done :  the  law  commandeth  love,  therefore  we  love.  There  is 
 not  one  man  to  be  found  upon  the  whole  earth,  which  so  loveth 
 God  and  his  neighbour  as  the  law  requireth.  But,  in  the  life  to 
 come,  where  we  shall  be  thoroughly  cleansed  from  all  vices  and 
 sins,  and  shall  be  made  as  pure  and  as  clear  as  the  sun,  we  shall 
 love  perfectly,  and  shall  be  righteous  through  perfect  love.  But 
 in  this  life  that  purity  is  hindered  by  the  flesh ;  for  as  long  as 
 we  live,  sin  remaineth  in  the  flesh;  by  reason  whereof,  the  cor- 
 rupt love  of  ourselves  is  so  mighty,  that  it  far  surmounteth  the 
 love  of  God  and  of  our  neighbom'.  In  the  mean  time,  notwith- 
 standing that  we  may  be  righteous  in  this  life  also,  we  have 
 Christ  the  mercy-seat  and  throne  of  grace,  and  because  Ave  be- 
 lieve in  him  sin  is  not  imputed  unto  us.  Faith,  therefore,  is 
 our  righteousness  in  this  lire ;  but  in  the  life  to  come,  when  we 
 shall  be  thoroughly  cleansed  and  delivered  from  all  sins  and 
 concupiscence,  we  shall  have  no  more  need  of  faith  and  hope, 
 but  we  shaU  then  love  perfectly. 
 
 It  is  a  great  error,  therefore,  to  attribute  justification  or 
 righteousness  to  love,  which  is  nothing ;  or  if  it  be  any  thing*, 
 yet  it  is  not  so  great  that  it  can  pacify  God ;  for  love,  even  in 
 the  faithful,  (as  I  have  said,)  is  imperfect  and  impure.  But  no 
 unclean  thing  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  (Apoc.  xxi. 
 27.)  Notwithstanding,  in  the  meanwhile,  this  trust  and  confi- 
 dence sustaineth  us :  that  Christ,  who  alone  committed  no  sin, 
 and  in  whose  mouth  was  never  found  any  guile,  doth  overshadow 
 us  with  his  righteousness,  (Isa.  liii.  9 ;  1  Pet.  ii.  22.)  We  being 
 covered  with  this  cloud,  and  shrouded  under  this  shadow,  this 
 heaven  of  remission  of  sins  and  throne  of  grace,  do  begin  to  love 
 and  to  fulfil  the  law ;  yet  for  this  fulfilling  we  are  not  justified, 
 nor  accepted  of  God,  whilst  we  live  here.  But,  when  Christ 
 hath  delivered  up  the  kingdom  to  God  his  Father,  and  abolished 
 all  principality,  and  God  shall  be  all  in  all,  then  shall  faith  and 
 hope  cease,  and  love  shall  be  perfect  and  everlasting,  ( 1  Cor.  xii.) 
 This  thing  the  popish  schoolmen  understand  not;  and  therefore, 
 when  they  hear  that  love  is  the  sum  of  the  whole  law,  by-and- 
 by  they  infer :  ergo,  the  law  justifieth.  Or  contrariwise,  when 
 they  read  in  Paul  that  faith  maketh  a  man  righteous ;  yea,  say 
 they,  faith  formed  and  furnished  with  charity.  But  that  is  not 
 the  meaning  of  Paul,  as  I  have  largely  declared  before. 
 
414  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  V. 
 
 If  we  were  pure  from  all  sin,  and  were  inflamed  with  perfect 
 love  both  towards  God  and  our  neig-hbour,  then  should  we  in- 
 deed be  righteous  and  holy  through  love,  and  God  could  require 
 no  more  of  us.  This  is  not  done  in  this  present  life,  but  is  de- 
 ferred until  the  life  to  come.  Indeed  we  receive  here  the  gift 
 and  fii'st  fi'uits  of  the  spirit,  so  that  we  begin  to  love,  (Rom.  viii. 
 23.)  howbeit  very  slenderly.  But,  if  we  loved  God  truly  and 
 perfectly,  as  the  law  of  God  requireth,  which  saith,  (Deut.  vi. 
 5.)  "Thoushalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart, 
 with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  strength;"  (Matt.  xxii.  37.) 
 then  should  we  be  as  well  contented  with  poverty  as  with  wealth, 
 with  pain  as  with  pleasure,  and  with  death  as  with  life,  yea,  he 
 that  coidd  love  God  truly  and  perfectly  indeed,  should  not  long 
 continue  in  this  life,  but  should  straightway  be  swallowed  up 
 by  this  charity. 
 
 But  now  man's  nature  is  so  corrupt  and  drowned  in  sin,  that 
 it  cannot  have  any  right  sense  or  cogitation  of  God.  It  loveth 
 not  God,  but  hateth  him  deadly.  Wherefore,  as  Jolm  saith, 
 (1  John  iv.  10.)  "We  loved  not  God,  but  he  loved  us,  and 
 sent  his  Son  to  be  a  reconciliation  for  oiu'  sins."  And  as  Paul 
 saith  before,  in  the  second  chapter,  "  Christ  hath  loved  me,  and 
 given  hunself  for  me."  And  in  the  fourth  chapter,  "  But  when 
 the  fulness  of  time  was  come,  God  sent  forth  his  Son  made  of  a 
 woman,  and  made  under  the  law,  that  he  might  redeem  them 
 which  were  under  the  law."  We,  being  redeemed  and  justified 
 by  the  Son,  begin  to  love  ;  according  to  that  saying  of  Paul  in 
 the  eighth  to  the  Romans,  "  That  which  was  impossible  to  the 
 law,  (inasmuch  as  it  was  weak  because  of  the  flesh,)  God  send- 
 ing his  own  Son  in  the  similitude  of  siriful  flesh,  and  for  sin,  con- 
 demned sin  in  the  flesh,  that  the  righteousness  of  the  law  might 
 be  fulfilled  in  us ;"  that  is,  might  begin  to  be  fulfilled.  They 
 are  mere  dreams,  therefore,  which  the  sophisters  and  schoolmen 
 have  taught,  concerning  the  fulfilling  of  the  law. 
 
 Wherefore  Paul  sheweth  by  these  words :  "  Walk  in  the 
 spirit,  "  how  he  would  have  that  sentence  to  be  understood, 
 where  he  said,  "  Serve  ye  one  another  through  love."  And 
 again,  "Love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law,"  &c.  As  if  he  should 
 say.  When  I  bid  you  love  one  another,  this  is  it  that  I  require 
 of  you,  that  you  walk  in  the  spirit.  For  I  know  that  ye  shall 
 not  fulfil  the  law,  because  sin  dweUeth  in  you  as  long  as  ye  live, 
 therefore  it  is  impossible  that  ye  should  fulfil  the  law.  Not- 
 withstanding, in  die  meanwhile,  endeavour  yourselves  diligently 
 to  walk  in  the  spirit,  that  is,  wrestle  in  spirit  against  the  flesh, 
 and  follow  spiritual  motions,  &c. 
 
 It  appeareth,  then,  that  he  had  not  forgotten  the  matter  of 
 justification ;  for  when  he  biddeth  them  to  walk  in  the  spirit, 
 he  plainly  denieth  that  works  do  justify.  As  if  he  should  say. 
 When  I  speak  of  the  fulfilling  of  the  law,  I  mean  not  that  ye 
 are  justified  by  the  law;  but  this  I  mean,  that  there  be  two  con- 
 
VER.  15,  16.J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANSc  415 
 
 trary  captains  in  you,  the  spirit  and  the  flesh.  God  hath  stirred 
 up  in  yoiu*  bodies  a  strife  and  a  battle;  for  the  spirit  wrestletb 
 against  the  flesh,  and  the  flesh  against  the  spirit,  (Gal.  v.  17.) 
 Here  I  require  nothing  else  of  you,  but  that  ye  follow  the  spirit 
 as  your  captain  and  guide,  and  that  ye  resist  that  captain  the 
 flesh;  for  that  is  all  that  ye  be  able  to  do.  Obey  the  spirit,  and 
 fight  .Tgainst  the  flesh.  Therefore,  when  I  teach  you  to  observe 
 the  law,  and  exhort  you  to  love  one  another,  tliink  not  that  I  go 
 about  to  revoke  that  which  I  have  taught  concerning  the  doc- 
 trine of  faith,  and  that  I  now  attribute  justification  to  the  law 
 or  to  charity;  but  my  meaning  is,  that  ye  should  walk  in  the 
 spirit,  and  that  ye  should  not  fulfil  the  lusts  of  the  flesh. 
 
 Paul  useth  very  tit  words  and  to  the  purpose.  As  if  he  would 
 say.  We  come  not  yet  to  the  fidtilling  of  the  law;  therefore  we 
 must  walk  in  the  spirit,  and  be  exercised  therein,  that  we  may 
 tliink,  say,  and  do  those  things  which  are  of  the  spirit,  and  resist 
 those  tilings  which  are  of  the  flesh :  therefore  he  addeth, 
 
 Verse  16.    And  ye  shall  not  fulfil  the  lusts  of  the  flesh. 
 
 As  if  he  would  say,  The  desires  or  lusts  of  the  flesh  be  not 
 yet  dead  in  us,  but  spring  up  again  and  fight  against  the  spirit. 
 The  flesh  of  no  faithful  man  is  so  good,  which  being  ofi'ended 
 would  not  bite  and  devour,  or  at  the  least  omit  somewhat  of  that 
 commandment  of  love.  Yet  even  at  the  first  brunt  he  cannot 
 refrain  himself,  but  is  angry  with  his  neighbour,  desireth  to  be 
 revenged,  and  hateth  him  as  an  enemy,  or  at  the  least  loveth 
 him  not  so  much  as  he  should  do,  and  as  this  commandment 
 requireth;  and  this  happeneth  even  to  the  faithful. 
 
 Therefore  the  apostle  hath  given  this  rale  for  the  faithfid: 
 that  they  should  serve  one  another  tlu-ough  love;  that  they 
 should  bear  the  burthens  and  infinnities  one  of  another;  and  that 
 they  should  forgive  one  another.  And  without  this  bearing  and 
 forbearing,  through  love,  it  is  impossible  that  love  and  concord 
 should  continue  among  Christians.  For  it  cannot  be,  but  that 
 thou  must  needs  often  offend,  and  be  offended.  Thou  seest 
 many  things  in  me  which  offend  thee,  and  I  again  see  many 
 things  in  thee  which  mislike  me.  Here,  if  one  bear  not  with 
 another,  through  love,  there  shall  be  no  end  of  dissension, 
 discord,  envy,  hatred,  and  malice. 
 
 Wherefore  Paul  would  have  us  to  walk  in  the  spirit,  lest  we 
 fulfil  the  lusts  of  the  flesh.  As  if  he  should  say.  Although  ye  be 
 moved  with  wrath  and  displeasure  against  your  brother,  offend- 
 ing you,  or  doing  any  thing  heinously  against  you,  yet  notwith- 
 standing resist  and  repress  these  violent  motions  through  the 
 spirit.  Bear  with  his  weakness,  and  love  him  according  to  that 
 commandment,  "Tliou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself." 
 For  thy  brother  doth  not  therefore  cease  to  be  thy  neighbour, 
 because  he  slippeth,  or  offendeth  thee;  but  then  hath  he  most 
 ueed  that  thou  shouldst  exercise  and  shew  thy  charity  towards 
 
416  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  V. 
 
 .    him.  And  this  commandment,  "  Thon  shalt  love  thy  neighbour 
 \  as  thyself,"  requireth  the  self-same  thing;  to  wit,  that  thou 
 shouldst  not  obey  the  flesh,  which,  when  it  is  offended,  hateth, 
 I  biteth,  and  devonreth;  but  wrestle  against  it  in  spirit,  and  con- 
 tinue through  the  same  in  the  love  of  thy  neighbour,  although 
 thou  find  nothing  in  him  worthy  of  love. 
 
 The  schoolmen  take  the  concupiscence  of  the  flesh  for  carnal 
 Just.  Indeed  it  is  true  that  even  the  godly,  especially  the 
 younger  sort,  are  tempted  with  fleshly  lust.  Yea,  they  also  that 
 be  married  (so  corrupt  and  pestilent  is  flesh)  ate  not  without 
 such  carnal  lust.  Here  let  every  one  (I  speak  now  to  the  godly 
 being  married,  both  man  and  wife)  diligently  examine  himself, 
 and  no  doubt  many  shall  find  this  in  themselves,  that  the  beauty 
 and  conditions  of  another  man's  wife  pleaseth  him  better  than 
 of  his  own,  and  so  contrariwise,  his  own  lawful  wife  he  loatheth 
 or  misliketh,  and  loveth  her  which  is  unlaAvful.  And  this  com- 
 monly is  wont  to  happen,  not  in  marriage  only,  but  in  all  other 
 matters.  Men  set  light  by  that  which  they  have,  and  are  in 
 love  with  that  which  they  have  not,  as  the  poet  saith:  ^'Nitiinur 
 in  vetitum  semper,  cupimusque  negata."     That  is, 
 
 Of  things  most  forbidden  we  always  are  fain  : 
 And  things  most  denied  we  seek  to  obtain. 
 
 I  do  not  deny,  therefore,  but  that  the  concupiscence  of  the 
 flesh  comprehend  eth  carnal  lust,  but  not  that  only.  For  concu- 
 piscence comprehendeth  all  other  corrupt  affections,  wherewith 
 the  very  faithful  are  infected,  some  more,  some  less:  as  pride, 
 hatred,  covetousness,  impatiency,  and  such-like.  Yea,  Paul 
 rehearseth  afterwards  among  the  works  of  the  flesh,  not  only 
 these  gross  vices,  but  also  idolatry,  heresies,  and  such  other.  It 
 is  plain,  therefore,  that  he  speaketh  of  the  whole  concupiscence 
 of  the  flesh,  and  of  the  whole  dominion  of  sin,  which  stirreth, 
 even  in  the  godly  who  have  received  the  first  fruits  of  the  spi- 
 rit, against  the  dominion  of  the  spirit.  He  speaketh  therefore 
 not  only  of  carnal  lust,  pride,  covetousness,  &:c.  but  also  of  in- 
 credulity, distrust,  despair,  hatred  and  contempt  of  God,  idolatry, 
 heresies,  and  such  other,  when  he  saith,  "And  ye  shall  not  fulfil 
 the  lusts  of  the  flesh."  As  if  he  should  say,  I  write  unto  you 
 that  you  should  love  one  another.    This  ye  do  not,  neither  can 
 
 I  ye  do  it,  because  of  the  flesh,  which  is  infected  and  corrupted 
 with  concupiscence,  and  doth  not  only  stir  up  sin  in  you,  but 
 also  is  sin  itself.  For  if  ye  had  perfect  charity,  no  heaviness,  no 
 adversity  could  be  so  great,  which  should  be  able  to  hurt  or 
 hinder  that  charity;  for  it  would  be  spread  throughout  the 
 whole  body.  There  should  be  no  wife,  were  she  never  so  hard 
 favoured,  whom  her  husband  would  not  love  entirely,  loathing 
 all  other  women,  though  they  were  never  so  fair  and  beautiful. 
 
 r^Eut  this  is  not  done,  therefore  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  be  made 
 righteous  through  love. 
 
VFR.   16.1  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  417 
 
 "Wherefore  thiiik  me  not  to  revoke  and  unsay  that  which  1 
 have  taug^ht  concerning  faith;  for  faith  and  hope  must  continue, 
 that  by  tlie  one  we  may  be  justified,  and  by  the  other  we  may 
 be  raised  up  in  adversities,  and  endure  unto  the  end.  More- 
 over, we  serve  one  another  through  charity,  because  faith  is  not 
 idle:  but  charity  is  weak  and  little.  Therefore,  when  I  bid  you 
 walk  in  the  spirit,  I  do  sufficiently  declare  that  ye  are  not  justi- 
 fied through  charity. 
 
 And  when  I  exhort  you  to  walk  in  the  spirit,  that  ye  fulfil 
 not  the  concupiscence  of  the  flesh,  I  do  not  require  of  you  that 
 ye  should  utterly  put  off  the  flesh,  or  kill  it,  but  that  ye  should 
 bridle  and  subdue  it.  For  God  will  have  mankind  to  endure 
 even  to  the  last  day;  and  this  cannot  be  done  without  parents, 
 which  do  beget  and  bring  up  children.  These  means  conti- 
 nuing, it  must  needs  be  that  flesh  also  must  continue,  and  con- 
 sequently sin,  for  flesh  is  not  without  sin.  Therefore,  in  respect 
 of  the  flesh  we  are  sinners;  but  in  respect  of  the  spirit,  we  are 
 righteous.  Notwithstanding,  our  righteousness  is  much  more 
 plentiful  than  our  sin,  because  the  holiness  and  righteousness  of 
 Christ  our  mediator  doth  far  exceed  the  sin  of  the  whole  world; 
 and  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  which  we  have  through  him,  is  so 
 great,  so  large,  and  so  infinite,  that  it  easily  swalloweth  up  all 
 sins,  so  that  we  walk  according  to  the  spirit,  &c. 
 
 The  Papists  dreamed  that  this  commandment  belongeth  only 
 to  their  clergymen,  and  that  the  apostle  exhorteth  them  to  live 
 chastely,  by  subduing  the  flesh  with  watching,  fa^sting,  labour, 
 &c.  and  then  they  should  not  fulfil  the  concupiscence  of  the  flesh, 
 that  is  to  say,  carnal  lust.  As  though  the  whole  concupiscence 
 of  the  flesh  were  overcome,  when  this  fleshly  lust  is  subdued; 
 which,  notwithstanding,  they  were  never  able  to  suppress  and 
 keep  under,  with  any  yoke  that  they  could  lay  upon  the  flesh. 
 Which  thing  Jerome,  (I  say  nothing  of  others,)  who  was  a 
 marvellous  lover  and  defender  of  chastity,  doth  plainly  confess. 
 *'0  (saith  he)  how  often  have  I  thought  myself  to  be  in  the  midst 
 of  the  vain  delights  and  pleasures  of  Rome,  even  when  I  was 
 in  the  wild  wilderness,  which,  being  burnt  up  with  the  heat  of 
 the  sun,  yieldeth  an  ouglesome  habitation  to  the  monks !"  &c. 
 Again,  "  I,  who  for  fear  of  hell  had  condemned  myself  to  such 
 a  prison,  thought  myself  oftentimes  to  be  dancing  among  young 
 women,  when  I  had  no  other  company  but  scorpions  and  wild 
 beasts.  My  face  was  pale  with  fasting,  but  my  mind  was  en- 
 flamed  with  desires  in  my  cold  body;  and  although  my  flesh 
 was  half  dead  already,  yet  the  flames  of  fleshly  lust  boiled 
 within  me,"  &c. 
 
 If  Jerome  felt  in  himself  such  flames  of  fleshly  lust,  who 
 lived  in  the  barren  wilderness  with  bread  and  water,  what  do 
 our  holy  belly-gods,  the  clergymen,  feel,  think  ye,  who  so  stuff 
 %nd  stretch  themselves  with  all  kinds  of  dainty  fare,  that  it  is' 
 marvel  their  bellies  burst  not  <*     Wherefore  these  thinsfs  are 
 
 B  e 
 
418  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CHAP.  ▼, 
 
 written,  not  to  hermits  and  monks,  (as  the  Papists  dream,)  nor 
 to  sinners  in  the  world  only,  but  to  the  universal  church  of 
 Christ,  and  to  all  the  faithful;  whom  Paul  exhorteth  to  walk  in 
 the  spirit,  that  they  fulfil  not  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  that  is  to  say, 
 not  only  to  bridle  the  gross  motions  of  the  flesh,  as  carnal  lust, 
 wrath,  impatiency,  and  such-like;  but  also  the  spiritual  motions, 
 as  doubting,  blasphemy,  idolatry,  contempt  and  hatred  of 
 God,  &c. 
 
 PaTil  (as  I  have  said)  doth  not  require  of  the  godly,  that  they 
 should  utterly  put  off"  or  destroy  the  flesh,  but  that  they  should 
 so  bridle  it,  that  it  might  be  subject  to  the  spirit.  In  the  tenth 
 to  the  Romans,  he  biddeth  us  cherish  the  flesh.  For,  as  we  may 
 not  be  cruel  to  other  men's  bodies,  nor  vex  them  with  unrea- 
 sonable labour,  even  so  we  may  not  be  cruel  to  our  own  bodies, 
 (Eph.  v.  29.)  Wherefore,  according  to  Paul's  precept,  we  must 
 cherish  our  flesh,  that  it  may  be  able  to  endure  the  labours 
 both  of  the  mind  and  of  the  body;  but  yet  only  for  necessity's 
 sake,  and  not  to  nourish  the  lusts  thereof.  Therefore,  if  the 
 flesh  begin  to  wax  wanton,  repress  it  and  bridle  it  by  the  spirit. 
 If  it  will  not  be,  marry  a  wife,  for  it  is  better  to  marry  than  to 
 burn.  Thus  doing,  thou  walkcst  in  the  spirit;  that  is,  thou  fol- 
 lowest  God's  word,  and  doest  his  will. 
 
 Yer.  17.  Fur  the  flesh  liisteth  against  the  spirit,  and  the  spirit  against  the  flesh. 
 When  Paul  saith  that  the  flesh  lusteth  against  the  spirit,  and 
 the  spirit  against  the  flesh,  he  admonisheth  us  that  we  must  feel 
 the  concupiscence  of  the  flesh,  that  is  to  say,  not  only  carnal  lust, 
 but  also  pride,  wrath,  heaviness,  impatience,  incredulity,  and 
 such-like.  Notwithstanding,  he  would  have  us  so  to  feel  them, 
 that  we  consent  not  unto  them,  nor  accomplish  them ;  that  is, 
 that  we  neither  think,  speak,  nor  do  those  things  which  the  flesh 
 provoketh  us  unto.  As,  if  it  move  us  to  anger,  yet  we  should  be 
 angry  in  such  wise  (as  we  are  taught  in  the  fourth  Psalm,)  that 
 we  sin  not.  As  if  Paul  would  thus  say:  I  know  that  the  flesh 
 will  provoke  you  unto  Avrath,  envy,  doubting,  incredulity,  and 
 such-like;  but  resist  it  by  the  spirit,  that  ye  sin  not.  But  if  ye 
 forsake  the  guiding  of  the  spirit,  and  follow  the  flesh,  ye  shall 
 fulfil  the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  and  ye  shall  die,  as  Paul  saith  in  the 
 eighth  to  the  Romans.  So  this  saying  of  the  apostle  is  to  be 
 understood,  not  of  fleshly  lusts  only,  but  of  the  whole  king- 
 dom of  sin. 
 
 Verse  17.     And  these  are  contrary  one  to  the  other,  so  that  ye  cannot  do  the 
 same  things  that  ye  would. 
 
 These  two  captains  or  leaders,  (saith  he,)  the  flesh  and  the 
 roirit,  are  one  against  another  in  your  body,  so  that  ye  cannot 
 do  what  ye  would.  And  this  place  witnesseth  plainly  that  Paul 
 writeth  these  things  to  the  faithful,  that  is,  to  the  church  believ- 
 ing in  Christ,  baptized,  justified,  renewed,  and  having  full  for- 
 
TER.  t?.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANfi.  419 
 
 giveness  of  sins.  Yet  notwithstanding  he  saith  that  she  hath 
 flesh  rebelling  against  the  spirit.  After  the  same  manner  he 
 speaketh  of  himself,  in  the  seventh  to  the  Romans,  "  I  (saith 
 he)  am  carnal,  and  sold  under  sin."  And  again,  "  I  see  another 
 law  in  my  members,  rebelling  against  the  law  of  my  mind,  and 
 leading  me  captive  unto  the  law  of  sin  which  is  in  my  mem- 
 bers." Also,  "  O  wretched  man  that  I  am,  who  shall  deliver 
 me  from  the  body  of  this  death?"  &c. 
 
 Here,  not  only  the  schoolmen,  but  also  some  of  the  old  fathers 
 are  much  troubled,  seeking  how  they  may  excuse  Paul.  For  it 
 seemeth  unto  them  absurd  and  unseemly  to  say,  that  that  elect 
 vessel  of  Christ  should  have  sin.  But  we  credit  Paul's  own 
 words,  wherein  he  plainly  confesseth  that  he  is  sold  under  sin, 
 that  he  is  led  captive  of  sin,  that  he  hath  a  law  in  his  members 
 rebelling  against  him,  and  that  in  the  flesh  he  serveth  the  law  o^ 
 sin.  Here  again  they  answer,  that  the  apostle  speaketh  in  the 
 person  of  the  wicked.  But  the  wicked  do  not  complain  of  the 
 rebellion  of  their  flesh,  of  any  battle  or  conflict,  or  of  the  capti- 
 vity and  bondage  of  sin;  for  sin  mightily  reigneth  in  them.  This 
 is  therefore  the  very  complaint  of  Paul,  and  of  all  the  faithful. 
 Wherefore  they  have  done  very  wickedly  which  have  excused 
 Paul  and  all  the  faithful  to  have  no  sin;  for  by  this  persuasion 
 (which  proceedeth  of  ignorance  of  the  doctrine  of  faith)  they 
 have  robbed  the  church  of  a  singular  consolation:  they  have  abo- 
 lished the  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  made  Christ  of  none  effect. 
 
 Wherefore,  when  Paul  saith,  "  I  see  another  law  in  my  mem- 
 bers," &c.  he  denieth  not  that  he  hath  flesh,  and  the  vices  of  the 
 flesh  in  him.  It  is  likely,  therefore,  that  he  felt  sometimes  the 
 motions  of  carnal  lust;  but  yet  (no  doubt)  these  motions  were 
 well  suppressed  in  him,  by  the  great  aad  grievous  afflictions  and 
 temptations,  both  of  mind  and  body,  wherewith  he  was  in  a 
 manner  continually  exercised  and  vexed,  as  his  epistles  do  de- 
 clare. Or  if  he  at  any  time,  being  merry  and  strong,  felt  the  lust 
 of  the  flesh,  wrath,  impatiency,  and  such-like,  yet  he  resisted 
 them  by  the  spirit,  and  suffered  not  those  motions  to  bear  rule 
 in  him.  Therefore,  let  us  in  no  wise  suffer  such  comfortable 
 places  (whereby  Paul  describeth  the  battle  of  the  flesh  against 
 the  spirit,  in  his  own  body)  to  be  corrupted  with  such  foolish 
 glosses.  The  schoolmen,  the  monks,  and  such  other,  never  felt 
 any  spiritual  temptations,  and  therefore  they  fought  only  for 
 the  repressing  and  overcoming  of  fleshly  lust  and  lechery;  and 
 being  proud  of  that  victory  which  they  never  yet  obtained,  they 
 thought  themselves  far  better  and  more  holy  than  married  men. 
 I  will  not  say,  that,  under  this  holy  pretence,  they  nourished 
 and  maintained  all  kinds  of  horrible  sins,  as  dissension,  pride, 
 hatred,  disdain,  and  despising  of  their  neighbours,  trust  in  their 
 own  righteousness,  presumption,  contempt  of  all  godliness  and 
 of  the  word  of  God,  infldelitv,  blasphemy,  and  such-like. 
 Against  these  sins  they  never  fought,  nay,  rather,  they  took 
 
420  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  LCHAP.  V. 
 
 them  to  be  no  sins  at  all:  they  put  righteousness  in  the  keeping 
 of  their  foolish  and  wicked  vows,  and  unrighteousness  in  the 
 neglecting-  and  contemning  of  the  same. 
 
 But  this  must  be  our  ground  and  anchor-hold,  that  Christ  is 
 our  only  and  perfect  righteousness.  If  we  have  nothing  where- 
 unto  we  may  trust,  yet  these  three  things,  (as  Paul  saith,)  faith, 
 hope,  and  love,  do  remain.  Therefore  we  mu?t  always  believe, 
 and  always  hope;  we  must  always  take  hold  of  Christ,  as  the 
 head  and  foundation  of  our  righteousness.  He  that  believeth 
 in  him  shall  not  be  ashamed,  (Rorn.  ix.  33.)  Moreover,  we 
 must  labour  to  be  outwardly  righteous  also :  that  is  to  say,  not 
 to  consent  to  the  flesh,  which  always  enticeth  us  to  some  evil, 
 but  to  resist  it  by  the  spirit.  We  must  not  be  overcome  with 
 impatiency  for  the  unthankfulness  and  contempt  of  the  people, 
 which  abuseth  the  Christian  liberty;  but  through  the  spirit,  we 
 must  overcome  this  and  all  other  temptations.  Look,  then,  how 
 much  we  strive  against  the  flesh  by  the  spirit,  so  much  are  we 
 outwardly  righteous;  albeit  this  righteousness  doth  not  com- 
 mend us  before  God. 
 
 ,'  Let  no  man,  therefore,  despair,  if  he  feel  tfie  flesh  oftentimes 
 '  to  stir  up  new  battle  against  the  spirit,  or  if  he  cannot  by-and- 
 by  subdue  the  flesh,  and  make  it  obedient  unto  the  spirit.  I 
 also  do  wish  myself  to  have  a  more  valiant  and  constant  heart, 
 which  might  be  able,  not  only  boldly  to  contemn  the  threaten- 
 ings  of  tyrants,  the  heresies,  offences  and  tumults  which  Satan 
 and  his  soldiers  the  enemies  of  the  gospel  stir  up;  but  also  might 
 by-and-by  shake  off"  the  vexations  and  anguish  of  spirit,  and 
 briefly,  might  not  fear  the  sharpness  of  death,  but  receive  and 
 embrace  it  as  a  most  friendly  guest.  But  I  find  another  law  in 
 my  members,  rebelling  against  the  law  of  my  mind,  &c.  Some 
 other  do  wrestle  with  inferior  temptations,  as  poverty,  reproach, 
 impatiency,  and  such-like. 
 
 Let  no  man  marvel,  therefore,  or  be  dismayed,  when  he  feeleth 
 in  his  body  this  battle  of  the  flesh  against  the  spirit;  but  let  him 
 pluck  up  his  heart,  and  comfort  himself  with  these  words  of 
 Paul:  "the  flesh  lusteth  against  the  spirit;"  also,  "  these  are 
 contrary  one  to  another,  so  that  ye  do  not  those  things  that  ye 
 would;"  for  by  these  sentences  he  comforteth  them  that  be 
 tempted.  As  if  he  should  say.  It  is  impossible  for  you  to  follow 
 the  guiding  of  the  spirit  in  all  things,  without  any  feeling  or 
 hindrance  of  the  flesh.  Nay,  the  flesii  will  resist;  and  so  resist 
 and  hinder  you,  that  ye  cannot  do  those  things  that  gladly  ye 
 would.  Here  it  shall  be  enough  if  ye  resist  the  flesh,  and  fulfil 
 not  the  lust  thereof;  that  is  to  say,  if  ye  follow  the  spirit  and 
 not  the  flesh,  which  easily  is  overthrown  by  impatiency,  coveteth 
 to  revenge,  biteth,  grudgeth,  hateth  God,  is  angry  with  him, 
 despaireth,  &c.  Therefore,  when  a  man  feeleth  this  battle  of 
 r  the  flesh,  let  him  not  be  discouraged  therewith,  but  let  him  re- 
 I  gist  in  spirit,  and  say,  1  am  a  sinner,  and  I  feel  sin  in  me;  for  I 
 
VER.    17.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  421 
 
 have  not  yet  put  off  the  flesh,  m  which  shi  dwelleth  so  long  as 
 
 /    it  hveth.     But  I  will  obey  the  spirit,  and  not  the  flesh:  tluit  is, 
 
 /      I  will  by  faith  and  hope  lay  hold  upon  Christ,  and  by  his  word 
 
 I  will  raise  up  myself^  and  being  so  raised  up,  I  will  not  fulfil 
 
 the  lust  of  the  flesh. 
 
 It  is  very  profitable  for  the  godly  to  know  this,  and  to  bear 
 it  well  in  mind;  for  it  wonderfully  comforteth  them  when  they 
 are  tempted.  Wlien  I  was  a  monk,  I  thought  by-and-by  that  I 
 was  utterly  cast  away,  if  at  any  time  I  felt  the  lust  of  the  flesh; 
 that  is  to  say,  if  I  felt  any  evil  motion,  fleshly  lust,  wrath,  ha- 
 tred, or  envy  against  any  brother.  I  assayed  many  ways  to 
 help  and  to  quiet  my  conscience,  but  it  would  not  be:  for  the 
 concupiscence  and  lust  of  my  flesh  did  always  retiu'n,  so  that  I 
 could  not  rest,  but  was  continually  vexed  with  these  thoughts: 
 This  or  that  sin  thou  hast  committed,  thou  art  infected  with 
 envy,  with  impatiency,  and  such  other  sins:  therefore  thou  art 
 entered  into  this  holy  order  in  vain,  and  all  thy  good  works  are 
 unprofitable.  If,  then,  I  had  rightly  understood  these  sentences 
 of  Paid,  "  The  flesh  lusteth  contrary  to  the  spirit,  and  the  spirit 
 contrary  to  the  flesh,  and  these  two  are  one  against  another,  so 
 that  ye  cannot  do  the  things  that  ye  would  do;"  I  should  not 
 have  so  miserably  tormented  myself,  but  should  have  thought 
 and  said  to  myself,  as  now  commonly  I  do :  "  Martin,  thou 
 shalt  not  utterly  be  without  sin,  for  thou  hast  flesh:  thou  shalt 
 therefore  feel  the  battle  thereof,  according  to  that  saying  of 
 Paul:  '  The  flesh  resisteth  the  spirit.'  Despair  not,  therefore, 
 but  resist  it  strongly,  and  fulfil  not  the  lust  thereof.  Thus  doing, 
 thou  art  not  under  the  law." 
 
 I  remember  that  Staupitius  Avas  Avont  to  say,  "  I  have  vowed 
 unto  God,  above  a  thousand  times,  that  I  would  become  a  better 
 man;  but  I  never  performed  that  which  I  vowed.  Hereafter  I 
 will  make  no  such  vow;  for  I  have  now  learned  by  experience, 
 that  I  am  not  able  to  perform  it.  Unless,  therefore,  God  be  fa- 
 vourable and  merciful  unto  me  for  Christ's  sake,  and  grant  unto 
 me  a  blessed  and  a  happy  hour,  when  I  shall  depart  out  of  this 
 miserable  life,  I  shall  not  be  able,  with  all  my  vows  and  all  my 
 good  deeds,  to  stand  before  him."  This  was  not  only  a  true, 
 but  also  a  godly  and  a  holy  desperation;  and  this  must  all  they 
 confess,  both  with  mouth  and  heart,  which  will  be  saved.  For 
 the  godly  trust  not  to  their  own  righteousness,  but  say  with 
 ^  David,  "  Enter  not  into  judgment  with  thy  servant,  for  in  thy 
 sight  shall  none  that  liveth  be  justified,"  (Ps.  cxliii.  2.)  Again: 
 "  If  thou,  O  Lord,  should  straitly  mark  iniquities,  O  Lord, 
 who  shall  stand?"  (Ps.  cxxx.  3.)  They  look  unto  Christ  their 
 reconciler,  who  gave  his  life  for  their  sins.  Moreover,  they 
 know  that  the  remnant  of  sin  which  is  in  their  flesh,  is  not  laid 
 to  their  charge,  but  freely  pardoned.  NotAvithstanding  in  the 
 mean  while  they  fight  in  spirit  against  the  flesh,  lest  they  should 
 fulfil  the  lusts  thereof.  And  although  they  feel  the  flesh  to  rage 
 
422  COMMENTARY  ON  ST  PAUL's  [CHAP.  V. 
 
 and  rebel  against  the  spirit,  and  themselves  also  do  fall  some- 
 times into  sin  through  infirmity,  yet  are  they  not  discouraged, 
 nor  think  therefore  that  their  state  and  kind  of  life,  and  the 
 works  which  are  done  according  to  their  calling,  displease  God; 
 but  they  raise  up  themselves  by  faith. 
 
 The  faithful,  therefore,  receive  great  consolation  by  this  doc- 
 trine of  Paul,  in  that  they  know  themselves  to  have  part  of  the 
 flesh,  and  part  of  the  spirit,  but  yet  so  notwithstanding  that  the 
 spirit  ruleth,  and  the  flesh  is  subdued  and  kept  under  awe,  that 
 righteousness  reigneth,  and  sin  serveth.  He  that  knoweth  not 
 this  doctrine,  and  thinketh  that  the  faithful  ought  to  be  without 
 all  fault,  and  yet  seeth  the  contrary  in  himself,  must  needs  at 
 the  length  be  swallowed  up  by  the  spirit  of  heaviness,  and  fall 
 into  desperation.  But  whoso  knoweth  this  doctrine  well,  and 
 useth  it  rightly,  to  him  the  things  that  are  evil  turn  unto  good, 
 (Rom.  viii.  28.)  For  when  the  flesh  provoketh  him  to  sin,  by 
 occasion  thereof  he  is  stirred  up  and  forced  to  seek  forgiveness 
 of  sins  by  Christ,  and  to  embrace  the  righteousness  of  faith, 
 which  else  he  would  not  so  greatly  esteem,  nor  seek  for  the  same 
 with  so  great  desire.  Therefore  it  profiteth  us  very  much  to 
 feel  sometimes  the  wickedness  of  om*  natui'e  and  corruption  of 
 our  flesh,  that  yet  by  this  means  we  may  be  waked  and  stirred 
 up  to  faith,  and  to  call  upon  Christ.  And  by  this  occasion  a 
 Christian  becometh  a  mighty  workman  and  a  wonderful  crea- 
 tor, which  of  heaviness  can  make  joy,  of  terror  comfort,  of  sin 
 righteousness,  and  of  death  life,  Avhon  he,  by  this  means  re- 
 pressing and  bridling  the  flesh,  maketh  it  subject  to  the  spirit. 
 
 Wherefore  let  not  them  which  feel  the  lust  of  the  flesh  de- 
 spair of  their  salvation.  Let  them  feel  it,  and  all  the  force 
 thereof,  so  that  they  consent  not  to  it;  let  the  passions  of  lust, 
 wrath,  and  such  other  vices  shake  them,  so  that  they  do  not 
 overthrow  them;  let  sin  assail  them,  so  that  they  do  not  accom- 
 plish it;  yea,  the  more  godly  a  man  is,  the  more  doth  he  feel 
 that  battle.  And  hereof  come  those  lamentable  complaints  of 
 the  faithful  in  the  Psalms  and  in  the  whole  scripture.  Of  this 
 battle,  the  hermits,  the  monks,  the  schoolmen,  and  all  that  seek 
 righteousness  and  salvation  by  woi'ks,  know  nothing  at  all. 
 
 But  here  may  some  man  say,  that  it  is  a  dangerous  matter  to 
 teach  that  a  man  is  not  condemned,  if  by-and-by  he  overcome 
 not  the  motions  and  passions  of  the  flesh  which  he  feeleth.  For 
 when  this  doctrine  is  taught  amongst  the  common  people,  it 
 maketh  them  careless,  negligent,  and  slothful.  This  is  it  which 
 I  said  a  little  before,  that  if  we  teach  faith,  then  carnal  men 
 neglect  and  reject  works:  if  works  be  required,  then  is  faith 
 and  consolation  of  conscience  lost.  Here  no  man  can  be  com- 
 pelled, neither  can  there  be  any  certain  rule  prescribed;  but  let 
 every  man  diligently  try  himself  to  what  passion  of  the  flesh  he 
 13  most  subject,  and  when  he  findeth  that,  let  him  not  be  care- 
 less, nor  flatter  himself;  but  let  him  watch  and  wrestle  in  spirit 
 
VEtt.  17.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  423 
 
 against  it,  that  if  he  cannot  altogether  bridle  it,  yet  at  the  least 
 he  do  not  fulfil  the  lust  thereof. 
 
 This  battle  of  the  flesh  against  the  spirit,  all  the  children  of 
 God  have  had  and  felt ;  and  the  self-same  do  we  also  feel  and 
 prove.  He  that  searcheth  his  own  conscience,  if  he  be  not  a 
 hypocrite,  shall  well  perceive  that  to  be  true  in  himself  which 
 Paul  here  saith :  that  the  flesh  lusteth  against  the  spirit.  AU 
 the  faithful,  therefore,  do  feel  and  confess  that  their  flesh  resisteth 
 against  the  spirit,  and  that  these  two  are  so  contrary,  the  one  to 
 the  other  in  themselves,  that,  do  Avhat  they  can,  they  are  not 
 able  to  perform  that  which  they  would  do.  Therefore  the  flesh 
 hindereth  us,  that  we  cannot  keep  the  commandments  of  God, 
 that  we  cannot  love  our  neighbours  as  ourselves,  much  less  can 
 we  love  God  with  all  our  heart ;  therefore  it  is  impossible  for 
 us  to  become  righteous  by  the  works  of  the  law.  Indeed  there 
 is  a  good  will  in  us,  and  so  must  there  be,  (for  it  is  the  spirit 
 itself  Avhich  resisteth  the  flesh,)  which  would  gladly  do  good, 
 fulfil  the  law,  love  God  and  his  neighbour,  and  such-like,  but 
 the  flesh  obeyeth  not  this  good  will,  but  resisteth  it ;  and  yet 
 God  imputeth  not  unto  us  this  sin ;  for  he  is  merciful  to  those 
 that  believe,  for  Christ's  sake.  ^ 
 
 But  it  folio weth  not,  therefore,  that  thou  shouldst  make  a  light 
 matter  of  sin,  because  God  doth  not  impute  it.  True  it  is  that 
 he  doth  not  impute  it ;  but  to  whom,  and  for  what  cause  ?  To 
 such  as  repent,  and  lay  hold  by  faith  upon  Christ  the  mercy-seat, 
 for  whose  sake,  as  all  their  sins  are  forgiven  them,  even  so  the 
 remnants  of  sin,  Avhich  are  in  them,  be  not  imputed  unto  them. 
 They  make  not  their  sin  less  than  it  is,  but  amplify  it,  and  set 
 it  out  as  it  is  indeed ;  for  they  know  that  it  cannot  be  put  away 
 by  satisfactions,  works,  or  righteousness,  but  only  by  the  death 
 of  Christ.  '  And  yet,  notAvithstanding,  the  greatness  and  enor- 
 mity of  their  sin  doth  not  cause  them  to  despair,  but  they  assure 
 themselves  that  the  same  shall  not  be  imputed  unto  them,  or 
 laid  unto  their  charge. 
 
 This  I  say,  lest  any  man  should  think  that,  after  faith  is  re- 
 ceived, there  is  little  account  to  be  made  of  sin.  Sin  is  truly 
 sin,  whether  a  man  commit  it  before  he  hath  received  the 
 knowledge  of  Christ,  or  after.  And  God  always  hateth  sin  j 
 yea,  all  sin  is  damnable,  as  touching  the  fact  itself;  but  in  that 
 it  is  not  damnable  to  him  that  believeth,  it  cometh  of  Christ, 
 Avho  by  his  death  hath  taken  aAvay  sin.  But  to  him  that  be- 
 lieveth not  in  Christ,  not  only  all  his  sins  are  damnable,  but 
 even  his  good  works  also  are  sin ;  according  to  that  saying, 
 "  Whatsoever  is  not  of  faith  is  sin,"  (Rom.  xiv.  23.)  There- 
 fore the  error  of  the  schoolmen  is  most  pernicious,  which  do 
 distinguish  sins  according  to  the  fact,  and  not  according  to  the 
 person.  He  that  believeth,  hath  as  great  sin  as  the  unbeliever 
 but  to  him  that  believeth,  it  is  forgiven  and  not  imputed :  to 
 the  unbeliever  it  is  not  pardoned,  but  imputed.    To  the  believer 
 
421.  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  V, 
 
 it  is  venial ;  to  the  unbeliever  it  is  mortal  and  damnable :  not 
 for  any  difference  of  sins,  or  because  the  sin  of  the  believer  ia 
 less,  and  the  sin  of  the  unbeliever  greater;  but  for  the  difference 
 of  the  persons.  For  the  faithful  assureth  himself,  by  faith,  that 
 his  sin  is  forgiven  him,  forasmuch  as  Christ  hath  given  him- 
 self for  it.  Therefore,  although  he  have  sin  in  him,  and  daily 
 sinneth,  yet  he  continueth  godly ;  but  contrariwise,  the  unbe- 
 liever continueth  wicked.  And  this  is  the  true  wisdom  and 
 consolation  of  the  godly,  that  although  they  have  and  commit 
 sins,  yet  they  know  that  for  Christ's  sake  they  are  not  imputed 
 unto  them. 
 
 This  I  say  for  the  comfort  of  the  godly.  For  they  only  feel 
 indeed  that  they  have  and  do  commit  sins,  that  is  to  say,  they 
 feel  that  they  do  not  love  God  so  fervently  as  they  shoidd  do ; 
 that  they  do  not  believe  him  so  heartily  as  they  would,  but 
 rather  they  oftentimes  doubt  whether  God  have  a  care  of  them 
 or  no ;  they  are  impatient,  and  are  angry  with  God  in  adver- 
 sity. Hereof  (as  I  have  said)  proceed  the  sorrowful  complaints 
 of  the  faithful  in  the  scriptures,  and  especially  in  the  Psalms; 
 and  Paul  himself  complaineth  that  he  is  sold  under  sin,  (Rom. 
 vii.  14.)  And  here  he  saith  that  the  flesh  resisteth  and  re- 
 belleth  against  the  spirit.  But  because  they  mortify  the  deeds 
 of  the  flesh  by  the  spirit,  (as  he  saith  in  another  place,  and  also 
 in  the  end  of  this  chapter,  "  They  crucify  the  flesh,  with  the  de- 
 sires and  lusts  thereof,"  Gal.  v.  24.)  therefore  these  sins  do  not 
 hurt  them,  nor  condemn  them.  But  if  they  obey  the  flesh,  in 
 fiilfilling  the  lusts  thereof,  then  do  they  lose  faith  and  the  Holy 
 Ghost ;  and  if  they  do  not  abhor  their  sin,  and  return  unto 
 Christ,  (who  hath  given  power  to  his  church,  to  receive  and 
 raise  up  those  that  be  fallen,  that  so  they  may  recover  faith  and 
 the  Holy  Ghost,)  they  die  in  their  sins.  Wherefore  we  speak 
 not  of  them  which  dream  that  they  have  faith,  and  yet  continue 
 still  in  their  sins.  These  men  have  their  judgment  already : 
 they  that  live  after  the  flesh  shall  die.  Also,  "  The  works  of 
 the  flesh  are  manifest,  which  are  adultery,  fornication,  unclean- 
 ness,  wantonness,  idolatry,  witchcraft,  hatred,  debate,  emula- 
 tions, wrath,  contentions^  seditions,  heresies,  envy,  murder, 
 drunkenness,  gluttony,  and  such-like,  whereof  I  tell  you  before, 
 as  also  I  have  told  you,  that  they  which  do  such  things  shall 
 not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God." 
 
 Hereby  we  may  see  who  be  the  very  saints  indeed.  They  be 
 not  stocks  and  stones,  (as  the  monks  and  schoolmen  dream,)  so 
 that  they  are  never  moved  with  any  thing,  never  feel  any  lust, 
 or  desires  of  the  flesh ;  but  as  Paul  saith,  their  flesh  lusteth 
 against  the  spirit,  and  therefore  they  have  sin,  and  both  can  and 
 do  sin.  And  the  thirty-second  Psalm  witnesseth,  that  the  faith- 
 ful do  confess  their  unrighteousness,  and  pray  that  the  wicked- 
 ness of  their  sm  may  be  forgiven,  where  it  saith :  "  I  will  coii- 
 fessi  against  myself  my  wickedness  unto  the  Lord,  and  thou  for- 
 
VER.  18. !  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS  425 
 
 gavest  the  punishment  of  my  sin.  Therefore  shall  every  one  that 
 is  godly  make  his  prayer  unto  thee,"  &c.  Moreover,  the  whole 
 church,  which  indeed  is  holy,  prayeth  that  her  sins  may  be  for- 
 given her,  and  it  believeth  the  forgiveness  of  sins.  And  in 
 Psalm  cxhii.  David  prayeth:  "  O  Lord,  enter  not  into  judgment 
 with  thy  servant,  for  in  thy  sight  shall  none  that  liveth  be  justi- 
 fied." And  in  Psalm  cxxx.  "  If  thou,  O  Lord,  shouldst  straitly 
 mark  iniquities.  Lord,  who  shall  stand  in  thy  presence  ?  But 
 with  thee  is  mercy,"  &c.  Thus  do  the  chiefest  saints  and  chil- 
 dren of  God  speak  and  pray;  as  David,  Paul,  &c.  All  the 
 faithful,  therefore,  do  speak  and  pray  the  same  thing,  and  with 
 the  same  spirit.  The  popish  sophisters  read  not  the  scriptures, 
 or,  if  they  read  them,  they  have  a  veil  before  their  eyes;  and 
 therefore,  as  they  cannot  judge  rightly  of  any  thing,  so  can  they 
 not  judge  rightly  either  of  sin  or  of  holiness. 
 
 Verse  18.     If  je  be  led  by  the  spirit,  ye  are  not  under  the  law, 
 
 Paul  cannot  forget  the  doctrine  of  faith,  but  still  repeateth  it, 
 and  beateth  it  into  their  heads,  yea,  even  when  he  treateth  of 
 good  works.  Here  some  man  may  object:  How  can  it  be,  that 
 we  should  not  be  under  the  laAV?  And  yet  thou,  notwithstanding, 
 O  Paul,  teachest  us  that  we  have  flesh,  which  lusteth  against  the 
 spirit,  and  fighteth  against  us,  tormenteth  us,  and  bringeth  us  into 
 bondage.  And,  indeed,  we  feel  sin,  and  cannot  be  delivered  from 
 the  feeling  thereof,  though  we  should  never  so  fain ;  and  what 
 is  this  else  but  to  be  under_.the.law-?  But,  saith  he,  let  this  no- 
 thing trouble  you;  only  do  your  endeavour  that  ye  may  be  led 
 by  the  spirit;  that  is  to  say,  shew  yourselves  willing  to  follow 
 ajLdj)biiy  .that  willjvhich  resisteth  tn^^  and  doth  not  accom- 
 
 plish the  lusts  thereof,  (for  this  is,  to  be  led  and  to  be  drawn  by 
 the  spirit,)  then  are  ye  not  under  the  law.  So  Paul  speaketh  of 
 himself,  (Rom.  vii.)  "In  my  mind  I  serve  the  law  of  God:" 
 that  is  to  say,  in  spirit  I  am  not  subject  to  any  sin ;  but  yet  in 
 my  flesh  I  serve  the  law  of  sin.  The  faithful,  then,  are  not 
 under  the  law,  that  is  to  say,  in  spirit;  for  the  law  cannot  accuse 
 them,  nor  pronounce  sentence  of  death  against  them,  although 
 they  feel  sin,  and  confess  themselves  to  be  sinners.  For  the 
 power  and  strength  of  the  law  is  taken  from  it  by  Christ,  "  who 
 was  made  under  the  law,  that  he  might  redeem  them  which 
 were  under  the  law,"  (Gal.  iv.  4.)  Therefore  the  law  cannot 
 accuse  that  for  sin  in  the  faithful,  which  is  sin  indeed  and  com- 
 mitted against  the  law. 
 
 So  great,  then,  is  the  power  and  dominion  of  the  spirit,  that 
 the  law  cannot  accuse  the  godly,  though  they  commit  that  which 
 is  sin  indeed.  For  Christ  is  our  righteousness,  whom  we  appre- 
 hend by  faith;  he  is  without  all  sin,  and  therefore  the  law  cannot 
 accuse  him.  As  long  as  we  cleave  fast  unto  him,  we  are  led  by 
 the  spirit,  and  are  free  from  the  law.  And  so  the  apostle,  even 
 when  he  teacheth  good  works,  forgetteth  not  his  doctrine  con- 
 
426  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  V. 
 
 cerning  justification,  but  always  sheweth  that  it  is  impossible 
 for  us  to  be  justified  by  works.  For  the  remnants  of  sin  cleave 
 fast  in  our  flesh,  and  therefore,  so  long  as  our  flesh  liveth,  it 
 ceaseth  not  to  lust  contrary  to  the  spirit.  Notwithstanding 
 there  cometh  no  danger  unto  us  thereby,  because  we  be  firee 
 fj'om  the  law,  so  that  we  walk  in  the  spirit. 
 
 And  with  these  words,  "  If  ye  be  led  by  the  spirit,  ye  be  not 
 under  the  law,"  thou  mayest  greatly  comfort  thyself,  and  others 
 that  be  grievously  tempted ;  for  it  oftentimes  cometh  to  pass, 
 that  a  man  is  so  vehemently  assailed  with  wrath,  hatred,  impa- 
 tiency,  carnal  desire,  terror  and  anguish  of  spirit,  or  some  other 
 lust  of  the  flesh,  that  he  cannot  shake  them  off^,  though  he  would 
 never  so  fain.  What  should  he  do  in  this  case?  Should  he  des- 
 pair? No,  God  forbid:  but  let  him  say  thus  with  himself:  thy 
 flesh  fighteth  and  rageth  against  the  spirit.  Let  it  rage  as  long 
 as  it  listeth;  only  see  thou  that,  in  any  case,  thou  consent  not  to 
 it,  to  fulfil  the  lusts  thereof,  but  walk  wisely,  and  follow  the 
 leading  of  the  spirit.  In  so  doing,  thou  art  free  from  the  law. 
 It  accuseth  and  terrifieth  thee,  (I  grant,)  but  altogether  in  vain. 
 In  this  conflict,  therefore,  of  the  flesh  against  the  spirit,  there  is 
 nothing  better  than  to  have  the  word  of  God  before  thine  eyes, 
 and  therein  to  seek  the  comfort  of  the  spirit. 
 
 And  let  not  him  that  suffiereth  this  temptation,  be  dismayed, 
 in  that  the  devil  can  so  aggravate  sin,  that  during  the  conflict 
 he  thinketh  himself  to  be  utterly  overthi'own,  and  feeleth  nothing 
 else  but  the  wrath  of  God  and  desperation.  Here  in  any  wise  let 
 him  not  follow  his  own  feeling  and  the  judgment  of  reason,  but 
 let  him  take  sure  hold  of  this  saying  of  Paul,  "  If  ye  be  led  by 
 the  spirit;"  that  is,  to  wit,  if  ye  raise  up  and  comfort  yourselves 
 through  faith  in  Christ,  ye  be  not  under  the  law.  So  shall  he 
 have  a  strong  buckler,  wherewith  he  may  beat  back  all  the  fiery 
 darts  which  that  wicked  fiend  assaileth  him  withal.  How  much 
 soever,  then,  the  flesh  doth  boil  and  rage,  yet  cannot  her  motions 
 and  rages  hurt  and  condemn  him;  forasmuch  as  he,  following 
 the  guiding  of  the  spirit,  doth  not  consent  unto  the  flesh,  nor 
 fulfil  the  lusts  thereof.  Therefore,  when  the  motions  of  the  flesh 
 do  rage,  the  only  remedy  is  to  take  to  us  the  sword  of  the  spirit, 
 that  is  to  say,  the  word  of  salvation,  (which  is,  that  God  would 
 not  the  death  of  a  sinner,  but  that  he  convert  and  live,)  and  to 
 fight  against  them;  which  if  we  do,  let  us  not  doubt  but  we  shall 
 obtain  the  victory,  although,  so  long  as  the  battle  endureth,  we 
 feel  the  plain  contrary.  But  set  the  word  out  of  sight,  and  there 
 is  no  counsel  nor  help  remaining.  Of  this  that  I  say,  I  myself 
 have  good  experience.  I  have  suffered  many  great  passions,  and 
 the  same  also  vehement  and  great ;  but  so  soon  as  I  have  laid 
 hold  of  any  place  of  scripture,  and  stayed  myself  upon  it,  as  upon 
 my  chief  anchor-hold,  straightways  my  temptations  did  vanish 
 away;  which,  without  the  word,  it  had  been  impossible  for  me 
 to  endure  any  little  space,  and  much  less  to  overcome  them. 
 
VER.  18,  19.1  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  427 
 
 The  sura  or  effect,  therefore,  of  all  that  which  Paul  hath 
 taught  in  this  disputation  or  discourse,  concerning  the  conilict 
 or  battle  between  the  flesh  and  the  spirit,  is  this:  that  the 
 saints  and  the  elect  of  God  cannot  perform  that  which  the  spi- 
 rit desireth.  For  the  spirit  would  gladly  be  altogether  pure,  but 
 the  flesh  being  joined  unto  the  spirit,  will  not  suffer  that.  Not- 
 withstanding they  be  saved  by  the  remission  of  sins,  which  is  in 
 Christ  Jesus.  Moreover,  because  they  walk  in  the  spirit, 
 and  are  led  by  the  spirit,  they  be  not  under  the  law,  that  is  to 
 say,  the  law  cannot  accuse  or  terrify  them ;  yea,  although  it  go 
 about  never  so  much  so  to  do,  yet  shall  it  never  be  able  to 
 drive  them  to  desperation. 
 
 Verse  19.   Moreover,  the  works  of  tlie  flesh  be  manifest,  which  are,  &c. 
 
 This  place  is  not  unlike  to  this  sentence  of  Christ,  "  By  their 
 fruits  ye  shall  know  them.  Do  men  gather  grapes  of  thorns,  or 
 figs  of  brambles  ?  So  every  good  tree  bringeth  forth  good  fruit, 
 and  an  evil  tree  bringeth  forth  evil  fruit,"  &c.  (Matt.  vii.  16.) 
 Paul  teacheth  the  very  same  thing  which  Christ  taught,  that  is 
 to  say,  that  works  and  fruits  do  sufficiently  testify  whether  the 
 trees  be  good  or  evil:  whether  men  follow  the  guiding  of  the 
 flesh,  or  of  the  spirit.  As  if  he  should  say,  lest  some  of  you 
 might  say  for  himself,  that  he  understandeth  me  not,  now  when  I 
 treat  of  the  battle  between  the  flesh  and  the  spirit,  I  will  set  before 
 your  eyes  first  the  Avorks  of  the  flesh,  whereof  many  are  known 
 even  to  the  ungodly;  and  then  also  the  works  of  the  spirit. 
 
 And  this  doth  Paul,  because  there  were  many  hypocrites 
 amongst  the  Galatians  (as  there  are  also  at  this  day  among  us) 
 which  outwardly  pretended  to  be  godly  men,  and  boasted  much 
 of  the  spirit,  and,  as  touching  the  words,  they  understood  the 
 true  doctrine  of  the  gospel;  but  they  walked  not  according  to 
 the  spirit,  but  according  to  the  flesh,  and  performed  the  works 
 thereof.  Wliereby  Paul  manifestly  convinceth  them  to  be  no 
 such  holy  men  indeed  as  they  boasted  themselves  to  be.  And 
 lest  they  should  despise  this  his  admonition,  he  pronounceth 
 against  them  this  dreadful  sentence,  that  they  should  not  be 
 inheritors  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  to  the  end  that  being  thus 
 admonished,  they  might  amend.  Every  age,  even  in  the  faith- 
 ful, hath  his  peculiar  temptations:  as  fleshly  lusts  assail  a  man 
 most  of  all  in  his  youth;  in  his  middle  age,  ambition  and  vain- 
 glory; and  in  his  old  age,  covetousness.  There  was  never  yet 
 any  of  the  faithful  whom  the  flesh  hath  not  often  in  his  lifetime 
 provoked  to  impatiency,  anger,  vain-glory,  &c.  Paul,  therefore, 
 speaking  here  of  the  faithful,  saith  that  the  flesh  lusteth  in  them 
 against  the  spirit,  &c.  therefore  they  shall  never  be  without  the 
 desires  and  battles  of  the  flesh;  notwithstanding,  they  do  not 
 hurt  them.  But  of  this  matter  we  must  thus  judge,  that  it  is 
 one  thing  to  be  provoked  of  the  flesh,  and  yet  not  willingly  to 
 yield  to  the  lusts  and  desii'es  thereof,  but  to  walk  after  the  lead- 
 
428  COMMEN  fARY  ON  tT.  PAUl's  [CHAP,  V. 
 
 ing-  of  the  spirit,  and  to  resist  the  flesh ;  and  another  thing  to 
 assent  unto  the  flesh,  and,  without  all  fear  or  remorse,  to  per- 
 form and  fulfil  the  works  thereof,  and  to  continue  therein,  and 
 yet  notwithstanding  to  counterfeit  holiness,  and  to  hrag  of  the 
 spirit.  The  first  he  comforteth,  Avhen  he  saith  that  they  be  led 
 by  the  spirit,  and  be  not  mider  the  law.  The  other  he  threat- 
 eneth  Avith  everlasting  destruction. 
 
 Notwithstanding  sometimes  it  happeneth  that  the  saints  also 
 do  fall,  and  perform  the  lusts  of  the  flesh;  as  David  fell  horribly 
 into  adultery.  Also  he  was  the  cause  of  the  slaughter  of  many 
 men,  when  he  caused  Urias  to  be  slain  in  the  forefront  of  the 
 battle;  and  thereby  also  he  gave  occasion  to  the  enemies  to 
 glory  and  triumph  over  the  people  of  God,  to  worship  their 
 idols,  and  to  blaspheme  the  God  of  Israel.  Peter  also  fell  most 
 grievously  and  horribly,  when  he  denied  Christ.  But,  although 
 these  sins  were  great  and  heinous,  yet  were  they  not  committed 
 upon  any  contempt  of  God,  or  of  a  wilful  and  obstinate  mind, 
 but  through  infirmity  and  weakness.  Again,  when  they  were 
 admonished,  they  did  not  obstinately  continue  in  their  sins,  but 
 repented.  Such  he  willeth  afterwards,  in  the  sixth  chapter,  to 
 be  received,  instructed,  and  restored,  saying,  "If  a  man  be  fallen 
 by  occasion  into  any  sin,  ye  which  are  spu'itual  restore  such  a 
 one  with  the  spirit  of  meekness,  considering  thyself  lest  thou 
 also  be  tempted."  To  those,  therefore,  which  sin  and  fall 
 through  intii'mity,  pardon  is  not  denied,  so  that  they  rise  again 
 and  continue  not  in  their  sin;  for  of  all  things  continuance  in  sin 
 is  the  worst.  But  if  they  repent  not,  but  still  obstinately  con- 
 tinue in  their  Avickedness,  and  perform  the  desires  of  the  flesh, 
 it  is  a  certain  token  that  there  is  deceit  in  their  spirit. 
 
 No  man,  therefore,  shall  be  without  lusts  and  desires,  so  long 
 as  he  liveth  in  the  flesh,  and  therefore  no  man  shall  be  free 
 from  temptations.  Notwithstanding,  some  are  tempted  one  way 
 and  some  another,  according  to  the  difference  of  persons.  One 
 man  is  assailed  with  more  vehement  and  grievous  motions,  as 
 with  bitterness  and  anguish  of  spirit,  blasphemy,  distrust,  and 
 desperation;  another  with  more  gross  temptations,  as  with  fleshly 
 lusts,  wrath,  envy,  covetousness,  and  such-like.  But  in  this  case 
 Paul  requireth  of  us  that  we  walk  in  the  spirit,  and  resist  the 
 flesh.  But  whoso  obeyeth  the  flesh,  and  continueth,  without 
 any  fear  of  God  or  remorse  of  conscience,  in  accomplishing  the 
 desires  and  lusts  thereof,  let  him  know  that  he  pertaineth  not 
 unto  Christ;  and,  although  he  brag  of  the  name  of  a  Christian 
 never  so  much,  yet  doth  he  but  deceive  himself;  for  they  which 
 are  of  Christ,  do  crucify  their  flesh,  with  the  affections  and 
 lusts  thereof. 
 
 JVho  be  rightly  called  Saints,  and  be  so  indeed? 
 This  place  (as  I  have  also  forewarned  you  by  the  way)  con- 
 taineth  in  it  a  singular  consolation ;  for  it  teacheth  us  that  the 
 
VER.  19.1  EPISTLE  TO  THE  OALATIANS.  4i29 
 
 saints  and  most  holy  men  in  this  world  live  not  without  concu- 
 piscence and  temptations  of  the  flesh,  nor  yet  without  sins.  It 
 warneth  us,  therefore,  to  take  heed  that  we  do  not  as  some  did, 
 of  whom  Gerson  writeth,  which  laboured  to  attain  to  such  per- 
 fection, that  they  might  be  without  all  feeling  of  temptations 
 or  sins ;  that  is  to  say,  very  stocks  and  stones. 
 
 The  like  imagination  the  monks  and  schoolmen  had  of  their 
 saints,  as  though  they  had  been  very  senseless  blocks  and  with- 
 out all  affections.  The  Virgin  Mary  felt  great  grief  and  sorrow 
 of  spirit  when  she  missed  her  Son,  (Luke  ii.)  David,  in  the 
 Psalms,  complaineth  that  he  is  almost  swallowed  up  with  exces- 
 sive sorrow,  for  the  greatness  of  his  temptations  and  sin.  Pau . 
 also  complaineth  that  he  hath  battles  Avithout,  and  terrors  within, 
 (2  Cor.  vii.  5.)  and  that  in  his  flesh  he  serveth  the  law  of  sin. 
 He  saith,  that  he  is  careful  for  all  the  churches,  (2  Cor.  xi. 
 28.)  and  that  God  shewed  great  mercy  towards  him,  in  that 
 he  delivered  Epaphroditus,  being  at  the  point  of  death,  to  life 
 again,  lest  he  should  have  had  sorrow  upon  sorrow.  Therefore, 
 the  saints  of  the  Papists  are  like  to  the  stoics,  who  imagined  such 
 wise  men  as  in  the  world  were  never  yet  to  be  found.  And  by 
 this  foolish  and  devilish  persuasion,  which  proceeded  from  the 
 ignorance  of  this  doctrine  of  Paul,  the  schoolmen  brought  both 
 themselves  and  others  without  number  into  horrible  desperation. 
 
 When  I  was  a  monk,  1  did  oftentimes  most  heartily  wish  that 
 I  might  once  be  so  happy  as  to  see  the  conversation  and  life  of 
 some  saint  or  holy  man.  But  in  the  mean  time  I  imagined  such 
 a  saint  as  lived  in  the  wilderness,  abstaining  from  meat  and 
 drink,  and  living  only  with  roots  of  herbs  and  cold  water  ;  and 
 this  opinion  of  those  monstrous  saints,  I  had  learned  not  only 
 out  of  the  books  of  the  sophisters  and  schoolmen,  but  also  out 
 of  the  books  of  the  fathers.  For  thus  writeth  Jerome,  in  a 
 certain  place :  "  As  touching  meats  and  drinks  I  say  nothing, 
 forasmuch  as  it  is  excess,  that  even  such  as  are  weak  and  feeble 
 should  use  cold  water,  or  eat  any  sodden  thing,"  &c.  But  now" 
 in  the  light  of  the  gospel  we  plainly  see  who  they  ai'e  whom 
 Christ  and  his  apostles  call  saints.  Not  they  which  live  a  sole 
 and  a  single  life,  or  straitly  observe  days,  meats,  apparel,  and 
 such  other  things,  or  in  outward  appearance  do  other  great  and 
 monstrous  works  (as  we  read  of  many  in  the  lives  of  the  fa- 
 thers :)  but  they  which  being  called  by  the  sound  of  the  gospel 
 and  baptized,  do  believe  that  they  be  justified  and  cleansed  by 
 the  death  of  Christ.  So  Paul  everywhere  writing  to  Christians, 
 calleth  them  holy,  the  children  and  heirs  of  God,  &c.  Whoso- 
 ever, then,  do  believe  in  Christ,  whether  they  be  men  or  women, 
 bond  or  free,  are  all  saints :  not  by  their  own  works,  but  by 
 the  works  of  God,  which  they  receive  by  faith ;  as  his  word, 
 his  sacraments,  the  passion  of  Christ,  his  death,  resurrection, 
 victory,  and  the  sending  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  To  conclude,  they 
 are  saints  through  such  a  holiness  as  they  freely  receive,  not 
 
430  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CHAP.  V 
 
 througli  such  a  holiness  as  they  themselves  have  gotten  by  their 
 own  industry,  good  works,  and  merits. 
 
 So  the  ministers  of  the  word,  the  magistrates  of  common- 
 weals, parents,  children,  masters,  servants,  &:c.  are  true  saints, 
 if,  first,  and  before  all  things,  they  assure  themselves  that  Christ 
 is  their  Avisdom,  righteousness,  sanctification,  and  redemption : 
 secondly,  if  every  one  do  his  duty  in  his  vocation,  according  to 
 the  rule  of  God's  word,  and  obey  not  the  flesh,  but  repress  the 
 lust  and  desire  thereof  by  the  spirit.  Now,  whereas  all  be  not  of 
 like  strength  to  resist  temptations,  but  many  infirmities  and  of- 
 fences are  seen  in  the  most  part  of  men;  this  nothing  hindereth 
 their  holiness,  so  that  their  sins  proceed  not  of  an  obstinate  wil- 
 fulness, but  only  of  frailty  and  infirmity.  For  (as  I  have  said  be- 
 fore) the  godly  do  feel  the  desires  and  lusts  of  the  flesh,  but  they 
 resist  them,  to  the  end  that  they  accomplish  them  not.  Also,  if 
 they  at  any  time  unadvisedly  fall  into  sin,  yet  notwithstanding 
 they  obtain  forgiveness  thereof,  if  by  faith  in  Christ  they  be 
 raised  up  again ;  who  would  not  that  we  should  drive  away, 
 but  seek  out  and  bring  home  the  straying  and  lost  sheep,  &c. 
 Therefore,  God  forbid  that  I  should  straightway  judge  those 
 which  are  weak  in  faith  or  manners,  to  be  profane  or  unholy, 
 if  I  see  that  they  love  and  reverence  the  word  of  God,  to  come 
 to  the  supper  of  the  Lord,  &c.  For  these  God  hath  received, 
 and  counteth  them  righteous,  through  the  remission  of  sins;  to 
 him  they  stand  or  fall,  &c. 
 
 Wherefore,  with  great  rejoicing  I  give  thanks  to  God,  for 
 that  he  hath  abundantly  and  above  measure  granted  that  unto 
 me,  which  I  so  earnestly  desired  of  him  when  I  was  a  monk : 
 for  he  hath  given  unto  me  the  grace  to  see  not  one  but  many 
 saints,  yea,  an  infinite  number  of  true  saints ;  not  such  as  the 
 sophisters  have  devised,  but  such  as  Christ  himself  and  his 
 apostles  do  describe.  Of  the  which  number  I  assure  myself 
 to  be  one.  For  I  am  baptized,  and  I  do  believe  that  Christ  my 
 Lord,  by  his  death,  hath  redeemed  and  delivered  me  from  all 
 my  sins,  and  hath  given  to  me  eternal  righteousness  and  holi- 
 ness. And  let  him  be  holden  accursed,  whosoever  shall  not 
 give  this  honour  unto  Christ,  to  believe  that  by  his  death,  his 
 word,  &:c.  he  is  justified  and  sanctified. 
 
 Wherefore,  rejecting  this  fooEsh  and  wicked  opinion  con- 
 cerning the  name  of  saints,  (which,  in  the  time  of  popery  and 
 ignorance,  we  thought  to  pertain  only  to  the  saints  which  are  in 
 heaven,  and  in  earth  to  the  hermits  and  monks,  which  did  cer- 
 tain great  and  strange  works,)  let  us  now  learn  by  the  holy 
 scripture,  that  all  they  which  faitlifuUy  believe  in  Christ  are 
 saints.  The  world  hath  in  great  admiration  the  holiness  of  Be- 
 nedict, Gregory,  Bernard,  Francis,  and  such-like,  because  it 
 heareth  that  they  have  done,  in  outward  appearance,  and  in  the 
 judgment  of  the  world,  certain  great  and  excellent  works. 
 Doubtless,  Hilary,  Cyril,  Athanasius,  Ambrose,  Augustine,  and 
 
TER.  19.J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  431 
 
 others,  were  saints  also,  which  lived  not  so  strait  and  severe  a 
 life  as  they  did,  but  were  conversant  amongst  men,  and  did  eat 
 common  meats,  drank  wine,  and  used  cleanly  and  comely  apparel; 
 so  that  in  a  manner  there  was  no  difference  between  them  and 
 other  honest  men,  as  touching  the  common  custom,  and  the  use 
 of  things  necessary  for  this  life,  and  yet  were  they  to  be  pre- 
 ferred far  above  the  other.  These  men  taught  the  doctrine  and 
 faith  of  Christ  sincerely  and  purely,  without  any  superstition; 
 they  resisted  heretics;  they  purged  the  church  from  innumerable 
 errors;  their  company  and  familiarity  was  comfortable  to  many, 
 and  specially  to  those  which  were  afflicted  and  heavy-hearted, 
 whom  they  raised  up  and  comforted  by  the  word  of  God.  For 
 they  did  not  withdraw  themselves  from  the  company  of  men, 
 but  they  executed  their  offices  even  where  most  resort  of  peo- 
 ple was.  Contrariwise,  the  others  not  only  taught  many  things 
 contrary  to  the  faith,  but  also  were  themselves  the  authors  and 
 first  inventors  of  many  superstitions,  errors,  abominable  cere- 
 monies, and  wicked  worshippings.  Therefore,  except  at  the 
 hour  of  death  they  laid  hold  of  Christ,  and  reposed  their  whole 
 trust  in  his  death  and  victory,  their  strait  and  painful  life  availed 
 them  nothing  at  all. 
 
 These  things  sufficiently  declare  who  be  the  true  saints  in- 
 deed, and  which  is  to  be  called  a  holy  life.  Not  the  life  of  those 
 which  lurk  in  caves  and  dens,  which  make  their  bodies  lean  with 
 fasting,  which  Avear  hair,  and  do  other  like  things,  with  this  per- 
 suasion and  trust  that  they  shall  have  some  singular  reward  in 
 heaven  above  all  other  Christians;  but  of  those  which  be  bap- 
 tized and  believe  in  Christ,  which  put  off"  the  old  man  with  his 
 works,  but  not  at  once:  for  concupiscence  and  lust  remaineth 
 in  them  so  long  as  they  live:  the  feeling  whereof  doth  hurt 
 them  nothing  at  all,  if  they  suffer  it  not  to  reign  in  them,  but 
 subdue  it  to  the  spirit. 
 
 This  doctrine  bringeth  great  consolation  to  godly  minds, 
 that  when  they  feel  these  darts  of  the  flesh,  wherewith  Satan 
 assaileth  the  spirit,  they  should  not  despair;  as  it  happeneth  to 
 many  in  the  papacy,  which  thought  that  they  ought  to  feel  no 
 concupiscence  of  the  flesh;  whereas,  notwithstanding,  Jerome, 
 Gregory,  Benedict,  Bernard,  and  others,  (whom  the  monks  set 
 before  them  as  a  perfect  example  of  chastity  and  of  all  Christian 
 virtues, )  could  never  come  so  far  as  to  feel  no  concupiscence  or 
 lust  of  the  flesh;  yea,  they  felt  it,  and  that  very  strongly;  which 
 thing  they  acknowledge  and  plainly  confess  in  divers  places  of 
 their  books. 
 
 Therefore  we  rightly  confess,  in  the  articles  of  our  belief,  that 
 we  believe  there  is  a  holy  church;  for  it  is  invisible,  dwelling  in 
 spirit  in  a  place  that  none  can  attain  unto,  and  therefore  her 
 holiness  cannot  be  seen;  for  God  doth  so  hide  and  cover  her 
 with  infirmities,  with  sins,  with  errors,  with  divers  forms  of  the 
 cross  and  offences,  that  according  to  the  judgment  of  reason  it  ia 
 
4.32  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  (.CHAP.  V. 
 
 nowhere  to  be  seen.  They  that  are  ignorant  of  this,  when  they 
 see  the  infirmities  and  sins  of  those  which  are  baptized,  which 
 have  the  word  and  beUeve  it,  are  by-and-by  offended,  and  judge 
 them  not  to  pertain  to  the  church;  and  in  the  meanwhile  they 
 dream  that  the  hermits,  the  monks,  and  such  other  shavehngs, 
 are  the  church,  which  honour  God  with  their  lips,  and  worship 
 him  in  vain,  because  they  follow  not  the  word  of  God,  but  the 
 doctrines  and  commandments  of  men,  and  teach  others  to  do 
 the  same.  And  because  they  do  certain  superstitious  and  mon- 
 strous works,  which  carnal  reason  magnifieth  and  highly  esteem- 
 eth,  therefore  they  judge  them  only  to  be  saints,  and  to  be  the 
 church :  and,  in  so  doing,  they  change  and  turn  this  article  of 
 faith  clean  contrary,  "  I  believe  that  there  is  a  holy  church," 
 &c.;  and  in  the  stead  of  this  word  [I  believe]  they  put  in  [I 
 see].  These  kinds  of  righteousness,  and  holiness  of  man's  own 
 devising,  are  nothing  else  but  spiritual  sorceries,  wherewith  the 
 eyes  and  minds  of  men  are  blinded,  and  led  from  the  knowledge 
 of  true  hoHness. 
 
 But  thus  teach  we,  that  the  church  hath  no  spot  nor  wrinkle, 
 but  is  holy,  and  yet  through  faith  only  in  Christ  Jesus.  Again, 
 that  she  is  holy  in  life  and  conversation,  by  abstaining  from  the 
 lusts  of  the  flesh,  and  exercise  of  spiritual  works;  but  yet  not 
 in  such  sort  that  she  is  delivered  from  all  evil  desires,  or  purged 
 from  all  wicked  opinions  and  errors;  for  the  church  always 
 confesseth  her  sins,  and  prayeth  that  her  faults  may  be  par- 
 doned :  also,  she  believeth  the  forgiveness  of  sins.  The  saints, 
 therefore,  do  sin,  fall,  and  also  err;  but  yet  through  ignorance. 
 For  they  would  not  willingly  deny  Christ,  forsake  the  gospel, 
 &c,  therefore  they  have  remission  of  sins.  And  if  through  igno 
 ranee  they  err  also  in  doctrine,  yet  is  this  pardoned;  for  in  the 
 end  they  acknowledge  their  error,  and  rest  only  upon  the  truth, 
 and  the  grace  of  God  offered  in  Christ,  as  Jerome,  Gregory, 
 Bernard,  and  others  did.  Let  Christians,  then,  endeavour  to 
 avoid  the  works  of  the  flesh,  but  the  desires  or  lusts  of  the  flesh 
 they  cannot  avoid. 
 
 It  is  very  profitable,  therefore,  for  them  to  feel  the  unclean 
 lusts  of  the  flesh,  lest  they  should  be  puffed  up  with  sonie  vain 
 and  wicked  opinion  of  the  righteousness  of  their  own  works,  as 
 though  they  were  accepted  before  God  for  the  same.  The 
 monks,  being  puffed  up  with  this  opinion  of  their  own 
 righteousness,  thought  themselves  to  be  so  holy,  that  they  sold 
 their  righteousness  and  holiness  to  others,  although  they  were 
 convinced,  by  the  testimony  of  their  own  hearts,  that  they  were 
 unclean.  So  pernicious  and  pestilent  a  poison  it  is  for  a  man  to 
 trust  in  his  own  righteousness,  and  to  think  himself  to  be  clean. 
 But  the  godly,  because  they  feel  the  micleanness  of  their  own 
 hearts,  therefore  they  cannot  trust  to  their  own  righteousness. 
 This  feeling  so  maketh  them  to  stoop,  and  so  humbleth  them, 
 that  they  cannot  trust  to  their  own  good  works,  but  are  con* 
 
VER.  !9. ,  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  4S3 
 
 strained  to  fly  unto  Christ,  their  mercy-seat  and  only  succour, 
 who  hath  not  a  corrupt  and  sinful,  but  a  most  pure  and  holy 
 flesh,  which  he  hath  given  for  the  life  of  the  world,  (John  vi.  51.) 
 In  him  they  find  a  sound  and  perfect  righteousness.  Thus  they 
 Continue  in  humility;  not  counterfeit  and  monkish,  but  true  and 
 unfeigned,  because  of  the  uncleanness  which  yet  remaineth  in 
 their  flesh;  for  the  which,  if  God  would  straitly  judge  them, 
 they  should  be  found  guilty  of  eternal  death.  But  because  they 
 lift  not  up  themselves  proudly  against  God,  but  with  a  broken 
 and  a  contrite  heart,  humbly  acknowledging  their  sins,  and 
 resting  wholly  upon  the  benefit  of  the  mediator  Christ,  they 
 come  forth  into  the  presence  of  God,  and  pray  that  for  his  sake 
 their  sins  may  be  forgiven  them;  God  spreadeth  over  them  an 
 infinite  heaven  of  grace,  and  doth  not  impute  unto  them  their 
 sins,  for  Christ's  sake. 
 
 This  I  say,  to  the  end  that  We  may  take  heed  of  the  pernicious 
 errors  of  the  Papists  touching  the  holiness  of  our  life,  wherein 
 our  minds  are  so  wrapped,  that  without  great  difficulty  we  could 
 not  wind  ourselves  out  of  them.  Wherefore,  do  you  endeavom* 
 with  diligence,  that  ye  may  discern  and  rightly  judge  between 
 true  righteousness  and  holiness,  and  that  which  is  hypocritical; 
 then  shall  ye  behold  the  kingdom  of  Christ  with  other  eyes  than 
 carnal  reason  doth,  that  is,  with  spiritual  eyes,  and  certainly 
 judge  those  to  be  true  saints  indeed,  which  are  baptized  and 
 believe  in  Christ;  and  afterwards,  in  the  same  faith  whereby 
 they  are  justified,  and  their  sins  both  past  and  present  are  for- 
 given, do  abstain  from  the  desires  of  the  flesh.    But  from  these 
 desires  they  are  not  thoroughly  cleansed;  for  the  flesh  lusteth 
 against  the  spirit.     Notwithstanding,  these  unclean  and  rebel- 
 lious lusts  do  still  remain  in  them  to  this  end,  that  they  may 
 be  humbled,  and  being  so  humbled,  they  may  feel  the  sweetness 
 of  the  grace  and  benefit  of  Christ.     So  th^se  remnants  of  un- 
 clean lusts  and  sins  do  nothing  at  all  hinder,  but  greatly  further 
 the  godly;  for  the  more  they  feel  their  infirmities  and  sins,  so 
 much  the  more  they  fly  unto  Christ  the  throne  of  grace,  and 
 more  heartily  crave  his  aid  and  succour;  to  wit,  that  he  will  cover 
 them  with  his  righteousness,  that  he  will  increase  their  faith, 
 that  he  will  endue  them  with  his  holy  spirit,  by  whose  gracious 
 leading  and  guiding  they  may  overcome  the  lusts  of  the  flesh, 
 that  they  may  rule  and  reign  not  over  them,  but  may  be  sub- 
 ject unto  them.     Thus  true  Christians  do  continually  wrestle 
 with  sin,  and  yet  notwithstanding  in  wrestling  they  are  not 
 overcome,  but  obtain  the  victory. 
 
 This  have  I  said,  that  ye  may  understand,  not  by  men*s 
 dreams,  but  by  the  word  of  God,  who  be  true  saints  indeed. 
 We  see,  then,  how  greatly  Christian  doctrine  helpeth  to  the 
 raising  up  and  comforting  of  weak  consciences;  which  treateth 
 aot  of  cowls,  shavings,  shearings,  fraternities,  and  such-like  toys, 
 but  of  high  and  weighty  matters,  as  how  we  may  overcome  the 
 
 Ff 
 
434  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  V, 
 
 flesh,  sin,  death,  and  the  devil.  This  doctrine,  as  it  is  unknown  to 
 justiciaries,  and  such  as  trust  in  their  own  works,  so  it  is  impos- 
 sible for  them  to  instruct  or  bring-  into  the  right  way  one  poor 
 conscience  wandering  and  going  astray;  or  to  pacify  and  comfort 
 the  same  when  it  is  in  heaviness,  terror,  or  desperation. 
 
 Verse  19.  The  works  of  the  flesh  are  manifest,  which  are  adultery,  fornica- 
 tion, uncleanness,  wantonness,  idolatry,  witchcraft,  &c. 
 
 Paul  doth  not  recite  all  the  works  of  the  flesh,  but  useth  a 
 certain  number  for  a  number  uncertain.  First,  he  reckoneth  up 
 the  kinds  of  lusts,  as  adultery,  fornication,  uncleanness,  wanton- 
 ness, &c.  Now,  not  only  carnal  lust  is  a  work  of  the  flesh,  as 
 the  Papists  dreamed,  who  called  marriage  also  a  work  of  the 
 flesh,  (so  chaste  and  holy  are  these  men,)  whereof  God  himself 
 is  the  author,  which  also  they  themselves  reckoned  among  their 
 sacraments;  but  he  numbereth  also  amongst  the  works  of  the 
 flesh  (as  I  have  said  before)  idolatry,  witchcraft,  hatred,  and 
 such  other,  which  hereafter  follow.  Wherefore,  this  place 
 alone  doth  sufficiently  shew  what  Paul  meaneth  by  the  flesh. 
 These  words  are  so  well  known  that  they  need  no  interpretation. 
 
 Idolatry. 
 
 All  the  highest  religions,  the  holiness  and  most  fervent  devo- 
 tions of  those  which  do  reject  Christ  the  Mediator,  and  worship 
 God  without  his  word  and  commandment,  are  nothing  else  but 
 plain  idolatry.  As  in  popery  it  was  counted  a  most  holy  and 
 spiritual  act,  when  the  monks,  being  shut  up  in  their  cells,  did 
 muse  and  meditate  of  God  or  of  his  works,  and  when  they,  being 
 inflamed  with  most  earnest  devotions,  kneeled  down,  prayed,  and 
 were  so  ravished  with  the  contemplations  of  heavenly  things, 
 that  they  wept  for  joy.  There  was  no  thinking  of  women,  or 
 of  any  other  creature,  but  only  of  God  the  Creator,  and  of  his 
 wonderful  works;  and  yet  this  most  spiritual  work  (as  reason 
 esteemeth  it)  is,  according  to  Paul,  a  work  of  the  flesh,  and 
 plain  idolatry.  Wherefore  all  such  religion,  whereby  God  is 
 worshipped  without  his  word  and  commandment,  is  idolatry. 
 And  the  more  holy  and  spiritual  it  seemeth  to  be  in  outward 
 shew,  so  much  the  more  dangerous  and  pernicious  it  is.  For 
 it  turneth  men  away  from  faith  in  Christ,  and  causeth  them  to 
 trust  to  their  own  strength,  works,  and  righteousness.  And 
 such  is  the  religion  of  the  Anabaptists  at  this  day ;  albeit  they 
 daily  more  and  more  bewray  themselves  to  be  possessed  with 
 the  devil,  and  to  be  seditious  and  bloody  men. 
 
 Therefore  the  fasting,  the  wearing  of  hair,  holy  works,  strait 
 rule,  and  whole  life  of  the  Carthusians  and  Charterhouse  monks, 
 whose  order,  notwithstanding,  is  of  all  other  the  straitest  and 
 sharpest,  be  very  works  of  the  flesh,  yea,  plain  idolatry.  For 
 they  imagine  themselves  to  be  saints,  and  to  be  saved,  not  by 
 Christ  (whom  they  fear  as  a  severe  and  cruel  judge)  but  by  olA 
 
VER.   19. J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIAN8.  435 
 
 serving  of  their  rules  and  orders.  Indeed,  they  think  of  God, 
 of  Christ,  and  of  heavenly  things,  but  after  their  own  reason, 
 and  not  after  the  word  of  God :  to  wit,  that  their  apparel,  their 
 manner  of  living,  and  their  whole  conversation  is  holy  and 
 pleaseth  Christ ;  whom  not  only  they  hope  to  pacify  by  this 
 straitness  of  life,  but  also  to  be  rcAvarded  of  him  for  their 
 good  deeds  and  righteousness.  Therefore,  their  most  spiritual 
 thoughts  (as  they  dream  of  them)  are  not  only  most  fleshly,  but 
 also  most  wicked ;  for  they  would  wipe  away  their  sins,  and  ob- 
 tain grace  and  everlasting  life,  by  the  trust  and  affiance  they  have 
 in  their  own  righteousness,  rejecting  and  despising  the  word, 
 faith,  and  Christ.  All  the  worshippings  and  services  of  God, 
 therefore,  and  all  religions  without  Christ  are  idolatry  and  idol 
 service.  In  Christ  alone,  the  Father  is  well  pleased ;  whoso 
 heareth  him,  and  doth  that  which  he  hath  commanded,  the  same 
 is  beloved  because  of  "  the  beloved."  He  commandeth  us  to 
 believe  his  word,  and  to  be  baptized,  &;c.  and  not  to  devise  any 
 new  worehipping  or  service  of  God, 
 
 I  have  said  before,  that  the  works  of  the  flesh  be  manifest ; 
 as  adultery,  fornication,  and  such-like,  be  manifestly  known  to 
 all  men.  But  idolatry  hath  such  a  goodly  shew,  and  is  so  spi- 
 ritual, that  it  is  known  but  to  very  few,  that  is,  to  the  faithful, 
 to  be  a  work  of  the  flesh.  For  the  monk  when  he  liveth  chastely, 
 fasteth,  prayeth,  or  saith  mass,  is  so  far  from  thinking  himself  to 
 be  an  idolater,  or  that  he  fulfilleth  any  work  of  the  flesh,  that 
 he  is  assuredly  persuaded  that  he  is  led  and  governed  by  the 
 spirit;  that  he  walketh  according  to  the  spirit;  that  he  thinketh, 
 speaketh,  and  doeth  nothing  else  but  mere  spiritual  things ;  and 
 that  he  doth  such  service  unto  God  as  is  most  acceptable  unto 
 him.  No  man  can  at  this  day  persuade  the  Papists  that  their 
 mass  is  a  great  blasphemy  against  God,  and  idolatry,  yea,  and 
 that  so  horrible,  as  never  was  any  in  the  church  since  the  apos- 
 tle's time.  For  they  are  blind  and  obstinate,  and  therefore  they 
 judge  so  perversely  of  God  and  God's  matters,  thinking  that 
 idolatry  to  be  a  true  service  of  God,  and  contrariwise,  faith  to 
 be  idolatry.  But  we,  which  believe  in  Christ  and  know  his 
 mind,  are  able  to  judge  and  to  discern  all  things,  and  cannot 
 truly  and  before  God  be  judged  of  any  man. 
 
 Hereby  it  is  plain  that  Paul  calleth  flesh  whatsoever  is  in  man, 
 comprehending  all  the  three  pow-ers  of  the  soul ;  that  is,  the 
 will  that  lusteth,  the  will  that  is  inclined  to  anger,  and  the  un- 
 derstanding. The  works  of  the  will  that  lusteth,  are  adultery, 
 fornication,  uncleanness,  and  such-like.  The  works  of  the  will 
 inclined  to  wrath,  are  quarrellings,  contentions,  murder,  and 
 such  other.  The  works  of  understanding  or  reason,  are  errors, 
 false  religions,  superstitions,  idolatry,  heresies,  that  is  to  say, 
 sects,  and  such-like.  It  is  very  necessary  for  us  to  know  these 
 things ;  for  this  word  [flesh]  is  so  darkened  in  the  whole  kingdom 
 of  the  Pope,  that  they  have  taken  the  work  of  the  flesh  to  be 
 
436  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL'S  fCHAP.  V. 
 
 nothing  else  but  the  accomplishing  of  fleshly  lust,  or  the  act  of 
 lechery ;  wherefore  it  Avas  not  possible  for  them  to  understand 
 Paul.  But  here  we  may  plainly  see  that  Paul  reckoneth  idolatry 
 lind  heresy  amongst  the  works  of  the  flesh,  which  two  (as  before 
 we  have  said)  reason  esteemeth  to  be  most  high  and  excellent 
 virtues,  Avisdom,  religion,  holiness,  and  righteousness.  Paul 
 (Col.  ii.)  calleth  it  the  religion  of  angels.  But,  although  it  seem 
 to  be  never  so  holy  and  spiritual,  yet  it  is  nothing  else  but  a 
 work  of  the  flesh,  an  abomination  and  idolatry  against  the  gospel, 
 against  faith,  and  against  the  true  service  of  God.  This  do  the 
 faithful  see,  for  they  have  spiritual  eyes ;  but  the  justiciaries 
 judge  the  contrary :  for  a  monk  cannot  be  persuaded  that  his 
 vows  are  works  of  the  flesh.  So  the  Turk  believeth  nothing 
 less  than  that  his  Alcoran,  his  washings,  and  other  ceremonies 
 which  he  observeth,  be  works  of  the  flesh. 
 
 Witchcraft. 
 
 Of  witchcraft  I  have  spoken  before,  in  the  third  chapter. 
 This  vice  was  very  common  in  these  our  days,  before  the  light 
 and  truth  of  the  gospel  was  revealed.  When  I  was  a  child, 
 there  were  many  witches  and  sorcerers,  which  bewitched  both 
 cattle  and  men,  but  specially  children,  and  did  great  harm  also 
 otherwise ;  but  now,  in  the  light  of  the  gospel,  these  things  be 
 not  so  commonly  heard  of,  for  the  gospel  thrusteth  the  devil 
 out  of  his  seat,  with  all  his  illusions.  But  now  he  bewitcheth 
 men  much  more  horribly,  namely,  with  spiritual  sorcery  and 
 witchcraft. 
 
 Paul  reckoneth  witchcraft  among  the  works  of  the  flesh,  which 
 notwithstanding,  as  all  men  know,  is  not  a  work  of  fleshly  lust 
 or  lechery,  but  a  kind  of  idolatry.  For  witchcraft  covenanteth 
 with  the  devil ;  superstition  or  idolatry  covenanteth  with  God : 
 albeit,  not  with  the  true  God,  but  with  a  counterfeit  god. 
 Wherefore  idolatry  is,  indeed,  a  spiritual  witchcraft.  For  as 
 witches  do  enchant  cattle  and  men,  so  idolaters,  that  is  to  say, 
 all  justiciaries,  or  justifiers  of  themselves,  go  about  to  bewitch 
 God,  and  to  make  him  such  a  one  as  they  do  imagine.  Now 
 they  imagine  him  to  be  such  a  one  as  will  justify  them,  not 
 of  his  mere  grace  and  mercy,  and  through  faith  in  Christ,  but 
 in  respect  of  their  will-worshippings,  and  works  of  their  own 
 choosing,  and  in  recompence  thereof  will  give  them  righteous- 
 ness and  life  everlasting.  But  whilst  they  go  about  to  bewitch 
 God,  they  bewitch  themselves;  for  if  they  continue  in  this 
 wicked  opinion  which  they  conceive  of  God,  they  shall  die  in 
 their  idolatry  and  be  damned.  The  works  of  the  flesh  are  well 
 known  for  the  most  part,  therefore  they  shall  not  need  any- 
 further  declaration. 
 
 Sects. 
 
 By  the  name  of  sects,  Paul  meaneth  here,  not  those  divisi  jns 
 or  contentions  which    rise    sometimes  in  the  government  of 
 
VER.  16.]  r.PISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  437 
 
 households,  or  of  commonweals,  for  worldly  and  earthly  mat- 
 ters ;  hut  those  Avhich  rise  in  the  church,  ahout  doctrine,  faith, 
 and  works.  Heresies,  that  is  to  say,  sects,  have  always  heen 
 in  the  church,  as  we  have  said  before,  in  divers  places.  Not- 
 withstanding the  Pope  is  an  arch-heretic,  and  the  head  of  all 
 heretics ;  for  he  hath  filled  the  world,  as  it  were,  with  a  huge 
 flood  of  infinite  sects  and  errors.  What  concord  and  unity  was 
 there  in  so  great  diversity  of  the  monks,  and  other  religious 
 orders  ?  No  one  sort  or  sect  of  them  could  agree  with  another; 
 for  they  measured  their  holiness  by  the  straitness  of  their  orders. 
 Hereof  it  cometh  that  the  Carthusian  will  needs  be  counted 
 holier  than  the  Franciscan,  and  so  likewise  the  rest ;  where- 
 fore there  is  no  unity  of  spirit,  nor  concord  of  minds,  but  great 
 discord  in  the  papistical  church ;  there  is  no  conformity  in  their 
 doctrine,  faith,  religion,  or  serving  of  God,  but  all  things  are 
 clean  contrary.  Contrariwise,  amongst  the  Christians,  the  word, 
 faith,  religion,  sacraments,  service,  Christ,  God,  heart,  soul, 
 Blind,  and  understanding,  are  all  one  and  common  to  all ;  and, 
 as  touching  outward  conversation,  the  diversity  of  states,  de- 
 grees, and  conditions  of  life,  hindereth  this  spiritual  concord 
 and  unity  nothing  at  all,  as  before  I  have  said.  And  they 
 which  have  this  unity  of  the  spirit,  can  certainly  judge  of  all 
 sects,  which  otherwise  no  man  understandeth ;  as,  indeed,  no 
 divine  in  the  papacy  understood  that  Paul  in  this  place  con- 
 demneth  all  the  worshippings,  religions,  continency,  honest 
 conversation,  and  holy  life  in  outward  appearance,  of  all  the 
 Papists,  sectaries,  and  schismatics ;  but  they  all  thought  that  he 
 speaketh  of  the  gross  idolatry  and  heresies  of  the  Gentiles  and 
 Turks,  which  manifestly  blaspheme  the  name  of  Christ. 
 
 Drunkenness^  Gluttony. 
 
 Paul  doth  not  say  that  to  eat  and  drink  be  works  of  the  flesh, 
 but  to  be  drunken  and  to  surfeit,  which  of  all  other  vices  are 
 most  common  at  this  day.  Whoso  are  given  to  this  beastly  dis- 
 soluteness and  excess,  let  them  know  that  they  are  not  spiritual, 
 how  much  soever  they  boast  themselves  so  to  be,  but  they  follow 
 the  flesh,  and  perform  the  filthy  works  thereof.  Therefore  is 
 this  horrible  sentence  pronounced  against  them,  that  they  shall 
 not  be  inheritors  of  the  kingdom  of  God.  Paul  would  therefore 
 that  Christians  should  fly  drunkenness  and  surfeiting,  living  so- 
 berly and  nioderately,  without  all  excess,  lest  by  pampering  the 
 flesh  they  should  be  provoked  to  wantonness ;  as,  indeed,  afler 
 surfeiting  and  belly-cheer,  the  flesh  is  wont  to  wax  wanton,  and 
 to  be  inflamed  with  outrageous  lust.  But  it  is  not  sufficient  only 
 to  restrain  this  outrageous  wantonness  and  lust  of  the  flesh, 
 which  foUoweth  drunkenness  and  surfeiting,  or  any  manner  of 
 excess;  but  also  the  flesh,  when  it  is  most  sober  and  in  his  best 
 temperance,  must  be  subdued  and  repressed,  lest  it  fulfil  his 
 lusts  and  desires.     For  it  oftentimes  cometh  to  pass,  that  even 
 
438  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [cHAP.  T, 
 
 they  which  are  most  sober,  are  tempted  most  of  all :  as  Jerome 
 writeth  of  himself:  "  My  face,"  saith  he,  "was  pale  with  fasting, 
 and  my  mind  was  inflamed  with  fleshly  desires  in  my  cold  body; 
 and  although  my  flesh  was  half  dead  already,  yet  the  flames  of 
 unclean  lust  boiled  within  me."  Hereof  I  myself  also  had  ex- 
 perience when  I  was  a  monk.  The  heat,  therefore,  of  unclean 
 lusts  is  not  quenched  by  fasting  only,  but  we  must  be  aided  also 
 by  the  spirit,  that  is,  by  the  meditation  of  God's  word,  faith, 
 and  prayer.  Indeed,  fasting  represseth  the  gross  assaults  of 
 fleshly  lust ;  but  the  desires  of  the  flesh  are  overcome  by  no 
 abstinence  from  meats  and  drinks,  but  only  by  the  mediation  of 
 the  word  of  God  and  invocation  of  Christ. 
 
 Verse  21.     And  such-like. 
 
 For  it  is  impossible  to  reckon  up  all  the  works  of  the  flesh. 
 
 Verse  81.  Whereof  I  tell  you,  as  I  have  also  told  you  before,  that  they  which 
 do  such  things,  shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God. 
 
 This  is  a  very  hard  and  terrible  saying,  but  yet  very  neces- 
 sary against  false  Christians  and  careless  hypocrites,  which  brag 
 of  the  gospel,  of  faith,  and  of  the  spirit,  and  yet  in  all  security 
 they  perform  the  works  of  the  flesh.  But  chiefly  the  heretics, 
 being  puffed  up  with  opinions  of  spiritual  matters,  (as  they 
 dream,)  are  possessed  of  the  devil,  and  altogether  carnal ;  there- 
 fore they  perform  and  fulfil  the  desires  of  the  flesh,  even  with 
 all  the  powers  of  the  soul.  Therefore  most  necessary  it  was 
 that  so  horrible  and  terrible  a  sentence  should  be  pronounced 
 by  the  apostle  against  such  careless  contemners  and  obstinate 
 hypocrites,  (namely,  that  all  they  which  do  such  works  of  the 
 flesh  as  Paul  hath  recited,  shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God,) 
 that  yet  some  of  them,  being  terrified  by  this  severe  sentence, 
 may  begin  to  fight  against  the  works  of  the  flesh  by  the  spirit, 
 that  they  accomplish  not  the  same. 
 
 Verse  22,     But  the  fruits  of  the  spirit  are  love,  joy,  peace,  long-suffering, 
 sweetness,  goodness,  faithfulness,  gentleness  or  meekness,  temperance. 
 
 The  apostle  saith  not,  the  works  of  the  spirit,  as  he  said  the 
 works  of  the  flesh,  but  he  adorneth  these  Christian  virtues  with 
 a  more  honourable  name,  calling  them  the  fruits  of  the  spirit; 
 for  they  bring  with  them  most  excellent  fruits  and  commodities; 
 for  they  that  have  them  give  glory  to  God,  and  with  the  same 
 do  allure  and  provoke  others  to  embrace  the  doctrine  and  faith 
 of  Christ. 
 
 Love. 
 
 It  had  been  enough  to  have  said,  "  love,"  and  no  more :  for 
 love  extendeth  itself  unto  all  the  fruits  of  the  spirit.  And  in 
 I  Cor.  xiii.  Paul  attributeth  to  love  all  the  fruits  which  are 
 done  in  the  spirit,  when  he  saith,  "  Love  is  patient,  courteous,** 
 
VER.  22.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  439 
 
 &c.  Notwithstanding  he  would  set  it  here  by  itself,  amongst 
 the  rest  of  the  fruits  of  the  spirit,  and  in  the  first  place,  thereby 
 to  admonish  the  Christians  that  before  all  things  they  should 
 love  one  another,  giving  honour  one  to  another,  (Rom.  xii.  10.) 
 every  man  esteeming  better  of  another  than  of  himself,  and 
 serving  one  another,  because  they  have  Christ  and  the  Holy 
 Ghost  dwelling  in  them,  and  because  of  the  word,  baptism,  and 
 other  gifts  of  God,  which  Christians  have. 
 
 Joy. 
 This  is  the  voice  of  the  bridegroom  and  of  the  bride;  that  is 
 to  say,  sweet  cogitations  of  Christ,  wholesome  exhortations,  plea- 
 sant songs  or  psalms,  praises  and  thanksgivings,  whereby  the 
 godly  do  instruct,  stir  up,  and  refresh  themselves.  Therefore 
 God  loveth  not  heaviness  and  doubtfidness  of  spirit;  he  hateth 
 uncomfortable  doctrine,  heavy  and  sorrowful  cogitations,  and 
 loveth  cheerful  hearts.  For  therefore  hath  he  sent  his  Son,  not 
 to  oppress  us  with  heaviness  and  sorrow,  but  to  cheer  up  our 
 souls  in  him;  for  this  cause  the  prophets,  the  apostles,  and  Christ 
 himself  do  exhort  us,  yea,  they  command  us  to  rejoice  and  be 
 glad:  (Zech.  ix.  9.)  "  Rejoice,  thou  daughter  of  Zion;  be  joyful, 
 thou  daughter  of  Jerusalem;  for  behold,  thy  king  cometh  to 
 thee."  And  in  the  Psalms  it  is  often  said:  "  Be  joyful  in  the 
 Lord."  Paul  saith:  "  Rejoice  in  the  Lord  always,"  &c.  And 
 Christ  saith:  "  Rejoice,  because  your  names  are  written  in  hea- 
 ven." Where  this  joy  of  the  spirit  is,  there  the  heart  inwardly 
 rejoiceth  through  faith  in  Christ,  with  full  assurance  that  he  is 
 our  Saviour  and  om-  bishop,  and  outwardly  it  expresseth  this 
 joy  with  words  and  gestures.  Also,  the  faithful  rejoice  when 
 they  see  that  the  gospel  spreadeth  abroad,  that  many  be  won  to 
 the  faith,  and  the  kingdom  of  Christ  is  enlarged. 
 
 PeacCi 
 Both  towards  God  and  men,  that  Christians  may  be  peace- 
 able and  quiet:  not  contentious,  nor  hating  one  another,  but 
 one  bearing  another's  burthen,  through  long-suffering  or  per- 
 severance, without  the  which,  peace  cannot  continue,  and 
 therefore  Paul  putteth  it  next  after  peace. 
 
 Long-suffering  or  perseverance. 
 Whereby  a  man  doth  not  only  bear  adversities,  injuries,  re- 
 proaches, and  such-like,  but  also  Avith  patience  waiteth  for  the 
 amendment  of  those  which  have  done  him  any  wrong.  When 
 the  devil  cannot  by  force  overcome  those  which  are  tempted, 
 then  seeketh  he  to  overcome  them  by  long  continuance.  For  he 
 knoweth  that  we  be  earthen  vessels,  which  cannot  long  endure 
 and  hold  out  many  knocks  and  violent  strokes,  therefore  with 
 long  continuance  of  temptations  he  overcometh  many.  To 
 vanquish  these  his  continual  assaults  we  must  use  long-suiFering, 
 tvhich  patiently  looketh,  not  only  for  the  ameadment  of  those 
 
440  COMMENTARY  ON  ST    PAUl.'s  [CHAP.   V, 
 
 which  do  us  wrong,  but  also  for  the  end  of  those  temptations 
 which  the  devil  raiseth  up  against  us. 
 
 Gentleness^ 
 Which  is,  when  a  man  is  gentle  and  tractable  in  his  conver-r 
 sation,  and  in  his  whole  life.  For  such  as  will  be  true  followers 
 of  the  gospel,  must  not  be  sharp  and  bitter,  but  gentle,  mild,  cour- 
 teous, and  fair  spoken,  which  should  encourage  others  to  delight 
 in  their  company;  which  can  wink  at  other  men's  faults,  or,  at 
 least,  expound  them  to  the  best;  which  will  be  well  contented 
 to  yield  and  give  place  to  others ;  contented  to  bear  with  those 
 which  are  fro  ward  and  intractable,  as  the  very  heathen  said  j 
 "  Thou  must  know  the  manners  of  thy  friend,  but  thou  must 
 not  hate  them."  Such  a  one  was  our  Saviour  Christ,  as  every-? 
 where  is  to  be  seen  in  the  gospel.  It  is  written  of  Peter,  that 
 he  wept  so  often  as  he  remembered  the  sweet  mildness  of 
 Christ,  which  he  used  in  his  daily  conversation.  It  is  an  ex- 
 cellent virtue,  and  most  necessary  in  every  kind  of  life. 
 
 Goodness. 
 Which  is,  when  a  man  willingly  helpeth  others  in  their  ne-? 
 cessity  by  giving,  lending,  and  such  other  means. 
 
 Faith. 
 When  Paul  here  reckoneth  faith  amongst  the  fruits  of  the 
 spirit,  it  is  manifest  that  he  speaketh  not  of  faith  which  is  in 
 Christ,  but  of  the  fidelity  and  humanity  of  one  man  towards 
 another.  Hereupon  he  saith,  in  the  thirteenth  chapter  of  the 
 first  of  the  Corinthians,  that  charity  believeth  all  things.  There- 
 fore he  that  hath  this  faith  is  not  suspicious  but  mild,  and  taketh 
 all  things  to  the  best;  and  although  he  be  deceived,  and  findeth 
 himself  to  be  mocked,  yet  such  is  his  patience  and  softness,  that 
 he  letteth  it  pass;  briefly,  he  is  to  ready  to  believe  all  men,  but 
 he  trusteth  not  all.  On  the  contrary,  where  this  virtue  is  lack- 
 ing, there  men  are  suspicious,  froward,  wayward,  dogged,  and 
 so  neither  will  believe  any  thing,  nor  give  place  to  any  body; 
 they  can  suffer  nothing;  whatsoever  a  man  saith  or  doth  never 
 so  well,  they  cavil  and  slander  it,  so  that  whoso  serveth  not  they: 
 humour  can  never  please  them.  Therefore  it  is  unpossible  for 
 them  to  keep  charity,  friendship,  concord,  and  peace  with  men. 
 But  if  these  virtues  be  taken  away,  what  is  this  life,  but  biting 
 and  devouring  one  of  another?  Faith,  therefore,  in  this  place  is, 
 when  one  man  giveth  credit  to  another  in  things  pertaining  to 
 this  present  life;  for  what  manner  of  life  should  we  lead  in  thi^ 
 world,  if  one  man  should  not  credit  another? 
 
 Meekness. 
 Which  is,  when  a  man  is  not  lightly  moved  or  provoked  to 
 anger.     There  be  infinite  occasions  in  this  life  which  provoke 
 men  to  anger,  but  the  godly  overcome  them  by  meekness. 
 
VER.  92—24.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  441 
 
 Temperance,  chastity,  or  continence/. 
 
 This  is  a  sobriety  or  modesty  in  the  whole  life  of  man, 
 which  virtue  Paul  setteth  against  the  works  of  the  flesh.  Hp 
 would,  therefore,  that  Christians  should  live  soberly  and 
 chastely;  that  they  should  be  no  adulterers,  no  fornicators,  no 
 wantons;  and  if  they  cannot  live  chastely,  he  would  have  them 
 to  marry.  Also,  that  they  should  not  be  contentious  or 
 quarrellers,  that  they  should  not  be  given  to  drunkenness  or 
 surfeiting,  but  that  they  should  abstain  from  all  these  things. 
 Chastity  or  continency  oontaineth  all  these.  Jerome  expoundeth 
 it  of  virginity  only,  as  though  they  that  be  married  could  not  be 
 chaste;  or  as  though  the  apostle  did  write  these  things  only  to 
 virgins.  In  the  first  and  second  chapter  to  Titus,  he  warneth 
 also  bishops,  young  women,  and  married  folks,  both  man  and 
 wife,  to  be  chaste  and  pure. 
 
 Verse  23.  Against  such  there  is  no  law. 
 
 Indeed  there  is  a  law,  but  not  against  such.  As  he  saith  also 
 in  another  place,  "  The  law  is  not  given  to  the  righteous  man." 
 For  the  righteous  liveth  in  such  wise  that  he  hath  no  need  of 
 any  law,  to  admonish  or  to  constrain  him :  but,  without  constraint 
 of  the  law,  he  willingly  doth  those  things  which  the  law  re- 
 quireth.  Therefore  the  law  cannot  accuse  or  condemn  those 
 uiat  believe  in  Christ.  Indeed,  the  law  troubleth  and  terrifieth 
 our  consciences;  but  Christ,  apprehended  by  faith,  vanquisheth 
 it,  with  all  his  terrors  and  threatenings.  To  them,  therefore, 
 the  law  is  utterly  abolished,  and  hath  no  power  to  accuse  them; 
 for  they  do  that  of  their  own  accord,  which  the  law  requireth. 
 They  have  received  the  Holy  Ghost  by  faith,  who  will  not  suffer 
 them  to  be  idle ;  although  the  flesh  resist,  yet  do  they  walk  after 
 the  spirit.  So  a  Christian  accomplisheth  the  law  inwardly  by 
 faith,  (for  Christ  is  the  perfection  of  the  law  unto  righteousness, 
 to  all  that  do  believe,)  outwardly  by  works  and  remission  of 
 sins;  but  those  which  perform  the  works  or  desires  of  the  flesh, 
 the  law  doth  accuse  and  condemn  both  civUly  and  spiritually. 
 
 Verse  24.     For  they  that  are  Christ's,  have  crucified  the  flesh  with  the  affcc-< 
 tions  and  lusts  thereof 
 
 This  whole  place,  concerning  works,  sheweth,  that  the  true 
 believers  are  no  hypocrites.  Therefore,  let  no  man  deceive  him^ 
 self;  for  whosoever,  saith  he,  pertain  unto  Christ,  have  crucified 
 the  flesh,  with  all  the  vices  and  lusts  thereof.  For  the  saints, 
 inasmuch  as  they  have  not  yet  utterly  put  oiF  the  corrupt  and 
 sinful  flesh,  are  inclined  to  sin,  and  do  neither  fear  nor  love  God 
 so  perfectly  as  they  ought  to  do;  also,  they  be  provoked  to  anger> 
 to  envy,  to  impatience,  to  unclean  lusts,  and  such-like  motions, 
 which  notwithstanding  they  accomplish  not ;  for  (as  Paul  here 
 saith)  they  crucify  the  flesh,  with  all  the  affections  and  lusts 
 
442  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  V. 
 
 thereof;  which  thing  they  do,  not  only  when  they  repress  the 
 wantonness  of  the  flesh  with  fasting  and  other  exercises,  but 
 also  (as  Paul  said  before)  when  they  walk  according  to  the 
 spirit ;  that  is,  when  they,  being  admonished  by  the  threatenings 
 of  God,  whereby  he  sheweth  that  he  will  severely  punish  sin, 
 are  afraid  to  commit  sin ;  also  when  they,  being  armed  with  the 
 word  of  God,  with  faith,  and  with  prayer,  do  not  obey  the  lusts 
 of  the  flesh. 
 
 When  they  resist  the  flesh  after  this  manner,  they  nail  it  to 
 the  cross  with  the  lusts  and  desires  thereof:  so  that,  although  the 
 flesh  be  yet  alive,  yet  can  it  not  perform  that  which  it  would  do, 
 forasmuch  as  it  is  bound  both  hand  and  foot,  and  fast  nailed  to 
 the  cross.  The  faithful,  then,  so  long  as  they  live  here,  do  cru- 
 cify the  flesh,  that  is  to  say,  they  feel  the  lusts  thereof,  but  they 
 obey  them  not.  For  they  being  furnished  with  the  armour  of 
 God,  that  is,  with  faith,  hope,  and  the  sword  of  the  spirit,  do 
 resist  the  flesh,  and  with  these  spiritual  nails  they  fasten  the 
 same  unto  the  cross,  so  that  it  is  constrained  to  be  subject  to 
 the  spirit.  Afterwards,  when  they  die,  they  put  it  off"  wholly; 
 and  when  they  shall  rise  agam  from  death  to  life,  they  shall  have 
 a  pure  and  uncorrupt  flesh,  without  all  affections  and  lusts. 
 
 Verse 25.     If  we  live  in  (lie  spirit,  let  us  also  waiic  in  the  spirit. 
 
 Tlie  apostle  reckoned  before,  amongst  the  works  of  the  flesh, 
 heresy  and  envy,  and  pronounced  sentence  against  those  which 
 are  envious,  and  which  are  authors  of  sects,  that  they  should 
 not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God ;  and  now,  as  if  he  had  for- 
 gotten that  which  he  said  a  little  before,  he  again  reproveth  those 
 which  provoke  and  envy  one  another. — Why  doth  he  so  ?  Was 
 it  not  sufficient  to  have  done  it  once  ?  Indeed,  he  doth  it  of 
 purpose;  for  he  taketh  occasion  here  to  inveigh  against  that 
 execrable  vice  of  vain-glory,  which  was  the  cause  ot  the  trou-> 
 bles  that  were  in  all  the  churches  of  Galatia,  and  hath  been 
 always  most  pernicious  and  hurtful  to  the  whole  church  of 
 Christ.  Therefore,  in  his  epistle  to  Titus,  he  would  not  that  a 
 proud  man  should  be  ordained  a  bishop ;  for  pride  (as  Augustine 
 truly  saith)  is  the  mother  of  all  heresies,  or  rather  the  head- 
 spring of  all  sin  and  confusion ;  which  thing  all  histories,  as  well 
 holy  as  profane,  do  witness. 
 
 Now,  vain-glory  or  arrogancy  hath  always  been  a  common 
 poison  in  the  world,  which  the  very  heathen  poets  and  histo- 
 riogi'aphers  have  always  vehemently  reproved.  There  is  no 
 village  wherein  there  is  not  some  one  or  other  to  be  found,  that 
 would  be  counted  wiser,  and  be  more  esteemed  than  all  the 
 rest ;  but  they  are  chiefly  infected  with  this  disease,  which  stand 
 upon  their  reputation-  for  learning  and  wisdom.  In  this  case, 
 no  man  will  yield  to  another,  according  to  this  saying,  "  Ye 
 shall  not  lightly  find  a  man  that  will  yield  unto  others  the  praise 
 of  wit  and  skill ;  for  it  is  a  goodly  thing  to  see  men  point  at  one, 
 
VER.  23.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  443 
 
 and  say,  this  is  he." — But  it  is  not  so  hurtful  in  private  persons, 
 no,  nor  in  any  kind  of  magistrate,  as  it  is  in  them  that  have  any 
 charge  in  the  church ;  albeit  in  civil  government  (especially  if 
 it  be  in  great  personages)  it  is  not  only  a  cause  of  troubles  and 
 ruins  of  commonweals,  but  also  of  the  troubles  and  alterations 
 of  kingdoms  and  empires;  which  thing  the  histories  both  of  the 
 scripture  and  profane  writers  do  witness. 
 
 But  when  this  poison  creepeth  into  the  church,  or  spiritual 
 kingdom,  it  cannot  be  expressed  how  hurtful  it  is ;  for  there  is 
 no  contention  as  touching  learning,  wit,  beauty,  riches,  king- 
 doms, empires,  and  such-like;  but  as  touching  salvation,  or  dam- 
 nation; eternal  life,  or  eternal  death.  Therefore,  Paul  earnestly 
 exhorteth  the  ministers  of  the  word  to  fly  this  vice,  saying :  "  if 
 we  live  in  the  spirit,"  &c.  As  if  he  should  say:  If  it  be  true 
 that  we  live  by  the  spirit,  let  us  also  proceed  and  walk  in  the 
 spirit.  For  where  the  spirit  is,  it  reneweth  men,  and  worketh 
 in  them  new  motions :  that  is  to  say,  whereas  they  were  before 
 vain-glorious,  wrathful,  and  envious,  it  maketh  them  now  hum- 
 ble, gentle,  and  patient.  Such  men  seek  not  their  own  glory, 
 but  the  glory  of  God-  they  do  not  provoke  one  another,  or 
 envy  one  another,  but  give  place  one  to  another,  and  in  giving 
 honour  prevent  one  another.  Contrariwise,  they  that  be  de- 
 sirous of  glory,  and  envy  one  another,  may  boast  that  they  have 
 the  spirit  and  live  after  the  spirit;  but  they  deceive  themselves: 
 they  follow  the  flesh  and  do  the  works  thereof,  and  they  have 
 their  judgment  already,  that  they  shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom 
 of  God. 
 
 Now,  as  nothing  is  more  dangerous  to  the  church  than  this 
 execrable  vice,  so  is  there  nothing  more  common;  for  when 
 God  sendeth  forth  labourers  into  his  harvest,  by-and-by  Satan 
 raiseth  up  his  ministers  also,  who  will  in  no  Avise  be  counted 
 inferior  to  those  that  are  rightly  called.  Here  straightway 
 riseth  dissension.  The  wicked  will  not  yield  one  hair's  breadth 
 to  the  godly;  for  they  dream  that  they  far  pass  them  in  wit,  ia 
 learning,  in  godliness,  in  spirit,  and  other  virtues.  Much  less 
 ought  the  godly  to  yield  to  the  wicked,  lest  the  doctrine  of  faith 
 come  in  danger.  Moreover,  such  is  the  nature  of  the  ministers 
 of  Satan,-  that  they  can  make  a  goodly  shew,  that  they  are  very 
 charitable,  humble,  lovers  of  concord,  and  are  endued  with 
 other  fruits  of  the  spirit ;  also,  they  protest  that  they  seek  no- 
 things else  but  the  glory  of  God  and  the  salvation  of  men's  souls; 
 and  yet  are  they  full  of  vain-glory,  doing  all  things  for  none 
 other  end  but  to  get  praise  and  estimation  among  men.  To  be 
 short,  they  think  that  gain  is  godliness,  (1  Tim.  vi.  5.)  and  that 
 the  ministry  of  the  word  is  delivered  unto  them  that  they  may 
 get  fame  and  estimation  thereby;  wherefore  they  cannot  but  be 
 authors  of  dissensions  and  sects. 
 
 Forasmuch,  then,  as  the  vain-glory  of  the  false  apostles  was 
 the  cause  that  the  chui'ches  of  Galatia  were  troubled  and  for- 
 
444  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CHAP,  V, 
 
 sook  Paul,  therefore  in  this  chapter  specially  his  purpose  was  to 
 suppress  that  execrable  vice ;  yea,  this  mischief  g-ave  the  apostle 
 occasion  to  write  this  whole  epistle.  And  if  he  had  not  so  done, 
 all  his  travail  bestowed  in  preaching  of  the  g-ospel  among-  the 
 Galatians  had  been  spent  in  vain.  For  in  his  absence  the  false 
 apostles,  which  were  men  in  outward  shew  of  great  authority, 
 Teigned  in  Galatia;  who,  besides  that  they  would  seem  to  seek 
 the  glory  of  Christ  and  the  salvation  of  the  Galatians,  pretended 
 also  that  they  had  been  conversant  with  the  apostles,  and  that 
 they  followed  their  footsteps,  saying,  that  Paul  had  not  seen 
 Christ  in  the  flesh,  nor  had  been  conversant  with  the  rest  of 
 the  apostles,  and  therefore  they  made  no  account  of  him,  but 
 rejected  his  doctrine,  and  boasted  their  own  to  be  true  and  sin» 
 cere.  Thus  they  troubled  the  Galatians,  and  raised  sects  among 
 them,  so  that  they  provoked  and  envied  one  another ;  which 
 was  a  sure  token  that  neither  the  teachers  nor  hearers  lived 
 and  walked  after  the  spirit,  but  followed  the  flesh  and  fulfilled 
 the  works  thereof;  and  so,  consequently,  lost  the  true  doctrine, 
 faith,  Christ,  and  all  the  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  were  now 
 become  worse  than  the  heathen. 
 
 Notwithstanding  he  doth  not  only  inveigh  against  the  falso 
 apostles,  which  in  his  time  troubled  the  churches  of  Galatia,  r 
 also  he  foresaw  in  spirit,  that  there  should  be  an  infinite  numbei 
 of  such,  even  to  the  world's  end,  which  being  infected  with  this 
 pernicious  vice,  should  thrust  themselves  into  the  church,  boast- 
 ing of  the  spirit  and  heavenly  doctrine,  and  under  this  pretence 
 should  quite  overthrow  the  true  doctrine  and  faith.  Many  such 
 have  we  also  seen  in  these  our  days,  who  have  thrust  themselves 
 into  the  kingdom  of  the  spirit,  that  is  to  say,  iuto  the  ministry 
 of  the  word ;  and  by  this  hypocrisy  they  have  purchased  unto 
 themselves  fame  and  estimation,  that  they  were  great  doctors 
 and  pillars  of  the  gospel,  and  such  as  lived  in  the  spirit,  and 
 walked  according  to  the  s^me.  But,  because  their  glory  con- 
 sisted in  men's  mouths,  and  not  in  God,  therefore  it  coiJd  not 
 be  firm  and  stable ;  but,  according  to  Paul's  prophecy,  it  turned 
 to  their  own  confusion,  and  their  end  was  destruction.  For 
 "  the  wicked  shall  not  stand  in  judgment,  but  shall  be  taken 
 away  like  chaff",  and  scattered  abroad  with  the  wind,"  (Ps.  i.  4.) 
 
 The  same  judgment  remaineth  for  all  such  as  in  preaching 
 the  gospel  seek  their  own  profit,  and  not  the  glory  of  Jesus 
 Christ,  For  the  gospel  is  not  delivered  unto  us  that  we  should 
 thereby  seek  our  own  praise  and  glory,  or  that  the  people  should 
 honour  and  magnify  us  which  are  the  ministers  thereof;  but  to 
 the  end  that  the  benefit  and  glory  of  Christ  might  be  preached 
 and  published,  and  that  tjie  Father  might  be  glorified  in  his 
 mercy  offered  unto  us  ui  Christ  his  Son,  whom  he  delivered  for 
 us  all,  and  with  him  hath  given  us  all  things.  Wherefore  the 
 gospel  is  a  doctrine  wherein  we  ought  to  seek  nothing  less  than 
 »ur  own  glory.     It  setteth  forth  unto  us  heavenly  and  eternal 
 
VEB.  85.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  445 
 
 things,  which  are  not  our  own,  which  we  have  neither  done 
 nor  Reserved ;  but  it  offereth  the  same  unto  us,  I  say,  which 
 are  uuAvorthy,  and  that  through  the  mere  goodness  and  grace  of 
 God.  Why  should  we  then  seek  praise  and  glory  thereby? 
 He,  therefore,  that  seeketh  his  own  glory  in  the  gospel,  speaketh 
 of  himself;  and  he  that  speaketh  of  himself  is  a  liar,  and  there 
 is  unrighteousness  in  him.  Contrariwise,  he  that  seeketh  the 
 glory  of  him  that  sent  him,  is  true,  and  there  is  no  unrighteous- 
 ness in  him,  (John  vii.) 
 
 Paul  therefore  giveth  earnest  charge  to  all  the  ministers  of 
 the  word,  saying,  "  if  we  live  in  the  spirit,  let  us  walk  in  the 
 spirit,"  that  is  to  say,  let  us  abide  in  the  doctrine  of  truth 
 which  hath  been  taught  unto  us,  in  brotherly  love  and  spiritual 
 concord ;  let  us  preach  Christ  and  the  glory  of  God  in  sim- 
 plicity of  heart ;  and  let  us  confess  that  we  have  received  all 
 things  of  him;  let  us  not  think  more  of  ourselves  than  of  others; 
 let  us  raise  up  no  sects.  For  this  is  not  to  walk  rightly,  but 
 rather  to  range  out  of  the  way,  and  to  set  up  a  new  and  a  per- 
 verse way  of  walking.  ■ 
 
 Hereby  we  may  understand  that  God,  of  his  special  grace, 
 maketh  the  teachers  of  the  gospel  subject  to  the  cross  a,nd  to  all 
 kinds  of  afflictions,  for  the  salvation  of  themselves  and  of  the 
 people ;  for  otherwise  they  could  by  no  means  repress  and  beat 
 aovtTi  this  beast  which  is  called  vain-glory.  For  if  no  persecu- 
 tion, no  cross  or  reproach  followed  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel, 
 but  only  praise,  reputation,  and  glory  amongst  men,  then  would 
 all  the  professors  thereof  be  infected  and  perish  through  the 
 poison  of  vain-glory.  Jerome  saith,  that  he  had  seen  many 
 which  could  suffer  great  inconveniences  in  their  body  and  goods, 
 but  none  that  could  despise  their  own  praises ;  for  it  is  almost 
 impossible  for  a  man  not  to  be  puffed  up,  when  he  heareth  any 
 thing  spoken  in  the  praise  of  his  own  virtues.  Paul,  notwith- 
 standing that  he  had  the  spirit  of  Christ,  saith,  that  there  was 
 given  unto  him  the  messenger  of  Satan  to  buffet  him,  because  he 
 should  not  be  exalted  out  of  measure,  through  the  greatness  of 
 his  revelations.  Therefore  Augustine  saith  very  well,  "  if  a 
 minister  of  the  word  be  praised,  he  is  in  danger :  if  a  brother 
 despise  or  dispraise  him,  he  is  also  in  danger.  He  that  heareth  a 
 preacher  of  the  word,  ought  to  reverence  him  for  the  word's  sake; 
 but  ifhe  be  proud  thereof,  he  is  m  danger.  Contrariwise,  if  he  be 
 despised,  he  is  out  of  danger ;  but  so  is  not  he  which  despised  him." 
 
 Wherefore,  we  must  honour  our  great  benefit,  that  is,  of  the 
 preaching  of  the  word  and  receiving  of  the  sacraments,  (Rom. 
 xiv.  16.)  We  must  also  reverence  one  another,  according  t<) 
 that  saying,  "in  giving  honour  one  to  another,"  &c.  (Rom.  xii. 
 10.)  But  wheresoever  this  is  done,  by-and-by  the  flesh  is  tickled 
 with  vain-glory  and  waxeth  proud ;  for  there  is  none  (no,  not 
 among  the  godly)  which  would  not  rather  be  praised  than  dis- 
 praised, except  perhaps  some  will  be  so  well  established  in  thii 
 
446  COMMENTARY  ON  ST,  PAUL*S  {.CHAP.  V. 
 
 behalf,  that  he  will  be  moved  neither  with  praises  nor  reproaches; 
 as  that  woman  said  of  David,  (2  Sam.  xiv.)  "  My  lord  the  king 
 is  like  an  angel  of  God,  which  will  neither  be  moved  with  bless- 
 ing- nor  cursing."  Likewise  Paul  saith,  "  by  honour  and  dis- 
 honour, by  evil  report  and  good  report,"  &c.  (2  Cor.  vi.  8.) 
 Such  men  as  be  neither  puffed  up  with  praise,  nor  thrown  down 
 with  dispraise,  but  endeavour  simply  to  set  forth  the  benefit  and 
 glory  of  Christ,  and  to  seek  the  salvation  of  souls,  do  vvaDc  or- 
 derly. Contrariwise,  they  which  wax  proud  in  hearing  of  their 
 own  praises,  not  seeking  the  glory  of  Christ  but  their  own,  also 
 they  which  being  moved  with  reproaches  and  slanders,  do  for- 
 sake the  ministry  of  the  word,  walk  not  orderly. 
 
 Wherefore  let  every  one  see  that  he  walk  orderly,  and  spe- 
 cially such  as  boast  of  the  spirit.  If  thou  be  praised,  know  that 
 it  is  not  thou  that  is  praised,  but  Christ,  to  whom  all  praise  ia 
 due.  For  in  that  thou  teachest  the  word  purely,  and  livest 
 godly,  these  are  not  thine  own  gifts,  but  the  gifts  of  God ; 
 therefore  thou  art  not  praised,  but  God  in  thee.  When  thou 
 dost  acknowledge  this,  thou  wilt  walk  orderly,  and  not  be 
 puffed  up  with  vain-glory,  ("for  what  hast  thou  that  thou  hast 
 not  received  ?"  1  Cor.  iv.  7.)  but  wilt  confess  that  thou  hast  re- 
 ceived the  same  of  God,  and  wilt  not  be  moved  with  injuries, 
 reproaches,  or  persecution,  to  forsake  thy  calling. 
 
 God,  therefore,  of  his  special  grace  at  this  day  covereth  our 
 glory  with  infamy,  reproach,  mortal  hatred,  cruel  persecution, 
 railing  and  cursing  of  the  whole  world :  also  with  the  contempt 
 and  ingratitude  even  of  those  among  whom  we  live,  as  well  the 
 common  sort,  as  also  the  citizens,  gentlemen,  and  noblemen, 
 (whose  enmity,  hatred  and  persecution  against  the  gospel,  like 
 as  it  is  privy  and  inward,  so  is  it  more  dangerous  than  the  cruel 
 and  outrageous  dealings  of  our  open  enemies,)  that  we  should 
 not  wax  proud  of  the  gifts  of  God  in  us.  This  mill-stone  must 
 be  hanged  about  our  neck,  that  Ave  be  not  infected  with  that 
 pestilent  poison  of  vain-glory.  Some  there  be  of  our  side,  which 
 love  and  reverence  us  for  the  ministry  of  the  word ;  but  where 
 there  is  one  that  reverenceth  us,  there  be  on  the  other  side  a 
 hundred  that  hate  and  persecute  us.  These  spiteful  dealings, 
 therefore,  and  these  persecutions  of  our  enemies,  this  great  con- 
 tempt and  ingratitude,  this  cruel  and  privy  hatred  of  them 
 among  whom  we  live,  are  such  pleasant  sights,  and  make  us  so 
 merry,  that  we  easily  forget  vain-glory. 
 
 Wherefore,  rejoicing  in  the  Lord  who  is  our  glory,  we  remain 
 in  order.  Those  gifts  which  we  have,  we  acknowledge  to  be 
 the  gifts  of  God,  and  not  our  own,  given  for  the  edifying  of 
 the  body  of  Christ,  (Eph.  iv.  12.)  therefore  we  be  not  proud  of 
 them.  For  we  know  that  more  is  required  of  them  to  whom 
 much  is  committed,  than  of  them  which  have  received  but  little. 
 Moreover,  we  know  that  there  is  no  respect  of  persons  before 
 God,  (Acts  X.  34.)    Therefore,  a  poor  artificer,  faithfully  using 
 
VEH.  25,  Sfi.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  447 
 
 the  ffift  which  God  hath  given  him,  pleaseth  God  no  less  than 
 a  preacher  of  the  word ;  for  he  serveth  God  in  the  same  faith, 
 and  with  the  same  spirit.  Wherefore  we  ought  no  less  to  re- 
 gard the  meanest  Christians,  than  they  regard  us.  And  by  this 
 means  shall  we  continue  free  from  the  poison  of  vain-glory,  and 
 walk  in  the  spirit. 
 
 Contrariwise,  the  fantastical  spirits,  which  seek  their  own 
 glory,  the  favour  of  men,  the  peace  of  the  world,  the  ease  of 
 the  Hesh,  and  not  the  glory  of  Christ,  nor  yet  the  health  of  men's 
 souls,  (although  they  protest  that  they  seek  nothing  else),  can- 
 not choose  but  discover  themselves  in  commending  their  own 
 doctrine  and  industry,  and  dispraising  other  men's,  and  all  to 
 get  them  a  name  and  praise.  These  vain-glorious  spirits  do  not 
 rejoice  and  glory  in  the  Lord ;  but  then  do  they  glory,  then  are 
 tliey  stout  and  hardy,  when  they  are  magnified  of  the  people, 
 whose  hearts  they  win  by  wonderful  sleights  and  subtleties;  for 
 in  their  words,  gestures,  and  writings,  they  can  counterfeit  and 
 dissemble  all  things.  But  when  they  are  not  praised  and  com- 
 mended of  the  people,  then  be  they  the  most  fearful  men  in  the 
 world;  for  they  hate  and  shun  the  cross  of  Christ  and  persecu- 
 tion. On  the  contrary,  when  they  are  praised  and  magnified, 
 (as  I  said,)  none  are  so  stout,  no  Hector  or  Achilles  so  bold 
 and  hardy  as  they. 
 
 Such  a  sly  and  crafty  beast,  therefore,  is  flesh,  that  for  no 
 other  cause  it  forsaketh  his  function,  corrupteth  true  doctrine, 
 and  breaketh  the  concord  of  the  church,  than  only  upon  this 
 cursed  vain-glory.  Therefore  it  is  not  without  cause  that  Paul 
 so  sharply  inveigheth  against  it,  both  here  and  in  other  places, 
 as  before  in  the  fourth  chapter,  "  they  are  (saith  he)  jealous 
 over  you  amiss ;  yea,  they  Avould  exclude  you  from  me,  that  ye 
 should  altogether  love  them :"  that  is  to  say,  they  would  dis- 
 credit me,  that  they  themselves  might  be  famous.  They  seek 
 not  Christ's  glory  and  your  salvation,  but  their  own  glory,  my 
 reproach,  and  your  bondage. 
 
 Verse  26.     Let  us  not  be  desirous  of  vain-glory. 
 
 Which  is  to  glory,  not  in  God  (as  I  have  said)  but  in  lies,  in 
 the  opinion,  liking  and  estimation  of  the  people.  Here  is  no 
 right  foundation  of  true  glory,  but  a  false  foundation,  and  there- 
 fore impossible  long  to  stand.  He  that  praiseth  a  man  as  he  is 
 a  man,  is  a  liar  :  for  there  is  nothing  praiseworthy  in  him,  but 
 all  things  are  worthy  of  condemnation.  Therefore,  as  touching 
 onr  person,  this  is  our  glory,  that  all  men  have  sinned,  and  arc 
 guilty  of  everlasting  death  before  God.  But  the  case  is  other- 
 wise, when  our  ministry  is  praised.  Wherefore  we  must  not 
 only  wish,  but  also  to  the  utmost  of  our  power  endeavour,  that 
 men  may  magnify  it,  and  have  it  in  due  reverence;  for  this  shall 
 turn  to  their  salvation.  Paul  warneth  the  Romans  that  they 
 otf*^nd  no  man,  to  the  end   (saith  he)  "  that  our  commodity  be 
 
448  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUl's  [cHAP.  V^ 
 
 not  evil  spoken  of,"  (Rom.  xiv.  16.)  And  in  another  place, 
 **  that  our  ministry  be  not  reprehended,"  (2  Cor.  vi.  3.)  1  here- 
 fore,  when  our  ministry  is  praised,  we  be  not  praised  for  our 
 own  person's  sake,  but  (as  the  Psalm  saith)  we  are  praised  in 
 God,  and  in  his  holy  name; 
 
 Verse  26.  Provoking  one  another,  and  envying  one  another. 
 Here  he  describeth  the  effect  and  fruit  of  vain-glory.  He 
 that  teacheth  any  error,  or  is  an  author  of  any  new  doctrine, 
 cannot  but  provoke  others ;  and  when  they  do  not  approve  and 
 receive  his  doctrine,  by-and-by  he  beginneth  to  hate  them  most 
 bitterly.  We  see  at  this  day  with  Avhat  deadly  hatred  the  sec^ 
 taries  are  inflamed  against  us,  because  we  will  not  give  place  to 
 them,  and  approve  their  errors.  We  did  not  first  provoke 
 them,  nor  spread  abroad  any  wicked  opinion  in  the  world;  but, 
 rebuking  certain  abuses  in  the  church,  and  faithfully  teaching 
 the  article  of  justification,  have  walked  in  good  order.  But 
 they,  forsaking  this  article,  have  taught  many  things  contrary 
 to  the  word  of  God.  Here,  because  we  would  not  lose  the 
 truth  of  the  gospel,  we  have  set  ourselves  against  them,  and 
 have  condemned  their  errors;  which  thing,  because  they  could 
 not  abide,  they  did  not  only  provoke  us  first  without  cause^  but 
 also  do  still  most  spitefully  hate  us,  and  that  upon  no  other  oc- 
 casion but  only  upon  vain-glory ;  for  they  would  gladly  deface 
 us,  that  they  alone  might  rule  and  reign ;  for  they  imagine  that 
 it  is  a  great  glory  to  profess  the  gospel,  whereas,  indeed,  there 
 is  no  greater  ignominy  in  the  sight  of  the  world. 
 
 CHAP.  VI. 
 
 Verse  I.     Brethren,  if  a  man  be  overtaken  with  any   fault,  ye  whicli  are 
 spiritual  restore  such  a  one  with  the  spirit  of  meekness. 
 
 He  that  diligently  weigheth  the  words  of  the  apostle,  may 
 plainly  perceive  that  he  speaketh  not  of  errors  and  offences 
 against  doctrine,  but  of  far  lesser  sins,  into  the  which  a  man 
 falleth  not  wilfully,  and  of  set  purpose,  but  of  infirmity ;  and 
 hereof  it  cometh  that  he  useth  so  gentle  and  fatherly  words, 
 not  calling  it  error  or  sin,  but  a  fault.  Again,  to  the  intent  to 
 diminish,  and  as  it  were  to  expuse  the  sin,  and  to  remove  the 
 whole  fault  from  man,  he  addeth,  "  If  any  man  be  overtaken," 
 that  is  to  say,  be  beguiled  of  the  devil,  or  of  the  flesh.  Yea, 
 and  this  term  or  name  of  man  helpeth  something  also  to  dimi- 
 nish and  qualify  the  matter.  As  if  he  should  say,  What  is  so 
 proper  unto  man  as  to  fall,  to  be  deceived,  and  to  err?  So 
 saith  Moses,  in  Lev.  vi.  3,  "  They  are  wont  to  sin  like  men." 
 
VER.   I.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  449 
 
 Wherefore  this  Is  a  sentence  full  of  heavenly  comfort,  which 
 once  in  a  terrible  conflict  delivered  me  from  death.  Forasmuch, 
 then,  as  the  saints  in  this  life  do  not  only  live  in  the  flesh,  but 
 now  and  then  also,  through  the  enticement  of  the  devil,  fulfil 
 the  lusts  of  the  flesh,  that  is  to  say,  fall  into  impatiency,  envy, 
 wrath,  error,  doubting,  distrust,  and  such-like,  (for  Satan  always 
 assaileth  both,  that  is,  as  well  the  purity  of  doctrme,  which  he 
 laboureth  to  take  away  by  sects  and  dissensions,  as  also  the 
 soundness  of  life,  which  he  corrupteth  with  daily  ofi'ences;) 
 therefore  Paul  teacheth  how  such  men  that  are  fallen  should 
 be  dealt  withal ;  namely,  that  they  which  are  strong,  should 
 raise  up  and  restore  them  again  with  the  spirit  of  meekness. 
 
 These  things  it  behoveth  them  specially  to  know,  which  are 
 in  the  ministry  of  the  word,  lest,  while  they  go  about  to  touch 
 all  things  to  the  quick,  they  forget  the  fatherly  and  motherly 
 affection  which  Paul  here  requireth  of  those  that  have  the  charge 
 of  souls.  And  of  this  precept  he  hath  set  forth  an  example, 
 (2  Cor.  ii.)  where  he  saith  that  it  was  sufficient  that  he  Avhich  was 
 excommunicate  was  rebuked  of  many,  and  that  they  ought  now 
 to  forgive  him  and  comfort  him,  lest  he  should  be  swallowed  up 
 with  overmuch  sorrow.  Wherefore,  I  beseech  you,  (saith  he,) 
 use  charity  towards  him.  Therefore  the  pastors  and  ministers 
 must  indeed  sharply  rebuke  those  which  are  fallen,  but  when 
 they  see  that  they  are  sorrowful  for  their  ofl^ences,  then  let  them 
 begin  to  raise  them  up  again,  to  comfort  them,  and  to  diminish 
 and  qualify  their  faults  as  much  as  they  can ;  but  yet  through 
 mercy  only,  which  they  must  set  against  sin,  lest  they  that  be 
 fallen  be  swallowed  up  with  overmuch  heaviness.  As  the  Holy 
 Ghost  is  precise  in  maintaining  and  defending  the  doctrine  of  faith, 
 so  is  he  mild  and  pitiful  in  forbearing  and  qualifying  men's  sins, 
 if  they  which  have  committed  them  be  sorrowful  for  the  same. 
 
 But  as  for  the  Pope's  synagogue,  like  as  in  all  other  matters 
 it  hath  both  taught  and  done  clean  contrary  to  the  command- 
 ment and  example  of  Paul,  even  so  hath  it  done  in  this  thing  also. 
 The  Pope,  with  all  his  bishops,  have  been  very  tyrants  and 
 butchers  of  men's  consciences ;  for  they  have  burdened  them 
 from  time  to  time  with  new  traditions,  and  for  every  light 
 matter  have  vexed  them  with  their  excommunications;  and,  that 
 they  might  the  more  easily  obey  their  vain  terrors,  they  annexed 
 thereunto  these  sentences  of  Pope  Gregory,  "It  is  the  part  and 
 property  of  good  minds  to  be  afraid  of  a  fault  where  no  fault  is. 
 And  again,  "  Our  censures  must  be  feared,  yea,  though  the^ 
 be  unjust  and  wrongful."  By  these  sayings  (Avhich  weij 
 brought  into  the  church  by  the  devil)  they  established  their  ex- 
 communication, and  this  majesty  of  the  papacy,  which  is  so  te.  - 
 rible  to  the  Avhole  world.  Tliert^  is  no  need  of  such  humility 
 and  goodness  of  minds,  to  be  afraid  of  a  fault  where  none  is. 
 O,  thou  Romish  Satan,  who  gave  thee  this  power  to  terrify  and 
 condemn  men's  consciences,  that  were  terrified  enough  before, 
 
450  COMMENIMRY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CUAP,  VI. 
 
 with  thy  unjust  and  wrongful  sentences  ?  Thou  oughtest  rather 
 to  have  raised  them  up,  to  have  deUvered  them  from  false  fears, 
 and  to  have  brought  them  from  lies  and  errors  to  the  truth. 
 This  thou  omittest,  and  according  to  thy  title  and  name,  to  wit, 
 the  man  of  sin  and  child  of  perdition,  thou  imaginest  a  fault 
 where  no  fault  isx  This  is,  indeed,  the  craft  and  deceit  of  Anti- 
 christ, whereby  he  hath  most  mightily  established  his  excom- 
 munication and  tyranny.  For  whosoever  despised  his  unjust  sen- 
 tences was  counted  very  obstinate  and  wicked  ;  as  some  princes 
 did,  howbeit  against  their  consciences;  for  in  those  times  of  dark- 
 ness, they  did  not  understand  that  the  Pope's  curses  were  vain. 
 Let  them,  therefore,  to  whom  the  charge  of  men's  consciences 
 is  committed,  learn  by  this  commandment  of  Paul,  how  they 
 ought  to  handle  those  that  have  offended.  Brethren,  (saith  he) 
 if  any  man  be  overtaken  Avith  sin,  do  not  trouble  him  or  make 
 him  more  sorrowful :  be  not  bitter  unto  him ;  do  not  reject  or 
 condemn  him,  but  amend  him  and  raise  him  up  again ;  and  by 
 the  spirit  of  lenity  and  mildness  restore  that  which  in  him  is  de- 
 cayed by  the  deceit  of  the  devil,  or  by  the  weakness  of  the  flesh. 
 For  the  kingdom  whereunto  ye  are  called,  is  a  kingdom  not  of 
 terror  or  of  heaviness,  but  of  boldness,  joy,  and  gladness.  There- 
 fore, if  ye  see  any  brother  cast  down  and  afflicted  by  occasion  of 
 sin  which  he  hath  committed,  run  unto  him,  and  reaching  out 
 your  hand,  raise  him  up  again,  comfort  him  with  sweet  words, 
 and  embrace  him  with  motherly  arms.  As  for  those  that  be 
 hard-hearted  and  obstinate,  which  without  fear  continue  care- 
 less in  their  sins,  rebuke  them  sharply.  But  on  the  other  side 
 (as  I  said)  they  that  be  overtaken  with  any  sin,  and  are  heavy 
 and  sorrowful  for  their  fault  Avhich  they  have  committed,  must 
 be  raised  up  and  admonished  by  you  that  are  spiritual,  and  that 
 in  the  spirit  of  meekness,  and  not  in  the  zeal  of  severe  justice, 
 as  some  have  done,  who,  when  they  should  have  refreshed  thirsty 
 consciences  with  some  sweet  consolation,  gave  them  gall  and 
 vinegar  to  drink,  as  the  Jews  did  unto  Christ  hanging  on  the 
 cross.  Ezekicl  saith  of  the  shepherds  of  Israel,  that  they  ruled 
 the  flock  of  God  with  cruelty  and  rigour :  but  a  brother  ought 
 to  comfort  his  brother  that  is  fallen,  with  a  loving  and  meek 
 spirit.  Again,  let  him  that  is  fallen  hear  the  word  of  him  that 
 raiseth  him  up,  and  beheve  it.  For  God  would  not  have  those 
 that  are  bruised  to  be  cast  away,  but  to  be  raised  up,  as  the 
 Psalm  saith.  For  God  hath  bestowed  more  upon  them  than 
 we  have  done,  that  is  to  say,  the  life  and  blood  of  his  own  Son. 
 Wherefore,  we  ought  also  to  receive,  to  aid  and  to  comfort  such, 
 with  all  mildness  and  gentleness. 
 
 Verse  1.     Considering  thyself,  lest  thou  also  be  tempted. 
 This  is  a  very  necessary  admonition  to  beat  down  the  sharp 
 dealings  of  such  pastors  as  shew  no  pity  in  raising  up  and  re- 
 storing again  them  which  are  fallen.     "  There  is  no  sin  (saitb 
 
VER.   I.    «.]  EPISTLE  TO  IWE  OALATIANS.  451 
 
 Augoistine)  which  any  man  hath  done,  but  another  man  may 
 do  the  same."  We  stand  on  a  slippery  ground;  therefore,  if  we 
 wax  proud  and  leave  off  our  duty,  there  is  nothing  so  easy  unto 
 us  as  to  fall.  It  was  well  said,  therefore,  of  one  in  the  book 
 called  "  The  Lives  of  the  Fathers,"  when  it  was  told  him  that 
 one  of  his  brethren  was  fallen  into  whoredom,  "  He  fell  yester- 
 day, (saith  he)  and  I  may  fall  to'-day."  Paul,  therefore,  addeth 
 this  earnest  admonition,  that  the  pastors  should  not  be  rigorous 
 and  unmerciful  towards  the  offenders,  or  measure  their  own  ho- 
 liness by  other  men's  sins,;  but  that  they  should  bear  a  motherly 
 affection  towards  them,  and  think  thus  with  themselves  :  This 
 man  is  fallen;  it  may  be  that  I  also  shall  fall  more  dangerously  and 
 more  shamefully  than  he  did.  And  if  they  which  be  so  ready  to 
 judge  and  condemn  others,  would  well  consider  their  own  sin, 
 they  should  find  the  sins  of  others  which  are  fallen  to  be  but 
 motes,  and  their  own  sins  to  be  great  beams,  (Matt.  vii.  3.) 
 
 "  Let  him,  therefore,  that  standeth,  take  heed  lest  he  fall,*' 
 (1  Cor.  X.  12.)  If  David,  which  was  so  holy  a  man,  full  of  faith 
 and  the  Spirit  of  God,  which  had  such  notable  promises  of  God, 
 which  also  did  so  many  and  great  things  for  the  Lord,  did  fall 
 so  grievously,  and  being  now  stricken  in  years,  was  overthrown 
 with  youthful  lusts,  after  so  many  and  divers  temptations,  where- 
 with God  had  exercised  him,  why  should  we  presume  of  our 
 own  constancy  ?  And  God,  by  such  examples,  doth  shew  unto 
 us,  first,  our  own  weakness,  that  we  should  not  wax  proud,  but 
 stand  in  fear ;  then  he  sheweth  unto  us  his  judgments,  that  he 
 can  bear  nothing  less  than  pride,  either  against  himself,  or 
 against  our  brethren.  Paul,  therefore,  saith,  not  without  cause, 
 *'  considering  thyself,  lest  thou  also  be  tempted."  They  that 
 be  exercised  with  temptations,  do  know  how  necessary  this 
 commandment  is.  On  the  other  side,  they  which  be  not  tried 
 therewith,  do  not  understand  Paul,  and  therefore  are  not  touched 
 with  any  pity  towards  them  that  are  fallen ;  as  was  to  be  seen 
 in  popery,  where  nothing  else  reigned  but  tyranny  and  cruelty. 
 
 Verse  2,  Bear  ye  one  another's  burdens,  and  so  fulfil  the  law  of  Christ. 
 This  is  a  gentle  commandment,  to  the  which  he  joineth  a 
 great  commendation.  The  law  of  Christ  is  the  law  of  love. 
 Christ,  after  he  had  redeemed  us,  renewed  us,  and  made  us  his 
 church,  gave  us  no  other  law  but  the  law  of  mutual  love :  "  A 
 new  commandment  give  I  to  you,  that  ye  love  together,"  &e. 
 (John  xiii.  34.)  And  to  love  is  not  (as  the  popish  sophisters 
 dream)  to  wish  welTone  to  another,  but  one  to  bear  another's 
 burden,  that  is,  to  bear  those^  things  Avhich  be  grievous  unto 
 thee,  and  which  thou  wouldst  not  willingly  bear.  Therefore, 
 Christians  must  hav3  strong  shoulders  and  mighty  bones,  that 
 they  may  bear  flesh,  that  is,  the  weakness  of  their  brethren , 
 for  Paul  saith  that  they  have  burdens  and  troubles.  Love, 
 therefore,  is  mild,  courteous,  patient,  not  in  receiving,  but  in 
 
452  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  Vr. 
 
 giving;  for  it  is  constrained  to  wink  at  many  things,  and  to  bear 
 them,  (1  Cor.  xiii.  4.)  Faithful  teachers  do  see  in  the  church 
 many  errors  and  offences  which  they  are  compelled  to  hear.  In 
 the  commonweal,  subjects  are  never  so  obedient  to  the  laws  of 
 the  magistrates  as  they  should  be.  Therefore,  unless  the  ma- 
 gistrate can  wink  and  dissemble  in  time  and  place,  he  shall  never 
 be  meet  to  rule  the  commonwealth.  In  household  affairs  there 
 be  many  things  done  which  displease  the  master  of  the  honse. 
 But  if  we  can  bear  and  wink  at  our  own  vices  and  offences 
 which  we  daily  commit,  let  us  also  bear  other  men's  faults,  accord- 
 ing to  this  saying,  "bear  ye  one  another's  burdens,"  &c.  Again, 
 "thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself,"  (Rom.  xiii.  9.) 
 
 Seeing,  then,  there  be  vices  in  every  state  of  life,  and  in  all 
 men,  therefore  Paul  setteth  forth  the  law  of  Christ  unto  the 
 faithful,  Avhereby  he  exhorteth  them  to  bear  one  another's  bur- 
 dens. They  which  do  not  so,  do  plainly  witness  that  they  un- 
 derstand not  one  jot  of  the  law  of  Christ,  which  is  the  law  of 
 love;  which,  as  Paul  saith,  (1  Cor.  xiii.)  believeth  all  things, 
 liopeth  all  things,  and  beareth  all  the  burdens  of  the  brethren  ; 
 yet  always  holding  notwithstanding  the  first  commandment, 
 Avherein  they  that  offend  do  not  transgress  the  law  of  Christ, 
 that  is  to  say,  the  law  of  charity  ;  they  do  not  hurt  or  offend 
 their  neighbour,  but  Christ  and  his  kingdom,  which  he  hath 
 purchased  with  his  own  blood.  This  kingdom  is  not  maintained 
 by  the  law  of  charity,  but  by  the  word  of  God,  by  faith,  and  by 
 the  Holy  Ghost.  This  commandment,  then,  of  bearing  one 
 another's  burden  belongeth  not  to  them  which  deny  Christ,  and 
 not  only  do  not  acknowledge  their  sin,  but  also  defend  it ;  nei- 
 ther doth  it  belong  unto  those  which  continue  still  in  their  sins, 
 (who  also  do  partly  deny  Christ;)  but  such  must  be  forsaken, 
 lest  we  become  partakers  of  their  evil  works,  (I  Tim.  vi.  11.) 
 On  the  contrary,  they  which  willingly  hear  the  word  of  God 
 and  believe,  and.  yet  notwithstanding  against  their  will  do  fall 
 into  sin,  and  after  they  be  admonished,  do  not  only  receive  such 
 admonition  gladly,  but  also  detest  their  sin  and  endeavour  to 
 amend ;  these,  I  say,  are  they  which  be  overtaken  with  sin,  and 
 have  the  burdens  that  Paul  commandeth  us  to  bear.  In  this  case, 
 let  us  not  be  rigorous  and  merciless ;  but  after  the  example  of 
 Christ,  who  beareth  and  forbeareth  such,  let  us  bear  and  forbear 
 them  also ;  for  if  he  punish  not  such,  (which  thing,  notwith- 
 standing, he  might  justly  do,)  much  less  ought  we  so  to  do. 
 
 Verse  3.  For  if  any  man  (hink  himself  to  be   somewhat,  when  indeed  he  is 
 nothing^,  he  deceiveth  himself. 
 
 Here  again  he  reprehendeth  the  authors  of  sects,  and  paint - 
 eth  them  out  in  their  right  colours,  to  wit,  that  they  be  hard- 
 hearted, merciless,  and  without  compassion;  such  as  despise  the 
 weak,  and  Avill  not  vouchsafe  to  bear  their  burdens,  but  require 
 all  things  straitly  and  precisely,  (like  wayward  husbands  and 
 
VER.  3, 4.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  453 
 
 severe  schoolmasters,)  whom  nothing  can  please  but  what  they 
 themselves  do,  who  also  will  be  always  thy  bitter  enemies,  un- 
 less thou  commend  Avhatsoever  they  say  or  do,  and  in  all  things 
 frame  thyself  according  to  their  appetite.  Of  all  men,  therefore, 
 they  are  the  proudest,  and  dare  take  upon  them  all  things.  And 
 this  is  that  Paul  saith  here,  they  think  themselves  to  be  some- 
 what; that  is  to  say,  that  they  have  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  they 
 understand  all  the  mysteries  of  the  scriptures,  that  they  cannot 
 err,  &c. 
 
 Wherefore  Paul  addeth  very  well,  that  they  are  nothing;  but 
 that  they  deceive  themselves  with  the  foolish  persuasions  of  their 
 own  wisdom  and  holiness.  They  understand  nothing,  therefore, 
 either  of  Christ,  or  of  the  law  of  Christ;  for  if  they  did,  they 
 would  say,  Brothei',  thou  art  infected  with  such  a  vice,  and  I 
 am  infected  with  another:  God  hath  forgiven  me  ten  thousand 
 talents,  and  I  will  forgive  thee  a  hundred  pence,  (Matt,  xviii. 
 24,  28.)  But  when  they  will  require  all  things  so  exactly,  and 
 with  such  perfection,  and  will  in  no  wise  bear  the  burdens  of  the 
 weak,  they  offend  many  with  this  their  sharpness  and  severity, 
 who  begin  to  despise,  hate  and  shun  them,  and  seek  not  comfort 
 or  counsel  at  their  hands,  nor  regard  what  or  how  they  teach. 
 Whereas,  contrariwise,  pastors  ought  so  to  behave  themselves 
 towards  those  over  whom  they  have  taken  charge,  that  they  might 
 love  and  reverence  them,  not  for  their  person,  but  for  their  office 
 and  chi'istian  virtues,  which  especially  ought  to  shine  in  them. 
 
 Paul,  therefore,  in  this  place  hath  rightly  pointed  out  such 
 severe  and  merciless  saints  when  he  saith,  "  They  think  them- 
 selves to  be  somewhat,"  that  is  to  say,  being  puifed  up  with 
 their  own  foolish  opinions  and  vain  dreams,  they  have  a  marvel- 
 lous persuasion  of  their  own  knowledge  and  holiness,  and  yet 
 in  very  deed  they  are  nothing,  and  do  but  deceive  themselves. 
 For  it  is  a  manifest  beguiling  when  a  man  persuadeth  himself 
 that  he  is  somewhat,  when  indeed  he  is  nothing.  Such  men 
 are  well  described  in  the  third  of  the  Apocalypse  in  these  words, 
 *'  Thou  sayest,  I  am  rich  and  increased  with  goods,  and  have 
 need  of  nothing,  and  knowest  not  that  thou  art  wretched  annfl 
 miserable,  and  poor,  and  blind,  and  naked." 
 
 Verse  4.  But  let  every  man  try  his  own  work,  and  then  he  shall  have  rejoicinjf 
 in  himself  only,  and  not  in  another. 
 
 He  goeth  forward  in  painting  out  those  proud  and  vain-glo- 
 rious fellows;  for  the  desire  of  vain-glory  is  an  odious  and  cursed 
 vice;  it  is  the  occasion  of  all  evils,  and  troubleth  both  common- 
 weals and  consciences;  and,  specially,  in  spiritual  matters  it  is 
 such  an  evil  as  is  incurable.  And  albeit  that  this  place  may  be 
 understood  of  the  works  of  this  life,  or  civil  conversation,  yet 
 principally  the  apostle  speaketh  of  the  work  of  the  ministry, 
 and  inveigheth  against  those  vain-glorious  heads,  which  with 
 their  fantastical  opinions  do  trouble  well-instructed  consciences 
 
454  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [cHAP.  VI. 
 
 And  this  is  the  property  of  those  which  are  infected  with  this 
 poison  of  vain-glory,  that  they  have  no  regard  whether  their 
 works,  that  is  to  say,  their  ministry,  he  pnre,  simple,  and  faith- 
 ful, or  not;  but  this  they  only  seek  that  they  may  have  the 
 praise  of  the  people.  So  the  false  apostles,  when  they  saw  that 
 JPaul  preached  the  gospel  purely  to  the  Galatians,  and  that  they 
 could  not  bring  any  better  doctrine,  they  began  to  Hnd  fault  at 
 those  things  which  he  had  godly  and  faithfully  taught,  and  to 
 prefer  their  own  doctrine  before  the  doctrine  of  Paul,  and  by 
 this  subtlety  they  won  the  favour  of  the  Galatians,  and  brought 
 Paul  into  hatred  among  them.  Therefore  the  proud  and  vain- 
 glorious do  join  these  three  vices  together.  First,  they  are 
 greedy  of  glory;  secondly,  they  are  marvellous  witty  and  wily 
 in  finding  fault  with  other  men's  doings  and  sayings,  thereby  to 
 purchase  the  love,  the  well-liking,  and  praise  of  the  people; 
 and,  thirdly,  when  they  have  once  gotten  a  name,  (though  it 
 be  by  other  men's  travail,)  they  become  so  stout  and  full  of 
 stomach,  that  they  dare  venture  upon  all  things.  Therefore 
 they  are  pernicious  and  pestilent  fellows,  whom  I  hate  even 
 with  my  very  heart;  for  they  seek  their  own,  and  not  that 
 *vhich  is  of  Jesus  Chi-ist,  &c.   (Phil.  ii.  21.) 
 
 Against  such  Paul  speaketh  here;  as  if  he  should  say:  Such 
 vain-glorious  spirits  do  their  work,  that  is  to  say,  they  teach 
 the  gospel,  to  this  end  that  they  may  win  praise  and  estimation 
 among  men;  that  is,  that  they  may  be  counted  excellent  doctors, 
 with  whom  Paul  and  others  might  not  be  compared.  And  when 
 they  have  gotten  this  estimation,  then  begin  they  to  reprehend 
 the  sayings  and  doings  of  other  men,  and  highly  commend  their 
 own;  and  by  this  subtlety  they  bewitch  the  minds  of  the  people, 
 who,  because  they  have  itching  ears,  are  not  only  delighted 
 with  new  opinions,  but  also  rejoice  to  see  those  teachers  which 
 they  had  afore,  to  be  abased  and  defaced  by  these  new  upstarts 
 and  glorious  heads,  and  all  because  they  are  come  to  a  fulness 
 and  loathing  of  the  word. 
 
 Thus  it  ought  not  to  be,  saith  he,  but  let  every  man  be  faith- 
 ful in  his  office.  Let  him  not  seek  his  own  glory,  nor  depend 
 upon  the  praise  and  commendation  of  the  people,  but  let  his 
 only  care  be  to  do  his  work  truly,  that  is,  let  him  teach  the 
 gospel  purely;  and  if  his  work  be  sincere  and  sound,  let  him 
 assure  himself  that  he  shall  lack  no  praise  either  before  God  or 
 among  the  godly.  In  the  mean  space,  if  he  be  not  commended 
 of  the  unthankful  world,  let  this  nothing  move  him;  for  he 
 knoweth  that  the  end  of  his  ministry  is,  not  that  he,  but  that 
 Christ  should  be  glorified  thereby.  Wherefore,  being  fur- 
 nished Avith  the  armour  of  righteousness  on  the  right  hand  and 
 on  the  left,  let  him  say,  I  began  not  to  teach  the  gospel  to  the 
 end  that  the  world  should  magnify  me,  and  therefore  I  will  not 
 shrink  from  that  which  1  have  begun,  if  the  world  hate,  slan- 
 der, or  persecute  me.  He  that  is  such  a  one,  teacheth  the  word 
 
TKIt.   4. J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  455 
 
 and  attendeth  upon  his  office  faithfully,  without  any  worldly 
 respect,  that  is,  without  regard  of  glory  or  gain,  without  the 
 strength,  wisdom,  or  authority  of  any  man.  He  leaneth  not  to 
 the  praise  of  other  men,  for  he  hath  it  in  himself. 
 
 Wherefore,  he  that  truly  and  faithfully  execute th  his  office, 
 careth  not  what  the  world  speak  of  him:  He  careth  not  whe- 
 ther the  world  praise  or  dispraise  him,  but  he  hath  praise  in 
 himself,  which  is  the  testimony  of  his  conscience,  and  praise  or 
 glory  in  God.  He  may  therefore  say  with  Paul,  This  is  our 
 rejoicing,  this  is  our  praise  and  glory,  even  the  testimony  of 
 our  conscience,  that  in  simplicity  and  sincerity  before  God,  and 
 not  in  fleshly  wisdom,  but  in  the  grace  of  God,  we  have  had 
 our  conversation  in  the  world.  This  glory  is  uncorrupt  and 
 steadfast;  for  it  dependeth  not  on  other  men's  judgments,  but  of 
 our  own  conscience,  Avhich  beareth  us  witness  that  we  have 
 taught  the  word  purely,  ministered  the  sacraments  rightly,  and 
 have  done  all  things  well,  and  therefore  it  cannot  be  defaced  or 
 taken  from  us. 
 
 The  other  glory  which  these  proud  spirits  do  seek,  is  uncer- 
 tain and  most  perilous,  for  that  they  have  it  not  in  themselves, 
 but  it  consisteth  in  the  mouth  and  opinion  of  the  people;  there- 
 fore can  they  not  have  the  testimony  of  their  own  conscience, 
 that  they  have  done  all  things  with  simplicity  and  sincerity,  for 
 the  advancing  of  the  glory  of  God  only,  and  the  salvation  of 
 souls.  For  this  is  it  which  they  seek,  that  they  may  be  counted 
 famous  through  the  work  and  labour  of  their  preaching-,  and  be 
 praised  of  men.  They  have  therefore  a  glory,  a  trust,  and  a 
 testimony,  but  before  men,  not  in  themselves,  nor  before  God. 
 The  godly  do  not  desire  glory  after  this  manner.  If  Paul  had 
 had  his  praise  before  men,  and  not  in  himself,  he  should  have 
 been  compelled  to  despair  when  he  saw  many  cities,  countries, 
 and  all  Asia  fall  from  him ;  when  he  saw  so  many  offences  and 
 slanders,  and  so  many  heresies  to  follow  his  preaching.  Christ, 
 when  he  was  alone,  that  is,  when  he  was  not  only  sought  for 
 by  the  Jews  to  be  put  to  death,  but  also  was  forsaken  of  his 
 disciples,  was  not  yet  alone,  but  the  Father  was  Avith  him,  for 
 he  had  glory  and  rejoicing  in  himself,  (John  xvi.  32.) 
 
 So  at  this  day,  if  our  trust,  our  glory  and  rejoicing  did  de- 
 pend upon  the  judgment  and  favour  of  men,  we  shoidd  die  with 
 very  anguish  and  sorrow  of  heart.  For  so  far  off  is  it  that  the 
 Papists,  sectaries,  and  the  whole  world  do  judge  us  worthy  of 
 any  reverence  or  praise,  that  they  hate  and  persecute  us  most 
 bitterly;  yea,  they  would  gladly  overthrow  onr  ministry,  and 
 root  out  our  doctrine  for  ever.  We  have  therefore  nothing 
 before  men  but  reproach;  but  we  rejoice  and  we  glory  in  the 
 Lord,  and  therefore  we  attend  upon  our  office  cheerfully  and 
 faithfully,  which  we  know  is  acceptable  to  him.  Thus  doing, 
 we  care  not  whether  our  work  do  please  or  displease  the  devil, 
 whether  the  world  love  us,  or  hate  us.     For  we,  knowing  our 
 
456  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.PAUL's  [cHAP.'VI 
 
 work  to  be  well  done,  and  having-  a  good  conscience  before 
 God,  g-o  forward  by  honour  and  dishonour,  by  evil  report  and 
 good  report,  &c.  (2  Cor.  vi.  8.)  This,  saith  Paul,  is  to  have 
 rejoicing  or  glory  in  thyself. 
 
 And  this  admonition  is  very  necessary  against  that  execrable 
 vice  of  vain-glory.  The  gospel  is  a  doctrine,  which  both  of 
 itself,  and  also  by  the  malice  of  the  devil,  bringeth  with  it  the 
 cross  and  persecution.  Therefore,  Paul  is  wont  to  call  it  the 
 word  of  the  cross  and  of  oifence.  It  hath  not  always  steadfast 
 and  constant  disciples.  Many  there  be  that  to-day  make  pro- 
 fession thereof  and  embrace  it,  which  to-morrow,  being  offended 
 With  the  cross,  will  fall  from  it,  and  deny  it.  They,  therefore, 
 that  teach  the  gospel,  to  the  end  that  they  may  obtain  the  fa- 
 vour and  praise  of  men,  must  needs  perish,  and  their  glory  be 
 *urned  to  shame,  when  the  people  cease  to  reverence  and  mag- 
 »iify  them.  Wherefore,  let  all  pastors  and  ministers  of  the  word 
 learn  to  have  glory  and  rejoicing  in  themselves,  and  not  in  the 
 mouth  of  other  men.  If  there  be  any  that  praise  them,  as  the 
 godly  are  wont  to  do,  ("by  evil  report  and  good  report,"  saith 
 Paul,)  yet  let  them  receive  this  glory  but  as  a  shadow  of  true 
 glory;  and  let  them  think  the  substance  of  glory  to  be  indeed 
 the  testimony  of  their  own  conscience.  He  that  doth  so,  proveth 
 his  own  work,  that  is,  he  regardeth  not  his  own  glory,  but  his 
 only  care  is  to  do  his  office  faithfully;  that  is  to  say,  to  teach 
 the  gospel  purely,  and  to  shew  the  true  use  of  the  sacraments. 
 When  he  thus  proveth  his  own  work,  he  hath  glory  and  re- 
 joicing in  himself,  which  no  man  can  take  from  him;  for  he 
 hath  it  surely  planted  and  grounded  in  his  own  heart,  and  not 
 in  other  men's  mouths,  whom  Satan  can  very  easily  turn  away, 
 and  can  make  that  mouth  now  full  of  cursing,  which  a  httle 
 before  was  full  of  blessing. 
 
 Therefore,  saith  Paul,  if  ye  be  desirous  of  vain-glory,  seek  it 
 where  it  should  be  sought,  not  in  the  mouth  of  other  men,  but 
 in  your  own  heart;  which  ye  then  do,  when  ye  execute  your 
 office  truly  and  faithfully.  So  shall  it  come  to  pass,  that  be- 
 sides the  glory  which  ye  have  in  yourselves,  ye  shall  have  praise 
 and  commendation  also  before  men.  But  if  ye  glory  in  other 
 men,  and  not  in  yourselves,  that  shame  and  confusion  which  ye 
 have  in  yourselves,  shall  not  be  without  reproach  and  confusion 
 also  before  men.  This  have  we  seen  in  certain  fantastical 
 spirits  in  these  our  days,  which  proved  not  their  work;  that  is, 
 they  did  not  seek  only  to  preach  the  gospel  purely  and  simply, 
 but  misused  it,  to  gain  praise  among  men,  contrary  to  the  se- 
 cond commandment.  Therefore,  after  their  inward  confusion, 
 there  followed  also  an  outward  confusion  and  shame  among 
 men,  according  to  that  saying,  "  The  Lord  will  not  hold  him 
 guiltless  that  taketh  his  name  in  vain,"  (Exod.  xx.  7.)  And 
 again,  "  They  which  despise  me,  shall  be  despised,"  ( I  Sam. 
 ii.  30.) 
 
VER.  6.  ]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIAN&,  457 
 
 Contrariwise,  if  we  seek  first  the  glory  of  God,  by  the  mi- 
 nistry of  the  word,  then  surely  our  glory  will  follow,  according 
 to  that  saying,  "  Him  that  honovireth  me,  I  will  glorify."  To 
 conclude,  let  every  man  prove  his  work ;  that  is,  let  him  do  his 
 endeavour  that  his  ministry  may  he  faithful ;  for  this  above  all 
 things  is  required  in  the  ministers  of  the  word,  (1  Cor.  iv.) 
 As  if  he  should  say,  let  every  man  endeavour  purely  and  faith- 
 fully to  teach  the  word,  and  let  him  have  an  eye  to  nothing  else 
 but  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  salvation  of  souls ;  then  shall  his 
 work  be  faithful  and  sound  ;  then  shall  he  have  glory  and  re- 
 joicing in  his  own  conscience,  so  that  he  may  boldly  say,  this  my 
 doctrine  and  ministry  pleaseth  God.  And  this  is,  indeed,  an 
 excellent  glory. 
 
 This  sentence  may  also  be  well  applied  to  those  works  which 
 are  done  of  the  faithful  in  every  state  of  life.  As  if  a  niagis- 
 ti'ate,  a  householder,  a  servant,  a  sclioolmaster,  a  scholar,  abide 
 in  his  vocation,  and  do  his  duty  therein  faithfully,  not  troubling 
 himself  with  those  works  which  pertain  not  to  his  vocation,  he 
 may  glory  and  rejoice  in  himself;  for  he  may  say,  I  have  done 
 the  works  of  ray  vocation  appointed  unto  me  by  God,  with  such 
 faithfulness  and  diligence  as  I  was  able.  Therefore  I  know 
 that  this  work  being  done  in  faith  and  obedience  to  God,  pleaseth 
 God.  If  other  speak  evil  of  it,  I  pass  little  thereof.  For  there 
 be  always  some  which  despise  and  slander  the  doctrine  and  life 
 of  the  godly ;  but  God  hath  threatened  to  destroy  all  lying  lips 
 and  slanderous  tongues.  Therefore,  whilst  such  men  do  greedily 
 seek  after  vain-glory,  and  with  lies  and  slanders  go  about  to  de- 
 face the  godly,  it  happeneth  to  them  as  Paul  saith,  "  Whose 
 glory  is  their  shame,"  (Phil.  iii.  19.)  And  in  another  place, 
 "  llieir  foolishness  shall  be  known  to  all  men,"  (2  Tim.  iii.  9.) 
 By  whom  ?  Even  by  God  the  righteous  judge,  who  as  he 
 will  utter  their  false  accusations  and  slanders,  so  will  he  reveal 
 the  righteousness  of  the  godly  like  the  noon-day,  as  it  is  said, 
 Psalm  xxxvii. 
 
 This  clause,  "  in  himself,"  (to  touch  this  also  by  the  way) 
 must  so  be  understood  that  God  be  not  excluded :  That  is, 
 that  every  man  may  know,  in  what  godly  state  of  life  soever 
 he  be,  that  his  work  is  a  divine  work ;  for  it  is  a  work  of  his 
 vocation,  having  the  commandment  of  God, 
 
 Verse  5,  For  every  man  shall  bear  his  own  burden. 
 This  is,  as  it  were,  the  reason  or  confirmation  of  the  former 
 sentence,  lest  any  man  should  lean  to  other  men's  judgment  in 
 praishig  and  commending  of  him.  As  if  he  said :  It  is  extreme 
 madness  for  thee  to  seek  glory  in  another,  and  not  in  thyself; 
 for  in  the  agony  of  death,  and  in  the  last  judgment,  it  shall 
 nothing  profit  thee  that  other  men  have  praised  thee ;  for  other 
 men  shall  not  bear  thy  burden ;  but  thou  shalt  stand  before  the 
 judgment- seat  of  Christ,  and  shalt  beai-  thy  burden  alone.  There 
 
458  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CHAP.  VI, 
 
 thy  praisers  shall  nothing  help  thee.  For  whtn  we  die,  these 
 praises  shall  cease.  And  in  that  day,  when  the  Lord  shall  judj^-e 
 the  secrets  of  all  hearts,  the  witness  of  thine  own  conscience 
 shall  stand  either  with  thee  or  against  thee,  (Rom.  ii.  15.) 
 Against  thee,  if  thou  glory  in  other  men ;  with  thee,  if  thou 
 have  it  in  thyself,  that  is  to  say,  if  thy  conscience  bear  thee  wit- 
 ness that  thou  hast  done  thy  duty  in  the  ministry  of  the  word, 
 or  otherwise  according  to  thy  calling,  sincerely  and  i'aithfuUy, 
 having  respect  to  the  glory  of  God  only,  and  the  salvation  of 
 souls.  And  these  words,  "  Everyman  shall  bear  his  own  judg- 
 ment," are  very  vehement,  and  ought  so  to  terrify  us,  that  we 
 should  not  be  desirous  of  vain-glory. 
 
 And  this  moreover  is  to  be  noted,  that  we  are  not  here  in 
 the  matter  of  justification,  where  nothing  availeth  but  mere 
 grace  and  forgiveness  of  sins,  which  is  received  by  faith  alone ; 
 where  all  our  works  also,  yea,  even  our  best  works,  and  such 
 as  are  done  according  to  God's  calling,  have  need  of  forgive- 
 ness of  sins ;  but  this  is  another  case.  He  treateth  not  here  of 
 the  remission  of  sins,  but  compareth  true  works  and  hypocri- 
 tical works  together.  These  things,  therefore,  ought  thus  to 
 be  taken,  that  although  the  work  or  ministry  of  a  godly  pastor 
 is  not  so  perfect  but  that  he  have  need  of  forgiveness  of  sins, 
 yet  in  itself  it  is  good  and  perfect,  in  comparison  of  the  ministry 
 of  the  vain-glorious  man. 
 
 So  our  ministry  is  good  and  sound,  because  we  seek  thereby 
 the  glory  of  God,  and  the  salvation  of  souls.  But  the  ministry 
 of  the  fantastical  heads  is  not  so,  for  they  seek  their  own  praise. 
 Albeit,  therefore,  that  no  works  can  quiet  the  conscience  before 
 God ;  yet  is  it  necessary  that  we  should  persuade  ourselves  that 
 we  have  done  our  work  uprightly,  truly,  and  according  to 
 God's  calling ;  that  is,  that  we  have  not  corrupted  the  word  of 
 God,  but  have  taught  it  purely  and  faitlifuUy.  This  testimony 
 of  conscience  we  have  need  of,  that  we  have  done  our  duty  up- 
 rightly in  our  function  and  calling,  and  led  our  life  accordingly. 
 So  far  ought  we  then  to  glory,  as  touching  our  works,  as  we  know 
 them  tobe  commanded  of  God,  and  that  they  please  him;  for  every 
 one  in  the  last  judgment  shall  bear  his  own  burden,  and  there- 
 fore other  men's  praises  shall  there  nothing  help  or  profit  him. 
 
 Hitherto  he  hath  spoken  against  that  most  pestilent  vice, 
 vain-glory ;  for  the  suppressing  whereof,  no  man  is  so  strong, 
 but  that  he  hath  need  of  continual  prayer.  For  Avhat  man, 
 almost  even  among  the  godly,  is  not  delighted  with  his  own 
 praises  ?  Only  the  Holy  Ghost  can  preserve  us,  that  w©  be 
 not  infected  with  this  vice. 
 
 Verse  6.       Let  him  that  is  (aught  in  the  word,  make  him  that  teacheth  him 
 partaker  of  all  his  goods. 
 
 Here  he  preacheth  to  the  disciples  or  hearers  of  the  word, 
 commanding  them  to  bestow  all  good  thi  ags  upon  those  whicJi 
 
VER.  6.1  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  456 
 
 have  taught  and  instructed  them  in  the  word.  I  have  some- 
 times marvelled  why  the  apostles  commanded  the  churches  so 
 diligently  to  nourish  their  teachers.  For,  in  popery,  I  saw  that 
 all  men  gave  abundantly  to  the  building  and  maintaining  of 
 goodly  temples,  to  the  increasing  of  the  revenues  and  livings  of 
 those  which  were  appointed  to  their  idolatrous  service.  Hereof 
 it  came  that  the  estimation  and  riches  of  the  bishops  and  the 
 rest  of  the  clergy  did  so  increase,  that  everywhere  they  had  in 
 possession  the  best  and  most  fruitful  grounds.  Therefore 
 thought  I  that  Paul  had  commanded  this  in  vain,  seeing  that 
 all  manner  of  good  things  were  not  only  abundantly  given  to 
 the  clergy,  but  also  they  overflowed  in  wealth  and  riches. 
 Wherefore,  I  thought  that  men  ought  rather  to  be  exhorted  to 
 withhold  their  hands  from  giving,  than  encouraged  to  give  any 
 more ;  for  I  saw,  that,  by  this  excessive  liberality  of  men,  the 
 covetousness  of  the  clergy  did  increase.  But  now  I  know  the 
 cause  why  they  had  such  abundance  of  good  things  heretofore, 
 and  now  the  pastors  and  ministers  of  the  word  do  want. 
 
 Before  time,  when  nothing  else  was  taught  but  errors  and 
 wicked  doctrine,  they  had  such  plenty  of  all  things,  that  of  Pe- 
 ter's patrimony,  (which  denied  that  he  had  either  silver  or  gold) 
 and  of  spiritual  goods,  (as  they  called  them,)  the  Pope  was  be- 
 come an  emperor,  the  cardinals  and  bishops  were  made  kings 
 and  princes  of  the  world.  But  now,  since  the  gospel  hath  been 
 preached  and  published,  the  professors  thereof  be  as  rich  as 
 sometime  Christ  and  his  apostles  were.  We  tind,  then,  by  ex- 
 perience, how  well  this  commandment  of  nourishing  and  main- 
 taining the  pastors  and  ministers  of  God's  word  is  observed, 
 which  Paul  here  and  in  other  places  so  diligently  repeateth  and 
 beateth  into  the  heads  of  his  hearers.  There  is  now  no  city 
 which  is  known  to  us,  that  nourisheth  and  maintaineth  her  pas- 
 tors and  preachers;  but  they  are  all  entertained  with  those  goods 
 which  Avere  given,  not  unto  Christ,  to  whom  no  man  giveth  any 
 thing,  (for  when  he  was  born  he  was  laid  in  a  manger  instead  of 
 a  bed,  because  there  was  no  room  for  him  in  the  inn,  Luke  ii.  7 ; 
 afterwards,  being  conversant  among  men,  he  had  not  whereon  to 
 lay  his  head.  Matt.  viii.  20 ;  and  briefly,  behig  spoiled  of  his 
 garments  and  hanging  naked  upon  the  cross  between  two  thieves, 
 he  died  most  miserably,  Matt,  xxvii.  38,)  but  to  the  Pope,  for 
 the  maintenance  of  liis  abominations,  and  because  he,  oppressing 
 the  gospel,  taught  the  doctrines  and  traditions  of  men,  and  set 
 up  idolatry. 
 
 And  as  oft  as  I  read  the  exhortations  of  Paul,  whereby  he 
 persuadeth  the  churches  that  they  should  either  nourish  their 
 pastors,  or  give  somewhat  to  the  relief  of  the  poor  saints  iu 
 Jewry,  I  do  greatly  marvel  and  am  ashamed  that  so  great  an 
 apostle  should  be  constrained  to  use  so  many  words,  for  the  ob- 
 taining of  this  benefit  of  the  congregations.  Writing  to  the 
 Corinthians,  he  treateth  of  this  matter  in  two  whole  chapters, 
 
460  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [cHAP.  VI, 
 
 (2  Cor.  vlii.  and  Ix.)  I  would  be  loth  to  defame  Wittenberg, 
 which,  indeed,  is  nothing  to  Corinth,  as  he  defamed  the  Corin- 
 thians, in  begging  so  carefully  for  the  relief  and  succour  of  the 
 poor.  But  this  is  the  lot  of  the  gospel  when  it  is  preached,  that 
 not  only  no  man  is  willing  to  give  any  thing  for  the  finding  of 
 ministers  and  maintaining  of  scholars,  but  men  begin  to  spoil, 
 to  rob,  and  to  steal,  and  with  divers  crafty  means  one  to  be- 
 guile another.  To  be  brief,  men  seem  suddenly  to  grow  out  of 
 kind,  and  to  be  transformed  into  cruel  beasts.  Contrariwise, 
 when  the  doctrine  of  devils  was  preached,  then  men  were  pro- 
 digal, and  offered  all  things  willingly  to  those  that  deceived 
 them,  (1  Tim.  iv.  2.)  The  prophets  do  reprove  the  same  sin  in 
 the  Jews,  which  were  loth  to  give  any  thing  to  the  godly  priests 
 and  Levites,  but  gave  all  things  plentifully  to  the  wicked. 
 
 Now,  therefore,  we  begin  to  understand  how  necessary  this 
 commandment  of  Paul  is,  as  touching  the  maintenance  of  the 
 ministers  of  the  church ;  for  Satan  can  abide  nothing  less  than 
 the  light  of  the  gospel.  Therefore,  when  he  seeth  that  it  be- 
 ginneth  to  shine,  then  doth  he  rage,  and  goeth  about  with  all 
 main  and  might  to  quench  it.  And  this  he  attempteth  two 
 manner  of  ways.  First,  by  lying  spirits  and  force  of  tyrants  j 
 and  then  by  poverty  and  famine.  But,  because  he  could  not 
 hitherto  oppress  the  gospel  in  this  country  (praised  be  God)  by 
 heretics  and  tyrants,  therefore  he  attempteth  to  bring  it  to  pass 
 the  other  way,  that  is,  by  withdrawing  the  livings  of  the  mi- 
 nisters of  the  word,  to  the  end  that  they,  being  oppressed  with 
 poverty  and  necessity,  should  forsake  the  ministry,  and  so  the 
 miserable  people,  being  destitute  of  the  word  of  God,  should  be- 
 come in  time  as  savage  as  wild  beasts.  And  Satan  helpeth  for- 
 ward this  horrible  enormity  by  ungodly  magistrates  in  the  cities, 
 and  also  by  noblemen  and  gentlemen  in  the  country,  who  take 
 away  the  church  goods,  whereby  the  ministers  of  the  gospel 
 should  live,  and  turn  them  to  wicked  uses,  "These  goods,"  saith 
 the  prophet  Micah,  (chap.  i.  7.)  "were  gathered  of  the  hire  of 
 a  harlot,  and  therefore  to  a  harlot's  hire  shall  they  return." 
 
 Moreover,  Satan  turneth  men  particularly  also  from  the  gos- 
 pel, by  overmuch  fulness ;  for  when  the  gospel  is  diligently  and 
 daily  preached,  many  being  glutted  therewith,  begin  to  loathe 
 it,  and  by  little  and  little  become  negligent  and  untoward  to  all 
 godly  exercises.  Again,  there  is  no  man  that  will  now  bring  up 
 his  children  in  good  learning,  and  much  less  in  the  study  of  the 
 holy  scripture,  but  they  employ  them  wholly  to  gainful  arts  or 
 occupations.  All  these  are  Satan's  practices,  to  no  other  end 
 but  that  he  may  oppress  the  gospel  in  this  our  country  without 
 any  devices  of  tyrants,  or  subtle  devices  of  heretics. 
 
 It  is  not  Avithout  cause,  therefore,  that  Paul  warneth  the 
 hearers  of  the  gospel  to  make  their  pastors  and  teachers  par- 
 takers with  them  in  all  good  things.  "  If  Ave  (saith  he  to  the 
 Corinthians)  have  sown  to  you  spiritual  things,  is  it  a  great 
 
VER.  6.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  461 
 
 matter  if  we  reap  your  worldly  things?"  (1  Cor.  ix.  11.)  The 
 hearers,  therefore,  ought  to  minister  carnal  things  to  them  of 
 whom  they  have  received  spiritual  things.  But  both  husbandmen, 
 citizens  and  gentlemen  do  at  this  day  abuse  our  doctrine,  that 
 under  the  colour  thereof  they  may  enrich  themselves.  Hereto- 
 fore, when  the  Pope  reigned,  there  was  no  man  which  paid  not 
 somewhat  yearly  to  the  priests  for  masses,  dirges,  trentals,  and 
 such  trash.  The  begging  friars  had  also  their  part.  The  mer- 
 chandizes of  Rome  likewise,  and  daily  offerings,  carried  away 
 somewhat.  From  these,  and  from  an  infinite  number  of  such 
 exactions,  our  countrymen  are  now  delivered  by  the  gospel;  but 
 so  far  off"  is  it  that  they  are  thankful  unto  God  for  this  liberty, 
 that  of  prodigal  givers  they  are  now  become  stark  thieves  and 
 robbers,  and  will  not  bestow  one  farthing  upon  the  gospel  or  the 
 ministers  thereof,  nor  give  any  thing  for  the  relief  and  succour 
 of  the  poor  saints;  which  is  a  certain  token  that  they  have  lost 
 both  the  word  and  faith,  and  that  they  have  no  spiritual  good- 
 ness in  them.  For  it  is  impossible  that  such  as  are  godly  indeed, 
 should  suffer  their  pastors  to  live  in  necessity  and  penury.  But 
 forasmuch  as  they  laugh  and  rejoice  when  their  pastors  suffer 
 any  adversity,  and  withhold  their  living,  or  give  it  not  with 
 such  faithfulness  as  they  ought,  it  is  a  plain  token  that  they  are 
 worse  than  the  heathen. 
 
 But  they  shall  feel,  ere  it  be  long,  what  calamities  will  follow 
 this  unthankfulness :  for  they  shall  lose  both  temporal  and  spi- 
 ritual things.  For  this  sin  must  needs  be  grievously  punished; 
 and  certainly  I  think  that  the  churches  in  Galatia,  Corinth,  and 
 other  places,  were  so  troubled  by  the  false  apostles  for  no  other 
 cause,  but  for  that  they  little  regarded  their  true  pastors  and 
 preachers.  For  it  is  good  reason  that  he  which  refuseth  to 
 give  a  penny  to  God,  who  offereth  unto  him  all  good  things 
 and  life  everlasting,  should  give  a  piece  of  gold  to  the  devil, 
 the  author  of  all  evils,  and  death  everlasting.  Whoso  will  not 
 serve  God  in  a  little,  and  that  to  his  own  inestimahle  benefit, 
 let  him  serve  the  devil  in  much,  to  his  extreme  and  utter  con- 
 fusion. Now,  therefore,  since  the  light  of  the  gospel  beginneth 
 to  shine,  we  see  what  the  devil  is,  and  what  the  world  is. 
 
 In  that  he  saith,  "  in  all  his  goods,"  it  is  not  so  to  be  taken 
 that  all  men  are  bound  to  give  all  that  they  have  to  their  mi- 
 nisters, but  that  they  should  maintain  them  liberally,  and  give 
 them  that  whereby  they  may  be  well  able  to  live. 
 
 Verse  7.    Be  not  deceived,  for  God  is  not  mocked. 
 
 The  apostle  prosecuteth  this  place  of  the  nourishing  and 
 maintaining  of  ministers  so  earnestly,  that  to  his  former  repre- 
 hension and  exhortation  he  addeth  now  also  a  threatening,  say- 
 ing, "  God  is  not  mocked."  And  here  he  toucheth  to  the  quick 
 the  perverseness  of  our  countrymen,  which  proudly  despise  our 
 ministry.     For  they  think  it  to  be  but  a  sport  and  a  game;  and 
 
462  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  VI. 
 
 therefore  they  go  about  (especially  the  gentlemen)  to  make  their 
 pastors  subject  unto  them,  like  servants  and  slaves.  And  if  we 
 had  not  so  godly  a  prince,  and  one  that  so  loveth  the  truth,  they 
 had,  ere  this  time,  driven  us  out  of  the  country.  When  the 
 pastors  ask  their  duty,  or  complain  that  they  suffer  penury,  they 
 cry  out,  "  The  priests  be  covetous ;  they  would  have  plenty ; 
 no  man  is  able  to  satisfy  their  insatiable  covetousness :  if  they 
 were  true  gospellers,  they  should  have  nothing  of  their  own,  but 
 as  poor  men,  ought  to  follow  poor  Christ,  and  to  suffer  all  ad- 
 versities, &c." 
 
 Paul  horribly  threateneth  here  such  tyrants,  and  such  mockers 
 of  God,  who  so  carelessly  and  proudly  do  scorn  the  miserable 
 preachers,  and  yet  will  seem  to  be  gospellers,  and  not  to  be 
 mockers  of  God,  but  to  worship  him  very  devoutly.  "  Be  not 
 deceived,"  saith  he,  "  God  is  not  mocked;"  that  is  to  say,  he 
 doth  not  suffer  himself  to  be  mocked  in  his  ministers.  For  he 
 saith,  "  He  that  despiseth  you,  despiseth  me,"  (Luke  x.  16.) 
 Also  he  saith  unto  Samuel,  "  They  have  not  cast  thee  away,  but 
 me,"  (1  Sam.  viii.  7.)  Therefore,  O  ye  mockers,  although  God 
 defer  his  punishment  for  a  season,  yet,  when  he  seeth  time,  he 
 will  find  you  out,  and  will  punish  this  contempt  of  his  word  and 
 bitter  hatred  which  ye  bear  against  his  ministers.  Therefore 
 ye  deceive  not  God,  but  yourselves,  and  ye  shall  not  laugh  at 
 God,  but  he  will  laugh  at  you,  (Ps.  ii.)  But  our  proud  gentle- 
 men, citizens,  and  common  people,  are  nothing  at  all  moved  with 
 this  dreadful  threatening.  Nevertheless  they  shall  feel,  when 
 death  approacheth,  whether  they  have  mocked  themselves  or  usj 
 nay  rather  not  us,  but  God  himself,  as  Paul  saith  here.  In  the 
 meantime,  because  they  proudly  despise  our  admonitions  with 
 an  intolerable  pride,  we  speak  these  things  to  our  comfort,  to 
 the  end  we  may  know  that  it  is  better  to  suffer  wrong,  than  to 
 do  wrong;  for  patience  is  ever  innocent  and  harmless,  (Ps. 
 xxxiv.  10.)  Moreover,  God  will  not  suffer  his  ministers  to 
 starve  for  hunger,  but  even  when  the  rich  men  suffer  scarcity 
 and  hunger,  he  will  feed  them,  and  in  the  days  of  famine  they 
 shall  have  enough,  (Ps.  xxxvii.  19.) 
 
 Verse  7.   For  whatsoever  a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he  reap. 
 
 All  these  things  tend  to  this  purpose,  that  ministers  should  be 
 nourished  and  maintained.  For  my  part,  I  do  not  gladly  inter- 
 pret such  sentences;  for  they  seem  to  commend  us,  and  so  they 
 do  indeed.  Moreover,  if  a  man  stand  much  in  repeating  such 
 things  to  his  hearers,  it  hath  some  shew  of  covetousness.  Not- 
 withstanding, men  must  be  admonished  hereof,  that  they  may 
 know  that  they  ought  to  yield  unto  their  pastors  both  reverence 
 and  a  necessary  living.  Our  Saviom'  Christ  teacheth  the  same 
 thing  in  the  tenth  of  Luke.  "  Eating  and  drinking  such  things 
 as  they  have;  for  the  labourer  is  worthy  of  his  reward."  And 
 Paul  saith,  in  another  place,  "  Do  ye  not  know  that  they  which 
 
VER.  7, 8.J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALAriANS.  4^3 
 
 sacrifice  in  the  temple,  live  of  the  sacrifices;  and  that  they  wbich 
 serve  at  the  altar,  are  partakers  of  the  altar?  Even  so  hath  the 
 Lord  ordained,  that  they  which  preach  the  gospel  should  live 
 of  the  gospel,"  (1  Cor.  ix.  13,  14.) 
 
 It  is  good  that  we  also  which  are  in  the  ministry  should  know 
 these  things,  lest  for  our  labour  we  might  with  evil  conscience 
 receive  the  stipend  which  is  given  unto  us  of  the  Pope's  goods. 
 And  although  such  goods  were  heaped  together  by  mere  fraud 
 and  deceit;  notwithstanding  God  spoiling  the  Egyptians,  (Exod. 
 iii.  22.)  that  is  to  say,  the  Papists,  of  their  goods,  turneth  them 
 here  amongst  us,  to  a  good  and  holy  use:  not  when  noblemen 
 and  gentlemen  spoil  them  and  abuse  them,  but  when  they  which 
 set  forth  God's  glory,  and  bring  up  youth  virtuously,  are  main- 
 tained therewith.  Let  us  know,  then,  that  we  may  with  good 
 conscience  (since  God  hath  ordained  and  commanded  that  they 
 which  preach  the  gospel  should  live  of  the  gospel)  use  those 
 things  which  are  given  us  of  the  church  goods  for  the  necessarv 
 sustentation  of  our  life,  to  the  end  we  may  attend  upon  our 
 ofiice  the  better.  Let  no  man  therefore  make  any  scruple 
 kereot,  as  though  it  were  not  lawful  for  him  to  use  suxjh  p'oods. 
 
 Verse  8,     For  he  that  3oweth  in  the  flesh,  shall  of  the  flesn  reap  corruption  ; 
 but  he  that  soweth  in  the  spirit,  shall  of  the  spirit  reap  everlasting  life. 
 
 He  addeth  a  similitude  and  an  allegory.  And  this  general  sen- 
 tence of  sowing  he  applieth  to  the  particular  matter  of  nourishing 
 and  maintaining  the  ministers  of  the  word,  saying,  "He  that 
 soweth  in  the  spirit,"  that  is  to  say,  he  that  cherisheth  the 
 teachers  of  God's  word,  doth  a  spiritual  work,  and  shall  reap 
 everlasting  life.  Here  riseth  a  question,  whether  we  deserve 
 eternal  life  by  good  works?  For  so  Paul  seemeth  to  avouch  in 
 this  place.  As  touching  such  sentences  which  speak  of  works 
 and  the  reward  of  them,  we  have  treated  very  largely  before  in 
 the  fifth  chapter.  And  very  necessary  it  is,  after  the  example  of 
 Paul,  to  exhort  the  faithful  to  do  good  works,  that  is  to  say,  to 
 exercise  their  faith  by  good  works;  for  if  they  follow  not  faith, 
 it  is  a  manifest  token  that  their  faith  is  no  true  faith.  Therefore 
 the  apostle  saith,  "  He  that  soweth  in  the  flesh,"  (some  under- 
 stand it  in  his  own  flesh,)  that  is  to  say,  he  that  giveth  nothing 
 to  the  ministers  of  God's  word,  but  only  feedeth  and  careth  for 
 himself,  (which  is  the  counsel  of  the  flesh,)  that  man  shall  of  the 
 flesh  reap  corruption,  not  only  in  this  present  life,  but  also  in 
 the  life  to  come.  For  the  goods  of  the  wicked  shall  waste  away, 
 and  they  themselves  also  at  length  shall  shamefully  perish.  Tlie 
 apostle  would  fain  stir  up  his  hearers  to  be  liberal  and  beneficial 
 towards  their  pastors  and  preachers.  But  what  a  misery  is  it, 
 that  the  perverseness  and  ingratitude  of  men  should  be  so  great, 
 that  the  churches  should  need  this  admonition. 
 
 The  Encratites  abused  this  place,  for  the  confirmation  of  their 
 iricked  opinion  against  marriage,  expounding  it  after  this  man- 
 
464  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [cHAP.  VJ 
 
 ner:  *'  He  that  soweth  in  the  flesh,  shall  reap  corruption,  that  is 
 to  say,  he  that  marrieth  a  wife,  shall  be  damned;  ergo,  a  wife  is  a 
 damnable  thing,  and  marriage  is  evil,  forasmuch  as  there  is  in  it 
 a  sowing  in  the  flesh.  These  beasts  were  so  destitute  of  all  judg- 
 ment, that  they  perceived  not  whereabout  the  apostle  went.  I 
 speak  this  to  the  end  ye  may  see  how  easily  the  devil,  by  his 
 ministers,  can  turn  away  the  hearts  of  the  simple  from  the  truth. 
 Germany  shall  shortly  have  an  infinite  number  of  such  beasts, 
 yea,  and  already  hath  very  many;  for,  on  the  one  side,  it  perse- 
 cuteth  and  killeth  the  godly  ministers;  and  on  the  other  side  it 
 neglecteth  and  despiseth  them,  and  sufi'ereth  them  to  live  in  great 
 penury.  Let  us  arm  ourselves  against  these  and  such-like  errors, 
 and  let  us  learn  to  know  the  true  meaning  of  the  scriptures. 
 For  Paul  speaketh  not  here  of  matrimony,  but  of  nourishing 
 the  ministers  of  the  church,  which  every  man,  that  is  endued 
 but  with  the  common  judgment  of  reason,  may  perceive.  And 
 although  this  nom"ishment  is  but  a  corporeal  thing,  yet  notwith- 
 standing he  calleth  it,  a  sowing  in  the  spirit.  Contrariwise,  when 
 men  greedily  scrape  together  what  they  can,  and  seek  only  their 
 own  gain,  he  calleth  it  a  sowing  in  the  flesh.  He  pronounceth 
 those  which  sow  in  the  spirit,  to  be  blessed  both  in  this  life  and 
 the  life  to  come;  and  the  other  which  sow  m  the  flesh,  to  be 
 accursed  both  in  this  life  and  in  the  life  to  come. 
 
 Verse  9.     And  let  us  not  be  weary  in  doing  good,  for  in  due  time  we  shall 
 reap  without  weariness. 
 
 The  apostle,  intending  to  close  up  his  epistle,  passeth  from 
 the  particular  to  the  general,  and  exhorteth  generally  to  all  good 
 works.  As  if  he  should  say:  Let  us  be  liberal  and  bountiful,  not 
 only  towards  the  ministers  of  the  word,  but  also  towards  all 
 other  men,  and  that  without  weariness;  for  it  is  an  easy  matter 
 for  a  man  to  do  good  once  or  twice,  but  to  continue,  and  not  to 
 be  discouraged  through  the  ingratitude  and  perverseness  of  those 
 to  whom  he  hath  done  good,  that  is  very  hard.  Therefore  he 
 doth  not  only  exhort  us  to  do  good,  but  also  not  to  be  weary  in 
 doing  good;  and  to  persuade  us  the  more  easily  thereunto,  he 
 addeth,  "  For  in  due  time  we  shall  reap  without  weariness." 
 As  if  he  said:  Wait  and  look  for  the  perpetual  harvest  that  is 
 to  come,  and  then  shall  no  ingratitude  or  perverse  dealing  of 
 men  be  able  to  pluck  you  away  from  well-doing ;  for  in  the 
 harvest-time  ye  shall  receive  most  plentiful  increase  and  fruit  of 
 your  seed.  Thus,  with  most  sweet  words,  he  exhorteth  the 
 faithful  to  the  doing  of  good  works. 
 
 Verse  10.     Therefore,  while  we  have  time,  let  us  do  good  unto  all  men,  but 
 especially  to  those  that  be  of  the  household  of  faith. 
 
 This  is  the  knitting-up  of  his  exhortation  for  the  liberal  main- 
 taining and  nourishing  of  the  ministers  of  the  word,  and  giving 
 of  alms  to  allsuch  as  have  need.     As  if  lie  had  said,  Let  us  do 
 
VKB.  10—19.}  KPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  465 
 
 good  while  it  is  day ;  for  when  night  cometh,  we  can  no  longer 
 work,  (John  ix.  4.)  Indeed,  men  work  many  things  when  the 
 light  of  truth  is  taken  away,  but  all  in  vain ;  for  they  walk  in 
 darkness,  and  wot  not  whither  they  go,  and  therefore  all  their 
 life,  works,  sufferings,  and  death  are  in  vain,  (John  xii.  35.)  And 
 by  these  Avords  he  toucheth  the  Galatians.  As  if  he  should  say, 
 Except  ye  continue  in  the  sound  doctrine  which  ye  have  re- 
 ceived of  me,  yom'  working  of  much  good,  your  suffering  of 
 many  troubles,  and  such  other  things,  profit  you  nothing;  as  he 
 said  before,  in  the  third  chapter,  "  Have  ye  suffered  so  many 
 things  in  vain?"  And  by  a  new  kind  of  speech  he  terraeth  those 
 the  household  of  faith,  which  are  joined  with  us  in  the  fellow- 
 ship of  faith,  among  whom  the  ministers  of  the  word  are  the 
 chiefest,  and  then  all  the  rest  of  the  faitliful. 
 
 Verse  11.  Behold  what  a  letter  1  have  written  unto  you  with  mine  own  hanU. 
 
 He  closeth  up  his  epistle  with  an  exhortation  to  the  faithful, 
 and  with  a  sharp  rebuke  or  invective  against  the  false  apostles — 
 "  Behold,"  saith  he,  "  what  a  letter  I  have  written  unto  you 
 with  mine  own  hand?"  This  he  saith  to  move  them,  and  to 
 shew  his  motherly  affection  towards  them.  As  if  he  should  say: 
 I  never  wrote  so  long  an  epistle  with  mine  own  hand  to  any 
 other  church,  as  I  liave  done  unto  you.  For  as  for  his  other 
 epistles,  as  he  spake,  others  wrote  them,  and  afterwards  he  sub- 
 scribed his  salutation  and  name  with  his  own  hand,  as  it  is  to  be 
 seen  in  the  end  of  his  epistles.  And  in  these  words  (as  I  sup- 
 pose) he  hath  respect  to  the  length  of  the  epistle.  Other  some 
 take  it  otherwise. 
 
 Vek.  12.  As  many  as  desire  to  please  in  the  flesh, compel  you  to  be  circumcised, 
 only  because  they  would  not  suffer  the  persecution  of  the  cross  of  Christ. 
 
 Before  he  cursed  the  false  apostles.  Now,  as  it  were,  re- 
 peating the  same  thing  again,  but  with  other  words,  he  accuseth 
 them  very  sharply,  to  the  end  he  may  fear  and  turn  away  the 
 Galatians  from  their  doctrine,  notwithstanding  the  great  autho- 
 rity which  they  seemed  to  have.  The  teachers  which  ye  have 
 (saith  he)  are  such  as,  first,  regard  not  the  glory  of  Christ,  and 
 the  salvation  of  your  souls,  but  only  seek  their  own  glory;  se- 
 condly, they  fly  the  cross;  thirdly,  they  understand  not  those 
 things  which  they  teach. 
 
 These  false  teachers,  being  accused  of  the  apostle  for  three 
 such  execrable  enormities,  were  worthy  to  be  avoided  of  all 
 men.  But  yet  all  the  Galatians  obeyed  not  this  warning  of  Paul; 
 and  Paul  doth  the  false  apostles  no  wrong,  when  he  so  vehe- 
 mently inveigheth  against  them;  but  he  justly  condemneth  them 
 py  his  apostolic  authority.  In  like  manner,  when  we  call  the 
 Pope  Antichrist,  his  bishops  and  his  shavelings,  a  cursed  gene- 
 ration, we  slander  them  not;  but  by  God's  authority  we  judge 
 lAem  to  be  accursed,  according  to  that  which  is  said  in  the  firit 
 
460  COMBtErXARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP.  VI. 
 
 ch?.pter — "  If  we,  or  an  angel  from  heaven,  preach  otherwise 
 than  we  have  preached  unto  y  )u,  accursed  be  he:"  for  they  hate, 
 persecute,  and  overthrow  the  doctrine  of  Christ. 
 
 Your  teachers  (saith  he)  are  vain  heads,  and,  not  regarding- 
 the  g'ory  of  Christ  and  your  salvation,  they  seek  only  their  own 
 glorV'  Again,  because  they  are  afraid  of  the  cross,  they  preach 
 circumcision,  and  the  righteousness  of  the  flesh,  lest  they  should 
 provoke  the  Jews  to  hate  and  persecute  them.  Wherefore,  al- 
 though ye  hear  them  never  so  gladly,  and  never  so  long,  yet 
 shall  ye  hear  but  such  as  make  their  belly  their  God,  seek  their 
 own  glory,  and  shun  the  cross.  And  here  is  to  be  noted  a  cer- 
 tain vehemency  in  the  word  compel.  For  circxuncision  is  nothing 
 of  itself;  but  to  be  compelled  to  circumcision,  and  when  a  man 
 hath  received  it,  to  put  righteousness  and  holiness  therein:  and 
 if  it  be  not  received,  to  make  it  a  sin;  that  is  an  injury  unto 
 Christ.  Of  this  matter  I  have  spoken  largely  enough  heretofore. 
 
 Verse  13.    For  they  themselves  that  arc  circumcised,  do  not  keep  the  law; 
 but  they  would  have  you  circumcised,  that  they-might  glory  in  your  flesh. 
 
 Is  not  Paul  here  worthy  to  be  called  an  heretic?  For  he  saith, 
 that  not  only  the  false  apostles,  but  all  the  nation  of  the  Jews 
 which  were  circumcised,  keep  not  the  law,  but  rather  that  they 
 which  were  circumcised,  in  fulfilling  the  law,  fulfil  it  not.  This 
 is  against  Moses,  who  saith,  that  to  be  circumcised  is  to  keep 
 the  law;  and  not  to  be  circumcised  is  to  make  the  covenant  void, 
 (Gen.  xvii.  10,  14.)  And  the  Jews  were  circumcised  for  none 
 other  cause  but  to  keep  the  law,  which  commandeth  that  every 
 male  child  should  be  circumcised  the  eighth  day,  (Gen.  xvii.  12.) 
 Hereof  we  have  before  entreated  at  large,  and  therefore  we 
 need  not  now  to  repeat  the  same  again.  Now,  these  things  serve 
 to  the  condemning  of  the  false  apostles,  that  the  Galatians  may 
 be  feared  from  hearing  of  them.  As  if  he  should  say,  Behold,  I 
 set  before  your  eyes  what  manner  of  teachers  you  have.  Fii'st, 
 they  are  vain-glorious  men,  which  seek  nothing  but  their  own 
 profit,  (Phil.  ii.  21.)  and  care  for  nothing  but  their  own  belly; 
 secondly,  they  fly  the  cross;  and  finally,  they  teach  no  truth  or 
 certainty,  but  all  their  sayings  and  doings  are  counterfeit  and 
 full  of  hypocrisy.  Wherefore,  although  they  keep  the  law 
 outwardly,  yet,  in  keeping  it,  they  keep  it  not ;  for  without  the 
 Holy  Ghost  the  law  cannot  be  kept.  But  the  Holy  Ghost 
 cannot  be  received  without  Christ ;  and  where  the  Holy  Ghost 
 dwelleth  not,  there  dwelleth  an  unclean  spirit,  that  is  to  say, 
 despising  God,  and  seeking  his  own  gain  and  glory.  Therefore, 
 all  that  he  doth,  as  touching  the  law,  is  mere  hypocrisy  and 
 double  sin ;  for  an  imclean  heart  doth  not  fulfil  the  law,  but  only 
 maketh  an  outward  shew  thereof,  and  so  is  it  more  confirmed  in 
 his  wickedness  and  hypocrisy. 
 
 And  this  sentence  is  diligently  to  be  marked,  that  they  wVi"h 
 are  circumcised  keep  not  the  law;  that  is  to  say,  that  they  wnicn 
 
VEU.   IS.]  EPiSFLE  TO  THE  OALATIANS.  467 
 
 are  circumcised,  are  not  circumcised.  It  may  alsc  be  applied 
 unto  other  works.  He  that  worketh,  prayeth,  or  suffereth  with- 
 out Christ,  worketh,  prayeth,  and  suffereth  in  vain;  for  all  that 
 is  not  of  faith  is  sin,  (Rom.  xiv.  23.)  It  profiteth  a  man,  there- 
 fore, nothing  at  all  to  be  outwardly  circumcised,  to  fast,  to  pray, 
 or  to  do  any  other  work,  if  he  be  within  a  despiser  of  grace,  of 
 forgiveness  of  sins,  of  faith,  of  Christ,  &c.  and  be  puffed  up 
 with  the  opinion  and  presumption  of  his  own  righteousness, 
 which  are  horrible  sins  against  the  first  table:  and  afterward 
 there  follow  also  other  sins  against  the  second  table,  as  disobe- 
 dience, whoredom,  furiousness,  wrath,  hatred,  and  such  otlier. 
 Therefore  he  saith  very  well,  that  they  which  be  circumcised, 
 keep  not  the  law,  but  only  pretend  that  they  keep  it.  But 
 this  counterfeiting,  or  rather  hypocrisy,  is  double  wickedness 
 afore  God. 
 
 Wliat  mean  the  false  apostles,  when  they  Would  have  you  to 
 be  circumcised?  Not  that  ye  might  become  righteous,  although 
 they  so  bear  you  in  hand,  but  that  they  may  glory  in  your  flesh. 
 Now,  who  would  not  detest  this  most  pestilent  Aice  of  ambition 
 and  desire  of  glory,  which  is  sought  with  so  great  peril  of  men's 
 souls?  There  are  (saith  he)  deceitful,  shameless,  and  vain 
 spirits,  which  serve  their  own  Ijelly  and  hate  the  cross.  Again, 
 (which  is  worst  of  all,)  they  compel  you  to  be  circumcised  ac- 
 cording to  the  law,  that  they  may  thereby  abuse  your  flesh  to 
 their  own  glory,  and  in  the  mean  season  they  bring  your  souls 
 into  danger  of  everlasting  destruction.  For  what  gain  ye  else 
 before  God,  but  damnation?  And  Avhat  else  before  men,  but 
 that  the  false  apostles  may  glory  that  they  are  your  teachers, 
 and  ye  their  disciples  ?  And  yet  they  teach  you  that  which  they 
 themselves  do  not.  Thus  doth  he  sharply  reprove  the  false 
 apostles. 
 
 These  words,  "  That  they  may  glory  in  your  flesh,"  are  very 
 effectual.  As  if  he  should  say :  They  have  not  the  word  of  the 
 spirit ;  therefore  it  is  impossible  for  you  to  receive  the  spirit  by 
 their  preaching.  They  do  but  only  exercise  your  flesh,  making 
 you  fleshly  justiciaries,  or  justifiers  of  yom-selves.  Outwardly 
 they  observe  days,  times,  sacrifices,  and  such  other  things,  ac- 
 cording to  the  law,  which  are  altogether  carnal,  whereby  ye 
 reap  nothing  else  but  unprofitable  labour  and  damnation.  And 
 on  the  otlier  side,  this  they  gain  thereby,  that  they  boast  that 
 they  are  your  teachers,  and  have  called  you  back  from  the 
 doctrine  of  Paul  the  heretic,  unto  their  mother  the  synagogue. 
 So  at  this  day  the  Papists  brag,  that  they  call  back  those  to  the 
 bosom  of  their  mother  the  holy  church,  whom  they  deceive  and 
 seduce.  Contrariwise,  we  glory  not  in  your  flesh,  but  glory  as 
 toucliing  your  spirit,  because  ye  have  received  the  spirit  by  our 
 preaching,  (Gal.  iii.  2.) 
 
468  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL'S  ( CHAP.  VI. 
 
 Verse  14.   But  God  forbid  that  T  should  glory,  but  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord 
 
 Jesus  Christ. 
 
 The  apostle  closeth  up  the  matter  with  an  indignation,  ond 
 with  great  vehemency  of  spirit  he  casteth  out  these  words, 
 "But  God  forbid,"  &c.  As  if  he  should  say:  This  carnal 
 glory  and  ambition  of  the  false  apostles  is  so  dangerous  a  poison, 
 that  I  wish  it  was  buried  in  hell,  for  it  is  the  cause  of  the  de- 
 struction of  many.  But  let  them  glory  hi  the  flesh  that  list,  and 
 let  them  perish  with  their  cursed  glory ;  as  for  me,  I  desire  no 
 other  glory,  but  that  whereby  I  glory  and  rejoice  in  the  cross 
 of  Christ.  After  the  same  manner  speaketh  he  also,  "  We  glory 
 m  our  afflictions,"  (Rom.  v.)  Also  in  2  Cor.  xii.  "  I  will  glory 
 in  mine  afflictions."  Here  Paul  sheweth  what  is  the  glory  and 
 rejoicing  of  the  Christians,  namely,  to  glory  and  to  be  proud  in 
 tribulation,  reproaches,  infirmities,  &c. 
 
 The  world  judgeth  of  the  Christians,  not  only  that  they  are 
 wretched  and  miserable  men,  but  also  most  cruelly,  and  yet,  as 
 it  thinketh,  with  a  true  zeal  hateth,  persecuteth,  condemneth  and 
 killeth  them,  as  most  pernicious  plagues  of  the  spiritual  and 
 worldly  kingdom,  that  is  to  say,  like  heretics  and  rebels.  But 
 because  they  do  not  suffer  these  things  for  murder,  theft,  and 
 such  other  wickedness,  but  for  the  love  of  Christ,  whose  benefit 
 and  glory  they  set  forth,  therefore  they  glory  in  tribulation  and 
 in  the  cross  of  Christ,  and  are  glad  with  the  apostles  that  they 
 are  counted  worthy  to  suffer  rebuke,  for  the  name  of  Christ, 
 (Actsv.  41.)  So  must  we  glory  at  this  day,  when  the  Pope 
 and  the  whole  world  most  cruelly  persecute  us,  condemn  us, 
 and  kill  us ;  because  we  suffer  these  things,  not  for  our  evil 
 deeds,  as  thieves,  murderers,  &c.  but  for  Christ's  sake,  our  Lord 
 and  Saviour,  whose  gospel  we  truly  preach. 
 
 Now,  our  glory  is  increased  and  confirmed  principally  by 
 these  two  things:  First,  because  we  are  certain  that  our  doctrine 
 is  sound  and  perfect;  secondly,  because  our  cross  and  suffering 
 is  the  suffering  of  Christ.  Therefore,  when  the  world  perse- 
 cuteth and  killeth  us,  we  have  no  cause  to  complain  or  lament, 
 but  we  ought  rather  to  rejoice  and  be  glad.  Indeed,  the  world 
 judgeth  us  to  be  unhappy  and  accursed :  But  on  the  other  side, 
 Christ,  who  is  greater  than  the  world,  and  for  whom  we  suffer, 
 pronounceth  us  to  be  blessed,  and  willeth  us  to  rejoice. 
 "  Blessed  are  ye,  (saith  he)  when  men  revile  you,  and  persecute 
 on,  and  falsely  say  all  manner  of  evil  against  you  for  my  sake, 
 lejoice,  and  be  glad,"  (Matt.  v.  11,  12.)  Our  glory,  then,  is 
 another  manner  of  glory  than  the  glory  of  the  world  is,  which 
 rejoiceth  not  in  tribulation,  reproach,  persecution,  and  death,  &c. 
 but  glorieth  altogether  in  power,  in  riches,  peace,  honour,  wis- 
 dom, and  his  own  righteousness.  But  mourning  and  confusion 
 18  the  end  of  this  glory. 
 
 Moreover,  the  cross  of  Christ  doth  not  signify  that  piece  of 
 {yn  d  which  Christ  did  bear  upon  his  shoidders,  and  to  the 
 
 g 
 
^ER.   14. J  HPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  469 
 
 which  he  was  afterwards  nailed;  but  generally  it  signifieth  all  the 
 afflictions  of  the  faithful,  whose  suiFerings  are  Christ's  sufferings, 
 (2Cor.  i.)  "  The  sufferings  of  Christ  abound  in  us."  Again, 
 "  Now  rejoice  I  in  my  sufferings  for  you,  and  fulfil  the  rest  of 
 the  afflictions  of  Christ  in  my  flesh,  for  his  body's  sake,  which 
 is  the  church,"  &c.  (Col.  i.  24.)  The  cross  of  Christ,  therefore, 
 generally  signifieth.  all  the  afflictions  of  the  church  which  it  suf- 
 fereth  for  Christ ;  which  he  himself  witnesseth  when  he  saith, 
 "Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutest  thou  me?"  (Acts  ix.  4.)  Saul 
 did  no  violence  to  Christ,  but  to  his  church.  But  he  that 
 toucheth  it,  toucheth  the  apple  of  his  eye,  (Zech.  ii.  8.)  There 
 is  a  more  lively  feeling  in  the  head,  than  in  the  other  members 
 of  the  body.  And  this  we  know  by  experience ;  for  the  little 
 toe  or  the  least  part  of  a  man's  body  being  hurt,  the  head  forth- 
 with sheweth  itself,  by  the  countenance,  to  feel  the  grief  thereof. 
 So  Christ  our  head  maketh  all  our  afflictions  his  own,  and  suf- 
 fereth  also  when  we  suffer,  which  are  his  body. 
 
 It  is  profitable  for  us  to  know  these  things,  lest  we  should  be 
 swallowed  up  with  sorrow,  or  fall  to  despair,  when  we  see  that 
 our  adversaries  do  cruelly  persecute,  excommunicate,  and  kill 
 us.  But  let  us  think  with  ourselves,  after  the  example  of  Paul, 
 that  we  must  glory  in  the  cross  which  we  bear,  not  for  our  own 
 sins,  but  for  Christ's  sake.  If  we  consider  only  in  ourselves 
 the  sufferings  which  we  endure,  they  are  not  only  grievous  but 
 intolerable ;  but  when  we  may  say,  "  Thy  sufferings,  O  Christ, 
 aboimd  in  us ;"  (2  Cor.  i.  5.)  or,  as  it  is  said  in  the  44th  Psalm, 
 "  For  thy  sake  we  are  killed  all  the  day,"  then  these  sufferings 
 are  not  only  easy,  but  also  sweet,  according  to  that  saying, 
 *'  My  burden  is  easy,  and  my  yoke  is  sweet,"  (Matt.  xi.  30.) 
 
 Now,  it  is  well  known  that  we,  at  this  day,  do  suffer  the  ha- 
 tred and  persecution  of  our  adversaries  for  none  other  cause, 
 but  for  that  we  preach  Christ  faithfully  and  purely.  If  we 
 would  deny  him,  and  approve  their  pernicious  errors  and  wicked 
 religion,  they  Avould  not  only  cease  to  hate  and  persecute  us, 
 but  would  also  offer  us  honour,  riches,  and  many  goodly  things. 
 Because,  therefore,  we  suffer  these  things  for  Christ's  sake,  we 
 may  truly  rejoice  and  glory  with  Paul  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord 
 Jesus  Christ,  that  is  to  say,  not  in  riches,  in  power,  in  the  fa- 
 vour of  men,  &c.  but  in  afflictions,  weakness,  sorrow,  fightings 
 in  the  body,  terrors  in  the  spirit,  persecutions,  and  all  other 
 evils,  (2  Cor.  vii.  5.)  Wherefore,  we  trust  it  will  shortly  come 
 to  pass,  that  Christ  will  say  the  same  to  us  that  David  said  to 
 Abiathar  the  priest,  "  I  am  the  cause  of  all  your  deaths,"  ( 1 
 Sam.  xxii.  22.)  Again,  "  He  that  toucheth  you,  toucheth  the 
 apple  of  mine  eye,"  (Zech.  ii.  8.)  As  if  he  had  said.  He  that 
 hurteth  you,  hurteth  me ;  for  if  ye  did  not  preach  my  word 
 and  confess  me,  ye  should  not  suffer  these  things.  So  saith  he 
 also,  in  John,  "  If  ye  were  of  the  world,  the  world  would  love 
 liis  own:  But  because  I  have  chosen  you  out  of  the  world,  there- 
 
470  COMMENTARY  Of  ST.  PAUL's  [CHAP  VI 
 
 fore  the  world  hateth  you,*'  (John  xv.  19.)     But  these  things 
 are  treated  of  afore. 
 
 Verse  14,     By  whom  the  world  is  crucified  to  me,  and  I  unto  the  world. 
 
 This  is  Paul's  manner  of  speaking- :  "  the  world  is  crucified 
 to  me,"  that  is,  I  judge  the  world  to  be  damned.  "  And  I  am 
 crucified  to  the  world,"  that  is,  the  world  again  judgeth  me  to 
 be  damned.  Thus  we  crucify  and  condemn  one  another.  I 
 abhor  all  the  doctrine,  righteousness,  and  works  of  the  world,  as 
 the  poison  of  the  devil.  The  world  again  detesteth  my  doctrine 
 and  deeds,  and  judgeth  me  to  be  a  seditious,  a  pernicious,  a  pes- 
 tilent fellow,  and  a  heretic.  So  at  this  day  the  world  is  cruci- 
 fied to  us,  and  we  unto  the  world.  We  curse  and  condemn  all 
 man's  traditions  concerning  mass,  orders,  vows,  will-worship- 
 pings, works,  and  all  the  abominations  of  the  Pope  and  other  he- 
 retics, as  the  dirt  of  the  devil.  They  again  do  persecute  and  kill 
 us  as  destroyers  of  religion,  and  troublers  of  the  public  peace. 
 
 The  monks  dreamed  that  the  world  was  crucified  to  them, 
 when  they  entered  into  their  monasteries ;  but  by  this  means 
 Christ  is  crucified,  and  not  the  world ;  yea,  the  world  is  delivered 
 from  crucifying,  and  is  the  more  quickened  by  that  opinion  of 
 holiness  and  trust,  which  they  had  in  their  own  righteousness 
 that  entered  into  religion.  Most  foolislily  and  wickedly,  there- 
 fore, was  this  sentence  of  the  apostle  wrested  to  the  entering 
 into  monasteries.  He  speaketh  here  of  a  high  matter  and  of 
 great  importance;  that  is  to  say,  that  every  faithful  man  judgeth 
 that  to  be  the  wisdom,  righteousness,  and  power  of  God,  which 
 the  world  condemneth  as  the  greatest  folly,  wickedness,  and 
 weakness.  And  contrariwise,  that  which  the  world  judgeth  to  be 
 the  highest  religion  and  service  of  God,  the  faithful  do  know  to  be 
 nothing  else  but  execrable  and  horrible  blasphemy  against  God. 
 So  the  godly  condemn  the  world,  and  again,  the  world  condemn- 
 eth the  godly.  But  the  godly  have  the  right  judgment  on  their 
 side;  for  the  spiritual  man  judgeth  all  things,  (1  Cor.  ii.  15.) 
 
 Wherefore  the  judgment  of  the  world,  touching  religion  and 
 righteousness  before  God,  is  as  contrary  to  the  judgment  of  the 
 godly,  as  God  and  the  devil  are  contrary  the  one  to  the  other^i 
 For  as  God  is  crucified  to  the  devil,  and  the  devil  to  God,  that 
 is  to  say,  as  God  condemneth  the  doctrine  and  works  of  the 
 devil,  (for  the  Son  of  God  appeared,  as  John  saith,  to  destroy 
 the  works  of  the  devil,  1  John  iii.  8,)  and  contrariwise  the  devil 
 condemneth  and  overthroweth  the  word  and  the  works  of  God, 
 for  he  is  a  murderer,  and  the  father  of  lies ;  so  the  world  con- 
 demneth the  doctrine  and  life  of  the  godly,  calling  them  most 
 pernicious  heretics  and  troublers  of  the  public  peace.  And 
 again,  the  faithful  call  the  world  the  son  of  the  devil,  which 
 rightly  followeth  his  father's  steps,  that  is  to  say,  which  is  as 
 great  a  murderer  and  liar  as  his  father  is.  This  is  Paul's  mean- 
 ing, when  he  saith,  "  Whereby  the  world  is  crucified  to  me. 
 
VEK.  14,  15.J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  471 
 
 and  I  unto  the  world."  Now  the  world  doth  not  only  signify 
 in  the  scriptures  ungodly  and  wicked  men,  but  the  very  best, 
 the  wisest,  and  holiest  men  that  are  of  the  world. 
 
 And  here,  by  the  way,  he  covertly  toucheth  the  false  apostles. 
 As  if  he  should  say:  I  utterly  hate  and  detest  all  glory  which  is 
 without  the  cross  of  Christ,  as  a  cursed  thing;  for  the  world, 
 with  all  the  glory  thereof,  is  crucified  to  me,  and  I  to  the  world. 
 Wherefore,  accursed  be  all  they  which  glory  in  their  flesh,  and 
 not  in  the  cross  of  Christ.  Paul  therefore  witnesseth  by  these 
 words,  that  he  hateth  the  world  with  a  perfect  hatred  of  the 
 Holy  Ghost ;  and  again,  the  world  hateth  him  with  a  perfect 
 hatred  of  a  wicked  spirit.  As  if  he  should  say,  It  is  impossible 
 that  there  should  be  any  agreement  between  me  and  the  world. 
 What  shall  I  then  do  ?  Shall  I  give  place,  and  teach  those 
 things  which  please  the  world  ?  No  ;  but  with  a  stout  courage 
 I  wUl  set  myself  against  it,  and  will  as  well  despise  and  crucify 
 it,  as  it  despiseth  and  crucifieth  me. 
 
 To  conclude.  Paid  here  teacheth  how  we  should  fight  against 
 Satan,  (which  not  only  tormenteth  our  bodies  with  sundry  afflic- 
 tions, but  also  woundeth  oiir  hearts  continually  with  his  fiery 
 darts,  that,  by  this  continuance,  when  he  can  no  otherwise  pre- 
 vail, he  may  overthrow  our  faith,  and  bring  us  from  the  truth 
 and  from  Christ,)  namely,  that  like  as  we  see  Paul  himself  to 
 have  stoutly  despised  the  world,  so  we  also  should  despise  the 
 devil,  the  prince  thereof,  with  all  his  forces,  deceits,  and  hellish 
 furies,  and  so  trusting  to  the  aid  and  help  of  Christ,  should  tri- 
 umph against  him  after  this  manner  :  O  Satan,  the  more  thou 
 hurtest  and  goest  about  to  hurt  me,  the  more  proud  and  stout 
 I  am  against  thee,  and  laugh  thee  to  scorn.  The  more  thou 
 terrifiest  me,  and  seekest  to  bring  me  to  desperation,  so  much 
 the  more  confidence  and  boldness  I  take,  and  glory  in  the  midst 
 of  thy  furies  and  malice :  not  by  mine  own  power,  but  by  the 
 power  of  my  Lord  and  Saviour  Christ,  whose  strength  is  made 
 perfect  in  my  weakness.  Therefore,  when  I  am  weak,  then  ara 
 I  sti'ong,  (2  Cor.  xii.  9,  10.)  On  the  contrary,  when  he  seeth 
 his  threatenings  and  terrors  to  be  feared,  he  rejoiceth,  and  then 
 he  terrifieth  more  and  more  such  as  are  terrified  already. 
 
 Verse  15.  For  in  Christ  Jesus,  neither  circumcision  availeth  any  thing,  nor 
 uncircumcision,  but  a  new  creature. 
 
 This  is  a  wonderful  kind  of  speech  which  Paul  here  useth, 
 when  he  saith,  "  Neither  circumcision  nor  uncircumcision  pre- 
 vaileth  any  thing."  It  may  seem  that  he  should  rather  have 
 said :  "  Either  circumcision  or  uncircumcision  availeth  some- 
 what, seeing  these  are  two  contrary  things.  But  now  he  de- 
 nieth  that  either  the  one  or  the  other  do  any  thing  avail.  As  if 
 he  should  have  said :  Ye  must  mount  up  higher ;  for  circum- 
 cision and  uncircumcision  are  things  of  no  such  importance, 
 that  they  are  able  to  obtain  righteousness  before  God.     True 
 
4T2  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL's  [cHAP.  VI. 
 
 it  is,  that  they  are  contrary  the  one  to  the  other ;  but  this 
 is  nothing-  as  touching  Christian  rig-hteousness,  which  is  not 
 earthly,  but  heavenly ;  and  therefore  it  consisteth  not  in  cor- 
 poreal things.  Therefore,  whether  thou  be  circumcised  or  un- 
 circumcised,  it  is  all  one  thing,  for  in  Christ  Jesus  neither  the 
 one  nor  the  other  availeth  any  thing  at  all. 
 
 The  Jews  were  greatly  offended  when  they  heard  that  cir- 
 cumcision availed  nothing.  They  easily  granted  that  uncircum- 
 cision  availed  nothing ;  but  they  could  not  abide  to  hear  that  so 
 much  should  be  said  of  circumcision,  for  they  fought  even  unto 
 blood  for  the  defence  of  the  law  and  cirrnimcision.  The  Papists 
 also  at  this  day  do  vehemently  contend  for  the  maintenance  of 
 their  traditions,  as  touching  the  eating  of  flesh,  single  life,  holy 
 Jays,  and  such  other ;  and  they  excommunicate  and  curse  us, 
 ivhich  teach  that  in  Christ  Jesus  these  things  do  nothing  avail. 
 But  Paul  saith  that  we  must  have  another  thing,  which  is  much 
 more  excellent  and  precious,  whereby  we  may  attain  righteous- 
 ness before  God.  In  Christ  Jesus,  saith  he,  neither  circum- 
 cision nor  uncircumcision,  neither  single  life  nor  marriage, 
 neither  meat  nor  fasting,  do  any  whit  avail.  Meat  maketh  us 
 not  acceptable  before  God.  We  are  neither  the  better  by  ab- 
 staining, nor  the  worse  by  eating.  All  these  things,  yea,  the 
 whole  world,  with  all  the  laws  and  righteousness  thereof,  avail 
 nothing  to  justification. 
 
 Reason  and  the  wisdom  of  tht  Pesh  doth  not  understand  this, 
 **for  it  perceiveth  not  those  things  that  are  of  the  spirit  of  God," 
 (1  Cor.  ii.  14.)  Tlierefore  it  wi'l  needs  hav^e  righteousness  to 
 stand  in  outward  things.  But  we  are  taught  out  of  the  word 
 of  God,  that  there  is  nothing  under  the  sun  which  availeth  unto 
 righteousness  before  God,  but  Christ  only,  or  as  Paul  saith  here, 
 a  new  creature.  Politic  laws,  men's  traditions,  ceremonies  of 
 tl.e  church,  yea,  and  the  law  of  Moses,  are  such  things  as  are 
 without  Christ;  therefore  they  avail  not  unto  righteousness  be- 
 fore God.  We  may  use  them  as  things  both  good  and  neces- 
 sary, but  in  their  place  and  time ;  but  if  we  talk  of  the  matter 
 of  justification,  they  avail  nothing,  but  hurt  very  much. 
 
 And  by  these  two  things,  circumcision  and  uncircumcision, 
 Paul  rejecteth  all  other  things  whatsoever,  and  denieth  that  they 
 avail  any  thing  in  Christ  Jesus,  that  is,  in  the  cause  of  faith  and 
 salvation.  For  he  taketh  here  a  part  for  the  whole,  that  is,  by 
 uncircumcision  he  understandeth  all  the  Gentiles,  by  circum- 
 cision all  the  Jews,  with  all  their  force  and  all  their  glory.  As 
 if  he  said,  Whatsoever  the  Gentiles  can  do,  with  all  their  wis- 
 dom, righteousness,  laws,  power,  kingdoms,  empires,  it  availeth 
 nothing  in  Christ  Jesus.  Also,  whatsoever  the  Jews  are  able 
 to  do,  with  their  Moses,  their  law,  their  circumcision,  their 
 worshippings,  their  temple,  their  kingdom  and  priesthood,  it 
 nothing  availeth.  Wherefore  in  Christ  Jesus,  or  in  the  matter 
 of  justifiication,  we  must  not  dispute  of  the  laws  either  of  the 
 
7ER.   16.]  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  473 
 
 Gentiles  or  of  the  Jews,  but  we  must  simply  pronounce  that 
 neither  circumcision  nor  uncircumcision  availeth  any  thing. 
 
 Are  the  laws,  then,  of  no  effect?  Not  so:  They  be  good  and 
 profitable,  albeit  in  their  place  and  time,  that  is,  in  corporeal 
 and  civil  things,  which  without  laws  cannot  be  guided.  More- 
 over, we  use  also  in  the  churches  certain  ceremonies  and  laws; 
 not  that  the  keeping  of  them  availeth  unto  righteousness,  but 
 for  good  order,  example,  quietness,  and  concord,  according  to 
 that  saying,  "Let  all  things  be  done  comely  and  orderly," 
 (Cor.  xiv.  40.)  But  if  laws  be  so  set  forth  and  urged,  as  though 
 the  keeping  of  them  did  justify  a  man,  or  the  breaking  thereof 
 did  condemn  him,  they  ought  to  be  taken  away  and  to  be  abo- 
 lished ;  for  then  Christ  loseth  his  office  and  his  glory,  who  only 
 justifieth  us,  and  giveth  unto  us  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  apostle 
 therefore  by  these  words  plainly  affirmeth,  that  neither  circum- 
 cision nor  uncircumcision  availeth  any  thing,  but  the  new  crea- 
 ture, &c.  Now,  since  that  neither  the  laws  of  the  Gentiles  nor 
 of  the  Jews  avail  any  thing,  the  Pope  hath  done  most  wickedly, 
 in  that  he  hath  constrained  men  to  keep  his  laws  with  the 
 opinion  of  righteousness. 
 
 Now,  a  new  creature,  whereby  the  image  of  God  is  re- 
 newed, is  not  made  by  any  colour  or  counterfeiting  of  good 
 works,  (for  in  Christ  Jesus  neither  circumcision  availeth  any 
 thing,  nor  uncircumcision,)  but  by  Christ,  by  whom  it  is  created 
 after  the  image  of  God  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness. 
 When  works  are  done,  they  bring  indeed  a  new  shew  and 
 outward  appearance,  wherewith  the  world  and  the  flesh  are  de- 
 lighted, but  not  a  new  creature;  for  the  heart  remaineth  wicked, 
 as  it  was  before,  full  of  the  contempt  of  God  and  infidelity. 
 Therefore,  a  new  creature  is  the  work  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
 which  cleanseth  our  heart  by  faith,  (Acts  xv.  9.)  and  worketh 
 the  fear  of  God,  love,  chastity,  and  other  Christian  virtues,  and 
 giveth  power  to  bridle  the  flesh,  and  to  reject  the  righteousness 
 and  wisdom  of  the  world.  Here  is  no  colouring  or  new  out- 
 ward shew,  but  a  thing  done  indeed.  Here  is  created  another 
 sense  and  another  judgment,  that  is  to  say,  altogether  spiritual, 
 which  abhorreth  those  things  that  before  it  greatly  esteemed. 
 The  monkish  life  and  order  did  so  bewitch  us  in  time  past,  that 
 we  thought  there  was  no  other  way  to  salvation;  but  now  we 
 judge  of  it  far  otherwise.  We  are  now  ashamed  of  those  things 
 which  we  adored  as  most  heavenly  and  holy,  before  we  were 
 regenerated  into  this  new  creature. 
 
 VVherefore  the  changing  of  garments,  and  other  outward 
 things,  is  not  a  new  creature,  (as  the  monks  dream,)  but  it  is 
 the  renewing  of  the  mind  by  the  Holy  Ghost ;  after  the  which 
 followeth  a  change  of  the  members  and  senses  of  the  whole 
 body.  For  when  the  heart  hath  conceived  a  ncAV  light,  a  new 
 judgment,  and  new  motions,  through  the  gospel,  it  cometh  to 
 pass  that)  the  inward  senses  are  also  renewed;  for  the  ears  de- 
 
474  COMMENTARY  ON  ST.  PAUL*S  [CHAP.  Vl. 
 
 sire  to  hear  the  word  of  God,  and  not  the  traditions  and  dreams 
 of  men.  The  mouth  and  tongue  do  not  vaunt  of  their  own 
 works,  rig-hteousness,  and  rules;  but  they  set  forth  the  mercy  of 
 God  only  offered  to  us  in  Christ.  These  changes  consist  not  in 
 words,  but  are  eifectual,  and  bring  a  new  spirit,  a  new  will, 
 new  senses,  and  new  operations  of  the  flesh,  so  that  the  eyes, 
 ears,  mouth,  and  tongue,  do  not  only  see,  hear,  and  speak  other- 
 wise than  they  did  before,  but  the  mind  also  appro veth,  loveth 
 and  followeth  another  thing  than  it  did  before.  For  before, 
 being  blinded  with  popish  errors  and  darkness,  it  imagined  God 
 to  be  a  merchant,  who  would  sell  unto  us  his  gi-ace  for  our 
 works  and  merits;  but  now,  in  the  hght  of  the  gospel,  it  assureth 
 us  that  we  are  counted  righteous  by  faith  only  in  Christ. 
 Therefore  it  now  rejecteth  all  will- works,  and  accomplisheth 
 the  works  of  charity  and  of  our  vocation  commanded  by  God. 
 It  praiseth  and  magnifieth  God;  it  rejoiceth  and  glorieth  in  the 
 only  trust  and  confidence  of  God's  mercy  through  Jesus  Christ. 
 If  it  must  suffer  any  trouble  or  affliction,  it  endureth  the  same 
 cheerfully  and  gladly,  although  the  flesh  repine  and  grudge 
 thereat.     This  Paul  calleth  anew  creature. 
 
 V  BK«E  16.  And  to  as  many  as  walk  according  to  this  rule,  peace  be  upon  them 
 
 and  mercy. 
 
 This  he  addeth  as  a  conclusion.  This  is  the  only  and  true  rule 
 wherein  we  ought  to  walk,  namely,  the  new  creature,  which  is 
 neither  circumcision  nor  uncircumcision,  but  the  new  man  created 
 unto  the  image  of  God  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness,  (Eph. 
 iv.  24.)  which  inwardly  is  righteous  in  the  spirit,  and  outwardly 
 is  holy  and  clean  in  the  flesh.  The  monks  have  a  righteousness 
 and  holiness,  but  it  is  hypocritical  and  wicked,  because  they 
 hope  not  to  be  justified  by  only  faith  in  Christ,  but  by  the  keep- 
 ing of  the  rule.  Moreover,  although  outwardly  they  comiterfeit 
 a  holiness,  and  refrain  their  eyes,  hands,  tongue,  and  other 
 members  from  evil,  yet  they  have  an  unclean  heart,  full  of  filthy 
 lust,  envy,  wrath,  lechery,  idolatry,  contempt  and  hatred  of 
 God,  blasphemy  against  Christ,  &c.  for  they  are  most  spiteful 
 and  cruel  enemies  of  the  truth.  Wherefore  the  rule  and  re- 
 ligion of  the  monks  is  most  wicked,  and  accursed  of  God. 
 
 But  this  rule,  whereof  Paul  speaketh  in  this  place,  is  blessed; 
 by  the  which  we  live  in  the  faith  of  Christ,  and  are  made  new 
 creatures,  that  is  to  say,  righteous  and  holy  indeed  by  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  without  any  colouring  or  counterfeiting.  To  them  which 
 walk  after  this  rule  belongeth  peace,  that  is,  the  favour  of  God, 
 forgiveness  of  sins,  quietness  of  conscience,  and  mercy;  that  is 
 to  say,  help  in  afflictions,  and  pardon  of  the  remnants  of  sin 
 which  remain  in  our  flesh.  Yea,  although  they  which  walk  after 
 this  rule,  be  overtaken  with  any  sin,  yet,  for  that  they  are  the 
 children  of  grace  and  peace,  mercy  upholdeth  them,  so  that 
 their  sin  and  fall  shall  not  be  laid  to  their  charge. 
 
TER.  16,  17.J  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS.  4l75 
 
 Verse  16.  And  upon  (he  Israel  of  God. 
 Here  he  toucheth  the  false  apostles  and  Jews,  which  gloried 
 of  their  fathers,  bragged  that  they  were  the  people  of  God,  that 
 they  had  the  law,  &c.  As  if  he  said :  They  are  the  Israel  of  God, 
 which,  with  faithful  Abraham,  believe  the  promises  of  God  of- 
 fered already  in  Christ,  whether  they  be  Jews  or  Gentiles,  and 
 not  they  which  are  begotten  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob, 
 after  the  flesh.  This  matter  is  largely  handled  before,  in  the 
 third  chapter. 
 
 Verse  17.  For  henceforth  let  no  man  put  me  to  business. 
 He  concludeth  his  epistle  with  a  certain  indignation.  As  if 
 he  said :  I  have  faithfully  taught  the  gospel  as  I  have  received 
 it  by  the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ ;  whoso  will  not  follow  it, 
 let  him  follow  what  he  will,  so  that  herealter  he  trouble  me  no 
 more.  At  a  word,  this  is  my  censure,  that  Christ,  which  I  have 
 preached,  is  the  only  high-priest  and  saviour  of  the  world. 
 Therefore,  either  let  the  world  walk  according  to  this  rule,  of 
 which  I  have  spoken  here  and  throughout  all  this  epistle,  or 
 else  let  it  perish  for  ever. 
 
 Verse  17.     For  I  bear  in  my  body  ihe  marks  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 
 
 This  is  the  true  meaning  of  this  place :  the  mai-ks  that  be  in 
 my  body  do  shew  well  enough  whose  servant  I  am.  If  I  sought 
 to  please  men,  requiring  circumcision  and  the  keeping  of  the 
 law  as  necessary  to  salvation,  and  rejoicing  in  your  flesh  as  the 
 false  apostles  do,  I  needed  not  to  bear  these  marks  in  my  body. 
 But  because  I  am  the  servant  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  walk  after  a 
 true  rule,  that  is,  I  openly  teach  and  confess  that  no  man  can 
 obtain  the  favour  of  God,  righteousness,  and  salvation,  but  by 
 Christ  a?one,  therefore  it  behoveth  me  to  bear  the  ])adges  of 
 Christ  my  Lord ;  which  be  not  marks  of  mine  OAvn  procuring, 
 but  are  laid  upon  me  against  my  will,  by  the  world  and  the  devil, 
 for  none  other  cause  but  for  that  I  preach  Jesus  to  be  Christ. 
 
 The  stripes  and  sufferings,  therefore,  which  he  did  bear  in  his 
 body,  he  calleth  marks ;  as  also  the  anguish  and  terror  of  spirit 
 he  calleth  the  fiery  darts  of  the  devil.  Of  these  suffierings  he 
 maketh  mention  everywhere  in  his  epistles,  as  Luke  also  dotli 
 in  the  Acts.  "  I  think,"  saith  he,  "  that  God  hath  set  forth  us,  the 
 last  apostles,  as  men  appointed  to  death:  for  we  are  made  agaz- 
 ing-stock  luito  the  world,  and  to  the  angels  and  to  men,"  ( 1  Cor. 
 iv.  9.)  Again,  "Unto  this  hour  we  both  hunger  and  thirst, 
 and  are  naked,  and  are  buffieted,  and  have  no  certain  dwelling- 
 place,  and  labour  working  Avith  our  own  hands :  we  are  reviled, 
 we  are  persecuted,  we  are  evil-spoken  of,  we  are  made  as  the 
 filth  of  the  world,  the  off'-scouring  of  all  things,"  (1  Cor.  iv. 
 11 — 13.)  Also  in  another  place,  "  In  much  patience,  in  afflic- 
 tions, in  necessities,  in  distresses,  in  stripes,  in  imprisonments, 
 in  tumults,  in  labours,  by  watchicgs,  by  fastings,"  &c.  (2  Cor. 
 
476        COMMENTARY   ON  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS. 
 
 \\.  4 — 6.)  And  again,  "  In  labours  more  abundant,  in  stripes 
 above  measure,  in  prison  more  plenteously,  in  death  oft.  Of 
 'he  Jews  five  times  received  I  forty  stripes  save  one.  I  was 
 thrice  beaten  Math  rods,  I  was  once  stoned,  I  suffered  thrice 
 shipwreck,  night  and  day  have  I  been  in  the  deep  sea.  In  jour- 
 neyings  I  was  often,  in  perils  of  waters,  in  perils  of  robbers,  in 
 perils  of  mine  own  countrjTiien,  in  perils  among  the  Gentiles,  in 
 perils  in  the  city,  in  perils  in  the  wilderness,  in  perils  in  the  sea, 
 in  perils  among  false  brethren,"  &c.  (2  Cor.  xi.  23 — 26.) 
 
 These  be  the  true  marks  and  imprinted  signs,  of  which  the 
 apostle  speaketh  in  this  place ;  the  which  we  also  at  this  day,  by 
 the  gi'ace  of  God,  bear  in  our  bodies  for  Christ's  cause.  For 
 the  world  persecuteth  and  killeth  us,  false  brethi-en  deadly  hate 
 us,  Satan  inwardly  in  our  heart  with  his  fiery  darts  terrifieth 
 us,  and  for  none  other  cause  but  for  that  we  teach  Christ  to  be 
 our  righteousness  and  life.  These  marks  we  choose  not  of  any 
 devotion,  neither  do  we  gladly  suffer  them ;  but  because  the 
 world  and  the  devil  do  lay  them  upon  us  for  Christ's  cause,  we 
 are  compelled  to  suffer  them,  and  we  rejoice  in  spirit  with  Paul 
 (which  is  always  willing,  glorieth,  and  rejoiceth,)  that  we  bear 
 them  in  our  body ;  for  they  are  a  seal  and  most  sure  testimony 
 of  true  doctrine  and  faith.  These  things  Paul  spake,  (as  I 
 shewed  afore,)  with  a  certain  displeasure  and  indignation. 
 
 Ver.18.  Brethren,  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  your  spirit.  Amen. 
 
 This  is  his  last  farewell.  He  endeth  the  epistle  with  the 
 same  words  wherewith  he  began.  As  if  he  said :  I  have  taught 
 you  Christ  purely,  I  have  entreated  you,  I  have  chidden  you, 
 and  I  have  let  pass  nothing  which  I  thought  profitable  for  you. 
 I  can  say  no  more,  but  that  I  heartily  pray  that  our  Lord  Jesus 
 Clu-ist  would  bless  and  increase  my  labour,  and  govern  yon 
 with  his  Holy  Spirit  for  ever. 
 
 Thus  have  ye  the  exposition  of  Paul's  Epistle  to  the  Gala- 
 tians.  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  our  Justitier  and  Saviour,  who 
 gave  unto  me  the  grace  and  power  to  expound  this  epistle,  and 
 to  you  likewise  to  hear  it,  preserve  and  establish  both  you  and 
 me,  (which  I  most  heartily  desire,)  that  we,  daily  growing 
 more  and  more  in  the  knowledge  of  his  grace  and  faith  un- 
 feigned, may  be  found  unblameable  and  without  fault  in  the  day 
 of  our  redemption.  To  whom,  with  the  Father  and  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  be  glory  world  without  end.     Amen. 
 
 Now  unto  the  King  eternal,  immortal,  invisible,  the  only  ivise 
 God,  he  honour  and  glory,  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen.  (1  Tim. 
 L  17.) 
 
 FiNia 
 
 WiUiam  Steyenf,  Printer,  Bell  Yard,  Temple  Bar. 
 
DATE  DUE 
 
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