SEing that this Epistle of S ^t. Paul written vn­to the Romanes, is the Methode of the whole Scrip­ture, and the most absolute Epi­tome or Abridgement of the new Testament, that is, of the Gospell (which verily alone it [...]oth briefly and most purelie [...]et out vnto vs) I account it [...]orthie not onely of all Chri­ [...]ians to be knowne from their [Page] childhood, The excel­encie of this Epistle yea & learned with­out the booke, word by word: but also (being by daylie and continuall meditation as it were chewed and concocted) even as well disgested meate to de­scend and enter into our inner­most bowels. This Epistle is such a rich treasurie of spiritual wealth, and as it were a most plentifull Copiae Cornu, that hee that readeth it a thousand times shall alwayes meete with some new thing not perceived be­fore. In so much that the rea­ding of this Epistle is most pro­fitable of all other, because it doth, as it were ascend higher in the doctrine of holy things, in the knowledge of Christ in learning the nature of faith, and in the knowledge of all spi [...]al affections: yea, the more it is [Page] [...]andled, the greater it groweth more pleasant and delightfull, more precious and plenteous it [...]howeth and seemeth then be­ [...]ore. Wherefore I thought it [...]abour well bestowed, if (ac­cording to that measure of grace which I haue received of God) I might put to my helping hand, and by this briefe Preface prepare an entrie into it: to the end that it might more easilie and plainlie bee read and vn­derstood of al. Chiefely know­ing that this Epistle (which one alone ought to bee accoun­ted the Index and Methode of all the Scriptures) hath beene so obscured and darkened by certaine mens foolish Comen­taries Gloses, and vaine subtil­ties, that verie few Writers in many ages past haue perceiued [Page] the drift, scope, meaning, an [...] intention of the Apostle, whic [...] notwithinding of it self is mos [...] easie and plaine.

First of all we must diligently search out & labour to know the nature of words, and figuratiue speaches which the Apostle vseth. And before al [...] things we must learne to know what S ^t. Paul meaneth by these and such like words: The Law▪ Sinne, Grace, Faith, Righteous­nesse, Flesh, Spirit, &c Other­wise thogh thou read diligent­ly, thou looseth all thy labour.

This word Law, must not heere bee taken after the vsual [...] manner of the Philosophers, 1. Law what it is, and how it is to bee vn­derstood. or according to common reason: namely, to be defined a doctrine which teacheth men what to doe, and what to leaue vndone, [...] [Page] [...]ternall worke for the most part will breake out at length, [...]hough it be for a time dissem­bled: this oftentimes followeth in such hypocrits. Wherefore (as he saith) thou which teach­est another, teachest not thy selfe, that is, thou art ignorant thy selfe what thou teachest, because thou art ignorant of the meaning of the law, how that it is not satisfied but with the inward affection and motion of the heart. The Law being done in the outward worke onely, is so farre from justifying, that it rather increaseth and aug­menteh our sinne, The Law encreaseth sinne as Paul saith in the 5. chapter of this Epistle Wherefore the better thou vn­derstandest the Law, the lesse thou lovest the law: because it doth exact and requyre of thee [Page] so many things quyte contrary to thy affections, and altoge­ther repugnant to thy nature. Heerevpon it is that in the 7. chap. hee saith: The law is spi­rituall: as if hee should say, If the law were carnall or morall doctrine onely, then it would bee satisfied by the externall worke. But seeing that now it is spirituall, that is, requyring the affect and spirit: it follow­eth, that no man can fulfill it, vnlesse hee doeth those things which the law commandeth, with a chearefull heart, with a certaine ardent fervencie of minde, and with all his affecti­on. Such a new heart, and such a [...]ervent and chearefull affecti­on of the heart, thou canst not obtaine of thine owne strength, or by thine owne merites: but [Page] [...]nely by the operation and se­ [...]ret instinct of the holie Ghost.

For it is the Spirit of GOD [...]nely that giues a new heart, [...]nd that makes a man spiritual: [...]nd so being made spirituall, he [...]ay loue the law which is spi­ [...]ituall, and may fulfill it, not for [...]eare, or loue of commoditie, [...]ut with a chearefull and wil­ [...]ing heart, and that hee may be [...]aried violently (as it wer with [...] certaine force) to doe those things which the law commandeth, freely, and of his own ac­cord. So is that saying to bee vnderstood. The Law is spiri­tuall, that is, the Law is not ful­filled but by the Spirit, but by a heart renued by the Spirit. Therefore where there is not that renovation of the heart by the spirit, there remaineth that [Page] grieuous hatred of the law (which law neverthelesse of [...] selfe is just, holy, and good) [...] farre is it from fulfilling it.

Wherefore accustome an [...] acquaynt thy selfe with thi [...] Phrase and manner of speakin [...] which the Apostle heere vseth It is one thing to do the work of the law, and another thing to fulfill the law. For it is a worke of the law when with­out grace, 1. Workes of the Law. without the Spirit wee beginne to worke well, and when wee labour to fulfill the law by our owne proper strength and power of our free will. But seeing that there al­wayes remaineth in the heart certaine servile feare and a most deadly hatred of the law, sure it is that such workes are sinne and haynous factes against the [Page] [...]w, and so doe not please God. the Apostle saith in the 3. [...]hapter: By the workes of the [...]w shall no flesh bee justified his sight. Heere therefore [...]e may know and acknow­ [...]ge how the Sophisters and [...]oole doctors are farre wide [...]m the truth, who teach and [...]irme this wicked and blas­ [...]emous assertion: that by our [...]orkes wee may prepare the [...]ay vnto grace. But how can [...]repare for my selfe away to [...]ace by that worke which I [...]e with a stubborne, froward, [...]d vntoward heart, and with repugnant affection: How [...]n that worke bee acceptable God which I doe not wil­ [...]gly but with great griefe of [...]eart, yea with extreme hatred [...]f the law.

2 To fulfill the law, is to d [...] those things which the l [...] commandeth with a cheeres [...] and willing heart, Fulfilling of the law. that is, free and of thine own accorde to li [...] vnto God, and to worke we though there were no law all.

Such a cherefulnesse, read [...] nesse, willingnesse, and arde [...] affection, cannot come int [...] our hearts but by the quickning Spirit and his liuely impulsion and agitations in our heart, a [...] the Apostle sayeth in the 5 Chapter. Now the Spirit is g [...] ven onely by faith in IESU [...] CHRIST, as the Apostle sai [...] in the beginning. Faith commeth through the hearing o [...] the Ghospell, through whic [...] word Christ is preached vnt [...] vs, to haue died, to haue been [...] [Page] [...]ried, and to haue risen againe [...]om death for vs, as hee saith [...] the 3. 4. and 10. Chapters. [...]herefore our whole justifica­ [...]on is of GOD: Faith also and [...]e Spirit are of GOD: they [...]me not of our selves. Where [...]re let vs conclude that Faith [...] one justifieth and that Faith one fulfilleth the Law. For [...]aith through the merite of CHRIST obtaineth the holie [...]pirit, which Spirit doth make [...]s new hearts, doth exhilarate [...]s, doth excite and inflame our [...]eart that it may doe those [...]hings willingly of loue which [...]he law commandeth, and so at [...]he last good workes in deede [...]oe proceede freely from the [...]aith which worketh so migh­ [...]ily, and which is so liuely in [...]ur hearts. This is the meaning [Page] of the third Chapter. F [...] whereas hee had vtterly da [...] ned the workes of the law, a [...] might haue seemed to haue d [...] anulled and abolished the la [...] by the teaching the doctrine faith, hee preventeth that o [...] jection in these words. We d [...] not (sayth he) destroy the la [...] but rather establish it. That wee teach how the law m [...] truely bee fulfilled by faith. by beleeving in CHRIST IESVS.

Now it remaineth that we shew how this word (Sinne) taken in the Scriptures. 2 what Sin n [...] in the Scriptures signifieth no onely the externall worke: b [...] that whole force and natiue operation incredulitie, as tha [...] wickednesse which wee hau [...] by lineall descent (as it were [Page] [...]om our great Graundfather [...]de Adam, which even vio­ [...]ntly carrieth vs headlong [...] sinne, namely that wicked [...]eart and all our reason, with [...] (yea even his best and chie­ [...]st) his strength and power [...]herwith we can doe nothing [...]e but sinne: so that then wee [...]e said to commit sinne, when [...]y the efficacy of this originall [...]nne (as with a certaine violent [...]rce) wee are caried headlong [...]o doe evill. There is no out­ [...]ard sinne done but first by his naturall force and impul­ [...]on a man is wholly and with [...]l his affection caryed roundly way to sinning. The Scripture [...]nd God himselfe, when they [...]ake of sin, they haue respect [...]nto this wickednesse of our [...]earts, vnto this naturall incli­nation, [Page] that is, this vice of i [...] credulitie, as to the fountai [...] of all other sins. Lyke as the [...] fore Faith alone doth justify & alone doth obtaine the Sp [...] rit and pow [...] to fulfill the la [...] & to doe tho [...] workes in de [...] which are one [...] [...]ood: so one incredultitie a [...] [...]nbeleefe ca [...] seth sin, and exciteth and kin [...] leth the flesh to sinne, and commit evill workes, as w [...] see it happened to Adam a [...] Eue in Paradise. Gen. 3.

Sinne is principaly [...]med vn [...]efeWherefore CHRIST also the Gospell calleth onely a [...] chiefly incredulitie, sin. Ioh. 1 The Spirit (saith hee) shall r [...] proue the world of sinne, b [...] cause they haue not beleeved mee. Those workes which truly good, even as good frui [...] cannot proceed and spring b [...] [Page] [...]f a good tree, that is, of faith [...]orking in the heart: as con­ [...]ariewise evill fruite can not [...]ome but from an evill tree, [...]hat is, incredulitie of the hart­ [...] Therefore this wickednesse [...]nd incredulitie of the heart, is very where in the Scriptures [...]lled the head of the Serpent [...]d of the old Dragon, Gen. 3. which [...]as to be broken by that bles­ [...]d seede of the woman, namely [...]HRIST.

But now to proceed: As con­ [...]erning these two words grace 3 [...]d gift, they differ thus, Grace what it i [...] Grace the favour, mercy, and free [...]ood will and benevolence of [...]OD towards vs.

Gift is the holy Spirit him­ [...]lfe 4 whom God doth send in­ [...] their hearts whom hee hath [...]ken mercy vpon, Gyft what it is and whom [Page] he favoureth; as very well appeareth in the 5 chap. wher he distinguishes gift frō grace Althogh now we haue not th [...] fulnes of this gift or of the Spirit (because in this life ther wil alwayes remaine in vs re [...] nants of sin which fight again the Spirlt, as the Apostle sayt in the 7 chap. and the 3 Galat [...] as also Moses sayeth in the 3 [...] Gen. that there will bee a conflict betwixt the seede of th [...] woman and the seed of the Serpent) yet grace worketh this i [...] vs that the reliques of sin sha [...] not bee imputed vnto vs: bu [...] that we shall be reputed an [...] accounted before God as me [...] fully and perfitly just. Neithe [...] is the grace and favour of Go [...] so imperfitely bestowed vpo [...] vs: as we said the gift was. Fo [...] [Page] God rather doth love and im­brace vs with a full favour and a right perfite goode will for Christs sake, who is our medi­ator, earnest penny and the first fruits of the Spirit. Therefore though remnants of sinne dayly doe glister and shine in vs: yet neverthelesse we are just before God, and sin is not imputed vn­to vs throgh faith, which day­ [...]y striveth and wageth warre against the flesh.

So then you may vnderstand that place in the 7 chap. where the Apostle, though he was ju­stified in the Spirite, acknow­ [...]edgeth himself yet to bee a sin­ner: and yet notwithstanding hee saith in the 8 chap. There is now no condemnation to these which are in Christ Iesus. As many therfore of vs as are justi­fied [Page] through faith in Christ, w [...] are both sinners and just. Si [...] ners by reason of the imperfi [...] mortification of our flesh, an [...] for that in this life (the relique of sin remaining in vs) we can not haue or attaine the fulnes [...] of the Spirit. First because w [...] haue throgh faith the first fruit and earnest of the Spirit: so tha [...] for our faith in Christ, God fatherly favouring vs, doth no impute vnto vs that sin whic [...] remaineth in our flesh: neithe [...] doth judge vs vntill that sinn [...] by death bee quyte broken, banished, and abolished.

5. Faith what it is.But now let vs speake some what of faith. Faith is not a certaine colde opinion or a wandring cogitation of a mans mynde, such a one as any man (hearing the historie of the [Page] [...]hospell) may foolishly ima­ [...]ne himselfe to haue.

For certaine men (hearing any things preached of faith, [...]d seeing that they can dispute any things of faith and of [...]hrist, and yet for all that by [...]at knowledge, cogitation, or [...]igent meditation, perceiue [...]emselues not to bee foorth­ [...]th incited to do gud works) [...] into that wicked and impi­ [...]s error, that they stoutly de­ [...] man to be justified by faith [...]n: but that also works are re­ [...]yred. these mē indeed hearing [...]e Gospel, faine to themselves [...]ertaine opinion, and they re­ [...]lve in their mindes certaine [...]d cogitations of Christ, thin­ [...]g then that faith is nothing [...] the dreame of their owne [...]nd and those vaine cogitati­ons. [Page] And these men now and then boult out these excellent speeches. A fayned faith O (say they) if faith onely justifieth them, I pray you what say you to this? Behold, I haue heard the Gos­pell preached; I remember the history of Christ: Loe, I belieue and yet am not justified. True it is, for because this thy faith is nothing but thy owne bare and naked imagination and cogita­tiō of faith which doth not in­novate thy hart, & which doth move thee nothing at all, there followeth no newnesse of life, no works of faith.

But a true faith is the worke of God whereby wee are rege­nerate and borne anew by his Spirit. Iohn I chap: whereby also our old Adam is quelled, & we being wholly trans-formed, [Page] wee are made (as the Apostle saith) new creatures to Christ, the holye Ghost being the life, and government of our hearts. Wherfore faith is such an effe­ctuall, lively, Faith is lively and not idle. quick and mighty operation in our heart, that it cannot bee idle, but must needs breake out, and shew it selfe by good works

Neither doth he that hath this faith care greatly whether good works be commanded or no? For though there were no law at all, yet by this liuely impul­sion working in his heart, he is of his owne accord forced and caried to work true and godly Christian works.

Hee that doeth not his good works of such a lively affecti­on of the heart, is wholly in vn­beliefe, & a stranger and aliant [Page] from the faith, as many of these be which in schooles dispute & jangle much of Faith and good workes, not knowing what they speake, or what they hold and affirme.

A true de­finition of Faith.Faith therefore is a constant trust and a sure confidence of the mercie of God towards vs, which is lively, and worketh mightily in our hearts, where­by wee commit our selves wholly to God, casting all our care vpon him: leaning and trusting assuredly to this Faith, wee ate not affrayde to die a thousand times. For this so bold an assurance of the mercie and favour of God doth make our hearts merry, glad, and light: doth also erect, raise, and even ravish vs with most sweet mo­tions and affections towardes [Page] God: yea and doth so embol­den the heart of the true be­leeuer, that trusting to haue God on his side, hee is not a­frayde to oppose himself alone against all creatures. But it is the Spirit of GOD which gi­veth vs this heroicall heart and stout stomacke through faith, which working effectually in our hearts, doth incyte and in­flame vs to doe good. Now we haue this chearefull towardnes and forwardnesse, to the end that we might be most prompt and ready willingly and of our owne accorde to doe, tolerate, and suffer all things, whereby wee may bee obedient to so gentle and favourable a father, who through Christ hath in­riched vs with so great aboun­dance of his graces. It can not [Page] possiblie bee but that in whom soever this efficacy and lyfe of fayth is, it should dayly worke, fructifie, and giue increase to God. A liuely cōparison. Even as it is vnpossible that a fire being kindled and flaming should not giue light and cast foorth brightnesse, wherfore watch thou and take heed that thou doe not beleeue either thine owne vaine songes and sounds of faith, Fancyes thine own foolish imaginations, or the vayne trifling stuffe of Sophi­sters. Blynd Pa­sters. For these Sophisters haue neither wit nor wisdome. They are belly beastes borne onely to those feasts of schooles. But pray thou vnto God (who cō ­mandeth by his worde that light should shine out of dark­nesse) that hee would shyne brightly in thine heart, & that [Page] hee would create a true Faith in thee: otherwise thou shall never beleeue truely, though for the space of a thousand yeares thou diddest labour and study about such cogitations & imaginations, either of a faith heretofore gotten, or heereaf­ter to be sought for. Righteous­nesse. This faith now is, that true justice which the Apostle calleth the justice and righteousnesse of God, that is, which onely is of force a­vaylable and can stand before God: because it is the meere gift of God. And this faith doth transforme the whole man and makes him such a one, that (ac­cording to that common defi­nition of civill justice) he is rea­dy to giue and render to everie one that which is due to him. For seeing by that faith we are [Page] justified and indued with the love of the lawe of God, then surely we so (magnifying God and the law) doe giue that glo­ry vnto God which is due vn­to him. Also seing by that faith wee doe belieue firmely that we are justified freely, and re­conciled vnto GOD through Christ, who every where is ready to saue vs, then by course we serve for our neighbour, & so againe render & attribute to everie man that which is his. This righteousnes of the heart we cannot obtaine by any inde­vour of our owne free will, or by our strength and merits. For as no man can see that lively o­peration, that is, faith of our hearts, but onely GOD: so no man can repell from himselfe that wickednesse and incredu­litie [Page] of the heart but onely by grace and the Spirit of God: so farre we are from being able to deliver our selves from sinnes by our own power. Therefore though workes doe seeme to show gallantly and gloriously: yet notwithstanding whatsoe­ver is not of faith, is hypocrisie and sinne.

Now as concerning flesh & spirit which often are vsed in this Epistle: you must not take flesh to be (after the common manner) the desires and lusts of the flesh only, neither must you call the spirit only these things which are done spiritually in the inward corners of the hart. For the Apostle S. Paul (as also Christ himself in the 3 chap. of Iohn doe call flesh, 6. Flesh wha [...] it is. whatsoever is borne of the flesh, that is, the [Page] whole man body and soule, all mans reason wholy with all his chiefest and best powers: Be­cause that all these thinges doe savour of nothing but flesh, & seeke after nothing but fleshly things. Wherefore thou shall call al those works flesh, which seeme to bee good, and make a beautifull show of holy works, and yet are done without the grace and working of the holy Spirit of GOD in the heart. Which thing is plaine and evi­dent by the 5 chap. to the Gal. where Paul reckoneth & coun­teth heresies amōgst the fruits of the flesh. And in the 7 chap. to the Romans he saith, that the law is made weake, by reason of the flesh, which thing ought to be meant not only of the vn­chaste lusts of the flesh, but also [Page] of the whole masse of corruption and wickednesse: yea briefly and chiefly of incredulitie, or vnbeliefe, Incredulity the ground of al sinnes which is the moste secreet and chiefe sinne of all.

Contrarywise, 7. Spirit what it is. thou shalt call the Spirit those spirituall things, even those externall workes which proceede from a spiritual man, or from a heart innovated and made newe by the holy spirit. That washing of the feete which Christ did to his Disciples, though it was an outward worke, yet it was spirituall.

Peters fishing, to which hee returned being now justified in the spirit, was also spirituall. Therefore that is flesh, what­soever a man doth, seeking and savoring only carnall and flesh­ly things. And that is Spirit, [Page] whatsoever is done within or without, wherewith a man ex­ercising faith and Charity, doth seeke spirituall things. Vnlesse wee take these words in this sense, wee shall neither vnder­stand this Epistle of S ^t. Paul, nor any other bookes of the divyne Scriptures. Therefore whether it bee Ierome, or Au­gustine, or Ambrose, or Ori­gen: briefly what writers soe­ver they bee that vse these words otherwise, let not the authoritie of men moue thee a­ny thing at all, but rather flee from them al as from the plague and pestilence. But now let vs come to handle the Epistle it selfe.

A godly in struction for readersSeeing therefore it is the duety and office of an Evange­list or preacher of glad tydings, [Page] first of all to preach the Law and to shew how that all men (which are without the circuit and compasse of grace and faith in Christ) are the sonnes and children of wrath, are sin­ners, and can doe nothing but sinne, that so they acknowledg­ing their miserie and wretchednesse with an humble and con­trite heart, might thirst after grace, the Apostle S ^t. Paul in in this first Chapter doeth first of all finde fault with the vn­beleefe, Chap. 1. and checketh and re­buketh those grosse sins which aptly & plainly were knowne to be manifest offences, The māner of S. Pauls doctrine. as were the Idolatry and such grosse sinnes of the Gentiles: as also are of those men which at this day being ignorant of GOD, voyde of grace, and without [Page] the Spirit, doe liue in blindnes and darknesse. The wrath of God is revealed by the Gospel (saith the Apostle) from hea­ven against al vngodlinesse and vnrighteousnesse of men which withhold the truth in vnrigh­teousnesse. For though man might know by the Creatures that there was a God: yet not­withstanding his nature is evill and wicked, insomuch that it doth not glorifie him nor giue him thankes, but being blin­ded, doth alwayes giue over it selfe to worse and worse, vntil they doe not onely commit I­dolatrie and al kind of wicked­nesse. but also favour them that doe them, and giue their con­sent and agreement to those which commit such things.

Chap. 2.In the second Chap. he doth [Page] more at large shew that even these litle holy ones, and those glorious hypocrites (as name­ly the Iewes then, The Iewes as ill, or worse sin­ners than the Gentils and now in these dayes all the Iusticiaries which go about by their owne strength and power to fulfil the lawe) are also sinners, who by dooing outwardly the goode works of the law: notwithstanding inwardly nourishing that griefe of their heart, doe hate the law.

And these (as right hypocrits commonly vse to doe) are very quick to condemne other men, counting themselves holy and pure, when as they are full of malice and envy, fraud, deceit, & all kinde of filthinesse and vn­cleanesse, as Christ sayeth Mat. 23. And these are they which faining themselves holye, con­temne [Page] and despise in very deed the great goodnesse of God, & according to the hardnesse of their hearts, heape and treasure vp to thēselves wrath, against the day of wrath. Paul there­fore as a true Evangelist first of all preacheth the Law, All are sin­ners. conclu­ding all men alike to be sinners and denuncing to all the wrath of God. Wherefore they who marke well, by the power of their owne nature or free-will, are so farre from being any bet­ter than those grosse and open sinners mentioned in the first Chapter: that the Apostle cal­leth them obstinate, stubborne, men that cannot repent, aliants and strangers.

Chap, 3.In the third Chap. hee declareth that both the Iewes and the Gentiles are alyke sinners [Page] before God: Difference betwixt both Iewe and Gen­tile. notwithstanding that the Iewes are preferred & excell the Gentiles in this pre­rogative, namely, for that the pormises of God did belong to them, & also for that the words and Oracles of God were com­mitted vnto them. And thogh some of the Iewes did not be­lieve, yet for all that their vn­beliefe made not the faithfull trueth of Gods promises vaine, voyde, or without effect: and to prove this, he alledgeth that place of the 51. Psalme: as it is written (saith hee) that thou mightest bee justified in thy wordes, and overcome when thou art judged. After this hee returneth to his cause and pur­pose, and proveth by the Scriptures, that all are equallie sin­ners without any exception, & [Page] that no man is justified by the workes of the law: but that on­ly by the lawe commeth the knowledge of sinne. Finally he teacheth the true & right ways of righteousnes and salvation. All (saith hee) haue sinned, The hye way to righteous­nesse is by fayth in Christ. and are destitute and deprived o [...] the glorie of God: but they are justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus, whom GOD hath set foorth to bee a recon­ciliation through faith in his blood. And a little before: But now (saith hee) is the rigteous­nesse of GOD made manifest without the law, being appro­ved by the testimonie and wit­nesse of the law and the Pro­phets, to wit, the righteous­nesse of God, by the faith of Ie­sus Christ vnto all and vpon al [...] [Page] that beleeue. So then the lawe is established through faith, al­though workes and glorying in the workes of the law are ex­cluded by faith.

Seeing therfore in the three former Chapters, hee hath taught, that all men are sinners: & also sheweth that only faith in Christ, is the way vnto righ­teousnesse, and meanes to justi­fication, Chap. 4. by and by in this fourth Chap. he answereth to certaine objections and cauils. As for the most part, when Christ or faith is taught (that is, that our works are nothing, that wee are onely justified by faith) streight wayes certaine Iusticiaries object: If faith a­lone doth justifie, then we must cease altogether to doe good workes, then good works are [Page] to be omitted and left vndone. The Apostle answereth, pro­posing the example of Abra­ham: What shall wee say then, that Abraham our Father hath hath found concerning the flesh? Did hee merite nothing at all by his workes? He concludeth, that Abraham was justified onely by faith without any workes, insomuch that the Scripture saith, that Abraham (before he was circumcised) beleeved GOD, and it was counted and reputed vnto him for righte­ousnesse. Gen. 15.6. If therefore the worke of circumcision which GOD commaunded (which was a precious worke of obedience) profited Abra­ham nothing to justification, then it is most sure & certaine, that there is none other worke [Page] which is available to justifica­tion. An apt si­militude. But as circumcision being an outward signe, was vnto Abraham a seale of his righte­ousnes by faith: so good works are onely an externall signe, which doth not justifie, but which doth signifie vnto men, that a man is inwardly justified before God, and they doe testi­fie and approue as certaine signes and fruits, that liuelie faith, which worketh in the heart. By this, as by the most graue, weighty, and authentik example, the Apostle doth cō ­firme, & build out of the Scrip­tures his doctrine of faith de­livered out, and taught in the third Chapter. Furthermore, the Apostle allegeth the testi­monie of David in the 32. Psal. to proue this matter. Also in [Page] most plaine words hee affirm­eth that a man is justified by the imputation of righteous­nesse, without works: althogh (as I haue said before) workes doe follow those that are justi­fied by Faith. Moreover hee dilateth and amplifieth the ex­ample against all other workes of the lawe, inferring that the Iewes are not therfore straight way the true heires of Abra­ham, because their stocke and pedigrue is derived from the circumcised Abraham, or be­cause they received the lawe, vnlesse they tread and follow the steps of saith, and beleeving in Christ, imitate the faith of Abraham: specially and chiefly, seeing that Abraham before the law (whether it were of Mo­ses or of the circumcision) was [Page] justified onely by faith, and cal­led the father of many nations, that is, of all beleevers. Finally hee concludeth thus: Seeing that the lawe cannot giue that effectuall working, whereby it may willingly and chearefully be satisfied: also seeing that the grudging and murmuring stir­red vp by the law, abideth and remaineth in vs, and disdain­eth & taketh it grievously that there should bee any positiue [...]aw set downe for her, I say that this hatred against the law, and the law giver God himselfe stil continuing, it cannot bee that [...]he workes of the law should please God: Nay rather seeing [...]hey proceed from a heart that [...]bhorreth the sawe and God, [...]hey are nothing else but sinne. [...]nd doe alwayes incense and [Page] kindle the indignation & wrath of God. Wherefore Faith only doth obtaine the blessing and grace promised to Abraham. Now it is not written for him onely, but also for vs (as Paul saith in the latter ende of this Chapter) the faith might also bee imputed and reckened to vs for righteousnes.

In the fifth Chapter, hee in­treateth of workes, and of the fruits of faith which bee these: peace, joy of conscience, loue towards GOD and our neigh­bour: a profitable, couragious & bold confidence: and a stoute and manfull perseverance and pacient in tribulations and af­flictions, for streight way these fruits follow, wheresoever this true faith is in the heart. Surely that most excellent riches, and [Page] aboundant wealth of the grace of God offered, and exhibited to vs in Christ (whom GOD would haue dye for vs, when wee were as yet weaklings, yea enemies to God) if so bee, by faith it be knowne & acknow­ledged of vs in our hearts, it cannot but inflame vs, and mak vs strong and able to doe most willingly, cherefully, and rea­dily, all those things which we know will please this our most gentle Father. Therefore the chiefe sentence, drift and scope of this Epistle stands stedfast and sure, namely, that by fayth alone wee are justified, without workes, and yet for all that good workes are not condem­ned. For those workes that in­deed, and truely may be called good, and those good fruits doe [Page] follow faith, and wheresoever faith is, it cannot choose but worke: Like as the flame can­not but giue good light. Of these that be truly good works the Iusticiaries (who have no­thing so rise in their mouths, as works, works, works) knowe nothing at all: They doe but on­ly jmagine in themselves cer­tain cold works, which becaus they haue no sparke of faith in them, are voyde of all spirituall affections: as joy, peace of con­science, and that bold trust and assurance in God and are rotten fruits of a rotten tree. After this the Apostle maketh a pleasant digression, shewing how sin & righteousnesse, also how death & life came vpon vs. And there he compareth these two, Adam and Christ. Wherefore he rea­soneth [Page] thus: The Apo­stles argu­ment. It was therefore needfull and necessarie, that Christ should bee sent, who should make his righteousnesse to be ours, by the new birth or regeneration in faith & the spi­rit, even as the old man Adam by propagation left vs his sinne through that old generation ac­cording to the flesh. Againe, by this argument aaother proposi­tion is surely grounded, namely, that no man by his own strenth & power is able to deliver him self from sin, or to justifie him­self. For it was not in our choise to be borne, or not to be borne of the old Adam, & according to the flesh, which by other ar­guments is evident, and cleare enough. For if the law of God (which surly, if any other thing in the world might haue justifi­ed, [Page] ought to haue prevailed and availed for righteousnes) doth not only not justifie, but rather increaseth & augmenteth sinne in vs, namely, that grudging & fretting of our nature, dayly sto­macking & murmuring at God: yea the more it doth presse vs, the more it stirreth vp sinne in our nature, Nitimur in vetitum semper cu­pimus (que) negata. which goeth against all whatsoever is forbidden. Therefore the more perfitly we know the law the more misery we behold in our selves, and we see the better how that wee have more need of Christ.

Chap. 6.In the 6 chap. hee handleth that great and chiefe worke of faith, to wit, the warfare & conflict of Christians betwixt the flesh & the spirit. The war­fare of Christians. For the flesh fighteth against the spirit, and the spirit wageth warre against the [Page] flesh, to the end that the desires of the flesh, & reliques of sinne, which remaine in vs after iusti­ficatiō, might be quite suppres­sed, quelled, & quenched in vs.

And in this chap. the Apost. teacheth, that we are not so ju­stified & freed from sin by faith that sin is quite taken away, and altogether abolished in vs: Reliques of sinne. but that the reliques of sinne as yet remaine in vs. Nevertheles these remnants of sinne are not laid to our charge, by reason of faith, which continually wrest­les with the desires of the flesh. wherfore as yet, becaus we liue in the flesh, that strife & com­bat indureth in vs, & they that are already justified haue enogh to doe, & haue labour enough to turne them vnto: yea all their lifetime they maye toyle vntill [Page] they sweat againe, by indevour­ing to tame their fleshe, to re­presse the lusts of it, & to make it subject vnto the Spirit. Mortifica­tion. And by that mortification of our flesh, & newnes of our spiritual life, we expresse the Death and the Resurrection of Christ, as also that signe of mortification in Baptisme, which doth signi­fie and represent vnto vs no o­ther thing, but this continuall mortification of the flesh, and dayly vivification & quickning of the spirit. For Baptisme, that is this mortification doth work in vs so long, vntill sin being a­bolished and abandoned by the death of our bodies, wee rise in our bodyes with Christ, and raigne with him for evermore.

And this thing (namely, the dayly mortificatiō of our flesh) [Page] we may performe, because we are not vnder the law: but vn­der grace. Now what it is, not to bee vnder the law, What it is, not to bee vnder the Law. must not bee so vnderstood, as though it were lawfull for vs to do what wee list: but not to bee vnder the law is this, that our hearts are so made new by the spirit, through faith, that freely, wil­lingly, and of our owne accord, wee may doe that which the lawe requyres, though there were no lawe at all. For grace doth endue vs with the loue of the law. Wherefore we being justified, haue no more the law against vs, but agreeing with vs. To bee vnder the law, What it is to be vnder the Law. is to worke without grace, and not to bee able to fulfill the lawe, where there cannot choose but bee sinne.

And this now at length is the true liberty and freedome from the law and sin, of which the Apostle heere disputeth, e­ven vnto the end of this Chap. As for this libertie it is such, that wee may willingly from our hearts doe good without any exaction of the law. There­fore it is a spirituall libertie which doth not take away the law: but giveth and imparteth a certaine power, and spirit to fulfill the law: namely, a chere­full mynde, a ready will, and fervent desire to worke well, whereby it doth then satisfie the law: insomuch that it hath not any thing to exact at his hand, or to charge him with­all. A fit & apt similitude. Even as if thou were en­debted to a certaine creditor of thine, & didst owe him a great [Page] summe of money, thou mightest after two wayes satisfie him, and so discharge the debt: First by a free forgivenes of the debt, and cancelling of thy handwri­ting. Secondly, by suretie of a­nother man, who will giue his faith and truth for thee, pro­mising to stand to the payment of all the foresaid money, and so by his word and faith given for the obligation, wherewith thou wast bound, may be blot­ted and cancelled, as voyde, & of none effect. Likewise Christ hath delivered vs from the law as from a creditor. Wherefore that libertie is not carnall, wherby it is lawfull to do what thou wilt: but is altogether labour­some and paynefull, which wil­lingly doth good workes: so that it needs not any exaction [Page] of the law.

Chap. 7.In the seventh Chap. he con­firmeth this by a certaine simi­litude of marriage, betweene the husband and the wife. For even as the woman if her hus­band be dead, A simili­ [...]ude to [...]roue the [...]berty frō [...]he law. is delivered from the law of the man: not so freed that shee may not marry, but rather contrarie: now first of al she is freed indeed and truely, that shee may marry another man, which she could not doe before she was deliuered from her former husband: so also our conscience is dead to the lawe, as long as old Adam liveth in vs. But when this olde Adam is mortified by the spirit, there is then libertie for both parties, like as I haue said there was be­twixt man and wife: But the conscience is not free, so that it [Page] cannot at all doe any worke: but rather so that now hee be­ginneth to cleaue vnto another, even vnto Christ, that it should bring forth fruite vnto God.

After this, hee doth at large explicate the nature of sinne, The natur [...] of sinne. & of the law: shewing the lawe to bee the force and power of sinne, For the olde Adam or na­ture, how much more it is pres­sed downe by the law, (which of his owne strength hee can­not fulfill) so much the more it doth fr [...]t and fume against it. And no maruell, seeing it can doe nothing of it selfe, but sin. Therefore the law is vnto it a punishment, and death: not that the law is evill: but this is done through the fault of our owne nature, which taketh it grie­vously, that any good should be [Page] exacted of it which she cannot fulfill: not vnlike a sickly weake man who is heavily displeased, if any man requyre of him to doe those works, or that maine strength which is in a sound & strong man.

The nature of the law.Wherefore Paul heere in­ferreth, that the law, the more exactly & throghly it is known doth worke in vs nothing else, but this, that it doth the more shew our sinne and increase it: by which it doth slay vs, and mak vs guiltie of eternall death and of the wrath of God. But of this matter no man can dis­pute better than he whose con­science hath felt & had triall of the terrour of the Law: whose conscience hath felt that sha­king and quaking (as it were) the verie foundations of the [Page] earth, and who hath well per­ceived it at some time or other to haue caused a great tumult in his heart. Therefore we haue neede of a more effectuall and mightier force in our hearts to justifie vs, than the Law is. Truely they that haue not so knowne the law, they are alto­gether blind, & walk in this life in a certaine bolde confidence, thinking that they can fulfil the law by their works: not consi­dering at all, how that the Law doeth imperiously require the whole heart, and all the affecti­on. Wherfore these men behold not the end of the Lawe: onely they view the covered and hid face of Moses without grace, who are like perpetually to pe­rish in their vaine works.

After these matters, the Apo­stle [Page] setteth forth, The strife twixt the flesh & the spirit, even in the re­generate. how the flesh and the Spirit in one and the same man doth strive and wre­stle together: & hee exhibiteth himself vnto vs, as an example (though hee was justified.) Wheerby we might learne this mortification of the remnants of sin. Now he calleth both the Spirit and the flesh, a certaine law. I haue found (saith he) a law in my members contrarie & repugnant &c. For like as the law of God doth vrge and ex­act those things to bee done of vs, which God wold haue done so the law of the members or of the flesh, doth incite and com­pell vs to carnall things, contra­ry to the spirit. Againe, on the other side, the spirit doth labour mightily against the flesh, mo­ving vs to spiritual things. And [Page] this conflict & combat dureth so long as wee are clothed with this flesh. In this man the strife is mightier and stronger: in that man more re­misse & faint: in everie man ac­cordingly as the spirit, or flesh is in him, stronger or weaker: notwithstanding one and the same man is that flesh & spirit, which so strives and wrestles with himselfe, vntill (Sinne be­ing quyte abolished) hee be­come spirituall, Chap. 8.

In the 8 chap. he comforteth those which fight so with their owne flesh: A comfort for the af­flicted conscience. also hee declareth that the reliques of sin can not hurt vs: that there is no condē ­nation to them that are in Iesus Christ, which walke not after the flesh, but according to the spirit. Furthermore, hee doeth [Page] explicate at large the nature of the flesh & spirit, shewing that the spirit is given to man onely by Christ. He that hath not the spirit of Christ (saith hee) the same man is none of his. Again, as many as are led by the spirit of God, they are the sonnes of God. For it is the Spirit alone which doth innovate & renew our hearts, which doeth make them spirituall, which doth in­courage vs with sweet and lo­ving affects and motions: lastly which doth giue testimonie & beare witnes vnto our spirits, that we are the very sonnes of God, teaching vs that wee (al­thogh sin doth boyle with rage within our flesh) haue God for our Father, & may account our selves his sonnes, if so bee that we doe dayly by the spirit [Page] wrestle against the flesh.

Now because nothing is more profitable to the mortifying of the olde Adam the flesh, than the crosse, tribulation & afflicti­on, that is, the Apostle doeth heere comfort vs in these tribu­lations, affirming that the Spi­rit doth make intercession, and request for vs with sighes that cannot be vttered & expressed: also that all the creatures, being subject to vanitie & abuse, doe even groane & travell in paine together with vs, vntill this bo­die of sin be abolished, and the glory of the sonnes of God bee revealed. Thus wee see that these three last Chapters, doe vrge nothing so much, as this onely and chiefe worke of our faith, namely, the mortificati­on of our olde Adam, which is [Page] the flesh.

Chap. 9. 10. & 11In the 9. 10. and 11. Chap. he handleth the matter of Pre­destination. For all the rest de­pend vpon that: namely, who should receiue the worde, and who should not, who should belieue, & who not, who shuld bee freed from sin, who should bee blinded, who should bee damned, and who should bee justified. Seing therefore that both the sending out of the preachers of the Gospell, and the word it self be of God, it is certaine that it lyeth in Gods hand onely to justifie vs. And surely this stable sentence and immoveable necessitie of pre­destination, Predestina­tion must bee taught & preach­ed. is a most necessary doctrine to bee taught. For we are so weake that if it were in our handes, very few or rather [Page] none should bee saved. For the Devill wold overcome vs. Yet now seeing this sentence & de­cree of God is most sure & cer­taine, so that it cannot be chan­ged or altered by any creature, we haue then good hope to o­vercome at the length these re­liques of sinne, although that now they rage in our flesh.

But these curious men (who before they haue learned Christ & the vertue of his Crosse, A Caveat for curious Christians. doe search the profunditie & depth of predestination, labouring in vaine to inquire whether they are predestinat to life or death) must bee rayned, strained and kept back with some holy bri­dle. For without all doubt, these men by this their foolish curiositie, will leade & learne to cast themselves headlong in­to [Page] the confusion of their con­science, or into the bottomles pit of desperation. But thou (deare Christian) see that in reading & learning holy things thou follow the order and me­thode set downe heere in this place by the Apostle.

Learne this godly Me­thode.First of all learne the know­ledge of Christ, that thou maist acknowledg that al thy strength and power availeth to nothing, but to sinning. Furthermore, that by faith thou mayst daily wrastle with thy flesh, as hee hath taught thee in the 7. first Chapters. Finally, after that thou bee come to the 8. Chap. that is, after that thou hast tryd the crosse and tribulation, after thou hast had experience of this wholsome mortification, often to bee repeated, then first of all [Page] will this necessitie of predesti­nation, waxe sweet vnto them, then thou shall first feele in the 9. 10. and 11. Chapters, how full of comfort and consolation this doctrine of predestination is. For vnlesse thou hast had ex­perience and tryall of tribulati­on: Predestina­tion onelie cōfortable to those which are well exercised in af­fections. vnlesse thou hast felt thy self to haue beene brought some­tyme even vnto the gates of hell (as wee see in David and other Saints) thou canst not beare or brooke this doctrine and sentence of predestination without perill and danger, with a certaine murmuring & grudg­ing of nature against GOD. Therefore it is needfull and ne­cessarie that olde Adam should first be mortified, that the sense of the flesh should bee beaten down, that the sucklings should first grow vp in Christ before [Page] they drinke of this sweete Cup of wine. For even heere also there is in every one a certaine infancy & childhood, who hath in the meane time neede to bee fed with milke, vntill hee bee acustomed to eat strōger meats.

Chap. 12In the twelfth chapter hee doeth annex and adjoyne cer­taine admonitions and precepts For this order the Apostle is wont to obserue in all his E­pistles, The second part of this Epistle cō ­cerning Christian conversatiō that first hee doth teach Christ and Faith: afterwardes he doth exhort to good works, and a continuall mortification of the flesh. Wherefore he doth teach heere good workes in deed, and the true worship of God. And heere he maketh all Christians to bee Priests, com­manding them to offer not mo­ney, either Oxen or Gotes (as it was the custome of the Law) [Page] but to offer themselues a spiri­tuall sacrifice, A spirituall priesthood. mortifying the old Adam. Furthermore hee doth delyver out most briefly vnto vs the institution and in­struction of Christian maners: as how we shold teach, preach, rule, and govern namely, in the Church: how we should serue our neighbour, how we should suffer tribulations: to be briefe, how it behoveth a Christian to behaue himselfe towardes his friends and enemies. And these are truely good workes of a Christian man, which do flow out of Faith, as from a fountaine and head spring: Yea which doe even make a violent erup­tion. For faith (as I haue said) is not ydle: Papistes works wh [...] they are. But the workes of the Iusticiaries which are done without this liuely flame of Faith in the heart, are but hypo­crites [Page] purple show, and fained colours, wherewith they paint themselues outwardly, which as inwardly they are full of ha­tred, avarice, filthines, & deceit.

In the 13. chapter hee teach­eth vs to bee obedient to earth­ly and worldly Magistrates, Chap. 13 Obedience to the Ma­gistrate. see­ing that all power is of GOD. For thogh the administration of the sword, and these politicall and civill Lawes doe helpe no­thing to the justification of the heart: notwithstanding because that power and authoritie is or­dained and appoynted of God, to the maintenance and preser­vation of the peace of the com­mon wealth, that malefactors might bee punished, and good men defended: therefore it is to be reverenced and honoured even of the Saints of God and righteous men, which other­wise stand not in neede of that [Page] authoritie. At the last he com­prehendeth summarily al duties in this one worde Loue. Loue is a short sum of all Chri­stian due­ties. And whereas he proposed Christ as the cause & author of our righ­teousnesse, now heere after a­nother sort hee proponeth and setteth him forth as an example: namely that wee imitating and following Christ, should so serue our neighbour, as Christ hath served vs.

In the 14. Chap. 14 Chap. hee teach­eth that the weake in faith not as yet expert and cunning in Christian libertie, Patience. ought to bee patiently tolerated and borne withall through loue: also how wee ought to vse that libertie not to any offence, but to the instruction and edifying of the weake conscience of our neigh­bour. For vnlesse the offending of the weake bee diligently and [Page] warely avoyded, there will fol­low a discord and contempt of the Gospell: whose dignitie and renoune it stands vs greatly v­pon to conserue and keepe in­violate. Wherefore it were bet­ter to yeeld for a tyme to the weake in faith, vntill they bee confirmed, than that the Gos­pell should bee contemned or suppressed. And this is the chef­est worke of Christian loue and Charitie, which verie many in these our dayes haue neede of, who abuse their libertie by ea­ting of flesh, & by other means, hurting weake consciences, yea making them to stumble as it were in the entry and doore of Christianity, before they know the liberty of Christ, and the way of righteousnesse.

Chap. 15In the 15. Chap. yet once a­gaine hee proposeth Christ to [Page] bee followed, that by his ex­ample wee should support and beare with the weake whosoe­ver they bee, whether sinners, Weak bre­thren oght to bee con­sidered. vnlearned, rude, and vnskilfull, or those which otherwise are evill mannered, or of naughty conditions. For even those are not streight way to bee con­temned, but rather to bee tole­rated and suffered vntill they be better amended. So our Savi­our Christ (as wee see in the Gospell) did beare with our sins and offences: yea and at this day doth tolerate our sinnes, errors, and imperfections, ever reach­ing his right hand to helpe vs, ever ayding vs through his vn­speakable mercie.

Moreover hee prayeth for the increase of their faith, peace, and joy of conscience, also prai­sing them, and committing thē [Page] to GOD: yet once againe hee commendeth also and magnifi­eth his office, namely how hee may glory in that hee handleth and medleth with Gods busi­nesse and matters, how that he doth and hath preached throgh the grace which hee hath re­ceived of God, being also called from heaven by God, and not by any man. By and by after, (setting before them the ex­ample of the Macedonians insted of a little Exordium or in­sinuation) hee doth verie civil­ly take an occasion to beg and craue almes of them for the poore Saintes in Hierusalem. Almes to be given to the poore Saints. To bee briefe, whatsoever this most Apostolicall breast doeth, or speaketh it is meere Charity and loue, meere works of saith and of the Spirit.

Thus thou hast (gentle rea­der) [Page] heere in this Epistle most fully & absolutely set out what­soever appertaineth any way either to Christian life, The Epistle to the Ro­mans a suf­ficient doc­trine for a Christian man. or iusti­fication: what Christians ought chiefly to learne, namely what the law is, what the Gospell is, what sinne, grace, faith, justice or righteousnesse, Christ, God good workes, charitie, loue & hope is: briefly in what thing the summe of all Christianitie doth consist: how a Christian ought to behaue himselfe to­wards his neighbour, whether they bee good or bad, weake, or strong, friends or foes. Last of all how wee should behaue our selves towards our selues, the Apostle doth so diligently fortifie and strengthen all these [...]hings by Scripture, and so con­ [...]irme them by his own example [...] the example of the Prophets, [Page] that thou canst not heere desire or wish any thing more, or more plaine and manifest. For (no doubt) it was the Apostles minde to comprehend in this Epistle summarily, & to handle compendiously the whole Gos­pell, and whatsoever belong­eth to Christian learning and instructiō, also to prepare a me­thode and briefe introduction, vnto all the writings of the old Testament, namely, Moses and the Prophets. For whosoever hath red this Epistle well, and throughly digested it in his minde, A profi­table ex­hortation. that man hath a moste sure and certaine methode to all the old Testament. Where­fore as I admonished before, s [...] heere nowe I doe exhort you that you would (as Moses doth in the 11 chap. of Deut.) lay vp these things in your hearts [...] childre [...] [Page] to the end that by a continuall recording & repeating of them they may be made by all means most familiar vnto you. Chap. 16.

The last chap. containeth sa­lutations or commendations: to which hee adjoyneth a verye good and most necessary admonition, namely that we should shunne & eschue (as the plague and extreame infection & poy­son of faith) the doctrines and traditions of men where-with the Gospell and worde of God being contemned) the false A­postles do seduce & withdraw from Christ the hearts of the simple. Traditions not to bee received. For the Apost. foresaw in the Spirit, that there should arise and spring certaine Ro­manistes (for they are not wor­thie the name of Romans) out of Rome, and Romans: who by their wicked and blasphemous, most divilish and sathanical de­cretals, [Page] and their whole den of mans lawes and traditions, as by a most wast floude and h [...]g [...] d [...]uge, wold labor to drowne, [...]tinguish, and destroy not on­ [...] this excellent Epistle, but e­ven the whole body of Scrip­ture [...] at the doctrine of fai [...] [...] the Spirit: insomuch [...] they should leaue vs nothing but this Idoll our belly, Papists bel­ly gods. whose worshippers he doth call them heere, Philip 3.1 [...] and most plainely in the Epistle to the Philippians. For (saith he) there be many walke of whom I haue told you often, [...]nd now tell you weeping, they are the enemies of the Crosse of Christ whose God is their bel­ly and their glory, to their shame, they are world [...] mi [...] ded. The GOD of all Pea [...] bruse and beate downe Sathan and his kingdome vnder our [...]