Doctrinal Treatises and Introductions to the Holy Scriptures

and I must believe it, or else I cannot be partaker of mercy, which Christ hath deserved for me. Therefore Christ only justifieth me not; or Christ only hath not made satisfaction for my sins. As this is a naughty argument, so is the other. Now go to, reader, and according to the order of Paul's writing, even so do thou. First, behold thyself diligently in the law of God, and see there thy just damnation. Secondly, turn thine eyes to Christ, and see there the exceeding mercy of thy most kind and loving Father. Thirdly, remember that Christ made not this atonement that thou shouldest anger God again; neither died he for thy sins, that thou shouldest live still in them; neither cleansed he thee, that thou shouldest return, as a swine, unto thine old puddle again; but that thou shouldest be a new creature, and live a new life after the will of God, and not of the flesh. And be diligent, lest through thine own negligence and unthankfulness thou lose this favour and mercy again. Farewell.

THIS epistle declareth itself from chapter to chapter, that it needeth no prologue, or introduction to declare it. When Paul had converted a great number at Corinthum, as ye read in Acts xviii., and was departed, there came immediately false apostles and sect-makers, and drew every man1 disciples after him; so that the people were whole unquieted, divided and at variance among themselves, every man for the zeal of his doctor; those new apostles not regarding what division, what uncleanness of living, or what false opinions were among the people, as long as they might be in authority, and well at ease in their bellies. But Paul in the first four chapters with great wisdom and soberness rebuketh2 first the division and the authors thereof; and calleth the people to Christ again, and teacheth how and for what the preacher is to be taken.

In the v th, he rebuketh the uncleanness that was amongst them.

In the vith he rebuketh the debate and going to law together, and pleading their causes before the heathen.

In the viith he reformeth3 them concerning chastity and marriage.

In the viiith, ixth, xth and xith, he teacheth the strong to weak and forbear the weak, that yet understand not the liberty of the SKSe gospel; and that with the ensample of himself, which though f^er"^tf^all he were an apostle, and had authority, yet of love he abstained, j^jj^iJrd to win other. And he feareth them with the ensamples of Anthtehde.first' the old Testament; and rebuketh divers disorders that were among them concerning the sacrament, and the going bare headed of married women.

In the xiith, xiiith and xivth he teacheth of the manifold gifts of the Spirit, and proveth by a similitude of the body, that all gifts are given, that each should help other, and

Love fulfill- through love do service to other; and proveth, that where

' love is not, there is nothing that pleaseth God. For that one should love another, is all that God requireth of us; and therefore, if we desire spiritual gifts, he teacheth those gifts to be desired that help our neighbours.

In the xvth he teacheth of the resurrection of the body, and in the last he exhorteth to help the poor saints.

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As in the first Epistle he rebuketh the Corinthians sharp ly, so. in this he comforteth them, and praiseth them, and commandeth him that was excommunicated to be received lovingly into the congregation again.

And in the first and second chapters he sheweth his love to them- ward, how that all that he spake, did, or suffered was f°r their sakes, and for their salvation.

Then in the iiird, ivth and vth he praiseth the office of preaching the gospel above the preaching of the law; and sheweth that the gospel groweth through persecution, and through the cross, which maketh a man sure of eternal life: and here and there he toucheth the false prophets, which studied to turn the faith of the people from Christ unto the works of the law.

In the vith and viith chapters, he exhorteth them to suf fer with the gospel, and to live as it becometh the gospel, and praiseth them in the latter end.

In the viiith and ixth chapters he exhorteth them to help the poor saints that were at Jerusalem.

In the xth, xith and xiith he inveigheth against the false prophets.

And in the last chapter he threateneth them that had sinned and not amended themselves.

As ye read (Acts xv.) how certain came from Jerusalem Acts xv. to Antioch, and vexed the disciples there, affirming that they could not be saved except they were circumcised; even so, after Paul had converted the Galatians, and coupled them to Christ, to trust in him only for the remission of sin, and hopo of grace and salvation, and was departed, there came false apostles unto them, (as unto the Corinthians, and unto all places where Paul had preached,) and that in the name of Peter, James, and John, whom they called the high apostles, and preached circumcision, and the keeping of the law, to be saved by; and minished Paul's authority.

To the confounding of those, Paul magnineth his office AH that reand apostleship in the two first chapters, and maketh himself ||^dSugh equal unto the high apostles; and concludeth that every man JJ£trjf '^rdk3 must be justified without deservings, without works, and with- w- Tout help of the law; but alone by Christ.

In the iiird and ivth he proveth the same with scripture, Theiawcon- examples and similitudes, and sheweth that the law is cause the believing of more sin, and bringeth the curse of God upon us, and justifieth us not; but that justifying cometh of grace pro- w- Tmised us of God, through the deserving of Christ, by whom (if we believe) we are justified without help of the works of the law.

And in the vth and vith he exhorteth unto the works of love, which follow faith and justifying.

So that in all his epistle he observeth this order; first ho preacheth the damnation of the law, then the justifying of faith, and thirdly the works of love. For on that condition, that we love henceforth and work, is the mercy given us; or else, if we will not work the will of God henceforward, we fall from favour and grace; and the inheritance that is freely given us for Christ's sake, through our own fault we lose again.

In this epistle, and namely in the first three chapters, Paul sheweth that the gospel and grace thereof was foreseen and predestinate of God from before the beginning, and de served through Christ, and now at the last sent forth, that all men should believe thereon; thereby to be justified, made righteous, living and happy, and to be delivered from under the damnation of the law and captivity of ceremonies. in seeking And in the fourth he teacheth to avoid traditions and

KfchJS, men's doctrine, and to beware of putting trust in any thing ouriTveT save Christ; affirming that he only is sufficient, and that in him we have all things, and besides him need nothing.

In the vth and vith he exhorteth to exercise the faith, and to declare it abroad through good works, and to avoid sin, and to arm them with spiritual armour against the devil, that they might stand fast in time of tribulation and under the cross.

Hereby are PAUL praiseth the Philippians, and exhorteth them to theaTwork8 stand fast in the true faith, and to increase in love. And be-

S£t?B3?d' cause thft* ^se Pr°phets study always to impugn and destroy tne true faith* he warneth them of such work-learners or teachers of works, and praiseth Epaphroditus: and all this doth he in the first and second chapters.

In the third he reproveth the faithless, and man's righte- ousness which false prophets teach and maintain; and he setteth himself1 for an ensample, how that he himself had lived in such false righteousness and holiness unrebukeable 2, that no man could complain on him, and yet now setteth nought thereby for Christ's righteousness' sake. And finally, he Man's rightaffirmeth that such false prophets are the enemies of the cross, and make their bellies their God; for further than they may safely, and without all peril and suffering, will they not preach Christ.

As the epistle to the Galatians holdeth the manner and fashion of the epistle to the Romans, briefly comprehending all that is therein at length disputed; even so this epistle followeth the ensample of the epistle to the Ephesians, contain ing the tenor of the same epistle with fewer words.

In the first chapter he praiseth them, and wisheth that they continue in the faith, and grow perfecter therein; and For faith, then describeth he the gospel, how that it is a wisdom that preached',* confcsseth Christ to be the Lord and God, crucified for us, ^^'jjjjy1 and a wisdom that hath been hid in Christ, since afore the w.thx!.lavv' beginning of the world, and now first begun to be opened through the preaching of the apostles.

In the second he warneth them of men's doctrine, and describeth the false prophets to the uttermost, and rebuketh them according.

In the third he exhorteth to be fruitful in the pure faith, with all manner of good works one to another; and describeth whoso hath all degrees, and what their duties are. cannot but

In the fourth he exhorteth to pray, and also to pray for him, and saluteth them.

Not the re- THIS epistle did Paul write of exceeding love and care, gSipS? buthe and praiseth them in the two first chapters, because they did anceto^the receive the gospel earnestly, and had in tribulation and per- makethus secution continued therein stedfastly; and were become an w- T- ensample unto all congregations; and had thereto suffered of their own kinsmen, as Christ and his apostles did of the Jews;

putting them thereto in mind, how purely and godly he had lived among them to their ensample; and thanketh God that his gospel had brought forth such fruit among them.

Hemeaneth In the third chapter he sheweth his diligence and care, the^SouJd lest his so great labour, and their so blessed a beginning, word they should have been m vain; batan and his apostles vexing Antiveedd' them with persecution, and destroying their faith with men's doctrine. And therefore he sent Timothy to them to comfort them, and strengthen them in the faith; and thanketh God that they had so constantly endured; and desireth God to increase them.

In the fourth he exhorteth them to keep themselves from sin, and to do good one to another; and thereto he informeth them concerning the resurrection.

In the fifth he writeth of the last day, that it should come suddenly; exhorting to prepare themselves thereafter, and to keep a good order concerning obedience and rule.

BECAUSE in the fore-epistle he had said the last day should come suddenly, the Thessalonians thought it should have come shortly; wherefore in this epistle he declareth himself.

And in the first chapter he comforteth them with ever- patience ana lasting reward of their faith and patience in suffering for the sf^^d. gospel, and with the punishment of their persecutors in ever- ^nthofthe lasting pain. joyandfeli-

In the second he sheweth that the last day should not Am. ed. come till there were first a departing, as some men think, JJfe^lchnatve from under the obedience of the emperor of Rome; and that [& Antichrist should set up himself in the same place as God, and deceive the unthankful world with false doctrine, and with false and lying miracles, wrought by the working of Satan, until Christ should come, and slay him with his glorious coming and spiritual preaching of the word of God.

In the third he giveth them exhortation, and warneth them to rebuke the idle, that would not labour with their hands, and avoid their company if they would not amend.

THIS epistle writeth St Paul to be an ensample to all bishops, what they should teach, and how they should teach1;

Virtuous bishops are worthy double honour. W, T.

and how they should govern the congregation of Christ in all degrees; that it should be no need to govern Christ's flock with the doctrine of their own good meanings.

In the first chapter he commandeth that the bishop should maintain the right faith and love, and resist false preachers, which make the law and works equal with Christ and his gospel. And he maketh a short conclusion of all Christian1 learning; whereto the law serve th, and what the end thereof is, also what the gospel is; and setteth himself for a comfortable ensample unto all sinners and troubled con sciences.

In the second he commandeth to pray for all degrees; and chargeth that the women shall not preach or wear costly apparel, but to be obedient unto the men.

In the third he describeth what manner persons the bishop or priest and their wives should be, and also the dea cons and their wives; and commendeth it if any man desire to be a bishop after that manner.

In the fourth he prophesieth, and sheweth before, of the false bishops and spiritual officers, that should arise among the Christian people, and be, do, and preach clean contrary to the fore-described ensample; and should depart from the faith in Christ, and forbid to marry, and to eat certain meats, teaching to put trust therein, both of justifying and forgive-, ness of sins, and also of deserving of eternal life.

In the fifth he teacheth how a bishop should use himself toward young and old, and concerning widows what is to be done, and which should be found of the common cost; and teacheth also how men should honour the virtuous bishops and priests, and how to rebuke the evil.

In the sixth he exhorteth the bishops2 to cleave to the gospel of Christ and true doctrine, and to avoid vain ques tions, and superfluous disputings, which gender strife, and quench the truth; and by which also the false prophets get them authority, and seek to satisfy their insatiable covetousness.

IN this epistle Paul exliorteth Timothy to go forward as Bishops must he had begun, and to preach the gospel with all diligence, as their vocait need was, seeing many were fallen away, and many false w- T< spirits3 and teachers were sprung up already. Wherefore a bishop's part is ever to watch, and to labour in the gospel.

In the third and fourth he sheweth before, and that This hath ainotably, of the jeopardous time toward the end of the world, fulfilled in in which a false spiritual living should deceive the whole aUy-T world with outward hypocrisy and appearance of holiness; under which all abominations should have their free passage and course, as we (alas!) have seen this prophecy of St Paul fulfilled in our spiritualty unto the uttermost jot.

THIS is a short epistle; wherein yet is contained all that is needful for a Christian to know.

In the first chapter he sheweth what manner a man a what manbishop or curate ought to be, that is to wit, virtuous and bishop <T ' learned, to preach and defend the gospel, and to confound to i*. the doctrine of trusting in works and men's traditions; which ever fight against the faith, and carry away the conscience captive from the freedom which is in Christ, into the bondage of their own imaginations and inventions, as though those things should make a man good in the sight of God, which are to no profit at all.

Good works please God so far forth as they are ap plied to the the com mandments, but Christ only justifieth.