chapter to the Romans. The law justifieth not, but utter eth
the sin only; and compelleth and driveth the penitent, or repenting sinner, to flee unto the sanctuary of mercy in the blood of Christ. Also, repent we never so much, be we never so well willing unto the law of God, yet are we so weak, and the snares and occasions so innumerable, that we fall daily and hourly: so that we could not but despair, if the reward
He that hanged of the work. Whosoever ascribeth eternal life unto eternal life the deserving and merit of works, must fall in one of two
Pharisee* or mconvemences: either must he be a blind Pharisee, not seeing desePaier.must that the law is spiritual and he carnal, and look and rejoice W-T* in the outward shining of his deeds, despising the weak, and, in respect of them, justify himself; or else (if he see how that the law is spiritual, and he never able to ascend unto that which the law requireth,) he must needs despair. Let hnrestandour everv Christian man, therefore, rejoice in Christ our hope, trust, an(^ righteousness; in whom we are loved, chosen, and accepted unto the inheritance of eternal life; neither presum ing in our perfectness, neither despairing in our weakness. The perfecter a man is, the clearer is his sight; and seeth a thousand things which displease him, and also perfectness that cannot be obtained in this life; and therefore desireth to Let no man be with Christ, where is no more sin. Let him that is weak, pustphis'hboupe and cannot do that he would fain do, not despair: but turn
' all that ask of him in Christ's name; and complain to God, and desire him to fulfil his promises, and to God commit himself; and he shall of his mercy and truth strengthen him, and make him feel with what love he is beloved for Christ's sake, though he be never so weak.
Rom. n. " They are not righteous before God which hear the law; but they which do the law shall be justified." Rom. ii. This text 1161" ^an ^^ ^ needcth to be expounded. In this chapter Provetl1 that the law natural holp not the Gentiles. For w- T- the law of God was written in the hearts of the Gentiles, as it1 appeareth by the laws, statutes, and ordinances which they made in their cities, yet kept they them not. The great keep the small under, for their own profit, with the violence of the law. Every man praiseth the law, as far forth as it [i So 0.; Day omits it.]
is profitable and pleasant unto himself: but when his own appetites should be refrained, then grudgeth he against the law. Moreover, he proveth that no knowledge holp the Gentiles. For though the learned men (as the philosophers) came to the knowledge of God by the creatures of the world, yet had they no power to worship God. In this second chapter proveth he that the Jews, though they had the law written, yet it holp them not: they could not keep it, but were idolaters, and were also murderers, adulterers, and whatsoever the law forbad. He concludeth therefore, that the Jew is as well damned as the Gentile. If hearing at the law only might have justified, then had the Jews been w> Tf righteous. But it requireth that a man do the law, if he will be righteous; which because the Jew did not, he is no less damned than the Gentile. The publishing and declaring of the law doth but utter a man's sin; and giveth neither strength, nor help, to fulfil the law. The law killeth thy conscience, and giveth thee no lust to fulfil the law. Faith in Christ giveth lust and power to do the law. Now is it true, that he which doth the law is righteous; but that doth no man, save he that Jf believeth and putteth his trust in Christ.
"If any man's work, that he hath built upon, abide, he icor.m. shall receive a reward." 1 Cor. iii. The circumstance of the same chapter, that is to wit, that which goeth before and that which followeth, declareth plainly what is meant. Paul talketh of Christ is the learning, doctrine, or preaching: he saith that he himself hath tion- Ant.ed. laid the foundation, which is Jesus Christ, and that no man can lay any other. He exhorteth, therefore, every man to take heed what he buildeth upon; and borroweth a similitude of the goldsmith, which trieth his metals with fire; saying The fire is that the fire, that is, the judgment of the scripture, shall try ™«""jje every man's work, that is, every man's preaching and doctrine. w- T- If any build upon the foundation laid of Paul, I mean Jesus Christ, " gold, silver, or precious stone," (which are all one Gold, silver, thing, and signify true doctrine, which, when it is examined, ston^istru the scripture alloweth,) then shall he have his reward; that w. T. is, he shall be sure that his learning is of God, and that God's Spirit is in him, and that he shall have the reward that Christ hath purchased for him. On the other side, if any man build JSSarY thereon " timber, hay, or stubble," (which are all one, and ™fnne? dwi T signify doctrine of man's imagination, traditions, and fantasies, Man's foun- which stand not with Christ when they are judged and exfeefie. Ant amined by the scripture,) he shall suffer damage, but shall be He shaii be saved himself, yet as it were through fire: that is, it shall be
Xrwgh fire Pam^lll im^° ^m thai ne hath lost his labour, and to see his w- T> building perish; notwithstanding, if he repent, and embrace the truth in Christ, he shall obtain mercy and be saved. But if Paul were now alive, and would defend his own learning, he should be tried through fire; not through fire of the judgment of scripture, (for that light men now utterly refuse,) but by the pope's law, and with fire of fagots.
2 cor. v. " We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, for to receive every man according to the deeds of his body," 2 Cor. v.: as thy deeds testify of thee, so shall thy reward be. Thy deeds be evil, then is the wrath of God upon thee, and thine heart is evil; and so shall thy reward be, if thou repent not. Fear therefore; and cry to God for grace, that thou mayest love his laws. And when thou lovest them, cease not, till thou have obtained power of God to fulfil them; so shalt
Christ re- thou be sure that a good reward shall follow. Which reward own workT not thy deeds, but Christ's, have purchased for thee; whose purchasing also is that lust which thou hast to God's law, and what reward that might wherewith thou fulfillest them. Remember also, hire"" w. T. that a reward is rather called that which is given freely, than that which is deserved. That which is deserved is called (if thou wilt give him his right name) hire or wages. A reward is given freely, to provoke unto love, and to make friends.
The Lord "Remember, that whatsoever good thing any man doth,
ever/rjTan, that shall he receive of the Lord." Eph. vi. " Remembering deeds, that ye shall receive of the Lord the reward of inheritance." ^°^ I"- These two texts are exceeding plain. Paul meaneth, as Peter doth, that servants should obey their masters with all their hearts, and with good will, though they were never so i Pet. ii. evil. Yea, he will that all who are under power obey, even of heart, and of conscience to God; because God will have it so, be the rulers never so wicked. The children must obey father will have it.... J.
so. Ant. ed. an(J mother, be they never so cruel or unkind; likewise the obey™ur wife her husband, the servant his master, the subjects and the^neveyo commons their lord or king. Why? " For ye serve the Lord," Rom.xiv. saith he, in the Coloss. iii. We are Christ's, and Christ hath bought us, as thou readest, Rom. xiv. 1 Cor. vi. 1 Pet. i. icor.yi. Christ is our Lord, and we his possession; and his also is the commandment. Now ought not the cruelness and churlishness of father and mother, of husband, master, lord, or king, cause us to hate the commandment of our so kind a Lord, Christ; which spared not his blood for our sakes; which also hath purchased for us with his blood the1 reward of eternal life; which life shall follow the patience of good living, and whereunto our good deeds testify that we are chosen. Furthermore, we are so carnal, that if the rulers be good, we cannot know whether we keep the commandment for the love that we have to Christ, and to God through him, or no. But and if thou canst find in thine heart to do good A good unto him that rewardeth thee evil again, then art thou sure JSJ^jlJ, that the same Spirit is in thee that is in Christ. And it ^Mtof God. followeth, in the same chapter to the Colossians, "He thatAnt'edt doth wrong shall receive for the wrong that he hath done." That is, God shall avenge thee abundantly; which seeth what wrong is done unto thee, and yet suifereth it for a time, that thou mightest feel thy patience, and the working of his Spirit in thee, and be made perfect. Therefore, see that thou notRemita11 once desire vengeance; but remit all vengeance unto God, as GO* Anted.
viled, reviled not again, neither threatened when he suffered."
Unto such obedience, unto such patience, unto such a poor heart, and unto such feeling, is Paul's meaning to bring all men, and not unto the vain disputing of them that ascribe so high a place in heaven unto their piled 2 merits; which, as they feel not the working of God's Spirit, so obey they no man. If the king: do unto them but right, they will interdict The fury of the whole realm, curse, excommunicate, and send them down clfrsy- Ant- far beneath the bottom of hell; as they have brought the °ursriritual people out of their wits, and made them mad, to believe. cuS'tSi
Acts x. « Thy prayers and alms are come up into remembrance in the presence of God," (in the tenth chapter of the Acts): that is, God forgetteth thee not; though he come not at the first calling, he looketh on, and beholdeth thy prayers and alms. Prayer cometh from the heart. God looketh first on
first on the
heart ^w. T. the heart, and then on the deed; as thou readest Genesis iv. God beheld or looked first on Abel, and then on his offer ing. If the heart be unpure, the deed verily pleaseth not, as thou seest in Cain. Mark the order: in the beginning of the chapter thou readest, " There was a certain man named Cornelius which feared God, gave much alms, and prayed God alway." He feared God; that is, he trembled and quaked to break the commandments of God. Then prayed he alway. Praver ig the fruit, effect, deed or act of faith, and is nothing j^ ^he longing of the heart for those things which a man lacketh, and which God hath promised to give him. He doth Aims. w. T. also alms: alms is the fruit, effect, or deed, of compassion and i^noWth? pity* which we have to our neighbour. O what a glorious Ant.we0dr.ks' faith, and a right, is that1 which so trusteth God, and believeth his promises, that she feareth to break his command ments, and is also merciful unto her neighbour! This is that faith whereof thou readest, (namely in Peter, Paul, and John,) that we are thereby both justified and saved; and whosoever imagineth any other faith, deceiveth himself, and is a vain disputer, and a brawler about words, and hath no feeling in his heart.
Though thou consent to the law, that it is " good, right eous, and holy," sorrowest and repentest, because thou hast broken it, mournest because thou hast no strength to fulfil it, yet art not thou thereby at one with God. Yea, thou shouldest shortly despair, and blaspheme God, if the promises of forgiveness and of help were not thereby, and faith in thine Faith maketh heart to believe them. Faith therefore setteth thee at one
Faith pray- Faith praveth alway. For she hath always her infirm- and in aii^ ities and weaknesses before her eyes, and also God s promises,
The manner ^or which she always longeth, and in all places. But blind unbelief prayeth not alway, nor in all places, but in the church only; and that in such a church, where it is not lawful to preach God's promises, neither to teach men to trust therein. Faith, when she prayeth, setteth not her good deeds before her, saying, ' Lord, for my good deeds do this or that; ' nor bargaineth with God, saying, ' Lord, grant me this, or do this or that, and I will do this or that for thee; ' as, mumble so much daily, go so far, or fast this or that fast, enter this religion2 or that, with such other points of infidelity, yea, rather idolatry. But she setteth her infirmities and her lack before her face, and God's promises, saying, * Lord, for w- Tthy mercy and truth, which thou hast sworn, be merciful unto me, and pluck me out of this prison and out of this hell, and loose the bonds of Satan, and give me power to glorify thy name.' Faith therefore justifieth in the heart, and before God; and the deeds justify outwardly before the world, that is, testify only before men, what we are inwardly before God.
" Whosoever looketh in the perfect law of liberty, and James i. continueth therein, (if he be not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work,) he shall be happy in his deed." James i. The ^r[yWwfT law of liberty, that is, which requireth a free heart, or (if thou fulfil it) declareth a free heart, loosed from the bonds of Satan. The preaching of the law maketh no man free, but S|f0pfrteheh" bindeth; for it is the key that bindeth all consciences unto J?uvt thedeth' eternal damnation, when it is preached; as the promises or theag?spSof gospel is the key that looseth all consciences that repent,???T. " when they are bound through preaching of the law. "He shall be happy in his deed:*" that is, by his deed shall he know that he is happy and blessed of God, which hath given him a good heart, and power to fulfil the law. By hearing the law Not the hearthou shalt not know that thou art blessed; but if thou do it, Jjjjjjj it declareth that thou art happy and blessed. badne
" Was not Abraham justified of his deeds, when he offered James u. his son Isaac upon the altar?" James ii. His deed justified him before the world; that is, it declared and uttered the faith which both justified him before God, and wrought that wonderful work, as James also aifirmeth.
"Was not Rahab the harlot justified when she received James u, the messengers, and sent them out another way?" James ii. That is likewise, outwardly; but before God she was justified by faith, which wrought that outward deed, as thou mayest see,
Josh. ii. She had heard what God had done in Egypt, in the lied Sea, in the desert, and unto the two kings of the Araorreans, Seon and Og: and she confessed, saying, " Your Lord God, he is God in heaven above and in earth beneath.1' She also believed that God, as he had promised the children of Israel, would give them the land wherein she dwelt; and she consented thereunto, submitted herself unto the will of God, and holp God, (as much as in her was,) and saved his spies and messengers. The other feared that which she believed; but resisted God with all their might, and had no power to submit themselves unto the will of God. And therefore perished they, and she was saved, and that through faith, as we read Heb. xi.; where thou mayest see how the holy fathers were saved through faith, and how faith wrought in Faith is the them. Faith is the goodness of all the deeds that are done within the law of God, and maketh them good and glorious, within the seem they never so vile; and unbelief maketh them damnable,
Ant. ed. seem they never so glorious.
James ii. As pertaining to that which James in this iind chapter saith, " What availeth though a man say that he hath faith, if he have no deeds? can faith save him?" and again, jamcs ii. "Faith without deeds is dead in itself;" and, "The devils believe and tremble;" and, "As the body without the spirit is dead, even so faith without deeds is dead;" it is manifest and clear, that he meaneth not of that1 faith whereof Peter and
Paul speak in their epistles, John in his gospel and first