For as moche as this pistle is the principall and most excellent part of the newe testamt / and most pure Euangelion / that is to saye gladde tydinges & that we call gospell / & also a lyghte & a waye in vnto the hole scripture / I thynke it mete / that euery Christen man not only knowe it by rote and with oute the boke / but also exercise him selfe therin euermore continually / as with the dayly brede of the soule. No man verely can rede it to ofte or studie it to well: for the moare it is studyed the easier it is / the moare it is chewed the plesander it is / and the moare groundely it is serched the precioser thinges are found in it / so greate treasure of spirituall thinges lyeth hyd therin.
I will therfore bestowe my laboure and diligence / thorowe this lytell preface or prologe / to prepare awaye in ther vnto / so farforth as god shall geue me grace / that it maye be the better vnderstonde of euery man / for it hath bene hetherto euyll darkened with gloses & wonderfull dreames of sophisters / that noman cowde spye oute the entente & meanynge of it / which neuerthelesse of it selfe / is a bryght lyghte / & sufficient to geue lyght vnto all the scripture.
Fyrst we must marke diligently the maner of speakynge of the Apostel / and aboue all thinge knowe what Paul meaneth by these wordes / 1. the Lawe / Synne / Grace / Fayth / Ryghteousnes / Flesshe / Sprite and soche lyke / or els rede thou it neuer so ofte / thou shalt but loose thy laboure. This word Lawe maye not be vnderstonde here after the cmune maner / and to vse Paules terme / after the maner of men or after
For this cause the. c.xv. Psalme calleth all men lyars / because that noman kepeth the lawe from the grounde of the herte / nether can kepe it / though he appeare outward full of good workes.
For all m are naturally enclyned vnto euyll and hate the lawe. We fynde in oure selues vnlust and tediousnes to do good / but lust and delectacyon to do euyll. Nowe where no fre lust
For this cause concludeth saynte Paul in the seconde Chapter / that the Iewes are all synners & transgressors of the lawe / though they make men beleue / thorowe ypocrisy of outwarde workes / howe that they fulfyll the lawe / and sayth that he only which doeth the lawe / is ryghteous before God / meanynge therby that no man with outwarde workes / fulfilleth the lawe.
Thou (sayeth he to the Iewe) teachest / a man shulde not breake wedlocke / & yet breakest wedlocke thy selfe. Wherin thou iudgest an other man / therin condemnest thou thy selfe / for thou thy selfe doest euen the very same thinges whiche thou iudgest. As though he wolde saye / thou lyuest outewardly well in the workes of the lawe / and indgest them that lyue not so. Thou teachest other men: and seest a moote in an other mans eye / but art not ware of the beame that is in thyn awne eye. For though thou kepe the lawe outewardly with workes for feare of rebuke / shame and punysshement / other for loue of rewarde / vauntage and vayne glory / yet doest thou all with out lust and loue towarde the lawe / and haddest leuer a greate deale other wyse do / yf thou dydest not feare the lawe. ye inwardly in thyne herte / thou woldest that ther were no lawe / no nor yet God / the auctor and vengear of the lawe / yf it were possible: so paynefull it is vnto the to have thyne appetytes refrayned / and to be kepte doune.
Wherfore then it is a playne conclusion / that thou from the grounde and botome of thyne herte / arte an ennymye to the lawe. What prevayleth
Thou teachest an other man / but teachest not thy selfe / ye thou wotest not what thou teachest / for thou vnderstondest not the lawe a ryght / how that it cannot be fulfylled and satisfyed / but with an vnfayned loue and affecyon / so greately it can not be fulfylled with outeward dedes and workes only. Moreouer the lawe encreaseth synne / as he sayth in the fyfte Chapter / 2. because that man is an enymy to the lawe / for as moche as it requireth so many thynges clene contrarye to his nature / where of he is not able to fulfyll one poynte or tytle / as the lawe requireth it. And therfore are we moare prouoked / and haue greater lust to breake it.
For which causes sake he sayeth in the seventh Chapter / that the lawe is spirituall: as though he wold saye / yf the lawe were flesshely and but mans doctrine / it myght be fulfylled / satisfyed and stylled with outwarde dedes. But nowe is the lawe goostlye / and no man fulfylleth it / excepte that all that he doeth / springe of loue from the botome of the hert. 3.Suche anewe hert & lusty corage vnto the lawe warde / canst thou neuyr come by of thyne awne strenght and enforcemente / but by the operacy on & workynge of the spirite.
For the sprite of God only maketh a man spirituall & lyke vnto the lawe / so that nowe henceforth he doeth nothinge of feare or for lucre
Acquaynte thy selfe therfore with the maner of speakynge of the Apostel / & let this nowe styke faste in thyne hert / 4. that it is not bothe one / to do the dedes & workes of the lawe / & to fulfyll the lawe. The worke of the lawe is / what soeuer a man doeth or can do of his awne frewill / of his awne proper strengthe & enforsynge. Notwithstondynge though there be neuyr so greate workynge / yet as longe as ther remayneth in the herte vnlust / tediousnes / grudgyng / grief / payne / lothsumnes & compulsion toward the lawe / so longe are all the workes vnprofitable / lost / ye and damnable in the sighte of God. This meaneth Paul in the thryde chapter where he sayeth / by the dedes of þe lawe shall no flesshe be iustified in the syghte of god. Here by perceauest thou / that those sophisters are but disceauers / whiche teache that a man maye / and must prepare him selfe to grace & to the fauoure of God / with good workes. Howe can they prepare them selues vnto the fauoure of god / & to that which is good / when they th selues can do no good / no can not once thinke a good thought or consent to do good / the deuyll possessinge their hertes / myndes & thoughtes captiue at his pleasure? Can those workes please God thinkest thou / which are done with grife / payne and tediousnes / with an euyll will / with a contrarye and grudgynge mynde?
6.To fulfill the lawe is / to do the workes ther of & what soeuer the lawe commaundeth / with loue / lust & inward affeccion & delectacion: and to lyue godly & well / frely / willingly / and with oute compulcion of the lawe / euen as though there were no lawe at all. Suche luste & fre liberte to loue the lawe / cometh only by the workinge of the sprite in the herte / as he saith in the fyrste Chapter.
Nowe is the sprite none otherwise geuen / then by faith only / in that we beleue the promyses of God / with oute wauering / how that God is true / 7. & will fulfill all his good promyses toward vs / for Christes bloudes sake / as it ys playne in the fyrste chapter. I am not asshamed sayeth Paul / of Christes gladde tydinges / for it is the power of God / vnto saluaci to as many as beleue. For att
ce & to gedder euen as we beleue the glad tydinges preached to vs / the holy goost entreth in to oure hertes / & lowseth the bondes of the deuyll / 8. which before possessed oure hertes in captiuite / & held th
that we could haue no lust to the will of God in the lawe. And as the sprite c
meth by faith only / eu
so faith cometh by hearinge the worde or glad tydinges of God / wh
Christ is preached / how that he is goddes sonne & man also / ded & rysen agayne for oure sakes / as he sayeth in the .iij. iiij. & .x. Chapters. All oure iustifyinge then cometh of fayth / and fayth and the sprite come of God and not of vs.
9.Here of cometh it / that fayth only iustifieth / maketh rightewes / & fulfilleth the lawe / for it bringeth the sprete thorowe Christes deseruinges / the sprite bringeth lust / looseth the hert /
11.Synne in the scripture is not called that outeward worke only cmitted by the body / but all the whole busynes & what soeuer accompanieth / moueth or stereth vnto the outeward dede / & that whence the workes springe: as vnbelefe / pronenes & redynes vnto the dede in the grounde of the herte / with all the powers / affeccions & appetites wherewith we can but synne. So that we saye / that a man then synneth / wh
he is caried awaye hedlonge in to synne / all to geder as moche as he is / of that poyson inclinacion & corrupte nature wherin he was conceyued & borne. For there is none outward synne c
mitted / excepte a man be caried awaye all to gedyr / with lyfe / soule / herte / bodie / luste & mynde ther
to. The scripture loketh singularly vnto the hert / & vnto the rote & originall fountayne of all synne / which is vnbelefe in the botome of the herte. For as faith only iustifieth & bringeth the sprite & lust vnto the outewarde good 12. workes / eu
so vnbelefe only d
neth & kepeth oute the sprite / prouoketh the flesshe & stereth vppe luste vnto the euyll outeward workes / as happened to Ad
& Eua in Paradise. Gene.iij.
For this cause Christ calleth synne vnbelefe / and that notably in þe .xvj. chap. of Iohn. The
Furthermore / to perceaue this thinge more clearlye / thou shalt vnderstonde / that it is impossible to synne anye synne at all except a man breake the fyrst commaundement before. Now is the fyrst commaundement deuyed into
Finallie / if anye man hath forsaken synne & is cuerted to put his trust in Christ & to kepe the lawe of God / dothe fall at a tyme: the cause is / that the flesshe thorow necglig
ce hath choked the sprite & oppressed hir & taken from hir the fode of hir str
gth. Which fode is hir meditacion in God & in his wonderfull dedes / & in the manyfolde couenauntes of his mercie.
Wherfore then before all good workes as
Grace & gifte haue this differce. 13.Grace properly is Goddes fauoure / beniuolence or kynd mynd / which of his awne selfe / with oute deseruing of vs / he beareth to vs / wherby he was moued & enclined to geue Christe vnto vs / with all his other giftes of grace. Gifte is the holy goste & his workinge whom he poureth in to the hertes of them / on whom he hath mercy / and wh
he fauoreth. Though the giftes of the sprite encreace in vs dayly / & haue not yet their full perfeccion: ye & though there remayne in vs yet euill lustes & sinne which fight agaynst the sprite / as he sayth here in the .vij. Chapter / & in the v. to the Galathi
s / & as it was spok
before in the thride Chapter of Genesis of the debate betwene the womans seed & the seed of the serp
t: yet neuerthelesse goddis fauoure is so greate / & so str
ge ouer vs for christes sake / that we are co
ted for full hole & perfecte before God. For Goddis fauoure toward vs / deuydeth not hyr selfe / encreasinge a lyttell & a lytell / as doo the gyftes / but receaueth vs hole & all to gether in full loue for Christes sake oure intercessor & mediator / & because that the gyftes of the sprite & the batayle betwene the sprite and euyll lustes / are begonne in vs all ready.
Of this nowe vnderstondest thou the .vij. chapter where Paul accuseth him selfe as a synner & yet in the .viij. Chapter sayeth / there is no damnacion to them that are in Christe / and that because of the sprite / & because the gyftes
Faith is not ms opinion & dreame / as some ymagin & fayne when they heare the storie of the Gospell: 14. but when they se that there folowe no good workes nor mendement of lyuinge / though they heare / & yet can babyll many thinges of faith / then they fall from the righte waye & saye / fayth only iustifieth not / a man must haue good workes also / if he will be rightewes & safe. The cause is when they heare the Gospell or glad tydinges / they fayne of their awne strength certayne imaginaci
s & thoughtes in their hertes sayinge: I haue heard the Gospell / I rem
ber the storie / lo I beleue. And that they counte righte fayth / which neuerthelesse as it is but m
s imaginaci
& fayninge / eu
so profiteth it not / nether folowe there any good workes or mendement of lyuinge.
But righte faith is a thinge wroughte by the holy goost in vs / 15. which chaungeth vs / turneth vs in to a newe nature & begetteth vs a newe in God / and maketh vs the sonnes of God / as thou redest in the fyrste of Iohn / & killeth the olde Adam / & maketh vs all to gethyr newe in the hert / mynd / will / lust & in all oure affeccis and powers of the soule / and bringeth the holy goost with hyr. Faith is a liuely thinge / mighty in workinge / valiaunte & stronge / euer doinge / euer frutefull / so that it is vnpossible that
Fayth is then a liuely & stedfaste truste in the fauoure of God / wherewith we cmitte oure selues all to gedyr vnto God / & that truste is so surely gro
ded & steketh so fast in oure hertes / that a m
wolde not once doute of it / though he shuld dye a thousand tymes therfore. And suche truste wrought by the holy goost through fayth / maketh a man glad / lusty / cherefull & true herted vnto God & to all creatures. By the meanes where of / willingly & withoute c
pulsion he his glad & redy to do good to euery man / to do seruice to euery m
/ to soffre all thinges / that God maye be loued & praysed / which hath geuen him suche grace: so that it is impossible to separat good workes fr
faith / euen as it is impossible to separat heete & burn
ge fr
fyre.
Therfore take hede to thy silfe / and beware of thyne owne fantasies and ymaginacions / which to iudge of fayth and good workes will seme wyse / when in deade they are sterke blind and of all thinges most folysshe. Praye God that he will witesafe to worke fayth in thyne herte / or else shalt thou remayne euermore faythlesse / fayne thou / ymagin thou: enforce thou / wrastyll with thy selfe / and do what thou wilte or canst.
Righteousnes is eu suche faith / & is called Godes righteousnes / or righteousnes that is of valoure before God. For it is Goddis gifte / & it altereth a man & cha
geth him to a newe sprituall nature / 17. & maketh him fre & liberall to paye euery man his dutie. For thorow fayth is a man purged of his synnes / & obteyneth luste vnto the lawe of God / whereby he geueth God his honoure & payeth him that he oweth him / & vnto m
he doeth seruis willingly wherwithsoeuer he can / & payeth euery man his dutie. Suthe righteousnes can nature / frewill / and oure awne str
gthe neuer bringe to passe. For as no man can geue him silfe fayth / so can he not take awaye vnbelefe / how then can he take awaye eny synne at all. Wherfore all is false ypocrisy and synne / whatsoeuer is done with oute fayth or in vnbeleue / as it is euyd
t in the .xiiij Chapter vnto the Romayns / though it appere neuer so glorious or beautyfull outwardes.
Flesshe and sprite mayste thou uot here vnderstd / as though flesshe were only that which perteyneth vnto vnchastite / and the sprite that which inwardly pertayneth to the herte: but Paule calleth flesshe here as Christe doth Iohn iij. 18.All that is borne of flesshe / that is to wete / the whole m
with life / soule / body / witte / will / reason & what soeuer he is or doth with in and withe oute / because that these all / & all that is in man / study after the worlde & the flesshe. Call flesshe therfore whatsoeuer (as longe as we are with oute the sprite of God) we thinke or speke of God / of faith of good workes & of spirituall matters. Call flesshe also all workes which are done with oute grace & with oute the workinge of the sprite / howsoeuer good / holy and spirituall they seme to be / as thou mayst proue by the .v. Chapter vnto the Galathy
s / where Paul numbreth worshepinge of ydols /
And as thou callest him: which is not renewed with the sprite & borne agayne in Christ / flesshe / and all his dedes / euen the very mocys of his hert and mynd / his lerninge / doctrine and contemplacyon of hye thinges / his preachinge teachinge and study in the scripture / bildinge of churches / foundinge of abbeyes / geuinge of almes / masse / matence and whatsoeuer he doeth / though it seme spirituall and aftyr the lawes of god. 19.So c
trary wyse call him spirituall which is renewed in Christe / and all his dedes which springe of fayth / seme they neuer so grose as the wasshinge of the disciples fete / done by Christ and Peters fisshinge aftyr the resurreccion / ye and all the dedes of matrimony are pure spirituall / yf they procede of faith / & whatso euer is done with in the lawes of God / though it be wrought by the body / as the very wipinge of shewes and soche lyke / howsoeuer grose they appere outewarde. With oute suche vnderst
dinge of these wordes c
st thou neuer vnderstond this epistell of Paull / nether any other place in the holy scripture. Take hede therfore / for whosoeuer vnderstondeth these wordes other wyse / the same vnderstondeth not Paul / what soeuer he be. Now will we prepare oure selues vnto the pistle.
20.For as moche as it becmeth the precher of Christes glad tydinges / first thorow opening of the lawe / to rebuke all thinges & to proue all thinges synne / that procede not of the sprit and of faith in Christe / & to proue all men synners
21.In the seconde Chapter he proceadeth further and rebuketh all those holy people also which withoute luste and loue to the lawe / lyue well outwardly in the face of the worlde & condempne other gladly / as the nature of all ypocrites is / to thinke them selues pure in respecte of open synners / & yet hate the lawe inwardly & are full of couetousnes & enuye & of all vnclennes / Mat.xxiij. These are they which despise the goodnes of God / & accordinge to the hardenes of their hertes / hepe to geder for them selues the wrath of God. Furthermore saynct Paule as a true expounder of the lawe / suffreth
In the thyrde Chap. he myngleth both to geder / 22. both the Iewes & the gtyles & sayeth that the one is as the other / both synners / & no difference betwene th
/ saue in this only / that the Iewes had the worde of God c
mitted vnto th
. And though many of them beleued not thereon / yet is goddis truth and promyse therby nether hurte ner minisshed: And he taketh in his waye & allegeth the sayinge of the .l. Psal. that God myght abyde true in his wordes & ouercome when he is iudged. After that he returneth to his purpose agayne & proueth by the scripture / 23. that all men without differ
ce or excepcion are synners / and that by the workes of the lawe no man is iustified: but that the lawe was geu
to vtter & to declare synne only. Then he beginneth & sheweth the rightwaye vnto rightewesnes / by what meanes men must be made righteous and safe / and sayeth. They are all synners & without prayse before God / & must without their awne deseruinge be made righteous thorowe fayth in Christ / which hath deserued soche righteousnes for vs / & is become vnto vs goddis mercy stole for the remission of synnes that are past / therby prouing that Christes righteousnes which c
meth on vs thorowe fayth / helpeth vs only. Which righteousnes / sayth he is now declared thorowe the gospell & was testified of before by the lawe & the Prophetes. Furthermore (sayth he) the lawe is holpe & fordered thorowe fayth / though that the workes therof with all their boste are brought to nought & proued not to iustifie.
24.In the .iiij. Chapter (after that nowe by the iij. fyrst Chapters / the synnes are opened / and
Herewith nowe stablissheth saynt Paul his doctrine of faith afore rehersed in the thrid chapter / 26. and bringeth also testimony of Dauid in the .xiij. psalme / whiche calleth / a man blessed not of workes / but in that his sinne is not rekened & in that fayth is imputed for righteousnes / though he abyde not afterwarde withoute good
For we are iustified and receaue the sprite for to doo good workes / nether were it otherwyse possible to do good workes / excepte we had first the sprite.
For how is it possible to do any thynge wel in the sight of god / while we are yet in captiuite & bondage vnder the deuill / & the deuill possesseth vs all togeder & holdeth our hertes / so that we cnot once c
sent vnto the will of god. No man therfore can preuent the sprite in doinge good: but the sprite must first come and wake him out of his slepe & with the thunder of the lawe feare him / and shewe him his miserable estate and wretchednes / & make him abhore / and hate him silfe and to desyre helpe / & then c
forte him agayne with the pleasant rayne of the Gospell / that is to saye / with the swete promyses of God in Christ / and stere vppe fayth in him to beleue the promises. Then wh
he beleueth the promyses / as God was mercyfull to promyse / so is he true to fulfill them / & will geue him the sprite and strength / both to loue the will of god & to worke ther after. So se we that God only (which accordinge to the scripture worketh all in all thinges) worketh a mans iustifiynge / saluacion and healthe / ye and powreth fayth and beleue / luste to loue goddis will / and strength to fulfill the same / in to vs / euen as water is powred into a vessell / & that of his good will and purpose / and not of oure deseruinges and merites. Goddis mercy in promysinge and trueth in fulfilling his promyses saueth vs and not we oureselues. And therfore is all laude / prayse and glory / to be geuen vnto God for his mercy and trueth / and not vnto vs for oure merites & deseruinges. After that / he stretcheth his ensample oute agaynste all other good workes of the lawe / and concludeth
27.In the .v. Chapter he cmendeth the frutes & workes of fayth / as are peace / reioysinge in the conscience / inwarde loue to God & man: moreouer / boldnes trust / confidence & astr
ge & a lusty mynd & stedfaste hope in tribulacion and sufferinge. For all suche folowe / where the righte fayth is / for the abund
te graces sake & gyftes of the sprite / which God hath geuen vs in Christe / in that he gaue him to dye for vs yet his enymies. Now haue we then that fayth only before all workes iustifieth / & that it foloweth not yet therfore that a man shulde do no good workes but that the righte shapen workes 28. abide not behind / but acc
panye fayth / eu
as brightenes doth the sunne / and are called of Paul the frutes of the sprite. Where the sprite is / ther it is alwayes somer & ther are alwayes
After that he breaketh forth / & rneth at large / & sheweth whence both synne & righteousnes / deeth & lyfe come. And he c
pareth Ad
& Christ to gether / thus wyse reasoninge & disputinge / that Christ must neades come as a sec
d Ad
to make vs heyres of his rightewesnes / thorow a newe spirituall birth / without oure deseru
ges: eu
as the first Ad
made vs heyres of
29.In the .vj. he setteth forth the chefe and principall worke of fayth / the batayll of the sprite agaynst the flesshe / how the sprite laboureth & enforseth to kyll the remenaunte of synne and luste which remayne in the flesshe / after oure iustifyinge. And this chapter teacheth vs / that we are not so fre fr synne thorowe fayth / that we shulde henceforth goo vp and doune ydle carlesse & sure of oure selues / 30. as though there were nowe no more synne in vs. yes there is synne remayninge in vs / but it is not rekened / because of fayth and of the sprite / which fighte agaynst it. Wherfore we haue ynough to do all oure lyues longe / to tame oure bodies / and to compell the members to obeye the sprite and not the appetites / that therby we myghte be lyke vnto Christes deeth and resurrecci
/ & mighte fulfill oure baptyme / which signifieth the mortifiynge of synnes / & the newe life of grace. For this batayle ceaseth not in vs vntill the laste breth / and vntyll that synne be vtterly slayne by the deeth of the bodye.
This thinge (I meane to tame the body and so forth) we are able to do (sayth he) seynge we are vnder grace & not vnder the lawe / what it is / not to be vnder the lawe / he him selfe expodeth. For not to be vnder the lawe is not so to be vnderstond / that euery m
may do what him lusteth. 31.But not to be vnder the lawe / is to haue a fre herte renewed with the sprite / so that thou haste luste inwardly of thyne awne accorde to do that which the lawe c
maundeth / with oute c
pulcion / ye though there were no lawe. For grace: that is to saye Goddis fauoure bringeth vs the sprite / and maketh vs loue the lawe / so ys there nowe no moare synne / nether is the lawe nowe any moare agaynst vs / but at one and agreed with vs & we with it.
32.But to be vnder the lawe / is to deale with the workes of the lawe / and to worke without the sprite and grace: for so longe no doute synne rayneth in vs thorowe the lawe / that is to saye / the lawe declareth that we are vnder synne and and that synne hath power & domini ouer vs / seynge we cannot fulfill the lawe / namely with in in the hert / for as moche as no m
of nature fauoureth the lawe / consenteth there vnto and delyteth therin. Which thinge is exceadinge greate synne / that we c
not consent to the lawe which lawe is noth
ge else saue the will of god.
This is the right fredome & liberte fr synne and from the lawe where of he wryteth vnto the ende of this Chapter / that it is a fredome to doo good only with luste / & to lyue well with oute compulci
of the lawe. Wherfore this fredome is a spirituall fredome / which destroyeth not the lawe / but ministreth that which the lawe requyreth / and where with the lawe is fulfilled that is to vnderstond / luste & loue / where with the lawe is stilled & accuseth vs no moare / compelleth vs no moare / nether hath oughte to
33.In the .vij. he cfirmeth the same with a similitude of the state of matrimony. As wh
the husbonde dyeth the wyfe is at hyr liberte / and the one lowsed & departed fr
the other / not that the wom
shulde not haue power to marie vnto an other m
/ but rather now fyrste of all is she fre and hath power to marie vnto an other man which she coulde not do before / till she was lowsed fr
hyr fyrst husbond. Euen so are oure consciences bound & in da
ger to the lawe vnder olde Adam the flesh / as longe as he lyueth in vs. For the lawe declareth that oure hertes are bo
de & that we c
not disconsent fr
him. But wh
he is mortified & kylled by the sprite / then is the conscience fre & at liberte: not so that the consci
ce shall nowe nought do / but now fyrst of all cleuyth vnto an other / that is to wete Christ / & bringeth forth the frutes of lyfe. 34.So nowe to be vnder the lawe / is not to be able to fulfill the lawe / but to be detter to it and not able to paye that which the lawe requyreth. 35.And to be lowse from the lawe / is to fulfill it & to paye that which the lawe demaundeth / so that it can now henceforth axe the nought.
Consequently Paul declareth more largely the nature of synne & of the lawe / how that thorowe the lawe synne reuyueth / moueth hyr selfe
For which cause saynt Paul concludeth / that where the lawe is vnderstonde & perceaued of the beste wyse / there it doeth no moare but vtter synne / & bringe vs vnto the knowledge of oure selues / & therby kylle vs & make vs bonde vnto eternall damnacion & detters of the euerlastinge wrath of God / eu as he well fealeth & vnderstondeth whos consci
ce is truely touched of the lawe. In suche da
ger were we yer the lawe came / that we knewe not what synne m
te / nether yet knowe we the wrath of God ap
synners / tyll the lawe had vttered it. So seest thou that a man must haue some other thinge / ye & a gretter & a moare myghty thinge then the lawe / to make him righteous & safe. They that vnderst
de not the lawe on this wyse / are blind & goo to worke presumptuously / supposinge to satisfie the lawe with workes. For they knowe not that the lawe requyreth a fre / a willinge / a lusty and a louinge herte. Therfore they se not Moses ryght in the face / the vayle hangeth betwene & hydeth his face so that they can not behold the glorye of his co
tena
ce / how that the lawe is spirituall & requyreth the hert.
Neuerthelesse when I saye a man maye do many thinges vttewardly clene agaynst his herte / we must vnderstonde that man is but dreuen of diuers appetites / and the greatest appetite ouercmeth the lesse & caryeth the man awaye violently with hyr.
As when I desyre vengeaunce / & feare also the inconuenience that is lyke to folowe yf feare be greatter / I abstayner yf the appetite that desyreth vengeace be gretter / I c
not but prosecute the dede / as we se by experience in many murtherars and theues / which though they be brought in to neuer so great perell of deeth / yet after they haue escaped / do euen / the same agayne. And c
men wemen prosecute their lustes because feare & shame are awaye / wh
other which haue the same appetites in their hertes / abstayne at the leest waye vtwardly or worke secretly beynge ouercome of feare & of shame & so lykewyse is it of all other appetites.
36.Further moare he declareth / how the sprite & the flesshe fighte to gether in one man / and maketh an ensample of him selfe/ that we myghte lerne to knowe that worke a righte / I meane to
37.In the .viij. Chapter he cforteth suche fighters that they dispere not because of suche flesshe / other thinke that they ar lesse in fauoure with God. And he sheweth how that the synne remayninge in vs / hurteth not / for there is no da
ger to them that are in Christ which walke not after the flesshe / but fight agaynst it. And he expo
deth more largely what the nature of the flesshe & of the sprite is / and how the sprite commeth by Christ / which sprite maketh vs spirituall / tameth / subdueth and mortifieth the flesshe / and certifieth vs that we are neuerthelesse the sonnes of God & also beloued though that synne rage neuer so moche in vs / so longe as we folowe the sprite and fighte agaynst synne to kyll & mortife it. And because the chastysinge of the crosse and sufferinge are nothinge plesant / he comforteth vs in oure passions and affliccions by the assistens of the sprite which maketh intercession to God for vs / mightely with groninges that passe mans vttera
ce / so that mans speche c
not comprehende them / and the creatures morne also with vs of greate desyre that they haue / that we were lowsed from
38.In the .ix. x. & .xj. Chapters he treateth of Goddis predestinacion / whence it springeth all to gether / whether we shall beleue or not beleue / be lowsed from synne or not belowsed. By which predestinaci oure iustifiynge and saluacion are clene tak
oute of oure h
des / and put in the h
des of God only / which thinge is most necessary of all. For we are so weke & so vncertayne / that yf it stode in vs / there wolde of a trueth no m
be saued / the deuell no doute wolde deceaue vs. But now is God sure that his predestinaci
c
not deceaue him / nether can eny man withstand or let him and therfore haue we hope and trust agaynste synne.
But here muste a marke be set vnto those vnquyet / busye & hye clyming sprites howe ferre they shall goo / which fyrst of all bringe hether there hye reasons & pregnt wittes / & begynne fyrst fr
an hye to serche the botomlesse secretes of Goddis predestinaci
/ whether they be predestinat or not. These must nedes ether cast th
selues doune hedelong in to desperaci
or else c
mit themselues to fre cha
ce carelesse. But folowe thou the order of this pistle / 39. & noosell thy selfe with Christ / & lerne to vnderstonde what the lawe and the gospell meane / and the office of both two / that thou mayst in the one knowe thy selfe / & how that thou hast of thy selfe no str
gth / but to synne: & in the other the grace of Christ. And then se thou fyghte agaynst synne & the flesshe as the .vij. fyrst chapters teache þe. After that wh
thou arte come to the .viij. chapter / and arte vnder the crosse and sufferinge of
40.In the .xij. Chapter he geuethe exhortacis. For this maner obserueth Paul in all his pistles / fyrst he teacheth Christ and the fayth / then exhorteth he to good workes / and vnto continuall mortifyinge of the flesshe. So here teacheth he good workes in deade / and the true seruinge of God / and maketh all men Prestes / to offer vp not money and beastes / as the maner was in the tyme of the lawe / but their awne bodyes / with killinge and mortifyinge of the lustes of the flesshe. After that he describeth the outwarde conuersacion of Christen men / how they oughte to behaue th
selues in sprituall thinges how to teache / preache & rule in the c
gregacion of Christ / to serue one another to
41.In the .xiij. he teacheth to honoure the wordly and tporall swerde. For though that m
s lawe and ordinaunce make not a man good before God / nether iustifie him in the herte / yet are they ordeyned for the furderaunce of the c
mune welth / to mayntene peace / to punisshe the euyll and to defende the good. Therfore ought the good to honoure the temporall swerde and to haue it in reuerence / though as concerninge themselues they nede it not / but wolde abstayne from euyll of their awne accorde / ye and do good without mans lawe / but by the law of the sprite which gouerneth the harte / & gydeth it vnto all that is the will of God. 42.Finally he c
prehendeth and knetteth vp all in loue. Loue of her awne nature bestoweth all that she hath and eu
her awne selfe on that which is loued. Thou neadest not to byd a kind mother to belouinge vnto her only sonne. Moche lesse spirituall loue. Which hath eyes geu
her of God / neadeth mans lawe to teache her to do hir dutie. And as in the begynninge he dyd put forth Christe as the cause and auctor of oure rightewesnes & saluacion / euen so here setteth he him forth as an ensample to co
terfayte that as he hath done to vs / euen so shulde we do one to another.
In the .xiiij. Chapter he teacheth to deale soberly with the consciences of the weke in the fayth / 43. which yet vnderstond not the libertie of Christ perfectly ynough and to fauer them
In the .xv. Chapter he setteth forth Christ agayne to be folowed / 44. that we also by his ensample / shulde suffre other that are yet weake / as them that are frayle / open synners / vnlerned / vnexperte / and of lothesome maners / & not to cast th awaye forthwith / but to suffre them tyll they wax better & exhorte them in the meane tyme. For so dealte christ in the gospell & now dealeth with vs dayly / soffering our vnperfetnes / wekenes / conuersacion and maners / not yet fassioned after the doctrine of the Gospell / but smell of the flesshe / ye and sometyme breake forth in to outward dedes.
After that to conclude with all he wyssheth them encreace of fayth / peace / and ioye of cscience / prayseth them and committeth th
to god and magnifieth his office and administracion in the gospell / and soberly and with grete discrecion desyreth succur and ayde of them for the poore saynctes of Ierusalem / and it is all pure loue that he speketh or dealeth with all So fynde we in this pistle plentuously / vnto the vttmoste / what soeuer a Christen man or woman ought to knowe that ys to wete what the lawe / the Gospell / synne / Grace / Fayth / Righteousnes / Christ / God / Good workes / Loue
45.Wherfore it appereth euidently / that Pauls mynde was to comprehende breuely in this pistle all the hole lernynge of Christes Gospell / and to prepare an introduccion vnto all the olde testament. For without doute whosoeuer hath this Pistle perfectly in his herte / the same hath the lyght and the effecte of the olde testamente with him. Wherfore let euery man with oute excepcyon exercyse him selfe therin diligly / and recordeit nyght and daye continually / vntyll he be full acquaynted therewith.
The last chapter is a chapter of recommendacyon / Wherin he yet myngleth a good monycyon / that we shulde beware of the tradicyons and doctryne of men whyche begyle the simple with sophistry and lernynge that is not after the gospell / 46. and drawe th from Christ / and noo sell the in weke & feble & (as Paul calleth th
in the pistle to the Galathyans) in bedgerly cerimonyes for the entent that they wolde lyue in fatte pastures and be in auctoryte / and be taken as Christ / ye and aboue christ / and sit in the temple of god / that is to witt in the consciences of men / where God only / his worde / & hys christ ought to sitte. C
pare therfore all maner doctryne of men vnto the scripture and se whether they agre or not. And committe thy silfe
The somme and hole cause of the wrytinge of this epistle / is / to proue that a man is iustifieth by fayth onlye: which proposicion whoso denieth / to him is not only this epistle and all that Paul wryteth / but also the hole scripture so locked vp / that he shall neuer vnderstonde it to his soules healthe. And to bringe a man to the vnderstondinge and felynge that fayth onlye iustifieth: Paule proueh that the hole nature of m is so poysoned and so corrupte / ye and so deed concerninge Godly lyuinge or Godly thinkinge / that it is impossible for hir to kepe the lawe in the sight of God: that is to saye / to loue it / & of loue and lust to do it as naturally as a man eateth or drinketh / vntill she be quyckened agayne and healed thorow fayth.
And by iustifyinge / vnderstonde none other thinge then to be reconciled to God and to be restored vnto his fauoure / & to haue thy synnes forgeu the. As when I saye God iustifieth vs / vnderst
de therby / that God for Christes sake / merites and deseruinges only receaueth vs vnto his mercie / fauoure and grace / and forgeueth vs oure synnes. And when I saye Christ iustifieth vs / vnderstonde therby that Christ onlye hath redemed vs / bought and delyuered vs oute of the wrath of God and damnacion / & hath with his workes onlye / purchased vs the mercie the fauoure and grace of God / and the forgeuenes of oure synnes. And when I saye that fayth onlye iustifieth / vnderstonde therby that fayth and trust in the truthe of God and in the mercye promysed vs for Christes sake / and for his deseruinge and workes onlye / doth quyet the conscience and certifie hir that oure synnes
Furthermore / set before thyne eyes Christes workes and thyne awne workes. Christes workes onlye iustifiethe and make satisfaccion for thy synne / and thyne awne workes not: that is to saye / quyeteth thy conscice and make the sure that thy synnes are forgeuen the / and not thyne awne workes. For the promyse of mercie is made the for Christes workes sake / and not for thyne awne workes sake. Wherfore seinge God hath not promysed that thyne awne workes shall saue the / therfore fayth in thine awne workes can neuer quyet thy conscience ner certifie the before God (When god commeth to iudge and to take a rec
nynge) that thy synnes are forgeuen the. Beyonde all this / myne awne workes can neuer satisfie the lawe or paye hir that I owe hir. For I owe the lawe to loue hir with all myne heart / sowle / power & myght. Which thynge to paye I am neuer able whyle I am c
pased with flesshe. No / I cannot once begynne to loue the lawe / except I be fyrst sure by fayth that God loueth me and forgeueth me.
Finallie that we saye fayth onlye iustifyeth / ought to offende no man. For if this be true / that Christ onlye redemed vs / Christ onlye bare oure synnes / made satisfaccion for them & purchased vs the fauoure of God / then must it nedes be true / that the trust onlye in Christes deseruinge and in the promises of God the father made vs for Christes sake / doth onlye quyet the conscience and certifie hir that the synnes are forgeuen. And when they saye / a man must repent / forsake synne / and haue a purpose to synne no more as nye as he can and loue the lawe of God: Ergo fayth alone iustifieth not. I answere / that & all lyke argumentes are nought / and lyke to this. I must repent and be sorie / the
Now go to reader / and accordinge to the order of Pauls wrytinge / euen so do thou. Fyrst beholde thy selfe dyligentlye in the lawe of God / and se there thy iust damnacion. Secondarely turne thyne eyes to Christ / & se there þe exceadinge mercie of thy moost kynde and louinge father. Thirdly rember that Christ made not this atonement that thou shuldest anger God agayne: nether dyed he for thy sinnes / that thou shuldest lyue still in them: nether clensed he the / that thou shuldest retourne (as a swyne) vnto thyne olde podell agayne: but that thou shuldest be a new creature and lyue a new lyfe after the will of God & not of the flesshe. And be diligent least thorow thyne awne necgligence & vnthankfulnes thou lose this fauoure and mercie agayne.
To all you of Rome beloved of God and saynctes by callinge. Grace be with you and peace from God oure father / & from the Lorde Iesus Christ.
Fyrst verely I thanke my God thorow Iesus Christ for you all / because youre fayth is publisshed through out all the worlde.
I wolde that ye shuld knowe brethr / how that I have often tymes purposed to come vnto you (but have bene let hitherto) to have some frute amonge you / as I have amonge other of þe Gentyls. For I am detter both to the Grekes & to them which are no Grekes / vnto the learned & also vnto the vnlearned. Lykewyse / as moche as in me is / I am redy to preache the Gospell to you of Rome also.
For I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ / because it is þe power of God vnto salvaci to all þt beleve / namely to the Iewe / & also to þe g
tyle. For by it þe rightewesnes which c
meth of god / is opened / fr
fayth to 48.B fayth. As it is written: The iust shall live by fayth.
52.ABut thou after thyne harde herte þt cnot rep
t / heapest þe togedder the treasure of wrath agaynste the daye of vengea
ce / when shalbe op
ned þe rightewes iudgem
t of god / which will rewarde every m
accordinge to his 53.A dedes: that is to saye / prayse / honoure & immortalite / to them which c
tinue in good doynge / & seke eternall lyfe.
Circumcisi 57.D verely avayleth / if thou kepe the lawe. But if thou breake the lawe / thy circumcision is made vncircumcision. Therfore if the vncircumcised kepe the ryght thinges contayned in the lawe: shall not his vncircumcision be counted for circumcision? And shall not vncircumcision which is by nature (yf it kepe the lawe) iudge the / which beynge vnder the letter and circumcision / dost transgresse the lawe? For he is not a Iewe / which is a Iewe out warde. Nether is that thynge circumcision / which is outwarde in the flesshe. But he is a Iewe which is hid wythin & the circ
cisi
of þe herte is the true circumcision / which is in the sprete / & not in þe letter whose prayse is not of men / but of god.
UVhat preferment then hath the Iewe? other what a vauntageth circumcision?
Yf oure vnrightewesnes make the rightewesnes of God more excellent: what shall we saye?
What saye we then? Are we better then they? No / in no wyse. For we have all ready proved how that both Iewes & Gentils are all vnder synne / as it is writt: There is none righteous / 59.B no not one: There is none that vnderstondith / there is none þt seketh after God /
Ye and we knowe that whatsoever þe lawe sayth / he sayth it to them which are vnder the lawe. That all mouthes maye be stopped and all the worlde be subdued to god / 60.C because
Ther is no differce: for all have synned / & lacke the prayse þt is of valoure before God: but are iustified frely by his grace / through the redemcion that is in Christ Iesu / whom God hath made a seate of mercy thorow faith in his bloud / to shewe þe rightewesnes which before him is of valoure / in þt he forgeveth þe synnes þt are passed / which God dyd suffre to shewe at this tyme / þe rightewesnes þt is alowed of him / þt he myght be co
ted iuste / & a iustifiar of him which belevith on Iesus.
Where is then thy reioysinge? It is excluded. By what lawe? by þe lawe of workes? Naye: but by the lawe of fayth.
For we suppose that a man is iustified by fayth without the dedes of þe lawe. 63.DIs he the God of the Iewes only? Is he not also the God of the Gentyls? Yes / ev of the Gentyles also. For it is God only which iustifieth circumcision which is of fayth / & vncircumcision thorow fayth. Do we then destroye the lawe thorow fayth? God forbid. But we rather 64.D mayntayne the lawe.
UVhat shall we saye then / that Abraham oure father as pertayninge to þe flesshe / dyd finde?
For the promes that he shuld be the heyre of the worlde / was not geven to Abrah or to his seed thorow the lawe: 69.C but thorow þe rightewesnes which cometh of fayth. For yf they which are of the lawe / be heyres / then is fayth but vayne / & the promes of none effecte. 70.CBecause the lawe causeth wrathe. For where no lawe is / there is no tr
sgression. Therfore by fayth is the inherita
ce geven / that it myght come of faveour: and the promes myght be sure to all the seed. Not to them only which are of the lawe: but also to them which are of the fayth of Abraham / which is the father of vs all. As it is wrytten: I have made the a father to many nacions / 71.C even before god whom thou hast beleved / which quyckeneth the deed / and called those thinges which be not / as though they were.
It is not written for him only / that it was reckened to him for rightewesnes: but also for vs / to whom it shalbe counted for rightewesnes / so we beleve on him that raysed vp Iesus oure Lorde from deeth. 73.DWhich was delivered for oure synnes / and rose agayne forto iustifie vs.
74.Because therfore that we are iustified by fayth / we are at peace with god thorow oure Lorde Iesue Christ: by wh we have awaye in thorow fayth / vnto this grace wherin we stonde aud reioyce in hope of the prayse that shalbe geven of God. Nether do we so only: but also we reioyce in tribulacion. 75.For we know that tribulacion bringeth pacience / pacience bringeth experience / experience bringeth hope. And 76. hope maketh not ashamed / for the love of God is sheed abrod in oure hertes / by the holy goost / which is geven vnto vs.
For when we were yet weake / accordynge to þe tyme: Christ dyed for vs which were vngodly. Yet scace will eny man dye for a rightewes man. Paraventure for a good m durst a man dye.
For yf when we were enemyes / we were reconciled
Wherfore as by one m synne entred into the worlde / & deeth by the meanes of synne. And so deeth went over all men / in somoche that all men synned. For even vnto the tyme of the lawe was synne in the worlde: but synne was not regarded / as longe as ther was no lawe: neverthelesse deeth rayned fr
Adam to Moses / ev
over them also that synned not / [wt] lyke transgression as dyd Adam: which is þe similitude of him that is to come.
And þe gifte is not over one synne / as deeth cam thorow one synne of one þt synned. For damnacion cam of one synne vnto condemnacion: but the gyft cam to iustify fr many synnes. For yf by the synne of one / deeth raigned by the meanes of one / moche more shall they which receave aboundance of grace & of the gyfte of rightewesnes raygne in lyfe by the meanes of one (that is to saye) Iesus Christ.
But þe 78.D lawe in the meane tyme entred in / þt synne shuld encreace. Neverthelater where aboundaunce of synne was / there was more plenteousnes of grace. That as synne had raigned vnto deeth / even so might grace raygne thorow rightewesnes vnto eternall lyfe / by the helpe of Iesu Christ.
Wherfore yf we be deed with Christ / we beleve that we shall live with him: remembringe that Christ once raysed fr deeth / dyeth no more. Deeth hath no moare power over
What then? Shall we synne / because we are not vnder the lawe: but vnder grace? God forbyd.
What shall we saye then? is þe lawe synne? God forbid: 83.B but I knewe not what synne meant but by the lawe. For I had not knowne what lust had meant / excepte the lawe had sayde / thou shalt not lust. But synne toke an occasion by the meanes of the commaundement / and wrought in me all manner of concupiscce. For with out the lawe / synne was deed. I once lived with out lawe. But when the commaundement came / synne revyved / and I was deed. And the very same c
maundement which was ordeyned vnto lyfe / was founde to be vnto me an occasion of deeth. For synne toke occasion by the meanes of the c
maundement & so disceaved me / 84.B and by the selfe commaundement slewe we. Wherfore the lawe is holy / and the commaundement holy /
Was that then which is good / made deeth vnto me? God forbyd. Naye / synne was deeth vnto me / that it myght appere / how that synne by the meanes of that which is good / had wrought deeth in me: that synne which is vnder the commandemt / myght be out of measure synfull. For we knowe that the lawe is spirituall: but I am carnall / solde 85.C vnder synne / because I wote not what I doo. For what I wold / that do I not: but what I hate / that do I. Yf I do now that which I wolde not / I gra
te to the lawe that it is good. So then
But ye are not geven to the flesshe / but to the sprete: yf so be that þe sprite of God dwell in you. If ther be eny man þt hath not þe sprite of Christ / þe same is none of his. Yf Christ be in you / the body is deed because of synne: but the sprite is lyfe for rightewesnes sake. 87.BWherfore if the sprite of him that raysed vppe Iesus fr deeth / dwell in you: even he that raysed vp Christ from deeth / shall quycken youre mortall bodyes / because that this sprite dwelleth in you.
Lyke wyse þe sprite also helpeth oure infirmities. For we knowe not what to desyre as we ought: but the sprete maketh intercession mightely for vs with gronyng[es] which cnot be expressid with tonge. And he that searcheth the hertes / knoweth what is þe meaninge of the sprite: for he maketh intercession for the sayntes accordinge to þe pleasure of god.
For we knowe that all thinges worke for the best vnto them þt love God / which also are
Who shall seperate vs fr the love 94.F of god? shall tribulacion? or anguysshe? or persecucion? other honger? other nakednesse? other parell? other swearde? As it is written: For thy sake are we kylled all daye longe / and are counted as shepe apoynted to be slayne. Neverthelesse in all these thinges we overcome strongly thorow his helpe that loved vs.
What shall we saye then? is there eny vnrightewesses with God? God forbyd. For he sayth to Moses:
Thou wilt saye then vnto me: why then blameth he vs yet?
Brethren / my hertes desyre & prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved.
But I demaunde whether Israel dyd knowe or not? Fyrst Moses sayth: I will provoke you for to envy / 114.C by th that are no people / & by a folisshe nacion I will anger you. Esaias after that / is bolde & sayth. I am founde of th
that sought me not / & have appered to them that axed not after me. 115.CAnd agaynst Israel he sayth: All daye longe have I stretched forth my hond[es] vnto a people þt beleveth not / but speaketh agaynst me.
I saye then: hath god cast awaye his people? God forbyd. For even I verely am an Israelite / of the seed of Abrah /
I saye then: Have they therfore stombled that they shulde but faule only? God forbyd: but thorowe their faule is salvaci happened vnto the gentyls / for to provoke th
with all. Wherfore yf the faule of them / be the ryches of the worlde: and the mynysshynge of them the ryches of the gentyls: How moche more shuld it be so / yf they all beleved. I speake to you gentyls / in as moche as I am the Apostle of þe gentyls I will magnify myn office / that I myght provoke them which are my flesshe / and myght save some of them. For yf the castynge awaye of them / 119.B be the reconcylynge of the worlde:
Beholde þe kyndnes & rigorousnes of God: on th which fell / rigorousnes: but towardes the / kyndnes / yf thou c
tinue in his kyndnes. Or els thou shalt be hewen of / & they yf they byde not still in vnbelefe / shalbe graffed in agayne. For God is of power to graffe them in agayne. For yf thou wast cut out of a naturall wilde olyve tree / and wast graffed contrary to nature in a true olyve tree: how moche more shall the naturall bra
ches be graffed in their awne olyve tree agayne.
For verely the gyftes and callynge of god are soche / that it cannot repent him of them: for loke / as ye in tyme passed have not beleved God / yet have now obtayned mercy thorow their vnbelefe: even so now have they not beleved the mercy which is happened vnto you / that they also maye obtayne mercy. God hath wrapped all nacions in vnbeleve / that he myght have mercie on all.
O the depnes of the aboundaunt wysdome and knowledge of God: how vnserchable are his iudgementes / and his wayes past findyng out. For who hath knowen the mynde of the lorde? or who was his counseller? 121.D other who hath geven vnto him fyrst / that he myght be recompensed agayne? For of him / and thorow him / and for him / are all thinges To him be glorye for ever Amen.
I beseche you therfore brethr / by þe mercyfulnes of God /
Let love be [wt] out dissimulacion. Hate that which is evyll / and cleave vnto that which is good.
Terfore yf thyn enemy honger / fede him: yf he thurst / geve him drinke. For in so doynge thou shalt heape 128.D coles of fyre on his heed: Be not overcome of evyll: But overcome evyll [wt] goodnes.
Geve to every man therfore his duetie: Tribute to whom tribute belongeth: Custome to whom custome is due: feare to whom feare belongeth: Honoure to wh honoure pertayneth
Owe nothinge to eny man: but to love one another. 131.BFor he that loveth another / fulfylleth the lawe. For these commaundementes: Thou shalt not c
mit advoutry:
This also we knowe / I mean the season / howe that it is tyme that we shuld now awake oute of slepe.
Him that is weake in the fayth / receave vnto you /
But why doest thou then iudge thy brother? Other why doest thou despyse thy brother? We shall all be brought before the iudgement seate of Christ. For it is written: as truely as I lyve sayth þe lorde / all knees shall bowe to me / and all tonges shall geve a knowledge to God. So shall every one of vs geve accomptes of him selfe to God. Let vs not therfore iudge one another eny more.
But iudge this rather / that no man put a stomblynge blocke or an occasion to faule in his brothers waye.
And I saye that Iesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the trueth of god / to conferme the promyses made vnto the fathers. And let the gentyls prayse god for his mercy / as it is written: For this cause I will prayse the amonge the gentyls / 142.B and synge in thy name. And agayne he sayth: reioyse ye gentyles with his people. And agayne / prayse the Lorde all ye gentyls / and laude him all nacions.
I my selfe am full certified of you my brethren
Now go I vnto Ierusalem / & minister vnto the saynctes.
I beseche you brethr for oure Lorde Iesus Christes sake / & for the love of the sprete / that ye helpe me in my busynes / with youre prayers to God for me / that I maye be delyvered from them which beleve not in Iewry / & that this my service / which I have to Ierusalem / maye be accepted of þe saynctes / that I maye come vnto you with ioye / by the will of God / and maye with you be refresshed. The God of peace be with you. Amen.
I commde vnto you Phebe oure sister (which is a minister of the congregacion of Chenchrea) that ye receave her in the Lorde as it becommeth saynct[es] /
To him that is of power to stablisshe you accordinge to my gospell & preachinge of Iesus Christ / in vtteringe of the mistery which was kept secret sence the worlde begne / but now is opened by þe scriptures of prophesie / at the commaundement of the everlastinge god / to stere vp obedience to the faith publisshed amonge all nacions: To the same God / which alone is wyse / be prayse thorowe Iesus Christ for ever. Amen.
Lawe maketh synne to be knowen
exo.xx.cdute.v.b
The fleshly & proude mynde þt will be as wise as God must be mortified to learne to feare god & to be obey him & to leue disputge with him.
osee.ij.d. j.pe.ij.d.
Though fayth iustifie from synne & though christ deserued the rewarde promysed yet is the promyse made on þe condicion þt we embrace Christes doctrine and cfesse h
with worde
d dede. So that we are iustified to do good workes /
d in them to walke to the saluacion promysed.
esai.xlij.
phi.iiij.c /
True seruynge of God is to bringe the bodye vnto the obedience of the law of God.
Prophesie is tak here for þe expoundynge of scriptures: which in darcke places must be expounded that it agre to þe open places & generall articles of þe fayth.
amos.v. ephe iiij a j.pet.v.b
How weake so euer we be we be Christes And therfore to be fauoured for his sake.
j.co.v.b. esa.xlv.d philip.ij.
He is strge that c
beare another mannes weakenes.
psal xviij