The Nevv Testament of Iesus Christ, translated faithfully into English, out of the authentical Latin, according to the best corrected copies of the same, diligently conferred vvith the Greeke and other editions in diuers languages; vvith arguments of bookes and chapters, annotations, and other necessarie helpes, for the better vnderstanding of the text, and specially for the discouerie of the corruptions of diuers late translations, and for cleering the controversies in religion, of these daies: in the English College of Rhemes

CHAP. IIII.

That Abraham vvas not iustified by his ovvne povver, but by Gods grace, in vvhom he beleeued (6 vvhich is a vvay for the sinner also to come to iustice.) 9 And that, seing he vvas not as then circumcised, not only the circumcised lovv, but also the vncircumcised Gentil may by beleeuing the Christian faith, come to iustice, as Abraham did: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 specially considering also, that Abraham vvas promised to be Father of the vvhole vvorld, and not only of the Ievves, to vvhom onely the Lavv vvas giuen: and that, not to fulfil the promise, but for an other cause.

[verse 1] VVHAT shal vve say then that ″ Abraham did finde, our father according to the flesh? ✝ [leftJustify 2] For if Abraham vvere iustified ″ by vvorkes: he hath glorie,* 1.1 but not vvith God. ✝ [leftJustify 3] For vvhat saieth the Scripture?* 1.2 Abraham beleeued God,* 1.3 and it vvas reputed him to iustice. ✝ [leftJustify 4] But ″ to him that vvorketh, the revvard is notc 1.4 imputed according to grace, but according to dette. ✝ [leftJustify 5] But ″ to him that vvorketh not, yet beleeueth in him that iustifieth the impious, his faith isc 1.5 reputed to iustice according to the purpose of the grace of God. ✝ [leftJustify 6] ″ As Dauid also termeth the blessednes of a man, to vvhom God reputeth iustice vvithout vvorkes,* 1.6 ✝ [leftJustify 7] Blessed are they, vvhose iniquities be forgiuen, and vvhose sinnes be ″ couered. ✝ [leftJustify 8] Blessed is the man to vvhom our Lord hath not imputed sinne.

✝ [leftJustify 9] This blessednes then doth it abide in the circumcision, or in the prepuce also? For vve say that vnto Abraham faith vvas∷ 1.7 reputed to iustice. ✝ [leftJustify 10] Hovv vvas it reputed? in circum∣cision, or in prepuce? Not in circumcision, but in prepuce. ✝ [leftJustify 11] And * he receiuedc 1.8 the signe of circumcision,* 1.9 ″ a seale of the iustice of faith that is in prepuce: that he might be the fa∣ther of al that beleeue by the prepuce, that vnto them also it may be reputed to iustice: ✝ [leftJustify 12] and might be father of circum∣cision, not to them only that are of the circumcision, but to them also that folovv the steppes of the faith that is in the prepuce of our father Abraham. ✝ [leftJustify 13] For not by the Lavv vvas the promisse to Abraham, or to his seede, that he should be heire of the vvorld: but by the iustice of faith. ✝ [leftJustify 14] For if they that are of the Lavv, be heires: faith is made voide, the pro∣misse is abolished. ✝ [leftJustify 15] For the Lavv vvorketh vvrath. For vvhere is no lavv, neither is there preuarication. ✝ [leftJustify 16] Ther∣fore of faith: that according to grace the promisse may be firme to al the seede, not to that only vvhich is of the Lavv, but to that also vvhich is of the faith of Abraham, vvho is

the father of vs al,* 1.10 (as it is vvritten: ✝ [rightJustify 17] For, a father of many nations haue I appointed thee) before God, vvhom` 1.11 thou didst beleeue', vvho quickeneth the dead: and calleth those things that are not, as those things that are. ✝ [rightJustify 18] Vvho contrarie to hope be∣leeued in hope: that he might be made the father of many nations,* 1.12 according to that vvhich vvas * said to him: So shal thy seede be, as the starres of heauen, and the sand of the sea. ✝ [rightJustify 19] And he vvas not vveakened in faith: neither did he cōsider his ovvne body novv quite dead, vvhereas he vvas al∣most an hundred yeres old, and the dead matrice of Sara. ✝ [rightJustify 20] In the promisse also of God he staggered not by distrust: but vvas strengthened in faith, giuing glorie to God: ✝ [rightJustify 21] most ful∣ly knovving that vvhatsoeuer he promised, he is able also to doe. ✝ [rightJustify 22] Therfore vvas it also reputed him to iustice.

✝ [rightJustify 23] And it is not vvritten only for him, that it vvas reputed him to iustice: ✝ [rightJustify 24] but also ″ for vs, to vvhom it shal be repu∣ted beleeuing in him, that raised vp IESVS CHRIST our Lord from the dead, ✝ [rightJustify 25] vvho vvas deliuered vp for our sinnes, and rose againe for our iustification.

ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IIII.

1. Abraham.] The Apostle disputing in this chapter, as before, against them that thought they might be iustified by their vvorkes done vvithout the grace of Christ and faith in him,* 1.13 proposeth Abraham for an example, and proueth that he had no iustice nor estimation of iustice before God by any vvorkes done before he had faith, or that proceded not of faith and Gods grace.

2. By vvorkers.] If Abraham did any commendable vvorkes before he beleeued Christ, as many Philosophers did,* 1.14 men might count him iust therfore, but in Gods sign (vvho accepteth nothing vvithout faith in him, or that procedeth not from his grace) he should neuer haue had the esti∣mation of a iust man. Therfore God in the Scriptures reputing him as a iust man, giueth the cause therof, saying. Abraham beleeued God, and it vvas reputed to him for iustice.

4▪ To him that vvorketh.]* 1.15 That is to say, He that presumeth of his ovvne vvorkes as done of him self vvithout faith, Gods helpe, and grace: and saying, that grace or iustification vvere giuen to him for his vvorkes: this man doth chalenge his iustification as dette, and not as of fauour and grace.

5. To him that vvorketh not] He vvorketh not (in this place) that hath no vvorkes or alleageth not his vvorkes done in his infidelitie as cause of his iustification, but faith in Christ, and that proce∣ding of mere grace. Vvherevpon S. Augustine saith: Knovv thou that faith found thee vniust. And if faith giuen to thee, made the iust, it found thee a vvicked one vvhom it might make iust. If it found thee vvicked, and of such an one made thee iust, vvhat vvorkes hadst thou being then vvicked? None couldest thou haue (nor canst haue) before thou beleeudst. Beleeue then in him that iustifieth the impious, that thy good vvorkes may be good vvorkes in deede. August. in Psal. 31.

6. As Dauid termeth.] The Protestants for,c 1.16 termeth, translato, describeth, for that they vvould haue the ignorant beleeue,* 1.17 the vvhole nature & definition of Iustification to be nothing els but re∣mission of sinnes, and no grace or inherent iustice giuen from God at al. Vvhen the Apostle vvould say nothing els, but that in the first justificatiō God findeth no good vvorkes or merites to revvard, but only sinnes, to forgiue vnto such as haue faith in him.

7. Couered. 8. not imputed.]* 1.18 You may not gather (as the Heretikes doe) of these termes, couered, and not imputed, that the sinnes of men be neuer truely forgiuen, but hidden only, for that dero∣gateth much to the force of Christes bloud and to the grace of God, by vvhich our offences be

truly remitted.* 1.19 He is the Lambe that taketh avvay the sinnes of the vvorld, that vvasheth, and blotteth out our sinnes, therfore to couer them, or, not to impute them, is, not to charge vs vvith our sinnes,* 1.20 because by remission they be cleane taken avvay: othervvise it vvere but a ••eined for∣giuenesse. See S. Augustine in psal. 3•• enarrat. ••.

11. A seale.] The Heretikes vvould proue hereby, that the Sacraments of the Church giue not grace or iustice of faith, but that they be notes, markes, and badges only of our remission of sinnes had by faith before:* 1.21 because Abraham vvas iust before, and tooke this Sacrament for a seale thereof only. To vvhich must be ansvvered, that it folovveth not that it is so in al, because it vvas so in the Patriarch, vvho vvas iust before, and vvas therfore as it vvere the founde: of Circumcision, or he in vvhom God vvould first establish the same: no more then it folovveth that, because the Holy Sacrament of the Altar remitted not sinnes to Christ nor iustified him, there∣fore it hath that effect in none. Looke S. Augustine de baptismo contra Donatistas li. 4. c. 24. Vvhere you shal see that (though not in Abraham) yet in Isaac his sonne, and so consequently in the rest, the Sacrament vvent before, and iustice folovved.

24. For vs, to vvhom it shal be reputed.] By this it is most plaine against our Aduersaries, that the saith vvhich vvas reputed for iustice to Abraham, vvas his beleefe of an Article reuealed to him by God, that is to say, his assent and credit giuen to Gods speaches: as in vs his posteritie according to the spirit,* 1.22 it is here plainely said, that iustice shal be reputed to vs by beleeuing the Articles of Chri∣stes death and Resurrection, and not by any fond special faith, fiducia or confidence of eche mans ovvne saluation, to establish the vvhich fiction, they make no account of the faith Catho∣like, that is, vvherevvith vve beleeue the Articles of the faith, vvhich only iustifieth, but call it by contempt, an historical faith: so as they may terme Abrahams faith, and our Ladies faith, of vvhich it vvas * said,* 1.23 Beata quae credidisti, Blessed art thou that hast beleeued. And so in truth they deny as vvel the iustification by faith, as by vvorkes.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gen. 5, 6.
• * 1.2

  Gal. 3, 6.
• * 1.3

  Ia. 2, 23.
• c 1.4

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• c 1.5

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.6

  Ps. 31, 1.
• ∷ 1.7

  The vvord. Reputed. doth not diminish the truth of the iustice, as though it vvere reputed for iu∣stice, being not iustice in deede, but signifieth, that as it vvas in it self, so God esteemed & re∣puted it, as the same greeke vvord must needes be taken v. 4. next going before, & 1 Cor. 4, ••. and els where.
• c 1.8

  Our Sacra∣ments of the nevv Lavv giue ex opere operato that grace and iustice of faith vvhich here is commended. vvhereas circū∣cisiō vvas but a signe or marke of the same.
• * 1.9

  Gen. 17, 10.
• * 1.10

  Gen. 17, 4.
• ` 1.11

  he be∣leeued,
• * 1.12

  Gen. 15, 5.
• * 1.13

  Abrahams Wor∣kes before faith.
• * 1.14

  Iustice before men, and iustice before God.
• * 1.15

  Not vvorkes, but mere grace is cause of our first iustificatiō.
• c 1.16

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.17

  Heretical trans∣lation.
• * 1.18

  Vvhat is, Sinnes couered or not imputed.
• * 1.19

  Io. 1, 29, 2 Cor. 6, 11.
• * 1.20

  Apoc. 1, 5.
• * 1.21

  The Sacramēts are not mere markes, but cau∣ses of iustifica∣tion.
• * 1.22

  By vvhat faith vve are iusti∣fied.
• * 1.23

  Luc. 1, 45.