The texte.

We doe bothe knowe and acknowledge, that the law is good onles it be vn∣lawfully vsed. And he is an abusour of the lawe, that expoundeth it otherwyse than it meaneth it selfe. The chiefest purpose of the lawe was, to lede vs vnto Christ. So that he turneth the lawe, whiche is good, into his owne destrucciō, that by the lawe draweth folkes awaye from Christ. And he that dyscerneth and espieth in what behalfe the law (that was geuen but for a tyme) must geue* place to the gospell, and in what parte it oughte to continue in his perpetuall strenght: he that vnderstandeth after what sorte to applye the grosse lettre of the lawe vnto the spirituall doctrine of the gospel: and he that perceaueth, how they whome Christ hath redemed with his bloude from the tyrannye of synne, Page  [unnumbered] and doe more vpon their owne accorde at the mocion of loue, than Moses law appointeth, haue no nede of the feare nor admonicion of the lawe, eyther to be restrayned from naughtines or stiered to their duetye doyng: to him in dede the lawe is good. For he vnderstandeth that the lawe belongeth not to him, that hathe learned by the gospell, not onely to hurte no bodye, but also to doe good vnto his enemyes. Wherto shoulde an horse nede brydle or spurre that run∣neth frely and well as he shoulde doe? They that are ledde and ordred by the spirite of Christ, runne vncompelled, and doe more than al the whole law requi∣reth: and hauyng once frely atteyned ryghteousnes, abhorte from all vnryghte∣ousnes. Therfore the lawe, that by feare restrayneth from euyll doinges, is not* geuen in any wyse vnto them, that doe wyllynglye and gladly that whiche the lawe requireth, althoughe they haue not the wordes of the law. For whom thā is the lawe ordayned? Veraylye vnto them that turne the deafe eare towardes the lawe of nature, and beyng without loue & readyly enclyned to al myscheafe, are guyded by their owne lustes, onles they be holden backe with the barre of the lawe: And in case the lawe suffre them to synne vnpunished, thā they returne by and by to their owne dysposicion, and become the same openly that they wer inwardelye: that is to saye, vniuste, rebelles, wycked and vngodlye, dysobediēt, impure, kyllers of fathers and mothers, horemongers, defylers, of themselues with mankynde, man robbyng theues, lyers and periured persons. The threat∣nynges of the lawe were iustlye obiected against the Iewes because they were prone to these myschiefes, to restraine their slauyshe vyle natures from these wicked dooinges before rehearsed for feare of punyshement, & all other maner of naughtines that is againste the excellent lawe of the gospell, whiche Moses gaue vs not, but the blessed god him selfe delyuered vs by his onely sonne Ie∣sus. The Iewes make boaste, that their law is glorious: the lawe that we haue is muche more glorious. They bragge of their autor Moses, and wee with a great deale iuster cause boaste of our autor god and Christ. They preache the lawe of Moses, y^• restrayneth a certaine sorte of great notable crymes through punyshement, and I preache the lawe of the gospell, whiche dyspatcheth all lustes at once, that are contrarye to true godlynes. And who is their autour of preachynge Moses lawe, leat them loke to that them selues: But in dede I am put in trust to preache this honourable myghtye puyssaunte gospell, that ne∣deth none ayde of the law, and it was not cōmitted vnto me by men, but by god him selfe: not that I thinke me worthye in any condicion to haue so weightye a matter committed vnto me. It was not of my deseruynge but of the goodnesse of god, vnto whome I rendre thankes for geuing strenght vnto suche a wret∣ched bodye as I am, & so ferre vnmete for this office, to glorifye Iesus Christe our Lorde: whose busynes I doe faithfully, lyke a faithfull seruaunt: and yet I chalenge none other commendacion to my selfe, but that lyke as he hathe thought me a faithfull minister to preache the gospell, euen so doe I syncerelye and vnfeynedlye laboure in the office that he hathe put me in trust withal, with∣out any folowynge of their example that preache Moses lawe to Christes re∣proche, onely seruyng their owne gayne and the glorye of them selues, and not of Iesus Christ. I confesse that in tymes past I was ledde in the same blynde∣nes that they are, as long as I continued in the zeale of the lawe of the fathers, I was a blasphemer against the name of Christ, I was so cruell a persecutour, that I coulde neuer lynne doynge of vyolence. For I persecuted the springing Page  iiii glorie of y^• gospel, not onely w^t braulinges, but also euē vnto enprisonynge and murtherynge. Yet hitherto I am behynde these men in nothing: peraduenture in this case I am to be preferred before them, inasmuche as I dyd these thin∣ges by the onely symple stickyng to the lawe, throughe errour and ignoraunce: inasmuche as I was not yet called to the feloweshyp of the gospell: But they haue once professed Christ, and yet beyng enemyes of his glorye, and to muche desyrous of their owne, doe of a malicious obstinacie cloute in the vnprofita∣ble burthen of Moses lawe. And for this cause sake, seyng I dyd thus onely of ignoraunce, God had mercye vpon me, wher as they are blynded euery daye more and more. The more feruentlye that I fought than for the lawe agaynst Christ, the more hartylye do I nowe defende the doctrine of Christ against the affirmours of the law. For in stede of that earnest vehement studye of the law, whiche is to be put awaye, grace hathe succeded haboundauntly: And in stedde of the trustyng of the lawe, the faithfull trustyng in Christ is commen in place. In stede of the malicious hatred of the Iewes, charitie towardes all men is en∣tred, whiche we haue obteyned bothe by the example and gyfte of Christ.