[A Paraphrase vppon the epistle of the holie apostle S. Paule to the Romanes ...]

The .x. Chapter. The vnfaythfulnesse of the Iewes: Two maner of righteousnesses.

DEare brethren, verily I say this vnto you, not without great sorow and heauinesse of harte, bicause I inwardly wishe with the same, the happie state and prosperitie of the Iewes. And if it were in mine abilitie and power, I would most gladly reléeue them, and ease them of their fal and most wretched mischaunce. But of this thing they be all assured and out of doubt, that I pray to God dayly and hartily for them, that they may yet once agayne turne to repentaunce, and not thus alwayes to continue in their damnable blynd∣nesse. Surely I can not excuse them of their vnbeléefe: how∣beit, somewhat may yet be sayde in that behalfe for their comforts: for they be not so farre from Chryst, as the Gen∣tiles were: for asmuche as he is somewhat néerer the truthe, that knoweth some parte thereof, than he that knoweth yet nothing at all. For which cause I would the rather wish, that the same thing may now be brought to good effecte in them, which they heretofore went about: and that they may now obtayne the very truth it selfe, wherof long since they haue

had but the tipe and shadowe. And although they did fall into a moste horrible and lamentable vice, in that they so malici∣ously crucified the Lord, which was the fountaine of al glory: yet notwithstanding the same, I muste néedes confesse, that they did it for some loue which they bare towardes God, thoughe it were done, neither with wisdome nor iudgement. For their entent was, to call himself the sonne of God: which in their opinions, was a detestable blasphemie to the Father of heauen: but in this pointe, their carnall reason was decey∣ued. Wherefore, they did not altogither misse in the affection of godlynesse, thoughe the same did misse in the ordering, and in the right applying therof: and better it is to haue some one kinde of religion, thā to haue none at all. Also, they did deserue (thoughe they had but little godlinesse in them) to haue had more giuen vnto them, if they had not bene so stiffe necked in their firste rules of godlinesse, hauing in contempte the true godlinesse it selfe, when it was once offered vnto them: and also if they had not maintained, and so stoutly fortified theyr shadowes and only similitudes of truthe: and in steade therof, to deride and mocke the veritie and perfect truth it selfe. And euery of them, though they should not then, haue caste of from them their lawe of Moses: yet they did strius for the fortifica∣tion thereof, without all knowledge or godly iudgement. In the doing of which, they contended against him, for whom the whole lawe was firste made and proclaimed. For theyr holy dayes, their Circumcision, their differences of meates, the auoyding from deade carcases, their Fastings, their Festiuall dayes, were all appoynted for this intent, that they shoulde passe foorthe for their time in these sortes of beginning: and to pretende by the outwarde or worldly rightuousnesse ther∣of, a comming (at the time appoynted) to the true rightuous∣nesse of almightie God.

Howe be it, it was not conuenient for them, that for the loues sake and affection they then had to their Ceremoniall rightuousnesse, to despise & cast him away frō them, for whose only cause al their lawe & Ceremonies were ordained: but the more pitie it is, that y^e Iewes, though they had (in most large

and godly maner) declared truely vnto them all the righte∣ousnesse of God: yet they would not forsake the worldly righteousnesse of their Ceremonies, but moste peruersly and without all good order sought to vpholde the continuaunce of them. For they so stiffely defended their olde righteousnesse (which in déede was made of none effecte, and is now rather become to all men which trust therein, their deadly wound and sting) that they would not once know the true ryghte∣ousnesse of God, but stil wasting their liues in Ceremonies, they resisted the Gospell of Chryst, wherevnto they should haue submitted them selues with all humblenesse and than∣kesgiuing, if in very déede they had ben mindefull to be righ∣teous. For we must imagine thus with our selues, as though there were before vs two kinde of righteousnesses: the one hath Moyses for their author, the other hath Chryst. The firste standeth in the fulfilling of Ceremonies, the seconde consisteth in the fayth of Iesus Chryst, and in the obedience to his Gospell. The first of these two was but the preamble and first beginning of the seconde: euen as a stocke or rough péece of woode is the beginning of the Image that is made thereof: or else as the crudding togither of the bloud is the beginning of the issue that commeth therof. Therfore it shall be but extreme foolishnesse to sticke to the beginning, and to be setled with delight therein, when we haue once receiued the perfecte issue and true thing it selfe. And euen thus is Chryst the very perfect issue or ende of Moyses law: which was in déede but a very weake and vnperfecte beginning of our righteousnesse. And this same issue is fedde and nouri∣shed, to be our helpe and comforte in time to come, with the moste delicate, deyntie, and sweete milke of fayth: and not with the da lying toyes of Circumcision, or other the like tri∣fling Ceremonies. The comming vnto which righteousnesse is not onely graunted vnto the Iewes, but also to the Gen∣tiles: and finally to all them that beleeue in Chryst Iesus. Both which righteousnesses Moyses did set foorth, and ma∣keth mention of them in his lawe. Of the which two, the worldly righteousnesses, he mentioned in the Booke of

Leuiticus: and it stoode in Ceremonies, that were but for a time appoynted, and sayd: kéepe my lawes and iudgements: which, who soeuer shall do them, shall liue in the same. And he likewise declared the seconde righteousnesse, which is euerlasting, and is obtayned by the onely merite of our liuely fayth in Iesus Chryst, as in the Booke of Deuterono∣mij, where he sayth: Thou shalte not say in thine heart, who ascendeth into heauen? for that is to plucke Chryst out of heauen. Agayne, let no man say: who descendeth into the depth of the earth? for that is to call Chryst agayne from death. And herein is a likelyhoode, that the same man belée∣ueth neither of them bothe, which demaundeth the practise or experience of them. But who soeuer beléeueth truely and sincerely knoweth this for a more suretie, than to seeke for any further aduertisement thereof: that is, that Chryst dyd once descende from heauen, and ascended thither againe, and now sitteth on the right hande of his father: both which are moste true, though we doo not now sée them with our bodily eyes. Also, that he descended into the hels, and from thence returned agayne, and still liueth, though the same be vnkno∣wen to our outwarde senses: yet it shall be sufficient for vs to beléeue, that all this was once done & fulfilled. Therfore nothing else now remayneth to vs, and to al those that did sée these things brought to passe with their owne eyes, but only to beléeue his holy Gospell. And we néede not séeke very farre to here the truth of all this: for the Iewes themselues dyd behold and sée it fulfilled, and yet did not beléeue it. How∣beit, there were many that heard of it, and did not sée it, and yet they beléeued it. Neither is there concealed or hidden from vs among the whole scriptures, any one parte of this poynte, but they doo witnesse the same: and biddeth vs to haue recourse vnto the Gospell, for the very certayntie ther∣of, and sayth thus to vs: The worde is néere vnto thée: euen in thy mouth and in thy hearte. And what woorde is this, that the Scripture here speaketh of? verily, euen the onely worde of the Gospell, which bringeth with it perfect health, and is now preached of vs, whom Chryst hath appoynted

for the same purpose. But how is it in thy mouth, and in thine heart? It is verily in thy mouth, if thou doest confesse with thy mouth, and acknowledge vnto al men, that our lord Iesus Chryst is already come, and hath suffred for vs. And it is in thine heart, if thou do beléeue vnfaynedly with all thine heart, that God hath restored him agayne vnto euerlasting life: that we hereafter may dye with him to our sinnes, and euermore to liue with him for the deserts sake of his passion, death & resurrection. For in our hearts is our right beléefe: which beléefe is the true & vncounterfeited key, to open the doore vnto righteousnesse. Notwithstanding, bicause wée be bound to glorifie God, it shall not be sufficient for vs to con∣ceiue this faith in our hearts: but also to acknowledge & con∣fesse Christ amongst men with our mouthes, if we wil come to our perfecte health and saluation. But in all these you cléerely sée, that the summe of this matter dependeth not vp∣pon the Law and Ceremonies, but onely vppon true fayth in Chryst: the which Esaias the prophete witnesseth, where he speaketh of Chryst, who soeuer (sayth he) shall beléeue in him, shall not be ashamed. In which words we muste dili∣gently marke, that wheras the Prophete sayth: who soeuer shall beléeue: he playnely maketh no difference betwéene the Iewes and the Gentiles, but meaneth them all indiffe∣rently. Also whereas he sayth: shall beléeue: he meaneth not Circumcision, or any other suche lyke thing: but vtterly ex∣cluding all the Ceremonies, he onely requireth our fayth: which is vnto all Nations an vniuersall gyfte and vertue. Further, God is suche a one, that he is not Lorde to the Iewes onely, but generally to all nations, kinreds, and people: whose large benefite, is not so straytely pinched in and shutte into an onely angle or corner of the worlde, or that it should onely appertayne to them of Iewry: and so peraduenture of them to be so cleane supped vp, that nothing thereof shall remayne vnto others: but hys bountyful∣nesse is without all measure, and ouerfloweth not to one onely Nation or twayne: but stretcheth foorth withoute exception to all kinreds and people: so that the same call

onely vppon him for his helpe and succour, with an earnest and vndoubting fayth. And euen thus testifieth the Prophet Micheas: Euery man (sayth he) that shal call vpon the name of the Lorde, shall be saued. Héere you well sée, that the Pro∣phet excepteth no man. Therefore whosoeuer with a fayth∣full heart, shall call vppon the name of God (whether he be Iew, Gentile or stranger) shal come vnto his saluation. Con∣trarywise, whosoeuer shall not call vpon the name of hym, shall not be saued. How beit, no man calleth vppon him, or demaundeth his helpe and succour, in whom he doth not be∣léeue: And how shall men beléeue on him, of whom they haue not heard? Agayne, how can men héere of him excepte there bée some to preach of him? And how can men preach him, if there bée none sent to doo it: namely of him to whom the Gospell appertayneth. Of whiche preachers Esaias speaketh and sayth: O how beautifull and precyo••••e are the féete of them that preache peace, and of them that tell good things? Héere you perceiue by the Prophete, that all the Preachers of Chryst are commaunded to Preache, not Circumcision and holy dayes, but the peace that coupleth vs togither in perfecte charitie: and suche other good things as be alwayes good, and good of their owne nature. And there is nothing now lefte behinde vnpreached, that toucheth the cal∣ling of mortall men to their saluation: in as muche as the Gospell of Chryst is preached vnto all Nations, though they doo not all beléeue it, and giue their onely trust thervn∣to. For euen so the Prophete Esay sayde that it shoulde so come to passe (speaking in the name of the Apostles) Lorde (sayd he) who did beléeue our sermons and preachings? For among the Nations, there bée very few that beléeue the Gospell of Chryste, if they bée compared to them that doo not beléeue it. Let vs therefore gather togither in a summe those things that we haue spoken of before: which is, if the calling vpon God, do bring health vnto men: and agayne, if they that doo not trust in him, doo not call vppon him, then is fayth specially of a Christian man, required before all things, and not Circumcision or the customes of the Lawe.

Further, fayth is conceiued in the hart of man, not by the ex∣perience of outward things, but only by godly Sermons and preachings of the true Apostles of Christ: that is, fayth is not conceyued by the eyes, but by the eares: the office of which conueyeth the preachings and godly exhortations into the obedient and lowly harte of man. Now therefore, sith the light of the Gospell is declared throughout all the worlde, and the name of Chryst preached to euery body: what mea∣neth it then, that so fewe of the Iewes doo beléeue in him? Can they excuse them selues & say, that they haue not heard of Chryst? yea verily, the same thing is now already fulfil∣led, which the Prophete Dauid did Prophesie. Throughout the whole earth wente foorth the sounde of them, and their wordes vnto the endes of the earth. Wherfore, in as much as Chryst hath bene promised before times by the mouth of so many Prophets, and now preached also of the Apostles (his very true witnesses) in all nations and regions of the worlde: can the Iewes then excuse them selues, and say that they heard not of him? No verily, for they haue séene the light of the worlde, yet their malice hath blinded their eyes. They haue heard the Gospell, but their enuie hath stopped their eares. For they had rather be enuiers of the Gentiles, which are called to saluation, than to folow their fayth. And of both these two things did Moyses and Esaias heretofore prophesie: that, is, that the Iewes would caste the Gospell away from them, and that the Gentiles woulde receiue it. And Moyses in Deuteronomij prophecied of the same, wher∣as he speaketh of the person of God (as offended with the vn∣beléefe of the Iewes) and sayth: I will prouoke you to en∣uie, and by a foolish nation I will anger you: which hitherto, in comparison of you, was not taken nor counted for any nation. And you, which doo séeme in your selues to bée wise, I will anger you through the same foolish and beastly nati∣on, and cause your anger to be a great deale the more hotte in you. And Esaias folowing Moyses, doubted not to testifie that y^e obedience of the Gentiles, was much more acceptable to God, than the pertinacie and stubbornesse of the Iewes:

for thus he speaketh in the person of Chryst: I am founde of them that sought me not, and haue appeared vnto them that asked not after me. Lo, what a worthy witnesse Chryst him selfe here recordeth of the Gentiles fayth. But agayne the children of Israell, whom it dyd specially become to embrace Chryst and his Gospell, hearken here what Esay sayth: All the day long (sayth he) haue I stretched foorth mine hande vnto a people that beleeueth not, but speaketh agaynst me. For which cause (Chryst sayth by the same) I haue sent pro∣phetes vnto the Iewes, which they haue all slayne and put to death: and by the multitude of miracles done amongst them, I haue stirred and prouoked them: but in stéede of the thanks, which they should haue giuen me for them, they say that I had the diuell within me: and that with the helpe and power of Béelzebub (the prince of the Diuels) I wrought all the sayde miracles. And euen thus they despised all humi∣litie and obedience, and misconstrued to euill parte, the great vertue and power of almightie God.

Notes

• Esay. 28. Roma. 9.
• Two kinds of righteousnesse
• Christ the end of the lavve.
• Gala. 3. Leuit. 18.
• Deutero. 30.
• Hovv the vvord of God is in our mouth & in our hart.
• Esay. 28.
• Miche. 2. Act. 2.22.
• Esay. 52.
• Esay. 53. Iohn. 12.
• Psalm. 18.
• Deutero. 3 2.
• Esay. 52.65.
• Esay. 65.