45 Romans

Romans — The Tyndale New Testament (1534)

Paul's epistle to the Romans in Tyndale's revised New Testament of 1534, translated from the Greek. The epistle is preceded by Tyndale's prologue to Romans, the longest of his prologues, which draws heavily on Luther's preface to the epistle. In it he defines law, sin, grace, faith, righteousness, flesh and spirit before he walks through the epistle chapter by chapter. It is printed here from the copy in the British Library as keyed by the Text Creation Partnership, in the spelling of 1534; the margin notes are given as footnotes, and the crosses ✚ and ⊢ mark where the lessons read in church begin and end.

¶ A prologe to the Epistle of Paule to the Romayns.

FOr as moche as this pistle is the principall and most excellent part of the new etestam⟨illegible⟩t / 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 precio set 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 & wonder full 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 cōmune maner / and to vse Paules terme / after the maner of men or after mannes wayes / that thou woldest saye the lawe here in this place were nothinge but lernynge whiche teacheth what ought to be done and what oughte not to be done / as it goeth with mannes lawe where the lawe is fulfilled with outewarde workes only / though the hert be ne ver so farre of. But God iudgeth the grounde of the herte / ye and the thoughtes and the secret mouynges of the mynde / & therefore his lawe requireth the grounde of the hert & loue from the botome▪ there of / & is not content with the outeward worke only: but rebuketh those workes most of all which springe not of loue from the ground & lowe botome of the herte / though they appere outwarde neuer so honest & good / as Christ in the gospell rebuketh the Pharises aboue all other that were open synners / & calleth them ypocrites / that is to saye Simulars / and paynted Sepulchres. Which Pharises yet lyued no men so pure / as perteynynge to the outewarde dedes & workes of the lawe. Ye & Paul in the thyrd chapter of his Pistel vnto the Philippians confesseth of him selfe / that as touchynge the lawe he was suche a one as no man cowde complayne on / and notwithstondynge was yet a murderer of the Christen / persecuted them / and tormented them / so soore / that he compelled thē to blaspheme Christe / & was all to gether mercylesse / as many which now fayne outward good workes are.

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 mē 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 is to do good / there the botome of the hert fulfilleth not the lawe / and there no doute is also synne / & wrath is deserued before God / though there be neuer so grete an outwarde shewe and apearaunce of honeste lyuinge.

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 prevayseth it nowe / that thou teachest an other man not to steale / hen thou thyne awne selfe arte a thefe in thyne hert / & outwardly woldest fayne steale yf thou durst? though that the outwarde dedes abyde not alwaye behynde with soch ypocrites & dissimulars / but breake forth amonge / euen as an euyll scabbe or a pocke can not all wayes be kepte in with violence of medicine.

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 / because that man is an enymy² 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 goost⟨illegible⟩ye / and no man fulfylleth it / excepte that all that he doeth / springe of loue from the botome of the hert. Suche anewe hert a lusty corage vnto the lawe³ warde / canst thou neuyr come by of thyne awne strenght and enforcemente / but by the ope racy on & workynge of the spirite.

For the spirite of God only maketh a man spirituall & lyke vnto the lawe / so that nowe henceforth he doeth nothinge of feare or for lucre or vantages sake or of vayne glory / but of a fre hert / and of inward iust. The lawe is spirituall & wilbe bothe loued and fulfylled of a spirituall hert / and therfore of necessite requireth it the sprete that maketh a mannes hert fre / and geueth him lust & courage vnto the lawe warde. Where soche▪ a sprite is not / there remayneth synne / grudgynge & hatered ageynst the lawe / which lawe neuerthelesse is good / ryghtewes and holy..

Acquaynte thy selfe therfore with the maner of speakynge of the Apostel / & let this nowe styke faste in thyne hert / that it is not bothe one /⁴ 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. Not withstondynge 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 y⟨illegible⟩ 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 thē 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?

O holy saynte prosperus / how mightely with the scripture of Paul / dydest thou confounde⁵ this heresye / aboute (I trowe) a twelue hondred yeares a goo / or therapon.

To fulfill the lawe is / to do the workes therof⁶ & 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 / & will fulfill all his good promyses toward⁷ 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 saluaciō to as many as beleue. For attōce & 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 / which before possessed⁸ oure hertes in captiuite / & held thē that we could haue no lust to the will of God in the lawe. And as the sprite cōmeth by faith only / euē so faith cometh by hearinge the worde or glad tydinges of God / whē Christ is preached / how that he is goddes sonne & man also / ded & rysen agayne for oure sakes / as he sayeth in the .iii. iii⟨illegible⟩. & .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 / maketh him fre / setteth him at liberte / & geueth him strength to worke the dedes of the lawe with loue / euen as the lawe requyreth. Then at the last out of the same faith so workinge in¹⁰ the herte / springe all good workes by there awne accorde. That meaneth he in the thyrde chapter: for after he hath cast awaye the workes of the lawe / so that he soundeth as though he wolde breake & disanull the lawe thorow faith: he answereth to that mighte be layde agaynst / sayinge▪ wedestroye not the lawe thorow faith but maintayne / furder or stablisshe the lawe thorowe faith. That is to faye / we fulfill the lawe thorowe faith.

Synne in the scripture is not called that outeward¹¹ worke only cōmitted 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 where with we can but synne. So that we saye / that a man then synneth / whē 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 cōmitted / excepte a man be caried awaye all to gedyr / with lyfe / soule / herte / bodie / luste & mynde ther⟨illegible⟩to. The scripture loketh singularly vnto the hert / & vnto the role & originall fountayne of all synne / which is vnbelefe in the botome of the herte. For as faith only iustifieth & bringeth¹² the sprite & lust vnto the outewarde good workes / euē so vnbelefe only dāneth & kepeth oute the sprite / prouoketh the f⟨illegible⟩esshe & stereth vppe luste vnto the cuyll outeward workes / as happened to Adā & ⟨illegible⟩ua in Paradise. Gene. ii⟨illegible⟩.

For this cause Christ calleth synne vnbelefe / and that notably in ⟨illegible⟩. xvj. chap. of Iohn. The sprete / saith he / shall rebuke the worlde of synne / because they beleue not in me. And Iohn viij. he sayth: I am the light of the worlde. And therfore in the .xij. of Iohn he byddeth them / whyle they haue light / to beleue in the light / that ye maye be the chyldrē of light: for he that walketh in darcknes wotteth not whether he goeth. Now as Christ is the light / so is the ignoraunce of Christ that darcknes wherof he speaketh / in which he that walketh wotteth not whether he goeth: that is / he knoweth not how to worke a good worke in the syght of God / or what a good worke is. And therfore in the .ix. he sayth: as longe as I am in the worlde / I am the light of the worlde: but there cōmeth night when no man can worke. Which nyght is but the ignoraūce of Christ in which no mā can se to do anyeworke that pleaseth God. And Paul exhorteth Ephesi. iiii. that they walke not as other hethen which are straūgers frō thelyfe of God / thorow the ygnoraūce that is in thē. And agayne in the same chap. Put of (sayth he) the olde mā which is corrupt thorowe the lustes of erroure / that is to saye ignoraūce. And Ro. xii⟨illegible⟩ Let vs cast awaye the dedes of darcknes: that is to saye of ignoraūce & vnbelefe. And .j. Pet. j Fassion not youre selues vnto youre olde lustes of ignoraūce. And .j. Io. ij. He that loueth his brother dwelleth in light: and he that hateth his brother walketh in darcknes / & woteth no⟨illegible⟩ whether he goeth / for darckenes hath blynded his▪ eyes. By light he meaneth the knowledge of Christ / and by darcknes / the ignoraunce of Christ. For it is impossible that he that knoweth Christ truly / shulde hate his brother.

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 two verses. Thy Lorde God is one God: and thou shalt loue thy Lorde God with all thyne heart / with all thy soule / with all thy power and with all thy myght. And the whole cause why I synne agaynst anye inferioure precept / is that this loue is not in myne heart: for were this lawe wrytten in my harte & were full & perfect in my soule / it wolde kepe myne hearet frō consentynge vnto anye synne. And the whoale & onlye cause why this loue is not written in oure heartes / is that we beleue not the fyrste parte / that oure Lorde God is one God. For wyst I what these wordes / one Lorde & one God meaneth: that is to saye / if I vnderstode that he made all / & ruleth all / & that whatsoeuer is done to me / whether it be good or bad / is yet his will / & that he onlye is the Lorde that ruleth & dothe it: & wist I therto what this worde myne meaneth▪ that is to saye / if myne heart beleued & felte the infinite benefites & kyndenes of God to me warde / & vnderstode & ernestlye beleued the many folde couenauntes of mercie wherwith God hath bounde him selfe to be myne wholie & altogether / with all his power / loue / mercie & myght / then shuld I loue him with all myne heart / soule / power & might / & of that loue euer kepe his cōmaundementes. So seye now that as fayth is the mother of all goodnes & of all good workes / so is vnbelefe the grounde & rote of all euell and all euell workes.

Finallie / if anye man hath forsaken synne & is cōuerted to put his trust in Christ & to kepe the lawe of God / do the fall at a tyme: the cause is / that the flesshe thorow neegligēce hath choked the sprite & oppressed hir & taken from hir the fode of hir strēgth. 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 good frutes / there must nedes be fayth in the herte whence they spring. And before all bad dedes as bad frutes / there must nedes be vnbelefe in the hert as in the rote / foūtayne / pith & strēght of all synne. Which vnbelefe & ignoraūce is called the heed of the serpēt & of the olde dragon / which the womans seed Christ / must treade vnder fote / as it was promysed vnto Adam.

Grace & gifte haue this differēce. Grace properly¹³ 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 whō 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 Galathiās / & as it was spokē before in the thride Chapter of Genesis of the debate betwene the womans seed & the seed of the serpēt: yet neuerthelesse goddis fauoure is so greate / & so strōge ouer vs for christes sake / that we are coūted 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 of the sprite are begōne in vs. Synners we are because the flesshe is not full kylled & mortified. Neuerthelesse in as moche as we beleue in Christ / & haue the ernest & begynninge of the sprite / and wold fayne be perfecte / God is so louinge & fauourable vnto vs that he will not loke on soche synne / nether will counte it as synne / but will deale with vs accordinge to oure belefe in Christe / & accordinge to his promises which he hath sworne to vs / vntyll the synne be full slayne & mortified by dethe.

Faith is not mās opinion & dreame / as some ymagin & fayne when they heare the storie of¹⁴ the Gospell: 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 imaginaciōs & thoughtes in their hertes sayinge: I haue heard the Gospell / I remēber the storie / lo I beleue. And that they counte righte fayth / which neuerthelesse as it is but mās imaginaciō & fayninge / euē so profiteth it not / nether folowe there any good workes or mendement of lyuinge.

But righte faith is a thinge wroughte by the¹⁵ holy goost in vs / 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 / a killeth the olde Adam / & maketh vs all to gethyr newe in the hert / mynd / will / lust & in all oure affecciōs 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 he which is endued therewith / shulde not worke all wayes good workes with oute ceasinge. He axeth not whether good workes are to be done or not / but hath done thē all redy / yet menciō be made of them / & is all waye doynge / for soche is his nature nowe: quicke faithe in his herte & lyuely mouinge of the sprite driue him & stere him therūto. Who soeuer doeth not good workes / is an vnbeleuinge person & faithlesse / & loketh rounde aboute gropinge after faith & good workes / and wot not what faith or good¹⁶ workes meane / though he babill neuer so many thinges of fayth and good workes.

Fayth is then a liuely & sted faste truste in the fauoure of God / wherewith we cōmitte oure selues all to gedyr vnto God / & that truste is so surely groūded & steketh so fast in oure hertes / that a mā 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 / ⟨illegible⟩u⟨illegible⟩y / cherefull & true herted vnto God & to all creatures. By the meanes where of / willingly & withoute cōpulsion he his glad & redy to do good to euery man / to do seruice to euery mā / 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 frō faith / euen as it is impossible to separat heete & burnīge frō fyre.

Therfore take hede to thy silfe / and beware of thyne owne fantasies and ymaginacions / which to iudge of fayth and good workes will semewyse / 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 euē suche faith / & is called Godes righteousnes / or righteousnes that▪ is of valoure before God. For it is Goddis gifte / & it altereth a man & chaūgeth him to a newe sprituall¹⁷ nature / & 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 mē he doeth seruis willingly wherwithsoeuer he can / & payeth euery man his dutie. ⟨illegible⟩uthe righteousnes can nature / frewill / and oure awne strēgthe 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 euydēt in the. xiiij Chapter vnto the Romayns / though it appere neuer so glorious or beautyfull outwardes.

Flesshe and sprite mayste thou not here vnderstōd / 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 Iohn¹⁸ iij. All that is borne of flesshe / that is to wete / the whole mā withlife / 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 / how soeuer good / holy and spirituall they seme to be / as thou mayst proue by the .v. Chapter vnto the Galathy ās / where Paul numbreth worshepinge of ydols / witchecrafte / enuy and hate amonge the dedes of the flesh / & by the .viij. vnto the Romayns / where he sayth that the lawe by the reason of the flesshe is weake which is not vnderstond of vnchastite only / but of all synnes / & most specially / of vnbelefe which is a vyce most spirituall and grounde of all synnes.

And as thou callese him: which is not renewed with the sprite & borne agayne in Christ / flesshe / and all his dedes / euen the very mocyōs 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. So cōtrary wyse call him spirituall which¹⁹ 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 / & what soeuer is done with in the lawes of God / though it be wrought by the body / as the very wipinge of shewes and soche lyke / how soeuer grose they appere outewarde. Withoute suche vnderstōdinge of these wordes cāst 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.

For as moche as it becōmeth the precher of²⁰ 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 & chyldren of wrath by inheritaunce / and howe that to synne is their nature / & that by nature they can none other wyse do than to synne / and therwith to abate the pryde of man / and to bringe him vnto the knowledge of him selfe / and of his miserye and wretchednes / that he myght desyre helpe. Euen so doeth saynet Paul and beginneth in the fyrst Chapter to rebuke vnbelefe and grose synnes which all men se / as the ydo latrie / and as the grose synnes of the hethen were & as the synnes nowe are of all them which lyue in ignorance without fayth / & without the fauoure of God: & sayth. The wrath of God of heuen appereth thorowe the Gospell vpon all men for their vngodly & vnholy lyvinge. For though it be knowē & dayly vnderstond by the creatures / that ther is but one God yet is nature of hyr selfe without the sprite & grace so corrupte & so poysoned / that men nether can thanke him / neder worshippe him / nether geue him his due honoure / but blinde them selues and faule withoute ceasinge in to worse case / euen vntyll they come vnto worshippinge of ymages and workinge of shamefull synnes which are abhominable and agaynst nature / and moreouer sofre the same vnrebuked in other / hauinge delectacion and pleasure therin.

In the seconde Chapter he proceadeth further²¹ 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 a 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 themselues the wrath of God. Furthermore saynet Paule as a true expou⟨illegible⟩der of the lawe / suffreth no mā to be withoute synne / but declaret & that all they are vnder snne which of frewill of nature / will liue well / & suffreth them not to be better then the open synners / ye he calleth them harde herted and seche as cānot repente.

In the thyrde Chap. he myngleth both to geder / both²² the Iewes & the gētyles & sayeth that the one is as the other / both synners / & no difference betwene thē / saue in this only / that the Iewes had the worde of God cōmitted vnto thē. 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 to²³ his purpose agayne & proueth by the scripture / that all men without differēce or excepcion are synners / and that by the workes of the lawe no man is iustified: but that the lawe was geuē 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 oeseruinge 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 cōmeth on vs thorowe fayth / helpeth vs only. Which righteousnes / sayeh he is now declared thorowe the gospell & was testified of before by the lawe & the Prophetes. Furthermore (sayth he) the lawe is holpe & for dered thorowe fayth / though that the workes therof with all their ⟨illegible⟩oste are brought to nought & proued not to iustifie.

In the .iiij. Chapter (after that nowe by the²⁴ iij. fyrst Chapters / the synnes are opened and the waye of fayth vnto righteousnes layde) he beginneth to answere vnto certayne obiecciōs and cauillacyōs. And first he putteth forth those blynd reasons / which commenly they that wylbe iustified by their awne workes / are wōt to make whē they heare that faith only with out workes iustifieth / sayinge / shall men do no good workes / ye & yf faith only iustifieth / what nedeth a man to stody for to do good workes? He putteth forth therfore Abraham for an en sample / sayinge: what did Abraham with his workes? was all in vayne? came his workes to no profet? And so concludeth that Abrahā with oute and before all workes was iustified & made righteous. In so moche that before the worke of circumcision he was praysed of the scripture and called righteous by his faith only / Genesis .xv. So that he did not the worke of circumcision for to be holpe therby vnto righteousnes / which yet God commaunded him to doo / and was a good worke of obedience / So in lyke wise no doute none other workes helpe any thinge at all vnto a mās iustifiynge: but as²⁵ Abrahams circumcision was an outeward signe whereby he declared his righteousnes whiche he had by faith / and his obedience and redynes vnto the will of god / euen so are all other good workes outeward signes and outeward frutes of faith and of the sprite / which iustifie not a man / but that a mā is iustified all redy before God inwardly in the hert / thorowe fayth & thorowe yᵉ sprite purchased by christes bloud.

Here with now establissheth saynt Paul his doctrine of faith afore rehersed in the thrid chapter / and²⁶ 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⟨illegible⟩ righteousnes / though he abyde not afterwarde withoute good workes / when he is once iustified.

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 to geder & holdeth our hertes / so that we cānot once cōsent 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 cōforte 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 whē he beleueth the promyses / as God was mercy full 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 ourede seruinges and merites. Goddis mercy in promysinge and trueth in fulfilling his promyses saueth vs and not we oure selues. And therfore is all laude / prayse and glory / to be geuen vn to God for his mercy and trueth / and not vnto vs for ouremerites & deseruinges. After that / he stretcheth his ensample oute agaynste all other good workes of the lawe / and concludeth that the Iewes cānot be Abrahams heyres because of bloud & kynred only / & moche lesse by the workes of the lawe / but must enheret Abrahams fayth / yf they wilbe the right heyres of Abraham for as moche as Abraham before the lawe / bothe of Moses & also of circ⟨illegible⟩cision / was thorowe fayth made righteous & called the father of all them that beleue / & not of them that worke. Moreouer the lawe causeth wrath / in as mocheas no man can fulfill it with loue and fuste / & as longe as suche grudginge / hate & in dignacion agaynst the lawe remayneth in the herte / & is not takē awaye by the sprite that cōmeth by fayth / so longe (no doute) the workes of the lawe / declare euidētly that the wrathe of God is vpō vs & not fauoure. Wherfore fayth only receyueth the grace promysed vnto Abraham. And these ensamples were not writtē for Abrahās sake only (sayth he) but for oures also to whom yf we beleue / fayth shalbe rekened lykewyse for righteousnes / as he sayth in the ende of the Chapter.

In the .v. Chapter he cōmendeth the frutes²⁷ & workes of fayth / as are peace / reioysinge in the conscience inwarde loue to God & man: moreouer / boldnes trust / confidence & astrōge & a lusty mynd & stedfaste hope in tribulacion and sufferinge. For all suche folowe / where the righte fayth is / for the abundāte 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 workes²⁸ abide not behind / but accōpanye fayth / euē as brightenes doth the sunne / and are called of Paul the frutes of the sprite. Where the sprite is / therit is alwayes somer & ther are alwayes good frutes / that is to saye: good workes. This is Pauls order / that good workes springe of the sprite / the sprite cometh by fayth & fayth cōmeth by hearinge the worde of God / when the glad tydinges & promises which god hath made to vs in Christe / are preached truly / & receaued in the groūde of the herte without waueringe or doutinge aftir that the lawe hath passed vpō vs & hath dāned oure cōsciēces. Where the worde of God is preached purely & receaued in the herte / thereis fayth & the sprite of God / & ther are also good workes of necessite when soeuer occasion is geuē. Where Goddis worde is not purely preached / but mens dreames / tradiciōs ⟨illegible⟩ ymaginaciōs inuēcions / ceremonies & supersticion / there is no fayth & consequētly no sprite that cometh of God. And where Goddis sprite is not / there can be no good workes / euē as where an appell treis not / there can growe no appels / but; there is vnbelefe / the deuels sprite & euyll workes. Of this goddis sprite & his frutes / haue oure holy ypocrites not once knowē / nether yet tasted how swete they are / though they fayne many good workes of their awne ymaginacion / to be iustified with all / in which is not one crome of true fayth or spirituall loue / or of inward ioye / peace and quyetnes of conscience / for as moche as they haue not the worde of God for them / that suche workes please God / but they are euen the roten frutes of a roten tre.

After that he breaketh forth / & ritneth at large / & sheweth whence both synne & righteousnes / deeth & lyfe come. And he cōpareth Adā & Christ to gether / thus wyse reasoninge & disputinge / that Christ must neades come as a secōd Adā to make vs heyres of his rightewesnes / thorow a neme spirituall birth / without ourede seruiges: euē as the first Adā made vs heyres of synne / thorowe the bodely generacion / withoute oure deseruinge. Whereby is euydently knowen and proued to the vttermoste / that no mā can bringe him selfe oute of synne vnto rightewesnes / nomore then he coulde haue withstonde that he was borne bodely. And that is proued herewith / for as moche as the very lawe of God / which of righte shulde haue holpe / yf any thinge coulde haue holpe / not only came and brought no helpe with hyr / but also encreased synne / because that the euill & poysoned nature is offended and vtterly displeased with thelawe / and the more she is forbed by the lawe / the more is she prouoked and set a fyre to fulfill and satisfie hyr lustes. By the lawe then we se clerely that we muste nedes haue Christe to iustifie vs with his grace / and to helpe nature.

In the .vj. he setteth forth the chefe and principall²⁹ 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 frefrō synne thorowe fayth / that we shulde henceforth goo vp and doune ydle carlesse & sure of oure selues / as though there³⁰ 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 syues 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 resurrecciō / & 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 expo⟨illegible⟩ deth. For not to be vnder the lawe is not so to be vnderstond / that euery mā may do what him³¹ lusteth. 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 cōmaundeth / with oute cōpulcion / 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 vs there nowe no moare synne / nether is the lawe nowe any moare agaynst vs / but at one and agreed with vs & we with it.

But to be vnder the lawe / is to deale with³² the workes of the lawe / and to worke without the sprite and grace: for so longe no doute synne ⟨illegible⟩ayneth in vs thorowe the lawe / that is to saye / the lawe declareth that we are vnder synne and and that synne hath power & dominiō ouer vs / seynge we cannot fulfill the lawe / namely with in in the hert / for as moche as no mā of nature fauoureth the lawe / consenteth there vnto and desyteth therin. Which thinge is exceadinge greate synne / that we cānot consent to the lawe which lawe is nothīge else saue the will of god.

This is the right fredome & liberte frō synne and from the lawe where of hewryteth vnto the ende of this Chapter / that it is a fredome to doo good only with luste / & to lyue well with oute compulciō 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 craue of vs any moare. Euen as though thou were in dette to an other mā / & were not able to paye / two maner wayes mightest thou be losed. One waye / if he wold requyre nothinge of the / and breke thyne obligaciō. An other waye / yf so me other good man wolde paye for the / & geue the as moche as thou mightest satisfie thine obligaciō with all. Of this wyse hath Christe made vs frefrō the lawe: & therfore is this no wil▪ de flesshely liberte / that shulde doo nought / but that doeth all thinges / & is fre from the crauinge and dette of the lawe.

In the .vij. he cōfirmeth the same with a similitude³³ of the state of matrimony. As whē the husbonde dyeth the wyfe is at hyr liberte / and the one lowsed & departed frō the other / not that the womā shulde not haue power to marie vnto an other mā / 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 frō hyr fyrst husbond. Euen so are oure consciences bound & in daūger to the lawe vnder olde Adam the flesh / as longe as he lyueth in vs. For the lawe declareth that oure hertes are boūde & that we cānot disconsent frō him. But whē he is mortified & kylled by the sprite / then is the conscience fre & at liberte: not so that the consciēce shall nowe nought do / but now fyrst of all eleuyth vnto an other / that is to wote Christ / & bringeth forth the frutes of lyfe. So nowe to³⁴ 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. And to belowse 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 tho rowe the lawe synne reuyueth / moueth hyrselfe / & gadereth strēght. For the old mā & c⟨illegible⟩rrupte nature / the moare he is forboden & kepte vnder of the lawe / is the moare offended & displeased there with / for as moche as he cannot paye that which is requyred of the lawe. For synne is his nature & of him selfe / he cānot but synne. Therfore is the lawe deeth to him / tormente & marterdome. Not that the lawe is euyll / but because that the euyll nature cannot soffre that which is good / cānot abide that the lawe shulde requyre of him any good thinge. Lyke as a sicke man cannot suffre that a man shulde desyre of him to runne / to lepe and to doo other dedes of an wholeman.

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 ⟨illegible⟩detters of the euerlastinge wrath of God / euē as he well fealeth & vnderstondeth whos consciēce is truely touched of the lawe. In suche daūger were we yer the lawe came / that we knewe not what synne mēte / nether yet knowe we the wrath of God apō 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 vnderstōde 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 vay⟨illegible⟩e hangeth betwene & hydeth his face so that they can not behold the glorye of his co⟨illegible⟩tena⟨illegible⟩ce / how that the lawe is spirituall & requyreth the hert. I maye of myne awne strength refrayne that I boo myne enimye no hurte / but to loue him with all myne herte / & to put awaye wrathe clene oute of my mynde can I not of myne awne strēgth. I maye refuse money of myne awne strength / but to put awaye loue vnto riches oute of myne herte can I not do of myne awne strength. To abstayne from adultery as concerninge the vttewarde dede can I do of myne awne strēgth / but not to desyre in myne hert is as vnpossible vnto me as is to chose whether I will hōgyr or thrust / and yet so the lawe requireth. Wherfore of a mans awne strength is the lawe neuer fulfilled / we must haue thereunto goddis fauoure and his sprite / purchased by Christes bloude.

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 ouercōmeth 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 vengeaūce be gretter / I cānot 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 cōmen wemen prosecute their lustes because feare & shame are awaye / whē 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.

Further moare he declareth / how the sprite &³⁵ 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 kyll synne in oure selues. He calleth both the sprite and also the flesshe a lawe / because that lyke as the nature of Goddis lawe is to dryue / to compell / and to craue euen so the flesshe dryueth / compelleth / craueth and rageth / agaynst the sprite / and will haue her lustes satisfied. On the other syde dryueth the sprite / cryeth and fighteth agaynst the flesshe / and will haue his luste satisfied. And this strife dureth in vs / as longe as we liue: in some moare and in some selfe as the sprite or the flesshe is stronger and the very man his awne selfe is both the sprite and the flesshe / which fighteth with his awne selfe vntyll synne be vtterly slayne and he all together spirituall.

In the .viij. Chapter he cōforteth suche fighters³⁶ 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 daūger to them that are in Christ which walke not after the flesshe / but fight agaynst it. And he expoūdeth 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 vtteraūce / so that mans speche cānot comprehende them / and the creatures morne also with vs of greate desyre that they haue / that we were lowsed from synne & corrupciō of the flesshe. So se we that these thre Chapters / the .vj. vij. viij. doo none other thinge so moche as to dryue vs vnto the right worke of fayth / which is to kyll the olde man and mortifie the flesshe.

In the .ix. x. & .xj. Chapters he treateth of³⁷ Goddis predestinacion / whence it springeth all together / whether we shall beleue or not beleue / be lowsed from synne or not be lowsed. By which predestinaciō oure iustifiynge and saluacion are clene takē oute of oure hādes / and put in the hādes 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 mā be saued / the deuell no doute wolde deceaue vs. But now is God sure that his predestinaciō cānot deceaue him / nether can eny man withstand or set him and therfore haue we hope and trust agaynste synne.

But here muste a marke be set vnto those vn quyet / busye & hye clyming sprites howe ferre they shall goo / which fyrst of all bringe hether there hye reasons & pregnāt wittes / & begynne fyrst frō an hye to serche the botomlesse secretes of Goddis predestinaciō / whether they be predestinat or not. These must nedes ether cast thē selues doune hedelong in to desperaciō or else cōmit them selues to fre chaūce carelesse. But folowe thou the order of this pistle / & noosell thy³⁸ selfe with Christ / & lerne to vnderstonde what the lawe and the gospell meane / and the office of both two / that thou marst in the one knowe thy selfe / & how that thou hast of thy selfe no strēgth / but to synne: & in the other the grace of Christ. And then se thou fyghte agaynst synne & the flesshe as the .vii. fyrst chapters teache yᵉ. After that whē thou arte come to the .viii. chapter / and arte vnder the crosse and sufferinge of tribulacion / the necessite of predestinacion will waxe swete & thou shalt well fele how precyouse a thinge it is. For excepte thou haue borne y⟨illegible⟩ crosse of aduersite and temptaciō / and hast felte thy selfe brought vnto the very brymme of desperacion / ye and vnto hell go tes / thou canst neuer medle with the sentence of predestinacion without thyne awne harme / and without secret wrath and grudginge inwardly agaynst God / for otherwyse it shall not be possible for the to thinke that God is righteous & iuste. Therfore must Adam▪ be well mortified and the flesshely wytte brought vtterly to nought / yer that thou mayst awaye with this thinge / & drinke so stronge wyne. Take hede therfore vnto thy selfe / that thou drinke not wyne / while thou art yet but asucklinge. For euery lerninge hath hyr tyme / measure and age / and in Christ is there acertayne childhod / in which a mā must be content with mylke for a ceason / vntyll he waxe stronge and growe vp vnto a perfecte man in Christ / and be able to eate of moare strōge meate.

In the .xij. Chapter he geueth exhortaciōs.³⁹ 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 thē selues in sprituall thinges how to teache / preache & rule in the cōgregacion of Christ / to serue one another to suffre all thinges paciently / and to commit the wreke and vengeaunce to God / in conclusion how a Christen man oughte to behaue him selfe vnto all men / to frend / foo or whatsoeuer he be. These are the righte workes of a Christen man which springe oute of fayth. For fayth kepeth not holye daye nether suffereth any man to be ydle / whersoeuer she dwelleth.

In the .xiij. he teacheth to honoure the wordly⁴⁰ and tēporall swerde. For though that mās 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 cōmune welth / to mayntene peace / to punisshe the euyll and to ⟨illegible⟩efende 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 lawe of the sprite which gouerneth the harte / & gydeth⁴¹ it vnto all that is the will of God. Finally he cōprehendeth and knetteth vp all in loue. Loue of her awne nature bestoweth all that she hath and euē her awne se⟨illegible⟩se on that which is loued. Thou neadest not to byd a kind mother to be louinge vnto her only sonne. Moche lesse spirituall loue. Which hath eyes geuē 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 coūterfayte that as he hath done to vs / euen so shulde we do one to another.

In the .xiiij. Chapter he teacheth to deale so berly with the consciences of the weke in the fayth / which yet vnderstond not the libertie of⁴² Christ perfectly ynough and to fauer them of Christen loue / & not to vse the liberte of the fayth vnto hinderaūce. But vnto the furderaūce & edifyinge of the weake. For where suche cōsideracion is not / there foloweth debate and despisinge of the Gospell. It is better therfore to forbere the weke a while / vntyll they waxe strōge / then that the learninge of the Gospell shuld come all to geder vnderfoote. And suche worke is singular worke of loue / & where loue is perfecte / there muste nedes be suche a respecte vnto the weake / a thinge that Christ cōmaunded and charged to be had aboue all thinges.

In the .xv. Chapter he setteth forth Christ⁴³ agayne to be folowed / 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 thē 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 cōscience / pray seth them and committeth thē to god and magnifieth his office and administracion in the gospell / and so berly 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 / whatsoeuer a Christen man or woman ought to knowe that vs to wete what the lawe / the Gospell / synne / Grace / Fayth / Righteousnes / Christ / God / Good workes / Loue suffre all thinges paciently / and to commit the wreke and vengeaunce to God / in conclusion how a Christen man oughte to behaue him selfe vnto all men / to frend / foo or whatsoeuer he be. These are the righte workes of a Christen man which springe oute of fayth. For fayth kepeth not holye daye nether suffereth any man to be ydle / whersoeuer she dwelleth.

In the .xiij. he teacheth to honoure the wordly⁴⁴ and tēporall swerde. For though that mās 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 cōmune welth / to mayntene peace / to punisshe the euyll and to ⟨illegible⟩efende 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 lawe of the sprite which gouerneth the harte / & gydeth⁴⁵ it vnto all that is the will of God. Finally he cōprehendeth and knetteth vp all in loue. Loue of her awne nature bestoweth all that she hath and euē her awne se⟨illegible⟩se on that which is loued. Thou neadest not to byd a kind mother to be louinge vnto her only sonne. Moche lesse spirituall loue. Which hath eyes geuē 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 coūterfayte that as he hath done to vs / euen so shulde we do one to another.

In the .xiiij. Chapter he teacheth to deale so berly with the consciences of the weke in the fayth / which yet vnderstond not the libertie of⁴⁶ Christ perfectly ynough and to fauer them of Christen loue / & not to vse the liberte of the fayth vnto hinderaūce. But vnto the furderaūce & edifyinge of the weake. For where suche cōsideracion is not / there foloweth debate and despisinge of the Gospell. It is better therfore to forbere the weke a while / vntyll they waxe strōge / then that the learninge of the Gospell shuld come all to geder vnderfoote. And suche worke is singular worke of loue / & where loue is perfecte / there muste nedes be suche a respecte vnto the weake / a thinge that Christ cōmaunded and charged to be had aboue all thinges.

In the .xv. Chapter he setteth forth Christ⁴⁷ agayne to be folowed / 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 thē 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 cōscience / pray seth them and committeth thē to god and magnifieth his office and administracion in the gospell / and so berly 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 / whatsoeuer a Christen man or woman ought to knowe that vs to wete what the lawe / the Gospell / synne / Grace / Fayth / Righteousnes / Christ / God / Good workes / Loue Hope / and the Crosse are / and euē where in the pyth of all that pertayneth to the christē fayth stondeth and howe a christen man oughte to be haue him silfe vnto euery man / be he perfect or a synner / good or bad / stronge or weke / frēd or foo / and in concsusion howe to behaue oure selues both toward god and toward oure selues also. And all thynges are profoundely grounded in the scriptures / and declared with ensamples of himsilfe / of the fathers and of the prophetes / that a man can here desyre no moare.

Wherfore it appereth euidently / that Pauls⁴⁸ 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 diligēly / and recorde it nyght and daye continually / vntyll he be full acquaynted therewith.

⁴⁹ 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 / and drawe thē from Christ / and noo sell the in weke & feble & (as Paul calleth thē 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. Cōpare therfore all maner doctryne of men vnto the scripture and se whether they agre or not. And committe thy silfe whole and all to gether vnto Christ / and so shall he with his holy sprite and with all hys fulnes dwell in thy soule.

The somme and hole cause of the wrytinge of this epistle / is / to proue that a man is iustifieth by sayth 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 neu⟨illegible⟩ vnderstonde it to his soules healthe. And to bringe a man to the vnderstondinge and felynge that fayth onlye iusti fieth: Paule proueh that the hole nature of m⟨illegible⟩ 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 forgeuē the. As when I saye God iustifieth vs / vnderstōde 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 be forgeuen and we in the full fauoure of God.

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 / queyeteth thy consciēce 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 recōnynge) that thy synnes are for geuen 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 cōpased 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 / for sake synne / and haue a purpose to synne no more as nyeas 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⟨illegible⟩orie / the Gospell must be preached me / and I must beleue it or else I cannot be partaker of the mercie which Christ hath deserued for me / Ergo Christ onlye iustifieth me not▪ or Christ onlye hath not made satisfaccion for my synnes. As this is a naughtie argument so is the other.

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. Seconda rely turne thyne eyes to Christ / & se there y⟨illegible⟩ exceadinge mercie of thy moost kynde and louinge father. Thirdly remeber 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 shuldes⟨illegible⟩ be a new creature and lyue a new lyfe after the will of God & not of the flesshe. And bediligent least thorow thyne awne necgligence & vn thankfulnes thou lose this fauoure and mercie agayne.

Farewell. W. T.

Notes to the Prologue

The text

Chapter 1

¶ The fyrst Chapter. ✚

1 PAul the seruaūt of Iesus Christ / called to be an Apostle / put [A] a parte to preache the Gospell of God /

2 which he promysed afore by his Prophetes / in the holy scriptures

3 that make mension of his sonne / the which was begottē of the seed of David / as pertayninge to the flesshe:

4 & declared to be the sonne of God with power of the holy goost that sanctifieth / sence y[ᵉ] tyme that Iesus Christ oure Lorde rose agayne from deeth

5 by whom we have receaved grace and apostleshyppe / to bringe all maner heth⟨illegible⟩ people vnto obedience of the fayth / that is in his name:

6 of the which hethen are ye a part also / which are Iesus christes by vocaciō. ⊢

7 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.

8 Fyrst verely I thanke my God thorow Iesus Christ for you all / because youre fayth is [B] publisshed through out all the worlde.

9 For God is my witnes / whom I serve with my sprete in the Gospell of his sonne / that with out ceasinge I make mencion of you alwayes in my prayers /

10 besechinge that at one tyme or another / a prosperous iorney (by y[ᵉ] will of god) myght fortune me / to come vnto you.

11 For I longe to see you / that I myght bestowe amōge you some spirituall gyfte / to strength you with all:

12 that is / that I myght have consolacion together with you / through the commen fayth / which bothe ye and I have.

13 I wolde that ye shuld knowe brethrē / how⁵⁰ 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 y[ᵉ] Gentyls.

14 For I am detter both to th⟨illegible⟩ Grekes & to them which are no Grekes / vnto the learned & also vnto the vnlearned.

15 Lykewyse / as moche as in me is / I am redy to preache the Gospell to you of Rome also.

16 For I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ / because it is y[ᵉ] power of God vnto salvaciō to all y[ᵗ] beleve / namely to the Iewe / & also to y[ᵉ] gētyle.

17 For by it y[ᵉ] rightewesnes which cōmeth of god / is opened / frō fayth to⁵¹ fayth. As it is written: The iust shall live by sayth.

18 For the wrath of God apereth from heven [C] agaynst all vngodlynes & vnrightewesnes of mē which withholde y[ᵉ] trueth in vnrightewesnes:

19 seynge / what maye be knowen of God / that same is manifest amōge them. For God dyd shewe it vnto them.

20 So that his invisible thinges: that is to saye / his eternall power and godhed are vnderstonde and sene / by the workes from the creacion of the worlde. So that they are without excuse /

21 in as moche as when they knewe god / they glorified him⁵² not as God / nether were thākfull / but wexedfull of vanities in their imaginacions / & their folisshe hertes were blynded.

22 When they coūted them selves wyse / they became foles

23 and turned the glory of the immortall god / vnto the similitude of the ymage of mortall man / and of byrdes / and foure foted beastes / & of serpentes.

24 Wherfore god lykewyse gave thē vp [D] vnto their hertes lustes / vnto vnclennes / to defyle their awne boddyes bitwene them selves:

25 which tourned his truthe vnto a lye / and worshipped and served the creatures more then y[ᵉ] maker / which is blessed for ever. Amē.

26 For this cause god gave them vp vnto shamfull lustes. For even their wemen did chaunge the naturall vse vnto the vnnaturall.

27 And lyke wyse also the men lefte the naturall vse of the womā / & brētin their lustes one on another. And man with man wrought filthynes / and receaved in them selves the rewarde of their erroure / as it was accordinge.

28 And as it semed not good vnto them to be aknowen of God / even so God delivered them [E] vp vnto a leawde mynd / y[ᵗ] they shuld do tho thinges which were not comly /

29 beinge full of all vnrighteous doinge / of fornicaciō / wickednes / coveteousnes / maliciousnes / full of envie / morther / debate / disseyte / evill cōdicioned / whisperers /

30 backbyters / haters of God / doers of wrōge / proude / bosters / bringers vp of evyll thinges / disobedient to father & mother /

31 without vnderstondinge / covenaunte breakers / vnlovinge / truce⁵³ breakers & merciles.

32 Which mē though they knew the rightewesnes of God / how that they which soche thinges commyt / are worthy of deeth / yet not only do the same / but also have pleasure in them that do them.

Notes to Chapter 1

Chapter 2

¶ The .ii. Chapter.

1 THerfore arte thou inexcusable o man / whosoever [A] thou be y[ᵗ] iudgest. For in yᵉ same wherin thou iudgest another / thou condemnest thy selfe. For thou that iudgest / doest evē the same selfe thinge.

2 But we are sure that the iudgement of God is accordinge to trueth / agaynst them which cōmmit soche thinge.

3 Thikest thou this O thou mā that iudgest them which do soche thinges & yet doest evē the very same / y[ᵗ] thou shalt escape y[ᵉ] iudgemēt of God:

4 Ether despisest thou the riches of his goodnes / paciēce & longe sufferaunce? and remembrest not how that the kyndnes of God ledith the to repentaunce?

5 But thou after thyne harde herte y[ᵗ] cānot⁵⁴ repēt / heapest yᵉ togedder the treasure of wrath agaynste the daye of vengeaūce / when shalbe opēned y[ᵉ] rightewes iudgemēt of god /

6 which will rewarde every mā accordinge to his⁵⁵ dedes:

7 that is to saye / prayse / honoure & immortalite / to them which cōtinue in good doynge / & seke eternall lyfe.

8 But vnto them that are [B] rebellious & disobey the trueth / yet folowe iniquytie / shall come indignacion & wrath /

9 tribulacion and anguysshe / vpon the soule of every man that doth evyll: of the Iewe fyrst / & also of the gentyll.

10 To every man that doth good / shall come prayse / honoure & peace / to y[ᵉ] [B]⁵⁶ Iewe fyrst / and also to the gentyll.

11 For ther is no parcialyte with god.

12 But whosoever hath synned with out lawe / shall perisshe wᵗ out lawe. And as many as haue synned vnder the lawe / shalbe iudged by the lawe.

13 For before god they are not ryghteous which heare y[ᵉ] lawe: but the⁵⁷ doers of the lawe shalbe iustified.

14 For if the gentyls which have no lawe / do of nature the thynges contayned in the lawe: then they havynge no lawe / are a lawe vnto themselves /

15 which shewe the dede of the lawe wrytten in their hertes: whyll their conscience beareth witnes vnto them / & also their thoughtes / accusynge one another or e[x]cusynge /

16 at the daye when god shall iudge the secretes of men by Iesus Christ / accordinge to my Gospell.

17 Beholde / thou arte called a Iewe / and trust [C] est in the lawe / and reioysist in God /

18 and knowest his will / and hast experience of good & bad / in that thou arte informed by the lawe:

19 & belevest that thou thy silfe arte a gyde vnto the blynde / a lyght to them which are in darcknes /

20 an informer of them which lacke discreciō / a teacher of vnlearned / which hast the ensample of that which ought to beknowen / & of the truth / in the lawe.

21 But thou which teachest another teachest not thy selfe. Thou preachest / a man shuld not steale: and yet thou stealest.

22 Thou sayst / a man shuld not commit advoutry: and thou breakest wedlocke. Thou abhorrest ymages / and robbest God⁵⁸ of his honoure.

23 Thou reioysest in the lawe / [D] and thorow breakinge the lawe dishonourest God.

24 For the name of god is evyll spoken of amonge the Gentyls thorowe you / as it is written.

25 Circumcisiō⁵⁹ verely avayleth / if thou kepe the lawe. But if thou breake the lawe / thy circumcision is made vncircumcision.

26 Therfore if the vncircumcised kepe the ryght thinges contayned in the lawe: shall not his vncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

27 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?

28 For he is not a Iewe / which is a Iewe outwarde. Nether is that thynge circumcision / which is outwarde in the flesshe.

29 But he is a Iewe which is hid wythin & the circūcisiō of y[ᵉ] herte is the true circumcision / which is in the sprete / & not in y[ᵉ] letter whose prayse is not of men / but of god.

Notes to Chapter 2

Chapter 3

¶ The .iii. Chapter.

1 VVhat preferment then hath the Iewe⟨illegible⟩ other what a vauntageth circumcision?

2 Surely very moche. Fyrst vnto [A] them was committed the worde of God

3 What then though some of them did not beleve? shall their vnbeleve make the promes of god with out effecte?

4 God forbid. Let god be⁶⁰ true / and all men lyars / as it is written: That thou myghtest be iustifyed in thy sayinge and shuldest overcome when thou arte iudged.

5 Yf oure vnrightewesnes make the rightewesnes of God more excellent: what shall we [B] saye? Is God vnrighteous which taketh vengeaūce? I speake after the maner of mē.

6 God forbid. For how then shall God iudge the worlde?

7 Yf the veritie of God appere moare excellent thorow my lye / vnto his prayse / why am I hence forth iudged as a synner?

8 & saye not rather (as men evyll speake of vs / and as some affirme that we saye) let vs do evyll / that good maye come therof. Whose damnacion is iuste.

9 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 /

10 as it is writtē: There is none⁶¹ righteous / no not one:

11 There is none that vnderstondith / there [C] is none yᵉ seketh after God /

12 they are all gone out of yᵉ waye / they are all made vnprofytable / ther is none that doeth good / no not one.

13 Their throte is an open sepulchre / with their tounges they have disceaved: the poyson of Aspes is vnder their lippes.

14 Whose mouthes are full of coursynge & bitternes.

15 Their fete are swyfte to sheed bloud.

16 Destruccion & wretchednes are in their wayes.

17 And the waye of peace they have not knowen.

18 There is no feare of God before their eyes.

19 ✚ Ye and we knowe that whatsoever yᵉ lawe sayth / he sayth it to them which are vnder the lawe. That all mouthes maye be stopped⁶² and all the worlde be subdued to god / because that by yᵉ dedes of the⁶³ lawe / shall no flesshe be iustified in the sight of God.

20 For by the lawe commeth the knowledge of synne.

21 Now verely is y[ᵉ] rigtewesnes that cōmeth [D] of God declared without the fulfillinge of y[ᵉ] lawe / havinge witnes yet of yᵉ lawe & of the Prophete.

22 The rightewesnes no dout which⁶⁴ is good before God / cōmeth by yᵉ fayth of Iesus Christ / vnto all & vpon all that beleve. Ther is no differēce:

23 for all have synned / & lacke the prayse y[ᵗ] is of valoure before God:

24 but are iustified frely by his grace / through the redemcion that is in Christ Iesu /

25 whom God hath made a seate of mercy thorow faith in his bloud / to shewe yᵉ rightewesnes which before him is of valoure / in yᵗ he forgeveth y[ᵉ] synnes y[ᵗ] are passed / which God dyd suffre

26 to shewe at this tyme / y[ᵉ] rightewesnes yᵗ is alowed of him / yᵉ he myght be coūted iuste / & a iustifiar of him which belevith on Iesus. ⊢

27 Where is then thy reioysinge? It is excluded. By what lawe? by yᵉ lawe of workes? Naye: but by the lawe of fayth.

28 For we suppose that a man is iustified by⁶⁵ fayth without the dedes of y[ᵉ] lawe.

29 Is he the God of the Iewes only? Is he not also the God of the Gentyls? Yes / evē of the Gentyles also.

30 For it is God only which iustifieth circumcision which is of fayth / & vncircumcision thorow fayth.

31 Do we then destroye the lawe thorow fayth? God forbid. But we rather⁶⁶ mayntayne the lawe.

Notes to Chapter 3

Chapter 4

¶ The .iiii. Chapter.

1 VVhat shall we saye then / that Abraham oure father as pertayninge to y[ᵉ] [A] flesshe / dyd finde?

2 If Abraham were iustified by⁶⁷ dedes / thē hath he wherin to reioyce: but not with god.

3 For what sayth the scripture? Abraham beleved god / and it was counted vnto him for rightewesnes.

4 To him that worketh / is the rewarde not reckened of favour: but of duty.

5 To him that worketh not / but beleveth on him that iustifieth the vngodly / is his fayth counted for rightewesnes.

6 Even as David describeth the blessedfulnes of the man vnto whom god ascribeth⁶⁸ rihgtewesnes without dedes.⁶⁹

7 Blessed are they / whose vnrightewesnes are forgeven / & whose synnes are covered.

8 Blessed is that mā to whom the Lorde imputeth not synne.

9 [B] Came this blessednes then vpon the circumcised or vpon the vncircūcised? We saye verely how that fayth was rekened to Abraham for rightewesnes.

10 How was it rekened? in the tyme of circumcision? or in the tyme before he was circumcised? Not in tyme of circūcision: but when he was yet vncircumcised.

11 And he receaved the signe of circumcision / as⁷⁰ a seale of y[ᵗ] rightewesnes which is by fayth / which fayth he had yet beynge vncircūcised: that he shuld be the father of all them that beleve / though they be not circumcised / that rightewesnes myght be imputed to them also:

12 [C] and that he myght be the father of the circumcised / not because they are circumcised only: but because they walke also in the steppes of that fayth yᵗ was in oure father Abraham before the tyme of circumcision.

13 For the promes that he shuld be the heyre of the worlde / was not geven to Abrahā or to his seed thorow the lawe: but thorow y[ᵉ] rightewesnes⁷¹ which cometh of fayth.

14 For yf they which are of the lawe / be heyres / then is fayth but vayne / & the promes of none effecte.

15 Because the lawe causeth wrathe▪ For where no lawe is / there is no trāsgression.

16 Therfore by fayth is the inheritaūce 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.

17 As it is wrytten: I have made the a father to many nacions / even before god whom⁷² thou hast beleved / which quyckeneth the deed / and called those thinges which be not / as though they were.

18 [D] Which Abraham / contrary to hope / beleved in hope / that he shuld be the father of many nacions / accordynge to that which was spoken: So shall thy seed be.

19 And he faynted not in the fayth / nor yet consydered hys awne body which was now deed / even⁷³ when he was almost an hondred yeare olde: nether yet that Sara was past chyldeberinge.

20 He stackered not at the promes of God thorow vnbelefe: but was made stronge in the fayth / and gave honour to God /

21 full certifyed / that what he had promised that he was able to make good.

22 And therfore was it reckened to him for rightewesnes.

23 It is not written for him only / that it was reckened to him for rightewesnes:

24 but also for vs / to whom it shalbe counted for rightewesnes / so we beleve on him that raysed vp Iesus oure Lorde from deeth.

25 Which was delivered⁷⁴ for oure synnes / and rose agayne forto iustifie vs.

Notes to Chapter 4

Chapter 5

¶ The .v. Chapter.⁷⁵

1 BEcause therfore that we are iustified by fayth / we are at peace with god thorow oure Lorde Iesus Christ:

2 by whō we have awaye in thorow fayth / vnto this grace wherin we stonde aud reioyce in hope of the prayse that shalbe geven of God.

3 Nether do we so only: but also we reioyce in tribulacion. For we know that tribulacion bringeth⁷⁶ pacience /

4 pacience bringeth experience / experience bringeth hope.

5 And⁷⁷ hope maketh not ashamed / for the love of God is sheed abrod in oure hertes / by the holy goost / which is geven vnto vs.

6 For when we were yet weake / accordynge to y[ᵉ] tyme: Christ dyed for vs which were vngodly.

7 Yet scace will eny man dye for a rightewes man. Paraventure for a good mā durst [B] a man dye.

8 ✚ But God setteth out his love that he hath to vs / seinge that whyll we were yet synners / Christ dyed for vs.

9 Moche more then now (seynge we are iustifyed in his bloud) shall we be saved from wrath / thorow him.

10 For yf when we were enemyes / we were reconciled to God by the deeth of his sonne: moche more / seinge we are reconciled / we shalbe preservid by his lyfe.

11 Not only so / but we also ioye in God by the meanes of oure Lorde Iesus Christ / by whom we have receavyd the attonment.

12 Wherfore as by one mā synne entred into the worlde / & deeth by the meanes of synne. And so deeth went over all men / in somoche that all men synned.

13 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:

14 neverthelesse deeth rayned frō Adam to Moses / evē over them also that synned not / wᵗ lyke transgression as dyd Adam: which is y[ᵉ] similitude of him that is to come.

15 But the gyfte is not lyke as the synne. For yf thorow the synne of one / many be deed: moche [C]⁷⁸ more plenteous vpon many was the grace of God & gyfte by grace: which grace was geven by one man Iesus Christ.

16 And y[ᵉ] gifte is not over one synne / as deeth cam thorow one synne of one y[ᵗ] synned. For damnacion cam of one synne vnto condemnacion: but the gyft cam to iustify frō many synnes.

17 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.

18 Lykewyse then as by the synne of one / condemnacion [D] cam on all men: evē so by the iustifyinge of one cōmeth the rightewesnes that bringeth lyfe / vpō all men.

19 For as by one mānes disobediēce many be cam synners: so by y[ᵉ] obediēce of one shall many be made righteous.

20 But y[ᵉ]⁷⁹ lawe in the meane tyme entred in / yᵗ synne shuld encreace. Neverthelater where aboundaunce of synne was / there was more plenteousnes of grace.

21 That as synne had raigned vnto deeth / even so might grace raygne thorow rightewesnes vnto eternall lyfe / by the helpe of Iesu Christ. ⊢

Notes to Chapter 5

Chapter 6

¶ The .vi. Chapter.

1 VVhat shall we saye then? Shall we [A] continue in synne / that there maye be aboundaunce of grace?

2 God forbyd. How shall we that are deed as touchynge synne / live eny lenger therin?

3 ✚ Remember ye not that all we which are baptysed in the name of Iesu Christ / are baptysed to dye with him?

4 We are buryed with him by baptim / for to dye / that lykewyse as Christ was raysed vp from deeth by the glorye of the father: evē so we also shuld walke in a newe lyfe.

5 For yf we be graft in deeth lyke vnto him: even so must we be in the resurrecciō.

6 This we must⁸⁰ remēber / that oure olde man is crucified with [B] him also / that the body of synne myght vtterly be destroyed / that hence forth we shuld not be servauntes of synne.

7 For he that is deed / ys iustified from synne.

8 Wherfore yf we be deed with Christ / we beleve that we shall live with him:

9 remembringe that Christ once raysed frō deeth / dyeth no more. Deeth hath no moare power over him.

10 For as touchynge that he dyed / he dyed concernynge synne / once. And as touchinge that he liveth / he liveth vnto God.

11 Lykewyse ymagen ye also / that ye are deed concernynge synne: but are alive vnto God thorow Iesus Christ oure Lorde.

12 ✚ Let not synne raygne therfore in youre mortall bodyes / that ye shuld thervnto obey in the lustes of it.

13 Nether geve ye youre members as instrumentes of vnrightewesnes vnto synne: but geve youre selves vnto God / as they that are alive from deeth. And geve youre membres as iustrumētes of rightewesnes vnto God.

14 Let not synne have power over you. For ye are not vnder the lawe / but vnder grace.

15 What then? Shall we synne / because we are not vnder the lawe: but vnder grace? God forbyd.

16 ✚ Remember ye not how yᵗ to whom [C]⁸¹ soever ye cōmit youre selves as servaūtes to obey / his servauntes ye are to whom ye obey: whether it be of synne vnto deeth / or of obedience vnto rightewesnes?

17 God be thanked / yᵗ though ye were once the servaunte of synne / ye have yet obeyed with herte vnto the forme of doctryne wher vnto ye were delyvered.

18 Yeare then made fre from synne / and are be come the servauntes of rightewesnes. ⊢

19 ✚ I will speake grossly because of the infirmitie [D] of youre flesshe. As ye have gevē youre membres servaunte to vnclennes & to iniquitie / frō iniquitie vnto iniquitie: even so nowe geve youre membres servants vnto rightewesnes / yᵗ ye maye be sanctified.

20 For when ye were the servauntes of synne / ye were not vnder rightewesnes.

21 What frute had ye then in tho thinges / wher of ye are now ashamed. For the ende of tho thynges is deeth.

22 But now are ye delivered from synne / & made the servauntes of God / & have youre frute that ye shuld be sanctifyed / & the ende everlastinge lyfe.

23 For the rewarde of synne is deeth: but⁸² eternall *lyfe is the gyfte of God / thorow Iesus Christ oure Lorde.

Notes to Chapter 6

Chapter 7

¶ The .vii. Chapter. ✚

1 REmember ye not brethren (I speake [A] to them yᵗ know the lawe) how that the lawe hath power over a man as longe as it endureth?

2 For the woman which is in subieccion to a man / is bounde by the lawe⁸³ to the man / as longe as he liveth. Yf the man be deed / she is lowsed from the lawe of the man▪

3 So then yf whill the man liveth she couple her selfe with another man / she shalbe counted a wedlocke breaker. But yf the man be deed / she is fre frō the lawe: so that she is no wedlocke breaker / though she couple herselfe [B] with another man▪

4 Even so ye my brethren / are deed concerninge the lawe by the body of Christ / yᵗ ye shuld be coupled to another (I meane to him that is rysen agayne frō deeth) that we shuld bringe forth frute vnto God.

5 For when we were in the flesshe / the lustes of synne which were stered vppe by y[ᵉ] lawe / raygned in oure membres / to bringe forth frute vnto deeth.

6 But now are we delivered frō the lawe & deed / frō that whervnto we were in bondage / that we shuld serve in a newe conversacion of y[ᵉ] sprete / & not in yᵉ olde conversacion of the letter.

7 What shall we saye then? is yᵉ lawe synne? God forbid: but I knewe not what synne meant⁸⁴ but by the lawe. For I had not knowne what lust had meant / excepte the lawe had sayde / thou shalt not lust.

8 But synne toke an occasion by the meanes of the commaundement / and wrought in me all manner of concupiscēce. For with out the lawe / synne was deed.

9 I once lived with out lawe. But when the commaundement came / synne revyved / and I was deed.

10 And the very same cōmaundement which was ordeyned vnto lyfe / was founde to be vnto me an occasion of deeth.

11 For synne toke occasion by the meanes of⁸⁵ the cōmaundement & so disceaved me / and by the selfe commaundement slewe we.

12 Wherfore the lawe is holy / and the commaundement [C] holy / iust and good.

13 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 commandemēt / myght be out of measure synfull.

14 For we knowe that the lawe is spirituall: but I am carnall / solde⁸⁶ vnder synne /

15 because I wote not what I doo. For what I wold / that do I not: but what I hate / that do I.

16 Yf I do now that which I wolde not / I graūte to the lawe that it is good.

17 So then nowe / it is not I that do it / but synne that [D] dwelleth in me.

18 For I knowe that in me (that is to saye in my flesshe) dwelleth no good thinge. To will is present with me: but I fynde no meanes to performe that which is good.

19 For I doo not y[ᵗ] good thinge which I wold: but that evill do I / which I wolde not.

20 Finally / yf I do that I wolde not / then is it not I that doo it / but synne that dwelleth in me / doeth it.

21 I fynde then by the lawe that when I wolde do good / evyll is present with me.

22 I delite in the lawe of God / concerninge the inner man.

23 But I se another lawe in my membres rebellinge agaynst the lawe of my mynde / & subduynge me vnto the lawe of synne / which is in my membres.

24 O wretched man y[ᵗ] I am: who shall delyver me frō this body of deeth?

25 I thanke God thorow Iesus Christ oure Lorde. So then I my silfe in my mynde serve the lawe of God / and in my flesshe the lawe of synne.

Notes to Chapter 7

Chapter 8

¶ The .viii. Chapter. ✚

1 THer is then no damnacion to them [A] which are in Christ Iesu / which walke not after y[ᵉ] flesshe: but after y[ᵉ] sprete.

2 For the lawe of the sprete yᵗ bringeth life thorowe Iesus Christ / hath delivered me frō the lawe of synne & deeth.

3 For what the lawe coulde not doo in as moche it was weake because of the flesshe: that performed God / & sent his sonne in the similitude of synfull flesshe / & by⁸⁷ synne dāned synne in y[ᵉ] flesshe:

4 that the rightewesnes requyred of the lawe myght be fulfilled in vs / which walke not after the flesshe / but after the sprete.

5 For they that are carnall / are carnally mynded.⁸⁸ But they that are spirituall / are gostly [B] mynded.

6 To be carnally mynded / is deeth. But to be spiritually mynded is lyfe & peace.

7 ✚ Because that the flesshly mynde is emnyte agaynst God: for it is not obedient to the lawe of God / nether can be.

8 So then they y[ᵗ] are geven to the flesshe / cānot please God.

9 But ye are not geven to the flesshe / but to the sprete: yf so be that y[ᵉ] sprite of God dwell in you. If ther be eny man yᵗ hath not y[ᵉ] sprite of Christ / y[ᵉ] same is none of his.

10 Yf Christ be in you / the body is deed because of synne: but the sprite is lyfe for rightewesnes sake.

11 Wherfore if the sprite of him that raysed vppe Iesus frō deeth / dwell in you: even he that raysed vp Christ from deeth / shall quycken youre mortall bodyes / because that this sprite dwelleth in you.

12 ✚ Therfore brethren we are nowe detters / [C] not to the flesshe / to live after the flesshe.

13 For if ye live after the flesshe / ye must dye. But yf ye mortifie the dedes of the body / by the helpe of the sprite / ye shall lyve.

14 For as many⁸⁹ as are led by the sprete of God: they are the sonnes of god.

15 For ye have n⟨illegible⟩ receaved the sprete of bondage to feare eny moare / but ye have receaved the sprite of adopcion wherby we crye Abba father.

16 The same sprete certifieth oure sprete yᵗ we are the sonnes of God.

17 Yf we be sonnes / we are also heyres / the heyres I meane of God / and heyres anexed with Christ: if so be that we⁹⁰ suffer togedder / that⁹¹ we maye be glorified to gedder.

18 ✚ For I suppose that the affliccions of [D] this lyfe / are not worthy of the glory which shalbe shewed vpon vs.

19 Also the fervent desyre of the creatures abideth lokynge when the sonnes of God shall appere /

20 because the creatures are subdued to vanyte agaynst their will: but for his will which subdueth them in hope.

21 For y[ᵉ] very creatures shalbe delivered from the bondage of corrupcion / into the glorious lybertie of the sonnes of God.

22 For we knowe that every creature groneth with vs also / and travayleth in payne even vnto⁹² this tyme.

23 Not they only / but even we also which have [E] the fyrst⁹³ frutes of the sprite / morne in oure selves & wayte for the (adopciō) & loke for the delivraunce of oure bodyes.

24 ✚ For we are savyd by * hope. But hope that is sene is no hope. For how can a mā hope for that which he seyth?

25 But and yf we hope for that we se not / then do we with pacience abyde for it.

26 Lyke wyse y[ᵉ] sprite also helpeth oure infirmities. For we knowe not what to desyre as we ought: but the sprete maketh intercession mightely for vs with gronynge which cānot be expressid with tonge.

27 And he that searcheth the hertes / knoweth what is y[ᵉ] meaninge of the sprite: for he maketh intercession for the sayntes accordinge to y[ᵉ] pleasure of god.

28 ✚ For we knowe that all thinges worke for the best vnto them y[ᵗ] love God / which also are called⁹⁴ of purpose.

29 For those which he knewe before / he also ordeyned before / y[ᵗ] they shuld be lyke fassioned vnto the shape of his sonne / that he myght be y[ᵉ] fyrst begotten sonne amōge many brethren.

30 Morover which he apoynted before / them he also called. And which he called / them also he iustified / which he iustified / them he also glorified.

31 What shall we then saye vnto these thinges? yf god be on oure syde: who can be agaynst [F] vs?

32 which spared not his awne sonne / but gave him for vs all: how shall he not wᵗ him geve vs all thingꝭ also?

33 Who shall laye eny thinge to y[ᵉ] charge of goddes chosen? it is god that iustifieth:

34 who then shall condempne? it is Christ which is deed / ye rather which is rysen agayne / which is also on the ryght honde of God / & maketh intercession for vs.

35 Who shall seperate vs frō the love⁹⁵ of god? shall tribulacion? or anguysshc⟨illegible⟩? or persecucion? other honger? other nakednesse? other parell? other swearde?

36 As it is written: For thy sake are we kylled all daye longe / and are counted as shepe apoynted to be slayne.

37 Never thelesse in all these thinges we overcome strongly thorow his helpe that loved vs.

38 Ye [G] and I am sure that nether deeth / nether lyfe / nether angels / nor rule / nether power / nether thinges present / nether thinges to come /

39 nether heyth / nether loweth / nether eny other creature shalbe able to departe vs frō y[ᵉ] love of God / shewed in Christ Iesu oure lorde. ⊢

Notes to Chapter 8

Chapter 9

¶ The .ix. Chapter.

1 I Saye the trueth in Christ and lye not / in that wherof my conscience beareth [A] me witnes in the holy gost /

2 that I have gret hevynes and continuall sorowe in my hert.

3 For I have wysshed my selfe to be⁹⁶ cursed from Christ / for my brethren and my kynsmen as pertayninge to the flesshe /

4 which are the Israelites. To whom pertayneth the⁹⁷ adopcion / & the glorie / and the covenauntes / and the law that was geven / and the service of God / and the promyses:

5 whose also are the fathers / and they of whome (as concernynge the flesshe) Christ came / which is God over all thinges blessed for ever Amen.

6 I speake not these thinges as though the [B] wordes of god had take none effecte. For they are not all Israelites which came of Israel:

7 nether are they all chyldren strayght waye / because they are the seed of Abraham. But in⁹⁸ Isaac shall thy seede be called:

8 that is to saye / they which are the chyldren of the flesshe / are not the chyldren of god. But the chyldren of⁹⁹ promes are counted the seede.

9 For this is a worde of promes / aboute this tyme will I come / and Sara shall have a sonne.

10 Nether was it so wᵗ her only: but also when [C] Rebecca was with chylde by one / I meane by oure father Isaac /

11 yeer the chyldren were borne / when they had nether done good nether bad: that the purpose of God which is by election / myght stonde / it was sayde vnto her / not by the reason of workes / but by grace of y[ᵉ]¹⁰⁰ caller:

12 the elder shall serve the yonger.

13 As it is written: Iacob he loved / but Esau he hated.

14 What shall we saye then? is there eny vnrightewesses with God? God forbyd.

15 For he [D] sayth to Moses: I will shewe mercye to whō¹⁰¹ I shewe mercy: and will have compassion on whom I have cōpassion.

16 So lieth it not then in a mans will or cunnynge / but in yᵉ mercye¹⁰² of god.

17 For the scripture sayth vnto Pharao: Even for this same purpose have I stered yᵉ vp / to shewe my power on y[ᵉ] / & that my name myght be declared thorow out all the worlde.

18 So hath he mercye on whom he will / and whom he will / he maketh hearde herted.

19 Thou wilt saye then vnto me: why then blameth he vs yet? For who can resist his [E]¹⁰³ will?

20 But o man / what arte thou which disputest with¹⁰⁴ God? Shall the worke saye to the workeman: why hast thou made me on this fassion?

21 Hath not the potter power over the claye / even of the same lompe to make one vessell vnto honoure / and a nother vnto dishonoure?

22 Even so / God willynge to shewe his wrath / and to make his power knowen / suffered with longe pacience the vessels of wrath / ordeyned to damnacion /

23 that he myght declare y[ᵉ] ryches of his glory on the vessels of mercye / which he had prepayred vnto glorie:

24 that is to saye / vs which he called / not of the Iewes only / but also of yᵉ gentyls.

25 As he sayth in O see: I will call them my people which were not my people: and her beloved which was not beloved.

26 And it shall come to passe in the place where it was sayd vnto them / ye are not my people: that there shalbe called¹⁰⁵ the chyldren of the lyvynge God.

27 But Esaias cryeth concernynge Israel / though the nomber of the chyldren of Israel [F]¹⁰⁶ be as the sonde of the see / yet shall a remnaūt be saved.

28 He finyssheth the worde verely and maketh it short in tyghtwesses. For a short worde will god make on erth.

29 And as Esaias sayd before: Except the Lorde of sabaoth had¹⁰⁷ left vs seede / we had bene made as Zodoma / and had bene lykened to Gomorra.

30 What shall we saye then? We saye that [G] the gentyls which folowed not rightewesnes have overtaken rightewesnes: I meane the rightewesnes which cometh of fayth.

31 But Israel which folowed the lawe of rightewesnes / coulde not attayne vnto yᵉ lawe of rightewesnes.

32 And wherfore? Because they sought¹⁰⁸ it not by fath: but as it were by the workes of the lawe. For they have stombled at the stomblynge stone.

33 As it is written: Beholde I put in Syon a stomblynge stone & a rocke which¹⁰⁹ shall make men faule. And none yᵗ beleve on him / shalbe ashamed.

Notes to Chapter 9

Chapter 10

¶ The .x. Chap. ✚

1 BRethren / my hertes desyre & prayer to God for Israel is that they might be [A] saved.

2 For I beare them recorde that they have a fervēt mynde to God warde / but not accordinge to knowledge.

3 For they are ignorant of the rightewesnes which is alowed¹¹⁰ before God / and goo about to stablisshe their awne rightewesnes & therfore are not obedient vnto the rightewesnes which is of valew before God.

4 For Christ is the ende of the lawe / to iustifie all that beleve.

5 Moses describeth the rightewesnes which [B]¹¹¹ cometh of y[ᵉ] lawe / howe that the man which doth the things of the lawe / shall lyve therin.

6 But y[ᵉ] rightewe[s]nes which cometh of fayth / speaketh on this wyse. Saye not in thyne hert who shall ascende into heven? (that is nothinge els then to fetch Christ doune)

7 Other who shall descende into the depe? (that is nothinge els but to fetch vp Christ from deeth)

8 But what sayth the scripture? The worde is nye the / even in thy mouth and in thyn herte. This worde is the worde of fayth which [C] we preache.

9 For yf thou shalt knowledge wᵗ thy mouth that Iesus is the lorde / and shalt beleve with thyn hert that God raysed him vp from deeth / thou shalt be safe.

10 ✚ For the belefe of the hert iustifieth: and to knowledge with the mouth maketh a¹¹² man safe.

11 For the scripture sayth: whosoever beleveth on him / shall not be ashamed.

12 Ther is no difference bitwene the Iewe & [D] the gentyll. For one is Lorde of all / which is ryche vnto all that call on him.

13 For whosoever shall call on the name of the lorde / shalbe safe.

14 But how shall they call on him / on whō they beleved not? how shall they beleve on him of whom they have not herde? how shall they heare with out a preacher?

15 And how shall they preach except they be sent? As it is written: how beautifull are the fete of them¹¹³ which bringe glad tydynges of peace / & bringe glad tydynges of good thinges.

16 But they [C] have not all obeyed to y[ᵉ] gospell. For Esaias¹¹⁴ sayth: Lorde who shall beleve oure sayinges?

17 So then fayth cometh by hearynge / and hearynge cometh by the worde of God.

18 But I axe: have they not herde? No dout / their sounde¹¹⁵ went out into all londes: & their wordes in to the endes of the worlde. ⊢

19 But I demaunde whether Israel dyd knowe or not? Fyrst Moses sayth: I will provoke¹¹⁶ you for to envy / by thē that are no people / & by a folisshe nacion I will anger you.

20 Esaias after that / is bolde & sayth. I am founde of thē that sought me not / & have appered to them¹¹⁷ that ayed not after me.

21 And agaynst Israel he sayth: All daye longe have I stretched forth my honds vnto a people yᵗ beleveth not / but speaketh agaynst me.

Notes to Chapter 10

Chapter 11

¶ The .xi. Cha.

1 I Saye then: ha[t]h god cast awaye his people? God forbyd. For even I verely am an Israelite / of the seed of Abrahā / and [A] of y[ᵉ] tribe of Beniamin /

2 god hath not cast awaye his people which he knew before. Ether wote ye not what the scripture sayth by the mouth of Helias / how he maketh intercession to god agaynst Israel / sayinge:

3 Lorde they have¹¹⁸ kylled thy prophetes & dygged doune thyn alters: & I am lefte only / & they seke my lyfe.

4 But what sayth the answer of god to him agayne? I have reserved vnto me seven thousande men which have not bowed the knee to Baal.

5 Even so at this tyme ys ther a remnanaunt lefte thorow the eleccion of grace.

6 Yf it be of¹¹⁹ grace / thē is it not of workes. For then were grace no moare grace. Yf it be of workes / then is it no moare grace. For then were deservyng no lenger deservynge.

7 What then? Israel hath not obtayned [B] that / that he sought. No but yet the election hath obtayned it. The remnaunt are blynded /

8 accordynge as it is written: God hath geven¹²⁰ thē the sprete of vnquyetnes: eyes that they shuld not se / & eares that they shuld not heare even vnto this daye.

9 And David sayth: Let their table be made a snare to take them with all / and an occasion to faule / and a rewarde vnto them.

10 Let their eyes be blynded that they se not: & ever bowe doune their backes.

11 I saye then: Have they therfore stombled that they shulde but faule only? God forbyd: but thorowe their faule is salvaciō happened vnto the gentyls / for to provoke thē with all.

12 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.

13 I speake to you gentyls / in as moche as I am the Apostle of y[ᵉ] gentyls I will magnify myn office /

14 that I myght provoke them which are my flesshe / and myght save some of them.

15 For yf the castynge awaye of them / be the reconcylynge [C]¹²¹ of the worlde: what shall the receavynge of them be / but lyfe agayne from deeth?

16 For yf one pece be holy / the whole heepe is holy. And yf the rote be holy / the braunches are holy also.

17 Though some of the branuches be broken [C] of / and thou beynge a wylde olyue tree / arte graft in amonge them / & made parttaker of yᵉ rote and fatnes of the olyve tree /

18 bost not thy selfe agaynst the braūches. For yf thou bost thy selfe / remember that thou bearest not the rote / but the rote the.

19 Thou wilt saye then: the braūches are broken of / that I myght be grafte in.

20 Thou sayest well: because of vnbeleve they are broken of / and thou stondest stedfast in fayth. Be not hye mynded / but feare

21 seynge that God spared not the naturall braunches / lest haply he also spare not the.

22 Beholde yᵉ kyndnes & rigorousnes of God: on thē which fell / rigorousnes: but towardes the / kyndnes / yf thou cōtinue in his kyndnes. Or els thou shalt be hewen of /

23 & they yf they byde not still in vnbelefe / shalbe graffed in agayne. For God is of power to graffe them in agayne.

24 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 braūches be graffed in their awne olyve tree agayne.

25 I wolde not that this secrete shuld be hyd [D] frō you my brethren (lest ye shuld be wyse in youre awne consaytes) that partly blyndnes is happened in Israel / vntyll yᵉ fulnes of the gentyls be come in:

26 & so all Israel shalbe saved. As it is writtē: There shall come oute of¹²² Sion he y[ᵗ] doth delyver / & shall turne awaye the vngodlynes of Iacob.

27 And this is my covenaunt vnto them / when I shall take awaye their synnes.

28 As cōcernynge the gospell / they are enemies for youre sakes: but as touchinge the election / they are loved for y[ᵉ] fathers sake.

29 For verely the gyftes and callynge of god are soche / that it cannot repent him of them:

30 for loke / as ye in tyme passed have not beleved God / yet have now obtayned mercy thorow their vnbelefe:

31 even so now have they not beleved the mercy which is happened vnto you / that they also maye obtayne mercy.

32 God hath wrapped all nacions in vnbelene / that he myght have mercie on all.

33 O the depnes of the aboundaunt wysdome and knowledge of God: how vnserchable are his iudgementes / and his wayes past findyng out.

34 For who hath knowen the mynde of the lorde? or who was his counseller?

35 other¹²³ who hath geven vnto him fyrst / that he myght be recompensed agayne?

36 For of him / and thorow him / and for him / are all thinges To him be glorye for ever Amen.

Notes to Chapter 11

Chapter 12

The .xii. Chapter. ✚

1 IBeseche you therfore brethrē / by y⟨illegible⟩ mer cyfulnes of God / that ye make youre [A]¹²⁴ bodyes aquicke sacrifise holy & acceptable vnto God which is youre resonable seruynge of god.

2 And fassion not youre selves lyke vnto this worlde: But be ye chaunged in youre shape / by the renuynge of youre wittes that ye maye fele what thynge that good / yᵗ acceptable / and perfaycte will of god is.

3 For I saye (thorowe the grace that vnto me gevē is) to every man amonge you that noman esteme of him selfe moare then it becometh him to esteme: but that he discretely iudge of him selfe / accordynge as God hath dealte to every man the measure of fayth▪

4 As we have many members in one body / & all [B]¹²⁵ members have not one office:

5 so we beynge many are one body in Christ and every man Camōge oure selves) one anothers mēbers

6 ✚ ✚ Seynge that we have dyvers gyftes accordynge to the grace that is geven vnto vs: yf eny man have y[ᵉ] gyft of¹²⁶ prophesye / let him have it that it be agreynge vnto the fayth.

7 Let him that hath an office / wayte on his office. Let him that teacheth / take hede to his doctrine.

8 Let him that exhorteth / geve attendaunce to his exhortacion. Yf eny man geve / let him do it with singlenes. Let him that ruleth / do it with diligence. Yf eny man shewe mercy / let him do it with cherfulnes.

9 Let love be wᵗ out dissimulacion. Hate that which is evyll / and cleave vnto that which [C] is good.

10 Be kynde one to another with brotherly love. In gevynge honoure / goo one be fore another.

11 Let not y[ᵗ] busynes which ye have in honde / be tedious to you. Be fervēt in y[ᵉ] sprete. Applye youre selves to yᵉ tyme.

12 Reioyce in hope. Be paciēt in tribulacion. Continue in prayer.

13 Distribute vnto the necessite of the saynctes & diligently to harboure.

14 Blesse thē¹²⁷ which persecute you: blesse but course not▪

15 Be mery with thē that are mery. Wepe wᵗ them that wepe.

16 Be of lyke affeccion one towardes another. Be not hye mided: but make youreselves equall to thē of y[ᵉ] lower sorte. ✚ ✚ Be not wyse in youre awne opiniōs.

17 Recōpence to no [D]¹²⁸ mā evyll fore evyll. Provyde afore honde thinges honest in yᵉ syght of all men.

18 Yf it be possible / howbe it of youre parte / have peace with all men.

19 Derly beloued avenge not youre selves / but ge[v]e roume vnto the wrath of God.¹²⁹ For it is written: vengeaunce is myne / and I will rewarde saith the lorde.

20 Terfore yf thyn enemy honger / fede him: yf he thurst / geve him drinke. For in so doynge thou shalt heape¹³⁰ coles of fyre on his heed:

21 Be not overcome of evyll: But overcome evyll wᵗ goodnes. ⊢

Notes to Chapter 12

Chapter 13

¶ The .xiii. Cha. ✚

1 LEt every soule submit him selfe vnto [A] the auctorite of yᵉ hyer powers. For there is no power but of God. The powers that be / are ordeyned of God.

2 Whosoever therfore resysteth power / resisteth the ordinaunce of God. And they that resist / shall receave to thē selfe damnaciō.

3 For rulars are not to be feared for good workes / but for evyll Wilt thou be with out feare of the power? Do well then: and so shalt thou be praysed of the same.

4 For he is the minister of God / for thy welth. But & yf thou do evyll / then feare: for he beareth not a swearde for nought: but [B] is the minister of God / to take vengeaunce on them that do evyll.

5 Wherfore ye must nedes obeye / not for feare of vengeaunce only: but also because of¹³¹ conscience.

6 And even for this cause paye ye tribute. For they are godde ministers / servynge for the same purpose. ⊢

7 Geve to every man therfore his duetie: Tribute to whom tribute belongeth: Custome to whom custome is due: feare to whom feare be longeth: Honoure to whō honoure pertayneth

8 ✚ Owe nothinge to eny man: but to love one¹³² another. For he that loveth another / fulfylleth the lawe. For these commaundementes:

9 Thou shalt not cōmit advoutry: Thou shalt [C] not kyll: Thou shalt not steale: Thou shalt not beare false witnes: Thou shalt not desyre¹³³ and so forth (yf there be eny other cōmaundement) they are all comprehended in this sayinge: Love thyne neghbour as thy selfe.

10 Love hurteth not his neghbour. Therfore is love the fulfillynge of the lawe. ⊢

11 ✚ This also we knowe / I mean the season /¹³⁴ howe that it is tyme that we shuld now awake [D] oute of slepe. For now is oure * salvacion nearer then when we beleved.

12 The nyght is passed & the daye is come nye. Let vs therfore cast awaye the dedes of darcknes / & let vs put on the (Armoure) of lyght.

13 Let vs walke honestly as it were in the daye lyght: not in eatynge and drinkynge: nether in chamburynge and wantannes: nether in stryfe & envyinge:

14 but put ye on the Lorde Iesus Christ. ✚ And make not provision for the flesshe / to fulfyll y[ᵉ] lustes of it.

Notes to Chapter 13

Chapter 14

¶ The .xiiii. Chapter.

1 HIm that is weake in the fayth / receave vnto you / not in disputynge & troublynge [A] his conscience.

2 One beleveth that he maye eate all thingꝭ. Another which is weake / eateth earbes.

3 Let not him that eateth / despise him that eateth not. And let not him whiche eateth not / iudge him that eateth. For God hath receaved him.

4 What arte thou that iudgest another mānes servaūt?¹³⁵ Whether he stonde or faule / that pertayneth vnto his master: ye / he shall stonde. For God is able to make him stonde.

5 This man putteth difference bitwene daye [B] and daye. Another man counteth all dayes alyke. Se that no man waver in his awne meanynge.

6 He that observeth one daye more then another / doth it for y[ᵉ] lordes pleasure. And he that observeth not one daye moare then another / doeth it to please y[ᵉ] lorde also. He that eateth / doth it to please the lorde / for he geveth god thankes. And he y[ᵗ] eateth not / eateth not to please yᵉ lorde wᵗ all / & geveth god thanke.

7 For none of vs lyveth his awne servaūt: nether doeth anye of vs dye his awne servaunt.

8 Yf we lyve / we lyve to be at yᵉ lorde will. And yf we dye / we dye at yᵉ lordes will. Whether¹³⁶ we lyve therfore or dye / we are the lordes.

9 For Christ therfore dyed & rose agayne / & revived / that he myght be lorde both of deed & quicke.

10 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.

11 For it is written: as truely as I lyve sayth y[ᵉ] lorde / all knees shall bowe to me / and all tonges shall geve a knowledge to God.

12 So shall every one of vs geve accomptes of him selfe to God.

13 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 [C] his brothers waye.

14 For I knowe and am full certified in the Lorde Iesus / that ther is nothinge¹³⁷ comen of it selfe: but vnto him that iudgeth it to be comen: to him is it comen.

15 If thy brother be greved with thy meate / now walkest thou not charitablye. Destroye not him with thy meate / for whom Christ dyed.¹³⁸

16 Cause not youre treasure to be evyll spoken of.

17 For the kyngdome of God is not meate and drinke: but rightewesnes / peace and ioye in the holy goost.

18 For whosoever in these thinges serveth Christ / pleaseth well God / and is commended of men.

19 Let vs folowe tho thinges which make for [D] peace / & thinges wherwith one maye edyfie another.

20 Destroye not yᵉ worke of god for a lytell meates sake. All thinges are pure: but it¹³⁹ is evyll for that man / which eateth with hurte of his conscience.

21 It is good nether to eate flesshe / nether to drincke wyne / nether enythinge / wherby thy brother stombleth / ether falleth / or is made weake▪

22 Hast thou fayth? have it with thy selfe before god. Happy▪ is he y[ᵗ]¹⁴⁰ condempneth not him selfe in that thinge which he aloweth.

23 For he y[ᵗ] maketh conscience / is dampned yf he eate: because he doth it not of fayth. For whatsoever is not of fayth / that same is synne. ⊢

Notes to Chapter 14

Chapter 15

¶ The .xv. Chap.

1 U⟨illegible⟩e which are stronge / ought to beare the staylnes of them which are weake / and [A] not to stonde in oure awne cōsaytes.

2 Let every man please his neghbour vnto¹⁴¹ his welth and edyfyinge.

3 For Christ pleased not him selfe: but as it is written. The rebukes of thē which rebuked the / fell one me.

4 ✚ Whatsoever thinges are written afore tyme / are written for oure learnynge / that we thorow pacience and comforte of the scripture / myght have hope.

5 [B] The God of pacience and consolacion / geve¹⁴² vnto every one of you / that ye be lyke mynded one towardes another after the insample of Christ:

6 that ye all agreynge together / maye with one mouth prayse God the father of oure Lorde Iesus.

7 Wherfore receave ye one another as Christ receaved vs / to the prayse of God.

8 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.

9 And let the gentyls prayse god for his mercy / as it is written: For this cause I will prayse the amonge the gentyls / and synge in¹⁴³ thy name.

10 And agayne he sayth: reioyse ye gentyles with his people.

11 And agayne / prayse the Lorde all ye gentyls / and laude him all nacions.

12 And in another place Esaias sayth: [C] ther shal be the rote of Iesse / and he that shall ryse to raygne over the gentyls: in him shall the gentyls trust.

13 The God of hope fyll you with all ioye and peace in belevynge: that ye maye be ryche in hope thorowe the power of the holy goost. ⊢

14 I my selfe am full certified of you my brethren / that ye youre selves are full of goodnes and filled with all knowledge / and are able to exhorte one another.

15 Neverthelesse brethren I have some what boldly written vnto you / as one that putteth you in remembraūce / thorow the grace that is geven me of God /

16 that I shuld be the minister of Iesu Christ amonge [D] the gentyls / and shuld minister the gladde tydynges of God / that the gentyls myght be an acceptable offerynge / sanctyfied by the holy goost.

17 I have therfore wherof I maye reioyse in Christ Iesu / in tho thinges which pertayne to God.

18 For I dare not speake of eny of tho thinges which Christ hath not wrought by me / to make the gentyls obedient / with worde and dede /

19 in myghty signes and wonders / by the power of the sprete of God: so that from Ierusalem and the costes rounde aboute vnto Illyricum / I have fylled all countres with the gladde tydynges of Christ.

20 So have I enforsed my selfe to preache the [E] gospell / not where Christ was named / left I¹⁴⁴ shuld have bylt on another mannes foundacion:

21 but as it is written: To whom he was not spoken of / they shall se: & they that hearde not / shall vnderstonde.

22 For this cause I have bene ofte let to come vnto you:

23 but now seynge I have no moare to do in these countres / and also have bene desyrous many yeares to come vnto you /

24 when I shall take my iorney into spayne / I will come to you. I trust to se you in my iorney / and to be brought on my waye thither warde by you after that I have somwhat enioyed you.

25 Now go I vnto Ierusalem / & minister vnto the saynctes.

26 For it hath pleased them of [F] Macedonia & Achaia to make a certayne distribuciō vpō the poore sayncts which are at Ierusalem.

27 It hath pleased them verely / and their detters are they. For yf the gētils be made partetakers of their spirituall things / their¹⁴⁵ dutie is to minister vnto thē in carnall thinges.

28 When I have performed this / and have brought them this frute sealed. I will come backe agayne by you into Spayne.

29 And I am sure when I come / that I shall come with aboundaunce of the blessinge of the gospell of Christ.

30 I beseche you brethrē 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 /

31 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 y[ᵉ] saynctes /

32 that I maye come vnto you with ioye / by the will of God / and maye with you be refresshed.

33 The God of peace be with you. Amen. ⊢

Notes to Chapter 15

Chapter 16

¶ The .xvi. Chapter.

1 I Commēde vnto you Phebe oure sister (which is a minister of the congregacion of Chenchrea)

2 that ye receave her [A] in the Lorde as it becommeth sayncts / & that ye assist her in whatsoever busynes she neadeth¹⁴⁶ of youre ayde. For she hath suckered many / & myne awne selfe also.

3 Grete Prisca and Aquila my helpers in Christ Iesu /

4 which have for my lyfe layde doune their awne necke. Vnto which not I only geve thankes but also the congregacion of the gētyls.

5 Lyke wyse grete all the cōpany that is in thy housse. Salute¹⁴⁷ my welbeloved Epenetos / which is the [B] fyrst frute amōge them of Achaia.

6 Grete Mary which bestowed moche labour on vs.

7 Salute Andronicus & Iunia my cosyns / which were presoners with me also / which are wele taken amōge the Apostles / & were in Christ before me.

8 Grete Amplias my beloved in y[ᵉ] Lorde.

9 Salute [V]rban oure helper in Christ / and Stachys my beloved.

10 Salute Appelles approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobolus housholde.

11 Salute Herodion my ⟨illegible⟩ynsmā. Grete them of the housholde of Na[r]cissus which are in the Lorde.

12 Salute Triphena & Triphosa / which wemen dyd labour in y[ᵉ] Lorde. Salute y[ᵉ] beloved Persis / which laboured in the Lorde.

13 Salute Rufus chosen in the Lorde / & his mother & myne.

14 Grete Asincritus / Phlegon / Herman / Patrobas / Hermen / & the brethren which are wᵗ them.

15 Salute Philologus & Iulia / Nereus & his sister / & Olimpha / & all the saynctes which are with them.

16 Salute one another with an holy kysse. The congregacions of Christ sasute you.

17 I beseche you breihrē / marke them which [C] cause division & geve occasions of evyll / contravy to the doctrine which ye have learned: & avoyde them.

18 For they yᵗ are suche serve not the yᵉ Lorde Iesus Christ: but their awne bellyes / & with swete preachinge & flatteringe wordes deceave the hertes of the innocētes.

19 For youre obedience¹⁴⁸ extendeth to all men. I am glad no dout of you. But yet I wolde have you wyse vnto y[ᵗ] which is good / & to be innocētes concerninge evyll.

20 The God of peace treade Satan vnder youre fete shortly. The grace of oure Lorde Iesu Christ be with you.

21 Thimotheus my worke felow / & Lucius & [D] Iason & Sopater my kynsmen / salute you.

22 I Tertius salute you / which wrote this epistle in the Lorde.

23 Gaius myne hoste & the hoste of all the congregacions / saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlayne of y[ᵉ] cite saluteth you. And Quartus a brother saluteth you.

24 The grace of oure Lorde Iesu Christ be wᵗ you all. Amē

25 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 begāne /

26 but now is opened by y[ᵉ] scriptures of prophesie / at the commaundement of the everlastinge god / to stere vp obedience to the faith publisshed amonge all nacions:

27 To the same God / which alone is wyse / be prayse thorowe Iesus Christ for ever. Amen.

¶ To the Romayns. ¶ Sent from Chorinthum by Phebe / she that was the minister vnto the congregacion at Chenchrea.

Notes to Chapter 16

Colophon

Transcribed from The newe Testament dylygently corrected and compared with the Greke by Willyam Tindale (Antwerp: Marten Emperowr, November 1534; STC 2826), British Library copy, as keyed by the Text Creation Partnership (EEBO-TCP Phase I, text A68940): keyed by Apex CoVantage from the ProQuest page images in 2005, then sampled and proofread by Judith Siefring. The TCP transcription was released into the public domain under CC0 1.0. The printed text is in the public domain.

Spelling, capitals, punctuation (including the virgule /), abbreviation marks (the macron, as in thē, and ꝭ) and the signs ¶ ✚ ⊢ ❧ are kept as printed. The only changes are these: long s (ſ) is set as s; superscript letters are set as ᵉ ᵗ ᵒ (yᵉ = the, yᵗ = that); ▪ marks a stop the transcribers could not identify; a word divided at the end of a line, with or without a printed hyphen, is joined into one word; a letter supplied from another text, as explained below, is set in square brackets; page breaks and catchwords are removed. Woodcuts and decorated initials are not reproduced, but woodcut captions are given. The margin notes are given as numbered footnotes. Printed headings are kept, including their misprints, as italic lines under the library's chapter headings. The letters [A] to [G] are the section letters printed in the margin, by which the 1534 margin references (for example "Esaie vij. c.") and the table of lessons find a passage.

The 1534 print has no verse numbers. They are supplied here from the eBible.org Tyndale New Testament (1534), a public-domain, verse-numbered electronic text of the same edition. A word-by-word alignment showed that about 97 per cent of the two texts' words are identical across the New Testament, and the remainder differ in spelling and abbreviation, with a few slips of keying in one text or the other. The paragraphs of the print give way to one paragraph per verse.

Words that the transcribers could not read are marked ⟨illegible⟩ (87 places on this page, 43 of them in the margin notes).

In the verse text of this book, 89 places that the transcribers could not read in the printed book have been supplied from the eBible.org Tyndale New Testament (1534), a later electronic transcription of Tyndale's New Testament whose transcriber is not named. Each supplied letter is set in square brackets, as in y[ᵉ] or fal[c]e, so that it can be told from a letter the transcribers read in the print. A place was supplied only where the verse alignment was exact on both sides, the eBible reading agreed letter for letter with every legible letter, and no macron could have stood in the gap. Where the small superscript letter after y was supplied, the eBible text is the only evidence for that letter.

This is an archival transcription of Tyndale's printed English, not a Good Works Translation: nothing here has been translated or modernised by the library.

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How paule vseth ce⟨illegible⟩tē wordes / must be diligēt lie vnderstonde. ↩
The lawe encrea▪ seth synne ↩
The spirite is required / yer we ⟨illegible⟩ kepe the lawe before God. ↩
To do the dedes of yᵉ lawe / & to fulfill the lawe / are two thinges. ↩
Prosperous. ↩
To fullfill the lawe what it is. ↩
The spirite cometh by faith. ↩
Faith cōmeth by he arynge the glad tydinges. ↩
Fayth onlye iustifieth. ↩
Workes springe of fayth. ↩
Synne ↩
Fayth is the mother of all good workes / & vn belefe of euell. ↩
Grace. Gyfte. ↩
Fayth is not the worke of man. ↩
Ryght fayth is of the workinge of the spirite of God. ↩
Fayth what it is ↩
Fayth is ryghteousnes. ↩
Fleshe what it is ↩
Spirituall. ↩
The fyrst Chapter. ↩
Seconde Chapter. ↩
Thyrde Chapter. ↩
The lawe ius⟨illegible⟩ifieth not: but vttereth the synne onlye & condemneth. ↩
Fourthe Chapter. ↩
Outward workes are signes and witnesses of the inwarde fayth. ↩
Blessed is he that hath his sinnes for geuē him. ↩
The .v. Chapter. ↩
Good workes are the frutes of the sprite. ↩
The .vj. Chapter. ↩
Baptyme is a wytnesse betwene god & vs that we haue promised to mortifie the lustes & synne that remayneth in the flesshe. &c. ↩
Not to be vnder the lawe what it meaneth ↩
To be vnder the lawe what it is. ↩
The .vij. Chapter. ↩
To be vnder the lawe. To belowse from the lawe. ↩
Flesshe & spirite fight to ge gether. ↩
The. viij Chapter. ↩
The .ix. x. and. xj chapters. ↩
This do yf thou wilt vnderstonde ↩
The .xij. Chapter ↩
The. xiij Chapter. ↩
Loue is the fulfil ⟨illegible⟩e of the lawe. ↩
The. xiiij Chapter. ↩
The .xv. Chapter. ↩
The. xiij Chapter. ↩
Loue is the fulfil ⟨illegible⟩e of the lawe. ↩
The. xiiij Chapter. ↩
The .xv. Chapter. ↩
This pistle to the Romaynes is the dore into all the scripture: ye and the keye that openeth it and bryngeth men to the true vnderstōdynge of it. ↩
The last Chapter. ↩
aba. ij. a hebre. x. gala. iii. ↩
* From fayth to fayth: that is from a weake faith to a stronger / or frō one ba⟨illegible⟩ayle of fayth to a nother / for as we haue escaped one ieopardye thorow fayth / another inuadeth vs / thorow which we must wade by the helpe of fayth als⟨illegible⟩ ephe. iiij. ↩
What foloweth when mē knowethe truthe & loue it not ↩
To haue pleasure in another mannes synne is greater wyckednes then to synne thy selfe. ↩
Matthew xvi. d. ↩
* The deseruige of Christ is promysed to be the rewarde of oure good dedes: which rewarde yet oure dedes deserue ⟨illegible⟩ot. ↩
deut. x. d. ij. pa. xix iob xxvii act. x. c. mat. vij. d iac. i. d. ↩
* Dedes are an outeward righteousnes before the worlde and testifie what a ⟨illegible⟩ is withinne: but iustifie not the hert before god: ne⟨illegible⟩ certifye y⟨illegible⟩ consciēce that the fore synnes are forgeuen. ↩
esa. ⟨illegible⟩iij. ⟨illegible⟩. ez. xxxvi ↩
* Circumcision was a witnes of the couenaūt betwene them and god & holpe not but after as it put them in remembraunce to beleue in god & to kepe ⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩ lawe. ↩
ioa. iii. b. psal. cxv psal. l. ↩
gala. iii. d psal. xiii. a. psal. v. c. & .xiii. b psalm. C xxxix. & psal. ix. c. esai. lix. b ps. xiii. b ↩
Gala. ij. d ↩
* The lawe iustifieth not before god / but vttereth synne onlye. ↩
Iustifyinge cōmeth by fayth. ↩
Fayth iustifieth. ↩
* Fayth mayntayneth the lawe / because therby we obtayne power to loue it & to kepe it ↩
* Dedes iustifie not before God: nether maye a⟨illegible⟩an before God put trust in them. ↩
psa. xxxi ↩
* Blessed fullnes what it is ↩
Circūcision is the seale. ↩
The promes cometh by fayth The lawe causeth wrath. ↩
gen. xvii. ↩
gene. xiii. and .xv. b ↩
Christ iustifieth vs. ↩
Fayth setteth vs at peace with God. ↩
Iaco. j. b. ↩
* We are not asshamed of oure hope for we are sure by the deathe of Christ that God loueth vs and will bringe oure hope to passe. ↩
Adams disobedyēce dampned vs all yer we oure selues wrought euell. And Christes obedience saueth vs all / yer we oure selues worke anye good. ↩
* the lawe encreaseth synne ⟨illegible⟩ maketh oure nature more gredie to do euell▪ because y⟨illegible⟩ lawe mynistreth no power ner lust to that she byddeth / or to refrayne from that she forbyddeth. gala. iij. d ↩
heb. xij. a j. pe⟨illegible⟩. ij. a. ephe. iiij. e coll. iij. b. ↩
lo. viij. d. ij. pe. ij. d. ↩
Eternall lyfe is the seruinge of Christ ↩
j. co. vij. ↩
Lawe maketh synne to be knowen▪ exo. xx. c dute. v. b ↩
j. tim. j. b ↩
* Solde vnder synne is to be made a bōde man to do the will of synne onlye. ↩
* Synne is takē here for a synne offeringe after y⟨illegible⟩ vse of the hebrue tōge ↩
* Christes spirite is in all his / and y⟨illegible⟩ spirite is life because it cōsenteth vnto the lawe. And the bodye that is deed because it cōsenteth to synne / will that spryte quickē at the last: geue him lust to do the lawe / and will not soffre him to remayne in synne. ↩
The spirite that maketh vs sonnes & heyres by grace. ↩
* Fyrst fruts: a tast & a certayne porciō & not the full gyfte of y⟨illegible⟩ spirite. ↩
We must soffre with Christ if we shall raygne with h⟨illegible⟩ in glorie. ↩
(Adopcion) that is the inheritaunce promised by grace. ↩
* we are saued by hope: that is we hope to be delyuered oute of y⟨illegible⟩ corrupciō of oure bodyes into y⟨illegible⟩ glorie y⟨illegible⟩ Christ now is in: & therfore faynt not in oure tribulaciōs▪ ↩
* God choseth of his awne goodnes and mercye: calleth thorow y⟨illegible⟩ gospell: iustifieth thorow faith and glorifieth thorow good workes. ↩
* He that seeth what Christ hath done for him can not but beleue that God loueth him & will loue God agayne. ↩
What loue dothe. ↩
Adopcion is an inheritaunce by grace. ↩
gen. xxj. ↩
Gal. iiijd ge. xviij. ↩
gen. xxv mala. j. a. ↩
ex. xxiij. ↩
ex. ix. d. ↩
esa. xlv. ⟨illegible⟩ hie: xviij ⟨illegible⟩. ⟨illegible⟩ v. b. ↩
* The fleshly & proude mynde y⟨illegible⟩ will be as wise as God must be mortified to learne to feare▪ god & to be obey him & to leue disputige with him. o see. ij. d. j. pe. ij. d. ↩
osee. ij. d. ↩
Esa. x. c. ↩
esa. j. c. ↩
esa xxvij j. pe. ij. b. esa. viij. c ↩
es. xxviij ↩
The lawe dryueth to christ to be iustified. ↩
leu. xviij ere. xx. b. dut. xxx ↩
* Though fayth iustifie from synne & though christ deserued the rewarde promysed yet is the promyse made on y⟨illegible⟩ condicion y⟨illegible⟩ we embrace Christes doctrine and cōfesse hi with worde ād dede. So that we are iustified to do good workes / ād in them to walke to the saluacion promysed. ↩
esai. xlij. ↩
esa. liij. a. io. xij. f. ↩
psa. xviij ↩
du. xxij. c ↩
esa. lxv, a ↩
iij. re. xix ↩
* Grace & workes are cōtrarye thinges. ↩
esa. vj. c. mat. xiij. io. xij. f. actes .xxviij. f. psa lx viij ↩
Do it with all dyligence. ↩
esa. lix. d ↩
sap. ix. ⟨illegible⟩. esa. xl. d. j. cor. ij. d. ↩
phi. iiij. c⟨illegible⟩ True seruynge of God is to bringe the bodye vnto the obedience of the law of God. ↩
j. Corin. xij. b. Sph. iiij. b. ↩
* Prophesie is takē here for y⟨illegible⟩ expoundynge of scriptures: which in darcke places must be expounded that it agre to y⟨illegible⟩ open places & generall articles of y⟨illegible⟩ fayth. amos .v. ephe iiij a j. pet. v. b ↩
hebr. xiij j. pc. iiij. a ↩
pro. iij. a. i. pe. iii. d. ii. co. viij. heb. xij. d ↩
du. xxxij hebr. x. e. pro. xxv ↩
* coles. this thou shalt kyndle him & make him to loue. Obediēce ↩
* though thou were of power to resist the power / yet were thou dampned in thy conscience yf thou dydest yt▪ because it is agaynst godes commaūdement. ↩
exo. xx. c dut. v. b. ↩
Loue is y⟨illegible⟩ fullfillinge of the lawe. ↩
Christ which is oure saluacion is now nere then whē we looked for him in the olde testament. (Armoure) of light fayth / hope / loue / y⟨illegible⟩ feare of God / truthe and all that the light of Godes worde teacheth. ↩
iaco. iiij. ⟨illegible⟩ ↩
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. ↩
Comē yᵗ is to saye vncleane ↩
Oure treasure is oure knowledge. kyngedome of god what it is. ↩
⟨illegible⟩it. j. d. ↩
To do agaynst cōscience is dampnable. And all that is not of fayth is synne. ↩
He is strōge that cābeare another mannes weakenes. psalx viij ↩
j. cor. j. b. ↩
psa. xvij. ij. re. xxij psal. cx vj. esa. xj. c. ↩
esa. liij. d. ↩
j. co. ix. b ↩
⟨illegible⟩c. xviij ↩
Fyrst frute that is the fyrst that was conuerted to God. ↩
* Paule wolde haue the laye people learned to iudge the prophetes and to obeye▪ thē accordinge to knowledge onlye for all, obedience that is not after true knowledge is disalowed of God. ↩