Paul, "that faith only justifieth." This proposition he goeth about to confirm in this manner.

VERSE 17. If then while we seek to be made righteous by Christ, we ourselves are found sinners, is Christ therefore the minister of sin? God forbid.

If this be true, saith he, that we are justified by Christ, then is it impossible that we should be sinners, or should be justified by the law. On the contrary, if this be not true, but that we must be justified by the law, and the works of the law, it is then impossible that we should be justified by Christ. One of these two must needs be false. Either we are not justified by Christ, or we are not justified by the law. But the truth is, that we are justified by Christ: therefore we are not justified by the law. He reasoneth therefore after this manner: "If then while we seek to be made righteous by Christ, &c." That is, if we seek to be justified by Christ, and so being justified are yet found sinners, having need of the law to justify us, being sinners: if we have need, I say, of the observation of the law to justify us, so that they which are righteous in Christ are not righteous, but have yet need of the law to justify them: or if he that is justified by Christ, must yet further be justified by the law, then is Christ nothing else but a lawgiver, and a minister of sin. Therefore he that is justified and holy in Christ, is not justified or holy, but hath yet need of the righteousness and holiness of the law.

But we are indeed justified and made righteous in Christ; for the truth of the gospel teacheth us, that a man is not justified in the law, but in Christ. Now, if they which are justified in Christ, are yet found sinners, that is, do yet still belong to the law, and are under the law (as the false apostles teach) then are they not yet justified; for the law accuseth them, and sheweth them to be yet sinners, and requireth of them the works of the law, as necessary to their justification. Therefore they that are justified in Christ, are not justified; and so it followeth, that Christ is not a justifier, but a minister of the law.

With these words he vehemently chargeth the false apostles and all merit-mongers, that they pervert all together; for they make of the law grace, and of grace the law; of Moses Christ, and of Christ Moses. For they teach, that besides Christ, and all the righteousness of Christ, the observance of the law is necessary to justification. And thus we see, that by their intolerable perverseness, they make the law Christ; for by this means they attribute that to the law, which properly belongeth unto Christ. If thou do the works of the law, say they, thou shalt be saved; but if thou do them not, thou shalt not be justified, although thou do believe in Christ ever so much. Now, if it be so, that Christ justifieth not, but is the minister of sin (as it needs must follow by their doctrine) then is Christ the law; for we have nothing else of him, seeing he teacheth that we are sinners,

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than that we have by the law. So Christ being the minister of sin, sendeth us to the law and to Moses, as to our justifier.

It cannot be, therefore, but that the Papists, and all such as are ignorant of the righteousness of Christ, or have not the true knowledge thereof, must needs make of Christ Moses and the law, and of the law Christ. For thus they teach: it is true, say they, that faith in Christ justifieth, but withal we must needs keep the commandments of God. For it is written, "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments," (Matt. xix. 17.) Here, even at the first dash, Christ is denied, and faith abolished, because that is attributed to the commandments of God, or to the law, which belongeth to Christ alone. For Christ, according to his true definition, is a justifier and a redeemer from sins. If I attribute this to the law, then is the law my justifier, delivering me from my sins, because I do the works thereof; and so now the law is Christ, and Christ utterly loseth his name, his office, and glory, and is nothing else but a minister of the law, reproving, terrifying, presenting and sending the sinner to another that may justify him; which is the proper office of the law.

But the proper office of Christ is, after the law hath pronounced a man to be guilty, to raise him up again, and to loose him from his sins, if he believe the gospel. For to all that do believe, "Christ is the end and the full finishing of the law unto righteousness: he is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world," (Rom. x. 4. John. i. 29.) But the Papists and Anabaptists, because they understand not this doctrine, do turn all clean contrary, making of Christ Moses, and of Moses Christ. And this is indeed (although they will say otherwise) their principal proposition: that Christ is Moses. Moreover, they deride us, because we do diligently teach, and so earnestly require faith. Ha, ha, say they, faith, faith: wait thou the time until thou come to heaven by faith. Nay, thou must strive to do greater and weightier matters. Thou must fulfil the law, according to that saying: "Do this and thou shalt live," (Luke x. 28.) Faith, which ye so highly extol, does nothing else but make men careless, idle and negligent. Thus are they become nothing else but ministers of the law and law-workers, calling back the people from baptism, faith, the promises of Christ, to the law and works, turning grace into the law, and the law into grace.

Who would ever believe that these things could so easily be confounded and mingled together? There is no man so insensible, which doth not perceive this distinction of the law and grace to be most plain and manifest. For the very nature and signification of the words maketh this distinction and difference. For who understandeth not that these words, law and grace, do differ in name and signification? Wherefore it is a monstrous thing that, this distinction being so plain, the adversaries should be so devilish and perverse, as to mingle together the law and grace, and to transform Christ into Moses. Therefore I oftentimes

say, that this doctrine of faith is very plain, and that every man may easily understand this distinction of the law and grace, as touching the words, but as touching the use and practice, it is very hard.

The pope and his school-doctors do plainly confess, that the law and grace are diverse and distinct things, and yet, when they come to the use and practice thereof, they teach clean contrary. Faith in Christ, say they, whether it be gotten by the strength, operation and qualities of nature, or whether it be faith infused and poured into us of God, yet is it but a dead faith, if charity be not joined therewith. Where is now the distinction and difference of the law and grace? Indeed, they do distinguish them in name, but in effect they call them charity. Thus do all they which do straightly require the observation of the law, and attribute justification to the law and works. Wherefore, whosoever doth not perfectly understand the article of justification, must needs confound and mingle the law and grace together.

Let every man therefore diligently learn, above all things, to put a difference between the law and grace in deed and in practice: not in words only, as the pope and the fantastical anabaptists do: who, as touching the words, do confess that they are two distinct things: but in very deed (as I have said) they confound and mingle them together, for they will not grant that faith justifieth without works. If this be true, then Christ fiteth me nothing. For though my faith be never so perfect, yet after their opinion, if this faith be without charity, I am not justified. And thus Christ apprehended by faith is not a justifier, grace profiteth nothing, neither can faith be true faith without charity.

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With this doctrine these lying spirits and sects of perdition do darken and deface the benefit of Christ at this day: they take away from him the glory of a justifier, and make him a minister of sin. They are in all things like to the false apostles. For even as they throughout all the churches did require circumcision and the observation of the law besides faith in Christ, insomuch that, without circumcision and the keeping of the law, they denied the justification of faith, ("for except ye be circumcised," said they, "after the law of Moses, ye cannot be saved;") even so at this day, these strait exactors of the law, besides the righteousness of faith, do require the keeping of the commandments of God, according to that saying: "Do this and thou shalt live." Also, "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments," (Luke x. 28. Matt. xix. 17.) Wherefore there is not one among them, be he never so wise, that understandeth the difference between the law and grace.

But we put a difference, and say that we do not here dispute whether we ought to do good works: whether the law be good, holy and just: whether it ought to be kept or no? for this is another manner of question. But our question is concerning

justification, and whether the law do justify or no? This the adversaries will not hear; they will not answer to this question, nor make any distinction as we do; but only cry out, that good works ought to be done, that the law ought to be observed. We know that well enough. But because these are divers distinct matters, we will not suffer them to be mingled together. That good works ought to be done, we will hereafter declare them when time shall serve. But since we are now on the matter of justification, we set aside here all good works, for the which the adversaries do so earnestly strive, ascribing unto them wholly the office of justifying: which is to take from Christ his glory, and to ascribe the same unto works.

Wherefore this is a strong argument, which I have oftentimes used to my great comfort: "If then while we seek to be made righteous by Christ," &c. As though Paul should say; if we, being justified by Christ, are counted yet as not justified and righteous, but as sinners which are yet to be justified by the law, then may we not seek justification in Christ, but in the law. But if justification cometh by the law, then cometh it not by grace. Now if justification cometh not by grace, but by the law, what hath Christ done and wrought by his death, by his preaching, by his victory which he hath obtained over the law, sin, and death, and by sending the Holy Ghost? We must conclude, therefore, that either we are justified by Christ, or else that we are made sinners, culpable and guilty through him. But if the law do justify, then can it not be avoided, but needs it must follow, that we are made sinners through Christ, and so Christ is a minister of sin. The case standing thus, let us then set down this proposition; every one that believeth in the Lord Jesus Christ is a sinner, and is guilty of eternal death, and if he fly not unto the law, doing the works thereof, he shall not be saved.

The holy scripture, especially the New Testament, maketh often mention of faith in Christ, and highly advanceth the same; which saith," that whosoever believeth in him is saved, perisheth not, is not judged, is not confoundel, hath eternal life," &c. (John iii. 16. John v. 24.) But contrariwise they say, he that believeth in him is condemned, &c. because he hath faith without works, which doth condemn. Thus do they pervert all things, making of Christ a destroyer and a murderer, and of Moses a saviour. And is not this a horrible blasphemy, so to teach, that by doing good works thou shalt be made worthy of eternal life; but by believing in Christ thou shalt be made culpable and guilty of eternal death! That the law being kept and accomplished saveth, and faith in Christ condemneth?

The self-same words, I grant, the adversaries do not use: but in very deed, such is their doctrine. For faith infused, say they, which properly they call faith in Christ, doth not make us free from sin, but that faith which is furnished with charity.

Hereof it followeth, that faith in Christ, without the law, saveth us not. This is plainly to affirm, that Christ leaveth us in our sins, and in the wrath of God, and maketh us guilty of eternal death. On the other side, if thou keep the law, and do the works thereof, then faith justifieth thee, because it hath works, without the which faith availeth nothing. Therefore works justify, and not faith. O horrible impiety! What pernicious and cursed doctrine is this?

Paul therefore groundeth his argument upon an impossibility and a sufficient division. If we being justified in Christ, are yet found sinners, and cannot be justified but by another mean than Christ, that is, to wit, by the law, then cannot Christ justify us, but he only accuseth and condemneth us; and so consequently it followeth, that Christ died in vain, and these with other like places are false. "Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world." Also, "He that believeth in him hath everlasting life," (John i. 29. iii. 16.) Yea, the whole scripture is false, which beareth witness that Christ is the justifier and saviour of the world. For if we be found sinners after that we be justified by Christ, it followeth of necessity, that they which fulfil the law are justified without Christ. If this be true, then are we either Turks, or Jews, or Tartarians, professing the name and word of God in outward shew, but in deed and verity utterly denying Christ and his word. It is great impiety therefore to affirm that faith, except it be formed with charity, justifieth not. But if the adversaries will needs defend this doctrine, why do they not then reject faith in Christ altogether: especially seeing they make nothing else of it but a vain quality in the soul, which without charity availeth nothing? Why do they not say in plain words, that works do justify and not faith? Yea, why do they not generally deny not only Paul, but also the whole gospel; as in very deed they do, which attribute righteousness to works, and not to faith alone? For if faith and works together do justify, then is the disputation of Paul altogether false, which plainly pronounceth, "that a man is not justified by the deeds of the law, but by faith alone in Jesus Christ."

VERSE 17. Is Christ therefore the minister of sin ?

This is a kind of speech used of the Hebrews, which Paul in 2 Cor. iii. doth also use: where he most divinely and plainly speaketh of these two ministers: to wit, of the letter and the spirit of the law and grace, or of death and life. And he saith, "That Moses the minister of the law, hath the minister of sin," as he calleth it, "of wrath, death, and condemnation." For Paul is wont to give reproachful names unto the law, and amongst all the apostles he only useth this manner of speech: the other do not so speak. And very necessary it is, that such as are studious of the holy scripture should understand this manner of speech used of the apostle.