all nations dispersed throughout the whole world." This was the last will and testament of God, the great testator, confirmed by the death of Christ; therefore no man ought to change it or add any thing to it, as they that teach the law and man's traditions do for they say, unless thou be circumcised, keep the law, do many works, and suffer many things, thou canst not be saved. This is not the last will and testament of God. For he said not unto Abraham, if thou do this or that thou shalt obtain the blessing; or they that be circumcised and keep the law shall obtain the same: but he saith, "In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." As if he should As if he should say, I of mere mercy do promise unto thee, that Christ shall come of thy seed, who shall bring the blessing upon all nations oppressed with sin and death; that is to say, which shall deliver the nations from the everlasting curse, to wit, from sin and death, receiving this promise by faith: "In thy seed," &c. Wherefore, even as the false apostles were in time past, so are all the Papists and justiciaries at this day, perverters and destroyers, not of man's testament (because they are forbidden by the law) but of God's testament, whom they fear nothing at all, although he be a consuming fire. For such is the nature of all hypocrites, that they will observe man's law exactly; but the laws of God they do despise, and most wickedly transgress. But the time shall come when they shall bear a horrible judgment, and shall feel what it is to contemn and pervert the testament of God. This argument then, grounded upon the ordinance of God, is strong enough.

VERSE 16. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not: And to the seeds, as speaking of many; but, and to thy seed, as of one, which is Christ.

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Here by a new name he calleth the promises of God made unto Abraham, concerning Christ that should bring the blessing upon all nations, a testament. And indeed the promise is nothing else but a testament, not yet revealed but sealed Now, a testament is not a law, but a donation or free gift. For heirs look not for laws, exactions, or any burdens to be laid upon them by a testament, but they look for the inheritance confirmed thereby.

First of all therefore he expoundeth the words. Afterwards he applieth the similitude, and standeth upon this word "seed." There were no laws given unto Abraham, saith he, but a testament was made and delivered unto him; that is to say, the promises were pronounced unto him as touching the spiritual blessing: therefore somewhat was promised and given unto him. If then the testament of a man be kept, why should not rather the testament of God be kept? whereof the testament of man is but a sign. Again, if we will keep the signs, why do we not rather keep the things which they signify?

Now, the promises are made unto him, not in all the Jews or in many seeds, but in one seed, which is Christ. The Jews will not receive this interpretation of Paul: for they say that the singular number is here put for the plural, one for many. But we gladly receive this meaning and interpretation of Paul, who oftentimes repeateth this word "seed," and expoundeth this seed to be Christ: and this he doth with an apostolic spirit. Let the Jews deny it as much as they will: we notwithstanding have arguments strong enough, which Paul hath before rehearsed, which also confirm this thing, and they cannot deny them. Hitherto, as touching the similitude of God's ordinance, that is to say, of man's testament. Now he expoundeth and amplifieth the same.

V KRSE 17. And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul the covenant that was confirmed before of God in respect of Christ, that it should make the promise of none effect. Here the Jews might object, that God was not only content to give promises to Abraham, but also after four hundred and thirty years he made the law. God, therefore, mistrusting his own promises, as insufficient to justify, addeth thereto a better thing: that is to say, the law, to the end that when the same, as a better successor, was come, not the idle, but the doers of the law might be made righteous thereby. The law therefore, which followed the promise, did abrogate the promise. Such evasions and starting-holes the Jews seek out.

To this cavillation Paul answereth very well and to the purpose, and strongly confuteth the same. The law, saith he, was given four hundred and thirty years after this promise was made: "In thy seed," &c. and it could not make the promise void and unprofitable; for the promise is the testament of God, confirmed by God himself, in Christ, so many years before the law. Now, that which God once hath promised and confirmed, he calleth not back again, but it remaineth ratified and sure for ever.

Why then was the law added? Indeed it was delivered, so many ages after, to the posterity of Abraham, not to the end he might through it obtain the blessing (for it is the office of the law to bring men under the curse, and not to bless:) but that there might be in the world a certain people, which might have the word and testimony of Christ, out of the which, Christ also, according to the flesh, might be born; and that men being kept and shut up under the law, might sigh and groan for their deliverance through the seed of Abraham, which is Christ, which only should and could bless, that is to say, deliver all nations from sin and everlasting death. Moreover, the ceremonies commanded in the law, did foreshadow Christ. Wherefore the promise was not abolished either by the law, or by the ceremonies of the law; but rather by the same, as by certain seals, it was for a time confirmed, until the letters themselves, or the writing

of the testament, (to wit, the promise) might be opened, and by the preaching of the gospel might be spread abroad among all nations.

But let us suffer the law and the promise to encounter together, and then shall we see which of them is the stronger; that is to say, whether the promise be able to abolish the law, or the law the promise. If the law abolish the promise, then it followeth, that we by our works make God a liar, and his promise of none effect. For if the law do justify us, and deliver us from sin and death, and consequently our works and our own strength accomplish the law, then the promise made unto Abraham is utterly void and unprofitable, and so consequently God is a liar and a dissembler. For when he which promiseth, will not perform his promise, but maketh it of none effect, what doth he else but shew himself to be a liar and a dissembler? But it is impossible that the law should make God a liar, or that our works should make the promise void, nay, rather it must needs be firm, and stable for ever (for God promiseth not in vain) although we are able to keep and fulfil the law. And let us admit that all men were as holy as angels, so that they should not need the promise (which notwithstanding is impossible:) yet must we think that the same promise abideth most sure and certain, or else God should be found a liar, which either hath promised in vain, or else will not, or cannot perform his promises. Therefore, like as the promise was before the law, so is it far more excellent than the law.

And God did excellently well in that he gave the promise so long before the law. Which he did of purpose and to this end, that it should not be said, that righteousness was given through the law, and not through the promise. For if he would that we should have been justified by the law, then would he have given the law four hundred and thirty years before the promise, or else together with the promise. But now at the first he speaketh not a word as concerning the law; but at length, after four hundred and thirty years, he giveth the law. In the mean while, all that time he speaketh only of his promises. Therefore the blessing and free gift of righteousness came before the law through the promise: the promise therefore is far more excellent than the law. And so the law doth not abolish the promise, but faith in the promise (whereby the believers even before Christ's time were saved) which is now published by the gospel throughout the whole world, destroyeth the law, so that it cannot increase sin any more, terrify sinners, or bring them into desperation, laying hold upon the promise through faith.

And in this also lieth a certain vehemency specially to be noted, that he expressly setteth down the number of four hundred and thirty years. As if he would say, Consider with yourselves how long it was between the promise given, and the law. It is plain that Abraham received the promise a long time before the

law; for the law was given to the people of Israel four hundred and thirty years after. And this is an invincible arguinent gathered and grounded upon a certain time. And he speaketh not here of the law in general, but only of the written law. As if he would say: God could not then have regard to the ceremonies and works of the law, and give righteousness to the observers thereof; for as yet the law was not given, which commandeth ceremonies, requireth works, and promises life to those that observe them, saying, The man that shall do these things, shall live in them. And although it promise such things, yet it followeth not therefore that we obtain these promises: for it saith plainly, "The man that shall do these things," &c. Now, it is certain that no man can do them. Moreover, Paul saith that the law cannot abolish the promise; therefore that promise made unto Abraham four hundred and thirty years before the law, remaineth firm and constant. And that the matter may be better understood, I will declare the same by a similitude. If a rich man, not constrained, but of his own good will, should adopt one to be his son, whom he knoweth not, and to whom he oweth nothing, and should appoint him to be the heir of all his lands and goods, and certain years after that he hath bestowed this benefit upon him, he should lay upon him a law to do this or that: he cannot now say that he hath deserved this benefit by his own works, seeing that many years before, he asking nothing, had received the same freely and of mere favour; so, God could not respect our works and deserts going before righteousness; for the promise and the gift of the Holy Ghost was four hundred and thirty years before the law.

Hereby it appeareth that Abraham obtained not righteousness before God through the law. For there was yet no law. If there were yet no law, then was there neither work nor merit. What then? Nothing else but the mere promise. This promise Abraham believed, and it was counted to him for righteousness. By the self-same means then that the father obtained this promise, the children do also obtain it and retain it. So say we also at this day: Our sins were purged by the death of Christ above a thousand and five hundred years ago, when there were yet no religious orders, no canon or rule of penance, no merits of congruence and worthiness. We cannot now therefore begin to abolish the same by our own works and merits.

Thus Paul gathereth arguments of similitudes, of a certain time, and of persons, so sure and strong on every side, that no man can deny them. Let us therefore arm and fortify our consciences with such like arguments; for it helpeth us exceedingly to have them always ready in temptations. For they lead us from the law and works, to the promise and to faith; from wrath to grace; from sin to righteousness; and from death to life. Therefore these two things (as I do often repeat), to wit, the Jaw and the promise, must be diligently distinguished. For in

time, in place, and in person, and generally in all other circumstances they are separate as far asunder as heaven and earth, the beginning of the world and the latter end. Indeed they are near neighbours, for they are joined together in one man, or in one soul; but in the outward affection, and as touching their office, they ought to be separate far asunder: so that the law may have dominion over the flesh, and the promise may sweetly and comfortably reign in the conscience. When thou hast thus appointed unto them both their own proper place, then thou walkest safely between them both, in the heaven of the promise and in the earth of the law.

In spirit thou walkest in the paradise of grace and peace; in the flesh thou walkest in the earth of works and of the cross. And now the troubles which the flesh is compelled to bear shall not be hard unto thee, because of the sweetness of the promise, which comforteth and rejoiceth the heart exceedingly. But now, if thou confound and mingle these two together, and place the law in the conscience, and the promise of liberty in the flesh, then thou makest a confusion (such as was in popery:) so that thou shalt not know what the law, what the promise, what sin, or what righteousness is.

Wherefore, if thou wilt rightly divide the word of truth, thou must put a great difference between the promise and the law, as touching the inward affections and whole practice of life. It is not for nought that Paul prosecuteth this argument so diligently; for he foresaw in spirit that this mischief should creep into the church, that the word of God should be confounded: that is to say, that the promise should be mingled with the law, and so the promise should be utterly lost. For when the promise is mingled with the law, it is now made nothing else but the very law. Therefore accustom thyself to separate the promise and the law asunder, even in respect of time, that when the law cometh and accuseth thy conscience, thou mayest say, Lady law, thou comest not in season, for thou comest too soon; tarry ye until four hundred and thirty years be expired, and when they are past, then come and spare not. But if thou come then, yet shalt thou come too late. For then hath the promise prevented thee, four hundred and thirty years: to the which I assent, and sweetly repose myself in the same. Therefore I have nothing to do with thee: I hear thee not. For now I live with the believing Abraham, or, rather, since Christ is now revealed and given unto me, I live in him, who is my righteousness, who also hath abolished thee, O law. And thus let Christ be always before thine eyes, as a certain summary of all arguments for the defence of faith, against the righteousness of the flesh, against the law, and against all works and merits whatsoever.

Hitherto I have rehearsed almost all, but especially the principal arguments which the apostle Paul handleth in this epistle, for the confirmation of this doctrine of justification. Among