The law

could not give life.

not the

ings and cursings also. For neither the law, even of the ten commandments, nor yet the ceremonies, justified in the heart before God, or purified unto the life to come. Insomuch, that Moses at his death, even forty years after the law and ceremonies were given, complaineth, saying, God hath not given you an heart to understand, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear unto this day. As who should say, God hath given you ceremonies, but ye know not the use of them; and hath given you a law, but hath not written it in your hearts.

Wherefore serveth the law then, if it giveth us no power to do the law? Paul answereth them, that it was given to The law is utter sin only, and to make it appear. As a corrosive is laid unto an old sore, not to heal it, but to stir it up, and make the disease alive, that a man might feel in what jeopardy he is, and how nigh death, and not aware, and to make a way unto the healing plaister.

utterer of

sin.

The law was given by God to shew what sin was.

Ceremo

Even so saith Paul, Gal. iii. "The law was given. because of transgression, (that is, to make the sin alive, that it might be felt and seen,) until the seed came unto whom it was promised: that is to say, until the children of faith came, or until Christ, that seed in whom God promised Abraham that all nations of the world should be blessed, came.

That is, the law was given to utter sin, death, damnation, and curse, and to drive us unto Christ, in whom forgiveness, life, justifying, and blessings were promised; that we might see so great love of God to usward in Christ, that we, henceforth overcome with kindness, might love again, and of love keep the commandments.

Now he that goeth about to quiet his conscience, and to justify himself with the law, doth but heal his wounds with fretting corrosives. And he that goeth about to purchase grace with ceremonies, doth but suck the ale pole to quench his thirst, inasmuch as the ceremonies were not to signify given to justify the heart, but to signify the justifying, and our justification by forgiveness that is in Christ's blood.

nies are not given to justify the heart, but

Christ.

nies cannot

Of the ceremonies that they justify not thou readest CeremoHeb. x. "It is impossible that sin should be done away justify. with the blood of oxen and goats." And of the law thou readest, Gal. iii. "If there had been a law given that could have quickened or given life, then had righteousness, or justifying, come by the law indeed. Now the law not only quickeneth not the heart, but also woundeth it with conscience of sin, and ministereth death and damnation

unto her." 2 Cor. iii.
be damned, except she find other remedy. So far it is off
that she is justified, or holpen by the law.

So that she must needs die and

The new Testament is those everlasting promises which are made us in Christ the Lord, throughout all the Scripture. And that Testament is built on faith, and not in works. For it is not said of that Testament, He that worketh shall live; but "he that believeth shall live:" as thou readest, John iii. "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that none which believe in him should perish, but have life everlasting."

And when this Testament is preached and believed, the Spirit entereth the heart, and quickeneth it, and giveth her life, and justifieth her. The Spirit also maketh the law a lively thing in the heart, so that a man bringeth forth good works of his own accord, without compulsion of the law, without fear of threatenings, or cursings; yea, and without all manner respect or love unto any temporal pleasure, but of the very power of the Spirit, received through faith, as thou readest, John i. "He gave them power to be the sons of God, in that they believed on his

name."

And of that power they work; so that he which hath the Spirit of Christ is now no more a child: he neither learneth nor worketh any longer for pain of the rod, or for fear of bugs or pleasure of apples, but doth all things of his own courage: as Christ saith, John vii. "He that believeth on me shall have rivers of living waters flowing out of his belly." That is, all good works, and all gifts

The New

Testament

was from the beginning.

Our temporal laws spring out of the law of nature.

selleth the faithful to work.

We must not presume in our well

of grace spring out of him naturally, and by their ow
accord. Thou needest not to wrest good works out of
him, as a man would wring verjuice out of crabs: na
they flow naturally out of him, as springs out of rocks.

The New Testament was ever, even from the beginning of the world. For there were always promises of Christ to come by faith, in which promises the elect were then justified inwardly before God, as outwardly before the world, by keeping of the law and ceremonies.

And in conclusion, as thou seest blessings, or cursings follow the breaking or keeping of the law of Moses; eve so, naturally, do the blessings or cursings follow the breaking or keeping of the law of nature, out of which spring all our temporal laws. So that when the people keep the temporal laws of their land, temporal prosperity, and a11 manner of such temporal blessings (as thou readest of in Moses) do accompany them, and fall upon them. And contrariwise, when they sin unpunished, and when the rulers have no respect unto equity or honesty, then God sendeth his curse among them, as hunger, dearth, murrain banning, pestilence, war, oppression, with strange and wonderful diseases, and new kinds of misfortune and evil luck.

If any man ask me, seeing that faith justifieth me, Why Love coun- I work? I answer, Love compelleth me. For as long as my soul feeleth what love God hath shewed me in Christ, I cannot but love God again, and his will and commandments, and of love work them, nor can they seem hard unto me. I think not myself better for my working, nor seek heaven, nor an higher place in heaven, because of it. For a Christian worketh to make his weak brother perfecter, and not to seek an higher place in heaven. I compare not myself unto him that worketh not. No, he that worketh not to-day, shall have grace to turn, and to work tomorrow; and in the mean season I pity him, God, is as and pray for him. If I had wrought the will of God far forward these thousand years, and another had wrought the will of

doing, nor

condemn

others that

run astray : the last, which turneth to

as the first.

the devil as long, and this day turn and be as well willing to suffer with Christ as I, he hath this day overtaken me, and is as far come as I, and shall have as much reward as I: and I envy him not, but rejoice most of all as of lost treasure found.

me.

For if I be of God, I have these thousand years suffered to win him, for to come and praise the name of God with These thousand years I have prayed, sorrowed, longed, sighed, and sought for that which I have this day found; and therefore rejoice with all my might, and praise God for his grace and mercy.

A TABLE,

EXPOUNDING CERTAIN WORDS OF THE SECOND
BOOK OF GENESIS.

ALBE. A long garment of white linen.

ARK. A coffer, or chest, as our shrines, save it was flat, and the sample of our shrines was taken thereof. BOOTH. An house made of boughs.

BRESTLAP, or brestflap, is such a flap as thou seest in the breast of a cope.

CONSECRATE. To appoint a thing to holy uses.
DEDICATE. Purify or sanctify.

GEERAS. In weight as it were an English halfpenny,

or somewhat more.

HEAVE-OFFERING.

before the Lord.

Because they were hoven up

HOUSE. He made them houses: that is, he made a kindred, or a multitude of people to spring out of them; as we say the house of David, for the kindred of David. PEACE-OFFERING. Offerings of thanksgiving of devotion, and not for conscience of sin and trespass.

POLLUTE. Defile.

RECONCILE. To make at one, and to bring in grace or

favour.

SANCTIFY. To cleanse and purify; to appoint a thin g unto holy uses, and to separate from unclean and unholy

uses.

SANCTUARY. A place hallowed and dedicate unto God – TABERNACLE. A house made tentwise, or as a pavilion TUNICLE. Much like the uppermost garment of the deacon.

WAIVE-OFFERING. Because they were waiven in the priest's hands to divers quarters.

WORSHIP. By Worshipping, whether it be in the Old Testament, or New, understand the bowing of a man: self upon the ground: as we ofttimes, as we kneel in ou☛ prayers, bow ourselves, and lie on our arms and hands with our face to the ground.

Of this word I WILL BE, cometh the name of God > Jehovah, which we interpret Lord; and is as much to say, as I am that I am. (chap. iii.)

That I here call a sheep, in Hebrew is a word indif ferent to a sheep and a goat both. (chap. xii.)

The Lamb was called passover; that the very name itself should put them in remembrance what it signified for the signs that God ordained either signified the benefits done, or promises to come, and were not dumb, as the signs of our dumb god the Pope.

JEHOVAH NISSI. The Lord is he that exalteth me. (chap. xvii.)

EPHOD is a garment somewhat like an amice, save the arms came through, and it was girded too.

SHEW BREAD. Because it was always in the sight and presence of the Lord. (chap. xxv.)