law, nor consisteth in works, but is clean contrary: that is to say, a mere passive righteousness, as the others above are active. For in this we work nothing, we render nothing unto God, but only we receive and suffer another to work in us, that is to say, God. Therefore it seemeth good unto me to call this righteousness of faith, or Christian righteousness, the passive righteousness.

This is a righteousness hidden in a mystery, which the world doth not know, yea, Christians themselves do not thoroughly understand it, and can hardly take hold of it in their temptations. Therefore it must be diligently taught and continually practised. And whoso doth not understand or apprehend this righteousness, in afflictions and terrors of conscience, must needs be overthrown. For there is no comfort of conscience so firm and so sure, as this passive righteousness is.

But man's weakness and misery is so great, that in the terrors of conscience and danger of death, we behold nothing else but our works, our worthiness, and the law; which when it sheweth unto us our sin, by and by our evil life past cometh to remembrance. Then the poor sinner with great anguish of spirit groaneth, and thus thinketh with himself: "Alas! how desperately have I lived! would to God I might live longer: then would I amend my life." Thus man's reason cannot restrain itself from the sight and beholding of this active or working righteousness, that is to say, her own righteousness; nor lift up her eyes to the beholding of the passive or Christian righteousness, but resteth altogether in the active righteousness; so deeply is this evil rooted in us.

On the other side, Satan, abusing the infirmity of our nature, doth increase and aggravate these cogitations in us. Then can it not be but that the poor conscience must be more grievously troubled, terrified, and confounded. For it is impossible that the mind of man itself should conceive any comfort, or look up unto grace only in the feeling and horror of sin, or constantly reject all disputing and reasoning about works. For this is far above man's strength and capacity, yea, and above the law of God also. True it is, that of all things in the world, the law is most excellent; yet is it not able to quiet a troubled conscience, but increaseth terrors, and driveth it to desperation. "That sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful," Rom. vii. 13.

Wherefore the afflicted and troubled conscience hath no remedy against desperation and eternal death, unless it take hold of the forgiveness of sins by grace, freely offered in Christ Jesus, that is to say, this "passive faith, or Christian righteousness:" which, if it can apprehend, then may it be at quiet, and boldly say I seek not this active or working righteousness; although I know that I ought to have it, and also to fulfil it.

But be it so that I had it, and did fulfil it indeed, yet notwithstanding I cannot trust unto it, neither dare I set it against the judgment of God. Thus I abandon myself from all active righteousness, both of mine own and of God's law, and embrace only that passive righteousness, which is the righteousness of grace, mercy, and forgiveness of sins. Briefly, I rest only upon that righteousness, which is the righteousness of Christ and of the Holy Ghost.

Like as the earth engendereth not rain, nor is able by her own strength, labour, and travail to procure the same, but receiveth it of the mere gift of God from above, so this heavenly righteousness is given us of God, without our works or deservings. Look, then, how much the earth of itself is able to do in getting and procuring to itself seasonable showers of rain to make it fruitful; even so much, and no more, are we able to do by our strength and works in winning this heavenly and eternal righteousness; and therefore shall never be able to attain unto it, unless God himself, by mere imputation, and by his unspeakable gift, do bestow it upon us. The greatest knowledge, then, and the greatest wisdom of Christians is, not to know the law, to be ignorant of works, and of the whole active righteousness, especially when the conscience wrestleth with the judgment of God. Like as on the contrary, amongst those which are not of the number of God's people, the greatest point of wisdom is, to know and earnestly to urge the law and the active righteousness.

But it is a thing very strange and unknown to the world, to teach Christians to learn to be ignorant of the law, and so to live before God, as if there were no law: notwithstanding, except thou be ignorant of the law, and be assuredly persuaded in thine heart that there is now no law nor wrath of God, but altogether grace and mercy for Christ's sake, thou canst not be saved; for by the law cometh the knowledge of sin. Contrariwise, works and the keeping of the law must be so straitly required in the world, as if there were no promise or grace; and that because of the stubborn, proud, and hard-hearted, before whose eyes nothing must be set but the law, that they may be terrified and humbled. For the law is given to terrify and kill such, and to exercise the old man, and both the word of grace and of wrath must be rightly divided, according to the apostle, 2 Tim. ii.

Here is then required a wise and faithful disposer of the word of God, which can so moderate the law, that it may be kept within his bounds. He that teacheth that men are justified before God by the observation of the law, passeth the bounds of the law, and confoundeth these two kinds of righteousness, active and passive, and is but an ill logician, for he doth not rightly divide. Contrariwise, he that setteth forth

the law and works to the old man, and the promise and forgiveness of sins and God's mercy to the new man, divideth the word well. For the flesh, or the old man, must be coupled with the law and works; the spirit, or new man, must be joined with the promise of God and his mercy. Wherefore, when I see a man that is bruised enough already, oppressed with the law, terrified with sin, and thirsting for comfort, it is time that I should remove out of his sight the law and active righteousness, and that I should set before him, by the gospel, the Christian and passive righteousness, which, excluding Moses with his law, offereth the promise made in Christ, who came for the afflicted and för sinners. Here is man raised up again, and conceiveth the good hope, neither is he any longer under the law, but under grace. How not under the law? According to the new man, to whom the law doth not appertain. the law hath his bounds unto Christ, as Paul saith afterwards: "For Christ is the end of the law," (Rom. x. 4.) who being come, Moses ceaseth with his law, circumcision, the sacrifices, the sabbaths, yea, and all the prophets.

For

This is our divinity, whereby we teach how to put a difference between these two kinds of righteousness, active and passive, to the end that manners and faith, works and grace, policy and religion, should not be confounded, or taken the one for the other. Both are necessary; but both must be kept within their bounds; Christian righteousness appertaineth to the new man, and the righteousness of the law appertaineth to the old man, which is born of flesh and blood. Upon this old man, as upon an ass, there must be laid a burden that may press him down, and he must not enjoy the freedom of the spirit of grace, except he first put upon him the new man, by faith in Christ, (which notwithstanding is not fully done in this life,) then may he enjoy the kingdom and inestimable gift of grace.

This İ say, to the end that no man should think we reject or forbid good works, as the Papists do most falsely slander us, neither understanding what they themselves say, or what we teach. They know nothing but the righteousness of the law, and yet they will judge of that doctrine which is far above the law, of which it is impossible that the carnal man should be able to judge. Therefore they must needs be offended, for they can see no higher than the law. Whatsoever, then, is above the law, is to them a great offence. But we imagine, as it were, two worlds, the one heavenly and the other earthly. In these we place these two kinds of righteousness, being separate the one far from the other. The righteousness of the law is earthly, and hath to do with earthly things, and by it we do good works. But as the earth bringeth not forth fruit except first it be watered and made fruitful from above; even so by the righteousness of the law, in doing many things we do

nothing, and in fulfilling of the law we fulfil it not, except first, without any merit or work of ours, we be made righteous by the Christian righteousness, which nothing appertaineth to the righteousness of the law, or to the earthly and active righteousness. But this righteousness is heavenly, which (as is said) we have not of ourselves, but receive it from heaven; which we work not, but which by grace is wrought in us, and apprehended by faith; whereby we mount up above all laws and works. Wherefore, like as we have borne (as St. Paul saith) the image of the earthly Adam, so let us bear the image of the heavenly, which is the new man in a new world, where is no law, no sin, no remorse or sting of conscience, no death, but perfect joy, righteousness, grace, peace, salvation and glory.

Why, do we then nothing? do we work nothing for the obtaining of this righteousness? I answer, Nothing at all. For this is perfect righteousness, "to do nothing, to hear nothing, to know nothing of the law, or of works," but to know and believe this only, that Christ is gone to the Father, and is not now seen; that he sitteth in heaven at the right hand of his Father, not as a judge, but made unto us, of God, wisdom, righteousness, holiness, and redemption; briefly, that he is our high priest intreating for us, and reigning over us and in us by grace. In this heavenly righteousness sin can have no place, for there is no law; and where no law is, there can be no transgression, Rom. iv. 15.

Seeing, then, that sin hath here no place, there can be no anguish of conscience, no fear, no heaviness. Therefore St. John saith, (1 John v. 18.) "He that is born of God cannot sin." But if there be any fear or grief of conscience, it is a token that this righteousness is withdrawn, that grace is hidden, and that Christ is darkened and out of sight. But where Christ is truly seen indeed, there must needs be full and perfect joy in the Lord, with peace of conscience, which most certainly thus thinketh: "Although I am a sinner by the law, and under condemnation of the law, yet I despair not, yet I die not, because Christ liveth, who is both my righteousness and my everlasting life." In that righteousness and life I have no sin, no fear, no sting of conscience, no care of death. I am indeed a sinner, as touching this present life and the righteousness thereof, as the child of Adam; where the law accuseth me, death reigneth over me, and at length would devour me. I have another righteousness and life above this life, which is Christ the Son of God, who knoweth no sin nor death, but is righteousness and life eternal: by whom this my body, being dead and brought into dust, shall be raised up again, and delivered from the bondage of the law and sin, and shall be sanctified together with the spirit.

But

So both these continue whilst we here live. The flesh is 9

accused, exercised with temptations, oppressed with heaviness and sorrow, bruised by his active righteousness of the law; but the spirit reigneth, rejoiceth, and is saved by this passive and Christian righteousness, because it knoweth that it hath a Lord in heaven, at the right hand of his FATHER, who hath abolished the law, sin, death, and hath trodden under his feet all evils, led them captive, and triumphed over them in himself, Col. ii. 15.

St. Paul therefore, in this epistle, goeth about diligently to instruct us, to comfort us, to hold us in the perfect knowledge of this most Christian and excellent righteousness. For if the article of justification be once lost, then is all true Christian doctrine lost. And as many as are in the world that hold not this doctrine, are either Jews, Turks, Papists, or heretics. For between the "righteousness of the law," and "Christian righteousness," there is no mean. He then that straveth from this "Christian righteousness," must needs fall into the "righteousness of the law;" that is to say, "when he hath lost Christ, he must fall into the confidence of his own works."

Therefore do we so earnestly set forth, and so often repeat this doctrine of "faith," or "Christian righteousness," that by this means it may be kept in continual exercise, and may be plainly discerned from the "active righteousness of the law." Otherwise we shall never be able to hold the true divinity (for by this only doctrine the church is built, and in this it consisteth) but by and by we shall either become canonists, observers of ceremonies, "observers of the law, or Papists, and Christ so darkened, that none in the church shall be either rightly taught or comforted." Wherefore, if we will be teachers and leaders of others, it behoveth us to have great care of these matters, and to mark well this distinction between the righteousness of the law and the righteousness of Christ. And this distinction is easy to be uttered in words; but in use and experience it is very hard, although it be never so diligently exercised and practised; for that in the hour of death, or in other agonies of the conscience, these two sorts of righteousness do encounter more near together than thou wouldst wish or desire. "Wherefore I do admonish you, especially such as shall become instructors and guiders of consciences, and also every one apart, that ye exercise yourselves continually by study, by reading, by meditation of the word, and by prayer, that in the time of temptation ye may be able to instruct and comfort both your own consciences and others, and to bring them from the law to grace, from active and working righteousness, to the passive and received righteousness;" and, to conclude, "from MOSES to CHRIST." For the devil is wont in affliction, and in the conflict of conscience, by the law to make us afraid, and to lay against us the guilt of sin, our wicked