Commentary upon the Epistle to the Galatians

Wherefore, so much as the Lord shall give us grace, let us hold constantly the comfortable doctrine of faith and justification, & not lose that the Lord so freely hath given, calling upon the Lord with all obedience and diligence, to give us grace with S. Paul, not to refuse the grace which he bestoweth upon us, nor to be offended with this joyful doctrine, as many be. And therefore as our duty was for our part to set it abroad, so our counsel is no less to every studious reader thereof, to pray for grace, rightly to understand that he readeth. For else, unless the special grace of Christ do help, hard it is to flesh and blood to comprehend this mystical doctrine of faith only. So strange it is to carnal reason, so dark to the world, so many enemies it hath, that except the spirit of God from above do reveal it, learning can not reach it, wisdom is offended, nature is astonied, devils do not know it, men do persecute it. Briefly, as there is no way to life so easy, so is there none so hard: Easy to whom it is given from above: hard to the carnal sense not yet inspired. The ignorance whereof is the root of all errors, sects and divisions, not only in all christendom, but also in the whole world. The Jew thinketh to be saved by his Moses law, the Turk by his Alcoran, the philosopher by his moral virtues. Besides these, cometh an other sort of people, not so ill as the Jew, nor so heathen as the philosopher, but having some part of both, which refuse not utterly the name of Christ, but with Christ do join partly the law of Moses, partly the moral and natural discipline of philosophy, and partly their own ceremonies and traditions, to make a perfect way to heaven. And these here in this commentary are called papists, of the Pope their author, being divided within themselves more then into an hundred divers sects, orders and professions of Cardinals, Friars, Monks, Nuns, Priests, Hermits, and other votaries. All which seem to spring up of no other cause but only upon ignorance of this doctrine. And no marvel: For take away this doctrine of justification by faith only in Christ, and leave a man to his own inventions, what end will there be of new devises? Such a perilous thing is it to err in the first foundation: whereupon the higher ye build, the greater is the fall.

Wherefore, so much as the Lord shall geue vs grace, let vs hold constantly the comfortable doctrine of faith and iustification, & not lose that the Lord so freely hath geuen, calling vppon the Lord with all obedience and diligence, to geue vs grace with S. Paule, not to refuse the grace whiche he bestoweth vppon vs, nor to be offended with this ioyfull doctrine, as many be. And therefore as our duty was for our part to set it abroade, so our counsell is no lesse to euery studious reader thereof, to pray for grace, rightly to vnderstād that he readeth. For els, vnlesse the special grace of Christ doe helpe, hard it is to flesh and blood to comprehend this mysticall doctrine of faith onely. So straūge it is to carnall reason, so darke to the world, so many enemies it hath, that except the spirite of God from aboue doe reueale it, learning can not reach it, wisedome is offended, nature is astonied, deuilles doe not knowe it, men doe persecute it. Briefely, as there is no way to life so easie, so is there none so hard: Easie to whom it is geuen from aboue: hard to the carnall sense not yet enspired. The ignoraunce whereof is the roote of all errours, sectes and diuisions, not onely in all christendome, but also in the whole world. The Iewe thinketh to be saued by his Moses lawe, the Turke by his Alcoran, the philosopher by his morall vertues. Besides these, commeth an other sort of people, not so ill as the Iewe, nor so hethen as the philosopher, but hauing some part of both, which refuse not vtterly the name of Christ, but with Christ doe ioyne partely the law of Moses, partely the morall and naturall discipline of philosophy, and partely their owne ceremonies and traditions, to make a perfect way to heauen. And these here in this commentary are called papists, of the Pope their author, being diuided within themselues more then into an hundreth diuers sectes, orders and professions of Cardinales, Frears, Monkes, Nunnes, Priestes, Heremites, and other votaries. All which seeme to springe vp of no other cause but onely vppon ignorance of this doctrine. And no meruell: For take away this doctrine of iustification by faith onely in Christ, and leaue a man to his owne inuentions, what ende will there be of newe deuises? Such a perilous thing is it to erre in the first fundation: whereuppon the higher ye build, the greater is the fall.