The Parable of the Wicked Mammon

They are not righteous before God which hear the law, but they which do the law shall be justified. Ro. ii. This text is plain ner than that it needeth to be expounded In this chapter before, Paul proveth that the law natural helped not the Gentiles.¹ For the law of God was written in the hearts of Gentiles (as it appeareth by the laws, statutes, & ordinances which they made in their cities) yet kept they them not. The great keep the small under for their own profit with the violence of the law. Every man praiseth the law as fa• forth as it is profitable and pleasant unto himself. But when his own appetites should be refrained, then grudgeth he ⟨image 61⟩against the law. Moreover he proveth that no knowledge helped the gentiles. For though the learned men (as the philosophers) came to the knowledge of God, by the creatures of the world, yet had they no power to worship God. In this second. Chapt. proveth he that the Jews (though they had the law written) yet it helped them not: they could not keep it, but were idolaters and were also murderers, adulterers and what so ever the law forbade. He concludeth therefore that the Jew is as well damned as the gentile. If hearing of the law only might have justified, then had the▪ Jews ben righteous.² But it is required that a man do the law, if he will be righteous. Which because the Jew did not, he is no less dam ned than the gentile. The publishing and declaring of the law doth but utter a mans sin, and giveth nether strength nor help to fulfil the law.

THey are not rightuous before God which heare the lawe, but they which do the lawe shalbe iu stified. Ro. ii. This text is playn ner than that it neadeth to be expounded In this chapiter before, Paull proueth that the law natural holpe not the Gentiles.