Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

These things being diligently weighed, it shall be easy for us to answer ¹them, which make this question and do demand, since no mortal man doth of himself exactly satisfy the law: Howe then is righteousness, life and salvation promised to them that do observe the law? Our answer is forsooth, that that promise hath a respect to the perfect righteousness of Christ, which is imputed unto us. Otherwise it is assuredly certain that the holy Scripture doth not so much as in one jot disagree, or square in any point from it self. The Apostle doth plainly say, If there had a law been given which could have given life, then had righteousness been of the law: but now the Scripture hath shut up all under sin, that the promise might be given by faith to them that do believe. Wherefore he keepeth or doeth fulfil the law, even of the ten commandments, who doth the thing for which the law was chiefly ordained. But the law was chiefly ordained (as I did declare a little before) to the end that it might convince us all of sin and damnation, and so by that means send us from our selves, and lead us by the hand to Christ, who is the fulfilling of the law unto justification to every one that doeth believe. And therefore he doth fulfil and keep ²the law, who hath no confidence in himself and his own works, but committing himself to the very grace of God doth seek all righteousness in the faith of Christ. Whereupon now it is evident that these two sentences of Christ our Lord are of one sense & meaning, Whosoever believeth in me, he hath life everlasting: And, If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. For Paul also in the 13. Chapter of the Acts saith, Be it known unto you brethren, that thorough Christ is preached to you the forgiveness of sins: & by him, all that believe are justified from all the things, from which he could not be justified by the law of Moses. And to this place now belongeth all the work of justification, of which I have at large disputed in an other place.

These things being diligently weyyed, it shalbe easie for vs to aunswere ¹them, whiche make this question and doe demaunde, since no mortall man doth of himself exactly satisfie the law: Howe then is righteousnesse, life and saluatiō promised to them that do obserue the lawe? Our aunswere is forsoothe, that that promise hath a respect to the perfect righteousnesse of Christ, which is imputed vnto vs. Otherwise it is assuredly certaine that the holy Scripture doth not so much as in one iote disagrée, or square in any pointe from it selfe. The Apostle doth plainly say, If there had a lawe beene giuen which could haue giuen life, then had righteousnesse beene of the lawe: but now the Scripture hath shutt vpp all vnder sinne, that the promise might be giuen by faith to them that do beleeue. Wherefore he kéepeth or doeth fulfil the lawe, euen of the tenne commaundements, who doth the thing for which the lawe was chiefly ordeyned. But the lawe was chiefly ordeyned (as I did declare a little before) to the ende that it might conuince vs all of sinne and damnation, and so by that meanes send vs from our selues, and lead vs by the hand to Christe, who is the fulfilling of the lawe vnto iustification to euery one that doeth beléeue. And therefore hée doth fulfil and kéepe