Let us hear the Apostle Paul, who beareth witness to this, & saith: When the Gentiles which have not the law, do of nature the things contained in the law: they having not the law are a law unto themselves, which show the works of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing them witness, and their thoughts accusing one another, or excusing in that same day, when the Lord shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel. By two arguments here doth the apostle very evidently prove, that the gentiles are sinners. For first of all, least peradventure they might make this excuse, and say that they have no law, he showeth that they have a law, and that, because they transgress this law, they are become sinners. For although they had not the written law of Moses, yet notwithstanding they did by nature the things contained in the law. The office of the law is to disclose the will of God, and to teach thee what thou haste to do, and what to leave undone. This have they by nature, that is, this know they by the law of nature. For that which followeth maketh this more plain: They, when they have no law, are to them selves a law. That is, they have in them selves that which is written in the law. But in what sort have they it in them selves? This again is ma•e manifest by that which followeth. For they show the work of the law written in their hearts. But who is he that writeth in their hearts, but God alone who is the searcher of all harts? And what I pray you writeth he there? The law of nature forsooth, the law I say it self, commanding good and forbidding evil, so that without the written law by the instruction of nature, that is, by the knowledge imprinted of God in nature, they may understand what is good, and what is evil, what is to be desired, and what is to be shunned. By these words of the Apostle, we do understand, that the law of nature is set against the written law of God, and that therefore it is called the law of nature, because it seemeth to be, as it were, placed or grafted in nature. We understand that the law of nature, not the written law, but that which is grafted in man hath the same office that the written law hath, I mean to direct men and to teach them, and also to discern betwixt good and evil, and to be able to judge of sin.
Let vs heare the Apostle Paule, who beareth witnesse to this, & saith: When the Gentiles whiche haue not the lawe, do of nature the things conteined in the law: they hauing not the law are a law vnto themselues, which shew the workes of the lawe written in their hearts, their conscience bearing thē witnesse, and their thoughts accusing one another, or excusing in that same day, when the Lorde shall iudge the secrets of mē by Iesus Christ according to my Gospel. By two arguments here doth ye apostle very euidently proue, that the gentiles are sinners. For first of all, least peraduenture they might make this excuse, and say that they haue no law, he sheweth that they haue a law, and that, bicause they transgresse this law, they are become sinners. For although they had not the written law of Moses, yet notwithstanding they did by nature the things cōteined in the law. The office of the law is to disclose the wil of God, and to teache thée what thou haste to do, and what to leaue vndone. This haue thei by nature, that is, this know they by the lawe of nature. For that whiche followeth maketh this more plaine: They, when they haue no law, are to them selues a law. That is, they haue in thē selues that which is written in the law. But in what sort haue they it in them selues? This againe is ma•e manifest by that which followeth. For they shew the worke of the lawe written in their hearts. But who is he that writeth in their hearts, but God alone who is the searcher of all harts? And what I pray you writeth he there? The lawe of nature forsooth, the lawe I saye it selfe, commaunding good and forbidding euill, so that without the written lawe by the instruction of nature, that is, by the knowledge imprinted of God in nature, they may vnderstand what is good, and what is euill, what is to be desired, and what is to be shunned. By these wordes of the Apostle, we doe vnderstande, that the lawe of nature is set against the written law of God, and that therefore it is called the lawe of nature, bycause it séemeth to be, as it were, placed or grafted in nature. We vnderstande that the lawe of nature, not the written lawe, but that which is grafted in man hath the same office that the written lawe hath, I meane to direct men and to teach thē, and also to discerne betwixte good and euill, and to be able to iudge of sinne.
