then are we at our wits end, and utterly out of hope. The Law then is dead: that is to say, it is as it were thrust under foot and as good as buried, so long as we think our selves to be alive, and conceive any foolish imagination of being righteous, and of obtaining heaven by our own good works. But when the law liveth: that is too say, when God giveth it power to touch us, then are we dead, then is it as a sword to thrust us too the hart. Therefore we must needs receive a deadly wound, so soon as we have perceived what the Law containeth. After that manner speaketh S. Paul in the text which I have alleged. And now following the same matter, he saith, that he is dead too the Law by the Law: as if he had said, Come not hither too slander the Gospel, as though it were the cause of our damnation, or an entrance unto us too be cursed before God, too have the knowledge of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in us. No no. But it is certain that the Law (when it doth his office, and we read it in such wise as becometh us) doth always kill us, and we lye as it were plunged in despair, till our Lord Jesus Christ have reached us his hand too lift us out of it. Thus then am I dead unto the law, that is too say, I can have no life, I can have no assurance of soul health, I can have no comfort, rest nor contentation, ⟨p. 98⟩& to be short, there: is nothing in the law whereby I may come unto God: but clean contrariwise, it shaketh me off, it thrusteth me back, it banisheth me from the kingdom of heaven, it cutteth me quite off from the hope of salvation, it maketh me a poor, cursed, and wretched creature, and to be short, it sendeth me to the bottom of hell. Ye see then what I have won by abiding in the law. And S. Paul speaketh of him self rather than of any other body, to the end that the things which he speaketh, may be the better received, as of a man of experience. And it is after the same manner that he speaketh in the fore alleged seventh Chapter too the Romans.1 For there he setteth not forth this man or that man for an example, but saith, I my self was sometimes alive: that is too say, at such time as he was a Pharisee, and accounted an holy man, yea even for one of the excellentest in all Jewry, in so much that he was a mirror of all perfection, and as a little Angel:
then are wee at our wittes ende, and vtterly out of hope. The Lawe then is dead: that is to say, it is as it were thrust vnder foote and as good as buryed, so long as wee thinke our selues to be aliue, and conceyue any foolishe imagination of beeing righteous, and of obteyning heauen by our owne good workes. But when the lawe liueth: that is too say, when God giueth it power to touch vs, then are wee dead, then is it as a sworde to thrust vs too the hart. Therfore wee must needes receyue a deadly wounde, so soone as wee haue perceyued what the Lawe conteyneth. After that maner speaketh S. Paule in the texte whiche I haue alleaged. And nowe following the same matter, he sayth, that he is dead too the Lawe by the Lawe: as if he had sayde, Come not hyther too slaunder the Gospell, as thoughe it were the cause of our damnation, or an enterance vnto vs too bee cursed before God, too haue the knowledge of the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ in vs. No no. But it is certayne that the Lawe (when it dooth his office, and wee reade it in suche wyse as becommeth vs) dooth alwayes kill vs, and wee lye as it were plunged in dispayre, tyll oure Lorde Iesus Christe haue reached vs his hande too lifte vs out of it. Thus then am I dead vnto the lawe, that is too say, I can haue no lyfe, I can haue no assurance of soule health, I can haue no comforte, rest nor contentation, ⟨p. 98⟩& to be short, there: is nothing in the law wherby I may come vnto God: but cleane contrariwise, it shaketh me off, it thrusteth me backe, it banisheth me from the kingdome of heauen, it cutteth me quite off from the hope of saluation, it maketh me a poore, cursed, and wretched creature, and to be shorte, it sendeth me to the bottome of hell. Yee see then what I haue wonne by abyding in the lawe. And S. Paule speaketh of him selfe rather than of any other body, to the ende that the things which he speaketh, may bee the better receyued, as of a man of experience. And it is after the same maner that he speaketh in the fore alleaged seuenth Chapter too the Romanes.1 For there he setteth not foorth thys man or that man for an example, but saythe, I my selfe was sometymes alyue: that is too saye, at suche time as he was a Pharisie, and accounted an holy man, yea euen for one of the excellentest in all Iewry, in so muche that he was a myrrour of all perfection, and as a lyttle Angell:
- 1Rom. 7. b. 9
