There is therefore an other part, that is, the Gospel,1 which showeth comfort and salvation, declaring where that is to be had, whereby the Law is fulfilled. When therefore I know by the Law that I am a condemned man, then lie I half dead among thieves, Satan hath spoiled my soul, and hath moreover in Adam taken away all faith, all righteousness, and hath left nothing but bodily life, which is also quickly extinguished. Then come Levites and Priests, which teach this and that, but can help nothing, and so pass by. But when the Samaritan cometh, he helpeth: that is, when Christ cometh, he showeth his mercy unto us, saying after this sort: Behold thou oughtest in deed to love God with all thine heart, but thou doest it not, now believe only in me, & thou shalt enjoy my obedience as thine own: this only helpeth me: Then he putteth me on his own beast, that is, on himself, and carieth me into the Inn, that is, into the Church of the faithful, then he by and by poureth his grace into me, that is, oil, that I may feel my self to be laid upon his shoulder, that at the last maketh me to be of a good cheer, & quiet & well affected in conscience. Afterward he poureth in wine also, which with his sharpness may abate & tame the force of old Adam. And yet am I not so wholly restored unto health, health is in deed poured in & begun, but not yet wholly finished: then Christ hath care of me, & by his grace poured into me, doth purify me, that from day to day I may become more chaste, meek, gentle, faithful, &c: until I wholly die, for then I shall be altogether made ⟨p. 406⟩perfect. So when we shall come to God the father, and be asked of him, whether we believed in God, whether we loved him, &c: the Samaritan Christ our Lord, who hath laid us on his own beast, will come forth and say: Lo Father, although they have not wholly fulfilled thy Law, yet have I fulfilled it, suffer thou that to turn to the commodity of them that believe in me. So is it needful that all the Saints albeit very holy, be laid upon the back of Christ. If so be that the holiest of all, as the Priests and Levites could not satisfy the Law, how shall we go about with our feigned works, as with shaving, habit &c, to fulfil the same? O wretched & miserable calamity. These things shall now suffice to have bin spoken concerning this text:
There is therefore an other part, that is, the Gospell,1 which sheweth comfort and saluation, declaring where that is to be had, whereby the Lawe is fulfilled. When therefore I know by the Lawe that I am a condemned man, then ly I halfe dead among theeues, Satan hath spoiled my soule, and hath moreouer in Adam taken away all faith, all righteousnes, and hath left nothing but bodily life, which is also qulckly extinguished. Then come Leuites and Priestes, which teach this and that, but can helpe nothing, and so passe by. But when the Samaritane commeth, he helpeth: that is, when Christ commeth, he sheweth his mercy vnto vs, saying after this sort: Behold thou oughtest in deede to loue God with all thine heart, but thou doest it not, now beleeue onely in me, & thou shalt enioy my obedience as thine owne: this onely helpeth me: Then he putteth me on his owne beast, that is, on himselfe, and carieth me into the Inne, that is, into the Church of the faithfull, then he by and by poureth his grace into me, that is, oyle, that I may feele my selfe to be layd vpon his shoulder, that at the last maketh me to be of a good cheere, & quiet & well affected in conscience. Afterward he poureth in wine also, which with his sharpnes may abate & tame the force of old Adam. And yet am I not so wholy restored vnto health, health is in deede poured in & begon, but not yet wholy finished: then Christ hath care of me, & by his grace poured into me, doth purifie me, that frō day to day I may become more chast, meeke, gētle, faithfull, &c: vntill I wholy dy, for then I shalbe altogether made ⟨p. 406⟩perfect. So when we shall come to God the father, and be asked of him, whether we beleeued in God, whether we loued him, &c: the Samaritane Christ our Lord, who hath layed vs on his owne beast, will come forth and saye: Loe Father, although they haue not wholy fulfilled thy Lawe, yet haue I fulfilled it, suffer thou that to turne to the commoditie of them that beleeue in me. So is it needefull that all the Saincts albeit verie holy, be layed vpon the backe of Christ. If so be that the holiest of all, as the Priestes and Leuites could not satisfie the Lawe, how shall we go about with our fained workes, as with shauing, habit &c, to fulfill the same? O wretched & miserable calamitie. These things shall now suffize to haue bin spoken concerning this text:
- 1The office of the Gospel.The office of the Gospell.
