namely, "That God is near unto them that are of a troubled heart, and saveth them that are of a humble spirit," (Psalm xxxiv. 18.) Also, "He despiseth not a humble and contrite heart," (Psalm li. 17.) Moreover, Paul sheweth here, that they which are justified in spirit by faith, do not yet feel the hope of righteousness, but wait still for it.

Wherefore, when the law accuseth and sin terrifieth thee, and thou feelest nothing but the wrath and judgment of God, despair not for all that, but take unto thee the armour of God, the shield of faith, the helmet of hope, and the sword of the spirit, and try how good and how valiant a warrior thou art. Lay hold of Christ by faith, who is the Lord of the law and sin, and of all things else which accompany them. Believing in him thou art justified: which thing reason and the feeling of thine own heart, when thou art tempted, do not tell thee, but the word of God. Moreover, in the midst of these conflicts and terrors, which often return and exercise thee, wait thou patiently through hope for righteousness, which thou hast now by faith, although it be yet but begun and imperfect, until it be revealed and made perfect in the kingdom of heaven.

But thou wilt say, I feel not myself to have any righteousness, or, at the least, I feel but very little. Thou must not feel, but believe that thou hast righteousness. And except thou believe that thou art righteous, thou dost great injury unto Christ, who hath cleansed thee by the washing of water through the word, (Eph. v. 26,) who also died upon the cross, condemned sin and killed death, that through him thou mightest obtain righteousness and everlasting life, (1 Cor. xv. 3.) These things thou canst not deny (except thou wilt openly shew thyself to be wicked and blasphemous against God, and utterly to despise God and all his promises, Jesus Christ with all his benefits,) and so consequently thou canst not deny but that thou art righteous.

Let us learn, therefore, in great and horrible terrors, when our conscience feeleth nothing but sin, and judgeth that God is angry with us, and that Christ hath turned his face from us, not to follow the sense and feeling of our own heart, but to stick to the word of God, which saith, that God is not angry, but looketh to the afflicted, and to such as are troubled in spirit and tremble at his word, (Isa. lxvi. 2.) and that Christ turneth not himself away from such as labour and are heavy laden, but refresheth and comforteth them, (Matt. vi. 28.) This place, therefore, teacheth plainly, that the law and works bring unto us no righteousness or comfort at all; but this doth the Holy Ghost only in the faith of Christ, who raiseth up hope in terrors and tribulations, which endureth and overcometh all adversities. Very few there be that know how weak and feeble faith and hope are under the cress, and in the conflict. For it seemeth that they are but as smoking flax, which is ready by-and-by to be put out with a vehement wind, (Isa. xlii. 3.) But the faithful, who believe in

the midst of these assaults and terrors, hoping against hope, that is to say, fighting through faith in the promise, as touching Christ, against the feeling of sin and of the wrath of God, do afterwards find, by experience, that this spark of faith, being very little (as it appeareth to natural reason, for reason can scarcely feel it) is as a mighty fire, and swalloweth up all our sins and all terrors.

There is nothing more dear or precious in all the world, to the true children of God, than this doctrine. For they that understand this doctrine, do know that whereof all the world is ignorant; namely, that sin, death, and all other miseries, afflictions and calamities, as well corporeal as spiritual, do turn to the benefit and profit of the elect. Moreover, they know that God is then most near unto them, when he seemeth to be farthest off; and that he is then a most merciful and loving Saviour, when he seemeth to be most angry, to afflict, and to destroy. Also they know that they have an everlasting righteousness, which they wait for through hope, as a certain and sure possession laid up for them in heaven; even when they feel the horrible terrors of sin and death. Moreover, that they are then lords of all things, when they are most destitute of all things, according to that saying, "having nothing, and yet possessing all things." This, saith the scripture, is to conceive comfort through hope; but this cunning is not learned, without great and often temptations.

VERSE 6. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, neither uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love.

That is to say, faith which is not feigned nor hypocritical, but true and lively. This is that faith which exerciseth and requireth good works through love. It is as much as to say, he that will be a true Christian indeed, or one of Christ's kingdom, must be a true believer. Now he believeth not truly, if works of charity follow not his faith. So on both hands, as well on the right hand as on the left, he shutteth hypocrites out of Christ's kingdom. On the left hand, he shutteth out the Jews, and all such as will work their own salvation, saying, "In Christ neither circumcision," that is to say, no works, no service, no worshipping, no kind of life in the world, but faith, without any trust in works or merits, availeth before God. On the right hand, he shutteth out all slothful and idle persons, which say, if faith justify without works, then let us work nothing, but let us only believe and do what we list. Not so, ye enemies of grace; Paul saith otherwise. And although it be true, that only faith justifieth, yet he speaketh here of faith in another respect; that is to say, that, after it hath justified, it is not idle, but occupied and exercised in working through love. Paul therefore, in this place, setteth forth the whole life of a Christian man, namely, that inwardly it consisteth in faith towards God,

and outwardly in charity and good works toward our neighbour. So that a man is a perfect Christian inwardly through faith before God, who hath no need of our works; and outwardly before men, whom our faith profiteth nothing, but our charity or our works. Therefore, when we have heard or understood of this form of Christian life, to wit, that it is faith and charity (as I have said) it is not yet declared what faith or what charity is; for this is another question. For as touching faith, or the inward nature, force, and use of faith, he hath spoken before, where he shewed that it is our righteousness, or rather our justification before God. Here he joineth it with charity and works, that is to say, he speaketh of the external office thereof, which is to stir us up to do good works, and to bring forth in us the fruits of charity, to the profit of our neighbour.

VERSE 7. Ye did run well: who did let you, that ye did not obey the truth? These are plain words. Paul affirmeth that he teacheth them the truth, and the self-same thing that he taught them before, and that they ran well so long as they obeyed the truth, that is, they believed and lived rightly: but now they did not so, since they were misled by the false apostles. Moreover, he useth here a new kind of speech in calling the Christian life a course, or a race. For, among the Hebrews, to run or to walk signifieth as much as to live, or to be conversant. The teachers do run when they teach purely, and the hearers or learners do run when they receive the word with joy, and when the fruits of the Spirit do follow; which thing was done as long as Paul was present, as he witnessed before, in the third and fourth chapters. And here he saith, "Ye did run well," that is to say, all things went forward well and happily among you; ye lived very well, ye went on the right way to everlasting life, which the word of God promised you, &c.

These words, " Ye did run well," contain in them a singular comfort. This temptation oftentimes exerciseth the godly, that their life seemeth unto them to be rather a certain slow creeping than a running. But if they abide in sound doctrine, and walk in the spirit, let this nothing trouble them, though their doings seem to go slowly forward, or rather creep. God judgeth far otherwise; for that which seemeth unto us to be very slow and scarcely to creep, runneth swiftly in God's sight. Again, that which is to us nothing else but sorrow, mourning, and death, is before God joy, mirth, and true happiness. Therefore Christ saith, "Blessed are ye that mourn and weep, for ye shall receive comfort," (Matt. v. 4;) "ye shall laugh," &c. (Luke vi. 21.) All things shall turn to the best, to them which believe in the Son of God, be it sorrow, or be it death itself. Therefore they be true runners indeed, and whatsoever they do, it runneth well and goeth happily forward, by the furtherance of God's spirit, which cannot skill of slow proceedings.

VERSE 7. Who did let you, that you did not obey the truth? They are hindered in this course which fall away from faith and grace, to the law and works; as it happened to the Galatians, being misled and seduced by the false apostles, which covertly he reprehendeth with these words: "Who did let you, that you did not obey the truth?" In like manner he said before, in the third chapter, "Who hath bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth?" And here Paul sheweth, by the way, that men are so strongly bewitched with false doctrine, that they embrace lies and heresies, in the stead of the truth and spiritual doctrine. And on the other side, they say and swear that the sound doctrine, which before they loved, is erroneous; and that their error is sound doctrine, maintaining and defending the same with all their power. Even so the false apostles brought the Galatians (which ran well at the beginning) into this opinion, to believe that they erred, and went very slowly forward when Paul was their teacher. But afterwards, they being seduced by the false apostles, and falling clean away from the truth, were so strongly bewitched with their false persuasion, that they thought themselves to be in a happy state, and that they ran very well. The same happeneth at this day to such as are seduced by the sectaries and fantastical spirits. Therefore I am wont to say, that falling in doctrine cometh not of man, but of the devil, and is most perilous, to wit, even from the high heaven to the bottom of hell. For they that continue in error, are so far off from acknowledging their sin, that they maintain the same to be high righteousness. Wherefore it is impossible for them to obtain pardon.

VERSE 8. It is not the persuasion of him that calleth you.

This is a great consolation, and a singular doctrine, whereby Paul sheweth how the false persuasion of such as are deceived by wicked teachers, may be rooted out of their hearts. The false apostles were jolly fellows, and in outward appearance far passing Paul, both in learning and godliness. The Galatians, being deceived with this goodly shew, supposed that when they heard them, they heard Christ himself, and therefore they judged their persuasion to be of Christ. Contrariwise, Paul sheweth that this persuasion and doctrine was not of Christ, who had called them in grace, but of the devil; and by this means he won many of them from this false persuasion. Likewise we at this day revoke many from error that were seduced, when we shew that their opinions are fantastical, wicked, and full of blasphemies.

Again, this consolation pertaineth to all those that are afflicted, which, through temptation, conceive a false opinion of Christ. For the devil is a marvellous persuader, and knoweth how to amplify the least sin, yea, a very trifle, in such sort, that he which is tempted shall think it to be a most heinous and horrible

crime, and worthy of eternal damnation. Here the troubled conscience must be comforted and raised up in such sort as Paul raised up the Galatians, to wit, that this cogitation or persuasion cometh not of Christ, forasmuch as it fighteth against the word of the gospel, which painteth out Christ, not as an accuser, a cruel exactor, &c. but as a meek, humble-hearted, and merciful Saviour and comforter.

But if Satan (who is a cunning workman, and will leave no way unassayed) overthrow this, and lay against thee the word and example of Christ, in this wise: True it is, that Christ is meek, gentle, and merciful, but to those which are holy and righteous: contrariwise, to the sinners he threateneth wrath and destruction, (Luke xiii.) Also he pronounceth that the unbelievers are damned already, (John iii.) Moreover, Christ wrought many good works; he suffered also many evils, and commandeth us to follow his example. But thy life is neither according to Christ's word, nor his example; for thou art a sinner, and there is no faith in thee: yea, thou hast done no good at all, and therefore those sentences which set forth Christ as a severe judge, do belong to thee, and not those comfortable sentences which shew him to be a loving and a merciful Saviour, &c. Here let him that is tempted, comfort himself after this manner :

The scripture setteth out Christ unto us two manner of ways: First, as a gift. If I take hold of him in this sort, I can want nothing. "For in Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge," (Col. ii. 3.) He, with all that is in him, "is made unto me of God, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption," (1 Cor. i. 30.) Therefore, although I have committed both many and grievous sins, yet notwithstanding, if I believe in him, they shall all be swallowed up by his righteousness. Secondly, the scripture setteth him forth as an example to be followed. Notwithstanding, I will not suffer this Christ (I mean, as he is an example) to be set before me, but only in the time of joy and gladness, when I am out of temptation (where I can scarcely follow the thousandth part of his example), that I may have him as a mirror to behold and view how much is yet wanting in me, that I become not secure and careless. But in the time of tribulation I will not hear nor admit Christ, but as a gift, who, dying for my sins, hath bestowed upon me his righteousness, and hath done and accomplished that for me, which was wanting in my life: "For he is the end and fulfilling of the law unto righteousness to every one that believeth," (Rom. x. 4.)

It is good to know these things, not only to the end that every one of us may have a sure and a certain remedy in the time of temptation, whereby we may eschew that venom of desperation, wherewith Satan thinketh to poison us: but also to the end we may be able to resist the furious sectaries and schismatics of our time. For the Anabaptists count nothing more glorious in