AFter that the Apostle hathe by many pithie and substantiall reasons proued the abrogatiō of the Lawe, and the Iustification of man by fayth only in Christ: Now dooth he in this Text by the example of the two Sonnes of Abraham, describe and set foorth before theyr eyes, the state of both sortes of men, as wel them that seeke to be iustified by their own woorkes, as of them that trust only in the mercy of God. His purpose is not by this comparison to proue eyther the abolishing of the lawe, or the iustification by fayth, for that he hath done plentifully before, but onely to shewe the Galathians what they shall gayne, if they proceede as they beganne, to lay vpon themselues the vnnecessary and vntollerable burden of the lawe, namely the rewarde of Ismael, that is, too bee banished from the Church of GOD, and the Heauenly inherytaunce▪ whereas they that wyll obteyne the inherytaunce with Isaac, must become as hee was, altoogether Children of the promise.

And firste of all hee imputeth their errour too ignoraunce: Come of, sayeth hee, and Tell mee, you that will needes bee vnder the Lawe, when you neede not, doo you heare the Lawe: doo you knowe the Lawe? as though hee shoulde saye, I see verily, that you are ignoraunt of the Lawe, although you woulde neuer so fayne bee vnder the Lawe: for if you knewe the Lawe, and whyther it woulde brynge you, and from what it woulde hynder you, doubtelesse you woulde not be, so ready too take the yoke vppon you. You imagine too gette freedome by submyttyng your selues vntoo the Lawe, but that is the very waye too brynge you intoo perpetuall bondage. You haue an eye too rewarde, when you seeke too meryte, but whyle you seeke too haue it by deserte, which you can not, you leese it, beeing offered by gyfte, which you myghte atteyne. And all thys commeth, bycause you knowe not the Lawe, for no man wyll wyttingly and willyngly depryue hymselfe of rewarde, and thruste hymselfe intoo eternall chraldome. See therefore what commeth of ignoraunce the Mother of Popyshe deuotion, and of all errour and superstition, false Doctrine, and Idolatrie.

The Papistes are wyse in theyr generation, when they will not haue the people too knowe the mysteries of their owne Popishe Religion. For I am perswaded, that a great number which nowe contynue in blyndenesse, if they dyd see that which they handle in the darke, they would repent that euer they touched it, yea, they would detest it as much as he that for lacke of lyghte putteth a toade in hys bosome, in steade of a byrde, or which taketh vp dounge in steade of goulde, or drynketh Poyson in steade of Wyne, when hee seeth howe hee hath beene deceyued. And therefore I maye saye too them, as the Apostle dooth too the Galathians. Tell mee, you that long too bee vnder the Pope, doo you knowe what Popery meaneth? Doo you knowe whyther it wyll carye you? I am perswaded, if you knewe, a great number of you would soone haue doone with it. But alas howe should you knowe? Your masters hold best you should not knowe, fearing you woulde not follow them,Iohn. 4. if you sawe whither they led you. And of vs you will not learne, for so your masters teache you to worship you wote not what, and wilfully to refuse all instruction, whereby you myght be learned to worship God aright: Howbeit this is most true, thinke of it as you will, The ende and drift of Poperie is to carye you from Christ, and so from God, vnto whom there is no accesse but by Christ. For that I may bring so many cōtrouersies as are between the Christians and the Papistes into one, what other thing doo wee striue for in all our preachings, but that Christ onely should be our perfect sauiour & redeemer? What other thing is sought throughout al partes of Poperie, but that Christ onely shoulde not be our King, Sauiour, Redeemer, hygh Priest, sacrifice and propiciation for our sinnes, mediatour and aduocate, and his worde our onely sufficient instruction? But that the Pope, the Masse, our owne merites, the merites of Sainctes and inuocation of them, Popishe ceremonies, traditions, counsels, decrees and decretals, pardons and Images, & such like, must needes challenge no small portion of that honour and glory, which the holy scripture maketh proper to God and our sauiour Christ alone.Apoca. 7. 10. Saluation be ascribed to him that sitteth vpon the throne of our God, and to the Lambe. It is the voyce of all them that are saued by Christ: And therefore all the Angelles of God, and all the creatures of God, ioyne with them in confessyng, that al blessyng, glorye, wisedome, thankesgeuyng, honour, might, and power ought to be ascribed to hym for euer and euer. Consider this you papistes for your owne benefite, learne to knowe what poperie is, before you determine to dye therein. And as in this general controuersie I haue called the papistes to knowledge and consideration of their owne groundes and principles, so might I runne through euery particular errour of theirs: But one or two may serue for examples: Tell me you that would eate the naturall body of Christ in the sacrament, doo you knowe what absurdities doo followe of it? O you thinke it a goodly matter to receiue the body of Christ into your mouthe. But if you had wit, you woulde thinke it muche better to receiue Christ into your hartes, and so to receiue him, that he should neuer depart frō thence, for he dwelleth in our hartes by fayth. 〈◊〉 . 3. 17. And so doo wee teache men to receiue the body of Christ by fayth, that he may dwell with vs for euer: Whereas they that teach you to receiue the naturall body into your mouthes, giue no more to fayth, then to infidelitie: for wicked men, as they saye, receiue the body of Christ as well as the godly: you will say, yea, but it taryeth not with the wicked. No more it doth with the faithfull by your owne doctrine, for you haue not yet determined howe farre it goeth downe into the stomacke of man, nor howe long it abydeth, but you all agree, that it abydeth no longer then the fourmes of breade and myne remayne vncorrupt, which is not long after they come into the stomacke: but this is not all the absurditie that followeth of that eating. For whyle you streine the body of Christ into so small a compasse, and multiply the same into so manye places, what else doo you, but ouerthrow the truth of his naturall body? Which if it be not like ours in all things, except sinne, then coulde it be no redemption of our bodyes. Then haue we no hope of resurrection, nor assumption into heauen, which is grounded vpon the truth of this naturall body, being fleshe of our fleshe, and bone of our bone, in which our nature he suffered death, rose againe, and ascended into heauen for vs. But I may not stand vpon these matters. Tell me you that woulde fayne heare your olde Latin seruice, doo you knowe what it was? Uerely a great part of it was such as you woulde bee ashamed to heare it in Englishe. But if it had bene nothing else but the Scriptures of God, and godly prayers, yet the Apostle in his Epistle to the Corinthians telleth you plainly, that beyng in a tongue vnknowen, it were not meere for the Church of God. But to leaue the Papistes, and returne to the Galathians: Tell mee, sayth S. Paule, you that would be vnder the lawe, doo you heare the lawe, or haue you read the lawe? &c. As if he should say, take no heede what men beside the booke teache you of the lawe, but looke to the lawe it selfe. The false Apostles would haue borne the Galathians in hand, that they must ioyne the obseruation of the lawe with the fayth of the Gospell: They woulde not bring them altogether from Christ, but they woulde match the ceremonies of Moyses lawe, with the fayth of Christ. Wherefore the Apostle wylleth them to looke what the lawe sayth, and not what these counterfeyt lawyers sayde. He willeth them to examine the lawe, whether it admitteth or alloweth any such mixture as they woulde bring in, or no? The lyke, and in a manner the same controuersie, wee haue nowe with the Papistes, sauing that the Papistes as verie Antichristians, are worse then the false Apostles. They agree both in this, that they ioyne workes wyth Christ, merits with mercy, man with God, in the meane of our saluation: but herein the false Apostles were lesse hurtfull, that they ioyned the workes of the lawe which God himselfe required, the Papistes ioyne works of Superero • ation, which are such as God neuer commaunded, and preferre them as much more meritorious, then any workes which God hath prescribed. They both agree in this, that they place righteousnesse in the obseruation of Ceremonies: but the Papistes are more blasphemous then those false Apostles. For they, although they placed righteousnesse in Ceremonies, yet it was in such ceremonies as God himselfe appoynted to be obserued for a time: but the Papistes place instification in ceremonies which were neuer of Gods institution: for Circumcision, the passouer, with other sacrifices, and rytes of the olde Testament, had God for their Author: but holy water, holybread, Pilgrimages and such like, had neither God nor good man for theyr founder, but came from Antichrist the enemye of GOD and Christ.

And therefore you that would be vnder the Lawe, looke well to your footyng whether you stande vpon good grounde, for if righteousnesse come by the Lawe, then commeth it by suche deedes onely as the Lawe commaundeth. And if a man may be iustified by obseruation of Ceremonies, they must bee such Ceremonies as GOD hath required, when euen of those which he hymselfe required, beeing doone otherwise then hee meant them, hee sayeth:Esay. 1. 1 • . Who hath required these thyngs at your handes? At whose handes doo you looke too receyue the rewarde of righteousnes? is it not of hym that hath taught you the rule of ryghteousnesse? Therefore if you wilbe iustifyed by the Law, looke what be the workes & Ceremonies of the lawe & keepe thē, for god hath not promised the reward but to hym that obserueth them. The man (sayth hee) that dooth them, shall lyue in them. Geue not eare therefore too the Papistes, but geue eare too the Lawe, if you hope too wynne rewarde by obseruing the lawe. And especially in that poynt, wherein the false Apostles of Sainct Paules tyme, and the false Apostles of our tyme, agree, that is, ioyning mans merit with Gods mercy. Tell mee, you that refuse too bee cleerly see at lybertie from the bondage of the Lawe by Christe, and wyll needes bee vnder the Lawe, doo you know the Lawe? Can you tell whether God wyll allowe suche a mixture, or no, of woorkes and grace, of mercy and merits? If the condition of the lawe will beare suche a medley, no man forbiddeth you, but that you maye seeke righteousnes where it may best bee founde: but if the condition of the Lawe bee so streight, as it will admit nothyng but a perfecte obseruation in him that shall haue the reward, why will you seeke too establish your owne righteousnes, and so void your selues cleane of the righteousnes of God in Christ? And so whyle you wyll bee iustifyed both by Christe and by the woorkes of the Lawe, you shalbee iustifyed neyther by Christe, nor by the woorkes of the Lawe. For the Lawe can abyde no transgression, nor the grace of Christ any satisfaction. And yet there is perfect righteousnesse in the obseruation of the law: And a mā is iustified by faith, without the works of the law. Wherupon the deuils sophistrie concludeth, that if iustification be by either of these meanes by it selfe, much rather it must be whē they are both ioyned together. Wherefore wee must see whether they may be ioyned together, or no. Let vs therefore first heare the lawe. The lawe in deede is a perfect rule of righteousnesse to iustifie, not the hearers, but the obseruers: The man that dooth all thinges commannded by the Lawe, shall lyue thereby, that is, by his ryghteousnesse hath deserued eternall lyfe. But here is a perfect obseruation requyred, or else no ryghteousnesse obteyned, no life deserued: for cursed is hee that abydeth not in all the preceptes of the lawe to doo them. So that here appeareth a double condition annexed to the lawe. The one is an absolute and perfecte obseruation required of them that shall be rewarded: the other euerlasting curse and damnation threatned to him that hath transgressed. By which it is most euident, that the Lawe and the Gospell, grace and woorkes, merite and mercye, bee of so contrarie nature, as it is impossible they shoulde bee ioyned together in the atteyning of eternall saluation. One transgression if there were but one in a mannes whole lyfe, and that neuer so small, yet such is the rygour of the lawe, as it barreth vs from ryghteousnes, and maketh vs subiect to the sentence of Gods cursse. Now let vs on the other side consider the Gospell, and see whether that admitteth any mixture of deedes of the Lawe. By the Gospell we are assured, Ephes. 2. that wee are saued by grace: but grace is a woorde of such freenesse, as it ceasseth to bee grace, if you adde anye thyng to it. If it bee of woorkes) sayth the Apostle) then is it not of grace, and if it bee of grace, then is it not of workes: for grace were not grace, if it were not free. And it coulde not bee truely sayde, that we are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption of Christ Iesus, if anye thyng in the worlde came in place of satisfaction besides the redemption of Christ Iesus▪ Rom. 3. But let vs heare what the lawe sayth: It is written in the lawe (for so are all the fyue bookes of Moyses accompted) that Abraham had two sonnes, one of a bondmayde, another of a free woman, the one called Ismael, the other named Isaac. Ismael was borne of Agar the Egyptian, which was a bondwoman, Isaac was borne of Sara the wyfe of Abraham, which was a free woman: such as Agar the mother was, such was Ismael her sonne, and Isaac was free, as his mother Sara was.

Fyrst wee must obserue here, that this comparison is altogether within the familie of Abraham, that was a fygure of the Churche of GOD. And therefore wee muste not seeke Ismaell and hys posteritie among them that are altogether wythout the Churche, and professe open hatred agaynst the same: But euen in the bosome of the visible Churche, euen in the family of Abraham, those that professe themselues to bee the sonnes of Abraham, that is, the sonnes of God, and occupie no small ro • mes in the Churche, but euen the highest oftentimes, as Ismael for a season beyng the first borne of Abraham was accompted as the heyre of Abraham, and so the most principal person in all the housholde. Wherefore if we wil at this day know who be the Ismaelits, we must not looke to the profane nations of the Turkes and misereantes, that openly despise the Churche of God, but euen to those that make the boldest and lowdest clayme to be heyres of the Churche, euen the Papistes. They haue their profession, so had Ismael, they haue their tytle, so had Ismael, they stand vpon their prerogatiue, and so dyd Ismael. They will haue a place in the familie of Abraham, yea they wyll thrust out Isaac. They claime (they say) by the elder tytle, to be heyres of the Churche, yea they weene they haue the Churche it selfe in possession. And here it is marueilous howe they swell and stande vppon typtoes, if you seeme to allowe them any place at all in the Church, though it be but in the Belfrey, they will streight way perke vp into the Chancell. But softe a whyle my masters, we allowe you no other place in the Churche of God, then that which Ismael sometymes occupyed in the familie of Abraham. And that in deede was no base roome in outwarde appearance, and in the iudgement of men. For who was thought to be the heyre of Abraham for sixteene or seuenteene yeeres, but Ismael, the eldest sonne of Abraham? You, who seemed to haue more right vnto the inheritance of Abraham, then he that had the prerogatiue of the first begotten. But all the sonnes of Abraham are not the heyres of Abraham. For it is written: In Isaac shall thy seede be called. Wherefore we must not regard who maketh clayme to the inheritance of Abraham, but who is rightly begotten to be the heire of Abraham: for a bond man is capable of no inheritance. And the child is accompted in the ciuill law, of such condition as his mother is. Therefore Ismael being borne of a bond woman, hath no iust tytle to be the heyre of Abraham, though he pretend to be his eldest sonne. And he that was borne of the free woman, though hee were younger by many yeeres, yet by the prerogatiue of his free byrth, became the heyre of Abraham his Father. Wherefore if the Papists and all they that seeke to bee iustifyed by their workes, be proued to bee the sonnes of the bond woman, it wyll not helpe them any thing in the world, that they haue of long tyme beene accompted as principal members of the familie of Abraham: for it will fall out in the ende, that they shall be found no better then Ismaelits and Agarynes, and haue the same rewarde that Agar and Ismael had.

We haue heard now, that Abraham had two sonnes, of which, the one only was hys heire. And now let vs see why Ismael being the naturall sonne of Abraham, & the first borne, was not the heire, either before Isaac or at leastwise ioyntly with him: here indeede standeth all the matter of controuersie, although there be two sonnes, why there is but one heyre, but it is soone answered, because there is but one way to come to the inheritance, and that is onely by promyse, only by mercy, only by fayth. So the cause now followeth, why Ismael could not be Abrahams heir, and only Isaac was: because Ismael was borne after the flesh, and Isaac was borne by promyse. The inheritance depended wholly vpon the promise, and the promise altogether vpon the grace of god. Therefore he that was borne after the promise, was the heire, & not he that was borne after the flesh. But this at the first view, seemeth to be straunge, why S. Paule shoulde say, that Ismael was borne after the fleshe, & Isaac by promise. Wheras there seemeth to be no difference, but that Isaac was born after the fleshe, as Ismael was, for he was conceiued after the maner of al the worlde, as Ismael was. It is the only priuiledge of our sauiour Christ to be cōceiued by the holy ghost. Wherfore Isaac might be thought to be borne after the flesh, on the other side it seemeth that Ismael was borne by promise. For Abrahā was not moued by fleshly lust to take Agar to his wyfe, but by the suggestion of Sara, that he might haue an heyre of the promise. Why should not Ismael then (whose byrth was sought by so good an intent) bee saide to be borne after the promyse? And wherefore should Isaac bee denyed to be borne after the flesh, whē he was conceyued and borne as Ismael and all other men are? But let vs heare what the Apostle sayth: He that was borne of the bond woman, was borne after the fleshe, and hee that was borne of the free woman, by promise. Nowe let vs see howe Ismael was borne after the fleshe, & Isaac by promise. If we looke to the conception of Ismael, we shall see nothing in it, but carnall and fleshly, not only because it was altogether according to the course of nature: but also & chiefly because this deuise of Sara, wherunto Abraham consented to beget children of Agar, though it seemed to come of a good intent, yet was it altogether carnall and fleshly. But God woulde haue mans deuise to haue no place in the Natiuitie of Isaac, because he should be a ryght figure and patterne of them that are heires of the promise. For thus the case stood, God had promised to Abraham to giue him the lande of Canaan, and to his seede, which shoulde be as the starres of heauen, and as the sande of the sea innumerable, that hee should be the father of many nations, and that in his seede all the nations of the world should be blessed.

Now Abraham beleeued this promise of God, and it was imputed to hym for righteousnes, bu • whyle he contynued stedfaste in this Fayth, GOD seemed too suspend of long tyme the performance of hys promyse, for Abrahā waxed old, Sara was both olde and barreyne, so that all hope of Children betweene them seemed too be cut of: at laste, thys deuyse came intoo Saraes head, that Abraham shoulde take Agar the Aegiptian her bondemayde too wyfe, and so of her should begette Childrē that should bee heyres of the promise. No doubte her ende and purpose was to obteyne that which God had promysed, and in suche respect and none other, dyd Abraham agree too her deuise. And here we see what good intents are, if they be not directed by Gods woorde. For surely the intent of Abraham & Sara in this matter, was exceeding good: but theyr mean which they had deuised, was starke nought. For it was altogether beside the word of God: it proceded not frō the spirit of God, but frō the spirit of man, frō flesh and blood, and therefore it was a mere carnall and fleshely deuise, & although it hath a shewe of great godlynes, yet is there no spark of godlines in it, for it proceeded not of faith, but of infidelity: for although Sara beleeued the promise of God to bee true, yet she thought it could not otherwise be performed but by this carnall deuise of hers: she would helpe god to perfourme his promise, whē she thought he was flack in perfourmāce, & saw more & more difficulty to grow dayly by the age of Abrahā encreasing in weaknes & old yeares, vnapt for generatiō, & such are al the deuises of mē, by which they sek to obtein the promised inheritāce of the kingdom of heauē they be altogether carnal & fleshly, & procede ōly of infidelity. For why do they sek to adde any thing of their own to the most free & gracious promise of god, but that they doubt eyther of his strength or goodwil to perfourme that which he hath promised? & therfore they wil help the one wt laying to the shoulders of their own strēgth & the other they wil procure by cōmending the dignity and worthines of their owne persons, as though God were not throughly wel pleased in his only begottē son our Lord & sauiour Christ. By this that hath been said, I trust you do now vnderstād, how Ismael was born after the flesh, namely that in his conceptiō & generation, there can nothing be cōsidered that is heauēly & spiritual, but altogether natural & carnal. For notwithstāding ther was an intēt & purpose to beget an heir of the promis, yet euē this intēt & purpose, being gouerned by a carnal & fleshly deuise, proued nothing els, but an earthly, carnall, & fleshly matter. Wherfore he that was borne of the bond woman, was borne altogether after the flesh. Now let vs see how Isaac was borne by promise. Isaac was born of Sara the free womā: not by her carnal deuise as his brother Ismael was, but by faith in gods promise. For Abraham was now old, & past the strength of begetting childrē, Sara was both old & barren, here nature had denied thē children: flesh & blood had denied thē childrē: humayn reason had denied thē childrē. Therfore the childe that was now conceyued and borne, came altogether by promis of God, & not by strength of man. Abrahā waxed nowe strōg in fayth, though weake in body, & considered neither his own body as good as dead, nor the dead wōbe of Sara his wife, but only beleeued that he which had promised, was also able to perfourme it. And Sara by faith receiued strēgth to cōceiue seed; & brought forth a son when she was past childbearing & barrein, bicause she compted him faithful,Ebru. 11. •• . which had promysed so, that the whole woorke in the conception and birth of Isaac, was proper to God, and not to man, and so dyd the whole prayse red • unde to God, and not to man. For Abrahams body beyng now as good as dead for age, receyued new strēgth for generation, as if he had been restored from death to lyfe. Sara, beside her natural impediment of barrainnesse being taken away, whiche kept her from bearyng of chyldren when shee was young, beyng nowe nyentie yeares of age, was endued with newe strength to conceyue Isaac, and therefore here is nothing of mans strength or wisedome in Isaackes natiuitie to bee considered, but onely the perfourmance of Gods promise. And therefore God onely deserued to haue al the prayse▪ Whereas if Ismael shoulde haue inherited the promyse, the lea • t portion of the prayse should haue been geuen to God. For nature shoulde haue had one part, because Abraham although he were old when he begate Ismael, yet he was not so olde, that he was past the strength of generation. And as for Agar, shee was lusty, and in the flowre of her age. What singuler prayse shoulde God haue had in this cōception, other then in all naturall woorkes? But the chiefe parte of the commendation, shoulde haue been challenged by the wysedome of man. For if this deuise of Sara had taken place, howe muche thinke you woulde shee haue pleased her selfe in that witty inuention? And Abrahams diligence and indeuour to put in practise this inuention of theirs, might haue been thought woorthy of no small cōmendation. And in Ismael the title of First begotten, woulde haue thrust in it selfe, for some dignitie and portion of glorye.

Amongest these matters, euery one setting foorth it felfe as worthy of the prayse, I pray you howe small a pittance shoulde haue been leaft for the promise of GOD? And as you see it here in the patternes, so is it moste clearely to be seene in them that followe these patternes. Whereby the Papistes shewe them selues most playnly to be after Ismael, chyldren of the fleshe, the naturall sonnes of the bondwoman, borne after the fleshe. For that they may be heyres of the promyse, they ascribe somethyng to nature, somethyng to mans wisedome, somethyng to theyr owne industrie, and by no means they wilbee perswaded, to receyne the inheritāce altogether by Gods promyse. To nature with the heathen Philosophers, they attribute the beginning of al vertues in themselues, & such strength, as without the grace of God they maye dispose them selues to an aptnes to receiue the grace of God, but wyth the grace of God they may be able to perfourme whatsoeuer God requyreth at theyr handes. By mans wisdome, they haue founde out woorkes of greater price and worthinesse to winne the fauour of God, then God himselfe in hys Lawe hath prescribed and appointed. And as for their own labour & industry, it dooth in a manner all in all, for thereby nature is applied to winne grace, grace is exercysed to merite rewarde, wisdome is practised to increase merite, which shal not only be sufficient for those that labour in them, but also dooth ouerflowe too the satisfaction of other mens sinnes, and too the obteyning of righteousnesse for other men which fayle in the measure of their owne. In the meane tyme, they saye they doo not exclude the grace of God. No more dyd Ismael the promise of God, but Ismaell coulde not inherite the promyse of God, bycause hee was borne after the fleshe, no more can they hee partakers of the grace of GOD bycause they seeke to procure it by camall and fleshly meanes. And they only are after Isaac heyres of the promyse, which pretende no tycle too the promysed inherytaunce but only the promise of GOD, which seeke it only by grace, and not by workes, which obteyne it by Fayth and not by desertes.

For neyther nature, nor the wisdome of man, nor the strength of man, nor the worthinesse of man, made Isaac heir of the promise, but only Faith in the promyse. These thynges (sayeth sainct Paule) whych are written of the two Mothers in Abrahams house of contrary condition, and the issue of them both, are Allegoricall, that is figuratiuely or typically to bee vnderstoode.

For in as muche as Abrahams house was the Churche of GOD, suche notable euentes as happened in that householde, were fygures and examples for vs too see the state of the Churche, and dyuerse kyndes of men therein, for all ages followying. Wherefore as there was a bonde woman ingendring into bondage him that is borne after the fleshe, euen in that familey, so hath there alwayes bene in the outward face of the Church, a great seede and multitude of Heretykes and Hypocrytes, which haue sought iustificatiō by their owne merytes. Suche wer before the comming of Christe a great number of the frowarde and obstynate Iewes, and in the tyme of Christe, the Scribes and Phariseys, which abusing the doctrine of the law, contrary to the scope and ende of the Lawe, sought to establishe their owne righteousnes in obseruation and keepyng of the law: but in the meane tyme, they became voyde of the righteousnes of God. And yet thy did not pretend to exclude the grace of God, as appeareth righte well in that Phariseye of whome our Sauiour Christ telleth the Parable Luke. 18. against them that trusted in themselues that they were ryghteous, and despised other. This Pharisey trusted in himselfe that hee was righteous, and yet not without the grace of God. For hee geueth God thankes that he was not as other men were, or &c. And such for al the world, as this Pharisey was, are the whole generation of Papistes. For they wil seeme too ascribe much to the grace of God, in forme of words, and almost altogether, and so dyd the Pharisey. But yet neuerthelesse, hee with them, and they with hym, are Ismaelites, sonnes of the bonde woman, borne after the fleshe, bycause they ioigne any thing with the grace of God, which only doth triumphe in the Saluation of all the Children of promyse. For by grace you are saued (sayeth the Apostle) through Fayth, Ephes. • . • . and that not of your selues, it is the gyfte of God, not of works, least any man should boaste. And howe is boallyng excluded? by the lawe of workes? No but by the lawe of Fayth. But let vs procede in the Texte.Rom • . • . 27. The two Mothers (sayth s. Paule) are the two couenāts or Testaments, that is, they represent vnto vs the two Testamentes, or couenants, that God hath made with mankinde touching their Saluation. For God hath made two couenantes, one in the Lawe, the other in the Gospell, the one, the couenant of Iustice, the other the couenant of mercy. In the one he requireth perfect righteousnesse, in the other hee offereth remission of sinnes. And both these couenauntes haue a necessary vse to bring vs to saluation. The Couenauntes of Iustice, doe shew vs what perfection of rightuousnesse God requireth, and how farre we are from it, to humble vs & inforce vs to seeke rightuousnesse els where then by our owne desertes. And so the law when it is rightly vsed, is sayde to be a Schoolemaster vnto Christ. For God dyd not make that couenaunt of rightuousnes with vs, to the intent that we should obteyne righteousnesse by obseruation of the Law, but by settinge before our eyes, the impossibilytie of the condition which is required to be obserued, and the extreeme sentence of Iustice, when the condition is broken, to driue vs altogether from hope of attayning to the rewarde of righteousnes by workes, and to cause vs most ioyfully to receiue the seconde Couenaunt of his mercy offered in Christ. So that the law indeede prescribeth a rule of perfect rightuousnes, if men could obserue it, but in as much as no man was euer able to obserue it (except our sauiour Christ) no man euer was or shall be iustifyed by it, but by Christ onely. And as the couenant of Iustice doeth require perfect righteousnesse and geueth no pardon: so the couenant of mercy giueth righteousnes freely, & admitteth no satisfactiō. These are those two Couenants that GOD hath made with mankynde concerninge their iustifycation & saluation, & more then these two, he hath not made: so that he which wil be iustifyed by the law, must looke for no mercy: and hee that wyll be iustifyed by grace in Christe, must not thinke of any merit, worthynesse, or satisfaction of his owne, but only in Iesus Christ.

What place then haue these mongrels that make a confusion of grace and merites, of Fayth and Workes, of the Law and the Gospell? They haue no place in neyther of the two Testamentes, the olde nor the new. If they wyll haue a thyrde way of Iustifycation, they must shew a thyrde Couenaunt: yf they cannot shew a thyrde Couenant, they cannot haue a middle way of Iustifycation.

Wee haue shewed good euydence for the two Couenants, the one of Iustice, the other of mercye, and how the one Couenaunte neyther beareth wyth anye transgressyon, nor alloweth anye pardon, the other admitteth no dignity of the person, nor alloweth any satisfaction of his, for his vnworthinesse. Let the Papistes which wilbee iustified partly by the grace of God, and partly by their owne merites, let them I say nowe stande foorth, and shewe vs the Tables of suche a couenante, if euer God made any such with men, that he would forgyue them halfe their sinnes, and allowe them to make amends for thother halfe: let them shewe their euidence if they haue any, if they haue none, as there is none mentioned in the Scripture, but the two Testamentes, the two Couenantes, the lawe and the Gospell: what tytle or clayme can they make to the heauenly inherytance, whereof they haue no promyse, no Testament, no couenāt, but only a carnal perswasion of their owne fleshely reason, an earthly Imagination of humayne wysedome, yea an hellishe presumption of their prowde worldly affection: whereby they shewe themselues to bee nothing els but Agarens and Ismaelytes, Children of the bondewoman, and borne after the fleshe, as Ismaell their Father was, whose tytle and clayme vntoo the spirituall inheritance, was altogether earthly and carnall, vtterly voyde of the promise and woorde of God.

But let vs heare the Apostle descrybing the two Couenantes. The one (sayeth hee) is from mount Sinay, gendrying into bondage, which is Agar. The Lawe therfore which is the fyrst couenāt, is cōpared to Agar, bycause it begetteth into bondage as shee dyd, yea mount Sinay from whence the Lawe was published, is compared too Agar. And then the Lawe is as it were the seede, by which, of Sinay, that is the Church of Hypocrites, are begotten no Children but vntoo perpetuall bondage.

But here nowe aryseth a doube, howe of the lawe of GOD which is holy and good, suche wycked and vngodly Chyldren shoulde bee conceyued. For answer vntoo thys doubte, wee muste vnderstande, that not of the lawe rightely vsed, suche vnhappie Children are begotten, for wee knowe that the lawe is good,Tim. 1. 8. Rom. 7. 1 • . if a man vse it lawfullye. But when righteousnesse is soughte by obseruation of the lawe, which is not attayned by any man, but through grace only, then is the lawe abused, and of the Lawe so abused, are begotten no Children, but hypocrites, vnto euerlasting bondage. The Lawe is vsed rightly, when it is made our Schoolmaster vnto Christe,Galat. 3. 2 • that wee may be iustified by Fayth. But when Iustification is not sought by Fayth without the deedes of the Lawe, but eyther by the deedes of the Lawe onely, or by the deedes of the Lawe and Fayth: then is the lawe which is holy of it selfe, by this abuse, made a corrupt seede, of which is conceyued these bastardly Hypocrites that falsely chalenge to bee the Sonnes of GOD. whereas they are in deede the sonnes of eternall sclauery and bondage. You will say, they seeke lyberty by this meanes, and not bondage, but certayne it is, they fynde nothyng but bondage: what soeuer they pretende too seeke. For such is the nature of the lawe, that it bryngeth all men intoo bondage, that are not set at lybertye, by the onely meane which GOD hathe appoynted for theyr infranchismente, whiche is the Redemption of the Sonne of GOD. Now when these men that seeke too bee vnder the Lawe, refuse the onely charter of infranchismente, which almightye GOD dooth most mercifully offer to gyue them freely, they are intangled wyth double bondage, and thraldome both that which is by nature, whereunto all the sonnes of Adam are subiecte, that are not set at libertie by the sonne of GOD: and also that which groweth by theyr omne confession, while they refuse the freedome offered, and voluntaryly put their neckes vnder the yoke of the Lawe, which promiseth no lybertie, but vpon the keeping of an impossible condition, and threatneth certein and perpetual bondage, for euery voluntary, & yet necessary transgression. So that it is impossible for al thē that are vnder the Lawe, eyther to obteyne the reward which it promiseth, or to avoyd the punishment which it threatneth. Wherfore mount Sinay which is Agar, & the law thus abused, begetteth no childrē, but hipocriticall sclaues vnto euerlasting bondage. (For Agar is mount Sinay in Arabia, and answereth in figure too that Hierusalem which is now, & is in bondage, with her children.) First let vs here obserue, that manner of speeche whyche the Apostle vseth, when hee sayeth that Agar is the mount Sinay, whereas it is euydent that he meaneth that Agar dooth figure or signifie the mount Sinay. The Papistes make great exclamation agaynst those Interpreters, which in the woordes of consecration as they cal them, This is my body, doo expounde est for significat. This is my body, that is, this bread dooth signifye my body. And a great matter they make of the verbe substantiue est, as though that when soeuer it is vsed is Scripture, it declareth a substaunce, and no fygure or sygne of a substaunce. Howbeyt there bee infynite places of Scripture, where thys verbe substantiue est, can not bee otherwyse interpreted, then for significat, and thys our Texte is one very manifeste place. Agar (sayth hee) is the mount Sinay in Arabia. What? was Agar nowe chaunged into the substaunce of a Mount? who is so vayde of reason or sense, but he must needes confesse, that hys meanyng is, that Agar dooth sygnifye Mount Sinay, or is a fygure of Mount Sinay in Arabia:

Yea: but I knowe what will bee replyed. Sayncte Paule speaketh not here of the Sacramentes. That is true, but when the holy Ghoste speaketh of Sacramentes, which are holy and Heauenly signes, it were more probable too vnderstande hys speache fyguratiuely, and not litterally. Yea it is most vsuall in the Scripture, when the spirite of God speaketh of the Sacraments, to say they bee those thinges which they doo but represent and signifie. As Circumcision is called the couenant, the Lamb is called the Passouer, Baptisme is called the newe byrth, and S. Paule speaking of the Sacrament of Christes blood sayth, The Rocke was Christ: And our Sauiour Christ himselfe sayth, This cuppe is the newe Testament. In al which speaches there can be no transsubstantiation and chaunge of substances be vnderstoode, but a signe, a figure, or representation. What then? Doo we make the Sacramentes nothing else but bare signes, naked figures, and imaginatiue representations? God forbyd, it is not in vaine that the ontwarde elementes in the deuine Sacramentes doo beare the names of those things which they doo represent, but that God doth truely and in deede perfourme his promises vnto the faithfull, of which these Sacramentes are the seales, to confyrme their fayth. So God in Baptisme which is the Sacrament of regeneration, dooth worke effectually to the mortifying of the olde man, and renuing of the newe man, whereby the man that is baptised, is made the childe of God. And Christ in the Sacrament of his bodye and blood, dooth truely feede vs wyth hys bodye and blood which is the onely foode of our soules, wherby wee are nourished and preserued vnto eternall lyfe. But to returne to the matter: Agar in this fygure, dooth signifye the Mount Sinay in Arabia, from whence the Lawe of bondage was giuen, as Sara dooth signifie the Mount Sion in Hierusalem, from whence the Gospell of freedome proceeded. And wee must note here, that Sinay is a mountayne in the desart of Arabia, where the lawe of bondage was proclaimed. Namely we must vnderstand, that it was altogether out of the compasse of the land of promise. It was in the barren wildernes, not in the land that flowed with milke & honye, It was in Arabia, & not in Canaan. So that god would signifie, euen by the place where hee published the law, that it perteined not to the promise of his mercy, but to the pacte or Couenant of his iustice. For the land of Canaan, was the land of promise, a very fruitfull land, abundant in all commodities and pleasures of this lyfe, which GOD professeth oftentymes vnto the people, that hee gaue it them, and that without all desert or worthinesse of theyrs, of his onely goodnesse and mercy towards them, to fulfyll hys promyse made to their Fathers. Forbydding them alwayes to thinke or saye that for theyr owne ryghteousnesse God had chosen them, to cast out those nations before them, putting them ofte in mynde that they were a frowarde and stiffnecked people, and howe many wayes they had deserued that God shoulde vtterly haue reiected them, as Moses preacheth to them in Deuteronomie.

Wherefore the lande of Canaan was to them a Sacrament of the Kingdome of Heauen, which beyng an inheritance of most gloryous and eternall felicitie, no man shall attayne vnto, by his owne merytes or woorthinesse, but onely by the mercye of God. No more then the Israelites were brought into the lande of promise in respecte of their owne deseruings, but only by the promise of GOD. Now farre without the bondes of this holy lande, in a deserte and solitarie place, in a barraine and vnfruitefull soyle, where nothing grewe for the sustentation of mannes life, where water wanted for the necessarie vse of man and beast, euen there God chose a harde stonie and craggie rocke to be the pulpet from whence he thundred out the Lawe of Iustice, with most terrible lightes and noyses, to signifie that by the Cavenant of his ryghteousnesse, no man shoulde looke for any fauour or grace, but that all they that were founde transgressors of this law, should vndoubtedly incurre the paines of eternall condempnation. This was Mount Sinay in Arabia, This was Agar the Egyptian, This was the mother of Ifmael, This is the nobilitie of the sonnes of bondage.

But he proceedeth, and. sayth that Agar or Sinay answereth in figure or similitude to that Hierusalem which is nowe, and is in bondage with her children. Some translations reade that Sinay bordereth vppon Hierusalem, but that is neither true in the litterall sense, nor agreeth with the meaning of the Apostle in this figure, nor expresseth the Greeke worde which the Apostle vseth. For mount Sinay dooth not border vppon Hierusalem, but is farre distant from it by certaine hundreth myles. But the worde which the Apostle vseth, doth signifie a respect or relation of one thing to an other. And so he meaneth that Mount Sinay hath respect to that Hierusalem which is nowe, which is, to the earthly Hierusalem, because the earthly Hierusalem did answer in figure to Agar, & not to Sara, to Sinay, & not to Sion. And why so? Because she was now degenerated & gone out of kind, as the Prophet complayneth:Esay. 1. •• . How is the faithfull Citie become an Adulteres? Because she sought to bee iustified by the Lawe that was giuen in Mount Sinay, and refused the grace of Christ, that was preached on Mount Sion. She should haue been a liuely Image of the heauenly Hierusalem, if shee had accepted the Gospell of Christ, but nowe by refusing the same, shee answereth in figure to Sinay the mountaine of Arabia, to Agar the mother of Ismael, and is in bondage, with her Children. Shee was called with her children to libertie and freedome by the sonne of God, who onely hath authoritie to set at libertie those that were in bondage, but they proudly refused it, and stoode vppon their prerogatiue, saying, We are the seede of Abraham, wee haue not serued any man, howe sayest thou that wee shall bee made free? They woulde not vnderstande that euerye one that committeth sinne, is the seruant of sinne, and cannot haue eternall abyding in the house.Iohn. 8. 67. They woulde not acknowledge that the Sonne of GOD who alwaye abydeth in the house, hath Authoritie to infranchise them, and that they could not be delyuered from the bondage of sinne, but by him. Therefore they ramayne styll in bondage without hope of deliuerance. For the Adultresse Hierusalem theyr mother, hauing nowe embraced a seruyle doctryne and Religion, is become Agar or Sinay, whose qualities and condition she doth properly represent. Wherefore although they doo with full mouthe neuer so proudlye boast themselues to be the seede of Abraham, they are neuerthelesse, the sonnes of Agar. And no greater priuiledge they haue by beyng the sonnes of Abraham, then Ismael had, who also was the Sonne of Abraham, but after the fleshe onely, and not after the spirit. Wherefore though Sinay in distance of place be farre of from Hierusalem, yet in qualitie and condition they are altogether lyke, for they are both seruyle, the doctrine of them both ingendreth to bondage.

Thus you see how Hierusalem which is nowe, that is, the earthly Hierusalem, by reteyning the doctrine and religion of bondage, and refusing the doctrine and Religion of freedome, is become Sinay of Sion, Agar of Hierusalem. A good admonition for vs al, to take heede, that wee doo not imbrace the doctrine of bondage, but most ioyfully and thankefully receyue the glad tydings of libertie. That wee maye beware by the punishment of Hierusalem, to refuse freedome offered, least wee bee chrust into perpetuall bondage. No Citie nor people in the worlde had greater priuiledges of honour, then the Citie and people of Hierusalem: And yet we see nowe, how iustly Hierusalem is turned into Sinay, freedome into bondage, glory into shame, that we should not stande vpon any prerogatiues or priuiledges, as though any thing could exempt vs from the seueritie of Gods iudgement, if wee reiect the grace of God when it is freely offered. If Hierusalem escaped not punishment for all her dignitie, what shall become of Sodome or Babilon which haue no prerogatiue of dignitie, if they being called to libertie doo still continue in bondage? And here we haue an example whereby to shape the Papistes an answere, for all that they can bring, to commende the dignitie of theyr Churche of Rome. For the present time, or that hath been these many hundreth yeres, they can speake little good of her, if they will speake the truth that all men doo see with their eyes in this age, or may reade in stories of the former ages, written by their owne Registers: but they haue a great glory to bring forth the auncient commendation of fayth which the Scriptures and olde doctors doo ascribe vnto the Churche of Rome, the godly conuersation of the Anrient Christian Romanes, the multitude of Constant Martyrs which that Churche did yeelde in the space of two or three hundreth yeeres, but all in vayne, yea all to their greater shame, except they can proue the same fayth, conuersation, and Christian constancie, to remaine now in the Churche of Rome, that was in those golden dayes of the primitiue Churche. S. Paule in deede commendeth the fayth of the Romanes, to be celebrated in all the world, which place the Papistes thinke to make much for the dignitie of the See of Rome. But let them shewe that the Pope and hys Churche of Rome doo nowe hold the same fayth whych S. Paule praysed in the Romanes of hys time, or else it maketh nothing in the world for the Churche of Rome nowe, but to her shame and reproche, which is degenerated from that doctrine of libertie which of olde time was wont to be imbraced in those places. The fayth of the Romanes of that time, which S. Paule commended, was this, that a man is iustified by faythe without the deedes of the lawe. Is this the doctrine of the Churche of Rome according to the true meaning of S. Paule and the whole discourse of his Epistle to the Romanes? Do they not teache the contrarie directly, that a man cannot be iustified by faith only without the workes of the lawe? Wherfore seeing the Romanes that are nowe, haue a contrarie faith to the Romanes of olde time, there is no cause why they should claime the aunciēt prayse, which haue not retained the auncient fayth. And forasmuch as they are fallen from the grace of Christ to seeke ryghteousnes by their owne merits, there is no reason why they shoulde haue the commendation of the fayth of the Gospell, which haue submitted themselues to to the bondage of the Lawe.

And if Hierusalem that is nowe, be turned into Agar, and the earthly Sion into the barreyn Sinay, because shee hath despised the promise of mercy & redemption which the auncient Hierusalem and Moūt Sion in the tyme of the godly Parriarches and Prophetes most ioyfully receyued: why shoulde Rome that is nowe, wyth her seuen hylles, appointed for the throne of Antichryst, enioye the prayse of the auncyent Romanes and the Christian Churche that sometyme was a straunger in that place, whom nowe shee persecuteth, and condemneth their fayth for Heresie? Shee cannot bee taken for the heauenly Hierusalem, that professeth the seruyle doctrine and Religion of the earthly Hierusalem. Neither can her children the Papists, be taken for Citizens of the heauenly Hierusalem, which thinke so great a part of religion to consist in going a Pilgrimage to the earthly Hierusalem. The Apostle here vtterly reiecteth Hierusalem that is nowe, and thrusteth her out of the lande of promyse, into Arabia the desatte. The Papistes make no accompte of Hierusalem that is aboue, but all their delight is in Hierusalē that is on earthe, so they shewe themselues right Agarens & Ismaelites. What a great matter is made in Poperie of Hierusalem that is now? yea although it be in the hands of Turkes & Paganes, yet they so esteeme it, that they thinke they should haue the greatest treasure in the world, if they coulde get the possessiō of that citie, out of the Paganes handes. And for that purpose howe manye thousand men haue lost their liues in the enterprises that haue beene aduentured, to gayne that place out of the Turkes & Souldans dominions?

What an hygh poynt in Religion is it made of the Papistes, to visite Hierusalem, that is nowe? yea it is a matter of so great importance, that the vowe which one hath made to go on Pilgrimage to Hierusalem, cannot be dispensed withal, by any other inferiour person, but euen by the Popes owne holynesse hymselfe. Such a goodly matter it is to be a Citizen of the earthly Hierusalem.

But let the Papistes alone with theyr holy mother the earthly Hierusalem mount Sinay or Agar, and let vs returne to the comparison of the Apostle, which saith: But Hierusalē which is aboue, is free, which is the mother of vs al: wee heard before, that there were two mothers in the familie of Abraham, Agar, and Sara: the one begetting into bondage, the oher vnto libertie, wee harde also that these mothers doo signifie two Couenants, or two Churches, and that Agar signifieth the Couenant of Iustice, or Hierusalem that is nowe, the Churche of Hypocrites, which abuse this couenant in seeking to be iustified therby, which was giuē to direct vs to the couenant of mercy: Now must we consider Sara the seconde mother, which was a freewoman, how she was a figure of the new couenant, and of the heauenly Hierusalē, that is the mother of all the Children of God. The first couenant in Mount Sinay what it was, namely the Couenant of righteousnesse, we haue sufficiently declared alreadie. The seconde Couenant of mercy is excellently well described, by the Prophet Ieremie. Ieremie. 31. Chap. 31. alledged by the Apostle to the Hebrues. Hebr. 8. Chap. 8. Beholde the dayes come (sayeth the Lorde) that I wyll accomplishe with the house of Israel and Iuda a newe Couenant.

9. Not accordyng to the Couenant which I made wyth theyr Fathers in the daye when I tooke them by the hande to bryng them out of the lande of Egypt: for they themselues abyde not in my Couenant, and I regarded them not (sayeth the Lorde.)

10. For this is the Couenant that I will make with the house of Israel. After those dayes (sayth the Lorde) I wyll gyue my Lawes into their myndes, and wryte them in theyr hartes: And I wil be their God, and they shal be my people.

11 And they shall not teache euery man his neyghbour, and euery man hys brother, saying, Knowe the Lord: for they shall al know mee from the least to the greatest of them:

12 For I wyll bee mercyfull to their vnryghteousnesse, and I wyll no more remember their sinnes, and their iniquities.

Beholde this is the newe Testament, this is the seconde Couenant of mercy, not written in Tables of stone as the first Couenant of iustice was, but in the fleshely Tables of our hartes, by the spirite of GOD. Of this Couenant Sara was a lyuely fygure, when shee brought forth Isaac, not by course of nature, or Carnall deuyse as Ismael was begotten: but by the power of GOD, accordyng to hys promyse. For by the doctrine of this couenant, the children of God, are borne vnto libertie, through faith. For to those that receiue Iesus Christ, he giueth this dignitie, that they should be the sonnes of God, euē to those that beleeue in his name, which are not borne of blood, nor of the will of the fleshe,Iohn. 1. 12. 13. nor of the will of man, but of God. And this is that lawe that commeth out of Sion. that word that proceedeth out of Hierusalem, which proclaimeth libertie & freedome from Sion. to all them that embrace Christ by faith. The same godly matrone Sara, being the mother of the faithfull, is also a figure of the true Church of god which is no earthly Citie flourishyng in worldly dignity, but is altogether heauenly and spirituall, Hierusalem that is aboue, is the mother of vs all. For although a great number of children be dispersed ouer al the worlde, yet is shee heauenly, because shee hath her beginnyng of the heauenly grace, and dwelleth aboue by Fayth: and those her Children which are in the worlde, are but Pilgrymes and straungers on the earth, for their conuersation and dwelling, theyr Franchise and libertie is in heauen, from whence they looke for a Sauiour. Philip. 3. 2 • The word of promise and couenant of mercie, is that incorruptible seede, by which she conceiueth children, & heires vnto God: In the same she hath milke for hir infantes, and stronger meate for them of ryper age, shee cherisheth and bryngeth them vp vntyll they come of yeeres apt to enioye their Fathers inheritance, perfourming all offices and duetyes of a most kynd and naturall mother. And therefore it is truely said, hee shall not haue GOD to his Father, that refuseth the Churche to bee his mother. And here wee must note, that there is but one true Churche, namelye, Heauenly Hierusalem the mother of vs all, that are Gods Children, and therefore all Heretikes and Scismatykes that bee not Chyldren of thys one mother, are excluded from beyng Chyldren of God. Here also wee see that the Churche is Catholike or Uniuersall, and howe shee is Catholike or Uniuersall, not in respecte of euerie great multitude, that challengeth her to bee theyr mother, but shee is the mother of all the faythfull, of all the free borne Children of God, that are borne accordyng to the promyse, accordyng to the Couenant of Gods mercie, and not of the wyll or workes, merites or worchynesse of man, but of the spirit of God.

The thyrde condition, she is heauenly, shee is from aboue, shee is not bounde to any place vpon the earth. No she hath forsaken earthly Hierusalem, to dwell in heauen. And thinke you she wil forsake heauen to come downe and dwel in Rome? No no, all the inchanters and Sorcerers of Aegipt and Babilon, cannot drawe her down from Heauen too place her seate at Rome. If wee wilbe Children of the freewoman, wee muste looke vp intoo Heauen by Fayth, where our Mother dwelleth, and not too any place on earth, neyther too Hierusalem in Iuda, nor to Rome in Italy, nor to Constantinople in Thracia, nor to Alexandria in Aegypt, nor to Antiochia in Syria, but to Ierusalem in Heauen, for she is the Mother of vs al, that are the Children of God. We learne here, that if we be true children of Hierusalem that is aboue, what manner lyfe and conuersation becōmeth vs, namely such as our Mother is, yea and our Father also, heauenly, Godly, Spirituall. Besides thys, in that Hierusalem is aboue, wee see howe madde the furie and rage of Tyraants is, that thinke by persecutyng her Children which are straungers on earthe, they can destroye and vanquishe her that is in Heauen, whereas when they haue done the vttermost that their rage leadeth thē vnto, that is, to kyll their bodies, they do but send home the Children to theyr Mother, who as long as shee is great with Childe, by the seede of the Gospell, shee still traueleth in birth in bryngeth foorth men Chyldren, which vnder their Prince and eldest Brother the Sonne of GOD, shall treade downe that Dragons head, that persecuteth the mother and the Children, vntill hee bee caught by the heeles, and throwne into the bottomlesse lake that burneth with fyer and brymston.

The fourthe condition of the Church is, that she is free, and therfore bringeth forth Children vntoo freedome. Shee is free, in that she is redeemed and bought out of bondage, by the blood of the Sonne of God, that she might be holy and vnspotted before hym, not hauyng her owne ryghteousnesse, wherewith she is adorned, but the garment washed in the blood of Christ, which is the righteousnesse of Sainctes, Thus is shee a glorious mother, and bringeth foorth Children that are made free from sinne and wickednesse, to serue the Lorde GOD their father in holynesse and rlghteousnesse all the dayes of their lyfe. By this that hath beene sayde, it is manifest, that the Church of Rome, is not the Church of Christ, for she is earthely, glysteryng in Earthly glorye, maynceyned by carnall strength and wysdome, mainteyning the Doctrine of bondage, and persecutyng the Gospell of lybertye. Here also is decyded a great controuersye betweene the Papystes and vs, whether the Catholyke Churche of Christe bee vysible yea or no. The Papystes stoutely mainteyne, that the Catholike Churche is vysible, that is, apparant and open to bee seene to the eyes of all men, and they thynke it the strongest reason they haue, eyther too defende their Churche, or to impugne ours, that their Church hath alwayes beene and yet is vysible, and in the open veywe of the world, when our Church wythin these hundreth yeares, was dryuen intoo Corners and not too bee spyede excepte it were in a fewe persecuted members. The grounde they stande vppon is a wrong Interpretation of the saying of our Sauiour Chryste in the. 5. of Saincte Math. Math. 5. 14. A City that is builded vpon an hill cannot be hidde. But thys perteyneth nothing to the Cytie of Rome, although it be builded not on one, but vpon seuen hils, For our Sauiour Christ (as the whole contexte of his speach doth euydently declare) speaketh not there of the Catholike Church, but of hys Apostles that were appoynted to be the light of the world, & therfore must needs be seene, were as a Cytie which is buylded on a hyll, and therefore coulde not bee hydden, exhorting them therefore to gyue good example of lyfe and doctrine, bycause their place was such, as their example could not bee secret, but open and manifest, and therfore eyther very profitable or very hurtfull. But this place, (which euery man must confesse to bee vnderstood of the Catholyke Church) doth most clearly declare, that the Catholike Church neither is, nor can be visible and subiecte too the eyes of any man, but onely them, that are indewed with the eyes of Fayth. For hee sayth that Hierusalem is aboue, shee is in Heauen, euen shee that is the Catholyke and vniuersall Mother of vs all, and therefore shee is not to be seene but by the eye of Fayth. Let the Papists still glorie in their visible Church, let them acknowledge none other Mother but their visible Church of Rome, we will boldly defy them and the whoore their mother, for the Heauenly and Spirituall Hierusalem, that is aboue, is the mother of vs all. And thys the Apostle proueth by the Testimonie of Esaye, taken out of the. 54. Chapter, that the Church bryngeth foorth lawfull sonnes and heyres too God accordyng too the promyse, euen of the gentiles. For in as muche as the Galathians were Gentiles, hee bringeth foorth the comfortable promyse made vntoo the Church of the Gentyles, that (although of long tyme shee were barreyne and had no husbande, and therefore brought foorth no Children too GOD, yet the tyme should come, that God woulde ioyne her as a chaste virgyn in mariage vntoo Chryste, and then shee shoulde bee more fruitfull, and brynge forth moe Children vntoo God, then euer dyd the Church of the Iewes, when shee was the spouse of God so many hundred yeares, all which time the other was barren, desolate, and had no husbande. So brethren (sayeth he) we are after Isaac Children of the promise. Not only those that are the carnall seede of Abraham by Isaac, but all those that take holde of the promyse of God by fayth. For what prerogatiue of dignity had Isaac too bee the Sonne of God more then Ismaell: bycause hee was the carnall leede of Abraham: so was Ismaell: Bycause hee was the firste begotten of Abraham, that was hee not, but Ismaell was: nothyng then but the promyse of GOD made Isaac the Sonne of GOD, and the same promyse extendeth too all nations of the worlde as largely and in as ample manner, as too the carnall seede of Abraham Isaac or Iacob. In thy seede shall all nations of the worlde bee blessed.

Therefore Brethren wee are after Isaac, not by carnall generation, but by spirituall regeneration, Children of the promyse.

For the onely Pryuyledge that made Isaac the Sonne of GOD, was the promyse of GOD, and that also maketh vs the sonnes of GOD. What made Iacob too bee preferred before Esaw, who was the Sonne of Abraham and the Sonne of Isaac, yet Iacob was loued, and Esaw was hated? Whereby (I saye) was Iacob preferred to bee the heyre of Isaac his Father, but by the election of GOD? It is therefore of the election, grace, mercy, and promyse of GOD, that any man is aduanced to this honour to bee the Sonne of GOD, and not of any meryte, dignity, or worthynesse of a man.

But euen as then hee that was borne after the fleshe, persecuted hym that was borne after the Spirit, euen so is it nowe. By these woordes the Apostle comforteth the Galathians and all other, that were true Children of the Church, and armeth them to patience, assuryng them that of the Hypocryticall Churche of meritmongers, they should looke for nothyng else but persecution. For it is no marueyle if those proude sclaues, the Chyldren of the Earthelye Hierusalem, dyd vntoo the Sonnes of the Heauenly Hierusalem as Ismaell theyr Father dyd to Isaac the true heyre, boastyng of hys byrth righte. For suche is the swellyng pryde of that slauysh generation, that although they bee altogether bondemen and thrall vnto perpetuall distruction, yet doo they moste arrogantly contemne and despyse all other, that professe not the same waye of Iustification that they doo.

Therefore our Sauiour Christe telleth a parable agaynste them that trusted in them selues, that they were ryghteous, and desprsed other. For they that be once so proude as to iustifie them selues, they will also contemne and despyse others. Of this contempte aryseth their cruell mynde, whereby they doo also persecute them.

Thus the false Apostles that preached iustification partly by Christe, and partly by obseruation of the Lawe, raysed persecution agaynst the true Apostles, that taught iustification by grace of Christe only, embraced by Faith alone without the deeds of the law, and al them that receyued the same moste cōfortable doctrine. And their successours the Papistes, are nothyng behynde: for they neuer cease to the vttermost of their power, too persecute and afflicte the true Children of promyse with all kynde of tormentes that they can deuyse, to maynteyne the proude perswasion of their owne righteousnesse, and too deface the glorye of the mo • te free and plentyfull Redemption of Christe. But for as much as the Apostle here sayeth, that hee that was borne after the fleshe, persecuted hym that was borne after the spirite, wee haue to see, what kynde of persecution this was, by which Ismael persecuted Isaac. For in al the story of Ismael there is no mention of persecution, but onely in the 21. Chapter of Genesis, where it is written, that at such time as Abraham made a great feast at the weaninge of his sonne Isaac, and there was great ioye and reioycing on euery syde for Isaac that was Abrahams sonne by Sara according to the promyse of GOD, Ismael which was then in the house, a prowde Ladde of syxteene or seuenteene yeares olde, scorned and mocked his younge Brother Isaac.

This derysion and skorninge, the Apostle compteth for persecution, and not without great cause, for it shewed the prowde stomacke of Ismael that contemned and dispised hym whom GOD had chosen, secondlye it declared his inwarde hatred and cruell minde that hee bare against his Brother whom he so contumelyoustye deryded, workynge hym all the spighte and villanye that hee could and durst. And chiefely it deserued to bee called persecution, because he scorned and mocked the grace and election of GOD. Wherefore though hee dyd not persecute hym with the Sword which he coulde not, yet hee persecuted him with his scornefull reproches, which is worse, because he contemned and trode vnder his feete, the promise of GOD whereof Isaac was made an heyre by the mercy and grace of God. And verely there ought no persecution to be so greeuous vnto vs, as when wee se the grace of GOD vpon which our vocation is grounded, to be trodden vnder foote and defaced with the prowde tauntes & scornes of the vngodly: yea it is the fountayne and beginninge of all persecutions, when the wicked doe hate and despise the grace of GOD in his chosen, as appeareth moste playnly in the story of Caine and Abel: yea our Sauiour Christe hymselfe no doubte was more greeued with that blasphemous mock of the proude persecuting Iewes, He trusted in God, let hym take hym if hee wyll haue hym. &c. then with their buffetinge, scourginge, and naylynge of hym. And as the glory of GOD ought to bee more deare vnto vs then our owne lyues, so ought we to be more greeued at the defacing of Gods glory by the scorning and deriding of the vngodly, then at any bodilye Tormentes, or at the losse of our owne liues. For there is no kinde of persecution more detestable, then that, by whiche the saluation of our scules is assaulted, as it is by the proude taunts & scornes of gods enimies both Papistes and Atheistes, who when their cruell rage is restrained, that they cannot persecute vs by fire and sword as their desyre is, then they blaspheme the grace of GOD, in our election and vocation, with most bitter and contumelious scorning and derisyon. So that the children of GOD and all they that wyll liue godlye in Christe Iesus, shal neuer want persecution. For if the bloody sworde bee wrung out of the Tyrauntes handes, yet wyll they not cease to persecute, vnlesse their tongues also were pulled out of their heades. For they that are borne after the flesh, that is, al Hipocrites and Iustifyers of them selues, wyll euer playe Ismaels parte, if they can doe nothinge els against the Children of promise.

And this is the grounde of the hatred of the papistes against vs. But to conclude, what shall be the ende of these persecuting scorners? Aske not the worlde, for the world thinketh that such holy Hipocrites are the chiefe pillers of the Church, and principall members of the same. They them selues saye: that they onely are the Churche, and that the sonnes of promise shall haue nothinge to doe there, but by there licence. But what saith the scripture? The scripture will not flatter them, the scripture wyll not dissemble with them.

Cast out the bond woman & her sonne, for the sonne of the bondwoman shall not inherit with the sonne of the free woman. These were in deede the wordes of Sara vnto Abraham, but they were confyrmed by the Oracle of god, which willed Abraham to follow the worde of Sara in al that she had sayde. Therefore this is the sentence of GOD, though Ismael keepe a sturre in the house a longe time, and beare hymselfe bolde on his birthright as though he wolde bee the onely heyre, persecuting the right heyre Isaac with tauntes & scorninge, yet at the length he is thrust out of dores with that prowde dame Agar hys mother, that dispised her misteris Sara, and vtterly reiected from the inheritaunce.

There were a great number of s • ruauntes which taryed in the house when Ismael the first begotten was thrust out. What was the cause that they taryed? Because they reuerenced the grace of God in Isaac, which Ismael contemned. The same e • de remaineth the popish Agar and all the Ismaelites her children, though they boast themselues to be the onely Churche, so that they woulde seeme to thrust Isaac and his seede out of the dores, yet the scripture hath determined their ende longe a goe, and of all other hypocrites whiche now are mixed they shall be seuered, which occupye great rowmes in the Church, they shal be cast out of the dores, they shall haue none inherytance with the sonnes of God.

Let vs therefore thankfullye embrace the Couenaunt of GODS mercy the doctrine of the Gospell, and free remission of sinnes, by which we are sure to be set at lybertie from sinne, made the sonnes of GOD and heyres of eternall felycitye, which GOD of his mercye graunt vnto vs all for Christe his sake, to whom with the Father and the holy ghost, bee all honour and glory for euer and euer. Amen.