raiseth up man's soul, and maketh it thus stand in belief, Paul tells as the third reason why men should praise this gospel.

The fourth reason that Paul giveth of the praising of this gospel is, that it is a nigh mean to save men in bliss of heaven. And Paul boasteth not here of this gospel for his person, but by reason of his God, of whom this gospel sprung by grace. And this should move true men to take this gospel and leave fables. And Paul telleth hereafter of this gospel how men should last therein. For else his travail thereabout were idle and without fruit. For the praising of God's word, and holding thereof in man's mind, should be to produce belief in men, and thereby bring forth good works. And Paul saith, Unless this follow, they have believed here in vain. As clerks say, that travail is vain of which cometh not the good end, that men should shape to come thereof by the grace and ordinance of God.

And thus saith Paul, For what reason should I have preached thus to you, and ye should have holden this lore, but for coming of this end? And if this end come not, ye have believed here in vain. I betook first to you lore that I have taken of God, that Christ was dead for our sins, after the witness of holy writ; and better witness may none be, for then must God witness it. Christ died not for his own sin, as thieves die for their sin; but Christ, our brother, that might not sin, died for sin that others have done. And both righteousness of God and grace, and saving of men, moved Christ to die thus. And not only sin of men, for then Christ had died for nought and idly without cause. I told you more of belief, how that Christ was after buried, and how he rose on the third day, by the witness of holy writ. And that this belief was written in the book of life, and men's souls, and also dead bodies.

Paul calls it many scriptures; and Paul tells of six de. grees, by which Christ was seen to live after that he was dead. And this faith should be believed in. Paul telleth that Peter saw him, and after him all the apostles; and after when Christ went up to heaven, more than five hundred of men saw him together. For they were warned before hereof, and therefore more came to see this. And some of them lived to the time of Paul, and some of them were dead before. And after was Christ seen of James, and afterward of all the apostles. And at last of all

was Christ seen by Paul. And thus Paul, as a child that was born out of time, destroyed the sin of the synagogue; as some children when they are born are the death of the mother. So thus Paul destroyed the synagogue when he came to Christ's church.

Paul saith meekly of himself, that he is the least of apostles; that he is not worthy of himself for to be called an apostle, for he pursued God's church. Here we should understand that Paul saith truth as he should, since none should tell falsehood for any cause. Paul saith that he is least of apostles in his own counting; for Paul was wonderfully meek; and he tells how he came by grace after others. And the cause of this unworthiness is, that he pursued God's church. And therefore saith Paul after, By grace of God I am that I am. And thus he is not worthy even to be called a christian man. But nevertheless the grace of God was not idle in St. Paul. For it moved him to profit to the church, which he had harmed before. And thus men may praise God in the gifts that he hath given them. But think we how Paul travailed for to get worship to God, and let us follow him, inasmuch as Paul thus followed Christ.

XIV.

THE MINISTRATION OF THE GOSPEL.

And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward; not that we are sufficient of ourselves, &c. 2 Cor. iii.

Paul telleth of the excellency of the grace of the new law over the grace of the old law, to come lightlier to heaven. And Paul begins thus, We have such trust by Christ as the best mean to God, that we are not sufficient to think aught of ourselves, but our sufficiency is wholly of God. For since man's thinking seems most to be in his power among his works, and yet his thought must come of God, surely more each other work of man. It is known that no creature may do aright, but if God do it first, and help his creature to do it. And since we have a better procurator,* in time of grace, to pray to God, than men had in the old law, no wonder if this time be better. And thus should we put off pride, and wholly trust in Jesus Christ. For he that may not think of himself, may do nought of himself; but all our *Intercessor.

sufficiency is of God, by the means of Jesus Christ. And since Christ is both God and man, he is both Judge and Procurator. And these words are belief, since each power is of God. And so each sufficiency of man must necessarily be given of God. And if thou grudge here again, and say that man doth evil works, and God doth all that a man doth, and so God doth many evils; true men grant concerning God, that each creature of the world, whether it be good or evil, is made of God, Lord of all; but sin which is no creature, but default of man or angel, is not made of our God, since to do it is to fail towards God. But if sin were a creature that might be of itself, then sin must needs be made of God, and man might make that it were sin.

This mediator, Christ, made apostles and their vicars fit servants of the new law. And this advancement is great, for it is holden a great grace to be a pope or other prelate ; but it is a thousand fold more grace to be a minister as Christ hath ordained, for the gain is more, and the service more holy. For since the new testament is the last law of God, and bringeth men next to heaven; these ministers bring men by grace that God himself giveth, and worketh thus with these ministers. And this is a fit and a high service that priests should have; but if they keep not well this office, none are fouler traitors than they. And great diversity is betwixt them, and priests of the old law; for priests of the old law did figure of the grace that now is done by Christ. And therefore saith Paul here, that priests of the new law work now, not by letter, but by the Spirit that God giveth. And this word men understand thus, that priests in the new law have pleasant service and light, and are not killers of beasts, as were the priests of the old law; but the grace that they figured, is now made of God by his priests. And therefore saith Paul, that priests work now, not by letter, but by spirit.

And here antichrist's tyrants speak against the new law, and say that literal knowledge of it should never be taken, but spiritual knowledge. And they feign this spiritual knowledge after the wicked will that they have. And thus these four sects are about to destroy literal knowledge of God's law, which should be the first and the most, by which the church should be ruled. And against this knowledge antichrist argues many ways that holy writ is false. And so they say there is another meaning than this literal

meaning that thou hast given. And this is a doubtful meaning which I will choose to give. And thus authority of holy writ fails by antichrist. But Paul saith to this intent, that if in the time of grace the letter of the old law is taken, and held that it should ever last, as it lasted for that time, it slayeth men in a spiritual manner; for it hindereth men of the belief that they are now nearer to bliss than they were in the old law, by the coming of Christ in time of grace. But leave we these heresies, and believe we that many things were commanded the fathers of the old law, as types of things to come in time of grace. And these figures shall we understand spiritually, for else literal understanding will slay man's soul by unbelief.

But spiritual understanding quickens man's soul by right belief. And if thou wilt know the ground to judge of these understandings, begin at christian man's belief, and believe that Christ hath now lived here, as it was figured in the old law, and look not for it as yet to come. And so each word of the new law that speaketh of the virtues of Christ, and to charity of his church, should be taken according to the letter. And therefore, as Augustine tells, heretics are condemned, who denied the literal meaning for understanding God's law. And thus saith Paul after, that if the serving of death written by letters in stones was in glory of Moses, so that the children of Israel might not look into his face, for the glory of his shining, that was soon after done away, how much more the spiritual service of christian priests shall be in this time in glory; since this glory is more, and increases unto bliss. And if men would understand the reason that Paul maketh here, it were needful to know how the face of Moses shined, when he came down out of Sinai, and gave the law written in stones, and so the people durst not look into Moses' face that was shining with light. And thus their spiritual eyes were hid when they looked to this Moses; but he hid his shining face, and the people spake then to him. And since Christ

in the new law printed it in his apostles' hearts, much more their spiritual service should be in glory, than was Moses. For printing in their souls was better than printing in the stones; and the shining of grace of Christ passed bodily shining in Moses' face. And this service in Moses' law is called serving of death. For many had death of soul, and death of body always followed this serving. But serving

in the new law quickens some till they come to bliss. And thus this writing in letters was not equal to writing in men's souls.

Paul afterward makes mention of another knowledge; that if the service of condemning of many was to the glory of Moses, much more the service of righteousness to Christ's children should be for glory. As though it were said, Since this hid figure that brought men but far from bliss, was of so much glory and worship to men that had but little belief, much more the law of Christ, and the service that his priests do, should be in more worship and joy, since it is near to the state of bliss.

XV.

THE PROMISES MADE TO ABRAHAM.

Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made, &c. Gal. iii.

Paul tells, in this epistle, the excellency of Christ and the time of the gospel, over the time of the old law, even if men kept well that law. Paul notes first this word, that to Abraham were said promises, and to the seed of him. God saith not," and to his seeds," as in many, but as in one; and to his Seed, that is Christ, Paul notes, as true men should note each varying of God's word; since no varying therein is without cause and reason. And thus, when God promised Abraham that he should give that land to him, and to his seed, he said not in the plural, that he should give it to his seeds; but in the singular, to his seed, for the especialty that was in Christ. And that land was but a figure of the high land of bliss. And thus Abraham had but a figure to come after to the bliss of heaven. And also, when God promiseth that all folk should be blessed in Abraham's seed, he meaneth by this, Jesus Christ, who blesseth in joy all manner of folk. And by this true men understand that Christ, in giving of his law, did all things without default, both in working and resting. So that no resting or leaving was done of Christ without cause.

Paul saith, that this promise which God made to Abraham, was a testament confirmed of God, which promise was made law four hundred and thirty years after. Here must men know the story, and the wise manner of Paul's speech. It is known by God's law, how God promised to Abraham,