they promise to themselves a great reward for this, by persecuting
heretics and blasphemers, as they say, who seduce with error, and entice
many from good works. But those that God hath chosen, learn by the law
how unwilling the heart is to conform to the works of the law; they fall
from their arrogancy, and are by this knowledge of themselves brought to
see their own unworthiness. Hereby they receive that covenant of the
eternal blessing and the Holy Ghost which renews the heart: whereby
they are delighted with the law, and hate sin; and are willing and ready
to do those things which are good. This is the time appointed by the
Father, when the heir must no longer remain a servant, but a son; being
led by a free spirit, he is no more kept in subjection under tutors and
governors after the manner of a servant; which is even that which Paul
teaches in the following:

Verse 3. "Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the
elements of the word." By the word elements thou mayest here understand
the first principles or law written; which is as it were the first
exercises and instructions of holy learning; as it is said: "As
concerning the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach
you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God." "Beware
lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the
tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world." "How turn ye again
to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in
bondage."

Here Paul calls the law rudiments; because it is not able to perform
that righteousness which it requires. For whereas it earnestly requires
a heart and mind given to godliness, nature is not able to satisfy it:
herein it makes a man feel his poverty, and acknowledge his infirmity:
it requires that of him by right which he has not, neither is able to
have. "The letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life." Paul calls them
the rudiments of the world, which, not being renewed by the Spirit, only
perform worldly things; to wit, in places, times, apparel, persons,
vessels, and such like. But faith rests not in worldly things, but in
the grace, word, and mercy of God: counting alike, days, meats, persons,
apparel, and all things of this world.

None of these by themselves either help or hinder godliness or
salvation. With those of Cain's progeny, faith neither agrees in name or
anything else; one of them eats flesh, another abstains f