And he thinketh A similitude that Paul as a wise Phisition hauing the disease set before him abideth not in those thinges which be circumstances about it or do follow it but cunneth to the principall ground and first cause therof Therefore do all men die bicause all men haue sinned Neither ought we to thinke that here is ment that all men do sinne by some certaine action for that can haue no place in children But it is all one as if he had said Now they are bondslaues vnto sinne and are counted guilty therof And when we read these thinges we ought alwayes with the eye of our minde to consider wherunto they tend namely that we should receiue consolation and be made assured of our saluation knowing that the death of Christ hath preuayled against all these thinges By those things also which are written vnto the Hebrues may be declared how we haue sinned in the fall of Adam For there we read that Leui paid tenthes in the loynes of Abraham After the selfe same maner also may here be vnderstand that we were polluted in the loynes and in the masse of Adā The Scholies which are ascribed vnto Ierome interpretate that sinne is committed by the imitation of Adam which is commonly called actuall sinne And they say moreouer that this sinne of Adam went not ouer Abraham Isaac and Jacob which liued a holy life But bicause they sée that this is against them y◠Paul saith That all haue sinned this vniuersalitie say they is to be vnderstand with an exception Which thing they also affirme of other such kinde of sentences as Euery man is a lier Also There is none which doth good no not one when as yet there were in the world many true and holy men when those thinges were written But whosoeuer was the writer of that boke his authority ought not to cause vs to departe frō y◠truth For that which Paul spake vniuersally that all haue sinned hereby is proued Paul with our exception affirmeth that all haue sinned Here is not spoken of sinne spred abrode by imitation for that all men without exception dye For experience teacheth that to be vniuersally most true Wherfore here is to be set no exceptiō Neither ought those such like kinde of speaches which they bring to moue vs for that those sentences also are true if we speake of men not regenerate they are true also euen in the regenerate if we will speake according to their corrupt and vitiate nature Farther that here is not ment only imitation it is manifest by the Antithesis for Christe hath not only set forth vnto vs his righteousnes to imitate but also by the power of the holy ghost spredeth it abrode poureth it into the hartes of the beleuers Origene semeth to expound this place very warely For he at y◠beginning setteth forth certain things which euen Erasmus confesseth to signifie Originall sinne For he affirmeth that in Adam we were all corrupted as it were in a common ground and that we were all in his loynes as in the Epistle vnto the Hebrues Leui is sayd to haue bene in the loynes of Abraham Then addeth he certayne thinges which pertayne vnto the sinnes of perticular men which are called personall and exhorteth vs to cary about with vs the image of the celestiall man These thinges are so taken of Erasmus as though they were an interpretacion of that which went before when as in very deede they wholy confirme our sentence wherein we say Paul here taketh the name of sin in most ample sort Difinition of actuall sinne An vniuersall difinition of sinne that Paule in this place taketh sinne most amply so that it comprehendeth both the roote and all the fruites thereof But I meruayle how these men go aboute to plucke away originall vice from the nature of sinne For sinne according to the common definition they say is whatsoeuer is spoken done or thought agaynst the lawe of God and this can haue no place in children But they consider not that in this definition is not all sinne vniuersally contayned And therfore we before signified that sinne is otherwise to be defined so that that is sayd to be sinne which any maner of way is agaynst the law and will of God These men go farther and say if this were the definition of originall sinne namely the withdrawing of grace or pronesse to sinne these thinges ought rather to be counted paynes of sinnes then simles But they should haue remembred that God doth not alwayes punishe sinnes by outward scourges and aduersities God sometimes punisheth sins by sinnes but sometymes also by other sinnes Wherefore although the corruption of nature and that lust and pronesse to sinne grafted in vs all may after a sort be called paynes of sinnes yet do we affirme that they are also in very dede sinnes But they say that these thinges remayne in vs after baptisme and therefore can not be sinnes vnles we will say that sinnes are not remitted through baptisme and fayth in Christ But to this we answered before that the guiltynes The guiltines is forgeuen through fayth but the corrupt substance abideth Agaynst Erasmus indede is forgeuen vnto the beleuers howbeit the corrupt substance remaineth which if Christ were not a helper vnto vs should of his owne nature condemne vs. For seing it turneth vs away from the rule of the law of God it ought to be taken to be in very dede sinne Nether is it true which Erasmus sayth that the discourse of Paul will not suffer these thinges to be expounded of originall sinne for the thing it selfe teacheth otherwise For the entent of the Apostle is to shew from what euils the death of Christ hath deliuered vs. But that can he not do vnles he take sinne so largely that it also comprehend originall sinne But whereas Paul addeth that euen vnto the law sinne was in the world it maketh nothing agaynst this sentence For we say with Erasmus that sinne is in this place taken in the selfe same sense that it was in the sentences going before by reason of this coniunction causall For. Howbeit it is playne that those thinges which are spoken pertayne as well to originall sinne as to actuall sinnes For Nothing is counted to be sinne but in consideration of the lawe nether of both these kindes if the law were away is ether imputed or acknowledged although otherwise they both are sinnes in very dede and also wrappe vs in death wherfore let vs not suffer this place to be wrested out of our hands as well for that it is a good sure defence for vs as also for that it very well agréeth with Pauls purpose and notably setteth forth the benefite of Christ For euen vnto the law was sinne in the world But sinne is not imputed when there is no lawe Now declareth he that which was set forth in the third place Wherdof commeth knowledge of sinne namely wherehence commeth
by the mercy of God through Christ be wholy forgeuen hym euen as he had forgeuen vnto others theyr offences And it is so farre of that Augustine thought that Paul was vtterly without sinne that he interpreteth this place vnto the Phillippians Yea also I thynke all thynges to be but losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Iesus Christ my Lord for whome I haue counted all thynges loosse and iudge them to be dongue of workes done after he came to Christianity For when as before hauing made mencion of workes done when he was yet of the Iewishe religion he sayd But the thynges that were vantage the same I counted losse for Christes sake those wordes which are afterward added he addeth by the way of correction shewing that not only workes of Iewishe religion but also all other were to bee counted for losses and thinges vncleane For he considered that in all thinges is some fault and defect or want And that sinnes are mingled with our good works Sinne is mingled with our good works the scriptures most manifestly teach when they say that no man can be iustified in the sight of God And the saintes do make intercession against that exact examination of righteousnes Enter not say they into iudgement wyth thy seruaunt O Lord. And Ihon sayth If any man say he hath no sinne he deceaueth hymselfe and the truth is not in hym And Salomon sayth in the bookes of kinges That there is not a man on earth so iuste that he sinneth not Which wordes Augustine diligeÌ„tly weighing applieth them vnto the form of the present time least any man should referre that sentence of Salomon vnto those thinges which we haue committed before regeneratioÌ„ We ought all to pray that our trespasses may be forgeueÌ„ vs as which in this life may rather thirst after righteousnes then yâ— we caÌ„ attaine vnto a perfect absolute righteousnes For that precept of yâ— lord wherein we are coÌ„manÌ„ded to loue God with all our hart with all our soule and with all our strengths shall then at the laste be perâ—ormed when we shall come to that place where we shall so God face to face as he is as Augustine writeth in his booke de Spiritu Litera towardes y end In which place also he demaundeth why this commaundement was geuen if it can not be performed in this life He answereth that therefore God commaunded it that we should know what by fayth we ought to desire whereunto our hope shoulde be leueled and what we ought continuallye to go aboute in all our actions And he thinketh him to haue much profited in this life which can at the length se how farre he is of from that which is perfect The same Augustine in his seconde booke De peccatoruÌ„ meritis remissione chap. 16. 17. 18. writing many thinges as touching this matter sayth that in the scriptures men are sometimes called Why the saintes are called perfect notwithstanding they obserue not the commaundementes God requireth at meÌ„â— hands that they should be without sinne Why God gaue a laws which he knew could not be obserued No man is afflicted which is without sin perfect not bicause they are vtterly without sinne but bycause in innocency of life they haue much profited and bycause that to obteine perfection they coÌ„tinually bend theyr studye and endeuour bycause also God forgeueth them theyr faultes and that whiche they waÌ„t of righteousnes he imputeth vnto theÌ„ of the fulnes of the righteousnes of Christ Nether denieth he but that God requireth of men that they shoulde vtterly be without sinne For there could be no sinne vnles there were a law which wheÌ„ we sinne we transgresse Farther he demaundeth why God gaue that Lawe which he right well saw could by no meanes be performed And he aunswereth that he did it for this cause that he mought worthely condemn those which contemned it thorough coÌ„tempt transgressed mought here theyr prayers which applied theÌ„selues vnto it and more and more helpe them dayly to accomplishe the same And to this purpose he bringeth that sentence which is written namely that God correcteth and chastiseth those whome he loueth but yet not with fury or auengment but with a fatherly correction But there is none chastised or afflicted which is without sinne For this thing only suffred our Sauiour namely wtout any fault committed of him selfe to susteyne most bitter paynes Wherfore seing all men whom God loueth are corrected with aduersities it followeth of necessity that they all are subiecte vnto sinne Which thing Paul vnto the Galathians most assuredly affirmeth of the saintes For he sayth that in them the flesh so repugneth against the spirite that they can not doo those thinges which they would And in the next chapter he writeth that he himselfe did the euill which he hated By all these things may easely be gathered that a man though he be neuer so holy yet so long as he here They which are loued of god are not without sin We haue euer in vs some what which nedeth forgeuenes Vnles we were miserable before God he should not vse mercy towardes vs. What mercy is How the regenerate are not vile before God Note a certaine distinction liueth hath alwayes some what in him that hath nede to be forgeuen of GOD. Which thing Augustine also testefieth towardes the end of his booke De Spiritu Litera And hereby is most euidently gathered that our good workes are not sufficient vnto eternall life But our aduersaries crake and boast that the regenerate are not vile in the sight of God But we say that we before God are not with out miserye For vnles we were so God could not vse mercye toward vs which mercy yet Augustine writeth that we haue altogether nede of if we desire to be crowned For mercy is an effectioÌ„ wherewith we are moued towards them that are in misery wherefore if eternall life be geuen vnto vs of mercye then must we nedes be vtterly miserable before God But if they vnderstand that the regenerate are not vile in the sighte of God bycause God beawtifieth them with many giftes and ornamentes we graunt to that Yet those gyftes whatsoeuer or how great soeuer they be ought not to seme of so great force to be sufficient vnto eternall life And that commeth not thorough yâ— defaults of the giftes but thorough our default which in all thinges obey them not For we still cary aboute in our fleshe much of old Adam and of naturall corruption Farther our aduersaries put a difference betwene the good workes of men regenerate for they say yâ— those are partly of our selues and partly of God Those say they as they are of vs can merite nothing but as they are oâ— God they doo merite and are causes of eternall life And by this distinction they thinke that yâ— matter is made playne But we graunte not so much vnto them For if we diligently and thoroughly consider
the Prophets and of the Psalmes the Hebrew prophetes and also in the Psames that the latter â–ª part of the periode should repete that which was spoken in the first Which thing he doth here most playnly and with much efficacy For first he touched the diuinity of Christ when The diuinitie of Christ thre times proued by this place he sayd as touching the fleshe for that particle should not haue bene necessary if there had bene in Christ nothyng els but his humane nature And he addeth Who is ouer all Which thing belongeth to God only Wherefore that which was in those clauses spoken somewhat obscurelye in the other part of the Periode he speaketh more expressedly For he sayth Who is ouer all God blessed for euer Amen Neither is the reason of Ambrose lightly to be considered that we ought not in this place to séeke any other thing or any other persoÌ„ wheÌ„ as here is purposedly entreaty made only of yâ— Son Erasmus excuseth this his deuise that he nothinge hindreth the diuine nature which we affirme to be in Christ especially seing the same may be aboundantly proued by other places of the scriptures We answere that we also know ryght well that the diuine nature in Christ is by many other places of the scriptures sufficiently testified but yet we thinke that this is also together with the rest to be retained for so we sée all the fathers haue done Neither is it mete that we should without cause decaye the armory of the Church which we ought rather dayly to fill and to renew But peraduenture he will say They trust but a litle to other places which so earnestly contende for this one Verely we do not a litle put confidence in other places but seing that this place is very firme and cleare we wyll not loose it The commentaryes of Orygen testify that these thynges are spoken of Christ as though Paul in these wordes woulde refell those which at that tyme durst not openly call Christ God which is meruayle to heare Origen affirme when as he otherwise did not rightly thynke of the sonne of God But Erasmus thinketh that that part in those coÌ„meÌ„taries to the Romanes is none of his For he sayth that Ruffinus or whosoeuer he were that turned Origen amended certayne things of purpose that the readers should not be to much offended And Ierome agaynst Ruffinus testifieth that Origen in hys other bookes neuer wrote well of these thinges touching which he had erred in hys bookes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which if it be true then forasmuch as in those bookes he had a most wicked iudgement of the sonne of God it may easely be proued that those thinges could not be written of him in his commentaries to the Romanes But howsoeuer it be touching Origen for his commentaries to the Romanes are not extant in the Greke wherby we might any thing iudge of them thys is certayne that Ciprian a most auncient writer in his 2. booke agaynst the Iewes the 5. chapiter vseth this testimony to proue the diuinity of Christ Although when he citeth the wordes of Paul he leueth out this word God Which same thing Hilary did vpon the 122. Psalme But that may seme to come thorough the negligence of the writers as Erasmus himselfe confesseth Neither is this to be omitted that that particle Ouer all maye be adioyned vnto that particle which followeth Blessed so that the sence is God which is to be praysed aboue all But not as though the word of God hath fallen away For not all they which are of Israell are Israelits nether are they all children which are the sede of Abraham but in Isaake shall thy seede be called That is Not they which are the children of the flesh are the children of God but they which are the children of the promise are counted for the seede For thys is a word of promise In thys same time will I come and Sara shall haue a sonne And not onlye thys but also Rebecka when she had conceyued by one euen by our father Isaake For the children being not yet borne and when they had done neither good nor euill that yâ— purpose of God might remaine according to election not by workes but by him that calleth It was sayd vnto her The elder shall serue the younger As it is written Iacob haue I loued â–ª and Esau haue I hated But not as though the worde of God hath fallen away Those thynges which Paul had spoken in the commendation of the Iewes semed as Chrisostome sayth to haue aggrauated the question For the Iewes were offended for that they being adopted into the people of God and hauing the Law geuen vn-them and endewed with promises should be reiected and in theyr places should be put the Gentiles which had bene alwayes aleants from God without adoption without the Law and without any promise at all of Christ And thys offence had now so much increased amongest theÌ„ that they sayd that that Christ whome Paul preached was not the true Messias promised of God Paul considering these things with him selfe ernestly lameÌ„ted that the Iewes were reiected But lest any man should thinke that he so lamented as though he thought that the promises of God were made voyde therfore he now both defeÌ„deth himselfe and the promises I doo not sayth he therefore speake these thinges or am therefore so ernestly sorry for that I thinke that the worde of God is fallen away for I know that his promises are constant and firme although these men perish I bewaâ—â—e indede theyr case but yet not so that I thinke that the league and couenant The cause of the griefe of Paul with God made with the children of Abraham is violated For although the Iewes being blinded refuse the Gosple yet the promises of God abide constant But that which moueth me thus to bewayle my nation is this for that when as I know that vnto that nation were made the promises and do se that so many of them do perish now I perceaue that that saluatioÌ„ promised pertayneth only to a few for which thing doubtles I am excedingly sorry For not all they vvhich are of Israell are Israelites neither are they all children vvhich are the sede of AbrahaÌ„ but in Isaake shall thy sede be called That these thinges may the playnlier be vnderstanded this we ought to know that the Apostle toke this as a thing most manifestly knowen by the holy scriptures that the promise touching Christ and euerlasting saluatioÌ„ was made vnto yâ— Iewes vnto the Iewes I say that is vnto the posterity of Abraham which should be The cause of saluation commeth not of carnall procreation borne of his flesh but yet that naturall procreation from Abraham was not the cause of saluation and of receauing Christ For if that had bene the cause then coulde none issuyng from him haue bene frustrated of the promise of God But that some were frustrated the Apostle declareth in Ismaell
controuersye touching the ceremonies of the law Some haue by reason of these thinges takē occasion to withdraw men from studieng of this epistle and haue said that from the .xii. chapiter to the end it is worthy to be red for that there is set forth an excellent institucion touching maners But vnto that chapiter forasmuche as say they there is nothing entreted of but only striues and contencions concerning the ceremonies of the law it serueth litle to our vse to know them for that they of conduce not to our times wherein are vtterly remoued away the ceremonies of the Iewes But these men are farre deceaned themselues and seke also to deceaue others For the whole epistle doubtles is a golden epistle and most worthy to be red It contayneth places touching naturall knowledge and ciuill offices touching the law of Moses and touching the Gospell it expliraceth iustification and original sinne it setteth forth grace it entreateth of election predestination the execution of the Iewes and of the restoring of them agayne From the twelfth chapites it contayneth what kind of sacrifice we ought to offer and entreateth touching the magestrate and touching bearing with the weake and remouing away offence And who seeth not that these are great matters and most The question being moued touching ceremonies is reduced to the generalitie profitable to be knowen But whereas they obiect vnto vs that as touching the first part is entreated of ceremonies I graunt indede that by the meanes of them the question began first which Paul seking to dissolue reduced it to the genus or generall word And to declare that we can not be iustified by the ceremonies of the law he proueth generally that iustification can not come of any our workes And so when he had taken away the genus the species or parts could by no meanes consist For it followeth We are iustified by no workes therefore neyther by ceremoniall workes nor by morall workes nor by iudiciall workes And that the reasons of Paul extend so farre I will proue by these arguments Argumēts to proue that here are entreated of works generally and not of ceremonyall workes only following First he teacheth that we are iustified by sayth and by the mercy of God that the promise might be firme But that promise is not firme if it depend eyther of the execution of ceremonies or of the obseruation of the ten commaundements for that we are as touching ech part a like weake Moreouer he sayth that we are iustified freely which word Freely is of no effect vnles we exclude morall workes For he which worketh vnto him reward is rendred according to debt and not according to grace Afterward he entreateth of the obseruation of that law by which we haue the knowledge of sinne which thing belongeth rather to morall precepts then to ceremonies This is the law whirh worketh anger neyther doubt we but that God is more prouoked to anger if we transgresse the ten commaundements then if we offend in certayne rites and ceremonies And more ouer Paul putteth our iustification to consist of the grace and mercy of God to the end our boasting should be excluded But if thou remoue away ceremonies only and say that we are iustified by morall works boasting is not taken away for we may at the least boast of them Farther it is certayne that the ceremonies of Moses pertayned to the first table where the worshipping of God is commaunded Neyther were the elders any lesse bound to these ceremonies then we are at this daye bounde to receaue baptisme and the Eucharist And if Paul proue that we are not iustified by those thinges which pertayn to that first cable much more then is it proued that we can not attayne vnto righteousnes by the workes of the latter table Paul when he had declared that we are now by the benefit of Christ free from the law obiecteth vnto himselfe Let vs sinne more freely and abide in sinne that grace may the more abound If the question had bene moued touching ceremonies only he mought haue answered ye are not deliuered but only from ceremonies ye are still bound to the morall law But he maketh no such answere but sayth that we ought to sinne no more for that we are now dead vnto sin and grafted into Christ and buried together with him And the same Paul when he wrote that by the fauor of Christ we are deliuered and absolued from those thinges which in our flesh resist the law of God expressedly declared of what law he entreated For he made mencion of that commaundement Thou shalt not lust Lastly in the epistle to the Galathians where he entreateth of the selfe same matter be pronounceth him accursed which abideth not in all the thinges which are written in the booke of the law When he saith all doubtles he excludeth not morall workes Wherefore this disputacion of the Apostle is not superfluous Yea rather vnles he had taken it in hand the liberty of the Church had bene put in great danger which the deuill sought to bring vnder the law as though Christ of himselfe were not sufficient to iustifye men And the reasons which are perticularly brought in touching ceremonies are A sure reason wherby is proued y◠no man is iustified by the ceremonies of mē not superfluous For by the selfe same reasons we may proue that mens tradicions and the rites which men haue appoynted vnto vs are not such worshippinges of God as can not be changed nor omitted if they shall seme not to conduce to saluation For these thinges much les pertayne to the obteyning of righteousnes then do the ceremonies instituted by God himselfe Wherefore if these auayle not to righteousnes then can not those of necessity be required vnto it Thou wilt demaund paraduenture whether bicause of these reasons of the Apostle we ought to thinke our selues losed from all maner of law Not so vndoubtedly Whether we be free from the law neyther doth this follow of his sayinges vnles thou vnderstand that we are free and loosed from the law in respect that we can not be iustified by it Otherwise we ought to obey it and to the vttermost of our power to labour to execute it but yet not with this purpose to seke thereby to be iustifyed And as touching the ceremonies of the old law two extreme errors are to be takē hede of the one is of the Ebionites and others which Iewishly sought to ioyne of necessity Two errors to be taken hed ▪ of ▪ as touching the olde law the ceremonies of Moses to Christ Contrariwise the other extreme error is of the Marcionites which affirmed that the old law was not geuen of a good God but of an euil gouerner the maker of this world We saile in that middest betwene these extremities and affirme that now after Christ the ceremonies of the law are not still to be kept when as theyr time is now expired Howbeit we commend them as
depth of the wisedome of the riches c. The twellth chapiter Thys controuersy being thus taken vp he beginneth hys twelueth chapiter wyth an obsecration wherein he requireth vs to offer our bodyes a sacrifice most acceptable to God and to approue the wyll of God and to haue a care that we agree on with an other forasmuch as we are one body and one an others members He commendeth also vnto vs the loue of our enemyes In the thirtenth chapiter he willeth vs to be subiect vnto the Magiestrates to The thirtenth chap. The fourtene chap. loue our neighbours to liue iustly and to put on Christ In the fourtenth chapiter he commendeth vnto vs those that are weake in fayth that we should louingly beare wyth them and that we should as much as is possible see that concord be kept euen towards those which haue but small knowledge that we should beare with them and to take hede that through our default they be not offended And on the other syde he commaundeth the weake ones not rashly to iudge the stronger sort In the fiuetenth chapiter he exhorteth to this selfe same thing by an example of The fiftene chapiter Christ who bare vpon hym our contumelies and punishments and communicated hymselfe not only to the Iewes but also to the Gentiles He wisheth vnto the Romanes the holyghost and rendreth vnto them a reason why he wrote those letters vnto theÌ„ he promiseth vnto them hys commyng desireth them to pray for hym that he myght be deliuered from the vnbeleuers amongst the Iewes which sought hys destruction In the sixtenth chapiter being also the last he commendeth vnto the Romanes The sixtene chapter Phebe an holy woman by whome he had sent vnto them these letters He most curteously saluteth a great many and admonisheth them to beware of those which vse doctrine for the commodity of their belly and for filthy gayne sake This is a briefe The readers ought not to be offeÌ„ded with Pauls maner of speakyng Augustine in his boke de doctrina Christiana attributetheÌ„ vnto Paul a certayne eloquence and manifest summe of this whole epistle which being set forth vnto vs we shall the more redely interprete euery thing particularly But still there are many which therfore abhorre from the reading of Pauls epistles for that he semeth to speake so rudely and barbarously that he filleth the readers with tediousnes neither can men easely come to the sence of them Vnto these men we answere that Pauls phrase of speach if we beleue Augustine in hys fourth booke de doctrina Christiana is not vtterly wythout iust order of speaking Not that he sought after eloquence but for that eloquence followed his wisedome For he is iudged to speake aptly which taketh vpon hym to entreat of thynges most excellent and speaketh all those thinges which are necessary neither entreateth of them otherwise then behoueth Chrisostome in hys tourth booke de Sacerdotio is of the same myde with Augustine where he maketh a distinction of eloquence that one is deceatfull whereat men Chris 〈…〉 are amased when they see that thinges of no force are extolled and things high are plucked downe This eloquence vseth coloures and deceat Thys eloquence finde we not in Paul There is an other eloquence which is of much force to establishe doctrines and most constantly to defend the truth and with this chiefly was the Apostle endewed Wherefore let vs not in him require the pleasant spech of Isocrates the high stile of Demostenes the excellent dignity of Plato or the reuereÌ„d maiesty of Theucidides but a bare and simple oration which coÌ„tayneth the knowledge of thinges most chiefe and most strongly confirmeth that which it taketh in hand They which are slouthful and sluggish pretend at theyr pleasure the vn skilfullnes of Paul namely lest doctrine should be required at theyr hands wheÌ„ as Paul as they thinke without it gouerned the Church But let these men take Paul 〈…〉 able to 〈…〉 his audi 〈…〉 ry a lonâ— reason hede and consider how they deny that Paul was endewed with sharpnes of wit and vehemency of speach when as in the Actes of the Apostles the 9. chapiter it is written that in the Sinagoges he confounded the Iewes and vtterly vanquished them in his disputacions And in the 17. chapiter it is written that he so taught that he coÌ„tinued his preaching euen beyond midnight as when Eutichus The eloquence or Paul brauâ— aâ— ad 〈…〉 to men a young man being ouercome with slepe fel out of a window into a parler How was it possible that he should so long time retayne his auditory if he spake so barbarously or vnaptly as these men imagine he did It is manifest by the selfe same chapiter that he delt at Athenes with the Stoykes and Epicures there is none which is in his right wittes which will not wonder at his preaching which is described that he had there He was also of the men of Licaouia taken for Mercury by reason of his eloquence of speach And if thou say these thinges indede are true for that such giftes were brethed into him by the holy ghost let it be so as thou sayst therefore his phrase of speach is not to be reproued as a thing euery way vnapt and barbarons And yet doth it not thereof follow that therto he added no endeuor at al to speake aptly He was very diligeÌ„t in reding and writing which is hereby proued for that being at Rome and being there a He did 〈…〉 to some â—duâ—try in speakyng writyng prisoner he desired Timothe to cause to be sent vnto him a sachell with bookes and parchment For although he were a captiue yet he would not want the benefit of studieng And the same Paul writeth to Timothe to gene himselfe to reading Which thing if thou doo sayth he thou shalt saue thy selfe and those also which heare thee Doubtles he would not haue exhorted his scholler to those thinges which he himselfe would not do By all these thinges it is manifest that Paul wrote not without diligence and vigilant studie Yea he not without greate fruite attained vnto thre principal poynts pertayning to eloquence namely to Thre principal pointâ— of true eloquence deliuer good and holy doctrine and to confirme the same honestly and holily to engender delectacion by aclene and pure kind of speach and lastly to how the harts of the hearers which way he will Agaynst these thinges Origen continually complayneth that Paul hath often Origene darke and vnorderly speaches and imperfect and mained sentences and other such like kindes of defects Ierome is diuers for somtimes he taketh away from Ierome him the strength and art of Rethoricke and sometime he attributeth it vnto him and especially vpon the sixth chapiter to the Balathians he writeth that Paul in dede in his owne toung was very skillful but in a strange toung he was not able to bring forth depe
But others thought that they might attayne to perfect righteousnes and felicitie if they gaue them selues to ciuill offices to mortall vertues and to the contemplation of things most excellent But others when they saw that euen the most excellent men also fell oftentimes into horrible vices thought that by religious expiations yea rather by supersticions and worshippinges of them selues inuented they might make God fauorable vnto them of whome afterward they might be able to obtayne all good thinges This in a maner was the opinion of the common people whiche iudgement was after a sorte not so ill as the iudgement of the philosophers For they were so puffed vp with the pride of vertues and of ciuill offices and by reason of theyr knowledge in thinges naturall that they thought that these thinges were sufficient for them to attayne felicitie But the common people were not ignorant both of the filthines of theyr sins and of theyr dayly offending of God wherefore they thought it requisite to flye vnto religion And forasmuch as they had no pure nor chast religion they fell into idolatry The people of the Hebrews were as a meane betwene these and embrased either part By reason of the decaloge or ten commaundements they boasted that they had the summe of all vertues and if they should chance to transgresse in them they had ceremonies prepared for them to make satisfactiō for them Paul striueth against these thinges and proueth that it is not possible for vs to obteyne righteousnes by morall or naturall offices For neyther the Iewes nor the Gentiles do in any wise expresse in life and in maners so much as they aknowledge the law either of nature or of Moses requireth at theyr handes Neyther is it to be graunted that we can fully and perfectly obserue the law for then should we obteyne perfect righteousnes by workes which were vtterly absurd for out iustification herein consisteth that our sinnes should not be imputed vnto vs but that the righteousnes of Christ should be imputed to them that beleue There commeth indede some instauration when we being iustified do worke vpright workes but that is not perfect Grace also is geuen to the regenerate but not such a grace which remoueth away all impedimēts which are a let to the most perfect obseruation of the law of God Neyther when we speake this do we set forth paradoxes or ascribe vnto Paul strange thinges but we defend those thinges which most of all agree with th the doctrine of the Apostle And as touching ceremonies and rites of which on the other side the Iewes boasted when they are without Christ and without fayth they are counted detestable before God as Ieremy Esay and other prophets which were interpreters of the law haue most manifestly taught wherefore it followeth that although the Hebrewes boasted that they were endewed with eche part of righteousnes yet were they not iustified Howbeit I speake of them which embrased these partes of the lawe wyth out Christe Ye haue now the scope of the Apostle And in this whole disputacion forasmuch as it is a long discourse it shal be very good oftentimes to call to memory this sum of it now set forth But let vs now come to exposition of the first chapiter what is there entreated Of the first chapter specially The proposition and the confirmation of I haue alredy declared namely that the Gentiles were not able by the strengths of nature to be iustified This he proueth for that they liued most wickedly and ouerwhelmed them selues with most filthy sinnes when yet notwithstanding they were not ignorant what they ought to haue done But first is set forth a salutacion which I will expound and afterward will deuide the rest of the chap. into his partes The things that are hard I will the more largely explane and the things y◠are easy I will but briefely touch and in such questions which shall chance by the way I will somewhat the longer tary ¶ Places out of the olde and nevve Testament expounded in this Commentary by Peter Martir Genesis THis is nowe bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh 4 I will goe downe and se whether it be so 55. a In thy sede shall all nations be blessed 68. a And thou shalt be the father of many nations 72. b Abraham beleued in God and he imputed vnto him righteousnes 73. a Because thou haste done this thyng thy seede shall be encreased 174. a I am the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Iacob 68. a The soul which is not circumcised the 8. day shal be cut of from my people 86. b Because thou haste done these things I haue sworn by my selfe 104. b The imagination of mannes heart is euill euen from his childehode 121. b God made man after his owne image and similitude 124. b All the dayes of the earth shall be sowing and haruest cold and heate 218. a It repenteth me that I made man 363. b And her seede shall breake the Serpentes head 401. b Now I know that thou fearest God 402. a Exodus BE mindful of Abraham Isaac and Israell thy seruaunts 41. b Shewing mercy to thousands of them that loue me 41. b I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob 68. a Thou shalt not lust 125. a I wil visite the iniquitie of the fathers vnto the thirde and fourth generation of thē that hate me 132. b Blot my name out of the booke which thou hast written 241. a If any sin I wil wipe out hys name out of my booke 256. a Deutronomy THou shalt loue the lord thy God with all thy hart 23. a Ye shall destroye the aultares groues and images 32. a God shall circumcise thy harte that thou maist loue him 82. b Thou shalt circumcise the foreskin of thy hart 85. a Iosua YE are not able to serue god 2 God hardened the hartes of the vnbeleuing Gentles 27. Regum 1. THis is not he whome I haue elected 299. a Regum 2. ANd he moued Dauid that he should say to Ioab go and number the people 27. a Regum 3. BEhold the lord sent a lying spirite 27. a Ther is no mā but sinneth 159 The Lord was not in the fire and after the fire came a still and softe voyce 332. b Hast thou not sene Achab humbled before me 380. b Paralipomenon 1. HE prepared not his hart to seke the Lord. 28. a Paralipomenon 2. BEcause God had so wrought to deliuer him into his handes 27. b Psalmes THey made a calf in Horeb. 24 I haue deliuered him ouer to the lust of his own hart 27. a If they shal prophane my Testament 41. b To thee only haue I sinned 51 In my haste I say euery man is a lyer 51. a Against thee only haue I sinned that thou mightest be iustified in thy word and ouercome whē thou are iudged 51 That thou mightst be iustified in thy sayinges 54. a Their throte is an open
not in the sonne hath euerlasting life 19 a Now you are cleane because of my word 80. b That we haue obtained grace for grace 145. a The pore ye shal haue alwaies with you 200. a Beholde I am with you to the end of the world eodem The bread which I will geue is my flesh 201. b To as many as receiued him he gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God 205 That that might be fulfilled which was spoken 325. b I geue you a newe commaundement 283. a Who so euer the father hath geuen me no man can take away 308. b The world cā not hate you 341 All things were made by it 360 This is eternall life that they acknowledge thee the onely true God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ 392. a This is the work of God that ye beleue in him whome he hath sent 406 a Howe can ye beleue when ye seke glory at mens hāds 394 Receiue ye the holy ghost c. 361 Are there not .xij. houres in the day 420. b Actes YE men of Athens I shewe vnto you that God whom ye ignorantly worship 181 Beholde God hathe geuen to thee all that sail with thee 41 That the scriptures should be fulfilled 308. a Repent and be baptized euery one of you 364. b By faith purifying their hearts 392. a 1. Corinthians IF I haue all fayth so that I can remoue mountains 393 The temple of God is holy 5 They did all eat the same spirituall meat 81. b They were all baptised in the cloud and in the sea eodem They dranke of the spirituall rocke following them 81. b Your children are holy 133. b The dart of sinne is death 139 The rocke was Christ 199. b I chasten my body and bryng it into bondage 309. b To them that are called bothe Iewes and gentiles Christ the sonne c. 297. b That the beleuers stād by faith 355. a He that standeth let him take take hede that he fal not 〈…〉 d. Diuiding to euery one particularly as pleaseth him 〈…〉 a 2. Corinthians EVen whom the God of this world hath blineded 28. b Ye are the Epistle of Christe wrote by our ministery and written not with ink c. 49. b I know none as touching the fleshe 241. b Not in tables of stone but in fleshy tables 43. b What great care it hath wrought in you yea what clearing of your selues 166. a Therefore we after this know none according to the flesh 241 The God of this worlde hath blinded the heartes of the vnbeleuers 28. b Thou standest by faith 390. b Galathians HOw are ye againe turned to the weake and beggerly elements of the world 82. b He which is circūcised is debter to obserue the whole law 86. a The lawe was put because of transgressors 90. a As it pleased him which seperated me c. 2. b Although it be but a testament of a man yet when it is confirmed no man reiecteth it or addeth any thing to it 62. Curssed is he that abideth not in all the things that are written in the boke of the law 89 I would to God they whych trouble you were cut of 345. a Considering thy self least thou also be tempted 356. b The scripture hath shut vp all things vnder sinne 365. b The ende of the law is Christ 385. b The lawe is our scholemaister vnto Christ 391. a By the law no man is iustified before God 410. a Ephesians BY grace ye are made safe throughe faith and not of our selues 391. a We also were by nature the children of wrath c 102. b Who hath predestinated vs according to purpose 225. a Not of workes leaste any man should glory 376. b By whome we haue accesse by fayth 269. a Phillippians CHriste was in the similitude of men 194. b Taking vpon him the shape of a seruaunt 1. b We are the circumcision 49. b Yea I think al things but losse for the excellent knowledge of Iesus Christ 158. b With fear and trembling work your saluation 384. a Colossians WE are circūcised in Christ by the washing away the synnes of the flesh 81. b In whome ye are circumcysed with circumcision not made with hands 85. a Mortify your members which are vpon the earth 411. b Thessalonians THis is the wil of God your sanctification 269. a 1. Timothe I Obtayned mercy for that I did it ignorantly and of infidelitie 2. b Saue that which is geuen thee to kepe 3. b Vnto the iust man the lawe is not geuen 59. b God wil haue all men to be saued 269. a Adam was not deceiued 100. a Which is the sauior of all men 306. b They that minister well gette vnto them selues a good degree 350. a The elders are worthy double honor 428. b 2. Timothe I Haue from my progenitors worshipped God with a pure conscience 8. a All scripture inspired by God is profitable to teache and to reproue c. 96. b I know whome I haue beleued and I am assured 101. a In my first defence no mā was on my side all men forsooke me God graūt it be not imputed c. 103. a I haue fought a good battaile I haue finished my course c 158. b He which shall purge him selfe shall be a vessel to honor 255. Of whome is Himeneus and Alexander which haue made shipwracke as concernynge faith 404. b Titus THey cōfesse that they know God but in dedees they deny him 396. b Hebrues IN that he sayth now he hath abolished that whiche was before But that which is abolished and waxen olde is euen at hand to vanishe away 82. a Be not wanting to the grace of God 141. a With such sacrifices is god won as by merite 159. b The saints by fayth haue ouercome kingdomes 391. b It is impossible for those which haue once bene illuminated 266 Faith is a substance of thinges to be hoped for 368. b S. Iames. MAn is iustified by works and not of faith only 69. a God tempteth not vnto euil 28 Patiēce hath a perfect work 100 Let no man when he is tempted say that he is tempted of God 269. a Abraham was he not iustifyed by his workes 74. b He that cometh to God ought to beleue c. 399. b 1. Peter CHaritie couereth the multitude of sinnes In the power of God are ye kept to saluation by faith 291 When once the long suffring of God abode in the dayes of Noe. 401. 1 Be ye subiecte for the Lordes sake 427. a S. Ihons epistle HE which is borne of God sinneth not 149. a Perfect loue driueth forth fear 280. b. 383. a God gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God 382. b He that loueth not abydeth in death 397. a Euery one which beleueth that Iesus Christ is born of god 391. b This is the victory that ouercometh the world our fayth eodem We haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ 65. a Ther are .iii. things which bear
though they coulde finde no remedye wherby to auoyde reprobation or ells doe put so much confidence therin to liue losely and at pleasure saying that it maketh no matter for that seing they are predestinate they can not be condemned what doe they els but most wickedly abuse a good thing Euery thing ought to be taken by that part wherby it may be holden For a sworde is not drawē by the edge or by the blade but by the Euery thing must be taken by that part wherby it may be holden hafte neyther is a vessell taken by the middest of the bellye but by the handle or eare So predestination ought to be referred to the commodities now declared and not to those thinges which may engender destruction These notes and these titles hath Paule affixed vnto hys name that we shoulde not thinke hym to be a wandryng man which rashlye sowed contentions concernyng religion and that we shoulde vnderstand that there is a great difference betwene Apostles and other common ministers although there be some which dare teach that we must no lesse beleue the Byshop of Rome then Paule the Apostle I graūt in deede that eyther of them do both thunder and lighten but yet after a farre diuers and sundrye manner The Pope thundreth and lightneth with bulles belles gunnes and weapons of warre but Paule hath by the worde of God The Pope and Paule do diuersly thunder and lightē by admonitions rebukinges wholesome doctrine by miracles thundred and lightned in the Church But let vs see by what reason these men defend theyr opinion They say the byshops succeded the Apostles wherefore both haue one and the selfe same authoritie and to both ought we to obey a lyke But we aunswere them thus It is true that the Apostles departyng out of thys world left Byshops to be gouernours ouer Churches but we vtterly deny that Apostles Byshops are not of lyke authoritie Byshops succeding the Apostles are endued with the selfe same or lyke authoritie and that thyng we proue after thys sorte Fyrst because we see that the Apostles were to thys end chosen to constitute the religion and dignitie of the Gospell and to publishe vnto the beleuers the thynges which they had heard of The difference betwene the Apostles Byshops Christ But byshops are to this ende instituted to defend those thynges which are conteyned in the Gospell and in the holy Scriptures which they must so take in hand to defend that they adde no newe thynges vnto them nor fayne any new traditions at theyr owne will and pleasure Farther the holy fathers which were Byshops when they gaue them selues to wryting do confesse that they are onely intreaters or interpreters of the holy Scriptures and will not that those thinges which they write should be had in so great authoritie as we attribute vnto the Canonicall Scriptures yea rather they forbidde that any credite should be geuen vnto them if they speake any thyng agaynst the holy Scriptures Thyrdly to the Apostolicall doctrine were adioyned many miracles wherby theyr authoritie is confyrmed which thyng we see is not done in these traditions of the elders Farther we are sure that the Apostles wrote by the inspiration of the holy ghost which thing vndoubtedly we dare not affirme of our Byshops Wherefore we conclude that the Apostles could not erre in those thynges which they wrote But we see that the Byshoppes very often tymes made vngodly decrees as touchyng rules of religiō as it appeareth in the Counsell of Ariminum and also in the seconde Synode of Ephesus and also in many other yea and they also erred very much in their actes At Chalcedon and Chrysostome deposed Constantinople were Synodes gathered together in which Chrysostome was condempned and deposed which thyng also was done in the name of those Byshoppes which were of a ryght and perfect fayth And there myght be alleaged many examples of the lyke sorte Paule also writing vnto Timothe prayeth hym to saue that which is geuen hym to keepe declaryng that he ought neither to adde nor to diminishe any thyng of the doctrine of the Gospell receaued that is to keepe iustly the thyng committed vnto hym Let thys also be added that the Apostles be so vnto the Bishops and Ordinarye pastours as in the olde time were the Prophetes vnto the high priestes and priestes For they myght write bookes and adioyne them vnto the Canonicall Scripture For Samuell added hys bookes vnto the Scripture Esaie Ieremie and the other Prophets added theyr Monuments vnto the Scripture which thyng the Scribes Priestes and high Priestes could not doe The Apostles called the Gentiles and abrogated the ceremonies of the lawe which thing was aboue the power of the high priestes and priestes The Apostle doth therefore set forth hym selfe by these titles that Why Paul ascribed vnto hym selfe these titles when we read hym or heare hym we should thinke that we heare not the wordes of a man but oracles from heauen Here is also put in the prayse of the Gospell which must bee read by a parenthesis and the same extendeth euen vnto thys place where he sayth To all which are at Rome c. The Gospell to speake brieflye is the preachyng The grosse definitiō of the Gospell takē of the matter of Christ offred vnto vs to saluation accordyng to the promises made in the olde tyme. Thys commendation is taken of the matter which is entreated of in the Gospell because euery science and facultie hath hys dignitie of the thyng that it intreateth of Afterward is geuen an other definition and that is An other definitiō of the Gospell takē of the efficient cause taken of the strength of working namely that the Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation that is the instrument wherby Christ would haue vs saued Definitions takē of these causes ought to be ioyned together to the end to haue the more full knowledge of the Gospell In that it is sayd VVhich he had before promysed c. It is a preuenting whereby hee declineth the enuious name of newnes For the Gospell was counted a new doctrine For they which heard Paule thus reasoned with them selues The olde Patriarches and the Prophets had saluation and a Church and yet they wanted your Gospell therefore thys doctrine is not necessary yea rather more then needeth Here Paule confesseth that the elders were saued but The doctrine of the Gospell is not newe not without the Gospell For in as much as God had before promised it by the fayth of thys promise they were all made safe But now it appeareth new doctrine vnto you because ye haue ouerwhelmed thys promise with humane traditions and haue made it obscure with your owne inuentions Thys selfe same argumēt may we at this day make against our aduersaries which cry out that we bryng in new doctrine Vndoubtedly we go about no new thyng but they haue vtterly brought in straunge and new
thynges of which there is no mention at all made in the holy Scriptures yea we know that very many thinges which they defend were receaued long after the Apostles tyme out of the decrees or Synodes of Byshops And if there be any whose originall is not certainly knowen yet doe not the holy Scriptures make any mention of them But here the Apostle doth for thys cause commend hys Gospel because it was before promised by the Prophets in the holy Scriptures All these thynges haue a wonderfull When the promise of the Gospell begâ—n emphasis For that which was so long tyme before promised of God can not be but excellent and wonderfull And thys promise beganne froÌ„ that which Adam inspyred with the holy ghost spake Thys is nowe bone of my bones and fleshe of my fleshe which the Apostle to the Ephesians taketh to be spoken of Christ Gen. 2. and of the Church and from that also which was sayd vnto Eue Thy seede shall Gen. 3. breake hys head in peeces Afterward it was extended with continuall oracles by the Patriarckes holy Prophets euen vnto the end Prophets are here taken for excellent men namely interpreters of the worde of God and by thys worde are signified all the writers of the Canonicall Scripture of what degree soeuer they were of And that which is added in the holy Scriptures pertayneth to this end to shew that they are not vayne oracles which he citeth for as much as they are extant in the holy Scriptures For they are sealed with publicke writings and ratified and firme by an instrument And in speakyng of these thynges he commendeth hym self which was the minister of so great a Gospell And by the selfe same meanes he calleth them backe both from ceremonyes and also from Philosophie vnto which thynges they were wonderfully bent It followeth VVhich was made of the seede of Dauid The incarnation of the Sonne Howe the sonne of God was made of God is here touched and in consideration of the person he is sayd to haue bene made although thys agreeth not with hym but as touching hys humanitie But it is sayd of the seede of Dauid because vnto Dauid was made a notable promise so that Messias was commonly called the sonne of Dauid as we read in the Gospell that the Scribes the Phariseis testified vnto whom Christ obiecteth How doth Dauid call hym hys Lorde By thys place are the wicked Math. 22. heretickes ouerthrowen which affirme that Christ had a body not of the nature and substaunce of the Virgin but brought from heauen They faine vnto them Christ had a true body and flesh of the Virgin Mary selues this argument Because our fleshe is subiecte vnto damnation the curse therfore it is not very likely say they that the sonne of God would take it vpon hym Which argument may easily be confuted For curse and damnation are accidences wherefore God was able easilye remoue them and yet keepe whole the nature and substaunce of man Wherefore he could no lesse geue vnto Christ a holy and cleane body of the Virgin then he could out of the vyle clay bring forth a noble and most cleane body vnto Adam And in that we heare that the sonne of God so abased hym selfe to take vpon hym humane fleshe it ought to be vnto vs no small spurre that nothing be offered vnto vs so hard which for Christes sake we will not suffer Many demaunde why Christ the sonne of God Why Christ tokâ— vpon hym humane fleshe tooke vpon hym humane fleshe And although many reasons might be brought yet will I bryng that which Ambrose hath rendred vpon this place namely that punishment myght be taken in that fleshe which sinned euen as men that are malefactours are there accustomed to suffer punishmentes where they haue coÌ„mitted Ambrose great wicked crimes VVhich was declared to be the Sonne of God Here I can not tell howe the Latine translation had Qui praedestinatus est that is which was predestinate By meanes whereof the interpreters had much adoe to declare it aptlye They myght in deede saye that Christ was to thys end predestinate to be the Mediatour and redemer of mankinde But the thynges which followe agree not therwith for the cause of thys predestination could not be eyther the resurrection from the dead or effusion of the holy ghost Therefore we must read it as the Greke bookes haue it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth as Chrysostome interpreteth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is shewed declared and iudged The Apostle first entreateth of the veritie of the humane nature which is hereby shewed because he was made borne of the seede of Dauid Now he setteth forth the deuine nature For he sayth that Christ was by sure argumentes published declared and shewed to bee the sonne of God And although here is no mention of predestination yet is not the Latine translatioÌ„ new For Origene maketh Origene eiteth the Latine translatioÌ„ mention of it who yet followeth it not For he interpreteth it as it is in the Greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But how he shoulde cite the Latine translation there are sondrye opinions Some attribute thys to hys diligent and painfull studye which had a care to search out all translations Neyther is it to be thought that he was ignoraunt of the Latine tongue for as much as he was called to Rome by Mammaea the mother of Alexander the Emperour Some thinke that these thynges were not written by the author but put in by the interpreter And there are some which thinke that that booke is none of Origenes among whom is Erasmus Hierome expounding the first chap. to the Ephesians playnlye sheweth Hierome that we shoulde here reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neyther addeth he the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And vndoubtedly thys worde is vsed when Magistrates elected are published and declared Therefore thys is the sense Christ which was man in very dede The signification of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The resurrections is the only signe of the deuine nature of Christ and of the seede of Dauid was declared appoynted and published to be the sonne of God by the reasons following In power according to the spirite of sanctification resurrection of the dead Thys kinde of speache being very darcke hath sondrye expositions Some thus expounde it as though it were one onely argument to proue the diuinitie of Christ namely hys resurrection which they say was done by power and by the holy ghost And to proue thys argument to be of great force they alleage that Christ gaue no other signe but the signe of Ionas the Prophete that also which hee sayd Lose thys Temple and on the thyrd daye I will rayse it vppe agayne Iohn 2. And it seemeth that some of the Apostles dyd therfore dispayre of the diuine nature because they saw the resurrection to be differred as Cleophas sayd vnto
no reputacion yet was it taken to be geuen for Christes sake And therefore in all the promises of the olde Testament the myndes of the godly ranne vnto this foundation and ground Then let vs consider the finall cause Wherefore would God haue the publike wealth of the Iewes preserued to the ende but only that Christ should be born therehence Why prouided he that the stock of Dauid should contynue safe euen to the ende but onely that the sonne of God should of it take humane fleshe Why brought he agayne hys people from captiuity but only that the Messias should at length be borne at the tyme promised in the place appointed and of a stocke assigned This vndoubtedly was the cause of all those promises vpon this cause did all the fathers bend their minds as many as vnderstood a right Wherfore Paule wresteth not the testemonyes of the prophetes neyther doth he rashely abuse them And let this be vnto vs a sure and faythfull rule for the perfect vnderstanding of the promises of the olde What it is to lyue by fayth testament whereas he sayth that the iust man shall lyue by fayth he meaneth that he shal be able to moue hymselfe to all good thynges as to beleue to hope to contynue in hope and to loue of charity vnto which thynges by the power and strength of our owne nature we canne by no meanes attayne And that by faith we obtaine eternall life it very well agreeth with those thinges which The knowledge whiche commeth by fayth and the eternall lyfe which shal be in heauen are one and the selfe same thyng as touching the matter Wherein the righteousnes which is receaued by fayth consisteth We are not firste iuste and then afterward lyue by fayth Differences betwen the righteousnes of the Gospel and of the lawe Christ spake This is the life eternall that they should acknowledge thee to be the only true God and him whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ These thinges shall we playnly and openly knowe in heauen our countrey and that with a cleare and manifest sight But now haue we these selfe same thinges with a very obscure knowledge that is through fayth This is not an other lyfe from that But then shall that be made perfecte which we haue now but only begon And the righteousnes which by this fayth maketh it selfe open consisteth herein especially that from the tyme we are reconciled vnto God we leade our life in such sorte that both we render vnto hym his due worshipe and also vnto our neighbour our bounden due offices or dueties And whereas the Prophete writeth that the iust man lyueth by fayth his wordes must not so be taken as though he should affirme that we are fyrst iust and that then afterward we liue by fayth But this thyng he teacheth that by fayth do come vnto vs two commodityes both that we should be iust and also that we should obtayne life we see here also set forth vnto vs the difference betweene the righteousnes of the law and of the Gospell The righteousnes of the law is a perfecte obedience of the commaundementes of God But the righteousnes of the Gospell is an imputacion thereof The righteousnes of gospell God geueth vnto vs but the righteousnes of the law we geue vnto God The righteousnes of the law leaneth vnto workes For it is written The man which doth these thinges shall liue in them and cursed be he whiche abideth not in all the thinges whiche are written in the booke of the lawe also If thou wilte enter into lyfe keepe the Commaundementes Also doo thys and thou shalte lyue But here it is sayd The iuste manne shall lyue by fayth Wherfore looke what difference there is betwene to do and to beleue so much seeme these places to be repugnaunt one to the other But these thinges A conciliation of places repugnant shall easely be made to agree by making a distinction of righteousnes For forasmuch as the righteousnes of the Gospell is one and the righteousnes of the lawe is an other some testimonyes speake of the one righteousnes and some teach of the other Now by that which hath bene spoken the Apostle setteth forth three good By fayth we obtayne saluation righteousnes and life thinges and those most principall which by fayth we obtayne namely saluation righteousnes and life For thē Gospell is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleueth agayne the righteousnes of God is reuealed by it from fayth also the iust man shall liue by fayth If there be anye that requyre more then these good thinges then is he ouer curious Further euen in the very first entrance into the cause we see how strongly he affirmeth by these three sentences now rehersed that by fayth these good thinges happen vnto vs. Here also maye be noted in what estimation Paul hath the holy scripture for vnto it he ascribeth the chiefest authority to proue the question takē in hand namely that the righteousnes of god is reuealed by fayth And if both the Apostle and also the Prophet do so manifestlye pronounce that we are iustified by fayth then is it not meete that our aduersaryes should so crye out agaynst vs for that we affirme the very selfe same Wherefore if they be herewith offended then let them grudge agaynst the scriptures agaynst Paule and agaynst What remedy we must vse when it is sayd that we reiect good woorkes the Prophet and not agaynste vs. And agaynst them which crye out that we spoyle good workes of theyr dignity and honour there is no presenter remedy then to lyue vprightly and holyly that thereby we may aboundantly haue testemonyes of good workes and say to our aduersaries if any confydence were to be put in good workes then should we in no case geue place vnto you forasmuch as in them we farre excell you And all that whiche we say and teach of iustification which commeth through fayth tendeth only to this that the truth should by the word of God be defended This was Paules meaning when he sayde vnto the Phillippians If any man may put confidence in the fleshe I also may much more and by many thinges he declareth how much in this kinde of glory he excelled others But he afterward addeth that all these things he counted as dongue and losse that he might wyn Christ and that he mought be found in him not hauing his own righteousnes namely which is of works but that which is by the fayth of Iesus Christ This excellent example of the Apostle ought we to imitate that although we attribute not iustification vnto workes yet ought we plentifully to abound in them aboue other men For if we leade an vnpure lyfe and on the other syde boaste of iustification through fayth then shall we be laughed to scorne of our aduersaryes as though we for that cause professed this doctrine to lyue without punishement 〈…〉 ly and without all order For
the wrath of God appeareth from heauen agaynst an vngodlines and vnrighteousnes of men whiche withhold tâ—e truth in vnrighteousnes seing that it which maye be knowen of God is manifest among them because God hath shewed it vnto them For hys inuisible thinges that is to say his eternall power and godhed are seene forasmuch as they are vnderstand by the workes from the creation of the world For the wrath of God is reuealed from heauen To the ende he would coÌ„firme The first reason whereby is proued that we are iustified by the sayth of the Gospel Take away the Gospelâ— and then remayneth the wrath of God and most vnpure sinnes do raunge abroad the proposition nowe proposed namely that by the fayth of the Gospell we are iustefied he bringeth many reasons The firste is when the Gospell is receaued by fayth there springeth forth righteousnes But take away the Gospell and fayth and then the wrath of God waxeth hotte and men are defiled with most vnpure vices and sinnes Wherefore it is manifest that the cause of our righteousnes is the Gospel taken hold of by fayth The minor or second proposition that where the Gospell is away there are both wicked actes and the wrath of God he proueth by a diuision as well towardes the Iewes as towardes the Gentiles Of the Iewes he will speake in the next chapiter now he entreateth of the Gentiles And that the wrath of God is powred vpon them he proueth by the horrible and filthy vices which he numbreth and declareth that those men deserued so to be forsaken of God and hedlonge to be thrust into those sinnes because when they knew him they dishonoured hym and gaue his honour vnto creatures And that they knew God he proueth for that his creatures enstructed them thereof And he maketh mencion of so grosse and filthy vices that they were not able to deny theyr owne peruersenes For if he had spoken of those enormious sinnes whiche pertayne vnto the mynde for that in them there is not so much shame it would not so much haue moued the readers But after this maner may the reason of the Apostle be resolued A resolutioÌ„ of the Apostle his reason They were thus filthyly contamynated therefore were they not reformed within neyther renewed through the spirite and grace Wherefore they were neyther acceptable vnto god nor yet reconciled vnto him And we sée that Paule by this reason hath not only confirmed that which he entended but also by the selfe same laboreth instituteth a most holesome exhortation which This is a good exhortacioÌ„ where is preached repentance he began of repentance For he setteth before their eyes their most haynous wicked actes and sheweth them that eternall punishementes are at hand vnto them and that they suffer these thinges through the anger of god towardes them And to the ende he would make them the more afrayd he taketh away from them all maner of excuse affirming that they knew right well after A place of Iohn declared what sorte they should leade theyr life And the summe of this reason is red in the gospell of Iohn the 3. chapter He which beleueth in the sonne hath eternall life but he which beleueth not shall not see eternall life and the wrath of God abideth ouer him There it manifestly appeareth that by fayth which is geuen vs in Christ we do obtayne righteousnes and life and contrariwise it being taken away righteousnes is also taken away and the wrath of god remaynteh kindled Take away the gospell and fayth from philosophy and good artes and what Take awaye fayth and the gospell from Philosophy and then in it shal be left nothynge that is found Why god in such manner forsooke the Ethnikes sound thing shalt thou sée then in those meÌ„ which so chalenge them vnto themselues Vndoubtedly all things shal be contamynated as Paule paynteth them out in colours Here paraduenture a man will aske why god so forsooke men that they should be wrapped in so greate wicked actes Hereto may be answered he did it both for that they deserued this thing by reason of the idolatrye which they committed when as they had the knowledge of the true god and also chiefely to the ende we should vnderstand the necessary helpe had of the comming of Christ For if men had bene but in a tollerable case they woulde scarfely haue iudged that they had any neede of the Mediator Christ But where sinne aboue measure abounded there also was grace made more illustrous of so greate force I say that it was able to breake in sonder the most greuous yoke of sinne The wrath of God from heauen By wrath he fyguratiuely vnderstandeth vengeance Augustine writeth to Optatus in his 157. Epistle that wrath What is wrath in God is not in god a perturbation of the mynde as it is in men but only a iust and fyxed vengeance Which selfe same thing he writeth in his booke de Trinitate Wherefore it is a fygure much vsed in the holy scriptures that for the vengeance of God we rede anger or wrath And Aristotle in his Rethorikes defineth it to be an appetite of vengeaunce for negligence or contempt For when a The defynition of wrath according to Aristotle man seeth himselfe to be conteÌ„ned his desire is straight way inflamed to seeke to auenge Wherefore the Apostles meaning is that these most wicked vices were a reuenge proceding from god being angry From heauen These wordes haue a greate Emphasis or force For they signify that this vengeance is manifest largely spred abroad and most mighty as are showers of rayne and tempestes which fall from heauen vpon the earth And it is as much as if he should say that this wrath or vengeance of God was inflicted by his deuine might or power For we are sayd to receaue those thinges from heauen which seeme to be sent by the power of God as in Satyra the Poete sayd Tertius è coelo cecidit Cato et tanquam Sacculus è coelo discendit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which is in English The third Cato discended from heauen and as a sacke fell this sentence from heauen Knowe thy selfe And Cicero also sayth of Pompey that the prouince saw him not as one sent from a city but as one fallen from heauen So Paule fayth that this vengeance may in no case be counted as a thing naturall but as a plague inflicted of God For as it shall afterward be declared God deliuered them into a reprobate mynde And although the corporall calamityes wherewith God striketh vs are greuous yet far more greuous is this when we are deliuered into a reprobate mynde For in that case men seeke destrucion vnto themselues and are euen their owne slaughtermen Neyther contrarywise can we obtayne any good thyng more to be wished for then to attayn vnto an holy mynd and a right vnderstanding For euen as this is a singular gifte so is the other
should continually instructe hys scholer and yet he in the meane tyme should be in hand wyth other matters and haue hys mynde runnyng vpon other thyngs could not suffer so great negligence so dealeth God wyth vs. For he continually setteth before our eyes an open booke of the thynges created he alwayes illustrateth and calleth vs but we euermore turne away our mynde from his doctrine and are in hand with other matters Therfore wyll God cast vs away as naughty scholexs neither wyll he suffer so great iniury vnreuenged For God hath shewed it vnto them Hereby is gathered that all truth is of God For it springeth not of our selues But how it is of God there are two opinions How all truth is of God Some say the it is therfore of God because God hath created those things by which we may vnderstande these truthes But others say whome I best allowe that God hath grafted in our myndes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is anticipations and fore instructions by which we are driuen to conceaue excelent and wonderfull thinges of the nature of God And these knowledges of God naturally grafted in vs are by the obseruation of thinges that are created daily more and more confirmed and polished Some folishly and also no lesse vngodly say that they haue learned these truthes of Aristotle or of Plato so that they geue no thankes Schole masters are the instruments of God A similitude at all vnto God for them These men in dede were Organes and instrumentes but yet not authors And these mens sayinges are as if an Israelite should say that he knew the truthes of the law not by God but by Moyses whē yet he was but onely the mediator and messenger of God and which declared these things vnto the people God beyng the author of them And it is to be noted that wher as God of his nature is so separated from all matter that he cannot be perceiued by our sences he is therfore wont to declare himself by signes and certaine wordes subiect vnto our sences And these signes whiche doe at the beginnyng Creatures are signes which set forth God set forth God vnto vs are creatures whiche when naturall Philosophers diligently weighed as touching the proprieties and wonderful qualities of nature they were brought vnto the knowledge of God For they knewe the order of causes and the coniunction of them wyth theyr effectes and when as they easely perceaued that there could be nothyng founde infinite they concluded at the length that theyr reasonyng must nedes come to some one first thing that was before al other and so concluded they that there is a God These thinges both Plato Aristotle and Galene haue most learnedly taught But lest we should neglect the holy Scriptures they also haue shewed vnto vs The holy scriptures do send vs to learne of creatures this selfe same way to learne by Christ sendeth vs to the birdes of heauen and lillies of the field and to the grasse therby to know the singuler prouidence of God in the preseruation of those thinges which he hath brought forth And Salomon setteth before vs the Ante to imitate for his prudēcy wherby in the Sommer he prepareth for himselfe those things which shall bee nedefull for hym in the Winter Esay sayth that the Asse knewe the manger of hys Lorde and the Oxe hys maister but Israell knewe not his Lorde Hereby appeareth that we may be taught many thinges by creatures Dauid wrote a Psalme wherein is declared this selfe same thing The heauens set forth the glory of God But amongst other bookes of the holy scripture which most excellently set forth this thyng is The booke of Iob disputeth many thyngs of God by creatures the dialogue of the booke of Iob. For the interlocutors whiche he bringeth in were Ethnikes and therfore the matter is there handled onely by naturall reasons There are reasoned many thinges of the reuolutions of heauen of stars of the earth sea lyghtes wyndes raynes thunders lyghtnyngs snow yse also of beastes as of Lyons Goates Hartes Horses and Behemoth which manye thinke to be an Elephant and lastly of Leuiathan the most huge beast of the sea All these thinges are there in such maner entreated of that they set forthe vnto vs the eternall power and diuinitie of God But amongst other thynges which The nature of man most of all resembleth the deuinity of God do chiefely set forth God vnto vs is euen our owne nature for we are made after the image and lykenes of hym Wherfore we most of all resemble him and chiefely as touchynge the soule Wherein shyneth the prouidence of thynges to come also iustice wisedome and manye other most noble habites or qualities and also the knowledge of vprightnes honestye noughtines and filthines And forasmuch as man and hys soule is not sprong of himselfe but dependeth of God then followeth it that we ought not in any case to deny these selfe same thynges vnto God but ought to attribute them vnto hym as to the principall and chiefe author so that hereby we may gather that God hath his prouidence ouer those thinges whiche are done and that he is that iudge of our actions vnto whome as honest thyngs are pleasaunt so are filthye thinges displeasaunt I knowe that Cicero in hys booke De Natura Deorum laboureth to ouerthrowe thys reason whereby we affirme that those thyngs which in vs are most noble ought to bee ascribed vnto god But let hym alone howe so euer he reasoneth vnto vs it sufficeth that we are by the holy Scriptures confirmed in thys matter In the 94. Psalme it is written He which planted the eare shall he not heare He which made the eye shall hee not see Wherby we are taught that those things which are perfecte and absolute in vs ought not to bee taken away from the nature The perfections which are in vs cannot be taken away from God of God Moreouer we sée that our consciences do naturally abhorre from wicked actes which we haue committed and contrariwyse doe reioyce and are glad in good déedes Which thyng forasmuche as it is naturally grafted in vs teacheth vs that the iudgement of God remayneth whose condemnation our mindes aboue all thynges are afrayde of so that sometymes they séeme to bée tossed with suryes and contrariwyse they reioyce when they hope that from that iudgement seate they shall carye away cōmendation and rewardes I could rehearse a great many other such lyke thynges but they may easilye be gathered both out of the holy Scriptures and also out of the bookes of Philosophers Wherefore I will cease to adde any moe and counte it sufficient to haue sayd There is nothinge so vile in the world which beateth not a testimony of god that there is nothyng in the worlde so abiecte and vile which beareth not witnes of God All thynges sayd the Poete are full of Jupiter For what so euer is in the world
not to be accused of blame or iniquity because he suffreth many to sinne before hys face whome he could holde backe and helpe with his grace that they should not fall vnder thys pretence because we should iustly be accâ—sed if we shuld permit any such thing We may not thinke that these thinges are repugnaunte the one to the other Namely that we are iustly accused and that we vtterly wante all excuse if we sinne and yet notwithstandyng can not abstayne from sinne neyther can we as we ought obey the commaundements of God vnles we be holpen by grace And lastly that it is God which worketh all in all Forasmuch as in him we lyue and are moued and haue our beyng And he beareth vp all thynges wyth the worde of hys power These thinges ought we to beleue for that they are Oracles of the holy scriptures Wherfore if by our reason they seme not to agree together yet must we be content for we can not perse the secretes of God neither hath God any nede of our excuses Which excuses yet if a man would narowly examine he shal fynd the they do not in any thyng satisfy our iudgement If there be a maister of a householde which hath seruantes in hys house which continually commit most greuous sinnes and would make hys excuse and say that he driueth them not therunto neither prouokee them to do naughtely but onely suffreth them wincketh at them and permitteth them what an excuse I pray you should this be Neyther is free will by thys thinge in daunger so far forth as we must graunt the free will is For we ought not to beleue the god doth so deliuer men that he compelleth them or dryueth theÌ„ agaynst theyr will They willingly gladly and of theyr owne accord serue their owne lustes The similitudes which Chrisostome bringeth are verye weake For howe can a Captayne which forsaketh hys host not be counted the cause of theyr destruction And although when the house toppe falleth the wayght thereof draweth it vnto the earth yet how shall not he which remoued the beame or piller whiche stayed it vp be sayd to be the cause of the fall therof So that whether soeuer they turne themselues when they say that God forsaketh and withdraweth his helpe they must nedes be compelled to say that God after a sort willeth sinne And the father which disinheriteth hys sonne when he can not amend hym what comparison hath he with GOD whiche can if he wyll amende men Wherefore we see not why we should be iustly perswaded by these reasons to interprete these wordes To deliuer to harden to blinden by these wordes To suffer to permit and to forsake But as touchyng this matter let vs briefely examine Augustines opinion Augustine de praedestinatione gratia Augustine de gratia libero arbitrio whether God be sayd to deliuer the vngodly vnto their lustes onely in forsakyng them or also after some maner forcyng them He semeth in this matter to be diuersly mynded For in hys booke of predestination and grace the 4. chap. he hath this interpretation of suffryng permittyng And he addeth that to harden is nothing els then the he wil not make soft To blinden is nothyng els then the he wil not illuminate to put backe is nothing els then yâ— he wil not call But in his boke of grace frée wil the 21. chap. he writeth manifestly inough as I thinke That God worketh in the hartes of men to incline their willes whether so euer it pleaseth hym eyther to good thynges according to hys mercy or ells to euill thinges according to theyr desertes and that by his iudgement being sometimes open and sometimes hidden but alwayes iuste These wordes declare that our willes are sometimes styrred vppe of God not onely in forsaking or permitting vs but also by some inclination to euill thynges Julianus Pelagianus also as the same Augustine agaynst him Augustine agaynst Iulianus in hys 5. booke and 3. chap. sayth reproueth Augustine because he had read that the same Augustine affirmed that God is wonte to punishe sinnes by sinnes And he sayth If the matter were thus then ought we to prayse and commende concupiscense and sinnes as good thynges which thou affirmest to bee inflicted vpon vs as punishmentes But there agaynst hym are brought forth many notable places of that Scripture by which is proued that God bryngeth in sinnes as punishmentes Many notable places of the scripture and paynes deserued We can not denie but that the deuill in tempting poureth in to vs wicked cogitations and that he receaueth power of God so to do God styred vp Dauid to number the people as it is written in the 2. booke of Samuell the 24. chapter But in the booke of Chronicles Sathan is sayd to haue moued Dauid vnto it And it skilleth not whether God dyd it by hym selfe or by the deuill for it is all one In the 1. booke of Kinges God would haue Achab the king deceaued by a lying spirite that hee shoulde geue credite vnto false Prophetes which without doubt was sinne And in Esaie the 63. chap. it is written Wherfore haste thou made vs to erre and haste hardened our hartes that we should not feare thee And in the 11. chap. of Iosua God hardened the hartes of the vnbeleuing Gentiles And in that Roboam harkened not vnto the elders which gaue him good admonition that was therefore because the conuersion was of the Lorde to performe hys worde which hee spake of hym by the hand of the Prophet And in the 2. Paralip the 25. chapter Amasias king of Iudah harkened not vnto Ioas king of Israell because God had so wrought in hym to deliuer hym into hys handes And in Ezechiell the 14. chap If a Prophet bee deceaued I haue deceaued hym Also in the Lordes prayer we praye Lead vs not into temptation These thynges in a maner alleageth Augustine wherby appeareth that God deliuereth the wicked vnto theyr owne lustes not onely by permission but also by a certayne incitation But agaynst these sentences Iulianus séemed to obiecte thrée thinges Fyrst that lustes Thre obiections of Iulianus are as I sayd at the beginning to be praysed for that they are said to be punishmentes inflicted of God Further as touching thys place it is manifest inough sayd he what Paules meaning is For in that he sayth that they were deliuered vp vnto their lustes it appeareth that they were before infected with them and that they had them before within them selues and that God to deliuer vp is nothyng ells then to permitte Thyrdly he sayth that God is sayd to deliuer rather by a certayne pacience or suffering then by power God in déede suffreth these thinges to bée done but he doth not by hys power and myght driue them to doe them To these thynges Augustine in the same chapter maketh aunswere and sayth that it is a very weake argument that sinnes should therefore be prayse
worthy because God by them doth sometimes punishe vs. Otherwyse we should commend the deuill also whose bondslaues we are made through sinne and of hym are greuouslye afflicted For he is the tormentour of God and the executour of the deuine vengeaunce Moreouer we read that Saule was geuen of God to be kyng in Gods furye and wrath to auenge the wantonnes and rebellion of the people by the tyrannie of a wicked kyng And yet is not an vngodly kyng therefore to be commended or praysed These thynges and such lyke do plainly declare the weakenes of that argument And as touching that which was sayd in the second place that the wordes of the Apostle which we are here in hand with carye with them theyr exposition for they are sayd to be deliuered vp vnto the lustes of theyr owne hart Wherfore they had them within them before and God wrought them not within them but for that they were before extant he deliuered them vp vnto them to be set a fire of them we graunt in déede that the powers and faculties of lusting are naturally grafted in man And God was the author of them when he created man But God made them moderate and such which should be subiecte vnto reason and obedient vnto the worde of God and not be rebellious eyther agaynst hym or agaynst reason But after sinne they became stubborne violent and rebellious Wherefore it is plaine that that is false which thys man sayth that suche lustes as we are now deliuered vp vnto for to be punished withall were extant in vs before sinne They are vndoubtedlye Iatsar harang that is an euill workmanship or imagination wherwith our hart is perpetually enfected But this euil imagination was not geuen of God in the creation but followed after sinne And agaynst that whiche was lastly alleaged namely that these things are done rather by the patience or suffrance of God then by his power Augustine declareth by the words of Paul that either of them is true for to the Romanes it is written Euen so God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power knowen suffred with long patience the vessels of wrath Rom. 9. ordeyned to damnation In these wordes is expresse mencion as well of power as of pacience And although in that 3. chapter of the 5. booke agaynst Iulianus Augustine sayth that he greatly passeth not whether of these wayes these kinde of speaches be expounded yet enclineth he more to my sentence to thinke that God worketh something els when he delyuereth hardeneth or blyndeth then that he suffreth permiteth or forsaketh Yea he manifestly writeth that it is not likely but that euē as God whē he punisheth worketh something in our bodies so also should we thinke that he worketh something in the mindes although after a secrete maner And thus much hitherto of the Fathers If my iudgement therein should be demaunded I would say that these kyndes of speache To deliuer vp to blinden to harden and to seduce do signify somethyng more then to be forsakē of God or withdrawing of grace which hapneth through sin and which all men confesse For we can not deny but that of God are offred many occasions which in men that are destitute of grace and of the holy ghost séeme to stirre vp euill lusts to be vnto thē occasion of fallyng as it is manifest of the vngodly king Achab vnto whō the words of the false prophetes wer as a snare And the words of God pronounced vnto Pharao by Moses wer instrumēts of his greater hardening And the aduersities whiche happened vnto the Israelites in the desert were occasions both of blasphemye and also of infidelity And that God ministred such occasions it is out of controuersye Whiche occasions when they light vpon a godly mynd and one that is adorned with the grace of God they turne vnto good and are profitable for theyr saluation But when Occasions inward and outward they happen vpon those which are forsaken of God they cause a greater fall and a greater turning away from God And such occasions happen both outwardly and also inwardly For not only persecutions aduersities pleasures and entismentes do outwardly offer themselues vnto vs but also cogitacions and inward motions are suggested vnto the mynde which to the godly are profytable to saluation but the wicked they do more and more confyrme in impiety Besides these occasions such as are alredy alienated from God seme not to nede any other preparation to sinne For by reason of our corrupt nature we are prone inough vnto it of our selues Wherefore Paule in this Epistle to the Romanes sayth that these vessels of wrath are prepared and apt to destruction And in the booke of Genesis Our cogitations and counsels are prone vnto euill euen from Sinne comprehendeth two things our childehode But to make the thing more playne being otherwise somewhat darke it shal be good to marke that sinne comprehendeth two thinges Action and a defect or want For that action is called sinne which wanteth of the law and of such conditions and circumstances which should make it vpright and commendable If we speake of the action in that it is extant and is counted among naturall creatures it is not to be doubted but that it is done of God But the defect or want forasmuch as it pertayneth to priuation neyther is in very deede extant hath no neede of any efficient cause but it sufficeth that the grace It is God which with draweth his grace from sinners of the holy ghost be remoued and our strengthes taken away by whiche that action myght haue bene brought to a iust perfection And who can deny but that this withdrawing of strengthes and grace is done of God For he is the moderator of hys owne giftes But we must alwayes adde this that God doth iustly and for our euill desertes withdraw hys ayde And as Anselmus writeth in his booke of the fall of the deuill Euen as we are not afrayd to confesse that that creature is made of God which yet is brought forth through the wicked will of man for we say that God is the Creator of an infant borne of adultery why also shall we deny but that he is the author of that action whiche is brought forth through an euill will And this must we without all controuersy graunt that whatsoeuer is extant in the nature of thinges the same must of necessitie haue God for hys author Wherefore it followeth that these thinges are done of God not only by permission but also his might and power thereunto helpeth and as they say worketh God permitteth not against his will but willingly with all Otherwise that thing should be nothing For whereas they talke of permission I would fayne know of them whether God permitteth willingly or not willingly If thou say not willingly then shall it followe that God permitteth it agaynst hys will and by compulsion But if thou say that he doth it willingly because
the Apo. vseth this word Nature because he disputed against the Ethnikes which had no skill or knowledge in the scriptures but onely in nature And against them he taketh tohse things which by the light of nature are by themselues manifest And he sheweth that they were altogether so foolish that casting away the institution of nature they followed those thynges which were repugnaunt against it when as otherwise thinges that are done accordyng to nature are honest profitable and pleasant But it iustly came to passe that these men were in this maner blynded For euen as they were not content with the doctrine of God when as they thought it not sufficient that he shoulde be represented by the fabrication of the world but would nedes bring in idoles images so also as touching thinges that were to be done they were not content with the institution of God which was accordyng to nature but more allowed their owne inuentions although they were most filthy And herein they did the selfe same thing which our first parentes did when they fell For their desire was The sinne of the fyrst Parentes to haue the knowledge of good and euill that is at their pleasure and as they lusted to determine of good and euill iust and vniust whiche thing is proper vnto God onely vnto whose determinations creatures ought to stand So these men attempted in the coniunctions of bodies to doe according to their owne pleasure and filthy lust and not accordyng to the decrées of God and of nature And these affections are after the Hebrew phrase called the affections of dishonour whiche in the Latine tongue is spoken by the adiectiue For euen as that which the Hebrewes say The sonne of perdition in Latine is turned filius perditus that is The lost sonne So that which in this place is written Affections of dishonour in Latin is Affectus ignominiosi that is Shamefull affections Paule hath this worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth not vulgare motions or the lighter sort of affections but perturbations and violent diseases by which we are by a mightye impulsion stirred vp and prouoked Neyther are these shamefull affections any thing els then that which he before sayd namely lustes of the hart By these thinges which are now written is easely confuted that which Iulianus the Pelagian obiected vnto Augustine For he said that lustes are extant in vs and God to deliuer vs vp vnto thē is nothing els then to leaue vs vnto them But Iulianus cannot proue that these shamefull affections were in the nature of man before his fall And it semeth that the Pelagians abused this place as Augustine writeth in his 2. boke de nuptiis concupiscentia ad Valerium in the 19. 20. cha For they laboured to proue y◠concupiscence or lust is a thing laudable by an argumēt taken of cōtraries For A false Argument of the Pelagians sithē said they Paule condēneth the coniunction which is against nature it cōsequētly foloweth that y◠lust which is according to nature is both vpright and also worthy of praise Wherfore said thei although some do in it excede the meane yet ought it not to be reproued vnles we wyll also accuse both bread and wyne because ther are some which abuse them Neither is that of any force which thou saiest The goodnes of generation excuseth not y◠crime of adultery neither doth original sin which is drawē frō y◠natiuity cōdemne y◠goodnes of wedlocke Because this is to speake darkly and thou seemest to labor not to be vnderstād The naturall copulation of men with women oughte at the length to be expressed by some certayne note that we may know whether it be good or euill That it is good hereby appeareth because Paule condemneth the contrary But if it be good the birth is good which springeth thereof by what chinkes or holes thē doth originall sinne creepe in These thinges they obiected vnto Augustine But Augustine aunswereth the Pelagians in this sort did he aunswere them We must make a distinction sayth he betweene those thinges which God instituted and betweene those thinges which were by Adam brought in after sinne We say that the naturall copulation of man with the woman was instituted of God and therefore it is good neyther of it cōmeth any euill But lust which The naturall copulation of man with woman as it was instituted of God is good Concupiscēce which was adioyned vnto it after the fa◠of Adam is euill is thereto adioyned as we now haue it is rebellious agaynst reason vnbrideled stubburne also the disobedience of the partes of the body which is not kept downe by our will procedeth from vice and sinne And such a lust ought to be counted shamefull and euill Which thing the sense of nature testefieth for that we see that when man and wife will haue fellowship together they do hide themselues which declareth that in it there is some thing which hath shame annexed vnto it Further Paule writeth I know that there dwelleth no good in me that is in my fleshe whome we ought rather to beleue then you which set forth lust as a good thing And he addeth If our nature be to be made saue then ought it to be good otherwise it ought not to be made saue And if it bad no euill in it then ought it not to be made saue because of it selfe it shoulde be saue But as touching Paule whereas he condemneth the vnchast for that they left the naturall vse of the woman he speaketh not a word there of matrimony but only sheweth that these idolaters were horriblye punished in that they forsooke the naturall vse whiche naturall vse yet may be obserued among whoremongers and harlotes wherefore those thinges whiche ye alleadge of concupiscence are farre from Paules meaning But how originall sinne is traduced by procreation I will not in this place expresse And they receaued vnto themselues the reward of their errour as was mete By the name of error he here in this place vnderstandeth manifest sinne and that which is committed of men wittingly And these filthy thinges whiche he hath spoken of he sayth were an hire and reward In the Greke it is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be turned a compensation And thys kinde of speach semeth not to be much vnlike that which is spoken in the Gospell touching hipocrites that they haue receaued their reward And forasmuch as sinnes properly deserue not a bire or a rewarde but a punishemēt by this place is most manifestly perceaued that that is true which Augustine oftētimes affirmeth namely that God auengeth sinnes by sinnes And y◠greuousnes of the wickednes cōmitted Here is proued that God punisheth sinnes by sinnes agaynst nature appeareth by that that it is answerable and is compared to the most greuous sinne of idolatry Augustine in his first booke and 24. chap against the aduersary of the law of the prophetes sayeth
haue good woorkes What Moses and the Prophets had a regarde vnto when in theyr prayers they made mencion of the names of certain of the electe thinges nothing let this sentence which was alleaged namely that before God there is no acception of persons And as often as we read in the prayers of Moses or of the Prophets that mention is made of the Patriarkes whereby they endeuoured themselues to prouoke God vnto mercy we muste thinke that they had a regarde to two thinges First forasmuch as in that nation God had some appointed vnto himselfe they desired that for theyr sakes he woulde spare the whole multitude Secondlye they attributed not these thinges vnto the merites of the saintes which as we haue sayd are none but they made mencion of the promises made vnto those Fathers Hereby therefore it is manifeste by what meanes those thinges which were obiected may be aunswered But nowe let vs retourne to the exposition of the woordes of Paule For as many as haue sinned without the law shall perishe also without the law and as many as haue sinned in the law shal be iudged by the law For the hearers of the law are not righteous before God but the doers of the law shal be iustified For as many as haue sinned c. Paule here teacheth that God in very dede hath no respect of persons neyther in iudgement doth iniury vnto any man He maketh the Iewes equall with the Gentles forasmuch as of ech nation they which haue liued wickedly shall perishe And as touching the maner of iudgement the Iewes which shal be condemned shal be iudged by the law of Moses because they shall haue it both to accuse them and to condemne them But the Gentiles being wicked shall neither be accused nor condemned by that law but by the light of nature and euen by their own cogitations By the law in thys place we must vnderstand the law of Moses For it only is perfect and for it began all the contencion otherwise there were none or very fewe nations which were not gouerned by some institutions or lawes Here are added two preuentions The first is that it mought haue semed wonderfull vnto the Iewes that theyr cause should not be a whit better forasmuch as they were adorned by God with the benefite of the law Vnto whome Paule answereth that therby they were rather the more greuously to be accused because before God not they which heare the law shal be iustefied but they which do it The other preuention is for that it semed a hard thing vnto the Ethnikes that they should perishe when as they wanted the law of God Vnto whome he sayth ye were not vtterly without a law And two maner of wayes he proueth that they had a law fyrst in that by nature they did those thinges which are prescribed by the law secondly because they had within themselues their owne cogitations mutually accusing them or excusing them As touching the Iewes he sharpely reproueth them as which were of so small sound iudgement that they iudged themselues to be therefore iustefyed because they had receaued the lawe And now he beginneth by litle and litle to come vnto them which a litle afterward he doth more openly For saith he the hearers of the law shall not be iustified before God but the doers He therefore saith before God because they before mē wōderfully much boasted of the law which they had receaued God sayth he nothing regardeth this For there shall not be required of you that ye receaue the law but that ye execute the law The discourse which now is in hād is touching the righteousnes The righteousnes of the law requireth deedes and workes of the law which alone they allowed For touching the righteousnes of fayth he will afterward plainly entreate Now he cutteth their throtes with theyr owne sword in defining the righteousnes of the law namely that it vrgeth dedes and requireth works to the fulfilling thereof Whereby he calleth thē backe to consider their owne life Neither saith he in the meane time that mē cā not be otherwise iustified but only sheweth vnto thē that they haue fallē away frō the righteousnes of the law wherof they so much boasted That therfore which he now saith hath this sence If any man should by the righteousnes of the law be iustified before God it behoueth that the same should fulfil the law according to that saying Cursed be he which abideth not in all the things which are writē in the booke of the lawe This is an easy plaine expositiō But Augustine in his booke de Spiritu litera ad Marcellinum is of this minde that the doers of the law are iustified but yet in such sort that righteousnes goeth before the good works which the saintes do For they are fyrst iust before they do iust workes But because he seeth that this word of iustifying is in the future tence and by that meanes is signifyed that men shall not be iustefyed vnles they fyrst haue good workes therefore he addeth that to be iustefied in this place is not first to receaue righteousnes but to be counted righteous so that the sense is they shal be counted for righteous which shal be doers of the law but they ought first by fayth to haue receaued righteousnes whereby they were made iust but afterward they shal be made knowen by the effectes as they were before iust so now shal they be counted for iust And the like kinde of speach sayth he is in this sentence when Halowed be thy name how it is to be expounded we pray Thy name be sanctified Where we desire not that the name of God should be made holy as though before it were not holy but we desire that it may be of men counted holy This is Augustines exposition For when the Gentiles which haue not the law do by nature the thinges contayned in the law they hauing not the lawe are a lawe vnto themselues whiche shewe the effect of the law in theyr hartes their conscience also bearing witnes and their thoughtes accusing one an other or excusing at the day when God shall iudge the secretes of men by Iesus Christ according to my Gospell For when the Gentles c. Now commeth he vnto the Gentles whiche ought not to complayne thoughe they perished seing they had not the lawe of Moses For hee declareth that they were not vtterly without a lawe because they did by nature those thinges whiche were contayned in the law And when hee sayth by Nature he doth not vtterly exclude the helpe of God For all truth that men knowe is of God and of the holy ghost And nature here signifieth that knowledge whiche is grafted in the myndes of men Euen as in the eyes of the body God hath plāted the power of seinge Neither doth Paul in this place entreate of the strēgthes by which the Gētiles being holpē performed these things For that shall afterward bée
and perswadest thy selfe that thou art a guide of the blynde a lyghte of them which are in darkenes An instructer of them whiche lacke discretion a teacher of the vnlerned which hast the forme of knowledge and of the truth in the law Behold thou art called a Iew. In this place there is two maner of readyngs The Latines seme to haue read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is and if But in the Greke copies it is written by Iota simple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Behold or see But whether of them thou readest it skilleth not much saue onely that to the purpose of the Apostle connexion together of his speaches that which is in the Greke semeth to be more apte The name of a Iew was no lesse set by at that tyme then the name of a Christian is at this time Vndoubtedly it was an honourable stocke But Paule saith wisely cognominaris which signified thou art so called for he wil not graūt vnto them that they were in dede Iewes Neither could he when as afterward he sayth That he is truely a Iew whiche is a Iew in secret and that that is the true Circumcision which is marked not in the flesh but in the hart And restest in the lavv This is nothing els but with a certayne vayne bostyng to delight himselfe by reasō of the law wherunto perauenture they wer moued by reason of those things which are written in Deut. the 4. chapter Namely That other nations should wonder at the publike wealth of the Israelites which◠had so noble and excellent lawes Dauid also sayd That it was not so done vnto other nations And boastest in God Because as it is written in the 17. chap. of the boke of Genesis God had made a league with Abraham and with all his posterity These thinges vndoubtedly had bene vnto them great honour and estimation if they had broght forth fruit accordingly For to come of godly elders is a gift of God not to be despised Moreouer to rest in the law so that thou wholy quietest thy selfe in it and art so content with the commaundementes of God that thou fainest not vnto thy selfe any other is a thyng worthy of prayse And lykewyse to count the true God for God may be ascribed vnto glory and that to sound glorye But they onely boasted in these thinges glorying in themselues of these vayne titles And knowest his will and allovvest the things that are excellent beyng instructed by the law To know the will of God is a great benefite of his But that commeth by the instruction of the scripture For no where els is the knowledge of the wil of God to be sought for Out of it we learn to alow most best things so the therby we are able to discerne them from things filthy vile In Greeke is red 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is turned things excellent Augustine in his boke de spiritu Litera readeth Distantia that is thinges different because those things which are excellent are different from meane thynges The Latin interpreter turneth it Vtilia that is thinges profitable because peraduenture as Erasmus admonisheth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greke is to profite Farther this verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to allow is here taken otherwise then it was in the first chapiter Forasmuch as here it is referred onely vnto iudgement but there it is referred to that allowyng whereby we do in very deede and actes declare that which we iudge And persuadest thy selfe that thou art a guide of the blynde a lyghte of them whiche are in darkenesse An instructer of them whiche lacke discretion a teacher of the vnlearned He saythe not that these men performed those thynges but that they went about arrogantly to clayme them vnto themselues For they both iudged and also spake most contemptuously of other nations whome in comparison of themselues they counted to bee blynde and lyuers in darkenes vndiscrete and vnlearned And also they so vsurped vnto themselues the office of teaching others that Christ saide they went about sea and land to adioyne vnto themselues proselites whome they made not the children of God but the children of hell fyre And whiche was worst of all as Christ vpbraydeth thē they had takē away the kay of knowledge by clayming it vnto themselues when as neyther they thēselues would enter into the kingdome of heauen nor yet would they suffer others to enter therein They shewed themselues to be masters when as yet they were blynde Vnto whom the Lord sayd If the blynde leade the blynde they shall both fall into the ditch And in Esay the 42. chapter we reade who is blynde but my seruaunt Also in the 9. of Iohn If ye were blynde ye should haue no sinne But now because ye saye we see your sinne abideth Hauing the forme of knowldege Chrisostome thinketh that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a forme signifieth not here the true maner of knowing whiche hath in it nothing that is filthy but only a shew thereof Hauing the forme of knowledge and of the truth in the lawe We should vndoubtedly haue the forme of our doctrine in our selues and not in the law or in Where the forme of doctrine should be had bookes as Chrisostome here noteth For as they are not very well learned which are wise only by reading commentaries so they are not to be counted iust which put theyr righteousnes in lawes or in decrees For Iohn sayth Hereby we know that we loue God if we obserue his commaundementes Thou therefore which teachest an other teachest thou not thy selfe thou that preachest a man should not steale doost thou steale Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery doost thou commit adultery thou that abhorrest Idols committest thou sacriledge Thou that gloriest in the law through breaking the law dishonorest thou God For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you as it is written Thou therefore vvhich teachest an other teachest thou not thy selfe This The figure of interrogation How Paule here speaketh of the Iewes figure of interrogation is of great efficacy in reprouing But were all the Hebrewes such No vndoubtedly but Paule here speaketh of them Christ being excluded as the Gospel is set agaynst the lawe There were some of the fathers very holy which so liued in the Iewishe religion that yet neuertheles they most perfectly beleued in Christ But they were not such as Paule here describeth They were blessed vndoubtedly not because they had receaued the law but because they were occupied in it both day night But these mē of whom is now intreated knew the law in deede but they knew it not as they ought to haue done The summe of Paules reason is this that to receaue the law iustifyeth An explication of Paules reason agaynst the Iewes not For if it should iustefye then vndoubtedly all the Iewes should be both iust and holy when as they all had receaued the
when we are demaunded whether the workes of the law iustify we aunswere if a man vnderstand thē as they are vnperfect and mayned they haue no strength to iustify But if a Workes iustify not because they procede of iustification man vnderstand the workes of the law as they are whole and perfect so are they not strange from iustification because they haue faith ioyned with them whereunto they cleaue as vnto the roote Yet will we not graunt that good workes being taken euen after this maner do iustify for that they proceede of iustification do of necessity require iustification to go before them and therefore Why Paule calleth those workes the workes of the lawe which are mained and vnperfect are they not strange from it because they depend of it Thou wilt say peraduenture why doth Paule by the workes of the law vnderstand those mayned and vnperfecte workes Because he taketh them as the aduersaries did which had a respect only vnto them and were strangers both from Christ and also from fayth in him And that Paule did not thinke those to be in very deede the workes of the lawe it manifestly appeareth by that which is before written He is not a Iew which is only a Iew outward neyther is that circumcision which is in the flesh only Where a man may manifestly see that he taketh away the nature of the Iewish religion and of circumcision from the obseruation which is only outward And vndoubtedly the Images of good thinges if they haue only a shewe be in themselues vayne and ought to be counted among thinges A similitude worthy of disprayse As the art of Sophistry forasmuch as it hath a shewe of knowledge and wanteth it in very deede is condemned Hipocrisy also is to be detested which although it set forth a shew of holynes yet is it most farre of from it Wherefore if a man should agaynst the proper and true workes of the lawe vse those testimonies which Paule now alleageth and which to the like purpose he writeth in an other place vndoubtedly he should abuse them As if Another similitude a man should impute vnto true nobility those reproches which are iustly imputed vnto them which hauing had excellent noble pregenitors haue degenerated from them into most filthy vices Or if a man shoulde reproue eloquence after the selfe same maner that we are wont iustly to reproue those which only with fine and eloquent wordes do poynt out foolishe matter when as they are vtterly ignorant of the sound truth But as touching this matter let thys suffice at this present Now is this to be expounded why he addeth this particle Before God Vndoubtedly therefore that by the contrary we myght know that certayne may sometymes be iustified before men by the workes of the law Because forasmuch as the sight of man can not perce into the inward partes of the hart men do geue sentence by the workes But God as Augustine Before men we may be iustified by workes of the law writeth in his booke De spiritu litera beholdeth the hart and sometymes beholdeth them which outwardly kepe the lawe and inwardly desire rather to do otherwise were not eyther that punishementes hang ouer theyr heds or that they thinke that they should thereby lose their estimation when as in very dede they want both fayth and charity Neyther is this to be passed ouer that by the What is to be vnderstand by the name of flesh name of fleshe is vnderstand the whole man Which phrase of speach is much vsed in the scriptures The word was made fleshe All fleshe had corrupted his way All fleshe shall see the saluation of God And a greate many other such lyke And therefore is man so called that he might be continually admonished of his miserable and weake estate and that he should vnderstand that vnles the spirite of God should resist it he should vtterly be caried away with the appetite of the fleshe To iustify as we haue before said is taken three maner of wayes Sometymes To iustify taken three maner of wayes it is to obtayne a righteousnes which sticketh and abideth in our minds But such righteousnes Paule meaneth not in this place Otherwise we deny not but that of true workes of the law by continuall exercise of them are ingenerated good and holy habites or qualities To be iustified also is to be pronounced or to be counted iust Which thinges also may be gotten by workes For so one is sayd to iustifye an other when he beholdeth his good dedes God also in the last iudgement shall geue sentence according to workes and shall pronounce good men iust by those thinges which they vprightly haue done Thirdly to iustifye is as much to say as to forgeue sinnes to absolue a man and to impute vnto him the righteousnes of Christ which thing works by their deserte can not obtayne And in this sense are those thinges to be taken which the Apostle here writeth It followeth For by the lawe is the knowledge of sinne This is the reason why we are not iustified by the workes of the lawe Because the office of the lawe is farre other then to iustifie There are some which thinke that these wordes are spoken by preuention as though the Iewes should obiect and say If the law iustifye not why then was it geuen Haue we in vayne receaued it We haue not Although the lawe iustifie not yet was it not geuen in vayne The propriety to declar sinnes is cōmon to all lawes in vayne receaued it sayth Paule the office thereof is to shew sinnes If a man demaund of what lawe these thinges are spoken we aunswere that Paule doth priuately entreate of the law of Moses but the propriety which he bringeth is common to all lawes to the law of nature the lawe of Moses to ciuill lawes which we vse in our publike wealthes As touching the law of Moses and ours there is no doubt to be put As concerning the lawe of nature the booke of Genesis doth most manifestly teach that by it was sinne knowen Which thing Ambrose vpon this place alleadgeth out of the history of Ioseph And Paule also wyll afterward declare the same when he sayth For euen vnto the law sinne was in the world but it was not so counted namely because the law of nature was dayly more and more obfuscated Wherefore it was necessary that by the law of Moses and other lawes it should be agayne illustrated And that syn was before Moses time he thereby declareth because death raigned all that time ouer all mankind And in this place in the Greke is red 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in latine a man may call Agnitio that is an acknowledging which is when a thinge being alreadye knowne is againe called to knowledge But after what sorte the lawe is sayd to woorke the acknowledginge of sinnes he hath before taughte whē as by many testemonies of the
will and by that meanes is sinne made more greeuous And of this we reade Let not sinne raigne in youre mortall body After that followeth custome and by the bonds thereof are we more streightly bound vnder the rule of sinne so that it is in a maner impossible to ouercome an vse now inueterated For as Esay sayth An Ethiopian can not change his skinne Lastly the vngodly are sometymes brought to that poynte that they sinne agaynst the holy ghost vnto which sinne forgeuenes is vtterly denied as Christ hath taught vs in the Gospell And Ieremy was commaunded not to pray any more for the people Sinne also might be deuided into thoughts words and deedes What sinne is agaynst the law of God And of all these the law instructeth vs. And sinne generally is to stray from the commaundement of the lawe as archers when they hit not the marke which way so euer it be do fayle and misse wherefore seing To deparâ— from the Image of God is sinne man was made vnto the Image of God in his life and maners to expresse the nature and disposition of him whensoeuer he misseth of that he sinneth But this benefite to be admonished and accused of our wicked actes bringeth not with it an absolute profite when as of our selues we are not able to auoide those thinges whereof we be accused nor to performe those thinges whereof we be admonished Therefore we must see that we haue a regard vnto Christ vnto whome we are by the law brought And this is to be marked that these thinges are chiefely written of the lawe by an antithesis or comparison vnto fayth For if the lawe be taken by it selfe it is so farre of from geuing vnto vs righteousnes and honour that it maketh vs naked and layeth open whatsoeuer filthynes we haue committed so that by it we get nothing but confusion Which thing yet happeneth not through the defaulte of the lawe but through the default of our mynde because the lawe lighteth vpon it being corrupt and bent to euill thinges For we are prone to do all thinges which are repugnant vnto the law of God For it commaundeth that we should put our trust in god but we trust to our selues It commaundeth that we should be seruisable vnto our neighbour but our desire is that all men might be our seruantes And when with vnbrideled lust we rushe vpon these and such like sinnes the law of God setteth it selfe agaynst vs as doth a stoppe against a strong streame against which when the water commeth it swelleth and is made more violent For as the saying is Nitimur in vetitum cupimus negata that is we indeuour our selues to that which is forbidden vs and couet the thinges that are An excâ—lleÌ„t benefite of the law denyed vs. All which thinges notwithstanding yet is it an excellent benefite of God which is geuen vnto vs by it namely to know our selues Neyther must we thinke that we want that benefite for that we are sayde in the holy scriptures to be by Christ deliuered from the lawe For that is not to be vnderstanded simplye For the abrogation of the lawe is two maner of wayes One is The abrogation of the lawe two maner of wayes whereby we are not bound to performe those thinges which are commaunded As we see is of iudiciall commaundementes and ceremonies Which thing is not to be vnderstanded of the morall commaundementes Christ sayth that he came not to breake the lawe but rather to fulfill it And Paule sayth what then do we by fayth abolishe the lawe God forbid Yea rather we establishe the law There is an other abrogation of the law whereby the law is letted that it can not accuse vs as guiltye And so is the morall part also vnderstanded to be abolished But if we will speake more vprightly the law is not abrogated but the domination In what sense the law is sayd to be abrogated How the lawe is not geuen vnto the iust maÌ„ or power which followeth it so that we must thinke that the stinge rather thereof is plucked out then that it is all whole taken away That is true indeede which is written vnto Timothe that vnto the iust man the law is not geueÌ„ Because as Augustine writeth in his booke De spiritu litera Who woulde prescribe a lawe vnto hym whiche of hys owne wyll and accorde dothe and executeth those thynges whiche pertayne vnto ryghteousnesse Wherefore his iudgement is that iust men vse the lawe towardes others whome they instruct in driuing it into theyr hedes and diligently setting it before them to stirre them vp to repentance And forasmuch as the Apostle seameth to haue spoken thinges repugnant for on the one fyde he affirmeth that the lawe is not set vnto the iust maÌ„ and on the other side he sayth it is good so that a man vse it lawfully But none vseth it lawfully but only the iust man Augustine conciliateth them after A conciliation this maner that a man may haue the good vse of the law being not yet iustified but by the helpe thereof tendeth to iustification which thing he laboreth Two similitudes by two similitudes to proue It happeneth sayth he that a man goyng to a place is caried in a chariot and when he is once come to the place he leaueth the chariot And children that are yong beginners haue a scholemaister appointed them but when they are once perfect the scholemaister is taken away from them So sayth he whilest a man is called backe from sinnes and goeth forwarde vnto righteousnes the lawe is profitable vnto hym But when he hath once attayned vnto righteousnesse he is deliuered from it and extendeth the vse thereof towardes others But yet ought we not to deny but that they also whiche are conuerted vnto Christ are by the lawe dayly more Euen they also that are iustified are instructed by the lawe of God and more instructed There still remayneth muche of the fleshe and ouermuche darcknes ouer couereth our senses and vnderstandyng so long as wes lyue here Wherefore the vse of the lawe is not superfluous towardes them also whiche are iustified And forasmuche as we are not fullye renued in that there still remayneth so me parte of the olde man and dayly false do still steale vppon vs bothe vnwares vnto vs and also agaynst our willes the lawe findeth in vs matter both to reproue and also to accuse althoughe by the benefite of Christe it can not reach to condemnation Which vndoubtedly it should doo as touching his owne nature if we were not nowe by fayth iustified By this place let vs note what it is with fruite to reade the Scriptures especiallye those places wherein the lawe is written For it is not sufficient diligently and How we must reade the law of God A similitude curiously to read them vnles we do in them as it were in a glasse behold with how many and how great sinnes we are
as generally spoken when as in all men there nether is nor appeareth any such righteousnes But his wordes are contracted vnto those which beleue vnto the elect I say and sanctified Which thing the words of the Apostle sufficiently declare If this sentence should be vnderstanded altogether vniuersally then this manifestation could not be referred but vnto the preaching This vniuersality may haue a respect vnto the preaching which is set forth vnto all men hauing no respect either of persons or estates for so Christ warned the Apostles to preach the Gospell to all creatures and generally addeth whosoeuer beleueth and is baptised shal be saued But the first sense is both true and also more perspicuous He afterward addeth a reason why this righteousnes is made manifest vnto all vpon all that beleue Because sayth he All haue sinned and are destitute of the glory of God That forasmuch as they want righteousnes of their owne they might receaue it at the handes of God There are none so holy but that as sayth Ambrose this place conuinceth them to be sinners forasmuche as this righteousnes geuen of God hath place in all and vpon all But this phrase is to be noted Are destitute of the glory of God By it some thinke is to be vnderstāded the The glory of god somtimes signifieth his dwelling in vs. dwelling of God in vs bycause men were seperated from him nether had they him ioyned vnto them by grace And that the glory of God expresseth this maner of dwelling hereby it is manifest for that the Arke of the couenant is called the glory of God Wherefore when it was taken by the Philistians the glorye of God was sayd to be taken away Others thinke that Paule by the glorye of God vnderstandeth the perfect and true righteousnes which comming from God is iudged glory or that whereby we glorifye God And forasmuch as glory What glory is is nothing els but a prayse most aboundantly published Paule by a figuratiue kinde of speach calleth the most singular giftes of God the glory of God for which giftes we both prayse and celebrate his name so that the thing hath by the figure Metonomia the name of the propriety which followeth it But in my iudgement it semeth that Paule would declare by these wordes that all men in theyr corrupt nature were reiected and that he chiefely reproueth rites sacrifices and workes of the lawe in which they thought the glory of God chiefly to consist For he sheweth that they in very deede were destitute of the glory of God although they were altogether full of their ceremonyes And are iustified freely by his grace Here we haue what that meaneth the righteousnes of God to be made manifest without the lawe namely to be geuen freely And Paule laboring to shew that in iustification is no consideration had of our workes semeth to shew that he neuer satisfieth hymselfe So many wordes heapeth he vp which signifieth one and the selfe same thing For We measure the righteousnes of God by our own righteousnes he saw what a hard thing it is to be beleued of vs which will our selues do nothing freely and by our owne measure do measure the righteousnes of God as though he also would not geue his righteousnes freely Out of this kinde of speach ought to be gathered this common sentence that by fayth only we are iustified And although this word only be not found in the holy scriptures yet is it necessarily inferred of those things which we there reade as Ambrose most Ambrose sayth by fayth onely playnly noteth in this place writing vōp these words saying We do nothyng we recompēce not by fayth only are we iustified which is the gift of God He was not content to say that we are iustified by fayth only but he addeth also other clauses whereby he might more playnly declare the same The selfe same thing writeth Basilius also in his booke De confessione fidei We sayth he haue nothing whereof Basilius was of the same iudgement we may make our boast concerning righteousnes forasmuch as we are iustified only hy fayth in Christ. Which wordes are not so to be vnderstanded as though the fayth wherby we are iustified were alone that is not adorned with good holy works but because our workes though they be neuer so holy are not causes of the true righteousnes The like similitude is shewed in water wherin moistnes and coldnes are ioyned together but to washe away blots and spots properly belongeth to moistnes and not to coldnes Wherefore this is a false argument ab accidente whē as two things being ioyned together that which belongeth to the one is ascribed vnto the other But as touching this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is being iustified being a participle of the nominatiue case it is to be referred vnto that which was a little before spoken For all haue sinned and are destitute of the glory of God as though he should haue sayd they which were such are iustified freely By his grace by the redemption which is in Christ Iesus whome God hath set forth a propitiator by fayth Here Paule expresseth those thinges which by fayth we embrace when we are iustified and sheweth that by fayth he vnderstandeth the obiectes which by it are apprehended And when he sayth by grace he sheweth that he entreateth of a farre other maner of righteousnes then is that which is gotten by workes and he most manifestly excludeth the conditions We are not iustified rashely or by chaunce of the lawe And when we heare that we are iustified fréely and by grace we must not thinke that the same is done rashely or by chance forasmuch as it is tempered by the rule of the election of God The causes and reasons whereof although they be vnknowen vnto vs yet are they knowen vnto God And seing that in respect of hym the same is not done by chaunce we ought not to affirme that men are iustified b◠chance And euē as chaunce is to be takē away so also ought we to banishe necessitye least we should seeme to admitte fate or desteny For God is not compelled to chuse this man more thē that man But whatsoeuer he geueth he geueth it freely and without compulsion By the redemption Hereby appeareth that we are manumitted by Christ and made his free men For we were bond men cast into the prison of sinne Who are redemed death and the deuill But Christ hath fully payd the price for vs and that no small price for he hath shed his owne bloud for vs and geuen his life That is sayd to be redemed which before was both free and also pertayned vnto vs. We were the peculiar people of God and through our owne default we were sold vnder sinne This phrase here of the Apostle manifestly declareth how litle we ought to ascribe vnto free will before we be by the redemption of Christ set at liberty And
speaketh not of ciuill righteousnes which we get by workes and which cleaueth in our mindes as a qualitie but onely of the righteousnes which is geuen vnto vs fréely and is imputed vnto the beleuers Wherefore Paul expressedlye added this particle Before God Whereby is manifestly gathered that the woorkes of men are not of that nature that they can be layde agaynst the wrath and seueritye of God and that they can appease him and make him mercifull vnto vs. Moreouer To haue whereof to boast before God Is to obtayne anye thynge as an excellente and noble gifte whiche we may boaste that we haue receyued of God and not to haue obtayned it of our selues or of our owne strengths For he which leaneth vnto workes commendeth hymselfe and hys owne But hee which is iustified by fayth commendeth the liberalitie of God and setteth foorth hys giftes Whereupon Chrisostome noteth that men haue much more to glorye of when they leane vnto fayth then when they féeke to glory in their works The giftes of God which fayth taketh hold of farre excell all our workes They which glory of workes doo magnifie a thing which is séene and felt but he which glorieth in fayth conceiueth a noble opinion of God so that he is perswaded that he wil performe euen those thinges which can not be done by nature neither boasteth he of those thinges which he hath done but extolleth those thinges which God hath done namely that he loueth him that he hath forgeuen him his sinnes and counteth him in the number of the iust This is in a maner the whole glorieng What is the glorieng of the godly Glorieng is righteousnes freely liberally geuen What is to beleue of the godly By this kinde of speache we sée that the Apostle by glorieng vnderstandeth righteousnes fréely geuen of God Whereby is easelye expressed what Paul ment when before he sayd All men haue sinned and want the glory of God In which place by glory he vnderstode nothing els then righteousnes freely geuē of God bycause by that chiefly shineth forth the glory of God This oracle is writtē in the 15 chap of y◠boke of Genesis Vehaamin beiehonah veiahashbo lo tfaddicka Abraham beleued in God and he imputed vnto him righteousnes To beleue in this place is assuredly to thinke that God of his mercy loueth vs which mercy by hys mere promise is set forth vnto vs and we not to suffer our selues by reason of our vnpuritye or vncleanes to be plucked awaye from this perswasion Wherefore it wholy consisteth in the embrasing of the grace and promise of God offred vnto vs. In very many places Abraham is highly cōmended and praised But he was neuer called iust but then onely when he beleued Hereby may we Onely in thys place Abraham is called iuste How diligent depe a handler of scriptures Paul was know with what great diligence Paul did both handle search and weigh the holy scriptures He declineth not to allegories nor to mens inuentions He especially weigheth two wordes which he compareth together by which the whole reason is knit together which wordes are To beleue and righteousnes to be imputed But in the historie of the booke of Genesis which we are now in hand with it is had after this maner God appeared vnto Abraham and sayd that he was his buckler or protection and his plenteous reward Which things when he heard he begā to complayne for that he had no children For the elders ▪ had an exceding greate desire to haue children and that for two causes partlye bycause they desired the increase of a people which might worship God and partly bycause they had heard that the Messias should take flesh of theyr nacion Therfore they desired by hauing Why the elders wer so desirous of posterity of children to light at the length vpō that Messias But God vouchsaued not onely to geue vnto him posteritie but commaunded him also to number the starres of heauen which thinge when he could not do God promised that the aboundance of his sede should be as greate Abraham beleued God and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnes That which the Grecians haue turned in the passiue significatiō 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is was imputed in the hebrue is written actiuely he imputed namely God imputed vnto him righteousnes But in the sence there is no difference And Paul therefore followeth the seuenty interpreters bycause theyr translation was not vnknowen vnto the heathen where let vs note that that which in the hebrew is in Deum that is in God the same both Paul and the seuenty haue turned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to God wherfore they obserued not that difference of Augustene of beleuing God and beleuinge in God But here ariseth a doubte how Abraham semeth to How that the fayth of Abraham was in Christ haue obtayned righteousnes by fayth For that fayth was not of Christ but onely of an infinite yssue and posteritie But vnto this may answere be made many wayes First that Abraham beleued not onely touching issue but chiefelye touching those thinges which at the beginning of the chapter were promised vnto him namely that God would be vnto him both a shield and a reward And moreouer then this he foresaw Christ in his posterity Wherefore in the Gospell it is saide of hym that he saw the day of Christ and reioyced And Paul to the Galathians referreth all thys vnto one seede whych is Christ Farther hee whyche talked wyth hym was the sonne of God For no man hath sene God at anye tyme. Therfore whatsoeuer thinges we haue either seene or knowen of hym the Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared it vnto vs. Wherfore if he beleued God he beleued in Christ We haue oftentimes Christ the roote of all promises also declared that in all promises was wrapped and infolden as the roote and foundacion that promise which was touching Christ Neyther seeme they to thinke amisse which affirme that alwayes the obiect of faith is the mercy and goodnes of God which sheweth forth it selfe in singular giftes eyther temporall or spirituall Wherefore when the elders conceaued a hope of victory of deliuery from enemyes and from other calamityes they chiefely did put their confidence in the deuine goodnes because by it God was moued mercifully and appeasedly to geue vnto them these singular giftes And he coulde not be appeased towardes them but by Christ Wherefore in that they beleued any of the promises of God they beleued in Christ Which thing also we ought to be myndfull of when we aske our dayly bread we ought to beleue y◠we shal not want such thinges as pertayne to our liuing Some thinke this to be repugnaunt vnto the argument of Paul which is written in the 106 Psalme of Phinees the sonne of Eleazar who when he had thruste thoroughe the Madianitishe Whither Phinees were iustefied by his worke
harlot and the Israelite not only repressed the plague inflicted by God but also got this thereby that euen the selfe same thinges with like number of wordes were written of hym which Paule here citeth of Abraham out of the booke of Genesis And it was imputed vnto hym for righteousnes Which wordes seing they are spoken of him by reason of his worke it might seme that iustification is not After iustification the saintes do workes which God counteth for iust Paule entreateth of the first righteousnes and the psalme of that righteousnes which followeth iustification Good workes also are sayd to be imputed for righteousnes so proper vnto fayth that Paule should firmely auouch that righteousnes commeth vnto vs by it only But we answere that we deny not but that after fayth and iustification are of good men wrought excellent workes which are of God counted for iust especially when they haue their ofspring out of fayth Wherfore Augustine vpon the 31. Psalme when he commendeth Abrahams fact in that he would haue sacrificed his only sonne sayth that he commendeth the building but in the meane tyme he considereth the foundation which was fayth he sayth that he alloweth the fruite but in the meane tyme he hath a regard to the roote But Paule now entreateth not of those thinges which follow righteousnes but of the very roote and hed what that is for which we are counted iust Wherefore the Psalme speaketh of the worke and Paul of the fyrst righteousnes Nether ought we to maruayle that good workes are sayde to be imputed for righteousnes forasmuch as it is necessary it should be so For they haue not in thēselues so much perfection that they can in all pointes satisfye the lawe of God Wherefore it is nedefull that God for his mercy sake receaue them as acceptable in imputing that part of goodnes and of righteousnes which wanteth in them They also are not to be harkened vnto which interprete this sentence so that they vnderstand that Paul speaketh of fayth here as it is a worke so that Fayth is not here taken as it is a worke Two manner wayes of imputing the sence should be that God imputed vnto righteousnes that acte of Abraham whereby he beleued as though he would count that for iuste That is not intreated of at this present to dispute of a iust worke But that is sought from whence we are iustified And to make the matter more playne to be imputed vnto righteousnes is taken two maner of wayes Sometymes it signifieth some acte to be ratified and to be allowed and to speake briefely to be accepted for iust and after this maner we graunte that that acte of Phinees and the good workes of holy men are imputed of God vnto righteousnes An other way it signifieth that by which we our selues are counted in the number of the iust and that Paul attributeth only vnto fayth as though he should haue said Abraham beleued that he was acceptable vnto God and that he was counted with him for iust and lastly that he should attayne to blessednes and as he beleued so he receaued For it came to passe vnto hym according to his fayth Wherefore by it he receaued that which was offred vnto him of God as it is written in the beginning of the 15. chapter For God had sayde vnto hym I am thy protector and thy exceding great reward But that which is sayd of Phinees and of the workes of goodmen pertayneth vnto the dutyes whiche follow them that are iustified But forasmuch as many promises are made vnto workes and God in this place calleth himselfe a reward and eternall life is oftentimes If eternall life be sayd to be rendred vnto workes why is not also sayd of righteousnes Good woorkes may go before eternal life but not before iustification Eternall life is called a reward by a similitude and not properly in the holy scriptures called a reward as though it were rendred vnto workes why may we not by workes likewise obtayne righteousnes seying that it is as great a matter to glorifye as to iustify But two thinges are here to be considered first that good workes may go before glorification but not before iustification Because after that we are iustified we may do such thinges as are acceptable vnto God But before we are iustified we are able to do nothinge that is truely good and which can please God Moreouer we graunt not that eternall life is had by workes as though it were by them merited But when it is called a reward it is in this respect because it is rendred after the worke done euen as that which we deserue by any ciuile actions is not wont to be rendred till the worke be full done And in such sort eternall life may indede haue some similitude of a reward but yet properly and as touching the nature of a reward it is most farre of and that for thrée causes First because those thinges which are geuen and which are receaued are not alyke but that is required to the nature of merite Secondly because the workes which we offer are not our owne For God geueth them vnto vs and woorketh in vs both to will and to performe Wherefore if there were any merite it should not be attributed vnto vs but vnto God as to the author of all good workes Lastly when a reward or merite is properly taken it behoueth the that which is geuen of vs be not bound of duety vnto him vnto whom it is geuē But we although we shoulde not obtayne felicitye yet ought we to doo all our thinges vnto the glory of God Wherefore eternall lyfe can not be called a reward but by a certaine similitude But many say that these sentences of Paul are to be vnderstand by a figure as though it were the figure Synecdoche that faith is therefore said to iustifie because it in iustifieng obteineth the chiefest place and so they will Sinecdoche which y◠aduersaries vse not that good works which are ioyned with faith should vtterly be excluded from y◠power of iustifieng They are in dede content that we should commend faith but yet in such sort commend it that we shoulde say that it iustifieth together with other good workes which workes they say Paul vnderstādeth in it by the figure Synecdoche And by this meanes they thinke may be conciliated very many places in the scriptures For vndoubtedly in the xx chap. of Genesis God for a worke promised many thinges vnto Abraham Bicause saith he thou hast done this thing thy seede shall be increased it shall obteyne the gates of his enemies and in thy sede shall all nations be blessed and other such like And Iames semeth to expound this Synecdoche when he affirmeth that Abraham was iustified by workes Vnto these men we aunswer that the wordes of Paul will in no case suffer any suche trope or figure whose wordes are so playne and perspicuous that they neither can be violated nor yet
that we shall be the heires of God and the fellow heires of Christ for that he is the first begotten amongst many brethern Christ himselfe also sayth Euen as the liuing father sent me so send I you and dispose vnto you the kingdome as the father hath disposed it vnto me Where I am I will that there also be my minister Agayne in an other place to the ende he woulde declare that we are not excluded froÌ„ this inheritance he sayth blessed are the meke for they shall possesse the earth And Paule sayth All thinges are youres and you long to Christ and Christ to God Yea also the Angels serue the elect He hath geuen charge fayth he to his Angels concerning thee to keepe thee in all thy wayes Farther by Christ is restored whatsoeuer was lost in Adam Man when he was created was made vnto the image of God which sentence the scripture strayght way interpreteth to be ruler ouer all thinges created And if Christ haue restored this Image then also hath he rendred agayne the principality that was lost and so hath rendred it that the same is sayd by right to be restored vnto vs by right I say of inheritance Nether ought we to despaire of this promise although the outward shew of things appeare now farre otherwise They which pertayne vnto Christ are very weake And the deuil stirreth vp against them the Princes of this world and tyrantes Wherefore we seeme to be most nedy of all thinges and to be most abiect The abiect outward appearaunce nothing depriueth vs of our dominion when yet in very dede we are Lordes of all thinges These thinges are hidden from the eyes of the fleshe but then shall they appeare when Christ himselfe in whome our life is hidden shall appeare Which is not spoken as though Christ doth not now raygne Vnto many paraduenture he semeth to be idle but the godly feele that he raigneth most mightely in the congregation of the elect which is the churche And he raigneth by the spirite the word that is by faith which coÌ„meth from the spirite and depeÌ„deth of the word of God Which The godly feele Christ euen now also to râ—igne Christ raigneth by the word and the spirite that is by fayth faith when the elect haue obtained they haue obtained the victorye against the world For Iohn saith This is the victory which ouer commeth the world your faith And forasmuch as the faithfull vnderstand that all thinges are theirs they are content with meate and drinke and apparell as for other thinges they vse of them so much as is expedient vnto their vocation Finallye there is nothing in the world which turneth not to their profite The Chiliassis whom in Latin we may cal Millenarij thought that this inheritaunce of the whole world shal be declared before the end of this world when Christ as they thought shall raygne a thousand yeares in this world with his saintes hauing destroyed and ouercome all the wicked And these men it should seme followed the oracle which is sayde to come from Elias That the worlde should endure 6000. yeares And these An oracle of Elias yeares they thus describe saying that 2000. yeares passed away before the law 2000. vnder the law and as many shall be vnder the Gospell Afterward they adde a thousand yeares in which they say shall be the chiefe rest so that the thousand last yeares they call the Sabaoth And so they appoint a weke in which euery particular day is taken for a thousand yeares according to that which is said a thousand yeares are wyth the Lord as one day againe one day as a thousand yeres Augustine maketh mencion of this opinion in his 20. booke and. 7. chapter de ciuitate Dei and saith that it was after a sorte tollerable that he himselfe was once of the same minde But that which they added concerning pleasures delightes and worldly honors which they sayd all the faythfull should for the space of those thousand yeares enioy together with Christ he earnestly reproueth They vsurped certaine testimonies of the scriptures wherby they thought to establish their fond inuention For in the Apocalips the. 27. chapter it is written that Christ shall raigne a thousand yeares with the saintes hauing in the meane time ouercome and vanquished Sathan They leane also vnto a saying of Christ in Luke the. 22. chapter That ye may eate and drinke vpon my table I wyll so dispose the kingdome vnto you as my father hath disposed it vnto me Finallye the oracles of the Prophetes which by temporall descriptions shadowed the kingdome of Christ they so take as though they were no otherwise to bee vnderstande then they seeme for at the first sight And they in suche sorte speake of this matter as though in the last time shall be restored the golden worlde which is described Great men were Mtilenarii of the Poetes There were of this opinion men not of the meanest sort as Papias which liued in the Apostles tyme Ireneus Apollinarius Tertullian Victorinus Lactantius and Methodius the Martir Wherfore Hierom in his 4. booke vpon Ieremy writeth that he durst not condemn that sentence because many ecclesiasticall men and Martyrs had died beyng of that opinion Howbeit in an other place he manifestly derideth these Millenarij and very pleasauntly mocketh them Eusebius Cesariensis The opinion of the Chiliasts sprang from Cherinthus in the third booke of his history saith that this opinion had his beginning of Cherinthus the heretike of whom Dionisius bishop of Alexandria expounding the Apoe of Iohn thus writeth that he was altogether geuen to lustes and vnto the bellye and therfore attributed these carnall delightes vnto the kingdom of Christ which should continue a thousand yeares Neither contendeth he onely that there should be matrimonies and procreations of children all that whole time but also that there should be circumcision sacrifices and other ceremonies of the law But sithen we sée that Ireneus is agaynst Cherinthus we cannot easely thinke that he was wholy of the selfe same opinion touching this fable And doubtles it is possible that amongest these Millenarij some were touching one and the same thing of an opinion and other some of an other opinioÌ„ For it is very likely that by reason of that place of the Apocalips some holy men were brought into this opinion to thinke yâ— Christ should In the kingdome of Christ the law shall not be renued in this world raigne with his a thousand yeares but touching the restoring of the law the réedifieng of Ierusalem with precious stones the bringing in agayne of delightes and pleasures of this world they were vtterly against it For how is it possible that the law which hath brought no man to perfection shall be theÌ„ of greatest force when the state of the godly shall be most perfect Doubtles men that are of full age haue no neede of a scholemaister and they which haue profited
moughte haue proued his argument by that which we haue a litle before made mencion of that none of vs is able to kepe the law But he omitteth that at this present And to conclude the more euidently he addeth that the lawe worketh anger As if he shoulde haue sayde So farre is it of that the lawe bringeth the inheritance that it rather maketh vs guilty and subiect vnto the wrath of God And if thou demaund why the law doth in such sort bring vnto vs anger we may answere because we are not able to kepe it For by anger Paule vnderstandeth nothing els but the vengeance of God and that by the figure Metonymia For men when they are angry are accustomed to auenge whiche thinge God also doth although he be not moued with humane affections This selfe same thinge hath Paule to the Galathyans in other words expressed saying Cursed be he that abideth not in all the thinges that are written in the boke of the law And a curse in the holy scriptures signifieth nothing els but calamity affliction and misery I meruayle that Origen vnderstandeth this saying of Paule of the lawe of the members for that vndoubtedly is to farre wide from the purpose For the Iewes gloried not of the concupiscence which was in them by nature which is called of Paul the lawe of the members but they boasted of the lawe of God which was geuen them of God by Moses Wherefore that the Apostle mought with some fruite deale agaynst them it behoued him to write of that lawe whereof they boasted Howbeit by Origenes wordes our aduersaryes may see what he thought of naturall concupisence Vndoubtedly seing he sayth it worketh anger it followeth that he iudged that the first motions which are deriued out of it are of necessity sinnes and transgressions I know there haue bene some which haue taken anger in this place not for the anger of God but for our owne anger For forasmuch as we are by nature prone vnto vices and the lawe when it commeth forbiddeth them we beginne to hate God the author of the lawe and so it worketh in vs anger But the first exposition is bothe plainer and also better agréeth with the sentence followyng For where no law is there is no transgression By these wordes it is manifest that the Apostlement to signifis this that the wrath of GOD is kindled against transgressions But how transgression is brought in by the law the nature How the law and transgression follow one the other of relatiues teacheth which is such that the one of them beyng taken away the other also is taken away On the one side is put the law on the other side is set eyther the obseruation or transgression therof And forasmuch as the obseruation of the law can not be perfect there remayneth onely transgressiō which Paul in this place inferreth But those thinges which are here spoken are to be vnderstande of the law written and whiche was geuen by Moses For otherwise there is none which wanteth a law at the least vndoubtedly the law of nature Wherfore there can none be found without sinne no not an infant of a day olde when as vnto him the image of God is in stede of a law vnto which image for that he answereth not The law of children is the image of God as Augustine declareth in his booke of confessions vndoubtedly he can not be with out sinne As touching the letter the Greke worde worde is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with aspiration so it is turned in Latine cuius that is of whome But the vulger interpreter séemeth to haue red 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therfore turned it vbi that is where But as touching the sence there is no difference whether it be this or that Howbeit let vs not thinke that these thinges are to be ascribed vnto the lawe as it is taken by it selfe alone The law of his owne nature worketh not these things A similitude but as it lighteth vppon our mynde being corrupt and vitiate We haue of thys thing an example although grosse in gonne pouder wherwith is mingled either salt nitre or salt peter which is by nature very cold And thereof it commeth that when the fire is receiued in the brimstone against which striueth the coldnes of the salt nitre or of the salt peter it conceiueth so great a violence that the pellet beyng driuen out with an incredible force shaketh and ouerthroweth whatsoeuer is in the way So the heate of our lust when it findeth the law repugnaunt agaynst it is with a greater violēce strēgthned so that it enforceth men to most haynous wycked actes For as the common saying is We endeuour our selues to that whiche is forbidden vs and we haue alwayes a desire to thinges denied vs. Howbeit to the godly and to the elect this force of the law is not vnprofitable For it leadeth them euen as a scholemaister vnto Christ And for that cause Christ is iustly and worthely called the ende of the law not for that the law is by him abrogated but bicause it directeth men vnto him Finally Christ hath performed and accomplished y◠law Christ the end of the law not onely in himselfe but also in them that beleue in hym for he hath geuen them strengthes to obey it Neyther is it any maruell that the law bryngeth men vnto Christ especially seyng he himself was the author therof For by the Sonne it was Christ the author of the law reuealed vnto Moses And for this ende he gaue it by it to drawe men vnto hym Here are we admonished of the peruersenes of our nature whiche is so greate that although we be taughte the wyll of GOD by the lawe yet we neuer cease to striue agaynste it Some goe aboute by this place to inferre that they do ill whiche set for the lawes especiallye seyng they serue verye muche to increase Whether it be lawfull to make lawes transgressions But if their argument were of any strengthe then shoulde they inferre that GOD also oughte not to haue made any lawe Wherefore we say that those lawes whiche are made are either iust or vniust If they be vniust then are they not to be counted for lawes For who will call the violent affectes of tyrantes lawes But if they be iust then are they interpretations of the lawes of God And by them we vnderstande the will of God that by that meanes we Good lawes are interpretacions of the lawes of God Names attributed vnto the law may be broughte to Christe that by him we may obteine strengthes to do them This selfe same sentence also is had in the epistle to the Galathians That the lawe was put because of transgressions namely to shew forth thē to accuse them to condemne them So in the latter epistle to the Corinthians the law is called the ministery of deathe and in the first to the Cor. it is called the power efficacy of sinne
of the giltines and of the offence and also grace What is to be attributed vnto baptisme and the holy ghost and our graftyng into Christ and also our right to eternall lyfe And yet doth it not therof follow that by it is abolished the corruption of nature or continuall nourishment of sinne Wherfore Paul rightly fayth That we are by hope saued But it is much to be meruailed at how yâ— Pelagians can deny that there is originall sin in infantes seyng they see that they daily dye For Sinne and death are knit together the scripture manifestly teacheth that the stipend of sinne is death and the stinge of death is sinne Wherfore from whomsoeuer we seclude sinne from him also must we nedes seclude death For by the testimony of the scripture these are compared In Christâ— onely was death with our sinne together as the cause and the effect But here we ought to except Christ onely who although he knew not sinne yet died he for our fakes But death had not dominion ouer him for he of his owne accord suffred it for our sakes But to say that there are some without sinne although all men dye were to ioyne Testimonies that proue that infantes want not sinne together thinges repugnant and contrary one to an other But besides thys place there are a great many other places also which proue that infantes are not without sinne for Dauid sayth Beholde in iniquities was I conceaued and in sinne hath my mother conceaued me And Paul to the Ephesians calleth vs the children of wrath by nature And in Genesis it is written the hart of man is euen from his infancy prone to euill There are also to coÌ„firme this sentence a great many other places besides which we will alleadge wheÌ„ we entreate of originall sin apart by it selfe Now seing I haue declared what the Apostle meaneth by sinne by which one maÌ„ it entred into the world there remaineth to coÌ„sider by what means it was spred abroade This is a matter obscure very hard therefore I do not The manner of the propagatioÌ„ of originall sinne is obscure thinke to stand long about it But forasmuch as the word of God most plainely techeth that such a sin there is that it desceÌ„deth into our posterity although we vnderstand not the maner way how it is powred into theÌ„ yet we ought to geue place vnto the truth not to be to much careful or to trouble our selues more theÌ„ nedes touching the way and maner which is hard to be knoweÌ„ and may with out daunger be vnknowen Howbeit I thinke it not amisse to declare those waies and meanes which I haue obserued amoÌ„gst yâ— ecclesticall writers whose opinions touching this matter are fower in number The first is of those which thought that we receaue of our parents the souls together with the bodies that euen as God by humane sede createth the body so also of the same createth he the soule This sentence doth Augustine make mencion of in his tenth booke vpon Genesis ad literam and in many other places nether hath he at any time that I can remember of disalowed the same yea rather he saith that by this senteÌ„ce may be dissolued this knotte touching originall sinne Tertullian and many others Tertullian leaneth to traduction What is brought out of the scriptures for the traduction of the soule of the old writers fauored this sentence Whose argumentes when I diligently peyse I iudge in dede probable but yet not of necessitie For the whiche they bring out of the 46. chapter of Genesis of the 66. soules which came out of the thigh of Iacob may nor vnaptly be expounded by the figure Synecdoche so that by the soule which is the principallest part of the man is vnderstand the body which is without all controuersie procreated of the seede of the parents We may also by the soule vnderstand the grosser partes of the soule as the vegetatiue part and the sensitiue part which no man doubteth but that they are procreated of the sede And that the holy scriptures sometimes vse this word soule in that sence Christe testifieth in the Gosple where he sayth He which loseth his soule for my sake shall finde it An other of theyr reasons as Augustine writeth in his 10. booke vpon Genesis is this In the creation of the woman it is not written that God breathed into her a liuing soule whereby they gather that she had of Adam not only her body but also her soule But this reason Augustine iudgeth Whether God breathed a soule into Euâ— to be weake For a man mought reply vpon it and say that it had bene once alredy said that God breathed a soule into Adam and therefore there was no nede to repete the same agayne For if God had brought in a new manner of procreation of soules the scripture would not haue passed it ouer in silence But seing the scripture maketh no mencion at all of any new maner we ought to vse that which it had before expressed especially seing that we se that Adam sayd of hys wife This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my fleshe but added not and soule of my soule which vndoubtedly had bene more sweter and had more serued to expresse the 〈…〉 tion of 〈…〉 But Augustine confesseth that the doubt is not thereby diss 〈…〉 For if 〈◊〉 affâ—rmâ— that soules are euery day created and so created that in the bodies theâ—â— goeth before no 〈◊〉 alis ratio as he Whither God ceassed from all woorkes the seuenth day speaketh that is no substance of sede then God shall not seme to haue perfectly seased froÌ„ all workes the seuenth day when as he still euery day createth soules of nothing But vnto this argument may 〈…〉 aduenture be answered that in the body traduced of the parentes it is sufficient if there be found such qualities and conditioÌ„s whereby it is able to receaue a reasonable soule and that this is that seminalis ratio before spoken of But whatsoeuer is to be sayd of these arguments and theyr answeres once Augustine wholy enclineth this way that at the least he thinketh that the soule of Christ came not from the blessed virgine The soule of Christ semeth not to be traduced from the blessed virgin by propagation of which iudgement he sayth that others as well as he were and that they auouched that it moughte be proued by the epistle vnto the Hebrues For there it is sayd that the priesthode of Christ excelled the priesthede of Aaron for that Christ was a priest according to the order of Melchifedech And the priesthode of Melchisedech was more excellenter then the priesthode of Aaron for that Leuy gaue tenthes vnto Melchisedech for he was in the loynes of Abraham who payd tithes vnto Melchisedech But Christ also should haue bene no lesse in the loynes of Abraham then was Leui if he had had both his bodye and
the knowledge of sinne And this knowledge he sayth is had by the lawe and that sinne was both before the lawe and after the law but it gréeued not all men after one and the selfe same maner for before the lawe was geuen sinne was not knowen but after it was geuen it began to be knowen By these wordes is most manifestly gathered that the lawe had not this force to take away sinne out of the world but was for this cause geuen to shew sinne The Apostle semeth to speake these thinges by preuention for a little before he had sayd for that all men haue sinned which mought haue bene iudged vntrue especially seing the same Paul sayd Where no lawe is there is no transgression For sinne is whatsoeuer disagréeth from the rule of the law Wherefore he answereth that sinne was indéede before the lawe but it was not then imputed And by the lawe he vnderstandeth the lawe of Moses For They which liued before Moses time were not vtterly without a law The institution of man was a certaine law The law geuen of God by Moses reproueth all kindes of sinnes nether were they which liued before Moses tyme vtterly without a lawe for they had the light of nature and reasons in their conscience accusing and defending one an other as we haue before red in the second chapter Also the very institution of man whereby he was bound to resemble the image of God was a certayne lawe For when he departed from that Image vndoubtedly he sinned and this lawe extended so farre that it also included the very infantes But when by reason that our corruption grew of more force these things were obfuscated God of his wonderfull great mercy gaue a lawe whereby mought be reproued all kinds of sinnes Wherefore we ought with all dilligence to looke vpon it vnles we will be ignorant of our selues Which euen the Philosophers abhorred as a thing most euill For otherwise we are of our owne nature so framed that when our sinnes are layd before vs we laboure not so much to amende them as to excuse to extenuate and to lenefie them and because we would sinne the more fréely we set before vs the examples of other men For we commonly regard not what we ought to do but what other men do But if we would looke vpon the lawe straight way would come before our eyes our condemnation For in it is written Cursed be euery one which abideth not in all the We must most diligētly looke vpon the lawe thinges that are writtēin the booke of the lawe And therefore God by a singular benefite gaue vnto the people prophetes which should not onely inculcate and beat into their heades the lawe but also expounde the same by most vehement and feruent preachinges Wherefore it is much to be lamented now a dayes that sermones are ether so rare or els that those fewe that are are so negligently hard Wherefore it is not to be meruayled at that euery where is founde so great blindnes and that pernicious errors do so farre range abroade VVhere no lawe is sinne is not imputed The lattine booke hath non imputabatur that is was not imputed Peraduenture they reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Men knew not sinnes so far was it of that they coulde beware of them God in that blindnes imputed sinnes and that iustly And yet were they not before the law vtterly ignorant of time verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This imputacion or reputacion is to be referred vnto men which were so miserable and blinde that of themselues they could not so much as know sinnes so farre were they of that they could beware of sins so vtterly obscure was at that time the light of nature but God imputed those sinnes vnto them that not vnworthely for that blindnes happened through their owne default And that God imputed those sinnes vnto thē he himselfe many wayes declared For he both by the floud destroyed the whole world and complayned vnto Noe that all flesh had corrupted theyr way and that the hart of man was prone vnto sinne euen from hys childehode He reproued Cayn of murther and tooke vengeance vpon the Sodomites And Cayn himselfe answered that his sinne was greater then that it could be forgeuen By which wordes we se that Cayn was not vtterly ignorant of sinne yea nether were the Egiptiās vndoubtedly ignorant of sinne For they cast Ioseph into prison for that he was suspcted of adultery and so serued they the baker and the butler for that they had sinned Nether is it credible that godly men as Abraham Iob and Iacob vnderstood not sinne especially seing we rede that Iacob desired that he might be put to death with whome soeuer the theft which Laban sought shoulde be found But thys knoweldge which the godly had was not in them all It was geuen only vnto them by reason of theyr singular piety For the common sort of people counted nothing for sinne but only grosse sinnes and such sinnes as were most euidenly hurtefull vnto the societie of men neyther may we easely ascribe vnto Ambrose who vpon this place sayth that men after a sort knewe sinnes but The Ethnikes were not ignorāt that God would aming sinns yet they did not therefore thinke that God would auenge them for they supposed that God would not take vengeaunce of sinnes For Pharao Abimelech being kinges reproued Abraham for that he sayd that Sara was his sister so by that meanes had put them in greate danger that God should haue taken vengeance vpon thē for cōmitting adultery with an other mans wife There mought also be brought testimonies of the Ethnikes which fayned many thinges touching the greuous paynes of them that are in hell But as touching this sentence of Paul we must know that forasmuch as before the law was geuen by Moses there florished Before the law of Moses there were some laws Others lawes forbad all kindes of sins many cities and Publike welths it followeth of necessity that there were some publique lawes receaued amongst thē for otherwise men could not haue liued together and haue mainteined fellowship peace one with an other Howbeit such lawes were neuer of that nature that they forbad vnto men al kindes of sinne which thing yet the Law geuen by Moses hath done For amongst some nations theftes and amongst other nations adulteries were counted for no sinnes nether were there by any lawes punished Amongst the Grekes were permitted many vile filthy thinges Nether did the Romanes lawes which yet were much more seuere and purer punishe all maner of sinnes But that Law which Moses gaue was perfect and absolute especially if we doo consider it as Christ hath expounded it Wherefore the meaning of the Apostle in these words is that sinnes although they were in very dede sins yet were they not knowen amongst men but by the prescript of the Law By those thinges also we may sée that there is
carnall generation Paul in the 6. chap to the Rom. sayth That therefore we must not abide in sinne bicause we are now dead vnto it And that thing he proueth by Baptisme For whatsoeuer we be sayth he that are baptised in Christ Iesu we are baptised in his death to this end that we should dye vnto sinne and that our old man should be crucified and the body of sinne abolished And for as much as children are baptised euen thereby we haue a testemony that there is sinne in them For otherwise the nature of Baptisme as it is there described of Paul should not consist The same reason hath he also in his epistle to the Colossians where he sayth that we are Circumcised with circumcision not made with handes in making cleane the sinfull body of the flesh beinge buried together with Christ in Baptisme He compareth Baptisme with CircumcisioÌ„ saith that they which are baptised are made cleane froÌ„ the body of sinne Nether is it to be doubted but yâ— they which are baptised are baptised into the remission of sinnes And assuredly the circumcision which in the old law was geuen vnto Children was correspondent vnto our Baptisme And as touching circuÌ„cision it is written The soule whose flesh of the foreskinne is not circumcised the eight day let it dye the death Wherefore seing children haue nede of the sacrament of regeneration it followeth of necessitye that they are borne subiect vnto sinne Paul to the Ephesians sayth That we are by nature the children of wrath But our nature could not be odious vnto God vnles it were contaminated with sinne And in the same place Paul doth with most greuous wordes describe the sharpnes of this wrath how that we walke after the prince of this world who is of efficacy in our harts bycause of stubbernes and for that cause we do the will of the flesh and of our mynde Augustine also citeth a place out of the first epistle to the Corrinthi that Christ died for all men Wherefore it followeth that all men were dead and had nede of his death But it is a wicked thing to exclude childreÌ„ out of the nomber of them for whome Christ dyed If thou demaund what maner ones they were for whome Christ died the Apostle hath sufficiently declared that in this epistle when he sayd that they were weake enemies of god vngodly and sinners Amongest whome also we ought to reken young children if we will say that Christ died for them Farther it semeth that Originall sinne is most manifestly taught by the 7. chap. of this epistle For there it is thus written The law is spirituall but I am carnall sold vnder sinne And it is added The good thing which I would I doo not but the euill which I would not that I doo Neither doo I worke that but sinne which dwelleth in me He maketh mencion also of the law of members wherewith he complayneth that he was drawen captiue and agaynst his will And in the 8. chap. he sayth that the wisdome of the fleshe is enmity against God neither is it subiect vnto the law of God yea neither can it be The death also which young children dye doth sufficientlye testefye that there sticketh sinne in them except we will say that God punisheth them without desert Farther this selfe place which we are now in hand with conteyneth a most manifest testemony of Originall sin For thus it is written that by one man sinne entred into the world that all meÌ„ haue sinned none excepted and that the sinne of one man is spred abrode amongst all men and that for the disobedience of one man many are made sinners Farther they which are grafted in Christ are toward the latter end of this epistle called wild oliue trees by which metaphore is signified that man had degenerated from yâ— good institution of nature And if so be that we haue departed from our nature vndoubtedly we are spotted with originall sinne And before Paul so accused all mankind that he sayd There is none iust there is none that vnderstandeth or seketh after God All haue declined and ther with all are become vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one c. All which thinges sufficiently declare the corruptioÌ„ of mans nature By these testimonies of scriptures it is manifest inough as I thinke that there is Originall sinne Now in order I should confute the argumentes of the aduersaries But first I thought it good to declare the definition of originall sinne For it being diligently marked and knowen many thinges shall by the way be vnderstanded which serue much to confute their reasons First we will recite the opinions of other men then will we declare what we thinke thereof The Pelagians The Pelagians say that the sâ—n of Adam was spred abroade only by imitation Adam brought not forth the first example of sinning but the deuill affirmed that the sinne of Adam hath not spred abroade into his posterity but only by imitation Augustine striued vehemently agaynst these men and proueth by many argumentes that originall sinne is not only the imitation of the sinne of Adam For if Paul would haue sayd that the first sinne was after that maner spred abroade he would not haue sayde that it came froÌ„ Adam but rather from the deuill For he was the first that gaue a forme and example to sinne Wherefore Christ in Iohn sayth that the Iewes which boasted that they came of their father Abraham were rather the children of the deuill because they did his workes For the deuill was a manqueller euen froÌ„ the beginning and they sought to kill hym which had not euill deserued at their handes And to this Augustine citeth that which is written in the 2. chapter of the booke of wisedome that through enuy of the deuill death entred into the world and that they do imitate him which are on his side Vnto which sentence neuertheles I do not much attribute partly because that booke is not Canonicall and partly because in the Greke text there is some ambiguity For this verbe do imitate is not there written but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is haue experience of that death Howbeit the reason is firme that of the deuill came the fyrst example of sinning Farther this opinion is hereby coÌ„futed because Paul maketh an Antithesis betwene Christ and Adam But the righteousnes of Christ is not only set forth vnto be to be imitated but The righousâ—es of Christ is not only set forth to be imitated also that they which beleue in hym should be changed in mynde corrected in spirite and amended in all their strengthes Wherefore it is agayne required on the other side by the nature of the Antithesis that besides the euill example which Adam gaue vnto his posterity he hath also corrupted their nature and as Augustine writeth in his booke of the merites and remission of sinnes tabe quadam tabificauerit that is hath with a certayne corruption
the olde testament semed a reuenger and cruell because he punished men with most greuous punishementes Which thing Ierome sayth is to be ascribed vnto goodnes and not to cruelty For God saith he did for no other cause punishe men so greuously in Sodom in the floude and at other tymes but that they should not perish for euer For he punished thē once that they should not afterward be punished agayne But the same Ierome peraduenture because he sawe these reasons not very strong obiecteth vnto himselfe By these wordes it may seeme that adulterers if they be taken are in good case for so it should come to passe that they being punished with death should escape eternall punishementes of hell Wherefore he aunswereth that the iudge of this world can not preuent the sentēce of God nether is it to be thought that by a light punishement those sinnes are put away which deserue a greuous and longer In Ieroms time adulterers were punished with death punishement In these wordes of Ierome are two thinges to be noted the one is that at that tyme adultery was punished with death and the other that that interpretacion semed not to satisfie him wherefore he alledgeth an other exposition of the Iewes that God by those wordes would signifie that the Assirians should not be able after they had led away the ten tribes to obtayne also the kingdome of Iudah as they had attempted to do vnder Ezechyas God saith he will not suffer a double vexatiō to arise It is sufficient to him to haue destroyed ten tribes he will haue the kingdome of Iuda preserued This exposition although it haue in it nothing contrary to piety yet it semeth not to declare the minde of the prophet For he prophesied the threatning of God agaynst Niniue and that it shoulde be ouerthrowen And mindinge to exagerate the vengeance at hand he sayth that the vehemēce of the destruction which the Chaldeyans shoulde bring shoulde be so greate that God should not nede to afflict them againe for he would punishe them sufficiently in the first vengeance For the kingdome of the Assirians was vtterly ouerthrowen of the Chaldeyans And it is a common saying amongst vs that when a man is beaten euen to the death he was so striken with one blowe that he neded not the second stroke This is the Prophetes scope and the proper sense of this place But as touching the matter we deny not but that afflictions in godly men do tende to this end that they should not be condemned with this world as Paul saith For they are fatherly chastisementes whereby God calleth them backe to repentance But out of that we ought not to draw a generall rule to God puninisheth many of the vngodlye both here and also will punish them in the world to come ascribe vnto God a measure that when he hath begon to punishe the vngodly in this life he can not also punishe them in an other life if they dye without faith and repentance If they returne vnto God they shall suffer nothing in an other life and yet not because they haue in this life with theyr punishementes made satisfaction vnto God but because Christ hath throughly payd the price of redemption for them Wherefore euen as vnto the godly are certayne good thinges geuen in this life which are vnto them an ernest peny and beginning of the life to come which shal be accomplished in an other world so in the vngodly eternall punishementes are begon with the preambles of the afflictions Punishmentes of this life are to the vngodly preambles of the punishmentes to come A place of Ezechiel of this life Which thing also Christ semeth to signify when he sayth Feare him which can both kill the body and also cast the soule into hell fire By these thinges I thinke it manifestly inough appeareth that the oracle of the Prophete which we haue playnely interpreted pertayneth nothinge to the matter whiche we entreate of An other of their arguments is taken out of the Prophet Ezechiell The sonne shall not beare the iniquity of the father To this we may briefly aunswere as we a little before sayd namely that the children beare not the iniquity of their fathers but their own proper iniquity which cleaueth vnto euery man frō his natiuity But bicause that place is of diuers diuersly expounded we will briefly declare our iudgement therin This was a prouerb much vsed among the Iewes Our fathers haue eaten sower grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge And not only Ezechiell maketh mencion of this saying but also Ieremy in his 31. chap. The meanyng of y◠sentence is this Our fathers haue sinned and we are punished for thē And as the Rabines say they which were of the kingdome of the ten tribes semed to referre these things to Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat which first made the golden calues But they which were of the kingdom of Iuda referred the same vnto Manasses for whose impiety they thought that that captiuity honge ouer their heds which the Prophets denounced This prouerbe God reproued sayd that it should not be so henceforth Myne are the soules sayth he the sonne shall not beare the iniquitye of the father but euery man shall dye in hys owne sinne Many will haue these wordes to be vnderstand concerning ciuill punishment bicause God in the 24. chapter of Deut. commaunded that neither the parents should be killed for the children nor the children for the parents Which thing also Amasias king of Iuda obserued as it is written in the 14. chap. of the 2. booke of kinges For he slew them that murthered his father but spared their children accordyng to the commaundement of y◠law Howbeit the Israelites did not alwayes obserue this For we read in the booke of Iosua the 7. chap. that not only Acham was put to death for the accursed thyng Iosua did against the common law when he punished the children with the father which he had stolen but also together with him both his sonnes and daughters also his cattell But this was done by a singuler commaundemēt of God Neither is it preiudiciall vnto the law vniuersally geuen Howbeit this exposition concerning the ciuill law agréeth not with the wordes of the Prophet For the Iewes complained not of the punishment which was inflicted on them by the iudge or by the Prince but of those calamities whiche God himselfe had layde vppon themnamely of the destructiō of their goods of the ouerthrowing of the kingdom of Iudah and of the captiuity of Babilon In these thinges they spake euill of the iudgemēts of God and murmured that his way was not right Wherfore others haue interpreted that place to be spoken of eternall punishments of the withdrawyng of grace and the holy ghost which things they say happē vnto euery man for their owne sinnes and not for the sinnes of other mē Howbeit in the meane time they affirme that both the children do
is it so displeasant and had in hatred Because it calleth Why the law is had in hatred men backe from those thinges which of their owne nature they are prone vnto for it gréeueth them to haue those thinges forbidden them And when we looke vpon the lawe we sée those thinges which we ought to do and by reason of the pride which is naturally plāted and grafted in vs we will not be restrained by any rules Farther thereby we sée how our actiōs are writhed from that vprightnes which is set forth in the lawe and whiche is more grieous we feele our selues to be so weake that we can not correct them and call thē backe to the prescribed rule howbeit in the meane while we behold the paines and anger of God whereinto by reason of sinnes we incurre All these thinges do so We are not angry with our selues as it is meete but wyth the law and wyth God How the law of God may please vs. Christ being ioyned with the law maketh it swete offend our minde that we are angry not indeede with our selues and with our sinnes as it were mete we shoulde but with the lawe geuen of God when as otherwise it is most perfect and most holy Howbeit this discommodity may be remedied and we may bring to passe that those thinges which before were displeasant vnto vs may afterward be pleasant vnto vs. And that shall we do if we ioyne the lawe together with Christ For euen as the waters of Marath were most bitter vnto the people of Israell in the desert and yet the selfe same by casting in the wood which God had commaunded were made swete So although the law by it selfe be bitter yet if Christ be ioyned with it whom God hath set forth vnto vs as an only sauior and also as the iust and due ende thereof we shall then feele it to be sweete Which thing to haue happened vnto Dauid the 119 Psalme manifestly declareth wherein are wonderfully set forth the prayses of the lawe of God For there it is called pleasaunt delectable sweete Prayses of the law in the Psalmes How the law of God is written in our hartes aboue hony and the hony combe And this is it which is promised vs in the prophete that God would write the lawe in our hartes which is nothing els but that he will geue vnto vs the spirite of Christ whereby we may be inclyned to those thinges which the lawe hath commaunded to be done that at the least way the commaundementes of God should be pleasant to our minde Which thing also the Apostle teacheth when he saith In minde I serue the lawe of God This they that are regenerate do fele who although they can not performe a perfect obedience vnto the commaundementes of God yet they loue them and excedingly desire them and embrace them as the chiefe good and do dilligently desire of God to come to the perfection of them as nigh as is possible By these thinges it plainly appeareth how the vtility and righteousnes of the lawe is to be defended against the Manechies But on the other side the Pelagians are no les to be auoyded which ascribe vnto the lawe more then is mete for they affirme it to The Pelagians attribute vnto the law more then is which they thinke to be sufficient vnto saluation Pelagius sometymes confessed the grace of God in woorde and not in dede By grace Pelagius vnderstoods nature and the law The schole men come very nye vnto the error of the Pelagians be sufficient vnto saluation For they say that if men once vnderstand what is to be done they may easely by the power of nature performe the same Wherfore Pelagius for feare least he should haue bene condemned of the Bishoppes of Palestine as one which vtterly denied the grace of God cōfessed the same grace in word for he affirmed that to our saluation the grace of God is necessary But by grace he vnderstoode nothing els but nature it selfe geuen vs freely of God because God hath made vs reasonable and endued vs with free will Farther he saide that the lawe or doctrine of the lawe was grace because of our selues we are ignorant what thinges are to be done or to be beleued vnles God reuele them vnto vs. Wherefore Augustine writeth in his books of the grace of Christ against Celestius that they with mouth affirme that the possibility of nature it holpen by grace But he addeth that if their meaninges were examined and narrowly waighed then shall we see that by grace doctrine and the lawe they vnderstand nothing els but that a man hauing receaued only the knowledge of the lawe hath of himselfe strength inough to do the thinges that are commaunded Vnto which error the schoole deuines approch very nye when they teach that a man euen by the power of nature can obserue the preceptes of God as touching the substance of the worke although not according to y◠intēt of the cōmaunder By which words this they signifie that we can perform the very works although not in such sort as God hath commaunded they should be done namely of charity the spirite Which latter part I thinke they added that they might seme in some point to disagree from the Palagians But Augustine so abhorred from such sentences that not euen vnto the regenerate so long as they liue in this flesh he graunteth a perfect Euen the regenerate are not able perfectly to obserue the law The Pelagians make the death of Christe vaine obseruation of the commaundementes of God whiche thing manifestly appeareth by his Retractations And that his iudgement therein is most true Paule declareth in the 7. chap. of this epistle Vndoubtedly if the thing were so as Pelagius hath taughte the comming of Christ and sacrifice of the crosse had bene nothing nedefull For these thinges were therefore geuen bycause by our owne strengths we could not attayne vnto the righteousnes of workes That thing Paul most manifestly testefieth saying That which was impossible vnto the law for asmuch as it was weakened by the flesh c These wordes apertly declare that mā by reason of the infirmity of the flesh could not fullfil the law Farther he saith The wisdome of the flesh is enmity towards God for it is not subiect vnto the law of God nether certainely can it be For although the law hath power to teach and to illustrate the minde yet it doth not therefore minister strength or change the will Wherefore Ambrose in his booke de fuga seculi The law sayth he cā stop the mouth of all men but yet it can not conuert the minde And afterward The law indede sheweth the fault but it taketh not a way the malice Wherefore vnto it must be adioyned grace which forasmuch as the Pelagians contemned they wandred from saluation were iustly condemned of the Church But as touching the office of y◠law these few thinges are to be obserued
calleth grace eternall life But the propriety of grace is to he reÌ„dred freely Paul also sayth vnto hym which worketh not the reward is not imputed according to debt but accordyng to grace And saith moreouer that grace if it be of workes is not grace Also that the renantes shall through the electioÌ„ of grace be saued Agayne vnto the Ephesians Grace hath made vs safe throughe fayth and that not of our selues Agayne Not of workes least peraduenture any man shoulde glory This doubt Augustine sayth can not otherwise be dissolued vnles we grâ—unt A that an vpright and holy life is grace For so ether sentence may take place For eternall life is rendred vnto workes But because workes are freely geuen vs of God therâ—fâ—re also is eternall lyfe called gracee And in his booke De correctione Gratia the 13. chapter he sayth that Iames writeth that iudgemente shal be wythout mercy vnto hym which sheweth not mercy By which wordes saith he appeareth that they which lyue well shall in the last iudgement be iudged wyth mercy and they which haue 〈◊〉 wickedly shal be iudged wythout mercy And if that in iudgement we haue nede of mercy theÌ„ is it not now done for merites And in the same sence he alleageth the mother of the Machabees who as it is written in the 2. booke and 7. chapter thus speak 〈…〉 vnto her son That in that mercy I may receaue the wyth thy brethâ—rn In which place she calleth the day of iudgement mercy And vndoubtedly when we shall come before the iudgement seate of God who shall boast that he hath a chast hart Or who shall boast that he is cleane from sinne Wherefore there also mercy is nedefull whereby he may be made blessed vnto whome the Lord hath not imputed sinne The same father in hys 105. epistle to Sistus When the Apostle had sayd The stipend of sinne is death who Paul mightâ— haue 〈◊〉 righteousnes would not iudge that he should most aptly and consequently haue added but the stipend of righteousnes is eternall lyfe And it is true Because euen as vnto the merite of sinne is death rendred as a stipend so also vnto the merite of righteousnes is eternall lyfe rendred as a stipend But the blessed Apostle most vigylantly warryng agaynst pride when hee â—ad sayde that the stipend of sinne is death least humane ryghteousnes should extoll it sâ—lfe sayd not contrariwyse that the stipend of ryghteousnes is eternall lyfe but the grace of God sayth he is eternall lyfe But it is not sufficient to thynke that thesâ— things are spo 〈…〉 for humility moderation sake For the matter is so in very dede For our workâ— receaue not eternall life for a iust and deserued stipend And therefore he sayth that humane righteousnes is pride and which in name only is called righteousnes But that ought Eternall 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 vnto 〈…〉 ousneâ— but vnto 〈…〉 it is gracâ— If righteousnes were of our selues 〈…〉 should haue eternall life as a 〈…〉 When God shall reward 〈…〉 be 〈…〉 it selfe to be a true righteousnes vnto which eternall life is due which righteousnes if it be not of thy felfe then is it from aboue discending from the father of lightes Wherefore O man if thou shalt receaue eternall life it is â—n dede the stipend of righteousnes but vnto thee it is grace vnto whome also euen righteousnes is grace For it should be rendred vnto thee as a debt if the righteousnes vnto whome it is due were of thy selfe By all these thinges is gathered that with Augustine eternall life is therefore called grace because the workes which go before it are geuen fréely Farther he confesseth that in the last iudgement when God shall reward them we shall haue nede of mercy and compassion And that also we haue alwayes néede of mercy that our sinnes should not be imputed vnto vs. Lastly that eternall life although it may be the stipend of righteousnes being taken by it selfe yet vnto vs it is grace partly because it is not of our selues and partly also because it is vnperfite Hilâ—â—ius also writeth vpon the 50. Psalme My hope is in the mercy of God for euer and euer world without ende For the workes of ryghteousnes are not sufficient vnto the merite of perfect blessednes Vnto vs it is gâ—ace because good workes are not of our selues and because they are vnperfect That good workes are geuen by grace both we and our aduersaries graunt but with a difference vnles in thys wyll of ryghteousnes the mercy of God impute not the faultes of humane changynges and motions Also Ierome vpon Esay the 46. chapter If we should consider our owne merites we shoulde dispayre Our aduersaries and we contende not whether by the grace of God good workes are geuen vnto the regenerate Although neither herein also do we vtterly agrée with them For they thinke that it lieth in our power to receaue good workes when they are offred But we say that it is néedefull that our will bée changed by the grace and spirit of God otherwise as touching in this point also we abhorre from the giftes of God But of this matter we haue before sufficiently spoken when we entreated of grace Wherfore I will now stand no longer about it But there is an other thing about which there is at this day a more waighty controuersye They which defend merites do thinke that the good workes which are geuen of God vnto men are sufficient They whiche defend merites do say that good workes are sufficient to attaine vnto eternall lifâ— which thinge we deny vnto eternall life Which thinge we do vtterly deny And this maketh very much on our side which a litell before we alleged out of August That in the last iudgemeÌ„t we shall nede the mercy of God not only because good works were geuen of hym freely but also because when the iust iudge shall sit in hys throne no man can boast that he hath a chast hart or that he is cleane from sinne Wherefore it is nedefull that sinnes as sayth Dauid be not imputed vnto hym which shall come vnto felicity Wherefore seyng we haue nede of mercy it is manifest that our good workes are not sufficient The same Augustine writeth in an other place that the perfection of the sayntes herein consisteth to acknowledge how much they want still of perfection And that sentence of Paul I haue fought a good battayle I haue finished my course I haue kepte fayth he so expoundeth that he thinketh that the Apostle sayth not that he is vtterly Augustine saith not that Paul was without sinne but affirmeth the contrary Note what Augustine thinketh of this place vnto the PhillipiaÌ„s wythout sinne but that he leaning vnto fayth and vnto hope did wholy appoynte wyth hymselfe that it shoulde come to passe in the laste houre of hys death whiche was euen then at hand that whatsoeuer sinne or wickednes had crept into hym the same should
they be moued with lesse desire to sinne and if they take lesse pleasure in their sinnes yet take they so much in them that they cannot be plucked away from them If with any zeale they heare the woorde of God yet when they haue heard it they haue it in derision when as they hope that those things which are in it promised shall happen vnto thâ—m leading their lyfe in such sort Wherfore we sée that all these thinges stray from the marke and appoynted end And seing that al these motions are of small efficacy and leaue men vnder the wrath of God there can nothing that is sound be hoped for at their handes But let vs heare what Esay in his 58. chapter pronounceth of this kinde of workes They seeke me sayth he dayly and wyll know my wayes as a nation that wrought righteousnes and had not forsaken the statutes of theyr God They aske me of the ordinaunces of iustice and they wyll draw nere vnto God Wherfore do we fast say they and thou seest it not we haue afflicted our soules and thou regardest it not Behold in the day wherein ye fast ye seeke that which ye desire and ye all seeke and require your debtes Beholde ye fast to stryfe to debate to smyte wyth the fist Is this the fast that I haue choseÌ„ These wordes of the Prophet most plainly declare that it is sinne before God to enquire after his wayes to fast for a man to afflict himself when as such workes are done without the true worshippyng of God and without piety It cannot be denied but that these are in déede goodly workes and plausible howbeit God the iust iudge reiecteth them Augustine in his bookes of confessions in himself setteth God reiecteth works though they be neuer so goodly to the shew forth vnto vs a plaine example touching this matter For he describeth the motions which he suffred in his minde before he was conuerted vnto Christ For thus he writeth in his 8. booke and 11. chapter I liued in my bond vntill the whole was broken in sonder wherwyth although beyng very little I was holden yet I was holden Thou in my eyes O Lord dydst by thy seuere mercy double the scourges of feare of shame I sayd wyth my selfe inwardly Behold now let it be done Now in a maner I knew it and dyd it not And wythin a very little I euen nowe touched it and held it and touched it not neyther helde it And the worse they beyng in custome preuayled more in me then the better thyng vnaccustomed And that very moment of tyme wherin I would become a new man the nearer it approched the greater horror it draue into me I was holdeÌ„ back by trifles of trifles by vanities of vanities by myne old wanton louers whiche priuely whispered doost thou now forsake vs And shall we neuer any more after this tyme be wyth thee And from this tyme forward wylt thou neuer vse this or that And I began now to harken vnto them a great deale lesse then halfe These things mencioneth Augustine accuseth the meane works that he did before his conuersion as sinnes Whatsoeer wanteth his perfection is sinne A similitude Of the Publicane he and accuseth them before God as sinnes whiche yet are so highly commended of these men These were in dede meanes wherby God brought Augustine vnto saluation howbeit they were still in him sinnes For he obeyed them not but corrupted them with many abuses so that he could not be with efficacy chaunged by them But whatsoeuer wanteth his due perfection is sinne But these Sophisters are like serpents called Hydra for one argument being as a hed cut of there ariseth to them an other They obiect vnto vs the Publicane which thus prayed in the temple God be mercifull vnto me a sinner And he is said to haue returned to his house iustified Wherfore say they he was a sinner wheÌ„ he prayed For we read that he was afterward iustified But his prayer pleased God Wherfore we may say they do workes acceptable vnto God euen before we be regenerate But these meÌ„ should haue remembred that this Publicane prayed which as we haue declared of Cornelius he could not haue done without faith For how shall they call vpon hym in whoÌ„ they haue not beleued Wherfore he was iustified eueÌ„ then when he prayed Nether maist thou so vnderstaÌ„d these words as though he should be then first iustified When the publicane prayed he was iustified wheÌ„ he had finished his prayers For although it be said to be afterward done yet doth it not therof follow that it was by no meanes done before He obteyned a more perfecter iustification a more ampler spirit a more nerer féelyng of the mercy of God He calleth himselfe a sinner and that not vnworthely partely for that If he were iustified why then calleth he himselfe a sinner he still felt in himselfe that which he misliked For alwayes how iust so euer we be yet are we commaunded to pray Forgeue vs our trespasses And partly for that in minde he called to minde how greuous sinnes he had committed before he was iustified And holy men ought in their prayers chiefly to weigh and to consider how great the burthen of their sinne is For when with their prayers they come vnto God they are moued with a true repentaunce to say with Dauid My bones are consumed away in my crying out continually day and night is thy hand made heauy vpon me my iuyce is dryed vp as the moystnes of the earth is dryed vp in the sommer Euils without number haue compassed me about Myne iniquities haue closed me in on euery side that I could not see they are encreased more then the heares of my hed My hart hath forsakeÌ„ me I acknowledge my wicked actes my sinne is alwayes before me Against thee against thee haue I sinned don euil before thee And to that end holy men should afterward the better beware of sinnes God stirreth vp in theÌ„ a most sharp feling of his wrath the they may acknowlege what they had deserued vnles God had holpeÌ„ them by his sonne He openeth also theyr eyes that they may se what his fatherlye chaistisemente is towardes them and that the same maye be the better felt he oftentimes differreth from them the tast and fealing of his mercy Therefore they crye Make me to heare thy ioye and gladnes that my bones being humbled may reioyce hide thy face from my sinnes and blot out all mine iniquities A cleane harte create in me o God and renew a right spirite in my bowells cast me not away from thy face and take not away thine holy spirite from me Wherefore they also that are They that are iustified do still pray for theyr sinnes iustefied doo pray that that infirmity which is still remayning be not imputed vnto them They call to minde the thinges wherin they haue before greauously sinned and they
affirme that by regeneration is takeÌ„ away the guiltines of sinnes For although these vices remayne both as the scripture testefieth and also as experience teacheth yet their bond and guiltines is taken away Wherfore Augustine oftentymes saith that lust in dede remayneth but the guiltines therof is by Christ takeÌ„ away And he addeth that somtimes it coÌ„meth to pas that the act and worke of sinne passeth away as we see it is in theft and in adultery but the guiltines notwithstandyng abideth and sometymes it commeth to passe that the guiltines is takeÌ„ away but the fault remayneth Which is plaine to be sene touching this lust wherof we speake It remayneth in dede but yet we cannot by it be as guilty condemned to eternall death If thou demaund why it is called sinne when as the guiltines is taken away I aunswer bicause in that it is not imputed vnto vs it hath not that of his owne nature for as touching his owne nature as we haue before taught it deserueth death and damnation but this commeth by an other meanes namely of the mercy of God through Christ But euery thing ought to be considered by it selfe and of his own nature Wherfore seyng the proper nature of sinne Euery thinge ought to be considered by his owne nature is to striue against the law of God and this thing we sée to come to passe in this lust and in these first motions therfore they ought to be called sinnes Neither by this our sentence do we fall into that folishnes which the Pelagians vpbrayded vnto Augustine and to other of the catholikes as though they should say that by regeneration The PelagiaÌ„â— bâ—â—ided vnto catholikes folishnes is not blotted out sinne but only rased For when heares are shauen there remaine still vnder the skinne the rootes of the heares by which they grow vp againe For although we affirme that in men regenerate remaine still lust A similitude corrupt motions yet do we not deny but that God is perfectly reconciled vnto vs. Wherfore although of their owne nature they are sinnes yet by the mercy of God they are so blotted out that they now vtterly cease to be imputed wherfore if we As touchinge imputation sinnes are vtterly taken is regeneration haue a respect vnto imputation there remayneth nothing of them Last of al they obiect vnto vs that we do iniury vnto Augustine when we say that he affirmeth these to be sinnes when as he interpreteth himself that they are called sinnes improperly For as a scripture or writing is called a hand for that it is done with the hand so that these called sinnes for that they come from original sinne and as cold Why Augustine calleth these motioÌ„s sinnes is called slouthfull for that it maketh vs slouthfull so are these called sinnes for yâ— they stirre vs vp to sinnes but yet properly they are not sinnes So say they Augustine by this meanes doth not only interpretate himselfe why he calleth these sinnes but also hath geuen vnto vs a way how we ought to vnderstand Paul wheÌ„ he calleth these sinnes Hereunto we aunswer first that if either Augustine or any other of the fathers do deny that these are sinnes that is to be vnderstand by When the fathers say that these motioÌ„s ar not sinnes they vnderstand that they are not actual sinnes way of comparison if they be compared with actuall sinnes but not that the nature of sinne can wholy be taken away from them Which thing Augustine in another place most plainly declareth For against Iulianus in his 6. booke 8. chap. For it is not sayth he no iniquity when in one man eyther the superiour partes are after a vile maner seruantes vnto the inferiour partes or the inferiour partes after a vile maner resist the superiour partes although they be not suffred to get the maistry Seyng that he calleth this sinne iniquitie he plainly declareth that vnto it is agreable the nature of sinne which we before described And in his 5. booke agaynst the same Iulianus He expressedly calleth these motioÌ„s sinnes and affirmeth thâ— to be iniquities the third chapiter he thus writeth The luste of the fleshe agaynst which the good spirite lusteth is sinne for that in it is a disobedience agaynst the gouernment of the mind and it is a punishement of sinne for that it is rendred vnto the merites of the disobedient person and it is a cause of sinne thorough the falling away of hym that sinneth Here we sée that lust is of Augustine thrée maner of wayes called sinne Neither Note these wordes of Augustine can it be sayd that he writeth these thinges of a man not regenerate For he expressedly saith Against which the good spirite lusteth For in the wicked is not the spirite of God which striueth against lustes Wherfore we haue out of Augustine thrée places one which we before cited out of his 5. booke de libero Arbitrio and Lust remayning in vs is truly and properly sinne two against Iulianus wherin he expressedly confesseth that lust is sinne and bringeth a reason why he so thinketh Neither oughte our aduersaries as touchynge the interpretacion of Paul to runne vnto a figure to say that this is not properly to be called sinne For both out of Paul and out of other places of the scripture is brought good reason why lust is truly and properly called sinne And it is to be woÌ„dred at that these men otherwise are euery where so prone to figures when as in this one proposition This is my body they so much abhorre from al kind of figures when as yet notwithstanding a figure is there most conuenient And if thou desire other testimonies of the fathers wherby to proue that lust is sinne we haue before cited Ierome vpon Mathew And there are in Augustine against Iulianus found cited a great many other sentences of the auncient fathers All which make wholy on our side But now let vs come to the exposition of the 8. chapter The eight Chapter FOrasmuch as nowe there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus which walke not after the flesh but after the spirite For the lawe of the spirite of lyfe which is in Christ Iesus hath made me fre froÌ„ the law of sinne and of death For as much as in this chapiter are entreated many notable things it shall The Method of this chapt not be amisse to deuide the summe of them into the partes thereof Firste Paul remoueth away condemnation which he sayth is taken away by the Lawe of the spirite of life which spirite we haue obteyned by the benefite of the death of Christ And this liberty promiseth he not indifferentlye vnto all men but only vnto those whiche are in Christe and walke not accordinge vnto the fleshe but according to the spirite For they which seperate them selues from Christ can not be pertakers of his benefite TheÌ„ he addeth that we by this spirit are
Which haue the first fruites of the spirite By this phrase of speach he signifieth ether aboundance or els only a certain smacke or tast before For so may those good thinges be called which we now haue fruicion of if they be compared vnto those good thinges which we waite for Wherefore from creatures Paul passeth vnto men which are endued with faith and with the spirite of Christ Those also he saith do grone and with ernest desire waite for that our adoption and the redemption of our body may at length be made perfect Wherefore it is manifest that they go foolishly to worke as Chrisostome noted which being led by entisementes of pleasures desire to abide here perpetually and thinke not vpon their departing hence without great griefe For what a great infelicity is this that we should reioyce euen of our misery Ambrose commendeth the excellently approued olde man Simeon which with greate cherefulnes prayed after this maner Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace Waiting for the adoption What meaneth thys saith Chrisostome that thou so often to and froo tossest thys adoption as though we had now alredy gotten it seyng that thou calledst vs beleuers the sonnes and heyres of God and fellow heyres of Christ But now thou semest to make vs frustrate of it for that thou writest that we although we haue the first fruites of the spirite do yet styll wayte for that adoption He answereth vnto this and saith that the Apostle in thys place is to be vnderstand of the perfect and absolute adoption For euen so that semeth he to signifie when he addeth The redemption of our body These wordes I take not in that sence as though we are now redemed in spirite but the body remayneth which shall afterwarde be renewed For there is some what still in the soule whiche hath neede of instauration For we féele that we haue in vs man â—e corrupte motions yea euen against our willes there are also still remayning sinnes not As touching the soule also we are not perfectly ren 〈…〉 Our body and flesh is in some part renued Why Paul maketh meÌ„ 〈◊〉 rather of the body thâ—â— oâ— the soule when he entreateth of the redemption which we waite or Of the chaunge of thinges in the end of the world in all pointes healed the body also that we haue now is not without some inchâ—ation or beginning of redemption for it is now made the temple of God and the holy ghost dwelleth therin Paul to the Ephesians calleth vs fleshe of his flesh and â—oâ—e of hys bones Which could not vndoubtedly â—e sayd vnles both our flesh and the body it selfe were in some parte alredy renewed But sithen we wayte that somewhat should be restored both in spirite and in body why doth Paul make mencion rather of the body then of the soule I will tell you Bycause he had a respect vnto the fountayne of euills which are traduced from Adam thorough séede from the body For herehence began our contamination nether can it euer be weded vp by the rootes vnles the body be first extinguished by death or doo put on glory by the last changing whiche is to come Hereto tendeth the course of the Apostle when he so often maketh mencion of our body which shall in the last time be redemed For vnto the Corrinthians he sayth When this corruptible shall put on vncorruption And vnto the Phillippians He shall conforme the body of our humiâ—ity to the bodye of hys glory These thinges being thus declared the place it selfe semeth to require to speake somewhat of the chaunge of thinges which shal be in the end of the worlde First I thinke it good to declare those thinges which the Master of the sentences writeth of thys matter in hys 4. booke of sentences the. 48. distinction WheÌ„ the lord shall come to iudge the Sunne and Moone shall be darkened not saâ—th he that theyr light shal be taken from them but by the presence of a more plentifuller light For Christ shal be present the moste bright Sunne therefore the slarres of heauen shal be darkened as candells are at the rising of the Sunne The vertues of the heauens shal be moued which may be vnderstand of the powers or as some speake of the influences whereby the celestiall bodies gouerne thinges inferior Which shall then forsake theyr right and accustomed order Or by those vertues we may vnderstand the Angelles which by their continuall turning about moue the orbeâ— of the heauens Peraduenture then they shâ—ll ether cease from theyr accustomed worke or els they shâ—l execute it after some newe maner After he had gathered these thingâ— out of Mathevv and Luke he addeth out of Ioell that there shall be eclipses â—f the Sunne and of the Moone The Sun sayth he shal be darkened and the Moone shal be turned into bloud before that greate and horrible day of the Lord come And out of the 65. chapter of Esay Behold â— create a new heauen and a new earth And streight waye The moone shall shine as the Sunne and the light of the Sunne shall be seuenfold that is enduring seuen dayes And out of the Apocaâ—ps There shal be a new heauen and a new earth Although there be no mencion made of the amâ—lifieng ether of the light of the Sunne or of the Moone Ierome interpretateth that place that the light of the Sunne shal be as it was in those first seuen dayes wherein the world was created For by reason of the sinne of the first parentes the light sayth he both of the Sunne of the Moone was diminished Which saying some of the Scholemen vnderstand not of the very substaunce of the light but bycause both the world and men haue receaued lesse fruites of these lights after the fall then they had before But all these thinges are obscure and vncertayne Whereunto I adde that some of the Rabbines thinke that these are figuratiue speaches For there shall be no chaunge in the starres but they say that vnto men being in heauines and bewaylinge the vnluckye state of theyr cases shall come so small fruite of the light of the Sunne and Moone that vnto them those starres may seme to be darckened and vtterly out of sight But contrariwise when they begin to be in more felicity and to liue according to theyr desire then at the last the light of the Sunne and of the Moone shall seme vnto them to be doubled and a greate deale more brighter then it semed before Which exposition as I deny not so also I confesse that at the end of the world shal be a great change of those things Wherfore I graunt either to be true both that in thys life oftentimes happen thinges so dolefull that dayes being otherwise most bright seme vnto vs moste darke and also that when all thinges shall haue an end the state of the worlde shall be troubled Yea also whilest we liue here sometymes it happeneth that those lights of
These heauens were after the floud put in their place againe and restored by the word of God and now are reserued for fire Yea Peter afterward addeth that we according to the promise shall haue a new heaueÌ„ a new earth That promise was made in the 65. chapter of Esay and repeted in the 21. chapter of the Apocalipse Although it there be written of the sea that it shall haue no more being But Augustine in the 16. chapter which we haue now cited doubteth whether those wordes are so to be vnderstand as though the sea should vtterly cease to be as being now with the burninges sucked and dried vp or whether it shall remayne still but yet renued and changed Augustine in the same place saith that no man that he can tel of knoweth touching that burning fire Of the burning fire which shal be in the last daye what maner of thing it shal be or from whence it shall come when as yet our schoolemen at this day are not touching that matter ashamed to faine and imagine infinite thinges For some say that that fyre shal be elemental fyre which shall at the commaundement of God discend downe and burne all thinges some faine that the beames of the Sunne shall by reuerberation be multiplied that by them all thinges may be kindled as we sée it commeth to passe that when the Sunne beames do strick â–ª vpon a glasse of stele if there be put vnto it a little flaxe it will kindle and be set on fire Augustine addeth that the elementes shall then put of those qualityes which wer before agreeable vnto our corruptible bodies shal put on other qualityes which may be agreeable vnto our immortall and gloryfied bodyes that the world beyng made new may be aptly applyed vnto men made new by immortalyty But here I would gladly demaund of Augustine whether he thought that the bodyes of the saintes shall after the iudgement liue in this world or no Which thing if he affirme he shall séeme to make with the sect called Millenarij But if he deny and holde that which we beleue that our bodies shall be rapt vp into heauen what shal nede this application of the qualities of elements vnto our immortall bodies Vnles peraduenture he will say that although these thinges shall nothing conduce vnto our immortality yet there shal be a certaine analogy and prâ—portion betwéene them being now made immortall and our bodies glorified For if they as Chrisostome sayth were for our sinnes made obnoxious vnto corruption it is A place of Genesis declared mete that we being deliuered from death they also be deliuered from the burthen of corruption Neither vndoubtedly is that which is written in the booke of Genesis any let vnto this innouation where God sayde vnto Nohe That all the dayes of the earth shall be sowyng and haruest cold and heate sommer and wynter day and night For these thinges he saith shall come to passe in the dayes of the earth But those dayes shal be the dayes of heauen and as Esay saith a Sabaoth of Sabaoths Ieremy also in his 33. chapiter saith Can I make frustrate the couenant which I haue made wyth day and nyght As though hée woulde saye it can not be made frustrate So sayth he shall the couenaunte whiche I haue made wyth the house of Iuda and wyth the house of Dauyd be ratefyed The couenaunte whereof the Prophete now speaketh of the sendynge of the Messias in hys appoynted tyme is not to bée drawen beyonde the tyme of the present estate But Christ when in the Gospel he saith Heauen and earth shall passe away but my words shall not passe away How heauen and earth shall passe away taketh not passing away for destruction but foretelleth yâ— there shall one day come a certaine chaunge which yet can neuer happen vnto his wordes For they shal alwayes abide vnmoueable and the truth of them shall neuer be peruerted Of this interpretation Dauid is the author in his 102. Psalme The workes saith he of thine handes are the heauens They shall perishe but thou abidest as a garment shalt thou chaunge them and they shall be chaunged Hereunto also agréeth Peter for when he had said that the heauens shall perish and the elements shall melt away with heat straight way he added that we accordyng to the promise shall haue a new heauen and a new earth And Ierome expounding the 65. chap. of Esay alledgeth in this sence a sentence of Paul out of the latter epistle to the Cor. the 7. chapter For he sayth That the figure of thys world passeth away as though he would not say that the nature of thynges or the world it selfe shall perish but onely the figure that is the state and forme of thys tyme. And he proueth that the innouation which we put signifieth not corruption of nature by a similitude taken of the degrées of our age For when of children A similitude we are made yong men of yong men meÌ„ of meÌ„ olde men we are not as touching the nature of man destroyed but by those changes we are transferred froÌ„ a lower estate to that which is more excellent Wherfore when that last burning shall come which the scriptures plainly teach shall come the whole world shall be set on fire and as gold and siluer when they are melted in the fire perish not but are made more pure so the world shall not by that fire be destroyed but be renued Of this minde also were some of the Ethnike writers as Heraclitus Ephesius and Empedocles Siculus and others which peraduenture had receiued these things of their elders but had corrupted them with wicked opinioÌ„s There haue bene also many of the Christians in the olde time which thought that the creatures shall remaine after the comming of the Lord and that they shall serue the elect in some stede For they thought that when Christ shall returne there shall then be onely The opinioÌ„ of the secâ—e called Millenaru The first second resurrection the resurrection of the godly which also they called the first resurrection Betwene which and the last resurrection wherin the wicked also shall be raysed vp shall be a thousand yeares and all this time Christ shall in this world raigne together with the saintes and all this space the deuill shall be bound as it is described in the boke of the Apoc. And they seme to haue taken an occasion of their opinion not only out of the reuelation of Iohn but also out of the prophets For they when they prophecy of the kingdome of Christ make mencion of many thinges which seme to pertaine to the kingdomes of this world and vnto pleasures and delights And those which were in this errour were of the Grecians called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of the latines Some men of notable learning were Millenarâ—â— Millenarij Neither vndoubtedly were there only common or vulgare men patrones of this sentence but also
men famous and notable in the church of great antiquity as Papias Ireneus Iustinus Martir Victorinus Lactantius Tertullian and a great many other famous ecclesiasticall writers whō I ioyne not with Cherinthus for he sowed abroade many other errors touchynge our sauiour For vnto this opinion which these fathers were of he added a double impiety First that the saintes shall so raigne together with Christ in this lyfe that they shall aboundātly haue the fruicion of all the pleasures of the body which is nothing els but again with lustes drunkennes gluttony such other filthines to contaminate nature renued by the resurrection His other errour was that in that kingdom of Christ the ceremonies of the law and sacrifices of Moses shal be put in vre againe which errors none of the fathers whom we haue now mencioned followed Neither should it be any hard matter to confute that pestilent opinion by the Scriptures But because we haue in an other place at large done y◠we wil cease at this time to speak any more therof Onely this thinge I will adde which August in his 20. booke De ciuitate Dei the 7. cha writeth If these men had sayd that Christ in that space of a thousand yeares wyll bestow vpō hys saints some celestiall good gyfts theyr sentēce should haue bene the more tollerable In which place he signifieth that he also was once of A place of the Apocalipse the same opinion howbeit afterward weighing things better he iudged that that place of the Apocalips wherehence all that suspicion semed to spring is otherwise to be expounded namely by those thousand yeares to vnderstand al y◠time which passeth from the ascencion of Christ vnto his last iudgement neither ought the nūber of a thousand yeares any thing to offend vs. For it is common in the holy scriptures By a nomber certaine is signified a nomber vncertaine by a number certaine and definite to signifie an other number vncertayne and indefinite Which thing although it may by many other places be proued yet here it shall be sufficient to note only two Christ saith vnto the Apostles he which forsaketh his house or father or mother or chyldren or wyfe or brethrē c. shall receyue an hundreth fold Where by an hundreth folde we vnderstand a certaine great and in a maner infinite recompence So God promiseth in the law That he woulde do good vnto them that serue hym vnto a thousand generations Which signifieth nothing els but vnto their posterity for a very long tyme. Wherfore Christ as Augustine thinketh raigneth with his saintes all this whole time which is signified by the number of a thousand yeres But how Sathā may be said to be in this time bound it is not so easy to declare for euen now also y◠church of Christ is by him greuously vexed But Augustine thinketh y◠he is therfore bound for y◠his strenghths are Sathan is sayd to be bound because hys strengths are broken broken Christ hath ouercome the strong armed mā so y◠he can not now in such sort rage as he would especially for y◠he cannot prohibite y◠electe predestinate vnto eternal life frō their apointed saluatiō Although as touching this also before Christ ascended vp into heauē Sathan was no lesse letted then he is now so y◠he could not disturbe the elect frō eternal lyfe But here may be answered y◠they which Why Sathan is said to be more bound now thē he was before the death of Christ were in y◠state were before Christes tyme few in number For the deuill ranged spoiled in a maner euery where throughout the whole world except it wer certain of the Israelites a few others But now since the Gospell was spred abroad thoroughout the whole world the power and strength of Sathan is much more restrayned which may sufficiently appeare by the ceasyng of the oracles and by the ouerthrow of idolatry in a manner euery where Wherfore I thinke with Augustine that thys innouation of creatures shall not serue to that vse that the saintes should vse thē liuing with Christ in any temporall kingdom in the world And as for the prophesies of the Prophets which ar euery where set foorth touching The Prophesies of the Prophets touching the kingdome of Christ ar metaphoricall The Prophets themselues declared that they spake metaphoricallye the kingdome of Christ and make mencion of certayne carnal thinges and belong to an earthly kingdome they are so to be taken that we vnderstand that by such metaphors as the honor and maiesty of our kingdoms is thought to consist is described the kingdome of Christ which he now exerciseth in the Churche and whiche in the daye of iudgemente he shall with greate power shew forth Which thing the prophets thēselues haue sufficiently signified whē they enterlaced many things which farre passe al credite and excede the course of thinges humane For there they playnly declare that they speake metaphorically But to returne to our purpose we suppose that the world as touchinge his nature and substaunce shall not vtterlye pearishe but rather as writeth Esay Peter and the booke of the Apocalipse and Paul in thys place shal be renewed And of thys renouation there are set forth two principall conditions the The conditions of the renouation of the world one is immortality and the other light The Scholemen haue noted that that light shall not be such which shall cause heate for if it should so doo all thinges should sone be dried vp and burnt And oftentimes there is found light which engendreth not heate for there are many precious stones most bright whiche Not euery light maketh warm geue no heate at all These thinges beinge thus declared let vs consider of the other partes of the world whether they also shal be preserued as plantes precious stones mettalls brute beastes and such other like thinges The Scholemen thinke that man which is the principallest part of the world being renewed other creatures also shal be restored Which saying is most true for it is gathered out of the sayinges of Paul But as touching the partes they thinke that only the heauen and the elementes the bodies of men shall remayne But the reason which they aleadge for themselues is in my iudgement very weake for they affirme that those thinges onely shall haue immortality which were A reason of the Scholemen after a sort made apt thereunto as is a celestiall body which is altogether simple nether is changed by contrary qualities The elementes also although as touching partes they are engendred and corrupted yet as touchinge the whole they alwayes abide So say they also of man who although he haue a transitory body yet he hath an immortall soule yea rather euen the body it selfe was so composed at the beginning that it had possibility not to dye Wherefore it shall not be absurd to ascribe vnto it also immortality But
afflict The purpose of God noteth firmnes themselues or to take it in ill part if they haue tribulations layd vpon them for that it shall turne vnto them vnto good especially to theÌ„ that be predestinate vnto euerlasting saluation Wherfore it is very plaine both by the wordes which follow by the entent of Paul that purpose is in this place to be referred vnto God not vnto those which are called Ambrose in dede denieth not but that it is yâ— purpose Ambrose flieth vnto workes â—oresent of God Howbeit being moued as I thinke with the same reasoÌ„ yâ— Chrisostom was he saith yâ— God calleth predestinateth whoÌ„ he knoweth shal beleue shal be apt for him and deuoute But we ought not to thinke that the election and predestination of God depend of workes forsene It is in déede certaine neither can we deny it that those whom God hath predestinate shall one day if age permitte beleue and be deuoute and apt For God shall geue it vnto them for he predestinateth God predestinateth not onely the end but also the meanes A similitude Foure thinges to be noâ—ed also the meanes whereby we shall at the length come vnto the ende So we also after that we haue determined to vse any pece of timber to some vse of an house do fashion and hew it to that forme which may best serue for the accomplishing of the worke which we haue to do But here are fower things diligently to be noted of vs first that the will of beleuing and the purpose and counsell of liuing holily which shall at the length be in those which are elected neither springeth of themselues nor also naturally is cleauing vnto them For they are the giftes of God and not the endowmentes of nature Neither can any man of his owne accord attaine vnto them For what hast thou saith Paul that thou hast not receaued But if thou haue receaued it why boastest thou as though thou haddest not receaued it But if they be geuen of God as vndoubtedly they are then followeth The good meanes are not geuen of God by 〈…〉 ce but bâ— predestination it of necessity that they are not done by chaunce or rashely but by the counsel and predestination of God Wherfore these thinges also are pertaining vnto predestination For euen as God predestinateth his to eternall life so also predestinateth he them to good counsels vnto holy workes and vnto the right vse of the giftes of God And hereof followeth that which is secondly to be noted that our good purpose or faith or good workes forsene can not be the causes of predestination for so should we neuer come to an end For sithen those thinges as we haue sayd are of predestination and not of our selues it may againe be demaunded why God would geue them vnto this man rather then to that man Where if thou answere as many do because God foreséeth that this man will vse those good giftes well and the other not againe will arise as waighty a question touching the selfe same Good workes foreseene are not causes of predestination good vse For seing that also is a gift of God why should it by the predestinatioÌ„ of God more be geuen to this man then to that And by this meanes there shal be no end of enquiring vnles we will at the last fayne that there is some good thing found in vs which we haue not of God which thing to affirme is not only absurd but also impious Thirdly of this thing we ought to be fully perswaded that euen as good workes forsene can not be the causes of predestination so also are they by Good workes are not causes of eternall felicitie predestination not geuen vnto men to be causes of the chiefe good thing that is of the felicity whereunto we are predestinate they are in déede meanes whereby God bringeth vs vnto eternall life but therefore are they not causes for that blessednes is geuen fréely and we are by the mere mercy of God predestinate vnto it Lastly we ought to hold that these works are not alwayes forsene in the predestination Good works cannot alwayes be foreseene of God in them that shal be saued The foreknowledge of good workes cannot be the cause of predestination of God For many infants being taken away before they come to ripe age by the predestination of God attaine vnto eternall life who yet should neuer haue had any good workes For God foresaw that they should dye being infants Which thing very euidently proueth that the foreknowledge of good workes is not to be put as the cause of predestinatioÌ„ for a iust and sure effect can neuer want his true cause Augustine entreating of this place expressedly sayth that purpose in thys place is not to be referred vnto the elect but vnto God And which is more diligently to be noted writing against the two epistles of the Pelagians in his 2. booke to Bonifacius towardes the ende he saith That the Pelagians at the length confessed that the grace of God is necessary whereby may be holpen our good purpose but they denied The Pelagians at the length confessed that our purpose is holpen by grace Whether grace be geuen vnto theÌ„ that resist it The Pelagians tooke this word purpose as Chrisostome did Chrisostome defended froÌ„ suspition of the heresâ—e of the Pelagians Good endeuors and purposes are sent vnto vs of God that the helpe of that grace is geuen vnto them that resist which is farre wyde from the truth For at the beginnyng euery one of vs resist the pleasure wyll of God neither should we euer assent to hym when he calleth vs vnles he should come and helpe vs wyth hys grace And he addeth that the Pelagians in thys place which we haue now in hand referred not Purpose vnto God but vnto those which are called Howbeit I dare not therefore accuse Chrisostome to be a Pelagian for he at other times as Iohn sayd ascribed whatsoeuer good thing we haue vnto the grace of God and plainly confesseth originall sinne both which things the Pelagians denied Howbeit it is manifest by the wordes of Augustine that the Pelagians and Chrisostome agréed in the exposition of this place Augustine in the selfe same booke confesseth that our purpose is holpen by the grace of God But yet not in such sort as though it were of our selues and not geuen of God And for confirmation of this sentence he citeth that which is written in the latter to the Corrinthyans the 8. chapter I geue thankes vnto God which hath geuen the same endeuour for you in the harte of Titus These wordes sufficiently declare that the good endeuors and purposes which we fele in our mynds are sent of God He citeth also the 77. Psalme I sayd I haue now begonne and thys chaunging commeth of the ryght hande of the hyghest But I do not much trust vnto this testimony for out of the Hebrew
We are not taught by any parte of thâ—â—anonicall scripture â—hâ—t the â—â—â—â—tes departed do pray for vs. Althoughe the saintes do praye for vs. yet are not they to be inuocated do make intercession for vs we can not proue by any parte of the canonicall scripture Wherefore we ought to haue Christ only for our mediator aduocate neither are thinges vncertaine to be admitted for certaine Although I can easely graunt that the saintes in our countrey with most feruent desires wishe the saluation of the elect Yet dare I not say that they pray for them especially seyng the scripture no where teacheth any such thing And although I should confesse this yet should it not therof follow that we ought to cal vpon saintes departed For we are not certaine out of the worde of God that they can heare our prayers Wherfore they greuously offend both against religion and against Christ himself which appoint vnto themselues saintes for new mediators and aduocates wheÌ„ as there is but one onely mediator betwene God and men namely the man Christ Iesus who now as Paul saith maketh intercession for vs. The same thing doth Iohn testify saying I write vnto you that ye sinne not And if we sinne we haue an aduocate with the father euen Iesus Christ the iust Augustine against the epistle of Parmenianus in the 8. chap. in these wordes noteth that the Apostle excluded not himselfe None so holy but that he hath nede of the intercession of Christ from yâ— rest For he said not ye haue an aduocate but we haue For there is none so holy but yâ— he hath nede of Christ to be his aduocate and mediator Farther he saith not ye haue an intercessor but we haue an aduocate Iesus Christe Augustine in that place reproueth Permenianus for that he had in some places written that Bishops are mediators betwene God and the people which thing he sayth is not It is a thing intollerable that bishops should be mediators betwene God and the people We must not pray vnto Angels to be suffred of the faithfull The same Augustine in his 10. booke of confessions the 42. chapter thus writeth Whome should I haue found which mought reconcile me vnto thee Should I haue gone vnto Aungels But with what prayers With what Sacramentes And he addeth That there were many which would haue bene reconciled by Angels and were miserably deceyued for that an euill Aungell oftentymes transformeth hymselfe into an Aungell of lyght And if it be not lawfull for vs to pray vnto Aungels much les is the same lawfull for vs to doo vnto dead sayntes For here is no les perill to be deceaued then there These things writeth Augustine in that place both godly and soundly who yet in other places was not so circumspect in eschewing the errour of hys tyme. Who shall separate vs from the loue of God shall affliction shal anguishe shall persecution shall hunger â–ª shall nakednes â–ª shall danger shall the sworde As it is written For thy sake are we deliuered to the death all the day long we are counted as sheepe for the slaughter Neuertheles in all these things we are more then conquerors thorough hym that loued vs. For I am persuaded that nether death nor lyfe nor Aungels nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor thinges to come nor heigth nor depth nor any other creature shal be able to seperate vs froÌ„ the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Who shall separate vs from the loue of God After that Paul had by so many reasons confirmed the exceding great loue of God towardes vs now by way of interrogacion he crieth out that there is nothing which can interrupt that loue wherewith God loueth vs. Let aâ—cuse vs whosoeuer wil let come aduersities be they neuer so great yet all things shal work vnto vs to good For this is the property of one that loueth continually to do good vnto him whom he loueth Wherfore seing God so loueth vs what soeuer he doth or whatsoeuer he sendeth vpon vs we must beleue that it shall be helthfull vnto vs neither ought any aduersities to perswade vs but that we are continually loued of God Wherfore this is a conclusion of all those thinges which haue bene before entreated of And that which the Apostle â—aith he is most fully persuaded of I would to God we were also persuaded of the same He reckoneth vp those thinges which seme commonly to be most harde and wherby men are oftentimes broken and euen these things he auoucheth hinder not the loue of God towardes vs so far is it of that they can plucke it away from vs. The Apostle the longer abideth in this place for that our flesh humane reason can hardly be perswaded of this thing For oftentymes when we are afflicted we cry My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And that with a farre other manner of affect then Christ pronounced those wordes We cry Howe long Men think aduersities to be tokeÌ„â— of Gods anger Ambrose vnderstandeth these thinges of our loue wylt thou be angry O Lord With many such other like For whatsoeuer aduersity happeneth we thinke the same to be a token of Gods wrath towardes vs wheÌ„ as yet he of a singuler loue suffreth vs so to be afflicted I know that Ambrose Augustine and very many other take loue in this place for that loue wherwith we loue God as though the meaning of Paul should be Seing God hath so loued vs ought not we agayne on the other side most constantly to loue hym And thys sentence is neither vnapte nor impious Howbeit I rather preferre the other for that it séemeth to serue better to the scope of the Apostle for hee in thys place goeth about to perswade vs that we should not be in doubt of the loue of God towardes vs. And therefore he sayth that he foreknewe vs predestinated called iustified and glorified vs gaue hys sonne vnto vs together with hym all thinges and that Christ hym selfe maketh intercession vnto yâ— father for vs. All these thinges pertain vnto yâ— loue which God beareth towardes vs. And a litle afterward the Apostle addeth But in all these thinges we are conquerours through hym which hath loued vs. These words most plainely serue to my sentence wherunto also subscribeth Chrisostom I confesse in dede that of this good will of God towardes vs is stirred vp our loue towardes hym howbeit Paul semeth to entreat of that first loue and not of thys our loue But they which will haue these wordes to be vnderstand of our loue towardes God somewhat do doubt whether the elect they yâ— be in very deede iustified may at any time leese faith charity and other vertues or no. But that semeth Paul to denye for he sayth yâ— there is nothing can plucke vs away from the loue of GOD. For this sence is gathered out of the interrogation which he here putteth But whatsoeuer other
could not only not be by any meanes remoued from the loue of Christ but also that he was chiefely for that cause excedingly vexed bycause in time past he had wished to be a straunger from Christ Which interpretation when I more diligently consider I sée that it agreth nether with the wordes nor with the intent of the Apostle For this is his scope that by reason of those thinges whereof he will afterward speake he might perswade the Iewes of his loue towardes them lest he should seme of hatred to say that they are not now the people of God but are vtterly strange froÌ„ the promise Which thing he could not haue obteyned by rehersing his sinne wherein he had persecuted the Church of God For the Iewes mought haue sayd Although hitherto thou hast loued vs when thou heldest on our side yet afterwarde when thou wentest vnto Christ thou didst change thy minde and because thou hast begone to hate vs therfore doest thou now speake these euill thinges agaynst vs. But if these thinges be vnderstand of the present state wherein he wrote this epistle vnto them and that by these wordes is signified yâ— he would euen theÌ„ also be Anathema from Christ for them then can there be no doubt put of his good will towardes them Wherefore these thinges serue nothing to the purpose of Paul if they be wrested vnto that time wherein he was as yet an vnbeleuer And that he was grieued for theyr distruction and not for his sinne this playnly declareth Paul was sory for the destruction of the Hebrued and not for his sinne which is afterwarde added Not as though the vvord of God hath fallen avvay For therefore he was grieued when he saw them perish bycause the promises of God semed to be infringed and violated And as he denieth that the promises of God are infringed so also desireth he to redeme euen with his owne distruction that it should not be thought so to come to passe and thereby the name of God should be euill spoken of Herehence come those teares and disires and not bycause he had persecuted the Church of God which yet I doubt not but it was a greate and continuall griefe vnto him But why he should make mencion of that griefe at this presenâ—e there is no reason doubtles as far as I can see Farther what neded he to contend about thys thyng wyth an othe For it was fresh in euerye mans memorye what an enemy he had bene in timâ—s past vnto Christe For hys persecution was not done in corners but publikelye and in the sight of all But thou wilt saye he therefore sweareth to make men beleue that he was excedyngelye sorye for that matter For that was secret neyther coulde it be knowen of all men but suche suspicions as are obscure are confirmed by an oth But I thinke no man doubted but that Paul was sory for the hatred which he had borne against Christ when as all men sawe with how great a feruentnes he preached his Gospell throughout the whole world Wherefore these thinges were not so doubtfull that they should nede to be confirmed by an oth Moreouer what great thinges should he thereby speake of himselfe or how should he by this meanes commend himselfe vnto his brethren by swearing But now let vs heare what the true Ierome iudged as touching this matter For that is a counterfeated Ierome which is ascribed vnto those commentaries But that is Ierome ad AlgasiaÌ„â— the true Ierome which writeth vnto Algasia in the 9. question For he asked hys counsell touching this place of Paul And he answereth that it is a question of great waight and not rashely to be passed ouer especially for as much as the Apostle wyth an oth confirmeth those thynges which he speaketh And with great admiratioÌ„ he addeth that it is a prudence vnheard of that a man should for Christes sake wishe to be seperated from Christ Straight way he compareth Paul with Moses and contendeth that either of them were endued with one and the selfe same spirite For they were both pastors of the people of God And as Christ sayth It is the part of a good shepherd to geue hys lyfe for hys shepe For to flye when the woolfe assayleth is the parts of a hired seruaunt and not of a shepherd Wherefore his iudgement is that Paul desired to dye for the saluation of his brethren For he knew that he which would saue his soule should lose it and he which would lose it shoulde finde it And to this end tendeth that which is before spoken For thy sake are we put to death all the day long and are appointed as shepe to be slayne Paul saith he desired to geue hys body and lyfe that their spirite myght be saued Farther he addeth that it may be proued by mo places thâ—n one that Haram that is Anathema in the old testament is taken for slaughter or killing We confesse that in déede the Apostle woulde and wished to geue his life for the shepe committed to his charge and for all those which might be brought vnto Christ that in him might be fulfilled those thinges which wanted of the passion of Christ But many thinges declare vnto vs that there can be no mencion made of that thing in this place For first they which so dye testifiing the fayth of Christ for the health of their neighbours are not Anathemata that is men seperated from Christ but are most nighly ioyned vnto him They are rather Anathemata that is seperated from Christ which persecute and kyll them Farthermore Haram which he saith sometimes in the olde testament signifieth killing could neuer be redemed nor be applied vnto other vses For beasts which after that maner were bound vnto God were destroyed by slaughter and thinges without life could neuer be put to publike vse or vse of common life But Martyrs which dye for the name of Christ are not made Anathemata What Moses desired of God Sepharadi The opinioÌ„ of an other Rabbins martyres which by preaching the truth dyed for the saluation of their brethren were not for that cause seperated from Christ but rather passed from this life as men which should euermore abyde with him Moreouer what will â—e answere of Moses For he desired to be slaine vnles God would spare the people but put me out saith he of the booke which thou hast written that is if we follow the common opinion blot me out of the booke of the elect For I allow not the cold fayned deuises of the Rabbines among whom Sepharadi saith If thou sparest not the people put my name out of the booke of the lawe that it be not red there What more fond exposition can there be deuised then this An other of the Rabbines thinketh that to be blotted out of the booke which God had written is nothing els then to be remoued from the office of a magistrate that he should not be the head of the people
and Esau which although as touching carnall propagation they came of Abraham yet they fell away from the promise Wherefore the promise as we sayd was geuen vnto the carnall posterity of Abraham although that earthly generatioÌ„ was not the Works and carnall propagation ar not causes of saluation cause that the promise should â—e of efficacy and take place in all Paul remoueth away two thinges whiche he will in no wise to be the causes of the promises namely carnall propagation workes What shall theÌ„ be the cause of the promise Verely nothing else but the electioÌ„ and purpose of God To remoue away Election is the cause of saluation these two thinges Paul vseth the oracles of God and mencioneth the examples of Ismael and Esau And as touching Isaak whom God preferred before Ismael it is written in the boke of Genesis But there are two places touching Iacob the one is in Genesis and the other in the prophet Malachie There are also moreouer promises of yâ— calling of the Gentiles but therof is not at this present entreated That shall afterward be handled in his due place where it shal be declared that the Iewes being repulsed the Gentiles are substituted in theyr places and The promise was made to the stocke of Abraham indefinitely the same shal be confirmed by many testimonies of the scriptures Now is entreated only of the promise made to the stock of AbrahaÌ„ And the Apostle sayth that the promise indede was made indefinitlye but yet not to euery one that should come of that bloud Wherefore the promise must needes pertayne to the sede elected whereunto many are annexed by the propagation of the flesh in whome the promise taketh no effect It is indede offred vnto all but it is not fulfilled in all For euen as the common welth of the Israelites was by the mercy of God seioyned from other nations so yâ— by yâ— selfe same mercy of God some of the Israelites were elected to be pertakers of the promise of God which pertained not to all men vniuersally Hereby we may know that many of the Iewes by reason of that promise shoulde receaue Christ and attayne vnto saluation For the promise of God can by no meanes fayle And for that cause the Apostle before so much extolled his nation for that he saw that yâ— promise of God should yet haue place in it Neither is that any let that yâ— greater part was at yâ— time blinded for the oracles of the prophetes foretold that that thing should come to passe who declared that the indefinite promise of God is by the hidden purpose of God contracted to a few They which thinke that these thinges pertayne to the Gentiles referre the promise vnto them as though they were truely made Israelites and the sede of Abraham especially seing that Paul sayth in the. 3. chapiter to the Galathians Those which are of fayth are the sonnes of Abraham and when as also Iohn Baptist sayth in the Gosple God is able of these stones to raise vp children to Aâ—raham We indede deny not but that the Gentiles are transferred to the nobility of yâ— Hebrues but forasmuch as that coÌ„meth not vnto them by naturall propagation as it did to the Israelites they belong not to AbrahaÌ„ as touching the flesh but only by spirite and faith pertaine vnto him Wherfore we are grafted adopted and planted into that stocke All these thinges are true but Paul entreateth not of them in this place This thing only his entent is to declare that in Israell issueng from Abraham as touching the fleshe â–ª lieth still hidden some sede of the election and that some remnantes thereof shall at the last be saued But of the Gentiles he will afterward in dew place inteate In the meane time he defendeth the promises of God that they should not seme vnconstant and vnstable when as so few of the Iewes were saued by Christ For not all they which are of Israel are Israel neither all they which are of the sede of AbrahaÌ„ are children But in Isaac shal thy sede be called That is not they which are the children of the flesh are the childreÌ„ of God but they which are the children of the promise are counted for the sede Chrisostome in this place demauÌ„deth what this Israell is what thing this sede is And this he noteth that the children of the flesh are not the children of God Howbeit he denieth not but that they are the childreÌ„ of AbrahaÌ„ And he thinketh that the Apostle in this place calleth them the children of God which are borne after the selfe same maner that Isaack Isaack borne of the promise was borne But he was procreated of the promise and worde of God For the worde promise of God framed and formed him in the wombe of his mother And although the mothers wombe was vsed to procreation yet forasmuch as that was now dryed vp and barren it could not be the cause of his procreation So saith he the faythfull when they are regenerated in Baptisme are by the worde and promise of God borne againe And if thou wilt say that the water also is therunto adioyned we graunt it is so in deede yet of it Regeneration is not to be attributed vnto the water self it is a thyng cold and barren lyke the wombe of Sara Wherfore whatsoeuer is done in Baptisme commeth wholy of the holy ghost and of the promise of God It is well to be liked that Chrisostome attributeth not regeneration vnto the water but referreth it rather to the holy ghost and to the worde of God But there are two thinges which he auoucheth which may not so easely be graunted First that the scope of Paul is to contract the promises of God to the Gentles For here as we haue said first is entreated of the Iewes Secondly seing that the children of the Hebrewes were long time regenerate before Christ came and had the promise of their saluation sealed with circumcision no otherwise then we now haue by Baptisme what nede was there to contract regeneration only to baptisme Let vs rather vnderstand yâ— the promise was set forth indefinitely vnto the people of Israell which as touching yâ— flesh came of Abraham Which promise was in the children of the Hebrues sealed by circuÌ„cision wherfore that people was here before said to haue had the couenauntes and promises And Peter in the Actes of the Apostles calleth the Hebrues The chilldren of the couenauntes for that the promises of God were as we haue said set forth vnto them generally although they toke not effect in them all After this maner are to be vnderstanded many places in the Prophets where In what maner many oracles in the Prophetes concerning the people of Israel are to be vnderstanded the people of Israell is indefinitely called the people of God although in very dede many of them were aliantes from God Esay hath I haue nourished and exalted children but they
vs by nature but dependeth of god by those thinges which follow he taketh vertue for a minde apte and prone to good thinges But God cannot in election haue a regard vnto any such minde For there is none that hath such a mind by nature or proper vnto himselfe but it vtterly dependeth of the grace and fauor of God For as it is written in the booke of Genesis All the imagination of mans hart is â—uill But because he seeth that in the words of the Apostle is no mencion at all made of foreknowledge it is a world to see where hence in Gods name he picketh it out That which Paul saith That the election Chrisostom by purpose vnderstandeth foreknowledge What is the purpose of God There is no differeÌ„ce whether a man take works done or workes to be done Against workes and merites should abide according to purpose he thus interpretateth That in that birth of twynes God mought declare his election according to purpose that is according to the foreknowledge of workes to come which foreknowledge election followeth But he should haue proued that purpose signifieth onely foreknowledge Which doubtles he can not doe for it signifieth rather a deliberate sentence and decrée of the minde Neither doth thys any thing helpe hym which is of some obiected that Paul when he sayth Not of workes excludeth workes alredy done and not workes that shal be done As though forsooth there were any difference whether they be done or whether they be to be done For when the Apostle had sayd that we are saued by grace he added If of grace then not of workes and if of woorkes then not of grace For these haue suche an Antithesis or contrariety the one to the other as touchinge our election and saluation that the one excludeth the other Farther when Paul had sayde Not of woorkes he added But of him that calleth which word euen alone oughte to haue feared awaye men from attributing so much to merites But Chrisostom and such like as he is alwayes say that God electeth and calleth those whome he knoweth shall beleue Wherefore Chrisostome sayth Let no man obiect vnto vs the sentence of the scripture or continuall seruitude when as God beholdeth I say not the outwarde parts but also the inward worthines of the minde Wherefore he saith We must beleue the secrecy of the election of God for that it is incomprehensible But althoughe we also confesse that How the secrecie of God is said to be incomprehensible these secrecies are incomprehensible yet taketh he it one waye and we an other way for he thinketh that that secrecie is to vs incomprehensible for that we can not attaine to the knowledge of the worthines or vnworthines of those which are reiected or elected But we refer that obscurity to the order of the counsels of God which counsels as we beleue they are iust and right so also sée we not the reasoÌ„s causes of that iustice and those causes we affirme oughte not in this matter of election to be considered by thinges here but by the high and vnspeakeable wisedom of God But Chrisostome for that he leaneth to the worthines of the menne whiche A similitude of Chrisostome worthines he saith we cannot consider but God vnderstandeth right well setteth forth an example of Mathew who being a publicane and excercising a moste vile vnhonest office was yet not withstandinge a precious stone drouned in durte or myre Which God did not onely esteme but also gathered vp and polished it with grace and a great many giftes Here he séemeth plainely to saye that Mathew had that worthines of himself for he sayth that grace was afterward geuen vnto him and because he would the plainelier expounde himselfe he addeth two similitudes The first is of coÌ„ning lapidaries which choose not out those precious stones which they see allowed of men ignoraunte and of the common people but for that they Two similitudes haue a most skilfull sight they sometimes take those which others reiecte The second is of suche as tame breake horses which do not straight way choose out those coltes whiche the rusticall people iudge to be beste but they haue certaine assured markes which the common sorte of men sée not wherebye they knowe that those horses will be couragious and good when they are better growen So God elected the harlot the thiefe and the publicane reiecting the high priestes Scribes Pharisies in whome the common people thought consisted al doctrine and holines Oftentimes also in the church those which were highly esteemed and séemed to excel when persecution came fell awaye when in the meane time men abiecte and vile triumphed with the glory of martyrdome Wherfore take not vpon thee saith he of so great a woorkeman to enquire the causes why this man is beloued and that man reiected why this man is crouned and that man punished For if he loued Iacob hated Esau doubtles he did not that vniustly But he requireth a noble harte and a gratefull minde For they which are such although they sometimes fall into vices yet they streight way step vp againe And although they some longe while abide in sinnes yet God at the length deliuereth them But they which are of a vitiate and corrupt mind although they séeme sometimes to shine with good workes yet whatsoeuer they do they wholy viciate it with the prauitie of theyr mind and to declare this he bringeth also examples For Dauid was not of purpose or malice but by the violence of the flesh and vehemency of luste led to sinne and therefore was he forgeueÌ„ of God and returned againe into the right way But the pharisey Examples of Chrisostome for that he semed vnto himself to abound in good works by his boasting hipocrisy lost al. This is the sum of yâ— which Chrisostom hath when he expoundeth how God loued Iacob hated Esau But how litle these things agrée with yâ— words of the ConfutatioÌ„ of the sentence of Chrisostom Apostle although it may be vnderstaÌ„ded by those things which are red in this cha yet is it most of al manifest by yâ— which is had in the 11. chap. of this epistle where is described the answere which was made by God to Elias That God had lefte vnto himself ten M. meÌ„ which had not bowed their knées before Baal where Paul thus saith The remnantes according to the election of grace shal be made safe not of workes otherwyse grace should not be grace In which wordes is to be marked the Hebrew What is the election of grace If election hange of workes grace is not grace phrase According to the election of grace For it is all one as if it had bene sayde According to the gracious or free election For in that tong the sonne of perdition is nothing els but the lost sonne But that we should vnderstand that our election consisteth fréely Paul so excludeth workes that
declare in him his power therefore he hath mercy on whom he will hardeneth whom he wil. Why then do we still complayne For who can resist his wil Here againe he addeth God forbid He for no other cause as I suppose thus wresteth the text but Why this place is made so troublesome of these fathers Origene wrote a boke of free will for yâ— he would not haue mans vnderstanding to much offended or free will impayred But that this wrested expositioÌ„ yet satisfied hym not it is manifest by yâ— which he alledgeth out of a boke of fre wil which he saith he wrote although yâ— boke be not at this day extaÌ„t And in it he endeuoreth to interpretate these words as if they were the wordes of Paul himselfe and not of any other man asking a question They hurt no more free will sayth he then that which we rede in Dauid Vnles the Lord build the house they labour in vaine which build it The builder in dede doth somwhat for he is carefull and laboreth but God remoueth away the lets and permitteth the worke to be accomplished So will he haue that to be vnderstanded whiche is written vnto the Corrinth Neither he which watreth nor he which planteth is anye thing but God which geueth the encrease Wherefore although we labor yet it is God which geueth perfection accomplishmeÌ„t to our labors After this maner thinketh he may aptly be expounded this sentence It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that hath mercy But this cauillation Augustine of whose iudgment as touching this matter I am in a greate many places excellently well confuteth For so sayth he we may inuert the sentence the other way and thus say It is not of God that hath mercy but of man that willeth and runneth But touching this matter we will speake more at large in due place Thus much we thought good at this present to reherse that thou moughtest se that Origen hym selfe putteth no greate affiance in this his first interpretation howbeit he goeth on in it and thus repelleth that troublesome and importunate inquisitor O man what art thou that answerest vnto God and goest to Law with him when as thou art as clay in the hand of the potter Neither vouchesafeth he to make anye other answer to the troublesome inquisitor For so he sayth Christ when he was demaunded by what power he did those thinges would not make answere vnto the Scribes Whome doubtles he would haue aunswered if they had asked the question with a godly minde and with a minde desirous to learne For so also a master that hathe a malipert seruaunt which neglecteth to doo the thinges which he is commaunded and troublesomely enquireth the causes of those thinges which are commaunded him would say vnto him What hast thou to doo to enquire touching these thinges I will haue it so bycause it is my pleasure so When as otherwise he would make answere if he were asked the question of a faythfull and an obedient seruaunt Therefore God although he hid from many what he would do yet reueled he his secretes vnto Daniell a man desirous of knowledge So we also if we be not rash and importunate inquisitors may in the scriptures know the causes of the loue and hatred of God towardes Iacob and Esau although to the malepert and importunate inquisitors that answere which is here geuen of Paul ought to be sufficient And in the first epistle to Timothe it is written That In a greate house are vessells some of gold some of siluer some of clay in this place that distinction of vessells is not discribed Thys thing only Paul sayth That the potter may of one and the selfe same masse make one vessel to honour and an other to contumely But vnto Timothe is geuen a cause of the diuersity For thus it is written He wich shall purge himselfe from these thinges shal be a vessell to honour sanctified to God and prepared to euery good worke Of which wordes we may inferre to the contrary He which purgeth not himself nor clenseth him selfe shall be a vessell Origene geueth a cause of the loue of God towardes Iacob â–ª and â—â— his hatred towardes Esau The opinioÌ„ of Origene is coÌ„futed to contumely Lo saith he the cause which was not geuen vnto the Romanes is geuen vnto Timothe Wherefore Iacob was therefore beloued bycause he had clensed him selfe from sinnes for the scripture geueth testimony of hym that he was a man simple gentle and obedyent to his parentes And Esau was therefore hated for that he had not purged him self but perseuered in malice in impiety This exposition of Origen conteyneth many things which are not to be allowed First for yâ— he persisteth not in those thinges which he had spoken at the beginning namelye that election consisteth not of woorkes but of the purpose of God and good pleasure of him that calleth Secondlye for that he maketh darke those thinges which in the Apostle are plaine and perspicuous Thirdly for that in his booke of frée will he declareth that he followeth not the exposition which he presently bringeth moreouer for that he thinketh that the Apostle in this place dissolueth not yâ— question where he of purpose putteth it forth and entreateth of it but dissolueth it in the Epistle to Timothy where he onely by the way toucheth that matter Lastly for that out of those wordes of the Apostle he gathereth not a good solucion For of that sentence of Paul He which purgeth himselfe shal be a cleane vessell oughte not to be inferred that a manne can by hys owne strengthes purge hymselfe for that thinge doth God onelye and not we our selues Neyther is that argument of force to proue our strengthes and the libertye of our wyll whyche is taken of a commaundemente or of an exhortacion For God oftentymes commaundeth and oftentimes exhorteth after this maner If thou shalt do this or that these or those thinges shall happen vnto thée to the ende we might vnderstande our infirmity and acknowledge from whence those things which are commaunded are to be sought for But to be clensed and purged in suche sorte as God geueth grace cannot be the cause of election Now wil I come to Ambrose who in a maner nothinge disagréeth from these thinges for he also will haue the purpose of God to signifie foreknowledge And when yâ— Apostle saith That the election should abide according to purpose he peyseth that word should abide and thereof gathereth that the foreknowlege of God cannot be deceaued neither is it possible but yâ— euery thinge shall so come to passe as God foreséeth euery thing shall come to passe but he saith What acception of persons â—â— that God loueth and hateth as he that foreknoweth thinges to come and not as an accepter of persons but doubtles God cannot be sayd to accept persons for that we beleue he fréely loueth and hateth whome he wil not by
the foreknowledge of merites For acception of persons is when contrary to iustice distributiue we haue a A similitude respect vnto the conditions which make not a man worthy either of y◠gifte which is distributed or of the office which is committed to his charge as if a bishoppricke should be geuen vnto a man bycause he is beawtifull and of a tall stature or for that he is a stout warrior neglecting in the meane time other men more worthy and méete But of this fault God cannot iustly be accused For he findeth in vs no persons or qualities or conditions For we come all equally of the corrupte Masse of Adam Wherefore whatsoeuer afterward commeth either as touching giftes or worthines the same we haue not of our selues but of the goodnes of God But to returne to Ambrose who thinketh that some are elected for that God knoweth that they shall beleue and others are reiected for that he knoweth that they wil be enemies vnto the truth It appeareth also that Augustine beinge yet rude nor as a then a Bishop followed this sentence of his father Howbeit afterward when he had better examined the matter he reuoked it And Ambrose minde is that the loue and hatred of God springeth of faith or infidelitye foreséene Therefore he addeth Wherefore God foreknowing that they should be endued wyth an euyll wyll counted thē not in the nomber of the good although Christ said vnto the. 72. disciples whiche afterward fell awaye from hym as it is written in the 6. chapter of Iohn Reioyse and be glad for your names are written in heauen For they are sayde to be written accordinge to a certayne present iustice and not accordinge to foreknowledge And God forasmuche as he is a iust iudge iudgeth according to present iustice and not according to foreknowledge Wherefore that which the Lorde sayth to Moses in Exodus the 23. chapter If any man sinne against me I wyll blot him out of my booke is so to be vnderstanded that according to the righteousnes of the iudge he seemeth then to be blotted out when he sinneth but according to the foreknowledge of God he was neuer writen in the boke of life For Iohn sayth they wente out from vs for that they were not of vs for if they had bene of vs they had doubtles abiden with vs. Afterward Ambrose defineth the foreknowledge Definitiō of the foreknowledge of God after Ambrose of God and sayth that it is that whereby God hath certainelye appoynted what manner of will euery mans will shal be wherein he shall abide and whereby he shall ether be condemned or crowned wherefore there is no acceptation of persons in the foreknowledge of God And he saith that it is possible that they which shall be good to the end become sometimes euill as it came to passe in Dauid contrariwyse that they which shall at the last become euill and shal be condemned yet notwithstandinge sometimes seeme good as Saul Iudas Salomon and Ioas as long as Ioiada the priest liued We sée that Ambrose in this his sentence was brought to that pointe that to auoyde the acceptacion of persons he referred the election of God to the foreknowledge of workes least God should séeme vniust But we haue already declared that the equitye and The iustice and equitye of God is not here put in any danger iustice of God is nothing put in daunger if we rightly vnderstande wherein consisteth the fault of the acception of persons But amongst the new writers Phocius whose sentence is rehearsed amongst the Gréeke Scholies by purpose vnderstādeth as other do foreknowledge of woorkes and thereof he affirmeth springeth election when as by it is put a difference betwene men But election cannot be vnles there be put some difference in those things which ought to be elected But we Election cā not be but when there is differēce of thinges The difference of things to be lected is not taken of the nature of the thinges themselues but of the purpose of God say that this difference is not to be considered by the thinges themselues which are elected but by the sondrye purpose of God towardes them For whatsoeuer good thing is founde in men the same commeth from the méere mercye and goodnes of God Neither can God foreknow that any thing shal come to passe but that which he willeth to be For forasmuche as all thinges that are haue by his will that that they be whatsoeuer he foreknoweth shal be it is of necessitye y◠he willeth the same to be Wherfore God found no difference in men but he himselfe putteth differēce in thē The same Phocius addeth Although there were no other reason of the election of God but his will yet ought we therewithal to be contēt But there is an other namely his foreknowledge of workes But we haue alredy declared what deceiued this mā namely for that he thinketh y◠the difference which must of necessity be in election is alwayes taken of the thinges that are to be elected when oftentimes they come of the méere will of him that electeth But nowe will I come to Augustine who in his questions to Simplicianus in his first booke and 2. question at large entreateth of this matter He demaundeth in that place why the mercye of God which was present with Iacob was wanting in Esau And he maketh answere that it cannot be sayd because that the one should beleue the other should not beleue for that fayth it self is the gift of God which thing others also sayth he do confesse but therfore they say the one beleued for that he woulde receaue that when it was offred and y◠other beleued not for that he would not receaue it But this aunswere is not sufficient For then mought euery man ascribe his faith Our faith is not an effect of our will to his owne will and thus say Therfore haue I beleued for that I woulde And by that meanes he should haue wherof he might glory and the grace of God and our fayth should be of workes Farther vnto the Phillippiās Paul writeth that it is God which worketh in vs both to will and to performe according to his good will Wherefore no man can haue a will to beleue vnles God geue vnto him that will Moreouer A good wil is the gift of God it should then not be of God that hath mercye but of man that willeth runneth And it is meruaile sayth Augustine if these men were demaunded whether a good will be the gift of God if they durst deny it but peraduenture they wil say God in vayne hath mercy if man will not Which is imprudently spoken For euery man hath a will vpon whome God hath mercy But if thou demaunde what maketh in vs this good wil we answer the calling of God But that séemeth to be The calling of God of two sortes against this which we reade in the Gospel That many are called but fewe
are elected That should not be true if calling should haue that force to chaunge the will Here we say that the calling of God is of two sortes the one is common whereby men in déede are after a sorte stirred vp but they are not bowed For that those thinges which are offred please them not but the other is a conuenient apte and mightye calling whereby the mindes are touched and trulye chaunged After this manner was Iacob called and not Esau therefore the one was beloued the other hated the one drawen the other forsaken Neither doth this any thinge further thée to say God wanteth not a meane wherby to bow the wâ—â—s of men It is repugnant to the wil to be compelled God poured not malice in to Esau but he gaue not vnto him grace wherby he might be made good What two thinges are hâ—â—e to be hâ—ld fast although humane reason cannot make theâ— to agree that the willes of men are sometimes hardened for it is not to be thoughte that God wanteth a meane whereby to bow and chaunge them if he will Wherefore if we make God omnipotent then can there be no obstinacy of men so greate but that he can ouercome it not by compulsion which is vtterly repugnante vnto the nature of will but by persuasion Neither was it néedeful that God when he hated Esau should poure into him any new malice whereby he mought be made euil for he had that aboundantly of himselfe and by the corruption of nature It was sufficient yâ— he gaue not vnto him grace whereby he mought be made good Wherfore there are two thinges which we oughte constantlye to holde faste firste that there is no iniquitie wyth God secondlye that he hath mercye on whome he wyll and whome he wyll at hys pleasure he hardeneth Whyche two thynges althoughe humane reason can not easelye make to agrée the one with the other yet Augustine to the ende the iustice of God moughte after a sorte the easilier be vnderstanded addeth a similitude of a creditoure who hath two debtoures whome if vnto one he remitte his debte and require his debte of the other no no man can iustly accuse Wherefore if humane iustice had his originall of the iustice of God it is wonderfull that men can take this vpon theÌ„ to reproue that in God which they confesse to be iust in men And Iacob and Esau were obnoxious vnto the condemnation of originall sinne Wherefore God did nothing vniustly if he pardoned the one and vouchsafed to bestow on him his fauour and grace and by his iust iudgement punished the other Debters shoulde not haue a proude and rashe iudgement of the minde of their creditor especially when he requireth of theÌ„ no more then his dew But how importunatly men séeke to hinder God that he should not at his pleasure geue the thinges that are his to whome he will Christ God cannot be letted but that he geueth his thinges as semeth good vnto hym How this is to be vnderstanded thou hast hatâ—d none of the thinges which thou haâ— made declareth in the Gospel vnder the person of the good man of the house Is it not lawfull saith he for me to do wyth myne owne what I wyll Is thyne eye euill I am good Take that which is thyne owne and go thy wayes But it is written in the booke of wisedome the 2. chapter Thou hast hated none of the thynges which thou hast made Wherefore seing Esau was made of God it semeth that he could not â—e hated of him Augustine answereth that we must make a distinction betwene nature and sinne and so he maketh answere that God loued Esau as touching nature but hated him by reason of sinne But with this answere the minde can not be quieted for euen by this selfe same reason God may seme to haue hated Iacob for he also was no les obnoxious vnto originall sinne then was Esau Vnto thys Iacob was nâ— lesse obnoxious to original sinne theÌ„ Esau God hateth the sinnes of all men but after a dâ—ueâ—s maner the sinnes of the elect he w 〈…〉 pardon but will punishe the sinnes of the reprobate How Iacob was loued Esau hated when as they both were in sinne Three things to be considered The nature oâ— man sinne â–ª and the punishment God â—â—eth sinne as it is a punishmeÌ„t obiection Augustine maketh answere that God hated the sinne of eche but yet not after one and the selfe same maner For he would haue sinne to be in Iacob extinguished by forgeuenes And for that he had clered him of that debt he is sayd to loue hym But he hated sinne in Esau and would haue it punished And so for that he left Esau obnoxious vnto sinnes which he would not forgeue he was sayd to hate him Finally he thus interpretateth this sentence Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated namely that yâ— one was deliuered from sin but the other was left in sinne But how man and sinne do either please or displease God he thus declareth First he saith we must set before our eyes nature secondly sinne and thirdly the punishemeÌ„t wherwith God chastiseth the crime First of all he saith God loueth nature neither at any time hateth he it of himselfe But sinne of his owne nature he hateth although sometimes when it is inflicted of him in respect of a punishement forasmuch as it is an instrument of the iustice of God it vtterly displeaseth him not for then by that sinne others of the elect are kept vnder that they should not in like sort committe sinne And this he declareth by an excellent similitude A Iudge saith he when a thefe is brought before him hateth not the thiefe in respect that he is a maÌ„ but the theft he condemneth Neither doubtles hateth he the punishement whereby he commaundeth hym to be banished and to be put to the workes of the mines yea rather he inflicteth it vnto him as good By which sentence of Augustine by the way we note that at that The Romane lawes made not theâ—â— death tyme the Romane lawes condemned not a theefe to be hanged but only condemned him to the mines Wherefore seing sinnes haue oftentimes the nature of a punishement as we gather by the first chapter of this epistle it is euident that God in this respect hateth them not But in what sort he willeth sinnes all Whether god willeth sinne men are not of one and the same mynde For some thinke that God onely permitteth sinne and not properly willeth it least they should seme to make God the author of sinne and for that cause vniust if he woulde punishe that in man which he himselfe would haue to be done But if a man diligently weigh this permission he shall at the length finde that it is a certaine will of God For if he permitte sinne he doth it either willingly or agaynst his wyll but against Nothing caÌ„ be done against gods will The opinioÌ„
time when he was called Verely he thought vpon nothing ells but how to murther the christiaÌ„s and vtterly to destroy and to ouerthrow Christian religion and yet notwithstanding he was streight way conuerted vnto God and the truth was so set forth vnto him that streight way he embrased it vtterly and wholy changed his minde Wherefore there is no cause why any man should accuse God of iniquity for when he forgeueth and pardoneth he geueth frely of that which is his owne but Why God is not to be accused of iniquity when he punisheth and putteth to paines he by most good right requireth that which is his owne These thinges writeth August as we haue sayd in his boke of questions to Simplicianus the second question But in his epistle to Sixtus which is the 105. in nomber he sayth that God findeth not men mete to be elected but maketh them God in Iocob loued only his mercy He hated Esau for that he would not haue mercy on him Paul wanted not sharpenes of wit Neither loued he any thing ells in Iacob saith he but his owne free mercy And Esau he hated for that he woulde not haue mercye on him Whiche thinges these men sayth he speaking of the Pâ—lagians seking to auoyd say that God had a regard to the workes foresene as though forsoth Paul wanted so greate sharpenes of witte that he would not se that which these witty men saw For theÌ„ doubtles was the time for Paul so to answer wheÌ„ he had obiected vnto him selfe What shall we then say Is there iniquity with God God forbidde He mought streight way euen with one worde after these men haue solued the question yea rather he had had no question at all to solue We must consider what Paul there went aboute what he did and what was his entent His entent was to inculcate the grace of God but they which haue this scope before theyr eyes can not imagine any suche things And in his Enchiridion to Laurentius the 98. chapiter he writeth that if this had bene the entent of Paul he would in no case haue sayd Not of workes yea he would rather haue sayd Of workes foresene he loued Iacob by his free mercy and hated Esau by his iust iudgment Wherefore they which are planted in an holy calling let them acknowledge that vnto them is geueÌ„ grace not dew vnto them and in others that eternally perish let them consider what was dew vnto them Now that I haue thus briefely recited the sentences of the fathers I thinke it good to declare my iudgement What is to loue What is to hate as touching this whole matter First I vnderstand that To loue is nothing els but to will well to a man And to hate is nothing els but to wish ill to a man or not to wyll well vnto him Wherefore God is sayd to loue them vnto whom he willeth eternall saluation that is the chiefe felicitie and those he hateth vnto whom he wylleth it not Nowe this so being the controuersie is whether God wylleth felicitie to the elect by workes foresene or no and how he willeth it not to the reprobate First we wyll speake of loue Nowe loue can not be of workes foresene for Paul sayth Not of workes but of him that calleth And seing The electioÌ„ or predestination of God cannoâ— be of works foreseene that God findeth not good workes in men but of his mercy deriueth them into them how can they be the causes of his loue And in the 11. chapiter of this epistle Paul sayth That the remnantes shall be saued according to the election of grace And if of grace then not of workes And in this place the same Apostle referreth the effects also of the promises of God only to the will and power mercy of God Therfore ought we to presume to go no farther And in the 1. chapiter to the EphesiaÌ„s he sayth That we are predestinated into the adoption of children according to the good We should be iustified by workes foresâ—ne â–ª iâ— we should by them be elected pleasure of the will of God And if we should graunt that men attayne to saluation by workes forsene we could not auoyde but that men should be sayd to be iustified by workes For then of our workes should follow the foreknowledge of God of foreknowledge predestination and of predestination calling and of calling last of all iustification we should consent also with the Pelagians that iustification and merites take theyr beginning of our selues and that God afterward addeth grace mercy and variety of gifts Neither ought we to thinke that the worke of God which is eternall hath his beginning of any thing temporall The eternal worke of God hath not his beginning of a thing temporall The hatred of God is not of workes foresene After the selfe same maner we say that the hatred of God dependeth not of workes foreknown For Paul a like pronouÌ„ced of ech brother Not of workes but of him that calleth And if we should graunt that the hatred of God springeth of ill workes foresene it mought be on the contrary part inferred as sayth Augustine that the loue of God also springeth of good workes forsene And moreouer this reason can not take place in all those that are elected or reiected For many amongest the Iewes and Turkes perish euen in theyr in fancy and are condemned and therefore are nombred amongest those whome God hateth in whome yet he could foresee no euil workes forasmuch as they should neuer haue any yea rather he foreknew that they should worke nothing Neither auayleth that any thing which some say that God saw what they would haue A cauillatioÌ„ confuted done if they should haue liued For by this meanes should not the iustice of God as touching humane reason be defended for the defence whereof yet these men take so great paynes For streight way should come into yâ— mind why these men were reiected for those workes which they neuer did nor euer should haue done But they should haue done them thou wilt say if they had liued Graunt it were so But a conditionall proposition affirmeth nothing And that God followeth not this consideratioÌ„ in his loue or hatred Christ plainly declareth wheÌ„ he saith Wo vnto the Corozaim wo vnto the Bethsaida for if in Tyre and Sidon had bene done the thinges which haue bene done in thee they bad long since repented in sackcloth and ashes Again Wo vnto the Capernaum which art exalted vp to heauen for thou shalt be cast downe euen into hell For if in Sodome had bene done the thinges which haue bene done in thee those cities had yet bene remayning These wordes playnely declare that God hath not a respect vnto that what a man shall do For he gaue miracles vnto God gaue miracles to them that vsed theÌ„ ill but gaue none to theÌ„ that would haue vsed them well them that vsed them ill and gaue not
follow be alleadged of Paul the more vehemently to repell the obiection For he repelleth it after a sorte with this execration God forbid Whiche thing is plainelye declared by this particle For whereby is geuen a reason of the sentence going before And hereunto helpeth that this sentence is cited oute of the scriptures Whiche thinge Paul is not wont to attribute vnto the person of the aduersarye For he obiecteth vnto himselfe those thinges which are affirmed of humane wisedome against the sentence of the holy Ghoste but this he retayneth vnto himselfe by testimonye of the scriptures to confute these humane reasons whiche séeme to be againste it I will not speake how Origen when he sawe the absurditye of his exposition had no great affiance in it but placed an other in stéede thereof But Chrisostome and Ambrose attribute these wordes vnto Paul himselfe althoughe they somewhat straye from the righte interpretacion For Chrisostome sayth that Paul in this place maketh the matter more obscure to the ende to driue the Iewes to that pointe that touching the question for which they kept so great stirre neither they themselues should be able to make any aunswere For they demaunded why theyr nation being reiected the Gentils should be taken Paul to stop theyr mouthes And ye sayth he tell me why Ismaell being reiected Isaac was receaued Why Iacob being beloued Esau was hated But because to these thinges mought aunswere after a sorte be made that these men were euill and the other good therefore he bringeth thys place out of the. 33. chapter of Exodus where when God by reason of the idolatry which the people had committed in the calfe had commaunded manye of them to be slayne would yet notwithstandinge pardon the reste of the multitude Here is lefte no such refuge at all for the crime of them all was a like Wherfore God said vnto Moses I will haue mercy on whome I wyll haue mercy That is I alone can discerne why I will haue mercy on this man and will not haue mercy on that man This canst not thou sée Wherfore in this matter geue place to me Neither wanteth it an Emphasis that the Apostle in this place by name putteth Moses For séeing that he sawe not the cause of this thing when yet notwithstanding he was of all men that euer were the most familiarest with God verely much les could others sée it Wherfore Paul by these wordes repelleth putteth to shame the rashe The interpretation of Chrisostom confuted It is not the part of the holy ghost to make darke that questioÌ„ which is nâ—cessary vnto saluation inquisition of men for that God onely foreséeth the merites and worthines of those whome he electeth and whome he pardoneth This interpretacioÌ„ containeth thrée thinges which in my iudgemeÌ„t are not very sound First for that it sayth yâ— the Apostle maketh obscure the question when as in dede he most of all maketh it plain neither is it the part of the holy Ghost to hide the truth whiche is so necessarye to saluation Moreouer it affirmeth that God spake these words to Moses touching those men which were slaine for idolatry which thing as we shall declare agréeth not with the History Laste of all it referreth the matter to the righteousnes and foreknowledge of merites when as Paul reduceth these thinges to the mercye of God onely Ambrose will haue these thinges to be alleadged of the Apostle in thys sence as though God should say I will haue mercye on him whome I foreknowe shal be conuerted and abide by me And I will shew compassion on him on whom I will shew compassion that is I will geue mercy vnto him whome I haue foreknowne shall after his error with an vprighte harte returne vnto mee And this sayth he is to geue vnto him vnto whome ought to be geuen and not to geue vnto him vnto whome ought not to be geuen to call him whome he knoweth will heare him and not to call him whome he knoweth will not heare him And to call What to cal is with Ambrose To haue mercy is noâ— to foreknow sayth he is to pricke forward to receaue fayth In this interpretacioÌ„ also first this is to be disalowed that to haue mercy should be all one with to foreknow for these wordes are of farre diuers significations Wherefore to interpretate the one by the other is to adde of his owne head and not to geue the meaning of the Apostle And when he sayth that God geueth vnto whome is to be geuen and geueth not to whome is not to be geuen he hath a respecte vnto the iustice of God when as God himselfe as Paul testifieth referreth all thinges to his mercye Neyther is it true that God calleth those onelye whome he knoweth shall heare him for he daylye called the Iewes whome he knewe shoulde be rebellious vnlesse peraduenture he vnderstande no other callinge but that whiche is of efficacye but that callinge commeth not hereof for that men are prone to heare but yâ— it maketh them to be able to heare But Augustine wrytyng vppon thys place thoughte that GOD hathe not a respecte vnto workes to come but vnto faythe But the same sentence he himselfe afterward by most firme reasons reuoketh in his second booke of RetractatioÌ„s the 1. chapiter and in the first booke and 23. chapter Now resteth that as the wordes of Paul playnly declare the election and good will of God depend only of his mercy But that these wordes I will haue mercy one vvhome I vvill haue mercy should be vnderstand as Chrisostome would haue them of the slaughter of some of the pardoning of other some it semeth An history in Exodus rehersed not to be agreeing with the history For that slaughter is set forth in the 32. chapiter But before ye come to the other place which is in the 33. chapiter there are many thinges set For after that slaughter the Lord commaunded Moses to go vp from that place and sayd that he would not go with them for that it was a stiffenecked people And the people hearing this were excedingly sory and wept Agayne Moses prayed vnto the Lord that he would go with him and added that he would not go vnles the Lord would so promise him At the length the lord being as it were ouercome with these prayers maketh answer yâ— he would so do for that Moses had found fauor in his sight And Moses hearing this added Now then shew me thy glory Vnto whome the Lord answered I will make all my good go before thee and I will proclayme my name Iehouah before thee and I will haue mercy one whome I will haue mercy and I will shew compassion one whome I will shew This place is not to be vnderstanded of the idolatrers but of Moses compassion Wherefore I like theyr iudgement better which thought that thys place is to be vnderstanded not of the idolatrers slayn or preserued but of Moses only as if
geueth occasions wherby are stirred vp the mindes of the wicked He sendeth also inwardly vehement thoughts which although of a good minde they may be drawen to good yet of a corrupte minde they are corrupted and drawen to euill neyther is it hidden from God who sendeth those thoughts either by him selfe or by the Angells or by the deuill that it shall so come to passe God mought paraduenture rayse vp a vehement cogitation in A note touching the raysing vp of Pharao Pharao touching the defending of his kingdome which cogitation if his minde had bene good mought haue bene turned to good but bycause his mynde was euil neither was it changed of God therfore that cogitation stirred him vp vniustly to rage agaynst the Hebrewes Wherfore he being afeard lest they should to much encrease and in strengths and nomber passe the Egiptians first commaunded the infantes of the Hebrewes cruelly to be slayne after that beinge aferd lest his dominion which he vsurped ouer the Hebrewes should be taken away froÌ„ him and lest they should be by Moses set at liberty he apertly resisted the word of God And the more and more the commaundementes of God were set before him the more was bent that cogitation for the keping still of hys dominioÌ„ and so he was after a sort by Antiperistasin that is by contrary circumstances hardned So is it vnderstaÌ„ded that Pharao was raised vp to persist God That my name might be declared thoroughout the vvhole earth When he sayth the whole earth he comprehendeth together with the Iewes strange nations Of the Iewes it is sayd in the 14 chapiter of Exodus The children of Israell had sene the greate hand which the Lord hath exercised agaynst the Egiptians Moreouer that victory was celebrated of Moses and Maria with a notable song As touching strange nations it is written in the booke of Iosua the second chapiter that Rahab the harlot being an ethnike sayd vnto the espies of the Hebrues We haue harde here of the mightye actes and plagues whiche haue bene done in Egypt of your God and we haue bene wonderfully afrayd Ambrose writeth in thys place that the name of Pharao was not a proper name but rather a surname of all The name of Pharao the kinges of Egipt for at that tyme they were all called Pharaos as afterward they were called Ptolomei when the Macedonians were the chiefe Lordes ouer all as the Romane Emperors were called Cesares or Augusti And in very déede this is certayne that that Pharao which was king of Egipt when Ioseph went downe thether was not this Pharao of whome we now entreate whose hatred and cruelty towardes the Hebrewes is described in Exodus But wherehence that worde was deriued at the beginning thus we may by coniecture gather This Hebrew word Pharaa amongst other thinges signifieth to auenge and especially in the coniugation Hiphil Wherefore I thinke that the wise men of the Egiptians in those auncient tymes ment by that surname to signify what maner a thing the function and power of a king is namely that the Prince is the minister of God who as Paul saith to the Romanes beareth the sword and is an auenger against those which do euill Wherefore the king of Egipt so often as he hard that his name mought call to memory that the auenging of sinnes and of wicked factes pertayned vnto his office and the subiectes being terrefied by that name mought be kepte in dew obedience if yet it may be admitted out of the Hebrew tong to deriue the etimology of an Egiptian word And when the Apostle addeth For the scripture sayth He semeth to admonishe vs that these thinges ought not to be kept secret in Churches For seing that God would haue these Against those which will not haue any thing tought touching predestination thinges so diligently put in writing he would also doubtles haue them tought in Churches which maketh very much against those which thinke that nothing ought to be tought touching predestination Augustine was of this minde that predestination ought to be preached but yet in such sort that the myndes of the hearers should not be alienated from piety And verely if we speake of it so much as is written in the holy scriptures men shall thereby be stirred vp to haue a moderate opinion of themselues and a noble opinion of God and perpetually to geue him thankes for the singular benefite of his election and in others which are reiected and perishe to vnderstand what they had deserued if God would haue delt with them according to his iustice Neither had Paul to any thing els a regard when he vsed this example of Pharao but to teach that God hath the same right ouer all men which he here testifieth that he had ouer Pharao And hereby ought we to gather that although predestination and reprobation do compell no man Predestination and reprobation are certain although they compel none yet can no man decline from the endes which God hath appoynted For touching Pharao it is manifest that he could not be plucked away from his stiffe and hardened opinion neither by plages nor by wonders We may hereby also sée that it is not of him that willeth For so long as men are hardened and do abhorre from piety vnles they be changed by God doubtles they of themselues and by their owne strengthes are neuer able to rise agayne The Hebrew word which is here put is Aamad heiech commeth of the verbe Amad and signifieth to stand but in the coniugation Hiphil it signifieth to make to stand or to erect or to appoynt although many intepretate it to saue as though whereas others fell and died Pharao was preserued and abode And this interpretacion the Chaldey paraphrast foloweth and likewise the seuenty interpreters For thus they haue translated it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But that which we follow serueth better to the purpose of Paul namely that God to this purpose made Pharao to stand against hymselfe But which way so euer it be taken it must be referred vnto the predestination God doth all thing by his appointed counsel and doth nothing rashly and purpose of God For God doth nothing rashly or by chance but doth all thinges by his certayne and appointed counsell And euen as it is written that he hathe predestinated some certaine singular men before they were borne for so Esay saith in his 49. chapiter The Lord hath called me from the wombe and from the bealy of my mother hath he bene myndfull of my name And the lord in Iere. the first chapiter saith Before I formed thee in the wombe I knew thee and before thou camest out of her bealy I sanctified thee And Paul to the Galath which hath put me As God hath froÌ„ the bâ—ginnyng predestinated some so also hath he reiected some a part from my mothers wombe So also must we thinke of the wicked namely that God appointeth them also vnto their end
yet complayne Who can resist his will is gathered a most firme argument that Pauls minde was that both election and also reiection depend of the mere will of God For otherwise there was no occasion to obiect these thinges For if only the worthy should be elected and the vnworthy reiected what cause should there be of murmuring For then should be confirmed that kinde of iustice which humane reason most of all alloweth neither shoulde there be any place left to these offences Wherfore I do not a litle meruayle that Pigghius and other such like shold vse these things which Paul in this place obiecteth vnto himself confuteth to confirme their opinion as most sure argumentes For Pigghius saith if God should harden men Pharao should not be the cause of his sinne when as he could not resist the will of God And if God saith he should not deale according to workes foresene he should in his election be vniust and sinne agaynst iustice distributiue But these selfe same things Paul obiecteth vnto himself not to the entēt to satisfie thē thought he it nedeful to fly vnto the fond deuises of these Mortificatiō of faith men Herein doubles is most of all declared the mortification of fayth to geue all the glory vnto God and to beleue that the thinges which otherwise shoulde seme vniust are of him most iustly done By that comparison of the clay and of the potter Paul declareth that it is lawfull for God by most good right to do vnto men whatsoeuer he will and that men ought patiently and humbly to obey his will And that God can according to his right and at his pleasure either make men to honour or els leue them in contumely hereby he proueth God hath more right ouer men then the potter hath ouer the clay for that a potter hath the selfe same power ouer the vessels which he maketh Yea rather God hath much more right ouer mē thē hath the potter ouer y◠clay For man is infinitly more distant from God then is the vessell from the potter For the potter forasmuch as he is a man is taken out of the earth and the clay whether the potter will or no must nedes be clay But God if he wil can turne man into any thing yea if it please him he can also reduce him to nothing Wherefore that which is graunted vnto the potter by what right can it be denied vnto GOD And if men bee clay being compared vnto the will of God why are they not content therewith why do they so importunately murmure agaynst it And forasmuch as Paul sayth that the potter hath power to make By this cōparison is proued that God hath not a regard to workes vessels as he wil thereby he sufficiently declareth that God hath not a regard to workes For if it were so that power shoulde be no power and the potter should be able to do more then God For the potter may at his pleasure make what vessels he wil but God must follow the merites of men and our deedes shoulde be vnto him a rule of his election But we manifestly sée that the Apostle laboureth chiefely to proue that it lieth not in our power in what sort God ought to make vs. But against these things writeth Erasmus in his booke called Hyperaspistes that it is not to be merueled that y◠power is takē away frō God which he hath takē away frō himself For he would not y◠it shoulde be lawfull for him to do y◠which should be repugnāt to his iustice To this obiectiō we answer that Paul plainly saith that y◠potter hath this power which power doubtles we se is not takē away frō him Wherfore it is mete y◠the selfe same power be geuē also vnto God But wheras he saith y◠God hath takē away frō himself this power y◠is not true I grant in dede y◠God wil not haue y◠thing to be lawful vnto him which is repugnant vnto his iustice But here is nothing which is repugnāt vnto iustice Yea rather this we adde that here is not spokē of iustice but of mercy freely to be bestowed or not to be bestowed For God oweth vnto no man his first mercy therfore it foloweth y◠he may haue mercy on whō he wil not haue mercy on whō he wil not Erasmus also thinketh it absurd y◠we affirme that the respect of merites is repugnāt vnto the liberty power of God as touching electiō or reprobatiō For it were wicked saith he if a mā should be condēned with out euil deserts of sin That indede do we cōfesse but we adde that in this place is not entreated of damnation but only of reprobation as it is opposite to election or to predestination And with the Apostle we say that God Here is not entreated of damnation but of reprobation hath mercy on whome he will and hath not mercy on whome he will not And although God condemne not or deliuer not to eternall destruction but only those which haue bene contaminated with sinne yet he doth not by reason of any euill desert ouerhippe those one whome he hath decreed not to haue mercy Note the difference betwene damnation and reprobation And yet doth he not therefore deale vniustly for he oweth nothing to any man But when we say that if God should haue mercy or not haue mercy according to the merites of mē his power should be nothing at all which Paul here in this place so much commendeth Erasmus maketh answer that if he haue not a respect vnto workes his constāt and vnmoueable iustice should be nothing at all But we haue oftentimes declared that here is not entreated of iustice distributiue whereby God in predestination and reprobation is bound to render like vnto like For forasmuch as all are borne being drowned in the corruption of sinne he may as pleaseth him haue mercye on some and others agayne he may by the selfe same pleasure ouerhippe and leue them as he found them which is not to haue mercy vpon thē Erasmus also laboureth moreouer to proue y◠the power of God is after a sort contracted and made definite by his promises For when God had sworne eyther vnto Abraham or vnto Dauid vnles he would breake his fayth he was bound vtterly to performe his promises Wherefore sayth he it is not altogether so absurd if the power of God whereof is now entreated be not put vtterly fre from the respect of workes But Erasmus shold haue considered that this similitude touching the promises is not hereunto rightly applied For we neuer rede that there was any promise made to any man touching predestination Yea rather the promises alwayes follow predestination For it is the Predestination is the original of all promises originall of all promises Further Paul playnly maketh this power free from all respect of workes when he compareth it with the power of the potter For he in making of
that it is to be sought for onely of the wisedome of God himselfe Wherefore we muste define nothing but so much as is reuealed vnto vs by God in the holy scriptures Those commentaries which are ascribed vnto Ierome haue noted two things first that this aunswere of Paul is after a sorte spoken by way of supposition as if he should thus say vnto the aduersary Although it were so as thou imaginest that God hath mercy vpon whome he wil and whom he will he hardeneth yet oughtest thou not doubtles to take that in such ill part that thou shouldest séeke to striue with God and as it were in iudgement to call him to a triall This interpretacion taketh as graunted that those wordes He hath mercy vpon whome he will and whom he will he hardneth are spoken vnder the person of the aduersaries But the verye course of the wordes will not suffer that for the Apostle straight way vnto those wordes addeth an obiection saying Thou wilt say then vnto me why doth he yet complain And who can resist his will Nether ought we at our pleasure to alter the order of the words Moreouer when as Paul saith that the potter hath power of one and the selfe same lompe to make one vessell to honor and an other to dishonor they thinke that this similitude is to be applied to the Israelites and to the Egiptians And therefore they affirme that those two nations séemed to come both out of one and the selfe same lompe for that they were both polluted with one and the selfe same kinde of sinne The Iews worshipped the idols of Egipt namely with idolatry For as Ezechiell testifieth the Iewes also worshipped the idols of Egipt howbeit though eche had a like sinned yet notwithstanding God honorably deliuered the Iewes but threw the Egiptians into destructioÌ„ But there The things that are spoken of the Apostle vniuersally are to be vnderstanded generally Here is entreated of that electioÌ„ which was before the foundatioÌ„s of the world were layd In election the will of God is not tyrannicall is no néede to vnderstand those thinges which are spoken of the Apostle generally of certaine perticuler kinde of men Neither in this place is entreated of afflictions or punishments sent of God wherein a man may easly finde out the consideration of merites but of that first election whiche God had before the foundacions of the world wer layd Neither is that very currant which Methodius Martyr writeth in his booke de resurrectione as it is cited in the Gréeke Scholies For he expoundeth these thinges of God who hath power in the last day to raise vp the bodies of the dead being of one the self same lompe of the elementes one part to the honor of blessednes an other part to yâ— dishonor of daÌ„natioÌ„ For that last condeÌ„natioÌ„ adiudging to glory are much distant froÌ„ electioÌ„ predestinatioÌ„ wherof Paul now entreateth Howbeit this in yâ— meane time is worthy to be noted yâ— we wheÌ„ we attribute vnto God such a power in the election of men as hath the potter in making of vessels do in no case teach that such a power and will of God is tyrannicall or strange from iustice For forasmuch as vnto no man is done iniury and this kinde of authority by most good right beloÌ„geth vnto God it must nedes be that both election and reprobation are iust although the reason of that iustice depend not of the workes either of them that are to be elected or of them God taketh away nothing from those vpon whome he hath not mercy The reprobate are oftentimes adorâ—ed with great gifts that are to be reiected And to make this thing more playne we ought to know that God when he ouerhippeth any man and hath not mercy vpon him taketh yet nothing away from hym For so the potter taketh away nothing from the honour or dignity of the clay when of it he maketh vessels to a contumelious vse Yea rather oftentimes we sée that the reprobate are adorned of God with excellent giftes although he bestowe not vpon them that mercy which bringeth saluation Wherefore seing that God taketh away nothing from them they haue no cause why they should accuse God of iniustice if they be of him ouerhipped Thus muche touching the interpretacion of the wordes of Paul Nowe it shall not bee from the purpose as I suppose to see what Chrisostome bringeth vppon this place For hee perceauing that by this similitude he was excedingly vrged and seing that of it followeth that neither election nor reiection depende of the merites of workes with great counning wente aboute to extenuate the strengthe of this similitude Similitudes saith he are not so to bee receaued that they should be of force as touching all partes for otherwise should followe God is called a Lion many absurdities For God is sometymes in the scriptures compared with a Lion out of which similitude yet this thing onely thou oughtest to gather that in God is vnmeasurable strength and inuincible fortitude which thinges by most good right ar agreable with God But if thou wilt go farther and transferre vpon God the cruelty and fiercenes of God is called a beare Lions no man will suffer that God is sayd also to be like vnto a beare which is to be referred vnto the strengthes of auenging and yet oughtest thou not therefore to attribute vnto God the deformednes of that beast and his vnreasonable wrath God is also called God is called a fire a fire for that he can consume and purge all thinges and yet must thou not therefore say that he wythout vnderstanding and sence and will consumeth all thinges But Chrisostome neded not to haue taken so great paynes in setting forth that rule of similitudes For it is of all meÌ„ confessed that similitudes are not in all partes of force neither do we transfer vnto God al thinges which are agreeable vnto the potter and vnto the clay For we do not imagine vnto God either handes or a whele to worke withal neither do we spoyle men of sence vnderstanding and wil that they should be vtterly like clay Wherfore we confesse that which Chrisostome sayth that similitudes oftentimes halte and that in weighing of them is to be added in a deepe consideration But Chrisostome thinketh that this is onely the skope of Paul to represse man that he should not repine agaynst God for so the clay resisteth not the potter And this scope in dede we also admitte but in the meane tyme we adde an other namely that God may by hys owne right haue mercy vpon whome he wil and not haue mercy on whome he wil not which liberty is also attributed vnto the potter in vsing of the clay A double error of those which in this question oppose theÌ„selues against God We must neither repine against God nor falsly accuse him of iniustice which thing if thou take away from the scope of Paul
the Logicians teach that the question whether a thing be or no naturally goeth before that question whereby is demaunded what a thing is least we should goo against that order let vs first consider whether there be any predestination or no to the end we may afterward the more certainly define it As touching the first question this it is to be vnderstand that there are sundry elections of God For there are some The elections of God are diuers which serue for the executing of some certaine office as the election to the office of a king or to the office of an Apostle There are other elections vnto eternall life And these elections are somtimes seperated a sonder For it happeneth oftentimes that he which is elected vnto a kingdome is not straight way elected vnto eternall life Which thing also happeneth of the office of an Apostle as in Iudas Howbeit somtimes they are ioyned together so that whereas it is spoken of temporal election we may vnderstand that the same is ment also of the eternall election And after this sort Paul sayth that he was called to be an Apostle and put a part from the wombe of his mother namely to the Apostleship and preaching of the Gospell and yet together therewithall he vnderstandeth that he was predestinate to eternall saluation Christ also sayd that he had elected his disciples to go and to bring forth fruit and that their fruit should abide and yet together therewithall he commaundeth them to be of good comfort for that their names were written in heauen There is therefore betwene these elections a great difference and there is also betwene them a great coniunction so that oftentimes the one is taken for the other So Paul by his wonderful wisdome transferred vnto spiritual things those things which being in Genesis and Malachy forespoken of Iacob and Esay seemed to be tēporall Now as touching this latter election I sée that there haue ben many Their reasons which say that we ought not to dispute of predestination Prosperus Hilarius which haue ben of this iudgement that this disputation is not to bée medled with all whose reasons Prosperus and Hilarius bishop of Orleance sometimes disciple vnto Augustine do plainly declare in the two epistles which are prefixed vnto the books of the predestination of saintes Which epistles were vpon thys occasion written For that whereas Augustine writing agaynst the Pelagians touching the grace of Christ had in his bookes inculcated many things of predestination many of the brethren in France and not of the meanest sort were sore troubled and wonderfully offended therewithall For they affirmed that by this doctrine is taken away from such as are fallen an endeuor to rise vp againe and vnto such as stand is brought a slouthfulnes for that either party iudged that diligence should be in vain if by the predestination of God it was already determined of them that the reprobate could not be restored againe and the elect could by no meanes fall away and yet could they not kepe a constant and firme course for as much as they were vncertaine of their predestination Wherefore seing by this doctrine is taken away industry and there remaineth only a certaine fatall necessitye it is muche better that this matter be lefte vnspoken of They adde moreouer that it is superfluous to dispute of that thing which can not be comprehended For it is written who hath knowen the mynde of the Lord or who hath bene his counsellor Wherfore their iudgement was that we should teach that God of his goodnes would haue all men to be saued but in that all men are not saued it hereof commeth because all men will not be saued and this say they is a safe doctrine but contrarily this doctrine of predestination taketh away all the force and vse both of preachings and also of admonitions and corrections For if there be appointed a certaine number of the elect which can neither be diminished nor encreased then shall preachers labour in vaine For if the determination of God be vnmoueable then shall there be an intollerable confusion betwene the elect and the reprobate so that none of the one can remoue to the other nor none of these can passe ouer to them and therefore in vaine and vnprofitable shall be all the labour and trauaile of such as teach This doctrine also semed vnto them new because the old fathers had written as touching this matter either nothing at all or very litle or els entreated of it after an other sort And for as much as euen vnto Augustines time the Church had without this doctrine defended the doctrines of faith against heretikes they also could euen then be content to want it for they affirme that such as teach this do nothing els but call men backe to an vncertainty of the will of God which thing is nothing els then to driue men vnto desperation All these thinges were obiected vnto Augustine which if they were true then should we rashly and without aduisment take in hand the entreaty Reasons wherby Augustine defendeth his treatise and disputatiōs of predestination of this matter But the reasons with which Augustine defendeth himselfe may also defend our purpose Wherefore those things which we entend in this place to speake of we will briefely gather out of two bookes of his of which the one is entituled De bono perseuerantiae In which boke in the 14 15. and 20. chapters he confuteth those obiections which we haue now made menciō of The other is intitled De correptione Gratia Where in the 5. 14. 15. 16. chapters he entreateth the selfe same thing First of all he meruaileth that those men should Paul hath oftentimes inculcated the doctrine of predestination Christ and the actes of the Apostles haue made mencion of it thinke that the doctrine of predestination should subuert the profit and commodities of preaching especially seing Paul the teacher of the Gentiles and preacher of the whole world doth in his epistles both oftentimes and also plainly and of purpose inculcate that doctrine as in this epistle vnto the Romanes vnto the Ephesians and vnto Timothe Yea and he sayth that Luke also in the Actes of the Apostles And Christ himselfe in his sermons maketh mencion thereof For Christ saith Whome my father hath geuen me those can no man take out of my hand And that many are called but few elected And in the last day he sayth that he will answere vnto the godly Come ye blessed of my father possesse ye the kingdome which was prepared for you from the beginning of the world And he geueth thankes vnto the father for that he had hiddē those things from the wise men and had reuealed them vnto infants Because it was his pleasure so to do In an other place also I That is not against preaching which Paul the rest of the Apostles Christ him selfe also haue taught saith he knowe whome I haue
doctrine How predestination is obscure and how not obscure When we will do any thing we must not haue an eye to predestination but to the scripture These things writeth he vpon that place where it is writen that the Samaritanes would not receiue Christ He citeth also Gregorius Nazianzenus Who sayth that God geueth that the faithfull both beleue the blessed Trinitye and also confesse it But whereas it was obiected that this doctrine is very obscure neither can be vnderstand but rather bringeth men to be vncertaine of the will of God he aunswereth that indeede it is an obscurenes vnsearcheable if a man should go about to seke out reasons of the iudgements of God why other men being reiected this man or that man is elected But if so much be taughte of predestination as the holy scriptures do set forth vnto vs those thinges are not so obscure but that they may be perspicuous inough vnto our faith Neither counsell we that when a man dothe any thing he should deliberate with himselfe of predestination but rather that he should referre himselfe vnto the will of God expressed in the scriptures and euery one also ought to haue a trust that he is not excluded from predestination Neither is this any let to preaching that the nomber of the elect as it is in very déede is certaine The determinaâ—â— number of the elect hindreth not preaching vnmoueable For by preaching we go not about to transferre men out of the noÌ„ber of the reprobate into the noÌ„ber of the elect but that they which pertaine to the elect might by the ministery of the worde be brought vnto their appoynted ende Which selfe same ministery as vnto the one it is profitable so vnto the other it bringeth destruction and taketh away from them all manner of excuse But whether predestination and election vnto saluation may be sayde to pertaine vnto all men that God will haue all men to be saued we will afterwarde in his due place speake of Howbeit in the meane time Augustine willeth vs not to kepe in silence the truth touching predestination for that thereon hangeth daunger least by the euill vnderstanding thereof should be confirmed corrupt doctrine neither are those which are of capacity to be defrauded for theyr sakes which are not able to attaine vnto it And forasmuch as out of this doctrine may be had many consolations it is Many consolations by this doctrine of predestination Predestina is to be preached vnto al men but not after one sâ—rt Augustine bringeth an argument of the likâ— What thinges are to be takeÌ„ hede of in preaching predestination A similitude With what dexteritie predestination is to be entreated of indifferently to be set forth both to the learned and to the vnlearned although not alwayes after one and the selfe same manner For for some milke is mete and for other some strong meate And this selfe same thing may so aptly be entreated of that it may satisfy both the learned and the vnlearned Which thing Augustine did very well accomplishe who not onely most sharpely disputed of this matter against the Pelagians but also in his Homelies and familiar sermons plainly and gently entreated of the selfe same thing vnto the people What saith he is more deepe then the sentence of Iohn In the beginning was the woorde or then this And the woord was made flesh In which sentences many may fall and perniciously erre and yet notwithstanding we must not cease to set it forth both to the learned and to the vnlearned but yet vsing therein diuerse manner of speakinge We ought not so to preach predestination to the people of God to say whether thou dost this or dost it not thou canst not alter the determination of God and if thou be of the elected whatsoeuer thou dost cannot remoue the from saluation For this might easely hurt weake vnlearned men It is the poynt of an vnskilfull or rather of a malicious phisition so foolishly and vnaptly to apply a medicine which is otherwise good that it maye be hurtfull vnto health But to setforth this doctrine profitably and with fruit the endes and vtilities which we haue before spoken of ought to be regarded And let all our speach be directed to this that they which are of Christ ought not to put coÌ„fidence in theyr owne strengths but in God and that they ought to acknowledge his giftes and to glory in God and not in themselues and to féele the grace mercy exhibited vnto them that they are fréely iustified by Christ Let theÌ„ vnderstaÌ„d also yâ— they are predestinate to be made like vnto the image of the Son of God into the adoption of childreÌ„ to walke in good workes Lastly yâ— they haue a testimony of the certayntie of Gods good will towardes them Farther euery thing hath his eares or handels by which a man may most aptly hold it which if it should be taken by any other way or by any other partes eyther it would slippe out of the handes or ells hurt hym that taketh it This haue we gathered out of these bookes of Augustine which we before cited in which he answereth to the obiections of Hilarius and Prosperus Now resteth two doubtes to be disolâ—ed First that they say that we appoynte a certayne fatall necessary secondly that they thinke that men by this meanes are brought to desperation As touching the first if by fate or desteny they vnderstand a certayne force proceding from Whether by this doctrine be confirmed a fatall necessity We must absteine from the name of desteny although the thing being well vnderstand be not euill the starres and inuincible connextion of causes by which God himselfe also in brought into order we and that not without iust cause do vtterly reiect the name of fate But if by that name they vnderstand the order of causes which is gouerned by the wil of God then can not that thing seme to be against piety although in my iudgment I thinke it best that we should vtterly abstayne froÌ„ that name lest the vnlerneder sort should thinke that we approue the faynings of the Ethnikes Of this matter hath Augustine excellently well written in hys 5. booke De ciuitate dei the 8. chapter Neyther by this predestination are the natures of thinges changed as touching necessity and happe or chance as we haue before declared where we entreated of prouideÌ„ce Yea rather by the effect By predestination we are made free The consideration of predestination confirmeth our hope of predestination that is by grace we are made frée from sinne and made seruauntes vnto righteousnes which seruitude is holy and in the lord worthy to be embrased And so farre is it of that by predestination our hope should be broken or diminished that euen by it it is most strongly confirmed For Paul in the 8. chapiter of this Epistle when he had sayd Hope confoundeth not had added That vnto them that loue God all
he whiche geueth vnto vs to worke our saluation as it is said vnto the Philippians And in the Gospel it is many times written that many are called but few are elected Paul also declareth the liberty of the spirite in distributing his giftes whē he sayth vnto the Cor. That one and the selfe same spirite distributeth vnto all men as pleaseth him Which sentence althogh it may be vnderstanded of frée gifts gracious as they cal thē other gifts Grace is not to be put as nature also yet may it no lesse be transferred vnto the grace wherby we are renued vnto saluation whēas God is a like frée in the one as in the other Lastly whilest these men thus make grace common vnto all men they conuert it into nature whiche thing in no wise agréeth with the doctrine of the holy scriptures And howe muche they are deceued hereby it may easly be proued for that they séeke of these things to inferre that it lieth in euery mans power to receaue grace when it is offred vnto them which in no case agréeth with the holy scriptures For Paul sayth that we are not able to thinke any thing of our selues and that all our sufficiencye is of God And It lieth not in our power to receue grace when it is offred vnto the Phillippians he writeth that God woorketh in vs both to will and to performe according to his good will And vnto the Corrinthians when he had saide that he had labored much he added not I but the grace of God which is in me In this Epistle also he writeth that it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that hath mercy Which could not be true if it lye in our will to receaue grace when it is offred Touching which place Augustine to Simplicianus in his first booke and second question saith that the meaning of those wordes is not as though it is not sufficient for vs to will vnles God ayde vs with his grace for by that meanes he moughte contrarywise haue sayd It is not of God that hath mercy but of man that willeth But the sence is as it is written vnto the Phillippians that it is God which worketh in vs to will and to performe And it is true that we in vayne will vnles God haue mercye and helpe But who will say that God in vaine hath mercye if we will not In Ezechiell the Prophet it is sayd that God himselfe would chaunge our hartes and in steade of stony hartes geue vs fleshy hartes And Dauid in the Psalme singeth Incline mine hart O God vnto thy testimonies to declare that it pertaineth vnto God to bow our wils which thing he in an other place ment when he sayd A cleane hart create in me O God And in the boke of wisedome it is written that no man can haue a chaste hart but he vnto whome God shall geue it And Christ most manifestly toughte y◠an euill trée cannot bring forth good fruites Wherefore so long as men are not regenerate A similitude they can not bring forth fruite so good that they should assente vnto grace when it knocketh Wherfore first it is necessary that they be chaunged of it and that of euill plantes they be made good As in the generation of the fleshe no man whiche is procreated any thing thereto helpeth So also is it in regeneration for that there also we are borne againe through Christ and in Christ Moreouer if we should geue place vnto the sentence of these men all boasting shoulde not be excluded for euery man mought boast of that his owne acte whereby he receaued grace when it was offred Furthermore séeing that this apprehension is by faith according to our sentence but as they thinke by charitye what will they do Will they deny that faith and charity are the giftes of God Augustine also reasoneth that as in Christ the diuine nature tooke humane nature fréely not wayting for the consent therof so they which are iustified are not iustified by theyr owne will or assent The same father also noteth that eternal life is in the scriptures somtimes Grace and rightousnes are neuer called a reward What flesh signifieth in the holy scriptures called by the name of a rewarde for that good woorkes do go before it But grace saith he and righteousnes are neuer in the holy scriptures called by the name of a reward for that before it goeth no good worke acceptable vnto God And vnto the Rom. Paul writeth I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good Where by fleshe he vnderstandeth whatsoeuer is in a man not yet regenerate And dare they notwithstanding attribute vnto man being yet in the flesh that is not yet regenerate so much good that he is able to apply saluation vnto himselfe And vnto the Corrinthians What hast thou sayth he which thou hast not receaued and if thou hast receaued why boastest thou as though thou haddest not receaued Nether wil we suffer these men to runne vnto creation for here we speake not of the soule or of the powers therof that is of will or vnderstanding which we had of God by creation but of that action or woorke which these men séeke to picke out of frée will to the receiuing of grace And forasmuch as they say that they haue this of thēselues they manifestly speake against the Apostle For the Corrinthians mought haue answered thou demaundest of vs what hath seperated vs what haue we that we haue not receaued Behold we now shew vnto thée that act and assent wherby we fréely and by our own power receaue the grace which thou preachest vnto vs this hath seperated vs from others and so Paul had in vaine in such sorte reproued thē Moreouer if grace were set foorth as common vnto all men as these men teache what shoulde we pray vnto God for the conuersion of infidels Doubtles we so do for that we beleue that it lieth in the hand of God to open theyr hartes if he wyll Why we pray for infidels Neither must we thinke as these men faine that God geueth vnto euery man so much grace as is sufficient to moue them for if that were sufficiente they shoulde without all doubt be moued For if there were set before a mā a great heuy thing Whether God do geue vnto euery man so much grace as is sufficient and he being willing to moue it had in him so muche strength as were sufficient that is as mought ouercome the waight which is to be moued thē doubtles there would follow motion So if God as they say would in very déede moue the hartes of the wicked would geue so much strength that is so muche grace as shoulde suffyce yea rather as muche as shoulde excéede the hardenes of the wycked harte nothyng coulde lette but that it shoulde be bowed not in déede by compulsion but by most effectuall persuasion Augustine
boweng but to that parte only which God hath foreknoweÌ„ Wherfore the necessity falleth vpon the connexion and coniunction of the predestination of God with our workes â–ª which thing they ment by the composed sence and by the necessity of the consequence For our workes if they be considered a parte and if we only haue a respect vnto theyr niest ground or beginning that is vnto the will are not of necessitye Here also is confessed necessity of certainty or of infalliblenes for that God can neyther be changed nor be deceaued Neyther do we playnly graunt that predestination bringeth necessity of coaction for coaction The will can not bee gouerned and violence is agaynst the nature of the will For if it should vnwillingly do any thing it should not now be called will but rather nill if a man may so terme it which were to destroy will I knowe that the Scholmen striue amongest themselues whether God foreknoweth those thinges which he foreknoweth necessarily or contingently But in this contencion I will not entermedle my selfe for that there is no such matter set forth in the scriptures It is Proues of necessity by supposition sufficient vnto me to discharge God from all maner of change and alteration for the contingence and newnes is in the thinges but God alwayes and perpetually abideth one and the selfe same But that there is such a necessity namely of the consequence or of the composed sence or of infallibility found in the holy scriptures we wil alledge certayne places which euidently proue the same lest any should thinke it to be but a fayned inuencion Christ sayd It must nedeâ— be that he should be deliuered vnto the Iewes to be mocked This necessity can be of no other thing inferred but of the definite counsell of God â–ª which thing Peter teacheth in his sermon in the actes of the Apostles Christ also sayd that it must nedes be that the scriptures should be fulfilled In Iohn it is written The scripture can not be broken that is It is not possible but that it must needes be fulfilled Vnto yâ— Hebrues It is impossible that they which once being illuminated c. In which place is entreated of sinne agaynst the holy ghost that it is impossible that they which are guilty of it should escape for that God hath vtterly decred perpetually to forsake those which haue so sinned Christ also sayd of the temptacions of the latter times That the elect also if it were possible should be deceaued Agayne Heauen and earth shall passe away but my wordes shall not passe away In which wordes is signified that all those thinges which God hath spoken eyther in the Scriptures or in his eternall determination can not be by anye meanes made frustrate He answered also vnto his parentes Did ye not know that it behoueth me to worke those thinges which pertayne to my father Vnto Timothe Paul writteth The foundation standeth firme God knoweth who are his And in Iohn Whome the father hath geuen vnto me no man can take out of my hand Lastly All things whatsoeuer he would be made both in heauen and in earth Wherfore of all these thinges is gathered how euidently this necessity of certainty and infalliblenes is set forthe in the holy scriptures nether is it as some thinke a deuise of man And these thinges which we haue spoken of foreknowledge pertaine also Thesâ— thinges pertain also to prouidence to prouidence for although in this vniuersality of things many things are said to be done by chance yet notwithstanding bycause that there is nothing be it neuer so small but it is subiect vnto the prouidence of God therefore also hath it necessity which we call necessity of certainty and others call necessitye of consequence And if thou wilt aske that forasmuch as thinges may be called partly necessary and partly also contingent or free as we haue declared whither Whether our actions are to be called neceâ—sarye or contingent of these conditions most agree vnto them I answere that that most agreeth vnto them which is natural and inward Wherefore forasmuch as the necessity whereof we nowe entreate commeth outwardly and is onely by supposition therefore thinges ought in no wise to be estemed according to it but according to those principles or groundes which are vnderstanded of vs and so our workes which procede of the will shall be sayd to be free and those thinges which are so produced in nature that also theyr contrary may come to passe are be counted contingeÌ„t Howbeit that necessity of certaynty or of consequeÌ„ce which we put is neuer to be denied nether must we plucke away our workes eyther from nature or froÌ„ foreknowledge or from the prouidence of God And as touching the will of God we must thinke that it in very dede gouerneth and moderateth all thinges which thing is of all men commonly graunted For although meÌ„ perceaue and fele that they by the will decree and elect those things which they are minded to do yet if they be men godly they will alwayes saye This or that will I do if God wil permitte But if they be men that are yet without the religion of Christ as were the Ethnikes yet notwithstanding they alwayes make mencion of Fate or destiny of the three sisters called Parcae or of lot which thing is oftentimes red in the Poets Who if as we haue before sayd by the word Fate or such like wordes they vndestode the connexion of causes ouer which God himselfe is the ruler and moderateth and gouerneth it then is there no hurte in that opinion although by reason of the abuse of the word it be better vtterly to abstayne froÌ„ it There are some also which dreame of a certayne fatall mighty and strong necessity afflicted vnto the starres and vnto naturall causes Which God himselfe can not change which opinion is erronius impious and also strange from the wise men of old time who expressedly declare that by Fate they vnderstoode the will and gouernment of God The verses of Cleanthes the Stoike which he wrote touching thys matter Seneca in his 18. booke of Epistles hath turned into Latine Whose sentence in Englishe is thus Leade me o soueraigne Sire and Lord that rulest the heauens hye Verses of Cleanthes touching desteny Where pleaseth thee for I obey to follow spedely Lo prest I am without delay Though loth thou makest me Yet groning forward shall I go And euill while I be What being good I might haue done to do I shal be fayne The willing persons fates doo leade vnwilling they constrayne Although in these verses be auoutched fate or destinie yet is the gouernement thereof put in the hand of God for he calleth vpon the moste high father and desireth to be led of him Whose will notwithstanding he affirmeth to be both certain and infallible The selfe same thing séemeth Homer in his Odisea to haue ment in these verses which are thus in English Such is
certaintie of the foreknowledge of god is constant and is not chaunged as touching foreknowledge as God foreknew that the king should be in danger of that deadly dissease so also foreknew he that his life should be prolonged fiftene yeares And as he foreknew that the sinnes of the Niniuites deserued present destruction so also foreknew he that of his mercy he would geue vnto them to repent and to be preserued By which self rule is to be expounded that place of Ieremy in the 18. chapiter wherein God sayth that he also would chaunge his sentence or repent him of the plage which he had threatened to any city nacion or kingdome if they would repent But what shall we say of Paul who writeth to the Corrinthians that he chastised his body and brought it into bondage that he might not be made a reprobate What ment he to chaunge that firme purpose of God Verely Paul ment not that he was able to inuert the order of the predestination or reprobation of God and therefore he sayde not ne reprobatus efficiar that is that I be cast out as a reprobate but ne reprobus efficiar The saints worke wel to the ende to be obedieÌ„t vnto predestination Why Paul chastised his body It is a dishonesty for a man to geue good monitioÌ„s to liue wickedly that is that I be not a reprobate For he indeuored himselfe by all industry and diligence to bee obedient vnto the predestination of GOD for they whiche are predestinated vnto eternall life labour to mortifye the fleshe And he sayde that he woulde not bee made reprobus that is he woulde not bee founde and accused to leade his life otherwise then he preached whiche kinde of vice all men disallowe detest and condemne Wherefore in that place was not entreated of the reprobation of GOD but of that kinde of crime whiche they are giltye of whosoeuer geue good monitions and in the meane time they themselues leade theyr life most wickedly Although if a man will néedes referre these thinges to the iudgement of God we might wel graunt the same as touching present iustice or iniustice but not according to firme purpose whereof we at this presente entreat Cicero a man otherwise full of wit and excellently well learned was excéedingly deceaued in this question as it is euident by his second booke de Diuinatione Cicero was deceiued which thing Augustine declareth in his fiueth booke de ciuitate Dei the 9. 10. chapters For he thoughte that it was not possible that the foreknowlege of things to come should not ouerthrow the faculty or power of mans will therefore he tooke away all manner of prediction or foretelling whiche opinion how muche repugnant it is vnto our religion all men vnderstande when as it is staide vpon the oracles of the Prophets as vpon sure foundations And we read not that God did euer any thing which was of any waight but that he first reuealed it vnto the God reueleth vnto Prophetes the greate works whiche he will do Prophets He shewed vnto Noe the destruction that should come by the floud long time before it came to passe Vnto Abraham he forshewed the burning of Sodoma And vnto him he signified the oppression and deliuery of his posterity in Egipte And vnto the selfe same Prophets in a manner he gaue charge to foretell the captiuity of Babilon and the returne from thence He also commaunded all the Prophets to foretell the comming of Christ Therfore vnto vs so constant is the autority The autoritys of the Prophet is constant of prophesies that to deny it is vtterly to ouerthrow all religion Wherefore Augustine not without iust cause said that those men which were called Geneth liaci which auoutched the fatal necessities of the starres were more tollerable theÌ„ Cicero for they gaue some place vnto God But if he be denied to foreknow things If God be denied to know thinges to come theÌ„ iâ— he de 〈…〉 d to bâ—e God Noâ—e this that iâ— spoken of Cicero to come therby also is he denied to be God Dauid saith the folish maÌ„ said in his hart There is no God Which saying of the wicked he hereby proueth for that they wheÌ„ they commit wicked facts thinke that God séeth them not and that he will neuer punish them And Cicero hath geueÌ„ vs occasion to suspect yâ— he was after a sorte enfected with this impiety for that in his booke de Natura Deorum he bringeth in Cotta and the high priest thus reasoning together that Cotta desired much that he mought haue vndoubtedly proued vnto him that there are gods Howbeit because he saw that it was a thing odious hatefull and in a maner infamous to deny that there is a God therfore towards the end of the booke he gaue sentence on Balbus side who defended that there are Gods but yet he so gaue sentence that he said vnto Velleius that the opinion of Cotta séemed vnto him more likely Verely a Godly man and one confirmed in religion woulde neuer say that that sentence is likely to be true wherein the diuinity is called into doubt But these are the cogitations or reasoninges of our reason whereof Paul aboundauntly wrote in the first chap. But afterward Cicero himself in his booke de diuinatione vnder his owne person taketh away froÌ„ God the foreknowledge of things to come and maketh answer to Quintus his brother who had in the whole course of the first booke confirmed oracles and Prophesies But why denied he foreknowledge was he driueÌ„ vnto it therfore for that he saw that he must néedes graunt an order of causes and of effectes which Why Cicero denied the forknowledge of Goâ— should be vnmoueable and constante for otherwise thinges to come coulde not be foretolde Now if suche an order shoulde be graunted he supposeth that nothing should remaine in our hande and power But as in God there is to be put a moste singular wil ioyned with a most singuler power so also vnto him is to be attributed the knowledge of all thinges yet let vs not therefore be afearde but that we do those thinges whiche we do by our owne will and choyse The Stoikes which did appointe fate or desteny séeme also to haue bene somewhat moued with Ciceroes How the Stoikes discharged the will of maÌ„ froÌ„ fate reason for they did place the motions of the will of man not to be vnder fate or the connexion of causes Not that they vtterly made frée the wil of man but only they affirmed that in it lay by the choyce thereof to meddle or not to meddle with some things which if they meddled with straight way they were wrapped into the necessity of fate By an example the thing may be made more plaine They say that it was in the power of Oedipus to haue fellowshippe with a woman or to temper An example of Oedipus himselfe therefro But if he once should haue felowship
predestination For although therby as it is proued be not letted free wil yet doth not it otherwise want impedimeÌ„ts or lettes For we are borne in sins wil we or nil we we are wrapped in original sin neither can we by any meanes wynd our selues out of sinne And before regeneratioÌ„ what maner of power so euer we geue vnto the will of man in thinges indifferent ciuil this first we ought to thinke yâ— which way soeuer it do turne it selfe it of necessity sinneth neither caÌ„ it do any thing which is in very dede acceptable vnto God neither also can it geue vnto ciuill works yâ— successe which it purposeth Wherfore Augustine worthely wrote in his Enchiâ—idion that the first man in sinning lost the liberty of choyse or will This moreouer is to be considered that the wils motions of the mind actions euen of men not yet regenerated are directed of God and so directed that by his prouidence they are brought vnto the ende by him prefixed and determined Yea also when we are regenerated althoughe after a sort we obteyne liberty thorough Christ yet is not it full but only begonne For the first motions whiche stirre vp vnto sinne crepe vpon vs agaynst our willes whiche motions to be sinnes we haue in the seuenth chapter proued And Ambrose plainly confesseth that our hartes are not in our owne power neyther is there any of the beleuers which continually falleth not when yet he would stand Wherefore we ought all to pray Forgeue vs our trespasses And vnto the Galathians Paul sayd The spirite fighteth against the fleshe and the fleshe agaynst the spirite so that ye do not those thinges which ye would And in his epistle as we haue heard it is written The euill that I hate that I do agayne I feele an other law in my members striuing with the law of my mind leading me away captiue into the law of sinne Which wordes can not be vnderstanded but only of a man regenerated For he had sayd In minde I serue the lawe of God but in flesh the lawe of sinne which in no wise can be referred to a man not yet iustified We graunt in deede that God coulde if he God coulde kepe vs froÌ„ all maner of sinne but he doth not would geue vnto men so much ayde that they should not sinne at all but that hetherto hath he not done neyther hath he promised that euer he will do it Wherfore our will is subiect yet vnto some seruitude which as we desire to remayne certayne and vndoubted so on the other syde we affirme that by the foreknowledge and predestination of God the will is not letted We haue hetherto in this third article sene what necessity commeth of the foreknowledge and predestination of God namely such a necessity which is not absolute but by supposition which we call necessity of consequence of infalliblenes and of certainty but not of coactioÌ„ And seing that it is so it is now euident that no iniustice is committed of God when he condemneth sinners and glorifieth the iust For vnto euery man is rendred according to his works so that no man can say that his sinnes are not his owne workes when as he is not compelled to committe them but excedingly alloweth them and willeth them Neither are lawes admonitions promises and punishements in vaine MonitioÌ„s lawes and punishmeÌ„ts are not in vayne as it was obiected for they are so much of force as God hath decreed they shall be of force as Augustine writeth in his fifth booke de Ciuitate Dei in the chapter before cited For Gods will is to vse them to the saluatioÌ„ of many and though they profite not some yet they want not theyr end for they conduce to the condemnation of the wicked Prayers also are not made vnprofitable for by them Prayers aâ— not vayne Sinnes are not excused by the predestination and counsel of God An example we obteyne those thinges which God hath decreed to geue vnto vs by them Wherfore this is an excellent saying of Gregory in his dialogues That by prayers can not be obteyned but those thinges onely which God hath predestinated to geue And howe by predestination or foreknowledge or predictions sinnes are not excused we are taughte by very many testimonies of the holye scriptures Christ foretold that Iudas should betray him verilye that foretelling neyther tooke away from Iudas his wickednes nor also powred it into him He followed the entisementes of couetousnes he betrayed not the Lord to the end to fullfill his prophesy Christ also was by the will of God slayne For he sayd in the garden Let this cup passe away from me if it be possible but not my will be done but thine And touching himself he foretold I will geue my life for my shepe Yea Herode and Pilate are in the Actes of the Apostles sayd to haue ioyned together to doo those thinges which the counsell of God had decreed Are by reason of thys eyther the Iewes or those princes to be acquited from sinne when as they condemned and slew an innocent man Who will say so Can any man also discharge of villany the brethern of Ioseph wheÌ„ they sold theyr brother although God would that by that meanes Ioseph should come into Egipt Neyther shall the cruelty of the king of Babilon be excused although the iustice of God decreed to haue the Iewes in such sorte punished He which is killed is sayd to be of him deliuered into the hande of his enemy And God is also sayd to deliuer a city when it is wonne by assault And Iob said that those thinges which were by violence and theft taken away from him by the Caldeans and Sabeans were taken away by God The Lord sayth he gaue the Lord hath taken away Wherefore of that counsell of God whereby he vseth sinnes to theyr appointed endes can not be inferred any iust excuses of sinnes For wicked workes are iudged and coÌ„demned bycause of the vitiate and corrupt harte from whence they are deriued Wherefore let no man be offended with the doctrine of predestination when as rather by it we are led to acknowledge the benefites of God and to geue thankes vnto him only Let vs also learne not to attribute more vnto our owne strengths then we ought let vs haue also an assured persuasion of the good will of God towardes vs whereby he would elect his before the foundacions of the world were layd let vs moreouer be confirmed in aduersities knowing assuredly that whatsoeuer calamity happeneth it is done by the counsell and will of God and that it shall at the length by the gouernment of predestination turne vs to good and to eternall saluation The tenth Chapter BRethren myne hartes desire and prayer to God for Israell is that they might be saued For I beare them record that they haue the zeale of God but not according to knowledge For they being ignorant of the righteousnes of God and
preached and haue done our duety buâ— few haue beleued Christ also sayde Many are called but fewe are elected There was no nation which had so diligent and often preaching of the worde of God as the Iewes had And yet in it was alwayes a wonderfull multitude of vnbeleuers Wherfore there was no cause why they should so insolently boast that the pro 〈…〉 ses How the promises of God are to be contractâ—d were made vnto the séede of Ahraham for they ought to be contracted both to the elect as it was sayd in the 9. chapiter and also vnto the beleuers as we haâ—e now heard The Prophet by way of admiration brought forth the sentence now alleaged For forasmuch as mans reason knoweth not the cause howe so greate an incredulity can withstand the word of God and the holy ministery it wondereth thereat Which thing Iohn also considered in the 12. chapiter for he writeth that the Iewes beleued not when yet Christ had wrought miracles that that might be fulfilled which is written in Esay Lord who hath beleued our hearing and to whome is the arme of the Lord reuealed The preaching of Christ and of the Apostles was most cleare and mighty and was confirmed with miracles such as were neuer before sene and therefore it was wonderfull how so few shoulde beleue yea so farre of were the Iewes from fayth that they beleued that Christ was put to so cruell death for his wicked actes and blasphemyes And therefore in this selfe same chapiter Esay sayde And he was counted with transgressors And it is not to be meruailed at that whereas in the Hebrew is not had this worde Lord Paul yet added it for the 70. interpreters haue added it And forasmuch as it corrupted not the sence Paul also vsed it Vnto whome is the arme of the Lord reueled Here is not spoken of reuelation done by outward preaching for that is preached vnto all men but of the inward reuelation and which is of efficacy The Apostles were sent vnto all but the inward reuelation had not place in all By the arme we vnderstand the What is â—o be vnderstaÌ„ded by the arme of God mighty power of God to saue For so Paul defined the Gospell that it is the power and might of God to saluation Neither is there any cause but that also by the arme of God we may well vnderstand Christ For as euery man by the arme doth all the things that he doth so God by his word createth gouerneth and iustifieth therfore his word which is Christ Iesus is called his arme Neither is this word arme applied only to a man but also the long snout of an Elephant is called an hand or arme for that by that instrument he worketh many thinges And Cyrillus teacheth how that place in Iohn is to be vnderstanded wherin it is sayd That that might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esay Lord who hath beleued our hearyng namely that that word That expresseth not a cause but rather a consequence For these meÌ„ were not by the prophesy of Esay made vnbeleuers but because they should be vnbeleuers therfore the Prophet foretolde it There is in déede in such kind of reasonings some necessity but yet only of supposition or of consequence as they vse to speake yet is not any such necessity there to be graunted which bringeth violence or compelleth the will of man To our hearing By hearing is ment words or preaching It is an Hebrew phrase The name of the sense is transferred to those things whereby the sence is moued Schamaa in Hebrew signifieth to heare In Esay it is written Lisch miothenu After which selfe same maner Eli sayd vnto his children in the first booke of Samuell It is no good fame that I heare of you the Hebrew word is Hisch miah which signifieth hearing These words are deriued of hearing for that by the talkes of fame and by words is stirred vp hearing Although Ambrose vnderstaÌ„d hearing passiuely that the Apostles preached not but the things which they had heard of the Lord. But the first exposition is more simple and most agréeth with the customable speach of the Apostles who although they wrote in Greke yet they euery where in a maner kept still the Hebrew phrases But as touching the matter it It is a woÌ„der that â—â—eÌ„ do beleue séemeth no great meruaile if men beleue not but rather it is to be wondred at that they beleue for therein God vseth his strength and his gracious and mercifull spirit And they which are faithfull when they sée that others are left in their obstinacy and incredulity may consider in them what they had deserued vnles they had bene ayded with the help of God And if any man complayne why the Lord through his grace geueth not one and the same thing vnto all men we haue nothing els iustly to answere but this Is thyne eye euill because I am good take that which is thyne and go thy wayes it is lawfull for me to do with myne owne what I will but vnto thee I do no iniury Neither in that these things were foretold of Esay the Prophet is the cause of the Iewes any thing holpen or their incredulity any thing excused For as Cirillus saith vpon Iohn in the place now alleadged These thinges came not to passe for that they were foretold but for that they should come to passe therfore were they foretold It was of necessity indéede that it should be so but yet no coaction was therby brought vnto the will of man And doubtles God could if he would haue geuen faith vnto all men but by his iust counsell although vnto vs hidden he would not whereby we may know that faith commeth not of our own strengths but is in very déede the gift of God as is sayd vnto the Ephesians and vnto the Phillippians And although faith be indifferently preached vnto al men yet is it not geuen vnto all men for neither he which planteth is any thing nor he which watreth but God which geueth the encrease And as it is said in Iohn He which shall heare of my father and which shall learne he it is that shall come vnto me But he which is not taught inwardly of God is ignoraunt And because he hath in himselfe the causes of his ignoraunce he is without excuse Wherefore we ought not to wonder at the fewnes of the beleuers For the light shineth in the darkenes and the darkenes comprehendeth it not They which heare are not after one and the selfe same maner prepared of God for some are made good ground some stony God prepareth not all men after one and the selfe same maner some ouergrowen with thornes or ouerworne with much treading vpon And althoughe this sentence of the skarsity of beleuers may bee applied both vnto the GeÌ„tles and vnto the Iewes yet in this place it rather pertaineth vnto the Iewes for Esay preached vnto the Iewes and had experience of their incredulity
but God who beholdeth al things and seeth the secrets of the hart by reiecting them most manifestly declared what he iudged of their hipocrisye By these thinges we maye now perceaue in what state common wealth empires and followshippes of men are without Christ And when we shall consider this let vs remember yâ— we were once euery one such which doules in my iudgemeÌ„t is of great force both to pluck away our pride and also to restrayne our anger agaynst those whiche yet lye op 〈…〉 vnder impiety and superstitioÌ„s And let vs with as much diligence as we ca 〈…〉 eware that that thing which happened vnto the Iewes happen not vnto vs also For as God tooke away from them his kingdome so also wil he take it away from vs if we only counterfeate our selues to be Christians and doo not in very déede performe the things which the religion which we professe requireth And Esay is bold and saith Therefore is Esay saide to be bold for that he speaketh very plainly And doubtles this boldnes declared a stoute man when as by speaking the truth he put hymselfe in daunger By this phrase of speaking is Liberty of speach is necessary for the ministers of the worde of God expressed that freadome of speache which is necessary for preachers and theÌ„ that prophesie The truth got vnto them wonderfull greate hatred and deadly enimityes which thinges although vnto the fleshe they were most hard yet the men of God contemned them in respect of the truth which was coÌ„mitted to their charge when it was told Paul that he should be in daunger of death if he went vnto Ierusalem he saide I know that prisons and bondes doo abide for me but I esteme not my life more precious then my selfe And how the Iewes had persecuted all those which had truly and sincerely foretold Christ Stephen declareth in the Actes of the Apostles Whome haue they not persecuted which foretold the comming of the righteous Origen vpon this place very wel noteth that hereout we may manifestly gather that the Prophets when they prophesied had not such an astonished and troubled The prophets were of a sound and perfeâ—ynde mind as though they vnderstoode not the thinges which they foretold Euery one of them without doubt sawe that the Prophets were ill delt with which had signified the ouerthrow of the publique wealth of the Iewes and yet notwithstanding durst they also to set it forth when God commaunded them to do it This testimony which he bringeth is written in the 65. chapiter of Esay I was found of them sayth Paul that sought me not and haue bene made manifest vnto them that asked not after me He followeth the translation of â—he 70. interpreters whiche as touching the sense differeth not from the Hebrue â—erity The woordes in Hebrue are thus Nidrashti lelo schaalu nimtsethi lelo 〈…〉 schumi amarti hinneni hinneni el goi locora bischim In these wordes at 〈…〉 first sight séemeth to be some contradictioÌ„ for he sayth I was sought of theÌ„ which 〈…〉 d not after me if they asked not howe sought they But the aunswere is 〈…〉 sy eyther we may say that they afterward sought which before had not asked 〈…〉 de may say that yâ— verbe Nedaresch as Rabbi Dauid writeth in his booke of â—â—ts is to be expounded by Hidzamin deriued of the verbe Zaman which signiâ—ieth to be redy to come agaynst to go to méete to prepare and to inuite As if it 〈…〉 d haue bene sayd I offred my self and went to meete those which asked not 〈…〉 ne And Paul with the 70. interpreters turneth that verbe by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—hat is I haue bene made manifest or haue manifestly appeared And this â—â—â—o be noted that in Esay before these words I haue stretched out mine hands â—ll the day long are put I haue sayd Behold me behold me vnto a nation which called not vpon my name or ouer whom my name is not called Which wordes also manifestly declare that he speaketh of the Gentles which were not called by the name of God neither called they vpon him in their prayers which thing can not be applied to the Iewes And when he addeth I haue stretched out my handes all the day long The person is here couertly chaunged and he here beginneth to speake of the Iewes Wherefore Paul manifestly putteth the distinction saying And agaynst Israell he sayth Neither doubtles do the Rabines deny but that these thinges are to be vnderstanded of the Iewes but herein only they disagrée for that they thinke that the former wordes which are put in the beginning of the chapiter pertayne also vnto their nacion But as we haue saide this sentence will not stand well which the text when as in the people of Israell God was both sought for and asked after and there the name of God was called vpon and they were called by the name of God for euery where in the scriptures they were called the people of God And according to the sentence of Paul the other part wherein the Prophet sayth I haue stretched out myne handes all the day long vnto a people is added as a cause of the first wherin God saith that therefore he had shewed himselfe manifestly vnto the Gentles and therefore had offred himselfe vnto them although they ment nothing les for that he was now wery with the to great obstinacy and incredulity of the Iewes But in what things the Iewes were rebellious against him the Prophet declareth for he addeth that they walked in a way that was not good euen after their owne imaginations They prouoke me saith he to anger to my face sacrificing alwayes in gardens and burning incense vpon brikes which sitte in the graues and lodge in the desertes eating swynes fleshe Which say stand apart come not nere to me For I am holier then thou These words doubtles declare what things make vs to depart from In what thinges we depart from God our God namely when men follow their owne imaginations and wil not as touching religion obey that which is prescribed them of God This is to prouoke God to his face They had a delight in the pleasantnes of gardens and therefore contemning the word of God they thought that God delighted in that pleasantnes and contemning an alter made of earth or of rough and vnhewed stones as the law commaunded they built it with brickes they contrary to the commaundement of God did eate swines flesh and did sit in graues paraduenture wayting for answers from the dead or as our men do worshipping the reliques of their deade carkases or with obsequies and vigils praying for the dead that they might be deliuered out of purgatory They dwelt in the wildernes either there séeking acquaintaÌ„ce with deuils or els as our Heremites do thinking it holines to liue in a solitary life These thinges a certaine Rabbine witty as it séemeth as Munster â—n apt senâ—â—nce of a â—â—rtaine Rabbine
that so fewe of the Iewes shoulde receaue Christ and his Gospell But euen as at that time many were preserued from idolatry by the goodnes of God so now also by his grace manye are deliuered from incredulity and many more shal be deliuered towardes the end of the worlde This history is written in the first booke of kinges the. 19. chapter Although the history of Helias actes begin in the. 17. chapter There Helias foretolde vnto Achab that An history of Helias because of idolatry and impiety which was dayly encreased heauen should be shut vp When he had declared this great euill to come he departed and God hid him by the brooke Cherith For Achab went about to séeke him to the end to kil him A rauen euery day by his ministery fed him whereby was declared that the seruantes of God when néede is haue all thinges to do them seruice yea euen those creatures whiche otherwise seme vtterlye vnprofitable The brooke was dried vp by reason of want of rayne God coulde haue filled it with water againe that the Prophet mought thereout haue dronke but he woulde not yea rather God sente him to Sarepta to succor a faythfull and godlye widow and her sonne who as the Hebrues thinke was Ionas After thrée yeares he was commaunded to returne to the kingdome of Israell and to geue raine But he thought that fertility could not conueniently be restored againe vnles he should first purge the land of idolatrers He therfore cōmaunded that the Prophets should be gathered together in mount Carmell where they coulde not obteine of theyr God fire from heauen for their sacrifice Which thing Helias by a wonderfull great miracle obteyned Whiche acte forasmuch as it coulde not but be allowed of all men caused him to take the Prophets and to slay them at the broke Cison and after the iust execution of this death he obtayned of God greate aboundance of raine Neither is he to be condemned as a murtherer in that he slew so many Prophets For they by reason of theyr idolatry were iustly according to the law of God guilty of death And forasmuch as the ordinary power ceassed it was lawful for the Prophet to punishe them when as God had committed vnto him an extraordinarye power Iesabell that wicked woman as soone as she heard of these thinges sware that she would the nexte day kill Helias by occasion whereof he fled and being wery in his iorney and considering with himselfe the vngodlines which at that time raigned he was wery of his life and desired of God to die And the Aungell was present with him and set by him breade baked on the coales and water and twise bad him to eate and from thence he came to mounte Horeb and lodged in a caue waytynge to talke wyth God And being demaūded what he did he answered this which Paul now citeth And streight way was stirred vp a strong mighty wind and in the wind was heard a voyce y◠the lord was not in the wind after y◠wind came a mighty earthquake after the earthquake a vehement fire but God was neyther in the earthquake nor in the fire after that followeth a soft thinne breath as it were an hissinge there was the lord who asked Helias what he did And he answered I am very Rabbi Leui A place of the booke of kinges declared zelous for God bycause the children of Israell haue foresaken the couenaunt and slayne the prophets cast downe the alters and now also they seke my life What these thinges ment I will briefely declare according to the enterpretacion of Rabby Leuy the sonne of Gerischon the wind the earthquake and the fire represented the zeale and vehement affect of Helias who would haue had God streight way to be angry to auenge and to destroy the wicked there was not the Lord for he had not decreed so to deale but would gently and by litle and litle correct punish them moderatly I say by leasure in continuance of thē therfore the Lord was in the soft and thin breath and noyce wherfore when he had heard Helias complaynt he sayd I wil doubtles punish them whē I se time not after thy pleasure but as I shall thinke good Anoynt Azaell to be king ouer Siria he when the time commeth shal be the minister of my vengeance Anoint also Iehu to be king of Samaria and he shall punish the Baalites Anoynt also Helizeus to be prophet in thy place for he also shal correct the wicked sinnes of y◠The godly thorough to much zeale expostulate with God people But whereas thou thinkest that thou alone art left it is not true for I haue reserued vnto me seuen thousand men which haue not bowed theyr knees before Baal So oftentimes commeth it to passe with the godly y◠thorough to much zeale they expostulate with God for the good successe of the wicked as though he should seme to neglect his owne cause The same thing also happeneth vnto vs in our dayes for we thinke that we alone are left when as all Itally France and Spayne are bondsclaues to supersticions and to Antichrist But it is not so indede The Church is not cut of although it be oppressed with great tiranny and in those places are many thousandes of good men which in theyr oppressions and anguishes most chastly kepe theyr fayth vnto God Seuen thousand is not here to be taken for a certayne and definite nomber but for a very greate nomber The multitude of them that shal be saued is not to be measured by the capacity of our vnderstanding and by the discretiō of mans iudgement God alwayes preserueth vnto himselfe many both in the Papacy and vnder the Turke and in Counselles whome we know not but vnto him vnto whome it belongeth they are perfectly knowen The expostulatiō of good men with God The expostulation of men with God is of two sortes may come two maner of wayes eyther that they are only sory and complayne vnto him of sinnes of impiety idolatry and such like wickednes and expresse vnto him what a griefe it is vnto them to se such thinges and this acte is godly and laudable and vsed in the prophetes and in the Psalmes Sometimes it is done as though they would accuse God of negligence as which looketh not to his owne cause and they will prescribe vnto him a way as though if they were in his rome they would handle the matter a greate deale better which without doubt is sinne and that no light sinne The thinges which happened at that time were very like vnto those things which Paul had experience of in his tyme. For all the whole kingdome of the ten tribes had gone astray and in the kingdome of Iuda there remayned very few which were desirous and zelous of true piety as in the first times of the Apostles all in a maner mought seme to haue bene strange from Christ Helias without doubt desired to dye and
one and the selfe same will of godly men are contrary motions Contrary motions may be in the will of men when as they happen not in respect of one and the selfe same thing but in respect of diuers For in that they looke vpon the will and decrée of God and the destruction of sinne and such like they can not but reioyce in the punishments of the wicked But in that they looke vpon them as men being ioyned vnto them by nature of one and the same flesh and lompe they are excedingly sory for their destruction as Samuell mourned for Saul for that he was reiected of God as it is An example of Samuel written in the 15. chapiter of the first booke of kings And this shall suffice touching this matter Wherefore I will now returne vnto the words of Paul For that it was to be feared least the Gentiles hearing these so horrible things of the reiection and blindnes of the Iewes should be puffed vp with arrogancy and contemne the Iewes as people vtterly reiected of God and also it was to be feared least the nation of the Iewes should vtterly be in dispaire of their saluatioÌ„ and should thinke that a way vnto Christ is vtterly cut of from them when as the Gentiles were now called to supply their roome It is not so saith Paul And he bringeth an argument An argument taken of the finall cause taken of the finall cause Therefore are the Gentiles called that the Iewes should be prouoked to emulation Wherefore their saluation is not past all hope And we must cal to memory that which was said at the beginning of this chapiter namely the Paul here enteÌ„ded to proue two things First yâ— the fall of yâ— Iewes was not vniuersal which he hereby proueth for the electioÌ„ obtaineth saluatioÌ„ in many of the nation of the Iewes as Paul before plainly declared in himself although others are left in their blindnes The secoÌ„d thing which is to be proued is now set forth namely that the fall of the Iewes is not vnprofitable when as of it followed the saluation of the Gentles This is it which he at this present saith I say then Haue they therefore stombled that they should fall God forbide But thorough theyr fall saluation hath come vnto the Gentiles to this end to prouoke them to emulation Wherefore if the fal of them be the riches of the world the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles howe muche more shal theyr fullnes be I say then haue they therefore stombled that they should fall God forbid But thorough theyr fall saluation hath come vnto the Gentiles The meaning is God hath not therefore made blind and forsaken the Iewes that they should fall as though the purpose of God should stay there nor seke any farther commodity it sought doubtles farther commodity and that was the conuersion of Many ends appointed one vnder an other the Gentiles whose end also is the saluation of the Iewes wherefore that nation ought not vtterly to despayre or repentaunce neither shall theyr fall be perpetuall Augustine in his Enchiridion sayth that God is so good that he suffreth nothing that is euill to happeÌ„ but that thereof come some good things And the same Augustine interpreting this place sayth that the Apostle denieth not but that the lewes fell but he sayth that theyr fall was not in vayne nor vtterly without fruite But this is not to be passed ouer with silence that the thinges which the Apostle speaketh are not to be vnderstanded of all the Hebrewes perticularly for some of them The thinges which are here spokeÌ„ are not to be vnderstanded of all men perticularly were in state to be holpen and were coÌ„uerted vnto Christ but others thorough theyr incurable obstinacy and blindnes perished Wherefore these thinges are to be referred vnto the nation of the Iewes generally which so fell away from the grace fauor and giftes of God that yet notwithstanding there still remayneth in it precious sede yâ— still hath remnantes which shal be saued and the roote is not vtterly so dead but that God in due time commeth and when it shal seme vnto him good can make it to spring forth agayne For the promises of God although they are not bound vnto the stocke of the Iewes yet are they alwayes fullfilled in them as touching the elect Neither is it of necessity that wheÌ„ a Iew As touching saluation it is no hindraunce to a Iewe that he is borne a Iewe. is borne his plague should therefore for that he is a Iew be incurable or vtterly past all hope And as touching the wordes Paul sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth nothing els but to stomble and to fall The Lattine interpreter hath added this word So But in the Greke is not red that particle And it skarsely fitteth well when as Paul entreateth not here of the greauousnes of the fall of the Iewes but rather leâ—ifieth it by the end namely for that it was not vnprofitable For of it followed the saluation of the Gentiles and therefore it is to be The Iewes by their fall made roume for the Gentiles to enter in thought that it shall dure but for a time For the Iewes gaue place for a time to make roume for the Gentiles to enter in And this is referred vnto God who suffred the Iewes therefore to be reiected that the Gentiles which were vnbeleuers might be called But this is to be knowen that the fall of the Iewes if we will speake properly was not the cause of the saluation of the Gentiles but rather an occasion For this is a constant and most firme rule that the effect can The fall of the Iewes was an occasion and not a cause that the Gentiles were called not in dignity excel the cause if we coÌ„sider it as the ful and true cause Wherfore it is of necessity that good thinges in as much as they are good doo spring from ells where then of the euill thinges And if after sinnes follow some spirituall commodities that is in no wise to be ascribed vnto them but vnto the goodnes and prouidence of God which hath a perpetuall care for the gouernment of the world and rule of the Church And euen as of false propositions sometimes followeth a true proposition by the force and order of the sillogisme but yet not by A similitude the efficacy of the false and lieng proposition so by â–ª this order which God vseth in the administration of thinges out of euill thinges commeth some good And as in naturall transmutacions we perpetually se that the generation of one thing is the corruption of an other for this commeth not for that corruption An other similitude of his owne nature helpeth forward generation but bycause that efficieÌ„t cause which expelleth out of the subiect the first forme bringeth in a new And that the elect succede those which haue
of our will is as though it should lie in our hand to stand in the goodnes of God or not to abide in incredulitye when we are fallen into it And for some profe and confirmation of this his corrupt sentence he from the true sense wresteth these wordes If thou continue in his bountefulnes and saith If thou shalt do the things which worthely are correspondent vnto the goodnes of God and he sayth not If thou shalt abide in fayth for fayth onely is not sufficient These thinges in very déede are not so For Paul althoughe he sayd not If thou abide in fayth yet is it all one when he sayth If thou abide in his bountefulnes For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we a litle before sayd is goodnes and a certeyne redines of the mind to do good to any In this goodnes of God sayth he if thou abide that is if thou fall not away from it In which wordes he most manifestly attributeth vnto the goodnes of God our conseruation For of it dependeth faith whereby we Paul putteth the cause for the effect are saued Wherefore he putteth the cause in stede of the effect For before he had sayd Thou standest by fayth but that thou shouldest not thinke that yâ— fayth is of thy self now he maketh mencion of bountefulnes whereof as of his true beginning fayth dependeth and that this is true it is plainly to sée by the Antithesis or contrary position For he sayth If they abide not in their incredulity they shal be restored agayne thou shalt be cut of if thou continue not in his bountefulnes This bountefulnes as thou séest is opposite vnto incredulitye and therfore it occupieth the place of fayth and that very aptly when as fayth is inspired vnto vs by the singular bountefulnes of God Neyther ought we to thinke which thing that godly father séemeth to goe aboute to proue that it lieth in the handes of euery man either to continue and to abide in a good and holy purpose or els if peraduenture we fall to be restored agayne For what dead man is able to rayse vp himselfe agayne or in stéede of a stony hart to graft in himselfe a fleshy hart And that perseuerance also is the gift of God the Apostle declareth when he sayth that it is Perseuerance is the gift oâ— God God which geueth both to will and to preforme and that according to his good will And Augustine wrote a very good booke De bono perseuerantiae whereout we may aboundantly gather sound doctrine But what néede there many arguments for proue hereof Paul himself discusseth this question when he addeth For God is able to graft them in agayne He sayth not that it lieth in their handes this worke he attributeth vnto God only Why do we then runne vnto True faith which iustifieth is neuer alone the power of our owne will or to the determination of our owne purpose And whereas he sayth that fayth alone is not sufficient when we speake of iustification this is in no wise to be receaued especially seing that he himselfe in an other place sayth that fayth alone is sufficient and so is contrary to hymselfe Notwithstanding to auoyde confusion in serching out of these thinges this we ought to know that the true and iustifying faith is neuer alone but hath ioyned with it other good workes and vertues But yet as the effects thereof which effectes followe naturally after that it hath iustified the beleuer so that amongest other effectes iustificatioÌ„ hath the first place Origen noteth in this place that of the Iewes Amongest the effectes of faith iustification hath the first place it is sayd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is they are broken of but of the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is thou shalt be cut of and he thinketh it a farre more greauous thinge to be cut of then to be broken of as though the punishement of the Gentiles if they should fall away from the faith receaued should be more grâ—uous then the punishement of the Iewes which were remoued from their old estate I can skarsely be perswaded that Paul in these woords had such subtile vnderstandinges Further the holy scriptures neuer in any place make mencion that the fall of the Gentiles should be more greauously punished then the fall of the Iewes Yea rather if a man will consider the matter well he shall see that if punishements ought to be according to the sinnes whersoeuer is the greauouser sinne Whether fal is more greuous the fall of the Iewes or the fall of the Ethnikes there ought to be the greauouser punishement inflicted And if the Iewe and the Ethnike be equally placed in the calling of God and both as it possibly may be do fall it is out of doubt that the Iew sinneth more greauously for that besides the fayth of Christ which he hath common with the Ethnike he was in comparison of him endewed with many other gifts which forasmuch as he hath neglected in falling away from God he is the more ingrate and therfore his fault is the greater That the Iewes shall at the last be restored agayne the Apostle proueth by the power of God And his argument is taken à maiori that is of the greater If God could graft thee into it being by nature a wild oliue tre and strange from a good oliue trée how much more is he able to restore the braÌ„ches which were in tymes past broken of from the fat oliue tree And when he sayth that the Gentiles were cut of from the naturall wild oliue trée he semeth to affirme that malice or wickednes is naturally in them which ought not to be vnderstanded of nature as it was instituted of God which was created good but as it is corrupted thorough the sinne of Adam and so by generation deriued into his posteritye And wast contrary to nature grafted into the true oliue tree Shall we say that it is contrary to the nature of men though they be Ethnikes and infidells A distinctioÌ„ of the nature of meÌ„ to be called agayne to God and to be conuerted vnto pietye We must make a distinction of the nature of men either as it is referred vnto God or as it is referred to his owne proprietyes For as it is referred vnto God there can nothing be done of him in it which is not sayd to be done according to nature for this is naturall to euery thing created to be subiect vnto his Creator And man It is naturall to the creature to be subiect to his creator was made to the Image of God and to this end instituted to be ioyned to his Creator wherfore both by the fyrst counsell of God whereby he made man also by the nature of thinges created which are naturally subiect vnto the efficacy and working of their author it is naturall vnto men religiously to cleaue vnto God Wherefore sinners are not sayd to be grafted into the good
and not by an allegorye Partly for that the blindnes shall not be perpetual in that nation It may also haue a respect vnto the remnantes that were saued or it may be referred vnto the time Chrisostome saith partly for that all are not made blinde But by fulnes vnderstand a definite and an appointed multitude which is therefore called fulnes for that the number of the beleuers shoulde be a iuste and verye greate number so that publikely amongest the Gentilles shoulde be gathered a wonderfull great Churche As also all Israell is to be taken for a greate nomber of the Hebrues amongest whome Christe shoulde be publikelye acknowledged Not that some both of the Gentils and also of the Iewes shall not be destroyed For vniuersall propositions in the holy scriptures are oftentimes so to be taken that they ought Vniuersall propositiōs in the holy scriptures how they ar to be vnderstanded to be contracted to a definite vniuersality as this All fleshe shall see the saluation of God Again They shall all be taught of God Again God will haue all men to be saued ▪ whiche is to be vnderstanded as Augustine saith of all those whiche are saued for they are made safe by the will of God Which manner of interpretacion Gregorius Nazianzenus also followed in the fifte booke of his theologye where he had to do against those which denied the holy gost to be God and fained him to be a creature alledging for themselues that which Iohn writeth of the word All thinges were made by it Whereof they inferred that the holy Ghoste also was both made and created by the sonne He aunswereth that this saying of Iohn is to be vnderstanded of all thinges which are made as if it should haue bene saide whatsoeuer thinges are made are made by him as August ▪ expoundeth As many as are saued ar saued by the will of God This connexion of the blindenes of Israell with the entringe in of the The cōnexion of the blyndnes of Israel with the entryng in of the Gentiles is not natural fulnes of the Gentils hath not an naturall order but is firme onely by the disposition and order appointed of the prouidence of God This particle partly Ambrose most aptlye referreth vnto time I knowe there are some whiche by all Israell of whome the Apostle now speaketh vnderstande the people of God gathered both out of the Gentils and also out of the Iewes which people is dayly gathered together euen vnto the ende of the world neither thinke they that there is to be looked for any greater aboundaunce of the Iewes to be conuerted But if we follow this exposition what mistery or what secret had Paul now reuealed all men saw that some of the Hebrues were dayly conuerted and came vnto Christe Further it is most manifest that Paul ment with a certain peculier commendation to adorne the Iewes to the end they should not be contēned of the Gentils But if he should haue saide as these men meane then shoulde he haue spoken no new thing at all Whether this place proue that towardes the ende of the worlde shal be great plenty of the Iewes conuerted vnto Christ when as it was manifeste vnto all men that some few of the Iewes were daylye conuerted vnto Christe Moreouer the foretellinges of the Prophetes as we shall straight way sée entreat not of any certain perticuler men but speake euen of the multitude or people of the Iewes Finally by that meanes Israell should séeme to be taken allegorically whiche in no wise agréeth with the entente of the Apostle Yea and many of the fathers incline this way that the fulnes of the Gētils being entred in the Iewes also shall returne vnto Christ Chrisostome in his 12. Homely de verbis Domini in Marcum in the. 2. Tome when he entreateth of the figge trée that was dried vp at the word of the Lord saith If Christ had found fruit in the figge tree the fulnes of Gentils had not entred in but bicause the fulnes of the Gentiles hath entred in all Israell shall at the last be saued And he addeth that whiche is written in the Apocalipse of Iohn Of the Tribe of Iuda were sealed .xii. thousande of the tribe of Rubene were sealed xii thousand And also Hilarius in his xi boke de Trinitate when he entreateth that the Sonne shall deliuer vp the kingdome vnto God and vnto the father but in the meane time it behoueth him to raigne vntill he haue put his enemies vnder his féete by enemies vnderstandeth the Israelites who although according to election and for theyr fathers sake they were beloued yet are they enemies for our sakes and according to the Gospell The selfe same thing also testifieth he vpon the 58. and 60. Psalmes And if a man diligently loke he shall sée that the reste of the fathers likewise write the like when they enterprete these places And Gennadius amongst others as the Gréeke Scholies declare saith that Paul addeth Partly because of election for the electe are not made blinde and then he addeth that God will afterward take them all vnto him But they which thinke that this is by no meanes to be looked for are hereby moued for that all Israell shal neuer be saued but some shall perish But that word All as we haue declared is not so to be vnderstanded as though no Israelite as touchng the flesh shal be excluded Augustine in his questiōs vpon Genesis the 118. question toucheth either of these opinions But what shall we say vnto the words of Christ wherin he sayth Doost thou thinke that when the sonne of man commeth he shall find faith vpon A conciliation of two places whiche seme to be repugnāt the earth Verely if the Iewes be in such great plenty conuerted vnto Christ and that with the commodity of the Gentles as we haue before declared then shall there remayne much faith which Christ when he returneth vnto vs shall find But we may answere that here is no contrariety for Antichrist shall subuert in a manner all thinges so that if it were possible the elect also should be deceaued which Antichrist when he shall by the spirite of the mouth of Christ be slaine paraduenture the Iewes shall returne againe and shall acknowledge their Messias and shall confirme the Gentils being wauering and seduced It is possible also that when the Iewes shall beleue and the Gentils shall after a certayne tyme put to their helpe then as the nature of the fleshe is may arise some security and licentiousnes especially if Antichrist follow by meanes whereof an infinite number both of the Iewes and of the Gentils may be alienated from Christ so that that shal be true that Christ when he commeth shall find very fewe which purely and sincerely shall confesse him Whether of these two opinions a man receaue there is no absurdity and he shall easely thereby conciliate these places but whither of them is the truer I
thinges Whether faith be defined in that place to the Hebrewes are past neyther are they hoped for to come agayne These two reasons of Hostiensis are very weake neyther do they proue that these wordes vnto the Hebrues can not be applied vnto the definition of fayth I graunt in deede that the entente thereof the Apostle or what soeuer he was that was the author of the Epistle was not to define fayth because then he chiefely entreated of patience endeuoured to shewe that it is most of all ioyned vnto fayth because fayth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a substance c. But by this his reason are touched all thinges that expresse the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is applied vnto hope also nature of fayth And to the first obiection we say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or substance may in deede be applied vnto hope but yet that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which it draweth from fayth not that which it hath of it self Neyther ought it to seeme any new thing if these Diuers and sundry natures haue somethyng common in their definitions thinges which are of a diuers nature haue some thing common in their definitions for a Lyon a dogge and a maÌ„ although they differ much in nature yet herein they agree in that they be liuing creatures and therefore in their definitions is something put which is common vnto them all when as they are both bodies and also thinges hauing life and endewed with senses Wherfore it ought not to seeme meruelous if fayth and hope agree in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forasmuch as they are seperate by other differences For in fayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is referred vnto the assent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it hath a regard vnto in faith â–ª and what in hope but in hope to the expectation whereby we patiently abide vntill the promises such thinges as we haue receaued by fayth be rendred vnto vs. To the other reason we aunswere that Paul made mencion also of thinges past whiche are made playne vnto vs by fayth for he sayth not onely that it is a substaunce of thinges to bee hoped for but addeth that it is an argumente or conuiction of thinges that appeare not Nowe those thinges also whiche are paste appeare not Faith hath a respect to things pest and also to things present so that they be hâ—â—den for by that worde Paul or any other whatsoeuer he was comprehendeth what soeuer is beleued and is not euident whether it be paste or whither it be to come or whether it be now present But peraduenture thou wilt demaund why in the first place he maketh mencion of those thinges which are hoped for we aunswere that it is aptly done because worthely are those thinges put first which are more harde to beleue For peraduenture there are some which will easly inough graunt that God created all thinges that Christe the sonne of God came into the worlde and was borne of the virgine and such like but yet they will much doubte of the remission of their sinnes of the resurrection of the flesh to come and of the eternal glory which shal be geuen vnto the iuste Wherefore aptlye and orderly are those things placed which are read in the Epistle to the Hebrues But what the nature of faith is Esay the Prophet hath aptly expressed in the 26. chap. in which place is described the church as a citie built of God The Prophet crieth Open your gates a iust nation shall enter therein And he addeth the cause of that righteousnes Schomar emanim that is preseruing or keping fayth where thou séest that by faith the beleuers are iustified Then he addeth in what thing consisteth that faith whereby the people of God is iuste namely because Iatsar semoch titsor schalom that is with a constant affect thou shalt kepe peace This is the true faith whereby we are iustified namelye because we beleue that God will be vnto vs the author of peace and felicity and a faithfull kéeper of his promise Augustine in his 40. treatise vpon Iohn saith What is faith but to beleue that which thou seest not Whiche selfe same thing he writeth vpon the words of the Apostle in his 27. sermon but in his booke de spiritu Litera the 31. chap. he writeth that to beleue is nothing els but to consent that that is true which is spoken The Master of the sentences in the third Distinction the .xxiii. saith that faith sometimes is that which we beleue For in the Symbole of Athanasius it is saide And this is the Catholike faithe that wee The Symbole of Athanasius A distinctioÌ„ of fayth A liuely faith and â— dead fayth The fayth of miracles shoulde beleue c. But somtimes it is that whereby we beleue and in this latter signification do we vnderstande faith in this disputation He seperateth also a liuely faith from a deade faith whiche distinction is to bee liked because Iames maketh mencion of a dead faith But we must know that a dead faith is only a faith in name neither is it any more a faith then is a deade man a man For euen as a dead man is called a man although he be none so a dead faith although it be called a faith yet hath it not the nature of faith There is also an other kind of faith whiche serueth to work miracles and much differreth from the faith which iustifieth and is common both the godly also to the vngodly Of this Paul maketh mencioÌ„ in the first to the Corrinthians when he sayth Vnto one is geuen the woorde of wisedome to an other the word of knowledge to an other he saith is geuen faith and it is not méete that in that rehersall of giftes and frée graces is ment any other faith then that which is the roote of miracles especially wheÌ„ as straightway are added gifts of healinge and giftes of vertues or powers And of this kinde of faith both Chrisostome and also Theophilactus haue made mencion vpon the same firste Epistle to the Corrinth where in the xiij chapter it is saide If I haue all fayth so that I can remoue mountaines And that vnto the wicked also is this kinde of faith graunted is hereby testified in that it is most certaine that of them are set forth both Prophesies and miracles Wherefore Christ shall say vnto them I know you not although with full mouth they boast Haue not in thy name prophesied haue we not caste out deuils There is an other faith whiche endureth but for a time of whiche the Lorde Faith that dureth but for a tyme. made mencion in the parable of the séede which is sowen in the field for all falleth not vpon good earth but some vpon stony ground and when it is sprong vp it very plainly declareth those which with a glad and ioyfull minde receaue the worde of God but when the burning heate and
feruentnes of persecution shal waxe hot they fal away from it and therfore they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is men hauing faith for a ceason Wherfore leauing all these significations in this disputacion by faith we vnderstand that firme assent which is of so great force and efficacye that it draweth with it the affect of trust hope charity lastly al good works as much as the infirmity of this present life will suffer Therefore Smithe whiche wrote a Smith an EnglishmaÌ„ an impudeÌ„t Sophister booke agaynst me of Iustification although he set it out before agaynst Luther agaynst Melancthon and speaketh much against others and seldome maketh mencion of me is herein excedingly deceaued in that he iudgeth that those are sharpely to be reproued which say that faith is a trust And he bringeth a place out of A place to the Ephe. declared the Epistle to the Ephesians the 3. chapiter where it is written By whome namely by Christ Iesus we haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is boldnes to speake and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an accesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in trust which commeth by fayth Seing therfore trust sayth he is by fayth it is not fayth Oh trimme man I promise you and a sharpe diuine which alone sawe that these two thinges namely faith and trust are two things separated What other thing in a maner ment Philip Melancthon and other our faithfull teachers when they call that fayth whereby we are iustified trust but that it is not dead that is not slouthfull that it is not a humane persuasion but so vehement an assent that it hath euen trust it selfe most inwardly nighly ioyned vnto it But I mynd not much to contend with this man All that he bableth he scrapeth out only of Eccius Pighius and other beastes of the Antichrist A dead faith iustifieth not but driueth into desperatioÌ„ This word Amen sealeth praiers of Rome and setteth them abrode as thoughe they were his owne That faith which draweth not with it trust and other holy mocions of the mind driueth men into desperation so farre is it of that it can iustifie which thing the miserable endes of Cain and Iudas do plainly testifie But that which is a firme faith continually trusteth yea it sealeth our prayers in the Church by this common and receaued word Amen among other words vsed of the faythfull Which word is deriued of this Hebrue worde Aman which I before spake of as Dauid Chimhi They whiche pray without faith do lose their labor A similitude testifieth it signifieth It shal be ratified and firme so shal the Lord bringe to passe They which pray without such a faith do lose their labour In this fayth vndoubtedly men do quiet themselues in tranquillity and vnspeakeable peace and are like vnto him which found a most ample treasure and precious pearle wherein he so contented himself that he sold all that he had to buy it Hereof came it that in the 7. Chapiter of Esay the Prophet sayd vnto the wicked king Achaz exhorting him to the true fayth Hischamar Vehischakat that is Take hede and be quiet for the Prophet would that the king should beware of incredulity and stay himself What is the property of fayth â–ª A distinctioÌ„ of workes with the word of God which is the proprietye and nature of fayth as contrariwise the nature of infidelity is to wauer and to be vnconstant For they which beleue not are caryed about with euery wynd of doctrine and opinions and are always wauering and vnconstant Wherfore in Iosua the 17. chapiter the people are reproued because their hart flowed as water and that vndoubtedly happened only by reason of their incredulity Wherefore forasmuch as hereby it now appeareth what we vnderstand by fayth and what signification of this word among many significations we followe in this question we must now speake somewhat of workes There is one kynd of worke which after the action and motion remayneth outwardly and appeareth after it is finished as the Image whiche Phidias made is called a worke and the temple at Ierusalem was called the work of Workes inward outward Salomon And after an other sort actions of men their motions depending of will and reason are called workes after this maner do we now take workes which are also soundry wayes distinct the one fromt he other For there are some which are inward as to beleue to loue to fauour to feare and to pitye other some are outward as to trauaill abrode to geue almes to preache to teache and such like Workes morall and ceremonial And of both these kinds of workes is our question ment They deuide also works into such which pertayne vnto ceremonies into such which as they call them are Workes ether go before or els follâ—w iustification morall both which kinds also doth this question comprehend Further the tyme wherein workes are wrought is to be distincted for some are done before we are iustified and haue obteyned the benefite of regeneration and other some followe and are counted as the fruites of a new lyfe and of righteousnes begon And forasmuch as we can not entreate of these latter workes as such which followe iustification we will speake only of the first for this onely is called into controuersie whether workes iustifie vs for those which follow iustification can not bring forth In thre propositions this questioÌ„ is comprehended iustification because it is alredy had These suppositions being thus set we will dissolue this whole question by three propositions which are these Iustification is not of workes Iustification is had by faith Iustification is geueÌ„ by fayth only These three thinges when we haue confirmed by reasons taken out of the holy scriptures and haue defended them from the obiections and cauillations of our aduersaries we suppose that then we haue sufficiently answered the questioÌ„ God If good workes iustefy not it commeth not thorow their default graunt and worke with vs to bring this to such effect as we desire As touchinge the first proposition when we saye that men are not iustified by workes it is not to be thought that the same happeneth thorough the default of good workes For if they coulde so be performed of vs as the law commaundeth them then should we be iustified by them for God for that he is iust as he acquiteth not the wicked so should he by his sentence iustifie such as satisfie the lawe But there is no man which can thoroughly accomplishe such workes as the lawe commaundeth As if a man should owe a thousand crownes of gold and had toward the payment therof but onely a thousand pieces of leade or brasse money vndoubtedly he shoulde not be discharged of the debte neither can he bee pronounced cleare or quitte whiche thing shoulde not happen thorough the default of the crownes of golde but through the defaulte
iustifieth whome he wil hauing no respect vnto condition and merites there humane reason is very much offended there our flesh ceaseth not to cry against But if either of them namely iustification and election should happen by works and merites there should be no trouble no offence no stumbling blocke layde agaynst vs. But forasmuch as it is farre otherwise and that by vs can not be rendred a reason of the will of God Paul therefore iustly and worthely cryeth out and it is mete that all men if they be wise should geue place to this his sentence The 30. In the 14. chapiter we find written Blessed is he which iudgeth not himselfe in that which he alloweth But he which iudgeth if he eate is condemned because he eateth not of fayth For whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne Hereby are we taught that they which want a true faith can do or performe nothing which is not sinne I know in déede that the aduersaryes interprete these wordes of the conscience but they are neuer able to proue that fayth signifieth conscience And although paraduenture Paul entreate of it at the beginning namely that we oughte not to doo any thing against our conscience yet afterward after a sort he bringeth in a generall sentence when he writeth Whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne As though he should haue sayd this is a generall rule when men go about to do any thing they ought to be perswaded by the spirite and word of God that that which they are in hand to do is acceptable vnto God and pleaseth him which persuasion if they haue not then vndoubtedly in dooing that which they do they sinne And if I should graunt that in thys place fayth signifyeth the conscience yet I suppose that thys thynge also were to be added namely that the conscience oughte not to bee beleued vnlesse it bée instructed by the woorde of God For as muche as there are many whiche haue so supersticious a conscience that whether they obey it or not obey it they sinne most gréeuously but I will not at this present stand longe about the expounding of this place forasmuch as I entreated of it before and will afterward speake somewhat thereof when I shall come to the place Farther let vs heare what is said in the 4. chapter of the first epistle to the Corrinthians where it is thus written I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified These The 31. words Paul spake of his ministery being now conuerted vnto Christ being now an Apostle whō as touching his functiō no mā was able to accuse And if so great a frend of God pronounced this of himselfe of his workes what should we attribute iustification to the workes of them that are not yet regenerate The works of the godly and of the chiefe Apostle of Christ could not deserue it how then can it be graunted vnto those which are yet straungers from Christ To the Galathians the second chapiter Paul repeteth that sentence which he had written in the 3. chapiter to the Romanes namely that no flesh shal be iustified by the workes of the lawe which sentence forasmuch as it is playne ynough hath bene alredy before recited nedeth now no farther declaration But in the third chapter is written If The 32. righteousnes come by the lawe then Christ died gratis In which place gratis signifieth nothing els but vaynely and to no purpose which then vndoubtedly should be most true For if true righteousnes before God could by any other meanes haue bene attayned vnto of men why then dyed he and why was he crucified And agayne This thing only I desire to learne of you receaued ye the spirite by the workes of The 33. of the lawe or by the preaching of fayth And straight way He therefore that ministreth vnto you the spirite and worketh miracles amongst you doth he that through the deedes of the lawe or by the preaching of fayth They which are iustified receaue the holy ghost for without it it is vtterly impossible to be iustified and if it be not geuen The 34. through works neither can iustification then come through workes Farther it is not to be doubted of any man but that iustification commeth of the good will and fauour of God when as by it men are receaued into grace adopted into his children made heyres of eternal life But such as before iustificatiō are occupied in the workes of the law ar bound vnder the curse so far is it of y◠they should haue the fruition of the fauour of God for the Apostle addeth As many as are vnder the lawe are vnder the curse But to the ende we should not thinke this to be his owne inuention he sayth As it is written Cursed be he which abideth not in all the thynges that are written in the booke of the lawe After this he argueth from the time The 35. I speake after the maner of men Though it be but a mans testament yet if it be allowed no man despiseth it or addeth any thing thereto Moreouer to Abraham were the promises made and to his seede he sayth not to his seedes as speaking of many but to thy seede as of one which is Christ. This I say that the law which began afterward beyond 430. yeares doth not disanull the testament that was before confirmed of God vnto Christ ward to make the promises of none effect First saith he the Testament of God and the first promise offreth iustification without workes Wherefore that testament confirmed receaued and allowed is not restrayned by the lawe The 36. which was so long tyme afterward geuen If there had ben a law geuen which could haue geuen life then should righteousnes haue bene of the law This reason of the Apostle is not full for there should haue bene added the deniall of the antecedent namely that the lawe can not geue life For as it is declared vnto the Romanes It was weakened through the fleshe although as touching it selfe it contayned commaundements which pertayned vnto life Wherfore seing it is for certayne that the lawe can not geue life neither can it also iustifye But before that fayth came The 37. we were kept vnder the law were shut vp vnto that faith which afterward should be reuealed Wherfore the law was our scholemaster vnto Christ that we should be iustified by fayth If the law be as it were a scholemaster then should we do greate iniury vnto God and vnto Christ which are vnto vs in the stead of parents if we should ascribe vnto the scholemaster that which is proper vnto them It is not the scholemaster which maketh vs heires which adopteth vs which geueth vs all thinges but the father Wherfore let vs ascribe our iustification vnto God vnto Christ and not vnto the law nor vnto workes nor to our merites Tell me ye that would so The 38. faine be vnder the law Do
he writeth vnto the Gentiles Wherefore those workes which he excludeth from iustification can not be vnderstand of ceremonies for the Gentiles obserued not them But what will they say of the epistle vnto Timothe where in the second chapiter we are simply absolutely sayd to be called not for our works but according to purpose and grace Also vnto Titus He hath saued vs saith he not by the workes of righteousnes which we haue done but according to hys mercy All these thinges are so playne and manifest that they nede no interpretacion For there is no man so dull but that as sone as he once heareth these thinges easely perceaueth that they can not without greate iniury be wrested vnto the ceremonies and rites of Moses But I would fayne know of these men why they take a way the power of instifieng from the workes of ceremonies and do so easely attribute it vnto morall workes Is it not a good and laudable maner to worshipe God which certayne appoynted rites which he himselfe hath commaunded Were not the rites and sacred seruites which were at that time prescribed vnto the people of the Iewes commaunded in the ten commaundementes Vndoubtedly where the Sabaoth is commaunded to be obserued there are all these thinâ—s conteyned And eueÌ„ these selfe same Sophisters doo they not at this day attribute the forgeuenes of sinnes and collation of grace vnto theyr sacramentes as in the old testament they were attributed vnto circumcision What man of constancy is this one while to say that the rites of Moses haue no power to iustify and an other while to graunt that the same were sacramentes of the old fathers and that in circumcision originall The inconstancy 〈…〉 e Sâ—pl if â—s sinne was forgeuen vnto infantes But this affirme not we yea we rather vtterly deny that any sacraments conferre grace They doo indede offer grace but SacrameÌ„ts conferre not grace yet by signification For in sacramentes and wordes and visible signes is lette forth vnto vs the promise of God made thorough Christ which promise if we take hold of by fayth we both obteyne a greater grace then that was which before we had and with the seale of the sacramentes we seale the gifte of God which by faith we embrased But I can not inough meruayle at these men which both affirme An other cauillation and also deny one and the selfe same thing They graunte but not with any great warines as theyr accustomed maner is that they vtterly take not away from the sacraments of the elders and chiefely from circumcision the strength of iustifying but onely since the time that the Gospell was published abrode of which time only say they the contencion of Paul sprange that the rites of Moses should no more be retayned But here also according to theyr accustomed maner they are both deceiue theÌ„selues also they deceiue others For when yâ— Apostle teacheth yâ— AbrahaÌ„ was not iustified by circumcisioÌ„ but receaued it afterward being now iustified by fayth vndoubtedly he taketh away the power of iustefying from that ceremony euen also in the time of Abraham wherein it was first instituted Dauid also wheÌ„ he affirmeth that blessednes herein consisteth that sinnes should not be imputed which thing as we now reason is nothinge ells then to be iustified speaketh he of his owne time or of any other time Abacuck also when he sayth that the iust maÌ„ liueth by his fayth and excludeth workes from iustifieng as Paul manifestly expoundeth him spake he only of his owne time thinke you Vndoubtedly he spake both of our time and also of his owne time Lastly when Paul expressedly writeth vnto the Galathians in the third chapiter As many as are of the law are vnder the curse and goeth on in prouyng that sentence wherehence I beseche you seeketh he a testemony Vndoubtedly out of the law Cursed sayth he be he which abideth not in all the thinges that are written in booke of the law Seing therefore the Law so speaketh and that as Paul sayth it wrappeth in a curse all those which traÌ„sgresse An other cauillation the commaundementes thereof then followeth it of necessity that by those works which pertayne vnto it no man can be iustified But these men go to an other shifte for they say that all those which are to be iustefied are not of one and the selfe same condition For such which come to christianity are eyther of yâ— Hebreues They put a differeÌ„ce betwene those which are first conuerted vnto Christ and those which hauing sallâ—n are restored or ells of the Gentiles certayne also after they haue once receaued Christ do fall into greauous wicked crimes and haue nede againe of instauration Nowe say they the state and consideration of both these partes is not a like For they whiche haue once professed the name of a Christian when they are fallen can not recouer righteousnes but by good workes as by almes geuing teares fasting confessions and such other which preparations and merites are not required of those which from infidelity are first conuerted vnto Christ But I would first heare of these good wise men out of what place of the holy scriptures they found this theyr distinction And seing the maner of iustification is vtterly one and the selfe same and portayneth as well to the one as to the other why ought the one to come vnto it one way the other an other way Farther why do they attribute this vnto those that are fallen in Christianity by theyr workes to merite vnto themselues iustification but vnto those which come from infidelity they attribute not the same Are they whiche haue not kept fayth when they were in the Church better then the They whiche fall froÌ„ christiaÌ„ religion are of worser estate then infidels Ethnikes I thinke not vndoubtedly for they which haue once tasted of the swete word of God and do afterward fall from it are in worse estate theÌ„ the other And the seruaunt which knoweth the will of his master and doth it not is greeuoslier punished Also He which hath not a care ouer his and especially ouer his house hold the same man hath denied the fayth is worse then an infidele But they say they deny not but yâ— they which are conuerted froÌ„ infidelity may do some good workes yea and yâ— they may if they do theÌ„ after some sort deserue iustification at the lest way of congruity but that these works are alike required as well of those as of the other they deny But forasmuch as al their works as I haue ells where taught are sins how caÌ„ they do good works before God Moreouer how are not good works required of theÌ„ before they come vnto Christ are baptised WheÌ„ as none which are regenerate by Christ caÌ„ beleue truly vnles he earnestly repent him of his former wicked life For he abouÌ„daÌ„tly bewaileth the sins of his former life confesseth yâ— he hath greauously erred
Which thing if he do not vndoubtedly he beleueth not faythfully and truly This doth Augustine write of him selfe in his booke of confessions And in the actes of the Apostles the Ephesiās when they had geuen themselues ouer vnto Christ did not only confesse theyr sinnes but also burnt those bookes which before they had vsed vnto supersticion But I will declare vnto you what hath deceaued these men They read paraduenture in the Fathers that they attributed much vnto teares fastinges almes and other godly workes of the penitent But these men vnderstand In what sence the fathers haue attributed so much vnto prayers fastinges teares not what the Fathers ment in those places For they intreated of ecclesiastical satisfactions and not of our workes by which God should be pacified or the forgeuenes of sinnes deserued For the Church forasmuch as it saw not the inward fayth of thē y◠fal and there were many which not abiding the shame of excōmunication sometimes dissembled some shew of conuersion and repentaunce thereby the rather to be reconciled and receiued vnto the cōmunion of the other brethern the Church I say to the end this should not happen would haue a proofe of theyr fayth and conuersion neyther would it admitte them that fell vnto the fellowship of the faythfull before they had declared teares fastinges confessions and almes as witnesses of a true and perfect chāging And bycause these men marke not this they confound all thinges and build thereupon most detestable hipocrisye But they haue yet an other shift for they say that the workes of infidels are not sinnes although they be done without the fayth of Christ For they imagine that there Whether the workes of infidels be sinnes or no. is a certayne generall and confused fayth towardes God which fayth they which haue althoughe they beleue not in Christ yet may they worke many excellent workes which euen for that selfe same fayth sake may please God and after a sort deserue iustification They geue say they large almes they honor theyr parents they excedingly loue their countrey if they haue cōmitted any thing y◠is euil they are sory for it they liue moderately and do a greate many other such like thinges and that not rashly but bycause they beleue there is a God which delighteth in such workes Therefore they apply them selues vnto them to make themselues acceptable vnto him Farther they paynt out and colour theyr fayned lye with a trime similitude A stake say or a post being put into the earth although oftētimes A similitude it take not roote or life yet draweth it some iuyce out of the erth so bringeth forth some leaues and buddeth as if it liued in very dede So mē say they that are strāge from Christ although they liue not by the celestiall spirite yet by some inspiratiō of the spirite they worke those excellent workes which we haue described But we We please God with no faith but with that which is in Christ that are instructed by the holy scriptures doo acknowledge no other fayth whereby we can please God but only that which is in Christ Iesus For there is no other name vnder heauen geuen vnto men whereby we cā be saued but only the name of Christe our sauiour And Paul as often as he maketh mencion of fayth whiche iustifyeth alwayes declareth it to be that faythe whereby we are godlye affected towardes Christe and hys Gospell But leaste Paul shoulde seme to teach this thing peculiarly and alone I will a little more déepely repeate the whole matter Abraham beleued God and it was counted vnto him vnto righteousnes Abraham was iustified b◠faith in Christ But what beleued he Forsooth this that he shoulde haue séede geuen him namely that onely séede as Paul interpreteth it wherein all nations shoulde be blessed which is Christ Iesus This testament was confirmed of God vnto him in Christ yea the Lord himselfe when he spake of him said He saw my day and reioysed Iob also in the xix chap. I saith he do know that my redemer liueth which shall also rise in the last day ouer them that lye in the dust And after the wormes shall destroy this body I shall see the Lord in my flesh Whome I my selfe shall see and mine owne eyes shall behold and none other for me This faith expressed in those words is in no wise generall or confused For in it are plainly described the principall pointes whiche pertain vnto Christ For first he is called a redéemer wherein is published the forgeuenes of sinnes Further his comming to iudgement is set forth and also the resurrection of the deade in whiche resurrection not other bodies but euen the selfe same which they had before shal be restored vnto men There also put the humane nature of Christ which may be seene with corporall eies Further what manner A true faith draweth with it all good motions of the mynde They whiche be strāgers from Christ may haue a credulity but not a true faith The Turkes haue not a true fayth although they beleue many true things that we beleue of faith I beséech you is that faith which these men affirme infidels to haue For a true and firme persuasion and a constant and an assured assent vnto the promises of God draweth with it as I said at the beginning all good motions of the minde How then can they say that these men haue faith which lie still weltering in idolatry and in most filthy and grosse sinnes They may indéede haue some certaine credulitye either by education or by humane persuasion or by an opinion after a sorte rooted in them but to haue a true faith so long as they lead such a kind of life it is by no meanes possible vnles they will graunte that the Turkes haue also faith for they assente vnto many thinges whiche we professe and beleue But this place of Paul out of the first epistle vnto the Corrinthians If I haue all faith so that I can remoue mountaines and haue not charitie I am nothing this place I saye they will haue to be vnderstande not onely of the true faith but they also saye that the same faith may be seperated from charitie howbeit they graunte that if it so come to passe the same fayth can profite nothing Seing therfore they after that sorte expound that place how agrée they with Paul when they say that a generall and cōfused faith which is in men that are yet straunge from Christe can bring foorth good workes which of congruity may merite iustification and please God when as Paul saith that euen the true faith also as they interprete it doth nothing profite without charitie But that similitude which they bring of a stake or post fastened into the earth vtterly ouerthroweth their opinion For although being deade it séemeth to liue yet in very déede it liueth not And a wise husbandman séeth that that budding forth is vnprofitable and
not payde And as touching that place we first desire that our sinnes should be forgeuen vs. And because that by benefites receaued men are encouraged to hope that they shall receaue other and greater benefites therefore is this the meaning of that sentence O father which hast of thy goodnes geuen vs grace to forgeue iniuries vnto our trespassers forgeue vnto vs also our sinnes by these wordes also is not signified a cause but a similitude although that similitude be not perfect and absolute For there is none that is wise that will haue his sinnes so forgeuen him of God as he hath forgeuen his neighbour the iniuries that he hath done vnto him For euerye one by reason of the fleshe and that infirmity whiche it carieth about forgeueth much les vnto his brother then he ought For there alwayes sticketh in his minde some offence which although it burst not forth yet his owne conscience is a sufficient witnes vnto himselfe that his minde is not very perfect towardes him by whome he hath ben hurte But the former exposition teacheth that the similitude is to be referred not vnto remission but vnto the liberality of God that euen as he hath geuen the one so also he will vouchsafe to geue the other But whereas it is sayd Forgeue and it shal be forgeuen that is a commaundement and therfore pertaineth vnto the lawe But thou wilt obiect that that sentence is written in the Gospell and not in the lawe That is no thing at all for the lawe and the Gospell are not seperated The law the Gospell are not seperated by volumes or bookes In what maner we ought to forgeue iniuries a sonder by volumes or bookes For bothe in the olde Testamente are contayned the promises of the Gospell and also in the Gospell the lawe is not only comprehended but also most perfectly by Christ expounded Wherfore by those words we are coÌ„maunded to forgeue iniuries done vnto vs. And forasmuch as we are bound to do yâ— according to the prescript of the law that law dependdeth of this great precept Thou shalt loue the lord thy God with all thy hart with all thy soule and with all thy strengthes according to yâ— forme therfore we ought to forgeue our enemies which thing because no man hath at any time performed neither can performe it followeth that we ought to flye vnto Christ by whome we may be iustified by faith and afterward being iustified may after a sort accomplishe that which is commaunded Which although we do not perfectly performe yet it pleaseth God and he fréely geueth vnto vs the promise annexed vnto it not Redeme thy sinnes with almes is expounded because of our workes or for our merites but only for Christes sake They go about also to blind our eyes with the wordes of Daniell wherein he exhorted the king to redeme his sinnes by almes But in that place by sinnes we may vnderstand the paynes and punishementes due vnto sinne For the scripture vseth oftentimes such phrases of speach Which thing we neuer denyed Yea rather we willingly graunt that to workes which procéede from faith God is wont to geue many thinges specially as touching the mitigation of plagues and punishements They obiect also this sentence out of the first chapiter of Iohn God gaue them power He hath geuen them power to be made the sonnes of God how it is to be vnderstand to be made the sonnes of God Wherefore they say that those which haue already receaued Christ that is haue beleued in him are not yet iustified and regenerate and made the children of God but only haue receaued power to be made the children of God namely as they thinke by good workes And in this argument Pigghius the great champion and Achilles of the Papistes putteth great affiance but yet in vayne For he thinketh that of necessity he to whome power to haue any thing is geuen hath not as yet the same thing As though we should here deale philosophically that power excludeth acte which yet euen amongest the Philosophers also is not vniuersallye true For when they defyne the soule they say that it is an acte of a body naturall hauing members or instrumentes and also hauing life in power By which definition appeareth that our body hath life in power when as yet it hath life in acte and in very déede But that worde power here signifieth that the body hath not of it selfe life but of an other namely of the soule Which thing we in this matter at this present may also affirme namely that those which haue receaued the Lord and haue beleued in him are regenerate and made the children of God and yet not of themselues but from some other waye namely of the spirite and grace of God For so signifieth this word power Although the Euangelist in that place spake not peripatetically but simply and most plainely For a little before he sayd His receaued him not By this word his he ment the Iewes which peculiarly professed the knowledge of the true God But when they had refused the truth offred vnto them God would not be without a people but appointed theÌ„ to be his peculiar people which should beleue and receaue Christ Wherefore he gaue vnto them power that is This power is adoption grace a right and a prerogatiue that when they had receaued the Lorde by faith they should be made and be indéede the sonnes of God And therefore Cirillus expounding that place saith that this power signifieth adoption and grace Farther Pigghius although he thinke himselfe very sharpe of witte yet séeth not that when he thus reasoneth he speaketh thinges repugnant For how is it possible that any man should haue life in himselfe and yet not lyue Assuredly if they in beleuing haue receaued Christ it must néedes be that straight way they haue righteousnes For as Paul writeth in the first epistle vnto the Cor. He is made of God vnto vs wisedome righteousnes holynes and redemptioÌ„ But what nede we so long a discourse The Euangelist himself declareth vnto vs who those be which haue receiued such a power namely which are not borne of bloud nor of the wil of the flesh nor of the wil of maÌ„ but of God And if they be borne of God then followeth it of necessity that they are iustified and regenerate They obiect also vnto vs a seruile feare which goeth before charity as though by it we should be prepared vnto iustification and the more easely to receaue charity Vnto whom we aunswere that such a feare without charity is sinne they replye agayne and say that Christ commaunded that feare But God commaundeth not sinne And he commaunded such a feare say they when he sayd I will shew vnto you whome ye ought to feare feare him whiche when he hath killed the body can also cast the soule into hell fire And that this feare prepareth vnto iustification they thinke may hereby be proued for yâ—
miracles and séeme to obserue the commaundements of God and his iustifications if they appoynt theyr minde and end to any other thing then they ought to do are said to sinne namely because they follow not the precept of God published by the Apostle Paul Whether ye eate or drinke or whether ye do any thing els do all thinges to the glory of God And it is moste certaine that this cannot be done without faith and charity Which faith and charity forasmuch as men not yet regenerate do want it necessarily followeth by the woordes of Basilius that their workes are sinnes Of which selfe same sentence he writeth in his 2. boke de Baptismo the 7. question And of purpose he demaundeth whether any man so long as he abideth in sinne can do any thinge that is acceptable before God Whiche thing he affirmeth to be vnpossible and that by reasons both manye in nomber and also taken out of the holy scriptures First saith he the holy ghost testifieth that he whiche worketh sinne is the seruaunte of sinne further Christ saith ye cannot serue God and Mammon for no man can serue two masters Paul also saith that light hath no fellowship with darkenes neither hath God any agreemente with Beliall Which thing also he proueth out of the booke of Genesis althoughe he follow the interpretacion of the seuenty Thus saith he spake God vnto Cain if thou offer well and deuidest ill thou hast sinned be content The sence saith he is if thou offer sacrifice as touching the outward shew and thy minde be not right neither regardest thou the end which thou oughtest to do then is thy oblation sinne With which saying agreeth that also which Esay writeth in the. 66. chapt He whiche killeth an oxe is as if he shoulde kill a man and he which sacrificeth a beast as if he should kill a dogge It is not inoughe to do a worke which is goodly and a beautifull to the eye but it behoueth also that thou apply it vnto the prescript of the law of God which is that whatsoeuer thou doost it be doone in such manner and in such condition as the lawe requireth And therefore saith he Paul sayd None shal be crowned but he which hath wrestled lawfully And it is not sufficient to wrestle vnles thou wrestle lawfully Christ also in the Gospel saith Blessed is that seruant which when his lord commeth shall finde him thus doing By which wordes it appeareth that it is not sufficient to do but behoueth also to do after such for namelye as be hath commaunded Moreouer he sheweth out of the old testamente that he committed sinne which did sacrifice vnto the true God out of the temple or not in that place where the tabernacle was For although that were sacrificed which was cōmaunded in the law yet was the condition of the place absent which the law also required And if any man had either in the temple or in that place where the tabernacle was killed an offring whiche had any spot the same man also had committed sinne because he neglected a necessary condition He citeth that also out of the Gospell which is taken out of the Prophet This people honoureth me with their lippes but their hart is farre from me And he thinketh that to the same ende tendeth that which Paule writeth in this Epistle they haue indeede the zeale of God but not accordinge to knowledge and that which he writeth of himself vnto the Phillippians That he counted for outcastes and dounge and losses all those his woorkes which he did when he liued vnder the law yea and that without blame When as therfore the affect and scope is taken away from workes which oughte to be in them what then resteth but that they are sinnes and are displeasaunt vnto God And to this ende he thinketh serueth that which Paul writeth vnto the Corinthians If I deliuer my body to be burnt and if I destribute all my goodes vnto the pore yet if I haue not charity I am nothing Wherefore vnles these men will ascribe vnto men not yet regenerate faith and charity they must of necessity graunt that they can do nothing which is not sinne or is not displeasaunte vnto God And thus farre out of Basilius Gregorius Nazianzenus in that oration which he made after he returned out Gregorius Nazianzenus of the campe and when those thinges were finished whiche were done againste Maximus saith That there is no worke accepted or allowed before God without fayth whether it be done through the desire of vayne glory or by the instinct of nature for that a man iudgeth it to be honest Here is this worthy to be noted that he sayth that the worke which is done by the instinct of nature that is in that respect because it séemeth to be honest is dead neither can it please God The selfe same sentence hath he in his oration de sancto Lauacro toward the end And in both places he addeth Euen as faith without workes is dead so is a worke also without faith dead And if it be dead how can it as these men woulde haue it merite iustification By this we sée that these two fathers although otherwise they were greate iustifiers by workes and patrons of frée will yet as touching this thing they were wholye of the same minde that we are of But Augustine most manifestly of all teacheth the same in his fourth booke against Augustine Iulianus in the. 3 chapter In which place he entreateth vpon these words of Apostle The Gentiles which haue not the law do by nature those thinges which are of the law These wordes saith he are to be vnderstand either of the Gentils conuerted vnto Christ who now fulfilled the law by the grace of the Gospel so that which he saith by nature is no otherwise to be vnderstand thē that the law is excluded but he meaneth such a nature as is now corrected and amēded by the spirit which regenerateth Or saith he if thou wilt haue those woordes to be vnderstand of the Gentils being yet vnbeleuers thou must say that they by nature fulfilled the law not in deede so muche as it required but after a sort neither did that outward ciuill righteousnes any farther profite them but to be more tollerably punished then others which vtterly casting away all discipline liued wickedly and filthely for we iudge that Fabritius is lesse punished then Catcline vnles peraduenture saith he the Pelagians haue prepared for the Fabritians Regulists Fabians Cauelistes and Scipios some middle place betwene the kingdome of heauen and the hell of the damned such a place as they haue framed for yong infants which depart without Christ. In summe he concludeth that forasmuch as without fayth it is impossible to please God infidels can by no meanes haue true vertues Which sentence the Pelagians so derided that they said if the chastitie of infidels be not true chastitie neither are theyr bodies true bodies neither is
the second part he left out the name of stipend and of righteousnes and in stéede of them put in the name of grace Neither do I greatly passe that Augustine in an other place writeth that Paul mought haue sayd the stipend of righteousnes is eternall life and yet he would not say so least he should haue geuen occasion of erring For how Augustine thought that Paul mought haue sayd it vndoubtedly I sée not vnles paraduenture by righteousnes he vnderstand the workes of men regenerate forasmuch as with those workes the merites of Christ are ioyned For so it might be true that eternall life is the stipend of such a righteousnes Farther Origen goeth on and sheweth that men are so iustified fréely How eternall lyfe may be called the 〈…〉 pend of righteousnes that good workes are not required to go before For expounding this sentence Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgeuen The soule saith he whose sinnes are forgeuen must needes now be in good state for it is called blessed Wherefore it hath righteousnes which God imputeth vnto it although it haue not yet done any workes of righteousnes but only for that it hath beleued in him whiche iustifieth the vngodly Out of these words we gather many thinges First that God for works sake is not made debtor vnto any man Secondly that not only iustification but also eternall life is geuen fréely Lastly that righteousnes is imputed vnto the mindes of the beleuers although no good workes went before in them Basilius vpon these wordes of the 114. Psalme Be thou conuerted my soule into thy rest for the Lord hath done good vnto thee For saith he eternall rest is set forthe vnto them which in this life haue wrestled lawfully which yet is not rendered accordyng to the merite of workes but is geuen according to the grace of the most liberall God vnto them which haue hoped in him Seyng these thinges are spoken of the workes of men already iustified as touching eternall felicity then are they to be counted much more true if they be referred vnto the workes of them which are yet strangers frō Christ Wherfore euen as those merite not an eternall reward no more also can these merite iustification For both these thinges are geuen fréely Augustine in his booke De dogmatibus ecclesiasticis chap. 48. If by the law saith he commeth righteousnes then dyed Christ in vayne So also may we say if by nature come righteousnes Christ dyed in vayne This spake he against the Pelagians who affirmed that the liberty of man was so great that by nature onely it could do thynges acceptable vnto God And Augustine warely transferreth vnto nature that which Paul spake of the law and sheweth that the selfe same absurditie followeth either namely that the death of Christ is made in vayne For in very dede there is no other cause why the law bringeth not righteousnes but onely because nature is vitiate and weake Wherfore that which is spokē of the one may rightly agrée with the other The same Augustine vpon the first chapter of Iohn expoūding these wordes Grace for grace what saith he is grace He aunswereth That which is frely geuen What is grace frely geuen That which is not rendred saith he as due For if it were due vnto thee then it is a reward rendred If it were due thou wast before good And in his booke de predestinatione sanctorum the 7. chap. Let no man extoll himselfe as it is customably said Therfore deserued he to beleue because he was a good man and that before he beleued which thyng semeth to be written of Cornelius when as yet he had fayth when he did good workes These wordes are so playne that they haue no néede of declaration Chrisostome in his 2. homely vpon the first epistle Chrisostom vnto the Cor. Where grace saith he is there are not workes and where works are there is not grace Wherfore if it be grace why are ye proude by what meanes are ye puffed vp Chrisostome according to the maner of Paul so opposeth grace against workes that the one excludeth the other so far is it of that he will haue grace to be geuen for workes Ierome vpon the epistle to Philemon Grace saith he is whereby ye are saued and Ierome that by no merite or worke The same Ierome vpon the epistle vnto the Ephes expoūding these wordes By grace ye are made safe through fayth and that not of your selues for it is the gift of God Paul saith he therefore spake this least some hidden thought should crepe into vs if by our workes we be not saued vndoubtedly yet by faith we are saued so that in an other kinde it commeth of vs that we are saued All these testimonies sufficiently declare that iustification is geuē fréely neither can it be gotten by any merites or workes goyng before Now resteth to declare out of the fathers how good workes are to be estemed Vndoubtedly they follow iustification as the fruites therof which spring and burgē forth out of true faith Wherfore Origene sayth in that place which we haue before cited expounding these wordes vnto the Romanes But vnto him which worketh the reward is not imputed according to grace but according to debt Wherfore saith he not out of workes commeth the roote of righteousnes but out of the roote of righteousnes encreaseth the fruite of workes Whiche selfe thing Augustine affirmeth vnto Honoratus saying Hereout spring good works for that we are iustified and not because good workes went before therfore are we iustified And in his first booke second question ad Simplicianum Yea and workes saith he if there be any that be good do follow as it is said that grace and go not before it And therfore he addeth If there be any good because euen the workes of the regenerate haue in thē much imperfection and vnles the righteousnes of Christ which is imputed vnto the beleuers were ioyned with those workes they should not in very dede be good The same father in his 26. chapter de spiritu Litera at large entreateth this place vnto the Romanes Not the herers of the law shal be iustified but the doers and by many reasons he proueth that good workes follow iustification and go not before To this also tendeth that which Basilius writeth in his second booke De spiritu sancto the 7. chap. of the wordes of the Lord that first it behoueth that the trée be good then his fruites to be good that the Phariseis were reproued which in theyr dishes cups made cleane y◠which was without Make cleane sayth he that which is within and that which is without shal be cleane otherwise ye shal be compared vnto painted sepulchers which in dede without seme beautiful but with in are vncleane and full of dead mens bones What counsels are to be harkned vnto Now let vs come vnto the Counsells which yet are not without choyce and iudgement
to doe them there is not added saith he to doe all the commaundements God receiueth a man which endeuoreth himselfe to doe them and of his mercy forgeueth many things But this that is written To doe them must of necessitie be vnderstand of all For doubtlesse in the lawe which this man calleth the Testament are written all And if God forgeue or remit any thing he doeth it to men already regenerate And not vnto Vnto those which are not iustified nothing is remitted of the rigor of the law them that are straungers from him children of wrath such as they must néedes be which are not as yet iustified but stil prepare themselues and are bent to performe the conditions Vnto these I say nothing is remitted wherefore they are bound vnto all And therefore Moses said as Paul testifieth Cursed be he which abideth not in all the things that are written in the boke of the law Farther he maketh a contention also about the production of fayth and demaundeth from whence it hath his beginning in vs. We in one word easely answer that it hath his beginning of the holy ghost But he faineth himselfe to wonder From wheÌ„ce faith is ingenerated in vs. how we graunt the holy ghost vnto a man before he doth beleue For he thinketh that to be absurd First I can not deuise how this man should so much wonder at this But afterward I perceaue that he manifestly maketh and teacheth with the Pelagians that fayth is of our selues and that it is gotten by humane strengthes For otherwise if he beleued that it is of God and of the holy ghost he would not seperate the cause from his effect But that he should not thinke that we without good reason do attribute vnto the holy ghost the beginning of fayth let hym harken vnto the moste manifest testimonyes of the Scriptures Paule sayth in the first epistle vnto the Corrinthians Not in the words which mans wisedome teacheth but which the holy ghost teacheth that your faith should not be of the wisdome of men but of God And in the same place The carnall man vnderstandeth not the thinges that are of God neither can he for vnto him they are foolishnes for they are spiritually discerned â–ª But how can they be spiritually discerned except the spirite of God be present Children also know that of * Coniugata be those wordes which being of one kind be dâ—riued of an other as of iustice a iust man or a iust thing Coniugata are deriued firme arguments And vnto the Galathians God sayth he hath sent his spirit into our hartes whereby we cry Abba father For by the spirit we beleue and in beleuing we call vpon God Yea and the spirit himselfe as it is written vnto the Romanes beareth testimony vnto our spirit that we are the children of God And vnto the Ephesians Be ye strenthened by the spirit in the inward man that Christ may by fayth dwell in your harts Here we sée that that fayth whereby we embrase Christ commeth of the spirit of God whereby our inward man is made stronge The Apostles when they sayd Lord increase our fayth manifestly declared that it sprang not of their owne strengthes but of the the breathing of God And Paul in the 1. to the Corrinthians the 12. chapiter Vnto one saith he is geuen the word of wisedome vnto an other the word of knowledge vnto an other fayth vnto an other the grace of healing And then is added that it is one and the selfe same spirit which worketh all these thinges deuiding vnto euery man as pleaseth him And if thou wilt say that this place and the foresayd petition of the Apostles pertayneth vnto the particular fayth by which are wrought miracles doubtles I will not be much agaynst it And yet if thou wilt nedes haue it so I will reason a minori that is from the lesse For if these frée gifts are not had but from the spirit of God much les can that vniuersall and mighty fayth whereby we are iustified he had from els where Farther Paul vnto yâ— Rom. Vnto euery one sayth he as God hath deuided the measure of fayth And in the latter to the Cor. Hauing saith he the self same spirit of fayth eueÌ„ as it is written I haue beleued for which cause also I speake we also beleue and speake that God which raysed vp Iesus from the dead shall through Iesus rayse vp our bodyes also Vnto the Gal. are reckned vp the fruites of the spirite Charity ioy peace patience lowlines gentlenes fayth meekenes and temperaunce Fayth here is numbred among the fruites of the spirit wherefore it procedeth of the spirit But vnto the Ephesians he sayth more manifestly By grace you are made safe through fayth and that not of your selues for it is the gift of God And in the Actes of the Apostles it is thus written The Lord opened the hart of the woman that sold silkes to geue hede vnto those thinges which Paul spake And in the 13. chapiter They beleued as many as were predestinate vnto eternall life Wherefore it is not to be doubted but that fayth is ingenerated in our harts by the holy ghost who yet may indede be had of them which beleue not but that yet is onely perswading and not as sanctifying them How the holy ghost is in man not regenerate And although in the elect he sodenly poureth in fayth yet forasmuch as he is the cause of fayth he is therefore before it both in dignity and in order Now let vs sée what absurdities Pighius gathereth out of this sentence If the spirit sayth he be the author of our fayth and vseth the instrument of the word of God and may be also in them that beleue not how commeth it to passe that wheÌ„ as there are many at one and the selfe same sermon where as both spirit is preseÌ„t and the word preached yet part do beleue and part beleue not we answere in one word that that coÌ„meth because the spirit is not of like efficacy in all men neither doth after one the selfe same maner teach all meÌ„ inwardly and in yâ— minde But of his will we can not render in cause although we nothing doubt but that it is most iust If the matter be so sayth he the hearers will easely content them selues neither will they put to their endeuor or studie for they know that that is in vaine when as it wholy dependeth of the spirite of God This is not only a very common but also an enuious obiection But we answer that all men are bouÌ„d to beleue the word of God and therfore theyr bounden duety is diligently and attentiuely to hearken vnto it with all their strengthes to assent vnto it And if they so doe not they shal then incurre the punishment of the law neither are they to be hearkened vnto if they shall say that they could not obey it or if they would haue
then is it certayne that he beleueth not This of necessitie followeth of the former conclusion For if euery one which beleueth sinneth not then doubtles whosoeuer sinneth beleueth not Let Pigghius now go laugh for that we say that by greuous sinnes true faith is lost or is in such a dead slepe that it hath not his act And let him aggrauate the matter as much as he can that he which sinneth greeuously neither beleueth that there is a God nor also the rest of the articles of the faith Origen both thinketh writeth the selfe same thing that we do And he saith moreouer that there is a tokē of true fayth where sinne is not committed as contrariwise where sinne is committed it is a token of infidelitie Again he addeth in the same chap. If peraduenture that which is said of the Apostle to be iustified by faith seme to be repugnant with that which is sayd that we are iustified freely For if fayth be offred first of the man he can not seme to be iustified frely we must remember that euen fayth it selfe is geuen of God and this he proueth by many testimonies But this thing our Pigghius can not abide For he derideth vs as often as we say that fayth is had by the breathing of the holy gost For he saith y◠it is wonderfull y◠the holy gost wil haue his abiding worke in thē which do not as yet beleue The same Origen vpon Leuiticus in his 3. boke 3. chap. The holy sicle sayth he representeth our fayth For if thou shalt offer fayth vnto Christ as a price vnto the imaculate ramme offred vp for a sacrifice thou shalt receiue remission of sinnes Here also we haue expressedly that remission of sinnes is obtayned by y◠fayth I say which is directed vnto Christ deliuered vnto death and sacrificed for vs. There can nothing be more manifest thē these testimonies which Origen hath brought for vs. But these mē are so obstinate that they wil not be led from y◠opiniō which they haue once take in hand to defēd although thou bring neuer so gret light with thē least they should séeme to any of theirs to haue defended an il cause Cyprian beside those thinges which we haue spoken of the coniunction of fayth with a good life writeth also in his 3. booke to Quirinus that fayth onely profiteth and that we are able so much to performe as we do beleue The first part of this sentēce pertayneth vnto the third article of this question but the latter serueth very much for that which we are now in hand with It is a wonderfull saying doubtles that so great is the force of fayth that by it we are able to do whatsoeuer we will And yet did not Ciprian thinke it sufficient absolutely to pronounce this but hath also confirmed it by many and sundry testimonyes of the scriptures As touching Basilius and Gregorius Nazianzenus that shal suffice which I haue before cited Chrisostome in his sermon which he hath entitled de fide lege naturae spiritu sayth that euen fayth is of it selfe able to saue a man And for an example he bringeth forth the thief who he sayth onely confessed and beleued But workes sayth he alone can not saue the workers without fayth After that he compareth workes done without fayth wyth the reliques of dead men For dead carkases sayth he although they be clothed wyth precious and excellent garments yet draw they no heat out of them So sayth he they which want fayth although they be decekd with excellent workes yet are they by them no thing holpen And the same father vpon the epistle vnto the Romanes vpon those wordes of Paul But the righteousnes which is of fayth Thou seest sayth he that this is chiefely peculiar vnto faith that we all treading vnder foote the complain◠of reasō should enquire after that which is aboue nature and that the infirmity of our cogitations being by the vertue and power of God caste away we shoulde embrace all the promises of GOD. Here we sée that by faith wee obtaine the promises of God and although by it we assent vnto all that whiche is contained in the holye Scriptures yet it peculiarly hath a regard vnto the promises of God This is also to be considered that he saith that the infirmity of our cogitacions in beleuing is by the vertue and power of God cast away For this maketh agaynst them which contend that this is done by humane strengthes as though we should haue fayth of our selues and that as though it goeth before iustification The same Chrisostome vpon the 29. chapiter of Genesis in his 54. homely This sayth he is the true fayth not to geue hede vnto those thinges which are seene although they seeme to be agaynst the promise but onely to consider the power of him that promiseth Let thē well consider this which will haue vs to haue a regard not onely to the power and promises of God but also chiefely to our own preparations And expounding these wordes in Genesis Abraham beleued God it was imputed vnto him vnto righteousnes let vs also saith he learne I besech you of the patriarch of God to beleue his sayinges and to trust vnto his promises not to serch them out by our owne cogitations but to shew a great gratitude For this can both make vs iust and also cause vs to obtayne the promises Here also are two thinges to be noted The one is that we are made iust by fayth the other that by the same we obtayne the promises which two things our aduersaries stoutly deny The same father vpon these wordes of Paul vnto Timothe Of whome is Himeneus and Alexander which haue made shipwracke as concerning fayth So sayth he he which once falleth away from the fayth hath no place to stay himselfe or whether to go For the hed Workes dead without faith being corrupted and lost what vse can there be of the rest of the body For if fayth with out works be dead much more are workes dead wythout fayth Here is to be noted that this is an argument a minori that is of the lesse For he sayth that workes are more dead without fayth then is fayth without workes The same author in his sermon de verbis Apostoli vppon these wordes of the Apostle Hauing one and the selfe same spirite of fayth For it is impossible sayth he it is doubtles vnpossible if thou liue vnpurely not to wauer in faith By this we sée how great Chrisostom thought y◠cōiunctiō to be betwen faith good works The same father expoūding these words of y◠Apostle do we thē destroy the law by faith God forbyd yea rather we confirme the law So soone as sayth he a man beleueth straight way he is iustified Wherfore fayth hath cōfirmed the will of the law whilst it hath brought to an end euē that for which the So sone as a man beleueth h◠is 〈◊〉
gathered out of thē Farther this also is to be noted euen as we haue already before tought that we affirme not that that fayth whereby we are iustified is in our myndes without good workes although we say that it is it onely which taketh hold of iustification and remission of sinnes So the eye can not be without a head braynes hart liuer other partes of the body and yet the eye onely apprehendeth colour and the light Wherefore they which after this maner reason agaynst vs Fayth as ye say iustifieth But fayth is not alone Ergo Fayth alone iustifieth not do fall into a fowle paralogisme As if a man should thus conclude onely the will willeth But Fallacia composition is diuisionis the wyll is not alone in the mynde Ergo not the wyll alone wylleth Here euen litle childrē may sée the fallace or deceate which they call of composition of diuision And is it not a fowle thing that so great diuines should not sée it But here Smith the light forsoth of diuinity setteth himselfe agaynst vs. He of late cryed out euen till he was hoarse that we falsely affirme that those places of the Of the aduerbe gratis that is freely scripture which testify that we are iustified gratis that is fréely should signifie all one with this to be iustified by fayth onely For this worde gratis is not all one wyth Solum that is onely O dull gramarians that we are which without thys good maister could not vnderstand this aduerbe so much in vse Howbeit thys Grammaticall Aristarchus lest he shoulde séeme wythout some reason to playe the foole It is written sayth he in Genesis that Laban sayde vnto Iacob Forasmuch as thou art my kinsman shalt thou serue me gratis Here sayth he put this word Only and thou shalt sée what an absurd kind of speach it will be And in the booke of Nombers The people sayd that in Egipt they dyd eate fishes gratis And in the Psalme They haue hated me gratis Here sayth he can not be put this aduerbe Only Wherefore we rashly and very weakely conclude that for that in the scriptures a man is sayd to be iustified gratis he is therefore strayght way iustified by fayth only But this sharpe witted man one so wel exercised in y◠concordance of the Bible should haue remēbred that this word Gratis signifieth without a cause or without a reward and price And therefore we rightly say that Iustification consisteth of fayth only bycause it is sayd to be geuen gratis For if workes were required there should be a cause or a reward or a price to the obteynement of righteousnes But forasmuch as Gratis excludeth all these things of y◠word is rightly and truly inferred only fayth And those places which this man hath alledged are not hard to confute For Laban sayth Shalt thou serue me gratis that is without this condition that I should geue the any thing which is only to take and nothing to repay And the Israelites when they sayd that they did eate fishes gratis ment that they did eate them with out any price payd And this They haue hated me gratis is nothing ells then wtout a cause or without any my desert Wherfore if this word Gratis take away price merite forasmuch as Paul sayth that we are iustified gratis we must nedes vnderstand that it is doone without any our price or merite Which doubtles should not be true if works should be required as causes and merites And bicause we once brought a place out of the epistle to the Galathians Of this aduerbe Nisi that is except But when as we knew that man is not iustified by the workes of the Law except it be by the fayth of Iesus Christ and of this particle Except concluded that iustification consisteth of fayth only this man according to his wisedome rageth and sayth that this word Except is not all one with Only For sayth he Ioseph in Genesis sayd vnto his brethern Ye shall not se my face except ye bring your youngest brother Christ sayth he sayth Except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man ye shall not haue llfe in you Who sayth he wil say that life is had only by the eating of the Sacramēt wherfore sayth he these thinges can not be expounded by this word Only Yes doubtles but they may For in the booke of Genesis what other thing ment Ioseph then to admonish his brethern that they should vpon this condition only come agayne into his sight namely if they brought theyr youngest brother with them ▪ And Christ in the 6. of Iohn entreated not of the eating of the Sacrament for he had not as yet instituted it wherefore by this word to eate he signifieth to beleue And he sayth that they which are of full age herein only haue life if they eate hys flesh and drinke his bloud that is if they beleue that the sonne of God was deliuefor them for the remission of theyr sinnes And that this is the only way whereby they may be saued But Smith addeth that from Iustification is not to be excluded hope and charitie and other good workes I graunt indede that those are not to be excluded from a man that is iustified Howbeit I doo not attribute vnto them the power of iustifieng For that which Paul saith y◠a man is not iustified by workes should not be true if we should be iustified by any kind of workes For if a man should say that an artificer woorketh not with his fingers and afterward should confesse that he vnto that worke which he doth vsed fingers he were worthy to be laughed at although being conuict he would say that he excepted only the litle finger and the third finger and not the thombe forefinger or middle finger For he which vseth thrée fingers vndoubtedly vseth fingers But why doth this man say that hope and charitie are not excluded Bycause sayth he euen ye your selues will haue vs to be iustified by a liuely fayth which doubtles is not without these We graunt that these vertues are always ioyned with true fayth But yet we doo not in them put any part of our iustification before God In this argument is a Fallacia accidentis fallace or disceate of the Accident For vnto those things which are adioyned is attributed that which is proper vnto that vnto whome they are adioyned As if a mā should say The Sunne is round and high ergo the roundnes and highe of the Sū doo make vs warme What workes then doth Smith exclude from iustification when as he includeth hope and charitie I suppose surely he excludeth outward workes fastinges almes and such like But with what face can he so say or teach when as he appointeth and defendeth workes preparatory But this sharpe witted man thinketh that he hath trimely escaped for that he sayth that these things are not of necessity required vnto iustification but only if they
false doctrine But this man vndoubtedly is so farre besides him selfe that he sayth that this was lawfull for the Fathers to do For in his booke de votis which not many yeares ago he set abrode he sayth that Augustine in his booke de Bono viduitatis whereas he writeth that their matrimonies which had vowed a vow of virginity or of sole life are true mariages not adulteries wrote the same for no other end but to perswade Iuliana the widow vnto whome he wrote the booke that mariages in generall are not euill And so in Gods name he confesseth that Augustine setteth forth one false doctrine to ouerthrow an other false doctrine And with the like wisedōe in the same booke he fayneth that Clemens Alexandrinus wrote that Paul had a wife which he thinketh to be most false only to proue that mariage is good and honorable And if it be lawfull so to mingle true thinges with false and to confound all thinges when then shall we beleue the Fathers What thing can at any time be certaine vnto vs but that we may be deceaued by them Farther he fayneth that Paul excluded from iustification only workes of the law But this we haue before aboundantly confuted and haue taught that the reasons of Paul are generall Yea the Fathers saw euen this also For Augustine in many places affirmeth that Paul entreateth not only of ceremoniall works but also of morall works But bycause the authority of Augustine is I can not tell by what meanes suspected vnto our aduersaries Ierome also was of the opinion that not only ceremoniall works are to be excluded from iustification let vs se what Ierome sayth He vnto Clesiphon agaynst the Pelagians vpon these wordes By the workes of the law no flesh shal be iustified thus writeth By cause thou thinkest this to be spokē of the law of Moses only and not of all the commaundements which are conteyned vnder this one name law the selfe same Apostle sayth I consent vnto the law of God There are others also of the Fathers which teach the same but I now ouerpasse them Let it suffice to shew that this other fayned inuētion of Smith is vaine and trifling Thirdly he sayth that they ment to exclude workes as he calleth them penal namely those woorkes I suppose which men repentant doo but to shew how rediculous this is also shall nede no long declaration For first such workes were required of men not that by them they should be iustified before God but only to approue themselues vnto the Church namely lest they should by a fayned and dissēbled repentance seke to be reconciled Farther it is not very likely that Paul spake of any such workes For they were not at that time in vse In dede Ambrose when he excludeth woorkes frō iustification hath hereunto once or twise a respect But we ought not so much to consider what one or two of the Fathers say but what agréeth with the holy scriptures Smith addeth moreouer that it is certayne that God requireth much more of vs then fayth For in Marke it is thus written Repent ye and beleue Here sayth he vnto fayth is adioyned repentāce And in an other place He that beleueth and is Baptised shal be saued He addeth also that in the epistle to the Ephesians the Church is sayd to be sanctified with the lauacre of water in the word And that Peter in his 3. chap. of his first epistle sayth That Baptisme hath made vs safe Ierome also thus writeth vpon the first chapiter of Esay The lauacre of regeneration only remitteth sinnes Behold sayth he iustification and remission of sinnes is ascribed not only vnto fayth but also vnto the sacraments As touching the first we graunt that Christ requireth more of vs then faith For who doubteth but that he will haue men that are iustified to liue vprightly and to exercise them selues in God requireth more of men then faith all kindes of vertues otherwise they shall not come vnto eternall saluation But these are fruites of fayth and effectes of iustification and not causes But as touching the sacramēts we haue many times taught how iustification is to be attributed vnto them For they are in the same respect vnto it as is the preaching of the Gospel and the promise concerning Christ which is offred vnto vs vnto saluation And very oftentimes in the Scriptures that which belongeth vnto the thing is ascribed vnto the Sacrament or signe And bicause Baptisme promiseth remission of sinnes by Christ and signifieth it and sealeth it in them which are washed therfore Ierome of all other sacraments attributeth this vnto it only Wherefore the wordes of the Fathers ought nothing to moue vs when as they thus write That fayth alone is not sufficient vnto saluation For they vnderstand that of eternall saluation vnto which we come not except some fruite follow our fayth But of theyr sayings we ought not to gather the a man is not iustified by faith only And though at any time those selfe same fathers seme to referre theyr wordes vnto iustification yet are they to be vnderstand that theyr meaning was to expresse the nature of the true and iustifieng fayth For it in very dede is neuer alone but hath euer hope and charitie and other good workes as companions Sometimes also by iustification they vnderstand the righteousnes which cleaueth vnto vs of which it is moste certayne that it consisteth not of fayth only They thinke also that this maketh agaynst vs for that Paul writeth vnto the Romanes By hope ye are made safe Neyse The righteousnes which cleaueth vnto vs consisteth not of faith only they that hope is there taken for the last regeneration which we hope we shall one day obteyne in our countrey For the Apostle a litle before spake of it And vndoubtedly we possesse that saluation onely in hope not as yet in very déede If there be any paraduenture whō this most iust and most true solution wil not satisfy let him follow the interpretation of Origen For he vppon that place sayth that hope is there put for faith which is no rare thing in the holy scriptures But they haue found out yet an other fond deuise whereby as much as lieth in them they goo about to lenifie this worde Only which is so often vsed of the Fathers namely that fayth only hath the beginning and as it were the first degrée of iustification which afterward is made perfect and full when other good workes come vnto it But how vayne this is Paul himselfe sufficiently teacheth For he doth not onely say that we are iustified by faith onely but also he addeth without workes Farther this also maketh against these men which is written in in the 15. chapter of wisdome To know is full righteousnes In which place it is a sport to sée how our Smith writeth himselfe First he dareth not deny the sentēce for he counteth that booke for canonicall but as he is
the fayth of the sonne of God And Abacuch the Prophet sayth The iust man liueth by his fayth Paul mought aptly commaund these thinges when as he had before aboundantly reasoned of Iustification and of the life of the soule which is to be obteyned by fayth Wherfore by this place we are taught that men not yet iustified can not be such sacrifices For they want that life which the holy ghost aboue all other things requireth Holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Etymologye of which word Plato thus describeth in Cratylo Men not yet iustified cannot be sacrifices vnto God What holy is as though it were composed of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a particle priuatiue and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is earth wherfore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are thinges impolluted and chused from all earthly filthines and dregges And with the Latines this word sanctum that is holy signifieth yâ— which is consecrated with bloud as Seruius sayth writing vppon these wordes in the 12. booke of Aeneidos Qui foedera numine sancit And his opinion is that sancire amongst the elders was to coÌ„secrate with bloud Martian the Lawyer in the Title De rerum diuisione sayth Sanctum is a thing vnuiolated and which is defended and guarded from the iniury of men And he thinketh that the name is deriued of the Herbes called * Sagmen is a kind of grasse plucked vp with earth sagmina which the Legates of Romanes caried with them to the end their enemies should do them no violence But Vlpian De significatione verborum sayth that Sanctum signifieth all one with firme fixed stable And that sancire is all one with to appoint constantly to decre All these significations agree very wel with that thing whereof we now entreate For our sacrifice ought to be consecrated with the bloud of Christe Further it ought to be certayne and stable which ought neuer to be reuoked or to be chaunged and finally it ought to be purged from the filthines of sinnes Acceptable vnto God which is your reasonable worshipping Plato in Eutiphrone when he had appointed to entreate of holines confuted this definition wherein that was sayd to be holy which is beloued of God For he thinketh that Thinges holy haue this property to be beloued of god this is rather a property of holines then the definition thereof For thinges holy séeme to haue this propriety to be beloued of God Therfore the Apostle aptly vnto holines of life addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is acceptable vnto God And it is all one as if he should haue sayd If your sacrifice be holy it shall also be acceptable vnto GOD. And in the meane tyme he séemeth to haue alluded to that which is written in the law namely that God accepted as a most swéete smelling sauour those sacrifices whiche are done as they shoulde be done The Hebrues saye Richan Iehouah Your reasonable worshipping This oblation is called reasonable by an Why our worshipping is called reasonable Antithesis to the sacrifices of the Iewes and of the Gentiles For they consisted of brute beastes or els as Origen interpreteth it for that our sacrifice is such that we therof can render a reason to them that require it Such doubtles were not the sacrifices of the elders For the Iewes could geue no reason why God chose out for his sacrifices rather these beastes then other or why he would be worshipped rather after this maner then after that That which we in Latine reade Cultum that is worshipping is in Greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche woord as the Latine Fathers write and especially Augustine in his 10. boke De ciuitate Dei the 1. chapiter properly signifieth the worshipping of GOD. For although sayth he manye other things are worshipped yet this worship called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 belongeth not vnto them As touching the substance of the thing we deny not but that vnto God is dewe a certayne worshippinge whiche is not to be communicated vnto thinges created Howbeit that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth with the Grecians always so signifie I am not able to affirme for as Suidas sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to serue for a reward or hire And in the holy Scriptures where we reade that the festiuall dayes ought so to be kept that in them should be done no seruile worke yâ— Greke edition hath it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also that is to serue doth not so properly belong vnto creatures that it is not also attributed vnto God For the Apostle many tymes calleth him self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the seruaunt of Iesus Christ as also with the Hebrues this word Abad which signifieth to serue signifieth yâ— obeysance which we geue both vnto God and also vnto yâ— creatures By these wordes we may gather that all Christians are now sacrificers as which ought not only to sacrifice themselues but also others which thing they chiefly accomplish All christians are sacrificers The ministers of the worde of God aboue all other do sacrifice which preach teach exhort and admonishe their neighbours to returne vnto Christ yâ— when they fal they should repent and returne againe into the right waye This thing Paul pronounceth of himselfe in the 15. chapiter of this epistle By the grace sayth he which is geuen vnto me that I should be the Minister of God amongest the Gentiles In that place sayth that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if he should say that he sacrificed the Gospel that the oblation of the Gentiles might be made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is acceptable sanctified in spirite c. But in my iudgement it séemeth most likely that Paul ment in these wordes to comfort those which were newly conuerted vnto Christ aswell Iewes as Gentiles For our religion mought séeme vnto them at the first sight very slender and bare as which wanted that goodly shew and outward decking of sacrifices But Our religion wantâ—th not conuenient sacrifices the matter sayth Paul is farre otherwise then ye thinke it is For we also haue our sacrifices but they be liuing holy reasonable and acceptable vnto GOD. What more sharper spurres can be put to our sydes to cause vs to leade a godly and holy life then to be taught that we ought all to be such sacrifices the offrers vp also of those oblations He that is not moued with theie reasons to liue holily and innocently I sée not doubtles by what other meanes he can be moued And apply not your selues to the figure of this world but be ye transformed in newnes of your minde that ye may allow what is the will of God good acceptable and perfect And applye not your selues to the figure of this world but be ye transformed in newnes of your mind They which teache Musicke do
thinke to holy seruices only Yea rather those words properly signifie publique offices and functions Render therefore When he saith Render he declareth that this thing pertaineth to iustice Wherfore he which either not payeth or slackly payeth that which he oweth violateth iustice which rendreth to euery man that which is his Neyther is it to be meruailed at that Paul by so many wayes and meanes commendeth vnto vs obedience toward the magestrate For it is otherwise an harde matter to bridle kepe vnder the proud stomakes of men in this duty For we would all be Lordes and be obedient to no man From hence Paule passeth to entreate of the common duety of loue which we ought to execute towards all our neighbors To whom ye owe tribute â–ª tribute to whome custome custome to whom feare feare to whome honour honour Some thinke that by feare in this place is vnderstanded reuerence which they hereby proue for that Paul before séemed to take away feare from godly men When he sayd do good and thou shalt not be aferd yea rather thou shalt obtaine praise at the magestrates hande But this is not of necessitie For albeit he which hath not committed a wicked facte doe not feare yet is it profitable vnto him that he feare least he hereafter commit any suche thing Although all those things which are here rehersed do pertaine to the magestrate yet bicause he doth not all things by himself therfore the Apostle vsed a distribution Vnto the persone of the Prince render honor vnto sergeants men of warre souldiers tormenters render feare to Collectors of subsidies tribute to Customers custome Neither doe we owe honor vnto Princes only but also to our parents Seruaunts also owe feare to theyr Lords and masters In Malachie God thus complaineth If I be your father where is mine honoure If I be your Lorde where is my feare And Princes ought to be acknowledged both as fathers and as Tributes customes ar the sinewes of the commoÌ„ wealth Whether ecclesiasticall men be exempted froÌ„ all tributes customes Lordes We pay tributes of lands and possessions and customes of Marchandises either caryed forth or brought in And tributes and customes as Vlpian sayth are the sinewes of the common wealth without which it caÌ„ not be sustained and administred The Clergy and Ecclesiasticall men contend that they by the benefite of Princes are exempted from tributes and customes Doubtles Christ vsed not this priuiledge For he caused tribute to be paid both for himselfe and also for Peter Moreouer if we loke vpon the ciuil lawes they are not exempted from all burthen of tributes Iustinian in déede willed that they should be frée from personal offices as it is had in yâ— Code De Ecclesus Episcopis And those are called personal offices which we execute only by industry and laboure For if the ministers of the Church should be bound to them it could not be chosen but that they should be hindred from theyr function And the same Iustinian séemeth also to haue exempted them from extraordinary exactions and not from ordinary Yea they are bounde to the mending of common high wayes and to the repairing of bridges Neyther doubtles doth the law of charity suffer that when as they possesse lands and many other things they should withdraw themselues from ciuill burthens and lay the whole waight vpon others that where as all others are afflicted with penury they alone shold liue in wealth Bonifacius the. 8. a man as the Papists themselues A most vniuâ—t decreâ— of Bonifacius the eight confesse ouer proud and arrogant in making of decrées made a decrée as it is had de immunitate ecclesiarum wherein he decréed that Ecclesiasticall men should vtterly be frée from all maner paiment of tributes Yea he straightly forbiddeth that any man should without the commaundement of the bishop of Rome presume to pay any thing to prophane Princes Doubtlesse a most greuous constitution of a most peruerse man whereout haue sproâ—g in a maner infinite brawlings endles contentions How be it some haue patched it vp with a goodly interpretation That somewhat may notwithstanding be exacted of them if Churche matters or religion or the common wealth be in any extreme daunger As though forsothe these men ought not to succor the common wealth but when it is in extreme daÌ„ger I remember a very witty saying of Dioclesian to a certain philosopher which desired immunitie Thy profession sayd he muche differeth from thy petition For A philosopher wittely reproued of Diocâ—esian thy philosophy teacheth that affects ought to be ouercome But thou plainly declarest thy selfe to be ouercome with lust and couetousnes So the clergy wheÌ„ as aboue all others they professe religion and charity doe yet notwithstanding desire not to be compelled to obey magestrates or to succor the common welth Thomas Aquinas thinketh that this exemption of the clergy came by the priueledge of Princes How be it he sayth that it is agreable with the lawe of nature And he citeth a place out of The priestes of Egipâ—â—â— what sort they weâ—â— exâ—empted the booke of Genesâ—s where it is wrytten that the landes of the priestes were frée from the pension of the sith parte But if a manne diligently consider the whole matter he shall easely finde why theyr landes were frée from that fithe parte Namely bicause they were not solde to the king when the penury was euerye where wonderfull greate For the Priestes hadde corne of the kinge so that they were not compelled to buy corne Wherfore the possession of their lands abode vnto them whole which mought yet notwithstaÌ„ding at the pleasure of the The priestes of Isrâ—â—ll were iuâ—tly exempted for they possessed nothing king be charged with other customes and tributes although they were not comprehended in that generall pension of the fifth part Others obiect that it is wrytten in Esdras that king Artaxerxes commaunded that no tributes should be layd vpon the priestes But this was no meruaile when as they possessed no landes amongst the children of Israell but only liued of oblations and sacrifices Cesar also wryteth that the Druides amongst the Frenche men paide neither tributes nor customes as others did but were vtterly frée and discharged from all such things But Plini in his 16. boke and â–ª 44. chapiter writeth that those Druides had nothing wherefore it is no meruaile if they paid no tributes How be it I speake not this that I thinke that princes may not remit somewhat of theyr tributes to Ecclesiasticall men whiche diligently execute theyr office and kepe hospitality and succour the necessitie of others so that a regarde bee had that that turne not to the hurte of others and that by suche immunitie they doe nothing els but mainetaine theyr pompe and riotousnesse I graunt in déede that Princes may doe this howbeit I affirme that Ecclesiastical men can not by any law of God claime vnto themselues any such immunitie and
hande and exhorteth the stronger sorte and theÌ„ that were confirmed in doctrine to beare with the weake and that with great loue And first he bringeth an argument taken of the ende of the giftes of God For they are to that ende geuen vnto vs that with them we should helpe our brethren that our strengthe should serue to make others stronge and that our knowledge shold serue to instruct others Chrysostome sayth that here are reproued those froward and in a maner superstitious persons in that they are called weake but others are called strong which ought to beare with them And thereto he thinketh Paul had a respect in that he counteth himself in the nomber of the stronger sorte And this he doth not as sayth Origen as a boaster abrode of his owne praises but by his example to stir them vp who though in might strength he were not inferior vnto them yet he made himselfe all things to all men Neither is this word to beare lightly to be peised For in Greke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is An argument takeÌ„ of the deniall of our selues to beare and after a sorte to carye vpon a mannes shoulder So Paule in an other place beare ye one an others burthen and so shall ye fulfill the law of Christ wheras he addeth and not to please our selues it is a newe profe taken of the deniall of oure selues which deniall we professe For not to please our selues is nothing els as Ambrose interpreteth it but not to seke that which may be profitable and plesant to our selues but that which may be commodious to our brother For let euerye man please his neighboure in that that is good to edification Therefore he addeth in that that is good and to edification that no man shoulde thinke yâ— we ought to please our brethreÌ„ as touching filthy and hurtful affections In that he before sayd vve ought here he vseth a kinde of commaunding he declareth that euery one of vs is bound to these things neither pertaine they to gratification but to the bonde of the law and of loue For Christ pleased not himself To the ende the more vehemently to stirre vp theyr mindes he exhorteth them thereunto by an example For in wordes to professe Christ to be the master of our life and in very dede to abhorre from his instistitutions These are preceptes and not councels is both ridiculous and also ful of ignominy and shame In this sentence this word to please which in Greke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to obey to satisfy and to be seruiceable For otherwise that worde being vnderstanded in the common signification should ouerthrow the senteÌ„ce and meaning of Paul For there is none of vs which ought not to please himselfe when as he examineth his doings by a sound iudgment and is fully persuaded that they are through faith acceptable vnto God Neither did Christ at any time after this maner displease himself in those things which he did But how he framed himself to the commodities of other meÌ„ we are plainly taught by the holy scriptures He abased himselfe and toke vpon him the forme of a seruaunt when as in very déede he was Lord ouer all and being of all men the most holiest he did eate with Publicanes and sinners and being most chaste he prohibited not his feete to be washed with teares and to be wiped and anoynted of a woman noted of great infamy finally being condemned with most wicked theues he vouchsafed for our saluation to be crucified betwene them He which did and suffred so many and so great things could he seme to haue sought to haue pleased himselfe or rather to frame himselfe to our commodities Wherfore the Apostle rightly setteth this example before our eyes But as it is vvritten the rebukes of them vvhich rebuke thee haue fallen vpon me This testimony is written in the. 69. psalme And Paul vseth it in this sense as thoughe the sonne should thus talke vnto the father Not only the zeale of thy Now the coâ—tumelies of god light vpon Christ house hath eaten me vp but also what so euer contumely and rebukes are done against thée which doubtles is done through al the sinnes of al men the same wholy lighteth vpon me and that am I ready euen by the deathe of the crosse to beare and to make satisfaction for The heartes of men thoughe they were of iron and harder then euen the most hardest stones may yet notwithstanding by this example be softned to suffre any thing for the saluation of our brother Dâ—ubtles in this example is much more comprehended then Paul requireth of the Romaines â–ª For he commaundeth them not to beare the blames of the weake but only tâ— be an helpe vnto them and to heale their infirmitie For vvhatsoeuer things are vvritten afore time are vvâ—itten for our learning This he addeth in the commendation sake of the holy scriptures least he shoulde seeme not very aptly to haue alleaged that testimony of Dauid The things sayth No part of the holy scripture without fruite he which were in times past written by the instinct of God pertaine to vs that we should be instructed by them Wherfore no part of the holy scriptures is without fruit For Paul sayth whatsoeuer things are written are written to our learning in other bookes though they be excellently and exactly wrytten yet thou shalt finde in them somewhat which thou mayst reiect as that which in no case pertaineth to thée But in the holy scriptures thou shalt neuer finde any thing which serueth not to thy instruction and saluation so that thou weigh the thing rightly And I would to God that as many of vs as doe read the holy scriptures would with this purpose and minde read them and wold out of euery parte of them seke our owne edification But a man shal sée many which by reading the holy scriptures are in How the scriptures are to be read déede made the learneder but yet they become nothing at all the better For they doe not at euery clause thus question with themselues what pertain these things to thée What pertaine they to thy conuersation and what belong they to thy doings This without doubt the holy Ghost had chiefly a regarde vnto not to teach any thing in the holy scriptures which should be superfluous In this thing chiefly ought the holy bookes to excel prophane bokes that nothing can be cut away from them as ouerplus or superfluous If these properties be agreable with the olde testament then much more agrée they with the new testament For one the same Against the Libertines spirite was author of them bothe Where now therefore are the Libertines of all men the most arrogantest which brag that they are so high and celestial that they haue no néede of the holy scriptures For they thinke that the scriptures are geuen only to weake men and to little ones Verely Paul nombreth
Chrysostome noteth that Paul begon this Epistle with the praises of the Romains For straight way at the beginning he sayd that he gaue thankes vnto God for that theyr fayth was spred abrode throughout the whole world and that amongst them he would receiue consolation of theyr mutuall faith and now also endeth in theyr prayses but yet in such prayses as are of much more excellency then the first For it is a farre greater matter to be full of all goodnes and to be filled with all knowledge that they are able to admonish one an other then to haue fayth which is euery where published and such as of which the Apostle himself may take some consolation That ye are able to admonish one an other If they were full of all knowledge They whiche otherwise know thinges may be admonished touchyng them what néede was there that one should admonishe an other Ambrose as though he would vndoe this knot thus wryteth He sayth to admonish and not to teach For of those things are we admonished which otherwise we know but in the meane time are slipt out of the minde But I doe not thinke that Paul in this place had that consideration For if we speake of maners there is none which may not sometimes be admoshed But if we speak of doctrine this is the duety of wise men and of those which are gouerners ouer Churches to instruct and to teach others And least any man should take it amisse some bokes haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is others some haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is one an other But as I haue declared either of these words will very well agrée with Paules purpose Neuertheles brethren I haue somewhat boldly after a sort written vnto you as one that admonisheth you throughe the grace that is geuen me of God That I should be the minister of Iesus Christ amongst the Gentiles This is another part of his Apologie He had confessed that he knewe assuredly that they by reason of theyr singular goodnes and excellent knowledge were apte inough to admonishe one an other Wherefore they might say Why then hast thou so boldly written Bicause sayth he God would that I should be the minister of the Gentiles But ye are nombred amongst them wherefore to the ende I would not leaue mine office What thinges Paule wrote somwhat boldly vndone I was bolde to wryte these things vnto you He sayth that he thought not only to wryte but also to wryte somewhat boldly and fréely for that as Erasmus thinketh he had at the beginning sharpely reproued Idolatry and the fonde wisedome of the Philosophers and most filthy lusts But this in my iudgement is not very likely For those things pertained not to the Church of Rome but to the Ethnikes that were straungers from Christ For Paul ment to vpbraide vnto theÌ„ theyr most wicked actes that they might vnderstande how farre wide they were from the true righteousnes in as muche as they did put theyr truste in humaine strengths and in the ayde of sciences wherefore I thinke rather that he had a regarde to those things which he had written in the Chapiters next going before Such as are those which Chrisostome hath noted least by any meanes it come to passe that he neither spare thee Again be not wise in your selues Again why dost thou iudge thy brother And this why dost thou despise thy brother wherunto a man a may adde these destroy not with thy meat him for whom Christ hath died Again do not for meat sake destroy the work of God These and such like things mought Paul seme to haue writteÌ„ somwhat boldly Howbeit in excusing himself he changeth nothing but only Paul by excusing himselfe altereth not the things which he had written The excuse of the author of the booke of Machabes is not to be compared with the excuse of Paul preteÌ„deth his vocation that is his Apostolicall office This forme of excusing is farre diuers from that which the author of the boke of Machabées vsed For he towardes the end of the second booke is in doubt whether he had written well or no and addeth If I haue no done well yet is it that I was able to doo As if he should haue sayd Pardon me But Paul who doubted not but that he had written nothing but by the instinct and impulsion of the holy ghost only declareth this what mooued him to write so fréely and so boldly and sayth as Chrisostome noteth I doo not â—f my selfe reproue you but GOD hath commaunded me thus to doo For as his Apostleship was of the Lord so also came his woordes from him Howbeit he somewhat mitigateth his speach wheÌ„ he sayth As one that admonisheth you and this we must thinke to be spoken bycause of the better and holier sorte And what to admonish signifieth we haue before declared out of Ambrose He calleth the Apostleship the grace that was geuen vnto him For he was not thorough his owne merites placed in that office For euen at that selfe same time wherein he was called he most cruelly persecuted the members of Christ Consecrating the Gospell For so Augustine turneth it and that very aptly as Erasmus also noteth The woord is composed of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to woorke in holy thinges Wherefore Chrisostome in this place very well writeth that Paul here hath made mencion both of â—is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The priest hoode of Paul was to preach the gospell as if he should haue sayd This is my priesthoode to publish abrode the Gospel and to preach Wherefore though I haue somewhat boldly written these thinges vnto you yet ought ye not to take it in ill parte For no man imputeth it as a faulte to the priest that he do exercise holy thinges pertaining to his office Vnto me vndoubtedly is this kind of sacrifice committed by the preaching of the Gospel to offer vp the Gentles a most acceptable sacrifice vnto God My sword saith Paul as Chrisostome writeth is the Gospell the sacrifice whiche is killed with my right hand are the Gentles Let our Cake consecrators go now and boast that they are therfore priestes for that by their inchauntments they transubstantiate bread wine This is that sacrifice this I say is yâ— priesthoode which the Apostles executed and which also the pastors of the churche ought now to execute Neither yet ought the ministers of the church therfore to be called sacrificers bicause the Apostle so speaketh in this place For he vseth a metaphore and excellently alludeth to those thinges which were done in outward sacrifices Many at this day faynâ— themselues to lament our church for that they are now without a sacrifice But we haue hitherto much more iustly lamented that in them hath nothyng bene sacrificed thorough pure and Euangelicall sermons And euen at this day also after
faith and of hope the holy ghost is present with vs when the godly grone and crye and that they are in daunger that nature should ouercome hope and faith he is redy at hand and refresheth their mindes and bringeth so much consolation as the waight of the affliction was as Paul in his first chapter of the latter epistle vnto the Corrinthians saith Euen as the afflictions of Christ abound in vs so also through Christ aboundeth our consolation By these our infirmities which the holy ghost helpeth Paul vnderstandeth the weakenes of our naturall strengthes which of themselues are not equall vnto the grieues and aduersities wherewith the faithfull are continually What the helpe of the spirite is vexed But the helpe of the spirite is nothinge els but a certayne inwarde and hidden strength whereby our mindes are confirmed not to geue ouer in temptacions Augustine in his 19. booke De Ciuitate Dei the 4. chapter excellently The end of good â—ueâ— after the Christans declareth how Christian hope is caried vnto those good thinges which can not be séene For if thou demaund saith he of a man endued wyth fayth what ende he appoynteth of hys good or euyll deedes he wyll answere eternall lyfe and eternall death These things can not be sene neither be vnderstand of humaine reason and therfore the wise men of the Ethnikes being puffed vp with pride would not put their hope in them Wherefore some held that the endes of good thinges are the The endes which the Ethnikes appoynted good thinges of the minde some the good thinges of the body some vertue some pleasure some both ioyned together But God derided them and saw how vaine their thoughtes were For they chose rather to counte those thinges for the chiefe good thinges which are enterlaced with many miseries and calamityes then to receaue those sincere found and most firme thinges which are by the word of God set forth For who can exactly declare vnto how miserable and horrible calamities The â—â—els whereunto we are in this life obnoxious can not be tolde our body is obnoxious It is sicke it is wounded it is dissolued it is made crooked it is torne it is maymed men oftentimes become blind oftentimes deaffe and as touching the minde men are oftentimes madde and in a phrensy neither attaine they to the truth without mixture of many errors which are euen most diligent searchers out thereof How could the Ethnikes boast of vertues as the The morall verâ—ues are witnesses of our calamities chiefe good thinges when as they are vnto vs witnesses of our calamities To what thing serueth temperance which is therefore geuen that dronkennes glotony lustes and filthy and corrupt motions of the minde should be bridled For these thinges declare that it hath no place but in mindes still obnoxious vnto such corruption which corruption how much the more it is inward so much the more miserable maketh it vs and as a domesticall enemy rangeth abroade in the entrailes of our hartes These affectes saith Augustine are vices for as Paul sayth they hynder vs from doyng those thynges which we would Farther what is the office of prudence but to prouide that we should not through error be deceaued in chusing of good thinges and auoyding of euill thinges Vndoubtedly if we were not wrapped with errors and darkenes this remedy should not haue neded but forasmuch as we nede it it declareth that men are not yet in happy estate but are wrapped with great and gréeuous errors vnles prudence some way helpe Iustice also whereby is rendred vnto euery man that which is his is for no other cause necessary but to restraine thefts extorcions and violences Neither can it so thoroughly exercise his office amongst men but that good and godly men oftentimes suffer many thinges filthyly and vniustly Now what shall we say of fortitude It armeth men patiently to suffer sorrowes dangers torments and finally death it selfe if nede require Amongst these so great euils those wise appointed the chief goodnes which euils yet they sayd mought somtymes be in such sort encreased Some thought that a man mought kill himselfe by reason of the too great burthen of calamities that a man mought therefore kill himselfe O blessed lyfe crieth Augustine which to come to an ende seketh the helpe of death For if it be blessed why do they breake it in sonder and flye it But if it be miserable why do they put in it the chiefe goodnes So were they derided of God for that they contemned hope which is neither sene nor by humane reason vnderstand And because when they heard it preached out of the word of God they derided it therefore God by his heaueÌ„ly doctrine condemned them as fooles and men worthy to be made a laughing stocke The reason of Paul to returne to it againe is this hope is of thinges absent and of those things which are not sene but by hope we are made safe Wherefore our saluation is not yet sene nor by humane reason vnderstanded yea rather vnto vs are offred The things which are offred in this life seeme to bâ— contrary vnto our saluation The precept touchinge hope is not a thing indifferent all thinges contrary vnto our saluation and plainely repugnant vnto it For we are infected with corrupt affectes we are assaulted with temptacions we are exercised with sorrowes and vexations so that if we should leane vnto natural reason we should be much rather counted vnhappy then blessed And yet notwithstanding if we will geue credite vnto the commaundementes of God we must valiaÌ„tly hope in the middest of these euils For it is not frée for a man to hope or not to hope for the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of hope bindeth all men vniuersally For euen as we are commaunded to worshippe God as true and constant in his promises so also are we commaunded to hope in him For Dauid sayth Sacrifice the sacrifice of righteousnes and hope in the Lord. And Ose saith Hope in God at all tymes And Peter Hope in that grace which is offred And let no man make an excuse that hys ill lyfe Sinnes ought not to be a let vnto hope past and sinnes committed let hym that he can not hope for the precept of God hath not thys conditioÌ„ annexed vnto it And although it had yet should it be taken as a condition pertaynynge vnto the law whiche byndeth not vs that are vnder the Gospell we must rather haue a respect vnto the promise of the Gospell which sheweth that we shall haue felicity geuen vs for Christes sake and that fréely For the Apostle when he had said The stipend of sinne is death straight way added But grace is eternall life Such a promise doth faith appreheÌ„d so deliuereth it ouer vnto hope to waite for it Wherfore hope ought not to adde any coÌ„ditioÌ„s vnto it wheÌ„ as it receiued none of faith whatsoeuer yâ— master of yâ— senteÌ„ces writeth touching The master
of the Sentences confuted this matter For I know yâ— he in his 3. booke teacheth yâ— our hope leneth not only vnto yâ— mercy of God but also vnto our merites And therefore saith he to hope without merites is no hope but a presumption Thys sentence is not to be receaued For it addeth vnto hope a condition when as fayth without any condition apprehendeth that which is to be hoped for out of the word of God Farther when a these or any other wicked man is sodenly conuerted vnto God hath he not hope Vndoubtedly he hath for if he dispaired of saluation he would not fly vnto Christ And how can any man say that such a hope leneth to any merites when as he hath alwayes before liued wickedly But as we haue before sayd these men thinke they haue here a trimme place of refuge if they answere that thys hope of a man namely conuerted vnto Christ dependeth of merites not in dede past but to come newely that he hopeth he shal obteyne the rewardes of felicity when he hath done workes which he trusteth to doo But here they committe a double fault first bycause if he which is conuerted vnto Christ doo hope that by merites he shall haue eternal life he hath no true hope for he resisteth the true fayth For it apprehendeth the chiefe felicity offred frely Secondly vnawares they auouch that yâ— which hath not as yet his being is the cause of yâ— vertue which in acte and very dede they confesse to be in the minde of the repentaÌ„t And if they meane that he hopeth for felicitie when he hath liued well but yet in such sort that he hath no confidence that he caÌ„ by committing of sinne attaine Workes ar not the cause of hope vnto it then speake they no other thing then we do But so are not workes the cause of hope but light betwene it and the laste end as certayne meanes and first beginnings of felicity that men forasmuch as they hope that eternall blessednes shal be geuen vnto them freelye shoulde also hope that God if they liue wyll freely also geue vnto them good workes For the holy scripture teacheth â—arre otherwise then do these men For Dauid when he sayd If thou Lord shalt loke streightly vnto iniquities who shall be able to abide it And when he saw that the sinnes wherewith our workes are contaminated auocate vs from hope added The cause of our hope My soul hath hoped in his word And by the word he vnderstandeth the promise of which promise he rendreth a cause Bycause with the Lorde is mercye and with hym is plentifull redemption These are the true and proper causes of our hope The promise of God and his aboundant mercy The same Dauid in an other place sayth Why art thou sad o my soule and why dost thou trouble me Hope in God for I will still confesse vnto hym Here some obiect that we ar not iustified by fayth only for Paul sayth that we are saued by hope But these men ought to haue considered that the Apostle in this place entreateth not of Iustification For touching We are saued by hope but we are not iustified by it it he before wrote that by fayth the spirite we are deliuered from the lawe of sinne and of death and adopted into sonnes and heyres and made the fellow heyres of Christ But here he speaketh of the perfect redemption which is still to be wayted for This we also confesse to be holdeÌ„ by hope when yet notwithstanding we haue alredy by fayth obteyned iustification and remission of sinnes Farther I haue oftentimes admonished that when the scripture semeth to attribute iustification ether vnto hope or vnto charity or vnto our woorkes those places are so to be vnderstanded that iustification is there taught not by the causes but by the effectes And we ought to vnderstand that whatsoeuer is The consideration of iustification is sometymes declared by the causes and sometimes by the effectes attributed vnto works the same is wholy done by reason of fayth which is annexed vnto them Wherefore as in a wall we haue a consideration vnto the fouÌ„dation and in the fruites of trées to the roote so whatsoeuer semeth at the first sight to be ascribed vnto works is to be assigned vnto faith as vnto the mother of all good workes Which thinge Augustine hath in many places excellentlye taught Others to proue that hope depeÌ„deth of our workes cite that which Paul before sayd Tribulation worketh patience patience worketh experience and experience hope Here say they it is playne that of patience springeth hope I heare in dede the wordes of Paul but I doo not by them acknowledge that patience is the cause of hope For first it is playne inough to him that will consider it that Paul in thys connexion compareth not causes with effectes For who will say that tribulation is the cause of patience For it bringeth many to desperation and to horrible blasphemies But those thinges which Paul knitteth together in this chayne are instruments by which the holy ghost vseth to stir vp in vs these vertues But graunt that there be some consideratioÌ„ of cause betwene these things yet should it not thereof follow that patience is the cause of hope but contrariwise Patience springeth of hope that hope is the cause of patience For no man with a quiet mind patiently suffereth any thing vnles by that patience he hope to attayne vnto some thing Vndoubtedly Martirs are by hope confirmed in theyr tormentes patiently to beare them And the marchant if he had not a hope to gayn would kepe himselfe at home nether would he wander about the world And the shipmaster vnles he hoped that he could ariue at the porte would not lose out into the depe nether striue agaynst the windes and waues I confesse in dede that here is somewhat encreased by patience For when we se that vnto vs is geuen of Christ for hys Hope is somewhat encreased by patience sake with a quiet minde to suffer many thinges we more and more haue confidence that those thinges also which are remayning and which we wayte for shall one day be geuen vs. But to beleue that hope wholy dependeth of patience I can not be perswaded For as we haue before sayd by hope rather we come vnto patience And in very dede the holy ghost is the author and cause of these vertues And he goeth orderly to worke of one to produce an other Agaynst this certainty which we sayd dependeth of yâ— promise of God Pighius vseth trifling reasons that the promises are generall nether is in them mencion made either of me or of thee and therefore there is still remayning a doubt when we must discend to the application of these promises Thys man semeth to me to make the promises of God to hange in the ayre when as he will haue them to be so Euery faithfull man knoweth that the promises ar properly
as God had commaunded in the booke of the law This exposition in dede semeth to be somewhat more witty and more likely Howbeit by the wordes of the holy history it is confuted For when Moses feruently prayed the Lorde answered Let me alone I wyll kill all thys people at once for their contumacy towardes me and will make thee a prince of an other people both much greater and also more noble Wherefore there is no reason why Moses shoulde desire to bée putte out of authority that he shoulde not bee the head of that people when as God of hys owne accorde and wyllingly offred that thinge vnto hym Wherefore we must nedes confesse that Moses desired none other thing then that which Paul now wisheth for Chrisostome is so much against this opinion which Ierome defendeth to Algasia that he sayth That such as so thinke are so farre from the truth as a blindeman is from the light of the sunne And of this his confutacion this reason he bringeth Paul saith he had before spoken many thynges of that straighte coniunction which he had wyth God when he sayd that neyther tribulation nor anguishe nor persecution nor hunger nor nakednes nor daunger nor sworde is able to seperate hym from the loue of God After that as though he had not yet satisfied himselfe he addeth neyther death nor lyfe nor aungels nor principalities nor powers nor thynges present nor thynges to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature Now after the rehearsall of so many and so great thynges what more weighty or more noble thyng could he bryng which could excell these thynges Could this that he would gladly suffer death to bring hys brethren vnto Christ But this sayth he is a very small matter if it be coÌ„pared with those thynges before spoken For before he had twise mencioned death but he whiche refuseth to geue hys lyfe for the truth and for the health of his neyghbour seperateth hymselfe froÌ„ God by feare of death And therfore he should haue added no new thing to that which he before had spoken Wherfore we ought to thinke that Paul had a regard to farre greater thynges then these men suppose he had There is an other opinion of those which thinke that Paul referred not these thinges vnto the time wherin he wrote them but vnto that tyme wherin he liued a straunger from Christ For the better declaration wherof we ought to vnderstand that there are certaine men which after that they haue cast themselues hedlong into any thing endeuour themselues by al meanes to draw others to the same not that the place and estate wherinto they haue transferred themselues liketh them but that hauing many companions ioyned vnto them they might either be the lesse reproued or els the thing which they haue yll begon might haue a more tollerable ende And thus these men expounde the woordes of Paul The Iewes mought haue suspected that Paul for that cause desired to bring al other meÌ„ vnto Christ for yâ— he himself had already geueÌ„ himselfe vnto him not for that from the harte he counted the thing good But not so saith the Apostle yea rather so deare is your saluation vnto me that so from the hart I desire to communicate this good thing vnto you that I would wishe my selfe to be accursed from Christ and not to be yet called vnto him so that ye might come vnto him that is I would earnestly desire that ye might haue come to Christ before me And this thinke they is to be made accursed for his brethreÌ„ And to haue some shew to proue this Thou séest say they that he saith not that he desireth now to be made accursed for that could he not do after he was once conuerted but onely he wisheth himselfe to be made accursed that is when he was not yet conuerted vnto Christ But euery man may easely sée that this interpretacion is wrested and troublesome and yet if we should receiue it Paul should not auoide it which he semeth most of all to eschue For what do they not consider that he which of loue desireth to haue bene once in times past accursed from Christ the selfe man desireth this also now to be made accursed For if he should haue done that to the honour of God how should he not do this also to the honour of God Howbeit this interpretation among others haue the Gréeke Scholies I will not now stand any longer about Graeca Scholia the confutatioÌ„ therof for that I doubt not but there are not many which wil defend it There ar others which go about to proue this desire of Paul by the law of God Men say they are so framed yâ— euery man when he is in trouble aduersity desireth gladly to be redemed by some other man yea euen with the hurt of him which should redeme him They adde moreouer that the law of God is that we should loue our neighbours as our selues Wherfore forasmuch as we our selues would gladly desire that an other man should be damned for vs therefore we ought also to wyshe the same to others that we our selues should be damned for them least we would otherwyse to be done vnto oure neyghboures then we woulde to bee done vnto oure selues if we were in the like case And farther they say that euery one of vs ought so to loue his neighbor as Christ hath loued vs but Christ for oure sakes did not only geue his life vpon the â—rosse but also was made a curse and was after a sort forsaken of the father For he cryed My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Wherefore they conclude that that thing which Paul and Moses did was dew hy the Law Here if thou demaund who caÌ„ performe this Law They will answere no man but yet are not godly men for that cause condemned For say they we all dayly want muche of the iuste obseruation of the Law but our dayly falles are forgeuen vs for Christes sake and that which wanteth of our righteousnes is made good by the righteousnes of the Lord which is ascribed vnto vs through â—ayth And yet ought not anye man therefore to slake his endeuor to performe this kynde of commaundement We must labor as muche as lieth in vs if it succede not we ought to lament and so shall it come to passe that â—inne shall not be imputed vnto vs so that we doo not vtterly shake of our endeuor which thinge some men doo which so farre fall that they hate theyr enemies and persecute them but we ought not so to flatter our selues For there are certayne kinds of sinnes so greauous that they can not stand with fayth and charity Howbeit we must confesse that this vertue which we se was in Moses in Paul is a verye rare vertue Wherefore this vertue may be called heroicall or noble This in dede is a good interpretation and commended of those men vnto whome in very dede for piety and