such a sort that Gods glory was shed from them into Gods people as from a most plentifull storehouse For so doth that worde of God by taking fleshe vpon him not onely shrewd vs from the curse of the law but also sheeld vs defend vs from it and giueth vs most certeine assurance of Gods louing kyndnes if we put our trust in his blud For he is succeeded as our souerein king and euerlasting preest in sted of Moyses and Aaron But shew me wherfore God did cast so great good will to mankind P. Doubtlesse euen for this cause that hee had determined to shew his ryghtuousnesse more bryght than the daylight to mortall men in tyme too come both in forgyuing all mens offences which almightie God hath of his owne incredible mercifulnesse eyther discountenanced or borne wyth vnto this day and also in pardoning wyping away of their sinnes which are still yet alyue or shall heereafter draw this common breth that therby it may appeare openly to all men that God is ryghtuous not onelye bycause hee himselfe is indewed with rightuousnes but also bycause he sheadeth oute his ryghtuousnesse into the minds of them that put and settle their whole trust in his Christ R. I beleeue it to be verely so Therefore it behoueth that so great a benefite to be borne alwaies in remembrance of those too whome Gods goodnesse hath graunted to inioy Christ as their prophet to teache them the wyll of the heauenly father as their high preest which hath with his owne bloud sealed vp the couenant made betweene the father and vs and as their moost mighty King to sit in our mynds and to gouerne vs by his spirit P. You see then what are the causes of mans saluation Now therefore if a man shoulde aske a Iew whether he thought that there were any thing left him wherein he eyther could or should glorie what myght he answere Nay rather if it please you answere you for him and vtter what you thinke R. Nothing so God help me I se nothing why he should be loftyminded or boast himself or his prerogatiue For all cause of boasting is shut out P. Againe if I shoulde aske him whether the Israelites haue any such vauntage by the law it selfe the rule of good deedes that they shoulde thinke themselues better than all other nations or whether the glittering woorkes of the Iewes can haue so great force as iustly to set them in such a iollitie I pray you what would he say to it R. I beleeue he woulde be more dum than a fishe as the prouerbe sayth For how can any doinges of men eyther he or seeme to be so muche worthie before God P. Therefore it is meete that all mankinde should be ridde of all selfe weening pryde stubbornesse and boasting by the doctrine of fayth and be driuen of necssitie to yeeld the whole glory of all things vnto God alone R. Doubtlesse I thinke that to be out of all controuersie P. Therefore it is too be beleeued than the whiche nothinge can be sayde or deuised more holie or true that menne are counted and made ryghtuous and adopted of the heauenly father into the number of his children by fayth without the woorks of the law or without desertes that spring of mens deeds R. If the way to ryghtuousnesse too saluation and to euerlasting lyfe be opened vnto men by fayth and not by the law there is no cause why the Iewes should repyne at the Gentyles or enuy them P. None at all For which of them is so blockishe or ignorant of things belonging to God as to imagin in his mind that God is the God of the Iewes onely and not of all other nations also Out of doubt god is the god of al people and nations and will haue all men to be saued and to come to the knowing of him 1. Ti. 2.4 R. Then doth it follow that there is no odds betweene circumcision and vncircūcision as in respect of saluation P. Surely they be both in one cace or both alyke bycause that for asmuch as God is but one and the onely creator of all men alyke he doth also kepe one selfe same maner of sauyng mankynde For he iustifieth the circumcised by fayth and accepteth the vncircumcised for rightuous by fayth taketh them for his owne R. But heere is a doubt greeueth me that you seeme to pull downe vtterly the law and the dignitie thereof by the doctrine of fayth P. It is nothing so For we be so far of from purposing to ouerthrow the law by fayth that we indeuer to strengthen vphold and stablish it most of all thereby which thing I will shew moost euidently in conuenient place For seeing that Christ is the ende the performing and the vtmost poynt of the law and that the law is as a certeine scholing and trayning of men vnto Christ as the which yeeldeth not wherewith to fulfill Gods commaundements but only sheweth the necessitie of fulfilling them I beseech you how greatly is the law beautified and aduanced by fayth when by the doctrine of faith we shew the way to performe the lawe by the spirit of Christ R. Syr Cha. 4.1 you haue spoken ynough of the law more truely in myne opynion than men will well lyke of But we will say more of this heereafter You knowe of how greate authoritie Abraham was alwayes among the Israelites for his good workes sakes And yet notwithstanding all that dignitie shall seeme to fall to the ground if he obteined no rightuousnesse and innocencie by his owne procurement Or else poynt you me oute some fruite of those good workes wherwith he was adorned P. I graunt that Abraham had gotten no small glorie and commendacion of ryghtuousnesse to himselfe by hys good Godly and well ordered doinges if he had become ryghtuous by his woorkes But yet then shoulde this prayse haue rested eyther in him selfe or haue taken place alonely amonge men but not at all before God R. I pray you shew by what meanes that came to passe P. Truely the holie scriptures shew it inough and more than inough Ge. 15.9 Gal. 3.6 Ja. 2.23 For thus is it written Abraham beleeued God and that true fayth of hys vvas reckened to hym for ryghtuousnesse R. I acknowledge the recorde of the old testament and imbrace it with both my handes But whereto tendeth it P. You shal heare Consider the state and circumstance of that tyme. For as yet the lawe was not whiche was afterwarde gyuen by Moyses in somuche that what soeuer Abraham dyd at that tyme he ought not to father it vppon the law written Therfore he could not glorie of the performyng of the lawe And for that cause God by that saying of hys affirmeth that Abraham was iustified at his hand by fayth R. Thinke you the whole matter to be dispatched with this one argument P. No But you shall vnderstande the whole cace the better if we compare the wages wyth the gyfte For
vnto hym that woorketh wages is gyuen of duetie and not of revvarde But too hym that woorketh not but beleeueth in hym that maketh the offender gyltlesse hys firme and stedfaste fayth is imputed for innocencie For if a manne haue deserued and earned a thing by his owne labour trauell and paynes taking his obteyning of it is not a rewarde or free gyfte but a ryght and duety But if a man do not the things wherby he may deserue which is most truely verefied of man but doth so perceiue tast feele Gods goodnesse and louing kindnesse that he beleeueth himselfe to be taken for giltlesse before him through his meere mercy without any worke of his owne vnto him is innocency gyuen freely as a rewarde and not as a duety and hys stedfast trusting to the iustifier is reckened to him for ryghtuousnesse and innocency R. I agree fully to this reason For the thing that is freely bestowed vppon any man is not to be taken for a wages or desert but must be ascribed to Gods goodnesse Moreouer the same fayth for the which God rewardeth vs with rightuousnesse is sheaded into our harts by God himselfe and that of his owne mere free liberallitie and good wyll withoute respect of any desert at all whereof the wretched sinners might by any meanes brag or boast But haue you any more to say yet of the same matter P. Behold moreouer the euident authoritie of the kingly Prophet whiche shevveth the blessednesse of the man whose sinnes God forgiueth giueth him his owne righteousnes Psa 32.1 Blessed are they saith he whose iniquities are released and the filthines of whose sinnes are couered Blessed I say is he to whō God imputeth not his sinnes As for the residue conteyned in that Psalme you your selfe shall wey it aduisedly and apply it to this matter R. How fowlly then are they ouersene which surmise so many kindes of happinesse and blessednesse and write so sundrie sawes of it And to let passe the Philosophers how wicked ought those godly and how foolish ought those wise mē to seeme who vpon a conceite of I wot not what a kind of blessednesse refuse no paynes too make satisfacion for their sinnes whereas notwithstanding the said diuine Prophet protesteth that they be released forgiuen men of gods only meere goodnesse And not onely that but also to the intēt that mens drooping harts should be chered vp more more he affirmeth that they be after a sort concealed and hidden and ouerpassed least they myght at any tyme come into the sight of the angry iudge And how farre doth this maner of hyding sinnes differ from the maner that Adam vsed Gen. 3.2 when he would haue hidden his wickednesse from God with fig leaues if it had bene possible For he would haue hidden him self with things that grew in the fields But God clotheth his with Christes rightuousnesse Rom. 13.14 which is a most glorious garment or rather with Christ him self And if your leysure would suffer you to open all the other parts of that Psalme O how great comfort would it bring to mens minds For they that are to be registred in the number of those blessed men must be voide of al guile disceite and flee to Gods mercy whereby they hauing the filthinesse of their sinnes wiped away and hauing gotten the righteousnes of faith must apply al their indeuer to leade a godly righteous conuersation among men I let passe the residue of the notable things there Nowe that our talke may returne to our purpose this is to be cōsidered whether the saide blessednes befel vnto Abrahā before circumcisiō And againe whether this blessednes belong only to the circumcised or may be offered to the vncircumcised also seing you haue auouched that Abrahams faith was accepted for righteousnes Tel also plainly whether the said imputation and iustification were done in vncircumcision or in circumcision P. Surely he receiued not that benefite in circūcision but when he was yet vncircūcised then did the moste deere father vtter his good will mercy fauor towards him bestowed righteousnes vpō him Gen. 17.11 For so doo the holy scriptures most plainly shewe which tell vs that circūcisiō was appointed to Abraham in stede of a cognisance or badge as a pledge of the righteousnesse of faith wherewith he was indued euen at such time as he was yet vncircumcised that he might be counted the father of all beleeuers and euery vncircumcised person might by his example hope that his owne faith shall be reckened to him for righteousnesse R. Forasmuche then as Abraham was iustified fowrteene yeeres before he was circumcised it appereth that circumcision was not the cause of his iustifying for it followed his iustifying but rather the seale of it so that the Israelites may easely espie their owne errour in attributing so muche to the cutting off of a little peece of fleshe Esa 1. Psal 50. as who should say that God did set so muche store by the Ceremonies though he him selfe ordeyned them when they be voyde of true and liuely fayth And yet notwithstanding me thinks that some Christians do fondly follow the same errour who haue no Christianitie in them sauing that they were dipped in the clenzing water in the name of Christ Furthermore if Abraham when he was yet vncircumcised was so dearely beloued and accepted of God for his only faith howe cheerefull mindes and how assured hope ought all the vncircumcised Gentiles to haue if almightie God voutchsafe of his infinite mercie to bestowe the most excellent gift of righteousnesse vpon them Nay rather euen heereby it appeareth that the pride of the Iewes is in no wise blerable who standing vpon the reputation of their onely circumcision disdaine the poore Gentiles and would keepe them off from entring into euerlasting saluation For it is nowe more euident than the daylight that saluation belongeth no lesse to the Gentiles than to the Iewes inasmuche as Abraham was iustified that is to say was taken into the number of Gods children when he was yet a Gentile P. But by the way you must remember that Abraham is the father of all beleuers And forasmuch as he is so he is to be counted the father of the Israelites also yea of the circūcised howbeit but of those which not only are borne of him by fleshly discent but also do followe the footesteps of his fayth which he had before he was circumcized R. Hereby doth gods wōderful goodnes louingkindnes towards all mankinde shine forth most of al in that it imbraceth both Iewes Gentiles setting all as a certen pattern for eyther of them to fashyon their mynds vnto by following both his beliefe giuen to gods promises and also his singular awfulnesse and obedience togither with his contempt of all worldly things and all other his excellent vertues betokened by the signe of circumcision But yet me thinkes I sticke in the mire forasmuche as I am
destruction and casting away of such sort in deed are the vnbeleuers and the wilful stubborne Iewes that he might punishe them the sorer afterwarde and so make his power and rigour famous renomed is he to be blamed for it Againe what if that he moreouer to shew the gretnes of his glory in the vessels of mercy prepared theÌ„ to glory Is it therfore to be ascribed to mens deseruings R. He that thinkes of anye deseruing is starke madd But see agayne what the Isralites obiecte If God say they doe punnishe the falscharted disobediente and stifnecked Iewes hee may doe as he sees cause but yet should he not for those wicked mennes sakes dispossesse the people of Israel of their prerogatiue and dignitie which is nowe conueyed to the vncircumcised which as they surmise are oute of Gods couenaunt and cast awaies To conclude in few woords the Iewes accuse not God of vniustice for punishing the Israelites offences but they blame him of vnconstancie for gathering a new people to him by the preaching of the Gospell P. No maruell though he do so For god the maker of all men had so determined from euerlasting For whom he had chosen in his diuine minde them did he aftervvard call from heauen not onely of the Ievves but also of the Gentiles R. But this seemeth straunge and vnwonted to the Israelites and they crye out with full mouth that this is a new found and forged doctrine and vtterly vnknowen of old Prophets P. O gentle interpreters of the Prophets Ose 2.23 1. Pe 2.10 Remember they not vvhat the Lord promised by Osee I vvill call a people mine saith he vvhich are not my people a nation beloued which is not beloued and vvhere it was sayde you are not my people there they shall be called the childreÌ„ of the liuing god R. I see a very euident recorde of the casting of the Gentiles P. Heere also on the contrary side what Esay cryeth against the Israelites that vvere to be cast off Although the number of the children of Israell sayth hee be as the sande of the sea Esa 10.22 yet shall but a remnant be saued For the Lorde shall doo the thing rigorouslye and at once and that vvith ryghtuousnesse I say he shall doo a rigorous thing vppon earth R. The Prophet theÌ„ foretelleth that it was done as sone as said and that it is iustly done that so few of them shal be saued Therfore the matter as it should seeme is vnpossible to be called backe bicause it is iustly decreed P. Heere further what the same Esay sayd in his first sermon concerning the casting off of the Iewes Esa 1.9 If the Lorde of hostes sayth he had not lefte vs some seed vve had bin lyke to Sodom and Gomor we had all perished for our falshartednesse and stubbornesse For you must vnderstand it is the singular benefite of the euerlasting God that I and a few others doo beleeue the Gospell of God For our wicked deeds deserued euerlasting damnation R. I am ryght well assured of that nother thinke I that Gods mercy shyneth forth lesse manifestly in the calling of you than in the calling of vs. But I pray you what shall we say to this that so many Gentiles imbrace the Messias that was borne of the Iewes and promised to the Iewes and that so few of the Iewes beleeue in him Seeing that the election and calling of them both commeth of Gods grace whereof commeth so great difference that so few of the one sort and so innumerable of the other sort receiue Christ P. My iudgement is this that the Gentiles which followed not the righteousnesse of workes or of mens deseruings ouertooke righteousnes I meane the righteousnesse that springeth of faith contrarywise that the Israelits which followed the righteousnes of the lawe attayned not to the righteousnes of the lawe R. What is the cause P. As I suppose it is for that the Israelites seke not to be iustified by faith but by the deedes of the lavv reposing the whole state of their hope in their ovvne works And therfore they dashe agaynst the stumbling stone whiche thing the prophet Esay forshewed shuld come to passe Esa 8.14 18.16 wheÌ„ he bespake the children of Israell in these words Beholde I will lay in Sion a stone to stumble at and a rocke to dashe agaynst and whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not be ashamed nor beguiled R. Truly the falling out proueth the Prophetes foresaying For Christe is a stumbling stone to the vnbeleeuers and disobedient But to suche as sticke to him by fayth he is the sure foundation of singular quietnesse peace and happines But to tell you the truthe Paule you are very ill reported of among your own countreymen for this doctrine For they thinke you speake it of spite or that you seeke your owne glory in the Churches of the Gentiles by their vnbeleefe P. Cha. 10.1 My dere brother I pray you giue no credite to their words For I assure you that I haue an earnest good wil tovvards them And in my prayers which I povvre out vnto God I make suite for the saluation of the Israelites and vvishe it with all my hart and cease not to be earnest with God for it rather pitying them than spyting them For I am vvont to witnesse thus muche of them that their striuing against Christ agaynst grace and agaynst the Gospell is done of a zeale to godwarde hovvebeit vnskilfully and not vpon knowledge R. I thought as muche my selfe but herken Some seeme to them selues to be ledde with a certayne desire of Gods honour and think that he thrusteth them forwarde to withstande the iustification of â—ayth But if a man could creepe into the bowels of their hartes perchaunce he shuld see that they referre not al their intents and indeuers vnto god Neuerthelesse I would be lothe to condemne any body but yet dare I say thus much that they haue no pretence of excuse before God though they sinne through ignoraunce P. I will shew you the welspring of al the mischeefe These men knowing not what righteousnes god requireth of vs indeuering to settle stablish their owne righteousnes by the deedes of the lawe vvithout faith will not submitte themselues to the righteousnes of god But you know welinough that the obeying of gods lawe without the foundation of fayth is rather a visor of righteousnes than a righteousnes that pleaseth god Nowe the very marke that faythe ameth at is the coeternall and coessentiall sonne of God becomme fleshe the true Messias and aduocate of Mankynde And the ende or vttermoste restynge poynte of the Law is the same Christe Gal. 3.24 to make them righteous and cleare vvhich trust in him Thus ye see hovv great differeÌ„ce there is betweene the righteousnes of the lavv and the righteousnes of fayth which difference my countreymen confounde and mingle togither For Moises treating of the righteousnes that commeth by the
them Also he blameth the Iewes for that they had not kept the Law but rather dishonored God by breaking the Law And so he rebuketh both parts aswell Iewes as GeÌ„tiles shetteth theÌ„ vp vnder the iniquity of traÌ„sgressioÌ„ to shewe that all men are made felowlike and alike gyltie and that they haue neede of redemption Agayne that there was iust cause of the calling of the Gentiles he sheweth by this that grace and redemption ought to befall alike both to the Iewes and to the Gentiles and that when the Gentiles were called circumcision and the shadowe of the Lawe did of necessitie ceasse For Abraham sayth he beeing iustified not in Circumcision but before Circumcision was named Abraham bicause it should come to passe that he should be made the father of many Nations according to the fayth which he had when he was vncircumcised And after that he was iustified he receiued circumcision in his flesh as a signe to his ofspring that shoulde be borne of him as concerning the flesh that circumcision should ceasse when the Gentiles should become the children of Abraham begin to liue according to Abrahams fayth wherethrough he was iustified when he was yet vncircumcised For whereas he was called Abram before in respect of these things he was nowe called Abraham And it was requisite that the signe should ceasse when the things that were betokened by it were come Wherefore if any body compell the Gentiles to be Circumcised they must of necessitie bothe take from him the name of Abraham and call him Abram Now seeing he was named Abraham by God the Gentiles must not bee circumcised neither must the Jewes haue the foreskin of their flesh cut of to the intent that the name Abraham may abide stedfast and he be called the Father of many Nations For it is not to be borne with hereafter that any man should be circumcised seeing that the fayth of Abraham suffiseth and there is no neede of any shadowe of the Lawe For no man is iustified by such things but by fayth as Abraham was When he hath proued these things after this fashion he sheweth agayne that neither Israell nor the Gentiles can obteyne redemption and grace by any other meanes than by beeing quit of that auncient and originall sinne that is spred into all men by Adam But that can not be wiped away by other than by the sonne of God by whome also the curse was made from the beginning For it was not possible that any other body should discharge that trespasse Afterward he writeth that that thing was not done by any other meanes than that the sonne of God tooke fleshe vpon him and became man that he might deliuer all men from death by offering vp the same body for all which was subiect to the same sufferings that wee bee And like as by one man sinne entred into the worlde so also by one man grace came vpon all men From theÌ„cefoorth as a good steward he comforteth the Jewes telling theÌ„ that they shall not be transgressers of the Law if they beleeue in Christ and warneth suche of the Gentiles as beleeued that they should not be puffed vp agaynst the Israelites but consider that as the boughes are grafted into a tree so were they grafted into the Jewes When he hath finished these things he addeth exhortations to good maners and so endeth his Epistle ¶ A Dialoge wherin the Epistle of S. Paule to the Romanes is familiarly expounded The persons or Talkers thereof are Paule and some one of the Citizens of Rome which visiteth Paule in prison at Rome Act. 28. This Citizen asketh questions and Paule answereth him almost with his owne words layde foorth in larger maner The Romane Paule ALthogh I be very glad of this your comming to the Citie right deare Paule yet should I be much gladder of it if I saw you discharged of these bondes P. Sir I thanke you right hartily for it But yet must not these bondes of mine abate or put away your gladnes forasmuch as they be the sure records and as it were certen badges of mine office or calling But what is the cause that you haue vouchsaued to come to mee R. Surely nothing else but a certen incredible desire of vnderstanding the Epistle whiche ye sent not long agoe to our Citizens Of whome although many be growen into the one Christian Churche yet notwithstanding I can not tell how some of them take singular pleasure of it and other some eyther of wilfulnesse or of ignorance or of a certayne suttle dissimulation can neyther abide to see it nor to heare of it Wherefore if you haue any leysure from your businesse I pray you and beseech you let vs sifte out all the places of it diligently betwixt vs that where any things shall seeme darksome vnto me You may make them easie to me by answering my demaundes according to the true Copie of it layde afore vs. P. Nothing could haue happened to me more acceptable and pleasant than this exercise forasmuch as I apply my selfe wholly with all my power and streÌ„gth to the executing of mine office Now therefore begin whereat you wil and I will answere to al things orderly and playnly R. Then let vs begin at the very inâ—ling of the Epistle What teache you â—ere P. I professe my selfe to be the same â— aule whiche was once a most deadly â— nemie to Christes Gospell Acts. 9.1 Gal. 13. Act. 13.2 and to all â— hristians and is now a seruaunt of the â—â— me Iesus Christ and not that onely â— ut also which is more excellent sholed out chosen and called to be his Apostle that is to say his Ambassadour messenger or Interpreter not to deale â— i th worldly affayres but to publishe â— nd spred abrode the Gospell or the â— appie and healthfull tidings from alâ— ightie God which thing I say for this â— urpose least any man mighte thinke â— e to haue stepped rashly into this ofâ— ce or function whereas I protest no â— esse truly than playnly to all men that â— his charge was layde vppon me of â— od R. Very well But how is this a glad â—dings or happie message sithe many â—en doe note it of a certayne newfanâ—lenesse P. So small cause is there that the Gospell should bee reckened among new thinges that in verie deede it is the performance fulfilling and finishing vp of Gods promises that haue bin giuen before al remeÌ„braÌ„ce of man R. What witnesses interpreters of them haue you P. Euen the Lords prophetes themselues which are worthy to be beleued bothe bycause they were many and most assured mainteiners of the truthe R. Out of what records of writing or out of what Presidents were these promises deliuered vnto you P. Out of the holy Scriptures which the Lord reueled vnto his seruaunts to the intent that all men might conceiue a sure persuation and beleefe of his will in their minds R. What is the substance or
fully persuaded that God gaue not his lawe to the Iewes for naught but rather that it might be a certen sure way to saluation and a certaine gaine way vnto righteousnesse P. As for Abraham himself the notable Patriark of the Iews what promises soeuer he obtened of possessing the heritage of the world nother he nor his ofspring obteyned it for anie lawe or for anie works of the lawe but for the same faith wherby he was iustified or for the righteousnesse of fayth if you had leuer so to terme it For bee you sure that Abraham was taken into gods fauour and adorned with the prayse of righteousnesse not for that he had deserued it by his singular vertues but bicause he had beleeued Gods vvordes stedfastly R. I beleue it to be so But by the way I would fayne be taught at your hande whether you thinke it to be a discommoditie or hinderaunce to vs to seeke righteousnesse saluation and fauour at gods hande by keping the commaundements of his Lawe as the thing wherein his will is expressed P. Vndoubtedly very much For if the right of inheritance should belong to none but the folowers keepers of the law then there were no vse nor profit of faith and so might the promises iustly be counted vaine and of none effect R. It were rather to be wished that beleefe should be giuen still to the promises and that we should go right foorth to saluation by the guiding thereof But what if we should adde the law as a cōpanion vnto faith so as our righteousnesse might consist of both P. Nothing were more to be wished on mans behalfe if he eyther would or could fulfill Gods lawe Howbeit forasmuche as mans nature is of suche a mould that it is loth to bee bownd to anie lawe insomuche that it stryueth ageinst the thing that is forbidden and foloweth the worser things what other thing can the law worke in a man but the flinging of Gods wrath vppon him for his despising of god Verely euen by certifying thē that a sure plague is prepared for thē that shal haue brokē gods comaundements not obeyed his wil. R. Then like as gods fauour is seene by his promises so also his vengeance vseth the law as a weapō agaynst mens sinnes For euen so doo I my selfe feele in my conscience when I looke vpon the Law Wretch that I am me thinkes I am set at gods iudgementseate where my sinnes are set afore me as in a glasse whereat I am wholly both body and soule striken in feare by reason of the most greeuous and deadly wrath of the Iudge kindled agaynst me Heerevpon there is kindled a wonderfull hatred of the law in my hart notwithstāding that euen spite of my teeth I acknowledge my sinnes to be iustly punished bicause I haue not obeyed god P. Surely the lawe is so farre of from giuing any rightuousnesse that there woulde scarsly be any feeling of sin but for the law For sin is then committed when the lusts or bownds of ryghtfulnes are passed and those bownds doth the law appoint Therefore take away the law the bounds of the law and there shal be nothing to transgresse But contrariwise set me downe the law and publishe it and by and by there is transgressiō through the wilfulnesse of men R. Surely this seemeth worthie of carefull loking too For by this saying you shew the infirmitie of mans disposition or rather the corruptnesse I wyll not saye the vtter marrednesse of the whole man whiche is full contrarie to the innocencie that God requireth By meanes whereof it cōmes to passe that whereas Gods law requyreth such perfection and soundnesse of vs as no man eyther will or can performe wee being priuy to our owne weakenesse and frowardnesse can hardly by any meanes put our trust in the meeldnesse and mercie of God who is the author of the lawe For the law maketh none ende of vrging compelling threatening tormenting P. Therefore euerlasting thanks are to be giuen vnto God that he woulde haue all such as are nūbred in the seede of Abraham to attaine to the eternall inheritāce not by the law but by faith that the same fayth resting vpō the foūdacion of Gods grace free fauour myght neuer be moued but continew stedfast substantiall and euerlasting R. What mean you by this word sede P. As many mē of al natiōs all places as are by true faith become the childrē of Abrahā the father of al beleuers not onely thē that haue receiued the words of the law and are called the disciples of Moyses For it is left in writing that God himself named the said Abrahā the father of many natiōs people R. Nowe I perceiue whereto these thinges tende For that is the cause why he was called Abraham whereas hys name was Abram before to the intent that he might from tyme to tyme be put in mynd of Gods promise as oft as that name was rehersed And that custome was conueied ouer to his posterity from their forefather who were wont to giue their children their names at the circūcising of them that they might remember the couenaunt when they hearde their owne names that were giuen them at that tyme. But to let this matter passe me thinkes you teache scarce agreeable things in referring promises which as it shoulde seeme were but transitorie worldly yea and alredy performed vnto spirituall matters as namely to the adoption that is made by faith to suche other thinges For the scriptures beare witnesse that God performed his promises abundantly vnto Abraham whom he so appoynted to be the father of many nations first when he raysed vp twelue noble and mightie tribes of his sonne Ismael whom he begat of Agar and secōdly whē he incresed other twelue most florishing houses out of Iacob the son of Isaac Besids these what an infinite ofspring was ther of the Edomits moreouer what a nūber of successors begat he of Choetura Thus it seemeth not needefull to extend the bownds of Gods promise any wider or further out vnlesse ye meane perchance to ad some secreter and sutle◠allegories P. Not so But the eyes of mēs minds must be lifted vp to heauen or rather vnto God himselfe and not be fastned only vppon this earth For when I say that Abraham was appointed of God to be the father of many nations and people I loke not vpon the world but vppon God I say vppon the almightie God whome Abraham beleeued in all things and which is able to raise vp the dead from their graues which dooth as certeinly and by name set before him selfe the things that haue not yet bin as the things that are already present In so much that as there cannot be any thing which commeth not of him so is there not any thing which may not come of him R. If I be not deceaued you seeme to betoken two things vnto mee The one is how great difference there is
vpper hande and that not by oure ovvne wit nor vppon truste of oure ovvne strength nor puffed vp vvith opinion of our ovvne vertue or deseruings but through him vvho of his ovvne meere goodnesse grace and fauour hath loued vs in his Christ R. These proofes of true faith do so moue my mynde that henceforth I wyll not set a strawe by the threatninges and scaringes of oure Emperours or too speake more ryghtly of oure tyrantes as whose power may shewe crueltie to the body but not plucke the mynde from fayth and the loue of God P. Novv to make an ende of thys treatise of iustification I am fully persvvaded that vve whiche are borne a nevv and greffed into Christe are neuer ouercome nother by death nor by lyfe nor by anye other thing that can happen to vs alyue or deade yea I am fully perswaded that nother Angels nor Principates nor potestates nor things present nor things to come nor highnes nor lowdnesse nor any other of all the things that are in nature is able to plucke vs from the loue of God whiche is in Christ Iesus our Lord and muche lesse that any tormentes of tyrantes be they neuer so cruell can dryue vs avvaye from the professing of Christ R. By thys youre discourse Paule I perceiue well not onely the loue that God beareth vs but also the constancie stedfastnesse and stablenesse thereof in somuch that I am sure it cannot by any meanes be brought too passe that God shoulde not loue vs in Christ Iesus as his members or that we shoulde not alwayes loue him againe How be it as I perceiue by the order which you haue set downe you haue hytherto treated of Christen ryghtuousnesse and you haue shewed playnely that nother the Gentyles can becomme cleere by keepinge of the lawe of nature nor the Iewes by the workes of the law written bycause none of both them performeth the cōmaundements of Gods will to the full which require to be kept to the vttermost tittle And therfore there is offered vs a most present remedy by the preaching of the Gospel namely that we may becomme rightuous by beleeuing in Christ being indued with his spirit giue our selues wholly to the dueties of obedience so as at length we may attaine euerlasting happines with Christ the head of all the faithfull But now remayneth the greatest hardenesse of this Epistle For if men be iustified by fayth and Christ belong but onely to the beleuers vndoubtedly then is the seed of Abraham cast of For as you your self see very few of Abrahams seed receiue Christs doctrine Wherupō it cōmeth to passe that some saye flatly that this Iesus of Nazareth is not the true Messias that was promised to the people of Israell and othersome affirme that he is the true Messias but that God abydeth not by his promises but reiecteth it at his pleasure Now for asmuch as none of both these thinges as I thinke is true I would fayne vnderstande the doubts of this treatise which you intitled of election or of the calling of the Gentyles P. As for the casting of or to speake more ryghtly the vnbeleefe of myne owne countreymen Cha. 9. I cannot speake of it vvithout greefe of mind For I say the truth in Christ vvithout lying and my conscience beareth me witnesse of it by the holy ghost Act. 9.1 1. Co. 15.7 that I am stricken vvith great greefe and continuall sorrovv of mynde to remember and beholde the blindnes and destruction of the Iewes For I coulde fynde in my harte to be a straunger vnto Christ for my brethrens sake vvhich are my kinsfolke as in respect of humane nature So gret so earnest and so vnfained loue doo I beare them For the Israelites come of Gods sholed and chosen people Ro. 2.18 Epi. 2. 12. to whom belong the adoption and couenaunts to whom the lavv seruice of God were giuen to vvhom the promises vvere giuen and finally of whose fathers Christ came as concerning his manhod For in that he is the coeternall and coessentiall sonne of God he is God to be praysed aboue all things for euer Amen He is the true Messias the verie Sauiour the very mediator betwene God and man euē in spyte of the powers of hell Therfore there is no cause why anye man should call it in question whether Iesus of Nazareth be the very same Messias that was promised to the children of Israell And wheras you say there are others that blame God of vnconstancy surely I am sory for it For that errour springeth of the not knowing of Gods determination vvhereby he did once decree in his ovvne mynde that none should be saued but the beleuers And wheras the Iewes surmise the saide promise to belong only to themselues they vtterly mistake their marke as they say Nother can their vnbeleefe blame god of vnconstancy Ro. 2. 16. as though hys woord had falne to the grounde For not all they which are borne of Israel by fleshly descent are true and chosen Israelites nother follovveth it that by cause they be Abrahams ofspring therefore they are all Abrahams true and natural children that is to say faithfull descended of the father of the faithfull But of Isaac sayth God to Abraham shall thy ofspring take their name Ge. 21.12 He. 11.25 whiche is all one as if he should say they shall not be called Abrahams children which shall come of thee by Ismael thy fleshly son But the children whiche are thine in deede and whiche shall be called the children of God are they that shall cōuey their pedegree from Isaac the son of the spirit rather than of the flesh To conclude at a vvoorde they be not the true Israetites vvhich are the children of Abrahams body Gal. 4.28 but they that are his childrē by promise are counted the children of Abraham and of God R. Truly this your saying of gods promise semeth new straūge to the Iewes P. Vndoubtedly their owne blyndnesse is the cause of this errour and not my true interpreting of thē which they diffame with nouelty for the prophesies sermōs of the prophets do cōtinually teach inforce this decre of the euerlasting god But least my coūtrimen may cōplaine of my sayings let vs loke narrowlyer vppon Gods sayinges The vvords of the promises are these Ge. 17.10 I wyll visit thee at this tyme sayth God vnto Abraham and Sara shall by my fauour haue a sonne notwithstanding that she be barren and both of you be stryken in yeares Therefore ye see that vnder this figure of Isaac Ismaell God did shadow and shevv aloofe his free chosing of all beleeuers whether they were Iewes or Gentyles that by that meanes he might make it knowen that he is the God of all men both Ievves and Gentyles Joh. 1.12 Joh. 3.15 and that he gathereth his chosen indifferently out of both peoples not by fleshly generation but by beleeefe of the promise and by acceptation R.
But the Iewes thinke the casting off of Ismaell and of the Ismaelites to haue another cause namely the mothers birth For as you knowe Agar was a bondwoman of Egipt and but Abrahās concubine and not his cheefe wyfe And therefore hir issew had not lyke right as was graunted to the children of Sara For this cause Isaac and Isaacs ofspring had the preferment and dignity of Gods elect people and Ismaell with his posteritie more cast off P. I will not novv dispute of the lawfulnesse of the mariage betweene Abraham and Agar and muche lesse of the right of the issue that came of it But I will leaue that question and alledge the another whiche they can not gaynsay For the figure of the chosen and of the castawayes is set foorth and gods euerlasting decree ouershadowed and after a sort locked vp Gen. 25.21 not onely in Sara and Agars issue but also in Rebecca vvhen she was with child with a paire of twins namely Iacob and Esau by our father Isaac For when they were yet vnborne therefore had done neither good nor euill to the intent that gods determination should stand fast concerning his free election vvithout any respect of vvorkes or desertes but onely that the free fauour of the caller might appeare and abyde Gene. 25.23 God tolde Rebecca that the elder should serue the yonger R. I remember I haue read this answere of God vnto Rebecca in the first booke of the Lawe For there Moyses declareth Gal. 3.24 that Rebecca prayed to God that she might conceyue and obteyned hir prayer But when the children stroue in hir wombe she wisht rather to haue dyed than to be in suche payne and therfore she resorted againe to God for counsayle of whom she receiued this answer Two nations are in thy womb and two peoples shall be deuided out of thy belly of the which the one shall be a greater man than the other and the elder shall serue the yonger Afterward as Moses declareth when the time of hir deliueraunce was come she was deliuered of two of whom the first came out all red and like a hearie rugge and he was named Esau Then came out his brother holding Esau by the heele with his hand and he was named Iacob I take this to be the order of the storie which you affirme to be the figure of the choosing of the Gentiles and of the casting away of the Iewes But how these things were fulfilled according to the presence of the Hystorie I can no skill at all P. You shall vnderstande that by the saying of the Prophet Malachie Mal. 1.2 whose words are these I loue you sayth the Lorde And if you aske in whom I loue you was not Esau Iacobs brother saith the Lorde yet loued I Iacob and hated Esau and layde his mountaynes vvaste and made them a possession of Dragons and a vvildernesse And if the Edomites vvhiche are vvasted determine vvith them selues to builde vp agayne the thinges that are broken dovvne thus sayth the Lorde God of hostes if they buylde vp I vvyll pull dovvne and they shall bee called the endes of iniquitie and the people agaynst vvhom the Lorde is vvrothe for euer Which thing vvhen you your selues beholde vvith your ovvne eyes you shall saye that the Lorde is to bee magnified throughout the borders of Israell R. Soothly a harde saying but yet most iust as I thinke bothe in the figure and in the patterne For these iudgementes of God are to bee honored rather than too bee ouer curiously searched And I am fully and throughly perswaded that oure destructyon commeth of our selues and our saluation of God But forasmuche as we doo heere deale with the case of Iacobs posteritie which fasten al the whole ankerhold of their saluation in their auncetrie Circumcision works and deserts of fulfilling the law surely we must needes answere their obiections For if God do cast vp the people of the Iewes whō he had once chosen and take to him the Gentiles according as Esau was despised and Iacob the yonger brother was chosen to the dignitie of the birthright vndoubtedly there seemeth to be accepting of persons with god if there be not inconstancie What shall we say to these things Paule Shall wee graunt the Iewes that there is parcialitie in God P. Farre be it from God that he shuld be partiall howbeit that the indifferencie of Gods doings dependeth not vpon vs nor vpon our thoughts But to the intent to stop these brablers mouthes with Gods worde and that they may know that God is the God of all Nations and will haue all beleeuers to be saued see what is answered to Moses talking to God in these words Behold sayth he thou sayest to me Exo. 33.12 leade this people and thou hast not shevved me whom thou wilt sende with me and thou sayest that I am knowen to thee by name and that I am highly in thy fauour Therefore if I bee in thy fauour teache me thy way that I may knowe thee and that I may be sure that I am in thy fauour consider also therwithall that this nation is thy people R. As who should say that God is not the God of all Nations or that he had determined to bestowe the treasures of his mercy and goodnes vpon none but only the Israelites P. Heare out the residue Then the Lord said I my selfe will go with thee giue thee rest And Moses answered surely vnlesse thou go with vs I had leuer we might not go hence at all But wherby shall we discerne that I and thy people are in thy fauour Shall it not be by thy going with vs that so I and thy people may excell all Nations on the earth R. O how vnhappy are al other natiōs of the world if the only Iewes be in gods fauour and all the residue cast of P. Giue me leaue to goe through The Lord answered vnto Moses that he would do according to his request and that he woulde not giue the people an Angel to be their guide but that he him selfe rather would bring them into the land of promise with his owne presence and fauour R. Moses then prayed and obteyned P. It is true But yet presumed he to aske greater things vvhen he said Lord I beseech thee shew mee thy glory and thy brightnesse Exod. 33.18 R. What sayd the Lord to that P. I saith he wil make al my good to passe before thee I wil proclaime my name Iehoua before thee I will haue mercy on whom I wil haue mercy Exod. 33.19 and I will shevv compassion on vvhom I will shevv compassion R. O most pitiful God worthy to be praised euerlastingly which tieth not his inward mercy to any one people or natiō but according to his good plesure layeth foorth the treasures of his clemency to whom he will and when he will For I perceiue plainly that this saying whiche concerneth gods manifesting of himself ought to