witnesse it Butte if any man will leape from the mere goodnesse of God to the worthinesse of workes he shal be nothing holpen by these testimonies to the stablishing of his errour For you caÌ„ gather nothing rightly therof but the mere inclinatioÌ„ of Gods tendernes towarde vs forasmuche as to encourage vs to wel doinge although the seruices whiche we do to him are not worthy of so muche as his onely loking vpon them yet he suffreth none of them to be loste But thei more enforce the woordes of the Apostle whiche when hee comforteth the Thessalomans in troubles reacheth that the same are sent to them that thei maye be accoÌ„pted worthy of the kingedome of God for whiche thei suffer For saith he it is righteous with God to render trouble to theÌ„ that trouble you but to you rest with vs when the lorde Iesus shal be shewed from heauen But the authore of the epistle to the Hebrues saith God is not vnrighteous that he sholde forget your work the loue which you haue shewed in hys name for that you haue ministred to the saintes To the firste place I answer that there is no worthinesse of merit spoken of but bycause God the father willeth that we whome he hathe chosen to be hys chyldren shoulde be made like to Christie his firste begotten sonne as it behoued that hee shoulde firste suffer and then entre into the glorie apointed for him so muste we also by manye tribulations entre into the kingdome of heaueÌ„ Therfore when we suffer tribulations for the name of Christe there are as it were certayne markes printed vpoÌ„ vs wherew t God vseth to marke the shepe of hys stock After this maÌ„ner therfore we are accoÌ„pted worthy of the kingdome of God bicause we beare in oure body the markes of oure lord master which ar the signes of the childreÌ„ of God To this purpose make these saiengs That we beare about in our body the mortificatioÌ„ of Ieâ— Christ that his life maye bee shewed in vs. That we bee fashioned like to his suffringes that we may come to the likenesse of his resurrection from the dead The reason whiche is adioined serueth not to proue any worthinesse but to confirme the hope of the kingdom of God as if he had said As it agreeth with the iust iudgmente of God to take vengeance of your enemies for the vexations that thei haue done to you so agreeth it also to geue to you release and reste from vexations The other place whiche teacheth that it so becommeth the righteousnesse of God not to forgett the obediences of them that be his that it declareth it to be in a maÌ„ner vnrighteous if he shold forget them hath this meaning God to quickeÌ„ our â—outhfulnesse hath geuen vs assurance that the laboure shall not bee vaine which we shal take for his glorie Let vs alwaye remembre that this promise as all other shold bring vs no profit vnlesse the free couenaunt of mercie went before wherevpon the whole assurednesse of our saluacion shold rest But standing vpon that couenant we ought assuredly to trust there shal also not want rewarde of the liberalitie of God to oure workes howsoeuer thei be vnworthy The Apostle to confirme vs in that expectation affirmeth that God is not vnrighteous but wil stand to his promise ones made Therefore thys righteousnesse is rather referred to the truth of Gods promise than to his iustice of rendring due Accordyng to which meaning there is a notable saienge of Augustine which as the holy maÌ„ sticketh not to reherse often as notable so I think it not vnworthy that we should continually remeÌ„bre it The lord saith he is faithful which hath made himself decter to vs not by receyuing any thinge of vs but by promising all thinges to vs. There are also alleged these saienges of Paul If I haue al faithe so that I remoue mouÌ„taines out of their place but haue not charitie I am nothing Again Nowe there remaine hope faith charitie but the greatest amoÌ„g these is charitie Again Aboue all things haue charitie which is the boÌ„d of perfectioÌ„ By the first two places our Pharises affirme that we are rather iustified by charitie than by faith namely by the chefer vertue as thei saie But this fond argument is easily wyped away For we haue in an other place already declared that those things whyche ar spokeÌ„ in the first place perteine nothing to true sayth The other place we also expound of true faith thaÌ„ which he saith that Charitie is greater not that it is more meritorious but bicause it is more fruteful bicause it exteÌ„deth further bicause it serueth mo bicause it remaineth alway iÌ„ force wheras the vse of faith coÌ„tinueth but for a time If we haue regard so excellence the loue of God shold worthily haue the chefe place of whiche Paul here speaketh not For he enforceth this thing onely that we shold with mutuall charitie edifie one an other in the Lord but let vs imagine that charitie dothe euery waie excell faithe yet what man of sounde iudgement yea or of sound braine wil gather thereof that it doth more iustifieâ—punc The power of iustifieng which faith hath consisteth not in the worthinesse of the worke Our iustification standeth vpon the onely mercie of God the deseruing of Christ which iustificatioÌ„ when faith taketh holde of it is said to iustifie Now if you aske our aduersaries in what cause they assign iustification to charitie thei wil answer that bicause it is a dutiefull doing acceptable to God therfore by the deseruing therof righteousnesse is imputed to vs bi the acceptatioÌ„ of the goodnes of God Here you see how wel the argument procedeth We say that faith iustifieth not bicause by the worthinesse of it selfe it deserueth righteousnes to vs but bicause it is an instrument by whyche we freely obteine the ryghteousnesse of Christ. These men omitting the mercy of God and passing ouer Christ where the summe of righteousnesse standeth do affirme that we are iustified by the benifite of charitie bicause it excelleth aboue faith euen as if a man wolde reason that a king is fitter to make a shooe than is a shooemaker bicause he is an infinite way more excellent This only argument is a plaine example that all the Sorbonicall schooles doo not so much as taste with the vttermoste part of their lippes what the iustification of faith is But if any wrangler do yet carpe and aske why in so small distance of place we take the name of faith in Paul so diuersly I haue a weightie cause of this exposition For sithe those giftes whyche Paul rehearseth are after a certaine maÌ„ner vnder faith hope bicause thei perteine to the knowledge of God he contemneth them al by way of recapitulation vnder the name of faith hope as if he shold say by the prophecie tonges the grace knowledg of interpretation tend to this
if the brightnesse of the sunne can not be seuered from the heate therof shall we therfore saye that the earth is warmed with the light enlightened with the heate There is nothing more fit for this purpose than this similitude The sunne with his heate geueth life and frutefulnesse to the earth with his beames he geueth light brightnesse Here is a mutuall vnseparable cōioyning yet reason forbiddeth to conuey to the one that whiche is peculiar to the other Like absurditie is in this confusion of two sortes of graces that Osiander thrusteth in For because God dothe in dede renew them to the obseruing of righteousnesse whome he frely accōpteth for righteous therfore Osiander confoundeth that gift of regeneratiō with this fre acceptation affirmeth that they be al one the selfsame thing But the Scripture ioyning thē both together yet doth distinctly reckē them that the manifold grace of God may the better appere vnto vs. For that saying of Paul is not superfluous that Christ was geuen vs vnto righteousnesse sanctification And whensoeuer he resoneth to proue by the saluation purchaced for vs by the fatherly loue of God by the grace of Christ that we are called to holinesse cleannesse he plainely declareth that it is one thing to be iustified an other be made newe creatures But when Osiāder cometh to the Scripture he corrupteth as many places as he allegeth Where Paul saith that faith is accompted for righteousnesse to him that worketh not but beleueth in him that iustifieth the wicked mā he expoūdeth it to make righteous With like rashnesse he depraueth al the fourth Chapter to the Romains sticketh not with like fals colour to corrupt that place which I euen now alleged Who shal accuse the electes of God it is God that iustifieth where it is plaine that he speaketh simply of gilthinesse acquiting the meaning of the Apostle hangeth vpon a comparing of contraries Therfore Osiander is found to fond a babbler as wel in that reason as in alleging the testimonies of Scripture And no more rightly doth he speake of the name of righteousnesse in saying that fayth was accompted to Abraham for righteousnesse after that embracing Christ whiche is the righteousnesse of God and God him self he excelled in singular vertues whereby appereth that of two whole places he hath wrongfully made one corrupt place For the ryghteousnesse that is there mentioned perteineth not to the whole course of his calling but rather the holy Ghost testifieth that although the vertues of Abrahā were singularly excellent that with long continuance hee at length had encreasced them yet hee did no other waye please God but by this that he receiued by faythe the grace offered in the promyse Whereupon foloweth that in iustification there is no place for workes as Paull very well affirmeth As for this the Osiander obiecteth that the power of iustifiyng is not in faith of it selfe but in respect that it receiueth Christe I wyllynglye graunte it For if fayth did iustifie of it selfe or by inwarde force as they call it and as it is alwaye feble and vnperfect could not worke iustification but in part so should the iustification be maymed that should geue vs but a pece of saluation As for vs we imagine no suche thinge but in proper speakyng doe saye that God only iustifieth and then we geue the same to Christe because he was geuen vs vnto ryghteousnesse and faythe we compare as it were to a vessell For except we came emptie with open mouthe of our soule to craue the grace of Christe we can not be able to receyue Christ. Whereupon we gather that we doe not take from Christ the power of iustifying when we teache that he is first receiued by fayth before that his righteousnesse be receyued But yet I doe not admit the crooked figures of this Sophister when he sayth that faith is Christ as if an earthen pot were a treasure because gold is hidden in it For the reson is not vnlike but that faith although it be by it selfe of no worthynesse or price may iustifie vs in bryngynge Christ as a pot full of money maketh a man ryche Therfore I say that fayth whiche is onely the instrument to receyue rightuousnesse is vnfitly mingled with Christe whiche is the materiall cause and bothe author and minister of so great a benefit Nowe is this doubt also dissolued Howe this worde Faith ought to bee understanded when we entreate of iustification In the receiuing of Christ he goeth further for he sayeth that the inward worde is receiued by the ministration of the outwarde worde thereby to drawe vs from the priesthode of Christ and the persone of the Mediatour to his outwarde Godhed As for vs we deuide not Christ but we say that he is the same eternall worde of God whiche reconciling vs to God in his flesh gaue vs righteousnesse and we confesse that otherwyse he could not haue fulfilled the office of Mediatour and purchaced vs righteousnesse vnlesse he had ben eternall God But this is Osianders doctrine where as Christ is both God and mā that he was made righteousnesse to vs in respect of his nature of Godhed and not of manhode But if this properly belong to the Godhed thē it shal not be peculiar to Christ but common with the father and the holy Ghost for as muche as ther is not one righteousnesse of the one and an other of the other Moreouer that whiche was naturally frō eternitie coulde not bee conueniently sayde to bee made to vs. Butte althoughe we graunte this that God was made righteousnesse for vs howe shal it agree that that whiche is set betwene is made of God Truely that properly belongeth to the persone of the Mediatour whiche though he conteine in hym selfe the nature of Godhede yet here he is specially signified by his proper title by whiche he is seuerally discerned frō the father and the holy Ghost But the folishly triumpheth in that one worde of Hieremic where he promiseth that the Lorde Iehoua shal be our righteousnesse but out of that he shall gather nothinge but that Christ which is righteousnes is God openly shewed in the flesh In an other place we haue rehearsed out of Paules sermon that God purchased to himselfe the churche with his bloud if any man gather therupon that the bloud wherewith sinnes were purged was diuine and of the nature of Godhed who can abyde so fowle an errour But Osiander thinketh that with this so childishe a cauillation he hath gotten all thinges he swelleth he leapeth for ioye and stuffeth many leaues full with his bigge wordes when yet there is a plaine and redy solutiō for it in saying that the worde Iehoua in dede when he is made the issue of Dauid shal be the righteousnesse of the godly But Esaie teacheth in what sense saying My iust seruant shal with knowledge of him selfe iustifie many Let vs note that the
he had sayde that the Gospell is maliciously and frowardlye despised because many doo stubbornly refuse to heare peraduenture this color touchyng vniuersall callyng should preuayle Neither is it the purpose of the Prophet to dymynyshe the faulte of men when he teacheth that the fountayne of blyndnesse is that God vouchsaueth not to open his arme to them onely he geueth warnyng that because fayth is a singular gift the eares are beaten in vayne with outwarde doctrine But I woulde fayne know of these doctors whether onely preachyng or fayth make the chyldren of God Certainly when it is sayde in the fyrste chapiter of Iohn Whosoeuer beleue in the only begotten Sonne of God are themselues also made the children of God there is not in that place a coÌ„fused heape iumbled vp together but a speciall order is geuen to the faithfull whiche are borne not of blood nor of the wil of the fleshe nor of the will of man but of God But say they there is a mutuall consent of faith with the word Namely whersoeuer is faith But it is no newe thyng that seede fall among thornes or in stonie places not only because the greater part appeareth in dede obstinate against God but also because not al men haue eies and eares How then shall it agree that God calleth to him them who he knoweth will not come Let Augustine answere for me Wilt thou dispute with me Meruaile with me and crie out O depthe Lett vs bothe agree in feare least we perishe in error Moreouer if election as Paule witnesseth be the mother of faith I turne back the argumeÌ„t vpon their owne head that Faith is therfore not general because election is speciall For by the orderly hangyng together of causes and effectes it is easily gathered that where Paul saith that we are full of al spirituall blessing as God had chosen vs before the creation of the worlde therefore these richesse are not common to all because God hath chosen onely whome he woulde This is the reason why in an other place he commendeth the faith of the electe least it should be thought that any man doeth by hys own motion get faith to himself but that this glorie may remaine with God that they are freely enlightned of hym whome he had chosen before For Bernarde saith rightly Frendes do seuerally heare to whom he also saith Feare not thou small flocke for to you it is geuen to know the mysterie of the kyngdom of heauen Who be theseâ— euen they whom he hath foreknowen and predestinate to be fashioned like to the image of his Sonne A great and secrete counsel is made knowen The Lord knew who be his but that which was knowen to God is made manyâ—est to men neither doth he vouchsafe to make any other partakers of so great a mysterie but those selfe same men whome he hath forknowen and predestinate to be his A little after he concludeth The mercie of God is from eternitie euen to eternitie vpon them that feare hym â–ª from eternitie by reason of predestination to eternitie by reason of blessed makyng the one without beginnyng the other without endyng But what nede I to cite Bernarde for witnesse when we heare of the masters owne mouthe that none doo see but they whiche are of God By which wordes he signifieth that all they which are not begotten agayn of God do dasell at the brightnesse of his countenance And to election faith in dede is fittly ioyned so that it kepe the second degree Which order the wordes of Christ doo clerely expresse in an other place This is the wil of my Father that I lose not that which he hath geuen For this is his will that whosoeuer beleueth in the Sonne shall not perishe If he would haue all saued he would appoint ouer them his Sonne to be their keper and would graffe them all into his body with the holy bond of Faith Now it is certain that faith is a singular pledge of his fatherly loue laâ—ed vp for his childreÌ„ whom he hath adopted Therfore Christ in an other place faith that the shepe folow the shepherd because they know his voice but they folow not a straÌ„ger because they know not the voice of strangers Whense coÌ„meth his difference but because their eares are boared by God For no maÌ„ maketh himselfe a shepe but he is made one by the heaueÌ„ly grace For which cause also the Lord teacheth that our safetie shall alway be certaine and free from danger because it is kepte by the inuincible power of God Wherfore he concludeth that the vnbeleuers are not of his shepe namely because they are not of the nuÌ„ber of them whom God hath promised by Esaie that they shal be his disciples Nowe because in the testimonies which I haue alleged is expressed perseuerance they do therwithal testifie the vnmouable stedfastnesse of electioÌ„ â–ª Now let vs speake of the reprobate whoÌ„ the Apostle ioineth there together For as Iacob hauing yet with good works deserued nothing is taken into grace so Esau beyng yet defiled with no wicked dooyng is hated If we turne our eies to workes we do wrong to the Apostle as though he sawe not the same thyng whiche we clerely see It is proued that he sawe it not â–ª forasmuch as he expresly enforceth this pointe that when they had not yet done any good or euell the one was chosen and the other refused to proue that the fundation of the predestination of God is not in workes Agayne when he moued the obiection whether God be vnrighteous he allegeth not that which had ben the moste certaine and plaine defence of his righteousnesse namely that God reduced to Esau according to his euellnesse but he was coÌ„tent with an other solution that the reprobate are stirred vp to this ende that the glorie of God may be sett foorth by them Last of all he adioyneth a concluding sentence that God hath mercie vpon whom he will hardeneth whom he will See you not howe he imputeth bothe to the onely will of God Therfore if we can not declare a reason why he vouchsaueth to graunt mercie to them that be his but because it so pleseth him neither also shal we haue any other cause in reiectyng of other than his owne will For when it is sayd that God hardeneth or sheweth mercie to whom he wil men are therby warned to seke no cause ells where than in his will ¶ The .xxiii. Chapiter A Confutation of the sclaunders wherwith this doctrine hath alwaye been wrongfully burdened BUt when the witt of man heareth these thynges the frowardness therof can not be restrained but that by and by as at the bloody blast of a trumpet soundyng to battaile it diuersly and excessiuely turmoyleth And many in deede as thoughe they would driue away the malice from God doo so graunte election that they denye that any man is reprobate but they do to ignorantly childishely forasmuche as election
doutefull and vncertayne they demaunde by what miracles it is confirmed they aske whether it be mete that it should preuayle agaynste the consente of so many holy Fathers and the moste aunciente custome they presse vpon vs to cōfesse it to be schismaticall whiche moueth warr againste the Chirche or that the Chirche hath lyen dead in many ages in whiche no suche thyng hath ben heard of Last of all they saye that there nede no argumentes for say they it may by the frutes be iudged of what sorte it is namely which hath bredde so huge a heape of sectes so many turmoyles of seditions so great licentiousnesse of vices Truely full easy it is for them to triumph vpon a forsaken cause before the lyght beleuing and ignorant multitude But if we might also haue our turne likewise allowed vs to speake verily thys sharpe heate woulde sone be cooled wherewith they doe so with full month and as licentiously as vnpunishedly some agaynst vs. Firste whereas they call it newe they dooe greate wrong to God whoe 's holy worde deserued not to be accused of newenesse To them in dede I nothing dout that it is new to whom Christ is new and hys Gospell is new But they which knewe that preaching of Paule to be olde that Iesus Christ dyed for our synnes and rose agayne for oure iustification shall fynde nothyng newe among vs. Wheras it hath long lyen hidden vnknowen and buried that is the fault of the vngodlynesse of men Nowe sithe it is by the bountifulnesse of God restored to vs it ought at least by ryght of full restitution to receiue agayne the title of auncientie Out of the same fountayne of ignorance springeth thys that they take it for doutful and vncertayne Thys verily is it which the Lorde by hys Prophet complayneth that the oxe knew hys owner and the asse hys masters stall but hys people knewe not hymn But howsoeuer they mocke at the vncertaintie of it if they were dryuen to seale theyr owne doctrine with their owne blood and with losse of their lyfe men mighte see howe much they set by it But farre other is our affiance which dredeth neyther the terrors of death nor yet the very iugement seate of God Wheras they require miracles of vs they deale vnreasonably wyth vs. For we coine no new Gospell but holde fast the selfe same Gospell for confirming of the truth wherof al the miracles do serue that euer Christ and his Apostles haue done But thys thyng they haue speciall aboue vs that they can euen to thys day confirme their faith with cōtinuall miracles Yea but rather they allege miracles which may weakē a minde other wyse wel stablished they are so eyther tryflyng and worthy to be laughed at or vayne and lyeng And yet although they were neuer so monstruous they oughte not to haue ben of any value agaynste the worde of God forasmuche as the name of God oughte both in euery place and euery time to be hallowed whether it be by miracles or by naturall order of thynges Thys false color myght paraduenture haue made the better shew if the Scripture did not informe vs of the lawful ende and vse of miracles For Marke teacheth that the sygnes which folowed the preaching of the Apostles were sett fourth for the confirming of it Likewyse Luke also sayth that the Lord dyd beare wytnesse to the worde of his grace when signes and wonders were shewed by the handes of the Apostles Wherwith wholly agreeth that sayeng of the Apostle that when the Gospell was preached saluation was confirmed by thys that the Lorde did beare witnesse to it with signes and wonders and diuerse powers But those thinges whiche we heare to be the sealinges of the Gospel shal we turne to the destroyeng of the credit of the Gospell those thinges which are appointed onely to stablishe the trueth shal we applye to confirming of lyes Therefore it is mete that the doctrine whiche as the Euangelist sayeth goeth before miracles be firste examined and tryed If that be allowed then it maye lawfully take confirmation of miracles But of a true doctrine as Christe teacheth thys is the marke if it tende not to the seking of the glorie of men but of God Sithe Christe affirmeth thys to be the profe of doctrine miracles are wrongfully estemed whiche are drawen to any other ende than to glorifie the name of God alone And we oughte to remember that Satā hath hys miracles which although they be iuggling deceites rather than true powers yet are suche as may decciue the ignorante and vnskillfull Magicians and enchaunters haue been alwaye famous in miracles wonderfull miracles haue nourished idolatrie whiche yee doe not proue to vs that the superstition of Magicians and idolatrers is lawfull And wyth thys batterynge ramme in olde tyme the Donatistes dyd shake the simplicitie of the common people for that they excelled in miracles Therefore we doe nowe make the same answere to oure aduersaries which Augustine then made to the Donatistes that the Lorde hath made vs ware agaynste suche miracle workers when he foretold that there shold come false Prophetes which with lyeng signes and diuers wonders shold if it were possible bryng the elect into error And Paule hath geuen warning that the kyngdome of Antichrist should be with all power and signes and lyeng wonders But these miracles say they are doon not of idoles not of sorceres not of false prophetes but of the Saintes As though we knewe not that this is the craft of Satan to transfigure himselfe into an Angell of lyght In olde tyme the Egyptians worshipped Ieremie which was buried among them with sacrifices and other diuine honors Did not they abuse the holy Prophet of God to idolatrie And yet by suche worshipping of his tombe they obteined that they thought the healyng of the styngyng of serpentes to be the iust rewarde therof What shall we say but that this hath ben and euer shall be the moste iust vengeance of God to sende strength of illusion to them that haue not receiued the loue of truth that they may beleue lieng Therfore we want not miracles and those certaine and not subiecte to cauillations As for miracles whiche they bring foorth for themselues they are mere illusions of Satan forasmuch as they leade awaye the people from the true worshippyng of their God to vanitie Moreouer they do sclaunderously sett the Fathers agaynst vs I meane the auncient Fathers and the writers of the age as yet more vncorrupted as though they had them for mainteners of their vngodlynesse by whose authoritie if the debate were to be ended the better part of the victorie to speake euen most modestlie wold bend to our side But wheras many thynges haue ben excellentlye well and wisely written of those Fathers and in some thynges that hath happened to them which is wont to happen to mē these good naturall children forsothe accordyng to the rightenesse that they haue bothe
thy God and obserue and do all hys commaundementes whiche I commaunde thee thys daye then the Lorde thy God wyll set the on hye aboue all the nations of the earth And other lyke Thei do inconueniently as it wer in mockerie thinke that these benefites whiche the Lorde dothe offer in hys promises are assigned to oure owne wyll vnlesse it were in vs to stablyshe them or make them voyde And ryght easye yt is to amplifie thys matter wyth eloquent complaintes that the Lorde dothe cruelly mocke vs when he pronounceth that his fauoure hangeth vpon oure wyll yf the same wyll be not in oure power And that this liberalitie of God should bee a goodly thynge forsoothe yf hee so sette his benefytes before vs that wee haue no power to vse them and a merueylous assurednesse of his promyses whiche hange vpon a thinge impossyble so as they myghte neuer be fulfylled But of suche promises as haue a condition adioined we will speake in an other place so that it shall be plaine that there is no absurditie in the impossyble fullfyllynge of them And for so muche as concerneth this place I denye that God dothe vngently mocke vs. when he moueth vs to deserue hys benefytes whome hee knoweth to be vtterly vnable to do it For whereas the promyses are offered both to the faythefull and to the wycked they haue theyr vse wyth boothe sortes As God wyth hys commaundementes prycketh the consciens of the wycked that they shoulde not to swetely take pleasure in theyr synnes wythout any remembrance of hys iudgementes so in his promyses he dothe in a manner take them to wytnesse howe vnwoorthye they are of hys goodnesse For who canne denye that it is moste ryghtfull and conuenyente that the Lorde do good to them of whome he ys honored and punyshe the despysers of hys Maiestye accordinge to his seueritie Therefore God dothe well and ordrely when in his promyses hee adioyneth thys condytyon to the wicked that are bounde with the fetters of synne that they shall then onely enioye hys benefytes yf they departe from their wyckednesse or for thys purpose onelye that they maye vnderstande that they are woorthylye excluded from these thynges that are due to the true woorshyppers of God Againe bycause hee seeketh by all meanes to styrre vp the faythefull to call vpon hys grace yt shall not bee inconuenyente yf hee attempte the same thynge also by promysses whyche wee haue shewed that hee hathe donne to greate profyte wyth commaundementes towarde them Beynge enfourmed of the wyll of God by hys commaundementes we are put in minde of our miserie whiche do withal our heart so farre dissent frō the same we be therwithal pricked forward to call vpon his spirite whereby we may be directed into the ryght waye ◠But because our sluggishnesse is not sufficientlie sharpened with commaundementes there are added promises whiche with a certayne swetenesse may allure vs to the loue of them And that the more desyre that we haue of rightuousnesse we may bee the more seruent to seeke the fauour of God Loe howe in these requestes If you wyll If you shall heare the Lorde neyther geueth vs power to wyll nor to heare and yet mocketh vs not for our want of power The thyrd sort of their argumentes hath also great affinitie with the twoo fourmer For they bryng fourth the places wherein God reprocheth the vnthankefull people and sayeth that they them selues onlye were the cause that they receyued not of his tender loue all kyndes of good thynges Of whiche sorte are these places Amaleck and the Chananee are before you with whose swerde you shall fal because ye would not obeye the Lorde because I called and ye aunswered not I wyll doe to this house as I did to Silo. Agayne this nation hath not hearde the voyce of the Lorde their God nor hathe receyued discipline therfore it is cast away from the Lorde Agayne because ye haue hardened your hearte and would not obey the Lord all these euilles are happened vnto you Howe saye they could suche reproches be layde agaynst them whiche myght redely aunswere As for vs we loued prosperitie and feared aduersitie But where as for to obteyne the one and auoyde the other we obeyed not the Lorde nor hearkened to his voyce this was the cause therof for that it was not at our lybertie so to doe because we were subiect to the dominion of synne Uaynly therfore are these euylles layde to our charge which it was not in our power to auoyde But leuyng the pretense of necessitie wherein they haue but a weake and sickly defence I aske of them whether they can purge them selues of all fault For if they be founde gylty of any faulte then the Lorde doeth not without cause reproche them that it came to passe by their peruesnesse that they felt not the fruite of his clemencie Let them aunswere therfore whether they can denie that theyr frawarde wyll was the cause of theyr stubbournesse If they fynde the spryng head of the euyll within them selues why gape they to fynde out foreine causes that they myght seme not to haue bene authours of their owne destruction But if it be true that by their owne faulte and none others synners are bothe depriued of the benefites of God and chastised with punishementes then is there great reason why they should heare these reproches at the mouthe of God that if they goe obstinatly forwarde in their faultes they maye learne in their miseries rather to accuse and abhorre their owne wickednesse than to blame God of vniust crueltie that if they haue not cast of all wyllyngnesse to learne they may be wery of theyr synnes by the deseruynges whereof they see them selues miserable and vndone and maye retourne into the waye and acknowledge the same wyth earnest confession whyche the Lorde rehearseth in chydynge them ▪ For whyche purpose it appeareth by the solempne prayer of Daniel whyche is in the ninth Chapter that those chydinges of the Prophetes whiche are alledged did auayle with the Godlye Of the fyrst vse wee see an example in the Iewes to whome Hieremie is commaunded to declare the cause of their miseries wheras yet it shold not haue fallen otherwise than the Lorde had foresaide Thou shalte speake vnto them all these woordes and they shall not heare thee thou shalte call them and they shall not aunswere thee To what ende then did thei singe to deafe men that beinge euen lothe and vnwillynge yet thei sholde vnderstande that it was true that thei hearde that it were wicked sacrilege if thei shold lay vpon God the blame of their euels which rested in them selues By these fewe solutions thou maist easily deliuer thy selfe from the infinite heape of testimonies whiche for to erecte an image of free will the enemies of the grace of God are wont to gather together as well oute of the commaundementes as oute of the protestations againste the professors of the lawe
dealing which he knew to be pleasing to the merciful kindnes of God agaist al euel speaking of meÌ„ whatsoeuer it be For we se what he saith in an other place that he knoweth no euel by himself but the he is not therby iustified namly bicause he knew that the iudgment of god far surmuÌ„teth the bleareyed sight of meÌ„ Howsoeuer therfore the godly do defend their innoceÌ„ce agaist the hypocrisie of the vngodly by the witnessing iudgmeÌ„t of God yet when thei haue to doe wyth God alone they all crye oute wyth one mouthe If thow marke iniquitie Lorde Lorde who shall abide it Entre not into iudgement with thy seruantes bycause euery one that liueth shall not be iustified in thy sight and distrusting their owne workes thei gladly sing Thy goodnesse is better than life There are also other places not vnlyke to these before in which a man may yet tarry Salomon saith that he whiche walketh in his vprightnesse is righteous Againe That in the path of righteousnesse is life and that in the same is not death After whiche manner Ezechiell reporteth that he shal liue life that doth iudgment and righteousnesse None of these do we either denye or darken But let there come forthe one of the sonnes of Adam with such an vprightnesse If ther be none either thei must perishe at the sighte of God or flee to the sanctuarie of mercie Neither do we in the meane time denie but that to the faithfull their vprightnesse though it be but halfe vnperfect is a step towarde immortalitie But whence commeth that but bicause whome the Lord hathe taken into the couenant of grace he searcheth not their works according to their deseruinges but kisseth them with fatherly kindenes Wherby we do not only vnderstand that which the scholemen do teache that works haue their value of the accepting grace For thei meane that workes which are otherwise in sufficient to purchase righteousnesse by the couenant of the law are by the accepting of God auauÌ„ced to the value of equalitie But I saie that thei being defiled bothe with other trespassinges with their owne spottes are of no other value at al than in so muche as the lord tenderly graunteth pardoÌ„ to bothe that is to say geueth free righteousnesse to maÌ„ Neither are here those praiers of the Apostle seasonaly thrust in place wher he wissheth so great perfectioÌ„ to the faithful that thei may be faultlesse vnblamable in the day of the loâ—â— These wordes in deede the Celestines did in olde tune turmoile to affirme a perfectioÌ„ of righteousnes in this life But which we thinke to be sufficient we answer brefely after Augustine that al the godly oughte in dede to endeuoure toward this mark that thei may one day appeare spotlesse faultlesse before the face of God but bicause the best most excellent maÌ„ner of this life is nothing but a going forward we shal then not til then atteine to this mark when being vnclothed of this flesh of sinne we shall fully cleaue to the lord Yet wil I not stiffely striue with him which will geue the title of perfectioÌ„ to the holy ones so that he also limit the same with the words of Augustine himselfe Whan saich he we wil cal the vertue of the holy ones perfect to the same perfectioÌ„ also belongeth the acknowledging of imperfection bothe in trueth and in humilitie The .xviii. Chapter That of the rewarde the righteousnesse of Workes is ill gathered NOw let vs passe ouer to those saiengs which affirme the God wil rendre to euery man according to his workes of whiche sort are these Euery man shal beare away that which he hath done in the body either good or euel Glory honoure to him that worketh good trouble distresse vpoÌ„ euery soule of him that worketh euel And thei whiche haue done good thinges shall goe into the resurrection of life thei which haue done euell into the resurrection of iudgement Come ye blessed of my father I haue hungred ye gaue me meate I haue thirsted ye gaue me drinke c. And with thâ— let vs also ioine these saiengs which cal eternal life the reward of works Of whithe sort ar these The rendring of the handes of a man shal be restored to him He that feareth the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t shal be rewarded Be glad reioise behold your reward is plentiful in heauen Euery man shal receiue reward according to his labore Wher it is said that God shal rendre to euery man according to his works the same is easily assoiled For that manner of speaking doth rather shew the ordre of folowing than the cause But yt is out of dout that the lord doth accoÌ„plish our saluatioÌ„ by these degrees of his mercy wheÌ„ those whom he hath choseÌ„ he calleth to him those whoÌ„e he hath called he iustifieth those whom he hath iustified he glorifieth Although therfore he do by his only mercie receiue them the be his into life yet bicause hee bringeth them into the possession therof by the race of good works that he may fulfil his work in them by such ordre as he hath apointed it is no maruel if it be said that thei be crowned accordig to their works by which wtout doubt they are prepared to receiue the crowne of immortalitie Yea after this manner it is fittly said that thei worke their own saluation when in applieng themselues to good works they practise theÌ„selues toward eternall life namly as in an other place thei are coÌ„maunded to work the meate which perisheth not when bi beleuing in Christ thei get to theÌ„selues life yet it is by by afterwarde added Which that sonne of man shal geue you Wherby appeareth that the word of Working is not set as contrary to grace but is referred to endeuoure therfore it foloweth not that either the faithful artheÌ„selues authors of their own saluatioÌ„ or that the same proceedeth froÌ„ their works How then So sone as thei are taken into the felowship of Christ by the knowledge of the Gospell the enlightning of the holy ghost eternal life is begone in them Now the same good worke which God hath begonne in them must also be made perfect vntil the day of the lord Iesu. And it is made perfect when resembling the heauenly father in righteousnesse holinesse thei proue theÌ„selues to be his children not swarued out of kinde There is no cause why we shold of the name of reward gather an argument that our works ar the cause of saluacioÌ„ First let this be determined in our hearts that the kingdome of heaueÌ„ is not a reward of seruants but an inheritance of childreÌ„ which thei only shal enjoy that ar adopted of the lord to be his children for no other cause but for this adoptioÌ„ For the sonne of the bond womaÌ„ shal not be heir but the soÌ„ne of the sre woman And in the
when in not raisyng our myndes beyonde the visible signe we geue awaye to the Sacramente the praise of all those good thynges whiche are not geuen vs but of Christe onely and that by the Holy ghoste whyche maketh vs partakers of Christe hymselfe and in dede by the helpe of the outwarde Signes whiche if they allure vs to Christe when they bee wrested an other waye the whole profyte of them is vnworthyly ouerthrowen Wherfore let this remaine certaine that there is no other office of the Sacramentes that of the worde of God whiche is to offer and set foorth Christ vnto vs and in hym the treasures of heauenly grace but they auayle or profite nothyng but beeyng receiued by Faith euen as wyne or oyle or any other liquor though you poure it on largely yet it will runne beside and perishe vnlesse the vessels mouth be open to receiue it and the vessell though it be wette rounde about on the outsyde shall neuerthelesse remayne emptie and voide within Beside this we must beware least those thynges whiche haue ben written by the olde writers somewhat to gloriously to amplifie the dignitie of Sacramentes shold leade vs away into an error nere to this namely that we shold thinke that there is some secret power knitt and fastened to the Sacramentes that they maye of themselues geue vs the graces of the Holye ghost like as wyne is geuen in a cup wheras only this office is appointed to them by God to testifie and stablish to vs the good wil of God towarde vs and do profite no further vnlesse the Holy ghost ioyne himselfe to them which may open our myndes and hartes make vs partakers of this testimonie wherin also do clerely appere diuers seueral graces of God For the sacraments as we haue aboue touched are that thing to vs of God which to mē are messangers of ioyfull thynges or earnestes in stablishyng of bargaines which do not of themselues geue any grace but do tell and shewe vs and as they be earnestes and tokens doo ratifie vnto vs those thynges that are geuen vs by the liberalitie of God The Holy ghost whom the Sacramentes do not in common without difference bring to al men but whom the Lord peculiarly geueth to them that be his is he that bringeth the graces of God with him which geueth to the Sacramentes place in vs whiche maketh them to bryng forth fruite But although we do not denie that God hymselfe with the most present power of his Spirite is present with his owne institution least the ministration which he hath ordeined of the Sacraments shold be fruitlesse and vaine yet we affirme that the inward grace of the Spirite as it is seuered from the outwarde ministerie so ought to be seuerally weyed considered God therfore truely performeth in dede what soeuer he promiseth and figureth in signes neither do the signes want their effect that the author of them may be proued true and faithfull The question here is only whether God worketh by his own and by inwarde power as they call it or do resigne his office to outward signes But we affirme that whatsoeuer instruments he vse his original workyng is nothyng hindered therby When this is taught concernyng the Sacramentes bothe their dignitie is honorably sett out and their vse is plainely shewed and their profitablenesse is abundantly reported the best meane in all these thynges is reteined that neither any thyng be geuen to them which ought not nor agayn any thyng be taken from them which is not conuenient to be taken from them In the mean time that fained deuise is taken away wherby the cause of iustification and power of the Holy ghost is enclosed in elementes as in vessels or waggons and that principall force whiche hath ben omitted of other is expresly sett out Here also it is to be noted that God inwardly worketh that which the minister figureth and testifieth by outwarde doyng least that be drawen to a mortall man which God claimeth to himself alone The same thyng also doth Augustine wisely touche How saith he doth bothe Moses sanctifie and God Not Moses for God but Moses with visible Sacramentes by his ministerie but God with inuisible grace by his holy Spirite where also is the whole frute of visible Sacraments For without this sanctification of inuisible grace what do those visible Sacramentes profite The name of Sacramente as we haue hetherto entreated of the nature of it doth generally conteyne all the signes that euer God gaue to men to certifie and assure them of the truthe of his promises Those he somtime willed to remaine in naturall thyngs sometyme he deliuered them in miracles Of the first kynd these be examples as when he gaue to Adam and Eue the tree of life for an earneste of immortalitie that they myght assure themselues of it so long as they dyd eate of the frute therof And when he did set the heauenly boaw for a monument to Noe and his posteritie that he wold no more from thensefoorth destroye the earth with ouerflowyng of water These Adam and Noe had for Sacramentes Not that the tree did geue them immortalitie which it could not geue to it selfe nor that the Boaw which is but a strikyng back of a sunbeame vpon the cloudes against it was of force to hold in the waters but because they had a marke grauen in them by the word of God that they should be examples and seales of his testaments And the tree was a tree before and the boaw a boawe When they were written vppon with the word of God then a newe forme was put into them that they should begyn to be that which they were not before That no man should thinke these thynges spoken without cause the boawe it self is at this day also a witnesse of that couenant which God made with Noe whiche boaw so ofte as we beholde we reade this promise of God written in it that the earthe shall neuer be destroyed with ouerflowyng of waters Therfore if any fonde Philosopher to scorne the simplicitie of our Faith do affirme that suche varietie of colors doth naturally arise of reflected beames and a cloude set against them let vs graunte it in dede but let vs laugh to scorne his senslesse follie which doeth not acknowlege God the Lorde and gouernor of nature whiche at hys ewne will vseth all the elementes to the seruice of his owne glory If he had emprinted such tokens in the sunne the sterres the earth stones and suche like they should all haue been Sacramentes to vs. Why are not vncoyned and coyned siluer both of one value sith they are both one metall euen because the one hath nothing but nature when it is stryken with a common marke it is made money and receiueth a newe valuation And shall not God be able to marke his creatures with hys worde that they may be made Sacramentes whiche before were naked elementes Of the second kynde these were