most assured that he cannot be iustified But the holie scriptures teach far otherwise for they set foorth vnto vs the example of Abraham Rom. 4 18. A man being iustified doubteth not of his iustification how that He contrarie to hope beleeued in hope and that he when now he was well-néere an hundred yéeres of age had no regard either to the barrenesse of his owne bodie or else vnto the wombe of Sara being past child-bearing that he stood not in a mamering through distrust but was by faith confirmed and most certeinelie persuaded that God was able to performe whatsoeuer he had promised This example teacheth vs that we ought not to haue regard vnto those things which either may or séeme to hinder our iustification but out faith ought vtterlie to be fixed in the words and promises of GOD. But contrariwise these men will call vs backe to our owne indispositions as they call them and will haue vs therefore alwaies to be in doubt of our iustification Indéed we ought not to dissemble whatsoeuer imperfection or fault is in vs and that bicause it may be daily corrected amended yet ought we not therefore to be in doubt and wauering touching our iustification and the grace of God 47 Now haue we to prooue the second proposition A confirmation that we are iustified by faith namelie that a man is iustified by faith which we intend first to prooue by testimonies of the holie scriptures Paule in the 1. chapter of the epistle to the Romans defineth the Gospell that It is the power of GOD to saluation to euery one that beleeueth Rom 1 16. In these words is touched the efficient cause of our iustification namelie The power of God and the end which is Our saluation and also the instrument whereby it is receiued namelie Faith for he addeth Vnto euerie one that beleeueth And this he confirmeth by a testimonie of Abacuke the prophet Abac. 2 4. in which sentence he was so much delighted that he vseth it both to the Galathians Gala. 3 11. Heb. 10 38. and also to the Hebrues in the selfe-same sense He addeth moreouer The wrath of God was reuealed from heauen Rom. 1 18. by reason of the knowledge of the philosophers which did with-hold the truth of God in vnrighteousnes and who at such time as they knew God glorified him not as God but fell to the worshipping of idols But contrariwise Ibid. 17. in the Gospell is reuealed the righteousnes of God namelie that righteousnes whereby men are iustified from faith to faith which phrase of speach we haue in his due place sufficientlie expounded Vpon the third chapter Now is the righteousnesse of God saith he made manifest without the lawe Rom. 3 21. the righteousnesse I saie of God by the faith of Iesus Christ in all and vpon all them which beleeue in him And a little afterward Wherefore being iustified freelie by his grace Ibid. 24. by the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whome God hath set foorth to be a reconciliation through faith in his bloud Here also is not onelie shewed the grace by which God fréelie iustifieth vs but also Christ and his death is set foorth that it may manifestlie appéere that he is the reconciliator and the mediator Wherevnto is added faith whereby we receiue the fruit of his redemption for the setting foorth also of his righteousnes in this time that he himselfe might be iust iustifieng him which is of the faith of Iesus Christ If men could by their works get vnto themselues righteousnes the righteousnes of God should not then in such sort be declared but séeing we perceiue it is communicated to vs by faith without anie preparation of works it must néeds séeme vnto vs verie great And amongst other things which God requireth of men this is the chéefest that they should not anie thing glorie of themselues But if iustificatiō consist of works men might boast of their own trauell indeuor but seing we are fréelie iustified by faith there is no place left for boasting Wherfore Paule saith Thy boasting is excluded By what lawe Rom. 3 27. By the lawe of works No but by the lawe of faith Wherefore he concludeth after this maner verse 28. We iudge that a man is iustified by faith without works And that we should not thinke that proposition to be particular he declareth that it is vniuersall verse 29. God saith he is he the God of the Iewes onlie Is he not also the God of the Gentils Yes of the Gentils also for it is one God which iustifieth vncircumcision through faith and circumcision by faith Wherefore euen as there is but one God ouer all men so iustifieth he all men by one and the selfe-same waie Rom. 4. 48 And in the fourth chapter he saith But vnto him that worketh not but beleeueth in him which iustifieth the wicked faith is imputed vnto him vnto righteousnes By this sentence both works are excluded and also faith is set foorth by which is imputed righteousnes vnto men And straitwaie he addeth of Abraham that He is the father of all them that beleeue Ibid. 11. being vncircumcised that it might also be imputed vnto them and that he is the father of circumcision not onelie vnto them which are of circumcision but also vnto them which walke in the steps of faith which was in the vncircumcision of Abraham our father Afterward by the nature of the promise he sheweth that iustification is by faith Ibid. 13. for he saith By the lawe was not the promise made vnto Abraham and vnto his seed to be the heire of the world but by the righteousnes of faith for if those which are of the lawe should be heires then should faith be abolished and the promise made void In these words are two excellent things to be noted The first is that the promise is frée neither it is ioined with the condition of works and therefore séeing faith as a correlatiue is referred vnto the promise it must néeds followe that it is such as the promise is and therefore it hath a respect vnto the promise by it selfe and not to the condition of our vntowardnesse or indisposition as the holie Fathers of Trent doo teach The second is that if the inheritance and righteousnes should depend of that condition of works then had there béene no néed of the promise for men might haue said Why is that fréelie promised vnto vs which we maie claime vnto our selues by our owne endeuour and labour Or why is it so necessarie that we should beléeue séeing by our owne works we can atteine vnto righteousnes Afterward Paule addeth the finall cause why iustification commeth by faith By grace saith he that the promise might be firme verse 17. for if by our owne works and preparations we could be iustified the promise should alwaies be vnstedfast neither could we appoint anie certeintie of it Afterward
Pighius bicause our aduersaries count him for their Achilles or chéefe champion and thinke that he onelie by his subtill sharpe wit hath pearsed euen into the secretest mysteries of the truth And this man vseth this cauillation A Cauillaton Ye are not iustified by that from which this iustification maie be separated for it is not possible that the causes should be pulled awaie or separated from their effects But faith is separated from iustification Whether iustification maie be separated from faith for manie that beléeue doo notwithstanding liue most shamefullie so farre is it off that they séeme to be iustified But bicause he thinketh that this maie be denied he bringeth a reason to prooue that it is not against the nature and definition of faith but that iustification maie be separated from it And he maketh an obiection out of the 13. chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians verse 3. If I haue all faith so that I can remooue mountaines and haue not charitie I am nothing By these words he concludeth that faith maie be separated from charitie and therefore from all good works He citeth this also out of Matthew Matt. 7 22. Manie shall come in that daie and shall saie Lord in thy name we haue prophesied and haue cast out diuels and haue wrought signes But vnto them shall answer be made I knowe you not These signes saith Pighius can not be doone without faith Wherefore séeing that they are shut foorth from the kingdome of heauen which doo yet these things it is cleare that they were not iustified wherefore in them faith was separated from righteousnes But this he thinketh is much more plainlie confirmed by Iohn for he saith That manie rulers of the priests beleeued in Christ Iohn 12 4◠which yet durst not openlie professe him But they which flie from the confession of the name of Christ are farre from saluation for Christ himselfe saith Mark 8 28. He that is ashamed of me before men of him will I be ashamed before my father These arguments although at the first sight they séeme to haue some shew yet if a man more narrowlie examine them he shall sée that that well agréeth with them The iudgement of Epictetus touching his owne books which Epictetus pronounceth of his books 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is These are but sights or ghosts of the dreames of hell Wherfore we must diligentlie ponder these reasons and not iudge of them by the first sight And euen as in coines of monie we vse not so much to haue a regard vnto the inscriptions A similitude or images as to the goodnesse and weight of the matter so also in arguments ought we to weigh and regard not so much the shew and colour of them as the thing it selfe and the strength of them We first denie that faith can be separated from iustification And whereas Pighius saith That that is not repugnant vnto the nature and definition of faith we in no wise admit it for against that opinion are all the holie scriptures and the true sense of the definition of faith and also the Fathers For as touching the scriptures Iohn saith He that beleeueth that Iesus is Christ 1. Iohn 5 1. the sonne of God is borne of God and he which is borne of God sinneth not For so long as faith beareth swaie in our harts we commit not those sinnes which destroie the conscience and alienate vs from GOD. How then saith Pighius that it is not against the nature of faith to be separated from iustification and from good works especiallie séeing Iohn saith Iohn 3 6. He which sinneth knoweth not God This thing also sawe the Fathers for Cyprian Cyprian De simplicitate praelatorum where he complaineth of the vngratiousnesse of his time for that charitie feare good works and such like were waxen verie cold thus writeth No man thinketh vpon the feare of things to come no man considereth the daie of the Lord and the wrath of God and that vpon the vnbeléeuers shall come punishments and that euerlasting torments are appointed for the vnfaithfull of which things our conscience would be afraid if it beléeued but bicause it beléeueth not therefore is it vtterlie without feare and if it beléeued then also would it beware and if it did beware then also should it escape These words declare that with true faith is ioined the feare of God and the eschewing of eternall punishments and auoiding of sinnes Now let Pighius go and saie that true faith can be separated from holie motions of the mind and from good works This selfe-same thing doth Ierome togither with Cyprian affirme against the Luciferians Ierome And if saith he I beléeued trulie I would cleanse that hart wherewith GOD is séene I would with my hands knocke my brest I would with teares water my chéekes I would haue in my bodie a horror I would be pale in mouth I would lie at the féete of my Lord and would wash them with wéeping and wipe them with my haires I would vndoubtedlie cleaue fast vnto the stocke of the crosse neither would I let go my hold thereof before I had obteined mercie Hereby also it is manifest that with true faith are ioined good works and repentance The definition of faith declareth that it can not be separated from iustification A similitude 56 But as touching the definition and nature of faith it may easilie be prooued that it can not be separated from iustification and from good works that is from his effects For faith is no common but a firme and vehement assent and that procéeding from the holie Ghost And if a poore caitife being condemned to die should receiue a promise onelie at the hand of a man that he should be deliuered and should giue credit vnto those words straitwaie his mind would wholie be changed to mirth and would begin inwardlie to loue the man that promised him such things and would pleasure him in what thing so euer laie in his power How much more is to be attributed to the true faith which is giuen to the word of God and is inspired by the spirit of God Wherfore if that humane faith doo drawe with it woonderfull motions of the mind how can we saie that the true and christian faith is naked without good works and destitute and alone Wherefore we now plainlie sée both by the holie scriptures and by the fathers and by the definition and nature of faith that it cannot be separated from righteousnes from godlie works Now let vs come to Paule he saith 1. Cor. 13 3. If I haue all faith c. But how knoweth Pighius that Paule there speaketh of that generall faith which cleaueth vnto the promise of God and iustifieth and not rather of a particular faith whereby are wrought miracles and which is a frée or gratious gift of the holy Ghost This faith is not applied to all things
But none which is faithfull ought in anie wise to doubt of himselfe but to beléeue that the promise is particular as touching himselfe when he perceiueth himselfe to beléeue trulie Further when promises are set foorth in a generall proposition we may most assuredlie of them gather their particular proposition And Christ saith in Iohn Iohn 6 40. This is the will of my father that euerie one that seeth the sonne and beleeueth in him should haue eternall life Wherefore we thus inferre But I beléeue in the sonne of God Therefore I haue now and shall haue that which he hath promised 73 Pighius still goeth on and to prooue that the faith of euerie other article and not that onlie which is referred vnto Christ touching remission of sinnes iustifieth he vseth the example of Noe for he saith Heb. 11 7. that He beleeued onelie those things which perteined to the safegard of his familie and to the destruction of the world and by that faith he saith he was iustified Here saith he is no mention made of Christ or of the remission of sinnes But it séemeth vnto me that this man hath not verie diligentlie read that which Peter writeth in his first epistle and third chapter for Peter saith verse 20. When once the long suffering of God expected in the daies of Noe while the arke was preparing wherein few that is eight soules were saued through the water vnto the figure whereof baptisme now agreeing maketh vs also safe whereby not the filth of the flesh is put awaie but thereby is brought to passe that a good conscience is well answering vnto God That which Peter sawe was signified by the arke and by those things which Noe did can we thinke Noe was iustified by faith in Christ that the patriarch himselfe sawe not This vndoubtedlie were too much derogation vnto him and if he sawe those things which Peter maketh mention of he beléeued not onelie those things which were then doone but also those which were looked for to be accomplished by Christ And therefore of good right it is written vnto the Hebrues that He was by such a faith made the heire of righteousnesse Heb. 11 7. But Pighius nothing passeth vpon this who so that he may be against vs is nothing afraid to fight euen against the apostles themselues for he is not afraid to affirme that our first father Adam was iustified but yet not with that faith which we speake of which concerneth the remission of sinnes through Christ for he saith that thereof he had no promise as touching that so farre as may be gathered out of the scriptures But doubtlesse this man is both farre deceiued Adam was iustified by faith wherby he beleeued the remission of sinnes through Christ Gen. 3 15. and also hath forgotten his fathers whom he would séeme to make so much of Was not the selfe-same thing said vnto Adam which was by God promised vnto Eue his wife namelie that his séed should bruise the head of the serpent Christ was that séed and he hath so broken the head and strength of the diuell that now neither sinne nor death nor hell can anie thing hurt his members This place all the fathers in a maner thus interpret But Pighius which yet is lesse to be borne withall is not afraid to saie that iustification is not giuen vnto vs by the promise In which thing doubtles he is manifestlie against Paule for he vnto the Galathians thus writeth God gaue vnto Abraham by the promise Gen. 3 18. And there is no doubt but that vnto vs it is giuen after the selfe-same maner that it was vnto Abraham But this is to be knowne that this word Promise Promise vnderstood two maner of waies is taken two maner of waies either for the thing promised and so it is not to be doubted but that we are iustified by the promise that is by Christ and by the forgiuenesse of sinnes which is promised vnto them that beléeue or else it is taken for the verie words of God in which he through Christ promiseth vnto vs remission of sinnes And in this maner also we maie be said to be iustified by the promise for although the cause of our iustification be the méere will and mercie of God yet is not the same offered or signified vnto vs but by the words of the promises and by the sacraments for these haue we as sure testimonies of the will of GOD towards vs. And so vnlesse faith be wanting whereby we apprehend the things that are offered we are iustified by the promises A place in the 5. of Genesis expounded 74 Afterward Pighius to prooue that God attributeth more vnto works than vnto faith citeth a place out of the 22. chapter of Genesis There is described that excellent worke of Abraham that he refused not to slaie his onelie sonne to offer him vnto God and therefore God said vnto him from heauen Bicause thou hast doone this thing verse 19. I haue sworne by my selfe that in blessing I will blesse thee and in multiplieng I will multiplie thy seed that it shall be as the starres of heauen and as the sand of the sea It shall possesse the gates of his enimies and in thee shall all nations be blessed Behold here saith he are promises giuen for works sake and therevnto is added a most faithfull oath but there is no mention at all made of faith wherfore saith he God hath more regard vnto works than vnto faith This speaketh he with a wide mouth but according to that prouerbe The mountaines will be brought a bed and out will spring a sielie mouse For if you aske what I thinke as touching this matter I will answer that it is a notable and most excellent historie whereout that cannot yet be gathered which this man exclaimeth First here is no mention made of iustification what serueth it then to that matter whereof we now intreat So often as anie thing is called in controuersie we must run to such certeine and assured places in which the selfe-same thing is intreated of and not vnto those places wherein it maie be answered that they intreate of another matter Of this nature is that place which Paule citeth Gene. 15 6. Rom. 4 3. as touching this thing Abraham beleeued in God and it was imputed vnto him vnto righteousnes But as concerning this historie I willinglie grant that Abraham by that worke obteined a certeine more ample benefit than he before had by faith howbeit not in substance or number or quantitie of the promises but in a sound and firme certeintie For although he doubted not but that whatsoeuer things he beleeued God would faithfullie render vnto him yet afterward when he had doone those excellent déeds he was more fullie persuaded of the veritie of his faith and constancie of the promise and strength of the righteousnes imputed vnto him I denie not but that by that excellent worke
reprooue all the wicked And soone after Looking for the mercie of our Lord Iesus Christ vnto eternall life Let it be sufficient that we haue brought these things out of the new testament vnto the which adde the article of the apostles Créed wherin we confesse our selues to beléeue the resurrection of the flesh Further all those places wherein Christ is said that he shall be iudge of the quicke and the dead haue relation vnto this 55 Now that we haue séene the signification of the word and also the definition and haue sought whether this resurrection may be plainlie set foorth by naturall reasons and further haue brought testimonies Of the causes of the resurrection verse 4â— as well of the old as new scriptures now it foloweth that we speake somewhat of the causes thereof It is the effect of faith and it followeth iustification Whervpon it is said in the sixt chapter of Iohn He that beleeueth in me hath life euerlasting and I will raise him vp at the last daie So as God by his power is the efficient cause thereof For which cause Christ said vnto the Saduces Matt. 2â— 15. Yee erre being ignorant of the scriptures and of the power of God And not onelie God the father himselfe but also the holie Ghost is cause of the resurrection For as we haue alreadie said it is written in the epistle to the Romans If the spirit of him Rom. 8 11. which hath raised vp Christ from the dead dwell in you c. Yea moreouer the sonne himselfe which is Christ Iesus is a cause of this resurrection for in the Gospell of Iohn he said Iohn 6 40. I will raise him vp at the last daie And againe Euen as the father raiseth vp and quickeneth Iohn 5 21. euen so also the sonne quickeneth c Further Ibidem 28. They which be in the graues shall heare the voice of the sonne of God and shall come foorth Iohn 11 25. c. In the eleuenth of Iohn I am the resurrection and the life Moreouer there is an argument taken hereof that Christ by his death tooke awaie sinne which was the cause of death Verelie no man doubteth but that the cause being remooued the effect is taken awaie In the first to the Corinthians 1. Co. 15 22 the 15. chapter In Adam all men are dead in Christ all men shall be reuiued as by one man came death so by one man came the resurrection from the dead The finall cause of resurrection is assigned to be 2. Cor. 5 10. That the whole and entire man should be iudged at the tribunall seate of God and should receiue rewards or punishments according as he hath behaued himselfe But the angels although they shall be ministers of the resurrection yet can they be no causes Among the causes of the resurrection to come the resurrection also of Christ is numbered for Paule in the first to the Corinthians verse 13. the 15. chapter saith If the dead rise not againe neither is Christ risen againe and if Christ be not risen our preaching is in vaine But we may argue on the other side Christ rose againe Therefore we also shall rise againe So then the resurrection of Christ séemeth to be the cause of our resurrection which indéed is to be granted but yet not so as that verie action wherein Christ was raised vp and which is now past is the efficient cause that performeth or dooth anie thing which should bring foorth our resurrection but bicause the diuine power and might which is in Christ séeing he is God is reteined still euen as he raised him vp from the dead so will he also quicken vs in due time This we sée come to passe in humane things A similitude For he that is a white man begetteth also a white sonne not that the colour it selfe can procreate but that those beginnings or causes which wrought the begetter to be white do make him also white which is begotten by him Euen so our resurrection shall not be vnlike to the resurrection of Christ Further this must be noted that the diuine actions and heauenlie benefits which are imploied vpon men be as Damascenus saith deriued vnto vs by the flesh of Christ which now should be none at all vnlesse he had béene raised from the dead Wherefore by this meanes the resurrection of Christ may be also called ours bicause without that we might not haue obteined ours Againe if we should like philosophers followe Plato adiecting vnto the foure kinds of causes an Idea or paterne we might saie that the resurrection of Christ was the exemplar cause of our resurrection The finall cause of resurrection is assigned to be that The whole and entire man should be iudged at the tribunall seate of God and should receiue rewards or punishments according as he behaued himselfe And thus much of the causes 56 It followeth that we should speake of the properties and conditions of the bodies Of the condition and propertie of bodies when they shall rise which shall be raised vp The Schoolemen called them indowments or qualities neither can I disallow of those which they haue reckoned bicause I perceiue them to be gathered out of the holie scriptures Howbeit I thinke not that all the properties were gathered by them neither yet may it be for in this life we cannot haue experience of the glorie of the saints but we shall then perfectlie and absolutelie knowe it when we shall come vnto it Immortalitie the first propertie The first condition that commeth to my remembrance of the blessed is immortalitie And assuredlie in the diuine scriptures so often as there is mention of the life to come the same is said to be eternall as being that which shall haue no end Paule saith This mortall must put on haue immortalitie 1. Co. 15 53 and this corruptible bodie must put on incorruption And séeing the punishments rewards which shall be rendered according to the nature of works be sempiternall the subiect or nature which shall be giuen them must néeds be immortall also Furthermore séeing it is no doubt but that Christ destroied sinne and death it remaineth that the life of the saints should be immortall And in the sixt chapter to the Romans it is written verse 9. Christ rising againe from the dead dieth no more neither shall death haue anie more power ouer him Besides in the first to the Corinthians the 15. chapter verse 50. Flesh and bloud shall not inherit the kingdome of God Yet must not these things be taken for the verie nature and substance of flesh and bloud fâ—… they which shall rise againe shall be wholie indued with these things But the apostle hath respect vnto corruption vnto the which flesh and bloud in this life are subiect wherfore he added Ibidem Incorruption And corruption shall not inherit incorruption 57 Vpon this propertie followeth an other namelie that after
themselues as concerning nature and state of liuing Then when they haue made them their heires Wherin out similitude with God standeth they desire to inrich them with all their substance The similitude vndoubtedlie which the regenerate haue with God their father consisteth in wisedome iustice simplicitie of mind magnanimitie charitie and in other like heauenlie and diuine affections of the mind whereby they iudge themselues to be made according to the image of GOD as they were created at the beginning And the inheritance which they expect of so excellent a father is eternall and most blessed life And I praie you how much dooth this generation differ from that The heritage of the godlie wherein we are begotten according to flesh and bones And how great a diuersitie is there betwéene the same inheritance of eternall life and the frée gifts among them that be aliue or that are woont to be doone by testaments concerning fields vineyards houses cattell monie or anie other thing For albeit we haue not so much as these things anie other way than of him and by him now presentlie yet we speake onelie of that by reason wherof God is properlie called The father of them that be regenerate in Christ If so be that men would imbrace this thing as méet it were with faith and readinesse of mind they should not so erre from the properties and similitude of God our father neither yet could they shew the disposition of false begotten children by their shamefull actions and wicked déeds as at this daie manie are accustomed to doo This is that fatherlie image and shape whervnto Christ inuited vs in these words Be ye perfect Matth. 5 48 as your heauenlie father is perfect Yet did he neuertheles not kéepe in silence that goodlie and rich inheritance when he said vnto Peter Matt. 19 29. Who soeuer shall leaue that that is his for my names sake he shall not onelie receiue an hundreth fold for me but besides this shall haue euen eternall life also Whosoeuer therefore expecteth so great an inheritance by faith euen as he is not puffed vp by prosperitie so neither is he sorrowfull aboue measure in aduersitie but he hath alwaies his mind bent vnto greater matters neither will he euer persuade himselfe that the labours and vexations which he is subiect vnto in this life are not equiualent to the reward which he looketh for Of the omnipotencie of God 3 But now let vs come to the third point wherein we beléeue him to be omnipotent And this dooth first signifie that he of his owne onelie power was able to bring foorth as afterward shall be said whatsoeuer is conteined both in heauen and earth Further when he will protect me from all euilles and heape euerie good thing vpon me I being his owne workemanship he can shew the same by manie meanes and he being omnipotent as we beléeue him to be can easilie remooue all lets and impediments Herof dependeth as of a most sure foundation all the honour and woorthinesse of our faith For how much soeuer the wisedome of man the world the flesh our owne verie sense or temptation of the diuell is able to withstand the promises conteined in the holie scriptures by this article is beaten downe Hereof it commeth Rom. 4 20. that Paule saith vnto the Romans that Abraham gaue the glorie vnto God when he beléeued perfectlie that he was able to performe that which he promised although the same might not be granted by humane reason and power Wherefore thou must not make anie account of that which importunate men shall obiect neither yet of that which troublesome cogitations entring into thy mind and withstanding those things which be conteined in the holie scriptures diuine promises shall moue sith to thée is manifest both the infinite power of God and also his fatherlie will in whom thou professest thy selfe to beléeue Thou must also remember that neither miracles are wrought nor praiers are heard vnlesse that faith be fullie giuen vnto this omnipotencie of God and vnto the loue wherewith he loueth vs. For this cause Christ said Mark 9 22. that All things are possible vnto him that beleeueth 4 Now remaineth to expound the last part of this article namelie God the creatour of heauen and earth The maker of heauen and earth By which saieng is refelled the error which the schooles of philosophers indeuor to persuade that the world in verie déed was without beginning and that it cannot by anie possible meanes be that the same should be made of nothing séeing here all we that be indued with faith doo sée much more perfectlie than they haue séene For it shall be an absurd thing to measure the works of God omnipotent with a certeine measure of naturall works Further we also beléeue hereby that God is the perpetuall preseruer of the things which he hath made For vnlesse he should gouerne all things by the selfe-same vertue wherewith he made them without doubt all things would be reduced to naught which to haue their being were at the first brought foorth by him of nothing Wherevpon also it is lawfull to conclude another thing namelie that if all things be created by God as we haue before declared and that he is verelie a father vnto thée and so mercifull a father whatsoeuer is made by him commeth to thy vse Vnto Adam the parent of all mankind all things in a maner became subiect but seeing he was vngratefull of mind he by his gréeuous offense spoiled both himselfe and all vs of so pretious and ample inheritance the which inheritance Paule doth manifestlie shew Roma 5 17. and that with verie great most forceable arguments to be restored to vs againe by Christ teaching that the benefit of Christ is mightier and of more efficacie than the malice and wickednesse of Adam Therefore he also writeth vnto them that All things happen well vnto them which trulie loue God It is therefore our part Rom. 8 27. rightlie and iustlie to applie vnto our vse and commoditie those things that be created that for the vse of them and for the delectable fruit which we receiue by them the goodnesse of GOD may be praised and thanks giuen vnto him For as the same apostle writing vnto Timothie saith Things created by God are good that the faithfull may vse them and giue due thanks to God 1. Tim. 4 4 so as none of them be receiued as euill Yea and although the same haue drawne anie euill vnto it yet by the word and by praier it is made holie Yea and things created doo no lesse serue for the sustentation of mans life than doo giue vs an apt testimonie of the perfect and singular goodnesse of our most mercifull father which thing as it is most true so it ought not to be contemned Fiue other principall points belonging to the person of the sonne 5 I beleeue in Iesus Christ his onelie sonne our Lord
3. Ye be dead and your life is hidden with Christ in God and when as Christ your life shall appeare then shall ye also appeare with him in glorie Inheritance defined Inheritance as it is defined by the Lawyers is a succession into the whole right of the man that is dead And may this appeare to be but a small matter to be made partakers of the whole right of God 2. Pet. 1 4. Certainlie Peter saith that We be made partakers of the diuine nature Here Ambrose noted that it is not in this matter as we commonlie sée it come to passe in the world for it behooueth that the testator die before the successor can come to the inheritance God dieth not and yet may we enter into his inheritance But God dieth not naie rather we that be appointed to be his heires doo die first before possession can be deliuered vnto vs. Christ also first died before he came vnto the glorie which was appointed for him An heire is counted one person with him that ordaineth him Iohn 17 21. Moreouer as touching ciuill lawes the heire is counted one and the selfe-same person with him that maketh him heire Euen so we through Christ are streictlie knit togither with God so as we are now one togither with him according as Christ praied That they may be one as thou and I are one for all things are ours We obtaine this inheritance freely and we are Christs Christ is Gods This inheritance obtaine we fréelie by the spirit of Christ Wherfore the bishops of Rome and their champions the Cardinals and false bishops doo wickedlie which haue shut vp this inheritance of remission of sinnes and accesse vnto the kingdome of God vnder their counterfet keies that they at their owne pleasure might sell the same and either thrust down to hell or send vp to heauen whom they list themselues The description of Christian Hope in the 5. chapter to the Romans verse 5. Looke In Rom. 8 25. and 1. Cor. 13 at the end A chaine Hope and faith haue one and the same propertie not to make ashamed 42 As concerning hope this is a notable chaine and an excellent connexion of christian degrées Of this chaine the first linke is fastned to the post of afflictions in this life from thence the godlie ascend to patience from patience to experience and from experience to hope which hope forsomuch as it maketh not ashamed but without doubting attaineth vnto God which is our principall felicitie is fastened vnto him as vnto the highest linke of the chaine This verie propertie of not confounding belongeth also vnto faith for None that beleeue in him shall be confounded and that for good cause for what can be of more néere a kinne vnto faith than hope The Latine interpreter turneth it Non confundit that is Confoundeth not Howbeit it might be properlie turned Non pudefacit that is Maketh not ashamed A figuratiue speech And it is a figuratiue kind of spéech for Paules mind was to signifie that the godlie cannot be frustrated of their hope for they which are frustrated namelie when things fall out farre otherwise than they hoped for are commonlie ashamed Wherefore Paule by shame vnderstandeth frustration bicause shame alwaies followeth it But the Latine interpreter had respect to that perturbation of the mind which followeth shame for To confound is nothing els but To perturbe or trouble Now if this sentence be true as in déed it is most true namelie Hope dependeth not of our works that this Hope confoundeth not it followeth that the same dependeth not of our workes for otherwise it would oftentimes faile But that it is true certaine Paule declareth not by one word onlie but by thrée and those of great efficacie For first he vseth this woord Knowing Hope is most assured which betokeneth an assured knowledge of a thing He maketh mention also of Reioising which cannot haue place among godlie and wise men but in those things which they assuredlie and firmelie possesse Last of all he addeth that Hope maketh not ashamed And it is not without cause that he oftentimes induceth persuasions of this certaintie bicause from thence chieflie is consolation to be sought for in afflictions When Christ did hang vpon the crosse the wicked railed against him saieng He hoped in God let him saue him Mat. 27 43. if he will haue him let him come downe from the crosse c. The self-same things are laid against vs not onlie by outward enimies but also by our flesh our outward senses and by humane wisdome How can we resist these but by this doctrine of the apostle Hope confoundeth not A remedie against railing speeches The hope which we haue put in the Lord will not make ashamed 43 The Sophisters labour to prooue that hope springeth of merits bicause Paule saith it springeth of patience as though we shuld thinke that hope were giuen to vs by the merit of patience Hope dependeth not of merits But in the mean time they marke not that those things which Paule here by a certaine order disposeth are not so compared the one to the other as causes effects For who will saie that afflictions are the causes of patience And if they be not so why should they more affirme that patience is the cause of hope The scripture most expresselie teacheth Ierem 17 5. that He which putteth confidence in man or in anie creature is accursed for a man of whose promise we depend and assure our selues may either die or alter his mind or els be let that he cannot faithfullie performe that which he promised and to haue confidence in him either for merit sake or by reason of good works is to settle our hope in man wherefore such hope worthilie maketh ashamed But the hope which is fixed vpon God is certeine neither can it be deceiued The Sophisters craftilie go about to auoid this sentence by twoo places of Paule Rom. 8 37. 2. Tim. 1 12. the one to the Romans and the other to Timothie The place to Timothie is thus I knowe whom I haue beleeued and am certeine And the other to the Romans is thus I am assured that neither death nor life nor angels c. By these places they thinke to ouerthrowe the proofe which we haue made bicause they thinke that these words are to be vnderstood not vniuersallie of all beléeuers but onelie of Paule and such other like who had it peculiarlie reuealed vnto them that they should atteine vnto saluation Here is intreated of the nature of hope generallie But these their enterprises are in vaine for here is now intreated of the nature and propertie of hope whereby is manifestlie prooued that all they which are indued with it are sure of their saluation so that they must néeds confesse that they which doubt of their saluation either haue not the hope which belongeth to a christian He
that doubteth of saluation hath not the hope belonging to a christian or else if they haue that hope they must néeds be assured of their saluation But if a man will saie What if I shall be vnwoorthie and therefore God will not bestowe vpon me the chéefe reward I answer that this is a wrestling of the conscience and must be ouercome by hope for the obteinement whereof let vs cleaue fast vnto the word of God such as is this God is faithfull 1. Co. 10 13 which will not suffer you to be tempted aboue your power but togither with the temptation will make a waie out and such like places of the holie scripture wherein God promiseth that he will giue perseuerance vnto his euen vnto the end And to speake bréeflie the hope of the godlie leaneth onelie vnto the goodnes power and mercie of the onelie God This thing Basilius verie well vnderstood in his exposition vpon the 33. psalme when de interpreteth these words Psal 33 18. Hoping in his mercie He which putteth not saith he confidence in his owne proper déeds neither hopeth to be iustified by works hath his hope of saluation onelie in the mercie of God for when he shall consider these things with himselfe Behold God and his reward c. 44 But the Schoole-men haue taught farre otherwise for the Maister of the sentences in his third booke The school-mens definition of hope thus defineth hope Hope is an assured expectation of the blessednes to come comming of the grace of God and of merits going before Which definition how absurd it is especiallie touching the latter part it is manifest in those which are newlie from most heinous and horrible sinnes conuerted to Christ for they vndoubtedlie can haue no good merits séeing before they were void of charitie from which all our works procéed Yet can there be nothing more certeine than that they They that be conuerted vnto Christ cannot be without hope though they haue no merits and works They that be most wicked ought not to cast awaie all hope which be conuerted vnto Christ cannot be without hope Yea Augustine vpon the psalme From the depth haue I called vpon thee ô Lord exhorteth them that fall and those which liue in the depth of euils not to cast awaie hope and that by the example of the théefe and of manie others It may now be demanded of them by what merits hope is confirmed in these men They commonlie answer that merits doo not alwaies go before hope but alwaies go before the thing hoped for And they declare their opinion touching this matter in such sort as they teach that merits go before hope either in verie déed or else doubtles in thought For men newlie conuerted commonlie while they conceiue hope of saluation determine both in their mind and in their cogitation to doo good works whereby they thinke to merit the last reward But what certeine hope can these good works imagined in the mind produce which are not yet wrought For of a cause which yet is not cannot be produced an effect which alreadie is We should rather affirme the contrarie to wit that this godlie will springeth of faith and of hope than that faith or hope should procéed of it as from the cause But it is a world to sée how these men turne themselues when on the one side they saie that hope is an assured expectation and yet on the other side they will haue this to be a most firme doctrine that no man can be assured of his saluation vnles it be speciallie reuealed vnto him by God Here they perceiue themselues to be fast tied and they confesse that it is a hard matter to vnderstand what maner of certeintie the certeintie of hope is Here these miserable men sweat and go to worke and feigne and imagine manie things First they teach The certeintie of hope come of the certeintie of faith that all certeintie of hope commeth of the certeintie of faith and this indéed is not amisse for therfore we certeinlie hope bicause by faith we imbrace the most certeine promise of God But they go on further and saie that by faith we generallie and absolutelie beléeue that all the elect and predestinated shall be saued but that hope maketh vs to haue a confidence that we are of the number of the elect as though hope had a particular knowledge vnder faith that that which was generallie apprehended by faith is by hope applied vnto euerie one of vs apart Wherefore they affirme that this certeintie of hope is by supposition if we be of the number of the elect and doo persist euen vnto the end And this kind of certeintie they will haue to consist of verie likelie coniectures And at length they conclude that the certeintie of hope is lesse than the certeintie of faith 45 But contrariwise we make the certeintie of either of them to be alike The certeintie of faith and hope is alike for looke how much faith we haue so much hope also we haue for faith retaineth not with it selfe anie part of certeinetie which it deliuereth not ouer vnto hope That is a fond deuise which they bring touching application Faith applieth those things which it beleeueth vnto him in whom it is in that by hope they applie vnto vs those things which we haue by faith generallie and absolutelie beléeued For we doo not onelie beléeue that God is good or the father and author of mans felicitie but also euerie godlie man by faith assureth himselfe that God both is and will be vnto him good is and will be vnto him a father is and will be vnto him the author of felicitie Hereof commeth that certeintie of hope And for this cause it is that Paul writeth that It cannot confound And séeing faith hath a respect vnto God as to one that speaketh the truth and hope hath respect vnto him as vnto one that is faithfull and most redie to performe his promises and God himselfe is no lesse faithfull in performing than true in promising we may manifestlie conclude that hope hath as much certeintie as hath faith Certeintie as touching the obiect and subiect Neither can that anie thing more helpe them which they cauill at the length namelie that hope hath certeintie as touching the obiect but not as touching the subiect for when saie they it hath a respect vnto the clemencie goodnes grace and power of God there is no let in those things but that euerie one may be saued and therefore on that behalfe they appoint a grounded certeintie but if a man consider the subiect the mind I meane and will of him that hopeth forsomuch as it is pliable and wauereth and may be changed it can neuer be certeine or sure of saluation But these men séeme vnto me to deale euen as they doo A similitude which in a siege defending their citie diligentlie shut and defend all other gates sauing one which they leaue
our minds for thus it is written Why art thou so heauie ô my soule Psal 42 12. Why art thou so discouraged Hope in God for I will yet make my confession vnto him my safetie is in his countenance Why God disappointeth vs of the outward aid Neither dooth God commonlie for anie other cause disappoint his people of the outward aids and helps of this world but to gather their scattered hope and not to suffer it to leane vnto too manie aids and these sundrie and manifold aids he changeth for one principall aid and the same most firme to the end we should depend vpon him By this difference of a firme hope the christians doo much differ from the Epicures and Ethniks A great difference betweene the hope of the Christians and of the Ethniks for the Ethniks if there come anie great calamitie to them straitwaie they exclame and crie out If there be a God that hath a care of these things if there be a God that séeth these things So they call not vpon God but being in despaire vtterlie discourage themselues But contrariwise godlie men most constantlie crie vnto God neither doubt they but that their praiers reach vp euen vnto heauen and that God hath a care both ouer them and also ouer all that they haue The fourth Chapter Of Iustification Vpon the epistle to the Romans at the end of the 11. chapter This place is also treated of vpon the 1. to the Cor. 1. about the end and vpon Genesis 15. verse 6. IT shall now be a profitable thing to intreat of iustification which is the scope and end of all that Paule teacheth in the epistle to the Romans Let this question be put foorth after this sort namelie whether men be iustified by works or by faith The question is put faith But first of all it shall be good to discusse the words of the question proposed and we will begin with this word iustification This verbe Tsadac The signification â—f this word To iustifie with the Hebrues in the first coniugation signifieth To be iust but if it be transferred vnto the third coniugation it signifieth To transferre righteousnes into an other and to make iust For this is the efficacie of the forme of those verbes which they call Hiphil Euen as Amad signifieth To stand so Heemid signifieth To appoint that is To make an other thing to stand Wherefore Hitsdic in the Hebrue signifieth To iustifie that is To make one iust which thing when it is done of God Two maner of waies God is said to iustifie it is done of him two maner of waies For somtimes he doth assuredlie bring foorth righteousnes in men First when God with his holie spirit frameth them againe wholie reneweth them in restoring the strength of their minds deliuering the powers of man from a great part of his naturall corruption and this is the first righteousnes which sticketh cleaueth to our minds by the benefit of God through Christ Secondlie when he hath so restored and made them new againe he giueth iust and holie workes by the vse and continuance of which works a qualitie or as they call it an habit is ingendered in our minds whereby we are made pliant to liue honestlie and godlie and we denie not but this kind of righteousnes is in the harts of the regenerate But sometimes God iustifieth in absoluing vs from sinnes and ascribing and imputing righteousnes and then this word Hitsdic is a word taken of the law which perteineth to iudgment as also this word Hâ—…schiah which signifieth To declare one to be an offender a wicked person And to iustifie in iudgement is by words testimonies and affirmation to count one for iust And forsomuch as these are the two significations of this word To iustifie namelie either in déed or in account and estimation and God is the author of either of them whether of these two shall we followe in the disputation proposed Forsooth the latter We now intreat of the latter foâ—me of iustifieng and that for bicause the renouation inspired by the spirit of God and our righteousnes as touching the habit gotten by good works are whilest we liue here so vnperfect and maimed that if iudgement should be giuen by them we might not be able to stand before the iudgement seate of God Besides that Paule disputing of this matter Rom. 4 3. after he had brought foorth the authoritie of Dauid and a testimonie of the historie of Abraham in Genesis vseth this word of imputing and by the proper signification thereof he reasoneth touching this present cause or question And this I suppose to be sufficient as touching the declaration of the first word namelie Iustification 2 Now let vs intreat of Faith Aman among the Hebrues in the first coniugation signifieth What this word Faith signifieth To be firme the verie which verbe in the third coniugation being called as I haue said Hiphil signifieth To giue constancie and assurednes to anie promise or thing Wherefore the Latines saie Fidem homini aut verbis tribuâ—re which is in English To giue faith or credit vnto a man or vnto words and it signifieth euen as much as if a man should saie To beleeue Wherfore this Hebrue verbe Heemin signifieth none other thing than To suppose or thinke a thing to be firme constant and true And as touching God he which beléeueth not him maketh him a lier for Iohn saith in his first epistle the 5. chapter He which beleeueth not God verse 10 maketh him a lier Which thing how gréeuous a sinne it is let euerie man consider with himselfe Contrariwise he which beléeueth God adorneth him with glorie honor Rom. 4 20. for in the epistle to the Romans it is written of Abraham that he staggered not through doubting through the consideration of his owne bodie or of the wombe of Sara being in a maner past child bearing but gaue the glorie vnto God being strong in faith An analogie between the two words To beleeue and to iustifie and fullie persuaded that he was able to performe whatsoeuer he would Wherefore there séemeth to be a certeine analogie or proportion betwéene this word To beleeue and that To iustifie as we in this place take it for as To iustifie is by waie of iudging accounting to ascribe righteousnes to a man and not to make him to be in verie déed iust so To beleeue is not in verie déed to make the words and promises of anie man sure and firme but to thinke and determine with our selues that so they are But this act of beléeuing whereof we now entreate hath two maner of firmnes and certeintie First of the things namelie of the words and promises of God which abide much more firmlie than heauen and earth A double certeintie of faith Secondlie as touching the persuasion it selfe which séeing it is wrought by the power of God it is also
verie much deceiued for vnles they deuise some new Grammar vnto themselues vndoutedlie this word According signifieth not the cause But Christ saie they in his last iudgement séemeth to expresse these to be as it were causes for the which the kingdome of heauen is giuen vnto them for thus will he saie I was hungrie Mat. 25 35. and ye fed me I was thirstie and ye gaue me drinke But Christ doth not in verie déed rehearse these things as causes but rather those things which went before Why Christ in the last iudgment will make mention of outward works Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome which was prepared for you from the beginning of the world For the true cause of our felicitie is bicause we are elected and predestinate of God to the eternall inheritance for they which are in this number are in their time adorned with faith whereby they being iustified haue right vnto eternall life But bicause this faith is hidden neither can it be séene and that Christ will haue all men to vnderstand that none but the iust are receiued into the kingdome of heauen therfore reherseth he these outward works that by them it might plainlie be perceiued that righteousnes is giuen vnto men by faith For there is no man which can be so ignorant There be two manie of principles of things 1. Sam. 2 3◠but that he knoweth that there are two foundations and principles of things the one wherby they are the other whereby they are knowne Againe they obiect out of the first of Samuel Those that honour me I honour and those that loue me I loue Here saie they the promise is made vnto the worke But if they would make a distinction betwéene the promise of the gospell and the promises of the lawe they should easilie vnderstand that that place is nothing repugnant vnto our saieng For if we could of our selues satisfie the commandements of the lawe then might it be the cause why the promise shuld be giuen vnto vs but forsomuch as no man is able to performe it all men flie vnto Christ and are through faith in him iustified Then by a certeine obedience begun we begin to worke which although it be not exactlie done according vnto the rule of the commandement yet it pleaseth God and he of his méere liberalitie performeth the promise which was adioined vnto that worke And so those conditions which are adioined vnto the precepts are not vnprofitable for they that are iustified atteine vnto them Neither are these men ashamed to cite these words out of the 25. psalme verse 18. Looke vpon my humilitie my labour and forgiue me all my sins as though our labours and afflictions are the causes of the remission of sinnes But in this place Dauid being in most gréeuous calamities desireth of God to forgiue him all his sins that if he were angrie for his sinnes the cause of punishments might be taken awaie For here is not intreated of labours which a man taketh vpon him of his owne voluntarie will but of punishments laid vpon men by God A similitude We sée also that children whilest they are beaten of their maisters doo desire forgiuenes and pardon If thou giue an almes vnto one that is leprous the leprosie cannot properlie be called the cause of thy compassion or mercie for otherwise all that passed by the leper should doo the same but the true cause thereof is the louing affection in thy mind 32 But they saie moreouer that in the holie scriptures much is attributed vnto repentance which thing we denie not But we on the other side would haue them to vnderstand that repentance is the fruit of faith and that no man can profitablie repent him of his sinnes vnlesse he first beléeue They also boast of manie things touching confession A distinction of confession But thereof we make a distinction for either it is separated from hope and faith as it was in Iudas which confessed that he had sinned Matt. 27 4. in béetraieng the iust bloud and that confession is so farre off from bringing anie profit that it is a preparatiue vnto desperation and also to destruction Or else it is ioined with faith and hope as it was in Dauid and Peter and so it is not the cause but the effect of iustification for it followeth faith Auricular confession and goeth not before it The auricular confession also of the papists is altogither superstitious wherefore we vtterlie contemne it for they obtrude it as a thing necessarie vnto saluation and a cause why sinnes should be forgiuen which they are neuer able to prooue by anie testimonie of the holie scriptures They violentlie wrest this also out of the Lords praier Matt. 6 12. Forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. verse 14. Againe Forgiue and it shal be forgiuen you Ergo saie they the forgiuenesse of iniuries is the cause why our sinnes are forgiuen vs. Forgiue vs our trespasses expounded This their reason as the cōmon saieng is with the one hand stroketh the head with the other giueth a blowe For if the forgiuenes of iniuries should as these men would haue it deserue remission of sinnes then that remission should be no remission for after thou hast once paid the price there is nothing can be forgiuen thée but then hath remission place when the price is not paid And as touching that place we first desire that our sinnes should be forgiuen vs. And bicause that by benefits receiued men are incouraged to hope that they shall receiue other greater benefits therfore this is the meaning of that sentence O Father which hast of thy fatherlie goodnes giuen vs grace to forgiue iniuries vnto our trespassours forgiue vnto vs also our sinnes Now by these words is not signified a cause but a similitude although that similitude be not perfect absolute For none that is wise would haue his sinnes so forgiuen him of God as he hath forgiuen his neighbour the iniuries that he hath doone vnto him For euerie one by reason of the flesh and that infirmitie which it carieth about forgiueth much lesse vnto his brother than he ought for there sticketh alwaies in his mind some offense which although it burst not foorth yet his owne conscience is a sufficient witnesse vnto himselfe that his mind is not verie perfect and entire towards him by whome he hath béene hurt But the former exposition teacheth that the similitude is to be referred not vnto remission but vnto the liberalitie of GOD that euen as he hath giuen the one so also he will vouchsafe to giue the other But whereas it is said Forgiue and it shal be forgiuen that is a commandement and therefore it perteineth to the lawe But thou wilt obiect that this sentence was writen in the Gospell and not in the lawe That maketh no matter The lawe and the Gospell are not separated by
teach a resolution from works vnto faith Againe from faith vnto his obiect And that we should not thinke that faith by his owne power hath anie thing whereby it can iustifie he againe passeth from it vnto the obiect saieng How shall they beleeue without a preacher And how shall they preach except they be sent Also Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God Wherefore the vttermost point of the resolution is the word of God the promise touching Christ from whence as from the fountaine is deriued our saluation and iustification In the 11. chapter is set foorth the Antithesis or contrarie position betwéene incredulitie and faith verse 19 which séemeth verie much to confirme that which we now teach The branches were broken off that I might be graffed in this was an obiection of the Gentiles against the Iewes Paule answereth Thou saiest well bicause of vnbeleefe they were broken off but thou standest by faith Here is giuen the reason of the fall and destruction of men and on the other side of saluation and constancie namelie vnbeléefe and faith And of the Iewes which should one daie be restored he addeth And if they abide not still in their vnbeleefe they shall be againe graffed in The restoring of them that be fallen is prooued to be and to be doone by faith for God is of might to graff them in Here we sée that by departing from vnbeléefe which consisteth in beléeuing men that haue fallen are restored This maketh verie much against the error of those which although they after a sort confesse that the first iustification is giuen fréelie without anie works going before yet vnto men that haue fallen they grant not restitution vnto iustification but by satisfaction and manie works preparatorie 50 These things out of the epistle vnto the Romans In the first epistle to the Corinthians the first chapter it is thus written verse 21. Bicause the world in the wisedome of God knew not God by wisedome it pleased God by the foolishnes of preaching to saue them that beleeue Bicause the wise men of this world saith the apostle by their naturall searching out could not take hold of the wisedome of God whereby they might be saued God of his goodnes hath instituted a contrarie waie namelie the preaching of the Gospell which vnto the flesh séemeth foolishnesse that by it saluation should be giuen vnto men but yet not to all sorts of men but to those onlie that beléeue Wherefore in the second to the Corinthians verse 24. the 1. chapter it is thus written By faith ye stand by which words we vnderstand that the foundation whereby we are confirmed and established in the waie of saluation verse 14. is faith Further Paule to the Galathians the 2. chapter where he reprooueth Peter for his simulation whereby he séemed to lead the Gentiles to obserue the ceremonies of the Iewes thus speaketh If thou being a Iew liuest after the maner of the Gentiles and not as doo the Iewes why compellest thou the Gentiles to liue as doo the Iewes For we which are Iewes by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles knowing that a man is not iustified by the works of the lawe euen we beleeue in Christ that we might be iustified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the lawe bicause by the works of the lawe shall no flesh be iustified Here we sée that the apostles therefore followed Christ that they might be iustified by faith which they could not obteine by works Gal. 2 20. And afterward In that that I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith in the sonne of God which is all all one as if he should haue said As yet in déed sinne sticketh in my flesh and in it I carrie death about but yet notwithstanding I haue life not through mine owne merit but by the faith of the sonne of God Gal. 3 2. In the 3. chapter he thus writeth I would knowe this of you Receiued ye the spirit by the works of the lawe or by the hearing of faith And straitwaie he addeth He which ministreth vnto you the spirit and in you worketh miracles doth he the same by the works of the lawe or by the hearing of faith By these words we sée that it is faith and not works whereby we take hold of the gifts of God verse 7. And he addeth Ye know that they which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham and that vndoubtedlie for no other cause but for that in beléeuing they doo followe and resemble him verse 8. Wherfore saith he The scripture forseeing that God would iustifie the Gentiles by faith shewed before hand glad tidings vnto Abraham saieng In thee shall all nations be blessed This blessing spred not abroad vnto them bicause they had their beginning of the flesh of Abraham but bicause they followed the steps of his faith Otherwise of Abraham as touching the flesh came not as farre as we can read anie other nation than the Ismaelites Edomites and Israelites Then followeth the conclusion verse 9. Therefore they which are of faith shall be blessed with faithfull Abraham But To be blessed in the Hebrue phrase is nothing else than To receiue the gifts of God amongst which iustification is the most principall Wherefore it followeth that Vnto the Gentiles through Christ verse 14. might come the promise made vnto Abraham that we might receiue the promise of the holie Ghost through faith So then we sée that the promise of the holie Ghost is not taken hold of by works as manie faine it is Which thing euen reason sufficientlie declareth for séeing the Lord as it shall a little afterward be declared had by promise giuen this blessing vnto Abraham we must sée what is referred vnto the promise as a correlatiue which as we haue said can be nothing else but faith for faith setteth foorth vnto it selfe the promises of God as an obiect 51 Paule furthermore addeth Ibidem 22 that The scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them that beleeue This is the cause why the holie scriptures so diligentlie shew vnto men how they be guiltie of sinnes namelie that they should the more be stirred vp to imbrace the promises of God by faith at the least when they haue not good works whereby they might take hold of them And this vnderstand we by that which is afterward written verse 24. The lawe is our schoolemaister vnto Christ that we should be iustified by faith These words signifie nothing else but that the lawe therefore sheweth sinnes and setteth foorth vnto men their infirmities and stirreth vp their lusts whereby sinnes are more and more increased that they being thus admonished should returne vnto Christ and might from him thorough faith receiue righteousnesse Which thing they vndoubtedlie did of whom it was said verse
saith he were the promises made and vnto his seed He saith not And vnto the seeds as speaking of manie but as it were of one and in thy seed which is Christ And this testament I saie was confirmed by GOD towards Christ Let Pighius now yet beléeue Paule that in that séed which was promised vnto Abraham was Christ comprehended and meant neither let him from hencefoorth with such malapertnesse and desire of victorie take vpon him to saie that the faith whereby Abraham was iustified was not faith in Christ But as touching the remission of sinnes forsomuch as vnto vs is promised the blessing we ought to remember that the chiefe and principall point thereof consisteth in this that we should be receiued of God into fauour and that our sinnes should be forgiuen vs. But Pighius goeth on manifestlie to oppugne the doctrine of the apostle touching the iustification of Abraham for he saith that Before Abraham was circumcised had a testimonie of the scripture that his faith was imputed vnto him vnto righteousnes He beléeued God verse 4. as it is manifest in the 12. chapter of Genesis wherefore saith he according to this opinion of yours he was then iustified neither was his righteousnes differred vntill that historie which is written in the 15. chapter It is woonderfull to sée how much he attributeth vnto these his arguments as though by them were taken awaie from vs all possibilitie to answer What time Abraham was iustified What I beséech you letted but that Abraham might be iustified at that first time when God spake vnto him first to go out of his countrie and from his kinred For euen in the selfe-same place at the beginning of the 12. chapter wée read the selfe-same promises which are in the 15. chapter For thus God promised him I will make of thee a great nation and will blesse thee and will make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing I will also blesse those that blesse thee and will curse those that curse thee and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed Vndoubtedlie in these words is conteined the promise of Christ and the remission of sinnes And therefore there shall be no absurditie if we saie that Abraham by beléeuing of those words was also iustified But bicause the scripture in that chapter did not plainlie set foorth this therefore Paule with great wisedome hath cited those words which are spoken in the 15. chap. where it is expresselie written that Faith was imputed to him for righteousnes which saieng was most necessarie to confirme the sentence of the apostle namelie Why God would renew the selfe-same promises that A man is iustified by faith But why God would renew the selfe-same promises it is not hard to sée so weake is our mind that except the words of God be repeated and againe and againe driuen into vs it easilie starteth backe from faith Neither doutles is iustification once onlie taken hold of but is so often apprehended as we trulie mightilie assent vnto the promises of God for séeing we continuallie slide and fall into sinnes we haue néed euermore that our iustification should be renewed 62 Afterward he cauilleth that in the epistle vnto the Hebrues Heb. 11. are manie things found touching faith and manie woonderfull acts spoken of which haue béene obteined by it but yet not one word spoken that iustification is to be ascribed thereto But this man with an vniust paire of balance weieth the words of the holie scripture neither sufficientlie considereth what those words meane Ibidem 33. The iust haue by faith ouercome kingdoms haue wrought righteousnesse haue obteined the promises for these are so to be resolued that from the last effect we must returne vnto the first The last is To ouercome kingdoms the next To worke righteousnes the first To obteine the promises among which promises are reckoned blessing life remission of sinnes and such other like which serue to iustification Wherefore that which is first made mention of faith apprehendeth by it we are iustified afterward followe good works In the 11. chap. to the Hebrues faith is said to iustifie and therfore it is said And they wrought righteousnes lastlie by the selfe-same faith we obteine temporall good things for that cause it is said They haue ouercome kingdoms So then Pighius falslie affirmeth that in the epistle vnto the Hebrues among the effects of faith is no mention made of iustification for although that word be not there read yet it is of necessitie and manifestlie gathered of those things that are there written For we verilie are not Arrians as some wickedlie béelie vs that we will grant nothing but that which is by plaine and expresse words read in the holie scriptures for we grant those things also which are by euident and plaine arguments gathered out of them But Pighius afterward demandeth Why we take awaie from works the power of iustifieng Vnto this wée could make answer in one word that we doo it bicause the holie Ghost in the scriptures so teacheth vs namelie that Men are iustified by faith without works But to the end we should not so brieflie dispatch it he hath laid a blocke in our waie for he answereth vnto himselfe that the cause thereof is for that our works are vnperfect neither satisfie they the lawe of God neither also can they stand sure before the iudgement seat of God But by this means also saith he we may affirme that iustification is not of faith for it also is vnperfect for there is no man beléeueth so much as he should doo But vnto this we answer as we haue in other places oftentimes answered that faith as it is a worke iustifieth not Faith as it is a worke iustifieth not for it hath that effect and fruit not by anie power of his owne but by his obiect that is by that which it doth regard and laieth hold vpon for from the death of Christ the promises of God is righteousnes deriued vnto vs. So a begger receiueth almes with a leprous weake and sore hand A similitude and yet not in that respect that his hand is in such sort weake and leprous But thou wilt saie Why doo not other good works also by their obiect namelie by God for whose sake they are done apprehend righteousnes as well as faith I answer Why rather faith than other works iustifieth that faith was to this vse made and instituted by God for euen so in the bodie of a man although it haue diuers and sundrie members yet the hand onelie taketh hold and receiueth And so is easilie dissolued that common lewd false reason We are iustified by faith Faith is a worke Ergo we are iustified for works sake Here in the conclusion is stuffed in this word For which was not in the former propositions and therefore the collection is not good Further the forme of the reason is as they
we denie that which he affirmeth namely that the testament touching the remission of sinnes in Christ The promise concerning iustification hath no condition ioined with it Galat 3 15. hath any condition ioined with it Which thing Paule testifieth in his third chapter to the Galathians when he thus writeth Brethren I speake according to the maner of men though it be but a mans testament yet when it is confirmed no man dooth abrogate it or adde any thing therevnto Now to Abraham were the promises and to his seed he said not To the seeds as speaking of many but as of one and in thy seed which is Christ And this I saie that the lawe which began foure hundred and thirtie yeeres after cannot disanull the testament before approoued of GOD towards Christ that it should make the promises of none effect These words most plainelie declare that the testament which God made with Abraham was pure and absolute and without anie condition of the lawe And this doo the verie words of Genesis declare For God once promised vnto Abraham the blessing Afterward was giuen the lawe which vnto those promises should adde conditions of precepts so that if men would be iustified and obteine them they should knowe that they ought to performe and accomplish all the commandements of God But this latter waie of iustification although it can by no meanes be accomplished cannot let or make void the first waie But that first waie was nothing else but the Gospell through Christ and that men should the more willinglie come vnto it there was set foorth also the latter waie of iustification by works that men when they vnderstood that they were not able to performe them should flie vnto Christ of whome when they being iustified endeuoured themselues to liue vprightlie they might fréelie receiue the promises set foorth in the lawe Now let vs sée what those conditions be which this man dooth adde vnto the testament of God In the 103. psalme it is written verse 17. The mercie of the Lord is from generation to generation vpon them that feare him his righteousnes vpon childrens children vpon those that keepe his testament and are mindfull of his commandements to doo them Of these words Pighius gathereth that the feare of God the mindfulnesse of the testament of God and the indeuour to performe his commandements are the conditions of the promises of God But here I doo not a little maruell that Pighius would affirme that a man is iustified by loue when as he confesseth that the holie scriptures doo attribute the same vnto feare But we will not let Pighius to be against himselfe Howbeit if we will hearken to the scriptures in the 32. psalme mercie is promised vnto them that hope for thus it is written And him that hopeth in God verse 10. mercie shall compasse about Also in another place it is written He which beleeueth Esai 28 16 Ioel. 2 32. shall not be confounded and he which calleth vpon the name of the Lord shall be made safe But who séeth not that all these vertues are in a man alreadie iustified and that God hath mercie vpon him But here laie all the controuersie vnto which of these vertues chéefelie iustification is to be ascribed Vndoubtedlie by the testimonie of the scriptures the same must be attributed vnto faith Pighius saith moreouer that in that condition which Dauid named is said that they should be mindfull of the commandements of God to doo them There saith he is not added To doo all the commandements God receiueth a man which indeuoureth himselfe to doo them and of his mercie he forgiueth manie things But this that is written To doo them must of necessitie be vnderstood of all for doubtlesse in the lawe which this man calleth the testament are written all Vnto those which are not iustified nothing is remitted of the rigor of the lawe And if God forgiue or remit anie thing he doth it vnto men alreadie regenerate and not vnto them that are strangers from him and children of wrath such as they must néeds be which are not as yet iustified but doo still prepare themselues are bent to performe the conditions vnto these I saie nothing is remitted wherefore they are bound vnto all And therefore Moses said Deut. 21 23 Gal. 3 13. as Paule testifieth Cursed be he which abideth not in all things which are written in the booke of the lawe 66 Further he maketh a contention also about the springing as it were and bringing foorth of faith and demandeth from whence it hath his beginning in vs. We in one word easilie answer that it hath his beginning of the holie Ghost But he faineth himselfe to woonder From whence faith hath his beginning how we grant the holie Ghost vnto a man before he doth beléeue for he thinketh that to be absurd First I cannot deuise how this man should so much woonder at this but afterward I perceiue that he manifestlie teacheth and maketh with the Pelagians that faith is of our selues and that it is gotten by humane power and strength for otherwise if he beléeue that it is of God and of the holie Ghost he should not separate the cause from his effects But that he may not thinke that wée without good reason doo attribute vnto the holie Ghost the beginning of faith let him harken vnto the most manifest testimonies of the scriptures Paule saith in the first epistle vnto the Corinthians Not in the words which mans wisedome teacheth 1. Cor. 2 4. but which the holie Ghost teacheth that your faith should not be of the wisedome of men but of God And in the same place The carnall man vnderstandeth not the things that are of God Ibidem 14. neither can he for vnto him they are foolishnes for they are spirituallie discerned But how can they be spirituallie discerned except the spirit of God be present Children also knowe that from Coniugata Coniugata be those words which being of one kind be deriued of an other as of iustice a iust thing c. Gal. 4 6. Rom. 8 16. Ephe. 3 16. words that are coupled as it were in one yoke are deriued firm arguments And to the Galathians God saith he hath sent his spirit into our harts whereby we crie Abba Father for by the spirit we beléeue in beleeuing we call vpon God yea and The spirit himselfe as it is written to the Romans beareth testimonie vnto our spirit that we are the children of God And vnto the Ephesians Be ye strengthned by the spirit in the inward man that Christ may by faith dwell in your harts Here we sée that that faith wherby we embrace Christ commeth of the spirit of God whereby our inward man is made strong The apostles when they said Lord increase our faith Luke 17 5. manifestlie declared that it sprang not out of their owne ablenes and strength but by the inspiration of almightie God
And Paule in the 1. to the Corinthians verse 8. the 12. chapter Vnto one saith he is giuen the word of wisedome vnto another the word of knowlege vnto another faith and vnto another the grace of healing And then he addeth that It is one the selfe-same spirit which worketh all these things diuiding vnto euerie man as pleaseth him And if thou wilt saie that this place and the foresaid petition of the apostles perteineth vnto the particular faith by which are wrought miracles doubtles I will not be much against it And yet if thou wilt néeds haue it so I will reason A minori that is From the lesse for if these frée gifts are not had but from the spirit of God much lesse can that vniuersall effectuall faith whereby we are iustified be had from else where Further Paule vnto the Romans Rom. 12 3. Vnto euerie one saith he as God hath diuided the measure of faith And in the last to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 4 13. Hauing saith he the selfe-same spirit of faith euen as it is written I haue beleeued for which cause also I speake We also beleeue and speake that God which raised vp Iesus from the dead shall through Iesus raise vp our bodies also Vnto the Galathians are reckoned vp the fruits of the spirit Charitie ioie peace patience lowlines Gal. 5 22. gentlenes faith meekenes and temperance Faith here is numbered among the fruits of the spirit wherefore it procéedeth of the spirit But vnto the Ephesians he saith more manifestlie Eph. 2 8. By grace ye are saued through faith that not of your selues for it is the gift of God And in the Acts of the apostles it is thus written Acts. 16 14. The Lord opened the hart of the woman that sold silks to giue heed vnto those things which Paule spake And in the 13. chapter They beleeued Acts. 13 48. as manie as were predestinate vnto eternall life Wherefore it is not to be doubted How the holie Ghost is in men not regeâ—erate but that faith is ingendered in our harts by the holie Ghost who in déed may for all that be had of them which beléeue not but yet as persuading onlie and not as sanctifieng them And although into the elect he suddenlie powreth in faith yet forsomuch as he is the cause of faith he is therefore before it both in dignitie and in order 67 Now let vs sée what absurdities Pighius gathereth out of this our sentence iudgement If the spirit saith he be the author of our faith and vseth the instrument of the word of God and may be also in them that beléeue not how commeth this to passe How it commeth that at one verie sermon part of the hearers beleeue and part not that when as there are manie at one and the selfe-same sermon where as both the spirit is present and the word preached yet part doo beléeue and part beléeue not We answer in one word that that commeth bicause the spirit is not of like efficacie in all men neither doth after one and the selfe-same maner teach all men inwardlie in the mind But of his will we cannot render anie cause although we nothing doubt but that it is most iust If the matter be so saith he the hearers will easilie content themselues neither will they put to their indeuor or studie for they knowe that that is in vaine when as it wholie dependeth of the spirit of God This is not onelie a verie common but also an enuious obiection But we answer that all men are bound to beléeue the word of God and therefore their bounden dutie is diligentlie and attentiuelie to hearken therevnto with all their strength to assent vnto it and if they so doo not they shall then incur the punishments of the lawe Neither are they to be hearkened vnto if they shall saie that they could not obeie it or if they would haue gone about to haue prooued what their strength could haue done their indeuor for that they were not as yet iustified should haue béene in vaine and sinne A similitude As if a maister should bid his seruant which is lame to walke and he would excuse himselfe and saie that he were lame and could not go without great deformitie it is not to be thought All sinnes are not alike that therefore he is excused We are not of that mind to thinke that all sinnes are alike naie rather we teach that they which omit or neglect those outward works which they might performe and put not to their indeuor and studie to doo well doo much more gréeuouslie sinne than they which according to their strength and power obserue some outward discipline And as Augustine saith Cato and Scipio shall be much more tollerablie delt with than Catiline or Caligula But I would haue Pighius himselfe whom our opinion so much misliketh to declare when he thinketh that the holie Ghost is giuen vnto men He will answer when as now these preparations haue gone before when a man hath beléeued feared hoped repented and sincerelie loued What thing else would Pelagius saie As though to beléeue to loue and such other like doo spring of mans strength He alledgeth this also thinketh it to make for his purpose Mat. 11 28. Come vnto me all ye which labour and are laden and I will refresh you For he thinketh that labours burthens contrition confession and as they call it satisfaction fastings teares and such other like doo make to the obteinement of iustification But this place is to be vnderstood farre otherwise for Christ calleth them labouring and loden which were oppressed with the lawe and felt their owne infirmitie and the burthen of their sinnes and which had now long time laboured vnder humane traditions These men being now wearie and in a maner without all hope the Lord calleth vnto him for they are more apt and fit for the kingdom of heauen than are other blessed and quiet men which by their owne works and good déeds doo thinke themselues verie iust God saith Pighius requireth works preparatorie and then he promiseth not to faile them of his grace This was wholie the opinion of the Pelagians Against which the holie scriptures are vtterlie repugnant for they teach that It is God which giueth both to will Phil. 2 13. to performe according to his good will that it is God which beginneth in vs the good worke and accomplisheth it euen vnto his owne daie Phil. 1 6. that it is God from whom onlie we haue sufficiencie when as otherwise we are not able to thinke anie thing of our selues as of our selues Wherefore it is manifest that Pighius confoundeth the lawes of God describeth those things which are well set foorth in the holie scriptures 68 Further when as we saie that vnto iustification it is not sufficient to haue an historicall faith he faineth himselfe to maruell what
affirme not that that faith whereby we are iustified is in our minds without good works though we saie that the same onelie is it which taketh hold of iustification and remission of sinnes A similitude So the eie cannot be without a head braines hart liuer and other parts of the bodie and yet the eie onelie apprehendeth colour and the light Wherefore they which after this maner reason against vs Faith as ye say iustifieth But faith is not alone Ergo faith alone iustifieth not they commit the fault of a false argument As if a man should thus conclude A false argument A similitude Onelie the will willeth But the will is not alone in the mind Ergo not the will alone willeth Here euen little children may sée the fallace or deceit which they call Of composition and of diuision And is it not a foule thing that so great Diuines should not sée it Smith But here Smith the light forsooth of diuinitie setteth himselfe against vs. He of late cried out euen till he was hoarse that we falselie affirme that those places of the scripture which testifie that we are iustified Gratis that is fréelie should signifie all one with this to be iustified by faith Onelie for this word Gratis is not all one with Solùm Of the adâ—erbe Gratis that is freelie that is Onelie O dull Grammatians that we are which without this good maister could not vnderstand this aduerbe so much vsed Howbeit this Grammaticall Aristarchus least that he should séeme without some reason to plaie the foole It is written saith he in Genesis that Laban said vnto Iacob Gen. 29 15. Bicause thou art my kinseman shalt thou therfore serue me Gratis Here saith he put this word Onelie and thou shalt sée what an absurd kind of speach it will be And in the booke of Numbers Num. 11 5. The people said that in Aegypt they did eate fishes Gratis and in the Psalme They haue hated me Gratis Psal 69 4. Here saith he cannot be put this aduerbe Onelie Wherefore we rashlie and verie weakelie conclude that bicause in the scriptures a man is said to be iustified Gratis he is therefore straitwaie iustified by faith Onelie But this sharpe witted man and one so well exercised in the concordance of the Bible should haue remembred that this word Gratis signifieth without a cause or without a reward and price and therefore we rightlie saie that iustification consisteth of faith Onelie bicause it is said to be giuen Gratis For if works were required there should be a cause or a reward or a price to the obteinement of righteousnes But forsomuch as Gratis excludeth all these things of that word is rightlie and trulie inferred Onelie faith And those places which this man hath alleadged are not hard to confute for Laban saith Shalt thou serue me Gratis that is without this couenant that I should giue thée some thing which is onelie to take and nothing to repaie And the Israelits when they said that they did eate fishes Gratis meant that they did eate them without anie price paid And that saieng They haue hated me Gratis is nothing else than without a cause or without anie my desart So that if this word Gratis take awaie price and merit forsomuch as Paule saith that we are iustified Gratis we must néeds vnderstand that it is doone without anie our price or merits which doubtlesse might not be true if works should be required as causes and merits And bicause we once brought a place out of the epistle to the Galathians Gala. 2 16. But seeing we knowe that man is not iustified by the works of the lawe except it be by the faith of Iesus Christ and of this particle Except concluded Of the aduerbe Except that iustification consisteth of faith Onelie this man therefore according to his wisedome rageth and saith that this word Except is not all one with Onelie For he saith Gene. 43 5. that Ioseph in Genesis said vnto his brethren Ye shall not see my face except ye bring your yoongest brother and Christ saith he saith Iohn 6 53. Except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man ye shall not haue life in you Who saith he will saie that life is had onlie by eating of the sacraments Wherefore saith he these things cannot be expounded by this word Onelie Yes doubtles but they maie for in Genesis what other thing meant Ioseph than to admonish his brethren that they should vpon this condition onelie come againe into his sight to wit if they brought their yoongest brother with them And Christ in the sixt of Iohn intreated not of the eating of the sacrament for he had not as yet instituted it wherefore by this word To eate he signifieth To beléeue And he saith that they which are of full age herein onelie haue life if they eate his flesh and drinke his blood that is if they beléeue that the sonne of God was deliuered for them for the remission of their sinnes and that this is the onelie waie whereby they maie be saued 84 But Smith addeth that from iustification is not to be excluded hope charitie and other good works I grant indéed that those are not to be excluded from a man that is iustified howbeit I doo not attribute vnto them the power of iustifieng For that which Paule saith Rom. 3 20. that A man is not iustified by works should not be true if we should be iustified by anie kind of works for if a man should saie A similitude that an artificer worketh not with his fingers and afterward should grant that he to that worke which he dooth vseth his fingers he were woorthie to be laughed at although being conuict he would saie that he excepted onelie the little finger and not the thumbe forefinger or middlefinger for he which vseth thrée fingers vndoubtedlie vseth fingers But why dooth this man saie that hope and charitie are not excluded Bicause saith he euen ye your selues will haue vs to be iustified by a liuelie faith which certeinlie is not without these We grant that these vertues are alwaies ioined with true faith but yet in them we put no part of our iustification before God A fallace of the accident In this argument is a fallace or deceit of the accident for vnto those things which are adioined is attributed that which is proper to the same wherevnto they are ioined As if a man should saie The sunne is round and high Ergo the roundnes and hight of the sunne doo make vs warme What works then dooth Smith exclude from iustification when as he includeth hope and charitie I suppose surelie that he excludeth outward works fastings almes and such like But with what face can he so saie or teach séeing he appointeth and defendeth works preparatorie But this sharpe witted man thinketh that he hath trimlie escaped for that he saith that these things are not of necessitie required
him that sent me shall not come into iudgement but hath life euerlasting passeth out of death vnto life If Christ saie that they which beléeue passe foorth out of death vnto life how is it decréed by these men that they which die in faith doo passe into paines and torments I knowe they be woont to saie that therefore it is spoken that a man shall passe into life bicause at length he shall haue it albeit he must in the meane time be somewhat punished in purgatorie But how much this exposition serueth to the purpose it is shewed in the 14. chapter of the Apocalypse Blessed be they which die in the Lord. verse 13. They will answer that they are therefore blessed which die in Christ bicause they be sure of felicitie although those fires remaine for a certeine time But admit it were so let vs looke vpon the sequele it appeareth that they are therefore called happie bicause they may rest from their labours but to burne with fire is not to rest from labours It is added also Bicause their works followe them Wherefore séeing that they were the seruants of God that they liued well and suffered manie things while they liued as of necessitie it must happen to all godlie men it is méete that they should haue a reward and as the scripture there sheweth that they should rest from their labours But if that they will in anie wise contend that they which haue liued rightlie haue yet some blemish and corruptions that must be purged Luke 23 41. was not the theefe suddenlie receiued into eternall felicitie what answere I beséech you will they make as concerning the théefe Did not he behaue himselfe ill euen vntill the end séeing of his naughtie demeanor aswell the publike iudgement as the holie scriptures doo giue an euident testimonie Yet did Christ saie vnto him This daie shalt thou be with me in paradise And these things be spoken against them which would haue purgatorie to be a doctrine or opinion that must of necessitie be beléeued and an article of our faith 16 Now let vs deale with them who are led by opinion to beléeue the same And albeit they may pretend manie causes whie they should suspect the same to be Plato and the Poets for Plato among the Ethniks and togither with him manie notable Poets haue ordeined a purging of soules by manie kinds of paines after this life yet verie likelie it is that they were chéeflie driuen to thinke thus through ecclesiasticall satisfactions wherein in we ought to beware least we diminish the merit of the crosse and death of Christ by ascribing vnto our works that which speciallie and solie is granted vnto him to wit that he should forgiue sinnes and redéeme vs from eternall damnation We grant that the church Why ecclesiasticall satisfactions were inuented Looke before pl. 8. article 32. euen from the beginning vsed satisfactions which were onelie inuented to the intent that they which fell into gréeuous sinnes should be proued by the Ministers and by the whole church whether they earnestlie repented or no of their offenses committed For such men being excluded by reason of their sinnes from the communion of the faithfull bicause they might redéeme the ignominie and be reconciled did sometime dissemble a repentance and deceiued the expectation of the godlie For to the great offense of the brethren they were perceiued to be againe admitted vnto the sacraments being not amended as they which still cleaued vnto their wickednesse Wherefore satisfactions being added Satisfactions were not vnprofitable to the worker Augustine both they were tried and though God were not satisfied yet the church after a sort was edified the which they by their wicked acts had both hurt and dishonested Which thing Augustine in his Enchiridion vnto Laurence in the 65. chapter testifieth for the repentance and gronings of one man séeing they perteine vnto the mind are not knowne and made euident vnto others wherefore tokens of repentance are required for satisfaction of the church And it is a common saieng that satisfaction is an occasion to cut off sinnes so that men thereby should haue no more recourse vnto them by reason whereof it brought some fruit not onelie vnto the church but vnto him also that was penitent How the penitents by these meanes obteined remedies for the wounds of their sinnes And it is sometime read among the Fathers that the penitent persons vsed to obteine remedies for the woonds of their sinnes by the meanes of such ecclesiasticall satisfactions namelie in this sense bicause in stéed of ill actions they did put good in place and they which offended the church did by their wholsome example make amends and they which had béene accustomed to manie sinnes envred themselues to doo well Cyprian in his sermon De lapsis Cyprian calleth satisfaction the confession of the thrée children which they made when they were put into the fire and also the confession of Daniel Dan. 6 9. which we read in the sixt chapter of his booke And the same martyr séemeth to drawe satisfactions out of the prophet Ioel when as he exhorteth men Ioel. 2 12 that they should turne vnto the Lord in all their hart in fasting in moorning and wéeping so as they should not rent their garments but rather their harts And it is to be thought that the incestuous man which by the commandement of the apostle was excommunicated 1. Cor. 5 3. shewed such tokens of repentance in so much as the apostle 2. Cor. 2 6. in the latter epistle to the Corinthians cōmended him vnto the church least perhaps he should be ouerwhelmed with too much sorrowe Howbeit all these things at this daie are taken awaie séeing the discipline of the church is almost vtterlie lost which thing neuertheles I would not haue so to be restored as they should become an intollerable yoke should at length be drawne to superstition 17 In the Nicene and Ancyran Synod in certeine others mention is made of these satisfactions and there are specified diuers degrées of repentance The customs of satisfactions degenerated into a lawe We may obserue that those laudable customs degenerated by little and little into lawes so as in the decrées and especiallie in Brocard there be extant penitentiall canons and in such sort extant as they are growen into an excéeding multitude whereby they are become so intollerable They became at length an intollerable yoke that they lie contemned neither could men indure them anie longer Yet they being led by a false persuasion as though they might not obteine saluation if those satisfactions were intermitted they desired that the bishops might release them of the same Frō whene pardons had their beginning And from thence had indulgences their beginning which also began to be redéemed for monie And superstition tooke so déepe root as he that had not by this means while he liued either abidden punishment
would woonderfullie maruell if they should nowe see men being not indued with that grace so boldlie and impudently commaund the Diuels as at this daie it is doone by Priestes and feigned exorcistes But those things that were afterward spoken by the latter writers of the Church as touching the ioyning of exorcismes with Baptisme seeing they bee alleadged without Scriptures and sauour of superstition neither are doone with any fruit nor ought to be receiued But from whence the errour sprang it was declared before when we handled a certaine place of Cyprian 3. c. Further an other cause of the error was for that men had begunne to attribute ouer much vnto Sacramentes In which thing Augustine otherwise a man of a sharpe wit and incomparable learning was verie much deceiued For he thought that the Infantes did then first goe out of the power of the Diuell when they were baptised But seeing it hath beene declared that this is not so I thinke it good not to vse anie newe confutation Onelie this I will say that the Sacraments must not be contemned but on the other side wee must not attribute vnto them that which belongeth onelie vnto God An answere to the arguments of the Exorcists 22 And thus much as concerning the Testimonies of the Fathers Nowe come we to confute the reasons alleadged First it was taken as graunted that wee out of the kingdome of darkenesse shall be translated into the kingdome of light That we willinglie graunt but we denie that to bee first doone by receiuing of Baptisme seeing Infants obtaine this by the predestination and promise of GOD and also in right of inheritaunce of the couenant So that there is no cause why place should therefore bee giuen to exorcismes And they which were of ripe age obtaine this translation by faith For by the same they receyue iustification Wherefore they must not be adiured seeing they belong alreadie vnto Christ We confesse also that by the desert of sinne it is come to passe that men are come into the power of the Diuell but yet that the same is taken away and euacuated by Christ through the holie Ghost and the word of God and as concerning men of ripe age by fayth not by adiurations and exorcismes And whereas otherwhyle when adiurations be vsed the ill spirites crie out that they be wrung tormented and vexed it maie be doone by collusion namelie that the father of lies doeth faine such things to the intent that superstitions may increase and may be longer time nourished in the Church And wheras they say that they do not blow out or exorcise the mans nature made by God which is therfore good but onelie indeuour by their adiurations to make féeble the power of the diuel original corruption least then it should as much hurt as it did before We aunswere that this may much more iustlie and religiouslie bee obtained by prayers Further if this were their mind men ought to exorcise not onelie at Baptisme but also in a maner through out their whole life seeing men are indangered all their life long by the violence and temptations of the Diuell and also by the naughtie originall corruption which doeth perpetuallie remaine in them 1. Tim. 4. 5. But after what manner meates and those thinges which we vse for defending the life of the bodie are sanctified by the worde of GOD and by prayers their is no néede now to expresse séeing of that matter we haue spoken largelie enough before They added that in times past the earth was cursed by GOD by reason of the first fault of Adam and that therefore it is needfull that the fruites thereof should by adiurations be plucked out of the power of the diuell This doe wee not denie but we adde that the curse was through Christ either mitigated or turned into blessing and that therefore exorcismes should be counted for superfluous and vnprofitable séeing that the vse of the earth and the fruits thereof so that thankesgiuing and prayers be vsed therein are made cleane and pure vnto the faithfull Also the words of the Apostle were alleadged wherein hee sayth That our wrestling is not against fleshe and bloud Eph. 6. 12. but against spirituall wickednesses What this maketh for the present purpose I cannot so much as imagine much lesse perceiue The Apostle in that place instructed vs with a woonderfull complete armour against spirituall enemies and against celestiall things yet spake he not of exorcismes and exsufflations To conclude they said that before regeneration bee wrought the impediments must be remooued namelie the forces of the Diuel That which they first take vnto them let vs graunt them but we must adde that such obstacles are remooued by the might of Christ and also by the power of the holie Ghost by the promise of God by the right of the couenaunt and in men of riper age by the preaching of the worde by faith and by prayers and therefore there is no place left vnto adiurations vnlesse perhappes in some one man that shall be indued peculiarlie from God with the gift of healing Which power or facultie we iudge not that it can be giuen by the bishoppes to whomsoeuer they wil by laying on of hands séeing it is the holie Ghost which distributeth these giftes of his vppon whomsoeuer he will And thus much haue we spoken as concerning the question propounded Of Papisticall holie VVater 23 The fact of Elizeus In 2. kings 2. ver 21. wherein he applied sault to helpe the waters of Ierico doe the priests of the Pope imitate of a certaine * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peruerse zeale who not onely vse sault in the baptising of infantes but doe also powre it into their holy waters Aqua lustralis piacularis which may rather be called haynous waters I maruell that they sometimes vse not figges since that Esai once applied them in healing the sore of Ezechias 4. Kings 20. 7. Howbeit so great is the boldnesse of these men that in their fainings and inuētions they not onelie exercise these thinges which Christ and his Prophets vsed but they also take those things which they neuer vsed For they say that they mingle the holy oyle with Balme But they make a notable lye séeing Balme hath not bin brought vnto vs of long time And séeing they so bountifullie abuse sault they bewray themselues that the sault is become vnsauourie Cardinall Caietanus Which Cardinall Caietanus manifestlie confessed when he interpreted the wordes of Christ wherein he said Matt. 5. 13. But if the sault be made vnsauourie it is nothing else woorth but to bee cast foorth and to be trodden vnder foote by men When he wrote these thinges the Citie of Rome was sacked by the Spanyardes vnder Pope Clement the vij Rome sacked Whereupon he said Because we are now become vnsauorie sault therefore are we cast foorth and trodden vnder foote Wherefore wée must pray vnto
while we sée our selues both to be called and to beléeue we haue an earnest pennie or certeine pledge of our saluation Rom. 8 16. The spirit of God bearing witnesse with our spirit that we be the sonnes of God But yet the féeling of our calling and of our faith is a token of predestination not a cause thereof As prouidence so also dooth predestination bring in no constraint or violence to mans will for whatsoeuer we doo we doo it willinglie and of our owne accord Whether the Masse be a sacrifice THat the Masse is a sacrifice there is no lesse variance at this daie than was in old time betwixt the Troians and Graecians for Helen And they which defend the Masse would haue the Eucharist to haue a double respect first that it is an oblation and sacrifice that is offered vp by the priest secondlie that it is distributed vnto the faithfull for a communion And in the sacrifice of their Masse they indeuour to comprehend these two things For there the Masse-priest as they themselues with full mouth testifie not onlie sacrificeth and offereth vp the Lord Iesus Christ but also eateth and drinketh and that alone whatsoeuer he had offered vnto God before as well for himselfe as for others But that thou maist know what error superstition is conteined in this opinion Two kinds of sacrifice propitiatorie and gratulatorie we must bréefelie sée what is the nature of a sacrifice Which that we leaue not the iust method of a treatise we will diuide it calling the one propitiatorie the other thanks-giuing or as the Graecians speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These parts of the distinction are concluded vnder a certeine common and generall definition The definition of a sacrifice wherein we saie that A sacrifice is nothing else but a worke in which we offer some thing vnto God according to his will that we may honour him And maruell not that I haue added that particle According to his will séeing by the godlie nothing should be offered vp vnto God but that he himselfe hath required and declared to be acceptable vnto him This doo we obserue when we would present anie man with a gift for honour sake we speciallie learne to knowe with what things he is most delighted But betwéene a propitiatorie sacrifice and a gratulatorie this difference we note that we saie A propitiatorie hath power to pacifie God being angrie and to deserue forgiuenesse of sinnes for all men for whom it is offered But the sacrifice gratulatorie or of thanks-giuing hath not this power to reconcile vs vnto God but of those which are alreadie receiued into fauour It is offered to the intent they may giue thanks as well for the reconciliation which they haue obteined as also for innumerable other benefits which they perceiue themselues dailie to obteine And this diuision is sufficientlie taught vs in the old lawe Leuit. 1. For as it appéereth in Leuiticus the men of old time had sacrifices for sinnes and burnt offerings which are said to haue made God mercifull and fauourable to them Whereof they rightlie gather this first member of our diuision Moreouer they had peace offerings for they offered first fruits tenths and manie other such kind of things which must be referred to the other kind to wit the sacrifice of thanks-giuing Wherefore we will prooue that the Masse is no propitiatorie sacrifice that is to wit that the priest can offer our Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of God vnto the father and by such a sacrifice can make him well pleased and mercifull also that he can of him obteine remission of sinnes vnto them for whom he saith he dooth offer or as they rather would haue it dooth sacrifice And this being shewed we shall sée whether the Masse may be called a sacrifice of thanks-giuing And that we may performe that which at the first we determined to shew we will begin with that wherein we knowe our aduersaries doo agrée with vs which is this that the supper of the Lord or the Eucharist is a sacrament Which if it be as they fréelie grant it followeth that the same can be no propitiatorie sacrifice for the nature of a sacrament altogither differeth from the nature of a sacrifice Which that it may be perceiued I will define a sacrament A sacrament is a worke The definition of a sacrament whereby God exhibiteth that which is there signified by the word of promise with an outward signe added therevnto as a seale of the promise made For two things doth a sacrament conteine first the word whereby the promise is expressed and offered of God secondlie it hath the outward element whereby is sealed the promise that we may the more firmelie take hold of the same Therefore so great a difference there is betwéene a sacrament and a sacrifice as is betwéene giuing and receiuing bicause in a sacrament we receiue of God that which he promised in a sacrifice we giue and bring that which he requireth of vs. Wherefore if we will speake properlie the supper of the Lord séeing it is as they will haue it a sacrament it cannot be a sacrifice except we would that to giue and to receiue should be all one Neither shall this shift vantage them to saie that the Masse hath hir name of a propitiatorie sacrifice bicause it is a remembrance of the oblation which Christ offered vnto his father vpon the altar of the crosse And no man will denie but that that was the true propitiatorie sacrifice and it séemeth agréeable that signes should be called by the same names that be the things which they expresse Wherefore Augustine in the 23. epistle vnto Boniface Was not Christ once offered vp in himselfe and yet not onelie in all the solemne feasts of Easter but also euerie daie is offered vp in a sacrament vnto the people and yet vndoubtedlie he lieth not which being demanded answereth that he is offered vp For if sacraments should not haue a certeine similitude of those things whereof they be sacraments they should in no wise be sacraments and of this similitude the signes oftentimes take euen the names of the things signified These things haue they béene accustomed to obiect for their opinion therefore did I saie that our aduersaries haue gained nothing vnder this pretense bicause we doo not here dispute what the supper of the Lord by a certeine similitude may be called but what properlie it is and ought to be estéemed indéed For Augustine which is cited dooth not grant this name but by translation or the figure Metonymia There is another reason which proueth the same thing Christ offered himselfe therefore it is not our part to offer him againe otherwise we must néeds confesse that that sacrifice of Christ was not perfect and sufficient Which is contrarie to the epistle vnto the Hebrues in sundrie places of the ninth and tenth chapters Howbeit here also are they woont to alledge that Christes sacrifice vpon
WHatsoeuer iustice is found in the lawes of men is conteined either in the Ethnike writers or else in the table of the ten commandements proposition 2 All iust and vniust actions maie be reduced vnto the table of the ten commandements euen as all things which be are to the ten predicaments proposition 3 In the table of the ten commandements are taught in few words those things which be most plaine for principles should both be bréefe and euident proposition 4 All things which be commanded in the table of the ten commandements doo verie well agrée with the light of nature proposition 5 The table of the ten commandements is vnderstood of all those which be indued with reason concerning those things which are laid before vs in it at the first vew but those things which it hath in secret are not perceiued except of them which are lightened with the spirit of God proposition 6 In both the tables there are handled thrée kinds of actions namelie of the heart of the toong and of the worke proposition 7 Certeine precepts of the ten commandements were not then first commanded by God when he gaue the lawe vpon mount Sina but long before but in the lawe they are repeated and plainlie set downe for the better expressing of them proposition 8 There are two causes alledged why the sabboth was commanded whereof the one is of the whole commandement and the other is of a part proposition 9 Although that these words Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy hart c. And thy neighbour as thy selfe be not expresselie had in anie of the ten precepts yet are they the forme and measure of them all proposition 10 Albeit that he which loueth his neighbour hath fulfilled the lawe yet are not so manie commandements of the table superfluous Probable proposition 1 IN the first table we place foure precepts first that he which is the true God should be alone accounted for God The second precept that no other gods or anie images should be placed togither with him The third that his name should be accounted holie The fourth that the sabboth daie be kept But in the second table there are taught six precepts namelie Thou shalt honour thy parents Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not commit adulterie Thou shalt not steale Thou shalt not beare false witnesse Thou shalt not lust proposition 2 The last precept wherein is spoken of concupiscence is to be comprehended in one not to be diuided into two proposition 3 Onelie two kinds of coueting are recited therein bicause those be the grosser kind and doo more commonlie happen proposition 4 The first commandement and the last doo after an excellent maner answer one to another for both of them giue precept as touching the spirituall motions of the mind for the first requireth good motions and in the last we are forbidden euill motions proposition 5 He that offendeth in one is made guiltie of all for no lesse are the commandements of God ioined one with another than are the vertues of the philosophers Propositions out of the xx chapter of the booke of Exodus Necessarie proposition 1 IN the holie scriptures there séemeth contrarietie attributed to the lawe of God according as it is taken either by it selfe or by the accident or else as it is considered perfect whole or otherwise maimed and vnperfect When it is taken by it selfe and perfect that is not without Christ and faith then it is said to be spirituall quickening and comfortable but contrariewise if it be vnderstood as it dooth happen and not whole that is without faith and Christ it is said to bring damnation death the wrath of God and such like euils proposition 2 The works of the lawe must not be vtterlie denied to be the causes of our righteousnes and saluation but it must be denied that they be the principall and whole causes of these good things the mercie of God in verie déed is the chéefe and verie true cause of our iustification proposition 3 The works of the lawe yea and faith it selfe when it is vnderstood by it selfe that is seuerallie from Christ and the mercie of God as they procéed from vs they haue alwaies sinne ioined with them yea and they be sinnes proposition 4 If we take the lawe without Christ there shall we sée commanded vs things vnpossible and such as stir vp ill affections proposition 5 Séeing God ioined the Gospell with the lawe it behooueth vs that we receiue the same in such wise as it is giuen vs by him so that we separate not the one from the other proposition 6 Albeit that the lawe cannot be fullie kept of anie mortall man in this life yet must not the promises of the lawe be accounted vaine proposition 7 The works of the lawe declare righteousnesse by that which followeth that is by an argument which bringeth in the cause by the effect and by the continuall vse of those works we obteine righteousnesse whereby nature is restored and made perfect but yet are we not iustified before God with it by it selfe proposition 8 Albeit that the works of the lawe are said to iustifie by another thing that is by faith annexed therevnto yet is it not accidentallie bicause the knitting togither of faith with works is of it selfe proposition 9 The ciuill and morall lawes of the old people be abrogated not as touching the substance but as touching the maner obseruations or circumstances but the morall part remaineth simplie in his owne strength yet may it in some respect be said to be abrogated bicause it condemneth not the faithfull secondlie bicause it is not gréeuous vnto them séeing willinglie and of their owne accord they bend themselues therevnto proposition 10 Euerie faithfull man according to the proportion of his faith is partaker of this deliuerance from the lawe proposition 11 Such is the vse of the lawe among the faithfull as they preach the same vnto the vnbeléeuers further that by it they stir vp themselues to repentance and renew themselues to good works and to a better life proposition 12 The law of God requireth thrée maner of perfections in our works First that what we doo outwardlie it be honest secondlie that we doo this willinglie and of our owne accord lastlie that by a good and spirituall motion we refer all this vnto God proposition 13 We must by the discretion of the law of God not by our owne iudgement determine of that which is honest and that which is dishonest or of the goodnesse and naughtinesse of our owne actions Probable proposition 1 THose before God are counted the dooers of the lawe which hauing faith in Christ doo earnestlie exercise themselues in the obedience of his commandements proposition 2 In that sentence of Daniel Thou shalt redeeme thy sinnes with almes he meaneth the punishment and paine which is due for sinnes proposition 3 They which by their owne iudgement not by the word and lawe of God will
Lorde was not taken of the virgin must not be accounted among those trifles before rehearsed That the substance of Christs flesh was taken of the Virgin Neither shall it in anie wise be graunted that the flesh taken of the virgin is not the substance of Christ but rather as it is called a light circumstance séeing the verie substance of the bodie of Christ was fleshe receiued of the Virgin For from thence was drawen the bodilie matter and substance of Iesus the mediator of God and men whereby comes to passe that it ought in no wise to be referred vnto the circumstance Whervnto is to bee added that the generation of man doth rather belong vnto the efficient cause thereof than vnto the circumstance Wée are not ignorant that among the Logitians and Rhetoricians Parentes are placed among circumstances but this is not doone in respect of their bodilie substance but for their properties and conditions sake to wit that from thence may bee deriued probable arguments either of praise or dispraise of Children For if a man haue had noble parentes excellent and valiant hee is therefore commended and as touching him that he will become such a one a verie likelie argument is gathered Also such craftes men haue béene accustomed to put the manner in the number of the circumstances But fleshe taken of the Virgin belongeth neither vnto the measure nor yet vnto the qualitie of Christ but is as we haue saide the substance as touching his humanitie Luke 1. 35. But the manner of his generation maie be thus said to be namelie that he was begotten without the séed of man because not the strength of her husband but the power of the holie Ghost formed and fashioned out the childe borne of the blessed Virgin These in verie déede I might graunt to be circumstaunces but yet so necessarie to be beléeued as he that confesseth not that Christ was conceiued without the séede of man and made by the power of the holie Ghost and also formed of the fleshe of the Virgin is both estraunged from the Church and from saluation Wherfore we say that the fleshe taken of the Virgin is no circumstance of Christ as he is man but that it belongeth to his substance Againe if we shoulde also graunt that the same doeth belong vnto circumstances yet it is not gathered thereof that that is not necessarie to be beléeued since to suffer to die to be buried to rise againe and to reigne in heauen being the actions of Christ are vndoubtedly reckened among his circūstances which whosoeuer doth not faithfully beléeue and confesse doeth vtterlie fall from the hope of saluation vnlesse he repent And it is a woonderfull thing to determine as Hadrian doeth that the taking of the flesh of the virgin Marie was a thing necessarie vnto our saluation and that yet afterwarde the thing should be so extenuated as they which beléeue the contrarie are saide to bee partakers of saluation And I doe not much maruell at this because he after a sort qualifying a thing of it selfe so harde saieth that hee doeth not vtterly condemne them but commit them to the iudgement of God This is not rightly to diuide the worde of trueth in religion and holie doctrine 1. Tim. 1. 19. Why did Paul pronounce them to haue made a shipwracke of the faith which saide that the Resurrection was alreadie past Whether I beséeche you appeareth it more manifestly out of the holy scriptures that the Resurrection shall be or that Christ is the true séede of Eue the sonne of Abrahā the sonne of Dauid that he was the séede of them The scriptures plainely and manifestly affirme both and both of them belong to the articles of the faith For wee confesse that wee beléeue in Iesus Christ the sonne of God conceiued and borne of the virgin Marie not in him which passed through her as through a Conduite Paule saieth not that he leaueth them to the iudgement of God but he openly pronounceth that they were fallen from the faith and shall not wée account these men woorthie of condemnation Also the Churche did not leaue the Arrians Nestorians Eutichians Ebionites and such like pestilent sectes to the iudgement of God but by manifest and open iudgement condemned them who neuerthelesse ceased not to crie out that they sawe not the consequentes and collections betwéene the wordes of the holie scriptures and the opinions which the right beléeuers defended Therefore let vs measure things not according as they séeme good vnto Heretikes but according as they bee expressed in the holie scriptures Neither doeth Hadrian a thing méete for his profession who therefore putteth vs to businesse because that children and madde men haue saluation without faith whereas notwithstanding the holie scriptures affirme Hebr. 11. 5. that by faith men are saued and doe please God for these things doe belong to the state and condition of the Anabaptistes séeing they be both of full age and haue their right wittes who likewise haue leasure to reade the scriptures and holie sermons and they may also heare the answeres of godly men We iudge it also to be a superfluous question touching faith why God hath required the same at our handes séeing if it had pleased him he coulde haue made men blessed without it For what néede haue we to dispute of the will of God séeing that the same manifestly ynough appeareth in the holie scriptures This rather we ought to labour and earnestly indeuour that wee may by prayers vnto God attaine to the same and to the daily increase thereof that those things which we beléeue wée may through the perswasion of faith expresse in our life déedes and shewe howe great power is placed in vs by GOD. Wee ought not to be such as would knowe the causes and reasons of the diuine counsels That moreouer séemes more than marueilous that this is decreed by Hadrian to bée a thing necessarie to bee beléeued vnto saluation without which may not bee beléeued that sinnes are fréely forgiuen vs by Christ That in verie déede is the chiefe sum and principall point of the Gospell but sée I beséeche you that if a man say he beléeueth this and in the meane time denieth the Resurrection of the dead whether may he bée saide to embrace the true Gospell of Christ I suppose he doeth not nay rather I affirme that he while he is thus perswaded is not partaker of eternall saluation Also another will say that he doeth imbrace that article as a thing out of doubt who notwithstanding on the other part will denie that the sonne of God is equall and of one substance with the father and will holde opinion that the holie Ghost is a creature What shall héere be doone Shall wee allowe them saluation and rest according to this rule And shall we embrace them as the members of Christ and partes of the Church so as they beléeue that sinnes are fréely forgiuen them by the Mediatour
opinion Therefore since wee be most desirous of the vnitie of the church we would maruelouslie wishe that the controuersie which is sprong vppe amongest you should be pacified which wee suppose might bee doone if yée will deliuer your children heereafter to be baptised vnto those churches with whome ye agrée in faith and doctrine For if it could be doone after this manner Baptisme must be receiued of none but such as be of a right faith aswell they which thinke this kinde of baptisme whereof we dispute to be vnlawefull would greatlie reioyse to haue their conscience satisfied they on the other side which thinke the same to bee right and allowed would not for that cause defile their faith or conscience in anie point Beside this in doubtfull causes it most of all becommeth godlie men to imbrace those thinges which they may doe with most safetie The matter which ye propounde we reade not to be defined by the worde of God extant and pronounced in plaine and expresse wordes Wherefore wee must dispute thereof according to that which we may cōiecture by that which we gather out of the holie scriptures Which proofes and conclusions when all men admit not thereof commeth a difficult and dangerous handling of these thinges Howbeit forasmuch as you hauing asked our opinion we cannot kéepe secret our iudgement as touching the question propounded we wil alleage in fewe wordes those thinges which for the present time séeme most fit And if they like you you shall take it thankefully But if they doe not Christianitie being kept safe and inuiolate embrace yée those thinges which yée shall else where finde better Wherefore it séemeth good first of all that all faithfull men should be warned That Baptisme must not be reiterate that they doe not renewe the baptisme which is receiued by the Lutherans euen as wee doe not reiterate that which the Papistes haue ministred vnto vs. But whereas afterwarde you demaunde whether it be lawefull for men that professe the gospell to receiue baptisme of the Lutherans we say that this can not be doone of them without fault Not in verie déede that wee denie their churches to be any churches at all neither doe we thinke that baptisme it selfe is to be denied because of the crueltie which their ministers exercise against vs but wee thus thinke for other causes and those as it séemeth most iust First we affirme that Baptisme is a certaine sealing of the faith of him that is baptised or else if for want of age hee be not yet indued with faith we vnderstande that faith to bee sealed which the offerers of the partie to be baptised doe professe Insomuch then as there is a difference betwéene our faith and the faith of the Lutherans we cannot deliuer our faith to be sealed of them séeing they doe verie much detest the same so farre is it off that they will séeme to allowe it by the signe of baptisme Wherefore in doing of this wée shall séeme rather to consent vnto their faith and that we haue nowe changed our minde and opinion vnto their Church and faith Moreouer we thinke not that the Church of N. doth baptise into anie other faith than into that which flourisheth and is taught in the same But that baptisme is a sealing of the faith Rom. 4. 3. 9. Ib. ver 11. Paule sheweth when he saith vnto the Romans that Abraham first beleeued and that was imputed vnto him for righteousnes Afterwarde he receiued the seale of the righteousnesse of faith that is circumcision Neither can the faithfull doubt but that our baptisme succéeded circumcision Yea and the Iewes would not for anie other cause haue circumcised a stranger vnlesse hee being become first a proselite had professed their religion and faith And they of our religion did not baptise men of perfect age vnlesse they had instructed them fourtie daies before But perhappes ye thinke that the controuersie about the Eucharist is a certaine smal dissent which is not so séeing in it there is strife about the principall pointes of religion Further if the thing be of small importance why do wée so eagerlie contende for the same why doe wee not hide the smalnesse of the difference But if it be as we teach it to be of verie great weight why doe wee not auoide the shewe of a silent consenting with those churches which we knowe for certainetie to be in an ill opinion Why doe we not rather imitate the Lutheran ministers which would not commit their children to be baptised of our ministers Moreouer if in deliuering of your children to bee baptised you should testifie vnto those ministers that you would haue them to be baptised in that faith concerning the Eucharist which yee retaine and professe they vndoubtedly woulde not baptise them Also the godlie Iewes in olde time would not haue giuen their children to be circumcised of Ieroboams priests which worshipped the golden calues together with Iehoua Also we are not a litle mooued by the examples of our forefathers For that same great Theodosius as Socrates wrote in the 5. booke the 6. chapter when hee beganne to waxe gréeuouslie sicke at Thessalonica and would be made partaker of baptisme called vnto him the bishoppe of the Citie asking him first of all what faith that church professed whether the Arrian or the right catholike faith and when hee harde that it confessed Christ to be one substance with his father and that it was contrarie to the Arrians then he with a chéerefull and glad minde required himselfe to be baptised Yea and Valentinian the yonger when he might haue béene baptised in Fraunce yet for the suspicions of heresies wherewith the churches were then infected hee went to Millaine that hee might be there baptised by Ambrose which Church he knewe did followe the sincere and true professed faith To these I will adde Satyrus the brother of the selfe same Ambrose who when hee hadde escaped a most dangerous shipwracke and would not differ baptisme any longer most carefully shunning the churches of the Arrians repaired with all spéede to the catholike Church where hee might be baptised why would famous men so greatlie haue vsed this caution if it had béene all one matter to bee baptised of them which were of a right opinion and of them that erred in the chiefest pointes of faith Moreouer they that be baptised with the signe of baptisme are saide to be visiblie ingraffed into the church and especiallie into that Church in wich the sacramēt of baptisme is dispensed vnto them Therfore since ye wil not and that rightlie in verie déede consent with the Church N. why shoulde you offer vnto it your children to be baptised And herein further my déere brethren in my iudgement you are much deceiued that you thinke those ministers to agrée with you as touching the sacrament of baptisme Verelie it is farre otherwise The opiniō of the Lutherans as touching Baptisme for they attribute vnto the
that men ought to haue in forbearing wicked workes 2 573 b Intercession Who maketh Intercession for vs in heauen 3 306 b 308 b How it is meant that it is Christ 3 308 b Necessarie to the holiest of all 3 308 a Howe it is the cause of the intercession of the holy ghost 3 307 b 308 a Of the Intercession of sainctes 3 308 a Whether it be auaileable for them in Purgatorie 3 243 a 308 ab Interpretations False Interpretations of scriptures 4 74 b Christ reiected them 4 75 a Inuentions The Ceremonies of the law must not be compared with the Inuentions of men as the Nicodemus doe 2 320 b Inuocation The Inuocation of sainctes vsed by the Papistes is ydolatrous 2 307 b 308 a A good exposition of a place in Iohn against the Inuocation of saincts 2 347 b Io. Iohn Baptist Howe Iohn Baptist came in the spirite of Elias 3 384 b Ioy. Of the Ioy that is ioyned with hope 3 86 a The Ioy which Plato ascribeth vnto the minde defined 1 134 b Is Israelites A difference of Israelites 3 354 a What manner of cause they had against the Chanaanits 4 299 a ¶ Looke Ievves Iu. Iudge Iudge not and yee shal not be iudged expounded 4 259a b 289b Iudges It greatlie auaileth iudges of the lawes because of giuing punishments and rewards to knowe what is done voluntarie and not voluntarie 2 28 a ¶ Looke magistrates Iudgement of God What wee haue to learne by the particular examples of Gods Iudgement 3 386 b It beginneth at Gods owne house 3 286 ab Repentance doth not alwaies chaunge it no not in the godlie 1 207 b A difference of it in one thing and in diuers things one iudgment noted by Augustine 1 198 b Iudgment of the last day of doome Of the chaunge of all things at the last Iudgement 3 393a b what thing shall be then immortall 3 397 ab A certaine foreknowledge thereof naturallie planted in vs. 3 388 a How all shall sée Christ then 2 603 b Thrée markes thereof 3 388 b Who shall come to be examined there 2 626 b How Christ hath knowledge thereof and howe not 3 385 b 386 a Why Christ will then make mention of outward workes 3 113 a It is called mercie 3 53 b 54 a Whether the substance and nature of things shall remaine after the same 3 394 ab 395 a A description thereof 2 625 ab Iudgement of men The parts of right Iudgement in magistrates 4 246 ab Peruerse vsed against Christ and his members 2 625 b 626 a How farre it doth extend 2 626 a Ecclesiastical not taken away by the Gospel 2 532a A distinction of Iudgement 3 63 a Priuate and publike 2 532 a Priuate of two sorts 2 532a From whence priuate Iudgement springeth 2 532a Publike and of going to lawe 4 276b 277 ab After what sort Paul forbiddeth it 2 531 b Not to be giuen vpon all actions and why 2 533 a What Iudgement resisteth faith 3 63 a Why it must not be giuen of men according to first sight 3 13 ab What Iudgement we should haue of our neighbour 3 48 a Thrée thinges whereof we ought not to giue our Iudgement 2 532 b Necessarie in Church Common-weale and housholde and howe 2 531 b 532 a A kinde of Iudgement in brute beasts but not a frée iudgement 2 256 b 257 a What thing should withdrawe vs from rash Iudgement 2 532 a Of the error of Iudgement in it owne obiects 2 407 b What we must obserue in giuing of Iudgement 2 532 a Iudgement without mercie remaineth to him that hath not shewed mercie expounded 4 254 b Iulian. Iulian the Apostataes vaine glorie 2 383 a The confession that he made of Christ 1 13 b Iust Of diuerse that were called Iust whereupon 2 569 b ¶ Looke Righteous Iustice of God and Christ The Iustice of God noted in appointing some to be saued and some to be damned 2 220 b 221 a 3 11 b 387 ab It must not be blamed if the fathers sinnes be powred into the children 2 240 a Whether we abolish it by taking away of Purgatorie 3 245 a It hath no néede of our defence 2 221 b How the Iustice of God is blamed and defended 3 21 ab A time when Christ Iustice was hidden and when it shal be knowne 2 626 b Iustice of man Whether Iustice haue his name of Ius right 4 245 b 246 a Whether right or it be first and foremost 4 246 a Nothing must be doone for teare against it 4 299 b How it is to be ministred 4 246 a Whereto it serueth and the ende of the same 1 1 b Friendship consisteth therein and what if that faile 2 423 b It is as well his good that iudgeth as his also who is iudged 1 142 b The parts thereof rightly executed 4 246 ab Why friendship is more conuenient than it 3 258 a Ciuill Iustice among men but not before God is sufficient 2 408 b Iustifie The signification of this worde to Iustifie 3 89 ab An analogie betwéene the two words to beléeue and to Iustifie 3 89 b To Iustifie from sinnes is the worke of Christ 3 129 b 130 a What grace we ought to confesse to iustifie vs. 3 152 b Whether grace and a weake faith haue the power to Iustifie 2 261 b Wherein grace following works agréeth and differeth from grace before going and that they both iustifie 2 261b God is said to Iustifie two manner of wayes 3 89 ab Iustified To be iustified what it is 3 76 a Whether we are iustified by faith onely 3 108 a Proofes that wée are 3 125 ab How it appeareth 3 142 a Whether fréely before baptisme 3 236 b 237 a What it is to be iustified by grace and by the grace of Christ 3 48 b Whether all the forefathers were iustified by the same faith that wée are 3 151 b Euen to the iustified the vse of the lawe is necessarie 2 576b Why they that be doe pray still for their sinnes 2 266 a Séeing wee be wherfore are we subiect vnto death 3 315 a At what time Abraham was iustified 3 136 a To the not iustified nothing is remitted of the rigor of the lawe 3 140a Not the hearers but the dooers of the lawe shal be iustified expounded 3 116 b Iustification Whereof Iustification commeth 3 99 a The efficient cause the ende and instrument of our iustification 3 125 b What thinges are required thereto 3 105 b Whether it consist in faith onely 3 154 b Auouched by Chrysostome 2 262 b The nature thereof and of prouidence all one 3 98 a Why it is ascribed to faith not to charitie 3 75 b Saluation began thereby 2 260. all 261 a By faith and not by faith 3 60 b Iustification euen in the catechumenie and conceiued sonnes of God 2 261 a Euen after it sinne remaineth in vs. 2 266 a Whether hope and charitie bee excluded
brought vs doth reteine vs in the same VVhich method we hauing followed haue distributed all these places into foure parts A PARTICVLAR METHOD OF THE FIRST PART ALbeit that the knowledge of God is naturallie ingraffed in the minds of all men and is also made the more manifest by the things created yet such is the corrupt nature of men as it shortlie vanisheth awaie vnlesse we acknowledge God such as he is in the holie scriptures and doo auoid all illusions and sleights of Satan And in the scriptures besides diuers praises of God first he must be considered in Trinitie and vnitie and secondlie as he created heauen and earth and moderateth all things by his prouidence Wherefore in this first part we haue set downe those places which perteine to the setting foorth of these principall points THE CHAPTERS AND COMMON PLACES OF THE FIRST PART chapter I OF the ends of good and euill among the Christians pag. 1. chapter II Of the naturall knowledge of God by his creatures pag. 10. Whether there be anie yet that knowe not God and after what sort they be inexcusable pag. 13. chapter III Of prophesie and of the name causes definition and effects thereof pag. 17. Of prophets and the difference of them of the meanes to discerne the true from the false and whether and how far foorth there be prophets at this daie pag. 19. chapter IIII Of visions how and how much God may be knowne of men as well in this life as in the life to come pag. 24. What maner of visions the fathers had and whether God or onelie angels appeared vnto them pag. 25. chapter V Of dreames and of the causes and effects of them pag. 32. chapter VI Of the holie scriptures and of the dignitie and profit of them and of the means how to vnderstand them pag. 39. An exhortation to the reading of the holie scriptures pag. 44. Of historie pag. 48. chapter VII * Whether yong and incontinent men c. should be excluded from hearing of the word of God pag. 52. chapter VIII Of lots and of Vrim and Thumim pag. 58. chapter IX Of miracles and the definition and difference of them pag. 62. Whether it be lawfull for the godlie to desire miracles and whie there be none in this our age pag. 69. chapter X Whether it was Samuel or the diuell that appeared vnto Saule pag. 72. Of the nature knowledge power apparitions and answers of diuels pag. 77. Whether and how far diuels do knowe things to come pag. 81. Whether they knowe mens thoughts pag. 83. Of the power of diuels and of their strength in dooing of things pag. 85. What bodies they assume to themselues pag. 87. Of the illusions called Lamiae Empusae and such like pag. 89. Whether it be lawfull to take counsell of the diuell and to vse his helpe pag. 90. Whether we may vse inchantments to take awaie mischeefes pag. 91. chapter XI Of a good intent zeale prescription and custome pag. 92. The meanes to knowe which is a good zeale and which is a bad pag. 94. chapter XII Of the name of Iehouah and of sundrie attributes of God pag. 99. Of the holie Trinitie pag. 100. That Christ being God is eternall 101. That the holie Ghost is one God with the Father and the Sonne pag. 103. How much the remembrance of wrath and the affect of repentance is attributed vnto God pag. 109. chapter XIII Of the creation of all things pag. 110. Of the creation of angels their sundrie names visions assuming of bodies office dignitie order and degrees pag. 111. Of man Pag. 121. Of the soule Ibidem Wherein consisteth the image of God pag. 123. Of paradise pag. 125. The long life of the fathers pag. 126. Of giants pag. 128. chapter XIIII * Of felicitie in generall pag. 132. * Of pleasure and wherein it may concur with the cheefest good pag. 134. Of honour pag. 141. * Of riches beautie nobilitie and such like pag. 145. * Of contemplation pag. 149. * That vertue is not the cheefe good pag. 176. * The causes of felicitie pag. 154. * Whether anie man can bee counted happie while he liueth here pag. 158. chapter XV Of the prouidence of God pag. 167. chapter XVI Whether God be the author of sinne pag. 176. Of three sorts of Gods working about his creatures pag. 181. Of the will signified and the will effectuall pag. 201. chapter XVII How it may be said that God dooth repent and dooth tempt pag. 206. How it may be said that the kingdome of Saule should be established for euer the same being before appointed to the tribe of Iuda pag. 208. A method of the Common places of the second Part. THe second Part comprehendeth the Common places which doo expresse the naturall corruption of all mankind by the fall of Adam the which corruption of humane nature is the more cleerelie discerned by opposing it to the iustice of God which is expressed in the lawe yet so neuerthelesse as by the acknowledging of sinnes we are brought to receiue the grace of God which was made manifest first to the fathers in the old testament and then when the time was come in the Gospell Afterward is set foorth vnto vs Christ the Messias who is the wel-spring and substance of all good things who all maner of waies fulfilled all the parts of our saluation THE CHAPTERS AND COMMON PLACES OF THE SECOND PART chapter I OF sinne especiallie originall and of the deprauing of the whole nature of man pag. 213. By what means the corruption thereof is deriued into the posteritie 231 239. That sinne is the cause of death 243. That by sinne all things are subiect to vanitie pag. 247. chapter II Of free will pag. 252. * Of voluntarie and not voluntarie 280. * Of mans election or making of choise pag. 293. chapter III Of the lawe pag. 297. Of philosophie the comparison therof especiallie morall with Diuinitie 300. Necessarie rules for the interpretation and keeping of the lawe pag. 304. chapter IIII The first precept where is intreated of idolatrie and sundrie kinds of idols 307. Whether it be lawfull for Christians to dwell among infidels pag. 309. Whether it be lawfull to haue teachers which beleue not in Christ pag. 311. Of the suffering of Iewes heretiks 328. What is to tempt God pag. 331. Of curiositie pag. 332. chapter V The second precept which concerneth images their beginning antiquitie and cause pag. 333. Whether it be lawful to expresse Christ the Angels and other creatures in images pag. 340. Whether it be lawfull to place images in churches pag. 351. Of Cherubim and Teraphim pag. 356. Of humane sacrifices pag. 359. Of the establishing of the second commandement whether the child shal beare the iniquitie of the father pag. 362. chapter VI The third precept of sanctification of the name of God and generallie of oths pag. 368. chapter VII The fourth precept of sanctifieng the sabboth daie pag. 374. Of other
with others in which the verie same matters although after a much plainer sort are intreated of And if perhaps some places be so hard as they cannot be reached vnto wée must thinke that such are not much necessarie vnto our saluation For the holie Ghost is not so without care of our saluation as of set purpose he would that to be hid from vs which we ought to knowe naie rather the difficultie of vnderstanding of the scriptures is oftentimes verie profitable vnto the faithfull For by that meanes a more honest indeuour is stirred vp in them the desire of vnderstanding is increast and they become more feruent in praier wherein they labour ernestlie with God that he will giue them grace to knowe that which as yet is hidden from them Moreouer Out of the preface In Rom. Looke In Rom. 4 13. by such meanes they are become willing to aske the aduise of others better learned than themselues whereby the hautines of mind which perhaps might arise is suppressed humilitie and mutuall loue among the members of Christ is restored Neither dooth the difficultie of the scriptures which somtimes happeneth harme vnto anie except such as be peruerse men Chrysost Chrysostome as we touched before in his preface to the epistle to the Romans taught that This darknes is mollified by often diligent reading and so mollified as he dare speake it that we of our selues without anie maister may vnderstand whatsoeuer is taught in them so that we meditate our selues therein both daie and night For I my selfe saith he did not attaine to this skill by the sharpenes of mine owne wit but by earnest indeuour For euen the dullest wits by diligent labor doo compasse hard and obscure things And he bringeth a verie apt similitude A similitude The thoughts meanings of a man are most secret yet oftentimes are the thoughts and meanings of our fréend whom we earnestlie loue and with whom we are alwaies conuersant perceiued of vs by a becke or nod without a signe of words or spéeches which he vttereth Euen so saith he it commeth to passe in the epistles of Paule so that a man loue them and be dailie occupied in them He that asketh shall receiue he that seeketh shall find and he that knocketh it shall be opened vnto him This he spake to the common people exhorting them to the studie of the scriptures 16 But there bée some others woont also to iangle that the holie scriptures In 1. Cor. 13 ver 12. for their doubtfulnes and obscuritie may be called glasses and as it were riddles and therefore would conclude that they are in no wise sufficient for our saluation but that we must refer our selues to the iudgment of fathers and councels For the principles or rules they saie whereby our life is directed must be most plaine and euident vnto vs. But these men are alreadie answered In things necessarie to saluation the scriptures are not ambiguous that in such things as are incident to saluation the scriptures want no plainnesse nor perspicuitie and those things which in one place are somewhat darklie intreated of are plainlie taught in another And who vnderstandeth not that the apostle in that place speaketh not absolutelie but by a comparison What a grosse kind of reasoning is this A grosse kind of reasoning Those things which be taught in the holie scriptures and in the sacraments be glasses and riddles of diuine things if they be compared to the knowlege that we shall haue in the life to come therefore simplie and of themselues they be so obscure as they are not sufficient for our saluation But those things which we now beléeue are not so euident vnto mans reason as that they can be shewed by causes though in the life to come all things shall be so perfectlie knowne vnto vs that we shall be able to reduce all things to their owne causes and from cause to cause till we come to the highest And what can the fathers themselues or the councels teach vs more than they themselues learned in the holie scriptures * For whatsoeuer they adde ouer and aboue these must be reiected as mans deuise 17 Those words which we haue in the latter epistle to the Corinthians the third chapter doo fitlie serue to the expounding of this matter But we behold as in a mirror verse 18. the glorie of the Lord with open face and are changed into the same image from glorie to glorie as by the spirit of the Lord. For the apostle in these words laieth togither two kinds of knowleges which we haue of heauenlie things Two maner of comparisons of our knowledge and compareth the one with that which was vnder the lawe and the other with that which we expect in the life to come And in the first comparison he saith that The knowledge vnder the lawe was secret and hidden and was signified by the vaile which Moses cast ouer his face when he spake to the people And against this obscure knowledge he opposeth the knowledge which wée haue after Christs comming wherwith we behold heauenlie things with open face the vaile being put awaie But least thou shouldest thinke that our knowledge is yet perfect he vseth this participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Beholding through a glasse For the fruition of the things themselues is reserued til we come vnto the eternall rest whereby we be changed transformed euerie daie into the image of God euen from lesser to greater glorie Augustine handleth this place verie properly in his 15. book De trinitate the third chapter We must not take offense saith he that God hath so instructed vs in the knowledge of him as it were through a glasse and in darke saiengs bicause so our nature hath required it For we be framed in such sort as we are led vnto the knowledge of causes by their effects and are trained by similitudes vnto certeine truths In 1. Cor. 2 vers 7. How the holie scriptures shuld be read of all men 18 No more are they to be heard which would persuade that the holie scriptures should be taken from laie men bicause the mysteries which are in them ought not to be committed to al persons For that is as much saie they as to cast holie things vnto dogs But the people of Christ must not be counted as dogs For they that haue beléeued be baptised and be partakers of the sacraments They haue the spirit of GOD and therefore must not be defrauded of his word And although within the whole flocke of christians there may be found some which be contemners and perhaps some blasphemers and mockers shall therefore the greatest number of the faithfull be depriued of the commoditie of the scriptures for their sakes No verelie Which thing is euidentlie prooued by the example of the apostles which were not ignorant that among such a number as came to the hearing of their seruice there were many present
thing doone when it is as it appeareth And August answereth Signes and woonders are called lies either bicause they will appeare to be and yet be not or else bicause they lead men vnto lies for antichrist by such signes will séeke nothing else but to deceiue and driue men to beléeue false things And this is no new or strange thing that a cause should take either his name or propertie of his effect But that things séeme to be and are not may two maner of waies be taken either when among true things some counterfait are mingled or else bicause they be set foorth for miracles when they are no miracles Looke in Gen. 6 14 and 33 chap. 30 verse 32. 7 Another doubt there is to be resolued namelie that the power of God which passeth nature vseth either angels or men as well good as euill to doo miracles Wherevnto I answere that it vseth them as certeine instruments somtime dooth miracles at their desire God vseth angels and men as instruments to doo miracles praiers and sute without anie outward labour of theirs sometime he will haue them to put to their worke or ministerie For Moses did strike the sea and the rocke with his rod Christ touched the leapers and annointed the eies of the blind Exod. 7 6. Exod. 16 13. Matth. 8 3. Iohn 9 6. But it must be vnderstood that there be two kinds of instruments Some are so prepared as although they be not the chéefe efficient causes yet are they a great meanes and furtherance to bring the thing to effect as iron to cut hard things and medicines to heale a disease when as neuertheles they are but instruments of the workemen But God vseth other kind of instruments in the dooing of miracles which in their owne nature haue no strength to bring to effect For what force had the rod of Moses to diuide the sea What force had the shadowe of Peter to heale the sicke Acts. 5 5. Verelie nothing if thou haue respect to the nature of them Wherefore the instruments which God vseth in these miracles doo of their owne nature either bring no helpe at all vnto them or sometimes rather they let them Num. 21 9. 2. King 2 21. 1. Kin. 18 34. Iohn 9 6. as the beholding of the brasen serpent the salt of Elizeus the water of Elias which hée powred on the burnt offering the claie which Christ put to the eies of the blind Wherefore when miracles are doon by instruments of this kind which doo nothing helpe yea rather doo let the power and might of God is much more set foorth Yea and Christ also to the intent he might teach vs that naturall power dooth nothing further herein said vnto his mother at the marriage Woman Iohn 2 4. what haue I to doo with thee Not that he ment thereby to depresse the authoritie of his mother but that it might appéere that the nature which he had taken of hir was not of it selfe able to make him worke miracles Wherefore séeing God vseth both men and angels good and bad for to doo miracles and that those things are sometime benefits and somtime punishments whereby men are either punished or holpen we néed not make anie doubt whether God doo punish by his good angels or no. For it is euident enough that by angels Sodom was destroied by an angel the host of Senacherib was slaine Gen. 19 2. 2. King 19 35. 2. Sam. 24. verse 16. and that Dauid sawe the angel which was minister of the plague against Israel 8 But Augustine vpon the 78. psalme Whether God directlie helpeth men by the miracles of ill angels doubteth whether God hath by euill angels doon miracles whereby men haue immediatelie receiued some benefit and he saith that he hath not read it in the holie scriptures No more trulie haue I vnlesse we might saie that it profited Paule to be tormented by the angel of sathan 2. Cor. 12 7. and that he therfore deliuered some vnto sathan 1. Cor. 5 5. to the intent their soules might be saued in the daie of iudgement Augustine Howbeit Augustines question hath not respect vnto this but to knowe whether plaine and euident good turns such as be the gifts of healing prophesieng toongs giuing of food setting at libertie and such like are miraculouslie bestowed vpon men from God by the diuell or his angels Wherein I thinke as Augustine dooth that the scriptures no where testifie anie such thing And yet is it euident that as well the godlie men as the vngodlie be tempted punished and molested by euill angels howbeit after a sundrie fashion For as Augustine saith in the same place there be after a sort two flocks of men to wit the wicked and the good the good are the flocke of God euen as the wicked are the flocke of the diuell Wherefore against the wicked as against his owne he dealeth more at libertie he disquieteth them he deludeth and intreateth them ill as in his owne right and yet can he not deale beyond the prescript measure appointed him by God But against the flocke of Christ he dare doo nothing more than GOD himselfe somtime for diuers purposes dooth giue him leaue as we may perceiue by Iob. Iob. 1 12. Otherwhile God suffereth the godlie to be gréeuouslie afflicted by the diuell to the end his grace should be the more famouslie extended towards them But when Augustine expoundeth the words of the psalme Psal 78 49. he doubteth whether the plagues of the Aegyptians were brought in by a good angel or by the diuell and at length he sheweth that the plague and destruction of the first borne may be ascribed to the ministerie of the diuell and that all the other plagues must be attributed to good angels whereby as well the saieng of the booke of Exodus as of the psalme may stand as they be But as touching that plague of the first borne it is written in Exodus vnder the name of God Exod. 12 12 In that night I will passe through Aegypt and will smite c. By these words that destruction séemes to be attributed either to God Whether God sent the plagues of Aegypt by ill angels or by good or to a good angel and not vnto the diuell Howbeit that dooth not much mooue me for although it were doone by the ministerie of the diuell yet the punishment must be ascribed vnto God For Iob when he was bereft of all his goods and children yet he said The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken awaie And that which was executed by the diuell he said was doon by God But some obiect that if we shall assigne these things vnto the diuel then may he séeme to haue fought against himselfe For sorcerers by the diuels helpe did withstand Moses when as they did the same things that he did But if so be the plagues were sent against the Aegyptians by euill
thinketh that this concupiscence which he saith is originall sinne be voluntarie He will answer that it may bée called voluntarie bicause the sinne committed by our first parents was voluntarie but in vs it cannot be said voluntarie bicause wée haue not taken it vpon vs by our owne choise vnles perhaps it may be so called Pighius against Augustine for that it is not by violence put into vs. Against this opinion Pighius inueigheth for thus he saith If so be that the sinne of Adam corrupted mans nature it behooued such a naturall effect to be in sinne for there was not anie thing at all in that first transgression that had a propertie to corrupt nature more than other sinnes haue Wherfore it shall be necessarie to confesse that our nature is corrupted not onelie by the fault of our first parents but also by the sinnes of all our progenitors Which thing séemeth verie absurd vnto Pighius that we should be so much more corrupt than others as we are later borne than they 10 But this chéefe point to wit whether the sinnes of all parents be deriued from one to another vnto the posteritie I will for this time omit and will speake thereof toward the end so much as shall be thought méet In the meane while I denie that which this man taketh for a ground namelie that corruption is the naturall effect of sinne Corruption is no naturall effect of sinne For the reason thereof procéedeth rather of diuine iustice by which the grace of the spirit and heauenlie gifts wherewithall man was indued before his fall was remooued from him when he had sinned And this withdrawing of grace procéeded of Gods iustice although the blame must be ascribed to the transgression of the first man least thou shouldest straitwaie saie Grace being withdrawne corruption followed of his owne accord that God is the cause of sinne For when he had once withdrawne his gifts wherewith he beautified man foorthwith insued vices and corruptions of their owne accord the which before were strange from the state and condition of man This man demandeth how sinne can haue the power to corrupt mans nature Whether by meanes of priuation Or by reason of the matter or subiect of priuation But by meanes of priuation he thinketh it vnpossible to be for that being nothing can worke nothing neither that it can be by reason of that action which is subiect vnto priuation as was the wicked choise through the will of the first man For he saith that Adam when he did eate the forbidden fruit desired not this Manie things followe men against their wils neither was it his will to corrupt his owne nature and the nature of his posteritie This is a verie weake argument for oftentimes we sée that many things doo followe men against their wils andn vnwares which things though they would not yet are they ioined togither with their actions A similitude They which load themselues immoderatelie with meate and drinke doo it not vpon anie such cause as to procure vnto themselues the gout but the gout followeth of it owne accord Euen so although Adam would not haue had these things happen yet when he had sinned they happened of themselues But he saith that séeing this concupiscence happeneth of a certeine necessitie of birth and not by choise or election it cannot haue the nature either of a fault or sinne But this cōmeth to passe by reason that he maketh a lesse lighter matter of sinne than he ought to doo for he would sinne to be voluntarie and a thing spoken doone or lusted against the lawe of God But if he take the same to be iniquitie 1. Iohn 3 4. as Iohn hath described it he shall perceiue that the nature of sinne is to be found in concupiscence For it is an vniust thing In concupiscence is found the nature of sinne Looke after in part 2. place 2. Art 25. that the bodie should not obeie the mind in honest things that the lusts should be at variance with the mind and seeke to haue dominion ouer it that reason should striue against God and despise his commandements These things being vniust come they willinglie or come they necessarilie doubtlesse they be sinnes But dooth not this Pighius which obiecteth these things perceiue that it is necessarie also for him to appoint that the posteritie of Adam is guiltie of his sinne and that whether they will or no which thing is speciallie against the word of God For it is written in the prophet Ezechiel Ezec. 18 20. The sonne shall not beare the fathers iniquitie And The soule that sinneth tha same shall die According to Pighius children should beare their fathers offenses not their owne Which doubtlesse will be false if we beléeue Pighius séeing children doo die and are giltie of eternall damnation although they haue sinned nothing at all Vnto which absurditie we be not driuen which we doo put in euerie man that is borne the fault and the cause wherefore he dieth and is condemned Also vnto Pighius it séemeth a reprochfull and blasphemous thing against God that he suffereth sinne to be sowne in new borne babes séeing they cannot doo withall but be borne and affected in such sort as we sée all other men to be borne and affected But let Paule make answere to this obiection which saith in his epistle to the Romans O man Rom. 9 20. who art thou that makest answere vnto God Hath not the potter power of the claie to make of one lumpe one vessell to honour and another to dishonour Let Esaie also answere which saith Esaie 45 9. that It is not conuenient for one potsherd to dispute with another touching the workemanship of their maker God is not such a one as ought to be brought into order by our reason which would come to passe if we should measure his iustice by the rule of our iudgement Séeing there is no daie passeth ouer wherein there happeneth not somewhat in the gouernment or worldlie things that we blame and that dooth not content and satisfie our owne wisedome when I praie shall we count God to be iust For who is able to declare the cause whie grace is not so much giuen vnto him which perisheth euerlastinglie as to another which is saued 11 I knowe that these men haue béene accustomed to saie that God dooth nothing there vniustlie bicause he is not bound to anie lawe and that he distributeth one and the like grace vnto all men But here certeinlie humane wisdome will not staie it selfe for it will complaine and saie that he ought to deale alike towards all though not by the precept of mans lawe yet by the lawe of his owne goodnes Moreouer what humane wisedome can sée what the iustice of God is that some are taken awaie while they be yet infants or children least afterward their harts should be peruerted with lewdnes and by this meanes doo atteine
by God But we confesse and acknowledge that man was created frée and in that he hath now lost his fréedome we ascribe not God to be the authour thereof but mans owne fault They which denie fréewill haue bin called heretiks by the church Why they are called heretiks which denie freewill But this must be vnderstood concerning the first creation of our nature for otherwise there is not one of the fathers which if the truth be well weighed bewaileth not the calamitie of man whereinto he fell through sinne Our aduersaries rather come néere vnto the Manicheis which affirme Our aduersaries come somewhat nigh vnto the Manicheis that Our corrupt affects as they are now were so created by God for so they affirme that he created them euill But we forsomuch as we perceiue that these troublesome affections be not void of sinne denie that they were so created by God but that through our owne default they are become vnbridled and be repugnant to the word of God Certeine it is that man at the beginning was made vnto the image of God and there is nothing more beséeming vnto it than libertie But séeing that image was in a maner blotted out in vs so as there was néed to haue the same restored by Christ what maruell is it if our libertie be also for the most part taken awaie from it When they reason that man is frée A similitude they doo euen as if they should saie that man is a two-footed creature and therefore he is able to go vpright But if they would so conclude of a lame man it should easilie appeere how much they be deceiued for the properties of man which would be agréeable vnto his nature being perfect when they be applied vnto the same nature being corrupt doo not agrée A comparison of our aduersaries with the Pelagians Neither be the opinions of our aduersaries much dissenting from the Pelagians for they taught that nature being holpen by the grace of creation and doctrine of the lawe may liue vprightlie And these men saie that nature being holpen by grace preuenting and knocking is able to doo good works which may please God The catholike church resisted the Pelagians neither did it contend about the grace of creation or of the lawe neither about the grace preuenting but it taught that without the grace of Christ wherewith we be iustified none is able to worke aright To be with out faith in Christ and without grace in Augustines iudgement is all one thing And by the iudgement of Augustine who vehementlie contended against these men there is no difference betwéene dooing rightlie without grace and dooing rightlie without the faith of Christ He vpon the 31. psalme to shew that there is no good worke without faith writeth thus A good intent maketh the worke good but faith guideth that intent wherefore consider not what a man dooth but what he hath respect vnto while he is dooing 10 And whereas in all the holie scriptures there is not one sentence repugnant to our doctrine yet they continuallie obiect vnto vs the example of Cornelius Acts. 10 2 and 3 4 who being not yet as they thinke regenerate neither beléeuing in Christ yet did such works as were acceptable vnto GOD. Of Cornelius and his works Indéed we grant that both the almes and praiers of Cornelius were pleasing vnto God for the angel affirmed the same But these men adde of their owne Cornelius beleeued before baptisme that Cornelius when he did these things was not yet iustified nor yet beléeued in Christ But they marke not that the scripture in that place called him religious and one that feared God wherefore Cornelius beléeued and in Messias beléeued he being instructed in the Iewes learning but whether IESVS of Nazareth were that Messias he knew not for a certeintie and therefore Peter was sent to instruct him more fullie But here to bleare our eies verse 23. they saie that Paule in the 17. of the Acts attributeth some godlines vnto the people of Athens when as notwithstanding they were idolaters for thus he saith Ye men of Athens I shew vnto you that God whom you ignorantlie worship But euen as if a man that can handsomlie drawe some one letter A similitude shall not therefore be straitwaie counted a good writer neither he that can sing one or two verses shall for that cause be taken for a singing man for these names require consideration and art and it may come to passe by chance that a man may drawe well or sing well once or twise euen so none is to be counted verelie and out of doubt good which setteth foorth one good worke or two that haue some shew of godlines But Paule called not the Atheniens godlie without adding some termes of spéech which should diminish godlines True godlines cannot be ioined with ignorance Whom ye ignorantlie saith he worship But what pietie can that be which is ioined with the ignorance of the true GOD Moreouer a little before he had called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Verie superstitious by these two words hée much diminished their pietie verse 22. But Luke absolutelie calleth Cornelius religious and addeth that He feared God Iob. 1 1. which addition is of so great force How great a dignitie it is to feare God that in the booke of Iob a man fearing God is translated of the seuentie interpretors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is A true and religious man And Dauid saith Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord. Psal 112 1. And if so be he be blessed which feareth God how is not the same man also iustified But besides these things which after a sort by the causes declare the iustification of Cornelius Acts. 10. we haue also another testimonie of the effects The effects are a testimonie of Cornelius iustification for that he gaue almes which were acceptable vnto God But we haue alreadie by manie reasons prooued that none can doo works acceptable vnto God but he which is iustified and regenerate Further he distributed these almes vpon the people of the Iewes as of whom he hauing béene instructed in the skill of godlines would impart vnto them in like maner some of his temporall goods For It is meet as Paule saith vnto the Galathians that he which is instructed Galat. 6 6. should communicate vnto him which dooth instruct him in all good things Moreouer that soldier which was sent vnto Peter declareth Acts. 10 22. that he had a good testimonie of all the Iewes All which things doo sufficientlie shew that although we read not that he was circumcised yet he came so néere vnto the doctrine of the people of God as that all men commended his pietie verse 30. He praie◠continuallie It is written besides that he praied and that continuallie And if so be we diligentlie weigh the whole historie we shall find that he
that which he thinketh lawfull for him to doo We make intercessions for sinnes and not for things permitted vs. Wherefore this place maketh much against our aduersaries And that the same is sinne it is manifestlie prooued by this historie but this doo they earnestlie indeuor to excuse I would to God they would diligentlie marke in that action that which there Naaman felt And if they shall fall as he feared to fall let them not cloke it with a vaine defense but let them craue the mercie of God and the praiers of godlie men whereby that which they haue doone amisse may be fréelie forgiuen them Neither did Elizaeus as they persuade themselues giue Naaman the Syrian Elizeus gaue Naaman no accesse vnto idols libertie to go vnto the idols onelie he said Go in peace which also was an accustomed kind of salutation in those daies Neither is it lawfull to gather anie other thing by those words than that the prophet promised to doo that which was desired of him namelie to praie vnto God for the saluation of that man First to strengthen him that he should not fall secondlie that if he sinned his fault might be forgiuen him Baruch 6 2 29 Also they vse to obiect certeine words out of the epistle of the prophet Ieremie the which is written at the end of a little booke intituled Baruch The words be these In Babylon you see gods of gold and siluer borne vpon mens shoulders forcing a feare out of the heathen beware that ye followe not the Gentiles when ye shall see a heape of people worshipping as well before as behind But saie in your harts O Lord it is thou onelie that ought to be worshipped By these words doo our Nicodemites thinke it to be sufficient that they which be present at idolatrous worshippings doo saie in their harts O Lord it is thou onlie that ought to be worshipped But they should more attentiuelie ponder that the prophet if he were a prophet that spake those words which I therfore speake bicause the little booke of Baruch is not canonicall The booke of Baruch is Apocryphall nor found in the Hebrue gaue not the Iewes libertie to go into the temples of the idols so to be present at prophane and idolatrous rites that they should then talke secretlie within themselues vnto the true God But he speaketh of those images which were caried about the citie for that was the maner among the Babylonians as the historie of Daniel declareth which testifieth that the image of Nabuchad-nezar was openlie carried about in great pompe with instruments of musicke and with songs at the hearing wherof all men were commanded to worship the image that they beheld which the companions of Daniel would not doo Of those images I saie it is written in that epistle And the godlie are faithfullie admonished that they should not worship or adore those things which the Ethniks did both behind and before them Naie rather in detestation of their wicked worship let them saie at the leastwise in their hart O Lord it is thou onelie which ought to be worshipped These same méetings happening by chance in the citie could not be auoided The godlie therefore were to be admonished how they should behaue themselues in such méetings 30 But these men being shamelesse doo procéed forward importunatlie and demand how chance Daniel was not cast into the burning fornace with his fellowes when as like punishment was prouided for all which would not worship the image of Nabuchad-nezar Dan. 3 5. Wherfore these men imagine that Daniel made a shew as though he did worship it and for that cause the Chaldaeans medled not with him And they saie also that they may lawfullie doo that which they thinke this holie prophet of God did They consider not that they fall into a false kind of reason which commonlie is called Non causa vt causa which is when that which is not a cause is put for a cause Why Daniel was not cast into the fornace togither with his felows For there might be verie manie other causes whie Daniel was not then punished Peraduenture he met not the image which was carried about or if at anie time he met it the Chaldaeans marked not what he did or else being apprehended and kept was not accused bicause the king bare him incredible good will Daniell dissembled not the worshiping of of the image But we must not beléeue that the man for feare of punishment or death would dissemble the worshipping of the image against the lawe and against pietie sith it is afterward declared that for godlinesse sake he was throwne among the lions Séeing now there were manie causes to let that he was not deliuered to be burnt in the flames of fire with his fellowes whie doo these men then laie hold onelie of one cause and that such a cause as was vnworthie and full of reproch for such a holie man bicause in the holie scriptures there is not so much as a suspicion once offred vs in anie respect of such a matter 31 They thinke with themselues that they speake handsomlie to the purpose and that they cunninglie defend their dooing when they allege that which is written in the Acts of the apostles verse 23. the 21 chapter where it is declared that Paule by the counsell of the elders of the church of Ierusalem tooke vpon him a vow and foure other men with him and purified themselues after the maner of the Iewes If the apostle of God saie they would vse the ceremonies of the lawe alreadie abolished we also may be suffered sometimes to admit rites ceremonies so long time receiued and to be present at them But to make this matter more plaine we must vnderstand that this was the effect of Pauls preching Rom 3 28. We thinke that a man is iustified by faith without works Gala. 3 20. Rom. 1 17. As manie as be vnder the law be vnder the cursse The iust man shall liue by his faith Wherefore the apostle in that first time of preaching the Gospell condemned not the ceremonies lawes apperteining to the Hebrues vnlesse they were retained with such a faith and mind as if iustification should come by them And this doctrine of his hath he verie manifestlie set foorth in his epistle to the Galathians where he saith Gal. 5 2. 4. Ye which be circumcised haue fallen both from Christ and from grace for Christ is made of none effect vnto you if yee should be iustified by the lawe As though he would saie These things of Moses doo not alienate you from Christ except ye exercise them with this mind and purpose that thereby ye might be iustified Take awaie this opinion and the apostle commended good works And as for ciuill and accustomed ordinances so they were iust and not idolatrous he suffered still in their owne place Neither did he let but that the legall ceremonies might still be vsed
but as it commandeth when it is ouercome 41 But some thinke Whether the powers of desire of anger be all one that the power of desiring and of being angrie is all one bicause contraries belong all vnto one facultie but things agréeable vnto nature and things hurtfull to the same are contrarie and therefore they be both obiects of one part of the mind As white and blacke are obiects of the sight a right and crooked line are obiects of one and the same science namelie of the science Mathematicall and a whole and a sicke man are obiects of physicke Herevnto we answer that the obiects of the angrie and of the desiring power are not so to be distinguished by that which is agréeable and that which is hurtfull but that either of these parts hath respect vnto good and euill howbeit not after the like maner The power which desireth hath respect vnto good and to euill absolutelie that is to wit that it may atteine the one and auoid another Neuerthelesse otherwhile impediments and things that doo corrupt it doo fall out betwéene so that it is a difficult thing to obteine this or to auoid that And there dooth the power of anger shew it selfe for the ouercomming of these difficulties it wrestleth and it earnestlie resisteth the impediments to the intent we may either apprehend the good or auoid the euill according as we doo desire So then the obiect of the angrie power is good and euill according as the thing difficult and hard offereth it selfe Hope is chéefelie an affection of the angrie power for it is carried vnto that which is good but yet a good that is absent to the obteining wherof must be deuoured the impediment of expectation yea the power and the difficultie of the impediments must be ouercome But in what order those faculties shal be placed among themselues it héereby appéereth in that the force of the angrie power beginneth at the power of desire and endeth also at the same For when anie man hath an iniurie doone vnto him he is sad but the affect of sadnesse perteineth to the facultie of desire Against this euill whereby the offended partie is made sad to the intent it may be auoided dooth anger interpose it selfe which by reuenge coueteth to repulse that euill But reuenge as we all knowe is a hard matter which when it is performed then succéedeth gladnesse which belongeth to the power of desire and there we cease to be angrie Wherefore the power of anger is a defender and also a striuer against and dooth resist the desiring part For the angrie part flieth from labours and gréefes but the part desiring ouercommeth them endureth them and entereth into them whether it will or no and when the one of them enforceth hir action the other contrariwise dooth slacken it They which lust verie inordinatelie after women are not angrie with them and they which be angrie with them are lesse inflamed with the desire of them Wherfore the obiect of the angrie part offendeth the desiring part bicause as we said right now it flieth from labours and difficulties wherevnto the angrie part offreth it selfe maketh it selfe readie to get the victorie And it is a manifest thing that of those two powers of the mind the angrie part commeth the néerer vnto reason for it is a helper of the same to execute wholesome counsels but the desiring part commeth néerer to the sense And to deale by examples in a matter which yet I thinke is plaine enough Boldnesse and feare being parts of this mind be affects for boldnesse dooth affect a good thing which is difficult But feare flieth an euill thing which is hard to be auoided for we feare not the euils which vrge vs not and may easilie be auoided And thus much of the affects in generall whereof not onlie the morall philosopher disputeth but also the naturall philosopher and the Physician and Rhetorician 42 Now to set aside naturall philosophers and Physicians How Rhetoricians dispose themselues in the moouing of mens affections I will speake somwhat of Rhetoricians They doubtlesse as Aristotle testifieth in his second booke of Rhetoriks doo first indeuour by arguments to make men beléeue that those things be true which they affirme And then doo they consider of the minds and affections of the iudges and of those which heare them for that carrieth a great weight vnto the cause For they which fauour him that is guiltie doo beléeue that either he sinned not or else that he made a verie small fault But on the other side if they shall hate him they thinke with them selues that either he is no innocent at all or else that he is most guiltie of all These affections vnlesse that an Orator can change qualifie or turne vnto the contrarie he shall labour in vaine Wherefore Aristotle teacheth that thrée things there must be considered First who they be that are prone to be affected either this way or that Secondlie towards whom they are woont to be so affected And finallie for what causes their affections are mooued either one waie or an other to the intent that these things being knowne they may easilie make them serue their purpose But there be some which thinke Whether it be lawfull for Orators to iudge mens affections that this is not iust or to be permitted that in pleading of causes affections should be mooued since that the minds of the iudges in discerning ought to be at quiet which cannot come to passe if the affects be troubled by an artificiall spéech of Orators Howbeit they which speake this séeme to me that they distinguish not the nature of affects by the vse of them bicause in verie déed the nature of affections is good albeit that the vse of them be otherwhile good and otherwhile euill Also swords being made of iron which is a good creature of God doo serue sometime to a iust vse and sometime to an vniust And wherein I beséech you shall the Orator offend if when in a good and iust cause he shall sée the iudge ill affected towards the partie accused he doo temper him with the art of eloquence and doo drawe him vnto a contrarie mind yea and stirre vp the motions of his hart to decrée grauelie and iustlie Héere vndoubtedlie there shal be no offense committed but humane affections shal be directed vnto the ends prescribed vnto them For otherwhile the auditorie and also the iudges become cold as vnto whom it shall not suffice to haue shewed what is to be doone vnlesse they be drawne therevnto by stirring them vp with a verie vehement affect But those Orators are to be reprehended and restrained which to this end direct eloquence for the moouing of affections that the minds of the iudges may be disquieted and that they may not sée what is iust But yet for these mens ill demeanor must not that profitable cunning be banished from the affaires of men For so ought the holie scriptures to
the death and resurrection of Christ are most manifest But what it is to sit at the right hand of GOD it dooth not so plainelie appéere The spéech is metaphoricall deriued from princes and kings who place at their right hand such as they hold in greatest honour and estimation In the 100. psalme it is written verse 1 Sit at my right hand vntill I make thine enimies thy footstoole And Salomon when he was minded to shew great honour vnto his mother Bersaba 1. Kin. 2 19. he commanded that she should haue a throne set for hir vpon his right hand Matt. 20 21 Also the sonnes of Zebede desired of Christ that they might sit the one at his right hand and the other at his left hand Touching this high honour granted to him of his father Christ himselfe saith Matt. 11 17 and 28 18. All things are giuen vnto me of my father and there is giuen vnto me all power both in heauen earth And Iohn the Euangelist saith Iohn 13 3. Iesus knowing that all things should be deliuered vnto him And Paule vnto the Ephesians saith Ephe 1 20. He is set aboue all principalitie power vertue dominion and aboue euerie name that is named be it in this world or in the world to come Phil. 2 9 And vnto the Philippians He gaue him a name that is aboue euerie name that in the name of Iesus euerie knee should bow of things in heauen of things in earth Col. 1 15 c or of things vnder the earth And vnto the Colossians He is the beginning and first begotten of the dead that in all things he might haue the preeminence For it pleased the father that in him all fulnesse should dwell And although the right hand of God as we haue said signifieth honour and high dignitie yet must we not thinke that the bodie of Christ is spred out so farre as his Godhead and right hand is extended For that bodie as the state of humane nature requireth is comprehended in a certeine and definite place the which is heauen Acts. 3 21. as Peter in the Acts of the apostles dooth testifie as the article of his ascension dooth teach vs to beléeue and as Augustine and manie of the fathers haue instructed vs. ¶ Looke the dialog of both natures in Christ Of Christs person death and resurrection looke 3. sermons and the epistle vnto the brethren of Poland When as I was come thus far forward there happened into my hands which I had in vaine sought long before our authors exposition vpon the apostolicall Creed written in his owne naturall language A similitude The which D. Peter Martyr diuorsing himselfe from the dregs of poperie set foorth when he departed out of Italie as Master Iosias Simlerus testifieth in his life The same for so much as to my knowledge it was not yet extant in Latine set foorth in this maner I thought it would be both pleasant and profitable to the readers that it might come to light a few things being cut off bicause they were both largelier and more exactlie treated of in another place Further as touching the causes of departing from poperie looke the second epistle The xviij Chapter A plaine exposition of Peter Martyr vpon the twelue articles of the Christian faith THe articles of our faith set foorth nothing vnto vs but the knowledge of God And as we be not able throughlie to comprehend him he being perfect and vncorrupt in nature so is there particularlie giuen vs sometime some one small taste and féeling of him and sometime another And séeing in the diuine nature there be thrée persons as we beléeue of one essence namelie the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost the whole essence perteineth to ech one of them The whole essence belongeth to ech one of the persons But now this first article which properlie concerneth the Father propoundeth foure things to be obserued first that he in whom we beléeue is the true God secondlie that the same is the Father thirdlie that he is omnipotent and lastlie that he is the author and first originall of all things created Now go to let vs sée particularlie To beleeue in God expounded what the proper meaning is of these words I beleeue in God Assuredlie we cannot otherwise explaine this sentence than to saie that he is to be acknowledged as God So as if a man demand of thée What is God refusing all humane subtiltie Looke in 1. Cor. 10. and laieng aside the difficulties that be vnsearchable thou must boldlie absolutelie answer without sticking that God is the eternall good of whom euerie other good dooth come Wherevpon it appeareth that he which estéemeth anie thing as much or more than God cannot trulie saie I beleeue in God For if so be thou acknowledge him to be the chéefe good thou wilt neuer preferre anie thing before him Neither yet can he rightlie beléeue this that at anie time setteth his hope anie other waie séeing hope is not but of some good thing If then God as I haue said be the good from whence euerie good thing dooth flowe whosoeuer expecteth anie good else-where beléeueth not trulie in him Furthermore they which attribute the good things which they possesse vnto their owne righteousnesse indeuour dooings and finallie to themselues haue not the sense and as I may saie the true taste of this first article of our faith What then wilt thou saie of them which haue appointed to themselues certeine ends of good things out of the vanitie of their owne deuise and out of the decrées of Philosophers and politike men yea and out of the sense of brute beasts in the which they in verie déed repose themselues whatsoeuer euill they bring Such kind of men doubtlesse properlie worship not God but in the place of God doo worship the phansies inuentions of their owne braine The thing beléeue me is of greatest importance for a man to haue the true God to be his GOD. Psa 144 15. The prophet Dauid pronounced that people blessed whose God is the true God 2 But now it dooth appeare what it is to beléeue in God howbeit Whie he is called father we haue not yet declared whie the father is called by the name of father That name is attributed vnto him for two causes chéefelie The one is for that he is the father of our Lord Iesus Christ which is the second person in diuine nature The other bicause it pleased him to be our father And he is therefore called father bicause he distributeth his inheritance to vs and so communicateth his nature with vs Rom. 8 17. as Paule to the Romans calleth vs The heires of God and Peter saith that we participate of the diuine nature 2. Pet. 1 4. For these two things speciallie the parents are woont to giue vnto their children For first they indeuour as much as they can to make them like vnto
conceiued of the holie Ghost borne of the virgine Marie suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead buried who descended into hell the third daie he rose againe from the dead he ascended into heauen he sitteth at the right hand of God the father almightie from thence shall hee come to iudge both the quicke and the dead In the person of the sonne fiue things to be noted In these articles whereby we are led to beléeue those things which be necessarie to saluation we are to note fiue things of the greatest importance concerning the second person in diuinitie which as I haue said is called the sonne The first is that this sonne of God Iesus Christ is our true and lawfull Lord Secondlie that he was made to be such a one for our vse and behoofe Thirdlie that whatsoeuer he suffered hée suffered for our sakes Fourthlie that he was also for our commoditie exalted aboue all heauens Finallie that he shall come at the last day for our succour Now therefore let vs sée touching the first That Iesus Christ is truelie and properlie our Lord. to wit that Iesus Christ the onelie sonne of God is truelie and properlie our Lord. Of which matter that we may intreat orderlie let vs first sée who this is that we set foorth with the title of Lord for afterward it will easilie be iudged whether so excellent a prerogatiue be fit for him or no. And we be constrained as faith it selfe witnesseth to vs to confesse that this Christ is nothing else but a particular person in whome are ioined togither the diuine and humane nature with an indissoluble knot And this dooth Iohn in the first chapter manifestlie declare verse 14. saieng that The word became flesh Whereas by the names of Word and Flesh hée meaneth nothing but these two natures Christ both God and man namelie that God and man is a perpetuall societie in the person of Christ And as concerning the word it may easilie be gathered bicause it is written before verse 1. And the word was with God and that word was God Also that Flesh in the holy scriptures betokeneth humane nature Flesh in the scripture signifieth humane nature it is verie euident vnto him that diligentlie and manie times peruseth them ouer But to procéed no further without some testimonie of this matter I will bring two whereof the first is in Esaie Esaie 40 5. where it is thus spoken And all flesh shall see that God spake and the latter is in that Ioel 2 28. which is spoken of Ioel I will powre out of my spirit vpon all flesh In the which places it is manifest that in the name of flesh there is signified men Hereby therefore it appeareth that the Euangelist when he said that the word was made flesh ment no other than that which he had first declared namelie that the natures diuine and humane were vnited togither in Christ 6 Moreouer that humane nature was in him the things which follow in this place doo plainlie enough declare to wit that he suffered death and was buried Wherefore the enimies of christian religion I meane the subtiler and more wittie sort doo not for the most part oppose themselues much against the humane nature of Christ and they which at a certeine time went about to make triall of it were easilie conuicted and confuted But the number of them was greater which stirred vp often tumults The diuinitie of Christ was more oppugned than was his humanitie and that with greater vehemencie concerning the deitie of Christ Neuerthelesse their false and peruerse opinion was constrained of necessitie to their great shame to giue place to the cléere and comfortable light of the holie scriptures For besides that testimonie of Iohn now cited Iohn 1 1. And the word was God we haue that saieng of the apostle which he wrote vnto the Romans Rom. 9 5. to wit that Christ according to the flesh should come of the people of the Iewes And therewithall he addeth Who is God blessed for euer These two places being so manifest they ought to suffice for the confirming of the mindes of faithfull men in the truth of God But yet the holie scriptures doo furnish vs with manie other places besides these if we will ponder them well Wherefore I leaue it wholie to the iudgement and wisedome of them which frequent themselues modestlie in the reading of the scriptures I for my part am satisfied with this one reason which I would not passe ouer in silence For it is fit enough not onelie to prooue but also constraineth to confesse that Christ is the true God This expresse prohibition is plainlie vttered in manie places namelie that we must not put our trust in anie creature no not in verie man by name as in Ieremie this is manifestlie shewed Iere. 17 5. Curssed is hee that trusteth in man and putteth flesh for his arme Further Psal 146 5. Dauid dooth earnestlie reprehend the confidence which they vsed to put in men and in princes Wherefore if Christ be a méere man and by no meanes God it may not be lawfull for vs to trust in him at all which notwithstanding the holie scriptures doo not onelie permit but also command expresselie that our faith be fastened with a liuelie hope in Christ or in Messias if so be thou list to call him as the Iewes did that on the other side whosoeuer dooth not beléeue nor trust in him is subiect to the cursse Herby therefore we boldlie conclude that this particular person of whom we presentlie intreat hath verelie in himselfe the nature both diuine and humane What the names of Iesus and Christ signifie 7 For which cause it is not in vaine that he is described vnto vs in the bookes of the holie scriptures by this famous double name IESVS CHRIST Whereof the one namelie IESVS signifieth nothing else but A sauiour which hath deliuered the children of God from their sinnes and therefore from all euill Matth. 1 21 For Ioseph the husband of Marie was commanded by the angel to call him IESVS séeing Hee shall saue his people saith he from their sinnes And I haue added further From all euill bicause there is no euill which hath not his originall from sinne So as he that can glorie that the root of euill is taken from him may also affirme iustlie that he hath rid awaie all euill But this if we doo not perfectlie as yet perceiue we shall at the length prooue it in that happie time of resurrection The other name certeinelie which is CHRIST betokeneth The annointed of God and the sanctified king which name dooth verie well agrée with him séeing that by the guide of his spirit and word he directeth and leadeth his children to life eternall Wherefore by reason of those two natures whereof he consisteth and by those two names it is easilie perceiued that the title wherewith we magnifie him calling him Our
spirituall man and to him which is renewed by Christ as Christ himselfe testifieth who speaking vnto his disciples said Feare ye not them which kill the bodie Matt. 10 28 but are not able to kill the soule But I will shew you whom ye ought rather to feare namelie God who after he hath killed the bodie is able to destroie the soule in hell fire Which of vs therefore déerelie beloued brethren in Christ will not so prepare himselfe as he may receiue with a chéerefull mind such a iudge through whose sentence an end shall be appointed vnto all the iniuries that are doone vnto vs Luke 12 35. This is that most high good man of the house which at the length shall make all his seruants to be knowne and shall demand an account of them touching such affaires as he hath committed vnto them This is that mightie rich merchant Matt. 25 14. that will returne to call for gaines of his great summe of monie deliuered into banke Matth. 25 1. This is that new bridegroome that by a iust choise shall seuer the wise virgins from the foolish This is that wise and expert steward Matt. 25 32. that knoweth how to laie vp the pure wheate in his barne and to burne the chafte with fire and who like a good shéepheard can seuer the shéepe from the goates and like a warie fisher the good fishes from the bad and finallie Matt 13 49. Ibid. 37. who like a wise husbandman will throwe the cockle into the fire but wiselie will saue the profitable and pretious séed Whosoeuer therefore thirsteth after the pure church or the sincere kingdome of Christ and after the sound and perfect fellowship of the chosen or that dooth long to sée that most excellent and immaculate spouse cannot but be pearsed in mind with the remembrance of that most swéet and acceptable daie that it is no maruell if the same be therefore called by Paule Blessed hope And in Luke Titus 2 13. after that he had reckoned vp diuerse tokens of the comming of that daie he added Luke 21 28 When ye shall see these tokens then looke vp and lift vp your heads for your redemption draweth neere 29 But least the ioie conceiued of that latter comming should be disturbed through the mistrust of saluation which might enter into your mind while ye vnderstand that the same most high iudge will be inquisitiue of mens works and this I saie bicause if thou wilt beléeue me there shall be no man how much honestie soeuer he be indued with that standing vpon the consideration of his owne works is able to hold fast this confidence and so if these things be not rightlie vnderstood by you in that blessed daie there would séeme to be an argument presented before your eies of nothing else but horrible excéeding feare of euerlasting death we must throughlie consider Who shall come to be examined at the iudgement of Christ and diligentlie weigh what shall come into triall and examination at the latter daie Wherein I first affirme that there shall be no néed of examination at all against the infidels as they that for their infidelitie be alreadie condemned Iohn 3 18. So Christ plainlie teacheth in Iohn Whosoeuer saith he beleeueth not is alreadie condemned But bicause this doubting might créepe into the minds of manie how it should come to passe that of them which are equallie intituled by the name title of christians some are adiudged to saluation and other some to eternall damnation for this cause our most iust iudge Christ will haue the reason of this difference to appeare to all the world séeing as he will neuer hereafter suffer his iustice to be hidden to the world in such wise as it was when he came first into the world to be conuersant among vs he will I saie at that second comming of his make his iustice knowne vnto all persons that it may manifestlie appeare who hath trulie taken vpon him his name and titles or who hath doone the same fainedlie and by hypocrisie 30 At the length also we may be warned hereby that not onelie the dead but also the liuing must come vnder the iudgement of Christ Which must be vnderstood as Paule teacheth in his epistle to the Corinths that vndoutedlie We shall not all die but we shall be all changed 1. Co. 15 51 And to the Thessal We which shall liue and shall be remaining 1. The. 4 17. shall be caught vp togither with them into the clouds to meete with the Lord in the aire and so we shall euer be with the Lord. Hereby it is gathered that of them which shall stand before that high iudgement seate some shall be raised from death and dust and others in verie déed shall not die but it will come to passe by the grace of GOD that they shall be translated vnto a better state the same not subiect to anie infirmities They shall be those elect which then shall be found aliue for there will be no néed for them to put off their bodies but their bodilie masse shall atteine vnto glorie so that death shall not take the same awaie from them Among them Paule did wish to be numbred as it is written in the epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 15 32. and we also with him expect the same with great desire Howbeit in this matter as in all other things also let vs so behaue our selues that all may tend vnto the glorie of GOD. I beleeue in the holie Ghost Touching the signification of the word Spirit 31 Séeing the word Spirit signifieth manie things to the end we may the more easilie perceiue that which we beléeue it shal be verie good first to seuer and distinguish into diuers parts whatsoeuer is signified to vs vnder that name Out of which significations we will choose that which is agréeable vnto our purpose and will prosecute the same more at large That word spirit in generall dooth alwaies expresse a certeine secret strength or power which is able both to mooue and to driue forward Wherefore the winds togither with those organs whereby the life dooth gouerne mooue and stir the bodie are called the spirit And although this power be included and mixed with corporall nature yet séeing the bodies wherein it is conuersant be so subtile that they cannot for the most part be séene this word is also deriued to this point that it signifieth natures and essences which be simple and of diuers sorts such as is God the companie of angels togither also with the souls of men now separated from their bodies and therefore the diuine nature is called a spirit This dooth Christ manifestlie declare in Iohn Iohn 4 24. Bicause God is a spirit hee will be worshipped in spirit Neither is there in this respect anie difference betwéene the father the sonne and the holie Ghost To conclude that word of the spirit signifieth not onelie the
other side he saith Iohn 14 1. Iohn 6 44. that No man can com vnto him but he whom the father shall drawe Matt. 13 9. He also saith He which hath eares to heare let him heare And yet God saith in the scriptures Deut. 30 6. that He would giue them an hart from aboue to vnderstand eies to see eares to heare Wherefore these things are not repugnant one to the other namelie that the appointment of good works lieth in God and that the gift of them is to be hoped for at Gods hands onelie and that we also must put our care and endeuor to liue vprightlie and godlie for as we haue before said the holie scriptures teach both Moreouer As well the fore-knowlege of God as predestination is certeine if for this cause we should denie predestination séeing after the selfe-same maner the fore-knowledge of God is certeine and can not be deceiued shall we therefore denie that God fore-knoweth all things if peraduenture there be some which may be offended with this doctrine An example brought by Augustine And in his booke De bono perseuerantiae the 15. chapter he bringeth an example which happened in his time He saith that in the same monasterie that he was in was a certeine man of a loose life who when he was admonished of his fault was accustomed to saie Such a one shall I be as God hath fore-knowne me And when he so spake saith Augustine he spake indéed the truth but although his iudgement was true yet became he euerie daie woorse woorse at the last also he saith that he returned to his old vomit howbeit saith he what maner of one he shall in time to come be God onelie knoweth Though this man abused the truth A thing is not made euill by the abuse thereof yet will not therefore anie godlie man denie that God fore-knoweth all things And that this fore-knowledge of God is no let vnto good works Christ declared when he commanded his disciples to praie Matth. 6 9. when as yet in the meane time he plainlie told them Ibidem 32. that God knew right well what they had néed of So then The fore-knowledge of GOD ought not to call vs backe from the indeuor of praieng fore-knowledge of God dooth not call vs backe from desire to praie for the things profitable and necessarie which God hath decréed to giue vs he hath decréed to giue them by this meane They also are deceiued which thinke that this doctrine is an vnprofitable doctrine yea their sight is but small and they vnderstand not the profite thereof Vnto the godlie it is verie profitable to the end they should not put anie confidence either in themselues or in anie other men but should fixe all their whole hart and confidence in God alone Which thing vndoubtedlie none can trulie and from the hart doo but those which are fullie persuaded both that their saluation and also their good works depend not vpon themselues but of God No We cannot acknowlege the gifts of God without wee knowe frō whence they spring we cannot acknowledge the gifts of God except we vnderstand from what fountaine they spring But that fountaine is the frée purpose and mercie of God giuen vnto them whom he hath elected before the constitution of the world He which séeth not this séeth not the goodnes of God towards him By this doctrine may men be brought What that fountaine is not to glorie in themselues but in the Lord which they cannot doo that ascribe vnto their owne frée will that little whatsoeuer it be for the which they saie they are chosen of God for they haue in themselues whereof to glorie Ouer this the scriptures will haue vs to be mortified and to behaue our selues lowelie which thing nothing more easilie bringeth to passe than dooth this doctrine The certeintie also of saluation which we defend is by no other means made more manifest And in the latter epistle to the Thessalonians 2. Thes 2 13 Paule willeth vs for this cause to giue thanks vnto GOD We are willed to giue thanks for our election that we are elected of God but this can we not doo vnlesse this also be wholie made plaine and knowne vnto vs. Neither without this doctrine can the grace of God be sufficientlie defended against the Pelagians for they taught that the election of God commeth by our merits Predestination confirmeth the doctrine of iustification It is no new doctrine seeing it is set foorth in the holie scriptures Heresies the cause why doctrines were the more diligentlie searched out Frée iustification also should perish except we be rightlie taught of predestination Séeing therefore this doctrine being soundlie vnderstood is vnto so manie things so profitable no man ought to count it vnfruitfull and sithence it is set foorth in the holie scriptures it cannot vndoubtedlie be called a new doctrine 4 But if the fathers before Augustines time haue not so diligentlie spoken of it it ought not to be maruelled at for the occasions wherefore doctrines were the more diligentlie discussed and searched out were new heresies which often sproong vp in the church And for that before Pelagius time no man had spoken against the grace of God there was no néed that anie man should defend it but when there arose vp a new error it was necessarie that this doctrine should the more diligentlie be examined And yet did not the fathers which were before Augustine alwaies leaue this thing vnspoken of The Fathers before Augustines time taught this doctrine For Augustine himselfe prooueth that in the 19. chapter of his booke De bono perseuerantiae Ambrose vpon Luke saith that God could if he would of vndeuout persons make deuout And againe he saith that God calleth them whom he vouchsafeth and whom he will he maketh religious These things writeth he vpon that place wherein it is written that the Samaritans would not receiue Christ He citeth also Gregorius Nazianzenus who saith that God granteth that the faithfull both beléeue the blessed trinitie and also confesse it But whereas they quarell that this doctrine is verie obscure and cannot be vnderstood but rather bringeth men to be vncerteine of the will of God he answereth that indéed it is an obscurenes vnserchable How predestination is obscure and how not obscure if anie man go about to séeke out reasons of the iudgements of God why other men being reiected this or that man is chosen But if so much be taught of predestination as the holie scriptures doo set foorth vnto vs those things are not so obscure but that they might be manifest inough vnto our faith When we will do anie thing we must not haue an eie to predestination but to the scripture The certeine number of the elect hindreth not preaching Neither counsell we that when a man dooth anie thing he should deliberate with himselfe of predestination but rather
that God hath purposed that he will not haue mercie howbeit they are the cause of damnation which followeth in the last time but not of reprobation which was from the beginning The last end of reprobation is the declaration of the mightie iustice of God as Paule hath taught Rom. 9 17. namelie that These vessels are prepared vnto wrath bicause GOD would shew in them his power And God answereth of Pharao Exod. 9 16. Euen vnto this end haue I raised thee vp that I might shew in thee my power A néerer end is damnation which as it is iust so also is it allowed of God And yet the néerest end are sinnes Esaie 6 10. for God commanded that the people should be made blind that they should not vnderstand that they should not heare Least peraduenture saith he they may be conuerted and I should heale them For sinnes although as they are sinnes they are by God in his lawes condemned yet as they are iust punishments they are by him laid vpon the vngodlie for their ill deserts But we must not staie in these néerer ends we must go further that we may at the length come to that end which Paule hath set foorth namelie that The iustice of God should be declared And thus much hitherto as touching the first article 16 Now let vs come to the second wherein must be sought the cause of predestination The cause of predestination Forsomuch as predestination is the purpose or will of God and the same will is the first cause of all things which is one and the selfe-same with the substance of God it is not possible that there should be anie cause thereof Of the will of God may somtime be giuen a reason but neuer anie cause Howbeit we doo not therefore denie but that sometimes may be shewed some reason of the will of God which although they may be called reasons yet ought they not to be called causes especiallie efficient causes But that in the scriptures are somtimes assigned reasons of the will of God may by manie places be gathered The Lord saith that He therefore did leade about the children of Israel through the desert Exo. 13 17. rather than through shorter passages through which he could haue lead them bicause they should not suddenlie méet with their enimies Gen. 2 8. Adam also was placed in paradise to husband it kéepe it And God testified Gen. 15 16. that He would not then expell the Cananites out of the land of Canaan bicause they had not as yet filled the measure of their sins Howbeit although as we haue said the scriptures vse sometimes to bring reasons of the will of God yet no man ought to take vpon him No reasons to be giuen of gods will but out of the scriptures to render a certeine reason of that certeine will of God but that which he hath gathered out of the scriptures For as we are dull of vnderstanding so we might easilie vsurpe our owne dreames in stead of true reasons But that there are finall causes of the predestination of God we denie not There is a finall cause of predestination for they are expreslie set downe by Paule and especiallie when he citeth that of Pharao Euen to this end haue I stirred thee vp Rom. 9 17. that I might shew vpon thee my power but of the elect he saith that God would in them shew foorth his glorie Ibidem 23. The materiall cause also may after a sort be assigned The materiall cause of predestination may after a sort be shewed For men which are predestinate and those things which God hath decréed to giue vnto the elect by predestination as are these calling iustification and glorification may be called the matter about which predestination is occupied This moreouer is to be noted The end thereof is taken two maner of waies that the end may sometimes be taken as it is of vs in mind and desire conceiued and then it hath the consideration of an efficient cause for being so conceiued in the mind it forceth men to worke Somtimes also it is taken as it is in the things and as we atteine vnto it after our labours and then properlie it is called the end bicause the worke is then finished and we are at quiet as now hauing obteined the end of our purpose But we therefore put this distinction that if at anie time we should be asked Whether God doo predestinate men for works or no We should not rashlie either by affirming or by denieng giue hastie sentence for the ambiguitie is in this word For how it is to be vnderstood It may be both true and false that we be predestinated by woorks Ephes 1 4. and 2 10. For if good works be taken as they are in verie déed and are wrought bicause God predestinateth vs to this end that we should liue vprightlie as we reade in the epistle vnto the Ephesians to wit that We are elected to be holie and immaculate and that God hath prepared good works that we should walke in them As touching this sentence or meaning the proposition is to be affirmed But if that word For be referred vnto the efficient cause as though the good works which God foresawe we should doo are as certeine merits and causes which should mooue God to predestinate vs this sense is by no meanes to be admitted It is possible in déed that the effects of predestination may so be compared togither that one may be the cause of the other but they can not be causes of the purpose of God One effect of predestination may be the cause of another but they can not be causes of the purpose of God For calling which is the effect of predestination is the cause that we are iustified iustification also is the cause of good works and good works although they be not causes yet are they means whereby GOD bringeth vs vnto eternall life Howbeit none of all these is the cause or the meane why we are chosen of God As contrariwise sinnes are indéed the causes why we are damned but yet not why we are reprobate of God If sins were the cause of reprobation no man might be elected For if they were the cause of reprobation no man might be chosen For the condition and estate of all men is alike since we are all borne in sin And when at anie time Augustine saith that Men are iustlie reprobate for their sins he vnderstandeth togither with reprobation the last effect thereof namelie damnation But we may not so speake if by reprobation The purpose of God not to haue mercie is as free as the purpose to haue mercie Why the good works foreseene are not the cause of predestination A place out of the second epistle to Timoth. 2. Tim. 2 20. we vnderstand the purpose of God not to haue mercie for that purpose is no lesse frée than the other purpose of
followe in that chapter you shall sée that the apostle draweth those things Vnto what principall points the predestination of God is reduced Rom. 9 21. Ephes 1 9. Rom. 9 18. Ibidem 16. which he teacheth of predestination to these principall points namelie vnto power for he saith Hath not the potter power Vnto purpose or good pleasure for vnto the Ephesians he vseth both words Vnto will for he saith He hath mercie on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth Vnto mercie or loue for he saith It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that hath mercie Ibidem 13. Also Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated Séeing Paule what cause soeuer either here or in anie other place he giueth of predestination reduceth the same to these foure principall points can we doubt of his meaning Or shall we take vpon vs to giue sentence otherwise But as touching works hée speaketh not so much as one word wheresoeuer he intreateth of this matter but onelie to exclude them Further consider this If election should depend of works foreseene then iustification should come by works that there is nothing more against the scope and meaning of Paule than to put works foreséene to be the causes of predestination for by that meanes works should be the causes of iustification but that doctrine the apostle dooth by all maner of meanes oppugne And hereby I prooue this reason to be firme Predestination the cause of vocation and vocation the cause of iustification bicause the apostle maketh predestination the cause of calling and calling the cause of iustification Wherfore if works be the causes of predestination they shall also be causes of iustification For this is a firme rule among the Logicians Whatsoeuer is the cause of anie cause is also cause of the effect Further no man can denie but that good works procéed of predestination for We are said to be predestinate Ephes 1 4. that we should be holie blameles And God by predestination hath prepared good works Ephes 2 10. in which we should walke And Paule himselfe confesseth that He obteined mercie 1. Cor. 7 25. to the end hee should be faithfull Wherefore if works be the effects of predestination how can we then saie Works be the effects of predestination not the causes thereof that they are the causes thereof and chéeflie those kind of causes which are called efficient causes For that vse of frée will is nothing woorth which they so often brag of as though we haue it of our selues and not of the mercie of God For Paule saith that It is God which worketh in vs both to will and to performe Phil. 2 13. And God in Ezechiel saith Eze. 11 19. I will take awaie from them their stonie hart and will giue them a hart of flesh We cannot saith Paule thinke anie good thing of our selues as of our selues 2. Cor. 3 5. And if we had in our selues that good vse which they speake of what should let but that we might glorie thereof Vndoubtedlie the Lord saith No man commeth vnto me Iohn 6 44 vnlesse my father drawe him And Ierom against the Pelagians verie well writeth that they which are said to be drawne are by that word signified They which be drawne were before vnwilling to haue béen before froward resisting and vnwilling but afterward GOD so worketh that he changeth them This selfe-same thing also dooth the nature of grace prooue for Paule saith that The remnants might be saued Rom. 11 5. according to the free election of grace which is to saie according to frée election for so is the genetiue case after the Hebrue phrase to be resolued 19 Further in the definition of predestination in the first place we haue put this word purpose which séeing it signifieth nothing else as we haue taught out of the epistle vnto the Ephesians but the good pleasure of God Ephes 1 9. thereby it euidentlie appéereth that we may not elsewhere séeke the cause of predestination Moreouer Good works are not the cause of our calling works cannot be the causes of our calling and much lesse of our predestination for predestination goeth before calling And that works are not the causes of calling it is declared by the epistle vnto Timothie God hath called vs saith Paule with his holie calling 2. Tim. 1 9. not by our works but according to his purpose the grace which we haue in Christ before the world was Hereby it most manifestlie appeareth that works are not the causes of our calling Yea neither also are works the causes of our saluation which yet were far more likelie for by good works God bringeth vs to felicitie Titus 3 4. If we should be predestinated by good works the exclamation of Paule were to no purpose Rom. 11 33. But Paule to Titus saith that God hath saued vs not by the works of righteousnes but according to his mercie Further what néeded Paule after this disputation to crie out O the depth of the riches of the wisedome and knowledge of God! How vnsercheable are his iudgements and his waies past finding out For if he would haue followed these mens opinion he might with one poore word haue dispatched the whole matter haue said that some are predestinate and othersome reiected bicause of the works which God foresawe should be in both of them Those men Augustine in mockage called sharpe witted men which so trimlie and so easilie sawe those things that Paule could not sée But saie they The Apostle in this place assoileth this question But it is absurd so to saie especiallie séeing that he brought it in of purpose and the solution thereof serued very much vnto that which he had in hand The questi is assoiled when it is brought to the highest cause Exo. 19 13. And how in Gods name can he séeme not to haue assoiled the question when he reduced that euen vnto the highest cause namelie vnto the will of God and therewithall sheweth that we ought not to go anie further When God had appointed limits at the foote of the mount Sina if anie man had gone beyond those limits he was by the lawe punished Wherefore let these men beware with what boldnes they presume to go further than Paule would they should But they say that the apostle here rebuketh the impudent Be it so but yet this rebuking is a most true solution of the question for Paule by this reprehension prohibiteth vs not to inquire anie thing beyond the mercie and will of God How the question may be said to be assoiled and not assoiled If these men vnderstand such a solution as mans reason may resolue vpon I will easilie grant that the question is not so assoiled but if they séeke that solution which faith ought to imbrace and to rest vpon they are blind if they sée not the solution 20 But let
predestinated are so to be taken as they are foreséene of God and by this meanes they cannot séeme to be temporall Be it so That which is the latter cannot bee the efficient cause of that which went before take them in that maner yet can it not be denied but that they are after predestination for they depend of it and are the effects thereof as wée haue before taught Wherefore after these mens doctrine that which commeth after should be the efficient cause of that which went before which how absurd it is euerie man may easilie vnderstand Further the efficient cause is of his owne nature more woorthie and of more excellencie than the effect speciallie in respect it is such a cause So then Our works cannot be of more woorthines than predestination if works be the causes of predestination they are also more woorthie and of more excellencie than predestination Ouer this predestination is sure constant and infallible how then shall we appoint that it dependeth vpon works of frée will which are vncerteine and vnconstant Things constant and certeine depend not of things vnconstant and vnterteine and may be wrested to and fro if a man consider them particularlie For men are alike prone vnto this or that kind of sinne as occasions are offered for otherwise if we will speake generallie frée will before regeneration can doo nothing else but sinne by reason of the corruption that commeth by our first parents So as according to the mind of these men it must néeds followe that the predestination of God which is certeine dependeth of the works of men which are not onelie vncerteine but sinnes also Neither can they saie that they meane as touching those works which followe regeneration for those as we haue taught spring of grace and of predestination We must not so defend mans libertie that wee spoile God of his libertie Neither doo these men consider that they to satisfie mans reason and to attribute a libertie I knowe not what to men doo rob God of his due power and libertie in election which power and libertie yet the apostle setteth foorth and saith that God hath no lesse power ouer men than hath the potter ouer the vessels which hée maketh But after these mens opinion God cannot elect but him onelie whom he knoweth shall behaue himselfe well neither can he reiect anie man but whome he séeth shall be euill But this is to go about to ouer-rule God and to make him subiect vnto the lawes of our reason As for Erasmus he in vaine speaketh against this reason for he saith that It is not absurd to take awaie from God that power which he himselfe will not haue attributed vnto him namelie to doo anie thing vniustlie For we saie that Paule hath in vaine yea rather falselie set foorth this libertie of God if hée neither haue it We must attributed vnto God that libertie which the scripture sheweth of him nor will that it should be attributed vnto him But how Paule hath prooued this libertie of God that place which we haue cited most manifestlie declareth They also to no purpose obiect vnto vs the iustice of God for héere is intreated onlie of his mercie Neither can they denie but that they by this their opinion doo derogate much the loue and good will of God towards men For the holie scripture when it would commend vnto vs the fatherlie loue of God Rom. 5 8. affirmeth that He gaue his son and that vnto the death and at that time when we were yet sinners enimies and children of wrath But they will haue no man to be predestinated which hath not good works foreséene in the mind of God And so euerie man may saie with himselfe If I be predestinated the cause thereof dependeth of my selfe But another which féeleth trulie in his hart Loue towards God is kindled by the true feele of predestination that he is fréelie elected of God for Christ sake when as he of himselfe was all maner of waies vnworthie of so great loue will without all doubt be woonderfullie inflamed to loue God againe 23 It is also profitable vnto vs that our saluation should not depend of our works For we oftentimes wauer and in liuing vprightlie are not constant Doubtles if we should put confidence in our owne strength we should vtterlie despaire but if we beléeue that our saluation abideth in God fixed and assured for Christ sake we cannot but be of good comfort Further if predestination should come vnto vs by our works foreséene the beginning of our saluation should be of our selues against which opinion the scriptures euerie-where crie out for that were to raise vp an idoll in our selues Moreouer the iustice of God should then haue néed of the externall rule of our works But Christ saith Ye haue not chosen me Iohn 15 16. but I haue chosen you Neither is that consideration in God which is in men The same consideration is not of Gods choise that is of mans choise when they begin to fauour a man or to loue a fréend for men are mooued by excellent gifts wherewith they sée a man adorned but God can find nothing good in vs which first procéedeth not from him And Cyprian saith as Augustine oftentimes citeth him that we therefore can not glorie for that we haue nothing that is our owne and therefore Augustine concludeth that we ought not to part stakes betwéene God and vs to giue one part to him and to kéepe another vnto our selues to obteine saluation Touching saluation the whole must be ascribed vnto God for all wholie is without doubt to be ascribed vnto him The Apostle when he writeth of predestination hath alwaies this end before him to confirme our confidence and especiallie in afflictions out of which he saith that God will deliuer vs. If predestination should depend of works it wold make vs not to hope but to despaire But if the reason of Gods purpose should be referred vnto our works as vnto causes then could we by no meanes conceiue anie such confidence for we oftentimes fall and the righteousnes of our works is so small as it can not stand before the iudgement seate of God And that the Apostle for this cause chéefelie made mention of predestination we may vnderstand by the eight chapter of the Epistle to the Romanes Rom. 8 1. and 8 c. For when he described the effects of iustification amongst other things he saith that we by it haue obteined the adoption of children and that we are mooued by the spirit of God as the sons of God and therefore with a valiant mind we suffer aduersities and for that cause euerie creature groneth and earnestlie desireth that we at the length be deliuered and the spirit it selfe maketh intercession for vs. And at the last he addeth Ibidem 27. That vnto them that loue God all things worke to good And who they be that loue God
wise and foolish virgins How far foorth faith agreeth with feare 9 Moreouer that saieng of Paule In Rom. 11 verse 22. Iohn 5 24. No godlie man is vncerteine of his saluation Otherwise thou shalt be cut off séemeth to make against faith None which beléeueth ought as touching himselfe to be persuaded that he shall be cut off for faith suffereth not this persuasion to take place The Lord saith that He which beleeueth passeth from death vnto life not euerie kind of life but vnto eternall life which is now alreadie begun and shall be accomplished in the world to come Wherefore séeing that eternall life is promised vnto vs we ought in no wise to doubt thereof Euerie one of the faithfull beléeueth that he is adopted by God into his sonne and that he is chosen vnto eternall life wherefore it shall be vnto him as he beléeueth The etymologie of faith For the etymologie of this word faith is thought by manie to be drawne from hence to wit if that be doone which is spoken Howbeit he which so beléeueth ought alwaies to be mindfull of perseuerance and not to liue looselie and ought also to craue at the hands of God his gift and grace to abide in his goodnes touching the obteinement whereof we ought not to doubt séeing both God hath promised it vnto his and also that the praier of the faithfull cannot be powred out with doubting as the apostle Iames testifieth Howbeit Iames. 1. 6. it is profitable to take diligent héed to our flesh séeing it is weake and euerie waie vncleane We must take heed to our flesh seeing it is weake and vncleane neither is there any thing in the nature thereof but may be condemned Wherefore these words of the apostle stir vs vp to bridle the pride thereof and to breake the securitie of the same and also to shake off sluggishnes But for the reteining still of certeintie we must flie vnto that which is written a little after Rom. 11 29 namelie that The gifts and calling of God are without repentance And that we may sée how profitable this admonition of the apostle is vnto them that be faithfull and that it is not in anie respect vaine What is to be feared as touching the church and what not Matt. 28 20. we will vse this distribution first to sée as touching the church what is to be feared If we speake of the whole church we must not in anie wise feare that it shall euer faile for Christ promised that He would bee with it vnto the end of the world Indéed it may be tempted sifted and shaken but ouerthrowne it cannot be wherefore let vs praie that the crosse temptations and persecutions thereof may be asswaged and turned to good But touching particular churches Particular churches may faile bicause it is possible that they may be transferred we doo praie as well against their continuall temptations as also that with them and especiallie with our church may abide the kingdome of God And concerning our posteritie also there is cause why we should feare We are to feare touching our posteritie bicause the promise is indefinitelie set foorth and vnlesse the same be drawne more narrowe through election and predestination it may come to passe that it shall not comprehend them euen as all the Iewes were not comprehended in the promise And touching infants we may also iudge the like in verie déed the couenant and promise excludeth them not naie rather they be generallie signified in these words wherein the Lord saith I will be thy God and the God of thy seed Gen. 17 7. vnder which promise we baptise them and visiblie incorporate them into the church who yet when they come to age may reiect the couenant and contemne the Gospell Whereby is made manifest that they in verie déed perteined not to election and vnto the promises wherefore we may iustlie feare least they should not stand as we sée happened in Ismael and Esau There are moreouer in the church some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is which beléeue but for a time and in the time of temptation step backe as did Iudas and they which in time of persecutions denie Christ wherefore for these also we haue great cause to be afraid As touching those which sincerelie beléeue in Christ although they haue a confidence of their saluation and are assured thereof Manie fals are imminent to the godlie Matt. 26 70. 2. Sam. 11 4 The godlie haue wherof to be afraid yet so long as we liue here there be manie falles euen readie at hand with vs and those great as it is manifest by that which Peter and Dauid did Wherefore they haue whereof to be afraid although they be not afraid that they shall eternallie be damned but assuredlie hope that either they shall be defended by God or that if they doo fall they shall be restored againe As we also doo trust of them which be excommunicated for they are not cast out of the church to the intent they should perish but that their spirit might at length be saued And therefore the elect also and they which sincerelie beléeue ought continuallie to be afraid of falling and to beware least they be cut off from Christ The godlie must be afraid of excommunication Ierem. 3 1. though it be but for a time And of this restitution of them that haue fallen is also mention made in Ieremie in the third chapter Thou hast plaied the harlot with thy louers howbeit returne againe All these things declare vnto vs that this exhortation of Paule vnto feare is not vnprofitable séeing we ought so manie waies to be carefull both for our selues and also for others Further Chrysostome addeth herevnto that The abuse of the grace of God which reigneth among vs ought to be vnto vs a great feare and horror so often as we consider of it 10 Wherevnto belongeth that In Rom. 11 ve 20. Rom. 11 20 2 Cor. 1 verse 24. which is written both vnto the Romans and vnto the Corinthians to wit that The godlie stand by faith Neither is that herevnto repugnant which is written in the selfe-same 15. chapter of the epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 15 1. that They stood in the Gospell bicause faith is referred vnto the Gospell as vnto his owne obiect yea rather it springeth hereof after a sort as we haue heard before Neither is there anie spéech made in this place of men particularlie but of the whole congregation and bodie of the beléeuers and therefore he admonisheth vs vpon iust cause Rom. 11 20 that We should not be high minded but should feare For euen as the church of the Iewes is now extinguished and Affrike likewise and Greece A comparison declared and Asia haue lost manie churches so is it to be feared least the selfe-same thing happen now vnto the churches which séeme to stand wherefore let them not aduance themselues
not imputed sinne By the which words we doo not onelie gather that the righteousnes by which we are said to be iustified sticketh not in our minds but is imputed of God that it is such an imputation as consisteth not of works but of the méere clemencie of God Further the apostle dooth by another propertie of good works confirme his opinion namelie The tenth reason bicause works are signes or seales of the righteousnesse alreadie obteined where he saieth of Abraham And he receiued the signe of circumcision being a seale of the righteousnes of faith which was in vncircumcision c. vers 11. Séeing therefore that good workes are signes and also seales which beare witnes of the righteousnes alreadie receiued they cannot be the causes thereof Neither haue ceremonies onelie that propertie but also euen those works which are called morall Euen verie morall works are seales of righteousnes imputed when they are pleasant and acceptable before God for they also are signes tokens of our righteousnes Wherfore Peter exhorteth vs to endeuour our selues to make our vocation sure namelie by liuing vprightlie by good works yea and the forme of the promise which God made with Abraham 2. Pet. 1 10. is dilligentlie to be weighed for therevnto is not added a condition of the lawe The eleuenth reason or of works And séeing God added none what boldnes were it in vs to presume to doo it and Paule saith For not through the lawe was the promise made vnto Abraham or to his seede Rom. 4 13. that he should be the heire of the world but through the righteousnes of faith For if those which pertaine vnto the lawe be heires then is faith made frustrate and the promise is of no force namelie because the lawe worketh anger Wherefore if we fulfill not the lawe the promise shall take no place And to beléeue that promise which shall neuer be fulfilled would be a vaine thing which vndoutedlie must néeds vtterlie be so if it be giuen vpon this condition that we should performe the lawe when as no man can perfectlie accomplish the lawe Vers 16. The twelfth reason But the apostle procéedeth further and by the iudgement of the most mercifull counsell of God decréeth after this maner Therefore is the inheritance giuen by faith and according to grace to the end the promise should be firme As if he should saie If the promise should depend vpon works our mind would continuallie wauer none might appoint anie certeintie of his owne saluation for his conscience would euermore accuse him that he had not perfourmed those works for the which the promise was made To the end therefore we should not wauer Why God would that our iustification shuld come by faith vers 18. The .13 reason God would that our iustification should consist of faith and grace that the promise might be firme The same thing also is gathered by that which is declared of Abraham howe that Contrarie to hope he beleeued in hope He is said to beléeue in hope contrarie to hope which either in him selfe or in nature séeth or féeleth no maner of thing which might persuade him to hope Euen as Abraham was an hundred yéeres of age his bodie was in a maner dead his wife an old woman and barren all which things naturallie put him from hoping and yet preuailing against them all he hoped But we if we had merites or good works whereby we might obtaine righteousnes then should we not hope contrarie to hope but in hope and according to hope Wherefore our iustification is to be appointed no otherwise than we read it was in Abraham for he is the father of vs all as it was imputed vnto him euen so shall it be imputed vnto vs. The .14 reason 12 But now let vs come to the .5 chapter There againe Paule plainlie expresseth in what case men are before they be regenerate for he saith For Christ when we were yet weake according as the time required Rom. 5 6. died for the vngodlie And straight waie But God setteth out his loue towards vs in that when we were yet sinners Christ died for vs. And he addeth vers 8. For if when we were enimies we were reconciled to God by the death of his sonne vers 10. much more being now reconciled shall we be saued by his life Hereby we gather that before regeneration men are weake sinners vngodlie and the enimies of God Who then can ascribe vnto such men power to obtaine righteousnesse at their pleasure when they list to doo good works Others maie beléeue it but the godlie will neuer be so persuaded This moreouer is another proofe in that he setteth foorth the cause of so great an euill when he saith Therefore vers 12. euen as by one man sinne entred into the world and by sinne death The .15 reason euen so death went ouer all men forsomuch as all men haue sinned As if he should haue said We haue béene euen from the beginning by the first man lost and condemned And least thou shouldest thinke that infants are to be excepted he saith vers 14. Yea death hath reigned from Adam euen to Moses ouer them also which haue not sinned after the similitude of the transgression of Adam The masse or lumpe of perdition comprehendeth all those that are borne from which corruption the holie scriptures teach that it is not possible for men to escape by their works and to challenge iustification vnto themselues Afterward in the .6 chapter thus speaketh our apostle vers 21. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed For the end of them is death The .16 reason but now being deliuered from sinne and made the seruants of God ye haue your fruit to sanctification and the end euerlasting life What other thing meane these words than that all things which men doo before they beléeue in Christ deserue nothing else but ignominie shame And there is no fruit there of sanctification but it followeth regeneration it selfe And who will saie that we are iustified by those things which are full of ignominie and shame The .17 reason But now let vs heare what is said in the beginning of the .7 cap. Knowe ye not brethren for I speake to them that knowe the lawe how that the lawe hath power ouer man as long as he liueth Rom. 7 1. For the woman which is in subiection to a man is bound by the lawe to the man as long as he liueth but if the man be dead she is losed from the lawe of the man Wherefore if whilest the man liueth she couple her selfe with another man she shal be counted a wedlocke-breaker but if the man be dead she is free from the lawe of the husband so that she is no wedlock-breaker though she couple her selfe with another man Euen so ye also my brethren are dead vnto the
lawe by the bodie of Christ that ye should be coupled to another namelie to him which is risen againe frō the dead that we should bring foorth fruit vnto God Paule would by this reason declare that before our faith in Christ we as it were to husbands were coupled to the lawe and to the flesh of which copulation could come no fruits but such as are pernicious and deadlie but now being deliuered by the grace of God we are coupled vnto Christ by the spirit vnto Christ I saie being raised from the dead by which copulation we shall now bring foorth fruit vnto God and not anie more to death and damnation And the selfe-same thing he affirmeth or rather expoundeth verse 5. when he addeth For when we were in the flesh the lusts of sinnes which are by the lawe tooke effect in our members to bring foorth fruit vnto death Here let vs note that so long as we were in the flesh we were subiect vnto wicked affections which by the lawe were of force in our members how then could we be iustified by our works Further in the same chapter it is written For that which I doo I allow not The 18. reason for what I would that I doo not but what I hate that doo I. If now I doo that which I would not verse 15. then it is not I that doo it but sinne that dwelleth in me For I knowe that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing Here as it manfestlie appéereth he dooth intreat of the works of men And although that in interpreting of these words I haue effectuallie prooued that they are to be vnderstood of those works which are doone of the godlie which haue alreadie obteined iustification yet now I leaue it frée vnto the aduersaries to take whether part they will And if they grant that these things ought to be vnderstood of works doone before iustification then forsomuch as they are neither allowed nor good how shall they deserue righteousnes For they are called euill and no man is iustified by an euill action But if we vnderstand works which are here described to be the works of those that are iustified then will I make my argument A maiori that is From the greater If those works which might séeme most acceptable iust and holie to God are called euill by the iudgement of reason now renewed are not allowed how can we affirme then that those works which are of sinners are such as they be able to iustifie 13 And least anie man should saie that we take our argument onelie of that which happeneth through the slouthfulnes of men when as the disputation is of that which may be doone if men would put to their good will for manie are not iustified by their good works when as they might be iustified by them if they would Herevnto we answer with the apostle in the eight chapter The 19. reason who saith For that which the lawe could not performe insomuch as it was weake bicause of the flesh Rom. 8 3. that performed God by his owne sonne being sent vnder the similitude of flesh subiect vnto sinne and for sinne condemned sinne through the flesh This place admonisheth vs that the righteousnes which God commanded in the commandements could not be performed by the helpe of the lawe by reason of the corruption and infirmitie of the flesh and for that cause was Christ sent by the father to performe that which could not be accomplished of vs. The same thing also teacheth he a little after for when he had said The 20. reason that The lust of the flesh is death he addeth moreouer that It is enimitie against God Ibidem 6. for it is not subiect to the lawe of God neither indeed can be Wherefore whatsoeuer we doo of our owne naturall strength and power which is called flesh the same resisteth God for our corrupted nature cannot be subdued vnder the lawe of God And forsomuch as it is so The 21. reason then can we not be iustified by the déeds thereof In the same chapter also we read Vnto those that loue God verse 27. all things worke to good vnto those I saie which are called of his purpose In which words the apostle touched the beginning and chéefe point of all our goodnes namelie the purpose of God which is so the cause of our saluation that all our goodnes dependeth thereof but it is not mooued by anie of our goodnes But the verie causes of mans felicitie are afterward orderlie and distinctlie described among which there is no mention at all of our good works Those which he knew before verse 28 he also predestinated and whom he hath predestinated those hath he also called and whom he hath called them also hath he iustified and whom he hath iustified them also will he glorifie This chaine is linked togither with all the meanes and helps whereby God bringeth vs vnto saluation But séeing there is no mention made of the works of the lawe and of merits it sufficientlie appéereth that by them we are not iustified Further when it is said The 22. reason Who shall accuse the elect of God It is God which iustifieth who shall condemne verse 33 and 34. It is Christ which died yea which also is risen againe which also sitteth at the right hand of God which also maketh intercession for vs. If by the iudgement of God we should be iustified by works it had béene sufficient to haue said The elect shall be accused in vaine forsomuch as they haue good merits and séeing by their vertuous and holie works they shall obteine absolution He saith not so But saith he it is God which iustifieth And it might haue béene answered No man shall condemne the elect séeing that their works be such as they deserue both absolution and a reward But he maketh no such answer but saith It is Christ that died c. Why then should we take vpon vs to mingle our works therewithall séeing the scripture willeth vs in no case so to doo 14 Now come we to the ninth chapter wherin is intreated of the prouidence of God which directeth and ordereth all things not for anie other cause vndoubtedlie but that we should thinke that the nature of it and of iustification is all one for either of them is giuen fréelie and not of works The 23. reason For the apostle writeth that Of two brethren which were not yet borne and when they had doone neither good nor euill Rom. 9 11. to the end the election of God should abide according to his purpose not of works but of him that calleth it is said The elder shall serue the yoonger as it is written Iacob haue I loued and Esau haue I hated Here as we sée are works most manifestlie excluded The 24. reason Also vnto Moses it was answered I will shew mercie to whom soeuer I shew mercie Exod. 33
strength of Christians which loue is powred in our harts not by fréewill but by the holie Ghost which is giuen to vs whereas no merits go before that grace And in the 25. chapter We ought to preach to beléeue that by the sin of the first man fréewill is so decaid and diminished that no man afterward can either loue God as he ought to doo or beléeue in God or for Gods sake worke that which is good vnlesse the grace mercie of God preuent him Wherefore iust Abel Noah Heb. 11. Abraham Isaac Iacob and all the saints in the old time are in the epistle vnto the Hebrues said to haue done those things which in the holie scriptures are mentioned to haue béene done by them which faith we haue before taught to come of God And Paule writeth of himselfe 1. Cor. 7 25. I haue obteined mercie that I may be faithfull But he saith not I haue obteined mercie bicause I was before faithfull but contrariwise And in the selfe-same chapter This also we profitable confesse and beléeue that in euerie good worke it is not that we our selues do first begin afterward are holpen with the mercie of God but that he first inspireth into vs both faith and the loue of him and that without anie of our merits going before Wherefore we must without all doubt beléeue that both Zacheus and the théefe and alsoo Cornelius atteined not to beléeue through nature but by the gift of the bountifulnesse of GOD. 44 These things haue I alledged out of the Arausican Councell peraduenture more largelie than maie séeme to be conuenient for this place But for this cause haue I the willinglier doone it for that I sawe that all those things which are there affirmed are confirmed by the holie scriptures and doo verie much serue for our purpose Such Councelles gentle reader must be harkened vnto What Councels must be harkened vnto which cleaue vnto the word of God for whatsoeuer commoditie or discommoditie the church hath the same ought wholie to be ascribed vnto the obseruation or contempt of the word of God For in the old and auncient Councelles how were Arrius Eunomius Nestorius Eutyches and other pestiferous heretikes ouercome otherwise than by the word of God For without doubt they could neuer by anie other engines be ouercome and vanquished And contrariewise when began the church to giue place vnto abuses and to superstitions but when the word was contemned And now in our times vnlesse the word of God had béene sought for and called againe in a maner out of exile how could we euer haue béene deliuered from the tyrannie of the Pope Let these few things be a warning vnto vs not rashlie to beléeue euerie Councell but let vs receiue those Councelles alone which haue soundlie confirmed the decrées of their doctrine by the scriptures But that the thing which I affirme The Councell of Trent maie be more manifest let vs bring foorth the Councell of Trent that by the contrarie the truth maie the better be vnderstood In that Councell the fift Session from the fift chapter vnto the eleuenth chapter is intreated of iustification There these good holie Fathers the hirelings of the Pope doo thus decrée that The beginning of iustification is of grace But what they there vnderstand they straitwaie make it plaine For thus they saie It calleth and it stirreth vp they which are to be iustified are so holpen by it that being called and stirred vp they giue assent vnto this grace and worke therewith and are made apt to regeneration But this assent and working togither with it they doo attribute to frée will as the words doo shew What else would Pelagius saie if he were now aliue For euen he doubtlesse denied not grace if thou take it for an admonition calling and stirring vp He also attributed this vnto frée will that it had power to assent and to obeie the commandements of God But the grace which the holie scriptures set foorth vnto vs reneweth our vnderstanding and will and in steed of a stonie hart giueth vs a fleshie hart for it dooth not onelie counsell our reason but also fullie persuadeth it and bendeth and changeth the will Our men of Trent doo grant indeed that God toucheth the hart of man by the illumination of the holie Ghost but least a man himselfe should doo nothing they adde that man admitteth the inspiration as he which maie also refuse it Wherefore they fullie conclude that it perteineth to man to admit or receiue although they confesse that he can not doo that vnlesse he be called and stirred vp by grace But how can the hart of man vnlesse it be renewed by the spirit and grace of God receiue those things wherevnto it is enimie by reason of his nature being yet corrupt and defiled Assuredlie though it be neuer so much stirred vp taught and mooued yet vnlesse it be vtterlie changed it will continuallie refuse it and resist Wherfore Augustine Ad Simplicianum It is not in our power that those things which be set foorth vnto vs should please vs. writeth verie well that It is not in our power to bring to passe that those things which are set foorth vnto vs should be acceptable and pleasant vnto vs. But that thing which is neither acceptable nor pleasant we choose not though we be vrged by admonishers As if there should be offered vnto a sicke man good healthfull meats A similitude and verie pleasantlie dressed yet bicause they are neither pleasant nor acceptable vnto him he refuseth them though there stand manie by which saie vnto him that those meats are wholsome and verie well dressed The selfe-same thing vndoubtedlie happeneth vnto a mind not regenerate except that as touching the receiuing of the grace of God there can no violence be doone vnto the mind but the sicke person maie be compelled to take meats that are to him vnpleasant Wherefore so long as our will and vnderstanding is not changed by the spirit of God it will not admit anie healthfull admonitions And euen as a sicke person A similitude before he be restored to health neither abideth nor gladlie receiueth anie meats when they are offered him euen so the mind of man vnlesse it be changed from infidelitie to faith from impietie to godlinesse as saith the Arausican Councell it neither obeieth nor giueth place vnto grace which calleth stirreth it vp which thing neuerthelesse the good Fathers of Trent doo affirme 45 But least they should séeme to speake without scriptures they bring foorth two testimonies the one out of the first chapter of Zacharie Be ye conuerted vnto me Zach. 1 3 and I will be conuerted vnto you This saie they hath a respect vnto the man who is commanded that euen as touching iustification he should do somwhat Iere. 31 18. And Ieremie saith Conuert vs ô Lord and we shall be conuerted by which words is declared that vnto this
conuersion is also required the helpe of God And by this meanes they diuide the whole matter betwéene GOD and man But Augustine and manie other of the fathers ascribe the whole act of our iustificaon vnto GOD onelie But as touching this place of Zacharie it may be expounded two maner of waies first that those are the words of the lawe commanding and yet by them cannot be prooued An exposition of a place in Zacharie that a man may be conuerted vnlesse God conuert him For of it Augustine thus writeth Lord giue that which thou commandest and command what thou wilt Another exposition is this In iustification are two inward motions whereof the one perteineth vnto reason which as we haue said hath néed not onelie to be taught What are the inward motions of iustification but also to be persuaded and to be forced to yéeld to the intent of the holie Ghost the other motion perteineth vnto the will that the same may be bowed to receiue all those things which the holie Ghost promiseth and offereth And this is the faith by which we are iustified and whereby our sinnes are forgiuen vs. But forsomuch as these things were doone secretlie in the inward parts of the mind the prophet speaketh not of them but rather spake of those that followe for man after he is once iustified beginneth to be conuerted vnto good works Wherefore he which before liued dissolutelie and wickedlie now behaueth himselfe well and orderlie and being renewed with grace and the spirit worketh togither with the power of God Of this conuersion the prophet speaketh when he saith Be conuerted vnto me And God promiseth to heape vp great benefits vpon them which is signified by this And I will be conuerted vnto you For before when he withdrew from them his benefits and afflicted them with captiuities and other miseries he séemed to be turned awaie from them Wherefore the prophet spake not of the inward iustification but of the outward conuersion vnto good works But Ieremie when he said Conuert vs Lord and we shall be conuerted had a respect to this inward motions of the mind which we haue now described But our men of Trent when they thus saie although they feigne that they differ from the Pelagians yet in verie déed they can neuer prooue it They saie that they denie not grace but in verie déed they meane such a grace as the Pelagians would neuer haue denied Degrees of iustification appointed by the Syned of Trent 46 But let vs sée what degrées and what preparations these men appoint to iustification First saie they a man which is to be iustified called and stirred vp by the grace of God beginneth to beléeue those things which are written in the holie scripture then is he both smitten with the feare of sinnes which he hath committed afterward looking vpon the mercie of God he beginneth to hope well this hope being conceiued he loueth God which loue bréedeth in him a certeine detestation of sinnes and a purpose to liue well lastlie he receiueth baptisme or the sacrament of penance and herein saie they consisteth iustification For other things which went before were onelie preparations But these men sée not that we ought far otherwise to iudge of baptisme For the holie scriptures doo teach Rom. 4 10. that Abraham was first iustified by faith in vncircumcision and then he receiued circumcision as a seale of righteousnes alredie receiued This selfesame consideration according to the analogie must be kept in baptisme for our baptisme answereth vnto the circumcision of the fathers of the old testament A confutation of these degrees When these men say that faith the feare of God hope charitie detestation of sinne a new purpose of honest life are onelie certeine preparations vnto iustification they decrée that a man may be perfect before he be iustified Then they adde the causes of our iustification and begin at the finall cause What causes of iustification they of Trent assigne and that saie they is the glorie of God and our saluation The efficient cause they saie is God himselfe of his méere mercie The meritorious cause as they call it they adde to be Christ Iesus by his death vpon the crosse and the shedding of his bloud and hitherto indéed not amisse The formall cause they saie is the iustice of God not that iustice wherby he himselfe is iust but that which he communicateth vnto vs whereby we trulie both are counted iust and also are so indéed By which words they vnderstand the renewing of a man now regenerate his new forming by grace and the holie Ghost The which things that they are doone in a man alreadie iustified we denie not but that iustification consisteth therein we cannot grant Rom. 3 4 and .6 For Paule hath affirmed it to stand in this point that Our sinnes are forgiuen vs and that they are no more imputed vnto vs. And to confirme this Psal 32 1. In whom properlie iustification consisteth Gen. 15 6. he citeth a testimonie out of Dauid Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen And also that saieng in Genesis Abraham beleeued God and it was counted vnto him for righteousnes And to the end he might expresse the thing more plainelie he oftentimes in the selfe-same place vseth this word Imputation And therfore we saie that in that righteousnes instauration wherby we are fashioned anew by God cannot consist iustificatiō bicause the same through our corruption is vnperfect so that we cannot stand therewith before the iudgement seate of Christ Further they saie that this righteousnesse wherby they wil haue vs to be iustified is distributed vnto euerie man by the holie Ghost as it pleaseth him This indéed may be for the holie Ghost is the disposer as it were th'administrator in the distribution of the gifts of God Iustification consisteth not in that righteousnes which cleaneth in vs. But they go on further and saie According to the measure of the preparation but this can by no meanes be borne withall For we haue before shewed out of the fathers and chéefelie out of the holie scriptures that all those things which are doone before iustification are sinnes so far is it off that they can merit and prepare vnto iustification Further these men doo teach that if iustification be receiued men can neuer be sure and certeine of the same but must néeds be euermore doubting and full of care And when we obiect that this is to derogate from the truth of the promises of God the dignitie of grace they denie that to be true For they saie that they doubt not of the promises of God but when they looke vpon their owne indispositions as they call them then at the length they begin of necessitie to doubt Certeinelie this is not to be maruelled at for if a man haue a regard to his owne vnwoorthines he shall not only doubt of the promises of God but also shall be
26. Ye are all the children of God by the faith of Iesus Christ For what is it to be the sonnes of God but bicause we haue alredie obteined adoption which we obteine onelie by regeneration or iustification And in the fourth chapter Rom. 4 28. Brethren saith he we are after the maner of Isaac children of the promise But to be children of the promise is nothing else but to beléeue those things which God promiseth whereby we are made his children according as he hath promised we should be For so was Isaac borne vnto Abraham not by the strength of nature but by the benefit of the promise of God In the fift chapter he writeth Rom. 5 5. We in the spirit looke for the hope of righteousnesse by faith In this place are two things touched the spirit of God whereby we are new fashioned and renewed vnto saluation and faith whereby we apprehend righteousnes Wherefore in this matter of our iustification although there be in our minds manie other works of the holie Ghost yet none of them except faith helpe to iustification Wherevpon the apostle concludeth Circumcision is nothing Ibidem 6. and vncircumcision is nothing but onelie faith which worketh through loue Hereof onelie dependeth iustification of this faith I saie not being dead but liuing and of force And for that cause Paule addeth Which worketh by loue Which yet ought not so to be vnderstood as though faith should depend of loue or hath of it as they vse to speake hir forme but for that when it bursteth foorth into act and will shew foorth it selfe it must of necessitie doo this by loue So the knowledge of anie man dependeth not hereon for that he teacheth other men but by that meanes it is most of all declared But if anie perfection of these actions of louing and teaching redound vnto faith and knowledge that commeth of another cause and not for that they depend of it or thereof haue their forme as manie Sophisters haue dreamed Ephes 2 8. 52 In the epistle to the Ephesians the 2. chapter it is thus written By grace ye are made safe through faith and that not of your selues for it is the gift of God And after that in the third chapter Eph. 3 16. That according to the riches of his glorie he would grant you that ye may be strengthened with might in the inward man by the spirit that Christ may dwell in your hart by faith He that hath Christ in him the same hath without all doubt righteousnes for of him Paule thus writeth vnto the Corinthians in the former epistle 1. Cor. 1 30. and the first chapter Who is made vnto vs wisedome righteousnes holines and redemption Here therefore it is shewed by what meanes Christ dwelleth in our harts namelie by faith Againe Paule in the third chapter to the Philippians Phil. 3 9. That I might be found saith he in him not hauing mine owne righteousnesse which is of the lawe but that which is of the faith of Iesus Christ Here that righteousnes which is of works and of the lawe he calleth His but that which is of faith and which he most of all desireth he calleth The righteousnes of Iesus Christ Heb. 11 33. Vnto the Hebrues also it is written in the eleuenth chapter The saints by faith haue ouercome kingdoms haue wrought righteousnesse and haue obteined the promises These words declare how much is to be attributed vnto faith for by it the saints are said not onelie to haue possessed outward kingdoms but also to haue exercised the works of righteousnesse namelie to haue liued holilie and without blame and to haue obteined the promises of God verse 5. And Peter in his first epistle and first chapter By the power of God saith he are ye kept vnto saluation through faith In these words are signified two principall grounds of our saluation the one is the might and power of God which is wholie necessarie for vs to obteine saluation the other is faith whereby as by an instrument saluation is applied vnto vs. Iohn in his first epistle and fift chapter verse 1. Euerie one saith he which beleeueth that Iesus is Christ is borne of God but To be borne of God is nothing else than to be iustified or to be borne againe in Christ If followeth in the same chapter Ibidem ◠This is the victorie which ouercommeth the world euen our faith By which testimonie is declared that the tyrannie of the diuell of sinne of death and of hell is by no other thing driuen awaie from vs but by faith onelie And toward the end of the selfe-same chapter it is said And these things haue I written vnto you verse 3. which beleeue in the name of the sonne of God that ye might knowe that ye haue eternall life and that ye should beleeue in the name of the sonne of God 53 Now let vs gather out of the euangelists as much as shall serue for this present question Matthew in his eight chapter saith Mat. 8 19 That Christ exceedinglie wondred at the faith of the Centurion and confessed that he had not found such faith in Israel and turning vnto him said Euen as thou hast beleeued so be it vnto thee Here some replie that This historie and such other like intreate not of iustification but onelie of the outward benefits of the bodie giuen by GOD. Howbeit these men ought to consider that sinnes which are in vs are the causes of the gréefes and the afflictions of the bodie For onelie Christ excepted who vtterlie died an innocent all other forsomuch as they are subiect vnto sinne doo suffer no aduersitie without iust desert And although God in laieng of his calamities vpon vs hath not alwaies a respect herevnto for oftentimes he sendeth aduersities to shew foorth his glorie and to the triall of all those that are his yet none whilest he is so vexed can complaine that he is vniustlie dealt withall for there is none so holie but that in himselfe he hath sinnes which are woorthie of such like or else of greater punishments And where the cause is not taken awaie neither is nor can the effect be remooued Wherfore Christ forsomuch as he deliuereth man from diseases of the bodie manifestlie declareth that it was he which should iustifie men from sinnes And that this is true the selfe-same euangelist teacheth vs in the .9 chapter verse 2 for when he that was sicke of the palsie was brought vnto Christ to be healed he saith that Christ answered Be of good cheare my sonne thy sinnes are forgiuen thee At which saieng when as the Scribes and Pharisies were offended to the end they should vnderstand that the cause of euils being taken awaie euen the euils them selues are taken awaie He commanded him that was sicke of the palsie to arise and take vp his bed and to walke Wherefore it manifestlie appeareth that Christ by the healings of the bodies
maner of historicall faith we vnderstand For if saith he they call all those things which are written in the holie scriptures an historie The difference betweene an historicall faith and a faith of efficacie will they bring to vs another faith wherby we may beleue those things which are not written in the holie scriptures But we reiect not an historicall faith as though we would haue some new obiects of faith besides those which are set foorth in the holie scriptures or are not out of them firmelie concluded But we require not a vulgar or cold assent such as they haue which are accustomed to allow those things which they read in the holie scriptures being thereto led by humane persuasion and some probable credulitie as at this daie the Iewes and Turkes doo confesse and beléeue manie things which we doo but an assured firme and strong assent and such as commeth from the moouing and inspiration of the holie Ghost which changeth and maketh new the hart and the mind and draweth with it good motions and holie works In this maner we saie that that faith which is of efficacie differeth verie much from an historicall assent And that we are by that faith How it appeereth that we are iustified by a faith of efficacie Rom. 8 16. which we haue now described iustified we haue thrée maner of testimonies the first is of the holie Ghost Which beareth witnesse vnto our spirit that we are the children of God the second is of the scriptures the third is of works But contrariewise they which hold and crie that a man is iustified by works haue no sufficient testimonie for the holie Ghost testifieth it not the holie scriptures denie it onelie works are brought foorth those without godlines and faith such as were in times past the works of the old Ethniks are at this daie the works of manie which beléeue not in Christ and be strangers from God But it is woorthie to be laughed at that he hath cited also a place out of the 66. chapter of Esaie verse 2. by which onlie though there were no more places than it his cause is most of all ouerthrowne Vnto whom saith God shall I looke but vnto the poore man vnto the contrite hart and vnto him that trembleth at my words By these words Pighius thinketh are signified those works whereby God is drawne to iustifie vs. But the matter is far otherwise for the scope of the prophet was to detest the superstition of the Iewes for they neglecting th' inward godlines of the mind trusted onelie to outward ceremonies Wherefore this did God by the voice of the prophet condemne and declared how odious it was vnto him Heauen saith he is my seate and the earth is my footestoole Ibidem 1. As if he should haue said I nothing passe vpon your temple which ye so much boast of for Heauen is my seate such a seate as you cannot frame to make And the earth adorned with all kind varietie of plants liuing creatures hearbes and flowers is my footestoole Where then shall be that house which ye will build for me And where shall be my resting place And straitwaie to declare that it is not the temple built with hands All these things saith he hath mine hand made and all these things are made saith the Lord. By which words we learne that God delighteth not in these things and in outward ornaments sumptuous buildings for their owne sakes but chéeflie requireth faith inward godlinesse of the minds that he may dwell in them And who be indéed faithfull and godlie is declared by their certeine and proper notes Whosoeuer is poore and séeth himselfe to want righteousnesse and whosoeuer is contrite of hart that is to saie afflicted in this world whosoeuer is of a mild and humble spirit and not of an arrogant and proud spirit whosoeuer with great reuerence and feare receiueth the words of GOD he most iustlie may be numbred amongst them These are sure tokens and as it were the proper colours of faith and true godlines Afterward the prophet declareth how much God estéemeth the works of men that beléeue not and are not as yet regenerate though these works be neuer so goodlie to the shew He which killeth an oxe saith he it is all one as if he should kill a man and he which sacrificeth a sheepe as if he cut off a dogs necke he that offereth an oblation as if he offered swines flesh and he that maketh mention of incense as if he blessed iniquitie All these kinds of oblations and sacrifices were commanded and appointed in the lawe of God which yet being doone of an vncleane hart and one that is estranged from God were counted for most gréeuous sinnes Wherefore Pighius hath nothing out of this place whereby to defend his error but we by the selfe-same place doo most aptlie and most trulie confirme our owne sentence Now this is a notable and sharpe disputer which bringeth for himselfe those things which make so plainlie and manifestlie against himselfe 69 But he snatcheth at this also out of the epistle vnto the Hebrues Heb. 11 ◠that He which commeth vnto God ought to beleeue that there is a God that he rewardeth them which seeke vnto him By these words it séemeth that he would conclude that iustification is giuen vnto them who séeke God by good works Two sorts of them that seeke God But he ought to haue made a distinction of them that séeke God which thing Paule also did to wit that some séeke him by works other some by faith This distinction Paule sheweth neither leaueth he vnspoken what followeth of it for thus he writeth vnto the Romans Israel Rom. 9 30. and 10 3. which followeth after righteousnes atteined not vnto the lawe of righteousnes bicause they sought it of works and not of faith Wherefore they which séeke God to be iustified of him by faith as the apostle teacheth doo atteine vnto that which they desire but they which will be iustified by works doo fall awaie from iustification And that God rewardeth works which are doone of men regenerate and by which they hast forward to the crowne of eternall saluation we denie not But that perteineth not to this question for at this present the contention is not about this kind of works but onelie about those things which are doone before regeneration Those Pighius laboureth to prooue that they haue their reward and to be merits after a sort of iustification Neither dooth this anie thing helpe his cause when he affirmeth that this kind of merit redoundeth not vnto God or maketh him debtor vnto vs or is equall vnto that which is rewarded for these things although vnto him they séeme to serue onelie to extenuate the dignitie of merits yet doo they vtterlie take awaie all the nature of merit For whatsoeuer good thing men doo yea euen after iustification the same is not properlie theirs for God
worketh it in them Moreouer also all that whatsoeuer it be was alreadie before wholie due vnto God neither can we doo anie thing that is good or giue anie thing vnto him which is not his Wherfore we must take awaie all merit not onelie in them which are not as yet iustified All merit is taken both from the iustified and not iustified but also in them that are iustified But Pighius the easilier to persuade putteth forth a similitude of a certeine maister which hath manie seruants vnto whom to the end they should the more diligentlie and spéedilie accomplishe some worke which he setteth them to doo A similitude he appointeth a reward Who saith he will denie but that those seruants which spéedilie and diligentlie haue finished their worke haue deserued the reward that was promised We will bréeflie examine what may be concluded by this similitude If by seruants we vnderstand men regenerate in Christ we will grant that God setteth foorth prices rewards whereby we are stirred vp to liue holilie Neither will we denie but that such may be said to receiue a reward but yet we will not grant that they trulie and properlie merit the crowne of eternall felicitie And certeine of our writers to declare that this thing perteineth vnto the iustified doo vse a similitude A similitude not of a maister and his seruants but of a father his children For fathers are woont oftentimes with some certeine condition to promise a gowne a cap or monie vnto their children which although otherwise they would fréelie giue vnto them yet with some condition they doo it to quicken their endeuour as for example that they shall haue this or that thing after they haue once throughlie learned this or that booke Héere no man that will speake as he should doo and properlie will say that these children when they haue finished their worke haue deserued the gifts which were promised vnto them for the father fréelie and of his frée liberalitie giueth bestoweth the same vpon them But Pighius entreateth of seruants that is of men not as yet regenerate But that vnto such are by God set foorth anie rewards of good things I maruell out of what place he can declare it or wherby will he prooue that the works of such men séeing they are yet as we haue taught sinnes can please God And séeing the matter is so vnto them is set foorth not a reward but a punishment Howbeit to make the thing more plaine let vs compare children and seruants together Children though they doo nothing A comparison between children and seruants yet they enter vpon their fathers inheritance onelie if that they will receiue it but seruants though they labour neuer so much yet they haue no inheritance with the children This is so plaine that it néedeth no further declaration 70 But to wrest from vs that which we doo affirme namelie that if works be required vnto iustification the honour of Christ should be diminished as though his merit alone could not be sufficient to reconcile vs vnto God I saith he doo take awaie nothing from Christ but doo leaue vnto him his honour whole and safe But I beséech thée how doost thou take away nothing when as thou requirest works vnto our iustification and so requirest them as thou saiest that GOD more regardeth them than faith But he thus expoundeth his owne subtill ridle that Christ in that order of his is a sufficient cause as if he should haue said If we speake of the reconciliator and of that sacrifice whereby we are reconciled vnto God Christ onlie is sufficient But we cannot be prepared and be made apt vnto that benefit but by manie works I cannot doubtlesse but maruell where is become the wit of this so great a Sophister As though they forsooth against whome the apostle disputeth euer said that works are required vnto iustification as outward principles or grounds Vndoubtedlie they also went about the same which Pighius dooth that works are certeine purgings and preparations of the minds Further who séeth not that a generall proposition being true it is lawfull to applie vnto all the particular propositions thereof that which is either affirmed or denied in it Wherefore séeing Paule denieth that a man is iustified by works he excludeth all kinds of works in what order soeuer they be put But Pighius saith further that God requireth these works that he maie fréelie impute vnto vs iustification Whosoeuer is but euen slenderlie exercised in the holie scriptures shall easilie sée that this man is euen directlie repugnant vnto Paule for he in the epistle to the Romans saith Rom. 4 4. Vnto him which worketh not a reward is imputed according to grace But Pighius saith Vnto him which worketh God imputeth righteousnes fréelie But to impute fréelie and not to impute fréelie euerie child maie sée that they are contradictorie But weigh gentle reader this reason of two contrarie branches These works which he speaketh of either profit to iustification or els profit not if they profit not why calleth he them preperations For amongst causes are reckoned also causes preparatorie But if he will say that they profit and are in verie déed causes preparatorie with what face can he affirme that he plucketh awaie nothing from the honour of Christ but appointeth him to be the whole and absolute cause of our iustification But peraduenture this two-membred argument a man will turne vpon vs touching those works which followe iustification For he will saie either they are profitable to obteine saluation or they are not profitable if they be not profitable why are they required Wherevnto good works profit after iustification and why are promises made vnto them But if they be why doo we not allow merit to be in them I answer that such works are profitable vnto men regenerate for that they liuing vprightlie orderlie be renewed and made more perfect But that is nothing els but a certeine inchoation and as it were a participation of eternall life Further it hath séemed good vnto God by such meanes or rather by such spaces to bring men to eternall felicitie But we cannot call these works merits for Paule expressedlie teacheth that The reward of sinne is death Rom. 6 23. but eternall life is grace But that which is giuen fréelie That which is freelie giuen excludeth merit vtterlie excludeth merit And in the meane time we ought to remember that there is a great difference as we haue oftentimes taught betwéene their works which are as yet strangers from Christ and from God and their works which are now by grace graffed in Christ and made his members 71 Afterward also he goeth about to confute that which we say that a man is iustified by that faith which hath a respect vnto the promises of Christ and of the remission of sinnes as though we hold that faith is the proper correlatiue of such promises For he saith that
it trulie then make they on our side And why dooth this man so much impugne it But if falselie this good end nothing helpeth them to represse the insolencie of men Rom. 3 8. For euen as Euill must not be committed that good may insue so false doctrine must not be auouched to supplant other false doctrine But this man vndoubtedlie is so farre besides himselfe as he saith that this was lawfull for the fathers to doo For in his booke De votis which not manie yéeres ago he set abroad he saith that Augustine De bono viduitatis wheras he writeth that Their matrimonies which had vowed a vow of virginitie or of sole life are true marriages and not adulteries wrote the same for no other end but to persuade Iuliana the widowe vnto whom he wrote the booke that marriages in generall are not euill And so a Gods name he confesseth that Augustine setteth foorth one false doctrine to ouerthrowe another false doctrine And with the like wisdome in the same booke he feigneth that Clement Alexandrinus wrote that Paule had a wife which he thinketh to be most false onelie to prooue that marriage is good and honourable And if it be lawfull so to mingle true things with false and to confound all things when then shall we beléeue the fathers What thing can at anie time be certeine vnto vs but that we may be deceiued thereby Further he feigneth that Paule excluded from iustification onelie the works of the lawe But this we haue before abundantlie confuted and haue taught that the reasons of Paule are generall Yea the fathers sawe euen this also Augustine for Augustine in manie places affirmeth that Paule intreateth not onelie of ceremoniall works but also of morall works But bicause the authoritie of Augustine is I knowe not how suspected vnto our aduersaries let vs sée what Ierom saith He vnto Ctesiphon against the Pelagians vpon these words Rom 3 20. By the works of the lawe no flesh shall be iustified thus writeth Ierom was of the opinion that not alone the ceremoniall works are to be excluded from iustification Rom. 7 16. Bicause thou thinkest this to be spoken of the lawe of Moses onelie and not of all the commandements which are conteined vnder this one name of the lawe the selfe-same apostle saith I consent vnto the lawe of God There are others also of the fathers which teach the same but I now ouerpasse them Let it suffice to shew that this other feigned inuention of Smith is vaine and trifling 87 Thirdlie he saith that they ment to exclude works as he calleth them penall those works I suppose which repentant men doo But to shew how ridiculous this is also shall néed no long declaration For first such works were required of men not that by them they should be iustified before God but onelie to approoue themselues vnto the church that is least they by a feigned and dissembled repentance should séeke to be reconciled Further it is not likelie that Paule spake of anie such works for they were not at that time in vse Indéed Ambrose when he excludeth works from iustification hath herevnto once or twise a respect But we ought not so much to consider what one or two of the fathers doo saie but what agréeth with the holie scriptures Smith addeth moreouer God requireth of men more than faith Mark 1 15. that it is certeine that God requireth much more of vs than faith for in Marke it is thus written Repent and beleeue Here saith he vnto faith is adioined repentance And in another place He that beleeueth and is baptised Mar. 16 14. shall be saued He addeth also that in the epistle to the Ephesians Eph. 5 25. The church is said to be sanctified by the washing of water in the word And that Peter in his third chapter of his first epistle saith that Baptisme hath made vs safe Peter 3 21. And that Ierom also thus writeth vpon the first chapter of Esaie The washing of regeneration dooth onelie remit sinnes Behold saith he iustification and remission of sinnes is ascribed not onelie vnto faith but also vnto the sacraments As touching the first we grant that Christ requireth more of vs than faith for who doubteth but that he will haue men that are iustified to liue vprightlie and to exercise themselues in all kinds of vertues otherwise they shall no◠come vnto eternall saluation Howbeit these are fruits of faith and effects of iustification and not causes But as touching the sacraments we haue manie times taught how iustification is to be attributed vnto them for they are in the same respect vnto iustification as is the preaching of the Gospell and the promise concerning Christ which is offered vnto vs to saluation And verie oftentimes in the scriptures that which belongeth vnto the thing is ascribed to the sacrament or signe And because baptisme promiseth remission of sinnes by Christ and signifieth it and sealeth it in them which are washed therefore Ierom of all other sacraments attributeth this vnto it onelie Wherefore the words of the Fathers ought nothing to mooue vs when as they write thus that Faith alone is not sufficient to saluation for they vnderstand this A rule as touching the writings of the fathers of that eternall saluation vnto which we come not except some fruit followe our faith But of their saiengs we ought not to gather that a man is not iustified by faith onelie And though at anie time the verie same fathers séeme to referre their words vnto iustification yet are they to be vnderstood that their meaning was to expresse the nature of the true and iustifieng faith for it in verie déed is neuer alone but hath euer hope and charitie and other good works The righteousnesse that sticketh in vs consisteth not of faith onelie as companions Sometimes also by iustification they vnderstand that righteousnes which sticketh in vs the which without all doubt dooth not consist or depend of faith onelie 88 They thinke also that this maketh against vs Rom. 8 23. for that Paule writeth vnto the Romans By hope we are made safe Neither doo they sée that hope is there taken for the last regeneration which we hope we shall one daie obteine in the heauenlie countrie for the apostle a little before spake of it And vndoubtedlie we possesse that saluation onelie in hope not as yet in verie déed If there be anie peraduenture whom this most iust and most true answer will not suffice let him followe the interpretation of Origin for he vpon that place saith that Hope is there put for faith which is no rare thing in the holie scriptures But they haue found out yet another fond deuise whereby as much as lieth in them they doo go about to qualifie this word Onelie which is so often vsed of the Fathers namelie that faith onelie hath the beginning and as it were the first degrée of iustification which
first fruits of the captiuitie For this is not in the Hebrue and from whence the Gréeks deriue it I knowe not yet doo I thinke that the Rechabites were therefore called the first fruits of the captiues bicause while they wandered through the plains and fields it is likelie that they were the first which were taken and afflicted by the host of the Chaldaeans 28 But here ariseth a great doubt Whether Ionadab did well to bind his posteritie to these precepts whether Ionadab did well thus to bind his posterite to precepts and to charge them with heauie commandements Certeinlie wine lands houses cities and vineyards be good things the which GOD hath made for the vse of man why then would he haue his posteritie to absteine altogither from them especiallie séeing so great seueritie is sometimes repugnant vnto charitie Also there maie happen a weakenesse of health and such an infirmitie of the bodie that wine must be vsed 2. Tim. 5 13. euen as Paule counselled his Timothie Herevnto I answer that the causes as I shewed before which led this man to institute such things were honest but yet this we must adde that the obseruance hereof was not commanded by him with such seueritie that there could be no exception therein For not onelie the precepts of men but those also which God himselfe hath made must be seasoned and tempered by the lawe of charitie according to the rule appointed by God I will haue mercie Os◠6 6. and not sacrifice Vndoubtedlie he commanded sacrifices but yet if at anie time they were a hinderance of shewing mercie vnto our neighbours they were to be laid aside for a time and season So then the precepts of Ionadab were to be vnderstood that they should not bind his children if by chance anie necessitie had vrged which necessitie as it is commonlie said is the mother of dispensations or releasements For this cause are the Charter-house Moonks to be blamed The strict rigour of the Carthusians which so strictlie professe an abstinence from flesh as if one should be at the point of death they would not minister the same vnto him Wherefore when anie Rechabite had néed of wine in respect of his health he might vse the same notwithstanding the commandement of Ionadab euen as now also bicause they were compelled by necessitie they went into the citie of Ierusalem and were not accused of disobedience Yea and God testifieth with them on this maner Iere. 35 18. Bicause yee haue obeied the voice of your father and haue fulfilled all things that he commanded you c. He saith that they fulfilled all things when as now neuerthelesse they were abiding in the citie Besides this Ionadab did not so command as though he thought these things in their owne nature to be vncleane the vse of which he forbad vnto his posteritie The peuishnes of the Manicheis This was the péeuishnes of the Manicheis which thought that wine flesh and other like things were vncleane as those that were created by some euill god So did not Ionadab thinke but forbad them to his posteritie for the causes now alledged Furthermore the Rechabites were not bound by vow to performe them but they onelie absteined bicause they would obeie their father And bicause the commandement whereby wine was forbidden might séeme at the first view to be somewhat strict In the vse of meats drinks the condition of the regions must be obserued therefore it must be considered that the condition of all countries and regions is not all one For to refraine altogither from wine in this climat of ours it would be a great discommoditie for the most part of men neither might it be abidden But it is not so in Syria or Palestine where men are troubled with great heate and the waters there are verie excellent and are not vnprofitable to be droonke for which cause both there are and may be in that place men in great number absteining from wine And that thus it is the lawe of God concerning the Nazarites confirmeth it the which lawe vtterlie forbad them the vse of wine all the time wherein they were bound by their vow And we are not to beléeue that God would deale so hardlie with his Nazarites to charge them with things intollerable Now then séeing the precept might be vndoone vpon a cause of necessitie and that it was no difficult thing to be obserued in those regions Ionadab in making of such a precept is to be borne withall Wherevnto may be added that such a precept was verie conuenient for them for they were wandering people and ran about in chariots togither with their herds of cattell vsing milke for their meate and whaie in sted of drinke So then he commanded them nothing but that they were accustomed vnto and yet neuerthelesse The Rechabites not forbidden to marrie in so strict a discipline he forbad them not to marrie But contrariewise the Moonks doo abundantlie enioie all pleasures and thinke that they haue performed all godlines if they absteine from marriages In Iudges 1 verse 16. What be the best causes of peregrination Looke In 2. King 2 1. and 8 1. 29 But we ought to remember with our selues the verie good cause of peregrination of these men for all good men trauell not into strange countries for one and the selfe-same purpose Manie there be which oftentimes leaue their countrie bicause they may not worship God there after the sincere and lawfull kind of worshipping yea they are gréeuouslie troubled if they indeuour themselues therevnto So Abraham was called out of his land Gen. 12 1. and from his kindred least he should still haue procéeded in contaminating himselfe with his forefathers in idolatrie And so was it said of Christ that If they haue persecuted vs in one citie Mat. 10 23. let vs flie vnto another But there be others which although they be not hindered at home from true godlines yet will they visit those places wherein they thinke to atteine more profit and be more instructed in things diuine and necessarie for saluation Platos peregrination commended For which cause Plato is commended bicause he trauelled to the Aegyptians and went to a part of Italie named Magna Graecia he went also into diuers nations as though he had followed wisedome flieng from him 1. Kin. 10 1. So likewise is the Quéene of Saba commended in the holie scriptures which trauelled from so farre countries to heare Salomon After this maner the Kenites in the first of Iudges followed the people of Israel for although at home they knew and worshipped one God whose priest also their father was yet neuertheles they desired to be still more instructed and more absolutelie to receiue the lawes the ordinances and worship of God They also are verie much woorthie of praise that trauell into strange countries onlie for the intent to profit others to deliuer them from the miseries wherewith they be
oppressed Hercules After which sort the Poets haue reported that Hercules wandered through the world that by his force he might subdue wicked and cruell men which miserablie afflicted mankind Neither did the Apostles for anie other purpose trauell throughout the world but to deliuer men from the power of the diuell and by the preaching of the Gospell to loose them from the chaines of errors Christ also for the selfe-same cause would trauell and iourneie among men that by his doctrine death he might deliuer mankind from eternall destruction So as the Kenites maie be numbred among these for they also ioined themselues in the societie of the Israelites to helpe them through the desart for they hauing good knowledge of those places might be a great helpe vnto the Iewes These counsels are plainlie iudged to be good and honest for whose cause trauellings which are willinglie taken in hand are honest and praise-woorthie There may be other causes also of trauelling which as they are not alwaies to be accused so are they nothing comparable to these either in praise or in woorthines Wherefore let godlie men when they trauell into other countries haue regard as much as is possible vnto these causes which I haue now mentioned And as God disappointed not these Kenites of the fruit which they expected but made them partakers and that plentifullie of those good things which he had prepared for his people euen so séeing he is now the same God which he was then we must beléeue that he will not suffer himselfe to depart from his accustomed maner and perpetuall goodnes so that we obserue the iust causes and reasons that should mooue vs so to trauell abroad 30 But in that matter we haue néed to be verie warie and circumspect namelie that as Seneca in his 150. epistle to Lucillus Seneca What it behooueth vs to take heed of in peregrinations verie well admonished we trauell from our selues that is that we laie awaie our wicked affections bicause changing of places doth little profit if we carie about with vs the same affections which we had before Yea and it maketh most of all to the renewing of godlines that we should be strangers to our owne selues for what profit had come vnto the Kenites by the good lawes honest maners and pure religion which the Iewes professed if they would haue had their owne with them and haue abidden in the same wherein they were conuersant before So then they which doo trauell into other countries for studie godlinesse sake ought not to determine with themselues to behold cities buildings riuers fields vineyards woods plaies and maners of men for all these things although they somewhat delight the beholders as children which taking pleasure in euerie new and strange thing doo maruell thereat yet are they to little or small purpose at all The summe is that aboue all other things they studie onelie to be bettered in godlinesse and learning For if they shall but smallie regard this they shall be rather iustlie said to wander than to trauell Let them not therefore reteine with them anie longer those euils which they auoid yea and aboue all things let them wander far from the ignorance of God from the vnskilfulnesse of the holie scriptures from corrupt affections from wicked and pernicious examples This is the iust cause of trauelling which the Kenites by their example doo declare vnto vs. The Lacedemonians forbad peregrinations If the Lacedaemonians had had a regard vnto this they would not by their lawes haue forbidden trauelling But I persuade my selfe that hereto they had respect that they noted it to come to passe for the most part that their countriemen by trauelling abroad learne of strangers whom they go to sée not their vertues and wisedome but rather their vices and errors and afterward being infected with manie euils they returne into their countrie where they destroie their citizens with a certeine pestilent contagion Which certeinlie no man doubteth to be a great euill and discommoditie to the common-weale And yet we maie not therefore conclude that all trauellings are hurtfull for there can be found no citie The commoditie that commeth by peregrination no people nor anie publike weale in the world which hath not manie things vnperfect both in their maners in their lands which may be amended and corrected by the sight and knowledge of others Lycurgus which made that lawe Lycurgus profited much by trauelling into strange countries Yea and the Decemuiri of the Romans The Decemuiri of the Romans went themselues into Gréece to the end they might knowe the lawes of that people by meanes whereof they did maruellouslie prouide for their owne common-weale The seuenth Chapter Of Marriage and Sole life especiallie of Ministers IT is now a thing woorthie to be noted In Iud. 4 5. Maried folks are not contemned of God Looke in 2. Kings 4 at the beginning Esai 8 2. that maried folkes are not despised of God for of them he hath chosen some to be prophets and those verie notable For Esaie was commanded to go vnto a prophetisse which both conceiued and also brought him foorth children Ezechiel also was maried Wherefore that Syricius of Rome Eze. 24 16. and his fellowes must not be harkened vnto when they forbid the whole ministerie vnto maried folke And this reason forsooth they bring namelie bicause it is written by Paule that They which be in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8 8. and bicause in the old law it is commanded Be ye holie for I am holie and againe Leuit. 11. 44 Ye are the temple of God or of the holie Ghost But these testimonies now alledged if they might serue anie thing for their purpose then vndoubtedlie should they declare that no men which be maried can please God neither that anie may be counted holie vnlesse such as be of single life 1. Cor. 3 17. The temple also of God or of the holie Ghost should be restrained to the clergie alone But how vaine these things are all men perceiue so well that they néed none of my labor to expound them For who séeth not that the sentences now alledged are not spoken particularlie to one man or to an other but are pronounced to all the faithfull The maner of the Ethniks as touching virginitie or single life It was the maner of the Ethnikes to haue their prophetisses either virgins or else such as were of sole life as it is written of the Sibyls They also appointed certeine priesthoods vnto women but yet to virgins onelie namelie the sacrifices of Vesta and also of hir that was called Bona Dea. 2 Neither must we beléeue The maried men which were called to the holie ministerie did not leaue their wiues 1. Cor. 7 5. that those maried folks which were by God taken to the office of prophesieng or to the holie ministerie did straitwaie forsake their wiues for neither
to water those things which Paul had planted The word of planting answereth vnto milke but the worde of watering answereth vnto stronger meate Albeit Ambrose vnderstaÌ„deth planting to be the first doctrine of the Apostle Ambrose watering to be Baptisme perhaps alluding vnto this because it is ministred by water Finallie the increase that is said to come he referreth vnto the holie Ghost Howbeit the first interpretation is the more plaine Man of theÌ„â—…s are we willing to receiue this ministerie Matt. 20. 6. 37 And how strange of themselues the husband men of Churches be from these labours it is sufficientlie declared in the Gospell where those which be negligent to labour in the vineyard are thrust forth by the goodman of the house Exod. 3. 10. Neither is it to be doubted Ierem. 1. 6. but that Moses Ieremie and Ionas withstanding after a sort Ionas 1. 3. were drawen vnto it Which thing we maie beléeue hath happened vnto manie others seeing that in this vocation labours onelie grieuous dangers hatred and persecutions are to be expected the which things our flesh doeth marueilouslie abhorre Plato saith that for thrée maner of causes men were led to take offices Yea and Plato in his first booke of a common weale saieth that men were wont to be inuited to take offices vpon them partlie with money partlie with honours and partlie with punishments But they which be honest are not mooued for money sake séeing they are not infected with couetousnesse And the same men are not led for honours sake because they be not ambitious Onelie they maie be allured through punishment least they being called to the gouernment of the common weale and would not come they themselues also together with others should be subiected to the gouernment of wicked men who woulde intrude themselues into the offices the common weale falling to ruine neither might they themselues be safe So also must a Christian man doe that shall perceiue himselfe to be furnished by God with giftes profitable for the Church When he shall be called to the gouernment or ministerie thereof let him beware that he obstinatlie refuse not the charge that is laid vpon him The ministerie must not be obstinatelie refused In déede it is lawfull for him to giue vnto that Church a testimonie of his weakenesse and to admonish them to séeke for one that shoulde be more fit but he ought not to contend with an obstinate minde least afterward by the seuere iudgement of God he together with the whole Church be committed to the pernitious gouernment and charge of naughtie rulers which shall thrust in themselues But at this daie there is no daunger imminent on this behalfe séeing we sée that benefices and dignities Ecclesiastiall are procured with great ambition which therefore commeth to passe because these ambitious men doe not laie before their eies the worke which they doe in the Church but the riches and honours which they abuse at their pleasure Thereof it is gathered by Plato that if the Common weale consisted of good men the strife and contention would no lesse be betwéene the Citizens for the not taking of offices than now the labour is to obtaine them 38 But Paul teacheth that it is God that giueth the increase and certainelie it behooueth that God doe prosper the worke Yet neuerthelesse the ministers haue their workes also which should not be contemned of any man séeing by those God worketh in vs the things which belong vnto saluation Why God would not gouerne his Church without ministers He could easilie by himselfe without his ministers haue wrought the verie same things which he would not doe to the intent that a greater coniunction might happen among the faithfull So as those wordes which Paul addeth I haue planted c. are not saide as though the Ministers without God either plant or water But these two things are attributed vnto them because in these things they be workers together with God and haue their parts To quicken is saide to come of God because he doeth that onelie by himselfe And if perhaps it shall come to thy minde that the holie Ghost is also giuen through godlie Sermons Act. 10. 44. For while Peter yet spake the holie Ghost fell vpon them and the same séemeth to be giuen at the laying on of handes Acts. 8. 17. for when the Apostles had laide their hands vpon certaine persons the holie Ghost came downe vpon them giue eare vnto Ambrose who saieth Ambrose that this comes not alwaies to passe The imposition of hands and work of the ministerie be not the perfect and whole cause that the holy Ghost is giuen For because neither were handes put vpon Paul neither did he heare the preaching of man when he was conuerted vnto Christ by the waie neither doe all they which heare the holie doctrine nor they vpon whomsoeuer handes are laide receiue the holie Ghost which in anie wise should be if these were the true and proper causes why the spirit should be giuen Sometime the Scripture attributeth to the ministers that which belongeth to God 1. Cor. 4. 15 Gal. 4. 19. Howbeit we must vnderstand that the holie Scripture doeth sometimes attribute vnto Ministers those things which pertaine vnto God As when Paul saith I haue begotten you through the Gospell As also I am againe in trauell of you And the same Apostle wrote vnto Timothie And thou shalt saue thy selfe and those that heare thee And Peter in maruailous wise ioined the holie ministerie with God Acts. 5. 3. who said vnto Ananias How hath the Diuell tempted thee that thou shouldest lie vnto the holie Ghost for thou hast not lied vnto men but vnto God Yea and Christ himselfe saide Mat. 16. 19. Whose sinnes ye shall loose they are loosed and whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained 39 Vnto all these things on this wise confirme thy selfe The ministers of the Church if thou accept them as they be of themselues vndoubtedlie they can doe none of all these things The ministers must be considered of two maner of wayes 1. Cor. 3. 3. They are onelie meanes and instruments the which God vseth and is present with while he planteth and watereth And so must it be vnderstoode which the Apostle addeth in that place Neither is he that planteth any thing neither he that watereth but God which giueth the increase But if thou consider them as they be ioyned vnto God and as he is of efficacie in them and as the action of the holie Ghost is coupled with the action of the Ministers so that after some sort one is made of those two that which belongeth vnto the one part is by the figure Synecdoche attributed vnto another And after this manner the ministers of the Church are said to worke those things which we haue declared That which we haue spoken as touching the ministers is also to be vnderstoode of the
belong vnto religion are only knowē by faith and not by the sense But vnto faith the Scriptures are better knowen than bée the fathers Ro. 10. 17. For faith is by hearing hearing by the worde of God not by the worde of the Fathers But we must specially note that which Paul hath in the first to the Corinthians Comparing spirituall things with spirituall things 1. Cor. 2. 13 for a carnall man doeth not perceiue those things which belong to the spirit of God So then a cōparison must be made that our spirit may be confirmed by spirituall things What is so spirituall as be the diuine Scriptures For they procéeded as I may say immediatlie from the spirit of God But they say that the fathers also are spirituall I confesse for they were faithfull and regenerate But how were they spirituall Verilie not in that they were fathers but in that they were Christians and this is a thing common to all the faithfull And be it they were spirituall fathers yet were they not so altogether of the spirit as they had nothing of the flesh or humane affection for they did not alwaies speake or write or iudge according to the spirit they are euen at variance sometime among themselues So be not the holie Scriptures I adde that in Christ there is neither man nor woman Gal. 3. 28. neither bond nor free but onelie a new creature For the spirit of God is not bound to persons that it should be in this man because he is a king or in that man because he is a subiect for it is common vnto all men A father hath the spirit of God but not in that respect that he is a father A young man hath the spirit of God yet not therefore because he is a young man Augustine against the Donatists the 2. Augustine Booke and 3. Chapter Who knoweth not that the holie Canonicall scripture aswell of the olde Testament as of the new is contained within his owne certaine boundes and that the same is so preferred before all the latter writings of Bishops as thereof may in no wise be anie doubt or disputation But the writings of Bishops which after the Canon confirmed either haue bin written or now are in writing we knowe if that any thing in them haue perhaps scaped the truth must bee reprehended both by a spéech perhaps more wise of some man that is more skilfull in that matter and by a grauer authoritie of other Bishops also by the wisedome and counsels of them that bee better learned And these Councels which are made by particular Regions or Prouinces must giue place without casting any doubtes to the authoritie of more fuller councels which are held by the whole Christian world And that the more full Councels themselues being the former are oftentimes mended by the latter when that which was closed vp is by some experience opened and that which was hidden is knowen And against Maximinus the Arrian Bishop Now saieth he neither I ought to alleage the Councell of Nice nor thou the Councel of Ariminum as it were to giue iudgement before hand Neither must I staie my selfe vppon the authoritie of this nor thou vpon the authoritie of that Let vs contend by the authoritie of the Scriptures which are not eche mans owne but common witnesses of both so that matter with matter cause with cause reason with reason maie encounter together And in his treatise De bono viduitatis what shoulde I more teache thée than that which we reade in the Apostle For the holie Scripture ioyneth a rule with our doctrine that we shoulde not presume to vnderstand more than we ought to vnderstand but that as he saieth we should vnderstand according to sobrietie euē as the Lord hath dealt vnto euerie man the measure of faith 22 But they obiect vnto vs that Paul in the Epistle vnto Timothie 1. Tim. 3. 15. calleth the Church the pillar of trueth Paul calleth the Church the pillar of trueth Whereof the Church is so called I graunt it it is in déede the pillar of truth but not alwaies but when it is staied vp by the word of God And it is called a Church of the Gréek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to stirre vp and it is stirred vp and called forth by the word of God and as long as it doth according thereunto so long it is the pillar of trueth What then Doe we reiect the fathers No not at all But as concerning the authoritie of the Fathers we diminish the superstition of many who accoūt their wordes in the same place and number as if they were the wordes of God In verie déede they wrought and founde out manie things which we peraduenture shoulde neuer haue founde out Yet haue they not so written all things but that we must iudge and weigh what they haue written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Two waies of iudging obscure things But in iudging of things obscure we must set forth two markes The one of which is inwarde that is the spirit the other is outward that is the worde of God Then if vnto these things there come also the authoritie of the fathers it shall be verie much worth So in ciuil causes Orators when the thing is confirmed do adde other agreements taken from things alreadie iudged and those otherwhile are of verie much weight howbeit the Iudge pronounceth not according to those things for we liue by lawes as saith Demosthenes not by examples Hereby is vnderstoode that saying of Augustine Contra Epistolam Fundamenti Augustine I would not beléeue the Gospell saith he vnlesse the authoritie of the Church should mooue me Here doe the aduersaries marueilouslie boast themselues and crie out that the authoritie of the Church is greater than is the authoritie of the word of God And they bring forth the rule of Logicke Propter quod vnumquodque est tale A rule in Logicke illud ipsum est magis tale that is That whereby any thing is such as it is that it selfe is more such but for the Churches sake say they we beléeue the Gospell therefore much rather we must beléeue the Church An examination of the former rule Let vs examine that rule and sée howe much it maketh for them A schoolemaister was the cause why Virgil should be a Poet therefore his maister was more a Poet than Virgil. By reason of wine a man is drunke or furious therefore wine is more drunken and furious Why doe not these things followe Because in efficient causes this rule doeth not holde vnlesse it be both the whole cause and the next cause not the remooued or instrumental cause But the Church is not the whole cause why we beléeue the Gospell the spirit helpeth also without which we neuer beléeue In déede the scriptures are preserued in the Church and the Testaments are kept safe by the Bishop or Magistrate A proofe that the Church
God which if we take hold of by faith we shall obtaine both saluation and also remission of sinnes This is the true sense according to which the fathers must be vnderstood when they say that grace is the power of the sacramentes Which is al one as if they had said vnderstanding and sense is the force of speach and of wordes Of the schoolemens stay or let 16 And how vnsafely the schoolemen speak of their stay or let hereby it is manifest for that they say that he putteth not a staye or let which although he haue not the act either of louing or belieuing yet obiecteth nothing that is contrarie or opposite vnto grace namely the act of infidelitie or of hatred Then in such case say they the sacraments of the Gospel giue grace But this is nothing else than to attribute vnto creatures the cause of our saluation and to bind our selues too much to signes and elementes of this world This ought to be certaine and most assured that no more is to be attributed vnto the sacramentes as touching saluation than vnto the word of God No more must be attributed to the Sacraments than to the word of God In what respect our sacraments are better than those of the old Fathers Wherefore if sometimes we heare as Augustine also saith that our sacramentes are better than the sacramentes of the olde fathers this ought to be vnderstanded that it be referred vnto perspicuitie For we graunt that our sacramentes both speake and preach more plainely of Christ than did the sacramentes of the olde fathers Now then séeing we are more clearely and plainly instructed faith is more fuller and bringeth vnto vs more grace and spirit And we gladly admit that which the fame Augustine saith Sometime the Sacrament is receiued without the thing sometime the thing without the sacrament That sometimes it commeth to passe that the sacrament is receiued without the matter it self For so the wicked and infidels vsing the sacraments receaue only the outward signes and are vtterly voide of saluation and of grace Sometimes also it contrariwise happeneth that the godly being excluded by any necessitie from the vse of the sacraments yet are in no wise defrauded of the matter it self and of the thing signified Neither let any man here lay to our charge that we affirme that sacramentes depend of our faith for neither teach we any such thing yea rather we affirme that the sacramentes are sacramentes although thy faith be either weake or none at all And Augustines iudgement is very good concerning him which onely carnally receaueth the sacrament when he saith It doth not therefore cease to be spirituall but vnto them it is not spirituall And now at length to make an end Grace is not bounb vpon sacraments as it were in smal bags Looke In Gen. 17 we must neuer come to this point to thinke that grace and our saluation is conteined in the sacramentes as in bagges which may be powred out vppon the communicantes and receauers for the sacramentes are as certain messengers of our saluation which whoso giueth credite vnto obtaineth saluation And thus much hitherto haue I sufficiently spoken of sacramentes in generall As touching the proposterous vse of the Sacramēts looke part 4. pl. 16. Art 27. 28. in 2. Kings 5. Of Circumcision 17. Now remaineth for vs to speake somewhat of Circumcision For the better vnderstanding whereof we haue spoken these thinges the more largely and with more wordes What circumcision is saide to haue had remission of sinnes But here we shall not néede so long a treatise for if we remēber all those things which haue generally bin spoken of sacramentes it shall be no hard matter to vnderstand all that which may be spokē of circumcision Rom. 4. 11. And circumcision not to goe from the wordes of the Apostle was the seale of the righteousnesse of faith because it preached and confirmed the promise concerning righteousnesse which the olde fathers receiued by faith And hereof it followeth that the old fathers had by it remission of sinnes For séeing that righteousnes consisteth chiefly in the remission of sinnes whosoeuer beléeues the promise set foorth and by circumcision sealed it followeth of necessitie that he was partaker of the remission of sinnes Some demaund whether circumcision and baptisme which succéeded circumcision Whether remission be had of sinnes to come bring remission onely of those sinnes which are alreadie past or also of those which are afterward committed Let these men consider that the vse of circumcision and of baptisme is not for a time but perpetuall For as the faithfull oftentimes faile so when they forthwith come againe vnto thēselues they thinke vppon the promise of the Gospel which is as touching the remission of sinnes Wherein also euen for this cause they are confirmed for that they remember themselues to be either baptised or circumcised and so by putting too of faith they are deliuered from sinnes and are reconciled vnto God The error of them which wold not be rebaptized but at the houre of death Hereby it is manifest how they were in the olde time deceaued which would not be baptised but euen when death approched and that they were in a manner giuing vp the ghost Neither let any man thinke that this is repugnant vnto the kayes of the Church whereby the penitent are receiued For that they may the better vnderstand the matter this they must néedes graunt that those kaies of the Church are nothing else What the keies of the Church be but the preaching of the Gospell whereby the ministers doe perswade the beléeuers that their sinnes are forgiuen them But they which are to be perswaded are by the benefite of the holy ghost perswaded and their faith concerning the promise is also hereby confirmed for that they call to memorie the signe of baptisme or of circumcision which in times past they receiued And Paul when he sayd For the remission of sinnes going before meant that iustification when it is applied vnto vs alwayes putteth away those sinnes which we haue before cōmitted Yet that letteth nothing but that the promise of the remission of sinnes and sealing thereof may oftentimes with profit be called to our memorie But so oftentimes as sinne is so forgiuen it followeth of necessitie that the same sin went before Howbeit that which we speake of tendeth to this to declare that the vtilitie of sacramentes is not for a time but pertaineth to the whole course of our life Circumcision differed from our sacramentes for that it was the beginning first step and visible enterance to the couenant of God And what maner of men the vncircumcised were accounted to be the Apostle declareth in the Epistle to the Ephesians Ephe. 2. 11. Remember saith he that ye were sometimes Gentiles in the flesh which were called vncircumcision of them which are called circumcision in the flesh made with handes ye were
Great numbers of thine Ancestors that liued long agoe To what purpose these arguments are vsed It is a ridiculous thing for a man to boast that he can recken vp seuen great grandfathers These reasons some vse to extenuate the nobilitie of bloude Neither are these things spoken amisse or yet without profit especiallie against them which onelie for the vertue of their ancestors will be counted noble whereas otherwise they themselues liue dishonestlie vilelie and obscurelie And if any man haue together with vertue obtained nobilitie of bloud Nobilitie of kindred ioyned with vertue to profitable doubtles he hath great commoditie by it syth nobilitie is not a thing altogether outward as it was obiected For the properties and markes and motions of the Ancestors are I knowe not howe transferred to the posteritie which although that in the next children or childrens children doe not oftentimes shewe foorth or appeare yet are they still kept by a certaine power and reuiue againe in other of the posteritie so as in them the spirites and courages of their ancestors are renued vnto vertue Wherefore séeing such sparkes are still reserued in vs they are not wholie to be accounted among outward good things Neither agréeth that comparison of the Mule which they saie is procreated of a horse for that in the Mule the generation is stayed Neither can the Mule if we cōsider the common course of nature liue long But they which are begotten of noble parentes although they thēselues degenerate yet may they afterwarde bring foorth others And to staie euen in that similitude It no small deale adorneth the Mule that he is begotten of the horse séeing for the same cause they are more commendable than Asses But Iuuenall Cicero and Iphicrates spake of those noble men which when as they themselues had no part at all of their fathers or predecessors vertue and good disposition woulde notwithstanding be had in estimation for this cause onely that they came of a noble bloud He which being but of obscure parentage hath made himselfe honorable by vertues is of farre more excellencie than are they which comming of great nobilitie doe with vices and wicked actes and with Idlenesse cowardice dishonour both them selues and their stocke God vnto the posterity of Saincts graunted many things Rom. 9. 4. Exod. 20. 6. Gen. 49. 10 Num. 1. 47 3. 1. c. And how much God attributed vnto the posteritie of the godlie it is manifest not onelie by a place in the 9. Chapter to the Romanes but also by that place in Exodus where God promised that he would doe good euen to a thousand generations of the iust but euen héereby also in that he decréed that the Priestes and Kings should be chosen out of a certaine stocke This prerogatiue the Ethnickes contemned not For he which praiseth Alcibiades which some thinke was Euripides when he was crowned in the games of Olimpus saith that he which shall be happie must come of a noble Citie To which purpose I might cite a great manie of other things Whether the Gentiles be more abiect than the Iewes 1. Cor. 1. 26 if néede should so require But what shall we say of our estate Are we more abiect than the Iewes Or may we in comparison of them séeme to be without nobilitie séeing Paul thus writeth Consider your calling brethren Not many noble men not manie wise men are called I aunswere that there is no cause why we should therefore be sorie for our estate For although if we consider the stocke it self from whence we were cut off and which we cannot denie but was a wild Oliue trée we be obscure and without nobilitie To them that be graffed into Christ is cōmunicated all the nobilitie of Christ Ephe. 5. 30 yet after we are once grafted in Christ all his nobilitie is most trulie communicated vnto vs For we are now not onelie members of him but also flesh of his flesh bone of his bones so as now all his fathers are made our fathers Which things although they haue not happened vnto vs by naturall generation yet vnto a godlie man it ought to bée sufficient that they were afterward giuen vnto vs. Of Seruitude or bondage 5 The first mention of Seruitude or bondage in the holy scriptures is in the 9. In Gen. 9. 5 Looke In 1. Sam. 4. 9 of Genesis And it shall not be vnprofitable if we speake somewhat thereof The name From whence came the name of Seruitude if we weigh the Latine Etymologie was deriued of Seruando that is kéeping because those whome the vanquishers had not slaine in war they kept to themselues to the intent they might vse their labour Mancipia are goods cattel bondmen or captiues Thereof were they called Seruants as saith Florentinus the Lawyer in the fourth booke of the Institutes By the same reason had Mancipia their name because they were taken with the hand from enemies as we haue it in the first of the Pandectes of Iustinian Plinie in his 7. The originall of seruitude booke the 56. Chapter attributed the inuention hereof to the Lacedemonians But our writinges which be more auncient doe make vs beléeue that he is deceaued The cause of bondage is sinne The cause of seruitude For warre denounced and made if it be iust it is doone for the repressing of sinnes but if it be vniust as touching their part which make it yet by the dispensation of God it is iust who prepareth thereby to punish those which he hath knowen woorthie to be chastised This did Daniel and other Prophetes most manifestlie declare Dan. 9. 5. when they accounted their owne iniquities and the iniquities of their forefathers to be the cause of victorie vnto the enemies against the people of God Truely bondage is therefore a punishment Seruitude is a thing against mans nature because it is against the nature and condition of man God ordained man not that he should serue but that he should haue dominion Wherefore the good fathers in old time did not exercise dominion ouer men they were Pastors of the flocke and they ruled men onelie with loue and Counsels And séeing Man is made to the Image of God Gen. 1. 27. and that it is the propertie of God to commaund not to execute thinges commaunded it is prooued that men also are not of nature to serue Howbeit bondage must not be reiected by this Argument Bondage must not be reiected and why séeing it is inuented as a bridle of iniquitie and a medicine vnto mans naughtinesse For thou maiest finde manie thinges which haue had their beginninges of a naughtie cause which must not be altogether reiected but retained Hereuppon the Apostles Peter and Paul verie oftentimes in their Epistles Ephe. 6. 5. Col. 3. 21. put vs in remembrance that subiectes and seruantes should be duetifull towardes their Lordes and that they should not presume to shake off the
Augustine answereth And yet those whom I would gather togither I gathered euen against thy will Yet the same father séemeth to haue spoken hardlie Obiections out of Augustine in his treatise against Adimantus the Manichei the 26. chapter where he wrote that It is in the power of man to change the will vnto better Herevnto notwithstanding he himselfe answereth in his first booke of refractations the 22. chapter where he saith But that power is nothing vnlesse it be giuen of God by whom it is said Iohn 1 12. He gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God For séeing this is in the power that when we will we doo nothing is so much in the power as is the will it selfe but the will is prepared of the Lord and by that meanes he giueth power So must that also be vnderstood that I said afterward it is in our power either that we be ingraffed by the goodnesse of God or by his seueritie be cut off bicause it is not in our power sauing for that he followeth our will which being prepared by the Lord to be mightie and strong that which before was hard and vnpossible is soone become a worke of godlines c. Wherefore let this rule and exposition be of force to answer all the places of Augustine in which he séemeth to attribute more than is méet vnto frée will as touching heauenlie and supernaturall things We must answer that this selfe power hath onlie place in willes alreadie prepared and healed This rule did this father neuer withdrawe but put it as firme and certeine in his retractations Yea and in the tenth chapter of the same booke he sheweth that those things which he wrote as touching frée will against the Manicheis were spoken to the intent he might declare that there is not a certeine first euill beginning contrarie vnto the good God from which euill beginning forsooth sinnes should flowe but that the beginning of sinnes was from the will Wherefore it was not agréeable to that drawing that he shuld speake much of the grace of God that prepareth and healeth which neuerthelesse he after some sort left not vntouched And of frée will he spake rather as it was in nature first instituted than as it is now found in nature defiled and corrupted How far foorth free will is granted It is also obiected vnto vs that we doo euill in denieng frée will and that we giue an occasion of bringing the same in question and that we offer an offense vnto the Papists Howbeit I take not awaie frée will in generall but I grant the same in outward things and in those things which are not aboue the capacitie of man Moreouer I grant the same in part vnto them that be prepared healed and conuerted by the grace of God as a little after shall be said Further we are not to passe much of the slander of the Pharisies They be blind and leaders of the blind and therefore they are not to be regarded Euerie plant Matt. 15 13. which the heauenlie father hath not planted shall be rooted vp Besides they aske whether God doo towards all men as much as sufficeth to their saluation Some saie he dooth But it séemeth not so vnto me for I knowe out of the holie scriptures Matt. 11 21. that they of Tyre and Sidon would haue beléeued if they had séene those things that were doone of Christ in Chorazim Bethsaida Capernaum And this also did Prosper ad caput Gallorum note when he answereth vnto the tenth chapter wherin they obiected against the doctrine of Augustine bicause he affirmed that the grace of the Gospell was by God withdrawne from some He writeth there after this maner Also he that saith that the preching of the Gospell is by the Lord withdrawne from some least by receiuing the preaching of the Gospell they might be saued may discharge himselfe of ill report by defense of our Sauiour himselfe who would not shew foorth his works among some which he saith would haue beléeued if they had séene his signes and miracles And he forbad his apostles to preach the Gospell vnto certeine people And yet still he suffereth some nations to liue without his grace when as neuerthelesse we beléeue it most certeinlie that the church shall be spred abroad into all the parts of the world c. Of the verie same matter also the same father Ad excerpta Genuensium the eight dout thus writeth As touching the men of Tyre and Sidon what thing else can we saie but that it was not vouchsafed vnto them to beléeue And yet neuerthelesse the truth it selfe reporteth that they would haue beléeued if they had séene such signes of powers as were doone among vs that beléeue But why this was denied vnto them let them that falselie accuse tell it if they can and let them shew why the Lord did maruellous things among them whom they should not profit Also we if we be not able to atteine vnto the cause of his dooing and to the déepenesse of his iudgement yet doo we most manifestlie knowe that both it is true which he said and iust which he did and that not onelie the men of Tyre and Sidon but also they of Chorazim and Bethsaida might haue béene conuerted and of infidels might haue become faithfull if the Lord would haue wrought this in them Neither can it séeme false to anie which the truth saith Iohn 6 44. None can come vnto me except it shall be giuen him of my father And Matt. 13 1. To you it is giuen to knowe the mysterie of the kingdome of heauen Againe No man knoweth the sonne Matt. 11 27. but the father nor the father but the sonne and he to whom the sonne will reueale him Againe Iohn 5 21. As the father quickeneth the dead so the sonne quickeneth whom he will Againe 1. Cor. 12 3. No man can saie that IESVS is the Lord but by the holie Ghost The same Prosper also sheweth That all men haue not beene called by preaching that the preaching of the Gospell hath not alwaies béene giuen to all nations nor yet in all times and yet the same neuerthelesse is necessarie vnto saluation Ad capita Gallorum the fourth chapter wherein it was obiected against Augustine that according to his iudgement all men are not called vnto grace thus answereth Although it should appeare that the whole world had now in euerie nation and in all the ends of the earth receiued the Gospell Mat. 16 15. which in verie déed is most truelie pronounced that it shall come to passe yet were there no doubt but that since the time of the resurrection of the Lord vnto this present age there haue béene men which haue departed out of this life without knowledge of the Gospell of whome it may be said that they were not called bicause they not so much as heard of the hope of calling But if anie man affirme that
that Christian charitie mooueth mée to fauour them your request also shall cause mée that I will pleasure them any waie that either they themselues shall desire of me or that Iohn Vlmer shall desire in their behalfe That Hooper is deliuered of all his troubles I thinke you nowe vnderstand by others I neuer failed him and I alwayes hoped well of his cause He is nowe in his Bishoprick he exerciseth his function faithfully and earnestly God graunt him that he may plentifully reape the fruites which he most desireth Also Christopher Froschouer behaueth himselfe well for your sake I will neuer forsake him so farre as in me lyeth and I hope so well of him as I thinke hee will well aunswere your expectation I bid you and all yours fare well in the Lorde From Oxford the 25. of Aprill 1551. To Ralph Gualther IF I shoulde not my learned Friend giue you thankes for the paines which you haue taken in the perusing and correcting of my Booke when it was in Printing both I shall be vngratefull and shall not deserue hereafter to haue any benefite bestowed vpon mee by any other Truely I sée that you haue taken no small toyle therein For in copying out the Booke which I sent vnto you there was no such diligence vsed as had bin requisite But I will prouide hereafter that the matter may bee more diligently handled when I shall sende any thing to you to be Printed Wherefore I beséech almightie GOD to requite the paines which you haue taken for mee Your carefulnesse hath brought to passe that the worke is come forth well ynough amended But looke how much you haue furthered the impression so much lesse hath fortune fauoured the carriage of the bookes For to this day there could be conueyed hither but thirtie Coppies wherefore many séeke them in vaine since they are not to bee solde any where in this kingdome Birkman who promised me xx Coppies hath not sent one which I will not thinke to bée doone of ill will but rather that it hath happened through some mischaunce As touching our matters I cannot certifie you of much more than this our carrier I meane your Froschouer is able to shewe who vndoubtedly is an honest and godly young man and all the while he taried here liued moderately and religiouslie wherefore it appeareth that he was not rashlie commended of you at the beginning God increase his godlinesse and graunt you to procéede as ye doe in the instructing of your children and young men Great newes is here spread out of Germanie but yet so vncertaine and variable as we cannot wel assure our selues what to beléeue We are desirous to knowe whether the Switchers which professe the Gospell haue determined to send any of the Ministers of their Churches to the Councell of Trent But to enquire much of these things perhaps will not be thought conuenient since Christes cause is chiefely to bée commended to Christ himselfe Howbeit as the members of the bodie of Christ which is the Church are ioyned one with another by a most sure bonde of the spirit so is it requisite that they shoulde be carefull one of another I bid you farewell in the Lorde Salute in my name Maister Pellican Maister Bibliander together with the rest of our fellowe Ministers Giuen out of the house of my Lorde of Canterburie the 6. of Marche 1552. To the Lords of Polonia Professors of the Gospel and to the Ministers of the Churches there I Am fullie perswaded right honorable and louing brethren in Christ that you so abounde in the grace of God and his plentifull spirite and be so replenished with heauenlie doctrine and wisedome that you are able not onelie to teach and instruct your selues in the waie of God but can also admonishe and teach others yet am I bolde to write these things vnto you that you maie knowe as a certaine testimonie of my minde what coniunction I haue with all the members of Christ what most ready will towardes the holie renewing of the kingdome of Christ and what a certaine singular affection towardes the kingdome of Polonia Polonia embraâ—ed the Gospel First then I giue thankes vnto God the father through our Lorde Iesus Christ that your newe profession of the gospell is with great praise of the godlie spread in a manner euerie where For what can happen more acceptable or more ioyfull vnto them than that the Gospell of God maie be ministred euen in the vttermost parts of the worlde that the oblation of the Gentils where it was least to be looked for maie bee accepted of God and most aboundantlie sanctified by his spirite Verilie they which haue but a sparke of godlinesse in their brest and are touched with anie indeuour of the worshippe of God do not onelie make great account of your indeuours which you bestowe in the reformation of Christes religion but also doe weigh the same as the greatest pleasure and singular delight Procéede therefore as you haue begunne forasmuch as you are nowe become a most ioyfull spectacle vnto God vnto the Angels 1. Cor. 4. 9. and vnto men and for your sakes doth euerie good man from all partes reioyce Verilie I my selfe who am woonderfullie afflicted for the harde misfortunes of the Church of Englande The afflicted state of the Church of England who dailie lament the newe slaughters of holie men and continuallie sorow for the fires wherewith the most holie members of Christ are burned cannot but recreate my selfe by reason of the determination of godlinesse that you haue begunne For with you is increased and amplified that which elsewhere is by the extreme power of Antichrist abated and diminished Howbeit that our thankes giuing maie be the fuller and you receiue more ioyfull aboundant and long lasting fruite of that which you haue taken in hand this must you speciallie prouide that ye ioine with innocencie and purenesse of life that trueth of God which he hath vouchsafed to open vnto you The knowledge of God without integritie of life is hurtfull otherwise it profiteth nothing yea rather it doeth excéeding much harme to haue the knowledge of God to haue the reuelation of his will and to vnderstand the secrets of the Scriptures when wee shall in déedes and life denie all these thinges For what other thing I beséech you should that be Rom. 1. 18. than as Paul saith to detaine the trueth of God in vnrighteousnesse Assuredlie it is the first steppe vnto godlinesse rightlie to knowe those thinges whereby God will be worshipped of vs but herein to labour for performance thereof which we haue nowe by the grace of GOD knowen it is a most certaine fruite of that faith which indéed being taken awaie what soeuer knowledge went before though it were lightened by the spirit of God yet did it make vnto most gréeuous condemnation Wherefore my most déerelie beloued brethren we must take héede that our light be not without heate that the leaues bee not without
Ministerie and purpose so to continue Wherefore I will séeke and maintaine peace as you admonish me yet so neuerthelesse that when occasion is offered not a snatched or sought occasion but that which is iust and necessarie I will teach and speake that which I iudge true cōcerning that matter wherein I know they disagrée from me and that with such moderation and temperance as I will not gréeue or bitterlie taunt anie man that is of an other iudgement But as for commaunding me to silence or recantation neither haue I hitherto suffered it neither will I now suffer it For I iudge that to be most vnwoorthie for a godlie man and him that publikelie teacheth the holie scriptures so long as out of the word of God it cannot be shewed to be otherwise than I beléeue For when that should appeare and I might know it so to be I would not for anie cause delay to testifie the trueth and openlie to confesse it These thinges woorthie Syr and as you write my most néere ioyned brother in Christ I speake familiarlie to you as you sée and doe sincerelie open my minde and thought euen as it is affected For I haue such a confidence in your iustice and equitie as I neuer will or can séeme to refuse your owne selfe for a right and indifferent Iudge Fare you well and liue you happilie to Christ and his Church I would to God I might once at the length sée you and talke with you according to my earnest desire From Strasborough the 26. of Iune 1554. To Master Iohn Caluin I Am gladde that the little booke of defence of the consent of our Churches as touching the controuersie of the sacrament A consent of the Heluetian churches with the Church of Geneua is nowe come foorth and I wish that the same may bring abundance of fruit And I doubt not but for the Godlinesse and instruction wherewith it shewes it selfe to be furnished it will bring commoditie vnto the weake comfort vnto the learned and much stomacke and hatred to them that be obstinate Neither will this be any newe thing because such is the condition of the word of God That none of those things whereof I gaue counsell is chaunged I vnderstanding the reasons which you haue made in your Epistle do not only take it wel but in verie good part But yet this haue I marueiled at and I woulde with a gladde minde heare it if it were so that N. hath allowed of those things which you wrote For I loue the man because of other his goodlie giftes but in this controuersie which we are nowe in hand with he hath alwayes séemed vnto me to bee more than ynough a right Saxon and to carie a contrarie minde vnto the trueth which we defend Of what iudgement our men will be I knowe not Wée thought good to send both letters and a booke vnto Marpachius Marpachius For you did write nothing but that which may and ought to be taken in good part of mē which be of a sound iudgement But maruell not that there was some slacknesse in the answering of your letters For there were assemblies had after your letters were deliuered and Marpachius him selfe was absent a whole moneth which returned fower dayes since He went into his owne countrie and in returning made his iourney by Zuricke and saluted mee in the name of all those ministers In talke he is gentle and curteous ynough but excéeding obstinate in his opinion Thus much hath he profited that he includeth not the bodie of Christ in the breade but saieth that the presence of the flesh and bloude of Christ to the communicants is most truely and in verie déede to be affirmed and that such a presence as wicked men and the vnworthie eaters doe féede thereon Which plainely sheweth that hée doth not attribute the receiuing vnto faith vnlesse we speake of a liuely wholsome receiuing as though there were a certaine other true and reall eating as they call it of the bodie of Christ which the wicked also do vse But héereof I speake too much and especially with you which in one worde vnderstande the state of the controuersie As touching N. N. which you write of I also doe both know and sorowe that it is so He doth not sincerely admit the doctrine of predestination And as I can perceiue he agréeth altogether with Philip yea and he expresseth many things which euen Philip woulde not subscribe vnto him which I iudge méete at this time to be kept in silence But I see no iust reason that can bee alledged why he should denie the breade and wine to be the elements of the bodie and bloude of Christ Which reason although he could shewe yet would I iudge that we ought rather to giue credite vnto the diuine scriptures than vnto him whereby as well the breade as the cup are commended as Symbols or figures of the bodie and bloud of the Lord. Yet woulde I graunt vnto him that the verie action it selfe that is the eating and drinking is a figure of the most swéete foode of soules and of the whole restoring of our nature which figure we receiue by communicating in the Eucharist And whereas he saith that the naturall bodie of Christ is not giuen to be meate I so vnderstoode him as though in speaking this he stoode against them which vainely bable that the bodie of Christ is let passe into the belly by the mouth of the body by the téeth tongue roofe of the mouth and by the Iawes but if he meane any otherwise let him take héede Verily this am I most assured of that whatsoeuer nourishment or spirituall foode is receiued of vs by the bodie of Christ that is had by his true and naturall bodie which heeretofore was nailed vpon the crosse for our sake and nowe fitteth in heauen compassed about with the highest glorie For whatsoeuer foode there is as doubtlesse there is verie much drawne vnto vs by faith who wil say that that faith is caried vnto a feigned or phantasticall bodie Truly none that regardeth the truth and honour of faith will so affirme For faith apprehendeth things euen as they bee Wherefore séeing the body of Christ is not vnclothed of his nature neither heretofore vpō the crosse nor yet nowe in heauen it is by faith receiued of vs a naturall bodie as it is But while I write vnto you these things of N. N. beholde another thing commeth to minde whereof I am mooued for iust cause to demaunde and also to write what I my selfe iudge of it which as I doe boldly so it shall be frée for you when you be at leasure to shew what you iudge thereof For I doe not vrge an answere knowing that you are ouerpressed with profitable businesse As touching the communion which wee haue with the bodie of Christ and with the substance of his nature all men are not of one opinion and I thinke you shall heare the cause why It is a
but doe rather despise him he looseth his labour séeing through such a contempt he is made blinde But if he be indued with the feare of God he will assent vnto him that rightlie admonisheth Howbeit both parts of the argumēt are easilie refelled He that feareth not God and when the punishment of eternal death is set before him procéedeth in contemning of him procureth vnto himselfe a more gréeuous iudgement harder condemnation But he that is indued with the feare of God will by applying of more vehement spurs hasten with a swifter course vnto the trueth Wherefore such doctrine as this hath no fruite and draweth much losse with it Those things in effect iudge we of the whole cause Now wil we come to examine particularlie the parts and members thereof which we are faine to doe in fewe words and briefelie séeing we haue other businesse in hande which although we woulde we may not intermit This first of all we cannot choose but maruell at that the Anabaptists are affirmed to haue a true mediatour although they beléeue that his flesh was brought from heauen Whether the Anabaptists doe acknowledge the true mediator not taken of the virgin Vndoubtedlie a mediator he cannot be vnlesse he both be and be comprehended by faith according as God hath ordained him and reuealed him in his promises But he decreed that he shoulde haue flesh of men and this he testified by euident and plaine wordes in the holie scriptures So as they which attribute vnto him a heauenly flesh haue not the mediatour promised by God but him whom they haue inuented to themselues and imagined of their owne braine It is obiected that those men doe not sée nor perceiue that such a mediator is set foorth and promised by God as ought to haue taken flesh of Marie What they can sée or what they cannot sée it maketh little or nothing to the matter This doubtlesse are they driuen to beléeue that in the holie Oracles it is left vnto vs for a most certaintie we doe not affirme that they doe sée these things But this be we assured of that not to sée nor professe those things but with full mouth to denie them remooueth them from saluation A iudgemēt as touching the Iewes As touching the Iewes of our times which crie out that they cannot finde by the holie scriptures that Messias is yet come but say that they do beléeue in him as did the Patriarches Prophets and as their forefathers beléeued what will Hadrian iudge Will he saie that they be not out of the kingdome of heauen Let him saie what he will we will saie with Iohn that they be antichrists which say that Christ is not come in the flesh 1. Iohn 4. 3. A blindnesse in those thinges which the scripture teacheth concerning the mediatour remooueth not damnation from the vnfaithfull That blindnesse is laide vpon vs as a iust punishment of former sinnes which when it transgesseth the lawe and bounds of faith it taketh not eternall damnation away They that denie the consequent denie also the Antecedent but rather procureth the same Neither is it truely sayde that it comes oftentimes to passe that they which denie the consequent doe not denie the antecedent for they in déede doe denie this although in words they séeme so much to graunt it For the ouerthrowing of the consequent is so repugnant to the antecedent as they can not stande together But thou wilt say that vnawares they take away the antecedent of Christes humanitie I graunt it but ignorance as touching naturall prophane thinges is counted but a light matter but in articles of the faith it bringeth the extremest and chiefest losse And it is not nowe called ignorance but incredulitie Matt. 1. 25. Luke 2. 7. But that Christ was borne of the virgine Marie no man of sounde religion doubteth but that the same doth belong to the chiefe pointes of faith And for man to be borne of a mother is not onelie to passe through the wombe of her and this euen children themselues doe knowe Further we confesse that he was not onlie borne of a virgin but that hee was also conceiued of her And who I beséech you will say that those things which passe through the wombe are conceiued Howbeit we are not nowe about to bring foorth testimonies of the scriptures whereby the Anabaptists may bee conuinced that it may be shewed to them that the flesh of Christ was receiued of his mother but to the intent wee may prooue that they which denie this which truelie belongeth to a mediatour doe vtterlie take awaie the mediatour himselfe although by mouth and wordes they professe that they beléeue and confesse him A similitude If in anie kingdome a man should teach that we should not for anie cause obey a king and yet neuerthelesse would confesse him to be lawefull king and that he holdeth the same kingdome by right of inheritance hee should as I thinke be punished by death neither should it anie thing auaile him to crie that he séeth not the dependencie or connection betwéene the consequent and the antecedent But they which were wise or had anie knowledge at all of politike gouernement would say vnto him either thou séest or séest not this knitting together by denying this that is the consequēt thou ouerthrowest also the antecedent Neither are the papistes deliuered from the curse and euerlasting destruction in this respect that they thinke themselues to preach no other gospell than that which the Apostles taught and they themselues moreouer denie that they doe sée a iust and effectuall coniunction betwéene their doctrine and that which is accursed Yet for all that these thinges must not in such sort be vnderstoode as though we do not thinke that they sinne more gréeuouslie who reiect and oppresse the trueth which they verie well knowe than they of whome consequentes are denied and antecedentes by wordes and false opinion affirmed but in vaine since these may not consist with the contraries of the consequent These men in déede doe sinne somewhat lesse yet so gréeuouslie notwithstanding as vnlesse they at the length repent them That the Anabaptists haue no true mediator they shal perish eternally séeing they haue no true mediatour but such a one as they themselues haue forged Neither doth Hadrians similitude belong anie thing vnto this matter Whether the Anabaptists doe beléeue in Christ Mat. 26. 27 The Hebrewes saieth hee of a false opinion doe thinke that our Lorde Iesus was nothing else but a méere man and that a seditious and naughtie man Wherefore they being deceiued by this errour did naile him to the crosse which iniurie of theirs although it procéeded of a false opinion yet did it breake out against verie Christ not against a fained Christ So the Anabaptistes when they beléeue and call vpon Christ which suffered for vs which rose againe and by whome sinnes are fréely forgiuen although they thinke that he
sacramentes a great deale more than is requisite and tie the grace of God vnto baptisme interpreting amisse that saying which is in Iohn Iohn 3. 3. Except a man be borne againe of water and of the spirite he shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen Mar. 16. 16. Againe Hee that shall beleeue and be baptised shall be saued Moreouer we heereby gather that they attribute more than is méete vnto baptisme for that we comming vnto them they would not giue vs the Eucharist whereas notwithstanding they dare not denie baptisme vnto your young children because they dispaire that those can haue saluation without it Further they beléeue that young children be indued with faith which neither you nor we doe beléeue who thinke it to be sufficient vnto their saluation that they be indued with the spirite of Christ who is the roote and originall of faith and who at such time as hee shall thinke good will stirre vp the same in them Wherefore since there is no agréement betwéene them and vs in anie of both sacramentes we knowe not why you should from thence take baptisme vnto your children Besides this we thinke good to recken what an offence or stumbling blocke will be giuen to the weake ones of your Church when it procéedeth not of impietie or pride or too much obstinacie but of a great desire of the purer religion and it hath verie good reasons to prooue pastors and elders as much as they can must indeuour to auoid the same What commoditie I beséech you or spirituall edification is had at the length by baptisme ministred of the Lutherans vndoubtedlie your infantes are not in ioperdie of saluation if they die without baptisme forsomuch as neither the grace of Christ nor the effects of predestination must bee tied to outwarde things and sacraments Assuredly we are not to beléeue that the children of the Hebrues which for the space of fortie yeares died vncircumcised did al for that cause sustaine the condemnation of eternall punishment for that had bin verie straunge from the league couenant made with the fathers and also from the goodnesse of God and his promises Neither shall the â—issing of the Lutheran Baptisme be anie dammage vnto the parentes since it happeneth not vppon a contempt of the Sacrament but onely in regarde of the conscience and faith Wherefore wee exhort you my most déere brethren in Christ that ye at the leastwise for a while will abstaine from this kinde of baptisme till yee haue taught your weake ones as you call them that it is lawfull to receiue the Sacrament of the Lutherans For that is either forbidden or is necessarie to saluation or else it is a thing indifferent Necessarie to saluation it is not seeing the grace of God is not tyed vnto the sacramentes But if it be forbidden of God to be doone as we thinke it is so much the rather must yée abstaine from it Finallie if it be a thing indifferent as you may séeme to affirme if we shoulde graunt you euen this yet yee ought not to vse it with offeÌ„ce of the weake séeing Paul in these thinges indifferent woulde haue the consciences of the weake ones to be prouided for and that at the least wise for a time vntill the matter as we doe wishe maie bee made more manifest vnto them Neither must we be vnmindefull of the rule of Paul wherein hee spake of all this matter All thinges are lawfull for mee but all thinges are not expedient 1. Cor. 6. 12 Consider I beséech you with your selues although that the baptisme of the Lutherans shoulde be lawfull yet shoulde it not bee expedient at this time and for your brethren Neither doeth it séeme to be a part of Christian godlinesse onlie to heare and to be willing to followe as much as maie be lawfull by the lawes For otherwhile it behooueth for our brethreÌ„s sake to omit somewhat of that which is lawful to bee doone especallie in those thinges which be accounted indifferent But in the meane time you saie that the discorde betwéene vs and the Lutherans is more more increased And perhappes it is but yet it chaunceth not through our fault for wee doe loue them and manie times would haue accounted them for our brethren which they not onelie haue refused but also haue euerie where in a manner condemned vs and doe indeuour by all meanes to cast vs out of the Church Neither can it be thought that the discorde will bee therefore diminished because you séeke to baptise your children in their ministerie Yea and perhappes your sort will not hereafter through this communion of the sacrament aduenture so valiantlie and constantlie to defende that trueth about the article of the Sacrament as they haue heretofore with great praise vertue maintained it For vnconstant is the nature of man and is not for anie other cause sooner reconciled with them that haue ill opinions than by vsurpation of their Sacramentes These things my brethren did I thinke good at this time to write vnto you as touching this matter the which take yee in good part and pray you earnestlie for our Churches euen as we doe instantly pray for you To the brethren of the Citie of Luca. 47. SInce we together bee all one bodie most déerelie beloued brethreÌ„ in Christ it is wholie our part to coÌ„municate one with an other the affections wherewith wee bee some time mooued especially those which we think may bring any helpe to the coÌ„mon saluatioÌ„ Wherefore I which of long time haue liued ioifully in God because of your coÌ„mendable proceedinges in the waie of the holie Gospell of Iesus Christ all the faithfull giuing euerie where honourable report of you I thought it not néedefull hitherto to incourage you with my letters and therefore I regarded this one thing that I might giue thankes to the heauenlie Father for our aboundant spirituall fruites and to pray that hee woulde vouchsafe to increase the blessing that hee hath giuen you Which to accomplish I was not a little mooued forsomuch as I had at the beginning laide among you some foundations of the Christian trueth according to the will of the heauenlie Father weaklie indéede at that time as I before God confesse yet so as not by my power but by the fauour of Iesus Christ that indeuour whatsoeuer it were brought no small profite aswell to me as to you Furthermore I was delighted herein that after these foundatioÌ„s such as they were were laid you obtained of God other teachers which were more fitte through whose prudent trauell and most syncere doctrine the husbandrie begunne in you did increase Wherefore I reioyced and maruelouslie triumphed for your sakes as for an incorruptible crowne of mine owne neither was there euer anie mention made of you vnto mée but that I was wholie replenished with spirituall gladnesse Of the fall in persecution But nowe when it hath seemed good vnto God to prooue his housholde by tribulations and
lawes vnto our Churches First that in euerie one sermon there shall not assemble aboue the number of thrée hundreth or fiue hundreth persons Moreouer they require that the ministers shoulde not inueigh bitterlie against the Pope and the Masse They let not but that they may reprooue these things by descriptions in such sort as the standers by may vnderstande but they will haue the names to be forborne for common quietnesse sake least mens minds should be the more bitterlie stirred vp Howbeit these things will not be rashlie admitted by our sort they be as yet desired not finished There shall be also giuen in the kings name vnto churches Letters patents wherein they shal be commended vnto the Magistrates and presidents both of the Cities and of the prouinces Armour and weapons shal be taken away from our sort and from our aduersaries for the hindering of conflicts and slaughters While I was writing these things three of our associates went their wayes The Quéene mindeth to send me backe into the companie and protection of the Ladie Roetelin the mother of the prince of Longauill to whom belongeth the towne of Nuburge She is a verie Godlie woman and within these fewe dayes shée minds to goe thither she will also sende with me some man in her owne name whereby I may the more safelie come home I thinke I haue prouided well for Stukius He shalbée with a certaine noble man of Paris who is both Godlie and rich Hee shall instruct a young brother of his And betwéene whiles it shal be lawfull for him to follow his owne studies and he shall want nothing Farewell my most déere Gossip and most louing brother in the Lord. In the Court at Saint Germans the 2. of October To Theodore Beza 59. RIght woorthie man and most deare brother in Christ we being assisted by the bountifull fauour of God came safely and in health the 5. of this moneth vnto Trois where the brethren assemble together for the pure worshipping of God and that peaceablie and quietlie without any molestation doone of the aduersaries The Church is verie populous and is euerie day increased The Bishop intertained vs verie curteouslie who do the more earnestlie further the kingdome of Christ And he not onelie teacheth his flocke purely but because there is a great doubt in his conscience as touching his calling insomuch as therein he had not the election or confirmation of the people he therefore called the Elders of the reformed Church and prayed them that they would godlie and prudentlie consider whether they would choose him confirme him and account him for their Bishop which if they should thinke fit to be doone he woulde indeuour himselfe to procéede as he hath begun to edifie and as much as in him lieth to increase by teaching exhorting the Church committed vnto him but and if they shoulde not thinke him to be fit for so great a function they shoulde declare it fréelie and openlie and that hee is readie to giue place so he may liue in a Church reformed according to the discipline of the Gospel And he desired that they would spéedilie deliberate with the Church as touching that matter Which thing being doone of them all with one assent hee was acknowledged and receiued as true Bishop Wherefore his authoritie and godlinesse greatlie profiteth the Church of Christ God bee praised which after this manner gouerneth and directeth the kingdome of Christ At Dion there is raised a tumult doubtlesse not by the offence of the faithfull but by the wilfulnesse and furie of the aduersaries For while our brethren were in their holie assemblie they inuaded them and hauing gathered a bande of men they strooke vp the drummes as though they were to fight a maine battaile Seuen horses were spoyled Howbeit our sort got the better hande There be certaine men sent to the court which carie with them the cause plainelie set foorth and as they terme it informed They would haue had me by my letters to commend their cause to the Admyrall and the Prince of Condie but séeing the two principall guides of my iourney sent letters vnto them I thought it sufficient to desire you that you woulde in your owne name and mine doe this vnto them whom I pray you to salute heartilie from me Which thing also I would to be doone vnto my verie louing brother Master Galasius and to the vicount and especiallie to your brother if hée be there present Also my Iulius saluteth you Farewell my verie good brother God mercifullie assist your labours Both the Captains my guides doe verie much salute you From Trois the 6. of Nouember 1561. To Theodore Beza 60. THe 21. day of this moneth right worthie man and welbeloued brother in Christ I came safe and in health vnto Tigure and am all manner of wayes ioyfullie receiued of all sorts of people in the citie And the two captaines of souldiers that brought me home were so honoured by the Consuls Senate and officers and were so bountifullie and noblie intreated as they might easilie vnderstand what account this commonweale maketh of their masters Lastlie there be appointed for honour sake to bring them to Berna But I had rather you should heare these things of them when they come to the Court than to write any more of that matter Further you will not beléeue how much our fellowe ministers reioysed to heare that concorde continued sure and inuiolate betwéene vs all the while that wée were together and not without cause For what can be more ioyful in the Church than brotherlie agréement But of you and other of the brethren there is mention made and the verie honourablie These things be comfortable and as I perswade my selfe will not a little recreate you in your great labours But with this ioy were sprinkled certaine heauy newes For it is writtē out of France that from king Philip there bee sent verie threatning letters vnto the Kings gouernours whereby he séemed not to desire but to commaund that the authoritie of the Romane Bishoppe shoulde remaine in Fraunce without impeachment that otherwise he would professe himselfe to bee an open enimie of them who otherwise would than they had decréed Further it was added that the king commaunded that the Bishops which were departed shoulde returne againe to Poyssi and should there confute the confession of the French Churches These thinges séeme vnto vs both newe and hard Howbeit we will giue no full credite vnto them vnlesse we be certified by you which I beséech you my welbeloued brother in Christ that either yée will not differre or neglect to doe Fare you well most woorthie man GOD through Iesus Christ make your labours fruitfull In like manner aide vs with your prayers and earnestlie salute in my name our brethren and friends My Iulius saluteth you and also Thomas Blaurerus who as his letters testifie most hartily loueth you From Tigure the 25. day of Nouember 1561. To Maister Caluin 61. I Departed
in the iudgement of all men But hee neuer instructed more nor was more to bee maruelled at than in publike disputations For if anie disputers were to be moderated hee shewed himselfe so equall a iudge and was mooued with those reasons onely which were of force to perswade as no man coulde euer suspect him to bee parciall he depressed not the sounde argumentes of aduersaries he winked not at the errors false argumentes of friends if they would wander out of the bounds of disputation he reuoked thē courteously to the matter propounded but if the matter proceeded to braules he quieted them by his authoritie And he so finished those incounters that alwayes at the first hee repeated the thinges that were most necessarie and then at the last pronounced of the whole cause that both trueth might haue the victorie and that thereby also might redounde to the hearers no small commoditie And if so he it came to his part to dispute he alwayes so behaued himselfe both in propounding and aunswering as there was no suspition of anie desire either of chiding or of carying away the victorie from an ouerthrowen aduersarie but his minde being free from affections hee rather taught that which was the trueth than contended with anie about wordes And therefore when oftentimes afterwarde he encountered with the stout defenders of the Popes Religion neither was hee mooued to anger at anie time by their rayling speeches neither yet by the acclamations and prayses of our side was he made anie thing the loftier by vayne glory but he perpetuallie kept one and the same modestie equalitie of mind And what perspicuitie of speaking he vsed in publike readings the same did he followe much more diligently in disputing For he iudged that a darkenesse of speech and ambiguitie of wordes is the cause of verie manie contentions And hereof doe his writinges giue a manifest testimonie For whereas he wrote manie things of the iustification of man of Gods predestination not a litle verilie he wrote most of all of the Supper of the Lorde in the explication whereof verie manie learned men vse a certaine affected obscuritie but in his writinges there is nothing read but that which is proper plaine and manifest And when Bucer whom he honoured and greatly esteemed woulde oftentimes exhort him that in the question of the Lordes supper he woulde vse some certaine obscure and doubtfull kinde of speaking which hee himselfe therefore vsed because the good man perswaded himselfe that by this meanes might be taken away the great controuersie which is about this matter and so the long desired peace to be restored to the Church at the length he gaue place to him and vsed the selfe same formes of speaking that hee did But perceyuing within a while the daunger that woulde ensue he chaunged his minde for hee sawe that they coulde not be satisfied by this meanes which affirme the grosse and carnall presence of the bodie of Christ in the supper vnlesse that also their grosse kinde of speech be receaued with a full and grosse interpretation And againe hee had tryed that the weaker brethren by this doubtfulnesse of speech were in part greatly offended and in part so intangled troubled as they scarcely knew what they were to iudge in this matter Wherfore leauing to Bucer his owne phrase of speech he folowed also in this doctrine the selfe same perspicuitie which he did in other things and yet neuerthelesse betweene them remained a firme and constant friendship for neither did Bucer disallow of Martyrs iudgement neither was Martyr ignorant of Bucers meaning although he vsed doubtful speeches so that although the maner of their teaching in this matter was diuerse yet was there a ful consent of them in al the doctrine of Religion and a perpetuall friendshippe and coniunction of life which if I woulde expresse and rehearse all the pleasures whereby they declared their mutuall loue rather wordes woulde frayle than matter Wherefore leauing these thinges I will come to priuate matters and speake of his domesticall life For at Strasborough hee first beganne to haue a house and familie And first he liued without a wife all in one house with his friendes that followed him out of Italie being content with a meane or rather a verie small stipende which neuerthelesse was afterwarde augmented For since he left his countrie and great riches and high honours for Christ his sake hee thought it woulde not become anie to bee agreeued at the increase of his stipende speciallie since he was of so spare a life that this which hee had was not onelie sufficient for himselfe but that there also remained somewhat for the helping of friendes Nowe since for diuers causes hee disallowed of single life by the counsell of his friends he betrothed himselfe to an honest and noble Virgin Catherin Dampmartin who liuing at Metes and louing true religion was sent for to Strasborough by godlie men and afterwarde was married to Martyr This woman died afterward in Englande without anie issue when shee had liued viii yeares with her husbande Vnto this woman all that knewe her gaue such prayse as is due to a good and excellent Matrone For first shee was one that feared GOD loued her husbande wise and industrious in gouerning of her domesticall affaires bountifull towardes the poore who not onelie ayded them with her substance but also with all the counsell and helpe she could Moreouer in the whole course of her life she was godlie modest and sober It is reported that the common sort in Oxford loued her not onely as a benefactor and as it were a mother of the needie but that they also woondred at her as though shee had bin indued with some diuine power because that in sicknesses and especiallie in childbirth their wiues by her counsell and helpe obtained for the most part vndoubted safetie The dead bodie of this woman Cardinall Pole commaunded to be digged vp and to be cast into a dunghill and that he might seeme to deale iustlie when he had no other thing to accuse her of he ascribed this cause to wit that she was buried hard by the bodie of S. Fridesuide and that she was the wife of an Hereticke Verilie this Cardinall which was sometime a speciall friend of Martyr after his departure out of Italie not onelie forsooke his friendship but he vtterly cast awaie the care of true Religion which for a time he had fained and became an earnest enemie and persecuter of our professors Therefore sith he could not burne Martyr himselfe as he desired and with greater pleasure would haue seene it he shewed his crueltie vpon a dead carkasse which had bin Martyrs wife But after that England vnder the most excellent Queene Elizabeth had receiued the former light of the Gospell to abolish this note of infamie the bodie by the commandement of the Bishops was againe digged out of the filth and dunghill and in a great assemblie of people was solemnlie buried
from it 3 155 b 156 a The lawe is not idle no not after it 2 300 a The order thereof in mans reason howe it behoueth to bee 1 16 b The promise concerning the same is not conditionall 3 136 b Howe often it is taken holde of 3 136 a Life and it are so ioyned that oftentimes one is taken for another 3 130 b Whether it may be separated from faith 3 131 ab 132 ab Whether it be ascribed to the sacramentes 3 157 b 158 a Howe diuerslie the fathers vnderstoode it 3 158 a Who they be that cast away the grace thereof 3 160 a Why the fathers attribute it to charitie onely 3 159 a Whether a man being iustified can doubt thereof 3 135 a The effects of charitie doe followe it 3 237 b Whether it be an effect of faith 3 136 b Whether it depend of attrition 3 214 b 215 ab In whome properly it consisteth 3 124 b 125 a It dependeth not of baptisme 4 136 b 137 a What faith bringeth it 3 57 b Predestination confirmeth the doctrine thereof 3 3 b Howe it is referred to Christes resurrection 2 610 a Wherein it séemeth to be declared 2 609 b It dependeth not of mans will 3 28 b Of two inwarde motions thereof 3 124 a One manner thereof in the time of the lawe and the Gospell 2 586 ab Why God woulde that it shoulde come by faith 3 96 a It is shewed by reason that it is of faith not of charitie 3 137 a Whether it bee giuen vs by the promise 3 145 b 146 a Whether in anie respect it depende vppon man 3 123 b 124 a Whether charitie do worke it 3 77 b Whether it be denied to bee only as touching the ceremonies of the lawe 3 103 ab 104 ab 105 ab Vnto whome Paul wrote the doctrine thereof 3 108 a Whether it be by workes 3 93. 94. 95. 96. 97. 98. 99. 100. 101. 102. 106. 107. Attributed by sâ—me both to workes morally good and superstitious 3 102 b Whether it may concurre with workes 3 156 b Howe it is graunted vnto workes 3 147a Goodly works a let or impediment thereunto 1 95 ab Of workes preparatorie thereunto and in whome they bée 2 264 b Howe it would follow that it shoulde come by workes 3 14 b What the Fathers say thereof giuen fréely 3 119 b 120 a.b By faith onelie was proper to the fathers in the law aswel as to vs. 2 584 a It doeth consist of grace not of workes 1 145 b The Pelagian heresie touching iustification without grace 3 107 a Howe Pighius vnderstandeth frée iustification 3 147 b Vnto what thinges hee ascribeth it 3 138 b Howe he prooueth that it is had of loue 3 138 b Smith denieth it by faith 3 147 b 148 a Aristotle vnderstoode not nor beléeued the iustificatioÌ„ through Christ mentioned in scriptures 1 132 ab The difference and order of diuine and humane or Ciuil iustification 2 303 a The iustification of the publicane was not in workes but in prayer 2 266 ab Proofes of Cornelius his iustification when hee prayed 2 260 a The causes and effectes thereof 2 259 ab The doctrine of iustification is the principall point of all godlines 3 93 b 94 a Ke. Keyes What the Keyes of the Church bée 4 108 a 297. 2 a 636 a 3 116 b Diuerslie interpreted 3 218 a Looke Church Ki. Kings Kinges be the heades of common weales 4 35 b Whether they may be deposed by a Bishoppe in a case of offence 4 232 ab Whether they or Bishoppes are superiour 4 22â—b 230 a Why they be consecrated â—y Bishoppes 4 623 b How God reigneth together with the good 4 35 a After what sort the bad must bee obeyed 4 3â— b In what manner we bee all Kings and Priestes 4 12 ab Kingdome terrestiall The Papistes make a diuision of a Kingdome into two partes 4 23â— b The Kingdome was not giuen to Saul by the same couenaunt that it was vnto Dauid and why 1 209 b Two causes why Saul was cast out and Dauid surrogated in his roume 2 209 b Of restoring the Kingdom of Dauid 1 608 b Of the Kingdome of the Iewes and Gods kingdome 3 161 b 162 a Why in olde time the Kingdome and priesthood were committed to one man 4 327 b Kingdomes Whether Empires and Kingdomes are of God 4 228 a Why God by his prouidence transferreth them from nation to nation 2 264a Vnto whome the distribution of them belongeth 4 305 a By what meanes God giueth them 4 306 a What is meant by the distribution of them by Lot 4 305b The cause of their alterations 4 227 b 228 a The Prophets may be a certeine occasion not a cause of the ouerthrowe of Kingdomes 4 237 ab Kingdome of Christ and God Prophesies of Christs Kingdom 2 596 b 597 ab 3 397 a Diuerse errours touching the same in this life 3 396 a Of the Millenaru 3 358 a Whether it shall haue an ende 2 607 a What is meant by his deliuering vp of the same to his father 2 607 a That when it shal be fulfilled the ministeries of Angels and labours of celestiall bodies shall cease and why they now moue 1 120a Who seeke the Kingdome of God 2 598 ab Kingdome of heauen What the Kingdome of heauen signifieth preached by Christ 3 203 b Vnder the name thereof the Church is vnderstood 3 392 a Kinred A definition of Kinred declaring what it is 2 453 a Within what degrees thereof marriage may not be made 447. 448. 449. 450. 451. 452. 453. ¶ Looke Marriage Kisse Of the Kisse of peace and the originall thereof 4 218 b Kn. Knowe How we may Knowe God by the workemanship of the worlde 1 16 a We may Knowe him thrée maner of wayes 1 16 a Two wayes naturally 1 10 b Knowledge physicall Wherein opinion and Knowledge do differ 2 296 a It is either reuealed or gotten by endeuour studie 2 300 b Of certeine affects which follow the Knowledge either of euill or good 2 411 a It breedeth vnquietnesse prooued 1 168 b Wherein the power thereof consisteth 3 137 a Whether the bodie be troublesome thereunto 3 316 b 317 a We are led to the Knowledge of causes by their effects 1 47 a The Knowledge of things commeth partly by causes and partly by effects 3 75 b How particular things ouercom a general Knowledge 3 70 b 71 a Of a Knowledge that may séeme both true and false 3 73 b Of the Knowledge of things to come and to whome the same is graunted 1 81 b Of the Knowledge which spirites haue 1 81 b The Knowledge of the principall end is profitable 1 9 a Our naturall knowledge corrupted 3 166 a Of certeine things which cannot bee gathered thereby 1 17 a The pride of Philosophers noted therein 1 2 a They hid that which they had of God 1 11 a How Philosophie and diuinitie do varie concerning
67 a Of woodden Priestes and golden Vessels and contrarie 3 239 b Vi. Vices What nature and custome is able to doe about Vices and vertues 1 55 b Why they doe suffice vnto miserie but not vertue vnto felicitie 1 165 a Not necessarilie linked together as vertues be 2 555 a The weightines of them is considered by their obiectes 2 530 a Wherein they and vertues are one and the same and wherein they differ 1 95 a Why they are to be dispraised and vertues to be praised in men 1 56 b Victorie Thrée respectes to be had of Victorie in warre 4 285b Whether the ende of warre be Victorie 1 7 a ¶ Looke VVarre Violence Whether it be lawfull for a man to repell Violence by vyolence 2 397 a 417 b 536 a Looke Reuenge Violent A definition of Violent shewing what it is 2 257 a 286 a What the holie scripture determineth there of 2 291 b What it is according to philosophie and from whence it hath originall 2 281 b Whether such thinges as haue a Violent motion may also haue a dooing 2 282 a Against them that saide that the wicked actions which we commit for pleasure and profite be Violent 2 285 a Virginitie Whether Virginitie be a worke of supererogation 3 227 b The fathers extolled it and single life 2 428 b In what estimation the Ethniks had it 3 192 b The reason of Paules praising of it 2 428 b Whether it is to be preferred before matrimonie 3 202 b 203 a Of the perpetuall Virginitie of the virgin Marie 3 58a b Whether she had vowed it to God 3 62 b Vision Of a Vision and that the same may be in thrée sorts 1 19 b 20 a Why the Vision or sight of God or Angels doth séeme to bring present destruction with it 1 31 b Of God vnto Moses and howe hee shewed himself vnto him face to face 1 17 b Esay put to death as Ierom saith for saying he sawe a Vision of God sitting vpon his throne 1 31 a The Vision of Ieremies hose which hee laide downe by a rocke at the riuer Euphrates 1 25 b The Vision of God vnto Micheas the Prophet 1 27 b The Vision of the breade baked in Oxe doung which Ezechiel sawe 1 25 b Of the Lord to his Apostles vpon mount Tabor 1 31 b Visions How to discerne betwéene the Visions of a good spirit and an euill 1 37 a Of the prophets sometimes imaginatiue 1 117 a What they be according to Saint Augustine which make not Prophets 1 36 b Aristotle thinketh not that they are sent by God and why 1 32 b Thrée kinds of Visions noted by Augustine 1 36 b God sendeth them both sleeping and waking 1 38 a In diuining any thing thereby sent of God two things are required 1 36 a Those of prophets obtaine not their truth from nature 1 38 b Both of God and also of Angels prooued by examples 1 27 ab Great difference betwéene them 1 27. a b 28 a Of the Visions that the Prophets and Patriarchs sawe of God 1 25 a In what sort and howe much God may be séene of men â— 24 a 25a Saint Ambrose his iudgement touching those of the mind 1 26 a The Visions that the Godly saw of God and of Angels did strike them into an excéeding great feare whie 1 31 a 32 a Visitation Howe necessarie the Visitation of Churches is 4 9 a Vn. Vnction Of the signe of outward Vnction 4 14 ab Of extreme Vnction 4 15 b ¶ Looke more in Annointing 4 15 b Oile Vnderstanding The corruptions of the Vnderstanding in man noted 2 225 ab The power thereof can do nothing without the senses and similitudes that we contemplate 2 147 a Referred vnto things present 1 170 a It dependeth of phantasies and formes 1 83b How the power thereof is diuided 3 165 b Whether the bodie be troublesome thereto 3 316 b 317a Actiue and speculatiue 2 301 b Of things diuine how euill it is 1 31 b Not onely our will but our Vnderstanding also must bee conformable to the will of God 1 205 b Whether the will of God be before his vnderstanding or his Vnderstanding before his will 1 170 b Labour in Vnderstanding doth not disquiet God and why 1 168 b ¶ Looke Knovvledge Vnion Of the Vnion of the godly with Christ 3 77 b 78 a ¶ Looke Vnitie Vnitie Of the Vnitie whereby Christ and the Church are coupled 4 144 Represented 4 82 a Whether we or the Papists haue broken it 4 96 a In what things it consisteth 4 96 a 321 ab Abolished by sedition 4 321 a Of the Vnitie of ministers 4 25 a The Vnitie of substance in the Trinitie prooued most notably 1 105 ab 106 a The Philosophers diuided into partes and how 1 11ab Vnmarried Touching the state of such as bee Vnmarried read part 3 pages 191. 192. 193. c. 202 b ¶ Looke Marriage Vnpossible Whether nothing is Vnpossible to God 3 336 a Vnrighteousnes What is properly to withholde the trueth in Vnrighteouâ—nes and what the Apostle meant by that vnrighteousnes 1 15 ab Vnthankful In what maner and sort we may withdrawe our benefites from the Vnthankfull 2 524 a Vnthankfulnes Foure degrées of men noted for Vnthankfulnes 2 524 a Whether benefites are to be withdrawen froÌ„ men therefore 2 524 ab Vo. Vocation How earnestly wee must be bene to our Vocation 2 561 b Of contentment therewith 3 259 b Defined 3 259 b The cause of iustification 3 14 b The Vocation of the Gentiles prophesied 3 346 b ¶ Looke Calling Vocations Whether it be lawfull for Christians to change their Vocations 3 260a The holie Scriptures commaund that wee confounde them not as howe 1 9 b Vnto whom the distribution of them and states belongeth 3 259 b 260 b Voluntarie Voluntarie standeth vpon knowledge and desire 2 281 b A definition thereof 2 257 a 289 a 1 194 b How the holy Scripture determineth thereof 2 291 ab It is not in that which is done by ignorance 2 286 a Voluntarie doeth not properly belong to brute beastes and children why 2 290 b Whether the actions of a drunken and angrie man be Voluntarie 2 286 b 292 b Why some thinke that they are not 2 289 b 290 b 291 a Whether these things that be done for pleasure be not Voluntarie 2 285 a Voluntarie and not voluntarie are referred vnto the will 2 2â—3 b Whether those things be Voluntarie which are done for the feare of greater euils rather than the obteining of some good and honest thing 2 282 a Against them that made Voluntarie actions to be onely those which be rightly consenting vnto reason 2 285 a Whether Voluntarie and without constraint be all one 2 282 a Sinne is Voluntarie if we speake of actuall sinne but not voluntarie if we speake of originall sinne 1 â—98 a That something though it bee of necessitie yet is Voluntarie howe 1
Looke Imprecation Witch Who it was that appeared at the call of the Witch 1 72 ab It was not Samuell saieth Augustine 1 75 a Witches Witches haue no power ouer the godly 1 76 b 77 a Lawes of Princes against them 1 19a And such as repaire vnto them 1 84 b 85 a Witcherie Of the force of Witcherie the cause thereof in olde women and vpon whom it worketh most 1 79 b Witnesse These wordes there be three which beare Witnesse in heauen the father the worde and the spirit expounded 1 105 a The thre things which beare Witnesse of Christ 4 113 a How many wayes God is called to Witnesse 2 372 a What wee are taught by being forbidden to beare false Witnesse 2 553 a Witnesses Two famous Witnesses of the Church in the last age 3 382 b VVo. Woman The state of the Woman farre worse than of the man 2 460 b That she is and is not the Image of God and after what maner 1 124 a Why it is not meete that one Woman should be both a wife and a seruant to any man 2 379 ab Why Paule willed the Woman to keepe silence in the Church 2 242 b Whether before sinne the Woman were subiect to the man 2 379 a Women Whether Women may bee in warrefare 4 288 a They taught the people openly 4 7 ab They must haue their head couered in the congregation and why 2 481 b What Women labour to please men 2 510 a Why Women were commaunded to be silent in the Church 4 7 b Women indued with the spirit of prophesie 4 7 a Women circumcised among the Egyptians 4 111 a Why the Women that prophesie are commaunded to couer their heades 4 8 a Whether Women may teach in the Church 4 7 ab What ornaments Women may vse and not vse 2 513b Looke Women what is spoken concerning painting of the face 2 508 ab and so forward Holy Women maintained and releeued Christ 4 29 a Why we be called men why Women as Augustine allegorically saieth 1 124 a Wooers What kinde of emulation is betwixt wooers 2 417 b Woonders The difference betweene signes and woonders shewed out of diuerse writers 1 71 b Why the scriptures haue so often ioyned these two wordes together 1 71 b ¶ Looke Miracles Word of God The difference of Gods worde and Philosophie 1 58 a The preaching thereof hath all men subiect vnto it 4 230 b Howe miracles win credite to the worde of God 1 63 b. The same thing is offered by the worde that is doone by the sacraments 2 635 a Neither youth nor any other is excepted from hearing the worde of God 1 57 b Of the worde of God and hearing of the same reade all the 7. Chapter of the first part The force of Gods worde in the hearers of the same 1 58 a The difference of Gods worde specially in the Eucharist 4 196 ab 187 b It was the worde or Christ that God spake by to the fathers and Prophets 1 26 b The force of the inwarde worde of God in the minde 3 176 b God vseth the inwarde worde and the outwarde and in whom 2 233 a Whether the outwarde or visible signe of Baptisme be altogether necessarie to regeneration 2 233 a Of the word vnwritten and the word written with the antiquitie of both 1 42 b And how to beleeue it 3 70 a Whether it were written before Moses time 4 72 a Whether Christes bodie bee more worthie than his worde 4 214 a ¶ Looke Scripture Wordes Wordes are partly naturall and partly after the minde of the namers 2 590. 591 a Wordes are the principal signes thereof 2 542a b What they be 3 342 b Aristotles definition of them and who abuse them 2 544 b The vse of them 3 304b 4 144ab Certaine Hebrew wordes receiued into the Church 4 215 ab Worke of God How is it true that God rested from worke the seuenth day since he worketh dayly and hourely 2 374 b How it is a strange worke vnto God to punish euils 3 44a That God doeth worke nowe also and by what meanes and how 1 122b That which the holy Ghost calleth euill is no worke of God as Pighius saith 2 218 a Worke of man Howe the selfe same Worke is produced by God and by vs. 1 189 b 190 a Howe it may bee both of God of the deuill and of euill men 1 183 a Howe it can be the end of an action when it is after the action 1 7 b Sometime that which remaineth is more excellent and sometime the action and why 1 4 b An habite in the minde is no Work though it come of frequented actions 1 4 b Whether there may be any Worke of man found that should throughlie please God 2 572 a None good saith Augustine without faith 2 259 a To the goodnesse thereof it is not enough that the same in his owne nature be not euill what then 2 311 b A Worke cannot be made good by an habituall intent 1 93 b 95a The rule whereby it must bee directed 3 118 a How the conscience may make a Worke good or euill 3 165 a A Worke seeming acceptable vnto God may be sinne prooued 2 267 b Of a Worke of man which is in man and yet breaketh not out from his owne strength 1 132b Howe men are saide to Worke together with God 3 13 b 14 a Faith as it is a Worke cannot iustifie 3 60. Of the Worke wrought which is supposed to merite saluation 4 106 b 194 b Whether an Infidell can doe a Worke pleasing God 3 118a A charitable Worke of an Infidell namelie to cloath the naked is sinne prooued 2 267 ab Works of God Howe and after what sort wee must iudge of the workes of God 1 13b Three sortes of them about his creatures 1 181 b 182 a 184 a They doe helpe one an other 2 599 a Of the particular and common workes of the Trinitie ◠599 b Workes of men No place for good workes in the worlde to come 3 368 a Whether it bee lawfull to doe them for rewardes sake 2 573b 574 a What are turned into sinnes 3 152 b 153 a 26 a Faith goeth necessarilie before them 3 154 ab Faith perfecteth and formeth them 3 149 b Whether true faith and they can bee separated 3 131 b 132 ab How the old Fathers of the Church esteemed them 3 121 a They doe serue both to Predestination and Reprobation 3 34a They bee the effects of Predestination not the causes thereof 3 14b What they that defende merites doe thinke of them 3 54 a They after iustification doe profite 3 144a An ill comparison made betweene them and sinnes 3 22 ab They are not the causes of our calling 3 15 a They depend of GOD yet must we not cast away all care of liuing well 3 3 a Whereof good woorkes are signes and seales 3 95 b In whome they are a beginning to
eternall life 3 56 a Gregories opinion that faith is the entrie whereby wee come to good workes but not contrariwise 2 260 ab Many ioyned with faith prooued 3 72 b Whether they are the cause of eternall life 3 35 b The Pelagians opinion that they come from our freewill c. 3 50 b Pelagius and the schoolemen affirme good workes but not such as further to the kingdome of heauen 2 268 a Why they that are foreseene be not the cause of predestination 3 13 a 15 b 16 b 17. 18 a 19 b Before regeneration there are none 3 118 a They are not sacrifices propitiatorie 3 101 a They are ingendred of faith 3 74 b Whether good workes auaile to the certainetie of hope 3 86 b They are meanes not causes to eternall life 3 13 a Sinnes are mingled euen with our best 3 54 b Good workes after iustification are sacrifices of thankesgiuing 3 101 a Whether good woorkes are giuen to the regenerate by grace 3 54 a What God hath respect vnto in our workes 3 278 a What kind of works are sinnes yea most grieuous sinnes 2 263 b Our workes by a good intent cannot be meritorious 1 93 b Whether free in iustification may concurre with them 3 156 b Why God promiseth many things vnto them 3 223 a How those of the penitent doe satisfie God 3 222 b Those of Christians are not better than the working of them and why 1 8 b Holie workes depend vppon two principles namely knoweledge and appetite 2 254b Augustine accuseth the meane workes which hee did before his conuersion 2 265 b In what respects woorkes may be saide to bee good 2 258 a Augustine confesseth that the works which followe faith bee of God but denieth that faith is of our selues as some hold opinion 2 260 b Blasphemie to say that without the grace of God wee can doe workes acceptable vnto GOD. 2 258 ab Why the libertie of the godlie to doe them is not perfect 2 270 b In such strangers from Christ haue no freedome at all 2 254 b What become christian Churches 4 66. â— In what respect God commendeth the workes of certaine men not good 2 572 b Howe God accepteth of them they being naturallie euill 2 567 b That neither before nor after iustification they doe make righteous 3 97 a They giue iudgement to vs who be saued who not 4 115 b Why faith rather than they iustifieth 3 137 a Whether works before iustification deserue 3 101 b Workes follow iustification 3 100 b Of their nature before regeneration 3 9â— b 97 a Howe God rendereth to euerie man according to them 3 113 a Augustines rule touching righteousnes of them 3 113 b Whether faith can consist without them 3 60 b By what sort some say righteousnesse is recouered 3 105 b Why Christ in the last iudgement will make mention of outwarde Workes 3 113 a Howe the Workes of men may please God 3 113 a God rewardeth those oâ— the faithfull 2 521 b Whether God hath respect to their worthinesse 3 390 b 391a They are no cause of our felicitie 3 52 b Augustines diuision of theÌ„ and of what works we may iudge and not iudge 2 533 a God refuseth them though they seeme godlie and deuout as how 2 265ab Workes be sinnes if they be destitute of their due end 2 265 a Whether those of charitie hope be iust 3 156 b Whereunto Workes without faith are compared and that they cannot saue 3 150 b Who seeke God by faith and who by them 3 142 b They cannot properlie be called merites 3 52 b 53 a In what respects good mens are good and euill 2 562 b Whether God attributeth more vnto them than vnto faith 3 146 a Of actions which followe after them alreadie brought to passe 1 4 b Without faith can neuer saue such as bee the woorkers of them 2 262 b Howe God by them bringeth vs vnto life eternall 3 â—2 b Whereupon the goodnesse of them dependeth 2 389 a Howe they make fayth perfect 3 75 a A distinction of them 3 93 a 55 b Of iudging men according to them â— 48a Whether they shal be called necessarie or contingent 3 35b 36 a Our saluation dependeth not of them 3 17 a The godlie can attaine vnto Workes acceptable vnto God proued 2 270 a 265 b 266 a Of Cornelius and his Workes and whether he were regenerate or no when he wrote them 2 259a 263 a The intent that men ought to haue in forbearing wicked Works 2 573 b Of the Works of the regenerate 3 46 a A distinction of them 3 55 b Of those before and after 3 â—6 b Whether Workes doe iustifie 3 93. 94. 95. 96. 97. 98. 99. 100. 101. 102. 117 b 155 b 156 a 143 b 103. 104. 105. Howe Iustification is granted vnto them 3 147 a How the Fathers are to be vnderstood when they attribute righteousnes vnto them 3 148 ab Why we take from them the power of iustifying 3 136 b Vnto what Workes the merits of congruitie and worthinesse are due 1 108 ab 119b 120 a Of Workes due and not due vnto God 3 236 b Howe those of dutie and those of supererogation doe differ 3 227 b Whether Workes ceremoniall doe iustifie 3 156b 157 b Of Workes morallie good and superstitious and whereto some ascribe iustification 3 102 b They iustifie in no case 3 103 ab 104 ab 105 a Euen they are signes and seales of righteousnes imputed 3 95b 96 a Though in shewe neuer so good before God they are sinne â— 257b How we ought to bethinke our selues considering the good morall Workes of men not regenerate 1 96 a Whether penall Workes iustifie 3 157 b Of Workes Preparatorie and in whom they bee 2 264 b 1 95. 3 121 b 141 ab Slenderlie prooued 3 111b 112. 113. 114. 115 116. 1â—7 Whether they doe merite 3 1â—… b 224 b Iustifie not 3 126 ab â— 556 b Woorkes of satisfaction reduced to three points 3 221 b Workes of Supererogation proued and disprooued 3 227. 228. 229. 230. 231. Answeres to the reasons brought for them 3 230b 231. 232. What maner of ones they be 3 230 a Whether Workes wrought doe iustifie 3 116 b Whether the Workes of Infidels bee sinnes 3 106 a 243 b 244 a 2 263 b How they please God 3 111 b That their Workes are sins 2 269 b Whereto Chrysostome compareth such 2 262 b Whether they please GOD. 3 299 a Counted glistering sinnes 3 277 ab Against them that say the wicked may doe good Workes and such as please God and through them can deserue as they say of congruitie 2 264 a Of the notable Workes of the Romanes recompensed of God inferred by way of obiection 2 263 a All the good Workes of the not regenerate are but a robberie to Gods grace 2 264 b How farre they are from them 2 267 a What those bee which the aduersaries so highlie