lavve describeth it in these vvords Leu. 18.5 Ex. 20.11 Gal. 3.12 that he which performeth the things vvhich the law cōmaundeth shall liue by them contrariwise pronouncing them accursed which contitinue not in all things that are vvritten in the booke of the lawe de 30.12 But vvhen the same Moyses treateth of the righteousnesse that springeth of faith he speketh after this maner Say not in thy harte vvho shall go vp into heauen for that is as muche as to fetche or call dovvne Christ the sonne of god out of heauen Neither say in thy minde who shall go dovvne into the deepe for that is as much as to rayse or fetche vp agayn the same Christ from the dead R. What is it then that Moyses concludeth P. The worde sayth he is neere thee in thy mouth and in thy hart de 32.41 and that is the vvord of faith vvhich we Apostles of Christ do preach R. Now I see plainly that euen the auncient fathers of the old testament had the same marke set afore them for the fayth of the beleeuers alwayes to ame at which we haue namely Gods euerlasting worde very God and very man the Sauiour the Messias and the foundation of true righteousnesse and innocencie to whom whosoeuer cleaueth shal out of all doubt be saued Therefore no neede at all haue the Israelites muche lesse we to go on pilgrimage to passe ouer the sea to climbe vp into heauen and to attempt things aboue our power to become rightuous For it is sufficient to beleeue the Gospell to imbrace Christe the fathers worde and to be made one with him by the spirite of regeneration P. You hit the matter in deede For if you confesse the Lorde Iesus with your mouth and beleeue in your hart that God hath raysed him vp from death you shall be saued For the beleefe of the harte maketh righteous and the confession of the mouthe saueth Neither is this doctrine nevve or deuised by vs that beleeue in Christe but is continually repeated and set foorth by the holy prophets For to let passe others The Prophet Esay sayth Esa 18.20 whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not be ashamed nor deceyued R. You say truth But the Iewes restrayne this generall distribution onely to the Israelites and are of suche opinion as to beleeue that the Gentiles are shut out from that promise P. Surely they be vtterly ouerseen◠For in this behalf there is no difference betweene Greeke and Iewe. God created them all alike and made them all able to receiue him so they haue fayth As for deseruings there are none at all neither in the one nor in the other their saluation consisteth in gods only goodnes And bicause he is the onely Lorde of all riche and welwilling to do good to all that beleeue and call vpon him hartily seeke al their help welfare of him alone therfore according to the sayings of the prophets whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lord shal be safe R. I remēber I haue read this sentēce in the sermons of the prophet Ioel. Ioel. 2.32 But there is a certen doubt which greueth my 〈◊〉 very much For if it be true as you say that god is the creator of al men and that be createth men able to receiue blessednes how hapneth it that the most part of the worlde abideth in ignorance of the truth and that a great sort euen of those that heere the truth do not beleeue it and obey it For to the intent we may speake first of the Heathen folke and Gentiles how can they call vpon him on whome they beleeue not and how can they belee◠e in him of whō they haue not herd and how shal they heare without a preacher and how shall they preach vnlesse they be sent euen of god the only author of saluation P. Surely you reason sharply For to the same purpose the prophet Esay said How beautifull and fine are the feete of such as bring glad tidings of peace Esa 52.7 and bring newes of good things R. Ye see also that not all the Iewes obeyed the Gospell Esa 53.1 For the same Esay complayneth of their vnbeleefe in these words Ioel. 12.31 Lord who hath beleued our sayings Heerevpon I conclude that the cause of damnation commeth of God who denieth to some men the degrees wherby they might come to the true worshipping of him and so consequently to saluation P. Nay rather you must gather hereof that true and liuely fayth commeth of hearing and that the true and inwarde hearing is inough by gods word and by the holy Ghost mouing mens harts and making their mindes cleane and holy by his operation R. I doubt not at all of that matter The thing that I demaund is this whether the nations to whom the preaching of the gospell came not at all are vtterly reiected of god or whether they may alledge any excuse for not hearing gods voyce I say I would fayne know whether they haue hard any thing or no that might quicken them and stirre them vp to the knowing and worshipping of the euerliuing God P. Yea out of doubt haue they For as the princely Prophet witnesseth treating of Gods schoole namely of his creatures wherein he shevveth his godhead and power to all Adams posterity Psa 19.5 Their sound sayth he vvent forth into all landes and their words into the vttermost partes of the world Rom. 1.16 Therefore looke what can be knowen of God is firste manifest in themselues that is to say in their ovvne minds For God hath manifested himselfe to them by a certeine inwarde lavv Againe concerning his inuisible things such as are his euer lasting povver and Godheade they be perceiued in the workemanship of the woorlde by considerning them in his workes And therfore they make themselues vnexcusable bycause that when they knew God they yeelded him not glory and thanks meete for God but wandered in vaine imaginations and their folishe mynde became dim And whereas they professe themselues wyse they become the more fooles Therupō it commeth that they turne the glory of the incorruptible God into an image fashioned to the shape of a mortall man of byrds of fourefoted beasts and of wormes And therfore for a punishment of this vvickednesse God giueth them vp to the lusts of their owne hartes into vncleannesse to defile their bodies among themselues for turning Gods truth into a lye and for vvorshipping and seruing the creatures passing ouer and neglecting the creator vvho is to be praised for euer Amen Hereuppon sprang the mischeefe the damnation and the destructiō of those whom you spake of R. You haue ynoughe and more than ynough satisfied my doubte with these your woordes Now I desire to knowe whether the doctrine that you set downe concerning the reiecting of the Iewes the calling of the Gentyles were knowen to the Prophets of old tyme I meane whether the Israelites did euer knowe Gods eternall
ground-worke of this Gospell P The sonne of God who was made of the seede of Dauid only as perteyning to the fleshe and in respect of his manhod and therwithall was shewed to be the sonne of God with singular power through the sanctifying spirite R. Wherin appeared this Godhead of Gods sonne or by what meanes P. In the raysing vp of the dead from their graues or by the rising agayne of our Lord Iesus Christ who both rose agayne himselfe from the dead and also called other men agayne vnto life R. I acknowledge here a wonderfull description of the person of our Lorde Iesus Christ who is bothe very man and the very sonne of God Now I pray you shew who called you to this office of preaching the Gospell R. The very same Christ our sauiour by whose goodnesse I obteyned the office of Apostle R. I pray you what is the end of this function P. To cause the people of all countreys to submit themselues and to be obedient to the faith which we preach eueriwher in the name of our said lord Into the which number coÌ„pany you Romanes also are admitted called by Iesus christ Therfore vnto you al which dwel at Rome which ar both derebe loued of god choseÌ„ to liue in godlines and holynesse I wishe peace and euerlasting happinesse from God him selfe the heauenly father and from our lord Iesus Christ his only begotten sonne ¶ The entraunce into the Epistle R. Hitherto ye haue layde foorth the title of your Epistle wherein you haue shewed vs who you are to whome you write and finally what you intende to set downe vnto vs namely the Gospell concerning the sonne of God Nowe remayneth that we come to she whole body of the Epistle and first if it please you set downe the state and grounde of the whole Epistle in fewe words that I may the easlyer conceiue the whole matter and beare it in remembraunce P. To be shorte the drifte of the whole Epistle is this to shewe all men indifferently the two cheefe poynts of ReligioÌ„ namely the doctrine of fayth and the doctrine of good conuersation proceeding out of fayth bycause that all the thinges which are conteyned in the holie scriptures may easly be referred too those two And furthermore I take him not to be the worst learned man which hath learned the true maner bothe of beleeuing rightly and of dooing well R. In what order handle you these thinges P. First I teache what is to be beleeued and afterwarde by what deedes godlinesse is to be shewed and exercised For the works that are called good beeing destitute voyde of true faith notwithstanding that to outward shew they be excellent and prayseworthie haue nothing in them but a fading glosse of glittering brightnesse But God the sercher of the inward thoughtes laugheth them to scorne setteth light by them as things that proceede not of fayth R. What order keepe you afterwarde in laying foorth the fayth P. Euen this that I deuide it as it were into two places Whereof the one sheweth the way whereby men knowing themselues to bee giltie and enemies to God may neuerthelesse recouer his fauour and repayre his good will as it were after banishment which place if you thinke good we will call the place of IustificatioÌ„ And afterward I shew that all mankinde may without difference inioy this benefite of attonement and Gods fauor by the force of faith which the Lorde bestowed vpon men from heaueÌ„ whether they be GeÌ„tiles or Iewes Whiche place let vs call the treatise of Gods election or of the calling of the Gentiles R. I like very well of this kind of teaching Therfore it is to be wished that all the professers of true religion should set aside the manifolde intanglings and great windlasses of curious questions and specially the great number of mens forgeries and inuentions and imploy their whole minde about these so needefull things But now let vs come to the entraunce of the first treatise P. In this entraunce I giue thankes to my God through Iesus Christe for you all vvhose fayth is blazed abrode ouer all the vvorlde vvith so greate prayse For God vvhome I serue in preaching the Gospell of his sonne is my witnesse that I make mention of â—ou without ceassing and haue alwayes mynded you in my prayers that by Gods leaue I myght one tyme or other happen to haue a prosperous iourney vnto you R. All men for the most part are wont to visite this Citie eyther to beholde the greatnesse of it and the beautie of our buildings or else to seeke gayne But I hope that some other honest cause brought you hither P. Yea in deede For mine onely desire was to see you that I might impart some spiritual gifts vnto you to strengthen you withall R. As who should say Paul that you knowe not how there are no smal number heere indewed with Gods spirite which were able though you were away not onely to lay the foundation of oure faythe by their exhortations but also to increase it and to buylde it vppe too the roofe by their teaching P. I know that welinough Therfore my meaning was not more to strengthen you than to take comfort among you through mutual fayth both yours and mine R. But the necessitie of these bondes seemeth rather to haue brought you hither by force than your owne good wil specially forasmuche as ye coulde finde in your harte to trauell so long in other places P. Nay rather my brother I would yee shoulde be well assured that I oftentymes purposed vpon this iourney vnto you that I might I say reape some frute among you as well as I haue done among the rest of the Gentyles but stayed by reason of lettes and hinderances vnto this day R. But wheruppon springeth this your so greate earnestnesse and desyre to publish the Gospell P. Euen of myne office For inasmuche as I am appoynted to be an Apostle it is my duetie to think my selfe a detter of all that I can doo bothe to the Greekes and to the Barbarous and both to the wise and to the vnwise alike For this cause I was desirous and still am desirous with all my harte to preache the Gospell with a readie and cherefull minde to you also that dwell at Rome R. Yet am I wont to maruell that you will teache the Gospell in these bondes and forlorne prison seeing that euery man of power and wisdome dothe so stifly gaynsay it and cheefly seeing that so fewe followers of this learning are to be found in this most renowmed citie P. Other men may for mee through vnskilfulnesse ignorance set lesse by the Gospell than they ought to doo But I who am well acquainted with the excellencie of so great a thing am no whit at all ashamed of it For out of all doubt the Gospel is the power of God that bringeth saluation to all beleuers first to the Iewes after to the grekes R.
fellowes and not only partakers of this crosse but also formost in the aray For not onely the very nature of things which is inferiour to man dothe suffer beare with him but euen vve Apostles vvho haue the first fruits of the spirit yea that in great abundāce are notwithstāding so opressed with labor that we sigh at our harts lōging for the adoptiō of gods childrē til it be shewed openly as it shall be in the life to come and for the setting of our bodies free from destruction vvhich shall come to passe when we rise againe R. Art you the cheefe blasers abroad of the Gospell subiect to sufferings aswell as other men P. See you not how I am cast into this pryson for the Gospels sake neither is there any cause why you should eyther be offended or wonder at it For wee be not yet come to the possessing of oure happinesse but by hope For onely in hope are we now safe But when we bee once in heauen we shall see God not any more by fayth but openly face to face and then we shall be without both labour and hope For the hope that is seene is no hope For hope is a wayting for an absent good thing that is longed for For how is it possible that a man should hope for the thing that he seeth hath Then if we hope for the thing which we see not it is to be confessed that we possesse not the thing as yet but by faith but that we wait for it through patience and that hope feedeth vs. R. To confesse the truth the aduersities which the professors of Christes religion suffer seeme to me to passe oure strength and therefore I thinke wee be scarse able to beare them P. You haue a very present remedie prepared for this weaknesse For the spirite helpeth our infirmitie specially in asking and obteyning the gift of patience and vprightnesse of minde at Gods hande For although we be regenerated and indued with Christes spirite yet notwithstanding vve be so oppressed vvith sorrovv vvhen vve be afflicted after that maner that vve vvote not hovv to pray as vve should do But the spirite prayeth for vs with vnutterable sighes R. I thinke that by the name of spirite you meane that part which beeing renewed in vs by Christ inforceth it selfe to the glory of God For out of that by the working of the holy Ghost in vs there proceedeth a certen inwarde and secrete desirousnesse of Gods glory which supplieth the roome of supplication before God and therefore it is true that after this maner the spirite prayeth for vs though we diuers times perceiue it not P. It is inough that God vvhich searcheth mēs harts knovveth allovveth the secret meaning of our spirit vvhich prayeth for Christes holy true members at Gods appoyntment R. Surely a moste excellent comforte of the godly sithe they knowe that their saluation can not in any wise be letted or hindered by the aduersities of this worlde P. Nay rather vnto such as loue god al things turne to their benefite vvhether prosperity or aluersitie befall them R. Most excellent as you reporte is the desert of such as loue God P. Avvay vvith all mention of mans desert in Gods sight For by Gods grace are vve vvhatsoeuer vve be by vvhose purpose and appoyntment they be called foorth as many as loue god through the vvorking of Christes spirite For to the intent you may knovv vvhom God hath foreknovven he hath also appointed them to be like to the image of his sonne that Christ him self might be the first begotten the principall and the chiefe among many brethrē Herevpon springeth beleefe in God herevpon springeth loue tovvards god herevpō springeth hope of euerlasting life and finally hereevpon springeth the calmnesse of mind the long sufferāce the chereful patiēce of the elect in their aduersities R. Nowe I plainely vnderstande the cause why many being strikē with feare of the crosse leape backe from the Christian religion and will not holde out to the ende For they want the foundation of true godlines namely gods election calling by reason of their wickednesse P. You haue hit the nayle on the head For whō God hath predestinated after the maner aforesaid them hath he also called from heauen And whom he hath so called them hath he also iustified not onely by not imputing their sins to them by releasing forgiuing their wicked dedes by couering their iniquities but also by imparting the spirit of righteousnes vnto them he hath takē them to him to be his friends and children garnished thē with vertues and giftes of grace And vvhom he hath so made rightuous and giltlesse them also hath he glorified in this life in hope and in the other lyfe in very deede R. Surely I am rauished with great admiration to heare you discoursing of these matters For what can we say to these things what can the wisdome or to speake more rightly the distrustfulnesse of our fleshe obiect For if God who hath chosen called iustified glorified vs be on our side who shall be agaynst vs who can eyther shut vs out or plucke vs backe from saluation P. In good sooth no man Specially seeing that God hath loued vs so greatly that he hath not spared his ovvne sonne but hathe giuen him vp to the Crosse for vs all And sith the case standeth so my brother hovve shall he not giue vs all other things vvith him For hovv is it possible that he vvhich giueth the chiefe things should not giue the appurtenances also R. These reasons of yours Paule are most playne and full of comfort For by them it appeareth that your foresayde grownd is true wherein you auow that they which are truely greffed into Christ are not in daunger of any damnation P. Who is he that maye accuse Gods chosen when God himself who is both almighty and a most louing father acquiteth them Who shall condemne vs seeing that Christ Iesus hath dyed for vs and clensed our sinnes and moreouer is risen agein and triumphing ouer sinne and death hath conueied his rightuousnesse vnto vs and ascending vp into heauen sitteth at Gods right hand and being indued with full power defendeth vs Who shall plucke vs from Gods loue Who say I shall cause vs to doubt or not beleeue that God loueth vs Ps 43 2◠or that we being possessed with such misbeleefe shoulde not loue him Can aduersitie do it Can nakednesse Can perill Can sword My brother answere you nothing to this geere Se you not the same thinge to be fulfilled in vs which is wtitten and that we may truely say as oure forefathers cryed vnto God namely that vve as vvell as they that vvent before vs are dayly put to death for our Gods sake and are in case as sheepe appoynted to the slaugther and yet want nother fayth nor loue for all that Nay rather both in these and in all other aduersities vve get the
decree to haue bin suche that if they shewed themselues disobedient and beleued not the Gentiles should be taken to be Gods people P. Yea verely this doctrine vvas very ryfe vvell knowen among the people of Israel euen from the beginning De 32.21 For Moyses the firste Capteine of the Ievvishe people speaketh thus to them in Gods name I vvill prouoke you to enuyinge sayeth hee by a nation that is no nation euen by a nation that is vvithoute vnderstanding vvill I prouoke you Also the prophet Esay vseth greater boldnesse against the misbeleuing and disobedient Iewes where he auoucheth the calling of the Gentiles in Gods person vvith these words Esa 65.4 I am found saith he of them that asked not after me R. Surely these are moste manifest auouchments of the calling of the Gentyles P. And concerning the reiecting of the Ievves see what the same prophet sayeth in another place in the person of god All day long I stretched out my hands sayth he to a stifnecked people a people that is replying against me Esa 62.2 Heere heere muste the causes of the reiecting blyndinge and destruction of the Iewes be sought and not in God R. Chao 11 Of a troth I maruell that the Israelits are so blynd as not to see these so manifest sayings But I pray you is this reiecting of the Iewishe people vniuersall Hath God so reiected his people that none of the Iewes shal be saued P. No not so For I my selfe am an Israelite of the seede of Abraham and of the trybe of Beniamin yet notwithstanding by his diuine fauour he hath sholed me out frō my mothers wombe not onelye to be partaker of the heauenly grace and euerlasting happines but also to publish the benefite of Gods sonne by preaching the Gospell amōg the Gentyles Therfore God not reiected his people whom he knevv and allovved for his aforehand that is to say the trew beleeuers in him which obey him and followe his sayinges For in as much as God had chosen them from euerlasting they be not in anye wyse in daunger of damnation R. But truely the nomber of these chosen is very small P. Yea but it is greater than you Gētyles weene Knovv ye not what is lefte in writing concerning Elias He prayed vnto God againste the Israelites thinking that of so great a nomber of Iewes he onely had bene left alone 2 K. 19.20 and therfore he sayd Lord the Iewes haue slaine thy Prophets and broken dovvne thine altars and I onely am left alone they seeke to kill me to But what sayth the ansvvere of God vnto him I beleue you remember it I haue reserued me seuen thousand men sayth the Lord vvhiche haue not bovved their knees vnto Baal Thinke you that of all the Ievves there are no mo called but I Yes I assure you there are a great multitude among the Iewes vvhich are of the nomber of the elect Then lyke as all were not cast off in the tyme of Elias so at this time ther is a remnant and although they seeme to be but few yet hath God his worshippers as it vvere hidden among the rest And for asmuch as they be the true mēbers of Christ they looke not for happinesse by desert of works but through Gods meere goodnesse and mercye by his free election R. And good reason why in my opinion For if it be freely then is it not for woorkes for then were free gift no longer fre gift But if it be for woorks then is it not of free gift for then were worke no longer woorke This moost strong reason we Gentyles take hold of to stablishe oure free calling with all But I praye you what shall we answere the Iews whiche vrge the election of the whole people of Israell garnished with so notable commendacions of the holye prophetes P. Myne answere is vvont to be this that the vvhose people of the Israelites hath not obteyned the thing that they sought but the chosen the beleeuing the obedient the submitters of themselues to Gods vvord haue obteyned it but the residue are hardned blynded for a punishment of their vnbeleefe R. You sayde also euen now that these vnbeleuers obteine not saluation bicause they sought it otherwise then they ought to do that is to wit not of Gods fregift but by the desertes of their owne workes And therefore that they be worthelye lefte in their ignorance and blyndnesse P. Yea and they be not onely left vp but also punished according to the desert of their vnbelefe leudnesse vnfaithfulnes and naughtinesse Es 29.10 6.9 Ma 13.14 Jo. 12.14 Ac. 28.26 For these causes say I God being a iust iudge hathe gyuen them the spirit of drousinesse as vvas foretolde by the Prophetes eyes that they might not see and eares that the mighte not heere euen to this day And by this meanes is the thing fulfilled in thē which the princely Prophet Dauid forespake of them long ago Let their table saith he be made a snare to them a pitfall to catch thē Ps 69. 12 a stumbling blocke a punishmēt And not cōtented with this he addeth let their eies be darkened that they may not se bow thou alwaies dovvne their backe R. What meaneth this word Alwaies will God be angry with the people for euer Haue they stumbled in such wise that God is determined to destroy them vtterly P. No not so But by their fall saluatiō is hapned to the gētiles that by that meanes god myght prouok the Iews to follow the example of the Gentiles R. Your meaning ihen is that the lord ordeyned this reiecting of the Iewes to giue an occasiō to the casling of the Gentyles P. Yea. And God being his craftes maister in all good thinges shall againe turne this calling of the Gentiles into occasion of restoring the Ievves that being kyndled by the example of the gentyles they also maye at length imbrace the Gospell R. O prouidence of the most holy god worthy of admiration and euerlasting praise But I am afrayde of this least as the fall of the Iewes is healthfull to vs Gentyles so also their saluation shal be our destraction hereafter For peraduenture if the Iewes had stode the Gentiles had not obteyned saluation P. Let that matter neuer trouble you For if the fall of the Iewes be the welth of the woorlde and the adminishing of them the inriching of the Gentyles how much more shall their fulnesse safenes be so For if the falling of the Israelyts do novv turne to the welfare of you Gentiles muche more shall their safenesse turne to your saluation For if they had beleeued and so consequently not bene reiected you also should haue beleeued the gospell after their exāple But let vs leaue the ordring of these interchaunges reuerently vnto god R. Your counsell is good Therfore it is our duty only to consider deepely in what wise God as it were taking occasion by their fall
while in the meane time our own cōscience wauereth for the thing that is done against a mans owne cōscience cānot be dō without sin Therfore whē thou seest other men vse the libertye of the gospell cōsult with thine own faith before thou folow their exāple deale not with any thing which thou knowest not by the allowāce of thine own cōscience by the record of the holy Ghost to be throughly acceptable to God R. Now I see plainly how great daūger there is in setting out of christen liberty to the shew Chap. 15. when the foūdaciō of faith the feare of God is not layd afore frō whēce the seking of brotherly loue proceedeth But to say the truth Paule your coūtrymen do ouermuch hinder the course of the gospell in our church by holding fast the ordināces of the law and we thinke that suche weakelinges are not to be borne with all Heereupon spring braulinges stryfe and contentions among vs. P. But I thinke the contrary For we that are the stronger and stedfaster sort and are indued with a mightier faith must beare the infirmities of the weker sort charitably cary thē as you would say vppon our shoulders And we must not plese our selues but euery of vs must please other and serue his turne in all goodnesse and hs is bounde by the duetye of charitye to study for his edifying and instruction Whiche thing maye be gathered euen cheefly by Christes example who suffered all things to the intent to bring vnto his father not only the weaklings but also euen his cruellest enemies by ouercomming them with patience Therfore this mediator betwene God and man cockered not himself ne cared to please himselfe onlye but tooke vppon him all slaunder reproch Psa 69. and finally torment and infamie according to this saying which the Kingly prophet hath writtē of him the reuilings of them that reuyled thee are lyght vpon me R. Yea Thinke you that that saying of Dauids is a prophesie of the messias and that the Prophet incorageth vs too patience by his example P. Yea verely For whatsoeuer things are written in the books of our forefathers are written to oure learning that we myght haue hope through patience and comfort of the scriptures For in asmuch as they be the wordes of the holy Ghost we muste beleeue that they be not vnprofitable or vaine but that they make for our instruction R. It is straunge the we should alwaies be occupied in reading the holy scriptures and yet profite so little in these vertues For how many do know at this day that Gods giuing of strength to the stoute is not to the intent they should condemne the weake but to the intent they shuld help them Or who is he also which taketh so abundant comforte by reading the holy scriptures that he fainteth not in aduersity P. These vertues my brother depend not vpon the letters but vpon the spirit of gods word which lies hid in the letters vvhich if you haue not you shall euer stick stil in the bark of the letter And I pray god the author of patience cōfort to teach you by his spirit to graunt you to be al of one mind one towards another after the exāple of Iesus christ as his doctrine exāple require that you may by that meanes with one accorde one mouth glorifie god euē the father of our Lord Iesus christ Whose gentlenes I beseech you to follow in bearing one vvith another and to releeue the weake brethren like as Christ releeued vs bare with vs only to the end to glorifie his father and our glorious god I knowe you haue very many of my countrey men among you which are stil feble weak in the faith but you must haue a care of them after the example of Christ you must set before your eyes the footsteps of that heauenly master who notwithstanding that the Jewes were neuer so vnworthy did yet voutsafe thē such honor for the couenāts sake that was made vnto their fathers that he bare the roome euen of a seruant among them with incredible patiēce Now if the son of god estemed men so much then godlines requireth not only that you should not reiect thē or hold scorne of them but also that yee should be so kindled vvith the spirite of charitie as to receyue them to teache them and to further them more and more to the knovvledge of the libertie of the Gospell by your discrete dealyng For I am vvont too teache that Jesus Christ vvas a minister amonge the Circumcised too keepe the fathers credite in the things vvhiche he hadde promised to their forefathers Therefore Chryste perfourmed all thinges for Gods truthes sake and for the confirmation of his promises R. These things are true in dede howbeit their vnthankfulnes agaynst Gods so great goodnes is the cause that God hath shaken them off and taken vs to be his people P. In deede their sinnes are the cause of their shaking off but the receyuing of you dependeth vpon the incomprehensible goodnes of our most mercifull God And therfore you Romans must not become high minded but rather glorifie God for his mercy bestowed vpon you as you be taught in the holy Scriptures For ye see what the kingly Prophet hath said Ps 18.50 1. reg 21. Deu. 32. Ps 117.1 Therfore will I confesse thee among the Gentiles and sing vnto thy name And agayne he sayth Reioyce ye Gentiles with his people And agayne All nations prayse yee the Lord and all people prayse ye him together Also the prophet Esay confirming Gods eternall ordinance of the calling of the Gentiles saith thus Es 11.10 There shall be a roote of lesse and he whiche shall rise vp to reigne ouer the gentiles in him shall the Gentiles trust Heerby you maye gather that your calling to the participation of the kingdome of heauen is not by reason of the sinnes of the Iewes and much lesse for your own deserts but bicause god of his goodnes wold haue it so Therfore like as he hath shewed his mercy towards vs so also on the other side it behoueth vs to be mercifull to others R. Would God that this lesson might take deepe roote among vs all P. And I also beseech god the author of hope and in whom the trust of all mē ought to be reposed to fill you with al spirituall ioy quietnesse of mind and peace of conscience in true fayth that by beleeuing you may abound in hope through the power of the holy ghost For there is none other way for men to attayne to these ornaments of christian godlines but by the meere benefite of god by the power of his spirite and by the working of fayth R. To the intent wee maye nowe at length make an ende of this our talke I can not maruell inough at this your so free maner of dealing with vs. For you are not ignoraunt how great the dignity and excellencie
vnto you which doo rather wey the matter that is spoken than with how vvell fyled termes it is vttered I am nother vvearie nor ashamed of the charge that I haue taken in hande Nay rather I doo often thinke bethinke mee of this saying of S. Austins that happie is that necessity vvhich driueth a maÌ„ to the better thinges For this I may plainely confesse that of these manye yeares I neuer led a meryer or happier lyfe nor continued in my studies vvith more cheerfulnesse and peraduenture frute also thaÌ„ since I began to execute the office of a teacher in your companye And vvould God that mine olde aduersaries dyd not ageine enuy this my happy state and prepare nevv snares too incumber this my quyetnesse of vvhose vntovvard dealing ageinst me I could heere say ouermuch and truly the order of my promised partition requireth that I shoulde recken vp here the false reports that are spred abrode of mee and disperse them by shevving the truth but it is better to passe them ouer vvith silence than to speake to little of so wrongfull and long a matter I wish no more but only this that those men will gyue mee but so loÌ„g truce as to passe out of this life with a quiet pesable mind And when I am dead let theÌ„ gnaw euen the stones of my graue if they list But if the thing I wish caÌ„not hapeÌ„ to me as it befalleth not to mortal wretches to haue any thing happie in all poyntes I vvill vvillingly in the meane vvhile both heare imbrace the crosse that God hath prepared for me and layde vpon me And if the weight of it ouerlode my shoulders I will rather call some Cyrenian too mee too beare the one halfe of the burthen vppon his shoulders with me than cast it quite away But what Cyrenian shall I finde more friendly or willing to ease mee of my burthen than him that with his moste sweete wordes allureth all men to him Math. 11. saying Come vnto mee all yee that faynt and are ouerloden and I will refreshe you Therefore I beseeche Iesus Christ the only begotten sonne of the liuing God sauiour of mankinde to helpe me in bearing of my crosse and so to holde beare vp with his most mightie handes the burthen of it which doubtlesse is too me intolerable as I may paciently willingly beare it with him and that he suffer not my harte to bee tickled with desire of reuenge agaynst suche as stayne mee defame mee persecute me trouble me The heauenly doctrine commaundeth vs to loue our enemies and not to pay them like for like by rayling vpon them but rather to doo good to them that hate vs and to wish well to them for the wronges that we haue receyued at their hands Therefore folowing this rule I besech almighty God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ to gyue my backebiters the spirit of amendment and a better minde towards me that by seeking to deface me they hinder not the course of the gospell specially among myne owne countrymen which may heere some vncerteyn reportes but not the reasons lykewise God graunt at this my prayer request that the mindes of my persecuters maye one day bee bowed turned For to speake with a good conscience what I thinke in my hart I had rather contende with these men in the dutyes of charity than by slaunderous Epistles byting bookes spitefull wrytings raylings tauntes such other as I suppose most vnsemely weapons which eueÌ„ christian souldiers ought to abhorre much lesse can in any wise become the preachers of the Gospell Therefore as long as I can I will warde their iniuries with prayers and vse modest defences least I take harme in the meane vvhyle by holding my peace But if I see them proceede in their vntovvard maner of dealing I vvill not say maliciousnesse and rancour of minde I will peraduenture desire the Lorde to helpe me with fitte and liuely colours wherwith to peint out the image of slanderousnesse as Apelles did that I may discouer their spitefull lyes wherwith they go about to oppresse mine innocency But heereof inough Now I returne to the text of the Apostle Paules thirde precept is that the dealers foorth of the holy doctrine shoulde deuide the worde of truthe aright In the Greeke worde Orthotomein for that vvorde ansvvereth to two Latin words as I thinke there lieth hidde a most excellent allusion to the Ceremonie of sacrifising in the olde Lavve For as Mosesis Priest ought to haue a moste exact skill both hovve to cutte out the â—â—crifice and hovve to deale it foorth â—nd the sleying distributing of the â—â—crifice did out of all doubte repreâ—â—nt Gods onely begotten sonne vvho became the sacrifice of propitiation â—or vs to take away the sinnes of the worlde so also the priest of the Gospell muste bee skilfull and taught of God that he may be able to cutte or deuide the worde of truthe knovve hovve to deale it foorth discretly and fitly Setting this precept before mine â—yes from the time that the Lord called me to this Ecclesiasticall function I haue indeuered not onely to delyuer to my hearers a pure and sounde doctrine dravven out of the fountaynes of the holy Scriptures but also to obserue that way and trade of teaching which the holy writers were woÌ„t to vse in their sermoÌ„s For I am of opinion that an vntoward and disordred trade of teaching doth in manner no lesse harme to the hearers thaÌ„ the vnpurenesse of doctrine It is an old Proâ—erb A good thing is euil if it be done out of season For lyke as a Phisition maye minister good and wholesome medicines too his patient and yet very farre ouershot himself in this that he neither considereth well the complexion of the party diseased nor obserueth the fit oportunity of tyme so also it falleth out often tymes in the dealing forth of the heaueÌ„ly doctrine that some man beinge touched with vnaduised zeale steppeth forth vncalled of God and thrusteth out the true things which he hath gleaned vp here and there out of other mens bookeâ— or sermons without hauing any respect of the persons of his heerers or withoute any considering of the circumstaÌ„ces of the time But to mount vp yet higher and to say plainly what I thinke This moste excellent part of the holy ministration that is too wit this skill of diuiding dealing forth which sothly is the diuine logike that openeth the trade of teachinge the gospell hath his originall of Gods calling For euen he that maketh men fit ministers of the new Testament that is to wit not of the letter but of the spirit euen he himselfe I say gyueth the spirit of discretion to the dealer forth of his heauenly word to know how to gyue measurable meale in due tyme and also to haue wit to bring foorth both new thinges and old out of his storehowse as a skilfull scribe in the kingdome of
heauen The not knowinge I will not say despising of this heauenly diuine calling is the cause that the world at this day hath and in all ages hath had innumerable ministers of the word innumerable workemen and innumerable I say in their owne opinion builders and master-builders who peraduenture in Gods iudgement by whom they were not sent and yet they ronne are but dirt-dawbers or to say more rightly pullers downe ouerthrowers destroyers Howbeit forasmuch as the knowledge or if I may so terme it the certeintie of his calling dependeth vpon the vvitnesse of the spirit in euery maÌ„s ovvne conscience I vvill leaue the iudgment therof vnto god It is more for our behoofe to knowe and aduisedly to consider what maner of dealing foorth God teacheth his Prophets that we treading in their footesteppes may on eyther side doo our duetie the teacher in deuiding the worde of truth rightly and the hearer in partaking the apt and true deuiding of Gods word rather than any of them both to disgrace them selues with curious and straunge sifting out of things for a brauerie of their wit And for examples sake let vs consider the calling of Ieremie whome when God chose to take the roome of a teacher in the Churche of Ierusalem he instituted him with these words See sayth he I set thee this day ouer Nations and Kingdomes to plucke vp and pull downe to destroy and ouerthrowe to builde vp and to plant so foorth In which saying the euerlasting Godhead hath with most apte similitudes and with a certein pithy contrary matching of words shewed Ieremie the heauenly Logike whiche teacheth that the first point of the ministration of the Gospell is to rid the hearers minds from coÌ„mon false opinions that the heueÌ„ly doctrine may find mens consciences ready plante abundance of true spirituall fruite in theÌ„ To speake more plainly The lawe must first play his part in vs before the seede of the Gospell be sowed Novve vnto the duty of the law pertein those most pithie words of Plucking vp pulling downe destroying and ouerthrowing And vnto the other part of the ministratioÌ„ belong the other words of building vp and planting How much maiestie grace vnespied learning these similitudes borowed of husdandrie buylding haue the sermoÌ„s of the other prophets shew but specially the sermoÌ„ that is in the .xiij. of Ezechiell which I will not put in heere bicause I meane to bee short You GentlemeÌ„ if it please you may reade it your selues and wey thoroughly what the lord saith against the false prophetes whiche with their forged promises seduced the Churche dispersed and banished in Babylon for their wickednesse and foaded them still in their errours whereas they oughte rather to haue set open the vvelspring fountayne of Gods vengeaunce before the captiue peoples eyes to haue exhorted the sinners to repentaunce For in very deed it behoueth vs first too pull dovvne ouerthrovv and vndo the old things that aftervvarde vvee may reere and build vp the nevv But those false prophets delt contraryvvise vvhome the holy Ghost likeneth to euill builders vvhich eyther for vvant of skill or for couetousnesse or being corrupted by some levvde affection vndertake the botching vp of decaied howses Howbeit forasmuchas the casting down digging vp of fouÌ„dacions is not voyd of perill and the laying of new requireth much labour and the rearing of them vp againe will aske expence of much tyme those fellowes had leuer ô builders most vnworthie of Gods worke those felowes I say had leuer too botch vp vnhandsomely the ruinous foundacions which they fynde and too parget them ouer and so too set on a roofe and other by woorkes readie to fall againe within a while after that they may seeme to bee buylders than to begin their house at the â—â—rst foundations or to speake more â—ightly at the very digging vp of the â—uinous fouÌ„dations as the right order of buylding requireth But as touching this matter it is best for you to reade Ezechiell him selfe that ye may the better perceiue hovv greatly God mysliketh the doings of suche as seke to commende their buylding in the Churche rather vvith pargetting and botching than vvith any right order of building And the holy Ghost sheweth how vnhappie end wayteth not only vpon such buyldings vvhich for all their whitelyming are ruinous still but also vpon the botchers and vvhitlymers them selues He that hath eares to heare let him heeare Thus muche concerning the similitude of building and the duetie of builders Novv let vs returne to Ieremie and learne of him after vvhat manner our hearers ought to be manered in the knovvledge of the holy doctrine according to the maner of dealing in husbandry He bespeaketh his Disciples in thiâ— wise Cut vp your layes sayth he anâ— sowe not vpon thornes Surely a verâ— fit and needfull order first to pluckâ— vp breers and to stub vp thornes before we sow our sede lest we lose botâ— our labour and our cost and in steedâ— of corne reape but the straw chaffe But it is best to heere Ieremie declarâ— his ovvne similitude Be yee circumcâ—sed to the Lord sayth he and pluck a way the foreskin of your harts lest hiâ— fyrie wrath burst foorth and burnâ— vnquencheably for the lewdnesse oâ— your nature The prophet Ozeas beating vpon the same similitude techeth the same thing Sow yee sayth he vnto righteousnesse and yee shall reape according to the mesure of your godlynesse breake vp your layes vvhile it is time to seeke the Lorde til he come and besprinckle you with righteousnesse As nowe throughe your vntowarde maner of dealing yee plow wickednesse and reape naughtinesse and therefore yee eate the fruite of lying bicause yee trust to your owne manners and to the multitude of your owne souldiers Thus muche concerning the order of the prophets which the teachers of the newe Testamente haue also hilde as appeareth playnly by the sermons of Iohn Baptist the Lordes forerunner who preached repentaunce and amendment of life to the forgiuenesse of sinnes The same way and maner of teaching was kept by the Apostles who first exhorted men to repentaunce towards God and then to beleue in Iesus Christ Being led by all these examples righte deere beloued Readers the first yeere of my ministration in your company I vndertooke the opening of the Epistle of Paule to the Romanes whiche in the iudgemente of all the Learned conteyneth the summe of oure Christian religion comprehended in so excellent order that vvhether yee haue an eye too the truthe or too the trade of teachinge there can no faulte at all bee founde in it For after that it hathe layde the foundation of true repentaunce it teacheth the two chiefe poynts of our religion namely the doctrine how to beleeue well and howe to doo vvell Vnto the which partition may all the writings both of the olde and nevve Testament bee referred All whiche things as I suppose doo ame at this marke namely of