the same satisfaction whiche Iesus Christe hath made to God his father may be communicated and appiled to vs. THE FOVRTH dialogue is of the iustification and sanctification of man. Of the faith in Iesus Christ and of the Iustification thereby MATHEVV WHyche is the meane whereby to comme to that Communycation wherof thou hast euen nowe spoken and by the whiche wée muste communicate with Iesus Christ Pe. There is none other but the only faith in Iesus Christ For by the same we are iustified before God and not by our workes neyther in all nor in parte M. What is it to be iustified before God P. It is to be accoumpted for iust at his iudgemente as if we had neuer sinned M. How maye this be done by the mean of faith P. Bycause that the spirite of God by whome it is giuen vs doth ioyne vs with Christ as members of his body by the meanes of the same faith in such sorte that the iustice of Christe and all that euer he hath done for vs is imputed and ascribed to vs as though it were our owne proper Of the iustificatiō by faith by vvorks M. WHy is this honoure rather giuen to faith than to works P. Bycause there is no iustice that may satisfie the iudgement of God vnlesse it be perfecte as is that of Iesus Christe M. Why may not that of Iesus Christ be as well allowed vnto vs by our works as by faith P. Bycause that they are things altogither cōtrary to be iustified by faith to be iustified by a mans owne works M. What contrarietie is there in that P. If that man could find iustice in himselfe and in his owne workes whereby he mighte satisfie vnto God he should then haue no neede of that of Iesus Christ Of the satisfactiō tovvards god by works M. ANd if he may not satisfie in euery pointe maye he not yet at the least satisfie in parte P. If he cannot satisfie him in the whole no more can he in parte M. For what cause P. Chiefly for two causes M. Whiche is the firste P. It is that God receyueth no iustice for satisfaction if it be not sound and perfect and worthie of his maiestie as wee haue alreadie touched M. Which is the other P. It is that man being naught and vniust of his nature can doe no worke that may be iust as we haue also sayd if he be not first made good and iust Of the works wherby man may satisfie at the iudgement of God. M. DOest thou meane by this that the good and iuste worke maketh not the man good and iust P. I doe not altogether denie but that the good iust work maketh the man good and iust but I say that mans worke can not doe this bycause there procéedeth none suche from him M. Which is then the work that may doe this P. That of Iesus Christ wherof wée haue spoken heretofore whiche bringeth vnto vs this commoditie when wée are made partakers of hym by the meane of Faythe as wée haue alreadie sayd Of the causes why iustification is attributed to faith only M. SHEwe me nowe for full resolution what is the chiefe cause why iustification is ascribed to faith P. Bicause that in stead of bringing to God any thing that is of man he bringeth him to Iesus christ to receiue of him therby that whiche hée can not fynde in himselfe M. For what cause is this done P. To the ende that man may be founde iust before God not by his owne iustice for he can not but by that of Iesus Christe Of the satisfaction by faith M. THy meaning is then that this iustice of Iesus Christ maketh a man iust before God as though he were wholly innocent forsomuche as GOD estéemeth him for such an one accepting the Iustice of his sonne Iesus Chryste for full satisfaction P. It is so and it bringeth yet beside that an other very great commodity M. What is it P. It is that where as before hée coulde doe nothyng but euill this fayth dothe sanctifie him disposing him to the obedience of the will of God and to all good works to the ende that he may serue to iustice to holynesse where as before he serued to iniustice and to sinne M. How is it that faith doth sanctifie man according to thy saying P. There be two things to consider in this sanctification M. Which is the first P. It is that Iesus Christe hauing taken our owne flesh in the wombe of the Virgin in the which he was conceiued by the working of the holy Ghost hath also sanctified it in his Of which thing beside the testimonie that we haue of the Angell in the holy Scriptures the holy Ghost hath yet yelded more ample testimonie in the baptisme of Iesus Christ when in fourme of a doue he did descend vppon him whiche is our head in whome all his members were foorthwith sanctified M. Which is the other pointe P. It is that faith whiche embraceth and receyueth wholly Iesus Christ with al his gifts and graces is neuer in man without the spirite of him nor the spirite of him without his frutes whiche are altogither contrary to the works of the flesh to witte of the corrupted man that is not regenerate by the spirite of God. Of the true spring of good vvorks M DEclare vnto me if thou vnderstandest by this that faith is the fountaine of all good works and the good roote whiche maketh man a good trée to beare good frute wher as before he was an euil trée and bare euill frute P. It cannot bée otherwise M. I thinke then it is the cause why Sainct Paule speaking of the true Christian faith doth call it the liuing and working saith thorough charitie and why Saincte Iames saith that the faith that is withoute works is dead P. There is no doubte of it Of the accomplishing of the lavve in Iesus Christ and of the difference that is betvvene the iustification and sanctification of a Christian man. M. SEing then that man is so refourmed by the meane of faythe thou wilte then saye that he is otherwise disposed to obey the lawe of God than he was before whē he was yet in his owne naturall P. It is easie to vnderstande by that which we haue already said M. May we then in no wise obey the lawe of god excepte that we be first regenerate by his spirite and refourmed to his Image P. No in déede M. If we cā in no sorte obey we are then farre off from yelding perfecte obedience to the whole lawe P. It is true M. What is the cause thereof P. It is for that that our regeneration and reformation is neuer fully perfecte in vs so long as we are wrapped in this corruptable flesh in this worlde M. What other remedy is there then P. It is to haue recourse to the iustification which we haue alredy obteyned thorough the faith in Iesus Christe by the
Chryste thorough faythe after that GOD by the same hathe iustified vs by his holye Spirite in Iesus Chryste oure Lorde he dothe also sanctifye vs communicating vnto vs his gyftes and Graces whyche are the frutes of Faythe to the ende that we shoulde bée dedicated and consecrated vnto hym all the dayes of our lyfe to serue and honour hym as hys childrē regenerate by his holy spirite into a newe life Ma. Thou doest reporte faith to iustification and charitie to the worke of sanctification whiche are both works of the holy Ghost P. Thou maiest vnderstand it by the discourse whiche we haue already made of iustification and sanctification In vvhat sorte charitie is necessary to saluation M. CHaritie is not then necessarie to saluation nor other like vertues but faith only P. It is necessary there vnto and not necessary M. I do not well vnderstand this speache for it is contrary in it selfe P. I say that faith is necessary therevnto as cause of saluation withoute the whiche we cannot obtayne it for the causes which I haue alredy declared For somuch as it is the instrument the whiche the holy Ghoste giueth vs wherewith to receiue him when he is offered vnto vs by Iesus Christ and the meane whereby he doth communicate him to vs in hym and by him But charitie is not there ioyned as a cause of saluation without the which we cannot be partakers of it but as a thing ioyned vnto it the whiche followeth faith in suche sorte whiche is the true cause of saluation as I haue already sayde that she cannot be separate no more than the heate from the lighte or the mouing or féeling from the life and from the soule But yet notwithstandyng we haue not saluation thereby no more than brightnesse by the heate the whiche we haue of the lighte or else life by the motion and féeling M. Charitie then and good workes may not be taken for causes by the which or by whose meane we obtaine saluation but onely so farre as they cannot be separated frō true faith by the which we ar made partakers of it P. It is euen so M. Thou hast here opened vnto me one point that was very harde to vnderstande the whiche séemeth to me very well worthy to be diligently noted For there bée fewe whiche do well vnderstande it Peter If all men did well vnderstande it there woulde be no more differente betwene the Christians touching iustification and touching faith and workes and grace and merites and the causes of oure saluation for that whiche we haue sayde of charitie is also vnderstoode of all the other vertues and workes of the regenerate man as I haue alredy sayde whiche are the frutes the which Saincte Paule doth call the frutes of the spirite and the which he doth oppone to the frutes of the flesh Of the regeneration of a Christian man. M. SEing that thou arte lighted vppon the pointe of regeneration me thinketh that it should be also comprehended among those giftes of the holy Ghost the which thou sayest do belong but to the elect of God and be so necessarie to saluation that none may attayne vnto it without them P. It must be so vnderstoode for it is of the chiefe of them and in very déede it is the principall pointe whiche maketh vs to vnderstande the cause why we do cal worke of viuification and sanctification that thirde worke of God whereby we say that God hathe declared himselfe vnto men Ma. Expounde the same to me somewhat more plainely P. Thys worde of regeneration as thou mayest well vnderstande emporteth as muche as a man moughte saye newe birth as if after that we are once borne we are borne yet agayne Mathevve I sée well that the worde of regeneration importeth euen so Peter And therefore it importeth foorthwith a reformation of the man whiche is a rising agayne from the deade whiche is wroughte in the Spirite as the last resurrection shall be wroughte in the fleshe Mathevve What meanest thou by that resurrection of the Spirite Peter Séeing that thorough sinne man is deade of spirituall death whiche bringeth afterwarde death of the body he is as it were risen from that deathe when by Iesus Christe he is in suche sorte delyuered from sinne that he is by the vertue of hys holye Spirite made as it were a manne thoroughly newe or as a manne who hauinge béene deade shoulde haue recouered hys lyfe and shoulde bée raysed agayne Mathevve Thou puttest then so great difference betwene the man whiche abideth still in his firste nature corrupted through sinne and hée which is deliuered from the same corruption and is quickened and regenerated by the holy Ghoste as thou puttest betwene a dead and a liuing man. P. There is no difference but in asmuch as the spirituall death is much more worthy to be called death than is the corporall death and that the estate of the man dead thorough sinne is much more perillous and daungerous than is the estate of the man which is dead but bodily Of the life of the regenerate man. M. Séeing that man is as it were risen from death and borne a new when he is regenerate by the holy Ghost it followeth then necessarily that he do other works after that he is regenerate than he did before his regeneration P. Thou mayest wel vnderstand that if there be so greate differēce betwene the mā regenerate the not regenerate as is betweene a dead and a liuing man it must also necessarily come to passe that there bee as great difference betwene the workes of the one and the other M. I do euen so vnderstand it P. And therfore Iesus Chryst hath sayd that what is borne of fleshe is fleshe and what is borne of the spirite is spirit For euen as a dead bodie can bring forth but infection and corruption euen so on the contrary a liuing body doth the works of lyfe bicause of the liuing soule that he hath more than hath the dead bodie M. It foloweth then that the faith wherby man is viuified and regenerate is vnto him as the soule which bringeth to him spiritual life and that the vnfaithful and not regenerate man is as a body without a soule P. S. Paule following the prophet Abacuk giueth thée playnly to vnderstand that it is so by that whiche he sayth The iust man shall liue of his faith Wherefore if the iust man do liue of his faith it followeth then that Faith is to his soule to giue it spirituall lyfe that whiche the naturall soule is to the bodie to giue it corporall lyfe Mathevv There are then two things to be considered in the regenerate spiritual man to wit Faith which is in him as the soule whiche giueth him spiritual lyfe euen as the soule naturall which giueth corporall lyfe to the body then the workes of the spirite are ioyned to it which are the works of faith which is the spiritual soule euen as the works of life
if it be a worke whereby thy neyghboure receyueth any comforte or helpe in hys person it is then so muche the more profitable Wherefore albeit that the worke be not such as God requireth yet forsomuch as it serueth somewhat to the glory of God and to the edification of our neyboure God is so good that he will not suffer it to be vnrecompenced T. What recompence will he then giue him D. That whiche the worker requireth he desireth glory among men and his particular cōmoditie which things he doth often times receiue for his hire which extend no further than his life for he hathe no further regard at all T. By this accoumpte then thou wouldest conclude that it were better yet that a man should assist the worde of god and his Church and also the poore and that he should do such like works although that his harte were not throughly such as it ought to be rather thā to do nothing at all or to the contrary so that he do it not in any wise to the intente to dishonor God and of a determinate purpose or else rather to hurte his neyghbor than to profite him D. It is true for we haue in the holy Scriptures many examples whiche declare that God hath often times in this worlde done greate good to many that haue not had suche hartes as they ought to haue had bycause that their workes did serue somewhat to his glory and to the reléefe of his people In vvhat sorte the harte of man maye fulfill the lavve of God or no and may be condemned or absolued by the same vvithout the vvorks which god requireth of him in the same T. SEing that the worke which séemeth to be good cannot please God but so farre foorth as the hart from whence they do procéede doth please him and that the harte doth make the worke to be accepted or refused at his hande I do firste aske thée if GOD can contente him selfe without the worke with the harte alone The other is if the worke which of him selfe is euill may please him or else may be suffered by him when he that doth it doth it not for any euill purpose but doth it of force against his harte or else bicause he thinketh it not to be euill The thirde to know in déede if GOD do condemne the wicked thoughte although it be not put in execution and whether it doe as muche displease him as if the effect were ioyned with it D. As touching the firste it is sure that if God haue the harte of man he hath the whole therefore it cannot be but that the harte doth offer and presente vnto him the worke that he requireth of hym wherefore the worke may not be separated from the harte no more than the frute from the trée for euē so as the good trée neuer fayleth to bring foorthe hys frute in his due time and season so doth the good harte at all times and in all seasons that GOD requireth it if he do it not the cause is for that hée wanteth meane to do it and also power or else that he hath not a will to do it if he haue a will and haue no power and meanes to do it that wyll béeing good God dothe accepte and estéemeth it as well as if the facte were done The lyke dothe hée also if the wyll be wicked albeit that it haue not the power to put his wicked thought in execution Wherfore the wicked worke doth not only displease God but also the wicked will and affection in sorte that if it do procéede so farre that it is not long of hir that she doth not execute hir euill purpose and that there is nothing doth hinder it but want of power there is no doubte but that God accompteth the wickednesse done For that cause our Lord Iesus Christ and Sainte Iohn following his doctrine doth compare to a murtherer him that hateth hys brother and estéemeth him an adulterer that behouldeth an other mans wife coueting hir We must vnderstand the like of all other vices according to the interpretation that oure Lorde Iesus Christe himselfe and after him his Apostles gaue vs of the lawe of God but if the hart had the meane the power to do that whiche was commaunded him to do and hathe not only lefte it vndone but hath also not employed him selfe by al meanes possible to vse those occasions wherby he mought do them it is a certaine testimonie and an assured signe that it is not good and that there is no good will in it for if it were good that the will were such as it ought to be it should not be more desirous of any thing than to yeld vnto God that obedience honoure and seruice which is due vnto him and that he requireth of hym wherefore God cannot be pleased wyth such an hart for it is fayned and vntrue Hovve that men do glory in vayne of their good harte and of their faithe if their vvorkes beare not vvitnesse of it and for vvhat cause the iudgement shal be giuen by God according to theyr vvorks and vvhy the Prophets do so ernestly require them exhorting the people of God to repentaunce T. WE do then in vayne glory of the hart if the worke beare not good witnesse of the same D. Yea as well as of the faithe Wherefore we may well here saye with Saincte Iames shewe me thy harte and thy faith by thy workes for as the faith that is without works is not a true faith but onely a vayne and fayned faith and dead and a false shewe of faith hauing nothing of true faith sauing only the name without the effect no more doth the harte liue to God nor is dedicated vnto him that doth not declare himselfe by good works For the fire how litle soeuer it be cannot be without light without heate and at the least without some litle smoke for this cause in the manner of Gods iudgement which is set foorth to vs by our Lord Iesus Christ there is in manner no mention made but onely of works by the which euery man is iudged forsomuch as they shall beare witnesse of the harte and faith of euery man Likewise when the Prophets exhorte men to true repentaunce they doe euer prayse works and namely suche as do concerne our neyghboure forsomuche as hipocrisie may least be therein cloked and that mā doth declare by that whiche he doth concerning the commaundements of the second table and toward his neyghboure what harte he beareth toward God and in what reuerence he hath the commandements of the first table for it is an easie matter for a man to boast himselfe to haue a sound and perfecte harte towarde God and to make a shew by the obseruation of the outward ceremonies but whē he must in déede lay hande to the worke which is to say to the true charitie which is the ende and fulfilling of the lawe and to the workes
we must here consider that a thing may bée profitable and necessarie in two sortes M. Whiche is the first P. I wil giue thée example touching the giftes whereof wée speake For there be some whiche profyte nothing but only to those which haue them in their own person and withoute the whiche none may be agréeable to God nor saued Ther be others whiche may profite those whiche haue them not and not those whiche haue them albeit they haue them not in their owne persones and the Infidells may haue them and they not serue them but to their condemnation Of the giftes of the holie Ghoste necessarie for euerie man to obtayn saluation therby M. GIue mée example of the one sort of the other P. For the first séeing that none can be iustified nor be made the Sonne of God but onely by fayth in Iesus Christe it foloweth well that none can be saued without this gifte of faith And therfore S. Paule doth call this gift and grace of God the spirite of adoption by the whiche hée adopteth vs for his children in Iesus Christe by the meane and worke of his holie Spirite Mathevv What vnderstandest thou by that adoption Pet. Thou knowest well that men doe call children adoptiue those whiche be not naturall children to them whiche doe choose and accepte them for their children but they are it onely by the loue and fauoure of him whiche taketh them for his children and giueth them suche righte as he mought giue to his naturall children M. Sayest thou then that the lyke is with vs towarde God P. Séeing that of nature wée be the chyldren of wrathe it dothe then folow that wée bée not Gods naturall children but that hée maketh vs his children and accompteth vs for such by his onely grace which hée sheweth vs bicause of the loue wherwith he hath loued vs in his welbeloued Son Iesus Christ without any of our deseruings but wholly the cōtrarie M. Thou callest then that grace that gift of God Spirite of adoption P. S. Paule calleth it so for those causes which I haue alredie declared vnto thée M. Séeing it is so there is no one of all the elect of God whyche is not made partaker of thys gifte P. Forsomuche as God hathe predestinate all his chosen to make them lyke to his sonne Iesus Christ and enheritors of his heauenly kingdome wyth him ther is no doubt but that this gift is so ioyned with the eternal election of God that it may in no wise be separate no more than the effect from his cause M. It foloweth then that this gift is cōmon to al the elect of God and propre to euery of them that on the contrarye all the reprobates are cléerely shutte from it It is certaine that the reprobates are neuer made partakers of thys gyft For if they were made partakers it should be a very sure testimonie that they were of the elect and not of the refused forsomuche as it is written that they whiche are chosen are chosen to be afterwarde called iustified and glorified and to be made fully lyke the Sonne of God. M. Wilte thou saye the lyke of the gifte of fayth P. Not only of the gift of faith but also of the gift of charitie of hope of the feare of God and of perseuerance and other such lyke which are in suche sorte propre to the electe of God that none others are made partakers of them VVhether charitie iustifie with faithe or else faith onely and what difference there is betwene faith and charitie in suche a case M. IF it be so as thou sayest we are not then saued onely by faith but also by charitie and consequently by works and by all the other vertues which thou haste nowe named P. Why sayest thou so M. Bicause that thou haste placed those same vertues among the giftes of the spirite of God which are necessarye to saluation P. In this thou hast to consider the difference that is betwene the cause and his effects M. I vnderstand not what thou wouldest say P. I wil say that the gifte of faith is necessary for our saluation as the gifte which Saincte Paule doth call the spirite of adoption bycause that faith is the meane whereby me doe communicate of the iustice and of all the benefites of Iesus Christ as we haue declared heretofore And therefore the holy scripture doth ascribe vnto it iustificatiō M. What sayest thou then of charitie P. I say that it is a gifte which dependeth of the gifte of faith as the effect of his cause and as the frute of the frée which bringeth it foorthe M. But for somuche as charitie cannot be separated from faith if faythe be true faith it followeth then that if we cannot be iustified without faith no more may we then also without charitie neyther consequently be saued withoute the one and the other séeing that our saluation procéedeth of our iustification P. It séemeth at the first sight that thy conclusion is rightly framed but it is farre wide M. Shew me then the fault that is in it P. Shouldest thou conclude well if thou diddest conclude in this sorte The light of the fire cannot be separated from hys heate it followeth then that the light cānot shyne withoute heate and that the heate doth shyne as well as the light M. Me thinketh if I did so conclude it were not muche amisse P. That notwithstanding in making suche a conclusion thou shouldest confounde the things which are distinguished For albeit that the lighte and the heate be in the fire ioyned togither as they are also in the Sunne yet thou séest plainely that the office and propertie of the light is other than that of the heate and that of the heate other than that of the light and that the effects also be diuers M. It is true P. And therefore eyther they must be distinguished the one from the other without separating of thē notwithstanding or else they must bée so confounded togither that it must be one very thing to witte all light or all heate M. Thou meanest in myne opinion that albeit that faithe can not be separated from charitie yet for all that it is so distinguished from the same that it hath an other office and an other proprietie than hath charitie P. It is easie to sée For the office of faith is to present vs before God all naked and voyde of all iustice and in his promises to take holde of his graces and mercie the whiche he offereth to vs in Iesus Christe his sonne by whose meane we haue communion with hym and are made partakers of all his benefites as we haue already declared Ma. Thy meaning is then that charitie hathe not that office Peter It is true For albeit that faithe cannot bée withoute charitie yet faithe goeth before it in order the whiche doth engender it afterwarde Mathevve How so Peter After that we are made partakers of the benefites of Iesus
the cause of the imperfection that is in the sanctification ioyned to our person and of the vvorks vvhich proceede therof M. THou wilte then saye that this seconde kinde of sanctification is not only adherente to the person of Iesus Christe and that it is not only ours by imputation as is the firste but that it is also adherente to our flesh and nature as a new qualitie which Iesus Christ hath put into vs by his holy spirite whiche maketh our flesh holy in it selfe to do afterwardes holy workes P. It is euen so M. Thou wilte then say also that the holy works whiche men do being so sanctified be the frutes of the same sanctification P. It is euen so but bycause there remayneth continually muche of oure naturall corruption in our fleshe whylest we are in thys worlde there can procéede from vs no worke so hollye but that it is founde very foule and farre off from that perfect holynesse whiche God requireth of vs in all our works M. What wilte thou conclude by that P. That our workes be so farre off from worthynesse to be presented for satisfaction and to obteine saluation by thē be they neuer so holy that if he shoulde iudge of them according to the rigoure of his iudgemente he shoulde fynde nothing therein but matter of condemnation M. Thou maist not denie for all that but the good holy works are very agréeable vnto him P. If it were otherwise they ought not to be done but thou must note herein that they be not acceptable vnto him as cause of our saluation but as testimonie of the same M. Howe vnderstandest thou that they be testimonies of our saluation P. In that that they testifie that Iesus Christe is in vs and that he there worketh by his holy spirite Wherefore it foloweth that we be iustified and sanctified by the iustice and sanctification of Iesus Christ the which God beholdeth and for the regarde thereof he doth beare with the imperfection that yet remayneth in vs and doth pardon vs that wherin we do yet dayly offend him Of the meanes that vve haue tovvard God in recompence of the imperfections vvhich alwayes dvvell in vs. M. IT séemeth vnto me that thou wilte saye in effecte by all this discourse which thou hast made that what regeneration and sanctification soeuer there be in our fleshe and nature we are not yet for all that so pure nor so perfecte but that we must haue continuall recourse to the iustice and sanctification of Iesus Christ which is ours not as a qualitie of iustice and sanctitie sticking and ioined to our person but only for that that it is allowed and attributed vnto vs as though it were our owne proper P. So it is and therefore Iesus Chryste hath saide to the same effecte that he that was alredy washed had yet néede to wash his feete M. What meaneth he by that manner of speach P. That albeit that we be iustified alredy sanctified and purified of our sins by the faith that we haue in him thorough his worde yet for all that for so muche as there resteth in vs alwayes certaine filthynesse and corruption whyche proceedeth of oure corrupted nature whiche is not yet thoroughlye well renued and refourmed to the image of GOD we haue alwayes néede to goe to washe and clense vs of oure filthynesse in the true fountayne of all puritie iustice and sanctification whiche is opened to vs in Iesus Chryst for wée haue no remission of anye one sinne of ours but onely in him by the meanes of the iustification that we haue by Faithe in him THE FIFTHE dialogue is of the faith in God. Of the true foundation of Faith of the difference that it maketh betweene the Christian religion and all other religions MATHEVV SEing it is so that man receyueth of God all these great goodnesses whereof thou hast made mention by the meane of the onely faithe in Iesus Christe it followeth then according to thy saying that Iesus Christ is the true foūdation of the same P. It is not to be doubted For we cannot lay hold vpon the mercie of God nor be assured that he is become our louing and merciful father but only in Iesus Christ and by Iesus Christe his beloued sonne M. Then if it bée so it followeth that Man hathe no true faythe in GOD but that whereby man dothe imbrace hym in Iesus Christ when he beléeueth in him P. It is very true and therefore that faith is the very point whiche discerneth the christian Religion from all others and the Christians from all other people M. But séeing that the fayth is in the heart wherby man beléeueth to iustification how can it distinguishe the religions P. I do not here speake proprely of the distinction whiche is made by the outwarde confession whiche men make but of that whiche lyeth in the true foundation and in the propre substance of the religion which hath his only foundation in God and in his word albeit that vnder the name of the faith I comprehend also the confession of the same M. Doest thou meane that all other religions which are not grounded vppon the faithe in Iesus Christe are no true religions but false P. If religion maye be religion withoute hauing a God which is honoured therby they may be accompted for religions and not otherwise M. Why sayst thou so P. Forsomuche as there is no true God but only he whiche hath shewed himselfe in Iesus Christ no more can he also be knowen nor honoured as God but in Iesus Christ How that all religion is without God sauing the Christian religion M. IF that be true the Iewes the Turkes and all other men which beleue not in Iesus Chryste nor in the Gospel haue then no God. P. No in déede but only by imagination M. Why sayst thou so P. Forsomuch as God can be none other than he is M. I vnderstand it wel but what wilt thou conclude thereof P. That séeing that God can not be knowne suche as he is but in Iesus Chryste who soeuer doth not acknowledge him in Iesus Chryste knoweth hym not at all Wherfore he forgeth to himself an other God than the true God. M. In what sorte doth he forge him P. In so muche as he maketh and pourtraiteth God not suche an one as he is in déed but such as he hath béen able to imagine hym in his brayne and vnderstandyng M. Thou then callest other gods and strāge gods the imaginations that men do cōceiue of God in their vnderstāding wherby they do imagine and estéeme him other thā he is and did manifest him selfe in his sonne Iesus Chryste and in his woorde Pe. What thinkest thou then that the strange gods are For séeing ther is but one true God only it followeth then very wel that al the others whiche men call gods are not gods at all but onely by the imagination of men
planteth and he that watereth are nothing but God whiche giueth the encrease P. It is true And for that cause in somuche as he is man he hath planted and watered by his outwarde ministerie but in that that he is very God he hath also power to giue the encrease and doth dayly giue it by the ministerie of his seruāts M. In so doing he doth there dayly the office of prophet P. If he did not so all the rest as well Prophetes as Apostles and all the ministers of the worde of God shold trauel in déede in vaine M. Doth he also the like in the administration of the Sacramentes P. Thou maist easily iudge by that which Saincte Iohn Baptiste sayde that as for him he baptised but with water but that there shoulde be an other to witte Iesus Christe whiche should baptise with the holy Ghoste and with fire M. It semeth to me that this passage whiche thou haste euen nowe alledged doth confirme all that whiche thou hast alreadie spoken of the power of the ministerie of Iesus Christ P. It is very certaine For as he giueth vertue and efficacie to the Sacramentes euen so dothe hée to the worde and to the preachyng of the same and in like sorte he doth in the Sacramentes as in the administration of the worde for the reason is lyke Of the office of Kyng of Iesus Chryste M. I Doe nowe well vnderstande this poynt concerning the office of Prophete of Iesus Chryste continue the others whyche also concerne his office Peter The seconde poynte is touchyng hys office royall Math. What dothe it importe Peter That he is the true and eternall King of the people of GOD whiche he hathe boughte with his bloud and deliuered from the captiuitie and tyrannie of the diuell to sette them in full spirituall libertie and to leade and gouerne them as a spirituall king and to make them partaker wyth hym of hys heauenlye kingdome Is thys the cause why he is called our Lorde P. It is certaine that this name and title is proprely giuen vnto him in respecte of the worke of the redēption by the which he hath woon vs to himselfe and for the whiche cause his people is called the woon people Of the office of Sacrificer of Iesus Chryst and of the parts therof M. LEtte vs nowe come to the thirde point of the office of Iesus Christ whiche is touching his office of Sacrificer P. It is an office whiche dothe also comprehende thrée very excellent things the whiche Iesus Christe hath fully accomplished in perfection M. Whiche be they P. To teache to pray and to offer sacrifice Of the office to teache M. THe auncient Préests of the lawe had they all these offices P. It appeareth that they had the office to teach by that which is writen in Malachie The lips of the Sacrificer do kepe knowledge and men shall require the lawe at his mouth For he is the Ambassador and messenger of the Lorde of hosts M. Touching thys pointe Iesus Christe hath very well discharged himselfe for he hath not spared to teach the people yea in his owne person P. No man may doubte thereof Of two most principall partes of the preestly office of Iesus Christ M. BVt it séemeth to me that this point is alredy comprehendid vnder the office of Prophet P. It is true and therefore he is called properly the Eternall préest after the order of Melchisedech bycause of the prayer and of the sacrifice by which he hath bin intercessor for vs and hath made our attonemente with the father M. The auncient préests of the law had they also that charge to praye and to sacrifice P. The holy Ghoste doth tell it vs plainely in the Epistle to the Hebreus not only that this office did appertaine to the anciente préests of the lawe but it doth also declare vnto vs the cause why it was necessarie that this office should be assygned to Iesus Christ M. What is it then that is mente by it P. That euery préest was ordeyned to pray first for hys owne sinnes and then for those of the people and in like sorte to sacrifice to the ende that God should be reconciled vnto him Hovv that none may be a perfecte sacrificer but Iesus Christ only M. ANd if the préests of the lawe were ordeyned by God therevnto what néed was there then that this office should be assigned to Iesus christ P. The passage which I alledged to thée euen now dothe giue plaine matter to the solution of thy question with that whiche we haue alredy handled heretofore to this purpose M. How P. For somuch as the préests of the lawe had néede to pray not onely for the sinnes of the people but also for theyr owne the same maye giue thée to vnderstande that they could make no sacrifice to God which should be sufficiente to appease his wrath towarde his people M. Why so P. I haue alredy shewed thée heretofore that there is no man that may do any worke which may be acceptable to him if first the person whiche doth it be not acceptable to him Now sinne of hys nature deserueth the wrath of God and not his loue and fauour M. Doest thou then meane that bycause al men are sinners there are none which are agreable to him and if their persons be not agréeable to him no more can their workes please him P. No so long as he doth consider them in their owne nature without his grace in Iesus Christ by whome only man is made agreable vnto him For vvhat cause no sacrifice nor any other vvorke of man vvhatsoeuer it be may be able to make satisfaction to God. M. IS there yet any other reason than that which thou sayst P. Euē as God is perfecte so is there no worke that can be plesant vnto him except it be perfect M. Doest thou then meane that there is no worke of man be it neuer so perfecte whiche is not imperfect in his sighte P. I haue sufficiently shewed it them heretofore Wherefore it followeth that there is none that may fully satisfie him M. I haue very well vnderstoode already that thou hast sayde that there was no worke that mighte satisfie him neyther in parte nor in all but I do not yet well vnderstand what reason there is in it P. And yet notwithstanding I haue alredy declared it to thee M. It is true but I am not yet wel satisfied For if a debter cannot pay the whole summe that he oweth and if he pay parte is there not alwayes so much rebated and diminished of the principall summe P. Albeit that that whiche thou saist hath place among men yet notwithstanding he that hath not satisfied the whole summe standeth still bound euen according to the contracts of men for she rest which he oweth is not cléerely discharged vntill he haue paide all vnlesse that of fauour the creditor wil acquite him otherwise if he wil kepe him prisoner vntill he haue
paide the last mayle he maye as well do it for a little summe as for a great and for a parte as for the whole Mathevv I graunte the same But in the meane time thou must confesse that the debter is lesse bound than before Wherfore is it then that this hathe not as well please with God as with men and that he doth not alwayes accoumpte that which is payed and go in hande to rebate so muche as hath bin payde vnto him P. There be thrée pointes to consider in the same M. Which is the firste P. It is that he whiche is faultie in one pointe of the lawe is faultie in the whole M. And whiche is the second P. The impuritie of the works of man. M. And the thirde P. The obligation by the which they are alredy of right by their nature boūd to god VVhy one only sinne maketh a man guiltie of all the lavve and of damnation M. I Do well vnderstand thy meaning For firste it séemeth to me by thy words that it should folow that he who hath committed but one sinne is as guiltie as he that hath committed many or hath committed all P. Saincte Iames whose opinion I haue followed saith not so M. What saith he then P. Who soeuer breaketh one pointe of the lawe the same committeth high treason againste God from whence it followeth that by the same he deserueth eternall damnation albeit he had committed but that one only M. Howe vnderstandest thou it P. Séeing that God is an eternall Prince and king euery sinne committed against his maiestie whiche is eternall doth merite also eternall punishmente If those vvhiche haue most sinned shal be most punished by Gods iudgemente M. IF he then be also damned that shall haue committed few sinnes as well as he that shall haue committed many it is then as good for a man to excéede as it were with the raines layde on his necke as to refraine and abstayne from many from the whiche a man might kepe hym selfe P. That followeth not M. What reason can you alleadge to the contrary P. It is that albeit there be eternall dānation for all the reprobates yet notwithstanding he that shall haue moste sinned shal not faile to be most punished for so muche as it is written euery man shall receiue his hire according to hys works M. Haste thou none other passages of the Scriptures more euidente to proue that whiche thou sayest P. Iesus Christe him selfe doth saye to that same purpose that the seruant which knoweth the will of his master and doth it not shal be beaten with mo stripes than he that hath not done it being ignorante of it M. This passage is very playne Pet. Thou hast also that which Iesus Christ himself hath said that those of Sodome Gomorre shal be more softly delt with at the day of iudgement than these which shal haue cast off the Gospell from them Of the impuritie of mens vvorks and hovv God iudgeth of them M. I Do now vnderstand this point wel wherefore thou maist proceede to the other which is concerning the impuritie of mens workes P. That is that séeing men are corrupted by sinne there cā procéede from them no worke whatsoeuer it be haue it neuer so faire a shewe before men whiche is not so foule as nothing may be more M. It followeth then that they cā do no good work and the best that they can do are all euill of their nature if God will examine them according to the rule of his iustice and perfection P. Thou saist very truth wherefore so farre is it off frō being able to apease Gods wrath but that they dayly prouoke the same more more so lōg as he beholdeth them such as they be of their nature for god iudgeth not as mē do M. What differēce is there then Doth he not iudge that to be good which is good and euil that which is euil P. If he should iudge otherwise he should not be iust nor good but bycause he is a good iust iudge he iudgeth of mēs works as they ought to be iudged of in déede and not as men which do not iudge but acording to the outward apparance M. What is the cause thereof Pe. There be two The first is that they cannot knowe and found the harts as God can The other is also bycause that they be so blind in theyr owne workes wherefore they cannot sée in them that whiche God séeth in them bycause they do not consider their naturall corruption as they oughte to do neyther do they know it as it is requisite Of the obligation vvherby mā is bound to God and for vvhat cause he cannot make recompence by the good vvorks vvhich he doth for the euill vvorks vvhich he hath committed M. COme nowe to the third pointe which is concerning mans obligation towardes God. P. Euen as men are bounde not to do that which God forbiddeth euē so be they boūd to do that which he commaundeth them M. What followeth of that P. For somuche as there is double obligation the one cannot abolish the other For if I do one parte of that which God commandeth me I remaine alwayes yet bounde for that which is yet to do M. But in the meane time the same is alredy done and in that respecte thou hast alredy satisfied for that parte P. Albeit that my harte were so perfecte that there were nothing in it to be blamed before God that notwithstanding it coulde not serue me for satisfaction for bycause I remaine a debter séeing that I oughte alredy that which I haue payed M. I graunt thée that P. Now if the good works done may not satisfie for those which be vndon how shal they satisfie for the euill works which I shal haue done against the expresse cōmandement of God M. I haue no more to replie For I sée well that I cannot recompence an euill worke with a good and that for two causes The firste bicause that I can not do any which is verily good The other bycause I owe the good whiche I shoulde doe and yet I am still guiltie for the euill whiche I haue committed P. And therfore Iesus Christ hath sayd When you shall haue done al that whiche is commaunded you say ye We are vnprofitable seruantes we haue done that whiche we ought to do For what cause there is nothyng but the only sacrifice of Iesus Christ which may satisfie at the iudgement of God. M I Do nowe knowe more manifestly what thou wilte conclude by thys whole discourse and by that whiche thou hast alreadie sayde concerning this purpose that there is none but Iesus Christ which may do sacrifice or any worke acceptable vnto God. P. If that mē mought doe it of themselues he then should haue ben giuen to vs in vaine by the Father to doe that whiche an other mought haue done beside him For as Saincte Paule sayeth he should haue died in vayn if we mought
that a man mought finde in all things if the feare of God goodnesse iustice and holynesse be wanting P. Thou concludest very well And therfore Iesus Christ sayd to hys Apostles whiche did glory bycause the deuills were subiect to them by meane of the gifte of miracle which was giuē to them Reioice not saide he in that that the spirites are subiecte to you but reioyce in that that your names are writtē in Heauen M. What meaneth he thereby Pe. That they should much more estéeme the fauoure whiche God had shewed vnto them in that that he had chosen them to bée his children and heires and that hée had made them partakers of the giftes by meane whereof they haue obtayned such a benefite than in that that he gaue them the gifte of miracles yea indéede than in that that he made them Apostles For Iudas was chosen an Apostle and had the gifte of prophecie and of miracles as we haue alredy sayde but for that he was not of the true chosen which were chosen to be the children of God the gifts which he had receiued of him serued him not but only to more greiuous condemnation And therefore Iesus Christe did call hym Deuill bycause he had not those other more excellente giftes of God by whiche he moughte haue béene reformed to hys Image as the other Apostles were M. Thou touchest here thinges whyche doo well deserue to be noted to the ende that we please not our selues nor glory at all but in the grace that God doth shewe vs in Iesus Christe Peter For that cause Saincte Paule dothe also witnesse that if a man had the gifte of tongues in so great perfection that he could speake the very language of Angells and although he coulde by the gyfte of miracle remoue mountaines from one place to an other yet notwithstanding it should be nothing if he had not charitie the which doth testifie that there is true faith in the man that hath it but also maketh the man like vnto God insomuch as Sainct Iohn saith he is charitie it selfe The thirtenth Dialogue is of the Churche and of the ministerie of the same MATHEVV I Do now well vnderstande the difference that thou puttest betwene the giftes of the holye Ghost and how much some are more excellent and more necessarie and more to be desired than others And therefore if thou haue no more to saye at this presente neyther concerning his person ne yet his gyftes it séemeth to me that it shall be good that we speake nowe of the Churche whereof wée haue not yet spoken Peter It is one of the chiefe pointes whiche we haue yet to handle For the Churche is the same wherein God dothe open all the treasures of hys graces and gyftes whereof we haue euen nowe spoken and for whose sake he giueth them to whome he giueth them Mathevv Shewe me then what the Churche is Peter If wée take the name of the Churche in generall it signifieth assemblie or companie but when we speake of the Churche of God we take it not only for an assemblie and companie of all sortes of people but for a companie and assemblie of men the whiche GOD hathe chosen from others and hathe consecrated and sanctifyed them vnto himselfe in his Sonne Iesus Chryste by hys holye Spirite Mathevve Is that the cause why she is called holye Peter Yea and why she is also called the Communyon and Communaltye of Sainctes For there is none other communaltie or companie whiche is holye and is gouerned and guyded by the Hollye Ghoste but onelye thys whyche dothe acknowledge Iesus Chryste for hir onelye Heade King Sauioure and redéemer M. Which be those Sainctes whereof she is called the communion P. They be all the true faithfull whiche by faith are made members of Iesus Christe whiche is the holy one of holy ones the whiche hath giuen his holy spirite to his Churche to sanctifie it And therefore Saincte Paule dothe call all Christians Saincts Of the sanctifieng of the Church and of the members of the same M. BY what meane is it that God dothe sanctifie hys Churche to hymselfe by his holy Spirite P. By faith in hys Sonne Iesus Christ by the whiche she is vnited and ioyned to him as is the body to his head Wherefore she is also a partaker of the same very soule which is in the head the whiche giueth it corporall life For the head liueth not by one soule and the rest of the body by an other but do lyue bothe by one very soule forsomuche as the head and all the members of the body are but one body and not sundrye Mathevve Séeing it is so none maye then bée of that holy companie and assemblie but those which haue true faithe in Iesus Christe and whiche for that cause are called faithfull Peter It is easie to vnderstand M. Séeing that they haue faithe they are all then also made partakers of the giftes of the holie Ghost the whiche thou hast sayd are proper to the only electe of God and without the which men maye not be accompted for gods children and be heires of the heauenly glorie Pe. Thou mayst thereof iudge by that whiche we haue alreadie heretofore sayde to this purpose and by consequent thou mayste also iudge what is the estate of such which by their incredulitie are withoute and shut from that holie assemblie and companie Of the ministerie of the Churche and of the gifts necessarie to the same M ANd which is the meane to attaine to that faithe by whiche the faithful are receiued into that holy companie and be in the same incorporate into the body of Iesus Christ as mēbres of him P. It is by the ministerie of the word of God according to the saying of Saincte Paule that faith is giuen by the hearing of the same M. Is that the cause why the same Apostle sayde that God hath giuen to his Church some Apostles some Prophets others Euangelists and others pastors and Doctors for the establishment of the Saintes to the worke of administration for the buylding vp of the bodie of Chryst vnto the tyme that wée come all into the vnitie of the faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God to be a perfect man according to the measure of the full age of Chryste P. Beside that whyche thou sayest thou hast yet to note that S. Paule meaneth not by these words that Chryst giueth only men to his Churche whiche maye haue these offices but also that he giueth them gifts méete for them wherby they may wel exercise them M. Séeing it is so these guiftes of the holie Ghost which thou hast sayd that God did distribute not only to the faithful but also oftentymes to the vnfaithfull are necessarie for his Churche Peter There be of them that are so necessarie vnto it that the Churche can not be a Churche without them and therfore they be euer in hir But there be others without the
blyndenesse that synne hathe engendred in the vnderstandyng of man which is the cause that he cannot so well discerne the good from the euill nor iudge of the one and the other as he should haue done if he had continued in the state of innocencie and grace in the whiche he was created beside that there is this other greate mischiefe that man doth willingly supporte that wherin hee would himselfe be supported and that he neuer hath so great care for that which concerneth the honoure of God as for that whiche concerneth his owne bodie It is the cause why men doe rather punishe yea and that more gréeuousely those faultes whiche touche their honor or dishonor or their profit or hindrance than they doe those whiche make warres directly against the honour and maiestie of God but it is not so with God for he is not contented with the only work that appeareth outwardly but he requireth the hearte and beholdeth the fountayne from whence the woork springeth which can not please him howe faire a shewe so euer it haue but only so farre foorth as it procéedeth from the heart and that the heart doe please him the whiche in déede can in no wise please him but so farforth as he doth drawe néere to his nature and that he is reformed and made new lyke to his image and regenerate by his holy spirite For there is no worke good nor pleasant to God but that whiche procéedeth from him and that he himself doth for euen as there is none good but onely he so is ther no good thing but that which procedeth frō him alone therfore the work which procéedeth from vs can not please him but so farre as hée worketh in vs by his holy spirite and that our spirite is gouerned by his For he whiche is a spirite is then serued by his like In vvhat sorte the vvordes of the lavve of God ought to be vnderstode and hovve that God dothe not onely beholde the outvvarde vvorkes but the origiginal of them also vvhat be the things that God doth allovv or cōdemne in man. T. SO farre foorth as I may vnderstand by thy woordes that lawe doth well deserue to be otherwyse weyed and considered of than it is D. It is euen so For when God dothe require of vs a thing that séemeth to belong to the outewarde woorke wée oughte to vnderstande the whole by a parte and the cause by the effecte and the roote and the whole herbe by the fruict and the woorkeman by the woorke and all the circumstaunces and dependances of the one and the other And when he forbiddeth a thyng we muste also knowe that he commaundeth his contrarie and likewise when he commaundeth hée forbiddeth the contrarie of that whiche he commaundeth For he beholdeth man thorowly both endlong and ouerthwarte and dothe sounde the hearte and all the thoughts and affections of him and alloweth nothyng in hym but that whiche he fyndeth to bée his and hathe himselfe commaunded and disalloweth nothing but that which man hath receiued of others than of him that which he hath forbidden him Wherfore he doth not only condemne that worke whiche séemeth outwardly to bée euill but also the spring from whence the same procedeth doth not onely condemne it when his frute is come to light but he doth alwais condemn it albeit that it doe continually lie hidde in secrete in the darke bottomlesse pittes of ignoraunce of the hearte of man vnsearcheable to man but knowne and open to god Therfore Dauid sayeth thou haste proued and knowne mée thou haste knowne mée sitting and standing going and commyng within and without For howe may it be that the workeman which made man shoulde not know him whiche did know him before he was begotten and made Shall not the workman know his worke T. Who shoulde then know him if he should not Of the consideration of those things which in dede displease God in man and first of all in his vvorke and in vvhat sort it ought to be cōsidered as commaunded or forbidden by God. D. SEeing then that hée whyche is the workeman and hath framed made the substance it selfe wherof he is fashioned and that he him selfe is the giuer of the fashion it is not to bee doubted but that hée doothe verye well knowe all that euer is in hym and that whyche hée hath of his owne put into hym and what man hath of others to destroy his worke Wée must therfore note here that there are in vs foure things that can not please God and euery of them dothe in his behalfe deserue death and eternal damnation Nowe if any one of them being taken aparte if it were possible to separate them the one from the other be so abhominable of his owne nature and worthye of so gréeuous punyshemente what may it then be when they are all ioyned togither T. There must néedes be muche filthinesse but which be these things D. First there is concupiscence for the seconde the affection begotten of him for the third the consent of the wil to this affection for the fourthe the execution of the same by déede But I will begin my declaration by this last which is to say by the work that apeareth outwardly to the ende that by the same wée maye haue the better vnderstanding of the other thynges that doe goe before which are more hidden and more secret In this poynt I will begin by the moste apparaunt and open frute whereby wée easily iudge of the nature of all trées For in setting foorthe firste the worke the workeman shal not only be knowne therby but also the forge and shoppe wherein that worke hath bin wrought As concerning the worke we oughte to consider it first two wais The one as commaunded of God the other as forbidden by hym That which is commaunded by God can neuer be euill being vnderstoode in that sense and meaning that he hath cōmaunded it and being applyed to that end that it oughte to bée On the other side that which he hath forbidden being weyed in the same sorte may neuer in any wise be good By what rule the vvorks of men ought to be examined and hovv daungerous a thing it is to follovve the iudgemente of mans reason T. WE ought then to be well aduised and to take good héede how we do establish iudgement vppon mans reason and vpon the opinions of men in such matters D. It is very true For it is often times séene that men iudge that good which is euil and do disalowe that which God aloweth and alowe that whiche he disaloweth for the causes before mentioned For in the iudgement of god the sentence shall not be giuen according to the iudgement of mans reason and of the opinions of men but according to the pronuntiation whiche God hath alredy pronounced by his worde and by his lawe which shall be the weights the ballaunce and the rule wherein and whereby al the thoughts words and
works of men shall be weyed and measured Hovv that the lavv of god is transgressed not only in doing that vvhich is forbidden by it but also in leuing that vndone vvhiche is therin commaunded and hovv that those good vvorks which vve do are not able to satisfie for them vvhich vve ought to do and do not ne yet for those vvhich vve do against the vvill of God. T. THen doth it follow that whosoeuer shall do that whiche shall be forbidden of God or shall leaue vndone that which he doth commaund him the same deserueth condemnation On the other side he that shall absteyne frō that which he hath forbidden and shall do that which he hath cōmanded the same shall receiue the prayse and commendation of a good faithfull seruaunt D. These two pointes that thou touchest are right well worthy to be noted For there be some that thinke that they haue sufficiently fulfilled the lawe of God if that they haue refrayned frō those things which are therein forbidden yea and if it haue bin don but only in outward apparance withoute laying of handes with a prompte courage to those thinges whiche are commaunded them On the other side there be others whiche think that they may the more lawfully dispense with thēselues to do many things that be forbiddē in the law whē they haue don some litle porcion of those whiche are commaunded and thinke these to be a recōpēce for the others But we must nedes walke in all other manner of simplicitie before god must put in vse that which Iesus christ hath said it behoueth to do this and not to leaue the other vndone for here it ought to haue better place than in any where else It behoueth to do that whiche is commaunded and to refrayne from that which is forbidden For he that commaundeth and he that forbiddeth is alway one Lord who will not suffer hys maiestie to be more dishonored of the one parte than of the other Therefore when thou dost some part of that which is commaunded thée thinke not by that litle wel doing whiche thou hast done on the one side to haue recompenced the greate euill whiche thou hast committed on the other side For if thou haue don any thing wel thou hast done thy dutie and hast done nothing else yea and that which more is thou hast not done all that howe mayest thou thē recompence the euill which thou hast committed in doing that which was forbiddē thée by this litle good which thou hast done when that same it selfe is not sufficient to satisfie for the faultes whiche thou haste committed in the leauing of that vndone which thou oughtest to haue done T. I do know that very well Hovv that it is not sufficient to do outvvardly the vvorks vvhich God commaundeth if that they be not done to the intent and to the very same purpose for the vvhich God doth commaund them hovv greatly hypocrisie displeaseth God. D. ON the other parte when thou doest the worke which god commandeth thou must take good héede to what ende thou doest it and with what minde For if thou do it more for thine own glory and profite for thine owne behoofe than thou doest for the honoure of God and for the loue thou bearest to him or to thy neyghboure for his sake thou makest of a good worke an euill worke and doest greatly offend him thorough thy hypocrisie abusing his name making a maske of his lawe to serue thée and thy wicked affections And therefore such a worke is no more a worke of the spirite of God for so muche as it is not done in truth but in lies For al hypocrisie is lyes for somuch as it is nothing else but falshod fayning and dissimulation whiche hath an other shewe outwardly than the troth of the thing hath inwardly Now al lyes procéed from the deuill The worke then which is done in lyes is of the deuill and not of god Wherefore it cannot muche better please God than doth the troth which the deuill speaketh to couer his lies with and to transfigure himselfe into an Angell of light and that all the works do that euer he doth howe faire a shewe so euer they haue although God do make them serue to his glory For his intente is alwayes wicked forsomuch as he neuer doth thing but for himselfe and hath regard neyther to the honour of God nor to the profite of any creature wherfore he is neuer more perilous than when he hath the greatest shew of well doing for then it is that hée doth most dishonor god and doth greatest hurt to men bycause he is more couered and disguised more harde to be knowne and to be taken vpō the sudden wherfore those whiche call this deuill that is so disguised a white deuill are not voyd of reason Therefore the false Prophets are neuer more dangerous than whē they haue the greatest shewe of holynesse do most counterfaite the true seruauntes of God the like is of al hypocrites The good work whiche he semeth to doe is often tymes worse than thogh it were set forth plainly suche as it is It is the very cause why Christe did condemne the almes prayers and fastings of the Scribes and Pharisies and all their other works forsomuch as they did them only to be séene of men VVhat good or hurte the vvorke doth that is outvvardly done not vvith a good hart vvhat it may bring to the vvorker of the same also to others and vvhether it be better that it be done or vndone T. IF the matter be such that the worke it selfe which God commaundeth cānot please him if it do not procéede from such a harte as he requireth but doth rather displease him it followeth then that if a man haue not such an harte he dothe not onely léese his time in doing of suche a worke but he doth also purchace to himselfe a more greater iudgemente D. There are also two pointes to be considered in this matter if that the man that doth this worke doth it thoroughly of a very malice and to suche ende as the Deuil doth his to witte to dishonor God and to deceiue mē and to hurte his neyghbor it were much better that he did nothing at all for his worke can do but hurte and more to himselfe than to any other if hée do it not in déede for so euil a purpose but onely to haue some worldlye honoure or profite the worke is then yet somewhat more profitable in sundry sortes as well to himselfe as to others according to the circumstaunces of the same than if it had not bin done at all or else if he had done those works whiche God hath forbidden For first of al those that sée such a worke are edified in somuch as they sée it to bée good of his owne nature and doe thinke that it procéedeth from such an harte as it sheweth for outwardly on the other side
of the same whiche are the chiefe that god requireth thē is the hypocrisy of the hart séen For that very cause S. Iohn saith that mā which hath the goods of this world shal sée his brother in néed shal shut vp the bowels of his cōpassion frō him howe dwelleth the loue of god in him And agayn if any say I loue God yet doth hate his brother the the same is a lier for he that loueth not his brother whom he hath séen how may he loue god whom he hath not séen And we haue this commādemēt of him that he which loueth god do loue also his brother S. Iohn doth declare plainly by these words that a mā may in no wise better know of what affectiō the hart of mā is toward god thā by the which he sheweth toward his neybor brother which is the child of god bereth his image as he doth and that there is not a meane more méete to discouer the hypocrisie and dissimulation of mans harte than it For a man may by the good will that is borne to the father iudge what good will there is borne to the sonne And therefore the Prophets do often times vse these arguments to vanquish the wicked hipocrits and also our Lorde Iesus Christe in that forme of iudgemente whereof we haue alredy spoken declareth that he estéemeth all that to be done to himselfe that hathe bin don to his be it good or be it euill And by this maner of procéeding he doth right well declare that whereof we haue alredy spoken for when he doth rebuke and reproue the hypocrites the reprobates that he hath bin forsaken and euill handled by them they answere forthwith and aske when that was done as though they did not know of it Wherein they do plainely declare that they wold haue the name to beare a great good will to Iesus Christ and to do their duty toward him but he doth vanquish them of the contrary by the tokens which they haue shewed towarde his poore members in whose person he complayneth to haue bene forsaken and euill handled as he doth complayne that he was persecuted by Saule in the persecution which he vsed agaynst the Christians Hovv that the dissimulation and fayning of mans harte is declared by the transgression of the Lavve of God and hovv there is neither ignorance nor constraint nor any reason vvhat so euer it be that can excuse him T. I Thinke also that this be one of the principall causes why God doth set foorth rather the worke than any other thing in that lawe to the ende that we should not be deceiued vnder the cloke of our heart D. The matter is playne For as the heart can not be boasted of to bée good excepte the mouth confesse it and that he do declare by works the faith and charitie whereof he will so glory it can not be execused but that it is wicked and by consequent displeaseth God when he doth a wicked worke that is forbidden by God for either he doth it through ignorance or else of a certen knowledge if he do it through ignoraunce it is an assured signe that the heart of his owne nature is wicked For if it were not wicked it could not beare suche fruite by any meanes nor also could it by by any meanes ignoraunt of the will of God for the ignorance is a witnesse of the darknesse which sinne hath engendred in the vnderstanding of man and of the contempt of god and what negligence there is in man in searching to know the wil of God as it hath bene alredy more largely touched in an other place If he haue done it of knowledge what can he alleage May he alleage that he was enforced to do it and that he did it by compulsion But by what compulsion If this reason were sufficient to excuse the sinne of man there should be no sinne but should séeme worthy of excuse for so muche as it séemeth that there is none but it is cōmitted by constrainte considering that man is so corrupted by the meanes of sinne and so made subiecte to the diuell through the same that of his nature he can do nothing but sinne Wherefore sainct Paule dothe say that he can not do the good whiche he woulde doe but he dothe the euyll which he woulde not doe bicause he is a sinner and slaue to sinne and solde vnder the same which doth engēder in his members a lawe repugnant to the law of god For the like also sayeth our Lorde Iesus Christe he that sinneth is seruaunte to sinne Hovv sinne can not be but voluntary and hovv difference must be put in this matter betvveene constraint and necessitie and in vvhat signification they ought to be taken in this case T. BY this accompte sinne shoulde then be no sinne for it should not then be voluntarie And it is commonly saide that euery sinne is voluntary or otherwyse it séemeth that it shoulde deserue no punishmente D. There are many thinges to be considered in this matter The first is that it behoueth to put difference betwéene necessitie and constraint For by wanting this distinction many doe very filthily erre in the matter of frée will and of predestination and in the consideration of the nature of sin For to speke properly we may say that we do all sinne of necessitie and not by constraynt T. What difference puttest thou then betwene necessitie and constraynt for they séeme to me to be both one D. Yea but there is notwithstanding great difference but it is requisite for the better vnderstanding of it that we doe firste well consider in what meaning and in what signification these words ought to be taken First of al this worde of necessitie is commonly for want of some thing whereof we haue néede in such sort that we do oftentimes take it for lacke pouertie and miserie but we do not properly take it in that sense when we do speake of the necessitie whereby man is brought to sinne by meane of the naturall corruption that is in him but so farre foorth as we may say that he sinneth by necessity that is to say through defaulte and lacke of goodnesse iustice innocencie holinesse and other vertues and giftes and graces of God wherof he hath ben spoyled through sin vnto whom he was made subiect T. In what signification doste thou then take this worde in this matter D. I do take it for a necessarie consequent which followeth of causes that are ioyned togither with their effectes which can not be others but such as are agreable to the nature of the causes and things which are so ioyned togither and do depend the one of the other T. Giue me an example of this that thou speakest of D. Behold the Sunne his nature is to shine and by his light to make the day for vs I say then the sunne shineth it is therefore day of necessitie that is to say
fallen into an other necessitie wholy cōtrary to the first For in the stead that before he did necessarily good was wholy giuen to God for that of his nature he coulde not then will nor do otherwise through constraint hauing changed both nature will he can not but folow his nature wherefore this necessitie of wel doing did not procéede of any wāt that was in him as it séemeth vnto vs that the woorde doth signifie for when wée speake of good things we doe not in that behalfe take necessitie for néede or lacks but for a dispositiō of things which cā not be other but such as she is hir self according to the declaration that hath bene already made if wée speake of euill wée may well then say that the necessitie whereof wée speake is ioyned with lacke of goodnesse contrarie to this euill For the euill which man doth is not done but for wante of goodnesse which ought to be in him in the steade of the euill into the which the good was chaunged the which euill of his nature engēdreth euill where as the good engendreth good Wée sée the like againe of this in some other thing as in the darkenesses whiche the night doth bring vnto vs in that which foloweth for what is the cause of the night but only the shadow of the earth whiche taketh from vs the light of the sunne bringeth vnto vs darknesses cōtrary to that light by meanes whereof we haue the day turned into night and then when we are couered all ouer with the night we can not doe that which we doe in the day nor go forth right but clean contrarie and that bicause that wée haue darknesse in the steade of light without the which we can not walke directly yet all this while is the necessitie without constraint For albeit that the lacke which may be in a mā the which we cal necessitie be by chaūce an occasion to make him to steale yet notwithstāding he cannot iustly say that he was constrained to steale for if he had bene an honest man and not a théefe he would rather haue endured all kinde of miseries necessities than to haue stolen but for so much as he had rather liue at his ease than he would endure paine misery according to the will of God he had rather steale than to obey God. Hovv that the necessitie that is here spoken of is free and commendable in good things and hovv it ought to be othervvise considered in God than in Creatures T. THen by as much as I can vnderstand of such matters if this necessitie be sound in a good thing it is cōmendable ioined with great libertie D. We doe sée it in the nature of God as it hath bene already touched For that which God can not bée necessarily but all mighty all wise all iust all good al perfect infinite eternal immortall doth not carrie with it a necessitie of lacke nor constraint nor yet doth in any respect diminish the power the glory maiestie of him but on the cōtrary it doth magnifie declare the great excellencie perfection of his nature For it is not a true libertie cōmendation to be able to sinne to doe euill but it is a token of an excellent nature to be so perfect in goodnesse that it doth holde in it cōtinually that goodnesse which it naturally hath in such sorte that it cā not by any accident whatsoeuer it be be chaunged diminished or abolished it is as if we shold say that it is impossible that God should not be God good and iuste Who would not cōclude thē by that same that God is not all mighty that there is something impossible to him Are we more stronge than he bicause we may be wicked vntrue vniust liers the which he cā not be For goodnes is in him a thing which hath subiect substāce the accidēts agreable to the same as we do sée in the sunne in his light which doth light all the world for the euil is nothing els but a priuatiō lacke want of the good which ought to be euen as the darkenesses are nothing els than priuation lacke of light Or if thou haddest rather to haue it spoken in other termes it is nothing but a corrupted qualitie a vicious accident which are come vpō a good substance creature of God haue corrupted it the faute whereof may not be sought in God albeit that nothing cā come to passe without his prouidence his eternal counsell but it must be sought in causes more neare vnto vs leauing a parte the secrete counselles iudgments of God which is in such sorte the cause of causes that no fault may be imputed vnto him or that he cā do any thing other than iustly For he hath in such sort disposed the secōd causes that when the euil is a doing the wicked will either of the Deuill or man cōmeth betwéene in such sorte that that fault resteth in thē albeit that God doth cause their wicked worke and will to serue him and make the worker good in so much as God is serued therewith As touching the reste thou oughtest to note that there is none which of his own nature is of such an vnchaungeable and infinite goodnesse but God only which is onely vnchangeable and the most frée of all others and doth giue a law to al creatures is aboue all lawes himselfe being a lawe to all creatures For the same cause our Lorde Iesus Christe hath saide that none is good but the onely God bicause that goodnesse is to him naturall essentiall and substantiall and it is inseparable with him and not accidentall and separable which may be ioyned vnto him or taken away from him by any manner of meanes But the like is not of creatures how excellent so euer they be as we may sée first in the Angels and afterwarde in man. T. I shall also very gladly vnderstand this point Of the creation and fall of the Angels and hovv that God in the same hath declared the difference that is betvveene the Creator and the Creature and hovv it is onely he that is perfect and vnchaungeable D. WHen he did create the Angells he created them all good for he could make them none other for somuch as he is in suche sorte good that he can do nothing but well otherwyse he shoulde not be god Wherfore we may not imagine two Gods with the Manichees the one good and the author and Creator of good things and the other euill and the author and creator of euill For the euill can not bée God nor any other than the deuill himselfe which is a creature and not a Creator although he be the author of all euill who notwithstandyng was not created suche an one of God but is become suche of his owne malice when he turned away from God and renounced the goodnesse that he receyued of him
him and the more straitly that he shall be forbiddē it the more earnestly shal he desire it And yet may he not complaine and saye that he was constrained so to doe either by the phisition or others which haue forbidden him the same and that his will was inforced by anye other than by himself which perisheth willinglye for that he is so delicate that he cannot vanquishe his affections his corrupted nature T. The matter is plaine Of the maruellous counsel of God which is declared in the fall and the restoring of man and wherin it is different or like to that which he hath declared in the fall of the euill Angels and in the conseruation of the good D. THat which thou saiest is true and there is no doubt but that man shold haue bene euen like vnto the deuill vnto whom he did ioyne himselfe if God had cleane left him and forsaken him in that estate wherevnto throughe hys ingratitude and rebellion hée had brought hymselfe as he dyd leaue and forsake the deuell But GOD hath agayne in thys vsed a maruellous counsell and meane he dyd not suffer in the nature of Angels that he had created that al should fall but dyd preserue a parte in suche sorte that they dyd not part take of the transgression and corruption of the others And as hee doth so conserue those which doe contynue in their fyrste estate that they can not fall euen so hathe hée in suche sorte lefte the others which are fallen that neuer after they were able to rise agayne nor neuer shall On the other syde he hath suffered all mankynde to fall and bée corrupted and all the nature of man in the firste man that hée made which is to saye in the spring of the same But on the other side hée hath vsed such moderation that hée hath not willed not withstanding that all those whych were comprehended in this fall shoulde perishe eternallye as shall hée that was the firste cause thereof to witte the Deuill who dyd drawe the fyrste manne into suche perdition wyth hym But as soone as the faulte was commytted throughe the Deuylles intycing God foorthe wyth dydde fynde remedye for this great mischiefe and a meane to repare his worke and his creature which his aduersarie had destroyed The which remedy he had already prepared through the eternall counsell and firme purpose of his election through the which he dyd chose prepare in his sonne Iesus Christ the vessels of mercie not onely before the wounde was giuen to the whole bodye person of all mankinde but also before the creation of the worlde wherein hée sitteth forth the iustice of his iudgement and his grace and mercy together how that he is the author of all goodnes euen as his aduersarie is author of al euil For if God shoulde haue restored the nature of the Angels whiche was fallen as hee did repare the nature of man it mought haue bene thought that the Angels which were fallen had raised vp themselues againe or els that their fall had not ben so great and horrible as it is nor the offence so odiouse and so detestable before god Also his iustice his grace and his mercy had not bene so wel declared For it was requisite that the Angels which dyd offend should carry vpon them a perpetual testimonie of their transgression and rebellion and that they shoulde know howe good a thing it was to dwell vnited with God and how euill to be separated from him Afterwarde man maye iudge what force and power he may haue of himselfe to raise vp himselfe and to saue himselfe cōsidering what the burthen of the wrath of God is that the Deuills beare For if these creatures which were created so excellent cannot beare such a burthen nor of themselues discharge them of it but that they must be swallowed vp euen into hell how shall man then beare it that is but a worme of the earth and how shal he deliuer himselfe Further if that God haue not spared that Angelicall nature and those heauenly creatures how doth he thinke to escape his iudgement if it be not only through his grace and mercie On the contrary if he had as well suffered the one sorte as the other to fall and had lefte them all in like damnation his grace his power and his mercie shoulde not haue bin so knowne as it is and if he shoulde haue restored the one sorte and lefte the other it moughte haue séemed that he had wanted power to conserue his creatures in that estate wherein he had created them or else that he had not had so great a care for them that he would so do if he should haue done the like in man it shuld haue séemed on the other side that it had not bin in his power or else that he had not had the care and the will to repare the creature that should haue offended but only to haue cōserued and mainteyned him in his first estate so long as he should perseuer in the same But he hath declared by the meane that he hath obserued all these things togither The firste that there is no creature whatsoeuer he be that can of himselfe be mainteyned how excellēt so euer he be Further that he hath alway power to preserue them al in their estate if it please him and to restore them althogh they had offended and transgressed the whiche can be done by none other meane but by his only power and grace Then euen as mā may be recouered and restored to his firste estate through his grace and mercie euen so on the contrary abiding still in his nature suche as it is at this presente he may by meane of his wicked will do nothing else but euill withoute any constrainte other than of his owne malice Hovv that al that vvhich hath bin don as vvell in the fall and conseruation of the Angells as in the fall and restoring of man tendeth to the glory of God and hovv that same only reason ought to content vs in the doctrine of predestination T. BY that whiche I may vnderstande all that which was done in all these thinges tendeth still to the glory of God to the whiche we must referre all the ordinaunces of his prouidence as to the principal end whervnto he hath chiefe regard aboue al in all his works wherevnto it behoueth to frame all other purposes D. Thou hast wel vnderstood it wel cōcluded Therfore it is writē that the Lord hath made all thing for himselfe yea the wicked for the euil day S. Paule speaking of the eternall election of God saith who hathe before ordeyned vs for to be adopted vnto himselfe through Iesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace wherewith he hath made vs accepted in the beloued Seing it is so what iust occasion maye men haue of offence in the doctrine of predestination for ought not
kinde of villanie how much lesse lawfull is it then for the soule whiche is much more precious than the body to giue ouer it selfe to any creature whatsoeuer he be whereby it may be ioyned to the Deuill Then if thy father will be an idolater and will haue thée to be such an one with him and will haue thée to leaue Iesus Christ to please him thou oughtest than to haue recourse to the interpretation that Iesus Christe dothe make of this cōmaundement of the honor whiche is due to father and mother founded in the first Table as it shal be more amply declared when wée shall come to the exposition of the fifte commaundement T. Of what interpretatiō meanest thou D. Of that where he saithe Whosoeuer doth not hate his father and his mother for my sake whiche is to say as he doth expounde it by an other Euangelist he that shall loue them better than me is not worthy of me nor may be my disciple beholde this interpretation is very plaine whiche declareth vnto vs that it is a great vertue and worthie of commendation to contemne father and mother in time and place which is to say in such like cases as wée haue already spoken of for such a contempt of them is not a contempt to speake properly but onely in the iudgement of man no more than the hatered whiche Iesus Christe willeth vs to beare them for his sake is a hatered but a very true loue founded in the loue of god For wée must rather iudge of thinges according to their effectes than according to the affections of men in whom we doe consider them as in diuers other like passages of the Scripture It is written in the Prouerbes in the which Salomon speaketh in the person of wisedome All those that hate me loue death There is none but he hateth and abhorreth death and yet for all that seyng that he whiche despiseth and hateth wisedome doth purchase his owne death and ruine doth it not then seeme that he loueth it and that he desireth it and what coulde he more doe if that he desired it It is also written he that dothe take parte with the théefe hateth his soule Moreouer he that spareth the rodde hateth his childe yet notwithstanding there is no man that both this for any hatered that he beareth either to his soule ▪ and his life or to his childe but rather for loue if wée doe consider the affection of the person yet notwithstanding the truth is euen suche as the spirite of GOD hath spoken in déede as the effect dothe right well declare Then as he hateth in deede whiche dothe folishly loue and otherwise than he ought to doe euen so dothe he truly loue whiche hateth as he ought to hate and that same whiche he ought to hate The like is of the honour and dishonour but it is not néedefull here to speake any more of this matter considering that it shall haue more apte place in the exposition of the Cōmaundement of the which wée haue now spoken Therefore I haue spoken this but onely for an example An example to the like purpose vpon the commaundement giuen of the obedience due to Princes and vpon the commaundement giuen against murder T. WE also may in mine opiniō say the like of Princes Lords D. S. Peter S. Iohn doe teach vs by their example what we ought to thinke therein For did they transgresse the commaūdement which cōmaundeth to yelde obedience vnto Princes Magistrates when they did contemne the forbidding of the counsell of Ierusalem which was contrary to the commaundement of God and did answere them that it was better to obey God than man T. No but did much better fulfill it than if they had otherwise done and did truly declare it D. Phinees in like sorte was greatly cōmēded by God for the whore the whore master which he did slea and was not rebuked as a murderer for so much as he did it not of hatred nor of any blouddie affection but onely for the dutie and obedience whiche he ought to God who had bene greatly dishonored if that suche a villany had not bene punished reuenged by him with such a zeale Thou maist thē know by al these examples how that the worke whiche may seeme vnto men to haue some shew of wickednesse and to be contrary to the cōmaundements of God is not at all wicked in the sight of God nor in the iudgmēt of those which take the law of God in his true meaning doe know how to rule the secōd Table by the first but is pleasant agreable to his will. Of the hidden sinnes that are in the conscience and vvicked vvil of man and hovv that concupiscence is a sinne vvorthy of damnation in the sight of God and hovv greatly it doth displease him and for vvhat cause T. IT séemeth to me that this matter of workes hath bene sufficiently fully and familiarly entreated of wherefore let vs procéede to the rest D. If that which hath bene sayd of workes be well vnderstoode the reste shal be easie inough vnto vs for wee may by the very same meane iudge of the wil of the affectiōs according to which God doth iudge of the worke If then thou be stirred vp to euill by any wicked affection thy will doth consent and agrée therevnto in such sorte that there wanteth nothing but the onely meane to execute it Behold the wickednesse is already accōplished before God thou knowest by that which hath bene already spoken how God will iudge If on the contrary there be any resistance in thee that thy spirite thy wil in no case will agrée to that cōcupiscence which cōtinually doth procure thee but d ee resist and repulse it as farre from them as they may it is certaine that the iniquitie is not so great albeit that such a concupiscēce what resistance soeuer there be can not be without sinne by reason of the corrupted and wicked spring frō whence it procéedeth For that is a sure testimonie that there is much poison and corruption there where such fruite doth budde forth although that it finde hinderances which will not permitte and suffer their buddes and fruites to come to their ripenesse Now such a corruption can not be but very displeasant to God considering that it doth procéede from his aduersarie and that it is contrary to his holy maiestie as wée sée it proued and euident in litle children yea euen in those whiche are not onely not in age to put any euill acte in execution but also haue not discretion to iudge neither of good nor euill wée see how death hath power ouer them and taketh them out of the worlde which he could not do except that there were sinne in them For seyng that sinne did begette death and that it is a frute of his curse it is a thing certaine that there where sinne doth not raigne death also can