euery side defiled and filthyly wrapped in bloud I passed by sayth the Lord and when I saw thee in that case I had compassion of thee Farther let vs remember what is the scope of the Apostle in this epistle For if we will iudge vprightly of controuersies we must not cast our eye of froÌ the scope This was the scope of the Apostle by all maner of meanes to commend the grace of Christ And to this purpose can nothing more be a let then to affirme that the predestination of God that is the head and fountaine of grace commeth of the workes of men And if it be counted a fault in orators if in their oration they paraduenture inculcate things which should much hinder the cause which they toke in hand how can we suspect that the holy ghost presisted not in that which he began but speaketh thinges strange from that which he purposed Neither doubtles can there be any other reason geuen of the members then of the hed which is Christ Iesus Seing therefore that no man can doubt but that the sonne of God tooke vpon him humane nature freely For if the question should The son of God toke vpoÌ him frely humane nature be asked why he rather tooke vpon him man of the virgen Mary then any other man there can no reason be geuen but for that it so pleased him For as tooching wookes any other man borne of an other virgen mought haue had them no les then he which was borne of Mary For whosoeuer had had the diuinity as Christ had he should doubtles haue done the selfe same workes which Christ did Seing therfore that that humanity was taken of the son of God fréely of the pure mere mercy of God euen after the self same maner whosoeuer are the members of Christ are elected fréely and without any merites of workes Finally all those reasons which proue that iustification consisteth not of workes the same As iustification is not of workes ⪠so neither also is predestination Christ and his death is the first effect of predestination Christ as touchyng his humane nature and death ⪠is not the cause of predestination also proue that predestination dependeth not of workes Now resteth to declare whether Christ and his death may be sayd to be the cause of predestination Here we answere that Christ and his death is the first and principall effect of predestination for amongst those thinges which are of God geuen vnto the elect is Christ himselfe and the fruit of his death For whatsoeuer is geuen vnto vs is deriued vnto vs from God by this way and as it were through this pipe And forasmuch as it is certaine that the effects of predestination may so be compared together that one may be the cause of the other but vnto none of them agréeth to be the beginning of predestination therefore we deny that Christ as touching his humanity or death is the cause of our predestination although he be the beginning and cause of all good thinges which come vnto vs by the purpose of God I know that there haue bene some which haue gone about to conciliate the sentences of the fathers with this most true doctrine which we haue now by many reasons proued For they say that the fathers when they write that predestination is of workes foresene by the name of predestination do not vnderstand the worke or action of God whereby he electeth or predestinateth any man ⪠but rather the end and certaine meanes for as touching them nothing can let but that workes may be causes Sentences of many of the fathers agree not fully with this doctrine For it is without all doubt certayne that the last damnation commeth of workes as of the cause and good workes spring of fayth as of their beginning I sée in dede that the entent of these men is not to be discommended which labour to apply the sentences of the fathers vnto the truth as much as is possible But yet that which they auouch I can not affirme to be true For there are certaine sentences of the fathers so hard that they can by no meanes be drawen to this meaning For they to defend the liberty of our will will not haue all thinges to depend of the predestination of God And of purpose say that all whole is not of God It is not true that they say all whole is not of God It is not true also that God electeth because of faith foresene but somewhat also is required of vs. And they expressedly write that God electeth some for that he foresaw that they should beleue They haue also here and there many other such like sayinges so that I by no meanes can sée how their sentences can agrée with our doctrine in this point Howbeit Augustine fully agreeth with it Ierome also disagréeth not from it although oftentimes in many places he agrée with Origen and others But against the Pelagians he highly commendeth the sentence of Augustine touching this matter and excedingly alloweth his writinges against this heresy Seing therefore that Augustine oftentimes vsed thys argument against the Pelagians it must nedes be that the same very well pleased Ierome now being olde Ciprian also as we haue before sayd manifestly writeth that there is nothing which is ours Wherefore it followeth of necessity that all whole is of God But howsoeuer it be there is no nede that we should at this present much reason touching the fathers For when I interpretated the text it selfe I aboundantly spake of them as the opportunity of the place serued As in all other things which pertayne vnto faith so also in this question we must geue We must geue sentence according to the scriptures not according to the fathers sentence according to yâ scriptures and not according to the fathers And this self thing eueÌ the fathers theÌselues required at our hands Which I thinke we to our ability haue performed in alleadging of reasons Amongst the latter writers Pigghius being forced by the vehemency of the scriptures graunteth vnto vs that works are not causes of predestination for he coÌfesseth that it consisteth fréely and of the mere mercy of God with a respect yet saith he vnto works which thing I suppose he sayd least he should séeme in vaine to haue with so many words contended But if predestination be frée and do depend of the mere goodnes and mercy If election be free why is there added a respect vnto works of God as the scriptures testifie why durst this man of his owne hed imagine this new respect of works For the holy scripture and especially Paul vtterly excludeth workes from this matter But Pigghius the more to bewray that his vile desire of contending bringeth certaine arguments which make vtterly nothing at all to the matter That saith he which as touching election happened in the blessed virgen the mother of God ought in others also to take place but she
forasmuch as it maketh not ashamed but remouing all doubt attaineth to God which is our chiefe felicitye is fastened to him as of the laste linke of the chayne the highest and chiefest This selfe same propriety of Not confounding beloÌgeth to fayth also For none that beleueth in hym shall be confounded And that not without cause For what can be of more nere affinity vnto fayth then hope The Lattine interpreter Hope and faith haue one and the selfe same propriety not to make ashamed A figuratiue speach turneth it Non confundit that is confoundeth not Howbeit it mought be more properly turned Non pudefacit that is maketh not ashamed And it is a figuratiue kind of spech For Pauls mind was to signifie that the godly can not be frustrated of their hope for they whiche are frustrated namely when thinges fall out farre otherwyse then they hoped for commonly are ashamed Wherefore Paul by shame vnderstandeth frustration because shame alwayes followeth it But the Lattine interpreter had a regarde to that perturbation of the mynde whiche followeth shame For to confounde is nothinge els but to perturbe or to trouble Now if this sentence be true as in deede it is moste true namelye that this hope confoundeth Hope dependeth not of our works Hope is most assured not it followeth that it dependeth not of our woorkes For otherwise it shoulde oftentymes fayle But that it is true and certayne Paul declareth not by one word only but by thrée and those of great efficacy For first he vseth this word knowing which betokeneth an assured knowledge of a thing He maketh mencion also of reioycing which can not haue place with godly and wise men but of those good thinges which they assuredly and firmely possesse At the last he addeth that hope confoundeth not And it is not without cause that he oftentymes induceth perswasions of this certainty for that thereheÌse chiefly is consolation to be sought for in afflictions When Christ hong vpon the crosse the wicked rayled agaynst him saying he hoped in God let him saue him if he will haue him Let him come downe from the crosse c. The selfe same thinges Remedy agaynst rayling speaches Hope depeÌdeth not of merites are layd agaynst vs not only by outward enemyes but also by our fleshe and outward senses and humane wisedome How can we resist these but by thys doctrine of the Apostle hope confoundeth not the hope which we haue put in the Lord maketh not ashamed The Sophisters by this place contend to proue that hope springeth of merites because Paul sayth it springeth of putieÌceâas though we should thinke that hope is geuen vnto vs by the merite of pacience But in the meane tyme they marke not that those thinges which Paul here by a certayne order disposeth ar not so compared the one to the other as causes and effectes For who will say that afflictions are the cause of pacience and if it be not so why should they more affirme that pacience is the cause of hope The scripture most playnly teacheth that he which putteth confidence in man or in any creature is accursed for a man of whose promise we depend assure our selues may ether dye or alter hys mynd or also be letted that he can not fayth fully perform that which he promised And to put confidence either by cause of merites or by reasoÌ of works is to put hope in man Wherfore such hope worthely maketh ashamed but yâ hope which is fixed vpon God is certaine neyther caÌ be deceaued The Sophisters go about craftely to auoyd this senteÌce by two places of Paul the one to the Romanes the other to Timothe The place to Timothe is thus I know whome I haue beleued and I am assured But the other to the Romanes is thus I am assured that nether death nor life nor angels c. By these places they thinke is ouerthrowne our sentence for that they thinke that these wordes are to be vnderstand not vniuersally of all beleuers but only of Paul and such other like which had a peculiar reuelation that they shoulde obtayne saluation But these their enterprises are in dayne For here is now entreated Here is in treated of the nature of hope generally of the nature and proprlety of hope whereby is manifestly proued that al they which are endewed with it are sure of their saluation so that they must nedes confesse that they which doubt of their saluation ether haue not yâ hope which longeth to a Christian or els if they haue that hope they must nedes be assured He which doubteth of saluation hath not the hope that longeth to a Christian of their saluation But if a man shall say what if I shall be vnworthy and therefore God will not bestowe vpon me the chiefe reward I answere that this is a wrastling of the conscience and is to be ouercome by an assured hope For the obtaynning whereof we must clene fast vnto the word of God Such as is this God is faythfull which will not suffer you to be tempted aboue your power but will together with the temptacion make away out such like places of the holy scripture wherein God promiseth that he will geue perseuerance to hys vnto the ende And to speake briefely the hope of the godly leneth only vnto the goodnes power and mercy of the only God This thing Basilius vnderstood right wel in his exposition vpon the 32. Psalme when he interpreteth these words hoping in his mercy He sayth he which putteth not confidence in his owne proper deedes nether hopeth to be iustified by workes hath his hope of saluation onlye in the mercy of God For when he shall consider these thinges with himselfe Beholde God and his rewarde c. But the schole men haue tought farre otherwise For the Maister of the sentences in the thirde booke thus defineth hope Hope is an assured expectacion of the blessednes to come comming of the grace of God and of merites going before Which definition how absurd it is especially as touching the latter part it is very manifest in those which are newly from most hainous filthy sinnes conuerted vnto Christ For they vndoubtedly can haue no good merites for that before they wanted charitie from which all our workes procede yet They which are conuârted vnto Christ want not hope although they want works and merites They which are most wicked ought not to caste away all hope there can be nothing more certaine then yâ they which are conuerted vnto Christ cannot be without hope Yea Augustine vpon the Psalm From the depthe haue I called vnto the Lorde exhorteth them that fall and those which liue in the depth of euils not to cast away hope and that by the example of the thiefe and of many others It may now be demaunded of them by what merites hope is confirmed in these meÌ They customably answere that merites do not alwayes go before hope but alwayes
of the Sentences confuted this matter For I know yâ he in his 3. booke teacheth yâ our hope leneth not only vnto yâ mercy of God but also vnto our merites And therefore saith he to hope without merites is no hope but a presumption Thys sentence is not to be receaued For it addeth vnto hope a condition when as fayth without any condition apprehendeth that which is to be hoped for out of the word of God Farther when a these or any other wicked man is sodenly conuerted vnto God hath he not hope Vndoubtedly he hath for if he dispaired of saluation he would not fly vnto Christ And how can any man say that such a hope leneth to any merites when as he hath alwayes before liued wickedly But as we haue before sayd these men thinke they haue here a trimme place of refuge if they answere that thys hope of a man namely conuerted vnto Christ dependeth of merites not in dede past but to come newely that he hopeth he shal obteyne the rewardes of felicity when he hath done workes which he trusteth to doo But here they committe a double fault first bycause if he which is conuerted vnto Christ doo hope that by merites he shall haue eternal life he hath no true hope for he resisteth the true fayth For it apprehendeth the chiefe felicity offred frely Secondly vnawares they auouch that yâ which hath not as yet his being is the cause of yâ vertue which in acte and very dede they confesse to be in the minde of the repentaÌt And if they meane that he hopeth for felicitie when he hath liued well but yet in such sort that he hath no confidence that he caÌ by committing of sinne attaine Workes ar not the cause of hope vnto it then speake they no other thing then we do But so are not workes the cause of hope but light betwene it and the laste end as certayne meanes and first beginnings of felicity that men forasmuch as they hope that eternall blessednes shal be geuen vnto them freelye shoulde also hope that God if they liue wyll freely also geue vnto them good workes For the holy scripture teacheth âarre otherwise then do these men For Dauid when he sayd If thou Lord shalt loke streightly vnto iniquities who shall be able to abide it And when he saw that the sinnes wherewith our workes are contaminated auocate vs from hope added The cause of our hope My soul hath hoped in his word And by the word he vnderstandeth the promise of which promise he rendreth a cause Bycause with the Lorde is mercye and with hym is plentifull redemption These are the true and proper causes of our hope The promise of God and his aboundant mercy The same Dauid in an other place sayth Why art thou sad o my soule and why dost thou trouble me Hope in God for I will still confesse vnto hym Here some obiect that we ar not iustified by fayth only for Paul sayth that we are saued by hope But these men ought to haue considered that the Apostle in this place entreateth not of Iustification For touching We are saued by hope but we are not iustified by it it he before wrote that by fayth the spirite we are deliuered from the lawe of sinne and of death and adopted into sonnes and heyres and made the fellow heyres of Christ But here he speaketh of the perfect redemption which is still to be wayted for This we also confesse to be holdeÌ by hope when yet notwithstanding we haue alredy by fayth obteyned iustification and remission of sinnes Farther I haue oftentimes admonished that when the scripture semeth to attribute iustification ether vnto hope or vnto charity or vnto our woorkes those places are so to be vnderstanded that iustification is there taught not by the causes but by the effectes And we ought to vnderstand that whatsoeuer is The consideration of iustification is sometymes declared by the causes and sometimes by the effectes attributed vnto works the same is wholy done by reason of fayth which is annexed vnto them Wherefore as in a wall we haue a consideration vnto the fouÌdation and in the fruites of trées to the roote so whatsoeuer semeth at the first sight to be ascribed vnto works is to be assigned vnto faith as vnto the mother of all good workes Which thinge Augustine hath in many places excellentlye taught Others to proue that hope depeÌdeth of our workes cite that which Paul before sayd Tribulation worketh patience patience worketh experience and experience hope Here say they it is playne that of patience springeth hope I heare in dede the wordes of Paul but I doo not by them acknowledge that patience is the cause of hope For first it is playne inough to him that will consider it that Paul in thys connexion compareth not causes with effectes For who will say that tribulation is the cause of patience For it bringeth many to desperation and to horrible blasphemies But those thinges which Paul knitteth together in this chayne are instruments by which the holy ghost vseth to stir vp in vs these vertues But graunt that there be some consideratioÌ of cause betwene these things yet should it not thereof follow that patience is the cause of hope but contrariwise Patience springeth of hope that hope is the cause of patience For no man with a quiet mind patiently suffereth any thing vnles by that patience he hope to attayne vnto some thing Vndoubtedly Martirs are by hope confirmed in theyr tormentes patiently to beare them And the marchant if he had not a hope to gayn would kepe himselfe at home nether would he wander about the world And the shipmaster vnles he hoped that he could ariue at the porte would not lose out into the depe nether striue agaynst the windes and waues I confesse in dede that here is somewhat encreased by patience For when we se that vnto vs is geuen of Christ for hys Hope is somewhat encreased by patience sake with a quiet minde to suffer many thinges we more and more haue confidence that those thinges also which are remayning and which we wayte for shall one day be geuen vs. But to beleue that hope wholy dependeth of patience I can not be perswaded For as we haue before sayd by hope rather we come vnto patience And in very dede the holy ghost is the author and cause of these vertues And he goeth orderly to worke of one to produce an other Agaynst this certainty which we sayd dependeth of yâ promise of God Pighius vseth trifling reasons that the promises are generall nether is in them mencion made either of me or of thee and therefore there is still remayning a doubt when we must discend to the application of these promises Thys man semeth to me to make the promises of God to hange in the ayre when as he will haue them to be so Euery faithfull man knoweth that the promises ar properly
was like a sheepe led to the death yet he opened not his mouth But in all these thinges vve are conquerors ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is we are notably ouercome This particle ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in this place nothing pertayneth vnto workes of supererogation For Paul ment nothing ells but that so much strength are geuen vs of God that in this battayle we a greate way ouercome all our enemies The deuills practise is this by these aduersities to wrest from vs our confidence and loue towardes God But that is by this meanes rather encreased For tribulation worketh patience patience worketh experience experience hope ⪠And hope confoundeth not But by what strengths we attayne vnto this victorye Paul streight way declareth sayeng Thorough him vvhich loued vs. Before we loued him And he hath geuen vnto vs his spirite Thorugh whome we obteine this excellente victory otherwise of our selues we are farre vnequall for so greate a battayle It is God as Chrisostome wisely noteth whome we haue to our fellow souldier in this battail We haue God to our fellow souldiour in our torments and by that meanes obteyne we so notable a victory Nether doo we only ouercome troubles whatsoeuer they be but also those which persecute vs though they seme neuer so great and mighty which thing how it happened in the Apostles Luke playnly describeth in the Actes When Peter and Iohn had wrought a miracle so manifest that it could not be denied the high priestes and Scribes being ouercome with the greatenes of the thing knew not what counsell to take What sayd they shall we do with these men As if they should haue sayd Here are playnly ouercome all our practises here our power is able to doo nothing here the more we striue the more and the manifestlier are we ouercome The same thing happened vnto Iulianus the Apostata as it is written in the Ecclesiasticall history He had begon by al maner of meanes to torment and vexe the ChristiaÌs but his cruelty and outrageousnes was ouercome with theyr patience Which thinge one of his rulers perceauing priuilye admonished him to cease lest he should both nothing at all profit and also make himselfe a laughing stocke to al men Thys power of God bringeth to passe that by those selfe same thinges which are agaynst the victory we to the greate admiration of all men obteyne the notabler victory For who can beleue that he which is ouercome can ouercome That one slayne burnt torne in peces can in the battayle get the victory These things nature reason and the world vnderstand not wherefore they are to be ascribed vnto God only in whose haÌds forasmuch as the euentes of things are set they depend not of certayne and appoynted instrumentes but of the purpose and counsell of God whereunto those thinges which seme to resist are most of all seruisable Some seme thus to vnderstand this place as though therefore we obteyne so notable a victory for that we are by the greatnes of the benefits of God pricked forward to suffer all things be they neuer so hard And the greatnes of of the giftes of God is by this meanes chiefely knowen if it be compared How the greatnes of benifites is best known with those thinges whiche agayne on the other side we repaye He which died for vs saith Ambrose gaue his life for euill seruauntes why should we then make it so great a matter when we being vnprofitable seruauntes suffer death for a good Lorde And moreouer his death was wonderfull profitable vnto vs all when as coÌtrariwise our death nothing at all profiteth him And so after this interpretacioÌ we must not read That vve by him vvhich hath loued vs are more then conquerors but for him Which reding yâ Latine translatioÌ followeth But in Greke is red ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Whiche preposition ioyned with a genetiue case doth not or very rarely signify For. Wherfore it is more apt to say by him or thorough him as we expounded it at the beginning And so doth Basilius to Amphilochia De spiritu sancto the 8. chap. rede it In which place he at large declareth what this preposition ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifieth when it is attributed vnto Christ It maketh him not sayth he lesse then the father but maketh hym to be a mediator betwene vs and the father as by whome is deriued into vs from the father whatsoeuer giftes or graces we haue and by whome ⪠hath accesse vnto the father whosoeuer commeth vnto him For the electes and sayntes are taken of Christe and being now reconciled are offred vnto God the father And in the declaratioÌ of these thinges he alledgeth those wordes which we are nowe in hand with and interpretaâeth them so as we haue sayd For I am perswaded that nether death nor life Chrisostome thinketh yâ Paul hitherto hath entereated of that loue wherwith God loueth vs but here turneth his speach to our loue and obeysance towardes God as though he would say that the loue of God is so kindled in the hartes of the godly that no creature Why Paul most constantly loued Christ can plucke him away from God And he rendreth a reason why Paul so cleued vnto Christ that be could not be pulled away froÌ him Bycause sayth he he loued Christ himselfe and not those giftes which Christ geueth So long as the foundation of amâty abideth so long it also constantly endureth And therefore are those amities commended What manner of amities are to be commended which are gounded not vpon a vayne and mutable consideration but vpon a firme and sure consideration wherefore forasmuch as Paul sought Christ himself which alwayes abideth the same and immutable therefore his loue towards him abode firme and constant wherfore it had ben vnto him to fal away from Christe more griefe theÌ hell fire and on the other side to cleue fast vnto him more pleasaÌter theÌ any kingdoÌe Howbeit I thinke this to be most true yâ Paul stil coÌtinueth in yâ which he had begon namely to coÌmeÌd the singuler loue of God towardes vs that we might assuredly know yâ all things though they be neuer so much against vs shall turne vnto vs to good seing we are so entirely loued of God But whether of these interpretacioÌs we follow I thinke it skilleth not much for either of them is both godly and also not vnaptly fitteth with the wordes and entent of Paul Howbeit I thought it good to declare what I thinke to be moste agreable ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã saith the Apostle that is I am fullye persuaded If thou séeke a reason thereof hee geeueth a reason demonstratiue whiche is For that God hath foreknowne vs and predestinate vs. And these are causes of the loue of God towardes vs. This declareth he by the effect for that the Reasons of causes and effectes that we are loued of God most louyng father hath geueÌ his sonne for our sakes and together
reprobate are condemned because of their sinnes Sinnes foresene are noâ the cause why a man is reprobate And yet we ought not hereby to inferre that sinnes foreséene are the cause why any man is reprobate For they cause not that GOD purposeth that he will not haue mercye Howbeit they are the cause of damnation whiche followeth in the last time but not of reprobation which was from eternally The laste ende of reprobation is the declaration of the mightye iustice of God as Paul hath taughte namely that these vessels are prepared vnto wrath because God woulde shew in them his power And God aunswereth of Pharao Euen vnto this end haue I raysed thee vp that I might shew in thee my power The farthest ende is damnation whiche as it is iust so also is it allowed of God But the niest ende are sinnes For God coÌmaunded that the people should be made blinde that they should not vnderstand that they should not heare Lest peraduenture saith he they should be conuerted and I should heale them For sins although as they are sins they are by God in his lawes condemned yet as they are iuste punishmentes they are by him imposed for the wicked desertes of the vngodly But we muste not stay in these néerer endes We must go farther that we may at the length come to that ende which Paul hath set foorth namely that the iustice of God should be declared And thus muche hitherto as touching the first article Now let vs come to the second wherein is to be sought the cause of predestination Of the cause of predestination Forasmuch as predestination is the purpose or will of God and the same wil is the first cause of all thinges which is one and the selfe same with the substance of God it is not possible that there should be any cause thereof Howbeit we do not Of the will of God may sometimes be geuen a reason but neuer any cause especially an efficient cause We cannot geue any reasonâ of the ãâã of God ⪠but those which the holâ scriptures haue set forth vnto vs. Predestination may haue a final cause The material cause is after a sorte found in predestination The ând is considered two maner of wayes therfore deny but that sometimes may be shewed some reasons of the wil of God which although they may be called reasons yet ought they not to be called causes especially efficient causes But that in the scriptures are sometimes assigned reasons of the will of God may by many places be gathered The Lord sayth that he therefore did leade aboute the children of Israell throughe the deserte rather then through shorter passages through which he could haue lead them that they should not sodenlye méete with theyr enemies Adam also was placed in Paradise to husband it and to kéepe it And God testifieth that he woulde not as yet expell the Cananites out of the land of Chanaan because they had not yet as filled yâ measure of their sinnes Howbeit althoughe as we haue sayde the scripture vse sometimes to bring reasons of the wil of God yet no maÌ ought to take vpon him to râder a certain reason of it but that which he hath gathered out of the scriptures For so as we are dull of vnderstanding we should easely vsurpe our owne dreames in stede of true reasons But that there are finall causes of the predestination of God we deny not For they are expressedly put of Paul and especially when he citeth yâ of Pharaoâeuen o this end haue I stirred thee vp that I mighte shewe in thee my power and of the elect he sayth that God would in them shew forth hys glorye The materiall cause also may after a sorte be assigned For men which are predestinate and those thinges which God hath decreed by predestination to geue vnto the elect as are these vocation iustification and glorification may be called the matter about which predestination is occupied This moreouer is to be noted that the end may sometimes be taken as it is of vs in minde and desire conceaued and then it hath the consideration of an efficient cause for being so conceaued in the minde it forceth men to worke Sometimes also it is taken as it is in the thinges and as we attayne vnto it after our laboures And then properly it is called the end bycause the worke is then finished and we are at quiet as now hauing obteyned the end of our purpose But we therefore put this distinction It may be both true false that we are predestinate by workes that if at any time we should be asked whether God do predestinate men for workes or no we should not rashly eyther by affirming or by beniinge geue hasty sentence For the ambiguity is in this word for how it is to be vnderstand For if good workes be taken as they are in very dede are wrought bycause God predestinateth vs to this end that we should liue vprightly as we rede in the Epistle vnto the Ephesians namely that we are elected to be holye and immaculate and that God hath prepared good workes that we shoulde walke in them as touching this sentence or meaning the proposition is to be affirmed But if that worde for he referred vnto the efficient cause as thoughe the good workes which God foresaw we should do are as certayne merites and causes which should moue God to predestinate vs this sence is by no meanes to One effect of predestination may be the cause of an other effect but they cannot be causes of the purpose of God be admitted It is possible indede that the effectes of predestination may so be compared together that one may be the cause of the other But they can not be causes of the purpose of God For vocation which is the effect of predestination is the cause that we are iustified Iustification also is the cause of good works and good workes although they be not causes yet are they meanes by which God ⪠ãâ¦ã ngeth vs vnto eternall life Howbeit none of all these is the cause or the meane why we are choseÌ of God as contrariwise sins indede are yâ causes why we are damned but yet not why we are reprobate of God For if they should Iâ sinnes were the causes of reprobation no man should be elected The purpose of God not to haue mercy is as free as the purpose to haue mercy Why good workes foresene are not the causes of predestination A place out of the first epistle to Timothie be the cause of reprobation no man could be elected For the condition estate of all men is a like For we are all borne in sinne And when at any time Augustine sayth that men are iustly reprobate for theyr sins he vnderstandeth together with reprobation the last effect thereof namely damnation But we may not so speake if by reprobation we vnderstand the purpose of God not to haue mercy For that purpose is no lesse
is reduced all those things which follow in this chap. he shall sée that the Apostle draweth those thinges which he teacheth of predestination to these principall pointes namely vnto power For he saith Hath not the potter power Vnto purpose or good pleasure for vnto the Ephesians he vseth both words Vnto will for he saith He hath mercy on whome he will and whome he will he hardeneth Vnto mercy or loue for he saith It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that hath mercy Also Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated Seing Paul what cause soeuer he eyther here or in any other place geueth of predestination reduceth them to these fower principall pointes can we doubt of his meaning or shall we take vpon vs to geue sentence otherwise But as touching works he speaketh not so much as one worde wheresoeuer he entreateth of this matter but onely to exclude them Farther consider this that there is nothing more against the scope and meaning of Paul then to put workes foreséene to be the causes of predestination IustificatioÌ should come by workes if election should depende of workes forsene For by that meanes woorkes shoulde be the causes of iustification But that doctrine the Apostle hath in this Epistle by all manner of meanes oppugned And I hereby proue this reason to be firme because the Apostle maketh predestination to be the cause of vocation and vocation the cause of iustification Wherefore if workes be causes of predestination they shall also be causes of iustification For this is a firme rule among the Logicians whatsoeuer is the cause of any cause is also the cause of the effect Farther no man can deny but that good workes procéede of predestination For we are sayd to be predestinate that we shoulde be holye and blameles And God by predestination hath prepared good woorkes in whiche we should walke And Paul himselfe confesseth that he obteined mercy to be faithful Good workes are the effectes of predestination Against the good vse of of free wil. Wherfore if workes be the effectes of predestination howe can we then say that they are the causes thereof and chiefly those kinde of causes which are called efficient causes For that vse of frée will is nothing worth which they so often boast of as though we haue it of our selues and not of the mercye of God For Paul sayth that it is God which worketh in vs both to will and to performe And God in Ezechiell sayth I will take away from them theyr stony hart and wil geue vnto them a fleshy hart We can not saith Paul thinke any thing of our selues as of our selues And if we had in our selues that good vse which they speake of what shoulde let but that we mighte glory thereof Vndoubtedly the Lord sayth No man commeth vnto me vnles my father draw him And Ierome against the Pelagians excelleÌtly wel writeth that those which are sayd to be drawen are by that woord signified to haue bene before withstanding He which is drawen was before vnwillyng resisting and vnwilling but afterward God so worketh that he chaungeth them This selfe same thing also doth the nature of grace proue For Paul sayth That the remnantes might be saued according to the election of grace yâ is according to gracious or frée electioÌ For so is the genetiue case after yâ Hebrue phrase to be resolued Farther in the definition of predestinatioÌ in yâ first place we haue put this word purpose which seing it signifieth nothing els as we haue declared out of the Epistle vnto the Ephe. but the good pleasure of God thereby it euidentlye appeareth that from no other where must we séeke the cause of predestinatioÌ More Workes caÌnot be the causes of our calling ouer workes can not be the causes of our vocation and much les of our predestination for predestination goeth before vocation And that woorkes are not the causes of vocation is declared by the Epistle vnto Timothy God hath called vs sayth Paul with his holy calling not by our works but according to his purpose and the grace which we haue in Christ before the times of the world Hereby it most manifestly appeareth that works are not the causes of our calling Yea neither also are works the causes of our saluation whiche yet were farre more likely for by good woorkes If we should be predestinate by workes thâ exclamatioÌ of Paul were to no purpose God bringeth vs to felicity But Paul to Titus sayth that God hath saued vs not by the workes of righteousnes but according to his mercy Farther what néeded Paul after this disputation to cry out O the depth of the riches of the wisedom knowledge of God how vnsearcheable are his iudgementes and how vnaccessable are his waies For if he would haue followed these mens opinion he might with one poore word haue dispatched the whole matter and haue sayd that some are predestinate and other some reiected because of the works which God foresaw should be in both of them Those men Augustine in mockage called sharpe witted men which so trimly and so easly saw those things which Paul could not sée But say they the Apostle in thys place assoileth not the questioÌ But it is absurd so to say especially seing yâ he broght it in of purpose the solucioÌ therof serued very much vnto yâ which he had in hand And how in Gods name can he seme not to haue assoyled the question when he The question is assoyled when it is reduced to the highest cause reduced that euen vnto the highest cause namely vnto the will of God And therewithall sheweth that we ought not to go any farther when God had appointed limities at the fote of the mounte Sina if any man had gone beyond those limites he was by the law punished Wherefore let these men beware with what boldnes they presume to go further then Paul would they should But they say that the Apostle here rebuketh the impudent Be it so But yet is this rebuking a most true solution of the question For Paul by this reprehension prohibiteth vs not to enquire any thing beyond the mercy and will of God If these men meane such a solution which may satisfye humane reason I will How the questioÌ may be said to be assâyled not to be assoyled easely graunt that the question is not in such sorte assoyled But if they seke yâ solution which fayth ought to embrace and to reste therein they are blind if they se not the solution But let vs se what moued these men to say that workes foresene are the causes of predestination Vndoubtedly that was nothing ells but to satisfy humane iudgement which thing yet they haue not attayned vnto For they haue The aduersaries satisfie not humane reason nothing to answere touching an infante which being grafted into Christ dieth in his infancy For if they will haue him to
be saued they must nedes confesse that he was predestinated But forasmuch as in him followed no good workes God doubtles could not foresee them Yea rather this he forsaw that he should by his free will doo nothing But yâ is more absurd which they obiect that God foresaw what he would haue done if he had happened to liue longer For humane reason will not so be satisfied For reason will complayne for some that are ouerhipped and reiected for those sinnes which they haue not done and especially therefore for that they should haue committed those sinnes if they had liued For ciuill iudges punishe not any man for those sinnes which they would haue committed if they had not bene letted And that God is nothing moued with those workes which men would haue done Christ playnly declareth wheÌ he entreateth of Corosaim and Bethsayda and Capernaum If sayth he the thinges which haue benedone in thee had bene done in Tire and in Sydon they had doubtles repeÌted and those cities had bene at this day remayning Behold God foresaw that these nations would haue repented if they had sene and heard those things which were graunted and preached vnto these cities Seing therefore that they perished it is manifest that God in predestinating followeth not those workes which men would haue done if they had liued Neyther yet ought any man to gather out of this senteÌce of Christ that they by themselues euen by the streÌgth of free will could haue repented For as we haue in other places taught repentaunce God vnto some addeth not such means whiche mought moue theÌ to saluation As touching nature there is no difference mineÌ is the gifte of God But the meaning of that place is that God added not those means to conuert these men wherby they mought haue bene moued These men suppose yâ euen by nature is a distinction in men which the election of God foloweth Neither consider they yâ all men are borne the sonnes of wrath so that as touching the masse or lompe wherout they are takeÌ there can not be put in theÌ any difference at all for whatsoeuer good coÌmeth vnto vs yâ same with out al doubt coÌmeth froÌ God from grace And the in the nature of meÌ is not to be put any difference the Apostle declareth eueÌ in this selfe same chap. For when he would declare that the one of the two brethern was taken and the other reiected only by the frée will of God First he vsed an example of Isaac and Ismael But when in these two it mought be obiected that there was some difference for that the one was borne of a free woman and the other of a handmaydeÌ afterward he brought two brethren that were twines Iacob and Esau which had not onely one and the selfe same parentes but also were brought for the both at one and the selfe same tyme and in one and the selfe same trauaile And as touching workes there was no difference at all betwene them For as the Apostle sayth Before they had done eyther good or euill it was sayd The elder should serue the younger Agayne Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated What nede was there that Paul should so diligently alledge these thinges but to make those two brethern equall in all poyntes as touching nature Which doubtles had bene to no purpose if still there had remained so much difference in works foresene Wherfore it foloweth that whatsoeuer difference is in men the same dependeth only of the will of God For we all otherwise are borne obnoxius vnto sin Further if there should be any thing of our selues which mought moue God to predestinate vs that should chiefely be fayth For Augustine also when he was yet young neither so greatly nor thorowly acquainted with this question thought that God in predestination and reprobation hath a respect vnto faith and vnto infidelitye whiche sentence Ambrose before him and Chrisostome had embraced But in very deede neither also can it be attibuted vnto faith For faith also coÌmeth of predestination For it is not of our selues but is geuen of God and that Faith foresene can not moue God to predestinate vs. not rashly but by his appoynted counsel which may easely be proued by many places of the scriptures For Paul vnto the Ephesians writeth By grace ye are saued through fayth and that not of your selues for it iâ the gifte of God leaste anye man should boast And againe in the selfe same Epistle Charity and fayth from God the father through Iesus Christ. And in this Epistle vnto the Romanes As God hath deuided By the scriptures it is proued that faith is of God vnto euery man the measure of fayth And vnto Timothy I haue obteyned mercy that I might be faythfull Vnto the Phillppians Vnto you it is geuen not only to beleue in Christ but also to suffer for his sake In the Actes God opened the hart of the woman that sold silkes that she mought geue hede to those things which wer spoken of Paul And in the 13. chapiter They beleued as manye as were ordeyned vnto eternall lyfe Christ also sayth in the Gospel I confesse vnto thee O father of heauen and earth that thou hast hidden these thinges from the wise and prudent and hast reueled them vnto infantes Euen so father bycause it hath so pleased thee And in an other place Vnto them sayth he I speak in parables that when they feare they should not heare and when they se they should not se But vnto you it is geuen to vnderstand And vnto Peter he sayd Blessed art thou Simon Bariona for fleshe and bloud hath not reueled thys vnto thee And there are many other testimonies in the holy scriptures wherby is proued that fayth is geuen and destributed of God only Wherefore it can not be the cause of predestination And if fayth can not theÌ doubtles much les can works Moreouer no man can deny but that the predestination of God is eternal For If faith be not the cause of predestination much les other works Paul to Timothe sayth That God hath elected vs before the times of the world And vnto the Ephesians Before the foundacions of the world were layd But our works are temporall wherefore that which is eternall can not come of them But they vse to cauell that those workes in whose respect we are predestinated are so to be takeÌ as they are foresene of God and by this meanes they can not seme to be temporall Graunt that it were so let them be taken after that maner Yet can it not be denied but that they are after predestination for they depend of it and are the effectes thereof as we haue before taught Wherefore after these mens doctrine that which commeth after should be the efficiente cause of that which went before Which thing how absurd it is euery man may easely vnderstand Further the efficient cause is of his owne nature more worthy and of
with her it could not be auoyded but that he should committe incest of which inceste shoulde be borne children which should pollute themselues with murthering one the other and should ouer throw theyr fathers kingdome The auncienter Philosophers as Democritus ⪠and Empedocles affirmed that the will also is subiect vnto fate or vnto the connexion of causes But Chrisippus the Stoike hereunto rather inclined to excepte the will of man as Oenomaris Cynicus as Eusebius Caesariensis de Preparatione Euangelica ⪠citeth him saith that Democritus made men bondmen and Chrisippus halfe bondmen But leuing these let vs returne vnto Cicero who said If there be foreknowledge then thinges should in such sort come to passe as they were foreknown neither can the euent foreséene be auoyded so that then the liberty of men is vtterly takeÌ away Lawes theÌ are in vaine admonitions are in vayne rewards punishmeÌts and such like things are in vaine wherfore he setteth forth a choyce that a man should chuse whether he would rather admitte foreknowledge or liberty of the will for that they could not consist both together as farre as he iudged And because he was man hauing to do in ciuill matters and delt in lawes iudgemeÌts he rather reiected the foreknowledge of God then he would loose the liberty of the will of man Wherefore Augustine sayth of him Those which will be free he maketh sacrilegious persons so that to defend their liberty they spoyle God of his foreknowledge Ciceroes reason was If the wil be frée there can not be a certaine and sure connexion of causes for if it were certaine it could not be broken of our will and if there be no certaine connexion then can there be put no foreknowledge and therfore he affirmed that God also foreknoweth not what thinges shall come to passe for if he should foreknow them then should there be a certaine and firme order of causes which being graunted there shoulde bee nothing remayning in the power of our will But we ought to hold either of these sentences for of the one we haue by sence experience For euery man may consider in himselfe how he woorketh by counsels and deliberation and electeth that whiche pleaseth him But the other that is the foreknowledge of God we hold by faith whiche knowledge is of no les The elections counsels of man are not against the prouideÌce of of God The wil of man is placed in the order of causes God by his foreknowledge changeth not the nature of causes Fortune chaunce are referred vnto vs not vnto God force then the apprehension both of sence and of reason Wherefore we deny vnto Cicero this consequence There is a certaine and constante order of causes whiche God foreknew therfore there is nothing in our will And we therfore deny the argument for that our will also is to be placed amongst the causes of thinges yea it hath not amongst them the vnworthiest place Wherefore euen as God can foreknow what shall come to passe of other causes in like sort is he able plainely to sée what our willes wil elect And as in foreséeing other causes and theyr effectes he in no wise destroyeth nor chaungeth the natures of them so also leaueth he in their ful state the willes of men This also moued Cicero that then nothing should come by chaunce But forasmuch as very many thinges happen by chaunce and fortune it is manifest that there cannot be a certaine or sure order of causes neither also any foreknowledge In this sort reasoned he But we aunswere that those thinges which are said to come by chance ar so called things coÌming by chance as they are referred to our vnderstanding whiche forasmuch as it is weake by reason of the dulnes therof seeth not the course or connexion of causes but if their be coÌpared vnto the mind of God from which nothing is hidden they can not be said to come by chance or rashely The infirmity of the mind of man is that it maketh fortune or chance to be with thing we wil declare by an example If a maister should sende his seruaunt to the market and commaunde him to be there by sixe of the clocke and should also commaund his Baliue apart to doo the self same thing doubtles both the Baliue and the seruaunt should mete together which to either of them should come by chaunce for that they knew not of their maisters commaundement but the maister he selfe who knoweth the matter will not iudge this to come by chance which thing hereby also may be made more plaine Suppose that I knewe that there were treasure hidden in a place and I should commaund one to digge in that place when he should find the treasure he would cry good fortune but I which knew the matter would attribute nothing vnto fortune So God forasmuch as he knoweth the course and connexion of all causes neuer ascribeth any thing to fortune Wherefore let vs put all thinges to be subiect vnto the purpose of God and amongest all other thinges our wils also which we affirme haue that power which God willed who tempereth the natures of all thinges There is a certayne cause as sayth Augustine which so worketh that it is by no meanes wrought and suche a cause is God And there is an other cause which so worketh that it also is wrought of an other of which kinde is our will which so willeth and worketh in that that it also is wrought of God Wherefore we ought neyther to assent vnto Cicero nor to the Stoikes for as we ought to withdraw nothing from Our wils are not free froÌ the foreknowledge of God Note a saâing of Austine the foreknowledge of God so lest of all are our willes to be exempted from it for they pertayne to yâ better part of the world For what should he haue a care of or what should he foreknow if he should neglect men Our willes as sayth Augustine are able to doo so much as God would and foreknew they should be able to doo and therefore whatsoeuer they are able to doo they most certaynly are able to doo and whatsoeuer they shall doo they shall without all doubt doo for that he whose foreknowledge can not be deceaued foreknew that they should be both able and also do it And in yâ Necessity of two sortes 10. chap. of the fifth booke before cited he deuideth as we also did a necessity in to two parts one whereby we are compelled to suffer those thinges whiche we would not as is the necessity of death wherunto will we or nill we we must gâue place The other necessity he sayth is that according to which any thing is sayd to be necessary that is shall vndoubtedly come to passe And touching this there is no nede that we should be aferd concerning our will for by it the will is not diminished the first indede is repugnant vnto it for it is not possible Not euery
can not certainly iudge neither is the knowledge The Gentles before they are called are without thereof necessary to saluation Let vs consider also that when Paul sayth that the fulnes of the Gentles shall enter in he thereby noteth that before the preaching of the Gospell the Gentles were without for as much as they should afterwarde enter in Neither spake Christ any otherwise wheÌ he sayth that they which were in the high wayes and streates should be compelled to enter in Ambrose expounding these wordes saith That then shal be wyped away from the eyes of the Iewes their blindnes that they may beleue In which wordes he declareth that so long as this execation abideth they can not beleue And he addeth That God prohibiting from their hartes the spirit of pricking which worketh in them blindnes may render vnto theÌ Ambroseâ minde touching free will the fre choyce of the will In this sentence he manifestly declareth what he thought of frée will namely as touching those thinges which pertayne vnto iustification and vnto regeneration Whatsoeuer he writeth of it in other places here he most truly affirmeth that straungers from Christ want liberty of will which then is restored vnto them when they are illuminated As it is written Out of Sion shall the deliuerer come and shall turne away the vngodlines from Iacob This profe which he bringeth out of the sayinges of the Prophets hath in the conclusion necessity only by supposition and not absolutely The strength of the argument herein consisteth for that deliuery was by couenant promised vnto Israell But with yâ Gentles there was neuer before Christs tyme any leage or couenant publiquely made There was in déede a Before the gospell was preached there was no league made with the GeÌtles promise of their calling For it was sayd vnto AbrahaÌ In thy sede shal all Gentles be blessed but in very déede there was no couenaunt publiquely made with the Gentiles Neither can this deliuery be vnderstanded as touching any perticular persons when as it is promised vnto Sion and vnto Iacob by which names not any singular persons are signified but the whole people This testimony as touching the greater part thereof is taken out of the 59. chap. of Esay and part of Ieremy and especially out of the 31. chapiter towardes the end Origen Ambrose affirme that it is taken out of Esay And Ambrose peculiarly seemeth to saye that the conuersion of certayne of the Iewes perticularly which happened dayly was a certaine experiment of the will of God as touching the restitution of that nacion Howbeit that which Esay speaketh in the 59. chapiter is not in all pointes as touching the wordes in such sort as the Apostle now alleadgeth them For he after this maner followeth the 70. interpreters who not as touching the sence but only as touching the wordes In Hebrew it is Vba lesion goel vleschabe pescha beiaacob vehum iehouah that is There shall come a redemer saith the Lord vnto Sion and vnto those in Iacob which shal repent them from their iniquities And then is added And this is my couenaunt with them sayth the Lord my spirite thât is vpon thee and my wordes which I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy sede nor out of the mouth of the sede of thy sede Whereas in the Hebrew it is sayd Vnto Sion shall come the redemer the Seuenty as Ierome writeth haue turned it out of Sion whome Paul also followed And it wel known that Christ was borne of the Iewes who are ment by the name of Sion and the word of the Lord and preaching of the Gospell therehence had his beginning although the Greke edition which we vse hath ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is for Sions sake whereby it is manifest that this which we haue either is not the translation of the 70. or els it is in many places corrupted And Ierome addeth that this word Noal according to the nature of the Hebrew signifieth to be nighe so that is The Greke translation which we vse is ether not the traÌslatioÌ of the 70. or els it is corrupted Faith whiche iustifieth hath repentaunce annexed with it all one with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which signifieth nigh namely vnto whome the inheritance of the kinsman that is dead commeth Wherefore the sence of the Hebrew words is that vnto Sion shall come a nigh deliuerer Moreouer that which is written both of the 70. and of Paul And he shall turne away the vngodlynes from Iacob is in the Hebrew Lishbe which they paraduenture tooke as though it were written Leschob peschaa but this maketh no disagréeing as touching the sence For they which are deliuered by faith from their sinnes haue alwayes repentaunce annexed and ioyned with their faith not as a condition which should be the cause of remission for this should be a condition of the law and vnprofitable when as no man is able to performe it but an euangelicall condition as which followeth the forgeuenes of sins or iustification at least by nature is acceptable vnto God for whatsoeuer waÌteth therof by reasoÌ of our infirmity is holpeÌ by the merits of Christ And this is my testament with theÌ That which followeth in Esay touching the spirite and word of God excellently setteth forth vnto vs the couenaunt or leage of Fod For first are the wordes of the promise which also shall alwayes remaine amongest the faythfull which yet should be vnprofitable vnles therto were added the spirite whereby the hartes of the hearers are moued to beleue VVhen I shall take away theyr sinnes This part is not read in Esay wherfore it may be taken as a compendious interpretation of those thinges which the Prophet before spake of the couenaunt for where the spirite is the wordes of God are spoken when we embrace them by fayth streight way foloweth forgeuenes of sinnes and for that the prophet expressed not the effect Paul thought he would manifestly set it forth Otherwise it is gathered out of the 31. chap. of Ieremy where when mencion had bene made of the new couenant the first being abrogated it is sayd I will be mercifull vnto theyr iniquity and I will no more remember theyr sinne And that whiche Esaye speaketh of Sion and of Iacob and Ieremye also of the house of Iudah and of Ierusalem can not be taken of Paul allegoricallye as thoughe in these woordes is signifyed the number of the faythfull These wordes are to be vnderstanded properly of the Israelites An argument wherby is proued that the Messias is God Only God forgeueth sinnes of what people so euer it be For as we sayde Paules meaninge is peculiarly to commende the Iewes and to put away the discord which was sprong in the Church betwene the Ethnikes and the Iewes And in yâ it is sayd that the Iewes should by the Messias be deliuered from theyr sinnes it is a sure
men do make their last willes withous a solemnitie required thereunto and without a sufficient nomber of witnesses prescribed whiche yet otherwise were necessary such testaments ought to be allowed Now if a maÌ would transferre this prerogatiue vnto citesins who for that they haue their abidings in cities haue store of men of vnderstanding he should excéedingly erre For if their testamentes should be so made they are refused neither are they counted firm So we say that the workes of men iustified may please God which thing yet neyther can nor oughte to be graunted vnto them whiche are without faith and without Christ Farther let vs marke the accustomed fond kind of reasoning of the aduersaries whiche the Logicians call A non causa vt câusa ⪠that is from that whiche is not the cause as the cause For they alwayes appoint good workes to be the causes A similitude of righteousnes when as in very dede they are the effects of righteousnes not causes For it is as though a man should say the fire is therfore hot because it maketh How this sentence is to be vnderstand ⪠God rendreth to euery man according to his workes hot But it is cleane coÌtrary for therfore it fore maketh hot because it is hot So also we because we ar iustified therfore do iust thinges and not because we do iuste things therfore we are iustified Somtimes also they make this obiectioÌ that God will reÌder vnto euery man according to his works Wherfore works say they are yâ causes of our felicity But here also as theyr woÌted maner is they are very much deceiued For vnles they haue found out some new grammer vnto themselues vndoubtedly this word according signifieth not yâ cause But Christ say they in yâ his Iuxta last iudgement séemeth to expresse these thinges as causes wherfore the kingdome of heauen is geuen vnto them For thus will he say I was hungrye and ye fed me I was thursty and ye gaue me drinke But Christ doth not in very déede rehearse these thinges as causes but rather those thinges which wente before Come ye blessed of my father possesse ye the kingdome which was prepared for you from the beginning of the world For the true cause of our felicitie is because we are elected and predestinate of God to yâ eternal inheritance For they which are in this number are when time serueth adorned with faith whereby being iustified they haue right vnto eternall Why Christ in the iudgement will make mencion of outwarde workes There are two beginninges of thinges life But because this faith is hidden neither can be séene and Christ will haue all men to vnderstand that none but the iust are receiued into the kingdome of heauen therefore reherseth he these outwarde workes that by them it might plainly be perceaued that righteousnes is geuen vnto men by faith For there is no man that can be so ignorant but that he knoweth that there are two grounds of things the one is whereby they are the other whereby they be knowne Againe they obiect out of the first of Samuel Those that honor me I honor those that loue me I loue Here say they the promise is made vnto the worke But if they woulde make a distinction betwene the promises of the Gospel and the promises of the lawe as we haue els where aboundauntly taught they should easly vnderstand that that place is nothing repugnant vnto our sentence For if we coulde of our selues satisfie the commaundement of the law then might it be the cause why the promise should be geuen vnto vs. But forasmuch as no man is able to performe it all men flye vnto Christ and are through faith towardes him iustified Then by a certaine obedience begonne we begin to worke which although it be not exactly done according vnto the rule of the commaundement yet it pleaseth God And he of his mere liberality performeth the promise whiche was adioyned vnto that worke And so those conditions whiche are adioyned vnto the preceptes are not vnprofitable For they that are iustified attayne vnto them Neyther ãâ¦ã thâse men ashamed to cite these wordes out of the 25. Psalme Looke vpon my labour and my vtility and forgeue me all my sinnes as though our labours or afflictions are the causes of the remission of sinnes But in this place Dauid being in most gréeuous calamities desireth of God to forgeue him his sinnes that if he should be angry for his sinnes the cause of punishmentes might be taken away For here is not entreated of labours which a man taketh vpon him of his owne voluntary will but of punishementes A similitude inflicted by God We sée also that children whilest that they are beaten of their maisters do desire forgeuenes and pardon If thou geue an almes vnto one that is leprous the leprosy can not properly be called the cause of thy compassion or mercy For otherwise all that passed by the leper should do the same But the true cause is the louing affection in thy minde But they say moreouer that in the holy scriptures much is attributed vnto repentaunce Which thing we deny not But we on the other side woulde haue them to vnderstand that repentaunce is the fruite of fayth and that no man can with profite repent hym of hys sinnes A distinction of confession vnles he first beleue They also vainely boast of many things touching confession But touching it we make a distinction For either it is seperated from hope and faith as it was in Iudas which confessed that he had sinned in deliuering the iust bloud and so farre is it of that that confession should bring any profite that it is a preparation also vnto desperation and vnto destruction or els it is ioyned wyth fayth and hope as it was in Dauid and Peter and so is it not the cause but the effect Aâriculeâ confession of iustification for it followeth fayth and goeth not before it The auricular confession also of the Papistes is vtterly supersticious wherfore we vtterly contemne it For they obtrude it as a thing necessary vnto saluation and as a cause why sinnes should be forgeuen which they are neuer able to proue by any testimony of the holy scriptures They violently wrest this also out of the Lordes Forgeue vs our trespasses is expounded prayer Forgeue vs our trespasses as we also forgeue them that trespasse agaynst vs Agayne Forgeue and it shal be forgeuen you Ergo say they the forgeuenes of iniuries is the cause why our sinnes are forgeuen vs. This their reason as the common saying is with the one hand stroketh the head and with the other geueth a blowe For if the forgeuenes of iniuries should as these men would haue it deserue remission of sinnes then that remission were no remission For after thou hast once payd the price ⪠there is nothing that can be forgeuen thee but then hath remission place when the price is
with the mother Yet let vs not perswade our selues that whilest we Perfect peace is not had whilest we lyue here lyue here we can haue absolute and perfect peace how beit it shal be encreased dayly and Paule wisheth that they might now haue it begon and when tyme shal come to haue it at full And yet neuertheles we obtaine it presetly by Christ if we haue God pacifyed towardes vs. For afterward it is written Now therfore Rom. 5. being iustified by fayth we haue peace towardes God out of whiche floweth tranquilltty of conscience and somuch of the spirite and deuine comfort that what soeuer happeneth we take it in good parte Wherefore in the middest of tribulations tormentes this fyrme peace was not taken away froÌ holy men For they gaue thankes vnto God and they iudged that all thinges in these their Peace which passeth all sence afflictions were done for the best And this is that peace which passeth all sense and humane reason When he sayth From God the father from our lord Iesus Christ He sheweth the fountaine and beginning from whence these good thinges should be hoped for For they An argument of desiring and hoping for the thinges which we pray for come not of our owne strengthe and workes but of the mercy of God And hereby we are encoraged to desire and to hope for these good thinges which Paule wisheth for For seing that God of whome these thinges are desired is both good and also our father he will without all doubt geue vs them And Christ for asmuch as he is our mediator and redemer will not vndoubtedly deny vs them He is called Lorde which name is very agreeable vnto him For Why Christ is called lord all thinges are geuen him of the father and he hath paid the price for our saluation therfore he is iustly called Lord which name we may suppose that he hereby obtayned because the Hebrues neuer pronounce the holy name Tetragrammaton whiche is Iehouah but pronounce it by other wordes that is by Elohim or Adonay which signify might and dominion Whereby it semeth it came to passe that the 70. interpreters wheÌ they red this name Tetragrammaton turned it by this word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which is Lord as it appeareth in many places of the which we will bring one The Lord sayd vnto my Lord. Where in the fyrst place is written Iehouah which they turned Lord. Wherefore when Christ is called Lord it is as much as if he had bene called God Although Tertullian agaynst Praxea sayth that Christ is called Lord when he is ioyned with Tertullian the father For then the father is called God If the sonne being ioyned wyth him should also be called God the Ethnikes might thinke we put more Gods then one Wherfore to withstaÌd their supersticioÌ we make this word Lord an Epitheton of the sonne But if we name Iesus Christ by himselfe and alone he is playnely called God as it appeareth in many places of the scriptures And he vseth a certayne similitude as a beame of the sunne when we make mencion A similitude of it by it selfe we cal it the sun and we say that the sun entreth in at our windowes But when it happneth that the sunne is also to be named together with the beame we do not call the beame by the name of the sun but we say it is the beame of the sun But the fyrst reason is more fyrme and by that that Paule declareth The equality of the father and of the sonne The salutacions of Paul are not vayne The office of saluting is to be retayned among Christians that peace is to be looked for of vs as wel froÌ the son as from the father is shewed the equality of eyther of them betweene themselues And the salutation which Paule euery where putteth before his epistles is of no small force For if the blessinges of the fathers were of much force that is the blessinges of Nohe Isaac Iacob Moses and of other vndoubtedly the prayers of Paule also are not to be counted vnprofitable And for as much as we sée that both nature and the holy ghost abhorred not from this kinde of office to salute one an other the same maner and vsage is still to be retayned But we must onely take hede that we salute not any man dissemblingly and thinking an other thing in the hart do it onely in outward voyce or writinge Otherwise saluting is an instrument not a little apte to admonish vs of loue towardes our neighbours and that our neighboure may vnderstande what loue we beare vnto him And thus much touchinge the salutation Now let vs come to the Exordium that is the beginning wherein Paule very much laboreth to winne vnto him the Romanes and chiefely for that that he exceedinglye reioyceth that they are come to Christ First verely I geue thankes vnto God through Iesus Christ for you al because your faith is published through out al the world For God is my witnesse whom I worship wyth my spirite in the Gospell of his sonne that without ceasing I make mencion of you alwayes in my prayers beseechynge that at one tyme or other a prosperous iorney might happen vnto me by the wyll of God that I may come vnto you For I am desyrous to see you that I might bestow among you some spirituall gift to strengthen you withall that is that I might haue consolation together with you through the mutuall fayth whiche both ye and I haue And I woulde not that ye should be ignorant brethren how that I haue oftentimes purposed to come vnto you but haue bene let hetherto to haue some frute among you as I haue among other of the nacions For I am debter both to the Greekes and also to the Barbarous vnto the learned and also vnto the vn learned so that as muche as in me is I am redy to preach the Gospell to you of Rome also All writtinges in the beginning are wont to tend to this ende to get the The ende whereunto the beginning of hys talke tendeth good will of the hearers as much as is possible which thinge Paule here doth and first in that he sheweth them how he geueth thankes vnto God for them He declareth the cause thereof namely for that their fayth was now published throughout the whole world And he affirmeth that he coÌtinually maketh prayers for them that they might goe forward as they had begonne Farther he sheweth that he is exceding desirous to see them present And thereof he sheweth causes namely both to comfort them and also to confirme both himselfe and them And he addeth this also that he desireth to do these things euen of duety For by reason of his Apostleship which he executed he acknowledged himselfe debytour vnto all nacions And he thereunto addeth that for that cause he is not ashamed of the Gospell And so concludeth he his Exordium Here
to visite our neighbours namely to haue alwayes some spirituall gifts redy to communicate vnto them And on the other side we ought to be prompt With what mind ChristiaÌs ought to assemble together What peregrinations and what writings are had in the pâpacy easely to receaue if any spirituall profyte or commodity be offred vnto vs by their commyng vnto vs. But now a dayes they vse peregrinacions or pilgrimages to images and to worshippe reliques of the dead and not to succor the liuely temples of Christ The bishop of Rome writeth sometymes but yet only pardons bulles and curses He sendeth men to compound and dispence for sondry kinds of sinnes and to release vowes But none of these doth he fréely but they are altogether instituted for gayne and to scrape mony together To strengthen you Here is added the cause why he so much desired to come vnto the Romanes namely to strengthen them This is it which Christ The office of an Apostle is to coÌfirme the brethren commaunded Peter And thou at the length when thou art conuerted confyrme thy brethren By these woordes is signifyed that the Romanes were not constante for they semed now redy to receaue the religion of the Iewes And yet because he would not offend their mindes that which he had before spoken of their confirmation he straight way lenefleth and mitigateth wyth these words which follow That I may receaue exhortation together with you Here he knitteth himselfe also with their infyrmity as though he also had neede of instruction And assuredly there is none in the Church placed so high that he can not receauâ None so hygh in the Church but that he may be holpen by inferiours some confyrmacion and edifycation of the weaker Neyther doth God vse to geue all thynges vnto all men but that the weake ones haue oftentymes some singular and priuate gifte of God whereby to helpe the stronger Wherefore if Paule which was a piller of the Church stronger then any yron harder then the diamond confesseth that he myght profyte himselfe through these mens exhortacion why shoulde we then doubt of our selues But if the fayth of the Romanes were so great that it was now euery where published what neded they of any confyrmation We answere that fayth is in deede of hys ownâ Our fayth needeth alwayes to be increased nature sure and constant and if it be such which iustefyeth it ought vtterly to differ from opinion that we doubt not of the verity of the other part but forasmuch as we are weake and do on euery side slippe being assaulted of our fleshe the deuill and the world we haue neede continually of the increase of faith Peter beleued truly in Christ when he sayd Saue me otherwise I perish But the Lord sayd vnto him O thou of little fayth why doubtedst thou By whiche wordes Peter was tought that the daunger hong not ouer him eyther by reason of the waters or of the tempest but through the want of faith Wherefore these thinges do nothing disagree betweene themselues that the fayth of the Romanes was to be magnifyed and that yet neuertheles they had neede of confyrmacion We might reade that which we haue here interpreted concerninge exhortacion as if there had bene mencion made of consolacion as though Paule shoulde haue sayde therefore I will come vnto you not only to strengthen you but also to stirre vp a mutuall consolaciyn and that through the fayth which is found as well in me as in you For they which mete together when they perceaue themselues not to be of a sundry opinion but of one and the selfe same opinion vse excedinglye to reioyce Wherefore Chrisostome and the Greke annotacions do admonishe vs that consolacion in this place may be taken for ioy Neyther ought we to doubt whether this consolacion should be betweene the Romanes themselues or betwéene them and Paule Because the wordes which follow séeme to dispatch that doubt in that it is sayd Through the mutuall fayth which both ye and I haue Neyther did he rashely make mencion of faith Forasmuch as the property thereof is to powre Fayth is compared vnto leuen it selfe into an other euen lyke leuen which when it hath leuened one part of the dow goeth forward into the next part But they are to be counted as colde beleuers which to theyr power labour not to make other of the same mynde that they are now of which thyng if it myght be brought to passe vndoubtedly so many should be amended as are drawen by theyr admonishment For what soeuer sinne we committe the same commeth of the imbecillity of fayth And by these wordes Paul bringeth to an equality those thinges which he hath spoken affirming that there should come a common gayne both vnto himselfe and vnto the Romanes by their mutuall metyng together And fayth is required on ether party as touching Paule that he might be able to obtaine the gifts which he wished vnto the Romanes agayne as touching them that they might receaue those thinges which were to be ministred vnto them by Paule I would not that ye should be ignorant brethern Ambrose readeth thys text otherwise after this maner I know ye are not ignorant brethern he expoundeth it that the Romanes were certified of the minde of Paule by such as beleued in Christ which continually went to Rome as by Aquila Priscilla and others who knew right well Paules purpose and determination But we will follow the common reading according vnto which the Apostle séemeth to preuent them as though they should haue sayd why then hast thou differred thy comming vnto vs seing thou so much desirest it Paule answereth that he oftentymes assayed to come vnto them but it would not be because he was alwayes letted To the Thessalonians he sayth that Sathan was the let that he could not come to Thessalonica And in the latter to the Corrinthyans he maketh mencion of a grenous persecution which he suffred in Asia and that he was tempted aboue his strength so that he almost dispayred of his life and therefore hys comming to Corinth was prolonged longer then he had appoynted But here he expresseth not of whom he was letted But there might be thrée kindes of lett es First God which by manifest oracles sometymes called hym Lett es which might hinder Paul from going to Rome The Romanes seme to be lesse esteemed of Paule then the other nacions It is not for the seruant to enquire out the counsels of his master backe from his appoynted enterprises as it appeareth in the 16. chapter of the Actes an other kinde is the necessity of Churches which euery day increased new and new lastly aduersities and persecutions whiche were stirred vp by Sathan Chrisostome hath noted that because Paule hath not expressed the cause why so great a city which ruled then ouer all should be lesse estemed then many other obscurer cities and prouinces humaine sence and reason myght therefore be
which by those worshippinges they desired to be turned away from them in worshipping God as ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is as an expeller away of those euill thinges And this sinne was so spred abroade that it infected the Iewes also For in Ezechiell it is written that when he was of the The Iewes also woorshipped creping beasts spirite caried by the heares of the head into Ierusalem he saw in it not onlye that Idole whereby the wrath of God was prouoked but also in the Temple he perceaued that on the walles were paynted beastes liuing creatures and all maner of creeping beastes vnto which the chiefe elders of the people with much reuerence offred incense which was to geue vnto them deuine honours The selfe same thing is at this day openly vsed in the Papacy vnto signes Images In the Papacy they burne incense to Images and stockes and yet they say they are free from the crime of idolatry Further the Prophet saw on the other side women bewayling Tamuz that is Adouides Lastly he beheld men in the sanctuary whiche turning their shoulders to the most holy place and their face towardes the dores of the Tempell worshipped the Sunne as it rose in the Easte And it is there sayd that by reason of all these thinges the wrath of God was wonderfully prouoked Paule also in this place declareth with what punishementes God punished the Gentles for these sinnes For he saw that his doctrine was contemned in that whereas he had reuealed himselfe through the beuty and hugenes of the whole worlde which he had made so excellent a gift was vtterly had in no reputatioÌ amongst men And they chose vnto themselues so many Images and peculiar inuencions as there were kingdomes prouinces cityes families and in a maner men The punishement which they suffred was that God deliuered them vp to their owne lustes to be tormented This was that punishement which is called Paena talionis like for like For euen as they spoyled God as much as in them lay of his glory so agayne on the other side God deliuered them to be vexed Poena talionis with most filthy lustes so that they degenerated not only into brute beastes but also became farre vnderneath them This is the greatest infelicity that can happen vnto man when the spirite and the mynde which ought to gouerne are by the iust iudgement of God made suââiect to cruell and most filthy lustes we We haue domesticall tormenters Many Actcons A place of the Psalms haue no neede of any outward tormenters we haue aueÌgers inough at home For that which the Poetes fable of Acteon that he was torne in pieces of hys dogges hath place in these men which are inflamed and rent in sonder of the lustes of their owne mynde And this phrase which Paule here vseth is taken out of the 81. Psalme wherein is reade My people hath not harkened neyther hath Israell geuen hede vnto me And I haue deliuered them vp into the frowardnes of theyr hart and they haue walked in their owne deuises Let those which defend the powers That free will is nothing with out grace and strengthes of man and which attribute in a maner all thinges vnto free will yea and that without the grace of Christ consider by these thinges howe farre they erre from the truth Here is described the horriblest punishement that can be when a man is forsaken of God and delyuered vp to be gouerned of himselfe Neither helpeth it any thing at all to say that here is now entreated onely of lustes and of the brutish or inferior partes of our mynde forasmuch as Paule hath togethâr with lustes made mencion of the hart whereby is noted the nobler part of the mynde And Dauid sayth playnly That God forsooke them that they should go on according to their owne hart and counsels But how is this kinde of speach to be expounded God deliuered vp them to their owne lustes Whether to deliuer vp be al one with God to permitte The reasons of theÌ that say to deliuer vp is to permitte All the fathers in a maner teach that To deliuer is all one as if it should haue bene sayde to suffer to permitte or to forsake For they seme to abhorre to say that God is the cause of sinne And these are the reasons as farre as I gather that moue them thereunto Because the holy scriptures do testefye that God willeth no sinne forasmuch as it is written Thou art the God that wilt no iniquity Further this thing they labour for to take away all maner of excuse from the wicked actes of men vnto which wicked actes if God shoulde driue them it shoulde seeme that they might lay for an excuse the will of God Further they endeuor themselues to aduance the glory of God that he should not be accused of iniustice for that he driueth men into sinnes and then afterward reproueth them for the same Lastly they labour to mayntayne free will least if it should be thought that God driueth men to sinne it should either be taken away or els be diminished Vnto these reasoÌs Chrisostom vpon this place addeth two similitudes One of a captayne which in the fight or battayle forsaketh his host For he is sayd to betray his souldiers to hys enemyes when as in very deede he only withdraweth from them his helpe and presence So God is said to deliuer vp these men because he taketh away from them his helpe and grace The other similitude is of a Prince or king which when he seeth his sonne to be past all goodnes and perceaueth that he can not make him good depriueth him of all his goodes and forsaketh him So sayth he dealeth God with these men But these reasons seeme not of necessitie to driue vs to this kynde of interpretation For as touching sinne we graunt the God willeth no sin if we loke vpoÌ his wil which is declared vnto vs in the lawes of God in the holy scriptures He answereth to the reasons alleaged But yâ he vtterly and absolutely willeth no sinne we may in no case graunt for asmuch as we know that he made all thinges whatsoeuer he would agaynst his will no man can resist wherefore if by all maner of wayes he would it not then could it by no meanes be done Further we affirme that all excuse is taken away from sinners forasmuch as their conscience reproueth them nether sinne they against their will or by compulsion And that litle which lay in them to do as touchyng outward discipline they performed not Neyther ought God to be accused of vnrighteousnes although he will and incline or dryue the wils of the wicked into greuous sinnes For these synnes as they proceede from hym are punishments and those most iust and whatsoeuer God appoynteth or decreeth it is streight way iust and holy neither ought hys iustice to be weighed accordyng to the consideration of our iustice For God oughte
accordinge to theyr woorkes and deedes In deede the mercy of God is now large but yet in such sort that the seueritie of iustice is not wantinge Moses although he had heard manye proprieties of God whiche serued to expresse his goodnes and clemency that is that he is mercifull gentle slow vnto anger riche in mercy and truth whiche reserueth goodnes or mercye for a thousande generacions yet at the end added that God wil not pronounce the wicked man an innocent that he visiteth the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generacion But because they whiche attribute ouermuche vnto woorkes and trust that by them to obteyne eternall life are wont very often to alledge thys place I haue thought it good briefely to declare what is to be thoughte concerning Of works workes But we shal afterward more at large set foorth and declare this thing when we shall haue occasion to entreat of iustification And those things whiche shall now be briefely spoken we will afterward more largely discourse by partes seuerally First this is to be knowen that we deny not that whych is Betwene our good workes eternall felicitye there is no iust proportion There are no good woorkes without fayth Those thinges which are promised vnto works we obteyne by fayth The causes of our saluation Why God attributeth honor vnto woorkes The words of the last iudgement are diligently examined here written that vnto euery man shal be rendred accordinge to hys woorkes But there is not so muche good in good woorkes as eternall felicitie is good Yea ther is betwene these a greater difference then betwene heaueÌ and earth Moreouer there are no woorkes to be counted good which lene not vnto faith and haue not it for the roote from whence they should spring foorth Therfore that which seemeth to be promised vnto workes the same in very deede we obtaine by fayth which is garnished with those workes And because fayth taketh hold of the mercy of God and promises in Christ therfore throughe mercy and Christ whiche are the obiectes of faith shall we be made blessed These are the true and chiefest causes of eternall life the clemency I say of God election predestinacion and the merites of Christe But God in the holye scriptures oftentimes addeth woorkes thereby to stirre vs vp beinge otherwise sluggishe and slouthfull to lyue vprightly And he adorneth woorkes with this kinde of honor that he promiseth vnto them excellent rewardes Whiche thing if we will more narrowly consider let vs wyth diligence weigh what the most high iudge shal in the last iudgemente saye For he will make examination of good workes will say that he was fed with meate and drinke and visited c. But after thys commendation of woorkes when he iudgeth vnto the sayntes the kingdome and eternall life he expresseth the principallest cause that maketh vs happy blessed For he sayth Come ye blessed of my Father and possesse the kingdome whiche was prepared for you before the beginning of the worlde These he pronounceth to be the causes of our blessednes namely that we are deare vnto God and haue geuen vnto vs the blessinge of predestination and election And therfore sayth he that the kyngdome was prepared for vs from the beginninge of the worlde Woorkes in deede are to be had but not as causes Therefore Christ admonished Works are not the causes of our felicity A place of Luke How we are called vnprofitable seruaÌts vs saying When ye haue done all these thinges say we are vnprofitable seruants we haue done but those thinges which we ought to do Neither passe wee any thynge vpon theyr caueling which say that therfore we are vnprofitable seruantes because out good woorkes do bringe no commoditie vnto God Forasmuche as God needeth none of our good workes But say they it ought not to be denied but that we are by good workes profitable vnto our selues We graunt indede that it is profitable vnto vs that we liue well But that vtility is not to be attributed vnto our workes that they should be causes of our blessednes to come For we haue nothing in vs whereby we can make God obstricte and bounde vnto vs. For whatsoeuer we do the same do we wholy owe vnto God and a We cannot by workes binde God vnto vs. great deale more then we are able to performe Wherefore as Christ admonisheth The Lord geueth not thankes vnto his seruant when he hath done his duety And if the seruaunt by well doing cannot binde his Lord to geue him thankes how shall he binde him to render vnto him great rewardes Therefore the name of The name of merits ought to be abolished merite if we will speake properlye oughte vtterlye to be banished out of our mouthes I know that the Fathers sometimes vsed that word but yet not properly But that woord is not found at al in the holy scriptures For the nature of merite is that there be a iust proportion and equall consideration betweene The nature of merite that which is geuen and that which is taken But betwene the good thinges which we looke for and those thinges which we eyther suffer or do there is no proportion or agreemente For Paule sayth That the passions of thys time are not woorthy the glory to come whiche shal be reueled in vs. Farther merite hath ioyned vnto it debt whych thynge Paule testifyeth when he sayth That vnto hym whych woorketh rewarde is rendred accordinge to debte and is not imputed accordyng to grace Which selfe same Paul yet writeth expressedly that the grace of God is eternall life Lastlye vnto the nature of merite there is required that that whiche is geuen pertayne vnto the geuer and be not due vnto hym whyche receaueth it But woorkes are not of our selues for they are called the giftes of God whiche he woorketh in vs. Wherefore Augustine very wisely sayth That God doth crowne his giftes in vs. Now if our woorkes be due vnto him whiche thinge we cannot deny then vndoubtedly the nature of merite is vtterly taken awaye Eternall life is sometimes in the holy scriptures called a reward But then is it not that How eternall lyfe is sometymes called a reward How blessednes followeth good woorkes reward which Paule writeth to be geuen according to debte but is all one as if it shoulde be called a recompensation Gods will and pleasure was that there shoulde be this connexion that after good woorkes shoulde follow blessednes but yet not as the effecte followeth the cause but as a thinge ioyned with them by the appointmente of God Therefore we may not truste vnto woorkes for they are feeble and weake and do alwayes wauer and stagger Wherfore the promises of God depende not of them neither haue they in themselues as they come from vs that they can moue God to make vs blessed We say therefore that God iudgeth according to woorkes because accordinge as they are eyther
conclusions Paule preached those thinges which we now read and had oftentimes incultated that grace is ther aboundant where sinne hath abounded and taught that the law therfore entred in that sinne shoulde be increased Of these thinges the vngodly sayd it followeth that men should sinne freely because to the attaynemente of grace and the promises of God we haue neede of synnes All menne All men are greeued when they heare that they are euill spoken of and especially ministers doubtles are sory when they heare theyr name or fame to be euell spoken of For they vnderstande that the prayse of a good name and of a good fame is an excellente good gifte of God But aboue other the pastors and ministers of the word of God are most greeuously troubled with this kind of discommodity Because they rightwell perceaue that theyr infamye and especially as touchinge doctrine redoundeth not onely against the truth of God but also bringeth no small hurt vnto the people committed vnto theyr charge Therfore the Apostles did euermore put away suche slaunders from themselues And that the fathers also did the like theyr writinges do testefye But Paule in thys place doth not playnely absolue that which he obiected vnto himselfe but afterward in the 6. chapter the matter shal be more at large discussed Onely at this presente he depelleth from his doctrine false slaunders And those things the vngodly are therfore wont to obiect because when they are accused they are alwayes ready to lay vpon God the cause and blame of theyr sinnes not in deede manifestly but by circumstances Some wheÌ they are accused say that they are driuen by the starres to commit those things which they do But who made the stars God Why then God is accused So came it to passe in our fyrste parente when God reproued hym The woman sayde he whiche thou gauest me she hath deceaued me The wicked de lay vnto God the cause of theyr sins And by these woordes he wrested the cause of his sinne vnto God After the selfe same manner do these men deale whome Paule now speaketh of We sinne say they but the doctrine of the Apostle hath declared vnto vs that our sinnes are no let vnto the glory of God but rather pertayne vnto the settinge foorth of his truth fayth and constancy of promises And what other thinge els is this then to accuse the word of God As touching the first obiection Paule sayth Is God vnrighteous vvhich bringeth in anger As though he shoulde haue sayd that which ye fayne vnto your selues that synnes are vniustlye punished if by their occasion the goodnes of God be set foorth is absurde For then God should iudge vniustlye But no good vpryght reason can once imagine that he which is iudge of all men should be vniust Therfore he addeth I speake as a man That is these thinges I spake not that I thinke so in very déede but I speake those thinges which men both oftentymes thinke and do also not very seldome obiect vnto vs. But as touching the wordes it shal be good to note that whereas it is sayde If our vnrighteousnes commende the righteousnes of God by the righteousnes of God is vnderstanded his goodnes and mercy For that word which is in the Hebrue Tsedek our men haue turned iustice or righteousnes when as in very deede it signifieth mercy He also vseth thys word the truth of God which signifieth nothing els then his fayth or fidelity For before he sayde Shall our vnbeliefe make the fayth of God without effect Fayth in that place and truth in this place is nothing els then a constancy in promises and couenantes And when we reade I speake as a man we are taught what maner of thinges those are which we thinke vpon so long as we are not regenerate but are strangers from God Origen in this place followeth an other reading For he hath ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And this particle he ioyneth with those things which went before so that thereof this sentence he gathereth Is God vniust which bringeth in anger agaynst man God forbid But the common reading is both playne and also serueth well to the purpose The maner which the Apostle vseth in aunswering when he sayth God forbid teacheth vs how redy God forbid what it signifieth with the Apostle we ought to be to repell from our thoughtes and cogitations whatsoeuer absurd thing reasoÌ inferreth out of the scriptures against God We ought straight way to answere These thinges are after the maner of men and therefore are they not to be harkened vnto It oftentymes happeneth that our sense thinketh that God is cruell and forgetfull of his an accepter of persons and such lyke But then must we call to memory that the doinges of God are not to be measured The doings of God are not to be measured by the law of man according to the law of man for he is aboue all lawes neyther ought to be iudged of any other This thinges haue the flatterers attributed vnto the bishop of Rome bearing him in hand that he hath the fulnes of power whereby he can dispence both with the lawes of man and also with the lawes of God so that he himselfe can be iudged of no man Which fulnes of power one Baldus a lawyer not the worst of his time writeth to be the fulnes of time as which inuerteth and turneth vpside downe all rightes and lawes These thinges are agréeable vnto God only Wherefore it is blasphemy to attribute them vnto any man Only touching thinges of God it is wickednes to search out the causes and reasons but whatsoeuer Philosophers or any other kinde of men do set forth vnto vs it must be exactly examined by the word of God And as we are blamed and as some affirme that we say why do we not euill thinges that good may ensue whose damnation is iust Now withstandeth he the other obiection wherein the aduersaryes sayde that we shoulde sinne that thereof myght follow some excellent good thing namely the iustification of God and commendation of his mercy Whereunto with one words he answereth this when he sayth that the damnation of these men is iust For by that meanes he confesseth that that so greuous an error is farre strange froÌ his doctrine when as he coÌdemneth it together with theÌ although some expound it in the passiue signification as though the condemnation whereby they are condemned were for that they had so euill an opinion of the Gospell Their obiections are answered when they are brought to these absurdities which coulde Sinnes are not the true cause that God should be made iuste Against good ententes not be concluded of these thinges which are spoken of Paule but of the false surmising of these men whereby they thought that sinnes were the true cause that God should be made iust For the Apostle also sayth together with them that euil things are not to be committed that good should come
as generally spoken when as in all men there nether is nor appeareth any such righteousnes But his wordes are contracted vnto those which beleue vnto the elect I say and sanctified Which thing the words of the Apostle sufficiently declare If this sentence should be vnderstanded altogether vniuersally then this manifestation could not be referred but vnto the preaching This vniuersality may haue a respect vnto the preaching which is set forth vnto all men hauing no respect either of persons or estates for so Christ warned the Apostles to preach the Gospell to all creatures and generally addeth whosoeuer beleueth and is baptised shal be saued But the first sense is both true and also more perspicuous He afterward addeth a reason why this righteousnes is made manifest vnto all vpon all that beleue Because sayth he All haue sinned and are destitute of the glory of God That forasmuch as they want righteousnes of their owne they might receaue it at the handes of God There are none so holy but that as sayth Ambrose this place conuinceth them to be sinners forasmuche as this righteousnes geuen of God hath place in all and vpon all But this phrase is to be noted Are destitute of the glory of God By it some thinke is to be vnderstaÌded the The glory of god somtimes signifieth his dwelling in vs. dwelling of God in vs bycause men were seperated from him nether had they him ioyned vnto them by grace And that the glory of God expresseth this maner of dwelling hereby it is manifest for that the Arke of the couenant is called the glory of God Wherefore when it was taken by the Philistians the glorye of God was sayd to be taken away Others thinke that Paule by the glorye of God vnderstandeth the perfect and true righteousnes which comming from God is iudged glory or that whereby we glorifye God And forasmuch as glory What glory is is nothing els but a prayse most aboundantly published Paule by a figuratiue kinde of speach calleth the most singular giftes of God the glory of God for which giftes we both prayse and celebrate his name so that the thing hath by the figure Metonomia the name of the propriety which followeth it But in my iudgement it semeth that Paule would declare by these wordes that all men in theyr corrupt nature were reiected and that he chiefely reproueth rites sacrifices and workes of the lawe in which they thought the glory of God chiefly to consist For he sheweth that they in very deede were destitute of the glory of God although they were altogether full of their ceremonyes And are iustified freely by his grace Here we haue what that meaneth the righteousnes of God to be made manifest without the lawe namely to be geuen freely And Paule laboring to shew that in iustification is no consideration had of our workes semeth to shew that he neuer satisfieth hymselfe So many wordes heapeth he vp which signifieth one and the selfe same thing For We measure the righteousnes of God by our own righteousnes he saw what a hard thing it is to be beleued of vs which will our selues do nothing freely and by our owne measure do measure the righteousnes of God as though he also would not geue his righteousnes freely Out of this kinde of speach ought to be gathered this common sentence that by fayth only we are iustified And although this word only be not found in the holy scriptures yet is it necessarily inferred of those things which we there reade as Ambrose most Ambrose sayth by fayth onely playnly noteth in this place writing voÌp these words saying We do nothyng we recompeÌce not by fayth only are we iustified which is the gift of God He was not content to say that we are iustified by fayth only but he addeth also other clauses whereby he might more playnly declare the same The selfe same thing writeth Basilius also in his booke De confessione fidei We sayth he haue nothing whereof Basilius was of the same iudgement we may make our boast concerning righteousnes forasmuch as we are iustified only hy fayth in Christ. Which wordes are not so to be vnderstanded as though the fayth wherby we are iustified were alone that is not adorned with good holy works but because our workes though they be neuer so holy are not causes of the true righteousnes The like similitude is shewed in water wherin moistnes and coldnes are ioyned together but to washe away blots and spots properly belongeth to moistnes and not to coldnes Wherefore this is a false argument ab accidente wheÌ as two things being ioyned together that which belongeth to the one is ascribed vnto the other But as touching this word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is being iustified being a participle of the nominatiue case it is to be referred vnto that which was a little before spoken For all haue sinned and are destitute of the glory of God as though he should haue sayd they which were such are iustified freely By his grace by the redemption which is in Christ Iesus whome God hath set forth a propitiator by fayth Here Paule expresseth those thinges which by fayth we embrace when we are iustified and sheweth that by fayth he vnderstandeth the obiectes which by it are apprehended And when he sayth by grace he sheweth that he entreateth of a farre other maner of righteousnes then is that which is gotten by workes and he most manifestly excludeth the conditions We are not iustified rashely or by chaunce of the lawe And when we heare that we are iustified fréely and by grace we must not thinke that the same is done rashely or by chance forasmuch as it is tempered by the rule of the election of God The causes and reasons whereof although they be vnknowen vnto vs yet are they knowen vnto God And seing that in respect of hym the same is not done by chaunce we ought not to affirme that men are iustified bâ chance And eueÌ as chaunce is to be takeÌ away so also ought we to banishe necessitye least we should seeme to admitte fate or desteny For God is not compelled to chuse this man more theÌ that man But whatsoeuer he geueth he geueth it freely and without compulsion By the redemption Hereby appeareth that we are manumitted by Christ and made his free men For we were bond men cast into the prison of sinne Who are redemed death and the deuill But Christ hath fully payd the price for vs and that no small price for he hath shed his owne bloud for vs and geuen his life That is sayd to be redemed which before was both free and also pertayned vnto vs. We were the peculiar people of God and through our owne default we were sold vnder sinne This phrase here of the Apostle manifestly declareth how litle we ought to ascribe vnto free will before we be by the redemption of Christ set at liberty And
Christ for no other cause so long tyme differred his comming in the flesh but to kepe downe mans proude Pecoks tayle For if he had come straight way at the beginning vnto vs men would easely haue sayd that Why the sonne of god diffeâred his comming so long they had not then so great neede of hym that without him they could not be saued wherefore he would that mankinde should so long tyme be oppressed with the seruitude of sinnes and burthen of the lawe vntill they should vnderstand that they had vtterly nede of a redemer But why God so much laboreth to destroy our glory the holy scriptures aboundantly inough declare namely that Why God will haue our glory to be repressed his glory might the more brightly sinne forth Wherefore it is manifest that whatsoeuer glory we claime vnto our selues all that do we robbe from the glory of God Neyther nedeth it any greate exposition what Paule meaneth by the lawe of workes For by that word he vnderstandeth as well the lawe of nature as the lawe of Moses and also mans lawe For that all these lawes do engender glory if a man can vaunt that he can fulfill them VVe conclude therefore that man is iustefied by faith without the vvoorkes of the lavve Those thinges which he before sayd he confirmeth with a briefe conclusion which by a reason thereunto annexed he will afterward proue And where as he sayth Arbitramur that is we think in Greke it is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which signifieth not to thinke or to suppose but in this place it is to conclude to inferre and certaynly to demonstrate namily of those thinges which before were spoken In which signification it is taken in the 6. chapter when the Apostle sayth So thynke ye also that ye are dead vnto sinne but are alyue to God in Iesus Christ our Lord. Where this word thinke ye is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and that which is thereby signified is to haue for certayne And as touching this thyng Ambrose is of our mind and he vnderstandeth these words man is iustified without works of the Gentiles But Chrisostome contrary wyse thinketh that by this word man is ment nature to make the seÌtence of the Apostle more ample and large whose iudgement I mislike not for it agreeth as well with the Iewes as with the Gentiles not to attayne vnto sound righteousnes by workes but by fayth Further seing the Apostle so expressedly sayth that man is iustified without the workes of the lawe hâreof is inferred that which we before also tought namely that it is fayth only which iustifieth which thing not only Origine vpon this place but also Chrisostome acknowledgeth who fayth that fayth only Faith only iustifieth as OrigeÌ and ChrisostoÌe vpon thys place confesse is required to obtayne this righteousnes But I heare our aduersaries say that wheÌ we reade in the fathers That fayth only iustifieth that word only is to be vnderstanded principally for that it hath in iustification the chiefest partes And they bringe a place or two where this word only so signifieth But vndoubtedly if a maÌ weigh Pauls words well they wil not agree with this interpretatioÌ For he putteth righteousnes without the works of the law which is not true if works do so follow fayth that with it they bring forth iustification in the elect of God An obiectioÌ of the aduersaries Simple men sometimes herein gaue place vnto the papists but when they vnderstood theyr guile they returned againe into the rightway Dangers may be anoyded by an vprighte interpretation The aduersaries cry out that if we teach meÌ after this sorte we then open a window vnto sluggishnes and flouthfulnes Vnto which their coloured preteÌces some of our men haue sometimes simply and without guile consented who when they saw that true faith whiche iustifieth hath alwayes ioyned with it good works absteyned in their sermons from that worde Onely But afterward when they vnderstoode the fraude of the aduersaries whiche obtruded this deuise to the ende they might at the length teach the people according to their owne fayned inuentions that men are not onely by faith but also by workes iustified they returned vnto their olde forme of speaking that the people should not be any more deceiued And seyng Paule most warely alwayes eschued flaunders and offences of the hearers so much as he might by the truth of the scriptures and we sée that he most manifestly teacheth those things wherof most plainely followeth That fayth onely iustifieth we ought not to be afeard of such daungers which may easily be auoyded if we aptly adde an vpright interpretation of that which we speake They agayne obiect vnto vs that workes of the law in this place signifie ceremonies Vnto whoÌ we aunswer as we haue before already said that the question in dede began about ceremonies but Paule dissolueth it vniuersally and answereth in suche sorte that he concludeth of all kinde of workes Wherfore the reason which he bringeth in in the first place That God is the God not onely of the Iewes but also of the Gentiles hath a respecte vnto ceremonies For the Ethnikes had not receiued the ceremonies of It is proued that here is entreated also of morall workes the Iewes But afterward when he addeth that by faith the lawe is not abolished but rather established he declareth that his exposition is chiefly to be vnderstanded touchyng morall workes which faith abolisheth not but rather confirmeth Which thing we cannot affirme of ceremonies whiche we sée are by Christ and his fayth taken away Farther in that he before sayd that all men haue sinned and were destitute of the glory of God and by that meanes euery mouth is stopped and the whole world made guilty vnto God it sufficiently declareth of what law he speaketh And so doth that also where he sayth that the law sheweth sinne and that also which he citeth out of Dauid No liuing creature shall be iustified in thy sight and many other thynges which afterward in their places we shall sée do sufficiently shew that the wordes of the Apostle comprehend also morall preceptes Wherfore workes are excluded Woorkes ar excluded from the cause of iustification but not froÌ the effect therof but they are excluded as from the cause of iustification but not as from the effect And Christe to declare this to be true in Luke sayde When ye haue done all these thinges say ye we are vnprofitable seruantes vnto whom neither is this in deede due to haue thankes geuen vnto vs. But if by workes we should attayne vnto iustification then should we not be vnprofitable in doyng well and vnto vs should be farre greater things due then geuing of thankes God is he the God of the Iewes onely and not of the Gentles also Yes euen of the Gentles also He proueth now his proposition namely that men are iustified without the workes of the law For if righteousnes should depende of them
muche nede not to be brought backe againe to learne their first rudimentes But Lactancius as touching pleasures delightes writeth nothing els but that the earth shall at that time shew forth her fertilenes shall of her owne accord bring forth fruites most plentifully For hony shall run down the rockes vine trées shall spread along the riuers and the flouds shall flow ouer with milke But all these thinges are the inuentions of men and the same such fayned deuises that they are manifestly repugnant vnto the word of God Christ wheÌ he entreateth with the Saduces concernyng the resurrection affirmeth that the sayntes shall be like the aungels of God as which shall neyther marry wyues nor be married And Paul when vnto the Thessalonians he setteth forth the history of our resurrection maketh no mencion of such trifles This onely he saith That we shall not preuent those which haue slept in the Lord but shall be taken vp together wyth them to mete Christ in the ayre and so shall alwaies be with the Lord. Farther our sauiour hath testified that hys kingdome is not of this world And Paule to the Corinthians sayth That we after the resurrection shall be spirituall and also that the belly and meates shall bee destroyed And to the Rom. he sayth that the kingdome of God is not meate and drinke In the booke of the Apoc. a thousaÌd yeres are taken for a long tyme as he sayth That he would haue hys myracles testified A place of the Apocalipse vnto a thousand generatioÌs the is for euer So yâ number of an hundreth signifieth an absolute reward For so Christ saith that he would reÌder an hundreth fold to those which forsake all that they haue for hys sake And ofteÌtimes in yâ holy scriptures a nuÌber certain is put for a nuÌber vncertain infinit And wher as it is written in the Apoc. yâ the deuil shal be bound for a M. yeres Augustine referreth yâ to the state of this preseÌt tyme wherin by the benefite of Christ that strong man is so vnarmed and ouercome and spoyled that he cannot seduce the elect vnto destruction And the table of Christ at which the sayntes shall eate and drinke Ambrose vpon Luke interpreteth to be the communication of eternall lyfe and of the chiefe felicitie The prophets also oftentimes vsed similitudes taken of kingdomes of this world to describe the kingdome of Christ that the ruder sorte mought the easelier vnderstand the things that were spoken And as touchyng this matter let this suffice Forasmuch as Paul sayth that the promise consisteth not of the law but of faith and bringeth this reason for yâ otherwise both the promise should be voyde faith made of none effect a man mought doubt if there be so small agréement betwene the promise and the law how it came to passe that God vnto his law and precepts annexed so many promises For he hath promised to doo good vnto a thousand Why God annexed promises vnto the law A distinctioÌ of promises some pertayne vnto the law and some to the Gospell generations of them that obserue his law and to geue long life to them that honor theyr parents And Christ himself sayth If thou wilt enter into life kepe the commaundementes Geue and it shall be geuen vnto you forgeue and it shall be forgeuen you Here we muste make a distinction of promises For some of theÌ pertaine to the Gospel concerne iustification eternall saluation These thinges de pende not of the condition of the lawe as Paul testifieth For then shoulde they be voyde for as much as none of vs is able to accomplish the law and that partly by reason of our infirmity and partly by reason of the wonderfull excellency of the law it self Our infirmity Paul declareth in this epistle when he saith That which was impossible vnto the law in as much as it was weakned through the flesh c. Wherby it is manifest yâ the flesh is the let yâ we caÌ not perform those things which are coÌmauÌded in yâ law And in the 7. chapt he sayth that in our flesh dwelleth no good so that we doo those thinges which we would not And the excelleÌcy of the law is vnderstanded by the 5. 6 7. chapters of Mathew and especially by that precept Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God withall thyne hart and with all thy soule c. And one the other side Thou shalt not lust And Paul ioyned these two causes together when in the 7. chapter of this epistle he sayd The law indede is spirituall but I ãâã carnall sold vnder sinne This is the reason why the promise of the Gospell consisteth not of the law which thing also Paul expressed in that that he sayth that the law worketh anger But there are other promises annexed vnto the law and to certayne perticular commaundemeÌts and those we say are not put in vaine For after that a man is once iustified there beginneth in him a certayne obedience of the commaundements of God and the same pleaseth God which obedience although it be not absolute and perfect yet is it so imputed vnto the beleuers as if it were perfect by that meanes we obteyne the promises annexed The beleuers obtain the promises annexed vnto the ãâ¦ã w. vnto the commaundementes whiche yet should in vaine be hoped for without iustification and the promise of the Gospel And this is a notable place and worthy neuer to slip out of our memory That the promise consisteth not of the law And if any man will by the law vnderstand ceremonies straightway ought to be layde agaynst hym those thinges which follow the lawe worketh anger and this that the promise shoulde be firme In which places is most manifestly declared that the law is not to be vnderstaÌd only of ceremonies but also of the morall part For by neglecting or not obseruing it we fall into the wrath of God Although there are some which go about rifltingly to auoyde the strength of this reason For they say if the inheritance shoulde consist of ceremonies the A cauillation againste the reason of Paule promise should be vncertayne For those ceremonies were not common vnto the Gentiles vnto whome yet was promised saluation Wherefore at the least as touching the Gentiles fayth shoulde be vncertayne and also the promyse But if it were so the argument of the Apostle should be absurde for the aduersaryes and the false Apostles would haue sayde therefore to the ende the promise shoulde not be vncertayne let the Gentiles also receaue the ceremonyes And so Paule should haue vsed that fallace which is called peticio principii and shoulde haue taken that as a ground which he shoulde first haue proued namely that the Gentiles ought not to be compelled vnto ceremonyes But they are most manifestly confuted by that that is added that the lawe worketh anger Which thinge vndoubtedly agreeth rather with morall preceptes then with ceremoniall The Apostle
chaunce to dye ether after death we shal haue no fealing or if there be any we shall be in a better state In this maner did they frame themselues after a sort to beare al aduersities But in godly meÌ the consideration of valiantnes and of patience is farre otherwise they haue other causes and other meanes wherby to confirme themselues For they beare not these thinges as though they happned rashly But for that they know that by a singular prouidence they come from the most louing and almighty God from God I say theyr father which with a louing minde and by his right haÌd Consolations of the godly sendeth those afflictioÌs yâ is to the saluatioÌ of the Elect. And for the same cause they also with theyr hand that is patieÌtly receaue them and take them in good parte cryinge with Dauid It is good forme that thou hast humbled me and with Iames All ioy they think coÌsisteth in those aduersities which the most good and most wise God theyr father sendeth They alwayes lift vp the eyes of theyr minde to these promises of Christ Blessed are they which mourne for they shall receaue consolation Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnes sake for theyrs is the kingdome of heauen They suffer al things valiantly not bycause by sorrow they caÌ not be changed but bycause they know that in valiantly suffring the offer themselues an acceptable sacrifice vnto God and perswade themselues that they shall one day be deliuered from those euills for which are layd vp for them most ample and euerlasting ioyes with which no fortune be it neuer so froward can be compared For the suffringes of this time are not worthy the glory to come which shall be reuealed in vs. The Ethnikes oftentimes gaue ouer in the middest of theyr miseries bycause they wanted strengthes to perseuere nether vnderstoode they from whence they should require strengths by reason they knew not the true God nor theyr owne imbecility But holy men stand fast abide by it and perseuer Causes why the Ethnikes geue ouer in afflictioÌs and the sayntes perseuer for that knowing the infirmitye of theyr owne strengths they flye vnto Christ who strengthning them they are able to suffer all things if he coÌfort theÌ they doo not only perseuer but also euen in the very feruentnes of the payne reioyce and be glad The Apostles went from the sight of the Counsell reioysing for that they were counted worthy to suffer contumely for the name of Christ Patience bringeth experience This experience is a certayne triall both of our selues of our owne streÌgths also chiefly of the goodnes might of God For in this suffring of aduersityes we learne how greate the corruption of our nature is which vnles the holy ghost helpe when it is touched with any aduersity streight way bursteth forth into blasphemies and complaynts agaynst the prouidence of God Hereby we learne how broken and weakned our strengths What triaâ springeth of patience An example be by reason of sinne For we should sincke vnder afflictions if we were not stayed vp by the might of Gods helpe Of this thing we haue an excellent example set forth in Iob for he being deliuered of God vnto the deuill to be tried how great blasphemies powred he out in his affliction How much complayneth he of the prouidence and iustice of God The light of the holy ghost had no soner illuminated him but how agayne plucked he vp his spirits How godly and holy an opinion had he of God The peruersnes of our nature lieth hidden from vs. For the hart of man is vnserchable But looke how soone fyre is striken out of the flint stone so soone bursteth forth our peruersnes when affliction oppresseth vs. And this triall as sayth Peter is as a fornace vnto gold And therfore God answered vnto Abraham when he was now redy to sacrifice his sonne and had his sword redy drawen and stretched out to strike him Now I know that thou fea rest God God in dede knew that well inough before but by that fact he brought to passe that this obedience was the better knowen vnto others For we are like vnto certaine spices whose sauor is not smelt vnles a man bruse them wel we are also like vnto stones whereout is fire striken which shew not forth that force which they haue to burne but when they are well pressed betwene the A similitude fingers Experience bringeth hope So hath God disposed these his instrumeÌts that they helpe one an other and one is the cause of an other By reason of the hope of the glory of God afflictions are not troublesom vnto vs but God geuing vs strengths we beare them with a valiant minde In this pacieÌce we haue a greater profeâ and triall of the power and goodnes of God towards vs. Thereof we conceaue a greater hope So hope engendreth and bringeth patieÌce and againe patience hope For when we consider that God hath holpen vs to beare afflictions patiently we hope that he will also hereafter helpe vs and at the length make vs blessed The sicke man for yâ he hath confidence in the phisitioÌ suffreth his botche or sore to be cut Afterward as he feeleth himselfe relieued he more A similitude more putteth confidence in the phisition so that if neede were to cut his foote also he would not be afeard to commite himselfe to his discretion The deuill as much as he can driueth vs to desperation and by afflictions goeth about to perswade vs that God is our enemy But contrariwise the holy ghost saith bicause thou hast quietly and patiently borne affliction it ought to be a sure token vnto the that God in it declareth his fauor towardes the. Wherefore haue hope for he will vndoubtedly deliuer the. And although Iames putteth experience before ConsiliatioÌ of Paul Iames. patience wheras Paul putteth it after yet is there no disagreemeÌt betwene theÌ For Paul meaneth that experience which is geuen at length after the battayle that we mought haue a full triall of our selues and Iames meaneth the selfe same experience but yet as it is gotten and engendred by the exercise of tribulations But that which Iames addeth Patience hath a perfect worke may be expounded A place of Iames. two maner of wayes either that he exhorteth vs to perseuerance in suffring that our patience may be absolute and perfect as which falleth not away or els that we should be of a perfect mynde towardes those which afflict vs of so perfect a mynde I say that we desire not to haue them recompensed for the iniuries which they do vnto vs. And hope confoundeth not This is a notable chayne and an excellent connexion of Christian degrées Of this chayne the first linke is fastened to the A chaine post of afflictioÌs in this worlde from thence the godly ascend to pacience from pacience to experience and from experience to hope which hope
go before the thing hoped for And they so declare their opinion touching this matter that they teach yâ merites go before hope either in very dede or doubtles in thought For men newly conuerted commonly whilest they conceiue hope of saluation appoint in minde in thought good workes by which they thinke to merite the last reward But what present hope can these good works imagined in yâ mind which are not yet wrought produce For of a cause which yet is not caâ not be produced an effect which alredy is We should rather contrariwise affirme namelye that this holye will springeth of faith and of hope then that faith or hope should procede from it as from the cause But it is a sport to sée how these meÌ turn themselues when on the one side they say that hope is an assured expectation and yet on the other side they will haue this to be a most firme doctrine that no man can be assured of his saluation vnlesse it be singulerly reueled vnto hym of GOD. Here they perceiue themselues fast tied and they confesse that it is an harde matter to vnderstande what manner of certaintie the certaintie of hope is Here the poore soules swete and go to worke and faine and imagine many thinges First The certainty of hope commeth of the certainty of fayth they teache that all certaintie of hope commeth of the certaintie of fayth and this in dede is not amisse For therfore we certainly hope bicause by saith we embrace the most certain promise of God But they go on farther and say that by faith we generally and absolutely beleue that all the electe and predestinate shall be saued but hope maketh vs to haue confidence that we are of the number of the electe as though hope had a perticuler knowledge vnder faith so that that which was generally apprehended by faith is by hope applied vnto euery one of vs a parte Wherfore they affirme that this certaintie of hope is by supposition if we be of the number of the elect and if we continue vnto the ende And this kinde of certaintye they will haue to consist of very likely coniectures And at the length they conclude that the certaintie of hope is lesser then the certaintie of faith But we contrariwise make the certaintie of either of them alike For looke how much faith we haue so The certainty of hope and of fayth is alike much hope also haue we For faith retaineth not with it self any part of certainty which it deliuereth not ouer vnto hope That is a fayned fond deuise which they bring touching applicatioÌ yâ by hope we shuld priuately aply vnto our selues those things which we haue by faith generally and absolutely beleued For we do not only beleue that God is good or the father or author of mans felicitie but also euery godly man by faith assureth himselfe that God both is will be vnto him good is will be vnto him a father is and will be vnto him the author of felicitie Hereof Faith applieth those thinges which it beleueth vnto him in whom it is commeth that certaintie of hope And therfore is it that Paul writeth that it can not confound And seing faith hath a respect vnto God as to one that speaketh the truth and hope vnto him as to one that is faithfull and most redy to performe his promises and God himselfe is no lesse faithfull in performing then true in promising we may manifestly conclude that hope hath as much certaintie as hath faith Neither can that any thing helpe him which they cauill at the length namely yâ Certaintye as touching the obiect subiect hope hath certaintie as touching the obiect but not as touching the subiect For when say they it hath a respect vnto the clemency goodnes grace and power of God there is no let in those thinges but that euery one might be saued And therfore on that behalfe they put a perfect certaintie But if a man consider the subiect the mynd I say and will of him that hopeth for as much as this minde and wyll is flexible and wauereth and may be chaunged it can neuer be certaine or sure of saluation But these men seme to me to deale euen as they do which in a siege defending their citie diligently shut and defend all other gates but yet in the meane tyme leaue one open thorough which the enemies enter in and waste and spoyle all which done they perceiue that they lost all their labour So these men take exceding great paines that there should séeme to be no vncertaintie as touching the goodnes power and clemency of God or merite of Christ Howbeit in the meane tyme they appoint our will to be so subiect vnto chaunging that it neither can nor ought promise vnto it selfe perseueraunce no not out of the worde of God And so they vtterly take away all certaintie so that this saying of Paul Hope confoundeth not can haue no place neither doth the certainty which they go about to establish any thinge profite For if we looke vpon the holy scriptures we shall not only vnderstand that God is generally good and mighty but also that he is euer vnto vâ good and mercifull and therefore he will confirme our will that it shall neuer fâll away from hym For as we haue a little before mencioned He will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that which we are able to beare but together with the temptation will make away out And in the first chapter of the first to the Corrinthians He shall confirme you vnto the ende blameles agaynst the day of our Lord Iesus Christ For God is fayhfull by whome ye are called There are besides a great many other testimonies The testimonies of God promise vnto vs perseuerance What the certainty of hope is Hope calleth those thinges which are to comâ as alredy done in the holy scriptures which promise vnto vs both perseuerance and confirmation of our will by Christ wherefore we say that this certaynty of hope is a firme cleauing vnto the promyses offred vnto vs and receaued by fayth for that we knowe that we shall not geue ouer but continue euen vnto the last ende And of so greate force is this hope that as Augustine witnesseth vnto Dardanus and in many other places it calleth thynges that are to come already done as the same Augustine very well declareth by many places of Saynte Paule and especially vnto the Romanes vnto the Ephesians and vnto the Collossians For vnto the Ephesians we are sayde to be already rysen from the deade and to be already set at the right hande of God together with Christ in the heauenly places Vnto the Colossians If ye haue risen together with Christ c. And in an other place He hath saued vs by the lauacre of regeneration And vnto the Romanes By hope we are made safe This certainty springeth chiefely of a worthy estimation which by fayth we conceaue
aduersities they suspect that they are hated of God Here ought they to call to remembrance what ones they were before they came vnto Christ what God did for their sakes wheÌ they were yet enemyes which for their saluation woulde haue his sonne crucified And that they haue to their head Iesus Christ in heauen whose members and partes they are And let it be demanunded of them whether Christ can hate himselfe and destroy hys owne members Wherfore they ought to thinke that their afflictions conduce to eternall saluation and are profitably inflicted of their louing father Wherefore eueÌ as by one man sinne entred into the world and by sinne death and so death went ouer all men for that all men haue sinned For euen vnto the law was sinne in the worlde But sinne is not imputed whilest there is no law But death raigneth from Adam to Moses ouer theÌ also that sinned not after the like maner of the transgression of Adam which was the figure of that which was to come But yet the gift is not so as is the offence VVherefore euen as by one man c. Some thinke that Paul therefore writeth these thinges for that after he had by most firme reasons proued that we are not iustified by our owne workes or merites but only by faith in Christ and by grace now he mindeth more largely to set forth the principall pointes of which all these argumentes which he hath hetherto brought depend namely sinne the lawe and grace And therefore maketh this treatise aparte wherby to declare the strength and force of the former argumentes Which whether it be so or no let other men iudge In myne opinion vndoubtedly these thinges may very well be knitte together with the thinges that haue bene alredy spoken The Methode of Paules treatise For a man mought thinke that the passion of Christ and his death was profitable vnto Christ himselfe only and not also vnto vs for that it mought be thought that the righteousnes of one man can not redound vnto an other But Paul will declare that euen as the fall of the first man was spred abroade ouer all men so the righteousnes of Christ hath redounded vpon all the beleuers and that his benefite is of no lesse force then was the sinne of Adam And by thys meanes he declareth the way whereby by the death crosse of Christ we may be iustified and obtayne saluation nether is this a small helpe to confirme our hope when we perceaue that if we cleue vnto Christ we shall through hym be no les endewed with the chiefest good thing then we haue bene by Adam infected with the extreamest euill thing Many thinges are in this place not without greate consideration set forth touching sinne For the knowledge thereof worketh this in vs to cause vs not to be ingrate for the benefite which we haue receaued The knowlege of sinne how it is profitable For he which séeth out of what and howe great euils he hath bene deliuered séeth also how great is the liberality and goodnes of the deliuerer and of him that hath set him at liberty The knowledge of sinnes setteth forth also the worthynes of the iustification receaued by Christ Wherefore Paul enquireth What thinges are reasoned of touching sinne from whence sinne had his beginning what it brought how it was knowen and last of all by what meanes it was driuen away Wherefore he declareth that sinne entred in by Adam that it brought death that it was knowen by the lawe that it was driuen away and ouercome by the death of Christ and fayth in hym Euen as by one man sinne entred into the world and by sinne death Here semeth to be vsed the figure * Anantapodoton is a figure in writing where some little clause is left out ether in the beginning middle or ende AnantapodotoÌ so that on the other side there should haue bene added So by one Iesus Christ entred in righteousnes and by righteousnes lyfe And Origene affirmeth that Paul would not adde thys for feare of making men slouthfull and sluggishe as though they hauing now obteined righteousnes and eternall lyfe should thinke that they now nede no farther to consider vpon eternall lyfe And for that cause he sayth that the Apostle in an other place added this selfe same sentence in the Future tempse and not in the preterperfect tempse as when he writeth vnto the Corinthians Euen as in Adam all men die so in Christ all men shall be quickened But this reason is of no great force For the holy scripture is not wont to be moued with so light daungers to kepe in silence the benefites of God yea rather it euery where setteth them forth al whole and in ample maner as they are and doth not gelde them nor shorten them of as Origene thinketh But as for slouthfulnes and sluggishnes they are by infinite other places of the scipture sufficiently shaken of For there are in the holy Scriptures exhortations by promises and threatninges wherby to stir vs vp to holines of life and to the endeuour to do good workes And Origene also himselfe confesseth that that which the Apostle here omitteth he afterward faithfully addeth wheÌ he thus writeth Wherfore euen as by the sinne of one man euill was spread abrode ouer all men to condemnation so by the righteousnes of one man was good sprede abrode ouer all men to iustification of lyfe And a little before For if by the offence of one man many haue died much more the grace of God and the gift by grace whiche came thorough one man Iesus Christe hath abounded vnto many Erasmus thinketh that this discommoditie may by an other way be holpen so that the parte aunswering be set after this coniunction ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is and. And the lyke kinde of speakyng he bryngeth out of Mathew in the Lordes prayer ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã In these words semeth to be wanting this coniunction ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is So. So that the sence is Euen as in heauen so also in earth And after this selfe same maner he thinketh is to be made perfect this sentence of the Apostle Wherfore euen as by one maÌ sinne entred into yâ world so also by sinne entred in death But I rather thinke that here is vsed yâ Figure Anantapodoton For I sée that Paul is after a sorte rapte by the force of the spirite to expresse yâ great destruction brought in by sinne Which being done he most manifestly as Origene confesseth in the second interpretation putteth that whiche wanted in the other But the better to vnderstand these wordes of the Apostle we haue thrée thinges by him set forth which are diligently to be peised first what the Apostle meaneth by sinne Secondly what that one man is by whom sinne entred This word sinne how ample it is into the world Thirdly by what meanes sinne is spred abrode As touching yâ first the Apostle amply
soule from hym by traduction And so as touching thys the dignity of eche priesthode had bene alike when as eyther of them paid in Abraham tythes to Melchisedech But here mought they which fauour this opinion make aunswer yâ there was besides an other manner of difference betwene Christ and Leui for although both of them were both as touchyng the body also as touchyng yâ soule in yâ loynes of Abraham yet did not both of them after one and the selfe same manner traduce their nature from him For Christ was borne of the Virgine the holy ghost commyng ouer her But Leui was begotten and borne after the common manes as other men are procreated Wherfore Augustine leaueth this reason and bringeth an other out of the booke of wisedome where it is written as he thinketh vnder the person of Christ I haue by lot obteyned a good soule For he thinketh that this phrase of speach can haue no place if the soule of Christ were by way of propagation by the law of nature traduced from his elders vnlesse we will affirme that nature worketh by chaunce And he thinketh yâ this name of lot therfore had place in the soule of Christ to the ende we might vnderstand that those ornaments whiche we know were most riche and most plentifull in it were not geuen vnto it for any merites goyng before but of the mere mercy What lot could haue place in the soule of Christ Augustine leueth indifferent the question of the traduction of the soule Things also are sayd to be created which are done by meanes of God And this was a wonderfull great ornament of the soule of Christ to be ioyned vnto one and the selfe same substaunce and person with the word of God But this testmony forasmuch as it is not had out of the holy scriptures that are in the Canon is but of small force At the length he leueth indifferent the question of the traduction of the soules as a thing onech side probable And because they which are against it vse to cite this place out of the 33. Psalme which facioned the harts of them apart this also he saith is weake because they also which defend traduction of the soule deny not but that the soules are created of God although they contend that the same is done by a meane For so in the booke of Genesis we reade that the birdes were not created of nothyng but at the commaundement of God did issue forth out of the waters And euery one of vs is saide to be dissolued into earth from whence we were taken when as yet we haue not bodies immediatly out of the earth but of the bodies of our parents Wherfore this sentence can not be confuted and ouerthrowen by the holy scriptures Although I know that this is a receiued opinion in the churche yâ the soules This is a receaued opinion that the soules are powred in increatioÌ are in creating infused and in infusion created Neither haue I for this cause âehersed these thinges for that I meane any innouation touching this senteÌce but only that we might vnderstand what maner of propagation of originall sinne séemed most easiest vnto the ecclesiasticall writers And in dede the scholemin when they reiect this sentence leane only to Phisâcall naturall reasons For that forasmuch The opinioÌ of the traduction of the soule is reasoned against onely by physicall reasons as the reasonable soule is by nature spirituall ãâã it cannot be sundred which thing yet is required in traduction And for that they hold the it is the vnderstaÌding part and a thing of more worthines then that it can be drawen out of the facultie and power of âatter they contend that it can not haue his being by generation but by creation Augustine assigneth an other way or meant in his booke 2. de nuptijs concupiscentia and in many other places where he disputeth against the Pelagians of this kinde of sinne and that is this that this vice or sinne is supposed to passe into the children through the pleasure which the parents take in their mutuall fellowship But this reason of propagation is grounded vppon a foundation suspected and in my iudgement vntrue For that pleasure which is taken of procreation is not of his owne nature euill vnles prauitie of the affect be adioyned therunto For if that action should of necessitie haue sinne ioined with it the holy ghost would not haue exhorted any man vnto it which yet he doth when he perswadeth vs to matrimony and when by Paul he admonisheth maried folks to render mutuall beneuolence one to another Howbeit amitte it were so let vs graunt that therin by reason of humaine infirmitie is some fault Therof shoulde The originall lust which is traduced pertaineth not onely to carnal pleasure follow that only this kind of lust is deriued into the children But the infection of originall sinne consisteth not onely in these thinges which pertaine to carnal pleasure but also in other lustes as of riches of honours of vengeaunce and finally in the whole corruption of our nature The third way is that God therfore createth the soule with such a sinne or defect for that it shall be the soule of a man now damned and set vnder the curse Such a soule say they God createth as is required to 3. such a man Euen as we sée that vnto a dogge is geuen such a soule as is mete for a dogge and vnto the body of an asse a soule mete for an asse But this semeth to be a It cannot be thoughte that God created a soule withfinne very harde opinion Namely that God should contaminate with sinne a soule not yet pertaining vnto AdaÌ especially seing they caÌ not say that this kind of sin is the punishment of an other sinne which went before Wherfore this fonde deuise is of euery man reiected lest we should seme to make God absolutely the author of sins The fourth maner is by the consentes of many men receiued semeth very likely 4 to be true namely that the soule is not created with some but straight way draweth vnto it sinne so soone as euer it is adioyned vnto the body deriued from The soule is said to contracte or draw originall sinne so sone as euer it is ioyned to the corrupt body By two principall thinges the soule is weakened Adam For seing the soule wanteth that grace and vertues wherewith the soule of the first man was endued and hath also gotten a body obnoxious vnto the curse and hath Organes or instruments vnapt very vnmete vnto spirituall workes therefore whereas it ought to gouerne the body it is by it oppressed kept vnder and drawen vnto lustes agréeable vnto the body For it is on âch fiâe weakened both by the vncleanes of the body and also through his owne imber ãâ¦ã litye for that it waÌteth strengths whereby to ouercome nature of which two principall points the
something which is of his owne nature sinne which yet is not imputed of God as we sayd commeth to passe in the beleuers as touching the corruption of nature and pronesse vnto sinnes These thinges are of them selues sinnes although for Christes sake they are not imputed as the Apostle in this The imputation of sinnes of two sortes ether as touching God or as touching men The tyme of the lawe is not excluded from sinne place sayth that before the Law there were many sinnes which yet were not so imputed or counted of men Although herein is some difference for there the imputation is by the mercy of God remoued way but here it is remoued away thorough the ignorance of man Farther although it be said Euen vnto the law yet is not thereby the time of the law acquitted free from sinne For the Law is not of that strength to abolish sinnes And this was of no smal force to abate the hautines and pride of the Iewes For they counted themselues more holye all theÌ other nations for that they had receaued a law from God The like kinde of speach is vsed of the Ethnikes when they write that euen vnto the tenth yere did the Greacians fight agaynst Troy for in so saying they doubtles excluded not the tenth yeare So when Paul sayth Sinne was in the world Euen vnto the law he excludeth not that time which was vnder the law And this woÌderfully Only grace ouercommeth sinne setteth forth the grace of Christ which alone was able to vaÌquishe and to driue away sinne when as sinne was of so greate force to destroye and had so farre and so long ranged abrode that it could not be restrayned no not by the Law Paul when he sayth That death raigned vseth the figure Prosopopaeia nether ought we therfore to thinke yâ by this word Kingdome is ment any healthfull gouermeÌt Howbeit Why the power of of death is called a kingdome therefore he calleth the power of death a kingdome to show that the power thereof was exceding great wherunto all thinges gaue place that it was of a wonderfull mighty force which had brought all tlhinges vnder his subiectioÌ The selfe same forme of speaking he vseth agayne in this epistle saying Let not sinne raigne in your mortall body as if he should haue sayd Although ye cannot prohibit sinne to be in you yet permite not vnto it the kingdome and chiefe dominion it all your endeuors and counselles should geue place and be obedient vnto that And he therefore added that death raygned from Adam euen to Moses to declare that there was sinne in the world For death and sinne follow one the other Agaynst them that deny originall sinne in children inseperably and Sinne and death inferre and bring in one the other Hereby are confuted those which contend that infantes are without sinne and say that for that cause they dye for that by reason of the sinne of Adam they are vnder the condition of mortality being otherwise themselues innocent and cleane from sinne For if this were true the Apostle should then in this place conclude nothing For it mought easely be answered that althoughe men died before the law yet sinne at that time had not his being Wherfore let vs say with Paul Sinne and death are so ioyned together that they cannot be parted a sonder Ambrose suspected the Greke bookes that these two things are so ioyned together that they caÌ not be parted asonder Ouer them also that sinned not after the like maner of the transgression of Adam These wordes were in some copies set forth affirmatiuely by taking away this word not And of this reading doth Origen make mencion and so farre is Ambrose of from dissalowing it that he thinkethn one but it to be natiue And he hath a large discourse of the variety of the Greke bookes and semeth for that cause to haue them in suspicion as corrupted in many places after that the contencions of the heretikes grew stroÌg But in the expositioÌ of that reading which he followeth he semeth to speake but slenderly to the matter for he will haue death to haue rayned ouer those onely which in sinning were like vnto Adam and this he saith happened in idolatry For he affirmeth that the sinne wherein Adam fell was in a maner of this sorte that he beleued himselfe to be God and preferred SathaÌ before God more esteming his couÌsell then the coÌmauÌdemeÌt of God But as for others which keping still their faith in the only Creator did notwithstaÌding sometimes fall he thinketh not that they fell after yâ like maner that Adam fell and therefore he writeth that they died the death of the bodye Ambrose held that some had in hell a free custody but not eternall death were kept in hell in a free custody eueÌ to the coÌming of Christ but in those which had imitated the sinne of Adam ternal death wholy raigned These things as euery maÌ may easely se are both farre fetched also do much weakeÌ the argumeÌt of the Apostle wherefore if this text should be red affirmatiuely peradueÌture we mought picke therout this senteÌce to vnderstaÌd yâ death raigned ouer al meÌ which sinned after the like maÌner of the transgressioÌ of Adam for that he hauing sinned it was all one as if all men had bene present and sinned together with him But let vs leaue this readinge and follow the common readinge and especially seinge Chrisostome Theophilactus and the Greeke Scholies pronounce these woordes negatiuely And so this is the sence that those menne which were before the lawe although they sinned not after that manner that Adam fell who besides the lawe of nature had also a certain commaundement prescribed him yet they also were obnoxious vnto death But Augustine applieth these wordes vnto infantes which die and haue sinne although they sinne not after the selfe same manner that Adam sinned And so Not to sinne after the like manner of the transgression of Adam is nothing els but not to haue sinne actuall and personall as they call it But I woulde thinke that in these woordes may be comprehended both infantes and others that are of age both those before the law and those after the law and those vnder grace Rude and blockish ãâã and ãâã sinne not after the same manner that Adam did as many as are so rude and blockishe that they are vtterlye ignorante of the commaundementes of God of whiche kinde of men it is not incredible but that there maye some be founde in the worlde And in this case vndoubtedlye all men dye although they know not the commaundement prescribed them of God as Adam did Which was the figure of that which was to come By yâ which was to come we may vnderstand all that which afterward happened in all men which procéeded from Adam which were aswel as he obnoxious vnto the curse and vnto death So the first father was a figure and
instructed Adam immediatly as they are wont to speake without all outward ministery The signe of baptisme is in no case to be coÌtemned For such as neglect it wheÌ they may attain to it obtain not regeneratioÌ But if they caÌ not attayne to it it shal be no hurt vnto a godly man and to him that is conuerted vnto Christ though he bee not baptised And hereof it came that the fathers made mencion of the Baptisme of blood and of the spirite And Ambrose vpon the death of Valentinian the Emperor sayth that he wanted not the grace of Baptisme for as much as he so excedingly desired it although he were not baptised But if I should be demaunded concerning infantes of Christians which dye without Baptisme I would answere that we ought to haue a good hope of them that the same hope leaneth vnto the word of God namely vnto the league and couenaunt made with Abraham wherein God promiseth to be not only his God but also the God of his séede Which promise yet forasmuch as it is not so generall that it comprehendeth all therefore I dare not perticularly promise saluation to any which so departeth For there are some children of the saintes which pertayne not to predestination as we rede of Esau Ismaell and many other whose saluation was not therefore letted bycause they were not baptised Howbeit whilest we liue here there remaine euen in them that be regenerate remnantes of this sinne For originall sin is not vtterly taken away by regeneration The guiltines indede is taken away and such thinges as remayne are not imputed to eternall death But euery âhinge ought to be iudged by that that it is in it selfe wherefore if we be demaunded whether it be sinne which remayneth in the regenerate we answere that it is sinne And if thou rede at any time that it is not sinne thou must vnderstand that to be spokeÌ That which remaineth of this sinne after regeneration is sinne of the guiltines thereof But of this matter we will speake more at large in the 7. chap. But in death this kinde of sinne shall vtterly be ouerthrowne For in the blessed Resurrection we shall haue a body renewed and apt for eternall felicity But in the meane time so long as we are here our old man and naturall corruption is coÌtinually dissolued that in death at the last it may cease to be Now haue we sene three thinges how originall sinne is spred abroade by what thing it is takeÌ away and what is to be iudged of the remnantes thereof Now let vs speake of the payne due thereunto Some of the scholemen thinke that the payne shal be without feling What is the punishment of originall sinne The Pelagians thought that they should only be banished out of the kingdoÌe of heauen and farther they affirme nothing but Pigghius addeth this also that they which dye hauing but this sinne only shal be blessed with a certayne naturall felicitye and shall loue God with all theyr hart with all theyr soule and with all theyr strength and shall set forth his name and praises And although he dare not affirme these thinges as certayne yet he alloweth theÌ as very likely But Augustine de fide ad Petrum and in other places also oftentimes adiudgeth infantes that are not regenerate if they dye so to eternall fire And in dede diuers sentences of the holy scripture seme to agree with his opinion For in the last iudgement sentence shal be geuen but to maner of wayes nether is there appointed any third place betwene them that are saued and them that are condemned The Papistes also although they thinke that Purgatory shall continue vnto the day of iudgement yet after that day they put no middle place And it is manifestly writteÌ that they whiche beleue not in Christ shall not only not haue eternall life but also the wrath of God abideth vpon them And so longe as we be without Christ we are called the childreÌ of wrath nether is it to be doubted but that God punisheth those with whome he is angry Wherefore we will say with Augustine and with the holy scriptures that they shal be punished but how or in what sort we can not define but that for asmuch as there are sundry punishementes of hell for euen the scriptures affirme that some shall be delt with more tollorably then other some it is credible that they forasmuch as they haue not adioyned other actuall sinnes vnto originall sinne shall be more easely punished Howbeit I alwayes except the children of the sayntes for that we doubt not but that they may be nombred with the beleuers although in very dede by reason of age they beleue not as the children of the infidels are nombred among the vnbeleuers although by themselues they resist not fayth Wherfore the children of the godly departinge without Baptisme may be saued thorough the league which God hath made with theyr parentes if so they partayne vnto the nomber of them that are predestinate I except also if there be any other which by the secret counsell of God belong vnto predestination These thinges being now thus discussed let vs come vnto the argumentes of the Pelagians whereby they sought to proue that there is no originall sin Their The argumentes of the Pelagians against originall sinne first argument is that it is not very likely that God will still persecute the sinne of Adam wheÌ as he hath long since sufficieÌtly punished it especially seing NahuÌ the prophet saith that God wil not twise iudge one the selfe same thing I know there be which aÌswer yâ he hath not twise geueÌ iudgemeÌt vpoÌ yâ sin but ââs only for in one iudgement he coÌpreheÌded AdaÌ all his posterity But to declare the thinge more manifestly I say that in euery one of vs as often as we are punished there Euery man beareth his owne sinne and not an other mans How this is to be vnderstande that God reuengeth in vs the sinne of Adam A similitude is a cause why we ought to be punished and therefore in euery man is condemned his owne proper fault and not an other mans And though we reade that God doth reuenge in vs the sinne of Adam that is so to be vnderstand by reason our sinne had his beginning of him As if a man being sicke of the pestilence should infect other and they dye we can not say but that euery one of them died of his owne and proper pestilence and not of an other mans But if a man will say that they perished by his pestilence from whome they drew the contagiousnes that is so to be vnderstand because he brought in the pestileÌce first and with tooch infected them But that sentence of Nahum the prophet maketh A place of Nahum nothing to this matter In déede Ierome when he interpreteth that place sayth that by those wordes Marcion is confuted For he falsely alledged that the God of
the olde testament semed a reuenger and cruell because he punished men with most greuous punishementes Which thing Ierome sayth is to be ascribed vnto goodnes and not to cruelty For God saith he did for no other cause punishe men so greuously in Sodom in the floude and at other tymes but that they should not perish for euer For he punished theÌ once that they should not afterward be punished agayne But the same Ierome peraduenture because he sawe these reasons not very strong obiecteth vnto himselfe By these wordes it may seeme that adulterers if they be taken are in good case for so it should come to passe that they being punished with death should escape eternall punishementes of hell Wherefore he aunswereth that the iudge of this world can not preuent the senteÌce of God nether is it to be thought that by a light punishement those sinnes are put away which deserue a greuous and longer In Ieroms time adulterers were punished with death punishement In these wordes of Ierome are two thinges to be noted the one is that at that tyme adultery was punished with death and the other that that interpretacion semed not to satisfie him wherefore he alledgeth an other exposition of the Iewes that God by those wordes would signifie that the Assirians should not be able after they had led away the ten tribes to obtayne also the kingdome of Iudah as they had attempted to do vnder Ezechyas God saith he will not suffer a double vexatioÌ to arise It is sufficient to him to haue destroyed ten tribes he will haue the kingdome of Iuda preserued This exposition although it haue in it nothing contrary to piety yet it semeth not to declare the minde of the prophet For he prophesied the threatning of God agaynst Niniue and that it shoulde be ouerthrowen And mindinge to exagerate the vengeance at hand he sayth that the vehemeÌce of the destruction which the Chaldeyans shoulde bring shoulde be so greate that God should not nede to afflict them againe for he would punishe them sufficiently in the first vengeance For the kingdome of the Assirians was vtterly ouerthrowen of the Chaldeyans And it is a common saying amongst vs that when a man is beaten euen to the death he was so striken with one blowe that he neded not the second stroke This is the Prophetes scope and the proper sense of this place But as touching the matter we deny not but that afflictions in godly men do tende to this end that they should not be condemned with this world as Paul saith For they are fatherly chastisementes whereby God calleth them backe to repentance But out of that we ought not to draw a generall rule to God puninisheth many of the vngodlye both here and also will punish them in the world to come ascribe vnto God a measure that when he hath begon to punishe the vngodly in this life he can not also punishe them in an other life if they dye without faith and repentance If they returne vnto God they shall suffer nothing in an other life and yet not because they haue in this life with theyr punishementes made satisfaction vnto God but because Christ hath throughly payd the price of redemption for them Wherefore euen as vnto the godly are certayne good thinges geuen in this life which are vnto them an ernest peny and beginning of the life to come which shal be accomplished in an other world so in the vngodly eternall punishementes are begon with the preambles of the afflictions Punishmentes of this life are to the vngodly preambles of the punishmentes to come A place of Ezechiel of this life Which thing also Christ semeth to signify when he sayth Feare him which can both kill the body and also cast the soule into hell fire By these thinges I thinke it manifestly inough appeareth that the oracle of the Prophete which we haue playnely interpreted pertayneth nothinge to the matter whiche we entreate of An other of their arguments is taken out of the Prophet Ezechiell The sonne shall not beare the iniquity of the father To this we may briefly aunswere as we a little before sayd namely that the children beare not the iniquity of their fathers but their own proper iniquity which cleaueth vnto euery man froÌ his natiuity But bicause that place is of diuers diuersly expounded we will briefly declare our iudgement therin This was a prouerb much vsed among the Iewes Our fathers haue eaten sower grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge And not only Ezechiell maketh mencion of this saying but also Ieremy in his 31. chap. The meanyng of yâ sentence is this Our fathers haue sinned and we are punished for theÌ And as the Rabines say they which were of the kingdome of the ten tribes semed to referre these things to Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat which first made the golden calues But they which were of the kingdom of Iuda referred the same vnto Manasses for whose impiety they thought that that captiuity honge ouer their heds which the Prophets denounced This prouerbe God reproued sayd that it should not be so henceforth Myne are the soules sayth he the sonne shall not beare the iniquitye of the father but euery man shall dye in hys owne sinne Many will haue these wordes to be vnderstand concerning ciuill punishment bicause God in the 24. chapter of Deut. commaunded that neither the parents should be killed for the children nor the children for the parents Which thing also Amasias king of Iuda obserued as it is written in the 14. chap. of the 2. booke of kinges For he slew them that murthered his father but spared their children accordyng to the commaundement of yâ law Howbeit the Israelites did not alwayes obserue this For we read in the booke of Iosua the 7. chap. that not only Acham was put to death for the accursed thyng Iosua did against the common law when he punished the children with the father which he had stolen but also together with him both his sonnes and daughters also his cattell But this was done by a singuler commaundemeÌt of God Neither is it preiudiciall vnto the law vniuersally geuen Howbeit this exposition concerning the ciuill law agréeth not with the wordes of the Prophet For the Iewes complained not of the punishment which was inflicted on them by the iudge or by the Prince but of those calamities whiche God himselfe had layde vppon themnamely of the destructioÌ of their goods of the ouerthrowing of the kingdom of Iudah and of the captiuity of Babilon In these thinges they spake euill of the iudgemeÌts of God and murmured that his way was not right Wherfore others haue interpreted that place to be spoken of eternall punishments of the withdrawyng of grace and the holy ghost which things they say happeÌ vnto euery man for their owne sinnes and not for the sinnes of other meÌ Howbeit in the meane time they affirme that both the children do
the merites of the parentes For they can not by procreation of the body poure grace into the children forasmuch as it is a thing altogether spirituall nether hath it any naturall fellowship with the fleshe Wherefore forasmuch as goodnes holynes are the mere and pure giftes of God God doth in dede promise that he will doo good vnto the posterity of godly men euen to a thousand generations But that is not to be vnderstand as though there were put any merit in the parentes God was of his mercy moued to make this promise and not by the merites of men And to declare his libertye herein he suffereth it sometimes to happen otherwise and by that meanes teacheth that holy parentes are not so holy but that they haue still much wickednes and corruption in them which they may se to be naturally grafted in theyr children Whereby we may manifestly se the corruption of our nature which also followeth the sayntes euen to the death And for the more establishing also of thys sentence some bring out of the Psalme a curse of the Churche agaynst the children of the vngodlye That they shoulde be orphanes that no man shoulde haue compassion on them that they shoulde begge theyr liuinge If the children of the vngodly be innocents then is this no iust prayer Wherfore it semeth by these words of necessity to follow that they are partakers of the wyckednes of their parentes And bicause they are infantes it can by no other meanes be done but by propagation I know there are some which will haue these wordes of Dauid to be prophesies of thinges to come wherin the holy ghost hath foretold that these misfortunes shall come vnto them But graunt that they be prophesies Yet can it not be denied but that there is in them both the forme the affect of a prayer But a prayer Whether the latter meÌ be more miserable then the first ought to be iust for otherwise it should be no prayer But where as they say that that is most absurd which followeth of this doctrine namely that the last men also should be more miserable then all others bicause they should beare the synnes both of Adam also of all their elders it may be answered two maner of wayes For first not all thinges which seme absurd vnto vs are also absurd before God The things that are absurde vnto vs are not absurd before God For not to depart from this selfe same matter Christ threatneth the Iewes that all the murther of the godly from Abell euen to Zacharias the sonne of Barachias should come vpon them And who séeth not that the estate of the children of Israel which were led away into captiuity was much more miserable then very many generations of their elders which had defiled themselues with the selfe same sins Farther we aunswer that that should in dede be absurd if the sinnes of the elders should continually passe into the children But seyng we haue declared that that is not alwayes so but that the prouidence of God hath appointed an end and measure To the reasons of the scholemen Affections of the mindâ are communicated froÌ the parents vnto the children vnto this euil and hath therfore determinately pronounced onely of the third and fourth generation there is no cause why it should seme absurd vnto any man But the reasons of the scholemen wherwith they withstand this propagation are very weake First they alledge that the qualities of the minde are not communicated from the parentes vnto the children which thing euen experience teacheth to be false For we sée oftentymes that of angry persons are borne angry children and of sad parentes sad children Neither doth this similitude serue theÌ to any purpose when they say that of a Grammarian is not borne a Grammarian nor of a Musician a Musician For these are artes which are gotten by precepts and exercise not affections which are naturally grafted in men And yet by experieÌce we sée that it somtymes commeth to passe yâ in what arte the father chiefly excelleth he hath children very prone vnto the same whither if be husbandry or the arte of war fare or els some liberall science Farther we in this place principally speake of those affections which are the groundes and beginninges of actions In the other Sinne defileth both soule and body argument they say that sinne in the parentes doth vitiate only the soule which is not true For as we haue before taught their body is also defiled And therfore it is no meruaile if fathers do communicate such a body vnto their children Wherfore as touching this matter I gladly agrée with Augustine that it is probable and agreable with the scriptures and this sentence Martin Bucer a man no lesse lerned then holy hath allowed that priuate sinnes are deriued from the parents vnto the children But we must note that that commeth by chaunce and is not of necessitie For God sometimes stayeth the sinnes of the parentes and of his goodnes suffreth not the nature of men vtterly to be destroyed But when he will either represse this traductioÌ of sins or els suffer it to take place he himself only knoweth Howbeit vnto vs it is sufficient to consider these two things First the sinne is poured from the parentes into the children Secondly that the same is by the benefite of God sometimes prohibited which yet can by no meanes be spoken of Originall sin For we al are borne infected with it Now let vs returne vnto the words of the Apostle which we haue so long tyme intermitted Moreouer the lawe entred in by the way that sinne shoulde abounde But where sinne abounded there grace abounded muche more That euen as sinne hath raigned in death so might grace also raigne by righteousnes vnto eternall life through Iesus Christ Moreouer the law entred in by the way that sinne should abounde But The Methode of Paule where sinne abounded there grace abounded much more We muste call to memory that the Apostle began to reherse the effectes of iustification namely that by it we haue peace with God and that we do reioyce not onely bicause of the hope of that glorye but also we reioyce in tribulations bicause we are assured of oure saluation For the confirmation of whiche hope he hathe declared that GOD hathe geuen his sonne vnto the deathe and that when we were yet sinners enemies vngodly And that it should not be obscure by what meanes the righteousnes of Christ could saue vs he sheweth by a comparison that euen as by the sinne of Adam all men haue perished so by Christ all men haue reuiued And in this comparison he teacheth that the effect of sinne is death And that men are deliuered from it only by Christ Now bycause a man might aske whether the law hath any thing profited to the attayntment of that saluation he answereth by preuention that it rather augmented the disease so farre was it of
sinne And it is not hard to sée how fowly they are deceaued which do of Pauls wordes gather these so greate absurdities For in their reasons they take that A false argument of those which gather absurd things out of Paules sayinges which is not the cause for the cause and so fall into a manifest false argument For not to put confidence in the workes of the law or to teach that by the lawe sinne abounded is not a sufficient cause why the lawe of God should either be reiected or els counted vnprofitable And to teach that workes iustifye not is not a cause why we should ceasse of from doing works And to say that more grace abounded when sinne abounded is not to say that our sinnes are the causes of the grace of God For that is agaynst nature that that which is in very déede euill shoulde That which is in very deede euell of it selfe bringeth not foorth good things bring forth good And seing sinnes do alienate vs from God how should they purchase vnto vs grace The disease maketh not the Phisition notable but by occasion It is the art which coÌmendeth him and not the disease So sinnes of their own nature do not illustrate the grace of God but his goodnes and mercy wherby he forgeueth sinnes If we wil conclude rightly and without a fals argument let vs thus reason forasmuch as we can not fulfill the law and therfore it can not iustifie vs let vs not cleaue vnto it only Wherfore let vs annexe Christ and his grace How we ought in this place to conclude which if we do we shall receiue much fruit therby Againe seing that workes can not be the cause of iustification let vs not attribute so much vnto wicked men to such as are not yet regenerate to say that they by their own merites can get vnto themselues grace But being regenerate let vs aply our selues to good works as to the fruites of righteousnes And althoughe sinnes are not the causes of the grace of God yet let vs acknowledge that there neded a mighty and an aboundaÌt grace to take those sinnes away when as they had so infinitely increased There Paralogismus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is committed also in these arguments a false reason of equiuocation For when Paul sayth where sinne hath abounded there more abounded grace he saith not whersoeuer sinnes haue increased there streight way grace hath more abounded For there are found many most wicked men ouer whelmed with infinite synnes in whom shineth no grace of God at all But this Paul sayth where sinnes haue increased by the law and are now in very dede known and inwardly felte in the mynd there men being made afeard of their misery are after a sort prepared and driuen vnto Christ to implore his ayde ⪠And therby it commeth to passe that grace aboundeth in them which are so touched by the law There is an other fallace or An other fallace as touching the diuersity of time deceipt in this reasoning which coÌmeth of yâ diuersitie of tymes For we graunt that God through Christ geueth aboundant grace wherby the sinnes which went before regeneration are blotted out Yet therof ought not to be gathered that sins are againe to be heaped vp to the end grace also should be augmented Wherfore it plainly appeareth that in these false accusations is more then one kynde of false argument Neither was Paul onely accused of this crime that he opened a wyndow to sin but also al those whosoeuer they were that taught Christ ernestly For those false witnesses in yâ Actes testefied against StepheÌ yâ he ceassed not to speake An example concerninge Stephan We are not onely iustified by faith but we receaue the spirite of Christ wherby we are restored to newnes of life many things against God against yâ law But Paul to acquite the doctrine of the Gospel froÌ such false accusatioÌs saith that we are not only iustified by faith but also haue the spirit of Christ whereby we are both stirred vp to a new life and sinne also is weakened in vs. Wherfore wheÌ we reade the holy scriptures we ought to ponder them with greate diligence and attentiuenes before by way of reasoning we gather any thing out of them For he which neglecteth the principles or first groundes is easely led into dangerous errors So greate difference is there betwéene those things which Paul concludeth of the things before spoken and those thinges which the vnlerned do gather of them that they are manifestly contrary one to the other They by this doctrine do gather that we must sinne to the ende grace may abound But Paul of the selfe same doctrine gathereth that we must not sinne that grace should abound Which thing he proueth in this chapter principally The aduersaries gathered that we must sinne and Paule that we oughtâ not to sinne The Apostle proueth bââwo reasons that we muste sinne no more Why he vseth interrogations They which are dead vnto sinne ought not to liue in it Similitudes by two reasons the first is because we are now deade vnto sinne and are come vnto Christ And this reasoÌ he at large handleth in the first part of this chap. The other reason is that we ought to obey him vnto whose seruice we haue addicted our selues Wherefore seing by our conuersion vnto Christ we are made the seruantes of righteousnes we must now serue it and not sinne And this reason contayneth that which remayneth of this chapter Neither is it in vayne that Paul putteth forth his sentence by interrogations For by them he partly expresseth the affection of his indignation how that he toke it very greuously that the doctrine of the Gospell should be diffamed with so absurd suspicions Farther by his interrogations he declareth the security of his conscience For he sheweth that he thought nothing lesse then that which was obiected against him The first reason is this They which are dead vnto sin ought not to perseuer therin But Christians are dead vnto sinne Wherfore they ought not to perseuer in it These things are euidently proued by the contrariety of death and life because no man can at one and the selfe same tyme be both deade and also on lyue For euen as he is a foole which would desire health in such sorte that he would together with it be sick also or which would abyde still in the fire that he might be deliuered from burning so also is he a foole which being deade vnto sinne thinketh that he may neuertheles liue vnto it The selfe same thing teacheth Christ when he sayth that no man can serue two masters And in naturall knowledge it is a common sentence that the generation of one thing is the corruption of an other Wherefore if we be borne agayne to Christ then is it necessary that we should dye vnto sinne Although What it is to dye vnto sinne whilest we liue here this death is
all the whole holy scripture there is not one seÌteÌce which is against our doctrine yet they continually obiect vnto vs the example of Cornelius Of cornelius and his workes who being not yet as they thinke regenerate neither beleued in Christ did notwithstanding works which pleased God We indéede confesse that both the almes and prayers of Cornelius pleased God for the Angell affirmed the same but these men adde of their owne that Cornelius when he did these thinges was not yet iustified neither beleued in Christ But they consider not that the scripture in Cornelius beleued beleued before bap ãâ¦ã e. If he beleued what needed âe to be instructed of that place calleth him religious and one that feared God Wherefore Cornelius beleued and beleued in the Messias being instructed in the doctrine of the Iewes But whether Iesus of Nazareth were that Messias or no he knew not certaynly And therefore Peter was sent to instruct him more fully But here to blere our eyes they say that Paul in the 17. of the Actes attributeth vnto them of Athens some piety when yet they were idolatrers For thus he sayth ye men of Athens I shew vnto you that God whoÌ ye ignoraÌtly worship But eueÌ as if a maÌ can handsomly draw some one letter is not therefore straight way called a good writer neither he Whether Paul attributed any piety vnto the Athenians being yet idolatrers True piety cannot be ioyned with ignorance which can sing a song or two is therefore straight way to be called a good singing man for these names require consideration and art but it may happen by chance that a man may draw well or sing well once or twise and paraduenture the third time so none is to be counted in very déede and plainly godly which doth a worke or two which hath some shewe of piety And Paul called not the Athenians absolutely godly but added certayne termes which diminish godlines whom ye ignorantly sayth he worship But what piety can that be which is ioyned wyth the ignorance of the true God Moreouer a little before he had called theÌ ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is verye supersticious By these two words he much diminished their piety But Cornelius Luke simply calleth religious and addeth that he fered God How great the dignitye of the feare of God is If he be blessed which feareth God how is he not also iustified A testimony of Cornelius iusti ãâ¦ã ation which addition is of so great force that in the booke of Iob a man fearing God is turned of the 70. interpreters ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is a true and religious man And Dauid saith Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord. And if he be blessed which feareth the Lord how is not the same man also iustified But besides these things which after a sorte by the causes proue the iustification of Cornelius we haue an other testimony also of the effectes for that he gaue almes which were acceptable vnto God But we haue already by many reasons proued that no man can do workes acceptable vnto God but he which is iustified and regenerate Farther he distributed these almes vpon the nation of the Iewes that as of them he had bene instructed in the doctrine of pietie so on the other side he would imparte vnto them some of his temporall good thinges For it is méete as Paul sayth vnto the Galathians That he which is enstructed should communicate vnto hym which doth enstruct hym in all good thynges Moreouer that souldiour which was sent vnto Peter declared that he had a good testimony of all the Iewes All which thinges plainly declare that although we read not that he was circumcised yet he so approched vnto the doctrine of the people of God that all men commended his pietie It is written also that he prayed and that diligently And if a man diligently peyse Cornelius prayed at the hour which was appointed for the prayers of the Iewes the whole history he shall finde that he obserued the same houre which the Iewes had appointed them for their common prayers For it saith that at the ix houre he saw an Aungell standing by him which signified vnto him that his prayer was heard But we are taught by the first chapiter of Esay and by the xv chapiter of the Prouerbes and by a great many other places that wycked meÌ and sinners ar not heard of God Which yet is to be vnderstand so long as they will be sinners and retaine still a will to sinne Neither maketh that against this sentence which Augustine How God heareth noâ sinners Why the prayers of wicked ministers are heard writeth against the Donatistes that the prayers of wycked priests are heard of God For the same father addeth That that commeth to passe because of the deuotioÌ of the people But Cornelius when he prayed was holpen by hys own fayth and not by the fayth of others that stoode by And Augustine in his epistle to Sixtus saith that God vseth in iustifiyng of a man to geue vnto hym hys spirite whereby he may praye for those thynges which are profitable vnto saluation And seing Cornelius prayed for those things it can not be doubted but that he was iustified Hereunto adde that no maÌ can rightly pray vnto God except he haue faith And that we are iustified by faith it is now already sufficiently testified and declared Peter also before he began to preach vnto hym said that he now saw verely that God is not an accepter of persons but he is accepted of hym of what nation so euer he bee whiche worketh ryghteousnesse Which wordes plainly declare that Cornelius was then accepted of God before Peter came vnto him And I maruell that there are some which dare auouch yâ he had not the faith of Christ when as Christ himselfe in the viij chapiter of Iohn sayth That he knoweth not God which beleueth not in the sonne of God And in the 4. chapter he admonisheth his disciples If ye beleue in God beleue also in me And if ye beleued in Moses ye would also beleue me These thinges assure vs that Cornelius beleued verily in God and therfore also beleued in the Messias to come as he was instructed of the Iewes although he knew not that he was already come and that Iesus of Nazareth whome the Iewes had crucified was the same Messias He had Cornelius had the faiâh of the fathers of the old testament An example of Nathaniel that faith wherby the fathers beleued in Christ to come Wherfore seyng they were iustified by that faith why should we take vppon vs to deny the same vnto Cornelius Nathanaell which beleued in the Messias to come and thought not yâ he was yet com is pronounced of Christ a true Israelite in whom was no guile which two things cannot be applied vnto a maÌ not yet iustified But Peter was therfore sent to Cornelius that he
although they be adorned with goodly and precious garmentes yet haue they no feeling of theÌ neither by them do they gather any heate or be defended from corruption So saith he Infidels although they séeme sometymes to liue vprightly yet of their workes they receaue no commodity at all He addeth moreouer euen as it is necessary that a man first be before he can receaue meate to be nourished withall so is it necessary that there be first fayth then yâ afterward it be nourished by good workes Touching the workes of Cornelius he saith A similitude that they were wonderfull and pleased God the chiefe rewarder of workes All these thinges are spoken both truly and also agréeably vnto our doctrine But afterward he addeth that Cornelius wheÌ he wrought those works which ar praysed beleued not in Christ which although it be hardly said yet may it by an interpretatioÌ be lenefied to vnderstaÌd him as we did August namely yâ Cornelius beleued not distinctly expressedly wheÌ yet he beleued in Christ after yâ selfe same maner as yâ elders did of whoÌ it is to be douted but yâ they wer saued by the sauior whoÌ they loked should come And this kind of faith was sufficieÌt vnto saluatioÌ vntil yâ gosple was published abroad But afterward he addeth yâ Cornelius could not haue obteined saluatioÌ vnles faith had bene offred vnto him which yet may after a sort be admitted so yâ that saying be taken of the perfect saluatioÌ whervnto Christians are called and shall one day come But that which he addeth can by no meanes stand for he sayth that these workes of Cornelius were dead Here now Chrisostome beginneth not to be Chrisostome For howe was it possible that the Chrisostome herin against himselfe workes of Cornelius should be wonderfull and please God the chiefe rewarder if they were dead But if we will know the true opinion of Chrisostome hymself touching this matter let vs se what he writeth vpoÌ this history in the. 9. chapiter of the Actes For there he playnly testefieth that Cornelius beleued and Chrisostome vpon the Actes affirmeth that Cornelius be leued before the comming of Peter Of the excellent workes of the Romanes was a godly man and not being content with this he addeth that his life was honest and that he had sound groundes of doctrine Here he affirmeth that he had both fayth and also the fruites of fayth Finally he addeth that he had both fayth and righteousnes and all maner of vertue And thus muche touchinge Chrisostome But they obiect vnto this our sentence the excellent workes and notable enterprises of the Romanes which God recompensed with the reward of a most ample impery And to that purpose they cite Augustine in his 51. booke de Ciuitate Dei the. 15. chapiter For there he sayth that God vnto them vnto whome he would not geue eternall life gaue an earthly glory of a most excelleÌt empire which thing vnles he had done there should not haue bene reÌdred any reward to good arts yâ is to vertues wherby they endeuored theÌselues to attaine to so greate glory But that we may the better vnderstand thys compensation God gouerneth the world orderly without confusion whereof Augustine speaketh we must remember that God in the gouernment of the world will haue all thinges done by a certayne order and without confusioÌ that effects should follow theyr causes and properties should be adioyned vnto thinges whereunto they belonge Fruites are by the heate of the Sonne made ripe witty men by industrye and study attayne vnto good artes After winter commeth the spring agayne after the springe commeth sommer and atter sommer commeth the autum Plants bring forth first leaues afterward flowers and then fruites After this maner doth God prouide for the nature of thinges and for rites and famelies And for that vnles common welthes florishinge in Lawes and vertues shoulde attayne vnto dominion all humane Vnto what vertues is naturally adioyned greate dominion thinges would sone come to nought therefore by the commaundement of God and by a naturall institution it followeth that where florisheth discipline of warre obedience towardes the magestrate obseruation of Lawes seuere iurisoiction modesty of princes abstineÌce fortitude and loue of the couÌrâey there also followeth a greate empire Whiche yet proueth not that these thinges are not sinnes so far forth as they procede from men without fayth For they are Why the godly workes of the Ethnikes were sinnes not directed vnto the glory of God which ought to be the end of al meÌs doings wherefore thys glorye and largenes of dominion for that by the institution of God it followeth morall and ciuill vertues is both taken of ciuill men as the end and fruite of theyr labors and also is called a reward And that these works Augustine teacheth that those workes were sinnes of the Romanes were sinnes Augustine himselfe affirmeth in yâ selfe same boke de Ciuitate Dei the 12. chapiter For thus he writeth Touching the Romanes for that for honor prayse and glory sake they studied to preserue theyr contrey wherein they sought glory and doubted not to preferre the safety thereof before theyr owne safety for thys one vice sake that is for the loue of prayse and keping vnder the gredy desire of money and many other vices Here the ambitioÌ of the Romanes he calleth vice Who then can say that God truly or properly rewardeth sinnes wherefore it remayneth God is not sayd properly to reward sinnes that this rewarding be taken in that sence that we before spake of namely that it followeth by the order of thinges appoynted of God and that of them vpon whome it is bestowed it is counted as a reward and fruite of theyr labors For this kinde of speach the scripture also not seldome vseth of the scribes and hipocrites the Lord sayd Verily I say vnto you they haue receaued theyr reward And Paul touching them which when they knewe God worshiped him not as God but being deliuered vp vnto filthy desires polluted theyr bodies with ignominy and shame They receaued in them selues sayth he theyr reward as it was meete And Ezechiell in his 29. chapiter sayth That God would geue a reward vnto Nabucadnezar for that he had serued him in the ouerthrowing of Tire and for a reward promised vnto him the spoyle and distruction of Egipt And there is no doubt but yâ the works of hipocrites which couloured theyr faces that they mought seme vnto men to fast and that the superstitious and detestable worshippinges of idolaters and those cruell factes which Nabucadnezar did to satisfy his ambition were sins and that greauous sinnes And yet we reade that all these thinges had theyr reward And that God in appoyntinge of kingdomes had a respect vnto an other Why God by his prouideÌce so transferreth kingdomes from nation to nation end then to pay vnto those men a reward euen Augustine playnly declareth in his 5.
of God neither are their hartes changed What good treasure then can there be in them whereout may budde forth workes acceptable vnto God But because we will not go from their similitude for as much as they say that they are plants which bring forth bowes and leaues although they haue no fruite they should haue remembred that Christ as we before said accursed such trées and when in the figge trée he had sought fruit found only leaues he smote it with so a vehement curse that it withered away We doo not denye but that of men may be done some moral and ciuil good thing which is brought forth by that power of God whereby all thinges are preserued For as the Ethnikes also confesse In hym we lyue are moued and haue our being But that power wherby God gouerneth and moueth al thinges nothing helpeth vnto eternall life men not regenerate But the issue of our cause is whether they which be aleants from Christ can do any thing which is allowed and accepted of God Which thing we deny and they affirme And how much the place which we haue brought of the euill trée which can bring forth no good fruite maketh on our side we haue sufficiently declared Now let vs examine the other place which our aduersaries go about to wrest from vs namely whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne This place Augustine alwayes in a manner obiected vnto Pelagius Augustine obiected vnto ââlagius that whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Pelagius made aunswere that that is only a perticular reason which was spoken only of meates for that cause ought not to be extended vnto other works and especially vnto the works of infidels We confesse in déede that that question sprang first by reason of meates But after what maner that reason is alleadged let vs consider by the wordes of Paul He whiche iudgeth saith he that is whiche putteth doubt in ech part and eateth is condemned This was to be proued The reason which he gaue was for that it is not of faith But because this saying is but particular neither could that which he had spoken haue bene reduced to a Silogismus vnles there shoulde be added an vniuersall proposition therefore he added We must be assured that that which we do is acceptable vnto God whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne By which sentence Pauls meaning is that so often as we attempt any thing we should be thoroughly assured that the same is pleasing vnto God and is of him required by some commaundemeÌt of the law Which certainty if it want whatsoeuer we do saith he is sinne And Pauls firme argument may thus be knit together Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne to eate meates prohibited in the lawe with a doubtinge whether the same be lawefull or no is not of faith wherefore it is sinne The Apostle although he proueth Paul by an vniuersall proposition proueth a perticuâer proposition a perticular proposition yet he vseth an vniuersall reason Which as it is applied vnto meates so maye it also be applied vnto all other actions so that all those actions what so euer they be which want this faith are sinnes Wherefore nether we nor Augustine abuse that sentence when we applie it vnto the workes of infidels But now a dayes many cry out that faith in this place signifieth a perswasion of the conscience and that Paul had not a respect vnto that faith which we say iustifieth vs. But these men take too large a scope which bring in a new signification of faith without any testimony of the holy scriptures Wherefore we moughte wel denie vnto them this But for that although we graunt vnto them that which they would haue yet are they still coÌpelled to returne to our sentence therefore therein we will not much contende with them Be it so as they would haue it Suppose that fayth be the conscience But how ought the conscience to be perswaded of woorkes to vnderstande whiche are good and whiche are euill Verelye if we bee godlye we can haue no other rule but the lawe of God For The law of God is the rule of the coÌscience it is the rule wherebye good and euill oughte to be iudged Therehence oughte to come the perswasion of our conscience that by faith it vnderstand that that worke which it taketh in hand is good and contrariwise that it is euill if it be agaynst the lawe of God And this is nothing els but that which we before spake of faith Wherefore let vs leue these men which when as they will be sene to speake thinges differing from vs do vnwares fall into one and the same sentence with vs. But we are here tought that whatsoeuer we take in hand we oughte chiefely to sée vnto that we be assured of the will of God And yâ same thing tought Paul when he saide Let vs trye what is the good will of God And as the same Paul writeth vnto the EphesiaÌs let vs not walke as vnskilful which vnderstaÌd not what is the will of God And the thou shouldest not thinke geÌtle reader yâ this interpretacioÌ is of our own deuising looke vpoÌ Origen Primasius yâ disciple of Augustine those commentaries which are ascribed vnto Ierome And thou shalt finde that they are The commentaries ascribed vnto Ierome of the same iudgement when they interprete that place which we haue now alleaged For they acknowledge no other faith then that faith which all men acknowledge But when we shall come to that place we will declare what the rest of the fathers haue taught and held touching it But now to come to the principal point of this controuersie we thinke that we haue aboundantly out of yâ holy scriptures confirmed That all the workes of infidels are sinnes Of whiche sentence is not only Augustine against Iulianus but also Ambrose in his booke de vocatione Ambrose saith that the workes of infidels are sinnes Basilius of the same mind gentium the 3. chap. For he saith That wythout the worshippyng of the true God the thynges that seeme to be vertues are sinnes Basilius in his 2. booke de baptismo the 7. chap. of purpose moueth this question and maketh on our side And he citeth places out of the scriptures As out of Esay A sinner when he sacrificeth it is all one as if he should offer vp a dogge and when he offreth swete cakes it is all one as if he should offer vp swines flesh And moreouer He which doth commit sinne is the seruant of sinne and serueth it onely Againe No man can serue two lordes God and Mammon And againe What fellowship hath lyght wyth darkenes God wyth Beliall Finally he citeth also that testimonye whereof we before largely entreated An euill tree can not bryng forth good fruites Of all these testimonies he concludeth the same thing which we teach By these things I thinke it is now plaine what is to be thought of the state of
kingdome of heauen he streight way declareth that thing by the effectes I was hungry sayth he and ye fed me I was thursty and ye gaue me drinke I was in prison and ye visited me c So Paul in this place expresseth the true cause of our deliuery namely the spirite of Christ Now to know who they are that be partakers therof he setteth forth yâ effectes of this deliuery sayingâ Vnto those vvhich are in Christ Iesus vvhich walke not according to the flesh but according to the spirite That which is added namely to walke according to the spirite and not according to the fleshe bycause it is afterward repeated shall in that place be expounded Let vs se therefore what it is to be in Christe First commeth that which is common vnto all men For the sonne of God bycause What is the coniunction which we haue with Christ he tooke vpon him the nature of man is ioyned and made one with al meÌ For sithen they haue fellowship with flesh and bloud as witnesseth the epistle vnto the Hebrues he also was made pertaker of flesh and bloud But this coniunction is generall and weake and onely if I may so call it according to the matter For the nature of men is farre diuers from that nature which Christe tooke vpon him For the nature of man in Christ is both immortall and also exempted from sinne and adorned with all purenes but our nature is vnpure corruptible and miserablye contaminated with sinne But if it be endewed with the spirite of Christ it is so repayred that it differeth not much from the nature of Christ Yea so greate is that affinity that Paul in his epistle to the EphesiaÌs sayth That we are flesh of his flesh and bones of his bones Which forme of speaking An Ebrue phrase our bone and our flesh semeth to be taken out of the writinges of yâ old TestameÌt For there bretherne and kinsefolkes doo thus speake of themselues one to an other He is my bone and my flesh For they seme to acknowledge vnto them one common matter by reason of one and the selfe same séede of the father and one the selfe same wombe of the mother Whereunto this also is a helpe for that children doo draw of theyr parentes not only a carnall and corpulent substance but also witte affections and disposition This selfe same thing commeth to passe in vs when we are endewed with the spirite of Christ For besides our nature which we haue commoÌ with him we haue also his mind as Paul admonisheth in the first to the Cor. and the selfe same sence as he requireth vnto the Phillippians saying Let the selfe same sence be in you which was also in Christ Iesus Thys our coniunction with Christ Paul expressed in this selfe same epistle by graftinge wherein are verye well perceaued or sene those two things which we haue now made mencion of For the grafte whiche is grafted and the stocke whereinto it is grafted are A similitude made one thing nether only are yâ matters which were diuerse ioyned together but also they are nourished together with one and the selfe same iuyce spirite and life This selfe same thing the Apostle testefieth is done in vs when he sayth that we are grafted into Christ The same thing also Christ teacheth in the Gospel of Iohn wheÌ he calleth himself yâ vine vs yâ braunches for yâ braunches haue yâ selfe same life common with the vine trée they burgen forth by yâ same spirite and bring forth one and the selfe same fruite Paul also in his epistle to the Ephesians Our coniunction with Christ is compared with matrimony ⪠compareth our coniunction with Christ with matrimony For he saith that it is a greate sacrament betwene Christ and the Churche For euen as in matrimony not only bodyes are made common but also affections and wills are ioyned together so commeth it to passe by a sure and firme grouÌd betwene Christe and the Churche Wherefore the Apostle pronounceth them frée from sinne which abyde in Christe and be in hym after that maner which we haue now expressed to the end they should liue his life and haue one and the self same sence with him and bring forth fruites of workes not disagreing froÌ his frutes and they whiche are suche can not feare condemnation or iudgement For the Lorde Iesus is saluation it selfe as hys name suffycyentlye declareth Wherfore they which are in him are in no daunger to be condemned Hereunto Who are in Christ we adde that they also are in Christ which in all their things depend of hym and which whatsoeuer they take in hand or do are moued by his spirite For to depeÌd of him is nothing els then in all thinges that we go about to haue a regard vnto him and to séeke onely his glory but they which are moued by his spirit ⪠do not follow the affections and instigations of lustes Hereby it is manifest how faithfull and godly men are in Christ and that by all kindes of causes ââor we haue one the selfe same matter also the selfe same first groundes of forme for we are endued with the self same notes proprieties and conditions which he had The efficient It is proued that we are in Christ by all kindes of causes cause wherby we are moued to worke is the same spirit wherwith he was moued Lastly the ende is all one namely the the glory of God should be aduanced But that which was vnpossible vnto the law in as much as it was weake because of the flesh God sendyng his own sonne in the similitude of the flesh of sinne and by sinne condemned sinne in the flesh That the righteousnes of the Lawe might be fulfilled in vs which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit For they which are accordyng to the fleshe sauour the thinges that are of the flesh but they that are accordyng to the spirite sauour the thinges that are of the spirite For the wisedome of the fleshe is death but the wisedome of the spirite is lyfe and peace Because the wisedome of the flesh is enmity against God for it is not subiect vnto the lawe of God neyther in deede can be So then they that are in the fleshe cannot please God But that which was impossible vnto the law in as much as it was weakened by the flesh God sending his sonne Here is brought a reason wherby is shewed that this spirite of God is geuen vnto vs for a deliuerer to the ende we might be made the more certaine therof For when we heare that of necessity we must haue the spirite of Christ streight way we thinke with our selues that by reason of our vncleane affections and corrupt maners we are vnworthy of the receauing of it This doubt Paul taketh away saith that yâ benefite commeth vnto vs by the death of Christ For this was the ende for which Christ would dye namely
a beginning and an endeuour of obedience and forgeuenes of defectes which they committe the righteousnes also of Christ whereby the law is fulfilled is now made their righteousnes and is of God imputed vnto them For the strengthes of the head do passe into the members Lastly by hope we are made safe and the accomplishment of the lawe which wanteth in their workes so long as they liue here they shal attaine perfectly by all meanes ful wheÌ they shal be ioyned together with Christ in an other life ⪠And therefore woulde God prouide a remedy for the weakenes of the lawe which springeth of our weaknes Let vs sée therefore what God hath done He hath sent his sonne in the similitude of the fleshe of sinne and by sin hath condemned sinne in the fleshe By these woordes is manifeste the number and distinction of the diuine persons in the holy Trinity For if the sonne be sent of the father then must one of necessity be distinct from the other which is The distinction of persons in the Trinity contrary to the heresye of Photinus Sabellias the Patripassianites and other suche pestiferous men which taught that the sonne and the holy ghost are distincted both from the father and also betwéene themselues onely as touchinge the names But what order Paul hath put in the persons we may easely sée Firste he saith that the holy ghost is he which deliuereth secondlye that that spirite is geuen by Christ lastly that the sonne is sent of the father And so he resolueth the last effect of our saluation into the first cause In the similitude of the flesh of sinne Augustine admonisheth that these This word similitude taketh not away the veritie of the flesh things are to be red ioyntly together so that this word similitude is not referred vnto the fleshe but vnto sinne For the humane nature which Christ tooke vpon him had the shew or forme of sinne but yet in very dede it could not be polluted with sinne Paul also vnto the Phillippians writeth that Christ was in the similitude of men not that he was not a man in very dede but that bycause he so abased himselfe that he nothing departed from the common custome of men nether confounded he the nature of man with the nature of the word of God but left it so perfect that euen the forme and similitude of other men might be shewed in Christ And therefore the Apostle vseth this word similitude that we might vnderstand yâ the Lord was not a pure man only as other men were althoughe he semed such a one For in him was the diuine nature hiddeÌ Wherefore there is no cause why the Marcionites or other such like heretikes shoulde by these places deny that Christ had true flesh For he tooke vpon him the nature of man as the Greke Schiolies haue noted with the affections thereof not vndoubtedly with those affections which spring of malice but with those which spring of nature instituted of God In summe to haue taken the flesh of sinne is nothing els then that Christ was so made man that he was subiect vnto heate cold hunger thirst contumelies and death for these are the effects of sinne And therefore the the flesh of Christ mought well be called the flesh of sinne Augustine in his 14. booke agaynst Faustus hath to doo agaynst an heretike which refused Moses as though he were conâumelious against Christ when he wrote Cursed be euery one that hangeth one a tree Vnto whome Augustine answereth If by this meanes thou condemnest Moses thou shalt also reiect Paul For he vnto the Galathians writeth that Christ was made accursed for vs. And the same Paul in his latter epistle to the Corrinthians sayth that he which knew not sinne was for our sakes made sinne Then he citeth this place whereof we now intreate that God sent his sonne in the similitude of the flesh of sinne and by sinne condemned sinne He bringeth also a reason Why the flesh of Christ is called sinne why the flesh of Christ is called sinne namely bycause it was mortall and tasted of death which of necessity followeth sinne And he affirmeth this to be a figuratiue kinde of speach wherein by that which goeth before is expressed that which followeth But besides this interpretation of Augustine I remember an other also which the same Augustine treatinge vpon this place followeth which also he semeth to haue lerned of Origene And that interpretation is taken out of Leuiticus where when as there are diuerse kinds of sacrifices instituted mencion is made of an oblation for sinne which selfe same oblation is euerye The oblacion for sinne is called sin SacrameÌts haue the names of the thinges signified where called sinne But vnto that word is oftentimes added a preposition and in the Hebrue it is written Lechatteoth and Leaschrah that is for sinne and for trespas so that hereby we may se that the sacramentes as we haue often sayd haue the names of those thinges which they signifie And other tonges also both the Lattine and the Greke seme to haue imitated this forme of speaking For the Lattines cal that piaculum or piacularem hostiam whiche is offred to turne away the wrath of God The same thing the Grecians call ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of makingâ cleane and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And this is it which Paul sometimes calleth sinne and accursed This therefore is the meaning that Christe condemned sinne whiche was in our flesh by sinne that is by that oblation which was for sinne that is by his flesh which is here called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which is after the Hebrue maner of speakinge the sacrifice for sinne But to condemne signifieth in this place to take away and to discharge those thinges which vse to follow them that are condemned And that we may the easelier vnderstand how Christ by his death How Christ by death hath condemned sinne condemned sinne we ought by fayth to be assured that he hath obteyned for vs the holyghost whereby our sinnes are forgeuen whereby also lust which is the roote of all sinnes is repressed in vs. But there are others which interpretate this place otherwise as though Christ condemned sinne in his flesh that is he would haue himselfe to be punished and offred vp for sinne namely for our sin Which interpretation doth not so much differ from the first But that interpretacion which Chrisostome and Ambrose haue is farre more straunge for they thynke that sinne it selfe was condemned of Christe for sinne that is for that cause namely bycause it had done vniustly and sinned greuously For sinne of his owne right semed to rage against meÌ which were eueÌ from yâ beginning obnoâius vnto it but in yâ it was so bold to lay haÌds vpon Christ being most innocent it deserued coÌdeÌnatioÌ But Ambrose semeth to signifie that sin is here takeÌ for the deuill who in yâ he killed Christ tempted him more theÌ
it was lawful for him to do wherfore he thinketh he lost his power which before he had âuer men But this interpretation although it conteine nothing that is vngodly yet in no wyse agréeth with the meaning of the Apostle For Paul geueth a reason how we are deliuered by Christ from the lustes and motions of which he complaineth towards the ende of the vij chapter And forasmuch as the death of Christ is put for the cause of this deliuery that exposition which we brought of the sacrifice for sin both is agreable with reason and also is proued by other testimonies of the Scriptures For Esay in his 53. chapter writynge of Christ sayth If he shall put his soule Ameth schaim asham nephesch sinne that is to say for sinne Paul also as we haue before cited him saith That he which knew no sinne was for vs made sinne And in the first epistle to the Corrinthians Christ our paschall is offered vp And in the epistle vnto the Hebreues Christ is set forth to be that sacrifice for sinne whiche was sene to be offered without the hostes Iohn also sayth Beholde the lambe of God whiche taketh away the sinnes of the worlde in which wordes he calleth him a lambe for yâ What the killinge of sacrifices signified in the old time he should be a sacrifice for sinne And that slaughter of sacrifices shadowed nothing els vnto the elders but damnation and death For there they which offred them acknowledged that the sinnes for which they ought to haue bene punished should be transferred and layd vpon the Messias that euen as the sacrifice was killed so should Christ in tyme to come dye for the sinne of the people Which thing peraduenture they declared by an outward simbole or signe namely by laying on of Why the Gentils sometimes sacrificed men their handes And many thinke that this signification of the offring vp of the Messias for sinne was of so great force that for the figuracion therof men were among certaine nations offred vp For that which they had heard of the holy patriarches should one day come to passe the same they sought to expresse by a sacrifice most nyest as they thought vnto the truth Which yet forasmuch as it wanted yâ word of God and was by them only inuented was nothing els then an vngodly cruelty Of this thing Origene against Celsus maketh mencion Neither can it be but Why the killinges of sacrifices aâ at this day â out of vse wonderful that at this day throughout the whole world there are no immolatioÌs of sacrifices which seme by the prouidence of god therfore to haue vanished away bicause that noble and so long looked for sacrifice of the deth of Christ which was by all those sacrifices after a sorte shadowed is now performed For God hath geuen one only oblacion wherby as we haue said sinne is condemned By which so great liberality of God towardes vs both feare and also faith ought to be stirred vp in vs. For if God to the ende he would abolishe sinne spared not his owne proper sonne what shall become of vs if we despise so great a sacrifice and tread vnder foote the bloud of the sonne of God On the other side who will not put his confidence in God whom he séeth for our sinnes to haue geuen his sonne vnto the deth Wherfore we ought with a most strong faith to embrace this sacrifice Neyther ought we here to regard the sacrificing priestes which boast that they can by their The sacrifyce of Christ is not applied vnto vs by Masses masses and superstitions and vngodly whisperinges apply this sacrifice vnto vs. In dede the holy scriptures teache that one ought to pray for an other But that yâ communicating of one man is sufficient for an other or that it applieth the death of Christ vnto an other that thing the holy ghost neuer taught And sithen the sacramentes are ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã That is seales of promises they can profite them onely if we speake of theÌ which are of full age which embrace theÌ by fayth Wherfore eueÌ as it is not coÌuenient yâ one should be baptised for an other so doth it nothing profite if one man receiue the Eucharist or supper of the Lord for an other For this were all one as if a man should take seales by which promises are confirmed and transferre theÌ vnto a blanke paper which hath neither promise nor any thing written in it we may in déede when we communicate geue thankes vnto God for that he hath holpen our neighbours and brethren and we may pray for them that they may be confirmed But to eate the sacrifice or Eucharist or to offer vp Christ for other men it is vtterly a fained inuention And although we shoulde graunte theÌ thys yet should they not haue yâ which they so much séeke for For thys is not peculiar vnto priestes but is coÌmoÌ vnto al theÌ which celebrate yâ supper of yâ lord Away therfore with these fained lies let euery maÌ labor by his own proper faith to take hold for himselfe of this benefite of Christ to apply it vnto himself Augustine in his exposition begon vpon the epistle vnto the Romanes saith that euery one of vs applieth vnto himselfe the sacrifice of the death of Christ For he saith Touching the sacrifice of which the Apostle then spake that is of the burnt offring of the Lordes passion that euery man offreth for hys owne sinnes then when he is dedicated vnto the passion of Christ through faith and when by baptisme be is noted by the name of faithfull Christians Now let vs speake of the third thing namely to sée what is the fruite of the death of Christ That the righteousnes of God might be fulfilled in vs which walke not according to the fleshe but according to the spirite That which we haue turned Righteousnes and others Iustification in Greke it is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which word signifieth that honesty and vprightnes which is commaunded in the lawe which although it be so called yet are we not therby iustified for the fulfilling thereof can be in no man but only in him which is iustified It is true in dede that We shal be iudged according to our works we shall not be iustified by them we shal be iudged accordinge vnto those woorkes for God wyll render vnto euerye manne accordynge to hys woorkes For accordinge to the condition of the workes the forme of the sentence shal be pronouÌced Yet are not good works the causes of that felicity which we looke for For if they were causes then shoulde they either be equall with the reward or els they should be greater then it For this is the nature of causes ether to excell the affectes or at the least wayes to be The dignity of causes either excelleth or els is equall with the effecâes How the preceptes of the law are fulfilled in vs by Christ equall
pertakers of the resurrection namely when by mortification we are Howe we are pertakers of the resurrection The spirite of God will do the selfe same thinge in vs that it hath done in Christ made like vnto his death The reason of Paul leueth vnto this foundation that the spirite of God will worke the selfe same effecte in vs that it did in Christ For of one the selfe same cause are to be looked for yâ selfe same effectes And God forasmuch as he is euery where like vnto himselfe by the selfe same meanes bringeth forth the selfe same workes Wherefore the consequence followeth well And seing when Christ was raysed from the dead ther was rendred vnto him a pure eternall and diuine life such a life also shall one day be rendred vnto vs which life we wayte for in the blessed resurrection when our bodyes shal be raysed vp being perfectly renued and now also we beginne the same when as by new motions Our resurrection is now begon of the spirite we are stirred vp to good workes Wherefore by these wordes are we admonished to mortefie the affectes of the flesh as Paul in an other place saide They which are of Christ haue crucified their fleshe with all the lustes thereof And vnto the Colossians Mortefie saith he your members which are vpon the earth and thys is the body to be deade Neither is it to be meruailed at that by the name of the body is vnderstand sine for sinne is named of that part whereby it had entrance into vs. For the soule saith Ambrose is not traduced from the parentes but only the body Now to dye vnto the body or vnto sinne is nothing els then to do nothing at the commaundement of lustes This is all one with that which we had What to dy vnto the body or vnto sinne signifieth before in the 6. chapter That we are now in baptisme dead with Christ and are buried together wyth hym And the Apostle commonly when he writeth of mortification and newnes of life taketh argumentes of the resurrection of the Lord by which Christ layd away mortality and did put on eternall life Which selfe thing shall also come to passe in our resurrection For in it shall we lay a side all oldenes of error and of corruption Which although before that tyme we shall not perfectly haue yet nowe also in this life we beginne to possesse in some sorte alreadye Wherefore Paul saith in the 2. epistle to the Corrinthyans Euen as our olde man is dayly destroyed so on the other side is our new man dayly renewed And vnto the Collossians If ye haue risen together whith Christ seeke the thynges that are aboue And vnto the Phillippians Paul saith That he alwayes endeuoreth himselfe to the thinges that are before neglecting and setting aside those thynges which are behynde that he mought by any meanes attayne vnto the resurrection of the Lord beyng already made pertaker of hys suffrynges And thus much as touching the first interpretacioÌ which Chrisostome followeth which if we more narrowly consider we shall sée that it containeth that which we a litle before spake namely that it is the proper duty of Christians not to liue according to the fleshe but according to the spirite For what other thinge is this but to mortify the body of sinne and to rise againe vnto a new life with Christ as though eueÌ now beginneth to shine forth in vs the resurrectioÌ which we hope shall in the last time be made perfect The second interpretation which Augustine foloweth is to vnderstand the body properly that is for this our outward substaunce And this body he saith is through sinne dead for that vppon it by reason of sinne was sentence long since geuen And he teacheth that by Christ By Christ we haue recouered a better nature then we lâst hy by Adam we haue recouered a better nature then we lost by Adam For he had a body not obnoxious vnto the necessity of death howbeit mortall for if he sinned he shoulde die But we by the resurrection of Christ shall receiue a body so frée from the necessitie of dying that it can not any more dye So according to this interpretatioÌ Paul declareth that we besides the benefite of the death of Christ haue an other benefit also of the spirite of Christ so that we are now by him pertakers of immortality Wherfore as touching the resurrection of the bodies eche interpretation is agreable But about this particle The body is dead they agrée not for Augustine taketh the body properly but Chrisostome by it vnderstandeth the vice and corruption of nature Wherfore according to this second interpretation Paul semeth to aunswer vnto a priuy obiection For against those thinges which haue hitherto bene spoken mought some man make this obiection This spirit whome thou so highly commendest as though it deliuereth vs from sinne and froÌ death doth yet stil leue vs in death and obnoxious vnto many aduersities diseases and calamities Paul aunswereth that this is true only as touching the body by reason of sinne which is still left in it For there hence come those euils Howbeit he willeth vs to be of good cheare for that spirite of God which is in vs hath now taken away condemnatioÌ that sinne which is remainyng in vs should not be imputed vnto vs vnto eternal death and will also bring to passe that euen as Christ which was dead was by him raised vp againe from the dead so also our bodies which are yet mortall shall be repayred vnto true immortalitie This sence is easy and plain and very wel agreing with those things which haue bene spoken therfore I allow it although in yâ other exposition I know there is no absurditie or discoÌmoditie Here are two things to be noted first that yâ lust which is remayning in vs is of Paul called sinne and such a sinne also that after it followeth death Which cannot be denied The luste which remayneth in vs is sinne after which followeth death Why God sendeth aduersities vpon his elect in infants that are baptised and yet die for if in them sinne were vtterly taken away death could haue no place Although in the elect which are nowe reconciled vnto God death and such other afflictions are not inflicted as paines but rather as a crosse sanctified of God and that by a fatherly chastisement we should vnderstaÌd how highly God is displeased with sinne and should be more and more called back vnto repentaunce and that death mought be in vs a way wherby should be extinguished whatsoeuer sinne is remainyng in vs. Wherfore although by reason of sinne death be said to haue place in vs for vnles it were death could by no meanes be yet followeth it not that it is inflicted vpon the godly and elect as a payne And God retayneth not anger againste those whoÌâ he receiueth into fauour An example of Dauid It lieth not in the sacrifisinge priestes
of the godly which are now departed this life there is no man that doubteth but that they are in most blessed estate And yet we reade in the Apocalipse The soules also of the saintes although they be blessed desire many thinges that they crye and pray vnto God to auenge the bloud which hath beneshed and with great ferueÌtnes desire that the stole of their body being now corrupted may at the length be restored vnto them Wherefore both vnto angels and vnto blessed soules is such a felicity to be ascribed which excludeth not these kindes of affectioÌs which the scripture signifieth to appartaine vnto them Which ought so much the les to be meruailed at when as we read in the scriptures that God himselfe the fountaine and beginning of all felicity is touched with repentaunce chaungeth his sentence and suffreth many other thinges which séeme not to be agréeable with his diuine nature But how those thinges are to be vnderstand neither entende we now to declare neither doth this place here require any such thing at our hands But it shal be sufficieÌt briefely to say that vpon yâ Angels also may lyght such an effect as Paul here mencioneth in this place And although we as yet can not vnderstand how this should be no let vnto their felicitie yet is there no cause why we should deny but that it may be so But then at the length shall it be playne vnto vs when we our selues shal attayne vnto the selfe same felicitie In the meane tyme let vs beleue the holy Scriptures whiche testifie that the holy aungels haue in them such affections But how shall we vnderstaÌd that How the Angels may be sayd to be subiect vnto vanity they are subiect vnto vanitie Easely ynough not in dede accordyng to the substaunce as they say of theyr owne nature but as touchyng those workes which God hath appoynted to be done by theÌ They are set ouer Cities kyngdomes prouinces as Daniell expressedly writeth yea also they are set ouer euery priuate man For Christ sayth Theyr Aungels alwayes see the face of my father And the Disciples in the Actes of the Apostles aunswered of Peter when he knocked at the doore It is his Aungell although some interpretate this place of the messenger of Peter And in Genesis the 48. chapter His aungell hath deliuered me from all euill These thinges proue that Aungels at the commaundement of God do seruice What is the ende whych the angels set before them in their gouernments also vnto priuate men But if we wil enquyre to what end the aungels gouerne kyngdomes prouinces cities and euery particular man and what they meane by their so great care and diligence we shall finde that theyr entent is nothyng els but that all men should obey their God and kyng and acknowledge worship and reuereÌce him as their God Which thyng not takyng place and many forsakyng the true worshippyng of God and giuyng them selues to superstition and idolatry and contaminatyng them selues with sundry wicked factes the labour and diligence of the Angels is depriued of his end at the least way the secondary The endeuor or labor of the Angels is trustrated of his secondarye ende How the Aungels ar sayd to be deliuered from corruption The benefite of Christ after a sort pertaineth vnto the angels end and so they are after a sorte subiect vnto vanitie Whiche yet shall theÌ haue an ende when they shall be discharged of their gouernmentes But now let vs sée how the Aungels at that tyme shal be deliuered from the seruitude of corruption Althoughe their nature or as they vse to speake theyr substaunce be incorruptible and immortall yet haue they continually to do in matters transitory and mortall those thinges do they euermore renew and vphold or by the coÌmaundement of God cause theÌ to be taken away and to be destroyed Farther yâ the benefite of Christ pertaineth also vnto the Angels Paul declareth vnto the EphesiaÌs and vnto the Coloss Vnto the Ephesians the. 1. chapter he sayth Accordyng to the good pleasure whiche he had purposed in hym selfe euen vnto the dispensation of the fulnes of tymes through Christ to make new agayne all thynges both whiche are in heauen and whiche are in earth And to the Colossians the. 1. chap. It hath well pleased the father that in hym should dwell all fulnes and by hym to reconcile all thinges to himselfe and to set at peace through the bloud of hys crosse both the thynges in heauen and the thynges in earth Chrisostome interpretatyng these wordes sayth That without Christ the Angels were offended with vs so that these two natures namely of Angels and of men were seioyned and alienated the one from the other For the celestiall spirites could not but hate the enemyes of theyr God But when Christ came as a mediatour men were now agayne gathered together so that they had one and the selfe same head with the Aungels and were made the members of one and the self same body with them Wherfore Christ is rightly sayd to be he by whoÌ is made ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is our recapitulation or renewyng Farther it is possible that other commodities also haue by the death of Christ come vnto yâ Angels whiche yet we easely perceaue not by the Scriptures neither entende we here to searche them out Wherfore we say yâ Paul with great wayght and vehemency of speach applieth Paul with great vehemency of speach applieth seuce or feeling vnto creatures sense and féelyng vnto all creatures as if they felt grief and sorrow for that they are in such sorte obnoxious vnto the abuses of vngodly men For the coÌfusion of thyngs in thys estate is not so darke For the godly are euery wher in euill case and vnworthely entreated But the vngodly abouÌd in all maner of prosperitye and all thinges frame vnto them as they would them selues In this great confusion godly men ought to be of a valiaunt courage and patiently to wayte for the end of these matters The Epycures and Atheistes when they sée all things done The opinion of the Atheists touching God so coÌfusedly straight way reason that God hath no care at all of mortal affaires as whiche is neither moued with fauour nor with hatred and doth to no man either good or euill But contrarywise the godly thus recken with them selues that for asmuch as God by his prouidence gouerneth moderateth all thinges it will one day come to passe that thinges shall come to a better stay the world as it was instituted to the honour of God shall after a better maner be corrected Contrary opinion of the godly and brought to that forme wherby God shall be more and more illustrated And hereof springeth an incredible consolation that for asmuch as we sée all the creatures of God subiect to so many discommodities we also after their example confirme In aduersities the godly are comforted by the
example of creatures For foure causes creatures are saide to morne our selues vnto patience Sithen the whole world is vexed with so many calamities it is mete also that we with a quyet minde beare afflictions when they light vpon vs. And there may be foure reasons geuen why we thinke creatures to be vexed and to morne The first is for that they are wearied with continuall labours to serue our dayly vses Hereof it oftentimes commeth to passe that when as we whiche thyng many tymes happeneth greuously sinne they suffer punishementes together with vs whiche is not hard to sée in the flood in Sodom and in the plages of Egypt Farther there is a certaine Sympathia that is a coÌpassion or féelyng together betwene all creatures and man by meanes wherof in aduersitie they sigh and morne together with him Last of all there is great iniury done vnto them in that they are compelled to serue vncleane and wicked men Vnto whiche thyng Ose the Prophet had a regard as we before declared wheÌ in the person of God he sayd I will take away my wheate my wyne and myne oyle will set at libertie my wooll my thred that they may not couer thy filthynes Ambrose in many places maketh on this side In his Epistle to Horantianus entreatyng of this place of Paul by an induction he sheweth that euery creature By a large induction ââ shewed that creatures mourne foâ our sakes mourneth wayteth for the reuelation of the sonnes of God And he begynneth at the soule The soule saith he caÌ not but be afflicted mourne when it seeth it selfe closed vp in the body as in a certayn vile cotage and that not with his will but by reason of hym which hath made it subiect For the purpose of God was that it should be ioyned together with the body that by the vse of it it might one day attayne some fruites worthy the trauailing for For Paul in the latter to the Corrinth sayth That we shall all be set before the iudgemeÌt seat of Christ that euery maÌ may cary away those thinges which he hath done thorough the body whither it be good or euill He saith also in yâ self same Epistle That we sigh so loÌg as we are in this earthly habitacle not for that we would be cleane spoysed of it but rather to haue it ouer clothed And Ambrose citeth out of the Psalmes That maÌ is made like vnto vanity and that man is whole vanity Wherunto I thinke is thys added yâ we mighte vnderstaÌd yâ thys waight of the body these grieues which Dauid coÌplayneth to come vnto the soule by reason of the body came not by the institutioÌ of God but rather crept in by reason of sinne For otherwise the body was not geuen vnto the soule as a graue or prison as some fayne but as an instrument most apt to the accomplishing of most excellent The body was not at the beginning geuen vnto man as a prison actes moste notable enterprises Ambrose goeth on in his inductioÌ sayth that the Sunne Moone and the rest of the starres are wearied with theyr continual course and the inferior creatures also for our sakes labour But he sayth that thys they doo not with an vnwilling mynde for that they vnderstand that the sonne of God for our sakes toke vpon hym the forme of a seruant and by hys death procured theyr life and sauegard Farther he sayth that for this cause they comfort themselues for that one day they shall be deliuered and theyr labors shall one day haue an end Wherfore if I may declare my iudgement touching these matters I somewhat doubt first whether the sonne and Moone and rest of the starres labor in theyr courses Farther I thinke Ambrose Ambrose speaketh figuratiuelye spake figuratiuely that all creatures with a quiet mynde beare those their griefes for that they know that Christ the sonne of God for our saluation hath suffred the ignominye of the crosse and death Nether suppose I this to be without a figure in that he sayth that they by thys meanes comfort themselues for that they vnderstand that theyr labours shall one day be finished and that they shall be repayred and renewed Last of all he maketh mencion of the Angelles and sayth that they are not glad in punishing of wicked men for that they are touched with mercy had rather to adorne with benefites then to afflicte with punishemeÌts especially seing as Christ in Luke sayth that the Angelles excedingly reioyce ouer one sinner that repenteth The same Ambrose expounding thys place sayth that the anxietye of creatures shall so long last vntill the nomber of them be full which shall be saued And to be subiect vnto vanity he interpretateth to be mortal and transitory Wherefore How long this mourning of creatures shall last vanity is in that place after hys mind that mortality wherby all creatures in such sort labor and therefore with it are compelled continually to wrastle so Salomon not without iuste cause sayde Vanity of vanities and all things are vanity The commentaries which are ascribed vnto Ierome seme not much to disagree from the sentence of Augustine but that they by euery creature vnderstaÌd the whole nomber of the iust euen from Adams time Which nomber of saints together with our first parent they say doo earnestly wayte for the reuelation of the sonnes of God that they also as the epistle to the Hebrues declareth may be made perfect with vs Origen mencioneth certayne thinges touching the minde which is the chiefest parte of our soule whiche he sayth sigheth and wyth greate payne sorroweth for that it is compelled continually to abase it selfe to serue the manifold and sundry necessities of the body But Chrisostome playnlye maketh on our side and confesseth that Paul here vseth the figure Prosopopaeia which figure is very much vsed in the holy scriptures For the prophetes and The prophets and Psalmes very oftentimes attribute sence vnto things insensible Psalmes somtimes commaund the floods and wods to clap with theyr hands sometimes they bring in the hilles daunsing and the mountaines leaping for ioye not that in very dede they ascribe motion and sence vnto thinges insensible but to signify that that good thinge which they commend is so great that it ought to pertayne also to creatures vtterlye without sence and âealinge The prophetes also are wont sometimes to bring in woodes vine trées the earth it selfe and other of the elementes mourning and howling also the roufes of houses and of temples cryeng the more vehemently to aggrauate that euill which they describe Nether ought it to seme straunge if Paul follow these phrases of the Prophets especially seing that in both of them was one and the selfe same spirite of God Nether is it hard to shewe how our miseries redound also vnto creatures For when maÌ was adiudged vnto the curse the earth also was condemned to be accursed and to be
afflict The purpose of God noteth firmnes themselues or to take it in ill part if they haue tribulations layd vpon them for that it shall turne vnto them vnto good especially to theÌ that be predestinate vnto euerlasting saluation Wherfore it is very plaine both by the wordes which follow by the entent of Paul that purpose is in this place to be referred vnto God not vnto those which are called Ambrose in dede denieth not but that it is yâ purpose Ambrose flieth vnto workes âoresent of God Howbeit being moued as I thinke with the same reasoÌ yâ Chrisostom was he saith yâ God calleth predestinateth whoÌ he knoweth shal beleue shal be apt for him and deuoute But we ought not to thinke that the election and predestination of God depend of workes forsene It is in déede certaine neither can we deny it that those whom God hath predestinate shall one day if age permitte beleue and be deuoute and apt For God shall geue it vnto them for he predestinateth God predestinateth not onely the end but also the meanes A similitude Foure thinges to be noâed also the meanes whereby we shall at the length come vnto the ende So we also after that we haue determined to vse any pece of timber to some vse of an house do fashion and hew it to that forme which may best serue for the accomplishing of the worke which we haue to do But here are fower things diligently to be noted of vs first that the will of beleuing and the purpose and counsell of liuing holily which shall at the length be in those which are elected neither springeth of themselues nor also naturally is cleauing vnto them For they are the giftes of God and not the endowmentes of nature Neither can any man of his owne accord attaine vnto them For what hast thou saith Paul that thou hast not receaued But if thou haue receaued it why boastest thou as though thou haddest not receaued it But if they be geuen of God as vndoubtedly they are then followeth The good meanes are not geuen of God by ãâ¦ã ce but bâ predestination it of necessity that they are not done by chaunce or rashely but by the counsel and predestination of God Wherfore these thinges also are pertaining vnto predestination For euen as God predestinateth his to eternall life so also predestinateth he them to good counsels vnto holy workes and vnto the right vse of the giftes of God And hereof followeth that which is secondly to be noted that our good purpose or faith or good workes forsene can not be the causes of predestination for so should we neuer come to an end For sithen those thinges as we haue sayd are of predestination and not of our selues it may againe be demaunded why God would geue them vnto this man rather then to that man Where if thou answere as many do because God foreséeth that this man will vse those good giftes well and the other not againe will arise as waighty a question touching the selfe same Good workes foreseene are not causes of predestination good vse For seing that also is a gift of God why should it by the predestinatioÌ of God more be geuen to this man then to that And by this meanes there shal be no end of enquiring vnles we will at the last fayne that there is some good thing found in vs which we haue not of God which thing to affirme is not only absurd but also impious Thirdly of this thing we ought to be fully perswaded that euen as good workes forsene can not be the causes of predestination so also are they by Good workes are not causes of eternall felicitie predestination not geuen vnto men to be causes of the chiefe good thing that is of the felicity whereunto we are predestinate they are in déede meanes whereby God bringeth vs vnto eternall life but therefore are they not causes for that blessednes is geuen fréely and we are by the mere mercy of God predestinate vnto it Lastly we ought to hold that these works are not alwayes forsene in the predestination Good works cannot alwayes be foreseene of God in them that shal be saued The foreknowledge of good workes cannot be the cause of predestination of God For many infants being taken away before they come to ripe age by the predestination of God attaine vnto eternall life who yet should neuer haue had any good workes For God foresaw that they should dye being infants Which thing very euidently proueth that the foreknowledge of good workes is not to be put as the cause of predestinatioÌ for a iust and sure effect can neuer want his true cause Augustine entreating of this place expressedly sayth that purpose in thys place is not to be referred vnto the elect but vnto God And which is more diligently to be noted writing against the two epistles of the Pelagians in his 2. booke to Bonifacius towardes the ende he saith That the Pelagians at the length confessed that the grace of God is necessary whereby may be holpen our good purpose but they denied The Pelagians at the length confessed that our purpose is holpen by grace Whether grace be geuen vnto theÌ that resist it The Pelagians tooke this word purpose as Chrisostome did Chrisostome defended froÌ suspition of the heresâe of the Pelagians Good endeuors and purposes are sent vnto vs of God that the helpe of that grace is geuen vnto them that resist which is farre wyde from the truth For at the beginnyng euery one of vs resist the pleasure wyll of God neither should we euer assent to hym when he calleth vs vnles he should come and helpe vs wyth hys grace And he addeth that the Pelagians in thys place which we haue now in hand referred not Purpose vnto God but vnto those which are called Howbeit I dare not therefore accuse Chrisostome to be a Pelagian for he at other times as Iohn sayd ascribed whatsoeuer good thing we haue vnto the grace of God and plainly confesseth originall sinne both which things the Pelagians denied Howbeit it is manifest by the wordes of Augustine that the Pelagians and Chrisostome agréed in the exposition of this place Augustine in the selfe same booke confesseth that our purpose is holpen by the grace of God But yet not in such sort as though it were of our selues and not geuen of God And for confirmation of this sentence he citeth that which is written in the latter to the Corrinthyans the 8. chapter I geue thankes vnto God which hath geuen the same endeuour for you in the harte of Titus These wordes sufficiently declare that the good endeuors and purposes which we fele in our mynds are sent of God He citeth also the 77. Psalme I sayd I haue now begonne and thys chaunging commeth of the ryght hande of the hyghest But I do not much trust vnto this testimony for out of the Hebrew
Iacob and Esau For they being borne of one and the selfe same parentes yet was the one elected of God the other reiected In this place Paule bringeth in humaine reason complayning for that God dealeth not a like with all men But the Apostle aunswereth that we ought not to seeke a cause of the electioÌ of God which answere for as much as it satisficeth not mans reason there ariseth an other complaint why should the blame then be layd on vs that we are obstinate and come not vnto God when as the fault semeth not to be ours if God haue not chosen vs Here Paule sayth that the potters vessell ought not to complaine of his maker and that God made some vessels to honour and some to contumely Which comparison wheÌ we call to remembrance we ought to coÌsider how great a benefite we haue obtayned in that we are partakers of the election of God And though God haue chosen some of the Iewes and many more of the Ethnikes yet is not that repugnant vnto the Oracles of the scripture but rather by the testimonie of Ose the Prophet it is confirmed Neither is there any cause why the Iewes shoulde boast of their righteousnes forasmuch as it is not geueÌ to theÌ to beleue Wherfore according to the saying of Esay They haue stumbled agaynst the stone And that thing which vnto others was a strength and foundation was made vnto them a fall and offence These thinges being diligently weighed bring great vtilitie and doo verye well agree This treatise is profitable for our tymes with our tyme. It semed at that time a thing absurde that among the people of Israell so few beleued and to vs at this day it is obiected that there are verye few which truly professe the Gospell and lyue thereafter At that time men suspected that Christ was not that Messias which was promised in the law because he should saue the Iewes but this man chose very few of theÌ Farther they boasted of the name of the people of God So vnto vs also at this day is obiected the title of the churche And men thinke it a thing absurde that the most parte of the world should dissent from the Gospell and those in especiall which seeme to passe all others in honors and wisdome of the world Moreouer Paul sheweth What are the grounds of the churche what are the principles oâ groundes of the church namely the election of God and the worde Hereby saith he ought the matter to be measured and not by the authority or agrement of the multitude or gorgeousnes of this world Wherfore this place hath a notable consolation that we should not repent vs in that we are fewe Although we doubt not but that God for his mercy sake will daily encrease the number that the fellowship of the elect may be ful howbeit in the meane time In what thinges other congregations sometimes excell the church The Iewes boasted much of theyr kinred and workes of ceremonies we confesse that the church is not to be weighed either by the propagacion of the flesh or by the greatnes of the multitude or by dignities and honours or els by excellencies of wittes for as touching these notes other nations oftentymes excell it These two thinges which Paul in this place entreateth of namely the confidence of their stocke and bloud and the affiaunce in rites and ceremonies the wicked Iewes bosted of euen in the times of the Prophetes For they had perswaded themselues that it should neuer come to passe that either they should be ledde into captiuity or that the publike wealth of the Israelites should euer cease to be and to florish They made their vauntes that they were the stocke of Abraham and of the Patriarkes but as touching ceremonies and the outward worshippyng of God they so much swelled with pride that Ieremy the prophet in this maner derided them with an elegant irony They say saith he the temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord. They leaned also vnto the multitude wheÌ as yet in very dede neither fewnes nor multitude are a sufficient firme and sure argument The church is not to be measured by the multitude of the church For it is a false argument taken of the Accidens For these thinges are onely accidences to the Church But the multitude and the number thou wilt say will make an argument probable I graunt that But the iudgement of wise and better men is much more probable But they are oftentymes in number most few Farther graunt that the opinion of the multitude make a probable argument yet doth it not make a true and necessary argumeÌt Neither can we thus gather This reason is probable or very likely therfore it is true For Thinges probable ar not alwaies true but oftentimes false there are many thinges which are goodly in shew and probable which yet afterward if they be examined are found most false And contrariwise many things at the first sight séeme absurd which yet if a man afterward diligeÌtly pease weigh he shall finde to be true Experience teacheth vs yâ the number of them yâ truly beleue is very small if it be coÌpared with the Iewes Turkes heretikes Epicures The nomber of them that truly beleue is small And Christ calleth his flocke a little flock affirmeth That many in deede are called but few are chosen Farthermore Paul in this place and the Prophetes euery where testifie that not all the Iewes shal be saued but only that a few remnantes shall be made safe Wherfore the cause is neither confirmed nor confuted by reason Fewnes nor multitude confirme not the cause of fewnes or multitude Howbeit Augustine semeth somtimes to obiect vnto yâ Donatistes that they being a few in number would yet neuertheles ascribe vnto themselues only the Church condemning the whole world besides But if a man diligently reade ouer those disputations of Augustine he shall perceyue that the Donatistes erred in thrée thinges in especiall First bicause they beleued that the Three errors of the Donatists whole Church was in Afrike only and in their multitude but other churches dispersed throughout the whole world they said were corrupt bicause many had ben pertakers with them which had betrayed the holy scripture as though in this life there can be found any church which vtterly should want all spotte and wrinckle Farther they iudged that the sacramentes were contaminated by the ill life of the ministers and for that cause they rebaptised those which fled vnto their Church But we beleue that Christ hath his churches euery where For there is nothyng more proper vnto the Church then to be catholike that is vniuersal neither so to It is proper vnto the churche to be Catholike The cause is proued by the word of God and not by fewnes nor multitude ⪠be bounde either vnto certayne places or persons that it can be no
could not only not be by any meanes remoued from the loue of Christ but also that he was chiefely for that cause excedingly vexed bycause in time past he had wished to be a straunger from Christ Which interpretation when I more diligently consider I sée that it agreth nether with the wordes nor with the intent of the Apostle For this is his scope that by reason of those thinges whereof he will afterward speake he might perswade the Iewes of his loue towardes them lest he should seme of hatred to say that they are not now the people of God but are vtterly strange froÌ the promise Which thing he could not haue obteyned by rehersing his sinne wherein he had persecuted the Church of God For the Iewes mought haue sayd Although hitherto thou hast loued vs when thou heldest on our side yet afterwarde when thou wentest vnto Christ thou didst change thy minde and because thou hast begone to hate vs therfore doest thou now speake these euill thinges agaynst vs. But if these thinges be vnderstand of the present state wherein he wrote this epistle vnto them and that by these wordes is signified yâ he would euen theÌ also be Anathema from Christ for them then can there be no doubt put of his good will towardes them Wherefore these thinges serue nothing to the purpose of Paul if they be wrested vnto that time wherein he was as yet an vnbeleuer And that he was grieued for theyr distruction and not for his sinne this playnly declareth Paul was sory for the destruction of the Hebrued and not for his sinne which is afterwarde added Not as though the vvord of God hath fallen avvay For therefore he was grieued when he saw them perish bycause the promises of God semed to be infringed and violated And as he denieth that the promises of God are infringed so also desireth he to redeme euen with his owne distruction that it should not be thought so to come to passe and thereby the name of God should be euill spoken of Herehence come those teares and disires and not bycause he had persecuted the Church of God which yet I doubt not but it was a greate and continuall griefe vnto him But why he should make mencion of that griefe at this presenâe there is no reason doubtles as far as I can see Farther what neded he to contend about thys thyng wyth an othe For it was fresh in euerye mans memorye what an enemy he had bene in timâs past vnto Christe For hys persecution was not done in corners but publikelye and in the sight of all But thou wilt saye he therefore sweareth to make men beleue that he was excedyngelye sorye for that matter For that was secret neyther coulde it be knowen of all men but suche suspicions as are obscure are confirmed by an oth But I thinke no man doubted but that Paul was sory for the hatred which he had borne against Christ when as all men sawe with how great a feruentnes he preached his Gospell throughout the whole world Wherefore these thinges were not so doubtfull that they should nede to be confirmed by an oth Moreouer what great thinges should he thereby speake of himselfe or how should he by this meanes commend himselfe vnto his brethren by swearing But now let vs heare what the true Ierome iudged as touching this matter For that is a counterfeated Ierome which is ascribed vnto those commentaries But that is Ierome ad AlgasiaÌâ the true Ierome which writeth vnto Algasia in the 9. question For he asked hys counsell touching this place of Paul And he answereth that it is a question of great waight and not rashely to be passed ouer especially for as much as the Apostle wyth an oth confirmeth those thynges which he speaketh And with great admiratioÌ he addeth that it is a prudence vnheard of that a man should for Christes sake wishe to be seperated from Christ Straight way he compareth Paul with Moses and contendeth that either of them were endued with one and the selfe same spirite For they were both pastors of the people of God And as Christ sayth It is the part of a good shepherd to geue hys lyfe for hys shepe For to flye when the woolfe assayleth is the parts of a hired seruaunt and not of a shepherd Wherefore his iudgement is that Paul desired to dye for the saluation of his brethren For he knew that he which would saue his soule should lose it and he which would lose it shoulde finde it And to this end tendeth that which is before spoken For thy sake are we put to death all the day long and are appointed as shepe to be slayne Paul saith he desired to geue hys body and lyfe that their spirite myght be saued Farther he addeth that it may be proued by mo places thân one that Haram that is Anathema in the old testament is taken for slaughter or killing We confesse that in déede the Apostle woulde and wished to geue his life for the shepe committed to his charge and for all those which might be brought vnto Christ that in him might be fulfilled those thinges which wanted of the passion of Christ But many thinges declare vnto vs that there can be no mencion made of that thing in this place For first they which so dye testifiing the fayth of Christ for the health of their neighbours are not Anathemata that is men seperated from Christ but are most nighly ioyned vnto him They are rather Anathemata that is seperated from Christ which persecute and kyll them Farthermore Haram which he saith sometimes in the olde testament signifieth killing could neuer be redemed nor be applied vnto other vses For beasts which after that maner were bound vnto God were destroyed by slaughter and thinges without life could neuer be put to publike vse or vse of common life But Martyrs which dye for the name of Christ are not made Anathemata What Moses desired of God Sepharadi The opinioÌ of an other Rabbins martyres which by preaching the truth dyed for the saluation of their brethren were not for that cause seperated from Christ but rather passed from this life as men which should euermore abyde with him Moreouer what will âe answere of Moses For he desired to be slaine vnles God would spare the people but put me out saith he of the booke which thou hast written that is if we follow the common opinion blot me out of the booke of the elect For I allow not the cold fayned deuises of the Rabbines among whom Sepharadi saith If thou sparest not the people put my name out of the booke of the lawe that it be not red there What more fond exposition can there be deuised then this An other of the Rabbines thinketh that to be blotted out of the booke which God had written is nothing els then to be remoued from the office of a magistrate that he should not be the head of the people
nature of carnall generation And by this second example also Paul ascendeth Workes propagation of the fleshe are remoued away in the latter example higher neither remoueth he away only carnall generation from the cause of the efficacy of the promise of God but also workes For he sayth that those infantes were not yet brought forth to light neither had done either good or euill neither were they therefore seperated the one from the other that the one should be reiected the other elected that the one should be loued of God and the other hated Of these two thinges the Hebrues were accustomed continually to boast as of thinges most excellent namely nobility of bloud holynes of workes The one of theÌ Paul had now before remoued away now also he remoueth away workes When they were not yet borne neither had done any good or euill The Apostle entendeth in this place to set forth certayne thinges from which humane reason excedingly abhorreth for first he sayth that the mere goodnes and clemeÌcy of God is the ground of election Which thing men for that they to much Two things here entreated of ⪠from which humane reasoÌ excedingly abhorreth delight in themselues to much loue themselues do not easely graunt For they would rather appoint the groundes of their saluation in themselues and not gladly committe the same wholy vnto God Farther he sayth that this liberality and mercy of God is vtterly frée from all lawes so that it is bound to no man but that it fréely either reiecteth or electeth whom it will Here also is our reason excedingly offended for vnto men it séemeth equity that seing all men are of a like estate and condition God should also haue towardes all men a like and equall inclination for that they say longeth to iustice Wherefore they seme couertly to accuse Our soules liued not before they were ioined to the bodies God as an accepter of persons Farther by these wordes of the Apostle is condemned their error which thought that our soules either sinned or liued iustly before they were thrust into the bodyes for if it were so then had not the Apostle sayde rightly before they had done either good or euill Of that opinion was Origen thorough to muche following the doctrine of Plato Wherefore we muste holde that our soules had no being before they were ioyned vnto the bodyes For they could not haue liued idely and if they had done any thing the same doubtles should haue bene either iust or vniust and so they had done either some good or some euill But they which thinke that God in his election followeth workes foresene deny that they are by these sentences of the Apostle confuted For in that Paul sayth that God elected the one of these and reiected the other before they were borne that they say is to be referred to the singular sharpenes of the sight of God which séeeth those things which shall come to passe long time before they haue their being But the Apostle when as he straight way addeth that the election should abide according to purpose semeth not to haue had a respect vnto workes foresene but only to the singular will of God But neither by this do they confesse themselues to be confuted They affirme that the election of God is gouerned by foreknowledge whereby Against theÌ which think that election consisteth of works foresene when as he foreséeth what maner one euery man shall be so he either reiecteth or electeth euery one The selfe same thing also affirme they of the purpose of God that it ought to be iust and therefore ought to be moderated by the foreknowledge of workes and that for that cause it is called purpose because that that shall vndoubtly and immutably come to passe which God foreséeth But if it were so as these men imagine Paul ought then to haue sayd that vnto workes and merites should abide their dew honor which yet he saith not but opposeth vnto them the election and purpose of God And he expressedly addeth Not of workes and as it were euen of purpose denieth that which these men so earnestly endeuor themselues to obtrude wherfore thus to thinke semeth to be nothing els then to swim against the streame and manifestly to fight against the purpose of the Apostle For Paul to the end that nothing should want to confirme that which we say namely that the election of God is the chief cause of our saluation addeth But of him that calleth Whereby we vnderstand that our saluation There ought not to be put in man any thyng that is good which shold moue the will of God to elect him wholy dependeth of him which electeth and calleth vs. And it is verye absurde to set in man any thing so good that can moue the will of God to elect vs for whatsoeuer good thing is in man the same wholy procedeth from God vnles we wil say that there may be some thing that is good which is not of God which were to make of a creature a God And if they graunt that all good thinges which men either shall do or can do do proceede from God then also doubtles must they nedes confesse and graunt that God distributeth not these thinges rashly or by chaunce or vnaduisedly But now if these things be destributed God in no wise dâstributeth his gifteâ rashly The things which God geueth vnto vs are not the causes of election by the election and predestination of God then can they not be yâ causes of election or of predestination Farther the Apostle a litle afterward so referreth all things to the wil of God yâ he vtterly excludeth our wil for he saith I will haue mercy on whome I will haue mercy and will shew compassion on whome I will shew compassion Wherefore it is not either of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that hath mercy And that we should not take it ill for that God after this maner dealeth with vs he vseth a similitude of the potter which of one and the selfe same masse maketh one vessel to honor and an other to contumely and he addeth That the clay yet can not complayne of his maker Moreouer it is a thing dangerous and not agreeable with a godly man to assigne that Our wil also is excluded from being the cause of the election of God If this should be put to be the cause of saluatioÌ âª neither so doutles should humane reason be satisfieâ to be the cause of the election of God which is neither put of Paul when yet he of purpose entreateth of that matter neither is any where extant in all the whole scriptures For that is to imagine vnto our selues that which semeth to be agreeable vnto our reason and besides that neither doubtles can thys imagination in all pointes satisfy humane reason For Augustine against the two epistles of the Pelagians in his 2. booke and 7. chapter
faineth two children to be borne of vngodly parentes and strangers from Christ both of them are cast forthe and set to daunger of death And the one of them in deede dieth but the other being of somewhat more stronger nature is by a Christian by chance comming by preserued and brought to the Church and baptised and is with other of the faythfull made a partaker of Christ Verely touching the saluation of the one childe we haue nothing that we can certainly affirme but of the other if the childe dye we can skarsely put any doubt And if the matter be so we affirme that one of them was elected and the other reiected Wherevnto then had the election of God a regarde Thou canst not say vnto workes foresene when as those thinges which shall neuer come to passe can not be foresene For the prouidence of God prouideth those thinges which shall come to passe and not those thinges which shall not be yea rather he forseeth that those thinges shall not come to passe Wherefore we see that that deuise touching workes foreseene can not in all cases satisfy humane reason Wherefore we must rather beleue Paul who leadeth vs to the highest cause namely to the wyll of God whereunto doubtles we do iniury if we thinke that there is any cause aboue it What shoulde we flye vnto the workes of men when as All men are by nature of one and the selfe same disposition and prones to euill This opinion makâth Paul very blockish duââitted ⪠we all are of one the selfe same nature of one the selfe same propriety and of one and the same disposition For that lompe of Adam wherehence we are deriued is vitiated and corrupted whereunto if peraduenture there be added any thing that is good the same it hath of the mere and only goodnes of God Farther they which so teach seeme to make Paul very blockishe and dull witted which could not see that which these men so easely vnderstand For he of the election of God bryngeth no other cause but the purpose and wyll of God And at the last also he crieth out O the depth of the riches c. But these sharpâ witted men doo euen easely rid themselues of this greated difficulty euen I say by one pore word Augustine being yet a priest and newly baptised expounding this place although he saw that God could not haue a respect vnto our workes to come as causes of predestination wherby he embraseth vs yet he thought fayth foresene to be the cause of his loue towardes vs. And of this his sentence as touching ether part he bringeth this reason It is certayne that good workes are deriued into vs from the holy ghost for thorough him God worketh all in all and the same God geueth vnto vs the holy ghost Wherefore ⪠good workes sayth he forasmuch as they procede from God caÌ not any thing moue to his electioÌ or predestinatioÌ But he thought that God had a respect vnto our fayth and electeth them whome he foreséeth should beleue for that he thought that fayth is of our selues For although we rede sayth he that God worketh all in all yet we rede not that God beleueth all in all Wherfore Augustine erred whilest he was yet a priesâ he thought it is of our selues to beleue but to work wel he thought to come of God These thinges wrote he being yet rude following as it should appeare to me the doctrine of his father Ambrose For he vpon this selfe same place teacheth the selfe same thing namely that God electeth them whome he knoweth shall afterward beleue But Augustine when his iudgement was now thorough Augustine reuoked his error age excercise more ripe and of deeper consideratioÌ reuoked this sentence as it is euident by his first boke of Retractations the. 33. chapiter in which place he thus writeth of him selfe These things had I not writteÌ if that I had vnderstode that Faith is no lesse the gift of God then good workes fayth is no les the gift of God then good workes And that fayth is geuen of God he gathereth by that which is written to the Ephesians in the 6. chapiter Charitye and fayth from God the father and from our Lord Iesus Christ And in the same epistle the 2. chapiter By grace ye are made safe thorough faith that not of your selues For it is the gift of God not of workes lest any man should boast And vnto Timothe I obteyned sayth he mercy that I might be faithfull but he saith not for that I was faith full To this purpose mought be brought a greate many other sentences but for this present I thought these should suffice And as touching the wordes of Paul Purpose electioÌ why they are attributed vnto God no man ought to wonder that the Apostle when he speaketh of these things at tributeth vnto God purpose and election For the holy scriptures euery where frame themselues to our infirmity and speake vnto men after the maner of men By those wordes we vnderstand the constancy and immutability of the will of God For euen as men are wont as touching thinges whiche they haue rashly appoynted afterward when they haue better considered the matter to alter them but those thinges which they haue decréed with good consideration and deliberation they will haue to be firme and to continew so also thinke they of God For that cause Paul calleth his will purpose and electioÌ An oracle was geuen to Rebecka That the elder of these two brethern should serue the yonger for she had asked counsell of God what the brethern striuinge together in her wombe signified By this oracle we se that it is God which putteth a difference God putteth a difference betwene those yâ are borne betwene those which are borne when as otherwise by nature they are equall And promises made to this or that stocke and to this or that posterity signifie nothing else but yâ of that stocke or posterity shall some be elected but who they be it lieth not in vs to iudge We ought rather to haue a respect vnto the effects and whom we se to be called to beleue to geue themselues to good works those Forasmuch as prebestination is a thing hâdden vnto what thinges we ought to haue a respect A similitude to count for elect and alwayes in this matter to haue a regard vnto the commaundementes and vnto the promises that is vnto the outward word of God But concerning the hidden counsell of God as touching euery perticular man we haue nothing reueled vnto vs. But Chrisostome semeth to be against this First âe sayth That there arose greate offence touching the reiection of the Iewes and the election of the Gentiles especially seing that the Gentiles had alwayes bene vncleane but the Iewes had moste playne promises For it is all one sayth he as if the sonne of a king vnto whome the kingdome semeth to be by
same againe This only now I lay that that proposition is not altogether so simplye to be vnderstanded Farther this also is not true which he taketh as a ground when he saith that Paul in this place dissolueth not the question which he did put forth ⪠For Paul most plainely sayth that the election of God is the cause of our saluation And of the election of God he putteth none other cause but the purpose of God and his mere loue and good will towards vs. Neither is he any thinge holpen by that similitude whiche he bringeth out of the fiueth chapter of this Epistle For there Paul sayth that it is not absurd to say that we in such sort haue the fruicion of the righteousnes of Christ that by it we are iustified forasmuch as by the offence and dissobedience of one man many are condemned This sayth he he ought to haue proued that we are infected by the sinne that we haue drawen from Adam which yet he did not but left it vndissolued Yea rather Paul proued that we are pertakers of that corruption euen by this that we die And they die also whiche haue not sinned after the likenes of the transgression of Adam Wherefore by death as by the effect he sufficiently proued original sinne For in yâ Paul afterward sayth when he entreateth of the calling of That the Gentiles by fayth caââ vnto Christ is not the cause of predestinatioÌ but the effect God gâueâh not faith vnto his râshly but of puâpose the Gentils and of the reiecting of the Iewes that the Gentils came by faith but the Iewes sought saluation by the works of the law he putteth not that as a cause but onely as an effect of predestination For it may straightwaye be demaunded wherhence the Gentils had theyr fayth And if they had it of God as doubtles they had why did God geue it vnto them Surelye for no other cause but because he would Wherfore let vs leue those thinges as not agreable with the wordes of the Apostle and this rather let vs consider how the Apostle in this place confuteth iij. The Maniches confuted of Paul errors First he stoppeth the mouth of the Manichies which attributed much vnto the houre of the natiuitie as though we should by the power of the starres iudge of the life death and other chaunces that happen vnto men For Paul sayth that Iacob and Esau were borne both at one time in whome yet we see that in theyr The Pelagiââs confuted whole life was great diuersitie He confuteth also the Pelagians which taught that the will is so frée that euery one is according to his merites foresene of God which error is also in other places confuted of Paul by most strong reasons For to the Ephesians he saith Which hath elected vs in him before the constitucion of the world that we should be holy He saith not that he elected vs for that we were holy but that we should be holy And vnto Titus He hath saued vs not by the woorkes of righteousnesse which we haue done but according to his mercy And to Timothe Which hath called vs by his holy calling not according to our woorkes but according to his purpose and grace which is geuen vnto vs in Christ Iesus before the times of the world By which wordes we see that the election of God consisteth of Grace whiche we haue had from eternally Farther by these woordes of Paul is also confuted Origen as we haue sayde Origene coÌfuted For Paul saith that these two had done neither good nor euell The elder shall serue the younger This seemeth to be a temporall promise What is the groundâele of earthly promises But we haue before oftentimes admonished that the foundation and groundsell of these earthly promises is the promise touching Christ and touching the obteynement of saluation through him And this maye hereby be gathered for if we haue a respecte vnto the principallitie of the first birth we shall not finde that Iacob atteined to it For he neuer bare dominion ouer his brother Esau so longe as he liued yea rather when he returned out of Mesopotamia he came humblye vnto him and desired that he mought obteyne mercy at his handes and it vndoubtedly Iacob had the possessioÌ of the first birth not in himself but in his posterity seemeth that Esau was farre mightier then he Althoughe touching the posteritie of eche it is not to be doubted but that the promise tooke place For in the time of Dauid and of Salomon the Iewes obteined the dominioÌ ouer the Edumites If these thinges be well applied to the purpose of the Apostle then muste it needes be that that they be vnderstanded of the promise of Christ and of eternall felicity For this is it that Paul endeuoreth that it shoulde not séeme to be againste the promise of God ⪠that few of the Iewes are receaued vnto the Gospell séeing that the greatest part of them were excluded And when he had brought this testimony of Iacob and Esau that the elder should serue the yonger of that oracle he bringeth this reason that the election mought abide according to purpose Which thinge for that it séemed hard vnto humane reason he confirmeth by an oracle of Malachy As it is written Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated This sentence of Scripture which is here cited is the reason and cause of the other sentence The latter oracle is cause of the first A place of Malachie declared which he before alleadged namely That the elder should serue the yonger Which is herebye confirmed for that it is written Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated These wordes are written in Malachy aboute the beginning of the first chapter in which place God thus vpbraydeth vnto the people their ingratitude I haue loued you And they are sayd thus to haue answered Wherein hast thou loued vs TheÌ sayth the Lord Iacob and Esau were they not brethern And yet haue I loued Iacob hated Esau And this he hereby proueth for that they beinge bretherne yet he preferred Iacob before Esau And vnto Esau he gaue a waste and solitary land suffered not the Edumites to be deliuered from theyr captiuitie yea rather he threateneth that if they should enterprise to reedifie theyr countrey being ouerthrowen he would then destroy it But vnto the Israelites he gaue a good fertile land who if peradueÌture they should for theyr sins be led away into captiuitie yet he promised From the loue of God commeth eternall lyfe and froÌ hâs hatred eternal destruction yâ he would bring theÌ home again fully restore again vnto theÌ theyr old kingdom But these things forasmuch as they are earthly we do not at this preseÌt meddle wt. This thing onely I thinke is diligently to be weighed yâ of the loue of God coÌmeth eternall life and from his hatred eternall destruction Some in this place with great curiosity enquire
touching Ismaell and Esau whether they be faued or whether they be condemned And the like some do touching Salomon Origen and others such like But I omitte these thinges and thinke of Esau and Ismaell so much onely as the holy scripture hath set forth vnto vs. And I think that there are What is to be thought of Esau no places extant by which we may define any thing touching their saluation The scripture thus speaketh of Esau that he so vehemently hated his brother that he sought to kill him that he sold his birth right that he prouoked h ãâ¦ã âarentes to anger when he had take strange women for wiues that he was a violent man and despised the land of Chanaan promised vnto the fathers and in the epistle to the Hebrues it is written that he although he poured out many teares yet found he no place of repentance Of Ismaell also we reade that he was reiected not only What is to be thought of their stocke by the will of Sara but also by the will of God But touching both their posterities I deny not but that some of them mought be saued no les then some of the stocke of Iacob might become runnagates and obstinate For it is sufficient to the election and reiection of God that some part of ech stocke be either elected or reiected And touching this sentence I haue Ambrose on my side who affirmeth that the most holy man Iob was of the famely of Esau Which saying yet how much it is to be regarded I know not This thing only I dare affirme yâ as many as were saued that came of Israell those were saued by the grace of God and had a promise of their saluation and on the other side as many as were saued of the stocke of Esau those also were saued by the mere grace of God but there was no peculiar promise touching their saluation But as many as were of that stocke condemed Indefinite promises at not to be vnderstanded of euery one perticulerly they were condemned for their sinnes And the sentence of the reiection of the posterity of Esau is indefinite neither is to be vnderstanded of euery one perticularly But it may séeme more then wonderfull that God in his election worketh not only contrary to our iudgement but also contrary to his own lawes For not only after the mauer of men the first borne are preferred before the rest of the brethern but also by the prescript of the lawe of God they were holy and obtayned a dooble portion of the inheritance But God therefore so doth that we should God doth thinges contrary to his lawes vnderstand that we are saued only by grace and not through any priuiledges or conditions of this life and moreouer to geue vs to vnderstand that he is vtterly free from all lawes For his will is euen iustice it selfe and the rule of all thinges that are vpright and iust But because men can not attayne to the knowledge of of this hidden election therefore we ought to frame our selues to the lawes of of God which are published abroade and set forth to all men For Isaack circumcised his sonne Esau as God had commaunded him neither was he greatly carefull whether he were elected of God or reiected for he was then vtterly ignorant of the counsaile of God But the mother for that she had hard the oracle gaue faith vnto it as it became her and had a care that the blessing mought be distributed according to the will of God And so by her industry it came to passe that Iacob preuented his brother of the blessing Touching which will when the father also was by the spirite of God made more certayne he would by no meanes make voide that which had now passed betwene him and Iacob Paul mought now seme to haue thoroughly defended the truth of the promises of God when as after the example of Ismaell and Isaack which were borne of diuers parentes and at diuers tymes he with so great diligence bringeth in also an other coople of bretheren Iacob and Esau in whome all thinges in a maner were equall For they were borne both of one and the selfe same parentes and in one and the selfe same day and as Augustine saith in his epistle to Sixtus both conceaued at one and the selfe same time least any man mought cauell that the father was better when he begat the one then he was when he begat the other And the mother which bare them both was one and the selfe same woman And although she myght in that space of time whilest she was with child alter her maners and disposition yet that could not in such sort profit the one to be a let vnto the other Although by the Greke it appeareth not that they were both conceaued at one and the selfe same tyme. Howbeit this is red That Rebecka had fellowship by one euen by our father Isaack But Augustine followed the latine translation Farther it is not vnlikely to be true yâ they which were borne in one and the selfe same tyme were also begotten atone the selfe same tyme especially seing that the Apostle in this place endeuoreth The industry of yâ holye ghost in Paul in this coople of twynes vtterly to take away all maner of differences In Paul also is to be considered the industry of the holy ghost who when he had affirmed out of the holy scriptures that of these two brethern the one was elected the other reiected bringeth no other reason or cause of the counsell of God but that election should abide according to purpose But because he saw that this would in no case satisfy humane reason therefore he confirmed his sentence by an oracle of Malach. who straight way at the the beginning of his first chapiter thus writeth The Lord hath loued you And ye haue sayd wherein hath the Lord loued vs And the Prophet maketh answere Iacob and Esau were they not brethern But I haue loued Iacob and haue hated Esau Wherefore with Malachy to loue is all one wyth that which Paul hath That the Election of God shoulde abide according to purpose Neither is this to be passed ouer that the Apostle in thus ioyning together these Paul most diligently red the scriptures two testimonies declareth that he had not negligently red the scriptures Wherfore we also must endeuor our selues to do the like when as we shall see places of the scriptures alleadged either of the Apostles or of other writers Paul when he red the Prophet Malachy and saw that God proueth his loue towardes the Iewes by that that he had loued Iacob and hated Esau when yet notwithstanding they were brethern and twines straight way turned himselfe to the history of Genesis and there considered many thinges which mought conduce to adorne and amplifye this matter namelye that they were borne bothe at one and the same time and of one and the selfe same parentes and that the
that they had God fauorable vnto them And God as touching those whose God he will peculiarly be prouideth for theÌ not only commodities in this life for he is the God of the whole man and hath no les care ouer the soule then he hath ouer the body that not only in this life but also in this life to come but let vs peise the entent of Malachy He reproueth God prouideth for his not onely things erthly but also eternall the people of ingratitude towardes God God saith he is your father and Lorde Howbeit ye neither loue him nor reuerence him when yet he hath loued you And that loue he proueth by a double benefite of God towards them first for that he loued Iacob and preferred him before Esau when yet notwithstanding they were brethern and twines secondly for that he gaue vnto the one a sertile and plentifull land to inhabite but vnto the other he gaue an vnfruitful and barren land and for that he deliuered the one from theyr captiuity but would haue the captiuity of the other to be perpetuall So the loue of God is proued by the effectes but of that loue is alledged no cause I graunt indede that the posterity of Esau were alwayes wicked men and enemies vnto the people of Israell although by affinity they were ioyned vnto them yet they were alwaies aduersaries and enemies vnto them Some say also that Mahumet came of that natioÌ although there are others which referre his stock to the Ismalites Farther the earth also The earth is by reason of sinnes made barreÌ is by reason of sinnes made barren Therfore Dauid sayth That for the sins of the people the earth is turned into a wildernes and is made of God vnfruit full But neither Paul nor the prophet describe these thinges as causes of the loue of God Yea rather if we should fayne any such exposition vnto Malachie his reprehension should somewhat be extenuated For when he vpbraydeth vnto the people ingratitude for that God had loued theÌ they mought in one word haue made answere Therefore hath he loued vs bycause we deserued it for he foresaw that our workes should be good and for that cause he loued vs. Wherefore much wayght is taken away from this reprehension if we admitte this opinion Many trouble theyr heddes about the hatred and loue of God and say that he neither loueth nor hateth as we vse to doo Which thing in dede I graunt for God loueth with out all maner of troubled affection and loueth perpetually for he is not changed he hateth also without perturbation and for that he is not mutable he perpetually hateth those whom he hateth They say moreouer that these thinges are to be considered by the effectes so that God is sayd to loue him to whome he doth good and to hate him whome he ouerpasseth and leueth in sinnes and for his sinnes which he hath committed afterward greuously punisheth Herein I will not contend with them although in graunting thys God in dede loueth and in dede hateth I also affirme wyth the holy scripture that God truly and in dede loueth and hateth and that thereof followe those effectes which we haue now mencioned And bycause we can not by it selfe vnderstand the force and might of the loue hatred of God therfore we consider theÌ by the effects namely ether by his gifts or by his punishmeÌts But the ground of yâ question is whither yâ loue come of our merites or fréely The Apostle excludeth merites other some fayne woorkes Whether God loue or hate in respect of works fore sene foreséene Wherefore it shall not be amisse to recite theyr opinions that we maye see how this is to be vnderstanded that God either hateth or loueth Chrisostome thinketh that God therefore loued Iacob because he was good and reiected Esau because he was euill And if thou saye that they forasmuche as they were not yet horne had done neither good nor euill he maketh aunswere that vnto God if is not needefull to waite for the euent of thinges For he by the most sharpe sighte of his foreknowledge seeth before all eternitie what thinges shal afterward come to passe and he alone knoweth truly who shall be woorthy of his election who vnworthy But here Chrisostome somewhat strayeth from the truth when hee saith God findeth not in men anâ worthines for which they should be elected that God findeth in men any woorthinesse for which they ought to be elected For what thing els is that but not onely to diminishe but also vtterly to take awaye euen the grounde of grace For if of our selues we be worthy to be elected verely the grace of GOD is not geuen vnto vs freely Howbeit he confesseth that the Apostle speaketh not this for if he had made aunswere that Iacob was therefore elected for that he was good and Esau reiected for that he was euil he saith that the Iewes mought straightway haue replied if we be reiected for our wickednes what were the Gentiles whiche are now receaued any better then we This thinge also woulde they vtterly haue denied For the Gentiles were infected with most gréeuous sinnes howbeit he sayth it moughte be graunted that the Gentiles which were nowe called were good for that they had receiued the saith of Christe which the Iewes by all maner of meanes withstoode But Paul would not in such sorte make aunswer but referred the whole matter to the foreknowledge of God against which doubtles saith he none that hath his righte wittes will stande For Paul resolueth not the question into the fore knowledgeof God but into his wil by it God foreseeth who shal be good and who euill But here againe he is far out of the waye For Paul resolueth not the question into the foreknowledge of God but into his will mercy and power For he sayth that it is not of hym that willeth nor of him that ruÌneth but of God that hath mercy that he hath mercy on whom he will and hardeneth whome he wyll and lastly that the potter maye of one and the selfe same masse or lompe make one vessell to honor and an other to contumely And to the Ephesians he saith that we are elected accordinge to the good pleasure of his will Chrisostome addeth that when it is sayd that the elder shall serue the younger thereby is shewed that the right and dignity of the first birth should nothing profite hym which came first out of the wombe but the vertue which God foresaw before workes Here it is a harde matter to vnderstand what manner a thinge that vertue is whiche should goe before works For what doth he peradueÌture thinke yâ these men are borne endued with vertue But there caÌ no such thing be fouÌd in the scriptures for they testifie yâ meÌ are borne the children of wrath obnoxious vnto sinne But as far as we can coniecture A mynde prone to good things is not in
power of God Wherfore some are so agaynst all talke of predestination that straight way as soone as any mencion is made of it they are gone But this they can not do without great iniury vnto the holy ghost as though he would teach any thing which should either be vnprofitable or hurtful But we ought to geue eare vnto Paul They do ââ which abhorre from the talke of of predestination ⪠who with much profite reasoneth of it And that we may do this without danger we ought to beware of fonde imaginations neither ought we to adde any thyng to that which the holy scripture hath deliuered vnto vs. If we kepe our selues within these bondes we shal runne into no danger at al. Paul did generally put forth that the hatred and loue of God depende only of his will and not of the workes of men Which sentence he now proueth as touching eche part and that by a double testimony of the scripture But before he bringeth forth those testimonyes he obiecteth vnto himselfe that which vnto humane wisedome mought seme vniust What sayth he shall we say Is there iniquity with God if he do thus as pleaseth hym He maketh answere and curseth such a suspicion saying God forbid But the cause why humane reason is so offended if WhereheÌce springeth the offence of humane reason both predestination and reprobation should depend of the mere will of God commeth of this because that men thinke that thereby iustice distributiue which requireth that vnto like be rendred thinges like should thereby be empaired And forasmuch as all men are in the stocke of Adam of like condition they thinke it not iust that one should be predestinated to eternall saluation and an other reiected to eternall destruction Origen to defend this iustice in God tought that the soules of men haue before they come to this life workes ether good or euill for which they are predestinated eyther to destruction or to felicity Pelagius thought that the iustice of God is to be defended by workes foresene A peruerse carefulnes of men which opinion not only he but also many others of the fathers embraced Neither can I inough meruayle that men were so carefull for the iustice of God when as it can come into no daunger at all For the will of God is the first rule of iustice But these selfe same men haue a remisse and negligent care ouer their own iustice which is not only endangered but also ofteÌtimes violated and broken Paul to answere to this error of mans imagination proueth yâ the election of God is not as these men imagine deriued of iustice distributiue for that God is by no law bound to geue vnto any man those thynges ⪠which he hath decréed to geue but God of his mere mercy liberality taketh some and adorneth them In the parable which the Lord put forth Vnto euery one of the workemen was geuen a peny for their dayes worke vnto those in dede which had labored all the whole day it was geuen of couenant but vnto others which had bene but an houre in the worke it was geuen of mercy And when those yâ came first were displeased the good man of the house answered Is it not lawfull for me to do with myne owne what I wyll Verely it was lawfull and especially seing the same pertayned to mere mercy But as touching iustice distributiue DistributioÌ comming of iustice is one thing ⪠geuing comming of mercy is an other thyng ElectioÌ pertaineth not to iustice but vnto mercy Take vp saith he that which is thine and go thy wayes Wherefore he did put a distinction betwene that distribution which is done of iustice and that geuyng which procedeth of mercy So Paul in thys place teacheth that the election of God pertayneth not as these men imagine vnto iustice but vnto mercy And thys he confirmeth by an oracle of the scripture saying For he sayth to Moses I will haue mercy on whome I will haue mercy will shew compassion on whome I will haue compassion By these words God teacheth that there is no other cause of his mercy which he sheweth towardes some but euen his very mercy Wherfore I somewhat meruaile how Pigghius a manne otherwise as he him selfe thinketh ful of wit amongst his principall reasons wherebye he contendeth that God predestinateth by woorkes foreséene putteth this also for one as though if it were not so the iustice of God wherby he distributeth his giftes could by no meanes consist For how séeth he not that the Apostle obiecteth vnto himself the selfe same thinge and dissolueth the same by no other reason but for that God herein dealeth not with vs by law or by duety but by mercy For this doth the oracle which is here cited most plainely declare But it is woorthy to be laughed at to ascribe vnto Paul that which he by all meanes auoyded to speake To go aboute God is not to be broght into an order to deale with God by law is to séeke to bring God to an order whiche thing as no man can do so is it not mete that any endued with reason should attempt to do it And Paul when he saith What shall we say then Is there iniquity with God by these woordes declareth that he knewe right well what commonlye commeth into the mindes of men when they heare this matter reasoned of This also is to be noted that although Paul could haue excused his doctrine that these absurde thinges followed not of that which he had toughte yet was he moued with a feruente desire of piety to repell this blasphemy and to aunswere God forbid ⪠As though he woulde haue said it is no vpright dealing to thinke any such thinge of God And he addeth a reason for that that can not be vniuste whiche God testifieth of himselfe and acknowledgeth to be his ⪠Now God himselfe sayd vnto Moses I will haue mercy on whome I will haue mercy and will shew compassion on whom I will shew compassion In this sentence are two thinges to be noted first that those good thinges which God The cause of yâ gifts of God which he geueth vs is not to be sought for without his goodnes hath decreed vnto vs depend onely of his mercy secondly that the cause of them is not to be sought for without the beneuolence of God For he saith vnto Moses that he will shew mercy to whom he will shew mercy Now if God do prescribe these limits vnto our knowledge they ought to be counted to much presumptious which will séeke to go further I before noted that Origen and Ierome to Hedibia thought that these woordes vnto this place O man what art thou which aunswerest vnto God are put vnder the person of the aduersary which is farre straunge from the due order of the text For Paul did put his owne aunswere when he answered his aduersaries God forbid Wherefore it is méete that those thinges which
yet complayne Who can resist his will is gathered a most firme argument that Pauls minde was that both election and also reiection depend of the mere will of God For otherwise there was no occasion to obiect these thinges For if only the worthy should be elected and the vnworthy reiected what cause should there be of murmuring For then should be confirmed that kinde of iustice which humane reason most of all alloweth neither shoulde there be any place left to these offences Wherfore I do not a litle meruayle that Pigghius and other such like shold vse these things which Paul in this place obiecteth vnto himself confuteth to confirme their opinion as most sure argumentes For Pigghius saith if God should harden men Pharao should not be the cause of his sinne when as he could not resist the will of God And if God saith he should not deale according to workes foresene he should in his election be vniust and sinne agaynst iustice distributiue But these selfe same things Paul obiecteth vnto himself not to the enteÌt to satisfie theÌ thought he it nedeful to fly vnto the fond deuises of these MortificatioÌ of faith men Herein doubles is most of all declared the mortification of fayth to geue all the glory vnto God and to beleue that the thinges which otherwise shoulde seme vniust are of him most iustly done By that comparison of the clay and of the potter Paul declareth that it is lawfull for God by most good right to do vnto men whatsoeuer he will and that men ought patiently and humbly to obey his will And that God can according to his right and at his pleasure either make men to honour or els leue them in contumely hereby he proueth God hath more right ouer men then the potter hath ouer the clay for that a potter hath the selfe same power ouer the vessels which he maketh Yea rather God hath much more right ouer meÌ theÌ hath the potter ouer yâ clay For man is infinitly more distant from God then is the vessell from the potter For the potter forasmuch as he is a man is taken out of the earth and the clay whether the potter will or no must nedes be clay But God if he wil can turne man into any thing yea if it please him he can also reduce him to nothing Wherefore that which is graunted vnto the potter by what right can it be denied vnto GOD And if men bee clay being compared vnto the will of God why are they not content therewith why do they so importunately murmure agaynst it And forasmuch as Paul sayth that the potter hath power to make By this coÌparison is proued that God hath not a regard to workes vessels as he wil thereby he sufficiently declareth that God hath not a regard to workes For if it were so that power shoulde be no power and the potter should be able to do more then God For the potter may at his pleasure make what vessels he wil but God must follow the merites of men and our deedes shoulde be vnto him a rule of his election But we manifestly sée that the Apostle laboureth chiefely to proue that it lieth not in our power in what sort God ought to make vs. But against these things writeth Erasmus in his booke called Hyperaspistes that it is not to be merueled that yâ power is takeÌ away froÌ God which he hath takeÌ away froÌ himself For he would not yâ it shoulde be lawfull for him to do yâ which should be repugnaÌt to his iustice To this obiectioÌ we answer that Paul plainly saith that yâ potter hath this power which power doubtles we se is not takeÌ away froÌ him Wherfore it is mete yâ the selfe same power be geueÌ also vnto God But wheras he saith yâ God hath takeÌ away froÌ himself this power yâ is not true I grant in dede yâ God wil not haue yâ thing to be lawful vnto him which is repugnant vnto his iustice But here is nothing which is repugnaÌt vnto iustice Yea rather this we adde that here is not spokeÌ of iustice but of mercy freely to be bestowed or not to be bestowed For God oweth vnto no man his first mercy therfore it foloweth yâ he may haue mercy on whoÌ he wil not haue mercy on whoÌ he wil not Erasmus also thinketh it absurd yâ we affirme that the respect of merites is repugnaÌt vnto the liberty power of God as touching electioÌ or reprobatioÌ For it were wicked saith he if a maÌ should be condeÌned with out euil deserts of sin That indede do we coÌfesse but we adde that in this place is not entreated of damnation but only of reprobation as it is opposite to election or to predestination And with the Apostle we say that God Here is not entreated of damnation but of reprobation hath mercy on whome he will and hath not mercy on whome he will not And although God condemne not or deliuer not to eternall destruction but only those which haue bene contaminated with sinne yet he doth not by reason of any euill desert ouerhippe those one whome he hath decreed not to haue mercy Note the difference betwene damnation and reprobation And yet doth he not therefore deale vniustly for he oweth nothing to any man But when we say that if God should haue mercy or not haue mercy according to the merites of meÌ his power should be nothing at all which Paul here in this place so much commendeth Erasmus maketh answer that if he haue not a respect vnto workes his constaÌt and vnmoueable iustice should be nothing at all But we haue oftentimes declared that here is not entreated of iustice distributiue whereby God in predestination and reprobation is bound to render like vnto like For forasmuch as all are borne being drowned in the corruption of sinne he may as pleaseth him haue mercye on some and others agayne he may by the selfe same pleasure ouerhippe and leue them as he found them which is not to haue mercy vpon theÌ Erasmus also laboureth moreouer to proue yâ the power of God is after a sort contracted and made definite by his promises For when God had sworne eyther vnto Abraham or vnto Dauid vnles he would breake his fayth he was bound vtterly to performe his promises Wherefore sayth he it is not altogether so absurd if the power of God whereof is now entreated be not put vtterly fre from the respect of workes But Erasmus shold haue considered that this similitude touching the promises is not hereunto rightly applied For we neuer rede that there was any promise made to any man touching predestination Yea rather the promises alwayes follow predestination For it is the Predestination is the original of all promises originall of all promises Further Paul playnly maketh this power free from all respect of workes when he compareth it with the power of the potter For he in making of
glorye If God willing to shewe his wrath and to make hys power knowen suffreth with long patience of minde the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction that he might declare the riches of hys glory vpon the vessels of mercy which he hath prepared to glory If God vvilling to shevv his vvrath ⪠When the Apostle had before declared After the reason takeÌ of the efficient cause followeth that reason which is taken of the ende Of endes some are me some farre of Here is entreated of the extreme and vttermost ende by the efficieÌt cause that is lawful for God being as it were a potter to electe some meÌ and to reiecte other some and that vtterly in such sort at his pleasure that no cause can bee geuen why this man is elected and that man reiected now in this place he thought to proue the same by the end And that end is that the goodnes and power of god might be declared howbeit his iustice remaining in the meane time sound But there is no man I suppose which is ignoraunt that there are some endes which are farther of and more distaÌt and other some more nere Heare is touched the vtter most end which is the declaration of the proprieties of God Vnto the Ephesians is touched an end more nigh for there we are sayd to be to this end elected to be holy and blameles which selfe thing is signified in the epistle to Timothe For thus Paul writeth of himselfe I haue obtayned mercy that I might be saythfull And beyond these nigh endes there is an other extreeme ende namely that the glory or power of God might be declared And this reason is not taken out of the secrecy of the counsell of God or out of the deepe pit of the wisedome of God but out of those thinges which easely offre them selues vnto the mindes of the godly But this reading is somwhat obscure which thing also Origen hath noted and after him Erasmus Origen saw that there was nothing which answered vnto this coniuÌction ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is If and that here is vsed the figure AnantopadotoÌ therfore he thought yâ yâ seÌce mought be plaine and redy inough wtout that coÌiuÌctioÌ but so durst not I do For I iudge it a thing wicked to alter one iot or title in the holy scriptures Erasmus thinketh yâ We must not alter one ioâe or title in the scriptures that which is waÌting may be had of those things which were a litle before spoken so that this should be the sence If God willing to shewe his power suffreth the vessels of wrath to make knowen theriches of his glory c And againe O man what arte thou which makest aunswere vnto God Again Hath not the potter power ouer the clay Or that which wanteth may thus be supplied Men haue not whereof to accuse God Caluine to make the sense more plaine readeth these wordes by way of interrogation What if God would shew forth c. As thoughe it were a kinde of figure called Reticentia He sayth that God would shew forth his wrath and make known his power and that by the vessels of wrath which he suffreth with much lenity The wicked are called vessels of wrath because they are prepared appointed and destinied to ven geaunce Which God suffreth This place may be two manner of wayes interpretated of which the first is that God brought forth and created those vessels and in that sense Augustine many times citeth this place The seconde is that God doth not straight way ouerthrow or destroy the wicked being now produced and created as they deserue but a long time suffreth and tollerateth theÌ This latter sense I iudge better then the first not indéede by reason of the signification of the worde for in very déede this woorde ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã hath either of both these significations but because Paul addeth ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is with much patience Vnles peradueÌture Why God so long suffreth vessels of perditioÌ some will say that God sheweth great lenitie when he bringeth forth those whome he knoweth shal be enemies and rebels vnto him which yet cannot so properly be sayd if the naturall signification of that word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã be well considered Wherefore God tellerateth such vessels a long time for that by that meanes they are made more manifest For if he should straight waye breake them the power of God could not so easely be considered nor shine forth neither could men so âasely take example by them But when God long time tollerateth the wicked at the length by his most mighty power punisheth and destroyeth them he therby not onely declareth his power but also by one and the selfe same worke declareth how plentifull his mercy is towardes the elect For those elect when they compare themselues with them so forsaken deiected and broken thereby vnderstande how greate a benefite and how great mercy is bestowed vpon them And here haue we the end But the cause why some are appoynted to wrath and other some to mercy ought to be sought for of those thinges which haue bene already spoken namely of Vessels signifie instruments the will and power of God By vessels Paul in this place meaneth instrumentes Wherefore Augustine very well noteth that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is not with the GreciaÌs that which containeth licour for that sayth he is called by an other name ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã but ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he thinketh signifieth impediments or instrumentes the like woorde also do the Hebrues vse For Iacob called Simeon and Leui Cele hammas that is vessels of deceate or guile for that they were instrumentes of these vices After the manner of which hebrue phrase Paul was called a vessell of election that is an organe A vessell of election and instrument elected of God And Paul in the second to Timothe He sayth he which shall purge himselfe from those things shall be a vessell sanctified to honor and prepared to euery good worke Such kindes of speach declare that men of themselues caÌ do nothing For God is sayd to vse them not onely because hemoueth them but also because he directeth and applieth them to whatsoeuer thinges he will which is In what sort God vseth men God vseth alsâ wicked men to be vnderstanded not onely of the godly but also of the vngodly For although of themselues they haue praâity and corruption yet God vseth them as an instrument of his counsell Therefore the scriptures vse to call wicked men and cruell tyrans the rodde of the Lord his axe his sword his hammer for that they are moued by his prouidence and gouernement For although they perpetually sinne and worke wickedly yet can they not deceaue nor frustrate the counsell of God For so Iudas being so sore infected with couetousnes that he woulde do any thing for An example of Iudas gain sake by the preparacion of God
was the instrument to accomplish that actioÌ before appointed wherby Christ was deliuered vnto the Iewes for our saluation and therfore he mought be called a vessell of wrath prepared to destruction That preparation although it be of God in that maner whiche we haue now declared for he reiecteth euen from eternally and afterward the merites of men so requiring he maketh blinde and hardeneth yet because that men reiected of God haue in themselues corruption and vice therefore Paul simply sayth that those vessels are prepared to destruction making no mencion at al of him that prepareth them for they may also be counted no les to be prepared of theÌselues then of God Howbeit afterwarde when he entreated of election for that we haue in our selues no There is mention made of god in the vessels of mercy and not in the vessels of destruction Why they are called vessels of wrath and of mercy groundes of piety therefore Paul expressedly named God Which vessels God saith he hath prepared Wherfore as farre as we can gather by this kinde of speache all men are the vessels of God but they are so distinguished that some are vessels of wrath and some of mercy as God sheweth foorth and declareth his proprieties in them for otherwise of theyr owne nature they are not distinguished the one from the other For some for this cause onely excell other some for that they are elected and haue obteyned mercy when as others are ouerhipped and reiected And God would haue this diuersity of vessels to be for that he coulde not in one onely kinde declare his excellency and that commeth to passe chiefly by reason of the imbecillitie of our vnderstanding which selfe thing we sée to happen in the knowledge of God for our sakes wold haue this difference of vessels to be thinges natural We al wonder at the light of the Sonne but doubtles his brightnes should not séeme so notable if al other thinges should shine as bright as it For by comparing it with other starres which shine more obscurely the greatnes of the lighte thereof is the better knowen whiche yet is made muche more manifest by the darkenes of the night So the mercy and goodnes of God towardes the elect is manifestly knowen when it is considered as it is communicated by vnlike degrées but then at the length shineth it foorth most brightly wheÌ we referre our eyes to the condemnation of the vngodly For thereby we sée how geÌtle and louing God hath bene towards vs which hath not suffred vs to be perpetually in the like calamitie And God would haue this knowledge of his goodnes to be amongst vs not that thereby any felicity should redounde vnto him but that we being stirred vp by the mediation of this so great mercy of God towardes vs geuing thankes vnto him for the same mought the easlier be brought vnto him Farther this is to be noted that Augustine in his booke de nuptiis concupiscentia to Valerius by this sentence of Paul wherein he affirmeth that all men are the vessels of God whether they be of the elect or of the reprobate they do seruice vnto his wil maketh Note an argument of the Pelagians aunswere to the Pelagians For amongst other reasons whereby they denied originall sinne this reason also was one that God when he createth men as the Catholikes say obnoxious vnto this crime may séeme to create theÌ for the deuill For all as many as are infected with any spot of sinne are without all doubte the bondsclaues of Sathan But Augustine aunswereth them after this manner That God Augustines aunswer at the beginning made the first parentes innocents and obnoxious vnto no sinne But afterward when they had fallen his will was that other men should issue out of their stocke and would not create a new masse or lompe whereout to produce them Wherfore he createth men which according to their nature are good but the sinne wherwith they ar born he made not but found it being before in the masse or lompe and yet can it not therefore be sayd that he created men for the deuill For the wicked and reprobate although they geue themselues to prauitye and wickednes yet will they or nill they doo seruice vnto The wicked also wil they or nil do seruice vnto the wil of God The argument of the Pelagians is made against Paul the counsell of God Yea neyther can the Deuill hymselfe eschew but that he also ministreth vnto God whyche thyng Paule moste playnely declareth when he ascribeth vnto God the vessels not onely of mercye but also of wrath Wherefore let them moue this question saith Augustine not vnto vs but vnto Paul For he sayth that God as doth the potter maketh some vessels to honour and other some to contumelye Neither doth he for anye other cause call the reprobate vessels of wrathe but for that they are the instrumentes of God Wherefore seinge that God vseth at his pleasure the wickednes both of these menne and also of the deuill whose seruauntes they are he oughte not therefore to be sayde to create wicked menne rather for an other then for himselfe And euen this selfe same may be answered vnto those which vse to enquire why Why God createth meÌ whom he knoweth shal be damned God will create men whome he knoweth shal be damned namely for that he hath decréed to vse their malice which malice yet he himselfe made not And God is sayde to shew forth his power vpon the vessels of wrath when he plageth them and punisheth them for that then he doth not séeme to winke at sinnes For the wicked become at the length so wanton and so vnbridled that they seme after asort How God sheweth his power in punishing the wicked What moued the holy proââets to pray vnto God to destroy the wicked The vehemency of the wordes of Paul to deride God and God might easely seme vnto the weaker sort to geue place vnto the furiousnes of the wicked if he should not punish their sinnes The Prophets hauing hereunto a respect oftentimes in the scriptures pray vnto God to destroy the wicked and not to suffer their wicked fâctes to be any longer vnpunished least the weaker sort should be offeÌded and the wicked should be made more insolent For holy men saw that by the declaration of the iudgements of God many sometimes repented and the weaker sort staÌding in a doubt were strengthned and by that reuenging power and vengeance the name of God was made more illustrate This place of Paul is handled with wordes so notable and of such greate signification that nothing could with so great briefenes be spoken more vehemently or with more efficacy For here thou hast the power and wrath of God declared and that by his long suffring and pacience Thou hast also vessels of wrath prepared to destructioÌ and thou hast vessels of mercy which are prepared to glory that in them
might be shewed forth the riches of the glory of God And al these thinges are so warely tought of the holy ghost that of the consideration of them we may gather greate edification But wheÌ we heare that meÌcion is made of the wrath of God we must not thinke that that wrath is such an affect whereby The wrath of God God is troubled for God is alwayes pacified and quiet But by this word are declared the effects of wrath for God when he punisheth doth that which angry men are wont to do namely to auenge iniury and dispite done vnto them And by such vengeance he sheweth forth and declareth his power for that he subdueth Children of wrath and vessels of wrath men rebellious and ostinate yea euen against their willes This is also to be noted that the wicked are in the scriptures called not only vessels of wrath but also children of wrath in which kinds of speach one and the selfe same thing in a maner is signified Howbeit somtimes it happeneth that of certayne vessels of wrath are made vessels of mercy although Paul at this preseÌt spake not of those For here he entreateth of them only which by eternall destruction shal be instruments of the wrath of God For in this place is entreated of predestination and reprobation Not all the vessels of wrath and children of wrath are to be considered alike Against merites which are fixed and vnchangeable And God is sayd to prepare vessels of mercy by which word is signified that those whom God electeth are of their own nature not one whit better then others for the thinges that are prepared are not of themselues apt And therefore they haue nede of a certaine aptacion Hereout may be gathered a reason against merits for if of our selues we be not apt but must nedes haue God to prepare vs no man can by right ascribe vnto himselfe that which he doth vprightly This kind of speach moreouer serueth not a litle to expresse the frée goodnes of God towards the elect For he doth not only geue vnto The goodnes of God expressed The auenging power of God is to be weighed in the fâll of the wicked them eternall life but also prepareth them vnto it We are admonished also that as often as we sée the wicked which presently florishe in riches and fauor to be depriued and spoyled of their riches and dignities we attribute not that to chance or to men or to vnwarenes but rather to the power and auenging iustice of God Farther this is to be noted that the Apostle sayth that God with great lenity suffreth the vessels of wrath and therefore let vs apply our selues to imitate him For if he being so mighty do not straight way auenge it is vnsemely that we being inferior to him should séeke to auenge euery trifling iniury and that euen as soone as we can This doubtles is not to imitate our heauenly father who maketh his Sunne to shine vpon the good and vpon the euill rayneth vpon the iust vpon the vniust It is the duty of Christians to follow the doctrine of Christ But Christ sayth Be ye perfect as your heauenly father is perfect Of this goodnes of God neither were the Ethnikes doubtles ignorant but haue set it forth vnto vs to imitate For Cleanthes the philosopher being vpon a stage and wonderfully skoffed at by a certayne Poet tooke it so paciently that he not so much as once changed his contenance Afterward when the Poet acknowledged his fault desired pardon Cleanthes answered that a man yâ is a philosopher ought not to be moued wheÌ as the Gods theÌselues being mocked had in derision of the Poets do yet notwithstaÌding so gently patiently suffer it But wheras Paul saith yâ God would not only A metaphore taken of riches declare his glory but also his riches therby he signifieth the vnmeasurable aboundance incredible might of the goodnes of God towardes the elect VpoÌ which selfe same consideration in an other place he calleth God rich in mercy before in this self same epistle he sayd Dost thou despise the riches of his goodnes and patience and longe sufferyng And a litle afterward he crieth out O the depth of the riches of the wisedome and knowledge of God For so great is the aboundance of the mercy and goodnes which God vseth towardes his that he séemeth vnto himselfe neuer to haue done inough in adorning them from whiche persecution we are so farre distant that when we bestow euen but a light duty vpon our brethern we beginne straight way to waxe wery And here vnder the name of glory me thinketh we may by the figure Metonymia vnderstand goodnes For of yâ declaration of goodnes springeth glory Origen sayth that God sheweth forth his lenity or patience when he differreth to take vengeance of the sinnes of the wicked but sheweth forth his power when at the length he punisheth them By vessels of mercy he vnderstandeth those The glory of God is taken for goodnes which haue made themselues clene from filthynes But as we haue taught no man can make himselfe cleane but he vnto whom God geueth that grace Wherefore seing that this making cleane dependeth of the mercy of God it can not be the cause why we should be vessels of mercy Origen addeth that these vessels can not be prepared to glory by a grace without reason or comming by chance but when they Our clensing is not the cause of grace or of election The grace of God is not without reason though it depend not of our merites haue clensed themselues from filthines But as we haue said this clensing can not be said to be the cause of grace for it is geuen fréely neither can it be the cause of mercy for it is bestowed vpon vs before any thing be done of vs namely before the foundacions of the world were layd Neither also though we attayne not vnto grace by our merites ought that grace therefore seme to be without reason For it issueth from the most high wisdome of God which hath in it reasons sufficient neither ought those reasons to be altered by things created yea neither can it be said to come by chance For as the philosophers teach those things come by chance which happen besides purpose and deliberation but forasmuch as God bringeth The grace of God commeth not by chaunce As touching God nothing is done by chaunce or fortune to passe all thinges according to his counsell and will we ought not to thinke that he doth any thing rashely or by chance And vnto whomsoeuer he geueth grace he geueth it by his eternall purpose and decrée But if Origen in thus writing haue respect vnto vs to whome grace is geuen and will haue grace to come by chance for that grace is not geuen vnto all men but is bestowed vpon them which deserue it not and thynke not of it therein I will not not
that his hart should be hardened Wherefore it is foolish of the appoyntmeÌt of things which we put in God to inferre excuse of sinnes But Pigghius addeth also an other argumente If our doings sayth he should in such sort be determined of God then should all our care diligeÌce and endeuour be takeÌ away For what should it profite sayth he to auoyde theeuish and daungerous iornies or saylinges in the winter or surfeatinges or vnholesome meates if both the kinde and time of death and such other like be alredy before certaynly appoynted of God A subtile argument as touchyng fate Here commeth to my mind that which Origen hath in his 2. booke against Celsus where he maketh mencion of a subtell argument tossed betwene them which disputed of fate or destiny A certayne one gaue counsell to a sicke man not to send for the phisition bycause sayth he it is now alredy appointed by desteny eyther that thou shalt recouer of this disease or that thou shalt not If it be thy desteny that thou shalt recouer then shalt thou not nede the phisition If it be not the phisition shall nothing helpe thee Wherefore whether desteny haue decréed that thou shalt recouer or not recouer thou shalt in vayne send for the phisition An other by the like argument diswaded his frende from mariage Thou wilt mary sayth he a wife to begette children But if it be thy destenye to haue children thou shalt haue them euen without a wife also If it be not then will it thereunto nothing profite thee to mary a wife Wherefore whatsoeuer desteny hath decreed thou shalt in vayne mary a wife Thus did they deride and scorne fate or desteny For they enteÌded to shew into what absurdities men should fall if they would defend fate Contrarywise they which defended desteny thus dissolued these reasons and shewed that the reasons should not A confutation of the same trouble men Wherefore they sayd that the sicke man mought thus haue made answere Yea rather if by fate it be appoynted that I shall recouer I will send for the phisition because he professeth to restore health to the sicke that by hys industry I may attayne vnto the appoyntmeÌt of desteny And that other which deliberated for the marieng of a wife they imagined thus to answere if it be appoynted that I shall haue children forasmuch as that can come by no other meanes but by the felloshippe of the man and the woman I will mary a wife that desteny may take place Let Pigghius also thinke that these thinges are answered vnto him For him also doo the holy scriptures openly reproue For vnto the life of Ezechias were added 15. yeares And vnto the captiuity of Babilon were prescribed 70. yeares And Christ sayth that all the heares of our hed are nombred and that not so much as a sparrow shal fal vnto the ground without the will of God That also is childish which he addeth namely that our prayers should be in vayne if the euentes of thinges were certaynly appoynted Of this thing we Prayers are not in vain thogh the euentes of thinges are deâined haue spokeÌ in an other place that God hath not only decréed what he will geue vnto vs but also hath determined meanes by which he will haue vs to attayne vnth them So Christ sayth that God knoweth what we haue nede of and yet neuertheles he admonisheth vs to pray This is nothing ells then to leade away a man from the prouidence of God For that prouidence is not new but Man and his doinges are in no case to be drawen ââoÌ the prouideÌce of god All thinges were most certainly determined coÌcerning Christ We must not deny vnto God that which we attribute vnto heaueÌ and vnto the starres an eternall disposition of thinges Vnto the death of Christ both the place and time and maner was so prescribed and reueled in the foresayinges of the prophetes that it could not otherwise come to passe Christ him selfe sayth Myne hower is not yet come And that which was true in Christ how can it be denied in others We graunte that by starres are longe before sene the reasons and causes of windes showers tempestes fayrenes of wether and drines and shall we not put those reasons in GOD which infinite wayes comprehendeth more thinges then doth the heauen And the Scriptures doo not onelye manifestly speake thys whiche we haue before sayde of those twines before they were borne or had done eyther good or euill it was sayde the elder shall serue the younger and Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated But also they speake the selfe same thing of the time to come I will haue mercye on whome I will haue mercy Also not of woorkes but of hym that calleth that the purpose shoulde remayne accordynge to election And in Deutronomye it is written He choose theyr seede after them Vnto Dauid was appoynted a posteritye euen to the comminge of Christe and when he had committed sinne it was told hym that the sworde should not depart from his house and that his wiues should openly be defloured of his neighbour And of Ieremy it is written Before that I formed thee in the wombe I knewe thee Christe sayth that the elect also shoulde be deceaued if it were possible and that as many as were geuen him of his father no man should be able to plucke them out of his hand And in the Actes we read they beleued as many as were ordeyned to eternall life In this place also God is compared with a potter who vndoubtedly before he beginneth to worke appoynteth in his minde what kinde of vessell he will frame And a little before Whome he foreknew those also hath he predestinate to be made like vnto the image of his sonne Here in the firste place is put predestination and afterward followeth the conformity to the image of the Sonne of God And in the Acts we reade that yâ Iewes toke Christ and crucified him according to the foreknowledge and determinate counsell of God What néede we anye more testimonies By these places it is proued that before all eternity predestination is before creatures Paul to the Ephesians sayth that we were elected before the foundations of the worlde were layde These thinges sufficiently declare that we are not deceaued when we teach that the foreknowledge and predestination of God doth before all eternitie goe before those thinges whiche are foreknowne and predestinate and that vnto this determination this is no let that in Gods action there is nothing either paste or to come By these thinges which we haue brought out of the holy Scriptures it is very manifest that there is a predestinatioÌ of God which thing also those things which we shall afterward speake shall manifestly declare Which I wil now also confirme by reason and by such a reason vndoubtedly as in my iudgement ought It is proued by âârme reasoÌs that there is predestination to
said in the mind of him that predestinateth those things vnto which the predestinate are directed are in them namely grace iustification good works and glorification For these haue no place but in the saincts But in that we haue put the effects of predestination in the definition thereof it is not to be meruailed at For this definition can not be geuen vnles the correlatiues as they call them be also expressed Predestination is indéede defined but of necessitye there muste be expressed and declared the endes vnto which men are by it directed And therefore they are ioyned with foreknowledge because GOD knoweth bothe the beginnings How predestination is sometymes called foreknowledge and meanes and endes of our saluation This moreouer is to be known that when of the fathers as somtimes it happeneth predestination is called foreknowledge it then signifieth not onely a bare knowledge but also an approbation or an allowing which as we haue declared pertayneth vnto purpose Wherefore we did what we could to speake properly to the end these things should not be confounded Lastly is to be considered also how in predestination are knit together the goodnes wisdome and power of GOD whiche are his moste chiefe proprieties Purpose which commeth of his goodnes is placed in the will of God Foreknowledge declareth a wise preparation for the will purposeth nothing which is not before knowen lastly when it is come to be put in execution then is power present And now because things contrary pertaine to one and the selfe same knowledge the one of theÌ serueth much to yâ knowledge of the other euen as we haue defined predestination so also will we define reprobation I sayd before that I was of the same minde that the Schoolemen are namely that the reprobate are not predestinate not for that I iudged their reason to be so firme but because the Scriptures vse so to speake for the moste parte This is their reason because predestination directeth not onelye vnto the ende but also vnto the meanes whiche leade vnto the ende But forasmuch as sinnes are the meanes God is not âhe cause of sinnes if we speake properly by whiche men are damned they say GOD can not be put to bee the cause of them Vndoubtedlye if we will speake vprightly and properly God can not be saide to bee the cause of sinnes whome yet we can in no wise vtterly exclude from the gouernment and ordering of sinnes for he is the cause of those actions which in vs are sinnes although as they are of God they are mere iustice For God punisheth sinnes by sinnes Wherefore sinnes as they are punishments are vpon men layd of God as of a iust iudge Farther it is God which withdraweth his grace from men which being withdrawen it can not be chosen but that they must fall And forasmuch as through his agitation or stirring all we both liue and moue vndoubtedly it is of necessity that all the works which we do after a maner be done by his impulsion Although thereof followeth not that he should poure into vs any new malice For we haue malice aboundantly inough of our selues both by reason of originall sinne and also because if the creature be not holpen by God of it selfe it declineth without measure and ende to worse and worse Farthermore God and that vndoubtedly iustly ministreth vnto the reprobate and vnto the wicked occasions of sinning and wonderfully enclineth the harts of men not only to good things but also as Augustine sayth by his iust iudgement to euill things Yea also he vseth the malice of men will they or nill they vnto those ends which he hath purposed vnto himselfe And the holy scriptures sticke not to say that God deliuereth men into a reprobate sence and maketh them blind and seduceth them and many other such thinges And yet for all this he can not be Sinnes are not all maner of waies excluded froÌ the prouidence of God By the maner oâ speaking of the scriptures the reprobate âre to be seperated from thâ predestinate Why the reprobate are not called predestinate truly called the cause of sinnes when as we aboundantly haue the true cause of sinnes in our selues Wherefore that reason of the Scholemen is not firme neither leneth it to a very sure foundation Howbeit I therefore seperate the reprobate from the predestinate because the scriptures no where that I know of do call men that shal be damned predestinate Which sentence thoughe I sawe no reason why yet woulde I iudge is to be followed because of the authoritye of the woorde of God Howbeit I thinke the holy scripture so speaketh for that as we haue before sayde predestination hath a regarde vnto those endes vnto which we can not by nature attayne such as are iustification good life and glorification by whiche God exalteth vs farre aboue all strengthes of nature But the sinnes for which we are damned although they are not excluded from the gouernment of God namely after that manner as we haue already declared yet do they not passe the strengthes of our nature For euery man of himselfe is prone inough to sinne Wherefore reprobation is the most wise purpose of God wherby he hath before all eternitye constantlye decréed without any iniustice not to haue DefinitioÌ of reprobation mercy on those whome he hath not loued but hath ouerhipped that by theyr iuste condemnation he might declare his wrath towards sinnes and also his glory The former partes of this definition are already declared when we defined predestination euen vnto that part without vnrighteousnes Which part is therfore added because God doth no iniustice vnto any man although he bestow not his mercy vpoÌ God doth no iniury vnto them vpon whom he hath not mercy some For he is not bound vnto any man by any law neither is he compelled of duety to haue mercy vpon any man Wherefore God aunswereth in the Gospel Is thine eye wicked I am good Is it not lawfull for me to do with mine owne what I wil The selfe same thing hath Paul taught by the power of the potter And yet he affirmeth that therefore there is no iniustice in God For here is entreated of mercye and not of righteousnes And vnto Moses was aunswered in Exodus I will haue mercy on whome I will haue mercy c. I will not haue mercy on them c. By those Men of their owne nature are in misery wordes is signified that all men are of theyr owne nature in misery For mercy is bestowed vpon none but vpon them that are in misery Out of this misery God deliuereth some and those he is sayd to loue Othersome he ouerpasseth and them is he sayd to hate for that he hath not mercy on them That by theyr iust condemnation he might declare his anger against sinnes and his righteousnes The damnation of these men is said to be iust because it is inflicted vnto them for their sins The
more excellency then the effect especially in that it is such a cause wherfore if workes be the causes of predestinatioÌ they are also more worthy of more excellency Our works cannot be of more worthines then predestination That which is constant certaine dependeth not of that which is vncertain vnconstant then predestination Moreouer predestinatioÌ is sure coÌstaÌt infallible How theÌ shall we appoint yâ it depeÌdeth of yâ works of frée will which are vncertaine vncoÌstant may be bowed hither thither if a maÌ coÌsider theÌ perticulaly For men are a like prone vnto this or yâ kinde of sinne as occasions are offred For otherwise if we will speake generally by reason of the sinne of the firste parentes frée will before regeneration can do nothing els but sinne Wherefore according to the sentence of these men it must néedes follow that the predestination of God which is certaine dependeth of the workes of men which are not onely vncertaine but also are sinnes Neither can they say that they mean of those works which follow regeneration For those as we haue taught spring of Grace and of predestination Neither do these men consider that they to satisfye humane reason We must not so defeÌd ouâ liberty that we spoile God of his libertie and to auoutch I know not what liberty in men spoyle God of his due power liberty in electing which power and liberty yet the Apostle setteth forth and saith that God hath no les right ouer men then hath the potter ouer the vessels whiche he maketh But after these mens sentence God can not elect but him only whom he knoweth shal behaue himselfe wel neither can he reiect any man but whom he séeth shal be euill But this is to go about to bring God into an order and to make him subiect vnto the lawes of our reason As for Erasmus he in vaine speaketh against this reason For he sayth that it is not absurde to take away from God that power which he himselfe will not haue attributed vnto him namelye to do any thing vniustly For we say that Paul hath in vaine yea rather falsly set foorth this We must geue vnto God that liberty whiche the scripture geueth vnto him liberty of God if he neither haue it nor will that it should be attributed vnto him But how Paul hath proued this libertye in God that place whiche we haue cited most manifestly declareth They also to no purpose obiect vnto vs the iustice of God for here is entreated onely of his mercy Neither can they deny but yâ they by this their sentence do rob God of a greate deale of his loue and good will towardes men For the holy scripture when it would commend vnto vs the fatherly loue of God affirmeth that he gaue his sonne and that vnto the death and that then when we were yet sinners enemies and children of wrath But these men will haue no man to be predestinated which hath not good woorkes foreséene in the minde of God And so euerye man may say with himselfe If I be predestinated the cause thereof dependeth of my selfe But an other which féeleth truely in his harte that he is fréely elected of Loue towards God is kindled of the true feling of predestination God for Christes sake when as he of himselfe was all maner of wayes vnworthy of so greate loue will without all doubt be wonderfullye inflamed to loue God againe It is also profitable vnto vs that our saluation shoulde not depende of our works For we oftentimes wauer and in liuing vprightly are not very constant Doubtles if we should put confidence in our owne workes we should vtterly dispayre But if we beleue that our saluation abideth in God fixed and assured for Christes sake we cannot but be of good comfort Farther if predestination shoulde come vnto vs by our woorkes foreséene the beginning of our saluation should be of our selues against which sentence the scriptures euery where cry out For that were to raise vp an idoll in our selues Moreouer the iustice of God shoulde then The consideration of the election of God ⪠and of the election of man is diuers haue néede of the externe rule of our workes But Christ sayth Ye haue not elected me but I haue elected you Neither is that consideration in God which is in men when they beginne to loue a man or to picke out a frende For men are moued by some excellente giftes wherewith they sée a man adorned But God can finde nothing good in vs which first proceedeth not from him And Ciprian saith as Augustine oftentimes citeth him that we therefore can not glory for that we haue nothinge that is our owne and therefore Augustine concludeth that we oughte not to parte stakes betwene God and vs to geue one parte to him and to kéepe an other vnto Vnto God is all whole to be ascribed our selues touching the obteinement of saluation for all whole is without doubte to be ascribed vnto him The Apostle when he writeth of predestination hath alwaies this ende before him to confirme our confidence and especially in afflictioÌs out of which he saith that God will deliuer vs. But if the purpose of God shoulde be referred vnto our workes as vnto causes thereof then could we by no meanes conceaue any such confidence For we oftentimes fall and the righteousnes of our If predestinatioÌ shold depend of workes iâ woulde make vs not to hope but to dispayre workes is so sclender that it cannot stand before the iudgement seate of God And that the Apostle for this cause chiefly made mencion of predestination we maye vnderstand by the. 8. chapter of this Epistle For when he described the effectes of iustification amongst other things he saith that we by it haue obteined the adoption of sonnes and that we are moued by the spirit of God as the sonnes of God and therfore with a valiant minde we suffer aduersities and for that cause euery creature groneth and earnestly desireth to be at the length deliuered And the spirite it self also maketh intercession for vs. And at the last addeth That vnto them that loue God all thinges worke to good And who they be yâ loue God he straightway declareth Which are called saith he according to purpose These seketh Paul to make secure that they shoulde not thinke that they are hindred when they are excercised with aduersities for that they are foreknowne predestinated called and iustified And that he had a respect vnto this security those thinges declare whiche In which wordes of Paul the aduersaries aâ deceiued follow If God be on our side who shal be against vs Who shall accuse against the elect of God First by this methode is gathered that the aduersaries much erre supposinge that by this place they may inferre that predestination commeth of workes foreséene For Paul before that gradation wrote these wordes To them that loue God all
worthely condeÌned And this may strongly be sayd to repell those which paraduenture presume to lay the cause of theyr damnation not vpon theyr owne sinne but vpon God Wherefore originall sinne goeth before the birth of all men so that thou haue Originall sinne goeth before euery mans damnation a respect vnto euery perticular man it also goeth before the damnation of all the wicked although it could not be before the eternal purpose of God but only as touching foreknowledge These thinges being as we haue declared them as they are in no case absurd so also may they well be perceaued if we depart not from the sence of the scriptures which sence how much in this place Pighius ouerpasseth by meanes of his owne fond inuencion I will in few words touch He maketh many degrees or actes in the minde of God which he setteth in order A fond imagination of Pighius betwixt them selues not in dede by distinction of time but by distinction of nature and therefore such actes he calleth signes and yet had he not that out of the holy scriptures but borowed it out of Scotus In the first signe sayth he God appoynted to bring forth all men to eternall saluation which they might haue fruition of together with him and that without any difference and ouer them he would haue Christ to be the hed whome he thinketh also should haue come in the flesh although the first man had not sinned In the second signe he sayth that God foresaw the fall of man by reason whereof it was not now possible that men should come vnto saluation that is vnto the end which God had purposed in him selfe when he decreed in the beginning to create man Howbeit that the matter mought go forward he sayth that God did put in the thirde signe remedies in Christ namely of grace and of the spirit and such like wherby mought be holpen those which would receaue them and those forsakeÌ which should refuse them Lastly in the fourth signe for that he foresaw that manye would embrace these aydes and would vse them well and actiuely he therefore predestinated them to saluation but others whome he saw would reiect these benefites of God he adiudged to vtter destruction this he speaketh touchinge them that be of ful age But forasmuch as by this fond imagination he could not satisfy as touching infantes which perish before they caÌ haue the vse of free wil he patcheth thereunto an other fable namely that they after the iudgmeÌt shal be in this world happy with a certayne naturall blessednes wherein they shall continually prayse God and geue thankes vnto him for that theyr estate so tollerable So this man fayneth a doctrine which he can not proue by any one word of the scripture For how attributeth he vnto God that he in the first God appointeth not those thinges which shall haue no successe Christ had not come vnlesse sinne had ben coÌmitted signe decreed those things which should not haue successe Namely that al meÌ should enioy felicity Is it the poynt of a wise man I will not say of God to decree or will those thinges which shall take no effect Let him also bring forth some oracles of God to declare vnto vs that the sonne of God should haue taken vpon him humane flesh although man had not sinned But he is not able in any place to shew any such thing when as the holy scriptures euery where testify vnto vs that he was geueÌ for our redemption and for the remission of sinnes which thing also mought haue taught him if he had considered that originall sinne went before all the effectes of predestinatioÌ only creation excepted when as Christ was to this end predestinated and geuen vnto vs that we might haue a remedy of our falles of all which falles originall sinne is the hed and principall And he had not taken vpon him humane flesh if there had bene no sinne committed He without the scriptures also imagineth that it lieth in Infants perish vnlesse they be renued by the mediator the power of our free will to receaue the remedies being generallye set forth when as this is the most absolute gifte of God And that whiche he last of all bringeth namely of the naturall felicity of children is not only auouched besides the scripture but also is playnly agaynst it which teacheth that all perish in Adam vnles they be renued by the mediator But to perish or to dy how repugnant it is with felicity al men easely vnderstand And besides that he hath not on his side one of all yâ fathers whiche durst imagine any such fond deuises Neyther can I be perswaded that Pelagius him selfe if he were a liue agayne would more diligently colour his opinion then this man hath paynted it and set it forth That which we haue hitherto proued touching predestinatioÌ namely that iâ dependeth not of workes foresene the selfe same thing also affirme we of reprobation for neither it also dependeth of sinnes foresene so that by reprobatioÌ yâ vnderstand not extreme damnatioÌ but that most depe eternal purpose of God of not hauing mercy For Paul writeth alike of Esau and Iacob Before they had done any good or euill it was sayd The elder shall serue the younger Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated that it should not be of workes but of him that calleth And Pighius laboureth in vayne to haue this sentence of Paul vnderstanded of one of them only that is of Iacob when as the Apostle ioyned them both together vnder one and the selfe same conditioÌ Which thing he more manifestly afterward If sin were the cause of reprobatioÌ no man should be elected What are the effectes of predestination Christ is the first effect of predestination declareth saying He hath mercy on whome be will and whome he will he hardeneth Further if sinne were the true cause of reprobation theÌ should none be elected WheÌ as God foreknoweth that all men are contaminated with it Which selfe thing Augustine proueth vnto Simplicianus But now we will entreate of the third article to see what are the effectes of predestination and of reprobacion And we will be the briefer for that those thinges which shal be spoken haue much light by those thinges whiche haue alredy bene spoken The first effect therefore of predestination is Christ him selfe for the elect can haue none of the giftes of God vnles by our sauiour it be geuen vnto them Then also let there be put those effectes which Paul describeth in the 8. chapiter when he sayth Whome he foreknew those also hath âe predestinated whoÌ he hath predestinated those also hath he called and whome he hath called those hath he iustified and whome he hath iustified those hath he glorified Whereby it is euident that vocation also and iustification and glorification are the effectes of predestination whereunto also may be added conformity of the image of the sonne of God when
as Paul reckneth it vp as an effect of predestination Good workes also may be added seing thââ God is sayd to haue prepared theÌ that we should walke in theÌ TheÌ followeth certaynty or confirmation of our saluation which certainty of what sort it is we will declare in the 10. chapiter Lastly is the declaration of the riches of God which ende Paul manifestly mencioneth in thys Effectes of reprobatioÌ Of the state of the first man 9. chapiter and vnto the Ephesians he writeth That we might be to the prayse of hys grace and glory But as touching reprobation if it be compared vnto the first man GOD from eternally decreed to produce hym that by free will and certayne grace geuen vnto him he mought haue stode if he had would and God could haue geuen vnto him greater grace so that he could not haue fallen but Whether the first maÌ were of the number of the predestinate or of the reprobate he would not But whether AdaÌ were of the nomber of the reprobate or of the predestinate can not be gathered out of the holy scriptures although all the fathers in a maner consent that he was saued and therefore pertained to the nomber of the predestinate But other men which were reprobated were offred vnto God in a masse of perdition and vtterly corrupted For God decreed to produce them not els where but out of the sede of Adam and forasmuch as by his free purpose he would not bestowe his mercy vppon the multitude which is made reprobate therof followed reiection wherby they were left in theyr natiue sin Further forasmuch as God suffreth not his creatures to be idle they also are perpetually pricked forward to worke and for that they were not healed they do all thinges of theyr corrupt ground which although they seme sometimes to be beautifull workes yet before God they are sinnes Moreouer according as theyr wicked factes deserue God continually punisheth in them sinnes by other sinnes as vnto the Romanes many are sayd to haue bene deliuered vp into a reprobate minde for that when they knew God they glorified him not as God But yet as touching the sinne of the first maÌ this is to be considered that that sinne could not be sayd to haue bene the punishment of an other sinne For if it were the first sinne it had not any other sinne before it and that God vtterlye willed not that sinne that can not be sayd for agaynste his wil how coulde it be committed And he sawe that he woulde fall if he were not confirmed with his spirit and with a more plentiful grace and yet he holpe him not neither put he to his hand to kepe him from falling Moreouer the deuil vnles God had would durst not haue tempted him Furthermore he had appointed by him to declare his goodnes and seuerity hereof he gaue an occasion when he set a law which he knew should not be kept and also in geuing him a wife which should entise him And finally the action it selfe which as a subiect or matter sustained the priuation of vprightnes could not without the power and might of God haue bene produced Wherefore it is euident that God after a sort willed that sinne and was some way the author hereof although that it were not a punishment of sinne going before But contrariwise he is sayd not to haue willed it and not to haue bene the author of it for that he prohibited it punished it and willed it not simply but for an other ende ⪠he of himselfe ministred not yâ prauity neither infused he it into him but the wil of Adam not being letted by a more mighty grace of his owne accord declined from vprightnes Esay also bringeth as an effect of reprobation the blinding and making grosse the hart of the people that they should not vnderstand And God oftentimes either by himselfe or by euil angels sendeth cogitations and offreth occasions which if we were vpright mought be taken in the best part but for as much as we are not renued we are by them driuen vnto euil afterwarde iustly and worthely foloweth damnation for sinnes and finally the declaration of the power and iustice of God is the last effect of reprobation Al these thinges follow reprobation although God as we haue before declared is not God is not a like the cause of all the effects of reprobation a like the cause of them all But because al the benefites of God which are geuen vnto the predestinate are referred vnto grace as to their hed and fountain therefore let vs see whether that principall effect of Gods predestination be as some haue imagined set forth of God coÌmon vnto al men for if it were so then should al men be predestinated it should lye in their owne power or in their own handes as the saying is to be predestinated so yâ they would receaue grace wheÌ it is offred We in no wise say yâ grace is coÌmon vnto al men but is geueÌ Whether the grace of God be set forth as common vnto all men vnto some and vnto others according to the pleasure of God it is not geuen And to confirme this sentence we alleadge these places of the scripture In the 6. of Iohn iâ is sayd No man commeth vnto me vnles my father shall draw him And I wonder that the aduersaries should say that al men are drawen of God but all men will not come As if a man should say no man can attaine vnto learning Whether ââ are drawen of God A similitude or good artes which is not endewed with reason and witte And yet doth it not thereof follow that though al men haue reason and witte al men should attayne vnto good artes for besides those grounds are required an endeuor and wil. So say they al men are drawen of God but besides the drawing of God there is required that we haue a wil thereto and do geue our assent for other wise we are not brought vnto Christ But doubtles it can not be that in al those propositions whiche are spoken with an exception that exception shoulde belong vnto al men For Christ said vnto Pilate Thou shouldest not haue power against me vnles it were geuen thee from aboue shal we therefore take vpon vs to say that vnto al men was geueÌ power against Christ And wheÌ as it is writteÌ That no man shall enter into the kingdome of heauen vnles he be of water and the spirit borne agayne shal we thereof inferre that al men are borne agayne of water and the spirit And when the Lord sayth ye shall not haue life in you vnles ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud shal we thereby vnderstand that al men eate the flesh and drinke the bloud of the Lord And if this ought not so to be why wil these men when we say No man commeth vnto me vnles my father shal draw him therof inferre that all
boweng but to that parte only which God hath foreknoweÌ Wherfore the necessity falleth vpon the connexion and coniunction of the predestination of God with our workes ⪠which thing they ment by the composed sence and by the necessity of the consequence For our workes if they be considered a parte and if we only haue a respect vnto theyr niest ground or beginning that is vnto the will are not of necessitye Here also is confessed necessity of certainty or of infalliblenes for that God can neyther be changed nor be deceaued Neyther do we playnly graunt that predestination bringeth necessity of coaction for coaction The will can not bee gouerned and violence is agaynst the nature of the will For if it should vnwillingly do any thing it should not now be called will but rather nill if a man may so terme it which were to destroy will I knowe that the Scholmen striue amongest themselues whether God foreknoweth those thinges which he foreknoweth necessarily or contingently But in this contencion I will not entermedle my selfe for that there is no such matter set forth in the scriptures It is Proues of necessity by supposition sufficient vnto me to discharge God from all maner of change and alteration for the contingence and newnes is in the thinges but God alwayes and perpetually abideth one and the selfe same But that there is such a necessity namely of the consequence or of the composed sence or of infallibility found in the holy scriptures we wil alledge certayne places which euidently proue the same lest any should thinke it to be but a fayned inuencion Christ sayd It must nedeâ be that he should be deliuered vnto the Iewes to be mocked This necessity can be of no other thing inferred but of the definite counsell of God ⪠which thing Peter teacheth in his sermon in the actes of the Apostles Christ also sayd that it must nedes be that the scriptures should be fulfilled In Iohn it is written The scripture can not be broken that is It is not possible but that it must needes be fulfilled Vnto yâ Hebrues It is impossible that they which once being illuminated c. In which place is entreated of sinne agaynst the holy ghost that it is impossible that they which are guilty of it should escape for that God hath vtterly decred perpetually to forsake those which haue so sinned Christ also sayd of the temptacions of the latter times That the elect also if it were possible should be deceaued Agayne Heauen and earth shall passe away but my wordes shall not passe away In which wordes is signified that all those thinges which God hath spoken eyther in the Scriptures or in his eternall determination can not be by anye meanes made frustrate He answered also vnto his parentes Did ye not know that it behoueth me to worke those thinges which pertayne to my father Vnto Timothe Paul writteth The foundation standeth firme God knoweth who are his And in Iohn Whome the father hath geuen vnto me no man can take out of my hand Lastly All things whatsoeuer he would be made both in heauen and in earth Wherfore of all these thinges is gathered how euidently this necessity of certainty and infalliblenes is set forthe in the holy scriptures nether is it as some thinke a deuise of man And these thinges which we haue spoken of foreknowledge pertaine also Thesâ thinges pertain also to prouidence to prouidence for although in this vniuersality of things many things are said to be done by chance yet notwithstanding bycause that there is nothing be it neuer so small but it is subiect vnto the prouidence of God therefore also hath it necessity which we call necessity of certainty and others call necessitye of consequence And if thou wilt aske that forasmuch as thinges may be called partly necessary and partly also contingent or free as we haue declared whither Whether our actions are to be called neceâsarye or contingent of these conditions most agree vnto them I answere that that most agreeth vnto them which is natural and inward Wherefore forasmuch as the necessity whereof we nowe entreate commeth outwardly and is onely by supposition therefore thinges ought in no wise to be estemed according to it but according to those principles or groundes which are vnderstanded of vs and so our workes which procede of the will shall be sayd to be free and those thinges which are so produced in nature that also theyr contrary may come to passe are be counted contingeÌt Howbeit that necessity of certaynty or of consequeÌce which we put is neuer to be denied nether must we plucke away our workes eyther from nature or froÌ foreknowledge or from the prouidence of God And as touching the will of God we must thinke that it in very dede gouerneth and moderateth all thinges which thing is of all men commonly graunted For although meÌ perceaue and fele that they by the will decree and elect those things which they are minded to do yet if they be men godly they will alwayes saye This or that will I do if God wil permitte But if they be men that are yet without the religion of Christ as were the Ethnikes yet notwithstanding they alwayes make mencion of Fate or destiny of the three sisters called Parcae or of lot which thing is oftentimes red in the Poets Who if as we haue before sayd by the word Fate or such like wordes they vndestode the connexion of causes ouer which God himselfe is the ruler and moderateth and gouerneth it then is there no hurte in that opinion although by reason of the abuse of the word it be better vtterly to abstayne froÌ it There are some also which dreame of a certayne fatall mighty and strong necessity afflicted vnto the starres and vnto naturall causes Which God himselfe can not change which opinion is erronius impious and also strange from the wise men of old time who expressedly declare that by Fate they vnderstoode the will and gouernment of God The verses of Cleanthes the Stoike which he wrote touching thys matter Seneca in his 18. booke of Epistles hath turned into Latine Whose sentence in Englishe is thus Leade me o soueraigne Sire and Lord that rulest the heauens hye Verses of Cleanthes touching desteny Where pleaseth thee for I obey to follow spedely Lo prest I am without delay Though loth thou makest me Yet groning forward shall I go And euill while I be What being good I might haue done to do I shal be fayne The willing persons fates doo leade vnwilling they constrayne Although in these verses be auoutched fate or destinie yet is the gouernement thereof put in the hand of God for he calleth vpon the moste high father and desireth to be led of him Whose will notwithstanding he affirmeth to be both certain and infallible The selfe same thing séemeth Homer in his Odisea to haue ment in these verses which are thus in English Such is
necessitie hâtteth the will that it should will anye thing vnwillinglye But this latter is nothing at all agaynst the nature of the will The life and foreknowledg of God although they are necessarily attributed vnto him yet they nothing hurt his nature nor will He can not neyther be deceaued nor dy and yet suffreth he not any thing which he willeth not So also we say yâ when we will any thing by will we necessarily wil it and yet do we not thinke that hereby our choyce is violated And how the What thinges wicked men wishe for in this question foreknowledge of God hurteth not our will Augustine in his 3. booke de libero arbitrio in the 2. and 3. chapiters very well declareth And first he sayth that by this question are excedingly set a worke a greate many wicked men which eyther would that if the will be free God had no prouidence nor care of thinges pertayning to men that they might with the more licentiousnes geue theÌselues vnto lustes in denying the iudgments both of God and of man and to the vtter most of theyr power auodyng them or if it can not be auoyded but that it must nedes be graunted that God prouideth and vnderstandeth the things which are done of vs yet at the least they would obteyne this that his prouidence should so compell the willes of men that they may be excused from blame of theyr wicked factes But how these mens deuises are deceaued he easely declareth in setting forth how the forknowledge of God may stand with will and that a free will He demaundeth of him with whome he reasoneth whither he knew that he should haue to morrow a wil vpright or corrupt He maketh aunswere that he could not tel Doost thou thinke sayth Augustine that God knoweth thys The other confesseth that he thinketh that God knoweth this ⪠Wherefore sayth Augustine forasmuch as God foreknoweth this he also foreknoweth what he will doâ with thee that is whither he will glorifie thee at the end of thy life and if he foreknowe and can not be deceaued then of necessity will he glorifie thee But in the meane time tell thou me Shalt thou be glorified agaynst thy will or with thy will Verely sayth he nâot agaynst my will for I most earnestly desire the same And hereby is concluded that that which God wil of necessity do in vs hindreth not the wil. He sheweth also that this shal be more plaine if we coÌsider of foreknowledge as though it were ours Suppose that I foreknowe that a certayne man shal come vnto me to morrow shal this my foreknowledge take away from him wil but that if he Our memory coÌpelleth not thinges past to be past ⪠come he commeth thorough his owne election Doubtles we can not so say for he willingly commeth neyther shal my foreknowledge diminish any thing of his liberty And as our memory compelleth not thinges past to be past so foreknowledge compelleth not those thinges which shall come to passe to come to passe This thing also may an other way be declared If a maÌ should se Plato disputing with Socrates or the Sunne or Moone to be eclipsed the sight of the beholder causeth not that they which dispute together should of necessity or agaynst theyr willes dispute together neyther also causeth it that the Sunne or Moone should be eclipsed by chance when as those eclipses of the heauenly lights haue theyr necessary causes Wherefore he which seeth both maketh not by his sight that which is contingent necessary neyther maketh he that which is necessary contingent Neyther ought we to imagine that the foreknowledge of God obteyneth his certaynty of the necessity of thinges for so greate is the perspicuity of the minde of God that it can also most certaynly vnderstand thinges contingent Neyther is thys reason any thing hindred by that which we before ofteÌ admonished namely that the foreknowledge of God hath alwayes will ioyned with it when as nothing can be foreknowen of God to be which he him selfe will not to be But yet this will wherby God worketh all in all applieth it selfe How the wil of God bringeth not necessitie to thinges to the natures of thinges For in meate it norisheth in the Sunne it shineth in the vine it bringeth forth wine and in the will of men it causeth that they of theyr owne accord and freely wil those thinges which they wil. Paul as we rede in the Actes cited that sentence of Aratus In him we liue are moued and haue our being Whereof it followeth that the wil of man hath his motions of God But if a maÌ wil say that it receaueth of God such motions as it selfe before willeth then shal he speake things absurd for theÌ should our wil measure and gouerne the influences of God which thing is far from the truth But rather let vs say The wil receueth such motions of God as he will Second causes may be doubtfull wheÌ yet the will of God is certaine that it receaueth of God such impulsions and motions as he will geue And let vs in yâ meane time marke that God so worketh in our will that it gladly willingly and of his owne accord receaueth the motions which God putteth into vs. But how it commeth so passe that God moste certainly foreseeth thinges to come when yet the willes of men and many naturall causes are doubtfull and worke contingently it may thus be declared It is true in dede that those which consider thinges onely in theyr causes are oftentymes deceaued for that all causes doo not necessarilye produce theyr effectes for sometimes they are letted and enclyne an other way then they were supposed Wherefore men are not deceaued when they now behold the effect brought forth but they are deceaued when they iudge of effectes lying hid in their causes But the foreknowledge of God not only knoweth what thinges shall come to passe in their causes but also thorowly seeth theÌ as if they were alredy brought forth and of their causes made perfect and hereof it commeth that we may of the foreknowledge of God infer necessity of certainety and of infalliblenes and so can we not do of the second and niest cause For when we say that God foreknew that this or that thing shal come to passe to morrow we wel conclude All thinges are necessary whilest they are yâ therefore it shal of necessity be Necessity is not applied vnto a thing known but as it is foreknoweÌ of God as present and alcedy brought forth which maketh not onely to perspicuity but also to necessity For euery thing whilest it is is of necessity neither must we afterward graunt that yâ thing is of necessity for that it is not taken in such sort as it was foreknowen of God Hetherto We do not defend free will haue we defended the power of mans will whiche yet we wil not should be taken vniuersally but only as touching foreknowledge and
of humane righteousnes For we labour not to confirm Humane rightousnes vnstable and establish but onely those thinges which are weake and are not able to consiste of themselues But they which are godly do after the example of Paul to the Philippians count theyr workes especially such which they did before iustification for losse and donge so farre is it of that they séeke to establishe them or to cleaue vnto them as vnto sound and true righteousnes In this place also is to bee noted an excellent The godly stablish not their owne righteousneâ Those thinges are not to bee mingled together which Paule putteth contrary What is not to bâ subiect vnto the righteousnesse of God They whiche are subiecte vnto the righteousnes of GOD doo most of all glorify him antithesis or contrary position For here the Apostle counteth to be iustified by workes and to be subiect vnto the righteousnes of God as opposites or contraries which can in no wise stand together So yâ I wonder at those which in our time dare mingle these two together namely that we are iustified both by grace and also by our workes If these two might stand together theÌ should the repreheÌsion of Paul be smal yea rather none at al who affirmeth yâ they which séeke to stablish their own righteousnes can not be subiect vnto the righteousnes of God And by this word subiectioÌ he vnderstandeth nothing els but not to be a receiuer or pertaker therof yea he speaketh most properly For they which are iustified by faith do verely make themselues subiect vnto God counting themselues as sinners and such as haue nede of his grace And hereby is geuen vnto him glory for although they seme to glorify God which confesse the truth and which for the truths sake put either their goods or life in danger yet herein chiefly consisteth his glory wheÌ we attribute not vnto our selues any vertue or holynes but acknowledging ourselues most miserable do attribute vnto him only whatsoeuer goodnes or saluation we obtaine The commentaries which are ascribed vnto Ierome herein very well agrée They are not subiect say they vnto the righteousnes of God that is vnto the absolution from sinnes as though they were not sinners and had no néede of Christ And Chrisostome sayth that Paul not in déede manifestly but yet not obscurely noteth the most gréeuous punishement of these mens ignoraunce namely that through their own peruerse endeuor they were left naked of all righteousnes for they could not attayne vnto their owne righteousnes by works and fell away from that righteousnes which by the faith of Iesus Christ they mought haue had And doubtles the condition or state of such men is most miserable for forasmuch as they are not iustified by faith although they may after a sort apply The most miserable condition or estate of theÌ which trust to theyr owne righteousnes themselues vnto outward works yet notwithstanding when they sée that they litle profit they at the length cast away all endeuor to liue godly and religiously and in this life liue filthily and at the last in an other life are most miserably tormented For the ende of the lawe is Christ vnto righteousnes to euery one that beleueth For Moses thus describeth the righteousnesse which is of the lawe That the man which doth these thinges shal liue thereby But the righteousnes whiche is of faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thyne hart who shall ascende into heauen ⪠that is to bring Christ from aboue Or who shall descende into the deepe that is to bring Christ agayne from the dead But what saith it The worde is nere thee euen in thy mouth and in thyne hart This is the worde of fayth which we preach For the end of the law is Christ vnto righteousnes to euery one that beleueth Now he confirmeth the proposition which he tooke in hand namely that Why Christ is the ende of the law they which wil be iustified by works are not pertakers of the rightousnes of God for the end of the law is Christ vnto righteousnes This is a causall proposition for Christ is called the end of the law because yâ he bringeth the perfection and absolution or fulnes thereof The propertye also of this word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is end is to End signifieth two things be noted for it signifieth two things namely the extreme or vttermost part or limite of a thing and after this maner death is called the end of liuing creatures not doubtles that we should liue to dye for that which is the worse can not be the cause of that which is better It moreouer signifieth the perfection and absolution or fulnes of any thing wheÌ it is brought to the vttermost of his action or motion Now although as touching the first signification Christ by his comming set an end to the law for he tooke away the ceremonies and curse therof yet in this place Paul meaneth not that Christ is in such maner the end of the law but hath a respect vnto the other signification of this word namely vnto perfection and absolution for that Christ hath made perfect and full that which the law could not And that this may the better be vnderstanded let vs consider the end and scope of The scope and ende of lawes lawes Lawes are made to make men good and iust for for no other cause do they set forth things right and honest but that they should be put in vre But amongst other lawes this law which God made chiefly requireth at mens hands righteousnes holines but this thing it can not attayne vnto not in dede thorough hys owne default but by reason of our corruption Howbeit that which it can do The law by it selfe can not attaine vnto hys ende it doth namely vrgeth vs it accuseth vs and it condemneth vs that at the least being ouerpressed with so great waight we should thinke of one to deliuer vs and by that meanes should be conuerted vnto Christ by whome we may both be absolued from sinnes and also may thorough his spirite and grace be able as much as yâ condition of this life wil suffer to be obedient vnto his law geuen vnto vs. Which two thinges Christ most liberally geueth vnto them that beleue in him and so is called the ende that is the consumation and perfection of the lawe This Paul in plaine words noted when he before sayde That which was impossible vnto the lawe in as much as it was made weake thorough the fleshe God sending his owne sonne in the similitude of the fleshe of sinne by sinne condemned sinne that the righteousnes of the lawe might be fulfilled in vs. Hereunto also had Ambrose a respect who thus interpreteth this place that Christ is called the end of the lawe for that God by him bringeth to passe those thinges which he had promised The law is our scholemaister to Christ A scholemaster
seme doubtfull whether it ought to be referred vnto Moses whome he had before cited or vnto the righteousnes of faith which is brought in as if it should speake But thys is no matter of wayght and there are some greke exeÌplers wherin is added ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã yâ is But what saith the scriptures Nether is this to be passed ouer yâ in the Hebrue is had not only nigh or next but there is also added this aduerbe Meod which signifieth very whereby is noted a very nigh inward néerenes The Seuenty intepreters haue in their translation not onely in the hart and in the mouth but haue added in the handes But that is not had in the Hebrue and Paul hath left it out Augustine in his questions vppoÌ Deut. who readeth after the translation of the Seuenty diligently noteth that But if it be added it nothing hindreth yea rather it helpeth the interpretacion of the Apostle whereby is declared that in that place is entreated of the commaundement of God as it is grafted in the hart as it is confirmed by the mouth and as it is expressed in worke But all these thinges are to be referred vnto Christe and How great the streÌgth of fayth is vnto faith for that is it which causeth our mind and harte to be opened and made able to receiue those thinges which are vtterly repugnant vnto reason iudgemeÌt and sence and so is that made nigh vnto vs which is by nature most farre of from vs. And that the scripture by name mencioneth the hart it wanteth not a mistery for although faith pertaine vnto the assent of the minde yet notwithstandinge hath it most nighly ioyned with it the affect of the will which is by the hart described for that if vnto our vnderstanding or minde be offred those thinges which are most manifest and plaine it is so ouercome that it straight way geueth assent nether The minde when it asseÌteth vnto thinges very manifest waiteth not for the consent of the will How the vnderstanding will are vnto faith waiteth it for the commaundement or consent of the will as it is euident in the first principles of all sciences and in mathematicall demonstrations But wheÌ thinges doubtfull are set foorth and that the reasons on either side are obscure and many thinges are agaynst the proposition set foorth the minde and vnderstanding geue not assent but by the commaundement and consent of the will which in that case peiseth and examineth the ambiguity Wherfore when faith is engendred in vs the holy ghost therein vseth two workes The one is so to illustrate the minde that it may be made certaine of the thing set before it although it be not very euident The other is that the will be so strengthned that by the affect therof it may ouercome whatsoeuer sence or reason do set foorth which is repugnante vnto the word of God geuen vnto vs. For in the worke of faith vnto our will is ioyned the holy Ghost for the assente whiche by beleuing we geue vnto the oracles of God is firme and of efficacy for the spirite chaungeth the will and maketh it of hys owne accorde vtterly to will those thinges which it before refused Wherfore God wheÌ he geueth vnto vs faith gouerneth ech power of the soule as is agreable vnto their nature And forasmuch as this pertaineth to the wil not to iudge any thing of it self but to follow the iudgemente of vnderstanding the minde is by the spirite of God made assured of the thinges which are to be beleued and vnto it therewithall it is made plaine that we must wholy be obedient vnto God Therof it commeth that the wil resisteth not but represseth all thinges which otherwise shoulde be a let to this assent required at our hands He calleth the Gospel yâ word of faith for none other cause but for that by faith it is apprehended whereby a figuratiue kinde of speach the obiect is illustrated and described by the vertue which apprehendeth it This is the worde of faith which we preach This is not spoken that we should beleue that the Gospell is not ioyned with the law for how then could repeÌtance be preached But therfore it is written for that the chiefest parte of the ministery of the Apostles is occupied about the righteousnes of faith And when it is said This is the word of fayth which we preach by a certaine Emphasis is declared that the doctrine of the Gospell is in no wise repugnant vnto the lawe of Moses yea rather it excellently well agréeth with it It is not onely sayd that the woorde is nigh in the hart but also in the mouth Which thing Paul weying moste aptly applied it to his purpose for this he saith beloÌgeth to confessioÌ which euer straight way foloweth a true effectuall faith Some of the Iewes vnderstood this place as though Moses should say now the word is in your mouth yâ is ye haue it in sight before you for this woorde Pi disagréeth not from this signification for it is sayde Keephi lephi which signifieth hard by and nighe Others also haue not vnaptlye by in the mouthe vnderstanded expressing or rehersing for the lawe being geuen and written the Iewes mought repeat and recite with themselues the woordes thereof And the Leuites daylye repeated it in the Tabernacle or in the temple of God and in this wise it was said to be had in the mouth But this is to be considered that it was for no other cause had in handes and sighte or recited either of the Leuites or of any of the people but to bring men vnto Christe and to stirre them Why the law was oftentimes repeted vp to faith in him and to prouoke the godly to confesse to praise and to allowe that which the Lord had spoken If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the lord Iesus and shalt beleue in thine harte that God hath raised him vp from the deade thou shalt be saued For with the hart maÌ beleueth vnto righteousnes and with the mouth is confession made vnto saluation For the scripture saith whosoeuer beleueth in hym shall not be made ashamed For there is no difference betwene the Iew and the Grecian For there is one lorde ouer all who is riche vnto all them that call vpon him For whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the lord shal be saued If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt beleue in thine hart that God hath raysed him vp from the deade Althoughe Paul séemeth not here to obserue a right order for first we beleue before we make confession The fayth of an other maÌ is knowen onely by confession In the resurrectioÌ is accomplished our saluation yet because that we cannot iudge concerning our brother whether he beleue vnles we heare him first confesse for this cause the Apostle putteth the effect before the cause And amongst other thinges which are to be beleued he
in this place saith when he writeth And they shall say vnto Sion Thy God raigneth Hetherto hath sinne raigned Wherfore Paul in this Epistle said Let not sin raigne in your mortall body Death also hath raigned For the same Apostle Death hath raigned from Adam euen vnto Moses The Deuill also hath raigned whom the Lord calleth the Prince of this world and Paul the gouernour of this worlde and the God of this worlde All these thinges haue hitherto miserably exercised their What maner of princes the Hebrues had tyranny ouer vs But nowe the Lorde raigneth For as touching outwarde kingdomes the Iewes indéede had many iudges and many kings few good some tollerable but a greate many moste wicked tyrannes And they whiche were good as Dauid Ezechias Iosias and suche like were yet notwithstanding weake neyther coulde they eyther defende the people from calamities or make them good Wherefore the Iewes were oftentimes oppressed of theyr enemies led away into captiuitye and being therout deliuered were in reste for a while But after Alexander the greate came the Macedonians and most grieuously afflicted Iewry After theÌ came Pompeius Crassus Herode and last of all Vespasianus and Titus whych vtterly ouerthrew all The church also of Christ had hys outward Princes partly wicked and partly good as touching ciuill righteousnes but yet very Then shall we bee in good estate wheÌ Christ raigneth in vs. Wherein coÌsisteth the kingdom of God weake Wherefore our estate can neuer be in good case vnlesse Christ raygne in vs. Thys as Daniel sayth in hys seconde chapter is the kingdome of heauen which is neuer corrupted in it is peace not during for a time but an euerlasting peace For in the Psalme it is sayd In his dayes shall aryse righteousnes and aboundance of peace vntill the moone be taken away And in Esay And of his peace there shall be no ende But herein consisteth hys kingdome that we be directed by the word and spirite of God After these two maners Christ raygneth in vs. The woord sheweth what is to be beleued and what is to be done The spirit impelleth and moueth vs to doo these thinges Thys is the euerlasting kyngdome of God whereunto when he wil adioyne any people or any nation he visiteth them by hys ambassadours whych are Preachers of the Gospell and them wyll hee haue to be receaued cherefully yea he sayth He which receaueth you receaueth âe and he which despiseth you despiseth me We haue now the iudgemeÌt of God âouchyng Ministers wherewith the beleuers ought very mutch to comfort themselues although the world iudge otherwyse and count them for mad men and ãâ¦ã castes and estéeme them as paringes and chips so long as there is a world thây shall be so iudged of But for as much as the iudgement of the world is foo ãâ¦ã and vnderstandeth not the thinges that pertayne vnto God therefore we ãâ¦ã st not leane vnto it but rather embrace the most firme and most pleasant sen ãâ¦ã ce of God Nahum the Prophet in hys fyrst chapter hath the lyke saying of ãâ¦ã beutifull féete of such as preach the Gospell so that that whych was foretolde of Esay he also foresawe shoulde come to passe But at Rome in our dayes men At Rome they fall downe to kisse the fete of the Pope drawen by thys testimony of the Prophet doo fall downe and kisse the féete of the Pope as though he preached the Gospell going about the whole worlde preachyng peace when as rather he is a sworne enemy of the Gospell and maketh open warre agaynst the true doctrine thereof neyther at anye tyme ceaseth to disturbe peace betwene Christian Princes The Pope as a sworne enemy of the Gospell not a preacher therof But all obeye not the Gospell For Esay sayth lorde who hath beleued our hearing vnto whom is the arme of the lord reuealed Then faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God But all obey not the Gospell This séemed to bee agaynst that so great dignitye of the Apostles whych hath now bene proued both by the authoritye of God which sent them and also by theyr ambassadge that very fewe and especially Of preaching doth not always follow the faith of the hearers of the Iewes beleued which came to passe by no other meanes but for that outward preachyng is not alwayes of necessity ioyned wyth the fayth of the hearers For it is possible that for as much as the power of God is not bound vnto instruments a man may beleue wythout a Preacher and on the other syde a man may heare preaching yet not haue fayth As in thys selfe same epistle he ioyned foreknowledge together wyth predestination although manye are foreknowen of God which yet are not predestinated vnto eternall life he ioyned vocation also together wyth iustification although verye manye are called whych yet are not iustified The Apostle in thys place describeth fayth by the name of obedience and that not wythout iust cause for in it is contayned obedience twoo maner Faith is iustly called obedience of wayes For fyrst it is necessary that the minde or humaine reason do geue place vnto the reuelation of God simply consenting thereunto whych thing pertayneth to a redy obedience for otherwise there are many thinges which let and after a sort call vs an other way There is also an other obedience for they which truly beleue endeuor themselues to obey the commaundementes of God whiche thing before they neither did nor could do The Apostle vsed this selfe same phrase in the first chapter of this epistle By whome we haue receaued grace and Apostleship to be obedient vnto fayth In the Actes of the Apostles also it is declared that many of the priestes were obedient vnto faith and in this sence is faith somtimes Why faith is called a law called a law not for that it bringeth with it blessing or cursing but because that it likewise as the law doth requireth obedience howbeit diuerse For the law requireth obedience euen of them that will not and yet in the meane tyme doth it not geue strenthes to performe it but faith forasmuch as it most fully persuadeth piety stirreth vs vp to liue according to the profession thereof And for that thys doubt touching the fewnes of the beleuers chiefely moued the Iewes therefore to quiet their mindes he bringeth a testimony of Esay whose doctrine they durst not reiect whereby they mought vnderstand that God had long tyme before prouided for this skarsity of the beleuers For Esay sayth who hath beleued our hearing The Prophet before those wordes brought in God the father which commaunded that his sonne should be preached and that his reproches which he should suffer for the saluation of mankind should be tolde abroade vnto whome the company of the Prophetes aunswered who hath beleued our hearing And to whome is the arme of the Lord reuealed As if they should say we indéede haue
for sinne or wickednesse are eyther ignoraunce blindnes or els they bring with them and comprehend ignoraunce blindnes Wherfore as touching the efficâent cause some saye that it is the deuill which sentence is true and is written of Paul in the 4. chapiter of the second to the Corrinthians The God of this worlde hath made blind the mindes of the vnbeleuers Neither let vs regard that the Fathers A place in the â to the CorinthiaÌs as Hilary Chrisostome Augustine and Ambrose haue interpreted that place not of the deuill but of the true God as though this were the sense God hath made blinde the minds of the vnbeleuers of this world But this transposing of woords the order of the Greke tonge will not suffer Neyther is it an hard matter to sée wherunto they had a respect in that their violent interpretacion They had to doo agaynst the Arrians and agaynst the Maniches bothe which vsurped the The Manichies made two beginninges words of the Apostle as though they made on their syde The Arrians went about to proue that the name of God mought be attributed vnto Christe although he were a creature when as the deuil is here called God And the Maniches taught yâ there are two beginnings of things a good and an euil God the maker of yâ world We must not for heretikes decline from the true seÌce of the scriptures and God the father of our Lord Iesus Christe aboue the worlde and they sayd that the Apostle in this place calleth the euil beginning the God of this world as though he ought to be called the author of the world But we must not because of heretikes decline from the true sense of the scriptures Neither is it to be denyed vnto the Arrians that the deuill is called God when thereunto is added this particle of this worlde For this particle declareth that he is not the true God but is of the worldlings and men of this worlde both counted and worshipped for God As Dauid also sayd the Gods of the nations but straight way as it were by way of correction he addeth Deuils And vnto the Corrinthians in the first epistle There are many Gods and many Lords namely according to the iudgement of men corrupted And of some he sayth whose God is the bealy And Helias sayd vnto the false prophetes touching Baal Crye yet louder for your God is paraduenture in his caue or he is busy talking so that he can not heare And so he calleth Baal God because he was so comted of men But when Christ is called God he is sayd to be blessed ouer Christ is not called with any terme dâninââiâe for he is in very dede god al and world without end Which coÌditions added plainly declare the nature of the true God Moreouer we are admonished to put our confidence in him to call vpon him to worship him which things without al doubt are to be attributed vnto the true God onely and to none other Neither will we so be agaynst the Maniches to deny but that the deuill hath geuen him of God a certayne dominioÌ or preheminence in the world when as in the Gospell he is called the Prince of this world and Paul calleth him ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is the gouernour of the world How the deuil is called yâ prince of thys world and called him also principality and power But these things he to this end hath to do seruice vnto God and therfore he can do nothing more or les then is permitted him of God He in déede exerciseth power but yet that power which he receaueth of God and therefore he is sometymes called the spirite of the Lord but yet the euill spirite for so is he described in the booke of Samuell to haue inuaded Saul Wherfore excecation or making blind is a work common both to God and Excecation coÌmeth both from God and froÌ thâ Deuill Sinne is the in âard cause of excecatioâ ⪠Excecation commeth of want of graââ to the deuill God maketh blind as commaunding as a iudge as the chief and principall author but the deuill as the minister and hangman of God in which worke doubtles he is redy at hand and willingly offreth himself and yet can he do nothing vnles God commaunded him Hereby now is declared that sinne is the inward cause of excecatioÌ yea that it hath alwayes ioyned with it ignorance and that the deuill is the instrument thereof and the true God as a iudge is the cause efficient But how excecation coÌmeth may thus be shewed Men by reason of sinnes are thorough Gods hidden iudgement whiche is yet notwithstanding euer iust left destitute of his grace spirite fauour and light and being thus miserably destitute they must néedes still more and more stomble and more greauously fall especially then when they be deliuered vp vnto sathan to be deceaued and to be throwne downe hedlonge That which the Apostle before sayd of Ismael and Esau and Pharao he now most manifestly affirmeth of the Iewes and that as it is most likely not without their great hatred and griefe Chrisostome sayth that they were made blind thorough their euill and contentions mynd But the commentaries ascribed vnto Ierome adde thereto God whereof Chrisostome speaketh not And doubtles we can not deny but that God doth with euery one of vs what soeuer séemeth good vnto him but yet so iustly that no man can excuse his sinnes or wreast the fault vpon him It is méete without doubt that we thinke the best of God and that we speake most reuerently of him but yet not in such sort that we be against the scriptures or plucke away any thing from his mighty power Paul had absolutely pronounced that the rest of the Iewes are made blind but he left vnmencioned the efficient cause thereof but now in the oracles whiche he citeth he expresseth it saying As it is vvritten God hath geuen vnto them the spirite of pricking that when they se they should not se and wheÌ they heare they should not heare Here now we ought not to doubt but that also the excecation of the wicked commeth froÌ God and that by his iust iudgement Origen sayth that he had in no part of the scriptures red that God gaue yâ spirite of pricking and he thinketh that it may be that Paul added that of his owne for explication sake as also at the end he of him selfe addeth euen to this day Which thing he also before did for when he had sayd Who shall ascend vp into heauen he added to fetche downe Christ And after that he had sayd ⪠Who shall go downe into hell he added that is to fetch agayne Christ from the dead But although Origenes surmise be not vnlikely to be true yet in the 51. chapiter of Esay we rede that the Israelites had geuen them of God to drinke the cuppe of fury and Hithraalah that is of madnes or of poyson And
that impossibiltie somtimes is al one with difficulty or hardnes For I am not ignoraunt what Gregorius Nazianzenus in his 4. booke of his theology hath writteÌ as touching this matter vnto whome whither I may in all things assent I mind not at this present to debate And when as Pigghius can not deny but that Ihon sayth that God made blind the Iewes he sayth that although vnbeleuers haue in themselues the cause why they are made blind yet not with standing the scripture so speaketh as if God should make them blind Doth the scripture so speake and doth it that without reasoÌ would it so speake as though God herein doth nothing I suppose not But it shall not be amisse to examine an notable similitude which he bringeth A man sayth he that is pore blinde or that hath sore eyes if he looke vpon the Sunne shall thereby be blind Shall we Similitudes which Pighius bringeth say that the beames of the Sunne haue made him blind when as he had in hym selfe the ground and beginning of that disease How wil he him selfe auoyde the sharpnes of this his similitude I graunt that yâ beginning of disease was in the eyes but the disease was not so greate that he which was pore blinde could se nothing at all for although he were dull sighted yet was he not blind In that he is now etterly made blind who will not say but that the Sunne according to hys nature and maner of working is the cause therof The dew also or raine saith he is not yâ cause that ground vntilled bringeth forth thornes who would euer so say and that the raine causeth fertlenes in bringing forth thornes who will denye that hath but one ounce of witte But he hath neuer his fill of similitudes but at the last he addeth suche a one as Pelagius neuer durste vse Imagine saith he that a soule were shut vp in a chamber together with two counsellers with the spirite I say and the flesh and without on the one side let Christ stande hauing with him a companye of all vertues and spirituall giftes on the other side let stand the Deuill with his whole route of wicked sinnes both these waite with out to see which of them the soule will let in within the spirite geueth counsell to receaue Christ and the flesh to receaue the deuil the soule being as it were in the middest inclineth fréely to whether parte it will if it receaue Christ the deuill is vtterly driuen away but if it entertaine the deuill Christ departeth away Pelagius for his opinion could say no more He putteth the soule in the middest whiche yet The soule of him that is not regenerete can not be sayd to be in the middest betwene the spirite and the flesh without Christ is a bondslaue of the flesh That the will ought to be chaunged by the inspiration Christ he speaketh not so much as one word That we must haue geuen vs a fleshy hart and our stony hart taken away he vtterly kéepeth in sileÌce onely peruasions are set before vs. So saide Pelagius that men are moued by the lawes and scriptures but he also neuer spake one woorde of the chaunginge of the hart And Pigghius fearing least in this fayned declaration we shoulde not vnderstand him addeth that frée will is a weake eye in whose power yet it lieth to be healed What sounde diuine woulde euer speake this that it lieth in the power of the will or of humane strengthes that a man shoulde be saued He laboureth yet more plainely to declare his sentence We are sayth he the good odor of Christe vnto some indéede vnto life and to other some vnto death A good odor saith he killeth no man but it is not so for a man may iustlye say that serpentes are killed with good odors and with the swéete smell of spices So also incredulitie may be Without blame and without cause ar not all one stirred vp by sound doctrine and preaching of the word of God But not through the default of the doctrine or preaching I say But yet may we not say yâ it is not the cause thereof as it is not by the default therof God also without any his fault maketh blind yet notwithstanding maketh he blinde as the scripture testifieth But now let vs leaue this Sophister in whose sayinges there is much more absurdity then difficulty in aunswering But as touchinge the matter whiche we were in hand with it was as I before sayde a gréeuous offence to sée that Christ being the true Messias and shewed in the scriptures was receaued of so few of the Iewes yea rather he was hated in a manner of them all who yet were verye studious in the scriptures And in our dayes this self offence troubleth many for that wheras it séemeth yâ vnto Christ were promised all nations yet notwithstanding there is so great plenty of Epicures so great filthines of Turkes and so great a wicked heape of Papistes which vtterly resist the Gospell But againste this kinde of offence the holy Ghoste hath before armed vs. First Moses saide that the Iewes should be irritated against a nation that is not an nation Esay sayth Though the nomber of the children of Israell be as the sand of the sea onely a remnanie shal be saued Vnles the Lorde had lefâe vnto vs seede we had bene like vnto Sodoma and Gomorrha Christe the stone of offence and stomblinge blocke is set to the risinge and fall of manye Lord who hath beleued our report Many are called but fewe are elected And there are infinite other such like testimonies whereby the holy scripture confirmeth vs not to be moued with this small nomber They which receaued not Christ when Chochalus and Theudas came followed after those false Christes and counterseated They whiche receaue not Chr ãâ¦ã receaue fâlse Christes Messiasses and they which renounce Christ follow Mahumeth shall we therfore say that Chochalus Theudas Mahumet is Christ we shoulde be farre besides our selues if we should so say when as Christ himself foretold that this thing should come to passe Me saith he ye receaue not but if an other come in my name him ye will receaue Yea rather this ought to be vnto vs a manifest proofe that Iesus of Nazareth is the true Messias when as we see that in him this oracle together with other oracles is fulfilled namely to be receaued of few He indede prayed vnto the father but not for the world but for them whome the father had geueÌ vnto him otherwise the whole worlde is set on mischiefe There is yet an other doubt which stayeth vs for that the wordes of Esay seme to pertain vnto his time onely and not vnto Christes and the Apostles time and vnto our time I graunte that that blinding was in the time of the prophet which yet should continue euen vnto the ende of the world The Prophet when the Lorde had commaunded hym the thinges which we haue now
it is vnpunished it hath nothing in it that is good but so soone as punishment is inflicted vpon it forasmuch as that punishment is a parte of iustice sinne is thereby at the least somewhat restrained and brideled from ranging any farther abroade whiche thing also is profitable vnto wretched sinners Wherfore if we will iudge vprightlye the martyrs in so prayinge prayed rather for them then againste them Neither also were it absurde if they shoulde pray for the end of the world wherein they had suffred such great euils that impiety may once at the length haue an ende Althoughe I thinke not that all the elders are of Tertullian thought that we should pray for the prolongyng of the end of the world Why they prayed for the prolonging of the ende of the world this mind that we should pray for the end of the worlde when as rather contrariwise Tertullian in his apology saith that Christians in theyr congregations praye for the prolonging of the end of the world And in the same place he writeth that our men by the prescript of the holy scriptures prayed not only for Emperors but also for the long preseruation of the the world For after this monarchy of the Romanes as Paul writeth vnto the Thessalonians shall come Antichrist and the end Wherfore some of the saintes prayed that the time might be prolonged partly that the tribulatioÌ which should come through Antichrist might be differred and partely that the Children of election might be gathered together The Gréeke Scholies write that those holy martyrs prayed against the deuill that his power might at the length be brideled or brought to an ende And thus much touching Augustines opinioÌ who was also of the same minde against Faustus where he sayth These things which we read in the Prophets seeme to be wordes of execration of such as foretell or forespeake and not the desires of such as pray But as touching this thinge I thinke this to be true that when there is an enemy whiche both wisheth euell vnto vs and also to the vttermost We must make a distinction of the cause why our enemies haâe vs ⪠Distinction oâ yâ persoÌs which vse imprecatioÌs of his power worketh euell against vs we firste of all make a distinction of the cause wherfore he hateth vs. For either it is our proper cause humane and ciuill or els it is because he hateth God and his truth Secondly that we make a distinction of the men for some are led by an accustomed affection of theyr own and other some are moued of God who reuealeth vnto them both what he wil do in what state the wicked are stirreth theÌ vp to speake the things which they speak nether is this in the meane time to be passed ouer yâ the euils which we praye for are ether teÌporal or eternal These distinctioÌs considered this we say yâ if it be our own cause only therin we ought to be patient long suffring mild Blesse curse Distinction of the âuils which we pray for In our own cause we ought to be patient not the scripture coÌmaundeth vs. We ought also to pray for them that persecute vs. God hath created vs men let vs not spit out the venome of serpentes and forasmuch as we are meÌ let vs not suffer our selues to be changed into wild beasts They which hurt vs are madde and are moued with furies and therfore are worthy rather of compassion then vengeaunce or imprecations The mouth is geuen vnto vs to helpe and remedy things and not that we shoulde with it curse han Otherwise God will say vnto such execrations I haue commaunded thée to pray for thine enemies why doost thou now then irritate me against them Wilt thou An example of a priest of Athens haue me to be a helper to thée to transgresse my lawes and to be thine hangman A certaine woman priest of Athens coulde not be perswaded to curse Alcibiades for she said that she was placed in the priesthoode to pray for men and not to curse them And amongst the Romanes it was not lawfull for the high prieste of Iupiter to sweare for that oftentimes the ende and conclusion of an othe is execration for they say let this or that fall vpon me vnles I performe this or that And séeing it In our own cause we must vse prayers not exâcratioÌs In Gods cause it is lawfull somtymes to vse imprecations Our cause iâ somtimes nerely ioyned with gods cause In imprecations we must beware of the incitation of the flesh We must âe ioyne sinne from the nature of him that sinneth How it is lawfull to wishe temporal afflictions vnto sinners A maÌ may sometymes wish temporall euill things vnto himselfe was not lawfull for the priest to curse himselfe muche les was it lawfull for him to curse others Wherfore if the cause be our owne we ought not to vse execrations but rather prayers compassion and blessing but wheÌ Gods cause is in hand and that this our anger commeth by reason of sinnes and wicked actes there is no thing to let but that the godly may sometimes vse imprecations in such manner as we shall expresse And it oftentimes happeneth that our cause is ioyned wyth the glory of God and is so ioyned that it cannot be disseuered therefro but onely by diligent and attentiue consideration As if a minister of the church sée himselfe coÌtemned and derided although oftentimes he contemne his owne dignity yet notwithstanding neither can he nor ought he quietly to suffer yâ worde of God which he ministreth to be contemned For which cause the prophets semed many times to be very wroth for that theyr messages and prophesies were derided Wherfore I graunte that in this case both imprecations and cursinges maye iustly be vsed Howbeit this I thinke good to admonish you of that here we go warely to worke for our flesh is wonte oftentimes vnder the pretence of Gods glorye and honor to fight and to braule for our owne honor and estimation Moreouer this is not to be neglected that we very diligentlye seioyne sinnes from nature and that in anye wise we wish well vnto nature it selfe that is vnto men but let vs curse and hate sinnes And forasmuch as it oftentimes happeneth that men after that they haue bene by some afflictions and punishmentes corrected do repente therefore if vnto wicked men beinge straungers from God and transgressors of hys lawes we sometimes wishe some discommodities and aduersities of the fleshe to the ende they maye féele the wrath of God I sée nothynge but that we maye so doe Thys thing without doubte we maye sometime wishe vnto our selues and that iustly that God should rather afflict and scourge vs then to suffer vs to fall into sinnes or if we sinne that he would at the least by these meanes call vs home againe And if we may wish these and such like things vnto our selues why should we not wish
one and the selfe same will of godly men are contrary motions Contrary motions may be in the will of men when as they happen not in respect of one and the selfe same thing but in respect of diuers For in that they looke vpon the will and decrée of God and the destruction of sinne and such like they can not but reioyce in the punishments of the wicked But in that they looke vpon them as men being ioyned vnto them by nature of one and the same flesh and lompe they are excedingly sory for their destruction as Samuell mourned for Saul for that he was reiected of God as it is An example of Samuel written in the 15. chapiter of the first booke of kings And this shall suffice touching this matter Wherefore I will now returne vnto the words of Paul For that it was to be feared least the Gentiles hearing these so horrible things of the reiection and blindnes of the Iewes should be puffed vp with arrogancy and contemne the Iewes as people vtterly reiected of God and also it was to be feared least the nation of the Iewes should vtterly be in dispaire of their saluatioÌ and should thinke that a way vnto Christ is vtterly cut of from them when as the Gentiles were now called to supply their roome It is not so saith Paul And he bringeth an argument An argument taken of the finall cause taken of the finall cause Therefore are the Gentiles called that the Iewes should be prouoked to emulation Wherefore their saluation is not past all hope And we must cal to memory that which was said at the beginning of this chapiter namely the Paul here enteÌded to proue two things First yâ the fall of yâ Iewes was not vniuersal which he hereby proueth for the electioÌ obtaineth saluatioÌ in many of the nation of the Iewes as Paul before plainly declared in himself although others are left in their blindnes The secoÌd thing which is to be proued is now set forth namely that the fall of the Iewes is not vnprofitable when as of it followed the saluation of the Gentles This is it which he at this present saith I say then Haue they therefore stombled that they should fall God forbide But thorough theyr fall saluation hath come vnto the Gentiles to this end to prouoke them to emulation Wherefore if the fal of them be the riches of the world the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles howe muche more shal theyr fullnes be I say then haue they therefore stombled that they should fall God forbid But thorough theyr fall saluation hath come vnto the Gentiles The meaning is God hath not therefore made blind and forsaken the Iewes that they should fall as though the purpose of God should stay there nor seke any farther commodity it sought doubtles farther commodity and that was the conuersion of Many ends appointed one vnder an other the Gentiles whose end also is the saluation of the Iewes wherefore that nation ought not vtterly to despayre or repentaunce neither shall theyr fall be perpetuall Augustine in his Enchiridion sayth that God is so good that he suffreth nothing that is euill to happeÌ but that thereof come some good things And the same Augustine interpreting this place sayth that the Apostle denieth not but that the lewes fell but he sayth that theyr fall was not in vayne nor vtterly without fruite But this is not to be passed ouer with silence that the thinges which the Apostle speaketh are not to be vnderstanded of all the Hebrewes perticularly for some of them The thinges which are here spokeÌ are not to be vnderstanded of all men perticularly were in state to be holpen and were coÌuerted vnto Christ but others thorough theyr incurable obstinacy and blindnes perished Wherefore these thinges are to be referred vnto the nation of the Iewes generally which so fell away from the grace fauor and giftes of God that yet notwithstanding there still remayneth in it precious sede yâ still hath remnantes which shal be saued and the roote is not vtterly so dead but that God in due time commeth and when it shal seme vnto him good can make it to spring forth agayne For the promises of God although they are not bound vnto the stocke of the Iewes yet are they alwayes fullfilled in them as touching the elect Neither is it of necessity that wheÌ a Iew As touching saluation it is no hindraunce to a Iewe that he is borne a Iewe. is borne his plague should therefore for that he is a Iew be incurable or vtterly past all hope And as touching the wordes Paul sayth ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifieth nothing els but to stomble and to fall The Lattine interpreter hath added this word So But in the Greke is not red that particle And it skarsely fitteth well when as Paul entreateth not here of the greauousnes of the fall of the Iewes but rather leâifieth it by the end namely for that it was not vnprofitable For of it followed the saluation of the Gentiles and therefore it is to be The Iewes by their fall made roume for the Gentiles to enter in thought that it shall dure but for a time For the Iewes gaue place for a time to make roume for the Gentiles to enter in And this is referred vnto God who suffred the Iewes therefore to be reiected that the Gentiles which were vnbeleuers might be called But this is to be knowen that the fall of the Iewes if we will speake properly was not the cause of the saluation of the Gentiles but rather an occasion For this is a constant and most firme rule that the effect can The fall of the Iewes was an occasion and not a cause that the Gentiles were called not in dignity excel the cause if we coÌsider it as the ful and true cause Wherfore it is of necessity that good thinges in as much as they are good doo spring from ells where then of the euill thinges And if after sinnes follow some spirituall commodities that is in no wise to be ascribed vnto them but vnto the goodnes and prouidence of God which hath a perpetuall care for the gouernment of the world and rule of the Church And euen as of false propositions sometimes followeth a true proposition by the force and order of the sillogisme but yet not by A similitude the efficacy of the false and lieng proposition so by ⪠this order which God vseth in the administration of thinges out of euill thinges commeth some good And as in naturall transmutacions we perpetually se that the generation of one thing is the corruption of an other for this commeth not for that corruption An other similitude of his owne nature helpeth forward generation but bycause that efficieÌt cause which expelleth out of the subiect the first forme bringeth in a new And that the elect succede those which haue
of our will is as though it should lie in our hand to stand in the goodnes of God or not to abide in incredulitye when we are fallen into it And for some profe and confirmation of this his corrupt sentence he from the true sense wresteth these wordes If thou continue in his bountefulnes and saith If thou shalt do the things which worthely are correspondent vnto the goodnes of God and he sayth not If thou shalt abide in fayth for fayth onely is not sufficient These thinges in very déede are not so For Paul althoughe he sayd not If thou abide in fayth yet is it all one when he sayth If thou abide in his bountefulnes For ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as we a litle before sayd is goodnes and a certeyne redines of the mind to do good to any In this goodnes of God sayth he if thou abide that is if thou fall not away from it In which wordes he most manifestly attributeth vnto the goodnes of God our conseruation For of it dependeth faith whereby we Paul putteth the cause for the effect are saued Wherefore he putteth the cause in stede of the effect For before he had sayd Thou standest by fayth but that thou shouldest not thinke that yâ fayth is of thy self now he maketh mencion of bountefulnes whereof as of his true beginning fayth dependeth and that this is true it is plainly to sée by the Antithesis or contrary position For he sayth If they abide not in their incredulity they shal be restored agayne thou shalt be cut of if thou continue not in his bountefulnes This bountefulnes as thou séest is opposite vnto incredulitye and therfore it occupieth the place of fayth and that very aptly when as fayth is inspired vnto vs by the singular bountefulnes of God Neyther ought we to thinke which thing that godly father séemeth to goe aboute to proue that it lieth in the handes of euery man either to continue and to abide in a good and holy purpose or els if peraduenture we fall to be restored agayne For what dead man is able to rayse vp himselfe agayne or in stéede of a stony hart to graft in himselfe a fleshy hart And that perseuerance also is the gift of God the Apostle declareth when he sayth that it is Perseuerance is the gift oâ God God which geueth both to will and to preforme and that according to his good will And Augustine wrote a very good booke De bono perseuerantiae whereout we may aboundantly gather sound doctrine But what néede there many arguments for proue hereof Paul himself discusseth this question when he addeth For God is able to graft them in agayne He sayth not that it lieth in their handes this worke he attributeth vnto God only Why do we then runne vnto True faith which iustifieth is neuer alone the power of our owne will or to the determination of our owne purpose And whereas he sayth that fayth alone is not sufficient when we speake of iustification this is in no wise to be receaued especially seing that he himselfe in an other place sayth that fayth alone is sufficient and so is contrary to hymselfe Notwithstanding to auoyde confusion in serching out of these thinges this we ought to know that the true and iustifying faith is neuer alone but hath ioyned with it other good workes and vertues But yet as the effects thereof which effectes followe naturally after that it hath iustified the beleuer so that amongest other effectes iustificatioÌ hath the first place Origen noteth in this place that of the Iewes Amongest the effectes of faith iustification hath the first place it is sayd ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is they are broken of but of the Gentiles ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is thou shalt be cut of and he thinketh it a farre more greauous thinge to be cut of then to be broken of as though the punishement of the Gentiles if they should fall away from the faith receaued should be more grâuous then the punishement of the Iewes which were remoued from their old estate I can skarsely be perswaded that Paul in these woords had such subtile vnderstandinges Further the holy scriptures neuer in any place make mencion that the fall of the Gentiles should be more greauously punished then the fall of the Iewes Yea rather if a man will consider the matter well he shall see that if punishements ought to be according to the sinnes whersoeuer is the greauouser sinne Whether fal is more greuous the fall of the Iewes or the fall of the Ethnikes there ought to be the greauouser punishement inflicted And if the Iewe and the Ethnike be equally placed in the calling of God and both as it possibly may be do fall it is out of doubt that the Iew sinneth more greauously for that besides the fayth of Christ which he hath common with the Ethnike he was in comparison of him endewed with many other gifts which forasmuch as he hath neglected in falling away from God he is the more ingrate and therfore his fault is the greater That the Iewes shall at the last be restored agayne the Apostle proueth by the power of God And his argument is taken à maiori that is of the greater If God could graft thee into it being by nature a wild oliue tre and strange from a good oliue trée how much more is he able to restore the braÌches which were in tymes past broken of from the fat oliue tree And when he sayth that the Gentiles were cut of from the naturall wild oliue trée he semeth to affirme that malice or wickednes is naturally in them which ought not to be vnderstanded of nature as it was instituted of God which was created good but as it is corrupted thorough the sinne of Adam and so by generation deriued into his posteritye And wast contrary to nature grafted into the true oliue tree Shall we say that it is contrary to the nature of men though they be Ethnikes and infidells A distinctioÌ of the nature of meÌ to be called agayne to God and to be conuerted vnto pietye We must make a distinction of the nature of men either as it is referred vnto God or as it is referred to his owne proprietyes For as it is referred vnto God there can nothing be done of him in it which is not sayd to be done according to nature for this is naturall to euery thing created to be subiect vnto his Creator And man It is naturall to the creature to be subiect to his creator was made to the Image of God and to this end instituted to be ioyned to his Creator wherfore both by the fyrst counsell of God whereby he made man also by the nature of thinges created which are naturally subiect vnto the efficacy and working of their author it is naturall vnto men religiously to cleaue vnto God Wherefore sinners are not sayd to be grafted into the good
against these thinges and is offended therewith for it would by it selfe get saluation and coueteth this similitude or likenes of God that euen as he hath felicity of himselfe neither dependeth of any other so would it be vnto it self the cause of blessednes This is that poysen which the serpent in the first temptacion breathed into our first parents Seing therfore the case standeth so and that there can not be rendred a reason of the iudgementes of God the Apostle draweth the faithfull into this bottomles pit And although he had sayd much and brought inuincible argumentes whereby he proued that the thing is so yet when he sawe yâ this could not satisfy and that mans iudgement could not be therwith content he being as it were ouercome with the déepenes of the matter cryeth out O the deepenes He is al whole inflamed with a wonderfull affect and that the motion of his exclamation should not seme to be of man the things which he addeth he bringeth out of the scriptures of God for this VVho hath knowen the minde of the Lord or who hath bene his counseller is thus written in Esay in the 40 chapiter mi ticcen eth ruah iehoua that is Who hath prepared instructed the spirit of God Veisch atsatho iodâeunu that is And who hath shewed vnto him his counsell And that which is added who hath geuen vnto him first and it shal be recompensed Forasmuch as God is the highest and chiefest he is not moued by outwarde thinges him is written in Iob the 41. chapiter mi hecdimani vaaschallem that is Who shall preuent or go before me and I will recompense Wherefore the Apostles meaning is by these wordes to proue that God through his frée will and election geueth saluation vnto men By which sentence mans pride is wonderfully abated and put downe And these are the reasons which he vseth God is the chiefe in all things therfore he is moued by no outwarde things the chiefe as touching wisedome when as he nedeth not to be instructed of any the chiefe as touching streÌgth and power for no man hath geuen vnto him any thing first but he geueth vnto all others the thinges which they haue Doubtles these thinges ought to be a bridle vnto euery man though he haue neuer so redy a witte and déepe iudgement not to speake arrogantly of God or to be more curious in searching out of things If Paul the teacher of the Gentles do in this sorte wonder what shall we do then it behoueth Let euery man consider with himselfe who it is that after this sort crieth out and he shall sée that it is Paul the instructer of the whole worlde who was rapt vp euen into the third heauen and there saw secretes which were not lawfull for men to speake And seing that he so wonderth and is amased at the iudgementes of God how should not we which are farre inferior vnto him reuerence them O the depenes saith he of the riches of the wisdome of the knowledge of God These wordes we may thus vnderstand as though by these thrée Three properties of God genitiue cases were shewed thrée distinct proprieties of God namely his riches wisdome and knowledge and so shewed as most déepe and inpenitrable And by riches paraduenture is to be vnderstanded goodnes and clemency Or it may be taken seperately O the depth of the riches and the two genitiue cases which follow namely of the wisedome and of the knovvledge depend and are gouerned of the first word namely of riches as though he should say that the wisedome and knowledge of God is most rich and plentiful but which way soeuer it be taken it maketh no matter We know by many places of the scriptures that wisedome In God in Christ wisedome knowledge are ioyned together and knowledge are ioyned together in God and not only in God but also in Christ according to that saying in the epistle to the Colossians in whome are all the threasures of the wisedome and of the knowledge of God where also thys worde treasure answereth vnto this word riches So greate is the wisedome and knowledge God knoweth al thinges that after a wonderfull maner of God that nothing escapeth his sight Wherefore vnto the Hebrewes it is sayd All thinges are naked and open before his eyes Neither doth he only know all thinges but also after a wonderfull maner knoweth them Hovv vnserchable are his iudgmentes and his vvayes past finding out Here is after the Hebrew maner a repeticion and doubling of wordes and one and the same thing is signified And vvayes iudgmentes are taken both for one and the same thing vnles by iudgmentes we will vnderstand the endes and by wayes the meanes and maner whereby he bringeth all thinges to theyr endes appoynted The wayes and iudgments of the Lord are after a sort known by the creatures and so farre is there no let but that we may searche them out But although We must enquire no farther of the iudgemeÌts of god then the holy scriptures set forth vnto vs and creatures declare The deepenes pertayneth to election and to predestination By these wordes we are not feared away froÌ the searching out of the scriptures we search out the endes or successes of thinges and also the reasons whereby God worketh in thinges yet shall we neuer be able to find them out The iudgmentes of God as it is sayd in an other place are a great a depth Wherfore let vs thinke that God doth always that which is best And touching his ways and iudgmentes let vs enquire not farther then is set forth in the holy scriptures otherwise we shall fall into such labirinths or mases that we shall neuer be able to winde our selues out of them And this is to be knowen that these vnserchable iudgements whiche are ment in this place pertayne chiefely to the election of God and to predestination And when he sayth ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he sayth not only vnsearchable but which also ought not to be serched out And yet doth he not in these wordes feare vs away froÌ the searching out of the scriptures when as here is not entreated of the wil of God reuealed in the scriptures but of the secrets of his counsels whose most wonderfull depth Paul wondered at but yet expressed not how greate it is And lest he should seme to speake this without any proofe he addeth For who hath bene his counseller or who hath geuen vnto him first and he shal be recompensed Which testimonies as we haue sayd are taken out of the 40. chapiter of Esay the Prophet and out of the 41. chapited of Iob. And the meaning is that we can not penitrate vnto the secretes of God when as they no maner of way depend of vs for our wisedome or goodnes can do God no pleasure at all Of this matter it is written in the first to the Corrinthians The things which are of
by the workes of the lawe no fleshe shal be iustified And by fleshe he vnderstandeth a man not yet regenerate I know there haue ben some which by the flesh haue vnderstand the inferior parts of the mynde which are grosse and wrapped with filthy lustes But this sence Paul excludeth when he saith by the workes of the lawe that is by workes commaunded of God in the law which must néedes come of reason and not of the strength of the inferior soule Farther the scripture after the Hebrew phrase by the fleshe vnderstandeth the whole man whiche thing we haue in an other place more aboundantly expressed Afterward to the end he might the The fourth better confirme this sentence he saith that euery mouth might be stopped and that the whole world might be guilty before God Vndoubtedly if men should be iustified by works their mouthes should not be stopped neither should they be guilty before God for they should alwayes haue somewhat to say namely that they are therefore quite from sinnes because they had deserued it by workes but now wheÌ men perceaue the contrary they dare not once open their lippes Farther he saith The fifth But now without the lawe is the righteousnes of God made manifest whiche hath the testimonye bothe of the lawe and of the Prophetes What man would appoint that thing to be the cause of our righteousnes without which righteousnes may be obtayned vndoubtedly no wise man would so doo when as suche is the nature of The sixt causes that without them the effectes can not be brought to passe To the same purpose also serueth that which followeth Where then is thy boasting It is excluded By what lawe By the lawe of workes No but by the lawe of fayth He woulde haue vs know that all iust cause of glory is excluded and taken away from vs for the whole glory of our righteousnes ought to geue place vnto God but if we should be iustified by workes then should it not be so for the glory should be ours and euery man would count himselfe to be therefore iustified because he hath The seueÌth liued vertuously and iustly And how certaine and assured this was vnto the Apostle those thinges which follow do declare We thinke therefore that a man is iustified by fayth without workes of the lawe Wherefore shall we then deny that which the Apostle with so great vehemency affirmeth Vndoubtedly it is a thing most impudent so to do Wherefore let vs assent vnto him and not resist so great a testimony The eight of hys But besides these thinges let vs waighe and consider the pithe of Pauls meaning If we should be iustified by workes saith he we should not only haue matter to boast of but the occasion of glorying in God and of publishing his fauour towards vs should be taken away For without doubt it is vnto vs a thing most prayse worthy and glorious to acknowledge that the beneuolence and redy fauour of God towards vs through Christ is so great that he deliuereth vs miserable men from our sinnes and receaueth vs into fauour although we were couered ouer with neuer so great filthines and dragges of sinne If I say we should be should be iustified by workes then vndoubtedly could we not truly boast bragge or glory hereof But let vs go on and heare what the Apostle sayth in the beginning of the 4. The ninth chapiter What shall we say then that our father AbrahaÌ found according to the flesh For if Abraham were iustified by workes he hath whereof to boast but not before God For what sayth the scripture Abraham beleued God and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnes But vnto him which worketh a reward is not imputed according to grace but according to debt Wherefore to the end that so swete a consolation of the loue and beneuolence of God towards vs should not be taken away from vs let vs constantly affirme with the Apostle that we are not iustified by workes And that he might the better persuade vs hereof he vrgeth this word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which we say signifieth to impute to ascribe vnto a man righteousnes or to count a man for a iust man and setteth it as an Antithesis or contrary vnto merite or debt so that he to whome any thing is imputed deserueth not the same neither receaueth it as a debt But he which obtaineth any thing vnto himselfe as a debt counteth not the same as imputed or ascribed vnto him neither thought Paul it sufficient to haue alleadged the scripture coÌcerning AbrahaÌ but also he citeth Dauid Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgeueÌ whose sins are couered Blessed is the maÌ vnto whoÌ the Lord hath not imputed sinne By which wordes we do not only gather that the righteousnes by which we are sayd to be iustified sticketh not in our mindes but is imputeth of God that it is such an imputation which consisteth not of works The tenth but of the mere clemency of God Farther the Apostle doth by an other propriety of good workes confirme his sentence namely because workes are signes or seales of the righteousnes already obtayned wherefore he sayth of Abraham And he receaued the signe of circumcision a seale of the righteousnes of fayth which was in vncircumcision c. Wherefore forasmuch as good workes are signes and seales which beare witnes of yâ righteousnes already receaued they can not be the causes thereof Neither haue ceremonies only that property but also euen those workes Morall workes also are seales of righteousnes before obtayned The eleuenth which are called morall when they are pleasant and acceptable before God for they also are signes and tokens of our righteousnes Wherefore Peter exhorteth vs to endeuor our selues to make our vocation sure namely by liuing vprightly and by good workes Yea and the forme also of yâ promise is diligently to be weighed which God made with Abraham for vnto it is not added a condition of the law or of workes And seing God added none with what audacity shall we then presume to do it And Paul saith For not through the lawe was the promise made vnto Ahraham or to his seede that he should be the heyre of the world but through the righteousnes of fayth For if those whiche pertayne vnto the lawe be heyres then is fayth made vayne and the promise is of no force namely because the lawe worketh anger Wherefore if we fulfill not the lawe the promise will take no place and it shal be a thing vayne to beleue that promise which shall neuer be performed which vndoubtedly must néedes vtterly be so if it be geuen vpon thys condition that we should performe the lawe when as no man can perfectly accomplish the law But the Apostle procedeth farther this iudgeth of the most mercifull counsel of God The twelfth Therefore is the inheritaunce geueÌ by faith that it might bee according to grace to
not payde And as touching that place we first desire that our sinnes should be forgeuen vs. And because that by benefites receaued men are encouraged to hope that they shall receaue other and greater benefites therefore is this the meaning of that sentence O father which hast of thy goodnes geuen vs grace to forgeue iniuries vnto our trespassers forgeue vnto vs also our sinnes by these wordes also is not signified a cause but a similitude although that similitude be not perfect and absolute For there is none that is wise that will haue his sinnes so forgeuen him of God as he hath forgeuen his neighbour the iniuries that he hath done vnto him For euerye one by reason of the fleshe and that infirmity whiche it carieth about forgeueth much les vnto his brother then he ought For there alwayes sticketh in his minde some offence which although it burst not forth yet his owne conscience is a sufficient witnes vnto himselfe that his minde is not very perfect towardes him by whome he hath ben hurte But the former exposition teacheth that the similitude is to be referred not vnto remission but vnto the liberality of God that euen as he hath geuen the one so also he will vouchsafe to geue the other But whereas it is sayd Forgeue and it shal be forgeuen that is a commaundement and therfore pertaineth vnto the lawe But thou wilt obiect that that sentence is written in the Gospell and not in the lawe That is no thing at all for the lawe and the Gospell are not seperated The law the Gospell are not seperated by volumes or bookes In what maner we ought to forgeue iniuries a sonder by volumes or bookes For bothe in the olde Testamente are contayned the promises of the Gospell and also in the Gospell the lawe is not only comprehended but also most perfectly by Christ expounded Wherfore by those words we are coÌmaunded to forgeue iniuries done vnto vs. And forasmuch as we are bound to do yâ according to the prescript of the law that law dependdeth of this great precept Thou shalt loue the lord thy God with all thy hart with all thy soule and with all thy strengthes according to yâ forme therfore we ought to forgeue our enemies which thing because no man hath at any time performed neither can performe it followeth that we ought to flye vnto Christ by whome we may be iustified by faith and afterward being iustified may after a sort accomplishe that which is commaunded Which although we do not perfectly performe yet it pleaseth God and he fréely geueth vnto vs the promise annexed vnto it not Redeme thy sinnes with almes is expounded because of our workes or for our merites but only for Christes sake They go about also to blind our eyes with the wordes of Daniell wherein he exhorted the king to redeme his sinnes by almes But in that place by sinnes we may vnderstand the paynes and punishementes due vnto sinne For the scripture vseth oftentimes such phrases of speach Which thing we neuer denyed Yea rather we willingly graunt that to workes which procéede from faith God is wont to geue many thinges specially as touching the mitigation of plagues and punishements They obiect also this sentence out of the first chapiter of Iohn God gaue them power He hath geuen them power to be made the sonnes of God how it is to be vnderstand to be made the sonnes of God Wherefore they say that those which haue already receaued Christ that is haue beleued in him are not yet iustified and regenerate and made the children of God but only haue receaued power to be made the children of God namely as they thinke by good workes And in this argument Pigghius the great champion and Achilles of the Papistes putteth great affiance but yet in vayne For he thinketh that of necessity he to whome power to haue any thing is geuen hath not as yet the same thing As though we should here deale philosophically that power excludeth acte which yet euen amongest the Philosophers also is not vniuersallye true For when they defyne the soule they say that it is an acte of a body naturall hauing members or instrumentes and also hauing life in power By which definition appeareth that our body hath life in power when as yet it hath life in acte and in very déede But that worde power here signifieth that the body hath not of it selfe life but of an other namely of the soule Which thing we in this matter at this present may also affirme namely that those which haue receaued the Lord and haue beleued in him are regenerate and made the children of God and yet not of themselues but from some other waye namely of the spirite and grace of God For so signifieth this word power Although the Euangelist in that place spake not peripatetically but simply and most plainely For a little before he sayd His receaued him not By this word his he ment the Iewes which peculiarly professed the knowledge of the true God But when they had refused the truth offred vnto them God would not be without a people but appointed theÌ to be his peculiar people which should beleue and receaue Christ Wherefore he gaue vnto them power that is This power is adoption grace a right and a prerogatiue that when they had receaued the Lorde by faith they should be made and be indéede the sonnes of God And therefore Cirillus expounding that place saith that this power signifieth adoption and grace Farther Pigghius although he thinke himselfe very sharpe of witte yet séeth not that when he thus reasoneth he speaketh thinges repugnant For how is it possible that any man should haue life in himselfe and yet not lyue Assuredly if they in beleuing haue receaued Christ it must néedes be that straight way they haue righteousnes For as Paul writeth in the first epistle vnto the Cor. He is made of God vnto vs wisedome righteousnes holynes and redemptioÌ But what nede we so long a discourse The Euangelist himself declareth vnto vs who those be which haue receiued such a power namely which are not borne of bloud nor of the wil of the flesh nor of the wil of maÌ but of God And if they be borne of God then followeth it of necessity that they are iustified and regenerate They obiect also vnto vs a seruile feare which goeth before charity as though by it we should be prepared vnto iustification and the more easely to receaue charity Vnto whom we aunswere that such a feare without charity is sinne they replye agayne and say that Christ commaunded that feare But God commaundeth not sinne And he commaunded such a feare say they when he sayd I will shew vnto you whome ye ought to feare feare him whiche when he hath killed the body can also cast the soule into hell fire And that this feare prepareth vnto iustification they thinke may hereby be proued for yâ
Church In which Many sinnes are forgeuen her bicause she hath loued much wordes thou shalt find no worke wrought as they cal it For Christ spake only of the hearers of the word of God which is preached But how shal we at the leÌgth confute this sentence which is neuer out of theyr mouth Many sinnes are forgeuen her bicause she hath loued much If the place be diligently coÌsidered it wil be an easy matter to doo We ought to know that some reasons are taken of the causes and some of the effectes Christ a few wordes afterward sheweth the cause of saluation when he sayd vnto the wooman Thy fayth hath made thee safe But bycause that fayth was hidden in her minde neither could it be sene of those which were present therefore putting forth a parable he sheweth that they loue more which receaue greater gifts of any And that this wooman receaued a very greate gifte that is iustification he sheweth by the effectes namely bycause she washed his feete with her teares and wiped them wyth her heare because she kyssed them because she annoynted them Which thinges forasmuch as that Pharisey did not it may be a very greate token or signe that he had not receaued the like gifte Not the hearers of the law shal be iustified but the doers They cite also out of this epistle vnto the Romanes Not the hearers of the law shal be iustified but the doers But Paul in that place when he reproued the Iewes bycause when they had receaued the law and boasted therof yet they liued contrary to the law ment therby nothing ells but that if righteousnes were to be sought for by the law it is not sufficieÌt either to haue it or to heare it but it behoueth also in actes and dedes to performe it Which thing we neuer denied that a man may be iustified by the law if he can perfectly and fully accomplishe it But forasmuch With feare and trembling work your saluation how it is to be vnderstand as the same is by no meanes possible we say that by it righteousnes can not be hoped for That also which they obiect out of the epistle vnto the Phillippians with feare and trembling worke your saluation nothing helpeth them Vndoubtedly they which know that they haue all that they haue from God are of a moderate and humble minde and are euer more afrayd of themselues For they se that in themselues there is nothing that is good but that helpe is to be looked for at the handes of God only And therfore Paul biddeth a godly man alwayes to feare and tremble But they which thinke that it lieth in theyr owne power to iustifie and saue themselues such as are those which in this matter contend agaynst vs they I say haue nothing that they nede to be aferd of or to tremble for For they boast that theyr saluation consisteth in themselues Which saluation though Paul doo in this place name yet he therby vnderstandeth not iustification For he writeth vnto those which were alredy before iustified Wherfore this place maketh nothing for them But Paul meaneth by saluation that renuyng by which we alwayes profit A place of the Apoc. Beholde I stand at the dore and knocke and go forward to things better and better Lastly as though now they had gotten the victory they obiect this out of the third chapiter of the Apocalips Behold I stand at the dore and knocke And if any man open vnto me I will enter in and suppe with him But we plainly affirme that by these wordes is signified That God at the beginning calleth and stirreth vp and instigateth vs to saluation vnto which no man can by hys owne strengths be led wyth out the impullsion of God But that we of our owne accord wythout the Grace of God penetrating and changing yâ mind can open our harte vnto God we vtterly deny neither can these men euer proue it by the holy scriptures But because we haue certain aduersaries which passe very little or els nothing at all vpon the holy scriptures but measure al their religioÌ by fathers and counselles so that they may rather be called Patrologi then Theologi and that which is more intollerable they gather certaine prety sentences out of yâ writings of the Fathers and obtrude theÌ vnto the people and the easlier to obscure the truth and to blinde poore simple men they adde taunting speaches especially forasmuch as certaine of theÌ thinke themselues coÌning craftes men in rethoricall speach and haue in that kinde of study spent the greatest part of theyr time I shal desire the indifferent reader not to iudge any thinge rashly against the truth but rather attentiuely to consider those thinges which we also will alleadge out of the fathers for by that meanes he shall easly vnderstand that the fathers make not so much on our aduersaries side as they do on ours But least we should alleadge any A methode in cityng of the fathers sentence out of the Fathers confusedly and rashly we will vse a methode or compendious way which methode that it may the easlier be vnderstand it shal be good first to put forth a demonstration or a certain proofe out of those testimonies of the holy scriptures which we haue before cited Whiche shal be in this manner They which do worke according to the prescript of the law that is as the very law requireth are iustified by works But none especially before regeneration can do such workes as the law requireth Wherfore none are iustified by workes The maior or first proposition is so plaine that it néedeth no exposition For he whiche doth any thing contrary to that which the law prescribeth vndoubtedly committeth sin fo farre is it of that he can thereby be made iust But the minor or second proposition although it be proued by testimonies of the scriptures yet wil we also declare by the Fathers Farther seing the conclusion is that iustification is not of works it must then of necessity be of grace Wherefore secondly we will shew out of the Fathers that men are iustified fréely and without all consideration of merites And because we reiect not good woorkes but say that in their place they are to be had in estimation as which by a most straight bond follow iustification alreadye obteyned we will lastly teach this also out of the sayings of the fathers That good workes follow iustification but go not before And those places will we chieflye cite out of the fathers which are founded vpon the holy scriptures And first commeth in place Basilius who in his firste booke de Baptismo bringeth Basilius these wordes out of the Gospell Many shall say in that day Lord in thy name we haue prophesied we haue caste out deuilles we haue done many miracles But these men saith he God will not onely cast out of his kingdome but also call them woorkers of iniquitie Wherfore they which worke
place and as here the gift of healinges and of miracles followeth fayth so doth there the remouing of mountaines wherfore those thinges which Paul hath spoken of a perticular fayth ought not to be wrested to the vniuersal and iustifieng fayth For that is to make a false argument A secunduÌ quid ad simpliciter As if a man should say this fayth may be seperated from iustification which is called fayth secundum quid ergo the true fayth and the iustifieng faith which is called fayth simpliciter that is to say absolutely may be seperated from iustification If a man should so compare two seuerall kindes that he will ascribe one and the selfe same propriety vnto either of them he shall soone be deceaued But Pigghius saw that by this easy and playne exposition all his reasoning may be ouerthrowen and therfore went he about by violence to take it from vs forgetting in the meane time that the author and patrone therof is Chrisostome And to infring it he vseth this argument Vniuersall propositioÌs are to be drawen vnto thâ matter wherof is at that tyme entrâated Paul manifestly sayth All fayth Wherfore we may not vnderstand it of any singular faith For the Apostle maketh an vniuersall propositioÌ But this man ought to remember that vniuersall propositions are to be contracted or draweÌ vnto that matter wherof is at that time entreated And although this might be declared by many examples yet at this present only one shall suffice vs. Paul in that selfe same epistle vnto the Corrinthians the first chapiter sayth that he geueth thankes vnto God for them for that they were enriched in all kind of speach and in all knowledge And yet it is not very likely that they were by the spirite of Christ endewed with naturall philosophy with Metaphisicall and Mathemathematicall knowledge with knowledge of the law and with other liberall sciences but only with all knowledge which perttayned vnto piety and vnto the Gospell Neyther is it likely that they by the power of the holy ghost were adorned with all kind of Rhetorical Logicall Poeticall and historicall speaches but onely with those which pertayned vnto the edification of the church with sounde doctrine and godly admonitions Wherfore propositions although they be vniuersall yet are not alwayes to be vnderstanded simply but ought sometimes to be drawen vnto the matter wherof is at that time entreated Wherfore that which Paul sayth If I haue all faith we vnderstand of all that faith which serueth vnto the working of miracles And that this contraction is of necessitie the wordes which followe do declare For Paul straight way addeth So that I can remoue mountaynes Chrisostome also saith that he in that vniuersalitie saw that this perticuler sentence is of necessity to be vnderstand For he saith that it may be doubted how Christ saith that to remoue mouÌtaines a little faith is sufficient which in his smalnes of quantitie resembleth a grain of mustard sede wheÌ as Paul saith If I haue all faith so that I caÌ remoue mountains as though to bring that to passe is required a woÌderful great faith He thus dissolueth the question and saith that Christ spake of the truth nature of the thing for the gift of faith though it be neuer so small is sufficient to worke miracles be they neuer so great but Paul had a respect vnto the common opinion and iudgement of men for they when they looke vpon the greatnes and hugenes of a mountaine thinke that it cannot be remoued without a certaine incredible efficacy and greatnes of faith Neither helpeth it much Pighius cause that Erasmus makyng Erasmus opinion aunswer vnto the Sorbonicall doctors reiecteth this our interpretation For first his reason is very weake and secondly false for he saith that the purpose of the Apostle was to prayse charity by comparison But what prayse should that be saith he if it should be compared with faith which is one of the frée giftes of the holy ghost and may light as wel vpon the wicked as vpon the godly For he should but coldly prayse a man which should say that he is better theÌ a dogge or a beare First this is false that Paul compareth not charity with frée gifts of God For he maketh mencion of prophesâeng of knowledge and of the gifte of tounges and preferreth Charity before them Secondly it is weake that he sayth that if our interpretation be receaued the Apostle shoulde compare Charity onely with frée gifts For we confesse that toward the end he coÌpareth it with the true fayth For Paule saith there are thre things faith hope and charitie but the chiefest is charitie And he bringeth a reason why for it abideth and the other shall cease Farther it is a full comparison if as we haue sayd we begin at the frée gifts and so afterwarde come in order to the vertues Theological yea rather by that that Paule towarde the ende of the chapiter compareth charitie with true faith it is most likely that he did not so before But if we should fully graunt this vnto Pighius that that faith wherof Paul speaketh is yâ vniuersal faith wherby men are iustified yet neither so vndoubtedly should he obtain his purpose For yâ Apostle going about by al maner Figurâ fictionis ⪠of meanes to set forthe charitie thought to amplifie yâ same by a fiction or faining which is a figure of Rhetorike knowen euen vnto children And yet doth not Paul therfore bring a false proposition for he vseth a conditional proposition which we may not resolue into a categoricall proposition yet notwithstanding is the truth in the meane time kept As if I should say vnto a man if thou haddest the life or vse of the reasonable soule without the life or vse of the sensible soule thou shouldest not be affected with pertârbations of minde no man coulde reproue this kinde of speache to be false And yet it is not possible that in a man the reasonable life should be seperated from the animall life Such kinde of speaches also are fouÌd in the holy scriptures As for example If I shall ascend vp into heauen thou art there if I shall desceÌd down into hell thou art present And if I take the fethers of the morning and dwell in the vttermost endes of the sea thither shall thy right hand leade me These sentences are true and yet is it not possible that a man should take vnto him the fethers of the morning After the same manner we say if a man should seperate faith from charitie he should make it vnprofitable although in very déede it can not be seperated from charitie And that Paule in that place vsed suche an Hyperbole or fiction that manifestly declareth which he a little before spake Though I should speake with the tongues of men and of Angels and haue not charitie I am made as a sounding brasse or a tingling cimball But we knowe that Angels haue neyther bodyes nor
to doe them there is not added saith he to doe all the commaundements God receiueth a man which endeuoreth himselfe to doe them and of his mercy forgeueth many things But this that is written To doe them must of necessitie be vnderstand of all For doubtlesse in the lawe which this man calleth the Testament are written all And if God forgeue or remit any thing he doeth it to men already regenerate And not vnto Vnto those which are not iustified nothing is remitted of the rigor of the law them that are straungers from him children of wrath such as they must néedes be which are not as yet iustified but stil prepare themselues and are bent to performe the conditions Vnto these I say nothing is remitted wherefore they are bound vnto all And therefore Moses said as Paul testifieth Cursed be he which abideth not in all the things that are written in the boke of the law Farther he maketh a contention also about the production of fayth and demaundeth from whence it hath his beginning in vs. We in one word easely answer that it hath his beginning of the holy ghost But he faineth himselfe to wonder From wheÌce faith is ingenerated in vs. how we graunt the holy ghost vnto a man before he doth beleue For he thinketh that to be absurd First I can not deuise how this man should so much wonder at this But afterward I perceaue that he manifestly maketh and teacheth with the Pelagians that fayth is of our selues and that it is gotten by humane strengthes For otherwise if he beleued that it is of God and of the holy ghost he would not seperate the cause from his effect But that he should not thinke that we without good reason do attribute vnto the holy ghost the beginning of fayth let hym harken vnto the moste manifest testimonyes of the Scriptures Paule sayth in the first epistle vnto the Corrinthians Not in the words which mans wisedome teacheth but which the holy ghost teacheth that your faith should not be of the wisdome of men but of God And in the same place The carnall man vnderstandeth not the thinges that are of God neither can he for vnto him they are foolishnes for they are spiritually discerned ⪠But how can they be spiritually discerned except the spirite of God be present Children also know that of * Coniugata be those wordes which being of one kind be dâriued of an other as of iustice a iust man or a iust thing Coniugata are deriued firme arguments And vnto the Galathians God sayth he hath sent his spirit into our hartes whereby we cry Abba father For by the spirit we beleue and in beleuing we call vpon God Yea and the spirit himselfe as it is written vnto the Romanes beareth testimony vnto our spirit that we are the children of God And vnto the Ephesians Be ye strenthened by the spirit in the inward man that Christ may by fayth dwell in your harts Here we sée that that fayth whereby we embrase Christ commeth of the spirit of God whereby our inward man is made stronge The Apostles when they sayd Lord increase our fayth manifestly declared that it sprang not of their owne strengthes but of the the breathing of God And Paul in the 1. to the Corrinthians the 12. chapiter Vnto one saith he is geuen the word of wisedome vnto an other the word of knowledge vnto an other fayth vnto an other the grace of healing And then is added that it is one and the selfe same spirit which worketh all these thinges deuiding vnto euery man as pleaseth him And if thou wilt say that this place and the foresayd petition of the Apostles pertayneth vnto the particular fayth by which are wrought miracles doubtles I will not be much agaynst it And yet if thou wilt nedes haue it so I will reason a minori that is from the lesse For if these frée gifts are not had but from the spirit of God much les can that vniuersall and mighty fayth whereby we are iustified he had from els where Farther Paul vnto yâ Rom. Vnto euery one sayth he as God hath deuided the measure of fayth And in the latter to the Cor. Hauing saith he the self same spirit of fayth eueÌ as it is written I haue beleued for which cause also I speake we also beleue and speake that God which raysed vp Iesus from the dead shall through Iesus rayse vp our bodyes also Vnto the Gal. are reckned vp the fruites of the spirite Charity ioy peace patience lowlines gentlenes fayth meekenes and temperaunce Fayth here is numbred among the fruites of the spirit wherefore it procedeth of the spirit But vnto the Ephesians he sayth more manifestly By grace you are made safe through fayth and that not of your selues for it is the gift of God And in the Actes of the Apostles it is thus written The Lord opened the hart of the woman that sold silkes to geue hede vnto those thinges which Paul spake And in the 13. chapiter They beleued as many as were predestinate vnto eternall life Wherefore it is not to be doubted but that fayth is ingenerated in our harts by the holy ghost who yet may indede be had of them which beleue not but that yet is onely perswading and not as sanctifying them How the holy ghost is in man not regenerate And although in the elect he sodenly poureth in fayth yet forasmuch as he is the cause of fayth he is therefore before it both in dignity and in order Now let vs sée what absurdities Pighius gathereth out of this sentence If the spirit sayth he be the author of our fayth and vseth the instrument of the word of God and may be also in them that beleue not how commeth it to passe that wheÌ as there are many at one and the selfe same sermon where as both spirit is preseÌt and the word preached yet part do beleue and part beleue not we answere in one word that that coÌmeth because the spirit is not of like efficacy in all men neither doth after one the selfe same maner teach all meÌ inwardly and in yâ minde But of his will we can not render in cause although we nothing doubt but that it is most iust If the matter be so sayth he the hearers will easely content them selues neither will they put to their endeuor or studie for they know that that is in vaine when as it wholy dependeth of the spirite of God This is not only a very common but also an enuious obiection But we answer that all men are bouÌd to beleue the word of God and therfore theyr bounden duety is diligently and attentiuely to hearken vnto it with all their strengthes to assent vnto it And if they so doe not they shal then incurre the punishment of the law neither are they to be hearkened vnto if they shall say that they could not obey it or if they would haue
false doctrine But this man vndoubtedly is so farre besides him selfe that he sayth that this was lawfull for the Fathers to do For in his booke de votis which not many yeares ago he set abrode he sayth that Augustine in his booke de Bono viduitatis whereas he writeth that their matrimonies which had vowed a vow of virginity or of sole life are true mariages not adulteries wrote the same for no other end but to perswade Iuliana the widow vnto whome he wrote the booke that mariages in generall are not euill And so in Gods name he confesseth that Augustine setteth forth one false doctrine to ouerthrow an other false doctrine And with the like wisedoÌe in the same booke he fayneth that Clemens Alexandrinus wrote that Paul had a wife which he thinketh to be most false only to proue that mariage is good and honorable And if it be lawfull so to mingle true thinges with false and to confound all thinges when then shall we beleue the Fathers What thing can at any time be certaine vnto vs but that we may be deceaued by them Farther he fayneth that Paul excluded from iustification only workes of the law But this we haue before aboundantly confuted and haue taught that the reasons of Paul are generall Yea the Fathers saw euen this also For Augustine in many places affirmeth that Paul entreateth not only of ceremoniall works but also of morall works But bycause the authority of Augustine is I can not tell by what meanes suspected vnto our aduersaries Ierome also was of the opinion that not only ceremoniall works are to be excluded from iustification let vs se what Ierome sayth He vnto Clesiphon agaynst the Pelagians vpon these wordes By the workes of the law no flesh shal be iustified thus writeth By cause thou thinkest this to be spokeÌ of the law of Moses only and not of all the commaundements which are conteyned vnder this one name law the selfe same Apostle sayth I consent vnto the law of God There are others also of the Fathers which teach the same but I now ouerpasse them Let it suffice to shew that this other fayned inueÌtion of Smith is vaine and trifling Thirdly he sayth that they ment to exclude workes as he calleth them penal namely those woorkes I suppose which men repentant doo but to shew how rediculous this is also shall nede no long declaration For first such workes were required of men not that by them they should be iustified before God but only to approue themselues vnto the Church namely lest they should by a fayned and disseÌbled repentance seke to be reconciled Farther it is not very likely that Paul spake of any such workes For they were not at that time in vse In dede Ambrose when he excludeth woorkes froÌ iustification hath hereunto once or twise a respect But we ought not so much to consider what one or two of the Fathers say but what agréeth with the holy scriptures Smith addeth moreouer that it is certayne that God requireth much more of vs then fayth For in Marke it is thus written Repent ye and beleue Here sayth he vnto fayth is adioyned repentaÌce And in an other place He that beleueth and is Baptised shal be saued He addeth also that in the epistle to the Ephesians the Church is sayd to be sanctified with the lauacre of water in the word And that Peter in his 3. chap. of his first epistle sayth That Baptisme hath made vs safe Ierome also thus writeth vpon the first chapiter of Esay The lauacre of regeneration only remitteth sinnes Behold sayth he iustification and remission of sinnes is ascribed not only vnto fayth but also vnto the sacraments As touching the first we graunt that Christ requireth more of vs then faith For who doubteth but that he will haue men that are iustified to liue vprightly and to exercise them selues in God requireth more of men then faith all kindes of vertues otherwise they shall not come vnto eternall saluation But these are fruites of fayth and effectes of iustification and not causes But as touching the sacrameÌts we haue many times taught how iustification is to be attributed vnto them For they are in the same respect vnto it as is the preaching of the Gospel and the promise concerning Christ which is offred vnto vs vnto saluation And very oftentimes in the Scriptures that which belongeth vnto the thing is ascribed vnto the Sacrament or signe And bicause Baptisme promiseth remission of sinnes by Christ and signifieth it and sealeth it in them which are washed therfore Ierome of all other sacraments attributeth this vnto it only Wherefore the wordes of the Fathers ought nothing to moue vs when as they thus write That fayth alone is not sufficient vnto saluation For they vnderstand that of eternall saluation vnto which we come not except some fruite follow our fayth But of theyr sayings we ought not to gather the a man is not iustified by faith only And though at any time those selfe same fathers seme to referre theyr wordes vnto iustification yet are they to be vnderstand that theyr meaning was to expresse the nature of the true and iustifieng fayth For it in very dede is neuer alone but hath euer hope and charitie and other good workes as companions Sometimes also by iustification they vnderstand the righteousnes which cleaueth vnto vs of which it is moste certayne that it consisteth not of fayth only They thinke also that this maketh agaynst vs for that Paul writeth vnto the Romanes By hope ye are made safe Neyse The righteousnes which cleaueth vnto vs consisteth not of faith only they that hope is there taken for the last regeneration which we hope we shall one day obteyne in our countrey For the Apostle a litle before spake of it And vndoubtedly we possesse that saluation onely in hope not as yet in very déede If there be any paraduenture whoÌ this most iust and most true solution wil not satisfy let him follow the interpretation of Origen For he vppon that place sayth that hope is there put for faith which is no rare thing in the holy scriptures But they haue found out yet an other fond deuise whereby as much as lieth in them they goo about to lenifie this worde Only which is so often vsed of the Fathers namely that fayth only hath the beginning and as it were the first degrée of iustification which afterward is made perfect and full when other good workes come vnto it But how vayne this is Paul himselfe sufficiently teacheth For he doth not onely say that we are iustified by faith onely but also he addeth without workes Farther this also maketh against these men which is written in in the 15. chapter of wisdome To know is full righteousnes In which place it is a sport to sée how our Smith writeth himselfe First he dareth not deny the senteÌce for he counteth that booke for canonicall but as he is
fauor the godly that he will not only haue their soules to be blessed but also will geue blessednes to their bodyes he will also restore vnto the wicked their bodyes that according to the law of iustice they may be tormented not only in their soules but also in their bodyes The other is that in the Prophets there are touching the resurrection of the dead certayne other more notable places which yet Christ alleaged Why Christ brought not testimonies of the resurrection ouâ of the Prophets not for that the Saduces with whom he then reasoned admitted the law only and touching the other holy bookes either they receaued them not or els they estemed them not much For they red them as we read the Fathers But I leaue this matter and I beséech God not to suffer this singular benefite of the death of Christ to weare away for age in our mynds that the common prouerbe be not applied vnto vs. Nothing waxeth old sooner then grace But why dost thou iudge thy brother Or also why dost thou despise thy brother For we shal all be set before the iudgement seat of Christ Is it is written I liue saith the Lord and euery knee shall bow to me and euery tong shall confesse vnto God So then euery one of vs shall render accompt of himselfe to God Let vs not therefore iudge one an other any more But iudge this rather that no man put an offence to his brother or be an occasion of falling But why dost thou iudge thy brother Or also vvhy dost thou despise thy brother By the name of brethren he reproueth eche part For the right of brethren is equall and a like and in them is expressed a ciuill administration which is called The right of brethren is equall âolitia which is a certaine equalitie of Citezens betwene themselues Wherfore no maÌ ought either to despise or to iudge him whom he knoweth to be his equall For he which so doth counteth him not for his equal but for his inferior VVherefore vve shall all be set before the iudgement seat of Christ By the iudgement seat vndoubtedly is vnderstanded the iudgement of Christ and that by the figure Metonomia And this benefite beside others we haue by the ciuill magestrates that by theyr axes and swordes and iudgementes seates we are put in minde of the iudgement of God The like phrase of speache Paul vsed in the .v. chapiter of the latter Epistle to the Corinthians vve must al appeare before the iudgment seat of Christ Origen expounding these words maketh a discourse I knowe not wherof for that in this place is red Before the iudgement seate of Christ and to the Corinthians is red Before the iudgement seat of God and with a long circute he disputeth of this matter But doubtles all our bookes haue in ech place Before the iudgement seate of Christ ⪠so that there appeareth no cause of ambiguity And yet if we should so rede as he imagineth nothing could be gathered out of those woordes but that Christ is God In the 7. chapiter of Daniell are set forth many excellent thinges of this throne of God wherin is described the magnificency of the iudgement to come As it is vvritteÌ I liue sayth the Lord. This place which is brought to proue Christes diuine power of iudging the world is written in the 45. chapter of Esay This place proueth the diuine nature of Christ As touching the very bare words Paul foloweth not the Hebrew verity but yet most diligently kepeth the sense of the Prophet For that which is here said Saith the Lord agréeth with that which is in the Hebrew The Lord hath sworne And the bowing of the knée signifieth here nothing els but a submission which is most aptly signifyed by that outward Simbole Euery tounge shal confesse vnto God In Hebrew it is Euery tonge shall swear vnto me but there is no man which knoweth not but that in an othe is an excelleÌt confession of God For he is called as a witnes or rather as a iudge and he is so called that he will punish the foresworne persons according to theyr deserts But as yet we sée not that all things are subiect vnto Christ But that shall be when he shall deliuer vp the kingdome to God and to the father For then shall all thinges vtterly be made subiect vnto him amongst other the last enemy namely death as Paul sayth to the Corrinthians How be it now is begon a certaine obedience and his kingdome is acknowledged of the congregation of the godly Wherefore though many vniust and wicked things be now committed yet let vs iudge nothing before the time come least we be preiudiciall to the sentence of that moste highe iudge Then all things according to our hope which nowe séeme to want equitie shall be full of equitie Of these wordes of the Apostle is most manifestly gathered the diuinitie of Christ For when he speaketh of the iudgement seate of Christ he addeth and euery tounge shall confesse vnto God Which self thing is much more manifest if we looke vpon the Hebrew veritie For before that these things are pronounced vnder the person of God this is written Am not I Lord and there is no other God besides me Wherfore seing these things pertaine to Christ as Paul testifieth it most manifestly appeareth that he is God So then euery one of vs shall render an accompt to God of himself Wherefore it is not méete that we either rashly iudge or proudly contemne others For at that iudgement seat causes shall be decided according to their desertes Let vs not therefore iudge one an other any more This is concluded by the reasons alleaged of Paule and is euery where in the holy scriptures inculcated of the holy Ghost But iudge this rather that no man put an offence to his brother ⪠or be an occasion To iudge hath two significations of falling This word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is to iudge hath not here all one signification with that which it had before For before it was to condemne an other by his sentence or to affirme any thing rashly of another But here to iudge signifieth to appoynt a thing with our selues Appoynt therfore with your selues sayth he and thinke that this chiefly pertaineth to your duety that no man be offended by any your example or any your doings Chrisostome by a straunge reason proueth The impeller to sinne sinneth more greuously then he which coÌmitteth the sinne that this thing is to be taken héede of For sayth he he which impelâeth an other to sinne deserueth to be muche more greuously punished then euen he which hath sinned For euen at the beginning a greater punishment and vehementer curse was inflicted vpon the serpent then vpon the woman For she transgressed but the other persuaded The woman also was more greuously punished then the man for that he had not sinned but by her counsell and persuasion And
sacrifice 451 Almes are a blessing 452 Almes geuing what is to be sene vnto there in 453 Altares ought not to be vsed in this time 335 Allegoryes what they are 83. 327. 345 Amen what it signifieth 245 Anathema what it is 237. 238 239. 240. 241 Angels may not be prayed vnto 231 Angels some are good and some are euil 235 Angels are subiect to vanitie 213 Angels gouerne diuers regions 359 Anselme his saying vpon free will 28 Antithesis 74 Antiquitie of papisticall churches 244 Apostles and Bishops are not of like authoritie 3 Arguments of the deuinity of Christ 5 Arme of God what it is 325 Arrogancy is a pestileÌce vnto brotherly loue 424 Artes of speaking are not to be condempned 232 Augustine vpon free will 26 Augustine vpon predestination 26 Augustine against Iulianus 27 Auntient fathers how they shold be read 76 Auriculer confession is wicked 382 B BAal what it signifieth 334. 337 Baptisme what it is 52. 86. 143. 145. 146. 147. 148 Beasts were worshipped 25 Beleuing what it is 38 Blasphemy what it is 46 47 Blessednes what it is 75 Blindenes of the heart is sinne 125 Blindenes of the minde 345 Boniface a proud and arrogant Pope 432 Brethren to praise them is profitable for vs. 446 C Câuses why Christ offred him selfe vnto death 210 Cerimonyes what they are 69. 70. 71. 152 Circumcision what it is 47. 48. 85. 86. 87. Charitie distinguisheth true faith from false 225 Chaunge of things in the ende of the world 216. 217 Children of wrath who they are 278 Christ excelleth philosophers 10 Christ to dwell in vs how it is to be vnderstand 199 Christ ⪠howe we receiue him and are ioyned vnto him 200 Christ is still the minister of oure saluation 230. 231 Christ is the ende of the law 90 Christ is the heyre of al the world 88 Christ why he is called Lord. 6 Christ had a true body 4 Christ is the head of the promises of God 18 Christe had not his soule from the virgine Mary 110 Christes church shal neuer pearish 235 Christes diuinitie 246 Christes fleshe eaten in the sacrament is not the cause of our resurrection 201. 202 Christs death why it was acceptable to his father 107 Christians what things ought to moue theÌ to loue one an other 454 Chrisostome is expounded 16 Chrisostome and Ambrose fail in memory 17 Churches ought to be shut when there is no congregation 31 Church what it is 236. 237. Commaundements of God expounded 46 Concupiscence is not lawful 32. 33. 150 Constantine the great 16 Contention what it is 40 Cornelius iustified 181 Creatures why they are said to mourne 214 215. 216 Creatures are signes that set forth God 21 Crosses are aduersities 209 D DEath is not naturall vnto man 112 Death hath no right wher sin is not 121 Deathe is improprely called a rewarde 157 Degrees to saluation 356 Deuell is a prince of this worlde 337 Differences betwene wryting and painting 30 Difference betwene Dulia and Latria 162 Difference betwene the law and the gospell 61 Dignity of almes 451 Dscord in the church of Rome 415 Disobedience what it is 113 Distinctions 346 Diuorcement vsed among the Iewes 160 Dumme Bishops 13 E EFfects of honour and of contempt 219 Egiptians Idolaters 25 Election what it is 229. 335 Election is the cause of saluation 246. 247. 248. 249. 250. 251. 252. Election of grace what it is 253 Election and reiection depend on the will of God 257 Election and reprobation how they differ 258. 274. 275 Enemy what he is 196 Epistle to the Romains when it was written 451 Epicures error 20 Error of the Maniches 197. 173 Error of the Pelagians 197 Eternal life is called a reward 157 Ethnickes vpbrayd the gospell 14 Ethnickes excel in sharpnes of iudgemeÌt 36 Execrations 345 F FAith chiefly glorifyeth God 23 Faith and the gospell may not be taken from Philosophy 19 Faith deâined 20. 40 Faith may not be seperated froÌ the gospel 19 Faith is oures and also Gods 18 Faith what it is to liue by it 18. we are iustifyed by it 19 Faith compared with philosophy 98 Faith only iustifieth 63. 64. 75. 87 Faith hath a double signification 16 Faith what it is wherof is a large discourse from the. 62. leafe vnto the. 98. Faith hope are distinguished 220. 22â 222. Faith is called obedyence 325. and is also called law ibidem Faith excelleth feare 355 Faith must goe before the receiuing of the Sacraments 362 Fire that shall consume the world in the last day 217 Figures are necessary in scriptures 198 Feare is defined 207. 208 Felicitie and blessednes what it is 15. 150 Freewil what it is 26. 171. 172 176. 177. 178. 254. 255. 361. Frendship is a necessary thing 343 Frustrate what the nature of that worde is 23 Fruit of almes 451 Fruit of preaching wherof it cometh 452 G GEneration what is the nature thereof 271 Gentiles conuerted to Christ are Israelites 282 Giftes of the holy ghost 223 Glory and glorifying of God what it is 23. 63. 211. 212 Glotony what it is 434 God is the searcher of our heartes and why it is so sayd 224 God of Sabaoth what it signifieth 283 Gods glory consisteth in all things 24 God suffereth long 37 God forbid what it signifyeth 53 God nedeth no aduocates 24 God tempteth not to euill 28 God willeth that is good 256. 257 God doth things contrary to his lawes 25â God of coÌtrary things worketh like effects 232 God is called a Lyon a Bear and a fire 274 God tempted the fathers 169 God seeth all men 55 God ought not to be expressed by images 30 God how he deceiueth 268 God hath not commaunded things vnpossible 194 God worketh in men 151 God worketh not by chaunce 278 God is faithful in his promises 106 God why he is called the God of hope 446 God is wise 456 God confirmeth his by the gospell 456 God is witnessed to be God by any thing in the world how vile so euer the same be 22 Gods reuengement for Idolatry 25 Gods gifts vnto men 13 Gods knowledge is attributed to the vngodly 22 Gods knowledge is speâially knowne in two things 22 God is iudged of men 51 God in dede loueth and in dede hateth 252 God is not the author of sinne 28 God forsaketh the Ethnickes 19 Gods word is the foundation of faith 326 Good workes are not to be reiected 18. 90. 158. 159. Gospell per accidens is the instrumente of death 192 Gospell what it is 3 43. 61. 62 Gospell is no new doctrine 456 Gospel who are they that are ashamed there of 14 Gospel is preferred to al men indiffereÌtly 16 Gospel is not new and when it began 4 Gospel is more common then Philosophy 13 Grace what it is 115. 116. 117. 140. 141 Grace is not common vnto all men 335. 336 Grace and life cleaue together 139 Grace is not bound to the Sacraments 83 Grafting in of the GeÌtils ⪠truth had
with him hath geuen vnto vs all thinges Farther many logicial probable reasons takeÌ of those excellent benefites which we féele are daily bestowed vpon vs perswade vs of the same thinges For those benefites although oftentimes they are common also vnto wicked men yet haue they the force both to cheare our hartes and also to comfort vs after that we are once perswaded by other more firmer reasons For argumentes probable althoughe of themselues they are not able throughlye to persuade yet being ioyned vnto reasons firme and demonstratiue they make the Whereunto argumentes probable serue thing more euident Farther if we will follow examples of other most excellent men we shal perceiue with how singuler a loue God loued them Let vs also euery one of vs loke vpon our own priuate doinges in theÌ we shall sée how we haue bene oftentimes holpen and preserued of God And although our sence be vtterly rude in these thinges for it is strange from thinges celestial yet it also in the godly The senses are made after a sorte spirituall in godly men is made after a sort spirituall euen as contrariwise in the vngodly euen the very mind also is made carnall wherfore al thinges which the godly vnderstand also by their senses testifie vnto them the good will of God towardes them By this meanes Dauid by contemplation considering all thinges which were offered vnto Why Dauid inuiteth thinges insensible to praise God his senses as pledges of the loue of God inuiteth and prouoketh them to praise God Not that he thought that they could either heare or speake but to declare that they are of that nature that they can stirre vp euerye attentiue and godlye man which hath the vse of them by his sences to praise God and to geue thankes vnto him There are also certaine thinges which of the minde it selfe are most certainly perfectly knowen for that they are the first principles wherunto we only at the sight of them without any farther triall geue our assent And in this knowledge of The first principles of the knoledge of the loue of God ⪠the loue of God towardes vs we haue for the first principle the holy ghost He beareth witnes vnto vs inwardly and in the minde that we are the sonnes of GOD. Wherfore seing the loue of God towards vs is so many waies proued Paul rightly This place serueth to the certainty oâ saluation saith that he is fully perswaded But all these reasons are such that they cleane fast vnto faith Which faith being taken away we shall herein haue nothing that we can vnderstand nothing that we can know This place serueth wonderfully to establish the certainty of our saluation Neither must we harken vnto them whiche to the ende they woulde wreste this place from vs vse to aunswere that these thinges pertaine only to Paul as though he alone and a few other which by This place is to be taken vniuersally and not perticulerly as though it pertaineth to Paul onlye reuelation were made certaine of their saluation could say that they were fully persuaded that they should neuer be plucked away froÌ the loue of God Here doutles is not set forth an history neither is it declared how Paul was called in yâ way neither is it written how he was let downe from the wall in a basket onely is brought in a conclusion of those reasons wherby he would proue that God most feruently loueth vs. Wherfore this place pertaineth not only to Paul but also to all the faithfull For it maketh nothing against vs that Paul pronounced his sentence vnder the first person For otherwise we should say that that which is written The thinges that are spoken vnder the person of Paul oftentymes pertaine to all men to the Gal. I lyue but now not I bât Christ lyueth in me is to be vnderstande of Paul onely and pertaineth nothing to vs and that which he saith to the Phil. Vnto me to lyue is Christ and to dye is gayne And that which he writeth vnto the Corrinthians I do not thinke that I know any thyng but Christ Iesus and hym crucified and a great many such like sentences should be vnderstand of no other body but of Paul all which thinges yet euery christian ought to apply vnto himselfe that that sentence of the Poet may hereunto be very aptly framed Hogh thou sirra the name is chaunged but the tale is tolde of thee And if sometimes we wauer as touching this Whereof springeth our doubting touching saluation A similitude certainty that is not to be attributed vnto the defaut of faith but for that we haue not a perfect and an absolute faith As if a man professing yâ Mathematicals should doubt of the principals of his arte that ought not to be attributed vnto his art for it is of all other artes most certaine but rather vnto his vnskilfulnes which hath not yet perfectly learned his arte Wherfore if we at any time as it happeneth in dede be in doubt of our saluation there is no other presenter remedy then to pray with the Apostles Encrease our fayth So did Peter when he saw himself at yâ point Remedy against doubting Two principal points of thinges against vs. to be ouerwhelmed of the waues of the sea All those things which are against vs Paul in his epistle vnto the Ephe. reduceth to two principall pointes For some coÌsist in nature and other some are brought vnto vs of aduersary spirites We wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against spirituall wickednesses which ar in celestiall places These two thinges the Apostle mingleth together to the ende he would leaue out nothing And these things which he speaketh of are of so great force that they may seme able to alienate a man froÌ God By life and death he vnderstandeth all maner of daungers whereby we are endaungered touching life death All these things are not of so great force yâ they can breake in sonder the loue of God towards vs. But wheÌ we are in these daÌgers we must say as Paul admonisheth vs in this What we must say when we are oppressed with aduersities epistle Whether we lyue or whether we dye we are the Lordes For to thys end Christ dyed and rose agayne to be Lord of the quicke and of the dead And vnto the Phillippiaus Now euen as before Christ shal be glorified in my body whether it be by lyfe or by death Nor Angels Angels as it is written in the epistle vnto the Hebrewes are ministring spirites which are sent forth to be ministers for their sakes which shal be heyres of saluation which can not be vnderstand but of good angels For euill angels are oftentimes sent forth to punishe the vngodly and to tempt men although their temptation is not vnprofitable vnto the predestinate And it is certaine that euill angels séeke by all maner of meanes to leade vs away from God which thing yet