woord of the Gospell pertayneth too euery seuerall persone Wherfore as touching those that wee speake of there is found in them no stubbornnesse against the Gospell but onely originall corruption whiche notwithstanding is euen of it self alone sufficient to damne the reprobates Besides this although the condition of beléeuing bee annexed yet doth not the ordinance hang vpon that but rather that hangeth vppon the ordinaunce as which goeth in order before all other inferior causes Else see howe false and vnreasonable thinges insew For it will folowe that God in deuising with himselfe did firste set before him his whole woork as already finished and that accordinge as he saw his woorke should bée disposed of itselfe and not by him that made it he should therupon take occasion too determine that is too say too appoynt eyther too saluation or damnation Or if yee like better that god himselfe was vncerteine how the performing or not performinge of the condition woulde fall out Then must it bée concluded that Gods ordinance hangeth in suspence and that the determination of the case as Austin trimly sayeth is not in the power of the potter but of the clay And herevpon wil be grounded another false opinioÌ„ namely that faith hath not his beginnyng of God but of the will of man if it bee so that Gods foresight gaue him cause too determin vpon his choise Neither is it too the purpose to obiect that faith is not foresene forasmuch as it is a gift of god that commeth in by the waye but that corruption and vnbeleefe are foresene which are naturall in man after his fall For the reason of the contraries requireth in any case that loke in what degrée faith is placed in the ordinance of Election euen in the same degree must faithlesnesse or vnbeeleefe bee placed in the ordinance of reprobation Therefore if ye make faith foreknowen too bee the cause of the ordinance of election which is vtterlye a poynte of a Pelagian and therefore repealed by Austin you must needes deeme the same also of vnbeleefe in the contrarye ordynance of reprobation And on the othersyde if yee submit faith vnto the sayd ordinance as you needes must for wee be chosen to the intent to beleue and not bicause wee wold or should beleue you must nedes also in the contrary member submit vnbeleefe to the ordinance of reprobation Quest VVill you then make the ordinance of reprobation to be the cause of vnbeleeue as wel as you make the ordinance of election too bee the cause of faith Answer No. For the ordinance of election is in déede the efficient cause of faith But corruption or vnbeleefe with the fruites therof are in such wise put vnder the ordinance of reprobation as that the will of man is the first efficient cause of them and yet notwithstanding they be subiect too the ordinance bycause that although it bee not throughe the ordynance yet is it not besydes the ordynance nor without the ordynance that those thinges happen whereof the fayling cause and not the efficient cause is grrounded in God as I sayde afore For like as they onely beléeue in whom God createth fayth euen so through Gods forsaking of mannes wil sinne is krepte into mankynde and there abydeth yelding ill fruit in as manye as God listeth too leaue vp too their owne lustes that they may bee the cause of theyr own damnation whervntoo they are also inregestred and appoyncted from euerlastinge Furthermore that I may retyre vntoo the other question whatsoeuer is sayde of the forenamed condition whiche is annexed too the ordinaunce as who should saye that the ordinance depended vppon the condition it is vnfitly spoken .. For the ordinance of sauinge the elect sort is another thinge than the verye glorifiynge of the elect and the ordinance of dampning the Reprobates is another thinge than the verye damninge of them in somuche as the ordinaunce it selfe must needes bee distinguished from the execution of it The execution than of the ordinaunce of election that is too wyt the saluation of the chosen dependeth vppon faythe that taketh holde of Christe and the execution of the ordinaunce of Reprobation that is too wyt the dampnation of the castawaies dependeth vppon synne â—nd there fruites thereof accordinge tâ—o this saying of the Prophet thy destruction O Israell commeth of thy selfe And of this ordinance of choosinge some men too bee saued by grace and of refusing othersome too bee dampned through their owne sinnes we know none other cause but this one namely that the Lord who is both incomparablye mercyfull and incomparablye rightfull will bee glorifyed in that wise He that holdes not himselfe contented with this for asmuche as hee seeketh some hygher thynge and some rightfuller thinge than Goddes will hee is worthely reprooued by the Apostle for a â—rabler Quest Ergo God hateth some not for their sinnes sake but because he listeth so too doo An. This is a slaunderous obiectioÌ„ For it is certeine that God hateth no maÌ„ but for sinne for otherwise he had hated hys owne work But it is one thing to hate and another thing to ordeine one to iuste hatred For the cause of the hatred is manifest namely euen sinne but why God appoynteth whoÌ„ he listeth vntoo iust hatred thoughe the cause bee hid from vs sauinge too the ende hee may bee glorified yet cannot it not be vnrightuous toÌ„sideringe that the will of God is the only rule of rightfulnes For if wee speake of this soueraigne will of God which ordereth disposeth the causes of all thinges wée must not say that a thinge ought too be rightful before God should wil it but contrarywise that God must firste wyll the thynge beefore it can bee ryghtfull whiche who so considereth not shall reason but confusedly of this matter Quest But yet for all this God seemeth too bee a regarder of persons if he yelde not alike vnto all that haue done alyke For in this poincte all men are like that they bee corrupted by nature spred into them from Adam An. Nay trulye it foloweth not of necessitye that whosoeuer yeeldeth not alyke vnto like shoulde bee an accepter of persons but he onlye whiche yeldeth not alyke vnto lyke because hee is parciallye mooued by some circumstaunces that accompany the person it self as if two men were offenders alike the iudge shoulde acquit the one of them bicause he is rich or his kinsman or his countrieman For these be the persons that may not bee regarded of him that will iudge vncorruptlye But I pray you let vs put the case y two men bee indetted vnto you both in like somme and both vppon like conditions Nowe if of your liberalitie you forgiue the one his dette and exact the other mans dette accordinge too extremity of law shall there bee any excepting of persons in this behalfe What if some souereigne hauing a cupple that offend alike doo of his meere grace parden
perfecte in Christe at the sight of whome our most gracious father who notwithstandinge is a continuall enemy to al vnclennesse and filthynesse may holde himself appeased as he that is both singularly iust and singularly mercifull Quest But why dooth he not sanctifi vs fully out of hand Answere Nay rather you may maruel at his goodnes in y he drepeth any litle drop of regenerating grace into any man And yet why he should delay the full sanctifiynge of vs vnto another worlde there be many causes wherof the chéefe are twoo The one is for that wee be but of a weake faith therfore as much as in vs lieth we hinder the effectualnes of the holy ghoste The other is that in as muche as we be saued by mere grace not by works he y glorieth shoulde glory onely in the lord For if this holinesse were perfecte in vs then shoulde our rightuousnesse also bée perfect or cleauing in vs and so consequently Christ should not substantially properly bée our Sauiour but onlye an instrument to dispose vs after suche maner as we might afterwarde iustifye our selues by our owne rightuousnes which is flatly the foule detestable errour of the halfepelagian Sophisters Que. You saye then that betweene our sanctification our rightuousnes ther is such a proportionable resemblaunce that looke how great the one is so great also is the other An. Yea in deede For trewe sanctification cannot bée ydle and suche as a fruitefull trée is suche also is the verye fruite of it Wherfore inasmuche as our vnderstandinge is partlye inlightened with the knowledge of the trew god wee doo also partlye knowe him Forasmuch also as wee partlye assent to Gods promise and applye the same to our selues therefore wee doo partly beléeue And because our will is partly chaunged therefore we partly will well worke well Que. VVhat meane you by this partly An. That is to say not perfectly but only so farfoorth as wée bee borne anewe so as in one selfsame ground howbeit in diuers respectes there is cleannesse and vncleannes light and darkenesse beliefe and vnbeliefe good will and will declininge from good and spirite and fleshe Quest VVhat meane you by Spirite An. All the powers in man aswell superior as inferior so farforth as they bee sanctified or regenerated Quest And what call you fleshe Ans In a man that is not regenerated I meane thereby the whole man euen as muche as is of him wythin and wythout from toppe too toe And in a man that is regenerated I meane agein al his powers so farfoorth as they bée not sanctified or regenerated Quest But Iohn saith that the children of god sinne not An. The same sayeth also that they are â—yars whiche say they haue no sinne Therefore they be said not to sin bicause that although sinne dwell in them yet it reigneth not in them For the spirit fighteth in them against the flesh at length shall gette the vpper hande And in consideration hereof the regenerated onelye may rightly saye the euill that I would not doo that doo I and the good that I would doo that doo I not Quest Euen the natural reason that is in any man vnregenerated dooth oftentimes striue against his lustes And thou knowest that vertue consisteth in subdewinge the vnreasonable parte of the minde vnto reason An. What is to be thought of the Philosophicall vertues I haue aunswered afore I graunt there is a certaine warenes a certaine conscionablenes lefte in man to reprooue and after a sorte also to restraine the headinesse of the affections too the intente that euerye man maye bée vnexcuseable And therefore as for the philosophicall distribution aâ— it were of the partes of the soule and the thinges that y write coÌ„cerning meannesse I not onely reproue thâ— not of any vntruthe but also praise and commend them as remnants of y image of god Neuerthelesse I saye y the distribution of mans partes whyche the holye ghost teacheth vs is farre after another sorte matchinge the naturall man the spirituall man the inner man and the outter man the new man the old man and the flesh and the spirit one against another And in those names by whiche vice is noted he betokeneth also euen the souerein and ouerrulinge part of y mind whiche the philophers make so great account of and finallye whatsoeuer man hathe of nature without the grace of regeneration Que. Is not reason reason then Ans Yes vndoubtedly and it alwayes becommeth better sighted by serchynge but yet it is alwaies faultie till it bée regenerated For first formest euen wheÌ„ it vnderstandeth and discerneth the good it vnderstandeth it not ne discerneth it not as it ought and shoulde doo by reason on of the original corruption which the Philosophers could not so much as once â—…istrust Moreouer in many euen of the â—…eightiest matters it not only séeth not the truth but also vtterly and of set purâ—ose fighteth against the truth Quest I beseeche you confirme these thinges with examples Ans I will. Although the Philosophers write many things notably and very exâ—ellently concerning God the souereigne good yet notwithstanding which of theÌ„â—ll hath by his naturall insight perceiued â—he one substance of the Godhead in the thrée persons And yet there is none other knowing of the souerein good that 〈…〉 either true or that worketh saluation Que. But yet it is sayd that Trismegistus specially the disciples of Plato taught â—ome such like thing Aunswere It may bée that some men haue come to â—ome darke knowledge of this misterie â—…eliuered ouer by the Patriarks written 〈…〉 holy writings but away with y toyes â—f those men y séeke for the truth of these â—hings in y writings of the philosophers For when they come to the poinet to lay â—…rth the nature of god after they haue said many thinges accordinge to truthe hoâ—… sodeinlye do the cunningest of them slyâ— away to fondnes as the Apostle ryghtly sayth For from whence comes theyâ— multitude of gods from whence commeth their deuidinge of the godhead inâ—â— greater goddes and lesser goddes From whence comes the frantyckenesse of the Epicures From whence comes the stoicall necessitie too binde euen the god â–ª head it selfe FroÌ„ whence hath Aristotle his dotages dreaming that the worlde iâ— without beginning and without ending and takinge awaye all particuler prouidence And yet I wyll ouerslyp other toyes innumerable confuted in so many places by Aristotle himselfe To whom I pray you may we wyte the comming in of all superstitions but too this noble Ouer ruler Furthermore if wée come downe vnto man whiche of the philosophers coulde know himselfe seyinge hée knewe not the originall of the firste man and his fall Yea truely what can be imagined more awk more brainsik or more monstruous than the sayinge which many men cease not to father vpoÌ„ Aristotle the wittiest of all
seme worthy to please at leastwyse in somme behalfe Answete Most falfe is this consequence For God cannot no not euen of couenant allow any other rightuousnes as worthye of that name than such as is fully answerable to the law in all pointes except he wil be repugnant too himselfe which thynge were a sinne to say Thus therefore oughtest thou too haue gathered The woorkes of the regenerated do please God though they bee vnperfect â—rgo God is exceeding mercifull Question Besydes this there is mention made euerywhere of hyre wages reward requiting and recompence An. The name of Wages hath a larger scope than the name of euerlastinge life And it is certain that God of his passinge liberality rendereth temporal blissinges euen too the vngodly be they neuer so vnworthy Againe whither you referre the name of wages too eternall life or too other benifites yet doth it not folow that the same is payde as dewe det But rather this dooth most of all commend Gods mercy that he vout saueth to geue the name of Wages or hyre too the vndew reward which he bestoweth vpon vs of his owne mere grace in Christ too the end y we although we bee but vnprofitable seruantes for who is able too bestow any thing vpon god might notwithstandinge perceiue that wee haue not lost our labour Finallye although this wages be promised fréely and geuen fréely yet is it geuen too hym that woorketh and therefore it is called a wages or hyre Quest If it bee geuen too him that worketh ergo it is geueÌ„ him for his works An. Nay rather if it bée geuen wée bee sure it is not payde as a dewtye Agayn there is farre difference betwéen geuing too a woorker and geuinge for workes I may well say therefore that eternall life is geuen to them worke bicause faith shall bée esteemed by the frutes of it and rightuousnesse by faith but not payde them for theyr works sakes And after this manner must that text bée expownded where it is sayde Euery man shal bee iudged accordinge to the thinges that he hath done in his body and suche other like sentences Quest VVhy so Ans Bycause good woorkes make not men rightuouse but folowe him that be leeueth and that is aredy becom rightuous in Christe like as good fruytes make not a tree too bee good but a tree is knowen to be good by the good fruites of it Que. But alitle afore you fetched good works not out of iustificatioÌ„ but out of Sanctification An. I graunt it For there is no man iustified by imputation of Christes rightuousnes but he is also sanctified by his spirit Quest Say you then that good woorkes bee needefull to saluation An. If faith bee needefull too saluation and woorkes doo of necessity accompany treâ—e faith as whiche cannot bee ydle surely the other foloweth also that good woorks bee needefull to saluation how beeit not as a cause of saluation for we bee iustified and therfore also do liue by faith only in Christ but as a thinge that of necessity cleaueth vnto trew faith So saith Paule that those bee Goddes childreÌ„ which are led by gods spirite Iohn saith that those be rightuous which work rightuousnes And Iames also declaring not by what meanes we be iustified but wherby trew faith insticatioÌ„ are discerned proueth by Abrahams exaÌ„ple y those are not iustified which vtter no workes of faith For in such wise must Iames be made to agree with Paule too the ende it may playnely appeere how they bee but brabblers which condemne the necessity of good workes for false doctrine Question VVhat if a man should neuer be endewed with fayth tyl the laste instant of his death for so it seemeth too haue happened too the theefe that hunge by Christ VVhat manner of good works â—halll such a one bee able to bring forth An. Uerely the faith of that théefe was vnspeakably workful in that short time â—or he rebuked the blasphemies and wicked dooinges of the other theefe he detested his owne crimes with an assured and passing wonderfull faith he acknowledged Christ for the euerlasting kinge euen in the reprochefulnes of his crosse when all his disciples hilde their peace he called vppon him as his sauiour and finallye hée openlye reprooued the mercilesse cruelty and wicked spéeches of the â—ewes But the acknowledginge of sin the callinge vpon god the father in christ and thankesgeuinge are the excellentest woorkes of the firste table whiche cannot bée vtterly seperated from fayth in no man And admitte that some man beeing preuented with death is able too shewe no woorkes of the seconde table Yet is not the faith in him therefore too be counted ydle because that althoughe it haue not Charitie in actuall deede yet is it accompanied with it in possibilitie Quest I haue yet one doubt more behinde VVhy any man shoulde be damned for euill woorkes if no man be iustified for good woorkes Ans The reasone is manifest namely because that euen the lightest sin that is deserueth althoughe not the extreamest paines in euerlastinge death yet euerlastinge death it selfe whiche generallye is the hyre of sinne but no rightuousnesse can worthely deserue eternal lyfe except it be suche a rightuousnes as the law requireth that is to wit a perfect and sound state Therefore shew me one that fulfilleth the law as there is none found which is not a breaker of the lawe and I will graunt the foresaide argument Quest Saye you then that there shal bee oddes in the punishements of the damned sort An. Althoughe this matter bee to be inquired of verye soberlye yet haue I not spoken it vnaduisedly For besides that the order of Iustice requireth that hee whiche hathe sinned more greeuouslye should be more greuously punished considering that all sinnes are not alike heynous sauing so farforthe as they matche in generalitie for it is a Paradoxe of the Stoykes not of christians to auouch that all sins bee equal christ himself witnesseth the same thing expresly saying y the case of the Sodomites shal bee more tolerable in the day of iudgement than the case of them that had reiected him Quest Then shall therebe oddes in the glory of those that shal be saued An. Verelye so doothe the reason of contraries require And wheras the Apostle sayeth that suche as haue sowen sparelie shall reape sparelye it séemeth not that the same shoulde be restrained to temporall blessinges onely Quest But of sowinge cometh reapinge ergo rightuousnes and life proceede of good workes An. Truely similitudes must neuer bée racked further than the nature of the thinges that are treated of and the purpose of him that vseth the similitudes will beare For else ther wil ensew most fond false things out of nomber which thing wheÌ„ vnskilful interpreters marke not they must néedes setforth manye foolishe and false thinges But in the foresaide place the Apostle
A booke of Christian Questions and answers Wherein are set foorth the cheef points of the Chrisâ—â—â—â—â—â—ligion in maner of an â—…dgment A worke right necessary and profitable for all such as sâ—al haue to deale with the captious quarelinges of the wrangling aduersaries of Gods truthe Written in Latin by the lerned clerke Theodore Beza Vezelius and newly translated into English by Arthur Golding Imprinted at London by William How for Abraham Veale dwellyng in Paules Church yarde at the signe of the Lambe Ano. 1574. ¶ To the Right honorable and his singular good Lorde Henry Earle of Huntingdon Baron Hastinges Knight of the most noble order of the Garter c. Arthur Golding wissheth abundance of Gods grace increase of honour and longe continuance of life in health and prosperitie MY very good Lord it is daylie and in maner commonly to beseene I pray God that our vnthankefulnes cause vs no more to feele it that the peruerse through setled Papists the professed enemies of God all goodnes linking theÌ„selues in league with worldlinges Epicures Athiestes Neuters birdes of their own broode do euen yet after so great light of the Gospell and so manifest conuictioÌ„ of their Grosse errors stil boldly persist in their wilfull wickednes not only hardening their own stubborne hartes against the apparant truth but also as much as in theÌ„ lyeth stealiÌ„g away the kie of knowledge froÌ„ others that would fain enter into the kingdome of heauen if they letted theÌ„ not casting stumbling blockes in the waies of the weake vncircumspect of whose soules they make marchandise by their deceiuable and inuenimed speeche But certesse although long impunity haue made theÌ„ ouer bould both to prate to Practise in maner what they lyst â—…et not withstanding for as much as the general brightnes of Christes Gospell discouereth their grosser sorte of â—ealinges vntoo mostmen they assaulte vs not nowe so much with open manifest vntruthes whiche were ordinary weapons of their warfare wheÌ„ they had the swoorde of souereintie and the law of crueltie in theyr owne hand as with secret inuasions of sophisticall reasons and crabbed questions specially where they finde hope of victorie by meanes of other mens simplicitie want of learning to withstand them And truly in that art no folke are so cunning as the children of darknes For worldly wisdome hauing bent hir self to mainteine error is a fruiteful moother of all sortes of quiddities and the olde serpent is both slie and vnslothfull in traÌ„sforminge himselfe and his impes into all shapes to doo mischiefe For asmuch therefore as there be many godly and welminded persons who hauinge not yet mounted aboue the short reache of naturall reason doo still measure Gods misteries howbecit with a single meaninge mind by their slender capacitie of their small vnderstaÌ„dinge dealinge in likewise as if a man that were iorneying by the first dawning of the day shoulde trip his foote against some stone which he woulde eschew at the comminge of the cleere and open light whose faith is often times shaken yea and nowe and then crased also eyther by such as standing vpon the reputacion of their owne skil hunt for vainglory by russhinge vnaduisedly into the discourse of Gods deepest misteries whiche ought not to be spoken of without great reuerence and modesty or by suche as being wilfully blind diffame the things that they know not or by such as being giuen vp too a hardened minde blaspheme the knowen truthe through malicious spitefulnes or by such as being giuen wholly to their belly their bed cannot abide to hecre of any thing that might make them goodmen or else by suche as haue learned in Lucians schoole to scoffe at all thinges that like not their fantasticall folie too the intent that the godly persos might alwaies haue at hand as well wherwith to satisfie themselues and other well disposed persoÌ„s in doubtful cases as also to stop the slauÌ„derous mouthes of the quarelinge aduersaries or at leastwise wherwith to aunswere their captious cauelinges in the chiefe points of our religion I haue translaied this Christen treatise of the learned writer Theodore Beza who by a certein modest questioninge answering ther vnto doth in dialogwise briefely set forth vnto vs the true knowing of God our selues the right vse and end of the same For taking his beginning at the intent of our creation he declareth that God must be worshipped and serued in none otherwise than hee himselfe hath taught vs by his worde written The authoritie wherof being auouched by many profes he setteth downe what the same teacheth vs to beleeue concerninge the Godhead the three persons therof Then shewing vs what we ought to consider chiefely in God he vnfoldeth the misterie of the vnioÌ„ of the two natures in the one person of Christ whereby hee confuteth the heresie of the Manichees and layeth forth the order of our saluatioÌ„ by Christs incarnation death resurrection and AscentioÌ„ Here vpon he taketh occasion to â—hew the maner of Christs being present absent and thereby condemneth the errors of popishe transsubstantiation of the vbiquitie or euerie where being of Christs maÌ„hod mainteined by Brentius and certeine others After this he passeth forth to Christes mediation intercession where he disproueth the heresie of Arrius the opinioÌ„ of surmising three Gods the dotages of Samosatene the forgeries of the Papists in praying vnto saincts FroÌ„ thence he descendeth to the laste iudgement and answering by the way to an obiection of the foreiudgemeÌ„t that eche seuerall person receiueth at his departure out of this life he procedeth to the generall rising again of the flesh to the rewards of the godly the punishment of the wicked whereby he taketh occasion too inquire of the way to eternall life which is Christ taken holde on by fayth There sheweth he what faith is and whence it coÌ„meth and so discoursinge largely of mans corruptioÌ„ he disproueth the Pelagians freewyll declareth in what wise mans naturall will woorketh together with Gods preuentinge grace and how the continuance of Gods graces insewinge is the cause of the effectuall working of the former graces wherby he vtterly ouerthro weth the merit or deseruing of meÌ„s owne workes Afterward hauing first shewed the maner of the spreding of originall sin into al mankind he returneth to the â—emedie therof by being greffed into Christ the maner wherof he describeth at large and there agein confuteth the heresie of Transsubstantiation and declareth faith to be the free gift of god through christ by whom wee obteine wisedome Rightuosnes Holines and RedemptioÌ„ which are the fruites of beinge greffed into him by the benefite whereof we begin also in part to vnderstand aright to will aright and to woorke a right whiche is as muche as to liue after the spirite In the layinge forth of these things he rippeth vp the feeblenes of mans naturall reason wassheth away the excuse of his vnhablenes to
setteth foorth the proporcionable resemblance of woorkes and glory and not y cause of glory For in all places he stedfastlye defendeth that rightuousnesse is the mere gyfte of God without the woorkes of the lawe and is not payde as a dew det but bestowed vppon the beléeuers as a grace Que. He meaneth but the works of the Ceremoniall lawe Ans A fond answer For hys matchinge of duty grace one againste another caÌ„not stand onles all the workes of the lawe bee excluded without exception and yet I wil ouerpasse other argumeÌ„ts of paules which are bent directlye against the very law of the tenne hests bent I say not toâ— deface the law which is the madnes of the Manichees but too take away from it the power of iustifiyng Again I besech you if works may be thanked for any maner of rightuousnes why should yee exclude the ceremonies y bée rightlye vsed For truly they be compreheÌ„ded in y sowerth commaundement of the ten hestes as longe as they were rightlye vsed they were most excellent workes Quest But ceremonies be abolished by the comming of Christ An. I confesse they be abolished because they bée fulfilled in Christ But the matter it self declareth that where Paule disputeth of the causes of Iustification his reasons tend not to proue that the Ceremonies bee abolished but too shew that saluatioÌ„ rested alwaies in the only rightuousnes ef christ imputed to theÌ„ that beleue for confirmation therof among other things he alledgeth y examples of Abraham and Dauid Quest Then may wee say that paule excludeth but onely the good works that go before the grace of Iustification An. No lesse fond is this answere also For besides that the Apostle alledgeth manifeestly the examples testimenies of them that were iustified namely of Abraham and Dauid to the intent I may â—et passe his other reason grounded vppon the very nature of the lawe what a madnesse were it to busie a mannes self aboute the excludinge of those thinges whiche are not at all for why to déeme that they wiche are not iustified can dâ—o anye good woorkes it is no lesse folie than if a man should say that a tree can bringe forth good fruite before it be gâ—od â—t selfe Quest But although the hyre of eternal life be not dew for the worthines of the very workes yet is it dew at leastwise by couenant An. What couenant meene you I beseeche you Quest The couenant of the lawe which is Do this and thou shalt liue And if thou wilt enter into life kepe the commundementes An. How this couenant is to be vnderstoode it is to bée sene by the threatning which is set against the promyse And that is this by the witnes of the apostle cursed is euery one that abydeth not in all the thinges that are written in the booke of the lawe that he may kepe theÌ„ But the law requireth perfect loue And no man but onely Christ hath euer performed the law to the full therefore life is dew to none by the couenant but only vnto Christ As for vs we haue it giuen vs by mere grace from out of him who also is himselfe giuen vnto vs by mere grace Quest VVherfore call you them good woorkes then if they deserue not eternall lyfe An. Surely the Latin diuines yea euen the auÌ„cient sort of them haue vnproperly vsed the word Merit or Deserue in sted of Obtein and the woord Desirt or deseruing or Merit for a good worke whiche thinge ye shall neuer finde in the holye scriptures Now although the works of y regenerate are not so good as thei shold deserue eternall life yet are they good so farforth as they proceede from the good spirit of God from a hart y is clensed by faith And agein they be good bicause y by theÌ„ the lorde is glorified our neighbor helped and we our selues also reape this excellent fruite of theÌ„ that they bee witnesses vnto vs of our faith and consequently of our election Quest Let thus far then suffice concerning both the partes of Sanctification Now remayneth that which the Apostle saith also namely that Christ is become our redemption Ans By the woorde redemption the Apostle meeneth in that place not the verye act of redeeming but the effect of it that is too say the end whervnto the sayde Iustification and Sanctification lead vs the which is this that being redeemed from synne and death by Christ we should also be made partakers of eternal life in him whose pledge and earnest penny wee haue euen in this lyfe that is to wit the holy Ghost by whom we bee sealed vp Que. But Dauid grouÌ„deth this redemption and blesing in the release of sins VVhy then adde you also the imputation of the sanctificatioÌ„ that sticketh in Christ and his fulfilling of the law An. What if I shold incounter thee with these textes Blessed are the cleane in hart blessed are the blameles in y way and suche other like woldest thou gather here vpon y the releasing of sinnes is excluded I think not So now then sanctification is ment by the terme of iustification bycause these twoo go neuer a sunder And why maye I not make answer thus also that somtimes there is mention made but onely of y releasing of sinnes not to the ende to exclude all other pates that make men blessed but by cause the rest are couerfly comprehended vnder it And if thou wilt vrge mee yet further I may also fitly answer that aâ— the other are ment by y releasing of sins For who can denye but that euen originall sin hath néede of clensinge Ergo it is compreheÌ„ded in the releasinge of sins Also who can saye that he only is too bee taken for an offender y doth some thinge which he is forbiddeÌ„ not he also which performeth not that which is inioyned him Ergo not to haue fulfilled the lawe is also sin whiche also hath néede too be released Now remaine the sinnes that is to say the déedes that are don ageynst the law wherof there is no question but they haue néede too bee satisfied for All these are released by Christes satisfaction whiche is imputed too vs all Nowe let vs come too the name of Release That man is properly saide to release a dette whiche fréely yea and vtterly dischargeth his detter so as hee reserueth no action too himselfe ageinst him Now then wee bee all of vs the children of wrath not onely bycause we be corrupted or bycause wee fulfill not the lawe or bycause wee doo the thynges that are forbidden vs but also bycause wee ought too appeare pure béefore God such as he made vs and not only not too be transgressors of the law but also to be performers of the law Therfore too she ende that we who else must perish may haue full perfecte release of all sinnes this foresaide release muste of necessitye matche with the other release
vtterly impossible that he shold not bée good Ergo willingnesse and necessity are not repugnant For whereas it was of necessity y of two repugnant thynges Adam must choose but the one although none of them both was within the compasse of his owne wyll yet surely the one of them was set downe in the euerlasting ordynance of God which ordynance was bothe out of Adams will and aboue his will yet compelled not his will but rather forasmuch as his will could not take bothe of them it willingly and of it owne accord inclined finally too that part which the ordinance of god had foreset Quest But surely that necessity which is entered in together with lust into mans hart in such wise as he cannot but sinne according as thou hast declared afore seemeth too take away happening An. Although I shoulde graunt it too be so yet cannot men bee exempted from blame first because this necessitye of sinning wherwith mankinde is now ouerwhelmed cometh not of the Creat◠▪ but of the willing inclination of mans naturall will vnto euill as I saide afore And who wil think it strange y he shoulde be burned whiche hath willingly cast himselfe into the fyre Againe althoughe it bee not of hap but of necessitie that man is now caried vntoo euill consideringe that sith he is corrupted by sin hee is as the Apostle saieth become the bondslaue of sin and so remaineth til he bee set free by y sonne of god yet notwithstanding that which he dooth he dooth it willinglye and vnconstreined For like as he cannot but doo euill so also hee delighteth not in any other than euill albeit that the euill lurkinge sometime vnder the coloure of good do make him take it for good And therefore not euen this necessitie whiche was brought in by willinge fall taketh awaye the willinge moouing of the will. Which thing being graūted it foloweth that man is verely the cause of sin inasmuch as although he sin of necessity yet he sinneth willingly And yet say I not that happeninge is taken away by this necessity nother For although that in mā which is hild bound vnder necessity of sinning and is not yet regenerated there remaineth nowe no deliberating whether he may choose the trew good or the euil as there was in mans nature afore his fall yet notwithstaning there remaineth a deliberating betwene euill and euill For where the case standeth not vppon choise of this or that there is no deliberating or debating Now then euen the headiest and hastiest men that be doo deliberate but neither can they vnderstand anye thinge nor thinge any thing and therfore much lesse deliberate of any thing but eyther with straying from y good or else plainly ageinst their conscience ergo al their deliberating is busied aboute the choosing betweene twoo euilles or mo And their preferringe of the one or the other commeth altogether by hap as in respect of their owne voluntary will which happening y vnchangeable ordenaunce of God dooth no more take away now in men corrupted than it tooke it awaye in olde tyme in mankind vncorrupted Qu. The sum then of the thinges which thou hast spokē concerning prouidence is this that nothing in the whole world cometh too passe agaynste Gods will or without his knoweledge that is to say ▪ rashly casually but altogether in such wise as God himself hath ordained them from euerlasting disposing all the mean causes most mightely and effectually so as they be caried on to their appoynted end of necessity as in respect of his ordinance and yet that he is not an authour or allower of any euil bicause he dealeth alwaies most rightfuly with what instrumentes so euer he execute his woorke An. So it is Quest This is yet againe the thing that troubleth mee For although I see that God worketh rightefully by the euill sorte yet not withstandinge if all and euery thing be done by gods eternall or dinaunce so as nothinge at all may bee excluded then it remaineth that the euill doinges of the euill persones euen in respect that they be euill are not exempted from Gods ordinaunce whiche thing me thinks cannot be said without wickednesse An. Neeedes must he be sore troubled to no purpose which laboreth to comprehend gods wisdom within the bounds of his owne reason For I pray you if you woulde go aboute too conteine the whole Ocean in a drinkinge Cup what should you else doo but onely lose your labour bée counted a foole for so doinge And yet more tollerable thoughe not too bée talkt of is the proporcioninge betwéene the maine sea and the least cup that can bée than betwéene gods wisdom and the foolishnesse of mans most corrupt wit. Neuerthelesse I suppose y this whiche thou obiectest may also be fitlye answered vntoo Therfore I graūt thée euē this also that the euill workes of euill men euen in that they bée euill in respecte of themselues are not done againste gods will or without his knoweledge for were it so then should eyther Godlesnesse or else Epicurishenes folowe of necessitie But I saye further that if thou haue an eye too Gods ordinaunce the verye euill it selfe hath a respecte of goodnesse althoughe it bee euill in it selfe so as this Paradox of Austins is verye trewe namelye that it is good also that there should bée euilles too the ende that God should not suffer euilles to bée and truly in not sufferinge hée is not vnwillinge but willing Quest VVhat then Shall wee saye that God willeth iniquitie An. God forbid for it is the horriblest of all blasphemies to saye so But staye thy self awhile I beséech thee that I may expound that whiche I haue sayd so truely and godlilye as it cannot bee denyde but god must also bée auouched not to bée the Iudge of the world The name of Will is taken sometime in the largest signification for that whiche god ordaineth or appointeth In whiche signification wee must vtterly say either y god willeth all thinges y is to say y nothinge commeth to passe which God will not haue done or that God is not almightye if neuer so smal a thing com to passe which he wold not haue don or else y god regardeth not all thinges if any thing come too passe he cares not how And somtime by the name of Will there is ment onely that which liketh him bicause it is good of it owne nature and after this manner the faith full onely are saide too obey God and too execute his will béecause y in this sence God is saide too wyll that is too saye too allowe and except onelye that whiche is good and not too wyll iniquitie Which will of his is vttered fully vnto vs in his lawe but his other will is not so but in part For who knoweth what shal befall but this one daye And nothing shall béefall but that which God hath from euerlastinge both willed and ordeyned too befall Quest